Chapter 128: The Children
Actually, even with Little Red Riding Hood's explanations, Yu Sheng still found it hard to understand and imagine what life was like in this orphanage, or how it "operated" day to day. He couldn't imagine what the children who lived here thought about or did each day, couldn't imagine the specific duties of the "Council employees" assigned here, couldn't imagine how the "Council," which ruled over the entire Borderlands, viewed such a special orphanage.
Because when it came down to it, he didn't even understand how this massive " " operated, nor did he understand the mysterious "Council." His only contact with the "official" side had been the Special Services Bureau, and the entire Bureau was actually just one part of the Council.
The Borderlands had too many things that seemed incongruous to him. The place where Little Red Riding Hood and her friends lived was just one more addition to the many doubts in his mind.
Hu Li, who had been following along silently without a word since entering the door, suddenly blurted out, "Why doesn't the Special Services Bureau or the Council set up a special department to just 'take over' this entire orphanage?"
Little Red Riding Hood looked at the fox-girl in some surprise.
Hu Li blinked nervously and scratched her hair. "Did I... say something wrong?"
"No... not at all," Little Red Riding Hood quickly regained her composure and shook her head. "It's normal to think that way. But do you know how many groups or organizations similar to 'us' exist throughout the Borderlands?"
Hu Li opened her mouth but couldn't find words.
"I've said before that most Spirit World Detectives and investigators only 'change careers' after being involved in Otherworld incidents. And the children of the 'Fairy Tale' organization were also affected by the 'Otherworld—Fairy Tale.' Essentially, every child you'll see here is either a future or current active Spirit World Detective. We're one member among hundreds of supernatural organizations in the Borderlands, so many things must be handled according to supernatural organization protocols.
"Of course, the Special Services Bureau once considered giving us 'kids' 'special treatment.' That was a long time ago... Just like you said—set up a 'special orphanage' under the direct supervision of the Council and the Bureau, gather all children affected by Fairy Tale, protect and guide them collectively, have 'adults' take care of everything instead of us managing ourselves. But then... something big happened."
Yu Sheng frowned slightly, and a dozen scripts from movies, TV shows, thrillers, and horror games instantly flashed through his mind. "...The children were treated inhumanely, and then 'Fairy Tale' went out of control?"
"No, quite the opposite," Little Red Riding Hood shook her head. "The Special Services Bureau and the Council aren't fools. They know that 'Otherworlds' don't follow any 'human rules' when taking lives. So according to the records, they did everything right back then—cared for the children attentively, considered each child's situation, nothing inhumane happened. But they overlooked one thing."
Ai Lin poked her head out from Hu Li's arms. "...Overlooked one thing?"
"'Fairy Tale' doesn't like adults," Little Red Riding Hood said calmly.
Yu Sheng thought it over, feeling like he understood what she meant.
Hu Li also nodded gently after a moment of consideration, as if she had grasped the key point.
Ai Lin strained to think too, then raised her head. "Hey, what does that mean... How come you two look like you understand already? What do you understand?"
No one bothered to answer her.
"This ahead is the East Building," Little Red Riding Hood pointed at the structure in front and explained to Yu Sheng. "The main orphanage buildings consist of two towers. The East Building you see as you enter is the main living and activity area. The main cafeteria and the 'classroom' for younger children are here too. The other one over there is the West Building, which has... some safe rooms and a treatment room. Sometimes when the children's conditions are unstable, they go to the West Building.
"The two buildings originally had two connecting passages. Later, one underground had some issues, so it was locked. Now you can only cross via the upper-level walkway. Of course, the West Building also has other regular entrances.
"That open space over there is where the kids usually play. We built those slides and swing sets ourselves, dug the sandpit ourselves, and asked the Special Services Bureau to send a truck to haul the sand—they didn't charge us. There was a bit of trouble back then—we dug the sandpit too big and too deep. The original plan was one truckload would be enough, but later three truckloads almost didn't fill it. The Bureau people suspected we were trying to scam sand to sell...
"Over there, see those trees? We planted those with our own hands. I was just ten back then... The 'parent' who took me to plant trees is no longer here."
Yu Sheng listened quietly. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed several curious gazes peeking out from the main entrance of the East Building. A few half-grown children with younger ones crowded near the doorframe, sneaking looks at the 'guests' who had appeared in the orphanage. Occasionally they pointed and muttered, probably discussing or guessing about something.
Then an older girl came out from behind and shooed them all back inside.
"How many children are here?" Yu Sheng asked curiously. "Uh, I mean including you 'parents.'"
"Seventy-six," Little Red Riding Hood said. "Fewer than you imagined?"
"Indeed... a bit fewer than I expected."
"It's always around that number, fluctuating by only a few at most," Little Red Riding Hood said as she led Yu Sheng through the main entrance of the East Building toward the 'reception room.' "New ones come, old ones leave. 'Fairy Tale' only accepts children who meet its requirements, and it doesn't hesitate to eliminate the old. So relative to our numbers, this facility is actually a bit extravagant—many rooms above the fifth floor here are empty, and most of the West Building is empty too.
"Among the seventy-six children, sixteen are 'parents.' Of the rest, about half are between eight and fourteen, and the other half are younger. Overall, about three-quarters are girls, and only a quarter are boys..."
"I noticed that too. Most of the ones I saw just now were girls," Yu Sheng nodded, then asked curiously, "Why?"
Little Red Riding Hood gave a slight smile. "Because princesses are always more likely to fall into danger—'village girls' like 'Little Red Riding Hood' are the same. You need to learn to view this place from 'Fairy Tale's' perspective."
Yu Sheng looked thoughtful.
Under Little Red Riding Hood's guidance, he, Ai Lin, and Hu Li arrived at the reception room at the end of the East Building corridor.
Yu Sheng noticed several more prying gazes at the door. Small figures wandered the corridor outside, clearly curious about today's new guests but afraid to come closer.
"I brought some gifts for the kids," Yu Sheng said, holding up the cookies and candy he was carrying, and nodded to Little Red Riding Hood. "Have them distribute these?"
"Thanks—you're quite thoughtful," Little Red Riding Hood didn't stand on ceremony. She thanked him happily and then beckoned to a half-grown child at the door. "Huihui, take these to the cafeteria first. Hand them out during dinner."
The girl called 'Huihui,' who looked about thirteen or fourteen, immediately ran in happily. Several younger children, around five or six, took the chance to sneak into the room too, scurrying around the table. Some shouted excitedly, "I want chocolate! Give me the gold ones!" "Are there gummy bears?" "Thank you, Uncle!" "Sister Huihui! Yaya stepped on my toe!"
Then a tiny, chubby little one suddenly crawled out from under the table, staring wide-eyed at Yu Sheng and Hu Li. She pointed at Ai Lin. "I want to hold this one too!"
Ai Lin instantly spread her arms and bared her teeth. "I'm not a gift!"
The little one froze for a second, then immediately burst into loud sobs.
The bunch of human cubs scattered, squealing and shrieking, running around in chaos—the exact same noise Yu Sheng had imagined that morning when he pictured a room full of Ai Lins.
He was completely dumbfounded.
But the chaos lasted only a short while. Little Red Riding Hood immediately stood up and calmed the little ones with a few words. Then Huihui expertly took charge of that bunch of kids, coaxing and persuading them back into the corridor. She even closed the door behind them.
Yu Sheng stared at the scene that had turned chaotic and then calm in an instant. It took him a moment to react, and he turned to look at Little Red Riding Hood. "...You're... pretty amazing."
"You'll get used to it. The kids here are actually very sensible. Although they have some minor issues normal for their age, most can calm down faster than ordinary children, understand instructions from older kids better, and know the necessity of following rules," Little Red Riding Hood said with a faint smile. "Everyone has gone through this."
For some reason, hearing this made Yu Sheng feel even more unsettled.
"Tell me about 'Fairy Tale,'" he shook his head and quickly changed the subject. "I mean that 'Otherworld'—and the 'Black Forest' I saw. What's that about?"
"The Black Forest is a 'sub-body' of 'Fairy Tale.' But before I explain its structure in detail, I want to talk about something more fundamental first," Little Red Riding Hood said calmly. At this moment, Yu Sheng seemed to see the precocious, calm, composed 'Spirit World Detective' he had met when they first got to know each other. "Let me confirm first—do you know how many categories of 'Otherworlds' there are?"
Yu Sheng thought for a moment, his expression equally serious. "No."
Little Red Riding Hood: "..."
"I remember this is pretty early in the database," she said, looking at him with a strange expression. "Didn't I tell you to study that part as soon as possible?"
Yu Sheng felt a bit awkward. "I've been especially busy these past couple of days."
"Busy with what? Did the Special Services Bureau make new arrangements?"
Yu Sheng kept a straight face and quickly ran through what he had been doing the past two days in his mind.
Opening up wilderness in the Otherworld, farming, pouring concrete, raising chickens, petting Hu Li at home, researching how to make Ai Lins with Ai Lin, and thinking about how to use rebar and #42 cement to make even more Ai Lins...
He felt that if he said any of that out loud, his dignity as an adult would vanish in an instant.
"Yeah, the Special Services Bureau called me in to talk about the Gloomy Angel."
Yu Sheng said this with a stern face, without a single lie.