NOVEL WEB Chapter 68: Benny
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Chapter 68: Benny
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Zoe rose from the wooden bench, bowing her head repeatedly in gratitude to the elderly man before her.
She had just come down from the mountain.
Her upper body was barely naked; her once tattered shirt had been consigned to burns, and the ragged white robe had been buried deep within the mine. As for her shoes, they were now little more than shredded remnants, the price of her enthusiastic leaps through the trees.
It wasn't the fault of the brand—their quality was not in question. Rather, Zoe's newfound vigor meant that even a slight exertion was enough to ruin ordinary footwear.
As a well-educated, aspiring young woman, she knew her morals. Despite her ability to kill without hesitation, she understood herself to be, deep down, a good person. Theft, unless absolutely necessary, was simply wrong.
And so, she had approached an old man sitting idly at the entrance to Howards Village, seeking to purchase some clothing.
The elderly man had provided her with a simple cotton shirt, adorned with a few elegant floral patterns, its collar wide for easy wear. He also gave her a pair of plain white canvas shoes.
The two had soon begun chatting, falling easily into a pleasant conversation.
It wasn’t until some time later that Zoe remembered—cash, power banks, charging cables—everything had been lost to the fire. She reached for her phone, intending to pay.
But the elderly man refused immediately.
"No need, lass, truly," said the old man, waving a hand dismissively. "It's good enough that you kept me company for a while."
The elderly man, his frame slight yet brimming with vitality, spoke with a gentle warmth. There was no trace of the disdain that some city folk held towards those from rural areas. Despite living in a mountain village, his spirit was extraordinary. And yet, one could not miss a hint of loneliness in his gaze.
Most of the younger generations had left for the cities, and like many elderly villagers in Howards Village and countless other rural hamlets, he was left behind, an empty-nest elder. Always staring into the distance, often dragging a stool to the village entrance, it was as if he were waiting for someone.
Seeing this, Zoe fell silent for a moment.
Then, with a smile, she sat back down and resumed their conversation, cheerful as ever.
In that moment, she wasn’t some extraordinary being.
She was merely a young woman who enjoyed chatting with elders.
With the cool breeze after the rain gently brushing past them, their conversation flowed from the development of rural areas to the current price of pork. They discussed the county officials’ recent outreach and their initiatives to protect the environment in response to national calls.
Zoe found herself enjoying the conversation immensely. She could sense that the elderly man was equally pleased. It almost felt as if they were kindred spirits meeting too late in life.
When noon approached, Zoe, not wanting to impose any further, politely declined the old man's repeated invitation to stay for lunch. She turned towards the distant road, heading away.
The old man watched Zoe’s retreating figure.
A gentle smile spread across his face.
The old man's smile was akin to the warm sunshine of winter—gentle and comforting. His lips curled slightly upwards, as if one could see his enduring love for life, even after years of hardship.
Like an old tree weathered by countless storms, its leaves worn but still reaching for the sun, exuding an air of tranquil resilience.
He yearns for someone he dears, but no one knows.
...
At three in the afternoon, Zoe finally arrived back at Wingsgone New Village in Hamilton.
Until she stepped out of the lift and stood before her front door, an inexplicable sense of being detached from reality lingered. This outing had been her longest time away from home since gaining her abilities—a rare event even in her life before that.
Back during her school days, she was practically a homebody, rarely leaving the house. After starting work, she diligently adhered to the routine of going to and fro between the factory and her home. And when she began writing web novels and became financially self-sufficient, she ceased even that, foregoing almost all excursions.
Except, of course, for the necessities—running downstairs to buy groceries, taking out the rubbish, collecting packages, and, occasionally, returning to her family home in the province during major events and important holidays. Otherwise, she truly went nowhere.
If not for her neighbour, Benny, who occasionally dragged her outside, Zoe might rarely have left the Wingsgone Village complex at all.
And yet here she was, having indulged herself alone amidst the depths of an ancient forest—an adventure that saw her wrestling bears, evolving through slumber, mastering combat techniques, and, on occasion, ruthlessly killing to silence threats.
The entire experience left her feeling as though she had lived through an age. Oddly enough, she had departed on the morning of the 15th and returned on the afternoon of the 17th—only a few days had passed, but it felt like several months’ worth of experience had been condensed into that short span.
She looked at her door, then paused, her fingers stopping just as they reached her keys. Instead, she moved towards Benny's door, giving it a knock.
Moments later, the door opened. Benny emerged, a bottle of red wine dangling from his hand. He seemed slightly tipsy, and his expression suggested he was drinking to ease some unknown sorrow.
Behind him, Platinum leapt about excitedly.
"Finally, you're back! Honestly, Platinum's energy is simply inexhaustible," Benny began venting the moment he saw her. "And since the new dog hasn't had its shots, I couldn't take him out to burn off energy."
It was apparent that Platinum had been quite the handful in her absence, causing Benny plenty of trouble.
Zoe laughed at this. "Indeed, he is rather spirited."
She beckoned to Platinum with a crooked finger.
The dog instantly ceased its antics and obediently trotted out of Benny's home, sitting quietly by her side.
That calm demeanor made Benny widen his eyes in disbelief, his face the picture of astonishment.
"Good heavens, didn't you just get this dog a few days ago? What are you, a beast tamer?"
Benny couldn't help but joke.
Over the past days, the hyperactive Platinum had truly thrown his routine into chaos, giving him rare moments where he felt completely out of his depth. Yet here was Zoe, who seemingly, with just a gesture, tamed the dog into obedience.
Out of curiosity, Benny tried beckoning to Platinum the same way, waving his finger until his hand felt sore. But Platinum paid him no heed.
Seeing this, Zoe shook her head with an amused sigh. "I'll treat you to dinner sometime, alright?"
With that, she was about to head home. But Benny suddenly stopped her, a strangely awkward expression on his face.
"Erm, Zoe, do you still remember Lynette Sagran?"
Zoe paused, turning to look at Benny, whose expression seemed unusually uncertain. "Of course. That bookshop owner you brought along for cards the other day, what about her?"
Sensing Benny's complicated emotions, Zoe had an inkling of what might be coming.
"Well... she confessed to me yesterday... what should I do?"
For once, Benny seemed genuinely unsure.
This was the first time Zoe had seen Benny, usually living with such carefree spontaneity, so conflicted over a woman.
This was the same Benny who had nonchalantly accepted "special services" while collecting a "debt" from a trendy bathhouse owner. The same one who, during their barhopping escapades, could effortlessly charm a few ladies to join them at a hotel.
Yet now, faced with a confession from a girl, he seemed utterly at a loss.
"What should you do? If you like her, then accept her, of course."
Zoe raised an eyebrow, not particularly surprised.
Before setting off for the mountains, she had, in fact, come across Lynette once more and given her a few pointers on how to pursue Benny. It seemed she'd taken those pointers to heart and acted rather quickly. Judging by Benny's current reaction, it had certainly worked.
"Listen, Zoe... if I'm being honest, I could have fun, sure, but true feelings? That's a different matter."
"I mean, back in the day, I forged artworks, stole artefacts. Nearly every official body across the world, save for our own government, has a warrant out for me as a notorious art thief."
"I’m no more than a bird in a cage, afraid to fly too high. Now, I only dare to stay in this familiar, comfortable city. I wouldn't dare venture to another city without thoroughly mapping out a dozen escape routes."
"So... how could I truly be with a girl? Lynette..."
For a long time, Benny struggled before finally spilling his story.
This was the first time he'd revealed both his identity and his fears. Even though his trust in Zoe was clear, Zoe could still sense his tension through her ability.
Despite his trust, Benny still clutched a vial of ether behind his back, prepared to incapacitate her if necessary. No doubt he'd also made preparations for an escape however at the same time, a flashback of the serious Lynette and her confession dominate his thoughts.
Through her heightened perception of her surroundings, Zoe saw the entire layout of Benny's flat—a bag full of cash, forged identification, medications, and an underground map of Hamilton's drainage network, all carefully prepared for an emergency.
It was clear that if not for the heavy burden of Lynette's confession weighing on him, he would never have taken such a risk and opened up to her.
Zoe hesitated for a moment before responding, "There's nothing to fear, truly. This is Wingsgone, Hamilton—this is our home soil. If nothing else, you could just settle down here, couldn't you? The money you've got should be enough for a comfortable retirement, I reckon."
"And besides... Benny Marcelo, isn't that what you're already doing? What else is there to worry about?"
"On this land, at least, you don't need to fear enemies coming at you with guns blazing."
Zoe did not directly tell Benny how to respond to Lynette's confession. She understood that he wanted to accept but was held back by his identity and the overwhelming sense of insecurity it brought.
Instead, she simply emphasized how safe it was for him to stay here.
And then, she took Platinum and turned back towards her home.
The rest was up to Benny. It was a decision he needed to make on his own.
As his friend, the best Zoe could do was provide him with some guidance. When it came to such an important decision, Benny had to make up his own mind.
As for Zoe, she had her own business to attend to—her proper tasks now awaited.
Such as...
Reviewing the changes brought about by her fourth evolution through sleep, and recording her findings in detail.
