"Kevin, honestly… compared to gold, you might want to consider diamonds or antiques instead. They're small, easy to transport, scarce in quantity but extremely valuable and way easier to sell than gold," Saeko Busujima offered Kevin Cross a thoughtful suggestion.
"Diamonds and antiques? Huh? Why didn't I think of that?" Kevin slapped his forehead in realization.
In troubled times, gold reigns. In times of peace, antiques flourish.
Despite the chaos around him daily shootouts and a constant undercurrent of tension Kevin's current environment still maintained a façade of civilization. And in such a society, antiques held tremendous value. As for diamonds… well, they were probably worth a lot too, though Kevin often heard people say their value was artificially inflated. Some banks even refused to deal in them.
Still, both antiques and diamonds were far easier to trade than gold. And without the complications gold brought.
After all, trying to offload a large amount of gold at once would definitely cause market ripples and might even destabilize the economy. Antiques and diamonds, on the other hand, didn't carry that kind of risk.
Kevin found himself once more back in Saeko's world.
The moment he reappeared, Saeko flung herself into his arms, pulling him into a kiss so deep it nearly took his breath away.
Saeko's passion was unmistakable Kevin could feel it radiating from her with every fiber of his being.
Once the heat of their reunion subsided, Kevin followed her out of the room into the living room, where Shizuka Marikawa and the others were waiting. Only this time, there was a new face among them a petite and adorable little girl.
The moment Kevin saw her, he knew she had to be Alice Shiri the child they'd gone out to rescue.
It looked like during Kevin's absence, Takashi Komuro had succeeded in bringing her back.
"Kevin?" Shizuka's eyes lit up the moment she saw him, and she bounced over with a delighted smile.
The other two girls' eyes sparkled with excitement as well. Even Alice, the youngest among them, stared at Kevin with wide, admiring eyes.
Who could blame them? Kevin was stunning. From cooing infants to eighty-year-old grannies, no woman could stay indifferent in his presence.
But something felt off two people were missing.
"Saeko? Where's Komuro and the fat guy? I don't see them," Kevin asked casually. He didn't really care much about other men, so it was more of an offhand remark than a genuine concern.
"Takashi and… and Mr. Hirano, they… they're gone," Alice's eyes immediately filled with tears. Her voice cracked, and then the floodgates opened. She dove into Kevin's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
Kevin instinctively caught her, slightly stunned by the sudden emotion.
"Takashi and Hirano… they died while saving Alice," Rei Miyamoto added, her eyes rimmed with red. She, too, moved to throw herself into Kevin's embrace seeking comfort, maybe something more.
But just as she reached him, Saeko stepped in, blocking her path. As a result, Rei ended up crashing straight into Saeko's chest.
Rei paused, momentarily confused by the softness pressed against her. She looked up, only to find Saeko smiling gently, though there was a teasing glint in her eyes.
Saeko placed a hand on Rei's head. "Go ahead. Cry."
Rei stayed there, pressed into Saeko's chest. The pain in the back of her head, where Saeko's hand rested, seemed to draw out the tears she'd been holding back.
While Rei was intercepted, Shizuka seized the opportunity to wrap her arms around both Kevin and Alice. "Don't cry, Alice. Komuro and Hirano gave their lives to save you. If they were here, I'm sure they'd be happy knowing you're safe."
(Komuro and Hirano, wherever their souls lingered, shook their heads in unison. Happy? Not even close.)
Saya Takagi watched the touching scene from the side. Technically, Alice was part of the hug package, but it was Kevin and Shizuka at the center of it. Saya felt a stab of jealousy. Yet her pride wouldn't let her act on it. She simply stood there, arms folded, silently brooding.
But happiness, at least for Shizuka and the others, was fleeting because Kevin was leaving again.
Saeko watched him from behind as he prepared to go. Her gaze was a mix of determination and tenderness.
As a traditional Yamato Nadeshiko, her man was her heaven, her everything.
So whether it was Takashi Komuro or Hirano any man who bore even a shred of ill will toward Kevin she wouldn't hesitate to deal with them.
As for how Komuro and Hirano met their end? Saeko hadn't lifted a finger. All she did was use a bit of chakra she'd just acquired from Kevin to plant a subtle mental suggestion in their minds not even a full-blown illusion.
That faint whisper in their minds was enough to make them charge headlong into danger to save Alice.
If it had just been Komuro, he might've pulled it off. But with Hirano tagging along, it was doomed. Sure, Hirano was a gun nut with good aim but that was all. Physically, he was a liability. During the rescue, one misstep got him bitten by the undead. Whether it was panic, desperation, or spite, he grabbed Komuro and refused to let go.
Komuro got bit too.
In the end, it was Saeko who saved Alice.
As for Komuro and Hirano? They were now part of the mindless horde roaming outside the apartment.
After saying goodbye to Saeko, Kevin drove off.
Well tried to. Driving through a city swarming with undead and choked with wrecked cars wasn't exactly smooth sailing. Sometimes, he had to get out and lift the car onto his shoulder just to clear a path.
Once he got out of the city, though, things improved.
Leaving behind the ruins of Chuangzhu City, Kevin charged straight toward Tokyo.
The Tokyo National Museum an absolute treasure trove of Japanese antiques was stripped bare by the time Kevin left.
I met Eddie Peng while traveling not long ago. I called out his name and he actually stopped. Very polite guy. I asked for a photo, and he said "OK." After the shot, he looked at me and said, "Long time no see."
I was a little confused. Then he stared harder and quickly apologized, "Sorry, mistaken identity. I thought you were Daniel Wu."