Chapter 134: The Cigarette

Chapter 134: The Cigarette

Zhou Wenwei turned to the next chapter, where Himeno woke Denji up. However, they still hadn't found a way to leave the floor they were trapped on.

This situation pushed Arai and Kobeni to the brink of a mental breakdown. Only Aki Hayakawa remained calm and reliable, continuously searching for a way out.

One could only say...

"Not bad for a senior."

Zhou Wenwei praised Aki Hayakawa's reliability.

Aki was indeed impressive. Although he initially clashed with Denji, his strong and dependable image was gradually solidifying in Zhou Wenwei's mind.

"Wait a minute..."

Zhou Wenwei suddenly realized something off.

Mann from "Edgerunners"... didn't he also start as a character like this?

He initially didn't get along with the protagonist but eventually became a strong, reliable big brother figure who helped the protagonist grow.

But in the end, Mann...

Even though Aki Hayakawa's build and character aren't exactly the same as Mann's, the way they were being portrayed felt eerily similar.

Zhou Wenwei couldn't help but think more about it, especially since Lin Qingshan had done something like this before.

When Mann died, it left him feeling down for days.

"Forget it... I'll see how it goes later."

Zhou Wenwei continued reading the manga.

After Denji woke up, Himeno briefly explained the current situation before lighting a cigarette.

"Sigh, it's my last one."

As the smoke curled up, Zhou Wenwei suddenly remembered.

In "Edgerunners," both Lucy and Rebecca were also fond of smoking.

In Lin Qingshan's works, it seemed like many female characters had the habit of smoking.

But David didn't smoke, so it didn't necessarily mean that Lin Qingshan was a smoker himself.

It just showed that Lin Qingshan liked to portray female characters who smoked.

But it was understandable. Nicotine in cigarettes has stimulating effects, improving attention and enhancing mood. It also helps relieve stress, which is why it's often a go-to for people under high pressure.

Lucy and Rebecca, as cyberpunks, undoubtedly dealt with significant stress, so it made sense for them to choose smoking as a way to unwind.

The same went for Himeno. As a Public Safety Devil Hunter, she never knew when she might die in a battle against devils.

With such immense pressure, both cigarettes and alcohol could help her release stress.

Seeing Denji and Power's confusion, Himeno laughed and explained:

"Isn't it nice to have something to rely on? I really want something I can depend on for the rest of my life."

"Are you smoking the same brand as him?"

At that moment, Denji noticed something and asked.

"Of course."

Himeno smiled and said, "I'm the one who taught him how to smoke."

This led to a flashback scene—Aki's earliest days with Himeno.

Aki was leaning against the railing on a rooftop when Himeno lit a cigarette.

"Aki, don't you smoke?"

Himeno suddenly asked.

"Smoking corrodes the flesh," Aki replied, indicating that he initially didn't like smoking.

Himeno tried to persuade him, saying, "If someone around you smokes, you should smoke too."

"I'm not planning to make friends with anyone."

Seeing this, Himeno guessed, "Let me guess why you joined Public Safety. Is it to kill the Gun Devil?"

When Aki realized she had guessed his purpose, he turned to look at her.

But... this made Zhou Wenwei curious. Wasn't Aki's desire to kill the Gun Devil driven by Makima?

But now it seemed Aki joined Public Safety with the intent to kill the Gun Devil in the first place?

This didn't align with the previous assumption that Aki was Denji's romantic rival.

[Translator: sauron]

Himeno continued, "Most of the gloomy people in Public Safety are like this. Only those in Public Safety are allowed to hold pieces of that broken gun."

"Devil Hunters don't live long anyway, so if you want to smoke, just go ahead."

Aki stubbornly replied, "I won't die that easily."

"I hope you can keep that promise... Losing a partner is a real hassle..."

Himeno said.

The scene shifted again, showing Himeno and Aki patrolling a street.

Suddenly, Himeno noticed a woman ahead and immediately told Aki, "Aki, step aside."

Aki then saw the woman walk straight up to Himeno and slap her hard.

Afterward, Aki, confused, asked, "What just happened?"

Himeno explained that the woman was the girlfriend of her former partner who had recently died.

She blamed Himeno for her boyfriend's death, even though it was really a devil that killed him.

Since she couldn't take revenge on the devil, she vented her anger on Himeno.

Himeno had gotten used to such situations, considering them part of the job.

However, Aki was outraged by this and even followed the woman before returning to Himeno.

"What did you do?" Himeno asked, puzzled.

"I stuck some gum on the person who hit you!" Aki said seriously.

"Huh?" Himeno was surprised.

But Aki continued, "If someone bullies you, you should fight back. It wasn't your fault, and that made me really angry!"

"So I got revenge for you. She deserves it! She'll never notice the gum on her clothes!"

These words, combined with his childish act of sticking gum on someone as revenge, had an oddly comical effect.

But for Himeno...

This was Aki standing up for her, even if his actions were childish.

However...

"Hahahahahaha!"

Himeno suddenly burst out laughing.

Zhou Wenwei knew... Himeno's heart was moved.

Yes, at that moment, having someone willing to stand up for you, even if in a childish way...

It's truly touching.

Could it be... that Himeno and Aki were the real pair?

Afterward, Himeno and Aki went to a restaurant for a meal.

By this point, their relationship had clearly grown closer, and Himeno even praised Aki.

At that moment, she took out a cigarette and offered it to Aki.

"Here, have one."

"Cigarettes corrode the bones; I don't smoke," Aki firmly said.

"We're going to be working together for a long time. Can't you just smoke one~~~?"

Himeno said playfully.

Looking into Himeno's close-up eyes, Aki reluctantly took the cigarette but still insisted,

"I'll only smoke this one..."

"But this will be the only one I smoke in my life..."

However, considering the earlier storyline, Zhou Wenwei realized that Aki's words didn't hold up in the end.

(End of Chapter)