182 Chapter 182: An Old Acquaintance (1/2)

After the sumptuous lunch, I went my separate way. Apparently Cecilia and Roland still had a lot of things they needed to discuss on, something to do with trade and foreign relations, so I excused myself. After all, whatever they were negotiating or discussing on had completely nothing to do with me whatsoever. I had better things to do with my time.

”…still, how do I go home?”

I had arrived in Southampton City by Roland's hovercraft, and obviously I couldn't just ask the crown prince to give me another ride home. I didn't own his damned hovercraft. With that option beyond my means, I had no choice but to take public transport.

That was all right. It wasn't as if this was my first time. I had been to Southampton City a couple of times before, and both times I had taken public transport. Especially during the fateful Stuart Corporation Building incident, where everything went to hell. After escaping from the terrifying battle between Lionel Stuart and Yuan Dao Yue Guang, I boarded the train back to Jing Tian City along with Alicia. I was no stranger to public transport. Hell, I took it everyday.

It was just that Southampton City was a lot further than my usual commute and I was dreading the long ride home. Having lent my Kindle to Adrian, I had nothing to read on the train. I guess I could sleep on the ride, given how I was forced to wake up at 6 in the morning. I was already feeling drowsy after such a heavy meal.

So I ended up walking from the restaurant and toward the train station. Suppressing a yawn, I followed the directions on the Google Map downloaded into my smartphone and headed straight ahead. The holographic route took me through a wide road that stretched between two rows of shop houses, which included a bakery and a jewelry shop.

It was right outside the jewelry shop that I spotted what seemed like a commotion. A group of guys were heckling a poor girl.

”Sorry, but can you please let me go?”

A single girl was uncomfortably squirming as she founded herself surrounded by three guys, two of them flanking her to cut off her escape.

”No can do, sis,” the person who seemed to be the leader replied with a sneer. ”You bumped into me and you expect to just walk off?”

”I already apologized,” the girl pointed out stiffly. Then she bowed her head. ”If necessary, I'll apologize again.”

”Do you think an apology is enough?”

The girl's eyes narrowed dangerously. ”What do you suggest I do then?”

”Are you really that dense?” the leader laughed. He then leaned closer, still keeping a firm hold on her slender arm. ”Spend the night with me, and we'll call it even.”

The girl scowled. ”So you intend to rape me just because I accidentally bumped into you? How is that in any way even?”

”It's not rape if you give your consent,” the leader drawled.

The girl smiled thinly. ”Do you honestly think I'll consent to this?”

”With a body like that, and dressed in such provocative clothing?” One of the lackeys chuckled. ”Aren't you just asking to be raped?”

What in the actual bloody fuck?! What kind of fucking reasoning was that?! The lowest of all scum who refused to take responsibility for their own crimes and instead turned around and blamed it on the victim…pinned the responsibility on the women for ”seducing” and ”provoking” them into rape. I felt rage boiling inside me.

”Grab her, guys!” the guy cackled. His two cronies grinned and closed in on her. Sensing some sort of danger, I hastened my pace. For some reason, nobody was intervening. Either they were afraid of the guy and his subordinates, or the trio were pretty notorious around these parts. They did seem like they belonged to some gang or underground society, what with those flashy shirts, dragon tattoos and longish hair.

If nobody intended to help, then I had no choice but to interfere. Come on, it wasn't as if I was risking my life. Someone in front of me was in trouble, what reason did I have to not help her, other than if I was some self-centered, uncaring, edgy asshole?

”What seems to be the problem here?” I demanded as I approached them. The three guys and the girl turned around, and for the first time I got a good look of her. She had long, wavy green hair and sparkling emerald eyes that were for some reason very familiar. As if I had seen those eyes somewhere before, but I couldn't put my finger on where exactly.

Not that I had the chance to ponder on it. The girl brightened up when she caught sight of me, a dazzling smile spreading across her pretty face.

”…ah!”

I was stunned by how beautiful she was. It was just a second of hesitation, partially because I was still trying to remember where I had seen her before, but before I knew it she was latching onto my arm in delight.

”Richard!”

”…eh?”

My jaw dropped as I stared at her in shock, but she was clinging tightly to my arm and giggling as she turned to face the three guys.

”What…? When did that woman slip free!?”

It wasn't just me. The three men were also astonished by her sudden escape. One moment she was surrounded by them, with the leader keeping a firm hold of her arm, and the next…she was gone. Completely free from her grasp.

I immediately understood that this lady was no ordinary girl.

How does she know my name? I wondered. And why is she clinging to me like this?

As the scum pointed out earlier, the girl was admittedly dressed in a revealing dress that emphasized her well-endowed breasts, which almost peeked out of her open-topped blouse. The same huge chest that was pressed tightly against my arm.

”Sorry! Did I make you wait long?”

”…who are you again?”

”How cruel!” the girl sulked. ”Forgetting me like this! Even though we had such a wild night the other time…!”

I raised an eyebrow. ”Are you sure you haven't gotten the wrong person? I'm just…”

”What the fuck do you think you're doing?!” the leader of the three growled as he stepped forward. ”Flirting in front of us like this? That's our woman, nerd!”

…nerd. Did he seriously just call me a nerd? Okay, I mean I was wearing glasses and didn't look all that imposing, but that was one amusing insult.