Her Choice to Look Away
I was taken aback.
This was my first time hearing of such a place. Oddly, I didn't find it repulsive — something inside me even sparked with agreement.
But I quickly smothered that spark.
Though my views aligned with theirs somewhat, I had more important responsibilities. After this incident, I just wanted to go home safe and be with my child.
Valerian said regretfully, "If Derek Kane hadn't died, he would have been locked up here too."
I said nothing, but my thoughts drifted to my parents.
Would people like them... be locked up here?
Valerian gave me a tour, saying he'd show me where the Sin Hunters stayed.
Behind the factory were several buildings.
Valerian explained that whenever Sin Hunters sensed danger, they came here to lay low. Anyone could freely pick up a key and claim a room — except Hemlock. He had his own standalone house and never stayed with anyone.
Behind these buildings was a parking lot with numerous vehicles. Valerian told me these were reserved for Sin Hunters and could be abandoned if necessary.
All of this stunned me.
I'd always thought Sin Hunters were lone wolves in society. I never imagined they were such a massive organization.
Both their financial resources and manpower far exceeded anything I'd imagined.
Valerian led me into a room and got me a drink. Perhaps sensing my unease, he comforted me: "Don't worry, Judgment Tower will contact other Sin Hunters within twenty-four hours to handle the evidence. You'll be back with your child soon. Remember, you've been rated as a Heaven-level Sin Hunter. They definitely won't want to lose you — they'll be asking for your help again."
I said, "No. I won't do this anymore."
"Why not..." Valerian said in surprise. "Don't you think this feeling is incredible? You did a protection mission, didn't you? I thought you'd come around."
"This time was an exception. The feeling was good, sure, but when I almost died at Adrian Cross's hands, I woke up. Compared to what you do — protecting the weak and punishing the wicked — I'd rather be there for my child while he grows up."
He was silent for a moment, then said, "If you don't want to, we certainly can't force you. Wait for word. Once it's confirmed safe, I'll take you home."
"Okay."
After sitting a while, I heard strange sounds from outside.
I looked out and saw Hemlock had returned. He wore his mask, was shirtless, and stood at the wash basin outside his house, meticulously scrubbing his shirt with a brush.
Several pieces of clothing hung on the line nearby, all in simple solid colors.
After brushing, he tossed the shirt into the washing machine under the eaves and dropped in a laundry pod.
Valerian whispered to me, "When the washing machine finishes, he'll hand-scrub it again."
I asked in disbelief, "Why bother... And why is he still wearing his mask even back at his own base?"
"He never takes his mask off in front of anyone. He's hard to deal with anyway, don't go near him. No one has ever entered his house. He won't let anyone in, and no one dares to offend him."
I leaned against the window, quietly watching Hemlock wash his clothes.
The clothesline swayed gently in the breeze beside him.
Looking at this scene, I suddenly thought of my husband.
I still remembered the day our automatic drying rack broke. I was too lazy to get a stool, so I stood on my tiptoes, jumping up again and again, trying to hang up the laundry.
He appeared from behind and grabbed my waist, lifting me as if I were flying.
After I hung the clothes, I expected him to set me down gently.
But he didn't.
I fell backward, and in that moment of losing balance, he caught me tightly against his chest. His solid torso pressed against my back, giving me a sense of absolute security. His thick arms wrapped around my waist, one large hand gripping my thigh.
Help — I could barely breathe. He held me so tight, my heart racing.
His breath grew heavier beside my ear.
That afternoon on the balcony, in the sunlight, he held me so tightly, whispering that I had seduced him.
I protested, saying I was only hanging laundry.
I'd never forget that feeling for the rest of my life.
It was a completely different quality from anything Hemlock could offer.
I don't know why seeing Hemlock made me think of my husband. I shook my head, telling myself to stop.
Too much longing only made me want to cry.
I stayed there for most of the day. Finally, the Judgment Tower app sent a notification — everything was safe, we could go back.
I boarded the return ferry. By the time we reached the dock, it was already noon.
Valerian drove the car off the ferry and said he wanted to take me somewhere before driving me home.
I sat in the passenger seat, expecting him to take me somewhere meaningful. Instead, he drove to that welfare factory.
We sat in the car, quietly watching the factory gates.
When shift time came, I spotted the deaf-mute woman worker.
She sat behind a motorcycle, tightly hugging the boy she liked.
When they reached the gate, she pressed her hand to her chest and made a heart gesture, sending that heart toward the boy.
The boy smiled happily and gently reached out to pat her head.
After he left, the girl's smile slowly faded. She nervously gripped her skirt.
She looked at the factory, then at the security booth.
In the end, she didn't go inside. Instead, she walked away with her head down, eyes on her shoes.
She ducked into an alley beside the factory. Her shift had already started, but she sat on a stone by the road in the alley, wiping tears away.
The girl sobbed. There was no sound, but you could hear her ragged breathing.
I couldn't bear to listen to her sobbing anymore. I rolled up the window.
Valerian said, "She doesn't dare go back to work, but sooner or later she'll realize Warren Briggs and Dylan Garrett have both vanished."
"Even if they disappeared, the pain in her heart will never be erased..." I murmured. "Every year, she'll remember this suffering, intentionally or not."
"In the beginning, the original Sin Hunter was extreme. He fought violence with violence, brutally eliminating every villain. Whatever evil they inflicted on others, he paid back double. There's a quote of his that I've always remembered."
"What quote?"
"He said he never believed lives were equal. A garbage person's life has no value. An innocent person who honors their parents, loves their spouse — maybe they don't earn much, but they live the most ordinary, happiest life. Every day they find small joys. Every day someone waits for them to come home. Trading such a life for the life of a beast... trading your husband's life for Derek Kane's — do you think that's worth it?"
I bit my lip. "It isn't."
No... an eye for an eye was too unworthy a trade.
Even if Derek Kane died, who cared that I never wanted this exchange?
This deaf-mute girl wouldn't wish for Dylan Garrett and Warren Briggs to die. She'd only wish that the suffering had never happened.
Maya Duke felt the same — she wouldn't pray for her father to be killed by Hemlock. She'd rather wish for her mother to be healthy and alive.
Valerian suddenly said very earnestly, "You said you don't want to be a Sin Hunter, and I respect your choice. But with great power comes great responsibility... I know this sounds like moral blackmail, but the next time you receive a protection mission, I really hope you'll remember these people."
"Got it. Be careful yourself."
"I will! I'll make every villain on earth pay. That's my conviction!"
"But you're so weak... the only thing you can do is fall down in front of them and scream for help."
"Damn it! Stop insulting my conviction!"
I said nothing more, just asked him to take me home.
When I opened my door, Major immediately wagged his tail at me. I slumped onto the sofa and told him, "Dinner time."
He hobbled to the kitchen, fetched his bowl, carefully carried over the kibble, and I poured some in. He looked at me pitifully, whimpering softly.
He always milked it like this. My husband was always strict about not overfeeding him, but I couldn't be tough, so Major always begged me for more.
I gave in and poured a little more.
Major happily wagged his tail. I was about to make myself instant noodles, but when I opened the storage room, I found an extra gift box inside.
What's this?
I puzzledly opened the gift box and found a beautiful white mask inside.
On the back of the mask, the name "Dandelion" was carved in elegant script.
Below my codename was the same inscription:
"I willingly walk the edge of darkness and danger, becoming sin itself, so that the world may be free of sin — Sin Hunter."
A world without sin, huh...
I couldn't help thinking — if Hemlock had completed his mission that day, my husband would have come home safely.
I opened my phone, about to uninstall the app.
If I wasn't going to be a Sin Hunter, keeping Judgment Tower was useless. It might even bring me trouble someday.
Just as I was about to delete it, my phone buzzed. Judgment Tower had a new message.
Was Valerian messaging me again?
I opened the app, only to find several mission notifications.
Protection missions...
Someone was in danger again?
My heart wavered. I stared blankly at the wedding photo of my husband on the wall.
If it were him, he'd never let an innocent person fall into danger.
But me...
I swallowed hard and whispered to his photo, "Forgive me, okay? There are bad people every day in this world. I can stop the ones in front of me, but I can't stop them all. Right now I just want to stay by our baby's side and help him grow up to be someone like you."