The crowd immediately formed a small circle around the two of them, everyone looking on with faces eager for a show.
Just then, an association staffer in a suit came running over.
"You both have signed contracts—please reconsider. If you start a fight within the association, you will not only be expelled but also be wanted by the Governor himself."
Sonni smiled and nodded. The translucent fluid on Charles's body quickly retracted into his clothing. "Mr. Charles, I truly mean no harm."
"What the hell do you want?" Charles frowned, a strong feeling telling him that if he didn't settle this today, this man would haunt him like a ghost.
Sonni gestured toward the edge of the hall, signaling for him to come over.
In a corner of the hall, far from the clamor, Sonni looked at Charles with a smile. "Captain Charles, how much do you know about us?"
"I wouldn't say I know much, but I've heard rumors. For example, to join your church, one must undergo an initiation rite—ramming steel needles straight into the brain from beside the eyeballs. You claim this is how you receive the Sun God's blessing."
"Mr. Charles, don't you find such a ritual practical? In this cursed sea, humanity's greatest danger is the fear within our own minds. Once you accept the blessing in our church, you will never feel fear again. That's why the exploration captains of the Sun God Sect have the highest survival rates."
"Then why not mention the death rate for those who undergo that ritual? Is that a blessing or a curse? Forget your Sun God—let me ask you, do you even know what the sun looks like?"
"Of course." Sonni tapped his forehead. "This is the image of my Lord."
Looking at the white triangle, Charles nearly burst out laughing. "The sun is a triangle?"
"Why not? That is the answer given by the divine oracle."
"The sun is fucking round! You're full of shit!" Charles's voice jumped an octave.
"You've seen it? What makes you so certain?"
"I…" Charles barely managed to swallow the words that were about to burst from his lips.
Sonni waved a dismissive hand. "Fine. Since you are not a member of our congregation, I won't argue dogma with you. I came to offer you a commission."
"A commission?"
"It won't take much of your time. Since you're heading to Sodoma, Mr. Charles, you could help me deal with a few people along the way. They are also of the Sun God Sect, they just have… slightly different ideals."
"How do you know I'm going to Sodoma?" The feeling of being spied on made Charles extremely uncomfortable.
Sonni smiled. "Unique people always draw attention. If you show some sincerity, Mr. Charles, there could be more collaborations between us. Besides, you're probably a bit short on funds right now, aren't you?"
"And what if I say no?" Charles sneered.
"I believe you will agree, Mr. Charles. You were willing to cooperate with that bunch of freaks from the Futan Sect. Why wouldn't you accept a win-win situation like this?"
"Heh." Charles rubbed his nose. "The Futan Sect actually has you beat in one area. At least they have better manners."
With that, Charles turned and left without a backward glance.
Logically, he should have accepted the deal. Charles truly needed the funds. But first, he couldn't stand the man's attitude, and second, he wanted nothing to do with a cult's internal struggles.
As soon as Charles returned to his lodging and walked through the door, his keen senses told him someone had been inside.
A thought struck him, and he rushed to the drawer. Opening it, he saw that his diary had indeed been disturbed.
"Lily? What happened after I left?" Charles asked, his voice laced with tension.
"She came in not long after you left…" a tearful voice squeaked from under the bed.
"What did she look like? Did she have an inverted triangle on her forehead?"
A timid Lily crawled out, her fur a mess. "It was that sister you know."
"Which sister?"
"The sister in the drawing in your diary."
"Anna?!" Charles's pupils shrank to pinpricks. He lunged toward Lily and scooped her up.
"Are you certain it was her? Or just someone who looked like her?"
"It was really her! She even wrote something on the back of the drawing. Mr. Charles, why didn't you ever tell me that sister wasn't a human but a monster?"
Charles tossed the mouse aside and hastily pulled the drawing from his diary. He flipped it over and found neat characters written on the back.
"I didn't expect you to actually draw a portrait of me. Even though I told you I was fake, you were still thinking of me.
"To be honest, when I saw the drawing, I was quite happy. It's sweet that my beloved man still misses me even after I'm gone.
"Gao Zhiming, I am fake. My feelings for you are fake, too. Everything was fabricated by the Divva Clan.
"I know what you're thinking right now. You're probably telling yourself that you don't care if I'm fictional and that you'll find a way to free me from the monster's control, right?
"But you're mistaken. The truth is, I am the monster, and the monster is me. We are inseparable.
"The Divva Clan have no brains; they hunt and survive purely on instinct. When one of us needs to think, a consciousness is created. I am the consciousness that was created by my monster self.
"I miss you dearly right now. I want to be by your side every moment. I'm sure you miss me, too. But we both know that even this feeling of longing is fake.
"I came here today intending to have breakup sex with you, but since you weren't here, we'll just forget it.
"I don't want to be controlled by false emotions. I'm going to the Abyss-Sea to find the meaning of my existence. Don't come looking for me. Just focus on finding your Earth's surface."
—Zhao Jiajia
PS: By the way, if you find another woman, don't let me find out. Otherwise, I really won't be able to stop myself from eating them.
His mind a complete mess, Charles threw the drawing aside. His eyes were bloodshot as he spun toward the white mouse. "How long ago did she leave?"
"About half an hour, maybe."
Without another word, Charles bolted out the door. He bit down hard on his thumb and smeared blood on a mirror. His body instantly morphed, and a massive bat took to the air, gliding low over the ground.
In a shadowy alley, Anna, dressed in a stunning red gown, gazed up at the bat in the sky as yellow-green tears streamed down her cheeks.
Just then, a burly arm landed on her pale shoulder. "Hey there, cutie. How many Echoes for a night?"
Anna gently wiped her tears away and turned to face the drunkard. "Two hundred a go, eight hundred for the whole night."
Seeing Anna's angelic face, the drunk froze. When he came to his senses, he began fumbling excitedly with his belt. "Eight hundred it is! You're on!"
Anna smiled sweetly and walked toward him. The skin on her pale back began to split open, and black, tendriled tentacles slowly emerged.