He took a step forward, only to find his reflection in the mirror unmoving, examining him with great interest.
"Who... who are you?"
Mark took a step back in shock, staring at his reflection in the mirror.
"I am you, Mark. Don't you even recognize yourself?"
The Mark in the mirror showed himself off, turning around for him to see. "Look, we're almost identical. I am you."
"You're not me! I am the real me!"
Mark's eyes turned crimson, and Laser Eyes accumulated in his eyes, seemingly ready to shoot at the mirror's counterpart the next second.
"Who exactly are you?"
"Alright, don't be so serious."
The Mark in the mirror raised his hands. "Perhaps I'm just a thought in your mind, a demon in your heart. Who can say for sure? The important thing is, I can help you, John. I'm not your enemy."
"Help me?"
"Yes, help you. Isn't the purpose of your coming here to fulfill a wish?"
"A wish?"
Mark lowered his head and repeated the word.
"Yes, you need to see your inner self. You are afraid, you are afraid of losing. John, you are afraid of losing Marks father's love. This makes you afraid. You said your courage surpassed your fear, but now, fear is consuming you."
As if struck by the words of the person in the mirror, Mark's gaze gradually became vacant.
"No, that's not true. Marks father won't abandon me; his love for me won't be divided."
The Mark in the mirror sneered. "Stop deceiving yourself, John. You know better than anyone in your heart that this is inevitable."
"No!"
Mark felt an urge to cry, but desperately held it back.
"Admit it, John, the deepest part of your being is the God of Death. You saw that World, the sealed laboratory, the cruel and inhumane experiments, no family, no Marks father, just a cold laboratory. You were trapped there alone, like a beached whale, waiting to be butchered."
Mark fought back tears. "That was just a dream."
"A dream? Have you ever experienced such a real dream? Perhaps, that is the life you are currently experiencing, or your original life, John. You certainly don't want to experience that feeling from the dream, do you?"
Mark shook his head, his eyes full of tears. "No, I don't."
"Then that's it, John. I can help you fulfill your wish, reclaim Marks father's love from your brother, and make him disappear, so he no longer takes what rightfully belongs to you."
The Mark in the mirror took a step closer to him. "That way, you will eventually become the one who monopolizes Marks father, my child!"
"What... what should I do?"
Mark suppressed his tears and asked the other party.
"It's simple. I can help you get rid of your brother without Marks father suspecting you, but on the condition that you pay a price."
"What price?"
"Your soul."
"My soul?"
Mark was stunned for a moment, his somewhat muddled mind instantly clear. "Does that mean a part of me will be cut out of my body?"
"Yes. Are you unwilling? You will gain, and you will lose. This is fairness, and this is the price. Aren't you the one who understands this principle best?"
Mark's wavering heart suddenly calmed down. Peter's words to him echoed in his mind.
He looked up and asked the other party, "Are you going to take away my faith?"
"What?!"
"No, impossible. I used to say I had no faith, but in fact, I do. The first time Marks father took me to Louis's funeral, I gained faith. Do you know what it is?"
The Mark in the mirror stared at Mark, who had suddenly changed his demeanor, and was stunned.
"What is it?"
"My faith follows Marks father. If I lose my soul, it will disappear, and then I won't be able to keep up with Marks father's pace."
Mark's eyes changed from their previous confusion.
"You're right, you're just another me projected from my inner self, the dark, evil-minded me. I don't like Star-Lord, but I wouldn't want him to disappear, because Marks father wouldn't want me to do that."
Mark stared at his reflection in the mirror and continued, "Mr. Jones taught me to overcome the other self within me, and now, I've done it!"
"Wait, don't you understand? I'm not you; I'm the one making a deal with you."
"You are!"
"I'm not!"
"You are!"
"I'm not! Shut up!"
The Mark in the mirror, somewhat broken, held his hands flat against his temples.
"You are me! I defeated myself. I have to tell Marks father about this."
Mark felt a slight lingering fear, but also a bit of triumph.
If he hadn't thought of Marks father waking up just now, he might have truly turned to the dark side.
Was this his inner demon?
But he had already defeated it, so there was no need to fear it anymore.
Having decided that the one in the mirror was another version of himself, Mark prepared to turn and leave.
Seeing Mark about to leave, the Mark in the mirror immediately transformed into countless Shadows, fluttering towards him.
Seeing the other party about to fly out of the mirror, the somewhat bewildered Mark quickly reacted, and Laser Eyes immediately activated, shooting towards the mirror.
As he swept across, all the mirrors in the room shattered.
With a 'crashing' sound, the Shadows flying outwards also vanished the moment the mirrors shattered.
Mark, who had shattered the mirrors with Laser Eyes, stared dumbfounded at the shattered mirror pieces on the floor.
The scene just now left him somewhat bewildered.
The thing in this mirror was actually real!
Is this a demon?!
He suddenly remembered the story Kelly told about the demon Dood.
Was he just talking to a demon?
And he almost made a deal with a demon?
Thinking of this, the fearless Mark also felt a chill run down his spine and quickly left the church at the fastest speed.
After flying back to the farm, Mark tiptoed, preparing to go upstairs.
With a 'click', the light switch was turned on.
Mark's movements immediately stopped, and the corner of his eye glanced at Peter sitting on the sofa.
The air instantly froze, and Peter's voice reached him.
"John?"
Turning around, Mark took a deep breath and walked nervously to Peter.
"Marks father."
"It's twelve o'clock at night, and you just came back from outside, John. Can you tell me what you were doing just now?"
Peter knew that the other party had probably gone to the outskirts, but still pretended to be completely unaware.
"Sorry, Marks father, I was tempted by a demon."
Mark didn't hide anything, saying dejectedly.
"Tempted by a demon?"
Hearing the other party's words, Peter was stunned for a moment.
Did this kid go out to meet a little girl in the wild?
How old is this naughty kid, and he's already doing such things?
Peter's expression kept changing, and he now wanted to kick him twice immediately.
"Who tempted you? Who taught you these things?"
Peter asked with a stern face.
"I don't know, probably the Dood demon tempted me. As for who taught me, it was probably Marks father, and Mr. Jones? Anyway, you usually teach me."
Mark continued with a bitter face, "I listened to him talk, and somehow I fainted."
"He?"
Peter was stunned for a moment, knowing that he had most likely misunderstood.
He coughed twice and asked the other party, "What exactly happened? Tell me in detail."
"Okay, Marks father."
Mark then recounted the scene that happened in the church completely.
Of course, he concealed the part where he was almost persuaded by the other party.
After listening, Peter was speechless for a long time.
"Marks father has indeed neglected you during this period."
Peter reflected on himself, "This is my fault."
He stood up and patted Mark's shoulder, "Marks father formally apologizes to you."
As Peter apologized to him, Mark became somewhat flustered.
"Marks father, I'm also at fault. I shouldn't have gone out so late and almost caused trouble."
Mark said in a low mood, "I always mess everything up."
"Actually, I'm not as great as I say, Marks father. I was almost persuaded by him. I... I'm very afraid. Those things in my dreams, they keep haunting me. I'm afraid of being pulled down by them, just like being pulled into the gloomy river bottom by a Water ghost."
"Marks father, I'm afraid of losing."
Mark looked up, his helpless gaze on him, "I'm even more afraid of hurting you."
"No, you won't."
Peter hugged Mark to comfort him.
He could probably guess what Mark was afraid of.
Because he often dreamed of the unbearable scenes of The Boys world, he always had a fear and insecurity in his heart.
Afraid of being abandoned like in the dream, not being loved by everyone.
"Marks father swears to you, what you fear will never happen. No matter what, Marks father will always be behind you."
He comforted the other party, "Marks father will be your backing, John."
Mark blinked, and said with firm eyes, "Then I will always be Marks father's sharpest spear."
The next day, early morning.
Kelly, holding Star-Lord, looked at Peter in surprise.
"Do you really believe what Mark said, that there are demons?"
Peter put down the newspaper he had just received, "Didn't you say that? The Dood demon."
Kelly shook her head, "That's just a story that got distorted. In reality, Dood used to be a serial killer named Frank Dood, so, it doesn't exist at all."
"I think this is most likely a story John made up."
Kelly stated her opinion, "You want to find such a demon, I think it's almost impossible."
Peter put down the newspaper in surprise, "As the chief's granddaughter, don't you believe in the existence of demons or Angels?"
"There are no legends of demons in our tribe."
Kelly thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps you can look for that Mexico woman."
"You mean Ms. Nancy?"
"Yes, doesn't she have divination and psychic abilities? And she can see things that ordinary people can't."
"Hmm."
Peter nodded. He could indeed ask this Mexico woman about the origin of this demon.
Half an hour later, Peter stood in front of a house.
White curbstones, energy-saving lamps, a mailbox next to lush lilacs, and bright White rain gutters were visible.
He knocked on the door, but no one responded inside the room.
Frowning, he pushed the door.
With a "creak," the unlocked door was pushed open directly.
The room was dim, with various knitted decorations hanging.
A putrid, undisguised smell entered his nostrils.
Following the scent, he walked to the second floor and pushed open a room near the corridor.
Burning candles were placed on the counter in the room, and a magic circle was drawn in the center of the room.
And in the center of the magic circle, a corpse lay on it.
The corpse was face down, and the blood on the back of its head had already congealed.
Peter took two steps forward, walked to the front of the corpse, looked at the body shape of this female corpse, compared it with the photo in the picture frame outside, and confirmed that the other party was Ms. Nancy, whom he was looking for.
Is she dead?
Staring at the corpse in front of him, he fell into contemplation.
It seemed that the other party was killed while using the magic circle to summon a creature.
The magic array diagram in front of him looked a bit familiar; he remembered that there was a similar magic array in the priest's magic book.
Three chapters, ten thousand words, asking Readers for your monthly votes and recommendation votes, thank you very much!