Celine didn't know that the things she gave away on a whim would cause such a strong reaction from Hogan and General Meng.
She even wondered if maybe they weren't used to modern food.
After all, a thousand years had passed. People's taste and eating habits had completely changed.
Actually, Celine's guess wasn't totally wrong.
Hogan and the others had tried other snacks, even self-heating hotpot, but they didn't like them much.
Especially the spicy ones. The flavors were too strong and complicated. Compared to that, they liked simple things like compressed biscuits, candy, and chicken-flavored instant noodles more.
But that was something to talk about later.
Right now, Celine was dealing with Lorenzo in a roundabout way.
After walking all day, Lorenzo finally got back to the hotel in the county town.
His feet were covered in painful blisters from wearing fancy leather shoes. Every step hurt badly.
He held back his anger and called Celine.
On the other end, Celine's voice sounded very "surprised" and "troubled."
"You're in the county town? Why didn't you tell me earlier? I could have come to pick you up"
"What now? I'm not even in the county town…"
Lorenzo froze. His anger grew. He gritted his teeth and asked, "You're not in the county? Then where are you?"
Celine sighed. Her voice sounded a little "sorry."
"I went with my brother to the provincial capital to get his leg checked. The doctor said it doesn't look good. He might need surgery…"
She paused for a second. Her voice got softer and a bit "embarrassed."
"Lorenzo, could you lend me a little more money? My brother's surgery still needs a lot…"
She was asking for money?
He came here to ask her for money
How could he give her more?
He had gone through all this trouble to find her. She should be the one to pay him back. How could she ask him for money
Thinking that, Lorenzo hung up the phone.
Celine had expected this. She wasn't surprised when he angrily ended the call.
She gave a cold smile and tossed the phone aside. The pale screen light reflected on her face, calm and emotionless.
But the fire of revenge hadn't made her lose control.
Celine knew very well that now was not the time. What she wanted was for Lorenzo to lose everything, for his name to be ruined, his family destroyed. She didn't want short-term satisfaction. She wanted him to suffer.
The deep hatred from her past life could only be paid back with thick, heavy blood.
This thought stuck to her like a parasite, wrapping tightly around her heart as she sank into sleep.
The dream pulled her in like a giant black hand, dragging her back to that night full of despair.
She saw the familiar, abandoned factory. It was cold, damp, and filled with the smell of rot.
Lorenzo's face, once the one that made her heart race, was now twisted and terrifying like a demon.
He shoved her into the factory and threw her to a group of men who looked like hungry wolves.
"No… don't!" Celine screamed in fear, struggling as hard as she could. Her fingernails scraped against the rough cement floor, leaving trails of blood behind.
Cursing, kicking, tearing…
"Lorenzo! You will die horribly!" she screamed in despair. Her voice was hoarse and broken like a wild animal near death.
"Help me… someone, please help me…" she begged. Her tears mixed with blood, blurring everything she saw.
No one came. No one answered. Only more cruelty, more abuse.
Her body hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.
She was like a broken doll. They threw her around and used her. Her pride was crushed into dust.
"Miss Celine? Miss Celine?"
A voice suddenly called out. It felt like a light tearing through the dark.
Celine opened her eyes wide. She gasped for air. Her chest rose and fell like she was going to cough up her lungs.
Cold sweat soaked her clothes. It was sticky and cold like snakes wrapping around her.
She looked around in shock. It was her room. Warm sunlight came through the small gaps in the curtains.
It was not the factory. It was not hell.
She had been reborn.
Those horrible, painful memories would not happen again.
After a long time, Celine finally calmed down.
She lifted her hand and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her eyes slowly turned cold and steady.
Then, in a flash, Celine stepped into the space.