Chapter 23: The Eaten Hillicker, Birth of Chief Pete
Pathological attachment is easy to understand.
To put it bluntly, Jennifer's parents were divorced, she lacked affection since childhood, and witnessing her father's weakness during her formative years led her to admire strength.
Danny could fulfill all her ideals, and when he finally revealed his capabilities and stayed behind to face danger for her, it was natural for Jennifer to fall for him.
As for why it was for her, that's even easier to understand.
Isn't that house her home? When she first brought it up, wasn't it because she was afraid of entities appearing in her house, and he was there to protect her safety?
Once a person starts to rationalize things, even if there are illogical parts, they will subconsciously ignore them.
This situation is very common in America, happening to both men and women.
This is also why some people develop intense attachments—because someone can give them a sense of security. But very few are as attractive as Jennifer.
It was still a rainy night.
Jennifer's actions looked like she was going back to her death, but she wasn't so foolish as to just rush in directly.
She cautiously observed while trying to go around through the backyard.
However, when she arrived at what should have been her familiar home, a bewildered expression appeared on her face.
There was no longer a two-story house or a small cottage in front of her.
Instead, there was a mess of wood chips and bricks soaked in the rain, as if it had just been demolished by a wrecking crew, leaving only desolation.
What kind of confrontation could destroy a house on the spot?
Jennifer bravely walked to the center. There was nothing, and Danny had also disappeared...
Salem Bar.
Amidst the vibrant lights and music, men and women danced enthusiastically.
Pete and a few of his regulars—Joe, Quentin, and Cleveland—were gathered, drinking.
Considering the many murder cases that had recently occurred in Salem, the fact that Chief Pete could still sit there drinking showed his connections.
Just a short distance from their booth, in a small booth,
Danny was slumped against the seat as if completely drained. The confrontation had failed.
That thing—the card confirmed it was indeed the Midnight Man.
Physical force was useless against the Midnight Man. Even if it was chopped into eighteen pieces, that thing would still exist. On the contrary, Danny was almost consumed by that entity.
Their battle almost tore the house down.
Logically, with such a huge commotion, the neighbors couldn't have failed to notice, yet there was no sound at all.
One must know that Salem has no shortage of people who love drama.
Danny very likely fell into some kind of barrier or alternate dimension, much like Silent Hill, which belongs to a special otherworld.
Normal during the day, but at night it transforms into another world—the deep otherworld.
Finally, he threw out Three Finger to attract the attention of the slender entity, finding an opportunity to break through that thin membrane and return to reality.
Just before leaving,
Danny looked back. Although Three Finger struggled frantically, he was ultimately swallowed by the slender entity and disappeared along with it.
Damn...
Danny looked at the Four of Diamonds in his hand, having come full circle back to the starting point.
The alpha crawler was still too physical against these supernatural entities.
He was more suited to dealing with corporeal monsters.
After the alpha had recovered sufficiently, Danny left the bar alone and pulled out his phone.
Whoa.
He had signal.
"Ring, ring!"
His phone vibrated with a ringtone, a classic tune.
It was Jennifer calling. Danny picked up.
"Babe, where are you? When I went back, the house was demolished. Are you alright?"
Danny: "It was destroyed during the confrontation."
Jennifer: "I don't care about the house, I'm asking about you."
Danny: "I'm fine, what's wrong?"
Jennifer: "Where are you? Tell me quickly, please, really."
Danny thought for a moment and said: "The street in front of Salem Bar."
Jennifer: "Wait for me, I'm coming right away."
He hung up.
Danny looked at the pitch-black sky. Was even the heavy rain a phenomenon produced by the Midnight Man's dimension?
Where did that demon go?
In American horror, whether it's demons, evil spirits, witches, monsters, or various other entities, their territorial awareness is very strong.
Unless there's a huge difference in strength or a special situation, coexistence is impossible. Only one side enslaves the other.
The demon was either consumed by the Midnight Man or it fled.
Both situations are possible.
"Danny!"
Jennifer saw Danny at the corner and exclaimed in relief, then ran toward him.
Danny's name in English contains 'Dan,' so many people at school are accustomed to calling him 'Danny' or 'Dan.'
Danny originally had his hands in his pockets, but seeing Jennifer, he helplessly took his hands out and spread them.
Jennifer charged forward and leaped.
They embraced fully, and Danny could feel the soft impact from her pressing against his chest. Jennifer was like a koala, not only wrapping her arms around Danny's neck but also clinging to his waist with her legs.
"Oh, come on!"
Two single guys on the opposite street took massive emotional damage and swore they would find girlfriends this year no matter what.
Danny looked at Jennifer, puzzled: "Why are you so excited?"
Jennifer didn't speak, but excitedly offered a passionate kiss to Danny, silencing his words. It was sweet and lingering, and after they separated, a lingering sweetness remained.
But how could it be sweet? Was it because of emotion?
Actually, it wasn't naturally sweet—it was because Danny had drunk a few sips of a cocktail at the bar.
After they separated, Jennifer looked at Danny with intense eyes.
"Are we going to a hotel or back to your place?"
There was no shyness. Once she was sure of her feelings, Jennifer wanted to be completely intertwined with Danny in body and soul.
"Let's get some food first, I'm a bit hungry." Danny neither refused nor accepted—he was genuinely a little hungry.
"Then let's go eat! My treat this time!" Jennifer found the only 24-hour diner still open in Salem at this hour, believing one had more energy after eating a full meal.
Well, at this hour, only this diner was still open.
It was practically the hardest working establishment in Salem.
Along the way, Jennifer didn't mention the house being destroyed, but in her words, she kept implying, "I can only rely on you now. Will you let me stay with you?"
Facing this cautious inquiry, Danny touched Jennifer's cheek: "Of course, I still have to show you around, don't I?"
Jennifer nuzzled against Danny's hand intimately, like a well-behaved cat seeking affection.
Why a cat? Because Jennifer could be feisty. Don't let her current affectionate behavior fool you—this was only in front of Danny.
In the past, when she was out, Jennifer could become the cheerleading captain and fiercely defend against unwanted attention, practically on guard every day.
Salem Diner.
Inside, there were two other women who, judging by their attire, had just come from the bar. Soon after Danny and Jennifer sat down,
another customer entered the diner.
It was an oddly dressed figure carrying a large bag—a clown with exaggerated makeup and a sinister grin.
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