NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 274: Disguise
"They shouldn't be far," one of the Men in Black said, looking at the others. They immediately began a systematic search of the surrounding buildings.
Their leader looked at the scattered debris, glancing up at the high wall at the end of the alley, then shook his head. Scaling a five-meter wall barehanded wasn't realistic.
Unbeknownst to them, Ren and Kiana were on the roof above, pressed flat against the sloped tiles, minimizing their visibility.
Only after the figures disappeared did Ren slowly rise, carefully moving along the roof's edge.
The rain-slicked tiles were slippery, and the sharply angled roofs of Berlin's buildings added to the danger. One wrong step could send them tumbling.
They held hands, walking on opposite sides of the roof's peak, maintaining their balance.
Bathed in sunlight, their footsteps crunching on the thin layer of snow, they traversed the rooftops of Berlin hand-in-hand. This was a place untouched by human feet, quiet and serene, a stark contrast to the bustling crowds below.
It felt strangely romantic, not like they were running for their lives.
The thought flitted through Kiana's mind, and she instinctively glanced at the boy beside her. However, Ren was focused on maintaining his balance, their eyes not meeting.
Kiana sighed silently. If only we could walk like this all day.
"It seems we've lost them for now." After traversing several blocks, Ren finally found a suitable place to descend. He carefully peered over the edge, observing the street below.
Only a few elderly people were sitting on benches, enjoying the sun. The street was relatively quiet.
"Let's go do—" Ren started to say, but the snow beneath his feet, softened by the sun, suddenly gave way.
He lost his balance and began to slide.
Seeing Ren about to fall, Kiana instinctively lunged forward, grabbing his hand. However, even in an illusion, the laws of physics applied. Their combined weight, along with the dislodged snow, sent them tumbling down the roof like an avalanche.
They landed in a heap at the bottom, Kiana instinctively shielding Ren with her body.
However, Ren had been more composed. As they fell, he had pushed off the edge of the roof, adjusting their trajectory.
With a thump, they landed on a market stall's awning, the impact significantly softened, much to the surprise of the people below.
"That was… close," Ren sighed in relief. But the next moment, the dislodged snow followed, burying them completely.
Pinned beneath the heavy snow, Ren was pressed against Kiana.
The thick layer of snow blocked out the light and muffled all sound, leaving only the sound of their pounding hearts in the small, dark space.
A hazy memory flickered in his mind. Hadn't they huddled together like this last night, in the blizzard, seeking warmth?
"Are you alright?" He suddenly remembered that he was on top of Kiana, quickly shifting his weight to give her some space.
In the absolute darkness, he didn't see the blush creeping onto Kiana's face.
"I'm fine."
"Then try to dig out the snow on the side. It shouldn't be too deep. Just enough to create some space." Ren, having regained his composure, quickly assessed the situation. The greatest danger of being buried in snow wasn't the cold but suffocation.
Kiana obediently started digging through the torn fabric of the awning. As long as they could create some room to move, escaping was just a matter of time.
She was strong. With Ren supporting the snow above, she quickly dug a small tunnel and wriggled out.
Once free, Kiana grabbed a nearby bench, abandoned by its owner in the chaos, and quickly dug Ren out of the snow.
"Cough, cough." Ren, having swallowed a mouthful of snow, coughed, supporting himself on his knees, trying to catch his breath.
Emerging unscathed from a five-meter fall was pure luck. However, the mini-avalanche had scared away most of the people on the street, and the ground was covered in snow, providing them with some cover.
Taking advantage of the chaos, they quickly left the scene.
…
An hour later, two unfamiliar figures emerged from a secondhand clothing store. The girl wore a wide-brimmed hat and a plain gray scarf, standing quietly before a full-length mirror. The boy's attire was similar, but in men's clothing.
They were, of course, Ren and Kiana in disguise.
134 marks wasn't a fortune, but it was a considerable amount in this era.
Their clothes were soaked through from the chase, and their previous outfits had been seen by their pursuers. Ren had found a secondhand store to buy new clothes.
They had spent 100 marks in the store, but the result was a near-complete transformation.
As they were leaving, the shop owner had even given them two hats as a gift, the wide-brimmed style characteristic of the era. The brown hats were adorned with white ribbons, their brims undulating like waves.
The 1950s were a golden age for European fashion, and the streets were filled with elegantly dressed women. Under the large hat, even Kiana's striking beauty was rendered unremarkable.
"Will this be enough?" Kiana self-consciously adjusted the brim of her hat. She had never worn such a hat before and felt a bit awkward.
"Don't worry. They're after me. As long as they can't find me, they won't cause any trouble." Ren reached out, straightening Kiana's slightly askew hat.
He stood before her, scrutinizing her outfit, ensuring there were no telltale signs.
"But this money was for your injuries." Having personally treated Ren's wounds, Kiana knew how badly he had been hurt, which was why she had gone out early to find work, intending to buy medical supplies.
"We need to lose them first before I can worry about my injuries." Dismissing her concern, Ren walked around Kiana, carefully tucking a stray strand of her white hair beneath her coat, Kiana watching him with a puzzled expression.
He then adjusted her gray scarf, nodding in satisfaction. Now, not even he would recognize her at a glance, let alone those NPCs.
Grumble.
Just then, a sound came from the girl's stomach.
Kiana blushed slightly, embarrassed. Ren, however, casually rubbed his own stomach, pretending not to have heard. "Seems like I'm a bit hungry. Let's get some breakfast."