After 18 Years of Silence, Now My Words Are Divine

Chapter 81

Chapter 81: The Ghost Slain by Debt

Seattle Mercy Hospital, rooftop terrace.

A slightly manic, androgynous voice echoed across the rooftop.

A strange figure dressed in a detective's trenchcoat with a black stocking pulled over her head stood there with both arms spread wide, as though embracing the sun, right on the edge of the 20-story rooftop.

Below her feet was a bottomless abyss—a single gust of wind could send a person plummeting down to be pulped against the ground.

But she stood there as though strolling through her own back garden.

She had even risen onto her tiptoes, savoring the warm morning sun and spring breeze.

"I'm just a desperado."

Silk-Stocking Desperado turned her head.

"I only know how to rob, how to kill, how to win."

"Finding people? That's a detective's job."

"As for this detective's outfit I'm wearing..."

"Heh heh—just 'war spoils' I won off those dead ghosts!"

Behind her stood a twin-tailed girl.

Ye Yilin was watching her with pleading eyes.

"Please...Desperado."

Ye Yilin pressed her palms together, her voice choked.

"I really want to know where my father went..."

"We came here together—he must be somewhere in this hospital! Just tell me where he is..."

The girl bit her lip, her eyes filled with stubborn determination.

"I'll go save him myself! Alright?"

"......"

Hearing those words, Silk-Stocking Desperado froze for a moment.

Then, as though she had just heard the most ridiculous joke imaginable—

"Pfft...HAHAHAHA!!"

She lurched backward, clutching her stomach in laughter, her entire body teetering on the rooftop's edge.

"You? Save him yourself?"

"Oh, I can't—this is killing me laughing!"

"Ye Yilin, my dear little princess, could you please not make your mama laugh first thing in the morning? HAHAHA!"

Silk-Stocking Desperado wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes.

"On the strength of your F-Grade physique? Or on the strength of your ability to cry?"

"In this people-eating hospital, you can't even afford the registration fee—and you want to go save someone?"

Ye Yilin's face instantly flushed crimson.

She lowered her head. Tears swam in her eyes, yet she could only nod in silence.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said something so unrealistic."

"But...I really have no other way."

"If those prisoners get their hands on my father..."

"They'll definitely kill him! He's the prison warden—those people hate him with everything they've got!"

"So please...for the sake of us both being Huaxia people, help me..."

At that moment, the 5 young prison guards standing behind Ye Yilin all lowered their heads one after another, expressions complicated, yet not daring to speak.

Tap.

Silk-Stocking Desperado stopped laughing.

She jumped down from the rooftop's edge.

Step by step, she walked up to Ye Yilin and stared hard at this prison warden's daughter.

"But..."

Silk-Stocking Desperado spread both hands open.

"My dear Miss Ye. Daughter of Warden Ye Desheng."

"Have you ever considered...that I am also a criminal?"

"And as a prison warden—that 'kind-hearted' father of yours..."

"How exactly did he treat me back then?"

Rustle!

Without any warning.

Silk-Stocking Desperado wrenched her detective trenchcoat open.

Hiss!

Everyone present drew a sharp collective breath.

All across her abdomen and ribcage were grotesque, jagged scars.

Burns. Whip marks. Even dents left by blunt-force strikes.

Old wounds layered over new wounds—a harrowing, nauseating sight.

Ye Yilin covered her mouth, trembling, unable to speak.

She had grown up in the ivory tower her father built for her. She had never once witnessed a hellish sight like this.

"Can't answer that, can you?"

Silk-Stocking Desperado lowered her coat and let out a cold laugh:

"In this ghost hospital—perpetually shadowed overhead by the

【Eagle Nation Medical Debt】's astronomical 【Kill Line】..."

"Who is protecting you? Who is protecting this whole bunch of dead weight?"

"It's me...Silk-Stocking Desperado."

"A killer who—because of a single stocking!"

"Killed some worthless woman, and was locked away in a lightless prison for a full 18 years!!"

Her voice suddenly shot upward in pitch.

"Until this godforsaken apocalypse descended, until the bizarre shattered the cage—only then did I finally get my freedom!"

"Imprisonment was the law's verdict—a punishment I deserved."

"I don't blame the country. I don't regret killing that wretch."

"But..."

Silk-Stocking Desperado pointed at her own stomach—at those scars.

"These scars...were not something I deserved!!"

"All of this is thanks to your wonderful father—that upright and incorruptible Warden Ye Desheng!!"

"That's bullsh*t!!"

Before Ye Yilin could even respond—

From behind her, a hot-blooded young prison guard finally couldn't hold himself back. He shoved forward and jabbed a finger at Silk-Stocking Desperado, roaring:

"Our prison has strict regulations! It's a model unit for civilized law enforcement!"

"The warden always treated us so well—how could he possibly have used private punishment?!"

"Those injuries on you..."

"Must be from trouble you got into on your own outside! Don't you dare slander the warden!"

"Calm down! Xiao Zhang! Calm down!"

The other 4 prison guards saw what was happening and rushed forward to hold him back with all their strength.

One of the older guards clapped a hand over Xiao Zhang's mouth and said in a low, firm voice:

"Not another word!!"

"We only survived because of her!"

"Without her, we would have been bled dry by those nurse ghosts in the emergency room on day 1!"

"We...have no right to point fingers at the person who saved our lives."

Hearing those words, the agitated young guard's body stiffened. The fire in his eyes gradually died out, replaced by helplessness and shame.

His head dropped, powerless.

Yes...

Order had already collapsed.

These prison guards—who represented justice and order—

Were now relying on a criminal they once watched over to protect them.

That in itself...

Was a massive irony.

"Heh heh."

Silk-Stocking Desperado watched this unfold. She wasn't angry. Instead, a light laugh escaped her.

"Not bad—fresh university graduates from the new era, still know how to read the room."

"Don't worry. I have no intention of using moral coercion on any of you. You don't need to feel guilty either."

She dusted off her hands and straightened her trenchcoat.

"Everything I've done is nothing more than atonement."

"Saving this bunch of the motherland's flowers—I suppose it balances out one life against that wretch's, doesn't it?"

"Now...we're even."

With that said.

Silk-Stocking Desperado walked up to Ye Yilin and gave her shoulder a firm pat.

"Once we get out of this hospital, we go our separate ways—no debts owed between us."

"So...understood? Little princess?"

Ye Yilin, eyes brimming with tears, looked at this frightening yet pitiable woman before her.

In the end, she had no choice but to nod.

The words she had wanted to say—about saving her father—she buried them deep in her heart, along with her tears.

"Good, good!"

Silk-Stocking Desperado's expression shifted in an instant. She reached over and ruffled Ye Yilin's head.

"See? Isn't that much better?"

"As long as we don't bring up that disgusting man, we're the best of friends!!"

Then.

She turned around with easy confidence.

She looked toward the dark stairwell entrance leading down below.

"Well then..."

"It's time."

Silk-Stocking Desperado licked her lips.

"Let's go meet those wretched Eagle Nation bottom-feeders."

"From the hands of those ghosts—who trigger the Kill Line the moment someone runs out of money..."

"Let's win back every last coin needed to ransom our way out of this hospital..."

"All of it!!"

……