《Shambala Sect》 -1 NOVEL COMMUNIQUE ------------------------- Basic Details ------------------------- How many chapters may the novel contain? --> Not sure yet, but the end number will be big. Does this novel contain Action? --> Be patient and when the action comes it will be delivered well. Adventure? --> Serious adventure arcs come later in the story. Romance? --> It''s not a priority, but you will find cute scenes now and then. Comedy? --> Yes, it does. Poetry? --> Yes. Martial Arts? --> Yes. Cultivation? --> Yes. Magic? --> Yes. Fantasy Races? --> Wait for ''em. Mythical Creatures? --> You bet. Complex Characters? --> Think so. You guys & girls should tell me. Profanity? --> At times, yes. Gore --> Won''t be overly descriptive. So, it shall be mild yet honed. Traumatizing content? --> Maybe; since we all have varying sensitivity levels, I can''t be sure. Sex? --> Nope. Wish-fulfillment? --> Nope. (May subconsciously end up doing it, though only sparingly) Cheats for the main character(s)? --> Nope. Faceslapping --> You must read and find out. (Since I''m not really sure, haha) ------------------------- Webnovel Milestones ------------------------- --> 1 million views (before 50 chapters) - 5 bonus chapters --> 1 million views (before 100 chapters) - 3 bonus chapters --> 1 million views (after 100 chapters) - 2 bonus chapters --> 250 ratings or reviews - 2 bonus chapters --> 1000 collections - 2 bonus chapters --> 1st in weekly rankings - 1 or 2 bonus chapters (hehe, rubs the nose) ------------------------- Patreon Milestones ------------------------- --> 50 patrons - 3 traditional chapters/8K+ words per week (currently 1-3 chapters/2K-6K words) --> 100 patrons - 4 traditional chapters/8K+ words per week --> 250 patrons -- 5 traditional chapters/10K+ words per week ------------------------- Reddit Milestones ------------------------- --> For every 100 people that follow me and the community, I''ll release a bonus chapter --> 200 karma - 2 bonus chapters (I need reddit karma to be able to create a subreddit for this novel) ------------------------- Discord Milestones ------------------------- --> For every 100 people, I''ll release a bonus chapter ------------------------- Blog Milestones ------------------------- --> 500,000 views - 5 bonus chapters --> 500 follows - 5 bonus chapters ------------------------- Twitter Milestones ------------------------- --> 1000 follows - 2 bonus chapters ------------------------- RoyalRoadL Milestones ------------------------- --> 500 follows - 2 bonus chapters --> 500 favorites - 3 bonus chapters ------------------------- Ko-fi Milestones ------------------------- --> I posted a goal which if finished will help me buy a good laptop. If this goal is finished I will post 15 bonus chapters. --> After the above goal finishes, I will start a single bonus chapter goal from there onward, so readers will have it in their hands to maintain the rate of release. ------------------------- Wattpad Milestones ------------------------- --> 1K follows - 2 bonus chapters --> 500 votes & comments on the 1st chapter - 1 bonus chapter ------------------------- Tapas Milestones ------------------------- --> 500 follows - 2 bonus chapters ------------------------- Steemit Milestones ------------------------- --> 2000 follows - 5 bonus chapters (follows don''t just come from this site and I already have more than 200 followers. So it''s not really a daunting number) --> 200 upvotes on each of the first five chapters - 5 bonus chapters ------------------------- LINKS ------------------------- Patreon --> patreon.com/vkboy Blog --> vkboynovels.blogspot.com Ko-fi --> ko-fi.com/vkboyy Paypal --> paypal.me/vkboy Discord --> discord.me/vkboy Wattpad --> wattpad.com/user/V_K_Boy Tapas --> tapas.io/vkboy Sweek --> sweek.com/profile/835798/74088 RoyalRoadL --> royalroadl.com/profile/84162 Reddit --> reddit.com/user/V_K_Boy Reddit Community --> reddit.com/r/AgelessArmy/ Twitter --> twitter.com/v_k_boy ------------------------- OATH BETWEEN US ------------------------- "The Earth below me may crack, the sky above me may collapse, every chapter of mine will still release in time and be 2000+ words longer. To boot, the sun in the skies may no longer shine, the water in the oceans may no longer well up, every reader of mine shall still show perpetual support and be my greatest strength." 1 CLAN OF HOLLOWS Everyone in the world was bound to the laws of nature, except a certain few¡ªthe ones at the top of the Martial Chain. It was the dream of most if not everyone to reach such level which can be attained at best through the pursuit of Martial Arts. Countless members formed groups, divisions, legions, clades, clans, tribes, sects, kingdoms, empires and everything they could imagine to help themselves get close to the summit of the Martial Way which required overcoming the long and arduous path¡ªthe end of which always appeared to have stretched to an infinite extent. It was backbreaking enough for anyone to win over their little world. As for winning over the whole world one lived in, it was beyond the realm of reason. Nevertheless, most people still stated that both pursuits need enough power. Howbeit, if you asked those same people to define, ''ENOUGH,'' they would all fail in a miserable way. No one knew what was enough to conquer themselves let alone the whole world. So much of the life was uncertain, so much in fact, that it made most people live in ways they had no sense of their lifestyles. Some lived for themselves while some others lived for their families, for their clans, for their hometowns, or for their kingdoms. Happy one moment and sad the next moment. Too many minds in the world were at a loss unable to make out their role in the world. Many had looked for answers only to fail at some point. In due course, it led the majority of people to stop caring about their purpose of living at all. Without frills, they began to do whatever they want with no real purpose in their lives. These individuals eventually came to be known as hollows¡ªentities belonging to the lower classes. The class that thrived above the rest was the Martial Class. Martials were the entities who set their souls on fire by pursuing the Martial Way¡ªthe aim of which was to become stronger in body, mind, and spirit and someday unveil the secrets of the world. Just living was not enough for a martial unlike it was for a hollow. A certain martial stated another crucial difference between the two classes: A martial gives more to the world than what a hollow takes from it. Hollows made a living through undertaking different laborious things from farming to working as slaves; however, to a great extent, they engineered it by breathing in and out. Living in itself was fighting for them who liked to reckon on the end of everything before they took part in it. Life was alright with the end in sight for them like it was for a mortal visiting the death''s door as their age neared hundred. Unlike hollows, martials primarily looked not for the end of things, but for the experience that the journey of life would bring by itself and bask in it to their best possible extent. Thanks to such a lifestyle, over time, martials managed to uncover untold secrets that lay dormant in the world. Knowingly or not, all their collective efforts helped them become stronger and better beings. Being healthy, rich, and powerful were the kind of goals that hollows bound themselves with whereas such goals were just a way of living for the martials. Though the number of martials was quite high in the world, it wasn''t much as compared to the number of hollows. ''Hollows only exist, and the world will act upon them. Martials just be themselves, and the world will associate with them.'' A certain martial worded out his perspective in an attempt to enlighten those who were beneath him. ''Wake up and live without limits.'' Martials informed this expression to hollows throughout history; however, sometimes, the easiest actions were the hardest to comprehend much less follow. Many hollows viewed ''Awaking'' as nothing more than getting up from one''s bed and ''living without limits'' as the money-making necessity which included earning immeasurable wealth and gaining incomprehensible power. "How you want to see the world is how the world sees you," Martial Godrick had a few words with the hollows in the backwoods of the past. Seeing how their efforts were failing, the martials reduced their efforts on refining hollows by degrees; the latter of the two, on the surface, liked being stuck in the past, or maybe, they were afraid that the Martial Way would only bring their death sooner thanks to all the onerous trails one would encounter. Leading an easy life seemed like a way better option for a hollow. Many hollows formed groups, guilds, clans, clades, and whatnot to improve their lifestyles while depending on one another. On the face of such similar ways, three families formed a clan they named themselves as Faceless. These three families were Basha, Basuvu, and Vesta. They held onto one another for many decades¡ªthrough all struggles¡ªand helped themselves from getting eradicated from the world. In the year 4218 AD[1], on one auspicious morning, dozens of people were gathering at the open hall of the Faceless clan. Three men, each of them a little above fifty years old, occupied respective seats while everybody else stood and gazed at the two young ones standing on the center stage of the hall. One was a seventeen-year-old red-haired girl, Sariyu of the Basuvu family who grabbed the attention of most, and the other was a twenty-four-year-old purple-haired boy, Burton of the Vesta family who also got his share of attention from young girls in the crowd. "I wonder which sect granted permission for us to participate in..." Burton wore a complex smile on his face. "I''m going to become a Martial Child this year and will elevate our clan''s status better than it ever was." He glanced at Sariyu. "Then you will have become mine. Am I correct?" "I failed for three straight years, but you failed for ten straight years," Sariyu opened her ten fingers and flitted them at him. "Don''t put too many hopes on yourself. At least this year, we must work together and pass." "Cooperation is the last thing on my mind," Burton exposed his palms to the heavens. "A fame-hungry freak like you is never going to become a Martial Child at this rate," Sariyu said in a teasing manner, "I will team up with Lirzod if you don''t change your ways." "Pfft, you want to work with that good-for-nothing moron?" Burton didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "I don''t see much wrong with that," Her veracious voice pierced Burton''s heart like an arrow shot from a bow, "You deem him as a worthless one, but I don''t think you are much better." "Hmph, don''t compare me to him," Burton replied in an irked tone. As the two young ones prattled, the clansmen in the crowd engaged themselves in heated discussions, too. "This time, all the three main families are participating. We may finally get to decide whether it is good to stay in this clan or not in a couple of days," Syam of Yerram family adjusted his sleeves while seated in a sculpted seat. He was a stylish man every time except when he stood thanks to his habit of sticking his belly out. "These coming days might just decide if this clan still deserves my merchant skills to be used for its well being," Allda of Pudota family lit a cigar using an end of a burning rope. His turned-up nose and humpbacked body made him look decades older than he indeed was. More than anyone, the three clan leaders could guess the weight of the event at hand without lending an ear to the words that winds wafted off the crowd. "This term will decide our clan''s very future," The one sitting in the middle, Picazo Basha¡ªa gaunt old man with little black shades to his white hair¡ªhad a determined look as he made eye contact with the crowd. The unceremonious garb on him befitted neither his stature nor the current situation. "It''s rare to see your son get positive attention from these many people," Sinario Vesta had a corner of his lips curl up. His sinewy physique gave away most of his capabilities, but those watching him for the first time got astonished when their eyes witnessed him sip various wines with saucers in both hands. "Well, is the end of our clan nearing?" Kwame Basuvu''s lips lightly curled down as he glanced at those in the crowd he thought were not trustworthy. "My concocting business will for sure take an unrecoverable dent if the clan weakens further. I must place all my trust in my child." He stroked his long beard. Despite his old age, his muscle definitions wouldn''t lose to any young man in an exhibition. The trilateral stage having three pillars with three intimidating sculptures of masked dragons curling from bottom to the top¡ªwas where the three clan heads were present. The sculptures attracted attention quite like the three humans gracing the stage did. "Where is Young Master Lirzod? How long will he take to come?" More and more members of the crowd got aggravated by the second "Someone, please go and check his room." Sariyu glanced at one of the maids in the crowd who nodded and left to Lirzod''s room without a wait. Just after reaching there and trying to push the door open, she became aware that the door was locked, from the inside. She peered through the gaps between the rods of the window and her eyes enlarged. Lirzod was still sleeping under a sheet that was colored red for one-third of it, green in the middle, and white for the last one-third of it. His snore reached her ears and made her twitch. "When did he lock the door from the inside? If anyone sees this, it will bring shame to the main families and will result in a loss of some more face." Quick tapping sounds spread out from her rhythmic walk. Her mouth opened up for a quick shout but right away shut it even faster. If the neighboring housewives were to hear her, they wouldn''t just guess on what happened but also try to anticipate quite a many things as well. Standing like a pole for a couple of moments, she let her thoughts drift about in an attempt to find the solution. A couple of seconds later, her face began to glow as she pulled out a tiny scent bottle from under her sleeves. Her hand slipped through the gap between the rods of the window and sprayed the scent into the room and waited as the scent diffused in the room. "Please, get up. Please get up." The fragrance long filled the room. A few more seconds passed, but nothing changed. When she was under the impression of failing in her previous attempt, a couple of whiffs came from within in the room. Lirzod lifted the sheet and jumped out of the bed while keeping his eyes shut. "This fragrance, it''s definitely of Primera..." His nose sniffed out the source of the scent, and his footsteps traced all the way to the window. She narrowed her eyes and grabbed his nose with her fingers and pulled him closer. "Wake up, Young Master!" Her voice was quick, yet so light that it was almost not audible. Lirzod opened his eyes at his own dreamy pace and saw her face through his blurry vision. After a scant rubbing of his eyes, his lips curled up before they moved forward, trying to glue to her''s, but eventually failed in reaching all the way up to her lips. "Who put these bars between us?" "Young Master! Today is your coming of age ceremony, did you forget?" She spoke in an urgent and somewhat exacting tone. "It''s also the day when you''ll know of your participation in Sects Tests." Lirzod''s eyes slightly enlarged and his breath paused. "Stop dazing like that, and get to the Central Hall already! Everyone''s waiting for you." "Yeah, sure. But..." His chin lifted a little. "Give me a kiss if you want me to come out." "What?" Her head involuntarily moved back a bit. "You are..." She didn''t have to think much before replying with a stomp on the ground, "I won''t." "There''s no one around, and I won''t tell anybody," His hand came out through the gaps in the bars of the window and caressed her chin. "Please, Primera. You can do this much on a special morning like this." "That''s..." The outer side of her curled-in fingers rubbed against each other as conflicting thoughts whelmed her mind. Her eyes glanced all around but found no traces of the peeping shadows. Her heart pounded heavily at an increasing pace as her body leaned ahead half-heartedly. Her subtle movement prepared her pinkish lips for a hot kiss. Her voluptuous chest pressed to the bars on the windows as her lips went between the gaps of the bars straight toward Lirzod''s. Lirzod shut his eyes and also moved his head ahead as well before sticking his lips out and maneuvered them like a madly-jerking snake''s head. A couple of seconds passed as his lips moved in every possible direction and covered all corners of the space they could, yet they touched nothing but the metal bars of the window which tasted nasty, thereby forcing him to open his eyes. The figure that stood outside the window made his eyes almost pop out of their sockets. Howbeit, his lips still stuck out like a snake. Primera stood beside that figure as she contained herself from making an amused expression. That figure grabbed his lips and stretched them out as far as they could be before letting them go. His lips turned pinker than they already were and redness gathered on and around them. "S-Sariyu! What are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be in the Central Hall right now?" Lizard''s stare darted at her chest, "Did you apply some cream to your chest?" "Do you want a month of pain?" she narrowed her eyes. "No," he replied right away. "Do you want a month of pain?" she narrowed her eyes. "No," he replied right away. "Come out in five seconds, or..." Sariyu glanced at Lirzod''s pants, and the bulge in it was as evident as day. "I''ll sever that python in your pants." Lirzod''s heart skipped a beat as his instinct made his hands cover his private region. "You devil ... You are the one girl I don''t ever want to marry." "Hmph, I''ve seen you naked enough times that I have no interest in marrying you either," Sariyu glanced away as he stepped out. "Quickly, get to the Central Hall." Her palm slapped once on his butt, and while at it, her fingers twisted his skin¡ªall of which made him bolt ahead, squealing like a cat. As everyone waited in the central hall, a grapes seller strolled along the street nearby the hall. A woman from the crowd called out for him. He promptly came to her. "How much is a kilo?" "Ten copper." His voice might be weak in volume but not temper. After all, he was yet to sell anything on that day even though it hadn''t been long since he hit the roads of the town. "Ten?" Her pleasant expression turned into an objectionable one as she inspected the grapes. "Six copper for a kilo and I''ll take two kilos. These don''t even look fresh." "You don''t look fresh either," Whetted words whirled out of his mouth like a whirlwind, "but I''m still selling to you, am I not?" Right away, her face turned short on looks. "You vermin!" She hurled the bunch of grapes at his face, startling him, but by God''s grace,his head moved on its own and dodged his loving fruits. Still, his eyes glanced back out of worry that the grapes would get covered in dirt let alone get spoiled if they crashed into the ground at such force. But before the grapes touched the ground, a person who just happened to be coming from that direction jumped to the side to catch the grapes, and in that process, he fell on the ground. Howbeit, the grapes were safe in his hands, and the grapes seller joyously hurried to that person. "You''ve got good reflexes, sir ... Whoever you are." When that person handed the grapes over, the seller gave back half of that bunch back. "Take that as thanks, please." Afterward, the seller was full of smiles as he walked away, teasing the woman with his weird eye movements and cocking of the head. The woman was pissed off, and since the seller made himself scarce, her glare now directed towards the person who helped the grapes seller, but when that person took just a single grape and handed her the remaining grapes, the anger on her face faded away like an arrow from a bow, and she showered a smile at full tilt. "Thank you, Young Master," she bowed, though not by much, her eyes enlarged after her gaze met his crotch. The person in front of her was a five-and-half-foot black-haired boy, dressed in sleeping attire, who smiled at her before walking past her and picking up his pace as he walked through the crowd while waving at everyone. His hair wasn''t black to the core, and white strands were present here and there. The thin brownish scar across his face extended onto his collars and forearm as well. At first glance, it would look like a burnt scar to anybody, but different people chewed the fat about it at variance. And that person was Lirzod. It was painted all over his face that he just woke up from sleep thanks to the dry crusting of liquids near his eyes and mouth. "Today''s the day when the clan heads decide on who gets to participate in the Sects Tests. How can he even dare have such wet dreams on the night before such a day?" A person from the crowd murmured while the girls covered their eyes but still watched his bulge through the gaps in their fingers. "Kya, what''s hiding in his pants?" "He''s surely hiding a big banana in there," An old crow sniggered. "Young master sure how to fool people." "It''s sure nice to be young," An old woman from the crowd said. "Why is he hiding such a thing in there? Does his pant have no pockets? I can''t tell." A little girl glanced at the old woman who just spoke. The old one choked on her own words. "Guh, don''t mind these things, little one. Forget them." "Mhm..." the little girl, though puzzled, nodded positively. "Is he so careless or so courageous?" Another person knitted his brows. "Does he not fear the Sects Tests?" "What the heck are you waving at the kid for?" One member of the crowd shouted out of his lungs. "Get your butt onto the stage this instant!" Lirzod glanced over his shoulder at the man who just spoke. "Oh, groundnut-store geezer, you came here as well?" "My name is Fidelis!" That old man stood from his seat like a spring and made a fist out of his¡ªto all appearances¡ªwhat was a smaller hand. "Give some respect or I won''t sell you anything from my store." "Haha, I will be leaving this place soon. What would I visit your store for?" Lirzod''s laugh grew louder as his feet moved and stepped on the stage. And the waving of his arms continued while the smile that could light up a room took shape on his visage. After having enough of it, his stare set on Burton who stood right beside him. "Big Brother Burton, I don''t want to be your nightmare, but I have no other choice, so don''t be scared. Got it?" "All you have is that big mouth. What''s there to be scared of?" Burton turned his head away. "Besides, don''t call me brother on purpose. No one likes getting called like that just once in a while. Either call me full-time or not at all." "But where''s the fun in that?" Lirzod giggled. "If you want fun, why don''t you try and be on the other end of my fists for once in public?" "I don''t think this is an appropriate time for that." Sariyu just reached the place and stood in between them, making them go silent. She glanced at Burton first before turning to Lirzod who leaked out a short-lived yawn. "What are you looking at me for?" Lirzod said. "You should look ahead." "I will look wherever I want to look," Her eyes traced down at his crotch. "First, you better calm down the thunder snake in your pants." "Thunder snake?" Burton snorted. "It''s more like a dying snake?" "Hmph, someone''s jealous that I get a rise every morning unlike him..." Lirzod covered his mouth as his shoulders jerked. "Why don''t we measure to see whose snake''s bigger?" "That''s the last thing I''d be jealous of!" Burton clenched his fist and raised it into the air but managed to control his urge to rap his knuckles on Lirzod''s head, by a whisker. "Giving you any amount of attention is useless. You are a hundred years too early to compare snake sizes with me!" "Enough chattering, every mother''s son and daughter," Kwame stood and his spreading out arms addressed everybody, and his actions made everyone pay attention. "To all of our Faceless clan members and to whoever that visited this town be it out of respect or out of curiosity, we are thankful for gracing us with all of your presence." After staring down at his golden-bracelet worn wrists, his eyes then scanned the ones in the crowd who also had similar wear. "Some of us here are rich enough to make sure our children and even grandchildren get to fill their stomachs without a worry in the world for as long as they lived, but ... the world we live in isn''t so predictable. "Wealth gives strength which can build or destroy wealth. There are myriad of creatures in this world that are far too crooked than all of us. If we stay like our current selves, as the hollows that we are, we won''t last longer than a couple of generations, unless we make someone from one of us¡ªa Martial Child!" His attention shifted to the other two leaders beside him before he gestured with his hands, "We three took a big decision today." "Big decision?" The entire crowd had their full attention turned towards the clan heads. "We''ve already sent our children for the Sect Tests every year. As if that''s not big enough, just what did they prepare for us this time?" "As befits my coming of age ceremony." Lirzod grinned from ear to ear. Picazo and Sinario stood from their seats. "We spent a great deal of effort to procure these three entry cards," Sinario pulled out three cards from his sleeves and looked at the names written on the covers of each of those cards. "What sect did they manage to get cards for this time?" The entire crowd eyed at those cards, but the distance was too far away, and the cards themselves were small, so most of them wished they had the eyes of an eagle. Like excited apes, they strained their eyes and pulled each other''s collars, trying to get a closer look at those cards. "Judging by their words, it shouldn''t be any lower than three thousand in the whole of the continent!" Syam felt rather excited. "Haha, that thought in itself makes me proud," Allda blew out smoke through his nostrils, that ended up being a noseful of a whiff for the ones around him. He later groomed the coats of the two red squirrels that were on both of his thighs and were munching on the hazelnuts. "We can advertise and sell quite a many goods whether they fail in the first round or not." "Your father seemed to have prepared a nice gift for you," Sariyu sort of exposed her teeth as she glanced sideways at Lirzod. "My father sure exceeded my imaginations this time," Lirzod placed his arms on his waist, and his eyes sparkled out a tinge of pride. "Gift or... Curse?" Burton''s words just reached only his ears. "The higher the rank of the sect we participate in, the more terrifying the experience will be. Given it''s your first time, you are at a full disadvantage, but you are too thick skinned to understand that." "What''s wrong, Burton? Are you perhaps envying my father''s love for me?" Lirzod raised his eyebrows as his lips stretched out. "Never in a million years!" Burton pointed his fingers at his father. "Our bond is far stronger." "The sect we managed to get the cards for this year is..." Picazo''s hands were on his back as he spoke. The moment his mouth opened, the entire crowd fell silent and paid full attention to him. As the pulse of everyone quickened, Picazo''s gaze swept over them for a few seconds, thereby further inflaming their hearts. A corner of Picazo''s lips curled up before two words birthed out of his mouth, "Shambala Sect." Silence inundated the entire hall that very instant and took over everyone''s personal space like it always did with graveyards¡ªplaces where silence ruled, and to further back it up the crowd wore frozen faces like corpses would. The clouds above them stopped drifting, turning the skies ever so silent.People grasped that it wasn''t a regular silence; it was everywhere, yet no one could get accustomed to it, for it offered them both despair and hope. As that instance passed, Lirzod''s lips straight away fell flat, followed by his mouth which opened in some measure. His stare locked on to the clan heads. It wasn''t just him. The wonder in everyone''s eyes was as palpable as the sun in the skies. For a moment, the revelation took everyone out of the conscious world and drifted their souls into daydreams. It''s so unexpected because a declaration of such level was not something they were used to, not even in their dreams. Still feeling surreal, they drifted back to the conscious world, all of which happened in a matter of a second or two. "Did I catch it on the money?" Allda checked his ears. The squirrels on Allda''s thighs looked up at him and the other people but couldn''t understand why they all appeared frozen in their places. The cigar in Syam''s hand neared its end and burnt his finger for a split second before it fell out of his hand, and he rubbed his fingers at the burnt spot followed by the rubbing of the eyes. "Am I seeing things..?" After a couple of glances in every direction, he nodded to himself while frowning from the stinging pain in his finger. "No, this isn''t one of those morning dreams." "I repeat..." A smile, breaking through its restraints, leaked out of the corners of Picazo''s lips, and the two other clan heads had similar guises. "We got the entry cards for the Sect Test of the Shambala Sect." "Shambala Sect... It''s the sect considered as the number one sect on many continents!" Everyone''s jaw dropped down lower than what an ape could yawn, and no words came out of the mouths of many. Most people still lived in the past moment when everybody received a bolt from the blue. Even the crows flying in the vicinity of the hall hit houses and crashed down. The squirrels on Allda''s thighs ran down his leg before blitzing to the nearby tree and climbed in an instant. Seeing the reactions of their people, the clan heads themselves were out of words. When one made the impossible happen, it was sure to shock everyone, including oneself. "A real martial grows through all grounding. Is there a problem?" Picazo''s words were heard all across the Central Hall, but they also managed to soak the hearts of everyone and further made their heartbeats heavier. Picazo raised his fist into the air. "Eh..?" The crowd was all taken aback for a moment. The two other clan heads rose their fists into the air as well. As most people still stared in stupefaction, the three young ones on the stage rose their fists into the air. The sight of the six people in the Central Hall who spoke with their fists made the hair on the skin of everyone in the crowd stand straight. For any clan to tower above the rest, it first required to commence. In the eyes of martials, one could always find the end of anything in its beginning, and this day marked the humble beginning for the coming of great things to the Faceless clan¡ªa clan of hollows, for the time being. ---------------------------------------- [1] AD: After Domainer. 2 UNFORESEEN CHANCE Despite their appearances, the six personages, who had their fists raised towards the heavens, appeared stronger than they were known to be. The old crow and the little girl from before were the first ones to raise their fists. One after another, dozens of people imitated those two. The little girl''s glances lay on the members of the crowd who were yet to raise their fists, even stood on toes, hoping she would be seen by more. A couple of seconds passed, but the number of fists raised in the air stayed pretty much the same. She had expected a warm reception, but that wasn''t what she got. Her brows knitted and lower lip extended up and out as a shadow veiled her sunny face. For all intents and purposes, Allda, Syam, and Fidelis remained seated in their seats, seemingly more interested in discerning the actions of the masses that filled the Central Hall. One man, who possessed some air of authority around him, gathered strength into his legs and stepped ahead, putting himself in the front lines of the crowd. "A real Martial may grow through all the grounding, but we are not Martials." He bowed his head as he continued, "Pardon me for saying this, but we are all freaking hollows! In all honesty, even among the hollows who themselves have less to no face value, we belong at the bottom. Forget about maturing into a Martial Child¡ªit would be a miracle if the children taking this test lived to tell the tale let alone come back home in one piece." Hearing his words, some parts of the crowd got agitated. His refusal set off a series of conflicting thoughts in their minds. The one who just opinionated was none other than Jermajesty himself, a member of the Court Stage[1], and the High Judge nonetheless. "Like it or not, our decision is final," The voices of the three clan heads sounded as mighty as before and pierced through the shilly-shally winds which had been wafting about in the hall. All the murmuring mouths stopped in a trice. A suffocating silence permeated Central Hall. Everyone went as silent as their shadows until the crows that crashed into the walls before, now soared away at full pace, blustering in an obscure tongue. "Mr. Jermajesty," Picazo said in a respectful tone, "I appreciate you voicing your opinion, but, let me ask you, how much longer do you wish to see our clan linger at the bottom as per the face value that you''ve spoken of?" Jermajesty''s face turned gray as if dragged through the mud. "I¡ªI only wanted..." "I know you wish the best for the clan," Picazo continued, exuding calm and focus through his eyes despite the worriment that carelessly crept in the corners, "but hearken, everyone, if we don''t wager our sweat and blood from here on, we are bound to fall to the bottom of all bottoms." Picazo didn''t need to say any further, for his words put forth the worst case scenario¡ªevery soul of the clan biting the dust¡ªthat neither Jermajesty nor anyone in the crowd had ever thought of and helped in bringing them back to the reality. More than whether they were strong or not, whether they had the drive to become strong or not was what the clan leaders esteemed and wished that every other clansman would also hanker after. "So this is the year..." Burton clenched his fists in a reticent fashion, a source of amazement still visible on his visage. (It has finally come.) Out of more than three-thousand and one-hundred registered sects on Loosh Continent, an attempt for any of those sects would have been just fine, but the very thought of trying for Shambala Sect¡ªthe sect that arguably had more fame than most of those sects combined¡ªcrafted chills that let loose on people''s spines. "Did I hear it correctly?" Allda couldn''t help but put forward a query, his expression blanching for untold reasons. "You got the tickets of Shambala Sect, Clan Head Picazo?" "Yes, Mr. Merchant," Picazo gave a teasing glance, "Would you still want to consider leaving the clan?" "W-What are you saying?" Allda beat his burly chest with his pygmy palms, manifesting a crotchety smile that concealed his finespun conceptions. "How can Pudota family walk out of Faceless Clan? That doesn''t happen as long as the sun keeps rising in our East." "And you, Mr. Syam?" Picazo shifted his gaze toward the golden brown-haired man, giving him deep crawls that cast away his discontentment. Syam''s sticking out belly abruptly shrank in size. "Aha-haha, I was just joking," he laughed it off as he waved his picturesque hand fan, thereby not letting sweat takes its place on his skin. The crowd in his vicinity who took sneak peeks at his brazen face could only softly sigh. "Clan Head Kwame, is all this real?" Sariyu, looking wistfully, couldn''t help herself from not asking her bit. Kwame glimpsed at Picazo who then tossed three sealed envelopes to Sariyu and the other two youngsters standing beside her. The items directly fell into their hands, and upon promptly opening them their eyes marked the contents¡ªmajestic cards that exuded glamor¡ªand got arrested in the process. Aside from spitting fire, the symbol of a curling red dragon centrally showed signs of rising out of the card, but if one observed with keen eyes, the word ''Shambala'' could be seen subtly hidden in the sanguine blaze that the dragon bathed in, and the letters of that word also appeared to be moving to some degree, putting to view its nebulous shapes. "Is this fire?" Lirzod placed his finger on the fire when his skin got burnt upon contact, forcing him to let go of the card almost immediately. "Heavens, what just..." Though the burn didn''t even leave a mark on his skin, and though it wasn''t a threatening affair, it still was enough for his eyes to birth incredulity. "That card is no ordinary card for you to handle it the way you see fit. Like always, you deserve what you got," Sinario lightly sniggered as his fingers stroked the tortoise that had just bitten his finger, but after a nudge from Picazo, he controlled himself. "Ahem, be more careful with it, little man." "Che," Lirzod''s icy stare lay bare his glacial attitude toward Clan Head Sinario. (Yeah, continue to keep waiting for the right time to mock me. I allowed it to happen until today, but it will change from today.Just wait and see, this little man will one day make you look little.) Putting up an impressive smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes, he decorously asked, "Why don''t Clan Head Sinario show me how it''s done?" "You are asking for more than you deserve," Sinario plastered on a coy smile as he sat back in his seat. Lirzod''s lips fashioned a hard line. (He pulls out the word ''deserve'' every time right out of his ass.) At that time, he shut his nose in haste. "What''s wrong?" Sinario''s expression softened, his eyebrows, however, waggled from wonder,"Did you perhaps come to realize that you were always on the wrong side in our conversations?" "No, I think someone just farted," Lirzod glanced at Burton, his face contorted into a sordid fruit. "Why the heck are you eyeballing at me?" Burton waved his hand apace, looking away in one breath. As Lirzod''s gaze shifted over to Sariyu, she let loose her voice like a shot. "Who else but a nut-savvy like you will fart?" "Hmph, if I did, I would have openly admitted," Lirzod voiced his opinion, rolling eyes away from her, "unlike some Chilly Head." "Chilly Head?" A muscle in her jaw twitched, "I''m not the one who crunch groundnuts, Bare Butt." "Who knows?" Lirzod cleared his throat and thumbed the ear, "I mean, women eat the same food as men, but they fart in silence, unlike men ¡­ which some people see as a good thing, but silent farts are the stinkiest and deadliest farts!" "I don''t know about women," A line itched between her brows as her voice detonated, "but I don''t fart!" "Oh, yeah,"Lirzod''s mouth slipped into subdued laughter, "You aren''t a human. I forgot. My bad," he turned to her and reproduced one of her celebrated curtseys, irking her further, "you are much more interested in staring at grasses, plants, trees, and shrubs than in conversing with humans," he glanced slantways toward the skies," but, if I''m correct ¡­ cows fart more than humans, right?" Sariyu gnashed her teeth, redness creeping in from all the corners of her eyes. "Who''s a cow?" Her hand formed into a feverish fist and zoomed into Lizard''s face in a flash. "Enough!" Kwame''s voice echoed all around the hall, making her fist halt at a touching distance to Lirzod''s cheek. "If you want to quarrel over frivolous matters, leave the hall." "S-Sorry, Clan Head Kwame," Sariyu expeditiously joined her fists and bent one of her knees as she bowed to the clan head. At that time, Lirzod glanced at Burton, his face tilted down a bit, a cheeky smile fashioning his face, "Look, your father is the only one seated among the clan heads. Well, it''s not surprising given he''s got the laziest bum of the clan." "Hmph," A vein popped out in Burton''s neck, "he''s still better than your father!" "Stop it, you two," Sariyu intervened as she picked up Lirzod''s card from the stage floor. "The fire painting on this card is certainly not your normal painting. Handle it with more care and respect." She stepped closer to Lirzod, handed it in a glare while muttering by his ears, "I''ll get back at you afterward, Bare Butt brat." "You are not eligible to say that," Lirzod glanced at her chest. "Why did you hide it there? Didn''t it burn your boob?" "Shut that vulgar mouth of yours," Sariyu swiftly took a kerchief out of her sleeves and stuffed it in his mouth. "Uwah¡­" Lirzod almost puked after briskly pulling out as if his life depended on it. "This thing is filled with your sweat and snot. How dare you stuff it in my mouth?" He endeavored to shove it in her mouth, but she stepped back twice and made some distance. "Your mouth is ten times vulgar than mine. It must shut down at all cost!" Kwame, meanwhile, shook his head, palm screening the face. "These two don''t have the slightest respect for Central Hall." "You can''t expect more from your youth," Sinario teasingly satirized, exchanging glances with the other two clan heads. Seeing the three youngsters still quarreling as kittens do in their early weeks, the crowd shuffled between delight and displeasure. Allda lit another cigar, eyes flaring as they regarded the three youngsters. "It''s still too much to take in the fact that we managed to get the entrance ticket for the sect test of Shambala Sect, but it also doesn''t change the fact that there''s a zero-percent chance for us to make an impact in the sect test, given how these three are cooperating." "Right you are..." Syam folded the fan, his mouth set in a hard line. "Needless to say, your words are on the money this time.Without a doubt, Shambala Sect exams will be unlike any other sect exams. Failure will likely mean death." "D-Death?" The entire crowd drew a breath of cold air, and so did Burton, to an extent. For ten straight years, he had participated in ten entrance examinations of ten different sects that ranked over three thousand on the continent and somehow safely made it out from those sect tests. But the thought never crossed his mind that the top sects would have much more cruel methods to take in students. After all, despite his past, his anxiety had always been under control when thinking about the hurdles encountered during the sect tests. As far as Burton was concerned, he was willing to join even the last ranked sect of the continent, as that would elevate his clan status at least ten times. Such was the effect of having a single Martial Child in one clan, regardless of where, when, and how they dawned. Nevertheless, everything changed when the clan heads announced the NAME of the sect. It was a lifetime chance that he had been waiting for and most likely been preparing for. He stared at Sinario who shot back what seemed to be an indifferent glance, but as sharers of the same blood, their exchange of looks held meanings private to them. Sects in conjunction with clans, tribes, clades, groups and other such organizations of the continent were also ranked together as Assemblies[2]. As for Faceless Clan, it didn''t even have a rank. Officially, there were ten thousand ranks for assemblies, and only those with rankings could bask in fame and fortunes. Counting clans alone, almost one-hundred and eighty-nine thousand existed on Loosh Continent. Though most assemblies wouldn''t admit, it was still an open secret that, in actuality, only the top ten-thousand ranking assemblies flourished. Despite their glaring weaknesses, the unranked clans, tribes, and groups were so headstrong that they formed a beta-ranking system among themselves. All these beta assemblies competed with each other depending on their social, political, and economic status. Among the beta rankings, Faceless clan''s rank was seven-hundred and sixty-seven thousand, and a bit more. If one were to spread the news that such a clan got an entrance ticket to the Sect Test of Shambala Sect, nobody in their right mind would believe it, not even the clansmen of Faceless Clan. Only because the legit entry cards were displayed, the faceless clan members could chew the fat off of the portentous words their clan heads spewed, for if such a story ended up being fake, an unimaginable dispiriting backlash would await them. "Do you three dare to take a test that might result in a great failure to the clan?" Allda pinned them with his eyes that lit with a twinkle of mischief. "As a hollow, I can''t even imagine how the tests will be for a beta ranked assembly much less one of this level and magnitude. Everything that''s happening now seems like a curse in disguise to me. I can only hope I''m not on the money this time around." Burton seemed hesitant. (There''s no need to ask. I wouldn''t be shocked even if the entries of the Sect Test themselves are Martial Childs. It''s the most powerful sect of the continent we are talking about here. I am but an ant among all the other ants of this backwater clan. Of course, a task like this seems a bit too much than we can handle.) A moment later, his lips curled up a little as his eyes lay on Allda. (That''s what you might think I would say.) Sariyu clutched her dress, eyes glued to the ground. (What should I do? I don''t want to die young.) Her polished nails discolored at an unnoticeably slow pace. As far as one could tell, Lirzod clenched his fists, trying to control the slight shaking movements of his hands which made some clansmen think in a certain way, but the clan heads thought of it otherwise. "If you three are willing to dare it, we won''t object," Picazo''s gaze pierced into the hearts of the three youngsters and the crowd alike. His attire was one thing, but his subduing voice and his eagle-eyed gaze outstared and out-voiced everybody else. Moreover, none could make direct eye contact with him for a prolonged period. "Just look at them," Syam dropped his shoulders in a sigh, synchronously shaking his head. "Their faces are drowning in sweat, but I guess, they can''t be blamed. Any Hollow would stain their pants if asked to take part in such a test. These three have already done well by managing to stand still." "Yeah, not bad I suppose," Allda forced out a tight smile as he nodded. (Screw you, Allda. You thought they''ll back away. But, it didn''t work.) He made a slightly pinched expression. (I tried my best for you, Tarqa.) On the face of it, as the two beside Lirzod were wavering, he began to laugh aloud, puzzling everyone. Placing his hands on waist, he proudly lifted his chin a bit. "As the sole surviving heir of Basha family and the likely future head of our clan, I couldn''t ask for anything less!" He raised his hand and forged into a fist that sparkled under the sunshine. "So what if it''s Shambala Sect? Won''t the people there breathe, eat, sleep, and shit like us?" By all means, Lirzod''s words astonished everyone, for they didn''t expect such words to come out of a mouth they least expected. Some scratched their heads while some others absent-mindedly rubbed their arms. A few even let flies take a tour inside their mouths. Lirzod continued, his throat swollen from the rising passion, "Won''t their men scream if I punch them? Won''t their women sing if I kiss them?" All the rushing blood in the veins of men and women suddenly stopped in a screeching halt and seemed to have lost its way. "Uh, there he goes again," one man from the crowd sighed. "Just when I thought he matured a bit, he proved me wrong right away." "Take things more seriously, Young Master!" some members urged him. Lirzod stroked his brow with the middle finger. "I''m already at my peak serious state!" The crowd didn''t know what to say to him. "You must be out of your mind," Syam swiftly opened his hand fan. "This isn''t the time to show off, stupid lad! Shove your fake spirit down where you pulled it out from!" he flung his fan at Lirzod. Lirzod bent back, dodged the fan without a hitch, thereby avoided getting scarred on his face, but concurrently, his hand stretched out and grabbed the tip of the flying-away fan. "I''m not faking it, Uncle ''Spear Chin'' Syam," Lirzod resolutely said, blowing the air unto himself and took care of the sweat that had gathered on his face. "I promise you, if I pass the test, and become powerful, I will repair that chin of yours." "You cheeky little brat," Syam stood from his seat, having half the color drained from his face. "You are going way overboard. You think passing a Sect Test is as easy as catching a fan?" "I never said that," Lirzod closed the fan with a flick of his wrist, "All this while, I was just speaking my mind, that''s all." His voice rose in volume as he addressed everyone in the hall, "I am taking this test whether you like it or not because that''s what the clan leaders want, and I don''t want to waste such an opportunity either. If I shy away from danger because it''s too dangerous, I don''t think I deserve to even think about sitting in my father''s chair one day." His words made everyone¡ªSyam and Allda included¡ªthink for a moment. "I think Young Master Lirzod is right," an old man opined. "I''m a bit worried, but if the young masters and the young mistress have no problem with participating in this sect test, then I think I can only pray for their safety." Different members discussed variedly, putting forth their insecurities and beliefs together. In the meantime, Lirzod secretly began to giggle within himself. (Hehe, fools. Who gives a damn about Shambala Sect? All I care is to meet the foreign beauties that take part in the Sect Test. Passing the Sect Test is a secondary thing. Though the situation arrived a bit earlier than I imagined, I''m not missing this one in a lifetime chance. I''m going to thoroughly make my eyes feast on the colors that attend this test for sure.) His thoughts ran wild, and the expression on his face changed to that of a monkey manifesting a smile after downing a gallon of wine. (There''s no way I can sit in my father''s seat without meeting a billion beauties from a million cultures beforehand. This exploration must make a lot of my dreams come true, or else, I wouldn''t make a good Clan Head!) Burton''s brows knitted a little bit and spoke in a low voice. "As expected, you are underestimating the danger this test will undoubtedly possess. Though I wouldn''t want to waste my life by taking part in it this year itself, I also wouldn''t want to live as someone who didn''t dare enter a test that Lirzod entered in." "Oh, not bad, Big Brother Burton," Lirzod glanced at him and plastered on a smile. (Che, I won''t let this bastard disturb my thoughtful trip.) "But, are you sure about that? Why don''t you first check your pants for poop?" His words made some sections of the crowd burst out in laughter, though they all contained in double-time. After all, laughing at a young master of the clan in public was not in the clan''s doctrines of goodness. "I''m not scared, Brother ''Good For Nothing'' Lirzod," Burton gave him a dirty look, "I''m just healthily afraid, that''s all." "Healthily afraid?" Lirzod blew air through his nose. "The heck that''s supposed to mean?" "Count me in as well," Sariyu plucked the fan out of Lizard''s hands and put it to use for herself. "I care not whether you come or not, but give me my fan back!" Lirzod tried to fetch it back, but she didn''t make it easy for him. "I have dozens like those in my home, so I will let you take it." Unable to get the fan back, Lirzod could only look away. This Sourness wants to join as well? No, no, I can''t let her participate, no matter what. His thoughts alone made a significant amount of comfort escape out of his body. "Yeah, keep diverting," she rolled her eyes away. He turned his head toward her and shaped a low-spirited smile. "If you participate and die, I can''t live the rest of my life without you." "In that case, you can just jump into my final fire[3]." "If you insist it, then so be it," Lirzod waved his hand, swiveling away from her. (Che, she seemed to have fixed her thoughts. It''s impossible to change her mind now. My sweet journey, must I say goodbye before you even get to start?) He was almost in tears. "Are they serious? The three of them are participating?" Unable to stop the habit, Syam used his empty hand to blow some air into his face. "I don''t wish it in my damndest dreams, but if they all happen to meet their end during this journey, then there''s no future to our clan, literally. We must think about this again, clan heads!"Till that moment, Syam didn''t feel the need to directly intervene as he expected at least one of those three to back out, but given that expectations failed, he couldn''t stay silent anymore. "There''s nothing more to think, Mr. Syam Yerram," Kwame folded his hands, standing in a relatively comfortable posture than before. "We''ve already spent all of our clan''s savings to get the entry tickets for Shambala Sect. Now, all we can do is be thankful to our younger generations for not betraying the hopes we put on them, at least until now." His words stirred many hearts, and the contortions conceived on people''s faces evinced bafflement. "T-That''s..." Syam was at a loss for the words. (They''ve spent all the stock of the inventory? He involuntarily clenched his fists. Without even saying a word to me, these bastards did such a thing!) As rage tried to consume him, he promptly calmed down with a deep breath. (Well, I guess, telling me this wouldn''t benefit them in any way. It''s understandable why they did it, but still, they took a rash decision which is so unlike those three.) Allda, on the other hand, completed his fourth cigar since the meeting started. (Just what made the clan heads have such confidence on their young ones? Do they earnestly believe they can make it back in one piece?) He scratched his chin. (Did they lose their minds?) Fidelis just put an impalpable smile on his face as he had been doing for much of the meet. "Does anyone else have any objection?" Kwame''s voice resounded in the hall. Most people just stared at the ground and gulped down breaths to stay quiet. As a result, none replied. Despite Kwame''s inquiring words that further got backed by a coinciding countenance, many members of the crowd, including Syam and Allda, were still left with a bad taste in their mouths. "Unmistakably, the choice we have now offers us an unforeseen chance," Picazo began to step down the staircase of the stage the clan heads were on. "But I don''t get the reason why you all seem so unnerved about this situation. Even if we fail, we won''t be losing any more face because we''re already faceless. While it''s true that we may lose our three future leaders of the clan, I''m still sure that even in the absence of those three, someone from our clan will rise to the situation and lead our clan." People''s face brightened into bulbs from hearing his words. "But, if even one of those three managed to win, we''ll climb the ladder of fame so fast and so high that our clan will make history which otherwise wouldn''t have been possible. "And if anything close to that were to happen, our clan''s name is bound to be known to everyone, be it on the ground, in the air, or on the seas. Our fame will flourish forever under the heavens. The stakes are undoubtedly high, but this is how it should be. Nothing in this world comes for free. The world won''t stay inactive because of our inaction. We must act now, and act big, big enough to better ourselves like no one can replicate our rise. We already did our best in getting the entrance tickets," his eyes lay on the three youngsters, "now, it''s their duty now to make our dreams come true." Picazo''s words notably picked up the mood of many people, and eventually, they all rose to each other''s voice and began to call out similar words. "Rewards reflects risks." One after another, everybody stood and shouted in unison, "Rewards reflects risks!" That was the motto of the Faceless Clan. Sinario was the one who took the most risks, and Kwame assisted from behind when necessary. The rewards those two brought were utilized all across the clan as per the rules and regulations set by Picazo. After all, these three men were the main pillars that built the Faceless Clan into what it was now. Though its rank had been amongst the lowest in the world, its people were always proud of their leaders who had combinedly done many commendable deeds for their clan. The flag hoisted atop the building, visible in the background of the clan heads, had a smiling skull, two R-shaped earrings and an R-shaped pendant hanging at its trachea. "Swannie[4], you can still withdraw, and no one will laugh at you," Lirzod tried to remind Sariyu, but she paid him no attention. Standing on the veranda grounds on the top floor of the building¡ªbehind the clan heads and outside the hall¡ªwere their wives. The skinny green-haired one was Issa Vesta. The platinum blonde and meaty one was Keira Basuvu. The golden-white-haired gorgeous one in the middle was Valli Basha. Their faces lacked the usual luster, probably from the lack of sleep; also evident through their palatial clothing, worn almost a day ago. Holding each other''s hands, they let worry took over their visages as they watched the ongoing scenario at the central hall. "I hoped none of them would be willing to go, but all of them ended up choosing otherwise," Valli touched her chest, doing her best to keep the growing pain in check. "Don''t worry, sister, Burton will take care of Lirzod," Issa''s soft voice was pleasant on the ears, for the nearby sparrows that had been munching on the hanging rice grain stalk¡ªexplicitly put for them, looked at those three once in a while, and particularly at Issa when her voice escaped the mouth. "Yeah, let''s hope they help each other and make good use of this chance," Keira''s voice was a bit deep, befitting her figure. "If they don''t... We won''t even get to see their Final Form," A tear stroked a path on Valli''s cheek, softening the skin further along its path. "I can''t let him take this test." "Get a hold on yourself, sister," The other two tried to comfort her, "It''s not like you to be so negative like this." "No, let go of me. I can''t knowingly send my son to death!" she tried to force her way out, but those two tried their best to stop her. "Hmm?" Lirzod just saw his mother and his aunties watching in his direction from the veranda. Are they having fun? Geez, these housewives know not to hold back even for the sake of maintaining some face befitting their position. "At least, show some propriety for our sake." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [1] Court Stage: A open stage made of stone that lies in the shade of a big banyan tree. It''s used for prosecuting criminals and other judiciaries of the clan. [2] Assembly: It''s a body formed for a purpose, whatever it may be. Sects are also assemblies. [3] Final Fire: The fire used to burn the dead body and help the soul ascend to the heavens. [4] Swannie: A nickname Lirzod uses to call Sariyu. He also calls her Black Swan. 3 EXTENSIVE VOYAGE Inside the kitchen room of Lirzod''s house. It was an extravagant room that had a separate storage section embedded on one side of it. "I don''t want dried meat. It''s stinkier than my sweat," Lirzod tried to pursue Primera into not packing dried meat in his luggage for the imminent journey. "Like it or not, Young Master, this lasts longer than your vapid fruits, and give lots more calories as well," Primera forcibly stuffed the meat packets into his bag. "These sorts of food will help you greatly in the journey. Who knows what kind of food will be available on that Extensive Voyage..." Despite her words, he pulled the packets out and put them aside. She stared at him in a bate, before grabbing them again, and put them back in the bag. Lirzod took them out of the bag, and she was forced to take it from him and put inside again. Lirzod did it again, but this time, he hid the packet behind him and didn''t let her take it. Despite her glares, he didn''t back down. "Should I put Johr instead of that?" She glanced at the stack of bread packets lying nearby, at the wall. "No, no, not that!" Lirzod put forward the meat packet in double-quick time before she picked up the Johr package. "At least let him pack a hundred apples," Duera barged into the room, carrying a cover full of freshly harvested apples. "Journey at sea might be tougher than I can imagine." Seeing the apples, Lirzod felt somewhat relieved. He whispered in her ears, "Did you get the groundnuts for me?" She almost got tickled by his lips. "I''m sorry, Young Master. I sneaked in, but that Tigress was inside the home," She replied in a low tone. "All I could do was fetch a few kilos of these." Her gaze shifted towards the tiny black cover that hanged at her waist. "These will be a kilo at best." "Hmm, thanks," After a quick inspection, he was somewhat relieved. "No problem, Young Master. Though I couldn''t get fresh stock, I still made my useless father buy a fifty-kilo package on yesterday''s evening itself." "Oh, that''s great!" Lirzod was elated. "I''ll be sure to bring you great stuff when I come back. Just wait." "He-he, I''ll look forward to that," She leaned closer and murmured to him. "Just make sure to bring me an extra item than the number you bring to her." "Sure thing," Lirzod nodded. Primera who was packing the luggage coldly glanced at them both. (I can hear you both.) She sneakily put a Johr package in between two dresses and stuffed them in the luggage. "And by the way, I asked Trirera, but she said she wanted nothing," Duera exposed both of her palms. "That''s too bad. I guess I''ll bring her something of my own choice then." "I''m not sure if she''ll take it or not." "If she doesn''t take it, I''ll just irritate her until she takes it." "He-he, good plan." "Good plan?" Primera didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "Have you both ever seen her give a damn about what you two do?" "W-Well, we will do what we can." "Try your best then. I''m not wishing good luck though." "Hmph, who wants your luck?" Sparks flew between Primera and Duera for a brief moment. Duera was the second highest authorized among maids, only after Primera. These women were the clan''s maids and standardly, they were as many as the number of primary families that made up the clan. Unlike Primera, Duera was even shorter and petite. Despite her looks, she was many years older than Lirzod. Being the top maids of the clan, Primera, Duera, and Trirera only worked for the three clan heads'' families. "Also, add hundred Phoenix Fruits," Lirzod pointed his finger at the package that contained the Phoenix Fruits. "Hundred?" Primera startled. "Our clan only buys a thousand of them per month, and you want ten percent of it? Stop dreaming, Young Master." "This is my order." "Politely rejected." "Please, please," Lirzod came closer and rubbed her chin, and Duera also joined and pulled her cheeks. "You two..." Primera, though initially showed resistance, later eventually sighed. "Alright, fine. But, if someone asks, I won''t cover up for any of you two." "Fine," Lirzod laughed. (I will have left by that time anyway). He looked at the garden through the open windows. "Where''s Gouse? She didn''t come for breakfast yet." "S-She probably went out to bring a gift for you," Duera said, looking down with a blank expression. "Geez, she''s putting an unnecessary burden on herself. She knows I won''t take her along for such a journey." Duera stayed silent. "You know her persistence," Primera said and gave a duping smile. "You''re right. She was already in a temper last night, for not bringing her to the party. If I refuse her request again, she''ll look for a different owner." Tears leaked out of Duera''s eyes, while she hid her face and wiped off the tears. "Maybe she''s sulking in some street," Primera said, coming in between those two. "You may be right. I''ll go and check for her once," He was about to go, but then he saw Duera taking the luggage out. He came and plucked the luggage off her shoulders and carried it all by himself. Though Duera tried to get the luggage back, he simply refused to let her win. They both headed out into the streets quarreling like a cat and mouse. At Pudota''s family house, a crest of golden crab could be seen on their dresses worn by workers that were doing their daily chores. The location of their home in the entire street was where the business thrived. Businesses of all sorts from food products to fabrics and all sorts of infrastructure could be seen in the street, all of which kept it busy for the entire day. On the lawn of his house, not just humans, but also squirrels could be seen working together with them. They helped break different sorts of nuts from their shells and stacked them in basins. The other workers poured the nuts from the basins into woven cover packages. Experienced squirrels worked together and carried packages in groups. If an outsider who visited the town for the first time, watched this incident, it would be weird if he wasn''t left in wonderment. Allda Pudota was resting sideways on his swinging bed with Pentera blowing a worn-out fan for him. "There''s no movement in the winds today." He removed a couple of his shirt buttons and tried to welcome as much air onto skin as possible. "I guess I''ll smoke once the winds cool down a bit. I can''t feel much air coming from your side, Pentera... Blow it harder!" "I''m sorry, Master. But I''m already doing my best," Pentera raised her eyebrows. Having just had a shower, her long orange hair danced in the wind and glowed as bright as the morning sun, and made her appear a lot more beguiling. Her hand movements appeared so refined, which only showcased her experience. Her presence alone brought sunshine to the lawn. She was such a stunner. "This fan is twenty-three years old. So it''s four years older than me. It''s time, we ¡ª" "Enough! That fan is not just any fan. It''s my lucky fan. Other than my family, you are the only person I gave the privilege to hold onto it. So, stop sulking over it and do as I say." "Yes," she pouted. Every day, most people passing by the house would chuckle at her for using such a fan as that. Even a poor person of the clan would be using a better fan than the one she held in her hand. (Twenty three years... Not even marriages are lasting that long these days. When will I get to hold another fan other than this awful one?) Wearing homely clothes, she appeared appealing, thanks to her transparent eyes and a round face. She was the only clan maid who was known for her stylish nails, which she looks after with great care. She might not comb her hair every day, but she wouldn''t forget to polish her nails, not even a single day. Even though Allda himself ordered her to change that habit of hers, but it wasn''t effective in the long run of things. A fat boy holding a bag full of sweet potatoes walked in, "Father, is it true that the Scarface dared to take the test?" "Yes. In which hole were you living all this while?" Allda shook his head in distress. "Both of you are only one year apart in age, and you are more intelligent than that brat, but because of your piggy appearance, I couldn''t even ask the clan leaders to consider a ticket for you." "I-I was just playing with Sasha." (I just got this physique from your genes, father. If you want to blame someone, first blame yourself.) "That hooker again? She''s twice as old as you," Allda knitted his brows, "Don''t waste your time with her." "I''m not stupid enough to listen to her requests, father. I''m just enthralled by her charm, that''s all." "That charm itself can swallow all of our assets if you aren''t careful," Allda lit up a cigar using the burning end of a ripe, He took a couple whiffs, before resuming, "Since you''re my only son, all of my wealth will be yours one day. But if you keep buying things for hookers, there will come a time when I''ll kick you out myself." "I won''t let that situation befall to me," He knelt, with a frown on his face. "I, Tarqa promises that I will become the martial child of our clan." "Oh, is that a baseless claim, or.." "I recently met with a member of Hollowford clan," He pulled out a green card from inside the gaps between his shirt buttons. "That is..." Allda''s eyes widened, and he quickly grabbed hold of the card and took a closer look. After reading what''s painted on it, his eyes turned rounder as well. "The entrance card of the Shatterfist Sect. Wasn''t it ranked around two thousand and five hundred?" He looked up at Tarqa in bewilderment. "A little below that." "How in the world you get your hands on this thing?" "Through a friend." "Is he trustworthy?" "For now, yes." A capricious smile occupied Allda''s face as he lifted his son up by his shoulders. "Why didn''t you tell me this sooner? So you were on the money all this time... Ha-ha-ha!" "I was just waiting for the right time," Tarqa said and showered a similar smile. "You''ve done great, Young Master. I''m really proud of you," Pentera was in a frenzy of delight. "Now, you will climb far too high for that Bare Butt to ever reach you. You will become the most popular guy in the clan. There will be no looking back for you." "Hm-hu, you are absolutely spot on, Pentera," Tarqa''s nose appeared to have grown twice as big in the past few seconds. "But aside from all that... When''s the party, Young Master?" Tarqa''s shoulders jerked. He glanced at her and sighed. "You and your fetish for parties... When will stop lusting over them?" "Please, Young Master. This is the biggest occasion of your life. How do you think our family will look if we didn''t throw at least half as grand a party as the one the clan heads threw last night?" Tarqa''s heart skipped a beat for a moment. He slowly turned his head and looked at his father. "Ha-ha, fine. I''m in a good mood," Allda appeared to be in the seventh heaven, and he even forgot to take a whiff from the cigar, since he heard the news. "Let''s have it tomorrow night." Pentera almost blissed out from hearing that. Tarqa looked into the distance. "I can''t wait to see the Scarface react when he hears the news of me getting an entrance ticket to such a high ranked sect..." The beam on Allda''s face instantly vanished. "Son..." "Hmm?" Tarqa just became conscious of the fact that something was off. His father who should be so satisfied and be walking on air after hearing the news, instead, he acted a lot more reservedly than he was looking forward to. And he couldn''t get his head around the reason that could realize such a thing. "Regarding the chosen sect of this year... Do you not know what it is?" "Oh yeah," Tarqa startled. "I totally forgot about that. But, no. I was busy with, you know. So... Which sect did they announce? I''m sure it''s a little lower than three thousand in the rankings. Is it the Bronzebow Sect, or the Eyeslinger Sect?" "Son, that is... How should I say it..."? "C''mon father, what are you taking this long for? Don''t tell me, you don''t even remember the name they announced?" Tarqa chortled, which only deepened Allda''s frown. "Have they chosen such a ''bottom of the pile'' sect this time?" Placing his hands on his waist, he laughed in a gleeful way, a second time. "No, son," Allda turned away, unable to show his face to his son. "They chose something that the likes of us can never choose." His face grew solemn, while Tarqa''s expression turned weary, "This year''s chosen sect is Shambala Sect." Tarqa''s face froze, and the parcel that''s full of potatoes, which hanged by his fingers, slipped and fell. Pentera handed the fan to Tarqa and stopped down to put the potatoes back in the parcel and picked them up at full speed. "W-What... Say that again!" "You heard it right, son." "You mean, the... THE SHAMBALA SECT? The illustrious sect that spreads across hell, earth and the heavens?" "... Yes." In recent years, Allda''s face never turned ashen to such an extent, as it did at the moment. His throat almost couldn''t spew out that single word, that held the weight of an immeasurable act behind it. "C''mon, don''t joke with me, father!" Allda didn''t speak, rather, he couldn''t. Tarqa took a look at Pentera and she nodded. "What master said is true, Young Master." "That... That can''t be true. How... H-How can they?" He almost pulled his hair. All his efforts seemed worth less than the worthless, after everything he heard. Allda who''s still turned away placed his arms on his back. "It is true and we must digest it all by ourselves." "This..." Tarqa''s eyes enlarged further, to the point they began to throb. "This is partiality!" The burning sensation in his stomach twisted his intestines, which made his hands make a separating move, that tore apart the fan in his hands. "Who don''t I get such partiality and preference shown by the clan heads?" He almost lost his balance and fell sideways. Allda turned back at full tilt and grabbed hold of his son. "Tarqa! I know it hurts, but worry not." He made his falling son, to stand stiff and straight. "Be calm and think for once. It''s impossible for those three to pass the Sect Test of the Shamabala Sect. If they don''t return, the clan head position is likely to change heads. Then it will either come to me or to Syam, hoping that Fidelis wouldn''t get in our way. If you did something worth noting in the Sect Test of the Shatterfist Sect, then I will without a doubt become a Clan Head, if not the Clan Head." "That''s right," Tarqa tried to reassure himself. "There''s no way that he can come back from such a top-level test. His doom is certain. Everything is progressing quite faster than like how I wanted." "It is, but trust me, only good days are ahead of us!" Allda began to laugh out loud. Pentera came closer to give the potatoes to Tarqa when her eyes laid on the torn fan. Her entire heart felt like escaping out through her throat, as her gaze locked at Tarqa, who also was in a fright after noticing what had happened, and hid the fan behind his back in a haste. "Hmm?" That sudden movement of Tarqa attracted Allda''s attention. "Is everything on the money?" "Y-Yes, father." (Shit, I''m done for.) "E-everything''s on the money. Everything''s just fine." "Yes, Master Allda," Pentera also voiced from her end. "Everything... Really?" "Yes, father!" "What are you hiding behind your back?" Allda''s eyes darted straight towards his hand that concealed something out of Allda''s view. "T-They are potatoes!" "Potatoes?" Allda shot a glance at Pentera, who was still holding the potato packet. "She''s holding those. Ha-ha, what are you hiding there? Enough of this ''keeping me off the money'' thing, and show me that stuff you are trying so hard to put out of my sight." "T-That''s..." Sweat had long soaked the skin on Tarqa''s face and neck. "Master, it''s time for breakfast," Pentera''s stepped closer. "The food might go cold." Allda raised his hand, stopping her. "The food can wait" His stare didn''t turn away a degree from where Tarqa was. "First, let me see what he''s holding." (It better be something not related to that swine, Silver Pin Sasha.)Controlling his welling aggravation, he came to Tarqa and put his hand behind him, and softly pulled what''s in his hand. And what came out ¡ª the fan, which almost got split in two and suspended in air as such ¡ª shook him to the core, and spread the pain which sunk his heart all the way to the stomach and forced its way down further through the intestines, and beyond. All the pleasantness in his face evaporated and he glared at Tarqa with whitened visage. "You imbecile!" With a wave of his hand, he slapped him so hard that Tarqa''s head twisted and even his neck muscles made popping sounds. Allda himself felt significant pain in his hand, but the gushing anger brought forth by the raging blood, blinded him from all that he would be bothered with if he was in a quotidian mood. That slap made every worker in the house stop in their tracks. The squirrels, however, just continued their work as if nothing worth noticing happened. When Tarqa looked back at his father, tears appeared in his eyes and his cheek turned blood red. "I''m sorry, father." "Get lost from my face, you good-for-nothing fathead!" Allda shouted out of his lungs. Tarqa''s tears only intensified as he turned back and ran out of the home, his heart becoming heavier and heavier by the second. "My precious fan..." Allda wasted no time and he began to walk into the house, "I hope this can be stitched to make it look new." Pentera followed him inside, at her own pace. (Thank god... That worthless fan finally got its expiry date fixed. Or should say, Thank Tarqa?) She began to laugh on the inside. At Yerram''s family house. Syam was fuming from indignation. "They didn''t pay heed to my advice. Those three fools think they can win the Sect Test? That thought itself would be the joke of the millennium." A fifteen-year-old pink haired girl walked into the room. Though she wore clothes that were easy on the eyes and didn''t stand out, she looked as salubrious as the Spring itself. She was so healthy that the pinkish glow subtly appeared everywhere over her pale skin ¡ª face, hands, legs, chest, neck, and shoulders. Even rabbits would envy the natural sheen her skin had. "Father, I don''t get why you stay in this clan when you don''t like its ways." "Megha..." Syam glanced at his daughter who sat beside him. "You are too young to know the ways of the world." "But I''m old enough to see lots of things. Like how our Faceless clan doesn''t bother to compete for rankings and cares more about prosperity. If our ranking stoops even lower, won''t that affect our trades in the long run? When the current trade bonds finish their term in five or ten years, what would happen afterward? Our clan is sure to get broken into pieces. We should leave the clan before that happens." "I already considered that and much more, but you can''t hurry in certain things," Syam looked into the distance, narrowing his eyes. "First of all, I should find out how the clan heads managed to get the entry cards for the Shambala Sect." (Knowing that might open new gates for me...) "I got scared stiff when I heard their announcement," Megha laughed and tried to contain herself. "I''m glad I''m not the one participating." But then her laughter slowly subsided. "I hope they don''t at least get themselves killed. Our clan won''t be in a bad spot then." She subconsciously touched her lips, while her eyes flashed out intense abhorrence. (More than all, I hope someone teaches that Lirzod a good lesson.) "My child, I know that you have no interest in becoming a Martial Child," Syam placed his hand over her head and gently rubbed it. "But Martial Way is the way of the world. Not only does it bring fame and riches, it lets you explore this endless world. Only some get to experience such a jaunt. If you stay here, you may own our household, but what''s that, when compared to the freedom you will have when you have become a Martial? "Though I''m not a Martial, I''m saying this from my experience. The difference between a Hollow and a Martial is like the difference between a frog that lives in a well, and a frog that lives in an ocean. Both are frogs, but both lives are nowhere near equally adventurous. The one that lives in a well only has to adapt to the well it lives in, but the one that lives in the ocean has to adapt to the entire ocean. It''s plain to see who''s superior. It''s the same with us Hollows and Martials. "As a Hollow, all I know is to sculpt the rocks that are brought to me by the customers. Though I wanted to explore the world, I was already thirty by the time I became an apprentice at sculpting and was already married. I just couldn''t abandon your mother and go off on a journey from which I might never return. But look at what happened afterward... After you were born, your mother..." His face turned miserable and lost most of its glow. "I..." Megha paused a moment, and her expression seemed out of sorts. "Father, mother left us to become a Martial and was killed by thugs as she was returning. I was only a little girl back then, but I still sort of remember how angry and hurt you were when that happened. We are each other''s, only family. I don''t want to leave you, and go elsewhere. This world may be endless, but you are the world to me..." "Megha..." Syam was full of tears as he hugged her. "To me, your existence is as scarce as hen''s teeth." As those two began to shed tears under a neem tree, a breathtaking woman dressed in green observed them from the entrance door of their house. Her face was filled with too complex of an expression to discern even by those who were close to her. The dawn of the next day. Though the sunshine should have blessed Helenia by the time, that wasn''t the case today. Though there was a soft glow in the skies, the sun was still nowhere to be seen. It was even more of the case, at the port of the Faceless clan''s territory, where thorny trees such as cactus and other tropical trees could be seen nearby. Many members of the clan arrived at the spot, to send off three of their important members who might never return. But the faces of everybody were filled with joy, pride, and a multitude of emotions that would run wild if kept in check for much longer. A big flag of their clan could also be seen atop the light post not far away from the spot the members clustered at. It had a white-masked dragon face on it, which was designed by Sinario but was painted by Syam. The air was still cold, as cold as it would be at three in the night. The thick fog around them, made some children sneeze, and some others rub their skin in an attempt to keep themselves hot. The sea in front of them was even darker and hosted hideous fog and rumbling clouds alike. Everybody gathered there was talking about the future of their clan, and their prospects if those three young ones of their clan succeeded in making a name for themselves. Even coming back alive, in one piece, would do that. "Generally, if we keep our expectations low, we are less likely to get disappointed. But in this case, it''s the polar opposite," Picazo placed his hands on Lirzod''s shoulders. "I have high expectations of you, son. Don''t make your mother cry any more than she has to." He closed Lirzod''s fist and tapped it on Lirzod''s chest softly, for three times. "Always keep the hopes of our people in there." "I will not forget our people. And I will give it my best, father," Lirzod nodded. "Take care of mother. She..." "She will be thinking of you every day of the year and will be angry at you for your decision... For my decision... But that''s only until you come back and give her a warm hug." "He-he," Lirzod felt slightly better after hearing those words. "I''ll bring her something special, something even better than all the gifts you gave her." "Ho... I''ll be looking forward to that then. But know this, your mother is hard to impress." "Haha, I can only do my best and bring the best gift I can think of and get my hands on!" "Sounds great, but then what about me? Won''t I be getting any gifts?" "I will give you a hug. Won''t that be enough?" Picazo narrowed his eyes. "I get it. This father isn''t so important to you as compared to your mother." "It''s no ordinary hug, father. It will be the greatest hug ever!" "You little... Who are you trying to fool with your sugar-coated words? I''m your father!" Lirzod ran away to Primera, as fast as his legs could carry, and stood behind her. Picazo didn''t run after him and just sighed, before making an amicable smile. Meanwhile, Sinario tutored austere lessons to his descendant. "Not just your best, but give it some more, Burton boy," Sinario''s sharp stare entered directly into the deepest regions of Burton''s heart. He seemed like he was being hypnotized by the words of his father, and began to almost mechanically nod in a repetitive manner. "I know you are not like me, but I will only tell you one thing. Fear not losing the test, but losing to your heart." "Your son will bring fame to our family''s name, father," Burton saluted to his heart and bowed a little. "Not just to the family, but the clan as well. As a Young Master of the clan, you reveled in all sorts of privileges from your childhood, but all of those were for this moment. Don''t forget that. As my son, you are duty bound to put your clan''s priorities ahead of your family''s and even your own." "Your son fully understands." On the other hand, Kwame seemed to be depressed as he had to depart with his precious daughter. He did his best to not shed tears in front of his daughter ¡ª and also the crowd ¡ª and suppressed all his emotions, which made his heart a thousand times heavier. "You are probably the smartest in the clan among your age group," Kwame held her hands gently and took a deep breath. "But smartness without sufferance can only take you so far. If you come back alive, it means you''ve gone through a great deal of effort. And that''s all you need to show the clan to prove yourself, my child." "I will fulfill the wishes of our clan," Sariyu softly pulled the hands of his father and placed them on her cheeks, "and yours as well, father." "I know you value your life, but that''s the case for most beings of this world. We do everything we can just to survive," The corner of Kwame''s lips curled down. "Even if you fail... I will still feel proud of you." "Father..." Sariyu was left in tears as she hugged her father, and sobbed her heart out. All the emotions she tried to contain inside her heart, burst out like the floodgates of a dam would in times of a seemingly never-ending storm. From her childhood, whenever she asked for something, his father bought it for her without objecting to it even once. Though he didn''t show it, he loved her more than he loved the clan, and she knew that. And for her to leave such a father in whose arms, she spent significant of her lifetime, she was at a loss of words, and her tears spoke in her stead as they wet her cheeks in a vicious way. At the same time, Lirzod seemed to be discussing something private with Primera. "When I come back, you should let me make love to you," Lirzod spoke in Primera''s ears. "Otherwise, I won''t bring you any gifts." Primera flushed ever so faintly, but narrowed her eyes, and twisted his ear with all possible haste. "First, grow some mustache before speaking such big words, Young Master." "Ouch, ouch, I''m your Young Master! You can''t hurt me." "Master Picazo gave me all the rights to do whatever I want with you, long ago. Did someone forget that?" "Right, that''s right, but don''t do this now, not in front of others... Everyone''s watching... Please." "Since when did you bother about what others think about us, Young Master?" "Since now." "Fine, but promise me you''ll never talk to me like that again," She put her palm forward. Lirzod paused a moment before bringing his hand forward. "I pro-miss." He placed his palm over hers. "Not pro-miss! Say promise!" She twisted his ear again. "Aww!" Lirzod squealed in pain. "Duera! Save me!" Listening to his words, a girl came out of nowhere, and tickled in Primera''s armpit from behind, making her let go of Lirzod''s ear. The two of them got onto her left and right and began to tickle her everywhere. "You two... Stop it!" Primera jumped all around, losing herself. Some of the members of the clan that watched the scene from far were quite surprised. "Even that Primera who always appears so professional is not immune to tickles. This is great news." Some men who had first seen such a thing had begun to form future plans. Putting an end to Primera''s misery, a girl came with a water spray and sprayed onto Lirzod and Duera, making them go away. "You saved me, Trirera. Thanks. I almost died from laughter," Primera was still out of breath. It''s been weeks since she laughed to such an extent. "Those two would have never stopped if not for you." "No problem. Trirera always has your back." That red-haired girl, Trirera said, spraying some more water on in the direction those two were in. Her voice contained slight sleepiness in them but was quite soft and childlike. She was taller than Duera but shorter than Primera, and she didn''t have any vivid expression on her face and seemed to be in normal spirits, which was the way she appeared most of the times. Both Lirzod and Duera still rapidly moved their fingers in the air, trying to tease Primera, who grabbed the water spray and chased after them, herself. "That''s my spray..." Trirera mused to herself before she turned back. "I guess I''ll go and give send off to Young Master Burton." She didn''t make any unnecessary movements. Even her walk was slow paced as if she didn''t care what''s happening in the world around her. She stopped after seeing a starfish on the ground. She picked it up and brought it to Burton. "Young Master," She stretched out her hand. "Oh, a starfish!" Burton smiled and took it from her. "Trirera, I didn''t ask you, but do you want anything from the outside world." "I..." She looked down and began to slowly play with her fingers. "I..." Burton leaned closer. "Don''t be shy. Whatever it is, I won''t say to anybody and will secretly bring it to you." "Hmm," She softly nodded. "I trust Young Master Burton. I... I want the..." She spoke secretly in his ears. Her words surprised Burton and made him stand straight. "Ahem, you, you want that, right?" "Yes, is it possible?" "O-Of course. Just leave it to this Young Master," Burton made his chest appear bigger. "Hmm!" She nodded and smiled. Meanwhile, Duera and Lirzod ran quite far away from the crowd, and Duera could run no more in that sand, so she stopped. "Young master, don''t forget about the Volcanic Turtle Shell Cream," Duera also murmured in his ears, while still out of breath. "How can I?" Lirzod said, "I will bring you even more pleasant things." Primera reached the spot and began to spray water all over those two. "Primera! This is my journey dress, so stop it, please!" Lirzod said out loud. His words halted her. "You''re right. I forgot about that. I''m sorry, Young Master." "It''s fine. What happened has happened," Saying that Lirzod lunged at her, and swept his hand at the water spray, but Primera simply stepped back once, making his effort a failure. "Young Master, you should have stepped in again!" Duera said in a haste, which seemed rather like a slip of the tongue. "Mm?" Primera turned to Duera, widening her eyes. "N-No, wait! I can explain this... Wait... No, no, no!" Before Duera could raise her hands to defend herself, the stream of water had splashed all over her face and body. She just stood like that for five seconds, until Primera finally stopped. A few minutes later. Lirzod seemed to have worn a new set of clothes since he was forced by his father to wear fresh and ironed clothes. "Geez, this pant is so elastic. If someone pulls it down, I''d be ashamed in front of everybody!" He tried to joke, but the two girls on his side didn''t seem to be affected by his words. Primera and Duera were on his both sides and seemed downcast. "You both are mourning before my journey even began!" Lirzod placed his arms around their shoulders, "I have lots of girls to watch, ahem, I mean lots of things to do and achieve great things on this journey, and come back as an entirely different person who oozes out nothing but greatness. And no matter what happens, I want the two of you to hang around here till that person comes back, got it?" "Hmm, We will be waiting..." Both of them said with smiley faces which again quickly turned into pitiful looks, "So, don''t die out there, okay?" "Stop worrying about my death!," Lirzod choked their throats with his arm grip. "I''m not going to my funeral, you know. Wish me good luck, or I''ll dip the both of you in the sea right now!" He took them closer to the waves, which wetted them up to their ankles. "Yeah, all the best! All the best!" Both of them wasted no time in saying that. "That''s more like it," He removed the grip and patted on their spines in a rough manner, "Cheer up a bit." "We can''t cheer ourselves while you are squeezing our throats," Duera softly clutched her throat, trying to breathe freely. Primera, on the other hand, was staring towards the ocean. Lirzod looked back at the shore, and his eyes scanned for a certain someone. "Where''s Gouse? I couldn''t find her anywhere. How far did she run off to?" Duera startled. "W-We will take care of her, so don''t worry." "Alright... But tell her I''ll bring her something as well. Got it?" "Sure, sure," She said and turned her face away, as her lips curled down. Primera who was staring at the ocean that was filled with dense fog glanced down without titling her head, and the sea level slowly rose from her ankles up to her knees in a matter of seconds. She turned back and shouted, "Everyone, get back! Get back!" "Hmm?" Many people were puzzled, but they listened to her. "What''s wrong, Primera? What happened?" Lirzod got to her, but she didn''t reply and just dragged him and Duera to the shore in a hurry. After almost moving backward for hundreds of meters continually, they no longer stood on the sand of the shore but were on a solid ground. Howbeit, the water of the seas still slightly hit the mark above their ankles. "What''s going on? Why is the sea welling up like this?" Many people were still in quite a worry. They would have long run away, if not for their clan leaders standing calmly in front of the rising sea, which seemed like a living monster coming to devour them all in one subtle swoop. "Don''t panic!" Picazo''s voice reached many ears. "Just stay where you are. The water levels won''t rise anymore." (Hopefully...) His words, though they failed to settle the masses, they succeeded in settling their nerves. As the crowd murmured, they heard the noise of something swashing ever so slightly, which grew in clarity. That low-frequency voice emanated from the fog, resonated with their hearts and made almost all of them be at unease. As they stared at the fog of the sea, it began to swirl and separate as it took form in the shape of a gigantic ship which appeared out of nowhere in that fog of the sea, and closed in, alerting everyone. Its sheer size made them all look smaller than ants, and they paled in comparison to its magnificence. "Holy God! It''s bigger than our Manjaro mountain!" Lirzod was wide-eyed and slack-jawed. "Is that really a ship?" Duera placed her loosely closed fists on her chest, and her dilated pupils reflected a hideous image of the ship. "How did this colossal thing come so suddenly, out of nowhere?" Burton''s blood ran cold, and his feet instinctively stepped back. Most of the crowd had clutched their own hearts, in fear that it may fall down into their stomachs. Many starfish, tiny fishes gathered at the locality in front of them and began to jump out into the air. Though those fish didn''t like the arrival of the ship, which forced them to come out to shore, their commotion seemed like a dancing for those humans. And it seemed like those fishes were welcoming the arrival of the ship, which made its presence all the more penetrating. Hundreds of crabs walked onto the shore and tickled their feet. Being accustomed to seeing them, most people weren''t afraid of them at all. Howbeit, some people like Duera jumped and sat on Primera''s waist. Even water snakes that thrived in salt seas made their way out, though they avoided coming closer to the humans, unlike the crabs. Trirera, on the other hand, picked up a couple baby crabs and put her hands forward, at Burton. "Hmm?" Burton, who was intently watching the ship, glanced at her face before his eyes looked at the crabs in her palm. "T-This isn''t the time to be gifting around, you know." But Trirera didn''t move an inch, and she stared at him without blinking even once. He stretched out his hand, and she put the crabs on his palm. Only then, did they turn away and focus on observing the ship. Burton also turned away, and came to Lirzod and sneakily pulled his pant and tossed them in, making sure that neither he nor Trirera noticed him. Though Primera noticed him, she stayed silent and did her best to refrain from smiling. The air turned colder by the minute, but sweat began to surface on the skins of many people. As the ship closed in, her features became more prominent, but her top couldn''t even be seen clearly. A total of thousand decks, with each other having an exquisite detail, she oozed out nothing but quality and intimidated the hearts of the mortals that stood before it in fascination-filled jouissance. Despite being miles apart, her sheer size made most of her features undoubtedly clear. The symbols, paintings, sculpted marks of various beasts made one and all watch in awe, and none blinked in the last entirety of the minute. The towering figurehead of a sculpted angel, looked down on the mortals as if they deserved to be. Her garb was plain pretty.A tiny silhouette stood on one of her wings, which couldn''t be clearly seen yet. Each deck taller than the tallest building of their town, every inch of her wood lasted the test of time and the wicked weather it brought along with it, and still appeared unworn. The same was the case for all of the metal and stone that bejeweled her. She had no visible masts but had water lines and some circular hallways that toured around only some of the decks. No smoke can from her, other than the fog that surrounded her, which gave such a deceiving effect. Tens of thousands of tiny portholes could be seen on each of her decks, which sort of gave away the number of mortals that aboard her in general. And behold, the multi-million tonnes of ancient being had a forbidding presence, for her archaic wood chanted a melancholic melody ¡ª which strained their senses, drained their verve, and sucked their souls out of their flesh and bones, and laid them bare before her ¡ª as she floated and dragged itself above the surface of the sea. She appeared in their eyes like a mountainous whale which was as wide as the horizon could stretch, and as tall as the clouds could climb, and as big as any creature could grow, she was without a doubt, the mightiest monster they''ve ever laid their eyes on. Her arrival alone raised the sea level in the vicinity and the waves that were barely touching their ankles earlier, now almost rose up to their thighs. It was a subtly horrifying gesture from the sea, brought upon those who were beneath her. The little kids sitting over their parents'' necks, emptied their bladders. Crabs, snakes, fishes were all around them, almost at touching distance. People were scared. They were so scared. They had seen many ships before, but never one of such magnitude. No matter which direction their eyes turned, there she was ¡ª the titan whose top seemed to have touched the clouds and what lay beyond. Her subduing image made their legs go weak, and if not for them being in the water, it was hard to tell how many of them would have collapsed. Many women had already fainted in their husband''s arms. And especially, the strange noise that the wind carried, lurched their stomachs and ached their intestines alike. Despite being fearful, the parents told their kids that there was nothing to fear; howbeit, the kids heard not their parents voice, but the voice of the fear that the wind brought along from every direction. Though they wanted to run, they felt like they were surrounded in all ways, and had no place left to hide. The very few who weren''t scared, still had their bodies stiffened. Smiles went extinct and silence replaced its place as it evolved among every one of them. Color drained from their faces and made them appear as white as a chalk, frozen yet shivering, unable to move yet trying to edge backward, hearts pounding either in their throats or stomachs, they were too scared to comprehend what''s ahead of them. Picazo raised his arm and gestured towards the ship, "Everyone, this is the ship that gathers the Entries of the Shambala Sect; the second largest ship in the world, Extensive Voyage!" His voice broke through the barrier of fear that shrouded people''s minds and brought them back to the world of the living from the world of daydreams. They were no longer incapacitated from fear like before, but their eyes still fully opened eyes throbbed, breaths were harsh and painful, and sweat inundated their skin ¡ª all of which made them feel drastically exhausted. "It stopped..." Duera''s shaky voice was barely audible. An unknown amount of seconds had passed since she last spoke. The gargantuan ship seemed to have stopped almost two miles away from them, and three pure white horses jumped down from the lowest deck into the waters of the sea and galloped on the surface of the sea, scaring the living daylights out of all people ¡ª most of whom that were frozen till now, turned back and blitzed away from the shore, without daring to look back, by pushing aside all the crabs and fishes and snakes alike. "Run! Some critters are after us! Don''t look back! Bolt ahead like lightning!" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [1] Johr: A special type of bread made from a special crop, Johr that gets easily affected by fungi. But since it grows quickly, it''s sold for less price and the poor class people eat it daily, even though it often brings them a sick stomach. 4 CAREFREE CLAN "Stop!" Kwame''s loud voice echoed all around, and it surprisingly reached the ears of the people and made most of them stop. "What are you all running away for? There are so many of us, yet we are scared to face three creatures? Isn''t this enough reason to justify why we Hollows get looked down upon?" His words were an eye-opener for those who stood and even to those who were still running away. The next second, even those who were still escaping stopped. "Clan Head Kwame is right." "Yeah, we are the members of the Faceless clan. There''s no need for us to fear, as long as our clan heads are here." One after another, people began to walk back to the spot where they previously stood before. Some of the snakes, crabs, and all other sea creatures that bothered them before didn''t bother them now at all. Picazo and Sinario looked at each other and smiled. Sariyu and Burton''s hearts filled with pride as they saw the magnificence of their clan heads with their own eyes. Their respect over the clan heads grew by leaps and bounds. Howbeit, they both looked at Lirzod, and couldn''t help but freak out as he danced in a weird manner, putting his hands in his pants, bringing them out in a haste, and repeated the process. "What''s he monkey dancing for?" Sariyu was puzzled. Burton, who almost forgot what he did, covered his mouth and concealed his laughter. The attention of some of the crowd did turn towards Lirzod, and it puzzled them. But their observation quickly shifted towards the three creatures which were almost upon them. Though their identity was unclear before, now they could see that those three were just horses. And most people breathed sighs of relief. "What, so they are just horses." "We were scared for nothing." The crowd settled themselves as the horses almost reached them. Seeing those captivating horses that dazzled in the darkness, people couldn''t blink. The mane of the horses danced in the wind and arrested the viewers'' attention. Towering a little more than seven feet, the scenery of such creatures galloping on the surface of the sea, jumping over the waves as if they were the wooden hurdles in the stables, was simply grandiose. Upon reaching the masses, the horses stopped after kicking their front limbs in the air, making some people step back momentarily. The waters receded back a little and brought the level back to their ankles. The horses no longer stood on the water, but on the ground. Seemingly, countless snakes and crabs crawled about, some of which fought with the other. "Not just fine¡­ but what handsome stallions!" Allda couldn''t help but envy their appearance. (Pure white breed and are perfectly healthy. It''s hard to put a price on their heads.) Lirzod was still dancing and he stomped over some of the snakes and crabs, which in turn tried to bite and choke him. "Young Master! What happened to you?" Duera was still sitting on Primera''s waist. "What are you standing here for? Go and help him!" Her voice rang in Primera''s ears. "Get down, and I will," Primera said at her own pace. Duera looked down, and there were clusters of creatures all around her. She hugged Primera even tighter. "Go and help him or I''ll squeeze you to death!" "Feel free to try," Primera''s concentration was rather elsewhere. It wasn''t on the horses but at someplace else. Duera used all her strength and squeezed, hoping to achieve her goal, but she didn''t even get a response from Primera. She narrowed her eyes for a moment and stared at her. Still, there are no responses. She nodded to herself twice before moving her face closer and blew air in Primera''s ears using not her strength, but her practiced rhythm, which made Primera jump like a deer and fall on Lirzod, who fell on Sariyu, who fell on Burton, who fell on Triera, who fell on the guy beside her. Like in a chain reaction, dozens of people fell to the ground and got themselves wetter than they already were. "What the heck are these people doing?" Kwame placed his palms over his head. "This is so shameful." "Nothing''s shameful enough for the Faceless clan," Picazo patted once on Kwame''s shoulder. "Yeah, you say that, whenever your son is involved in the incident," Sinario shook his head, and looked at Lirzod who was still rolling on the crowd. "How in the world did crabs in my underwear?" Lirzod didn''t bother about the fall and instead was busy in pulling out the tiny crabs out of his pants. "Kya!" Duera freaked out as some crabs and snakes got on top of her. She stomped over the people, including Lirzod and ran towards the clan heads. "Save me!" "Freaking out over simple things," Sinario shook his head, again. Picazo helped her get those things off of her. Sariyu came to Lirzod and sat on top of him, before slapping him hard, and slapped him again with both her hands. His focus then shifted from the crabs to her. "Oi, why did you slap me?" "Why did you fall on me?" "Can''t you see that others fell on me?" "I don''t care. You mess up everything that''s around you. Look at my dress. It''s totally spoiled now, thanks to your fooling around." "You talk as if only your dress has gotten spoiled." "If others don''t mind about their dress getting dirty, that''s their problem. But because you spoiled mine, you better remember this... You owe me a dress as costly as this." "W-What?" Lirzod was shocked. Sariyu caught a handful of crabs and touched the top of his pants. " Do you, or do you not?" "I-I do, I do!" "That''s good. You just saved your python from getting shredded," She got off him, and stood, before shaking off some crabs that caught her dress, with a wave of her hand. Some of those crabs fell on Lirzod, which forced him to mimic her moves. "These damn crabs, I wish I can send them all packing back to the sea floor in one swoop." "Ha-ha, you wish for too much," Lirzod stood as well and pulled out a couple more baby craps from within his underwear. He looked at those crabs that were still white in color. "How did these things even get in my pants?" "Isn''t it obvious? Someone put them in there," Sariyu casually said, which was heard by Burton. He stood not far away from them and crushed the crabs that bit his dress, and the sound their shells made after breaking felt nice to his ears. "It''s not you by any chance, right?" Lirzod glared at her. "I wouldn''t hint you if I were the one who did it. Would I?" Sariyu began to walk away. (This devil... I''m sure she''s the one who did it. Just you wait, I''ll slide a slime into your dress one day!) Lirzod glanced at Burton, skipping his heartbeat once. "The heck are you killing them for?" "They are biting me so I''m responding back, that''s all." "How silly." "Hmph, won''t you kill the ant that bites you?" "Whatever," Lirzod ignored his words and walked away. "I don''t have time to waste with you..." He looked at the horses. "What did those three come here for?" "Obviously, for carrying us and our luggage, fool!" Burton snorted. "You can''t even tell that? I guess Tarqa or Selena... Or maybe, even Megha would do a better job than you in the Sect Tests. An entry ticket is surely being wasted on you." Lirzod ground his teeth. "Are you picking a fight with me?" "I don''t pick a fight with the weak. I just straight out mock them." "Yeah, coming from the guy who failed in ten Sect Tests straight." Both their glares raised the temperature by an unobservable amount. "Enough eyeing out, you two," Primera came in between those two. Meanwhile, the workers began to arrange the luggage on the horses'' backs. As everybody began to cheer up a bit, the winds picked up and so did the waves of the sea that got rowdy. "Greatness may begin slowly, but it will always end beautifully," A melodious voice came from atop the figurehead of the ship upon which a woman in a white hood, stood and sang a beautiful song, while the floating violin beside her, composed music without evening her having to touch it. "Those who lose are those who deserve more than a snooze at the bottom of the sea. Every loser gets a lasting slumber from which they never awake." As the song reached its climax, the winds strummed the violin faster, and the air in between them shape-shifted and formed a staircase out of thin air, shocking everyone who saw that. Some even fell to their backs in a stupor and dread. "My name is Stussy Junksman. The three entries are welcome to climb up the Windy Way..." "Oi, oi..." Syam had a deep frown on his face. (Commanding wind so easily with her music... Even my emotions are being affected by it.) He gulped the empty air. (She must be a Martial Elect! This is my first time seeing one!) "How can her voice reach us from miles away? Such an intimidating show right off the bat!" Allda tried to clench his fists. (My hands won''t stop shaking.)He used all his strength and barely managed to form a fist. (Tarqa... I don''t know how good Shatterfist Sect is, but I swear on money, it''s shit as compared to this one.) "Where''s this voice coming from?" The people''s heartbeats sped up. "Is it coming from the ship?" They couldn''t tell, no matter how hard they focused on the hearing. Other than some people, most people couldn''t even locate the source of the voice. As for being able to see her appearance, even fewer were able to achieve that feat. The foggy staircase was as wide as ten of the streets in their town combined. Its sheer size awed them, and they all wanted to step on it, but the voice from before explicitly welcomed those three. Unable to even dare to probe their own luck, the crowd could only curse their own bad luck. The clan heads kept gazing at the ship, wearing a complex expression on their visages. Kwame slightly narrowed his eyes. (That woman... She''s not just controlling the wind, but also the waves of the ocean. She''s not your average Martial.) He glanced at Picazo and Sinario who cast glances at one another before stepping forward and took their children towards the stairs. The workers kept on adding luggage on the horses and didn''t seem like they''d stop any time soon. "Each of the entries is allowed to carry an additional hundred kilos with them," A voice came from the ship. "So make sure of the package weight. And make it quick." Listening to that, the workers had arranged the packages and didn''t add the bags those three told them not to. In less a minute, all the packing was done. Those three talked with their parents ¡ª the clan heads ¡ª for one last time. "There''s nothing more to say," Picazo palm gently rubbed over Lirzod''s cheek. "Stay safe." Lirzod smiled. "I have your eyes and mother''s mouth. I will be safe no matter where I am, father." "Win the whole thing," Sinario said to his son. "That is my intention," Burton replied back with confidence. Sariyu and Kwame just stared at each other. Those three turned back and went to the horses. When they were about to get onto them, the horses turned away. Though they were puzzled, they tried to climb them again, but this time, those three got the treatment in a similar fashion ¡ª a rear kick without even looking. The three of them fell back. "Heh heh heh!" The three horses began to make noises, which sounded like they were laughing, closer to how a human would. The entire clansmen felt enraged upon seeing that. "How dare a damn horse kick our Young Masters and Young Mistress? Beat them to death!" They all bolted ahead, startling the horses, which ran away using the staircases. Being humans, their legs carried them far slower as compared to the horses. The people stopped at the edge of the staircase. It''s not that they didn''t want to chase after the horses anymore, but it''s only that they didn''t dare step foot on the stairs, as they weren''t given permission to do so. "Calm down, everyone," Picazo''s voice came from behind. "I''m glad that you all showed worry for our young ones. But don''t take what happened to them as an insult to our clan. As compared to those horses owned by Extensive Voyage, our entire clan wouldn''t worth as much be it in wealth or in prestige. "Well said," A voice came from the ship. "Our horses... If you can''t subdue them, you can''t ride them. If they kicked anybody, it only means those people are not worthy to sit on their backs. Don''t take this in any other way, and just have the entries climb up using their own feet." Picazo glanced at the crowd. "You heard her. I think she''s right." The crowd was forced to nod, even though some still felt angry for what happened. "Clan Head Picazo, forgive me for saying this. We may be faceless, but not heartless. We can''t act to be liking those whom we don''t." Saying that some separated themselves from the crowd and just watched the things from a distance. "Don''t mind the crowd that left," Sinario joined in and reassured the remaining crowd. "They are just acting on their impulses, that''s all. Not many get an opportunity to witness something like this. Take in everything you can, every inch of the ship, and capture all of its wonders. You can tell your grandkids about this with pride." Lirzod, Burton, and Sariyu began to climb the stairs on their foot. The stairs felt soft as if they stepped on top of clouds. "Doing whatever they please," The silhouette standing atop the figurehead smiled. "What a carefree clan..." As all the members of the Faceless clan witnessed, the three young ones who bore all the hopes of the clan, climbed the stairs, which also made them feel like their people were ascending to a place that''s well above their imaginations. 5 WOMAN OF HIS DREAMS As the three children of the Faceless clan climbed the staircase, the stairs behind them disappeared at the pace that matched their climbing speed. As they got closer, it gave them the impression that the ship had grown a lot in size. All the clansmen and clanswomen waved their goodbyes and made their children do the same. "The stairs behind them are fading away. Will they be alright?" Some people from the crowd were worried. Sariyu was the first to notice that the stairs behind them were disappearing. "Look behind." Hearing her words, Burton glanced back, and his eyes widened a little before his feet picked up the pace. "Why is he running, so sudden?" Lirzod chortled, as he glanced back when he saw the stairs turn into nothing. He looked at Sariyu. "Well... Shit." He bolted ahead, and so did Sariyu. The shore was one thing, but if they were to fall in such a place where the water depth would easily exceed a couple dozen feet, those snakes and crabs which acted passively at the shore would now act like monsters in starvation. Crabs ate flesh. Sea snakes drank the blood that leaked out of the wound. Even certain fish would want to bite a few chunks off them. That thought alone made the people, and those three be cautious and worried. Sariyu and Burton only looked ahead, while Lirzod turned back at times and waved to his people. Time flew by fast, and they almost closed the distance between them and the ship. Soon after that, the stairs entirely disappeared, and the ship began to sail. Everybody still waved to those three, wearing brightest smiles on their faces. Allda vented his bursting anger by choking a snake and killing it then and there. Syam sculpted a snake using a crab''s scissors. The snake hissed in pain as its skin got sliced over in a serpentine fashion. With lips curled down to the max, silent tears streamed down Duera''s cheeks. Her arm mechanically moved and said goodbye. Memories of the past flashed in her eyes. "I''m gonna go out of our town one day, and explore this world. I will become a hero by the time I come back," Little Lirzod, said to Duera. "What? You want to go out without me?" Duera who was about to hand him a packet full of nuts, put that packet behind her back. "I-I was just joking." "That''s a bad joke." "Why would I ever go out without you by my side? Who will supply with me with nuts, then?" "Am I only a nut supplier in your eyes?" Duera threw the packet at him, and after hitting his check, all the nuts fell to the ground. "My nuts!" Lirzod began to quickly pick them, which only made Duera even angrier. She stomped on all the nuts, making sure he didn''t eat them. Though Lirzod was greatly angered, she had great fun out of it. Coming back to the present, her heart beat irregularly, but each time it grew heavier. Even her robotically waving hand was affected by it. (I never thought that your bad dream would become a reality.) Her streaming tears only strengthened in their course. Primera curled her arm around Duera''s shoulders. A second later, Duera leaned on Primera''s shoulder and her open eyes still reflected the disappearing Windy Way. Standing a couple feet away from those two, Trirera just watched Burton. She glanced at Duera. "Is the crying worth it?" Primera looked at her and placed her palm on Triera''s head. "It is if the relationship matters to you." Trirera pouted a little. "Young Master Burton matters to me the most. Then why am I not getting any tears?" "... It''s difficult to express how one''s feeling on the inside, through the face. Not everyone can do that. You do it by staying silent, don''t you?" "It''s so complex. Relationship sucks." "At times it sucks... At times it rocks. Got it?" "Got it? You got his habit as well." "No. I didn''t." "No. I''m shore of it." "Not shore. It''s sure," Primera pulled her cheek. "I sea. My bad." "Did you say ''see or sea''?" "I said ''C''." "Playing word games with me huh..." Primera twisted her cheeks. "You are ten years too early to do that." "My cheeks! I''m sorry!" The clouds began to rumble, and tiny droplets of rainwater greeted the ground. "This stupid weather, it''s never good when we take a day off," The crowd were disappointed, and waved their hands at the clouds, telling them to leave. As the three of them reached the ship, they could see half-a-dozen workers dressed in blue, scattered on the deck, some of whom got the luggage off the horses. The moment they stepped on the deck, the entire staircase behind them vanished. And the ship began to sail, without a moment''s wait. As the ship moved, those three turned back and waved at their people. The faces of the clan heads were filled with hope and worry. Still, they managed to smile, and wave back. "Let''s hope they come back home safely..." Picazo said out loud, and the other clan members roared. Their roar reached all the way to those three before the fog in front of them thickened and blinded their view of the shore. For a couple seconds, those three stared at the fog. Both Sariyu and Burton had left their town, Helenia multiple times before, but it was their first time leaving on a ship. Moreover, this time they were unsure of their return. They might never be able to see the faces of their parents, friends, and people again. That thought alone brought forth sadness in their hearts. Unlike those two who appeared broken-hearted, Lirzod wore a mirthful smile on his face. (He-he, I''m finally free. I''m no longer the Young Master of a clan. Now, I can see for real if I got what it takes to attract girls with my skills and not by my background. My real adventure, my real struggle for love... Starts now." He resolutely clenched his fist. "Hmm?" He glanced at the other two. (Hu-hu... Are these fools getting emotional?) "I didn''t know that only a hundred kilos of luggage were allowed," Sariyu sighed. "More than ninety percent of it was left behind." "You are worried about that?" Lirzod startled. "Just what kind of things did you store in them?" "Hmm? You shouldn''t question a woman in that regard," Sariyu put her index finger on her mouth. "You three. Enough chattering there and get going!" One of the guys standing nearby the horses shouted. "You shouldn''t stay here for long." "Huh? Why is that?" Lirzod turned to the guy. "Don''t ask questions, and just go," That guy looked at few other men and nodded, before looking back at Lirzod. "These men will show you the way to your rooms. You can ask them anything regarding the journey." "Don''t ask questions?" Lirzod raised his eyebrows. "You think you''re my dad or what? Huh? Why aren''t you saying anything?" "Lirzod!" Sariyu twisted his ear and pulled his head close to her''s. "Stop running your drainage of a mouth. We are not in our town anymore. So, keep that in mind!" "Y-Yes," Lirzod said, and only then did she let go of his ear. "But still, telling us to not ask questions is silly. Who does he think he is? I don''t like him." "If you don''t like me, then that''s your problem, and you have to bear with it," That guy said. "Now, if you please excuse me, my work here is done." Saying that he left. (These fools who aboard the ship today, thinks they are hot stuff? Can''t wait to see them get clubbed in the coming days.) "That bastard..." Lirzod twitched. "Why are you getting angry when you''re the one in the wrong?" Burton snorted. "Don''t butt in my business, Big Brother," Lirzod snorted back as well. "I''ve had enough suffocation for the day," Sariyu put her palm over the head. "I need to go and get some sleep first." She was about to step forward. TAP~! A soft sound came from their behind, which made those three turn back. Their eyes enlarged in bafflement, as they laid on the figure that stood in front of them. Their daze deepened when that loose-limbed person pulled the white hood back, exposing her entire face. Without knowing, Lirzod witnessed her grandeur, mouth agape with incredulity. Beauty didn''t only come in shiny looks. It came in many ways, from how one showed compassion and kindness towards those that deserved it, from how one used their intelligence to achieve great things, from how one used their elegance to handle the hurdles, from how one used their confidence to walk through the hurdles they faced. If a girl didn''t just have an external beauty, but also many other aspects like the ones mentioned above, then her beauty would multiply with her. Such was the case with the woman those three had their eyes laid on. Those slender eyebrows, velvety eyelashes, ebony-black hair, rapture-blue eyes, dainty nose, rubescent lips, nitid oyster-white teeth, non-sculptable angelic ears, swan''s neck, and the imp-thin yet shapely body under the speckless cloth ¡ª transmuted Lirzod''s mind into thinking he''s born just for that moment. Nothing he ever saw was as abstruse as the look of that woman. He had seen many magic shows, but all the tricks of those magicians paled in front of her smile ¡ª which seemed slier than a fox''s, yet veritable like that of a mother''s ¡ª an immeasurable wealth. The raw effervescence that oozed out of her, before she even spoke a word, was too much for Lirzod''s wee-little heart to bear. His eyes didn''t miss a single gesture made by her ¡ªbe it the motion of her braid whose spools plunged her picturesque visage, or the movements of her pupils, the flight of her hands, the sparkles on her skin ¡ªevery single one of those filled his stomach and he wasn''t able to even take a breath. All of it made him go mad, but he didn''t dare look away, fearing that he''d come out of the spell that her God-given prettiness and self-earned beauty put on him. And he was thoroughly ¡ª madly ¡ª satisfied. That willowy woman was without a doubt, the woman of his dreams. (This kind of woman is the reason for my journey. I didn''t think it would be fulfilled so soon...) Lirzod was in so much of a bliss, that he didn''t know that he was actually drooling out, thrice as he would for his favorite food. (Mother, father... I''ve accomplished my life''s goal. I''ve found your daughter-in-law!) "You must be Sariyu," She looked at Sariyu. Her voice was so pleasant than the sound that came when an ice cube fell into the water. The waves of her voice traveled smoother than the ripples produced in the water. It gave an eargasm to Lirzod. "Yes, I am. And you are..." "I''m Stussy. Stussy Junksman." She glanced at Lirzod. "You must be Burton." It took him a couple seconds to force his throat into gulping all the drool gathered in his mouth. "Yes, yes," Lirzod nodded, in haste. "What?" Burton weirdly stared at Lirzod. Lirzod who was smiling brightly, suddenly startled. "Che, I''m not Burton. I''m Lirzod. Lirzod Basha!" He put his hand forward. "N-Nice to meet you." "Oh, so you are Lirzod," Stussy glanced at his hand and smiled, before turning to Burton, "then, you must be Burton." "Yes," Burton glanced sideways unable to make prolonged eye contact with her. "You two seem to be fine, but.." She turned her head to Lirzod. "You look a bit young." Lirzod forgot to answer her and ended up losing his senses thanks to staring at her eyes. But her finger snap brought him back to the world. And he startled. "W-What''s wrong?" Lirzod looked around. "Did someone dared to tease you? Where''s that bastard?" "Hmm?" Stussy furrowed her brows. Sariyu sighed and lowered her head in embarrassment. "No one''s teasing anybody," Stussy said. "I just asked you, if you feel old enough to take the Sect Test." "O-Oh, so no one''s teasing you?" Lirzod startled. Shit, that was a dream, just now. "Thank goodness. But if anybody teases you, just call me okay?" Stussy just stared at him with a blank face. (That Idiot...) Burton frowned. (She''s the one who spoke to us from the ship, while we were at the shore. You can tell by her voice. Was it too hard for that idiot to recognize that? At this rate, he''ll get himself killed.) "Why don''t you just answer my question?" Stussy said, stressing her words a little bit. "Oh, I didn''t? My bad... How can I not answer a question asked by a beautiful woman?" Lirzod took a deep breath and made his chest become as bigger as he can. "To answer your question... A man is safe at home, but that''s not what he''s born for." "Then what about women?" All the air in Lirzod''s chest escaped out ten times as fast as it entered in before. "Uh, uh, w-well... Women too!" Stussy stepped in. "Our world is in its current state because most men in the world think like you... That they''re superior to women in every aspect." "I... I never said that." Lirzod was unable to think straight, as her scent forced its way into his nostrils and jolted awake all of the neurons in his brain. "Are you saying, I''m mistaken?" Sariyu signaled Lirzod to just accept it from behind. "... Maybe?" Lirzod hesitantly said. Stussy narrowed her eyes and stepped forward, leaving only a distance of one foot between those two. Lirzod''s heart began to beat wilder than ever. (Is... Is she coming for a kiss?) 6 EGG DIGGERS Never did his heart pump in such a feverous manner. (Is... Is she coming for a kiss? T-This is too sudden. I''m not fully prepared yet...) He suddenly startled. (Wait, I haven''t brushed either!) His feet instantly stepped back twice and made the distance. "I''m sorry. I can''t do this now!" He quickly walked past her, leaving Sariyu in puzzlement. He came and stood behind her. "Why are you hiding behind me?" Sariyu stepped aside, but he did as well. (Her scent... It''s more potent than Primera''s. There''s something unusual mixed in it. If I go near her again, I might not be able to control myself anymore.) Lirzod firmly stared at the floor. On the other hand, Burton observed the workers in the vicinity, all of whom had their heads tilted down. (Something''s not right.) All of them were wearing white and blue dress code. Stussy stood where she was. She pulled back her sleeves, just a bit, which slightly exposed the strangely-nice ink patterns on her forearms, though only by a little, and especially the white tattoo on her wrist, made her appear all the more intriguing. Though it was dark, the ornaments that subtly decorated the exquisite cloak she wore made her look like a savage princess of the heaven. "I''m the navigator of this ship. It will take about four months before we reach the Shambala Sect''s headquarters. Till then, you three must do your best to reach as high as you can on these decks." She pointed her finger towards the workers. "These Hollows will show you the rooms and will help you answer your questions. Have a happy voyage." Saying that she went back to her spot, that''s above the figurehead. Sariyu and Burton left with two of the workers, i.e., Hollows. Lirzod, however, stayed there gaping at Stussy. Nearby Lirzod, a guy was waiting for him. With an average build and 177cm height, that red-haired guy had a face that wouldn''t really stand out, but wouldn''t go unnoticed either. "Hey, are you going to move or not?" His attempt to interact with Lirzod, miserably failed, as he didn''t even get a reaction. He walked up to Lirzod and patted his shoulder, but there was no response. He patted again. "Hey." "Mch," Lirzod waved his hand and pushed that guy''s hand away without even looking. "Hey, I''m talking to you!" He placed his hand on Lirzod''s shoulder. "What''s this nuisance?" Lirzod pushed his hand away without even looking, again. "I"m busy. Go and beg elsewhere." "B-Beg?" That guy frowned. Slowly but surely, his hand formed into a fist. "Nobody has ever called me a beggar." He controlled his anger, as best as he could. "But I guess there''s a first time for everything. So I let this mistake of your slide..." "Just what''s your freaking problem, huh?" Lirzod finally turned back and made eye-contact with the guy. "You''ve been nagging in my ears nonstop, like my mother! Can''t you see I''m busy?" "Busy? You are..?" "Yeah. I am. So, go and mind your business," Lirzod was about to turn back towards the figurehead, but he was held back by the guy, who placed his hand on Lirzod''s shoulder, and used a bit of force. "What are you doing?" "I''m told to take you to your assigned room. So you should come with me." "Yeah, I will," Lirzod stepped away from him and stared up towards the top of the figurehead. (She must be bored there alone.) He looked back at his luggage and reached there. He pulled out a five-kilo see-through-plastic packet that''s full of a mixture of nuts ¡ª cashews, almonds, peanuts, groundnuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts ¡ª and walked towards the figurehead. "What''s he doing?" The other guy was puzzled. Lirzod stopped at the base of the figurehead and looked up perpendicularly. "These nuts... They are grown by a Nut Specialist. Will you take these?" "Hmph," The guy shook his head. (Does he really think he can get on her good side with that? Though the nuts do look tasty..." He shook his head again. "They are not enough." Lirzod stood there for almost a minute, but there was no reply. "You seriously can''t expect her to react for offering something so simple," The guy spoke just loud enough that his voice reached Lirzod''s ears. Lirzod looked at the packet for a few seconds, before placing it down. He looked up again, "I''m keeping them here. So try them... I hope you got it." He turned back and came to that guy. "Let''s go." "Sure, but there''s one thing that needed to be done before." "What''s that? Do you perhaps know of a way to get her to take those nuts?" "N-No," The guy pulled out a sticker from within his pockets. "I was talking about this one." "That... That can make her eat my nuts!" The guy''s enlarged. "Watch your mouth. If she heard that, she''d slice your head into hundred chunks." "My bad," Lirzod partly shut his mouth. "So, now tell me, what''s that?" "It''s a tattoo of the number ''ten''," The guy placed it on Lirzod''s outer palm. "Since we''re on the tenth deck of this ship right now... And since this is the highest deck you''ve reached... You must wear this tattoo at someplace on your body, to showcase your identity to others." "Oh, it serves as identity huh... It''s not permanent, right?" "Of course, not. But let me warn you... If you try to remove it using silly means, it will cause you trouble." "Hmm? How can a tattoo cause trouble¡ª" Lirzod was about to say, but stopped himself before finishing his line. "Never mind its importance, but it sure looks like your face." "... Is my face pretty or not?" "Uh... Your face is pretty, but this thing''s not." The guy ground his teeth. "It''s just number 10. What''s so bad about it?" "I don''t know. It just doesn''t invoke any emotions in me. If you know what I mean." "That''s just a temporary tattoo. You are expecting too much. Let''s go. We''ve already wasted lots of time." "Sure." Lirzod walked behind the guy who also took the job of pushing the luggage cart, other than showing the way. As they were walking, Lirzod casually looked around, and his eyes just happened to look at three horses that gorged on fresh grass. (You damn fiends. You made us fools and looked down on us and our clan...And now, you are stuffing your stomachs out here? You deserve to be clubbed a hundred times for kicking me. Fifty more times for kicking Sariyu. But since you lot also kicked Burton, you three earned a deduction of ten beatings, which still leaves a total of hundred and forty beatings.) The three horses were in a separate stable as compared to other horses, most of which were grouped together under larger roofs. Though there were other horses than just the three. But he just knew that it was the three horses in the separate stable which messed with them before. Lirzod looked back at the guy. "By the way, I didn''t ask your name yet." "777." "Triple Seven? I didn''t ask for your lucky number." "That''s my name." "Name? What sort of name is that?" "You will know why it is my name, afterward." "Fine. So, can you tell me where the supplies for the horses is stored at?" "I can, but why should I tell you?" 777 said, without even looking back. A moment later, Lirzod pulled out a copper coin, and tossed it into the air, which crossed over 777''s head, and landed in his palm. "Just a copper? Do you think I''m a beggar?" Lirzod startled. (This guy''s got greedy eyes. Why didn''t I realize this till now?) "Alright." Lirzod handed another copper coin. 777 glanced back, showcasing the slight anger, building in his eyes. Lirzod handed two more copper and exposed his palms. "I can''t give you anymore over such simple information. Either take it or give it back." "I don''t have the habit of giving back what''s given, especially if it''s money," 777 slid the coins into his pocket. Lirzod narrowed his eyes. (Made me give an excess of three copper huh... Fine, I''ll get them back from you in time.) "Regarding the animal supplies, every deck has a special place built for it, called a Storage Hall. You''re lucky, our deck''s Storage Hall is close by." He pointed his finger towards his eleven o''clock. Lirzod looked in that direction and saw a wooden garage that''s quite larger than the stables the animals were put in."That''s the..." He glanced back at 777, who nodded and said, ''yes.'' Lirzod''s anger only built up further. There''s no name written on the garage, so he was made a fool. "What''s your role on this ship?" "I told you, I''m a Hollow." "I know you are a Hollow. So am I. I am talking about the ¡ª" His hand flighted and caught something that came from the side. Lirzod glanced in the direction that the object came from, and saw a group of four men sitting on the stairs of a stable. "Oww... He caught it! I''m right!" Those men laughed among themselves and exchanged some coins among themselves. 777 turned back. "Don''t mind them, Egg Diggers. They just rag the newcomers by throwing eggs at them. You find these kinds of groups on many decks. Though they may seem disjointed, they all work together under a name called Goog Gang. Some also call it G''oogs Guild.'' You can say that they are like a guild. As long as you just ignore their projections, you will be fine." Lirzod''s face was expressionless for a few seconds, but then he smiled. He shook his hand a little, "this seems to be a raw egg. I don''t really like it. Next time, throw me a boiled one, guys!" (Goog gang... It sounds like the Loosh Gang that scared the people in my state.) Saying that Lirzod walked away. 777 observed Lirzod from behind. (He managed to catch the egg without breaking it...) A faint smile appeared on his face, and he hurriedly came to him. "Where do you think you''re going? Without my guidance, you will lose your way inside." "I wasn''t going anywhere. You are just too slow." "I am slow? You are slow! Your father is slow!" "How do you know that?" "... I don''t. It''s just a flow of the mouth." Lirzod observed the floor. "This wood seems special." "You bet. It''s said that this wood is of trees that grew in regions unbeknownst to many men. Just a ton of this wood would cost a fortune." "This whole ship is made out of this same wood?" Lirzod felt a bit uneasy to breathe in. "I wouldn''t expect anything less from the Shambala Sect, be it the wood or the ladies." "Ladies?" "Ah, never mind." As those two left, the four members just bounced eggs in their hands. Those eggs didn''t have shells, but seemed more rubbery. They all had tattoos of eggs on the dorsal surface of their palms, and those tattooed eggs were painted with different human expressions, from laughter, anger, to sadness and fooling around. One of them glanced at a foal and hurled the egg at it. With a whoosh, the egg hit the foal''s face, and a nice sound resounded about as if a solid rock had hit it. That little horse neighed in agony. Lirzod stopped for a moment, and his ear flickered. He glanced back at the foal. The four men laughed to the fullest extent and then peered at Lirzod. "What made you stop?" 777 looked at those men and sighed. "I told you to just not care about their actions. They just want to stir trouble." "I care not that they threw at me," Lirzod clenched his fist, breaking the raw egg in his hand. "Still, I care that they threw at a baby." 7 NOT ALONE "I care not that they threw at me," Lirzod clenched his fist, breaking the raw egg in his hand. "Still, I care that they threw at a baby. "It''s not alone..." The egg ¡ª thrown at the foal before ¡ª rolled on the floor and ended up stopping at Lirzod''s feet. He glanced down. "Don''t even think about it," 777 let go of the luggage cart. "Want to throw that at us?" One of the four men stood. "Dare it if you can." "He wouldn''t dare it for a horse," 777 stepped forward and came to Lirzod''s front. "That thing doesn''t even have a mother. It''s a pity, but that''s the reality." "What do you mean, it doesn''t have a mother?" Lirzod asked. "No, its mother died while giving birth to it. No other horses welcomed it in their group, much less feed it. Milk is a rare thing on these lower decks, so it''s fed at irregular times." "That''s why it looks so bony," Lirzod couldn''t help but remember the lives of the domesticated animals of his clansmen. Most people who owned buffaloes and cows, never fully fed them. Even when they gave birth, their calves weren''t provided with enough milk. Things were especially worse when a drought or a famine was upon the town. When it came to taking care of their domestic animals, his clan would rank definitely somewhere near the bottom, in the entire state. Lives and lifestyles of people came first, before their pets or domesticated animals. That''s why most of the Faceless clan''s pets and domesticated animals had their bones exposed throughout the year. The few that looked sort of healthy were the ones owned by the rich families of the clan. Though there were a few souls like himself or Duera, who acted differently from most others, and showed concern when it was needed, their deeds didn''t really change the minds of anybody. Lirzod picked up the egg,which startled 777. "I''m warning you. Don''t do anything silly." Lirzod pressed it a couple of times, and it felt more like a rubber than an egg. "My father used to give these type of things to mother, hoping she''d learn to control her emotions. I think that''s called a Stress Ball. She surely relieved her stress by throwing them back at him." He glanced up at those men. "My father is a frightening husband. He shut my mother''s mouth from just getting a couple of spongy things thrown at him. I always wished to be like him, but you guys are making me be in my mother''s shoes," He lifted his hand. "I guess, this one can be called a Stress Egg. One egg to crack you all. That makes this one hell of an egg, don''t you all think?" "Try it if you can," The four men were all smiles. Lirzod said in a low voice, "Take out the flashy box from the red bag." "Flashy?" 777 puzzled. "What for?" "Just take it out." "Alright, but I need ¡ª " "Need a coin again?" "No," 777 opened the white bag and it was filled with many boxes, but the red one stood out. "This one?" Lirzod nodded, and it was tossed to him. His legs began to reduce the distance between him and the four men. "What''s that package?" One of them asked out loud. "Maybe, he''s gonna gift that to us," Another guy said, which made them all laugh in a wild manner. "But it''s too bad. We don''t receive any gifts other than eggs," The third guy shook his head. "Who knows, they might be eggs," The fourth guy''s eyes showed expectations. Hearing his words, the remaining three licked their lips, and their mouths salivated. "Yes. There are eggs in this package," Lirzod''s voice reached their ears. "We use this setup to boil eggs while they''re still in the package. Even this cover is heat resistant." "What, so he''s not a bad guy after all." The four men no longer showed any hostility towards Lirzod and freed their postures. "We can boil the eggs without even having to uncover the package? That''s cool." "Yes," Lirzod said with a knotty smile "Just make a bonfire and place this on it for a minute and you''re good to gorge." He handed the package to one of them. "Sorry, brother," They began to apologize. "We didn''t know you were so open-handed. We wouldn''t have hit you otherwise." "It''s alright," Lirzod scratched his cheek. "Mistakes happen all the time. But can you guys tell me why you didn''t throw eggs at Burton?" "Burton?" The four of them were puzzled. "Uh, I mean the guy who went before me." "Oh, you mean the one who''s with the red-haired girl." "Yeah. He''s the one." "We would have thrown at him if he was alone. Too bad that he''s with a girl." "What''s the problem if he''s with a girl?" "We won''t throw eggs at women. That''s our first rule. If we break it, our higher-ups will break our backbones." "Oh..." Lirzod paused a moment. "Can I take this Stress Egg with me?" "Of course you can. We have many more of them, so feel free to take it." "Oh, thanks." The four of them looked at each other before hesitantly asking Lirzod, "We know it''s rude to open the gifts in front of the givers, so... If you leave, we will start taking care of this thing. Only, if you want us to do it right now, that is." "Feel free to use it any time," Lirzod turned and walked away. The four wasted no time in arranging necessary things to light a bonfire. Meanwhile, Lirzod reached back to the luggage cart and took out a kilo packet of white-coated boiled grams.He tossed it to 777. "Give it to that baby horse." "It''s still not old enough to eat these. Do you want to kill it?" "Those are not your ordinary ones. They are soaked in milk for seven days. It''s highly nutritious, and is a favorite food of bovines." "Why the heck are you carrying cattle food?" "It''s not just for cattle." "Oh." He quickly went and poured the entire packet in a dirty metallic bowl that lay beside the foal. Though it was hesitant at first, the smell of the food made it give a try. 777 came back to the luggage cart, and both of them were on the move. "I didn''t expect you''d give them a gift. So, what''s in the gift box?" "My clan''s tradition." "Tradition?" "Yes." "... In the olden days, people used to gather at a bonfire and have long conversations. These days, no one''s using such a great way of interacting. We are losing our traditions one by one." "Oh, so you worry about things other than money." "Of course. I care about a lot of things, though money is at the top of that list." "Doesn''t even have to guess." "Yeah, keep thinking that you''ve read me. I can''t wait for the time when I''ll make you bite your own tongue for that." In a minute, the two of them left the open area and entered the closed cabin region. From the moment he stepped foot in a staggeringly corridor, rooms were on both sides. Lovely lighting whose source couldn''t be easily located, extended throughout the corridor, leaving no darkness in the vicinity, except for the shadows of people and objects. "He said, a minute is enough." The four men were highly excited as they put the gift packet on top of the bonfire. There was a metal sheet that safeguarded the wooden floor from getting blemished. Extensive Voyage''s wood was of so high quality that the bonfire wouldn''t be able to burn it, but it would still leave a slight mark. Though there were special spots on the ship to light bonfires, there weren''t any strict rules saying they should light them elsewhere. As long as it didn''t lead to an outbreak of fire, it was allowed. Ten seconds passed. "Hey, how come the eggs boil? Shouldn''t they get roasted instead?" One of them put forward his doubt. "Idiot, there must be some kind of heat-resistant glass bowl inside, which may just be filled with water as well." "Can''t wait to eat them together. It''s been so long since we did this." "Yeah, thanks to that boy." "Hmm?" One of them narrowed his eyes and intensely stared at the bonfire. "Hey, is it just my imagination, or... Is the plastic molding?" Others focused their gazes on the package. "You''re right. Why is the ¡ª "? BA DA BANG BOOM~~!! The gift box exploded into red flames and yellow lights that scorched the wind and the noise reverberated all around, alerting everybody in the vicinity of a few miles. Sparkles of hot star-shaped light, combined with the spreading smoke, engulfed the four men in an instant. Their screams couldn''t even be heard in the noises that repetitive exploding sounds that explosion made. A series of new flashes broke out ¡ª again and again ¡ª and spread incandescent gases in every direction, baking everything they touched. Sounds of glass breaking, metal clinging, gases steaming, punched their way through the walls and reached the ears that lay beyond. The rags of fire rapidly changed colors from red to violet ¡ª all colors of the rainbow and repeated the spectrum all over again. From far, it looked like crackers were lit on the ship. But there wasn''t any special occasion going on. The sparkling lights set things aflame as good as any fire. More and more smoke rings rose, twisted, writhed, shape-shifted into things that appeared like living beings born to devour everything in sight. Horses were scared shitless of the smoke and the twinkling lights that changed colors too fast, which only heightened their horror. Howbeit, having tied down, there wasn''t much they could do other than stamp their feet on the ground for as long as they could, and neigh at irregular times. While a bundle of terrible sensations sank their hearts, every other Hollow who''s nearby came running to the spot, where a whirlpool of horror had unfolded. They tried to pour water using buckets, but even they were afraid as the crackers didn''t seem like they would stop any time soon. Howbeit, with the union of multiple hands, the cracking sounds were slowly but surely stopped. As the smoke dissipated into thin air, they all saw dark gray matter on the floor, and lying in it was the four men ¡ª severely wounded, and none were conscious. "Help them! Move them carefully. Give them proper first aid!" Men quickly brought them away from the source of explosions and began to take care of those four, while the flames still didn''t die down. The bonfire or the wooden logs were nowhere to be seen. The metal sheet on the floor had multiple tiny holes drilled in it. Though many gave their helping hand, they were still in shock. It was hard to believe, some small package had done so much damage. It took longer than they thought to give the first-aid. After cooling down the bodies of the four men with lukewarm water for more than fifteen minutes, things looked little better. Those four were taken away with care. Things have calmed down, but the horses were still restless. At the top of the figurehead, Stussy who sat in a laid-back manner glanced back at the horses. And her eyes stopped at the foal, which was the only horse that ate regardless of what happened around it. "Hunger creates wonders." Stussy peered back in the direction of the shore, and was able to see through the fog, and most of the people left the shore, except for the three clan heads. "Those three... There''s something strange about them. How did such a small clan as this managed to get the entrance tickets, I wonder... If they succeed, this clan deserves a song, definitely." The winds picked up the music instruments ¡ª except for drums ¡ªaround her, and made them afloat. "But for now, let''s strain the air for the foal and all the lone lives of the world..." Melodies flowed from all the instruments in a synchronized manner, and their resultant tune amplified and reached the ears of all the horses, and lowered their heartbeats in a matter of moments. The violin string vibrated and produced sound waves that merged well with the waves of the flute, and formed a great pattern. The wind instrument even furthered the amplification. When the horses'' feet began to tap on the floor, according to the musical notes, the other people nearby had smiles on their faces. And they danced in their own fashion and tapped like they were masters in dancing. Amidst all that, a mesmerizing voice broke out and overshadowed every other thing, whose source was Stussy''s mouth. "If you''re in poorness, you''re not alone; If you''re in pain, you''re not alone; If you''re in a long chase, you''re not alone; If you''ve wasted years of life, you''re not alone; If your future is in doubt, you''re not alone; If nobody helps you, you''re not alone; If nothing seems to work, you''re not alone; If the world seems to be crushing you, you''re not alone; If you feel like a broken thing, you''re not alone; If you''re at your limit, you''re not alone; If you wish to sleep forever, you''re not alone; If you don''t want to be alone, you''re not alone; When you commit mistakes, you''re not alone; When you can''t find peace, you''re not alone; When you''re walking a lonely road, you''re not alone; When you''re in your own head, you''re not alone; When you''re smiling alone, you''re not alone; When you''re alone, you''re not alone." By the time her voice came to a halt, the horses were jumping around as if they had two tails. They were all over the moon. Even the foal jumped about and used its newly generated energy to kick the air with its rear legs. A few moments later, the melody stopped. Just the panting of the horses and the men ¡ª remained in the air. 8 MOUTH BREATHER It''s been only a few minutes since the four men of the Goog Gang got charred in a similar fashion, but the information spread faster than wildfire, and with each gossip, the rumors just distanced themselves from what happened in effect. "Someone attacked the Egg Diggers and roasted them alive? How did he defeat them, using fire?" "He must have had some Buzzy Good[1] with him. Or else, we have ourselves another crazy soul that stepped foot on the ship." "All Egg Diggers are accomplished close combat fighters. For four of them to be taken care of at once, whoever that person is, he''s not ordinary. Are you sure this isn''t a Breeze News?" "No, I swear it. Didn''t you hear that faint noise which came through the walls?" "Yeah, I did. Guess it''s true then." "Where did the ship stop at just now? I don''t even remember its name." "It''s something called Helen, I think. I''m not sure either." "Some random town huh... Any idea, how many got on?" "Rumors say that there''s three of ''em. Big and Bulky. As big as the Hardy Brothers." "Shit. We must be careful. If possible, we must become friends with them before others do." Be it a small gang or a big group or an individual ¡ª almost everyone had heard the tittle-tattle about Lirzod ¡ª though not by his name ¡ª and the other two who boarded the ship with him. On a certain deck of Extensive Voyage. The silhouette of a masculine man could be seen through the curtain. As he showered, he spoke, "Nobody has ever messed with Egg Diggers on the 10th deck itself. What do you think, Pikolai? Is this a result of confidence or arrogance?" "I can''t be sure, Master. But since the incident happened on the tenth deck, we don''t need to worry about it too much. However, we can''t fully neglect the incident either." A man wearing a butler suit, stood right next to the curtain, folding one of his hands. Sporting a french beard and an entirely pulled back hairline, he appeared classy in both his dressing sense and posture. "Just to be sure... Dispatch the Black Batch." "Sure, Master." Meanwhile, Lirzod and 777 just reached a room. 777 pushed Lirzod inside and locked the door from the inside. He was sweating a bit, unlike the other. "Do you have any idea of what you''ve done?" "I just gave them a gift." "A gift? That''s a freaking bomb you gave them!" "Not a bomb. Only crackers." "Crackers, my ass. Now you''ve done it. There are many formidable guilds and gangs on this ship that you can mess with and still escape from the eyes off, but you just had to pick the wrong one. The members of the Googs Guild may harass the newcomers, but it''s a friendly guild that helps people in need. However, what they won''t tolerate is the lack of face given to their members." "Relax. Those crackers make a lot of noise, but they aren''t life-threatening." "That''s not how it appeared." 777 ground his teeth. "And don''t talk like you did a great thing. Does this thing you did help you in any way? I was thinking about being your Offsider but now, I''ll have to rethink my options." "I didn''t do it for fun. You saw how those guys handled that baby horse." "Yeah, but who cares what happens to that damn foal? You got into a fight for it, but will that foal come and help you when the Egg Diggers come for your head?" "You need to calm down, Triple Seven," Lirzod bounced the egg ¡ª he fetched from the Egg Diggers ¡ª in his palm. "I''m the one who picked a fight with them. Not you." "I am calm! Aren''t I?" "Y-Yeah." "Anyways, you are right. This is your problem," Lirzod''s luggage was arranged accordingly to his wishes. Though the room was relatively small ¡ª a 250 x 500 cm room ¡ªthere were quite a many shelves of different sizes to arrange one''s stuff in. "What''s all these packets? Are you thinking of raising a shop or what?" "Ah, those are cocoa beans, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, cocoa nibs..." Lirzod named all the stuff that''s in 777''s hand at the time. "Cocoa? You mean the ones they make chocolate from?" 777 sniffed the packets and his eyes automatically closed. For a couple of seconds, his thoughts drifted about in daydreams. (I have tasted so many of these types of stuff. Ah... I miss those days.) "This aroma..." With a surprised look, he glanced at Lirzod. "Will you sell these to me for a discount?" "No, they aren''t for sale." 777 was disheartened a bit, but then resumed his work. This time he took out packets full of cashews, almond, groundnuts and what not. "Whoa, how many more of these nuts do you have?" "Aside from few dresses, and fruits and meat, everything else is some form of nuts." "You get fat from eating all these. Why don''t I ¡ª "? "No thanks." 777 was piqued a bit. He arranged the packets in a nice fashion as he was experienced in doing that. "How much are you paid for this work?" "Nothing." "What? Nothing?" "I''m not exactly a worker. There''s no such profession as a worker on this ship. Either one is a Hollow, like me or is an Entry like you." "Hmm? Didn''t the Snow White say she''s the navigator of this ship?" "Snow White?" His eyes slowly enlarged. "By navigator... You meant that ''Madam Stussy''?" "Yeah, Snow White Stussy." Lirzod rubbed his nose. (If I can take her home, I can definitely make Primera jealous. Just wait... He-he.) Chills spread across 777''s spine. "You idiot. Don''t say this in front of others. Who do you think she is? She can slice your skeleton into several scraps before you can blink once." "Oh, I expect no less from my future wife." "Y-Y-Your future WHAT?" 777 almost fainted. Lirzod held him from falling to the side. After blinking twice, he said. "The rushing blood of teenagers. I can understand the itching it brings. I wish I had your childhood. Not only did your parents send you so much food, they still let you dream about whom you want to marry." He stood straight and took a deep breath. "Not everybody gets to live a life like yours." "What sort of childhood did you have?" "Not as pleasant as yours. Definitely." "You don''t know how my childhood went. Since you''re greedy, I can kind of imagine what it would be like, even without you telling me." "You can imagine all you want," 777 finished laying out the luggage, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Can you now tell me how Snow White formed a staircase out of thin air?" Lirzod remembered the scene from back when he''s at the shore. He asked 777 for more than five times, but 777 told him to wait until his work''s done. "That was crazy. Can all Martials do that?" "All Martials can''t. But..." "But..?" "Music can control anything in this world." "Seriously?" "Yes, it melts our hearts, makes us fall in love, makes us dream, and much more." "Oh, you are talking metaphorically when I asked you to answer literally." "The margin between those two thins down as you become stronger and stronger as a martial." "Are you a Martial Child?" "No, I told you, I''m just a Hollow... Like you." He took out a small pocketbook. "Take this guide. It will help you understand the rules of the ship, and will clear most of your doubts." "Whoa, this is small but thrice as thick as my palm!" Lirzod slid his thumb across the book, flipping all of its pages. "Do I have to read all of this?" "That''s completely up to you," Saying that, 777 began to walk out of the room. "If you need anything, come to the staff dorms and find me." "Yeah, sure," Lirzod put the book on the bed and walked behind 777. Just as they opened the door, an almost six feet tall majestic figure happened to pass by in the corridor. Thinner than Trirera, she was without a doubt, the slimmest person Lirzod ever laid his eyes on. Her long black hair reached all the way to her knees. Her thick eyelashes and black lipstick in contrast to her whitish skin, made her look like a bright brunette ¡ª like a creamy chocolate that any man would want to have a bite. Her beauteousness was further enhanced by the sparkling deep-red silk dress. Lirzod was left slack-jawed. "T-T-That''s... Who''s that?" "She''s..." 777 blinked twice and paused a moment before speaking. "She''s the Miss World 4212, Clarenda Gazelle." "M-Miss World?" Lirzod was at a loss for words. But tears instantly appeared in his eyes. (What''s a figure like her doing here?) 777 made a weary expression. "Hmm?" Just then, Lirzod ran straight at her. (What is he ¡ª). "Hey, wait!" Before 777 could do anything, Lirzod ended up reaching her and stopped right beside her. She halted and glanced to the side. "Wow, look at these arms... They are so slender and long." "You need something?" Her voice was a bit deeper than a usual woman, but it fit the sharp features of her face in a congruous manner. Her scent reminded him of fresh grapes, a layered fragrance that would enrich in its essence ¡ª the more the attention one paid. It alone sped up his heartbeat. The black rose studded to her cloth at the chest region, further contrasted her skin. "Can I touch them?" Lirzod''s eyes locked onto her''s. Clarenda stared down at him with a blank expression, but her eyes alone subtly spoke in her stead, that she wasn''t pleased with what she heard. (That fool... He''s gone!) 777 stopped in his tracks and wanted to run away without looking back. But he held back his fright and stayed right there. "Touch what?" Her voice was as calm as before. "Your hands," Lirzod said, with excitement written all over his face. "I''ve always wanted to touch a model''s arm. They look so fragile and delightful." "Are you praising or criticizing me?" Lirzod startled. "Why would I criticize? The one who raised me was a model. But she''s not as lean anymore as you are now." "... I''m not a model anymore either." "You mean, you quit?" "I did." "Why?" Lirzod helplessly asked. "Don''t you like being a model? Don''t men swoon all over you just from knowing your profession?" A corner of her lips curled up just a little, and she looked ahead at the distant end of that corridor. "Maybe, that''s why I quit the job." "What? I don''t get it." "The scar on your face looks real." "Because it is. Can you tell me why you quit?" "Can you tell me why you didn''t get that scar healed?" Lirzod startled. "That''s... Well, I have my reasons." (What the hell are they talking about?) 777 scratched his head. (He doesn''t look happy. Is she ordering him to be his slave? I knew it. Something like this is bound to happen.) "I''m the same. In all my days of the modeling career, I never once smiled from the bottom of my heart. I never once truly liked how I looked. I never once attended a party because I wanted to. I don''t recommend a modeling career for any young men or women, no matter how beautiful the person is. It''s not worth it to be judged only on how you look. We are beautiful just the way God made us. It is too easy to feel the need to compare yourself to other people. As long as we don''t get caught up in the comparison trap, we''ll be fine, and won''t end up like flies that get trapped in a spider web." "Is modeling career that frustrating?" Lirzod couldn''t believe her words. He held a very high opinion of models, right from his childhood. But from hearing the words, it confused him. How can women who aren''t happy on the inside, still manage to appear so alluring on the outside? He just couldn''t get his mind around it. "Every rose has its thorn," Clarenda poked her index finger on Lirzod''s forearm. Her sharp nail dug a little into this skin and made a red blood droplet surface out. "Even the brightest being at night ¡ª the moon, has dark spots on him. None of us are perfect. I''ve never met a model who ever thought they are perfect... Including myself. A model never feels perfect enough about their appearance." She turned to the side, which made her snake earrings swing like a pendulum for a couple seconds. "It''s easy to break their self-esteem. Lucky for you, the scar on your face keeps you strong." She started walking. "W-Wait." "Hmm?" Lirzod paused and said nothing. "What is it?" "I... I have been following you for six months, just to tell you one thing," Lirzod couldn''t look straight into her eyes. "I think... I''m in love with you." Clarenda stayed silent. 777 just happened to the last sentence that came out of Lirzod''s mouth, and it made him freeze. "Will you give me a chance?" Lirzod hesitantly said. Clarenda began to walk without saying anything. It left Lirzod with a puzzled expression that contained an expectation hidden underneath. "It''s only been three months since I boarded this ship." Her last few words turned Lirzod''s face into a dismal dog that had just missed out fetching its favorite bone. As he stood still, her image gradually made the distance until it turned invisible in time. "The mystique, the money, and the magic of a model''s life in the West is truly a celebrated thing," 777 mumbled to himself. "Dare I say, better than most of the royalty of the East." He walked up to Lirzod, who''s still in a daze. "She''s long gone. I must say, you are lucky." "Yeah, I know. Whom should I pick now? Clarenda or Stussy? I''m so confused. Both have the air of adults, but Stussy has a childlike face similar to Primera. Clarenda, on the other hand, looks scary like my mom, but she doesn''t talk like her. Why does God always put me in so much trouble? This is tantalizing me!" "I''d say, forget about them both," 777 was no longer surprised by Lirzod''s words. "That Clarenda is a woman from the upper decks. We, the members of the lower decks don''t have the right to look them straight in the eyes." "No right? What would happen if I look and that person didn''t like it?" "If you do it without their permission, then they are free to punish you however they please." "That''s..." Lirzod paused a moment. "I know," 777 rested his palm on top of Lirzod''s shoulder. "It''s hard to digest after knowing you''ve barely escaped death." "She... She didn''t do anything to me," A smile broke out of Lirzod''s face and his eyes showed great expectations. "Maybe, she likes me!" A sudden chill crawled down 777''s spine, which almost made him faint and stumble. "You think you''re a king or what? Why would she like you? Besides, how can you like two girls at the same time? And girls of such reputation, nonetheless. Each one is leagues above you." "What''s wrong with that? I just like them, that''s all." "Oh? Then can you give one valid reason as to why you like them? Don''t give me stupid answers saying, ''they are beautiful, that''s why I like them''." Lirzod smiled. "What''s that cheeky smile for?" "Can you tell me why you like your mother?" "Hmm? I''m the one who asked you a question first!" "Just answer me." "... Well, because she''s my mother." "You don''t have any specific reasons?" "No. I like her for who she is." "See... It''s the same for me. I like girls for who they are. I don''t look for reasons to love them. When my heart reacts to the guise of a girl, I ask it no further questions. Knowing about the girl comes later." 777 tried his best to control his anger. "Why are you comparing the love for mother to the love for a stranger?" "Love is love, Triple Seven," Lirzod patted him twice. "That''s horse-shit." Meanwhile, on a certain deck. An oval-shaped face resting atop a seven-feet tall torso exposed itself as the curtain was pulled aside, and a weighty man stepped out of the bathtub. His head was entirely shaved, and he didn''t have a single strand of hair on his face. Every vein under his skin was as evident as day. Water droplets slid on his muscles and got stuck in the valleys of his burliness. Wearing nothing but a towel which had designs of different types of eggs that had varied expressions he raised his left arm a little and Pikolai slid an orange file in between the index finger and thumb of that man. On the cover of the file, the words ''Black Batch'', was painted in a shadowy ink, with two flowers on either side of it. The man opened the file and there was but a single black page inside which had some information written on it. Black Batch - Trial Report. Subject(s): Lirzod Basha(14), Sariyu Basuvu(17), Burton Vesta(24). Hometown: Helenia. Clan: Faceless (beta-ranked clan). Specifics: The perpetrator was Lirzod. He used decorated paper blasts and took care of the four victims. He''s known to be a mouth breather. Threat Level: First Petal. Seeker: River Wind (Ghost in Lily). Total Report will be delivered within the next twenty-four hours. "A member of the beta-ranked clan..." The man gave the file back to Pikolai. "These low ranking clans and guilds are greedier for power than we can imagine. We can never be sure if we are against a house cat or a holt cat..." He cast a sideways glance at Pikolai. "Who''s this River Wind?" "This is my first time hearing his name too, Master. But I heard that he was never wrong with his research, not once in all of his twenty-eight subjects to date. That''s why he''s become a ''Ghost in Lily'', in a matter of a few months." "Hmm... This private intelligence service is unlike any other we''ve made use of. We know nothing about their roots. Be careful when dealing with them from here on." "Sure, Master," The file in Pikolai''s hand vanished into thin air. "What did you decide on that boy of the Faceless clan?" "Since he''s the only one from his clan, that messed with us, I can''t yet come to a decision yet." "Shall we wait until we receive the Total Report?" "... No. Four of our members are hurt. We can''t stay silent for an entire day." "Then what do you suggest, Master?" "Benign Boil." Pikolai bowed his head just a little. "As per your wishes, the bad egg will be duly dealt with." He then put forward an egg soup made from wispy whisked eggs boiled in chicken broth. It was swallowed in haste by that man, while still standing in a towel. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [1] Buzzy Good: A good that has been enhanced by the electrical entities. In general, these would include food or kitchenware, or gadgets, or any other home products. But only the licensed personnel were allowed to use them in combat. 9 CHILD AT HEART 1 Lirzod was on his bed. He had been rolling around for fifteen minutes, but he couldn''t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he remembered Duera. She was the one who always made him sleep, either by telling him stories or by patting on his chest. When she wasn''t there, Primera took care of that job, though she just scared Lirzod into a sleep. It hadn''t been more than an hour since he departed, and his heart which pumped at normal speeds when he''s at the shore, now pumped in strange rhythms. From as far in his past as he could remember, there was never a day he spent away from either of those two. But at the moment, both of them weren''t by his side. He missed their company more than anything. Silent tears soaked the pillow as he cried in a subdued way. After few minutes, his eyes no longer produced tears, but his cheeks still had traces of streams left by the salty secreted liquids. He got up and rubbed his eyes and cheeks with his forearm. The coldness of his tears just told him how long he had been crying. Slight redness tainted the whites of his eyes. His gaze settled on his right palm, which had a black circular dot on it. Seeing that, made him remember what happened the previous night. "Little Zod, promise me... You''ll never get rid of that birthmark on your palm," His mother seemed emotional and serious. "But mother, I never really liked it. Whenever I stare at my palm, all I can see is this big black mark. At school, my friends used to laugh at me, and even teachers avoided giving me a handshake." Valli''s heartbeat fluctuated in an irregular fashion. Lirzod never told her those matters before. She knew that people didn''t like seeing such a mark, but she never thought that even teachers behaved in such a manner. She gritted her teeth, and its sound reached his ears. Just the thought of people cracking up at the mark on her son''s palm made her blood boil. "Mother, I didn''t tell you this because you''d have fired those teachers right away." "Of course. They deserved that!" "They do. But I admired their teaching. Though they were a bit harsh to me in some aspects, I have some good memories of them, and of my friends as well." "Little Zod... This is the problem with you that worries me the most," She slid her hand on the back of his head. "If you like someone, you turn a blind side to everything they do... Though, that Vesta''s kid is an exception." "Mother, we are not talking about this again!" "Fine, but remember that you''re not a child anymore. Just because you love someone, don''t act nicer towards them, got it? There are all kinds of people in this world." Her focus then shifted downward, "This mark on your palm might be a gift from the god. It guards you against the evil eyes of the world... Just like the scar on your face. These two will ensure that the ''evil eye'', doesn''t fall over you." Lirzod spoke nothing. "Please, Zod. Do it for me, okay?" "Got it. But you are unexpectedly calm today..." "I''m not the kind of woman to quarrel with her son on the day before his journey." "You are definitely the best of the three clan mothers." "Just among the clan mothers?" She narrowed her eyes for a moment and later planted a kiss on his cheeks. "In the entire neighborhood." His other cheek was greeted by a kiss as well. "In the entire town!" Getting back to the present. Lirzod''s butt had heated up by a few degrees of Fahrenheit, and he was still lost in thought, but his hand just happened to land on the book beside him. He glanced down sideways, and it was the pocketbook that 777 gave him. Tinier than the extent of his palm, the claret-colored book titled ''Extensive Voyage Guide,'' oozed out a newfangled aura which made him pick the book into his hands without his conscious control. He also saw a groundnut lying on the bed and picked it up with his other hand. He opened the cover and the first page exposed a peculiar picture of a decorated bell which faded in and showed itself on the surface of the page, right in front of his eyes. "Hmm?" He touched the image of the bell.And it gonged. "What the ¡ª" The sound made by the bell took him by surprise, and his hands automatically tossed the book away into the air. Still, the gonging resumed, and Lirzod''s hand flighted by itself, startling him. He tried stopping his hand, but it further got pulled towards the book. "What''s this?" Lirzod was forced to get out of the bed. His feet slid on the polished wooden floor as his body continually pulled closer and closer to the book, which floated in the air. He used all his strength, but there was no use. "Owuwohh!" His entire body got sucked into the book before it closed and fell to the ground. The gonging ended as replaced by the newborn silence, and left no traces of Lirzod, other than his luggage that lied at their respective spots. At the moment, the single groundnut, however, almost touched the ceiling. At some unknown area, Lirzod stood and stared at the agricultural fields which extended as far as his eyes could behold. "Where am I?" He looked around but didn''t find a single soul anywhere. His body, however, floated about and drifted along with the wind, as he got carried towards an obscure destination. "So you have boarded one of the four vehicles that lead to the Shambala Sect." A sourceless voice reached his ears. "Who''s there?" Lirzod looked around, turned in every direction in midair, but found nobody. All of a sudden, a bunch of dry leaves flew towards Lirzod and circled around him, before forming into a human figure in a stygian cloak, his face hidden by the hood. His long yet skinny gray beard mirrored his fragile yet towering physique. His well-grown mustache hid his mouth without fault and made sure that nothing above it was noticeable. Lirzod wanted to move back, but his body wasn''t in his control, and he got pulled closer to the mysterious person. "Fret not... Child," An archaic voice sounded out of that man''s mouth, and it calmed down Lirzod''s anxiety in an instant. "Who are you, geezer?" Lirzod still returned an unscrupulous gaze. "It matters not who I am. Since you''ve come here, I assume you have your own reasons for doing so, and I won''t question you regarding that, but there are some rules that you must follow ¡ª be it in life or on the ship you are currently at. And there is some knowledge you must be made aware of." "What the heck are you talking at?" Lirzod scratched the side of his head, "First tell me where I''m at now?" The old man''s arms lied on the peak of a staff that appeared to be made of twisting tree roots and leaves floated about at its base. "You are where you wished to be," with a flight of his hand, both of their bodies dashed through the winds at high speed. They kept crossing miles in a matter of seconds, but Lirzod didn''t feel any pressure on his skin whatsoever. "Why do you want to become a martial?" Though he was in doubt on everything that happened around him, Lirzod replied, "I don''t know. To be honest, I don''t really know, you know... I do want to help my clan more than anything. But I''m not sure how I will help it just by becoming a martial." "Are you saying you are not sure if you can help your clan even after becoming a martial?" "Yes. My father and his friends are quite headstrong. I can''t force them to do things against their wishes." "So, that''s why you fear that you can''t reshape the clan as per your wishes." "Kind of, yeah." "Why do you want to change your clan?" "Not the clan, but its people. They are just too many bad things my people do, including my parents." The old man shifted his head slightly towards Lirzod. "You picked one troublesome goal. At least you seem to know that." "I hope I do," Lirzod sounded not so confident. "Forcing people to do something they don''t like is much easier than trying to change their characters. Temper is one troublesome thing" "I know that... Because I have that." "Hmm, having temper is not a bad thing by default. Still, you acted well all this while as you were speaking with me." "That''s... Because you''re old, I just showed you some respect, that''s all. But don''t think of it as me being naive, got it?" "Since you said so, I won''t be doing that. But, my dear child, tell me... Is there any other reason for your desire to possess the power of a martial?" "There are some, but they are personal, and I can''t discuss them with an old man... If you know what I mean." "Personal?" The old man was puzzled, just a bit, "Wasn''t all the affair that we spoke about your clan... Wasn''t that personal to you?" "No," Lirzod shook his head and placed his finger on his mouth and uttered in low voice, "but don''t tell this to anybody from my clan, especially not to that Allda and the clan heads... Got it?" "... Got it." "Good." "So, I''m asking for the third time... Are there any other non-personal reasons for ¡ª" "I have a simple reason," Lirzod said and grinned. "The life of a hollow is not only boring but is also tough to survive. So, if I become a martial, life gets a bit easier, right?" "Easier huh..." The old man took a slightly long breath. "If you can''t survive the life of a hollow, how do you expect to survive the life of a martial?" Lirzod''s eyes enlarged and nothing but the racket of the wind entered his ears. The old man lifted his staff and they both halted in midair ¡ª hundreds of feet above a certain village. "A long time ago, there lived three wonderful little sisters, who had an elder brother, called Rick," The old man turned into leaves, but his voice still echoed all around. The visuals of the three sisters and their brother were shown in front of Lirzod, with the old man''s voice in the background. It grabbed all of his attention. "Born poor, he had to work more than three quarters of the day and night combined, just to fill the stomachs of his little sisters. "Though he starved for many days and nights, he made sure his sisters'' stomachs never rumbled, not even from getting upset. They didn''t know the difference between the rumblings of hunger and indigestion. He bought them fruits, vegetables ¡ª though not as fresh as the rich would have it ¡ª and everything they asked for, even if it meant shedding his blood in the form of sweat. "Under his care, they never got to eat the rotten bread that most of the poor were cursed with for their entire lives. The three of them grew up into beautiful women, whom all the unmarried men of the village wished to share their lives with. "The three had also fallen in love with three charming young men, all of whom belonged to markedly wealthier families of the town. "One day, the sisters had revealed their interests about marriage, to their brother. And they believed that he would without a doubt, happily acknowledge their lovers. Howbeit, they faced what was the first rejection they got from their brother. "Though puzzled and confused, they kept on requesting their brother, regarding the matters of their marriage. Days passed. Weeks passed, but all they got in response was a rejection. With every passing day, the sisters got angrier and were annoyed at the sight of their brother. Slowly, they stopped eating what his brother bought, and stopped wearing the clothes he himself stitched at the cost of his sleep." "What an ungrateful bunch?" Lirzod controlled his anger, "But seriously, those three girls look like triplets. How cute!" At the same time, he was mesmerized by their beauty. "Will you stop talking in the middle of my speech?" The old man''s voice said. "Oh, sure. But, hey... Can I ask you one thing?" "What is it?" "Is it possible to take those three girls into my clan?" "Don''t be silly. Didn''t you hear me say this happened in the distant past?" "I did, but you know, I''m just being hopeful. If I can get those three into my clan, I will teach them some manners first!" "Enough blabbering!" The old man''s voice rang in his ears, startling Lirzod, and his heart skipped multiple beats. "Okay, okay. I got your problem." Lirzod put his finger on his mouth. "That''s generous of you. Just stay like that," The old man said, "the sisters stopped eating what his brother bought and didn''t wear the clothes he himself stitched at the cost of his sleep. But he was never angry at his sisters. He advised them that their lives would no longer be pleasant if they were to marry the sons of the rich families. But the sisters responded by saying that their lovers weren''t such crooks. "Days passed and his sisters further distanced themselves from him. Unable to bear it anymore, he ultimately agreed to their marriage. Though he wasn''t asked any dowry in his sisters'' stead, he bequeathed equal amount ¡ª one acre of land ¡ª to each of his sisters. After the marriage, he was left with nothing but the small home, and he was happy with it. "His sisters no longer wandered in his home, and he couldn''t hear the delightful sounds made by their anklet decorations backed by their laughs, but their memories were still in his mind. He initially visited their homes often, but his frequency of visits lowered after the landlords didn''t seem to like his presence in their territories. A farmer like him who worked in mud every day looked lean and far less appealing than his sisters. His dressing style was cheap as well. Though he was born with skin paler than his sisters, his time under the sun turned his skin browner to a notable degree. At the age of thirty, he seemed no different or special than the undistinguished guys of the village ¡ª who were available in plenty. "He only visited their homes when he made their favorite sweets and such. But even then, nobody came to the door to receive him. It''s like his sisters purposely avoided meeting him. It took a toll on his heart for the worse. How could his sisters who spent their entire lives under his care, be blinded to such an extent by their new families? Though he knew that the money was the cause for all of it, he wasn''t angry at his sisters. Instead, he was angry at himself. "Many thoughts crossed his mind, but one stood out among the hundreds. If he hadn''t raised his sisters in such a doting manner, and instead made them experience the struggles that life brings in order to live just another day... They might have grown into different women. But it was too late to change his sisters. They were married and on their way to having children. "In a few months, beautiful girls were born to each of his sisters. But he didn''t even get to see their faces. He was denied entrance into their homes. His brothers-in-law told him his nieces wouldn''t want to have such an unexciting uncle as him, that he wouldn''t be able to buy all the stuff the children would ask of him. When he turned to his sisters, they said nothing in his stead, so he could only oblige to their actions. "Time flew by, and though his sisters lived in the same village, he felt alone. Though he saw their faces now and then, it didn''t feel good with them who paid less and less attention to him with every passing day. All he was good at was working at fields. And he kept working, no matter how he felt. Though his sisters'' daughters didn''t know of his existence, though there were days when he could see those little beings but couldn''t talk with them, he just waited. He couldn''t give up hope on his sisters yet. He couldn''t quit. "Every day went by ¡ª him feeling like a victim who couldn''t identify his enemy that he must fight against, but he always told himself whether his sisters cared for him or not, whether they turned even distant or not, he will always be there for them. "No matter how bad the day was, he never stopped working in the fields even when the blazing sun tried to burn his self, for that was all he knew and was good at. No matter how good the night shaped itself under the sparkling moon, he couldn''t get a proper sleep, for his sisters were always in the back of his mind. "He had aged and white strands showed up in his beard, but other than that, nothing much changed. He was still alone ¡ª and was the same guy he was the past decade. He no longer thought about tomorrow, but only the current day. He worked in the fields, as usual, walked by each of his sister''s houses once, before roaming aimlessly in the streets of the village, ultimately ending up at his home. "He had entered his fifties ¡ª with more whiteness in his hair than ever before. At the same time, all the three of his nieces had matured, and as their fate would have it, the three of them got in the eyes of a wealthy minister who directly worked under the king of their kingdom. The minister ¡ª who was in a disguise at the time ¡ª asked the three girls to be his maids but they refused right away. The minister just smiled it off and made his men capture those three girls and had taken them to his private estate. "After knowing the news, the parents of the three girls traveled many villages and spent so much money ¡ª giving bribes to people ¡ª just to know the location of that private estate. Before long, they learned of its location in a matter of weeks. The guards of the estate, however, didn''t let them enter. The parents were wealthy enough to pay off the guards and requested an audience with the minister. In the meeting, they stated that they had no problem if the minister accepted their daughters as his wives. The minister who had never taken a wife got enraged and had them severely beaten, before getting them kicked out. "The minister had two shades to his personality. He acted like a great human being in the eyes of the public, but he committed wicked deeds for his king. So the king turned a blind eye to all of his perverted actions. "The parents were left in shock. They certainly didn''t know that the person who took their daughters was a minister. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have spoken in such a straightforward manner. Though they were wealthy, their wealth was thousand times less as compared to the minister''s ¡ª maybe even less. If the minister wished to, all he needed was to raise his finger a bit, and his men would hang the heads of the parents. "Only the minister and those who knew him well enough could tell the reason as to why he didn''t kill them. It was to get on the good side of the girls. As long as the girls did what they were told, their lives and the lives of their family members wouldn''t go to waste. "Frustrated and devastated from everything that happened, the parents didn''t dare rent a house in the village where the estate also lied. "The minister''s estate also had an infamous name, The Estate of Thousand Maids. Almost all the workers were women, except for a few handfuls of old males who took various laborious roles from watering the plants to feeding the dogs, cleaning the gardens and such. "There was a hierarchy of ten ranks among the maids. When the three nieces of Rick were brought to the estate, three among the existing thousand maids were kicked out. The three sisters were directly given the sixth rank, with the tenth being the lowest. The lower the rank the more work a maid was supposed to do ¡ª as given by the higher ranked maids. A tenth ranked maid was obliged to massage the higher ranked maids at the beck of their call. Cooking, cleaning, keeping things at their places... All such kinds of jobs were given to the newbies, as overseen by the experienced maids. "In the first six months, the three girls had risen to the fourth rank. They couldn''t go any higher because the maids of those ranks were cunning and cruel towards everybody else. "In that half a year, many more maids came in, but there was only a single change in the workers other than maids. It was the position of the Dog Feeder. Rick was the new worker." 10 CHILD AT HEART 2 "The new worker was none other than Rick." "What?" Lirzod was nonplussed but felt equally thrilled. "When did he get in?" The old man materialized behind Lirzod and lightly hit the head with his staff. "I told you to just watch." "Y-Yeah," Lirzod rubbed the top of his head twice, and sneakily tried to snatch the staff out of the old man''s hands, but he miserably failed to even touch it. "You are a hundred years too young to be touching my staff, child," The old man disappeared and appeared at Lirzod''s back, and hit with his staff, again on Lirzod''s head. Lirzod could only rub his skull gently. "Will Rick kill that minister?" "... You will know that if you watch. Do you want to watch it or do you want to leave this place?" "Hmm, I will watch. I''m interested in those three maids. And I want to know if they''ll ever realize that Rick''s their uncle? If they''ll be saved or not." "Realize huh... Aren''t you just expecting a bit too much from those three?" "I hope not. But, wait.." Lirzod paused a moment, before turning his head towards the old man. "Can you tell me the location of the Estate of Thousand Maids?" "Why are you interested in its location?" "Obviously, I want to go there if it''s still there. Who dares to have a thousand maids when I possess only two, and that too without their permission? This is just too unbelievable to my eyes, ears and all other holes. They are burning like never before! That minister isn''t even good looking." "It all happened too long ago. Don''t feel too much for those ladies. Most of them are not as lovely as they look. As for the location of that estate, it''s too far from here and that''s too dangerous of a place for you to be touring." "I don''t care how dangerous it is... If that estate still exists to this day, I want to own it ¡ª Ahem, I mean I want to destroy it for good!" The old man slightly raised his staff, but Lirzod readily guarded his skull. However, the old man swung the staff from underneath, and it ended up pounding into Lirzod''s crotch, making him collapse into a heap of wretched mass that made queer sounds. "Y... O... U..." Lirzod couldn''t speak at all and clutched his crotch as tightly as he could. The pain was tangible yet unexplainably real. A surge of pain spread throughout his body, every time he moved a muscle. He lied in a curved fashion ¡ª in the midair. "You are a hundred years too young to have such concupiscent thoughts, child... May this incident serve as a life lesson," The old man put his staff away from Lirzod. "Screw you... And your staff!" Lirzod suffered for a minute before trying to get back to his feet. "You seem ready," The old man turned into leaves which withered away into thin air, but his voice resumed and so did the visuals from the past, "Rick had entered the estate as the Dog Keeper. His motive was clear. He just waited for an opportunity to bring freedom to his three nieces. In all that time he had been there, he became a well-known figure among the maids, mostly because of his ability to work like a dog without saying a word. He finished any task he was given, as long as it was within his right as a worker to do so. "He had never tried to get to know his three nieces, but they introduced themselves to him. Though a Dog Feeder was a low-level job ¡ª even lower than the tenth ranked maids ¡ª the maids still knew not to mess with the Dog Feeder, for he spoke with the maids of all levels. The maids of the top three ranks were the only ones allowed to raise dogs. "Of all the maids, his nieces were the ones he became the closest with. Those three used him greatly to be aware of the happenings of the top-ranked maids. Thanks to his help, they even managed to climb a rank and became the third-ranked maids ¡ª who were fifteen in total. "From bottom to the top the number of maids significantly lowered: 250, 200, 150, 125, 100, 75, 50, 30, 15, 10, and 5. "Though the top three ranked maids enjoyed lots of luxuries, they had to make hefty sacrifices in return. Not only were they obligated to daily spend time with the minister, they were forced to share a bed with many guests who always wore masks even when being intimate. It was the price they had to pay for becoming better maids. Only maids such as those who''ve explored enough in the ways of lovemaking could capably please the guests. In case if any of them dissatisfied a guest, their hands were chopped and fed to the dogs raised by the maids themselves, and then the maids would be kicked out. However... "For every successful mission, they were given more riches from clothes to ornaments of all sorts, which they could take with them in case if they were kicked out of the estate. If a maid lower than rank three was forced to leave, she wasn''t allowed to take any stuff with her. Regardless of how a maid left the estate, they received little to none sympathy from other maids ¡ª whether they lost their arms or not, it didn''t matter. "New guests arrived every night and left by the time sun showed up at the horizon. The estate''s maids were leagues above any other maids of the nearby thousand towns. Regardless of their rank, they were revered for their beauty alone. Though they beamed out warm luscious smiles at the townsmen, most couldn''t see through the pain they felt underneath their beautiful chests. The mental stress of being an estate maid was simply unimaginable. Many of them who''ve entered the estate, alive and kicking, came out crippled. One wrong move and they would become women with no future left. They were forced to swallow all that terror and lot more things along with it. "They were allowed to roam in the nearby towns with two guards accompanying them. No more than five maids were allowed to leave in a group. At any time, only fifty maids were allowed to step outside of the estate... So only a maximum of ten groups could come out at once for touring the towns. "Because women from far away regions were usually chosen as maids, there existed a lot of communication problems and cultural differences among maids. They formed groups and ran politics among themselves. Newcomers were forced to join a certain group and be taught moral values by their seniors. "The minister was a smart guy. He never gave them a chance to unify as one. He gave little freedom to the maids, just enough of it, which eliminated their tension to an extent, and at the same time, they were attracting quite a many clients. To an average village guy, that estate was only a bit unusual, as most of its happenings were kept in the dark, except for the presence of sugarcane fields all around it, owned by the minister. It had many long-term deals with businesses from all levels of the society ¡ª from the rich to the poor. There were more willing to protect its identity than the ones who tried the opposite. Even the individuals who were aware of its affairs could tell that powerful personnel was involved in it, and none dared to even discuss it in open. "The walls surrounding the estate were filled with confessions and quotes of men ¡ª painted with blood, for the maids they loved. Those men who weren''t born in gold weren''t even able to spend time with the maids, let alone buy them, an affair which cost lot more. "Despite everything that surrounded the estate, some girls who were wrapped in the darkness of poor life viewed the life of an estate maid in a much higher regard. Living in abject poverty, they couldn''t make much money by staying in their homes, and couldn''t make ends meet. Knowingly or not, they step into a desert full of dry hopes." "So some women hated being estate maids while some held the opposite opinions huh..." Lirzod took a deep breath. It was hard for him to digest all of it at once. "Yes, Like to a coin, there are always two sides to every story," The old man''s voice sounded out. "I can''t believe more women want to sell their priceless purity for material wealth! For god sake, these are some overly smart women," Serious look appeared on Lirzod''s face. "In the end, they will become lone birds, won''t they?" "I''m glad you''re understanding my words in your own way. I thought you were just ogling at the maids." "Hmph," Lirzod snorted. "I''m not old like you. They have good looks and great smiles. Obviously, I''m bound to get bowled out by their beauty." The wind blew about and mad Lirzod''s hairstyle shift in the opposite direction. "My mother used to repeatedly tell me that material wealth is the worst poison of this world and that it has no cure. Now, I can kind of see why she said those words. "These women exchanged their elixir for a poison. But they were made to walk such a path because of that dirty minister." Anger that dwelled deep within his heart began to stir, just a little bit, which subtly the changed the look in his eyes to that of a determined man. The motile air around him began to grow denser as well. For the most part of their conversation, the old man''s lips formed a straight line, but they belatedly parted a little as he radiated out a refreshing smile. "You are getting too worked up," His staff patted once on Lirzod''s shoulder, which brought him back to his usual self. "Uh, my bad..." Lirzod slid his index finger on his eyebrow and flicked the drop of sweat which traveled in a projectile fashion, before ending up on the ground below them. "You are right... And so was your mother," The old man stroked his grayish beard which exposed the extra shades of color buried in it. "Material wealth can buy many things but happiness, love, kindness and the basic emotions necessary for any being to live well aren''t on its list. Those who pursue material wealth will never become a great hollow much less a great martial. By the time their eyes widen and see the real treasure of this world, their life''s destination may no longer be in their sight." "By the time these maids come out of the estate they will lose sight of the things they held dear huh..." Lirzod felt strange. Just the thought of him overlooking the well-being of his people, made him feel uneasy. "... If that was all there''s to it, it''s not as bad of a result as you may think," The old man''s words puzzled Lirzod. "You mean?" "Each of the maids who made it out will break the society in ways one can''t entirely comprehend. They ruin the lives of honest husbands, split families, be a role model for young girls through their decorated mien, and through many other ways." "That''s true. Women have too many weapons in store, tailor-made to work against men." As a young master of the Faceless clan, he wasn''t oblivious to the efforts girls made to get noticed by him, and the lengths they would go to get what they wanted. "Indeed, women have many weapons in store, a lot more than a man does," The old man said in a tone which shifted gears as he spoke. "But men do not possess two important weapons that women have." "What are they?" "One''s the most powerful while the other is the most dangerous." "Hmm?" Lirzod''s intrigue picked up. "... The most powerful weapon of a woman is her voice." "Ha-ha, right..." Lirzod burst out into a laughter. "This isn''t a laughing matter." Lirzod covered his mouth with one hand, his skull with another. A second later, his legs closed the gap between them as well. "Her voice is her most powerful weapon, but it''s still not the most dangerous. Do you know what it is?" "... It''s gotta be their bust!" Lirzod didn''t take much of a time to respond. It was silent for a second, and not even wind made any sound. BANG~! A staff hammered down on Lirzod''s skull from behind, and the old man materialized again. "Foolish child! You must stop concentration on their body, and instead focus on their personality. Women are emotional beings, and they carry trouble along with them. As a man, if you want to become a great martial, you must know women from in and out!" "That''s what I was doing," Lirzod pouted, as he looked away while rubbing his head. "I was focusing on their outer self." The old man gripped his staff slightly, startling Lirzod. He tried to escape, but he lost all the control over his body. It moved closer to the staff. The old man gently placed it atop Lirzod''s head and tapped slowly, "Your ''outer self,'' means their bodily appearance, but my ''outer self,'' means their outward personality... Understand?" "G-Got it..." Lirzod said. "I''m not convinced," The old man raised his staff high into the air. "I got it! I got it!" Lirzod said out loud in a haste. "Good. Now tell me, what''s the most dangerous weapon of a woman?" Lirzod paused a moment and began to ponder. "It''s..." He placed his index finger on his temple and tapped on it repeatedly. "Is it..." He looked up at the old man''s face which was hidden from view, by the hood, "their walk?" The old man gripped the staff tightly, but this time, he hammered it on Lirzod''s buttocks, making him jump like a rabbit and squeal like a cat. "You can''t talk about anything other than their bodily parts?" "Women''s assets are the wonders of this world, worthy of every man''s attention!" Lirzod didn''t back down. The pain on his butt sure got his blood running hard. "How can I not consider them to be consequential?" The old man paused for a moment and sighed. "I''ve seen many spoiled children... But you''re one of a kind." Few seconds of silence passed. "So... What''s the answer?" "It''s their smile." "Smile?" Lirzod was puzzled. He for sure didn''t expect that answer. "If the curve of a woman''s breasts can conquer a king, her smile can conquer his kingdom." Lirzod body froze right where he stood. "It can destroy kingdoms, dissolve dynasties, end empires, sink continents, and bring the world to its knees." The old man''s utterance shook up Lirzod, down to the deepest expanses of his imagination, where things ran wild, especially at the moment. 11 CHILD AT HEART 3 "Why did Rick let his nieces stay at such a place for so long? Why didn''t he just escape with them sooner?" Lirzod''s frustrating voice sounded out. "It''s not easy when you''re dealing with women, Child." "You, you got some enmity towards women, don''t you?" Lirzod stared at the old man, as he narrowed his eyes. He hadn''t taken a breath for the past few seconds. "The situation asked for it, so I spoke about men," The old man said in a casual tone. "Both men and women deserve blame in unique ways, not by birth but through life." "You talk like there''s no good person in this world." "Ha-ha-ha..." The old man laughed a little bit. "Ahem, tell me... Have you ever heard, seen or met a person whom you think always has good thoughts, speaks good words and does good deeds?" As the wind blew across his face, Lirzod stood, his lips forming a straight line. "Child, the life of a martial is like the life of a snail." "Yes," Lirzod nodded. "You might not progress as much as you want as a martial, no matter what you try. But still, the perseverance of not giving up in the middle is necessary. That''s what you''re saying, right? I''ve read these things in books already." The old man sort of smiled. "The public books that you get to read mostly contain misleading information which takes you far away from the truth." "Are you saying I''m wrong?" "Of course, you are...wrong," The old man said as he raised his index finger and moved it back and forth at Lirzod. "But it''s not your fault. Children of this age are taught what the society wants, not what the society needs." Lirzod had a puzzled look. "I don''t get you." "In other words, I''m saying that the books you''ve read are rubbish," His tone filled with confidence, made Lirzod pause. "To our eyes, the snail may seem to have a lot of perseverance, but in the eyes of the snail, it''s dedication is commonplace and unremarkable to it." Lirzod startled. The old man continued. "There''s only one belief that''s common between us and the snails. It''s the speed. Both the species can agree with no fuss that the snails are slow, in fact, slower than most. This agreement gave birth to another one." "And that is?" "The best pace to observe Mother Earth is to proceed at a snail''s pace. In parallel, the best pace to observe the natural energies and emotions around you, and grow as a martial, is to walk your life as a snail would." Lirzod eyes enlarged. "So, Rick... He''s waiting for his nieces to take the first action..." The old man slightly nodded. "The three girls had never expressed their wishes or the desire to escape out of the palace. Rick''s biggest motivation was to bring happiness to his nieces. In that estate, he saw plenty of it in the eyes of his nieces. And it left him confused. For sure, he''s twice older than his nieces, but his heart was many times younger and pure. Regardless of how they used him, he kept smiling back at them from the bottom of his heart, and waited for them to accept him, at least as a close friend if not as a family." "The girls got brainwashed by that damn minister," Lirzod felt anger surging from within his stomach. "They act close with others only when they have some use with them. These are all being turned into characterless women, by that guy!" "Maybe, but the minister isn''t entirely to be blamed." "What do you mean? Everything happened because of him." "Yes, but it''s the other maids at the estate who spoiled those three girls." Lirzod startled. "That''s..." "I told you, the minister was a smart guy. All he had to do was put ten-ranked hierarchy, and throw a thousand women in his estate. In time, they will involuntarily degrade each other." "I didn''t think of that at all. Those poor women," Lirzod got tears in his eyes. "This minister... I''ll never forgive him. That eagle-nosed bastard!" "It wasn''t his real face," The old man''s words took Lirzod by surprise. "Even in the estate, he always wore a fake skin mask." "What? Then show me his real face!" "That wouldn''t be of much use now, would it?" The old man began to turn into leaves, which then turned into thin air. And the visuals resumed. After the old man spoke the words, the visuals relating that incident showed up. "The maids respect the minister out of fear. And did respect born through fright ever had a peaceful ending? "Rick did his job more actively than ever. It was all for his nieces who aimed to climb to the second rank. They showed back additional respect in return. There was a special tree, called Spark Wood that''s grown outside the estate. A tiny piece of its bark can arouse an elephant. Both the maids and the guests used it often. "The three girls poured oil in the way leading to the kitchen floor. The cook slipped on it and injured himself. As the temporary chef, Rick took the role. Having cooked for most of his life, he could easily be certified as a veteran chef, though he lacked the style and body language. His nieces made him mix lots of Spark Wood powder in the milk supplied to guest rooms, for that night. "At the dawn of the following day, it was the turn of the three sisters to tour the town. They left the estate in a hurry. "Before sunlight lit the top of the estate, the news of the death of ten guests and ten maids had rocked everyone. All the second-ranked maids had died, and so did the guests they served last night. The news shocked all the maids and workers, including Rick. At that moment, he realized that he was betrayed by his own family members. As far as he knew, he only added enough Spark Wood powder which would result in a failure of good service by the maids, and they would get their limbs cut, before getting kicked out. Unbeknownst to him, his nieces mixed lot more powder in the milk. The tasteless powder fooled the experienced guests and maids and took their lives. "If it was only the maids that died, there wouldn''t have been much ruckus. But five guests died. It didn''t take long before the cause of death was found out. "During the evening of that day, the three nieces came back. And the minister was waiting for them, which sunk their hearts into their stomachs. They had ordered their pet dogs to attack and kill Rick soon after they left the estate, but seeing how the minister was waiting for them, they were afraid. "Inside the main hall, Rick was lying on the floor, clothes torn and fully covered in blood. The minister told the three girls that Rick was their uncle, which stunned them to the core. Since Rick had already confessed that the three girls were innocent and that they had nothing to do with the killings, the minister gave them a chance. Whether they were involved in the incident or not, he can''t be sure unless he the maids showed their worth to him. "If it were any other girls, the minister wouldn''t have shown much interest. But Rick''s nieces were too good at their jobs and had a perfect track record. They were bound to become first-ranked maids and stay in the positions for at least a decade. He couldn''t afford to lose such products. That''s why he gave them a chance to prove their loyalty by killing Rick. "Outside the estate, surrounded by hundreds of maids, the three nieces stood in the center, facing Rick who could barely stand on his feet. With half-closed eyes and a blurry sight, blood dripped down his chin. "The three girls held knives in their hands, but they visibly hesitated. The minister was watching them, but their hands never stopped shaking. Though they had made plans to get rid of other maids in brutal ways, they had never actually dirtied their hands in such a direct manner. "Under the pressure of losing their limbs at best, the three girls were forced to think. And to their luck, they came up with a plan. They let loose their dogs at Rick and watched as the dogs dug their teeth into his skin and exposed his bones. Many maids enjoyed it, while a few stayed silent. For their stressed lives, seeing a human get devoured by the dogs was a thrilling matter which made their blood rush. Maybe, even his nieces would have liked it, if they didn''t know that he was their uncle. "Though their uncle was getting eaten in front of their eyes, they didn''t drop a shed of tear and just watched with blank faces... Until the minister acknowledged their gesture and let them enter his estate. "The dogs dragged Rick out of the estate, into the sugarcane fields. "Days passed. A new guy took Rick''s role. The three girls became second-ranked maids. Though the clients stopped for a few days after the incident, that situation was never gonna last long. Guests kept coming again. The nieces also acted like the incident never happened. In just three months, the three of them reached the first rank and created a record. They were the first females to have reached the first rank in the span a season revisited. "On one full moon night, the three nieces were together with the minister, in his private room..." The old man''s voice faded away, and now the visuals suddenly turned real, as Lirzod himself ended up inside that room. It was like he time traveled to the past. He could now hear what they were talking. Given how they didn''t seem him, even though he stood right in front of them, it was obvious that he was invisible to their eyes. He called out for the old man, but there was no response. All Lirzod could do was watch the ongoing scene. To his luck, or to his bad luck, the four of them still had clothes on their bodies. Two of the girls massaged his legs while the third one took care of his upper body. Both of his wrists were covered in bands of jasminum foliage and flowers, that served as wristlets in a sense. He sniffed the fragrance of the flowers, now and then, and made the girls experience the same. "This bastard..." Lirzod clenched his fist. "Even I never got massaged by three beautiful women at once!" He stepped forward, "Hmm?" He stopped and bent down. There was a figure hiding under the bed. Covered in scars and bite marks all over his face and limbs, Rick was staring straight at Lirzod, though he wasn''t visible. "That''s..." Lirzod''s eyes enlarged. "Heavens! He''s still alive?" "Sir Yizzy..." One of the three girls, Zhane said in an unsure manner. "Can I ask you one thing?" "Sure, dear. But keep working on my collars." "Yes," She put her delicate fingers to work. "Has any maid tried to kill you in the past?" The other two sisters glanced at the minister. "Why are you asking about it now?" "Lately, we''ve been hearing the word ''assassination,'' drifting in the maids'' dorms." "Oh... Really?" "Yes, sir." "And, you found anything genuine?" "I think I did." "Is it one or multiple?" "Just three." "Names?" "Zhane, Lavaerie, and Yigla!" Her words made the minister freeze. A needle came out of Zhane''s mouth, while the two other sisters sat on his legs and grabbed his hands. "This is for everything you did..." She covered his mouth with one hand and stabbed the needle on his chest repeatedly for ten times. Though the minister screamed like a dog, his sounds were heard in a different manner by the guards stationed outside the room. "Sir Yizzy is quite fierce today," One of the guards said. "He''s with the Pink Trinity after all," The other guard''s said in envy. Meanwhile, Yizzy got drilled with a couple dozens of holes in his body, and Lirzod stood still, his mouth wide opened in agape. After piercing his skin for more than hundred times at different spots, Zhane stopped and began to pant. The other two sisters also took deep breaths as they stared at each other. "He''s done for..." Lirzod looked at the minister who didn''t blink once in the past half-a-minute. But then Lirzod slowly smiled. "They did it! He''s gone! That bastard''s dead!" As he was about to lunge at the girls, in joy, the minister suddenly took a deep breath and then blinked. He got into a seating position, with the three girls sitting around him. "What the ¡ª" Lirzod was shell-shocked. "How did it feel this time, sir?" Zhane asked. A capricious smile forged itself on Yizzy''s face. "Quite good." He could feel the surge of energy gathering about in his body. "This is unexpected, Zhane. You''ve climbed another level in your acupuncture skills. I can barely feel any pain." "You are just praising me too much, sir," Zhane bowed her head, only slightly. Yizzed turned to the other two. "Lavaerie and Yigla, you two look as thin as poles but are surprisingly strong. I guess you both are putting in some physical effort in your meantime. Good. Good." "We just want to be perfect in everything we do, that''s all, Sir Yizzy." "If you three keep impressing me like this, you won''t just be limited to this estate," His words lit their faces. "If I recommend, you three may even be allowed into the Holy Brothel." The eyes of the three girls turned as round as moon. The three of them jumped on him and showered him with kisses. On the other hand, standing like a boulder, Lirzod stared at the four. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Why didn''t I ever dream of this roleplay before?" 12 CHILD AT HEART 4 As Lirzod stood and stared like a lunatic, the three women showed their biting might on Yizzy, and half-a-dozen hickeys surfaced on different parts of his body. The next moment, all the visuals were skipped, startling him. "H-Hey, wait!" Now, a couple of hours had passed in the past. The three girls just dressed up and left the minister''s room. Lirzod still had a frown on his face. That old fart, he skipped at the right time! The doors of the room closed, and the minister also dressed up and began to read some documents. Everything was silent in the estate, like an ordinary night, until a tiny noise broke out and the next second, a needle pierced the neck of the minister. Like a mosquito sting, the pain grabbed his attention, but when he raised his hand to place it on the bitten spot, it began to shake, which brought him incredible pain. By instinct, he stopped moving. He wanted to speak out, but even moving his jaw muscles made him cry. At that moment, as the minister was struggling, a person popped out from under the bed, holding a tiny bamboo-esque object. The minister''s eyes enlarged upon seeing Rick. "Are you surprised that I''m alive, Sir Yizzy?" Rick walked a couple of steps and stopped in front of the bed, and looked straight into the minister''s eyes. "In all the months I worked here, there''s only a single dog in this estate that I didn''t tame. You. It took me this long to heal, so I came to see how you were doing. And you are doing your best, aren''t you? "I''m not a specialist in understanding people, but there''s one thing I''m good at. Reading people''s eyes. Regardless of what the mouth may say, the eyes never lie. You... You just tell people what they want to hear. You said you were gonna recommend my nieces into what''s that...? Holy Brothel, was it? To how many women did you say those exact same words in the past? "My nieces... They are good people by heart. Unlike the other women, they gave their best in the life they were pushed into. I waited all this while hoping they would change their minds, but at this rate, they''re just gonna lose their limbs one day. And I can''t let that happen. He used the bamboo-esque object and pierced a couple of needles on his chest and shoulders before he removed the one on Yizzy''s neck. "If you speak out loud, the breath you take will stretch your chest muscles and you will die from a stroke. So, let''s have a proper conversation, shall we?" The minister who was about to shout, shut his mouth and fumed at Rick. "Zhana is a talented girl, not only at learning but also at teaching. Thanks to her, teaching me about how the human body worked, I managed to learn this art in a short time. It''s marvelous isn''t it?" Rick looked at the bamboo wood in his hand, which was the bamboo-esque object. "Like the blood that flows in our veins and carries all the necessary energy to all over our body, my breath carries the dart through this bamboo into the air, until it lodges itself into the target. This is serious stuff. It can kill people from a distance." The minister was shocked by Rick''s words. Though he was unimaginably angry, his gaze was fixed onto the bamboo-esque object. "You can''t make an ordinary bamboo work like that. It was as effective as a bow. How did you achieve that?" Rick smiled. "You want to help your king with this weapon? But this isn''t suited for large-scale battles, Sir Yizzy." "Hmph, as expected... A Mud Squeezer''s[1] brain doesn''t know the capacity of it. Just imagine, if you''ve coated the needle''s tip with a poison... You can assassinate all the kings of this world, one by one. And no one would know the exact cause, because they haven''t seen this weapon yet. A needle leaves far less of a trace than a poison ingestion through food. We will be able to conquer the world, thanks to such a simple weapon." Rick froze in his steps. He had never thought that his creation would be capable of doing such a thing. "What do you say? Join hands with me, and I''ll change your fate. We no longer have to limit ourselves to this farce of a kingdom." Rick didn''t reply. "What''s taking you so long?" Yizzy said and paused a moment. "Oh, is it because I hurt you and your family? C''mon, that was just business." "... Then what about the one that you''re proposing to me, now?" Yizzy was surprised. "Is it business as well?" "Well, that''s... More like a goal." "Ha-wu-how?" "What?" "How did playing with women till now become a business, but your plan of playing with the world became a goal?" "Women and world are nowhere near the same," He frowned as anger welled up inside his heart. "World will be peace without women." "Why do you have such hatred towards women? Do you not love your mother?" "Hmph, mother? I don''t even know how that b*tch looks. If I did, I would have stabbed her a dozen times for what she did." "What did she do? Abandon you?" "Abandoned? No, I would have been happy if she had at least done that, but I was offered as a sacrifice to some fucking guild she wanted to join. Soon after she joined, she stole the guild''s treasure and escaped. Because I was her son, I was kept alive, and someone else was sacrificed in my stead. And the guild itself raised me, to be what I am now, a woman hater..." He stared into Rick''s eyes. "I know, you feel like laughing at my childhood. Everyone does because it stinks... Like every woman." "I won''t laugh at you for what happened to you, but don''t expect any pity from me," Rick said. "There are countless people in this world whose entire lives stink from birth to death. But the belief that every woman stinks..." Rick paused a moment. "Women give life for those they love, and take lives of those they hate." Yizzy smirked. "Then why did your relationship with your sisters which was so healthy, worsened after their marriage?" Rick startled. "Huh, tell me. Do you mean to say your sisters never liked you? That''s just bullshit. Women are emotional beings, just like dogs. Show them what they want, and they''ll listen to you... like dogs would." "Stop." Rick looked away. "A bit of wealth was all it took to turn their love towards you into hate. If my childhood was a joke, your entire life is the biggest joke ever. Everything you''ve ever worked for your entire life was for your sisters, who deserved none of it. What a joke." Yizzy tried to control his anger and from speaking out loud. "Stop." "Yeah, as if sisters aren''t enough, they gave birth to three more disasters, who are the most mechanical lives I''ve ever seen. If I tell them I''d help them if they eat horse shit, they would gobble it down as if it were dumplings with cheese fillings, with an added grin on their face. I guarantee it. And you''ve come all the way here for such kind of woman. Don''t you think you''ve done enough for those swines?" "I said, STOP!" He blew a dart at Yizzy, which pierced his forehead and temporarily hindered him from speaking. But Yizzy faintly smiled. "Who''s there?" The door of the room opened and the two guards ran inside. "Bye-bye," Yizzy said. "In your place, I will put your invention to good use." "You! State your name!" The guards unsheathed their swords and stood in alerted positions. But in a couple of seconds, they realized that it was Rick, which made them let down their guard for only a moment. Zup! Zup! Two needles pierced the throats of the guy and make them choke on their own words. They let go of their swords and stumbled to the side, startling Yizzy. Rick came to him and removed all the needles except for the ones on his chest. He stabbed three more needles in his chest and said, "The five needles on your chest must be removed in the right order, or else you will die." Yizzy, who thought of fighting back could only grind his teeth in utter frustration, so much that his face turned darker by a few shades of gray. "The offer''s still there." Rick who seemed to be in a hurry, stopped and stared at his face. Three figures came running into the room. It was his nieces, whose skin crawled like never before when they saw the face of Rick. "U-Uncle! What are you..." Zhana was stepping forward. "Stand back." Rick''s voice was hoarse, and it froze the girls in their steps. He turned his face away from them and glanced at them from the corners of his eyes. After seeing their three faces, he looked back at the minister. "Look, even now, they don''t look remotely happy that you''re alive," Yizzy said. The girls looked at each other''s face, with puzzlement and sweat dripped down their foreheads. "Look, Minister..." Rick said, "Like you said, I''m just a Mud Squeezer, an ordinary farmer, and my nieces are just ordinary women. We are just ordinary people who lived most of our lives in a small village, unlike you whose life is mostly filled with grandeur. You have a King backing you. But... You are not the only one who possess two different characters. I also have two characters inside of me. One is a brother who can sacrifice his life without a second thought for those whom he cares. And if those people are in danger,the other one is a man who goes to any lengths to save them and doesn''t listen even if God tells him to." Silence filled the hall for a few seconds. New guards came running in the room. Five of them looked around and saw that the other two guards were lying unconscious on the ground. Rick grabbed the knife hanging at his waist and placed it at a touching distance to Yizzy''s throat. "Damn you, old fuck!" The guards were about to dash ahead. "Back away, fools!" Zhane shouted out of her lungs, startling them. After they had a look at Yizzy, they got a better idea of his situation. "Put down your weapons and lock yourself in a room," Rick told the guards, "unless you want to see your minister''s throat get cut like that of a chicken''s." Though enraged and pissed from the situation at hand, the guards were forced to do what they were told, because Zhane told them to. As a first-ranked maid, she had the authority next only to the minister, in the estate. She locked all the guards in a room and tossed the key to Rick. He took Yizzy as a hostage and walked through the corridors and halls of the estate, shocking every maid who witnessed the unbelievable event. Zhane was about to take out the needles hidden in her dress, but Rick''s voice reached her ears. "You''re practiced at soothing people''s minds, not at killing them." Zhane frowned and her fingers shivered from hesitation. "Rick, this is just madness," Yizzy''s eyes still filled with hope, "Don''t be a child. Together, we can win over this world!" Rick just ignored his words. "All of you..." He stopped and looked at the girls who stared at him with disgust and fear filled in their eyes. Though most of them knew his identity, his face looked so ugly they felt like throwing up after seeing it. Their impression on him was too plain for him to see through. "At best, you have eight hours before a guards unit shows up. If you can disappear in that time, find a home where you no longer have to sell your body in order to survive." The girls looked at each other''s faces in hesitation, and they looked at the minister as well, who had a scary look on his face. He didn''t seem like he was scared though a knife was touching his throat. "Your parents are still waiting for you three..." Rick''s words startled them. He wasn''t even looking at them. "You betrayed my hopes. At least, don''t betray theirs." As every maid watched, Rick left the estate with Yizzy and disappeared into the streets of the town. Lirzod wanted to leave with Rick to see what he would do to Yizzy, but he stayed inside the estate and watched Zhane and her sisters. ------------------------------------------------------ [1]Mud Squeezer: A derogatory term used by the rich to refer the farmers. 13 CHILD AT HEART 5 "Why did you cut off the scene?" Lirzod fumed at the old man, who just materialized beside him. "I want to know what happens to the nieces!" "Rick''s nieces are no longer our priority anymore," The old man shook his head. But Lirzod''s face instantly turned into that of a pouting gorilla. "Alright, alright, I won''t show you their visuals, but... I will give you some information regarding them." Lirzod wasn''t entirely pleased but still got excited. "So, what happened to them? Did they end up with their parents?" He didn''t like the character of the sisters of Rick, given how poorly they treated him, he still pitied them when they got mistreated by the minister and were led to lead painful lives. "By the time the Golden Guards Unit showed up, almost all the maids have disappeared from the estate, except for a handful. And Rick''s nieces were among those who stayed back." "What?" Lirzod couldn''t believe the words that came out of the old man''s mouth. "Stop joking." "I''m not trying to be funny." "Why would they stay back in that shit place?" His face contorted. "There''s nothing good about it." "That''s just your opinion." The old man stroked his beard in an elegant manner. "C''mon, I am good at it! My opinions are always ranked high by my maids!" The old man tilted his head, just a little. "Your maids must either respect you or fear you." "It''s neither of those!" "It is either of those." "Neither." "... Either." "Neither." The old man turned away. "Hm-hu," Lirzod placed his arms on his waist and lifted his chin to an extent. "As a kid, you might think that women get easier time for being attractive, but you might not know that they also get a similar amount of a hard time because of it. That''s why, behind all the superficiality of most girls, there''s always greater forces at work ¡ª the desire for a better life." "You mean, the better life in the sisters'' opinion lied in being maids than in being with their family?" The corners of the old man''s lips curled down, but he nodded his head. "To them, it was." Lirzod brows bent out of shape. "It doesn''t make any sense. Their families are wealthy enough. The sisters are experienced in massaging and many other practices, so they can earn enough money without much problem. Why would they not choose to live such a life?" The old man smiled. "After working for so many years as maids, you think they can easily go back to their previous lives like nothing happened?" "Well," Lirzod startled but gathered his thoughts in haste. "If they are afraid of people calling them as prostitutes, they can just settle in a different place. Not everybody would know their identities, right?" A modest smile surfaced on his face, as he seemed to have expected the question. "They weren''t just any maids. They were the first-ranked maids and would know things most other maids don''t." Lirzod paused for a moment. "You mean..." His eyes enlarged, "if they run away, they will be hunted down?" "Pretty much..." The old man nodded just a bit. "They and their families included." Lirzod frowned. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath. "So, what happened to the eagle-nosed bastard?" "He..." The old man constrained his smile. "The kingdom''s people haven''t heard of him after that incident. The king deployed troops but even a thorough search throughout the entire kingdom gave them no results." "Not even a clue?" The old man shook his head in a soft fashion. "All clues were either mistaken or misleading. "They wasted lots of time over every little thing and before they knew it a lot of time had passed. In fact, decades had passed. And everybody forgot about the minister, including the king ¡ª the malevolent king who had gotten worse in his ways. Beforehand, the king only did dark dealings through Yizzy, but after his disappearance, the dealt with his clients using multiple such ministers. "As a result, his kingdom had become a haven for all sorts of bad things, from excessive taxes to obligated roles and forced charity works. There were many ridiculous proposals put forward and made official without even getting opinions of the people. One such proposal was that, in every family, for every generation, one male child must be made a soldier and one female child must be made a rent girl[1]. Every family was forced to produce two children just as a sacrifice for the kingdom." Lirzod was stupefied and felt like a ton of bricks fell upon his head. "That''s just ridiculous! Didn''t people stand against it?" "Many did," The old man''s head tilted down, and he sighed. "Lots of people formed groups and rebelled, but all those were made to regret through severe punishment. Most new laws the king brought forth, were officialized as Commoners Service, and people had to swallow those laws as if they were like ex gratia." "Was that service necessary to be fulfilled?" Lirzod couldn''t help himself but ask. "People were held liable in case they failed to contribute." "That..." Lirzod clenched his fist. "Those people should have suffered a lot." "They did," The old man said, his tone not as bold as before, and his back bent a little as well. Lirzod tilted his head downward. The memories of his clan flooded through his consciousness. Though it was not as worse a situation as of the people of the past, his clan also faced many such similar situations, and many bad deeds were performed by the clansmen in order to survive ¡ª which also gave birth to the Masked Guards of his clan. But the difference was that in the past, the head of the kingdom itself was the enemy of the people, but when it came to his clan, it was the outsiders. Lirzod even heard people talking about assassinating the clan heads, at times, when people of their clan were socially engineered by other bigger clans which secretly exported drug ingested foods using proxy merchants. As a result, many lives of the Faceless clan were spoiled for years, and nobody could tell the cause. The scourge of encapsulated drugs i.e., food sold on streets turned people into lifeless masses as they roamed the streets. It was Fidelis and Sinario who discovered the root cause of it and entirely stopped importing and severed their good relations with most of their allies. But still, the bigger sects, clans, and organizations always looked for ways to control and deracinate if not decimate the smaller ones. His clan faced many such troublesome and scary situations in the past. Howbeit, thanks to the strength and wits of the clan heads of the Faceless clan, they survived through every situation they were forced to involve in, at the expense of losing lives, property and such. "What happened to the people was truly terrible," The old man took a breath and straightened his spine. "But they suffered for decades until one person showed up, and put an end to it." Lirzod was elated. "Who? It''s Rick, isn''t it?" The old man calmly shook his head. "It was Yizzy." Lirzod blinked twice. "Huh..?" He was taken aback. "He didn''t die?" "He got the audience of the king by proving his identity, and during a court meeting, in front of many ministers, he blew a dart at the king, and as many eyes watched, a dart lodged itself into the king''s throat." Lirzod was wide-mouthed. "The soldiers, the royals, the ministers were all left stunned to the core. They didn''t even understand what happened until the king''s shoulders hugged the hands of his seat. As everyone looked at Yizzy in absolute shock, all they saw was a small bamboo in his hand." "That.." Lirzod was saying, but words still didn''t come out of his mouth. "Yes. It was the same weapon that Rick used on him before. Since nobody foresaw that, they were a bit late to react. If not for that, Yizzy could have died by a rain of arrows. But a certain guild made their entrance and suppressed all the ministers, and had the ministers order the killing of the remaining royal family. "Yizzy hung the head of the king in the streets, which boosted the morale of the people like never before. Yizzy made it so that he was the only one who could sit on the empty throne. And he did. In time, he removed all the laws set by his predecessor, and put forward new laws which favored the oppressed." "Really? He''s a changed man now?" Lirzod didn''t believe the old man''s words. "He''s definitely plotting something, right?" The old man stood still for a moment. "His motives were unclear at the time. Instead of ruling his Lapol kingdom all by himself, he split it into two kingdoms ¡ª North Lapol and South Lapol. To the commoners, it seemed like he had no choice but to do that, as Lapol was a giant kingdom, and there were too many bigwigs who would never be willing to work under Yizzy. Many people foresaw the split of the kingdom as well. People who didn''t like the new laws set by Yizzy, and people who liked the old laws had chosen to go to South Lapol ruled by a council of ministers, while Yizzy alone ruled the North Lapol. "Everybody thought things would calm down after the split, but new problems that nobody foresaw arose. The main problem came with trading and the inconsistent prices which affected the commoners more than anybody else. It didn''t take long before the neutral kingdoms turned into enemies. They used to live together, but then they showed no hesitation when fighting each other at their borders. It seemed like a never-ending war. Both of the kingdoms were big enough to attract the attention of neighboring kingdoms which helped either of those. "More and more kingdoms joined in for support. "Before people could even comprehend the scale of it ¡ª began the War of Wars. You might know it as the first World War." The old man turned his head towards Lirzod who nodded a bit late. "Not every kingdom participated in it, but most of the major kingdoms did." "That eagle-nosed bastard...He was the cause of all of it, wasn''t he?" "We can''t be sure since he told nobody about it and we don''t really know his thoughts." "But I know!" Lirzod said in a firm manner. "He wants to be the king of the world." The old man laughed without a restraint, which surprised Lirzod. "What?" Lirzod''s voice was rather threatening. "I''m wrong?" "Ahem," The old man adjusted his throat. "Like I said, Yizzy was a liar of many levels. His true goal is unknown. Lying was like his profession after all." "But then," Lirzod paused for a moment. "Does that mean he lied to Rick back then as well?" The old man slightly nodded. "Maybe... Probably." "Yeah," Lirzod nodded back. "He''s a wolf in sheep''s clothing." The old man chortled a bit. "Most people in power are." "I can kind of understand." Lirzod clamped the sides of his head with his palm as his brain began to heat up. "If he doesn''t want to be the ruler of this world, what exactly does he want?" "It''s not known what he exactly wanted, but one thing was certain," The old man shifted his head and looked sideways at Lirzod. "He wished to make the lives of all women miserable. And he wanted to start it with his mother." Lirzod startled. "He still held grudge against her?" He shook his head. "Wait, he should already be old enough to be called a grandpa. Would his mother even be alive¡ª"? Lirzod was about to say but paused. He remembered Blanche, an old woman of his clan. "Never mind. Women tend to live longer than men. I wonder what''s the reason... Their beauty maybe?" "It surely is not. "... The first World War continued on for years until a man appeared at the borders between Northern and Souther Lapol. Possessing the strength of an elephant and the heart of a lion, he single-handedly dealt with many units and temporarily halted the war." "Ended the war alone?" Lirzod waved his hand. "Stop joking." "He didn''t end it yet. But yes, he suspended it." "How?" Lirzod still didn''t chew the words. "Because he wasn''t ordinary," The old man''s words contained a tinge of pride and proudness. "During the War of wars, he alone healed more people than all the other healers combined, both in a physical and a mental sense. Every wounded person brought to him got healed in a matter of days, regardless of the graveness of the wound. He was the first person to attach a severed limb and bring it back to its previous state, just with his spit. His methods were bizarre but they worked, so nobody complained. In a matter of months, his name spread across kingdoms, and it reached the peak when he personally held back a ten million army." Lirzod gulped a breath of cold air, his eyes enlarged to the extreme in awe. "He stopped ten million soldiers? Alone?" "No. Not alone. He had the backing of the animals." "Oh, so he had the backing of the animals," Lirzod''s shock and excitement began to die. "That''s nothing special." He crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he turned his head away. The old man twitched. "He didn''t have the backing of the beasts but just the animals." "Hmm?" Lirzod glanced at the old man through the corner of one of his opened eyes. "What''s the difference?" "An animal remembers your kindness; a beast does not!" The old man stressed his words, for the first time, though only by a bit. "O-Oh..." Lirzod''s heart shook for some unknown reason, and his hands loosened down subconsciously, as his body turned towards the old man. "So those two are different?" Lirzod rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. He thought that both were one and the same and never got any doubt during school days. "Now that I think about it, I might have heard or read something similar." The old man lifted his staff. "No, no, I didn''t," Lirzod replied and moved a step backward in a flash, but the old man still didn''t put the staff down. "Tell me about that man. W-Why did you stop?" The old man paused for a moment, before putting the staff down. "He fought the ten million opposition with the help of the nature that rallied every wild animal in the vicinity to fight in his stead. A human commanding so many animals - it was never heard of prior to that. All the soldiers feared him, and so did the heads of their kingdoms. Healing miraculously was one thing. Taming animals was one thing. But they couldn''t get their heads around the fact that someone managed to take those two things to the highest degree one could imagine. Some sent men to kill him. Some sent women to get him on their side. Regardless of how people thought of him or what happened, he joined hands with nobody but ones who took care of the Mother Nature. "His teachings and the miracles he did, solidified his name as the Man of God. Hundreds of thousands of people tried to become his disciples but he rejected all of them. Still, thousands left their homes and followed him from a distance." "He doesn''t seem to care about rejecting the requests," Lirzod began to like the guy. "Now, that makes him a worthy candidate to be Lirzod''s friend." The old man banged on Lirzod''s stomach before he knew it. Lirzod howled in pain. "Why did you hit me?" He coldly glanced at the old man, unable to control his anger anymore. "You deserved it," The old man said in a similar cold tone. "And you know it." His words surprisingly took all the gas out of Lirzod. He still continued rubbing the top of his head, but his eyes laid on the object in the old man''s hand. (That shitty staff, I will break it one day, I swear!) "Whichever place that man visited, peace flourished," The old man continued. "The number of thugs dwindled down. Crime rate itself had collapsed." "You''ve been referring to him as ''man.'' Doesn''t that ''man,'' have a name?" Lirzod''s speech was rather satirical. "Oh, he does have a name. He was Godrick," The old man looked at Lirzod. "Do you know him?" Lirzod''s jaw dropped instantly and his eyes turned as round as the moon. "G-G-G..." Words didn''t come out of his mouth. "G-Godrick?" He almost fell backward, and his mind totally went blank. The old man stopped Lirzod from falling back by making a wall out of thin air. Lirzod''s back touched the wall. "Easy, child." "Wait," Lirzod swallowed his saliva, and shook his head. "You mean that M-Martial Godrick? The Father of Martials. He''s the one you were talking about?" "Yes," The old man casually said. Lirzod froze like a boulder of ice. "Godrick. God... Rick." From the thought that flashed in his mind, his eyes enlarged further. "I-Is... Is Rick, Godrick?" The old man grinned. "Yes." Lirzod was at a loss for words, and couldn''t breathe or even swallow his own saliva. His heart pounded viciously and its beatings ran recklessly his own ears. The thought had never crossed his mind that Rick was in sooth Godrick. Blood rushed to his heart and an indescribable feeling oozed out of it and spread to all segments of his body. In school, he read many of Godrick''s tales, but what he learned from the books and from the old man in front of him differed by a vast margin. "Was it really him?" The old man nodded twice, while still smiling. "But he was no longer the same Rick as he was before." Lirzod mechanically nodded his head. The old man began to stroke his beard. "Though people saw his supreme healing abilities, they were clueless on how he achieved such abilities. Some thought that he spent many decades on a certain mountain and got enlightenment. Some thought that Gods gave their blessings to him. But given the deeds he had performed till that moment, no rumor about him would be considered as an exaggeration. "No matter the place he visited, locals offered him lots of wealth, but he only accepted simple things like water and food from those he helped. "When he was in Southern Lapol, three old women came to the house he was staying at. They were his nieces." Lirzod startled and came out of his daze. "Sisters? Were they living in Southern Lapol?" He said, but then closed his eyes. "Don''t show me how they look at that age, got it?" "I wasn''t going to show you anyway," The old man said, and only then Lirzod opened his eyes. "Godrick was happy for the arrival of his nieces, but he didn''t show it on his face, or even in his actions. He knew that his nieces would come at some point. But he wasn''t sure if they were sent, or if they came by their own choice. Because of that, he made them work as his assistants for an entire year. They saw every miracle he did, with their own eyes. Afterward, he told them to not follow him anymore and gave them the location of a certain place. The nieces listened to his words and left his side. "Soon after the nieces left his side, many shadows tailed those three nieces. Godrick no longer bothered about them, and instead made his way to Yizzy''s castle in the Northern Lapol." "Wait," Lirzod interrupted. "What do you mean by ''tailed''"? "People who lusted for Godrick''s power thought that he would have likely told them something important." "Why did Godrick put them in such a danger?" "He didn''t exactly put them in a dangerous spot, because the three nieces weren''t as easy targets as you may think. Each sister experienced themselves in deadly arts which improved drastically in the time they spent as Godrick''s assistants. Unless Guard Units were dispatched, those three can''t easily be seized." "Oh, then would those people just send Guard Units after them?" The old man''s shoulders jerked a bit, and he stopped his beard-stroking. "You think Guard Units can be sent on a whim? Everybody would know when a Guard Unit was on the move. And people would inquire." "Oh, so that''s why¡­" Lirzod''s heart began to slow down. "I should have guessed when he told them to leave. It''s Godrick we are talking about after all." "If your questioning is over then," the old man lifted his staff, and the visuals appeared in front of Lirzod. Godrick and Yizzy were in a private room. "I let you go that day after you promised me you''d no longer bring harm to anybody," Godrick''s voice was calm yet choking, as he stood before Yizzy who stood with his back against a pillar. "I knew you were associated with a guild. But I didn''t know you were a puppet of that guild." Yizzy''s face was devoid of all color. His heart sped up uncontrollably, and the throbbing echoed in his ears. "But you no longer have to worry about them because I have crippled all of the guild''s members...for you." "F-For me?" Yizzy was utterly puzzled. Though the thought that the guild members were crippled made him happy, the presence of Godrick overshadowed all his positive emotions. "Yeah," Godrick''s spoke normally, but his voice penetrated deep into the deepest parts of Yizzy''s heart. "W-What do you want?" Yizzy never felt such fear in a very long time. He felt like even his heart was under the control of the person who stood in front of him. Though he tried to hide it, he couldn''t suppress all of it, and some of it showed on his visage. "As the king of Lapol... As the person who has half of the world''s kings on your side, you are worth nothing as a cadaver. But..." "Y-You can''t kill me. I know you don''t kill people." "That''s may be true. But I can cripple you." Yizzy felt like a ten-ton boulder of rock crashed on his head. Beads of sweat surfaced on all over Yizzy''s face and body. "... You are right. I can be of more use alive than dead. Being cripple is equivalent to being dead. No, it''s worse than being dead." "You see," Godrick stared straight into Yizzy''s eyes. "You are too cunning for your own good. However, I will give you another chance. Just one." "I-I am listening." "Good. Your task is simple. You just have to unite the world without any women getting raped and anybody under fourteen years of age getting killed. Can you do that for me?" Yizzy said nothing. "Didn''t you hear me?" "I did, I did. But, Unite? Y-You think it''s selling peanuts or what?" "You got a problem?" Godrick sharpened his voice and stare. "W-With all the restrictions you gave, it''s an unimaginable task? Even without them, it''s impossible," Yizzy was quick to reply. "There are still many kingdoms whose names we don''t even know of yet. The world is too big of a place to conquer in a lifetime." "You can''t do it?" Godrick''s voice was threatening. "I-I never said I can''t," Yizzy said in a haste. "I said it''s impossible. But I can still do it." Though Yizzy said it out loud, his voice contained no confidence. Godrick turned back and walked a couple of steps away. "You don''t have to worry too much. I will give you some of my power." "What?" Yizzy startled. "Can it be given to others?" Godrick said nothing. Yizzy, however, deciphered the silence. "R-Really? Would you do that? To an enemy?" He stepped closer. Godrick''s glanced back over his shoulder, and his look resembled like that of a predator. "You did terrible things. You caused the greatest war that spoiled countless souls. I know everything crooked thing you did. But I''m still giving you a chance to repent your sins." Yizzy was taken aback. "I will do it. I will." After Godrick averted his eyes, Yizzy could again be at ease. He went into deep thought for a few seconds, and the end of it, his heartbeat slowed down and he gave a cold glance at Godrick. "... Why do you suddenly want to save the world? You have nothing better to do?" Godrick stared into the distance and was late to reply. "In this age, our world runs on greed. It makes slaves out of everyone.Most are ever hungry because of it, and they never get fully satisfied. My sisters¡­ Greed clouded their eyes from my love. It also kept my nieces from ever loving me." Yizzy stayed silent for a moment, before speaking, "You think uniting the world eliminates greed from people? You are just being silly, again. Such a society only makes it easy for the greedy to fool those who aren''t." "You may be right," Godrick still looked away. "But as long as we elect capable leaders to oversee the welfare of their localities, things should become a lot better than now." "Not all people are as good as you, Mr. Mud Squeezer," Yizzy gathered up the courage to smirk. "You may think you found great leaders but they would all be acting in front of you out of fear or..." he smiled. "Because of the same greed, you spoke of." Godrick glanced back at Yizzy. "If I can turn a trash like you into a decent human being, don''t you think turning others is a piece of cake?" Yizzy forced out a chuckle. "No one ever praises me like you do." "I wasn''t praising." A few seconds of silence passed. "What''s in it for me?" Yizzy''s voice contained less to no hesitation. "You won''t end up in the Endless Plains after you die," Godrick answered in a calm manner as if the question wasn''t out of his expectations. "Endless Plains? The hell are those?" "Yes, they are what us humans call as Hell." "Hell? Stop fooling around. You think I''m an infant?" "I''ve seen it," Godrick turned to Yizzy and their eyes met, "I''ve seen the terror that countless souls were experiencing with my own eyes. Their screams are still fresh in my ears." His voice was filled with gloom. Yizzy''s heartbeat increased in pace, and its pounding rang in his ears. "Hell... is real? I don''t believe you." Though he said that, his heart wanted to believe the opposite of it. Godrick looked away. "I wish I can show you that, but I''m not capable of it yet." Yizzy still didn''t want to believe Godrick''s words. "Hmph, you think I fear Hell? I don''t even fear the heavens! Why would I fear a mere hell?" He increased his chest size. "It''s true that I desire your power, but not at the cost of bearing the burden you are putting on me." "What if I told you," Godrick glanced sideways at Yizzy, "your mother is in the Endless Plains?" Yizzy''s whole conscience shook whereas his body froze. -------------------------------------- [1] Rent Girl: Unlike a prostitute, a rent girl was allowed to stay at home, but was required to report at said place on notice. A higher ranked rent girl was paid more than a lower ranked one, and get privileges like having bodyguards and such. 14 CHILD AT HEART 6 With mildly flaring nostrils, the old man stood with one of his arms clasped behind his body. "Godrick imparted Touchless Arts to Yizzy before he disappeared from the streets. His last words to Yizzy were ''Look beyond what you see.''" "You mean the first Touchless Martial Arts?" Lirzod''s vein on the neck throbbed. "Hmm, but it''s a beta version of it," the old man gripped the staff a little tighter than usual. Lirzod shook his head in amazement. Touchless Arts were some of the hardest arts to learn even for Martials. "As expected, Godrick''s a beast." There was a rise in his vocal pitch. The old man''s grip on the staff eased down and he faintly smiled as he glanced towards Lirzod. "With the use of it, Yizzy easily impressed many kings of the world. He was able to stop arrows in midair, put people to sleep, and defeat people without even touching them." Lirzod''s posture stiffened as heard the old man''s words. He subconsciously crossed his arms across his chest. "He just traveled to every kingdom and demonstrated his power," the old man lifted one of his arms and gestured in many ways which made it seem like he spoke with his arm, "And in his journey, he became evidently stronger. It took him many years but he managed to combine half of the major kingdoms of the world without a woman getting defiled or a child getting killed." "What about those isolated kingdoms?" Lirzod asked in an uncertain tone. "Putting aside the isolated kingdoms, of course," the old man stated in a calm manner. "All that was left were the kingdoms that weren''t his allies in the first World War. Given his current power, they may not act against him in public, but they would definitely look for a way to poison him. Yizzy didn''t want to take the risk. If even one woman or a child dies because of him, his deal with Godrick would be nullified. More than anything, he didn''t want that to happen. So he chose to visit the isolated kingdoms. "By isolated, you mean..." Lirzod gazed with focus. The old man paused for long before replying, "The Beyonder Kingdoms." Lirzod had a gut feeling it was them before the old man even replied, but it still took his breath away. It was written in the books that to step foot in one of the Beyonder Kingdoms, one must go beyond oneself. Even to this day, these kingdoms were shrouded in mystery. Too many deaths surrounded these places. The old man tightened his fist and loosened it. "Yizzy managed to reach one of the Beyonder kingdoms, and nothing but a surprise awaited him. He understood why Godrick suggested him to look in their direction." "Wait..." Lirzod''s voice trembled as he stepped back one, his arms frozen in mid-flight and gaze fixed at the old man. "Was that a land filled with beautiful women?" His heart raced like that of a child''s and began to fill itself with never-before-felt hope. "I knew it!" The old man emphatically said, "No." "What?" Lirzod''s body shrank as his shoulders flailed, and it seemed like a significant amount of energy escaped out of his body. "It''s not the kingdom of heaven then." The old man tapped his foot in midair and a gust of wind that generated around his foot blew in every direction and made Lirzod lose balance. His entire hair curled back and his teeth exposed as his lips contorted in weird ways. A couple of his shirt buttons were undone and the lower part of his shirt fluttered like a flag would against the wind. With eyes that were almost closed, Lirzod stared at the old man who coldly said, "Do you want to listen or not?" He lifted the staff, "If not, I''ll send you to the kingdom of hell right way." "Gye''ll!" I will! Lirzod couldn''t even see much less speak properly with all the wind lashing at his face. The wind died down in a gradual fashion, taking only a second. As silence spread across, Lirzod heaved a sigh and forced out a smile. The old man turned his attention away from Lirzod, into the distance, and spoke in a slight gripping tone. "The Beyonder Kingdom Yizzy entered was filled with strange energy which at first suffocated him, but eventually it made him feel good, feel stronger. It wasn''t just the air that perplexed him; everything his eyes saw, ears heard, and nose smelled felt freakish. There were floating landmasses, trees that grew upside down, rivers that snaked through the skies, fruits that radiated both like the sun and the moon, waterfalls that slid and slipped down the edges of the floating landmasses, architecture that was purely made of natural elements, hills of complex shapes, giant-size statues bounded by chains, creatures larger than humans ¡ª horses with single horns, cats whiter than snow itself and just as whiter forests, Everything his eyes laid on was bigger, stronger and bizarre than he had ever seen or heard of before. What he saw there forced him to come to a realization that everything he had heard about the Beyonder Kingdoms till that moment was fictitious. "As he explored the region, looking to find people, the energy of the atmosphere around him grew more and more unstable. His desire to meet his mother was so strong that the air in front of him tore, opening up a portal, and charcoal-black fire spewed out from the other side followed by the screams and howls of agony, anger, and desperation. "Maybe out of intrigue, he raised his arm towards it and got sucked inside. The moment he stepped foot on the other side, he saw with his own eyes, the scariest setting he could ever imagine. Countless souls were being tortured in uncountable ways and indiscernible fashions, by the guards who seemed like humanoid beasts with horns. He discerned the identity of the place he entered. "Thousands of sinners were forced to consume different colors of fire while thousands more got beat down by piercing nails made out of ice and snow. Some souls fought against each other, while some tried to hide in the buildings of desolate streets. Those who hid were being pulled out by the guards. Those who were being tortured and shouted "I give up!" were devoured by the reptiles and vipers that made their entrance out of nowhere by slithering through the never-ending masses. A glimpse was enough for Yizzy to assume that those who got consumed, had ceased to exist." "What, what do you mean by ceasing to exist?" Cold sweat dripped down from various parts of Lirzod''s body. The old man''s lips formed a brown line for a moment before he spoke, "Everybody that entered hell was given three choices: Repent through a preset birth, or rebirth after retribution, or eternal death." "If the creatures in that place devour a soul, then that''s..." Lirzod got rooted at the spot. "You get everything of yours imbibed," The old man said, blowing out a noisy breath. "Your memories, your personality, your strength, everything that''s unique regarding you will become part of those creatures, which also is considered as you ceasing to exist forever." Lirzod''s breath turned heavier. "So, those who were getting tortured chose the second option, rebirth after retribution? Why most chose that one? If they give up in the middle of it, weren''t they absorbed entirely? The first option sounded a lot safer." The old man smiled. "If your sins are of lightweight, then it may be the right choice. Otherwise, a repenting life can be the hardest life to lead. You might feel like the entire world is acting against you. No matter what you do, you cannot escape your fate in that life. You might not be able to kill yourself even if that''s what you desire. To the unaware, repenting lives are labyrinthine." Lirzod''s heart began to beat heavily, as he clenched his fist and stared fixedly at the old man. "Then... If a good person dies at a young age, does that mean they have repented all their sins of the past life?" "That may be the case, or that may not be as well. As far as I know, none can tell apart a life from a repenting one to one that''s not." "Afterward, they would be reborn with a free life, right?" Lirzod''s speech quickened a bit. "Can''t be sure of that either. It''s decided at the Gates of Order whether a soul is eligible for a self-directing rebirth, or for an obscure reincarnation or for a superficial resurrection or for a trip to hell or heaven." "Where are those gates situated at?" Lirzod''s head tilted back and gaze looked up at the old man as he asked in an eager tone, raising his clenched-fists to his chest. The old man leaned forward a bit and said in a light tone, "Nobody knows where the gates exist." Lirzod stayed silent, still clenching his fist. The old man somewhat parted his lips. "Something wrong?" Lirzod shook his head and voiced denial, as he relaxed his hands. The old man stroked his beard for a few moments while Lirzod stared away into the distance with teary eyes. In time, Lirzod turned to the old man, "What happened afterward?" "The opening of the portal and the arrival of Yizzy alerted many souls. They all tried to escape out of the punishments they were obligated to experience. It was then Yizzy realized that he was in the Endless Plains... In the hell itself." Lirzod''s shoulders tightened and his eyes appeared damped. The old man continued, "There was no end to the sight his eyes had witnessed. Every direction offered him a similar picture ¡ª devoid of kindness ¡ªthe most grotesque of all he had ever seen. The heart-wrenching calls of people shook his body and his very soul. Even children were present among the ones being punished as if they were all being made an example in front of his eyes. "Many souls tried to escape out of that place through the portal, but Yizzy stepped forward and distanced himself from the portal. His eyes kept searching for someone, without even blinking. Maybe he was subconsciously afraid that he''d miss her if he blinked. But the number of souls around him was just too high for him to catch the sight of his mother. So he kept himself close to the portal and watched every soul that tried to escape. Many souls tried to enter his body, but some strange energy that gathered around his body kept him out of harm. "The beast guards tried to get things under control, but it wasn''t easy for them to control the innumerable souls. After minutes of wait, when tens of thousands of souls had already poured themselves out of that place into the human world, Yizzy finally saw someone that resembled his mother." Arms raised high and spread out in the air, grabbed by the mouths of beast statues, a black-haired woman who seemed to be in her thirties sweated blood as a pointy whip cut through her dress and the skin under it and exposed the flesh on her back. She bit her lips so hard that it bled, but she didn''t make a single noise with her mouth. The whippings grew in number and reached a hundred, exposing her bones, but she didn''t make a sound. The guard put the whip aside and the statues let go of her. She fell straight into the large bowl filled with bubbling blood-red liquid. The pepper-mixed liquid entered her wounds and, she who didn''t make a sound until then howled in pain, and she tried to swim out of the bowl. She reached to the edge of it, but the guard pushed her away to the center of it using a wave of his arm. As the liquid in the bowl got vaporized, a fresh liquid was added by the guard. Even though there was a lot of ruckus going on around that guard, he only focused on his subject. She writhed in pain, screamed as she rolled up and down like a dying fish would on the ground. "Someone, save me! Someone help me! I can''t bear this anymore." Her howls were intense, but they were just one among the many that were experiencing a similar fate. After some time, she managed to swim out of the bowl and poured the buckets of cold wair specifically arranged for her. Though the burning sensation had died down a bit, her skin began to itch like it never did. She scratched her skin ¡ª what''s left of it ¡ª so hard, her skin got peeled off, but the itching didn''t stop. She rolled on the dirty ground and rubbed her body to it, but nothing changed. More scratching and more rubbing, but nothing changed. Her hands got gripped again by the mouths of the beasts which pulled her up into the air. The guard got hold of the whip and resumed his treatment, all over again. Nobody in hell showed love, not even a speck of it. Be it the guards or the creatures, everybody was downright cruel. Their mission was to deal with the damned in the damnedest ways possible. There was a saying that what''s priceless in the whole of Hell was one act of kindness. The old man resumed his speech, "Seeing his mother being subjected to not only physical misery but mental misery as well, Yizzy''s eyes were pleased." 15 CHILD AT HEART 7 Yizzy''s eyes danced, sparkled and shone as witnessed his mother''s torture and a feeling of restlessness yet lightness birthed in his muscles. Heat radiated through his chest as smile tried hard to escape out of his lips. And it eventually succeeded. "Yavin, Zeke, Wiktor, Vadim... and Tamsyn. I''m extremely sorry for everything I have done!" His mother shouted as she got whipped on her thighs from the front. "I deserve this punishment. I know I do. I know, I..." Her blood dripped down and fell into the bowl underneath and turned its liquid redder than it already was. Yizzy''s smile subsided. He clenched his fist and turned away before hurrying out of the portal along with many other souls. Unlike him, the souls changed into thin air as they entered the human world. However, their presence could subtly be felt by him. The atmosphere around grew a lot dimmer and many lives were dying as darkness spread like a disease. Soon after Yizzy came out, the portal closed by itself, and the energy gathered around him vaporized itself into nothing. And the next moment, hundreds of souls tried to enter his body, which he couldn''t fight against and it rendered him unconscious. By the time he woke up, weeks had passed and he was in his North Lapol kingdom, with Godrick beside him. In those few weeks, Godrick had taught various martial arts to members of different nations as per their choice, which enhanced the body, mind, and spirit of people. Though they were unable to join hands with any of the Beyonder kingdoms ¡ª thanks to the Hell Crack incident caused by Yizzy ¡ª the world was still united with most of the other major kingdoms in what was called a Federal Union. Things were exceptional for humans for the next few decades when they had broken their limits in many aspects. Martial arts had become a norm and those who exceptionally learned the arts were given the title of a martial. Everybody knew that the world''s first martial was Godrick who had looked younger as time passed, and even after living for hundred years, he had no white hair anywhere on his body. He would later be known as the only human who had become a martial at the ripe age of hundred. Unlike Godrick, Yizzy didn''t stand out too much. However, he involved himself more in political affairs but also taught some type of martial arts to others whenever he had the time. Over time, Godrick gave ten honors for the common people to follow. These common people would eventually be referred to as Hollows. And the ten Hollow Honors described the qualities a Hollow must to live life to one''s heart''s content. HOLLOW HONORS: 1. Have an open heart. 2. Be patient, honest, kind and calm. 3. Have a life of your own and depend on nobody unless you are disabled. 4. Pursue what you want to, not what you were told to. 5. Do foolish things with people you like. 6. Accept the flaws of others and know when to compromise. 7. Do not bear grudges or keep a record of wrongs that others do. 8. Take no delight in speaking the truth, for it''s always born from within and spreads out. 9. Try not to love everyone but to love each other. 10. Assets make you careless. Liabilities make you careful. Having them both in your life will teach you the value of every entity of the world. Though he wanted to add another honor ¡ª do not fear death ¡ª to the list, in the end, he never added it. Maybe, he might have thought it was the only fear that could never be erased from the heart of every living being ¡ª not as long as new lives were born. The ten Hollow Honors became so popular that they spread to every kingdom that was a part of Federal Union, and even to some other foreign kingdoms. At some point, almost every family had a scroll painted with the ten hollows and a few of Godrick''s teachings. It was called the Scroll of Scrolls. In time, some also referred to it as the Sacred Scroll. For about a hundred and forty-three years, everything was peaceful for the countries that lived together as the Federal Union. There was a saying that nothing lasts forever. New martials kept popping out from various parts of the world, more so than ever. Becoming a martial was more important than anything in the world at the time. People took so much pride in it, that nations took pride in winning the tournaments set between them. Over time, the results of the competitions affected the kingdoms in many ways, and especially those who lost the betting during the competitions were the ones who suffered the most. These sort of situations created inequalities among the kingdoms in the Federal Union. The differences created egos, which grew so big that they didn''t even listen to the words of Godrick and told him to not participate in political affairs as he wasn''t a royalty. The increase in strength grew invisible horns on most people''s heads, and Godrick realized that. He expected that people would eventually understand each other, but he got proved to be terribly wrong. He knew that greed was the most troublesome thing in the world but he later realized that it was still an understatement for it. Greed bred people''s ego and took them for a ride, as they disregarded peace and desired for individual glory at the cost of bonds at cultural and economic levels. Most martials who fought against each other during big stages were his disciples whom he taught for decades and developed a deep connection with. Seeing them radically change after leaving his side, had saddened him to an unimaginable extent, especially since he put lots of hope on them being doing things greater than he could ever imagine. But he got proved to be gravely wrong as people who showered praises on his kindness for decades had now taken that as an advantage. Though they didn''t dare disrespect him directly, they avoided him and his teachings. New martial arts were invented by various martials, which gave birth to new struggles, new pride, and new habits. People with similar goals formed clans, groups, clades, organizations, guilds and such sorts of groups and divided the society into smaller sections ¡ª each of which sought the material wealth of some sort. As time passed, women were looked down upon more and more. The divisions between the rich and poor had furthered. And all new adverse things stopped human potential from growing into what it otherwise could have. Though the Federal Union still existed, it was only in the name. Seeing the world turn into what it did, on one day, Godrick mysteriously disappeared from the eyes of everyone. The common crowd had never heard of him since then. "So that''s how Federal Union formed huh..." Lirzod took a deep breath. His heart beat in a strange manner, which made him feel unease. "But the Hollow Honors... Aren''t they just random statements now?" The old man nodded twice. "The ten honors didn''t teach how a Hollow could become a martial. They only taught what a Hollow must strive for to live happily in their lifespan. During the time when becoming a martial was considered the greatest achievement, Godrick also made people believe that being a Hollow wasn''t anything smaller than that. He wanted the martials to show the way for the future generations, but those same martials brought more and more differences between themselves and between them and the hollows." "Hmm, no wonder the Sacred Scroll got put aside over time. I myself heard of it a few times as my clan heads spoke to each other," Lirzod rubbed his chin as he went into a deep thought and then shook his head. . "Though many martials were still corrupt, some of Godrick''s disciples understood the danger the absence of their master had brought to the world. They remembered the words of their master: Those who climb a mountain doesn''t climb it to stay at the top. Only the ones who look for a different mountain and continue their adventure would be happy. Some of his disciples who understood that Godrick didn''t want to be their leader but brother ¡ª did their best to counterbalance the deeds of the martials but doing overly good deeds and turning people who were better than themselves into martials, and telling people to explore newer things." "Hmm," Lirzod nodded to himself. "so that''s how it was. These were the ones who overshadowed the bad deeds done by lot other martials. Our history makes more sense to me now. But..." He looked up at the old man. "Why all this? Why tell me now? What exactly for?" "For once you''ve asked the right question at the right time." The old man softly smiled. "How does the pain you experienced in your life fare against what Godrick did in his life?" Lirzod startled and paused for long. "For sure, nowhere near." "Mm, you are more honest than I thought." "Hmph, I''m the only honest guy in here." Lirzod lifted up his chin a little. After a few moments of silence, the old man continued. "There''s no better way of becoming a martial than using the knowledge you obtained from knowing how the early martials were born." Lirzod nodded in repetition. "Hmm, becoming martials help us know the roots of many things, which helps us in becoming more and more perfect, like gods, right?" "Nothing in this world is perfect. Nobody is perfect. Everyone has their flaws because Mother Nature designed us that way, and Godrick said that one must work on their flaws and be conscious of them. He said everyone must feel blessed to have born with a flaw or two. Even while growing up, he said it was crucial to have some flaw at some point. He said it keeps them grounded, keeps them human." "You mean Godrick wanted people to have some flaws?" Lirzod jerked the head backward as his fingers touched the parted lips. "I think he''s spot on. Nobody is perfect in the eyes of everybody, but everybody can be perfect in the eyes of somebody." Lirzod''s eyes subconsciously looked at the birthmark on his palm, and strange emotions stirred in his heart. He kind of understood why even with the birthmark, he appeared perfect to his mother, and it turned his eyes wet. And as his eyes narrowed, a drop of tear slid down his cheeks and his body posture loosened. Flinching his head back, he stared at the old man. "What''s his flaw?" "He was overly nice to people, even to his disciples who no longer showed any respect to him. He worked on it throughout the time. But, he was like a child at heart. Once he took a liking to someone, he failed to objectively judge them for their deeds. And..." The old man tilted his head down, just a bit. "His flaw won over his disciples huh..." Lirzod sighed deeply. The old man took a deep breath and spoke, "The key to succeeding in life is to be a child at heart throughout your existence. A child lives according to his thoughts. The only selfishness of this world which is guilt-free is that of a child''s." (Though the definition of a ''hollow'' got metamorphosed over time, the current generations should have no problem in accepting this statement.) He inwardly sighed before speaking firmly, "A true hollow is a human at heart whereas a true martial is a child at heart." Lirzod grinned from ear to ear. "My mother always treats me like a child well." "Every mother does. But is there any special reason as to why she treats you like that?" "Hmm, maybe because I tell others that she rarely wears the dress on her own. No." Lirzod shook his head. "Maybe because I daily hug her?" he shook his head again. "No, that''s not it either. It may be because I still listen to her fairy tales now and then." he slowly nodded his head. "That''s it. She''s really good at it, you know. We used to sit out on the staircase in the lawn, me and Duera together get told many stories as we watch the moon and the stars, as long as it took for twin candles to finish." "Now I know why you keep asking questions," the old man''s shoulders hunched slightly. "Is it wrong to ask questions?" "Not at all," the old man rubbed the back of his neck. "But it can get annoying quick." "O-Oh..." Lirzod''s chin dipped down and spine bent a little. "For a Hollow, home is the best school and parents are the best teachers. But for a martial, mountains are the best schools and Mother Nature is the best parent," A sense of calm and ease could be felt in the old man''s voice. "You may be trying to become a member of Shambala Sect, but do not expect too much tutoring. Even the brightest entries may end up alone, without a master for their entire time as a Martial Child." "No tutoring?" Lirzod was immediately displeased. "After doing all the hard work for joining the sect, you are saying we may not get chosen by any professors at all? That''s just ridiculous." (Guess he didn''t get the point.) The old man sighed. "It''s not ridiculous as long as it''s just. Doesn''t matter what it is, you got to earn it. Just because you are a young master of a clan, don''t assume you deserved all the luxuries you''ve experienced till now." Lirzod''s eyes enlarged, "How... How do you know that I''m ¡ª"? "Doesn''t matter how I know about you," The old man''s voice turned sharper. "Now that you''ve come out of your clan, it''s time to stop snatching things from others and start earning things. If you don''t... You will never become a Shambalian." The old man turned into leaves and spiraled away into the skies. "Wait!" (I didn''t even ask his name.) Lirzod was saying, but he got sucked into a portal which opened behind him. The next moment, he popped out of a book and fell on his four limbs on the ground beside the bed. A groundnut fell on the ground right in front of him, and grabbed his attention for a moment. His hand reacted by instinct and he quickly put it in his mouth, so fast like how a lizard would snatch its prey with its tongue. As his teeth crunched the nut, he looked around, he realized that he came back to the room. He glanced at the pocketbook and quickly fetched it, and opened the cover. He touched the painting of the bell which was on the first page, but nothing happened. No matter how many times he touched it, nothing changed. He eventually sighed and put the book aside for a moment, before grabbing it again and flipped through the rest of the pages. It was filled with lots of information regarding the ship. But what attracted his attention were the rules of Extensive Voyage. There were lots of them. EXTENSIVE VOYAGE RULES: Rule 1: You hold the responsibility for everything you do on the ship. Rule 2: If you kill someone, and found guilty, then you shall pay the price with another life from your end. Rule 3: If you look in the eye ¡ª without permission ¡ª at entries who are at least a belt higher than you, then you are responsible for all the trouble that knocks at you. Rule 4: No abortion must take place on this ship. In case if it happens, both the mother and the father will be kicked out of the ship within nine days after the delivered date. Rule 5: Teasing and ragging of most sorts are tolerated, but raping members of any gender will result in a death by thousand stabs. Rule 6: If you don''t pay heed to the orders of the commander of a deck, then that commander has all the rights to force you to stay at the given deck or lower. Rule 7: If you''re found bribing or blackmailing or refusing to listen to the words of a referee of any deck, you will face a review. Rule 8: ... There were almost a hundred rules, and before reading even a quarter of them, Lirzod put the book aside and rested his spine on the bed, his arms spread on both sides. He brought his right palm closer and looked at the mark on the palm, and after a period of time, a smile beamed out of his visage. "You are far more than I ever deserved to have¡­ Mother." 16 COMPULSION Lirzod just came out of the room, 10-K43. "Please, ma''am! Listen to me, your child needs this kowa[1]!" a man''s voice reached his ears. When he looked to the side, a clean-shaved, gray-haired man dressed in full white, carrying a hymnal in one of his hands was chasing after a woman who was running down the corridor, holding her newborn child in her arms. "Forgive me, Brother!" the 32-year-old lady in blue was hastening in an aberrant manner ¡ª the after-effects of giving birth ¡ª but worry visibly showed on her visage. "God never told me to take kowa. Only people in white coats did. I''m sorry." In great haste, the two eventually evanesced. "What was that about..?" He scratched his chin and looked around before his eyes set on the neighboring rooms, which seemed to be locked from the inside. "Those two are still inside? That devil must be mugging the words out of that pocketbook." He locked his room, and then walked away, in one of the routes of the corridors. After making sure his pockets were filled with nuts and something else, he began to whistle and shape melodies with his mouth, his shoulders dancing to his own tunes in unison. Soon after Lirzod left the room, two thumping men reached the spot, bouncing eggs into each other''s palms. Looking exactly similar in physique and attire, their white jackets had expressive egg tattoos painted on their backs divulging their identities. "This is 10-K43. Mm? And it''s locked," said the guy with a stony expression, and he had a tag of 251 at his bicep region. "Maybe he went to the Test Hall," said the other guy gently biting the lip, and he had the tag of 252 on his bicep. "Even if we go there, we don''t know how he looks," the guy heaved a sigh. "Hmm..." He rubbed his belly, making it grumble. "First, let''s go find a Bread Booth[2]." The took of them took a walk in the corridors. Meanwhile, Lirzod was at the Bread Booth ¡ª a green tent without frills and resembled a trekking camp ¡ª with a Hollow ¡ª an orange-haired youth who wasn''t much older than Lirzod ¡ª supplying bread for whoever asked for it. On the backside of the booth, there was but a single table and a bench for people to ensconce oneself. Natheless, they were rarely used as most people just took a packet of bread and made themselves scarce. "What? There''s nothing but bread?" Lirzod frowned, staring at the vendor who stood on the other side of the counter, arms limply hanging at his sides. "There''s at least jam, right?" "Bread with jam is given from 15th deck," The slender and simple looking Hollow said, speaking only when spoken to, and he glanced at the tattoo on Lirzod''s outer palm, which was the symbol ''ten.'' In a flat tone ¡ª the way he would speak to most new customers ¡ª he continued, "Sweet buns or sandwiches, or for any sweet stuff, you must reach that deck. All you get here is plain bread. One packet a day for free." Lirzod let out a bark of laughter. "What?" But after discerning the blank stares of the Hollow, his laughter vanished like a whirlwind. His eyebrows lifted, "Are you serious?" "I always am," the Hollow raised his voice a bit. "I have a party to cope with. So, I don''t wanna waste my energy chewing over random rubbish. Either take the bread or walk away." Lirzod turned away touching his throat. (Can''t eat proper food until I reach the 15th deck? These shoddy rules are giving me slapsticks one after another, but these are anything but funny.) He turned back and cleared his throat, before stretching his hand forward. The Hollow handed him a packet containing twenty slices of brown bread. Looking down at the food, he bit his cheeks. "What about spicy stuff?" he couldn''t help but ask. "I don''t sell it." Shrugging his shoulders, Lirzod walked past the tent and occupied the spacious bench. Though it appeared ancient, it didn''t creak or shake to his weight. He unfastened one end of the packet and got his hands on a piece, before placing the remaining packet on the varnished wooden table in front of him. The table contrasted the bench in its appearance. His focus was not on his surroundings but on the brown bread, which didn''t feel soft upon touch. It didn''t have any discoloration which may occur because of the accumulation of fungi. Wondering for how long that packet had been stored in the booth, he dared to sniff it once. Only after his nose confirmed the smell to be up to snuff, did his tongue roll out for a touch and teeth dug in to rip a slice out of it. A couple of bites later, his expressions gradually worsened, and he put the piece aside with all the speed his hands could move. "Ugh, this is trash. I shouldn''t have tried the top slice." He picked up another slice which wasn''t as rough and roasted as the last one. After tasting it in a tentative manner, he nodded many a time. "Hmm, not bad for a free good. This thing''s tastier than Johr." At the moment, two bulky men were advancing towards the booth. After catching sight of them, the Hollow''s heart raced and stomach rock-hardened. (T-They are... The Darling Twins! Why the hell are they coming in this direction?) His arms began to shake uncontrollably, forcing him to hide them in his pockets. Elder Darling, the one with the 251 tag on his arm, said, "We''ve faced 499 rejections till now. Is it worth trying for beautiful women? They are casting aside our love without consideration." "These beautiful women are merciless ¡ª they tear the love letters and souls of their makers alike," Younger Darling uttered a rushed speech, adding an impatient snort in between. "Hmph, that''s why I have been telling you, we should go for the uglier women if we want to get married and have many children." "Why are you bringing up children now when we can''t even get married?" Elder Darling softly shook his head, pursing his lips. "Because women who care more about their appearance don''t want to have more children," Younger Darling''s hands made jerky movements as he replied in a sharp tone. "... Yeah, you might be right this time. Our aunt was like that," Elder Darling said and sighed. "Guess we''ll have to change our priorities then. No more compulsion to propose to beautiful ladies." "Ha-ha, yes, finally!" They both chest bumped each other ¡ª the sound of which reached all the way to the tent. "At the end of the day, every egg''s worth the same, won''t you agree?" "Of course, I do." Laughing nonchalantly, they reached the booth who''s owner leaked out a forced smile, tried his best to constrain his shaking limbs. "What do you two want, Sir Diggers?" "What''s the best thing you got?" Acting hyper, Younger Darling darted a serious glance at the owner and spoke in a rough voice, lot hoarser than when he just chatted with his brother. "I happened to import a case full of eggs," The owner hurriedly said, his heart far from beating at a normal rate. "I can make bread omelet... w-with added jam and cheese of course." "Hmm, turn them into sandwiches and bring them quickly," The brothers were about to move. "H-How many, sirs?" The owner didn''t want to ask, but his tongue slipped. "I''m extremely sorry. I will keep making them until you order me to stop." "Hmph, they better be tasting good, or else you know what will happen." Saying that the two of them sauntered to the side. The owner breathed a sigh of relief but then had to control the anger building up in his stomach. (How can bread omelets be turned into sandwiches? These pigs will even eat shit if it''s coated in cream.) While continuing to swear more and more in silence, he began to prepare the ordered goods. (At this rate, if I get stuck here, what about the party?) He shook his head. (I gotta hurry.) Though his hands visibly sped up in their motion, after he placed the bread slices on the heating twenty-inch black rock, all he could do was wait for them to roast. AHH! He tightly grabbed his hair and almost pulled his scalp out in aggravation. In that time, the two brothers reached to the spot where the only bench there was. Lirzod at the time was daydreaming about the days when Primera stuffed his stomach with Johr as a punishment for things he did. Whenever Primera didn''t spend enough time with him in a week, he purposely angered her so that she would punish him and at least be with him for some more time. Though he liked her punishments, he never liked Johr. After tasting a bread which was comparable in looks yet a cut above in taste, he couldn''t help but remember some things of the past.(If Johr tasted like this, Primera would have always been with me.) His chin poked forward and face reddened a bit. A sudden jerk shoved him to the side and brought him back to his senses. When he turned his head in puzzlement, he saw a boulder bulldozing its way to plant itself next to him. Only a second later, did he realize that it wasn''t a boulder but in sooth a human. His eyes never beheld someone so round not in just body but face as well. A slight activity of his buttocks made the bench creak and crack like a decrepit dog''s spine would if it tried to swim a centimeter in the summer. Before Lirzod''s mouth even opened for utterance, another hefty nudge ran against him from the opposite direction. "Ngh! What the ¡ª" Upon turning around with marked effort, his eyes descried another kindred figure who looked almost the same as the other abnormity. It was hard to distinguish one from the other. Their sheer size alone could frighten the wolves and tip off the bears. Lirzod''s heart was thrown into a panic at the possibility of suffocating to death in between two mammoth physiques. Yet, he took a deep breath and brought his heart rate down. He acted like he didn''t mind them and put his hand forward but it didn''t touch anything. When he looked at the tabletop, it was without contents, except for the few flies that chumbled on bits and pieces. At that time, chewing sounds came from either side, making him freeze. As the flies exerted more and more energy, he caught glimpses of each of the brothers stuffing five slices of bread at a time into their capacious mouths as if they were snacking on them to satisfy their pit-like stomachs, even if by a little. Lirzod narrowed his eyes and stared at them, one by one, but they totally were into stuffing their mouths and paid no attention to him whatsoever. Lirzod blew a breath of air, shrinking his shoulders in. PUYYKK~! A revolting pulsation akin to a calamitous thrumming rang in Lirzod''s ears, working over his eardrums from the right, whose source was the butt of the miscreation seated next to him. Pressing his lips against each other, Lirzod turned his head to the right with a heavy heart, when Younger Darling grinned unbecomingly while his mouth still ran like an autonomous machine. Lirzod turned back, having not taken a breath in the past half-a-minute, and sat stiffer than before. PUYYKK~! Another analogous reverberation ¡ª only twice as long and loud ¡ª echoed around and vibrated the bench which further brought the table into a resonance. Lirzod''s nostrils flared but he showed no discomfort on his face not until he turned to his left, only to receive a similar fleer and further shoving from Elder Darling, all of which quivered Lirzod''s lower lip as one of his hands shut his nose with his index and thumb. The creaks birthed cracks on the bench. At that moment, the owner of the booth brought four sandwiches, startling Lirzod. "Here are your bread omelets, I mean, sandwiches." He placed them on the table, and they did appear like sandwiches with the only difference being the addition of a few tomato slices to a bread omelet. Lirzod''s eyes widened at the sight of the sandwiches. Before he gathered his thoughts and moved his arm, the two brothers snatched two each into their hands at blistering speeds like cranes would catch fishes, and they waste no time in eating, for they simultaneously exchanged bites with the food in each of their hands. While eating, both of them who had already occupied most of the bench''s area further squeezed Lirzod from either side. Lirzod struggled for a few seconds before he forced his way out of their oppressing waists. Towering more than eight feet, they dwarfed Lirzod even while sitting. In a matter of seconds, the sandwiches vanished from sight. "Hey, go and help the owner!" Elder Darling said in a hoarse voice, giving a darting gaze to Lirzod. Lirzod stood like a rock, exposing to view a pained stare and an elevated body temperature. "What''s wrong? Can''t you hear us?" Elder Darling repeated himself. "Move!" A second later, Lirzod''s feet birthed into motion. At that moment, Younger Darling sniffed twice and tilted his head downward, his gaze stopping at Lirzod''s pants. He grabbed Lirzod''s pockets. "Hiding valuables in there, are we? Why don''t you share them with us?" "No. I need them." Lirzod tried to move away but instead got pulled in. "Now, don''t be like that. On this ship, it''s common for the hungry to feed on others," Younger Darling pulled out nuts out of Lirzod''s pockets and was elated. "Oh, what do we have here?" he barked out a reckless chuckle, "As my nose notified, these are cashews." As Younger Darling was about to throw dozens of them at a time into his darning mouth, Elder Darling brought his hand in between. Younger Darling glanced at him and said, "I only swept one of his pockets." After realizing the meaning behind the words, Elder Darling chuckled, "hehe," He looked ahead. "Hmm?" His eyes caught the sight of Lirzod having already reached the tent. "Fine. Let him come back and then I''ll get my share as well," Elder Darling told to himself. The front end of the tent wasn''t in view from where the bench was as it''s located on its back. Lirzod looked at the owner who was busy in making sandwiches. "You said you only sell bread." "Yeah, that''s what a tenth-decker is eligible to buy," the owner replied without even looking. "Didn''t you read it in the guidebook?" "Oh... You mean that pocketbook?" The owner nodded while he flipped the bread slices. "Why so many rules even regarding food?" Lirzod scratched his head. "Isn''t it obvious?" the owner, only now glanced at Lirzod and leaked out a hurried smile. "Rules align people." "I know that, but..." As he was saying, the owner lifted his arm and exposed his palm, while arranging sandwiches in the plastic plates. "Enough talking and take these to them," He handed the four plates to Lirzod. Muttering something under his own breath, Lirzod stood still for a moment. "What? Didn''t you hear me?" The owner frowned and finger-tapped the tabletop. "They''ll beat you if you don''t hurry up." "They have already taken my food without my permission," Lirzod said, later pressing lips flat. "They always do,'' the owner said, slipping in his own smile, ''just go." "... Yeah. I am." Lirzod turned back and scuttled away, picking up his pace in a swift manner. "Hmm?" The owner puzzled for a moment. "Why are you running in the opposite direction?" There was no response to his shout. His eyes then enlarged bit by bit. Straight away, he wanted to come out and chase after Lirzod, but Lirzod had already made enough distance that catching him wouldn''t be an easy affair, and even if he did, the owner was afraid of getting punished by the Darling Twins for not supplying food at the desired pace. "Oy, cashew boy! What''s taking you so long?" A booming voice came from behind the tent, making chills crawl across the owner''s spine and he sweated profusely. But he strengthened his heart with a deep breath and came running to the brothers. "Hmm? Why are you here?" Elder Darling looked behind the owner, but no other guy was present. "You shifted places with him huh... Just send him here once." "T-That... I..." Having nerves stretched to the max, the owner couldn''t speak out his mind. "Brother, he didn''t bring any sandwiches with him," Younger Darling''s stare glued to the empty hands of the owner. "Something''s not right. Did you mess up with your cooking? Even if you over-roasted them, it''s fine. Just bring ''em here." "N-No, Sir Digger," The owner gulped the empty air and spoke, "T-T-That boy with the scar¡­ He¡­" "Yeah, he''s making the sandwiches. So what?" "He, he ran away with your sandwiches!" "What?" Younger Darling got up from the bench at once, his eyes instantly beaming spleen. "That little shit dared to take our bites?" "Include my cashews in them as well," Elder Darling stood as well, leaving the bench behind in multiple major cracks. From within their jacket pockets, they took out eggs and bounced them in each other''s hands. He looked down at the owner. "You go make sandwiches with the rest of the eggs, while we go and boil that raw egg a bit." "Y-Yes sirs," Staring down at his own hands, the owner had a saggy posture. (Whew¡­ I''m safe. It would have been miserable if I were beaten on this day of all days.) The brothers strode away, thumping the wooden floor with every stride. They entered the corridors and discerned the trails left by Lirzod either by sniffing or by grilling the passersby. The flies also tenuously helped their cause. Jam and cheese were rare delicacies on the tenth deck. No wonder the flies were desperate in their attempts to trail Lirzod. Meanwhile, Lirzod just made a short work of one sandwich and drifted in daydreams, reminiscing the times when he stole sandwiches together with Duera when they were kids. All the memories filled his heart with warmth. He looked at the second sandwich in a doze, as he traveled through the maze-like corridors. After finishing the second one as well, he felt content. His focus shifted from food onto something else and his eyes glistered with a fevered stare. "Those two, they better be sleeping right now. Just wait, your papa is coming to put you two in your place," Lirzod said in a steady low-pitched voice as he took fast-paced strides. "Papa''s heart is urging for a dance show." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [1] Kowa: A pill that provides immunity to multiple diseases. It''s typically given to every child in the first week of their birth. [2] Bread Booth: A temporary structure built to sell bread for people who belonged to the lower decks. In the outside world, these are established at different places just for the lower class people. 17 DRIVING DANCE Sweating and panting profusely, a purple-haired boy was scurrying through the moonless woods, looking back once every few seconds at the ill-lit bushes which orchestrated a sinister symphony, as initiated by the heartless gale. Something stocky and stalwart ferreted out his footsteps stealthier than a leopard and pruned the distance while leaving less to no traces. Blinded by the unnerving darkness and his own heartbeat echoing in ears, the battered boy bumped into numerous trunks but adeptly rolled past them. Tiny roots and broad branches tested his luck, but they failed to make his four limbs touch the ground simultaneously. In case they succeeded, whatever was hounding him would succeed in its attempt at clutching him in a fatal grip. Out of breath, huffing and puffing like a dog trying to escape a never-ending maze riddled with dog-killers and those who owned them, his panicky eyes would invite ruth in many a heart. His entire dress soaked in sweat, and in tatters, exposed the bruises that blemished his body as droplets of blood unceasingly leaked down from his brow ridge and blinded one of his eyes. Enlivened by the opening of the window of opportunity, the trunks, roots, and branches now cackled in a cacophonous breeze that birthed the raspy rustling of leaves and grating din of branches. His eyes caught sight of strange flashing lights now and then, but he had no time to think much less change his course to investigate. In sooth, the star-crossed fellow was Burton. Not many forests could affright him, but these woods were outlandish, for the grieving winds tingled his skin and the crispy melodies of the leaves stirred his soul into a frenzy. The sounds his ears discerned weren''t the natural sounds of the wild. As far as his eyes could see or ears could hear, no squirrels scurried through the foliage, no crows cawed, no birds trilled, no frogs croaked, no crickets chirped, no snakes hissed, but there was the imperceptible sonance originated from an obscure source which weakened his knees. Howbeit, the possessor of the heart that roughened up from bearing the hopes of his parents and his clan, in particular, was not an easy game even for the dreary woods. With no time to respire or ruminate, his entire focus was on nothing else but doing a vanishing act from all the things that put him off his stroke in an iteration. For all his efforts, escaping out of the woods appeared beyond belief with no end in sight. More bumping, and more tripping ¡ª ever incessant ¡ª made the blaring growls reach his ears and spread dread to the whole of his body. Nature struck him as another foe. The two opponents were too strapping, and all he hoped for was a bit of control over his own thoughts and emotions, so as to figure things out. As the wind grew wilder by the second and the cardinal silhouette behind him got closer and closer, he caught a glimpse of a sparkling golden light ahead floating in midair. His feet picked up the pace by instinct as he ran ahead. The silhouette chasing him streaked faster as well. Just as Burton got closer, he saw that the sparkling golden light was actually a tiny floating bell. Without a second thought, he jumped at it. When Burton''s hand was about to touch the bell, the silhouette just reached the spot with a sweeping slash that ended up barely tearing through Burton''s cloth, as he got sucked away by the bell. In Burton''s room, 10-K41. Burton fell on his butt. After realizing where he got to, he breathed a sigh of relief, but his heart still pounded in an erratic fashion. His body was still hot. "That damn thing... And that milk woman... Whoever she was," he looked at the book and quickly threw it aside. "I almost got killed because of that damn bell or whatever it was." He shook his head and then stared at the book in disquiet. "That fellow who gave this to me, what was his goal? To kill me?" he went into a deep thought. A few seconds later he looked at his arms and puzzled. He touched his face but there was no blood. His body wasn''t covered in sweat as it should be. He also just realized that he stopped panting soon after he escaped out of that place. There weren''t even any cut wounds on his back. The only thing that remained the same was his heartbeat. "What''s going on?" On the other hand, inside room no 10-K42, Sariyu was immersed in reading the guidebook, especially on a particular page comprised of poesy. "He is his gallantry. He is his dignity. He is his dexterity. *** He is his infantry. He is his cavalry. He is his soldiery. *** He is his abider. He is his pillar. He is his ruler. *** His way is war. His aim is peace. His dream is harmony. *** He is his proponent. He has no opponent. For he is transcendent. *** A lifter who loots looters. A groove that guards the guileless. An avarice that ends evil." ¡ª Zaega Bonodden, A member of Shambala Sect. "The founder of Shambala Sect¡­" Sariyu found it hard to breathe. "He''s like Uncle Sinario, the most committed guy I''ve known. But, Father''s commitment doesn''t even come close." She couldn''t help but pity her own father, Kwame. At someplace else on the same deck. "Whew... I''ve finally found it." Lirzod managed to come out of the maze-like corridors and stepped out into the open segment seemingly exposed by the weather. "It should be morning now, but it''s so dark out here. It''s like a night. Must be the work of the fog. I hope I find those bastards." His eyes looked for two beings and after a quick scan, he found those. "Good, they are sleeping." His eyes lit up as he sneakily crouched on the floor, making sure no eyes caught his movements and hid in a small haystack situated right beside a stable. He threw the sandwiches towards the foal from before. The foal was sleeping, so it had no idea even though food ended up nearby its mouth. His eyes locked on the two white horses and flickered with a threatening light. Just as he was about to step out, the sound of footsteps reached his ears, making him pull back his foot. "Uhm, the weather''s so cold today. Is this the fourth time?" A man came in Lirzod''s direction, his eyes almost closed. (Who''s this chicken-head?) Lirzod didn''t make a sound. (Is he sleepwalking?) The man stopped a couple of feet away from Lirzod and unzipped his pant, sending chills down Lirzod''s spine. He froze like a chicken in the process of laying an egg. After the salt stream had missed him by a few feet and fell on the grass instead, he sighed in relief. Howbeit, the sound made by the stream as it soaked the dried grass of the haystack, had entered his ears and though he wanted to clamp them, he couldn''t. In a few seconds, the guy made himself scarce as driven by a strange song and a dance that resembled a drunken donkey. "I cum. You cum. We cum. How cum? He cum. She cum. They cum. How cum? Yes cum. No cum. Well cum. How cum? Who cum? When cum? What cum? How cum?" Lirzod paid no mind to the ramblings and mumblings of the man and quickly shifted places, distancing himself from the stained spot. He quietly waited for a few minutes, and because the dried grass scraped some parts of his skin during his shift, it itched at various places. He passed some more time in scratching. Only after making sure that nobody was around, he came out and entered the stable. The three white horses were nearby, and he could tell apart one from another just by their faces, as two of them had ridiculously long faces while the one that messed with Burton had a relatively shorter face. He ignored the one that kicked Burton and stopped behind the remaining two. "Sleeping happily after kicking me and my friend?" His head moved smoothly in random directions before he bent down and tied the tails of the two horses in multiple knots. As he was busy in that process, two people entered the open segment and kept looking around. It took them no time in locating Lirzod. "Why did he come here?" Younger Darling sneered, ''And what''s he doing there? Collecting poop?" He glanced at his brother. "Want me to handle him?" "No. Let''s see what he''s up to," Elder Darling looked up towards the distant figurehead of the ship. "We must be careful, in case, if she''s here." "Mm," Younger Darling nodded, blowing out a not-so noisy breath. The two brothers had asked random people about the direction Lirzod went, and as someone who held two sandwiches in his hand, Lirzod was noticed by many eyes. It was a surprise that none had tried snatching them. Lirzod finished in tying up the tails and thanks to the excitement building up inside his heart, his face glowed even in the dark. Just as he entered in earlier, he came out of the stable in the same manner, and again hid in the haystack. He wasted no time to pull out tiny things out of his pocket each of which was wrapped in colored paper. His eyes widened and glowed. It''s time to dance! He tossed one of them and they hit the ground behind the two horses with a bang. Like spring chickens, the three horses bounced up and out of their sleep. Another bang resounded at their feet and pint-sized sparks and strangulating smoke spread out, scaring the living daylights out of the horses. Above all, the particular two-of-the-three horses danced to the tunes set by Lirzod who kept throwing things from his hidden spot. Having their tails tied to one another, their bodies nastily bumped into each other furthering them to kick each other with their rear limbs, and the side-splitting show they put exercised two lips, a jaw, and almost satiated two eyes. "Why''s he throwing firecrackers at horses?" Younger Darling had a blank face. It wasn''t just the three horses, but the ones in the other stables awoke and flummoxed from the hassle at hand. The sounds were loud but not loud enough to be heard from hundreds of meters, but their repetition combined with the neighs reached some human ears and forced them to gain consciousness. "What''s with the smoke? Did some punk light a cigar nearby?" Some made their way to the ruckus-running spot in haste, forcing Lirzod to stop at his record seventeen throws. By the time men reached the spot, all they could see were a couple of sparks here and there, but lots of smoke still spread in a zigzag fashion. And to add things to their confusion, two horses were at war. "What the hell happened here?" They split into groups and focused on different elements to consider. "Crackers?" Seeing the torn paper and dark powder imprints on the floor, some men found out the cause without a fuss while others helped the horses regain their composure. "So these things made the noises? No wonder the horses were thrown into chaos." The men tried to calm the horses down. "Why the heck are the tails knotted into a mess?" "How would I know? Let''s just get on with this and sleep." "Are you kidding? Someone did a number on these salient horses. If we don''t find the brain behind this, our minds won''t have peace." The other guy startled. "Yeah, you might be right. My bad." There were many cases where Entries or Hollows secretly kidnapped horses for various reasons. If a horse went missing, the guards were forced to pay the worth of the horse in coins. On the ship, the worth of any pure white horse was its weight in gold. As they did their work, Lirzod''s lips curled down. (It''s over too soon. Maybe, I''ll come back later.) "Hmm?" At that moment, he glanced down diagonally and saw a minikin amount of smoke coming out from a spot on the haystack. The next second, his eyes enlarged and chest shrank. (You gotta be kidding me.) He wanted to come out, but if he did, he would be found out. If he didn''t, however, the fire would roast him alive. Before he could come to a decision, the fire grew in size and spread at speed. "Oi, look! Fire!" In no time, it caught many people''s eyes. There wasn''t any water nearby, other than the Dyed Splurge ¡ª a drink made from the washing of rice or curry bowls and leftover food ¡ª typically fed to the cattle. Because there wasn''t even soil underneath their feet, everyone was forced to throw buckets of Dyed Splurge on the haystack. Worry could be seen on their faces, which came from both smelling that thing and from the thought of paying for the haystack. However, their efforts went to vain, as the fire didn''t die down, and the haystack made strange cracking noises muffled by the dry grass. At this point, all the actions of the men slowed down. It was but a small haystack, one among dozens, that they were trying to save. Adding fuel to their thoughts, the Dyed Splurge almost finished, leaving people with no other choice but watch with covered noses as the red blazes rose high into the air, lighting up the locality. A silhouette slipped past those men and stopped only a couple of feet away from the haystack where the Dyed Splurge hadn''t spoiled the floor. With a wave of the arm, the fire died down in an instant. "Madam Stussy!" Tens of the workers who have gathered there by then got down to one of their knees. "Please forgive us just this once." "I''ll overlook it this time." Her voice was obscured by the kerchief masking her nose and mouth. "All of you go and bring enough water to clean this place to the fullest extent," she coldly glanced at the men implanting shivers through the whole of their bodies. Worsted by worry, they abruptly left in a disordered fashion to bring back water. Her arrival simmered down the horses as well. After everyone left the proximity, Stussy stared at the ashen-turned haystack for a moment before turning away. "Do you like the stench that much?" Silence replaced every sound in the vicinity for the next few seconds. Lirzod came out of the haystack, covered in the slimy Dyed Splurge, magnifying the malodor of the surroundings. With burning cheeks, teary eyes, and trembling chin, he ran straight at Stussy. "Miss Snow White! I thought I was going to die!" His arms spread wide open, trying to envelop her in a hermetic bind. However, his arms ended up curling around nothing but air. "Hmm?" Lirzod, still showering sadness out of his face, his eyes looked around until they caught sight of Stussy who was then standing five meters away from him. "Don''t come near me." Her voice was cold. Lirzod forced out a smile and nodded as his feet came to a halt. "Good. Now tell me, what are you doing here?" "I... I came to meet you of course," Lirzod laughed, which made some of the slimy liquid enter his mouth. He spat ten times in the next three seconds. "Why?" "Just to ask if you ate my stuff or not." His stomach churned as his eyes absorbed her image. However, the smell on his skin didn''t let him slip into a dream, while still standing. "... Would you have come out if I hadn''t stopped the fire?" Stussy''s tone contained wonder. "This stuff, even Gouse wouldn''t eat this," Lirzod shook his head as he rubbed the Dyed Splurge off his clothes. His eyes glowed as he looked at her and the line made by his lips curled up at its corners. "I knew you would come and save me." "Is that why you kept throwing the firecrackers into the fire?" Stussy narrowed her eyes. Lirzod coughed and his spine bent from the stroke. (She noticed that!) Clearing his throat, he clutched his chest and stood straight. "Those guards were trying to put down the fire, so I was left with no choice." "No choice?" "I didn''t know whether they''ll allow me to meet you or not." "Is that all? Then what about the horses?" All the lingering glow on Lirzod''s face vanished. (She saw everything!) His heartbeat went up and down in ways it never did before, while his hands covered his face. "What are you feeling embarrassed about?" Stussy leaked out a tight smile. "Lie one more time, and I''ll throw you into the ocean, I swear." Lirzod''s chest pained and made him unable to speak. Seeing the girl smiling yet speaking in such a manner, reminded him of many girls whom he failed to get on his side. The thought alone raced his heartbeat and choked him. His feet rooted at the spot, he didn''t know how to react. "Don''t doubt if I''ll do that or not," Stussy took a step forward, her gaze darting at him. "I mean everything I meant." Lirzod took a step back, his limbs flailing and heart nearly exploding. Meanwhile, in one of the corridors, the emotion-exuding Darling Twins were walking away in a hurry, leaving transparent traces of sweat behind. "We just narrowly escaped with our lives!" Younger Darling sweated profusely from every pore on his body. "How come that little shit know HER of all people? I can''t believe we almost picked a fight with a wrong person for a mere couple of sandwiches." "The Egg God left our side a little while, that''s why," Elder Darling voice wasn''t as shaky as his brother''s, yet his heartbeat still rang in his ears. "In any case, let''s take care of that Lirzod and get the hell out of this deck." "Yeah. Our deck is the safest spot for us." Their feet picked up the pace and headed towards the destination which lied somewhere on the tenth deck. They may just be dashing away, but to the onlookers, it seemed like they were dancing, thanks to the jiggling fat on their bodies. It drove them into soundless laughter. To their luck, the brothers'' attention never turned to them. The two of them ended up entering a corridor beautified by decoration and at the moment was crawling with men in masks. 18 ABSOLUTE ETIQUETTE "I... I''m being honest. I came here for you as well," Lirzod said in an emotion-choked voice. A few moments of silence increased the distance between their drifting senses. The blowing wind carried away the kerchief that covered her nose and widened Lirzod''s eyes at the same time. "A young master of a clan, born to stand out," Stussy took another step forward, staring at him emotionlessly. "Maybe, fitting in doesn''t exist in your genes." "No. I-I can blend in pretty well with people," Lirzod replied, while his feet took another step backward. Her gaze turned towards the horses before shifting back to him in a protrusion. "What about the animals then?" Lirzod averted his gaze, his chin dipped down to his chest. "I-I respect them too." Stussy exposed her laugh lines in a scant churlish manner. "What about your clan? Is it any different?" After a second of quietness, he shook his head. "I agree. I can be weak and narrow-minded at times, but my clan is different. It''s quite strong and diverse, you know." She made an expression that appeared pained. "Most people respect diversity without having the slightest clue as to what it truly is, and their excuse is that ''In this world, the rules of etiquette are ever changing.'' These souls always act justly in the favor of the majorities but act unjustly against the minorities. They can change their color faster than a chameleon can. In my eyes, these kinds of people with no absolute etiquette do not deserve to be pitied," Stussy moved two steps ahead. "You were so compulsive yourself that you couldn''t contain yourself from cowardly attacking two animals, that were sleeping nonetheless." Her eyes gleamed with daunting coldness. "No matter who did it, a wrong never becomes a right. If not for your age, I would have held you responsible for everything you did. Moreover, this is your first day, first time on this ship... Go and garner some good memories." Lirzod stood silent, though color palpably drained from the face. "Understood?" Her flat voice shepherded weakness from his knees into all corners of his frame. Lirzod nodded, his shoulders drooped and head still tilted down. "Good," She turned away from him. "Don''t repeat this." After a moment of silence, clutching at the chest, Lirzod lifted his head by enough degrees till her scatheless image reflected in his eyes. The whisking wind whipped her hair and exposed her nymphic neck, grabbing his whole attention. One of his arms subconsciously lifted, but he held it back with his other arm. (Control yourself, you stupid hand!) He clenched his fist and brought it under control before staring at her again. "Can I come back?" Stussy didn''t reply and started to walk away, leaving Lirzod despondent. As his thoughts were about to drift into desolate daydreams, a few words reached his ears. "Not until you''ve reached the thousandth deck." His eyes lit up like the stars of the desert skies, and bouncing on toes, he frolicked in ecstasy. "Thanks, Snow White! Thank you so much! I promise that I''ll come back here for sure!" Saying that Lirzod turned and ran away in excitement. Stussy glanced towards the foal which was nibbling on a sandwich. A corner of her lips curled up, just a little. "A heart that cares for the weak is never weak." Meanwhile, the stench that spread from Lirzod traversed everywhere he went and sullied the senses of men and their surroundings alike. Lirzod maundered through dozens of hallways trying to find his room. But, everyone he attempted to get close to, shut their noises and hurtled away from him without even bothering to listen to his words much less his worries. Some corridors bustled with men like the markets of Helenia, while some others were desolate like the streets of a disease-struck town. Some were colorful as if a festival had just finished while some were colorless with wizened wood stealing the view. And wherever he went to, he chased off people into their rooms. The putrid smell not only scared people stiff, they were also revolted by it. Some rooms had multiple pocket doors while some didn''t. He entered into some rooms that had one of their doors open, but nobody was even willing to listen to him let alone allow him to wash. Unfortunately, no room with doors open was uninhabited. Some rooms had guard dogs which straight out chased after him on first sight. Lirzod hoped to clean himself before the Dyed Splurge dried up and glued to him like a leech would. But he had already wasted enough time for his skin to suck in part of the miasma. It would probably not go away any time soon, even if he were to bath for hours. At the same moment, in one of the corridors¡ª a highly decorated one that had balloons and ribbons furnishing the walls, carpets garnishing the floor, and vessels and nates gracing the stone benches alike ¡ª the Darling Brothers'' focus was wholly on the multi-colored layered cake as they waited with utmost eagerness to feast on that birthday cake atop which the name ''Dillo'' was drawn with cream. Everybody waited for the birthday boy ¡ª the only one with a facemask in the crowd as compared to the rest, most of whom wore eyemasks ¡ª to blow the candles, and as he did, "Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to dear ¡ª" Bow-bow! Wrav-wrav! The barks of the dogs and the cats replaced people''s wishes, and as everybody turned towards the source of discomfort, half-a-dozen dogs and an equal amount of cats came rushing in their direction, baring their teeth at the yellowish boy who kept throwing all objects he could at the dogs. Everybody in the corridor¡ª the gathered dozens ¡ª freaked out and bolted straight into their rooms. The Darling Brothers'' attention was rather focused on the cake, and ignoring everything else, they began to feast on the cake like pigs let loose on a heap of horse apples. Waving his arms, throwing vessels at their heads, letting his legs loose ¡ª none of Lirzod''s strategies were fruitful. It gave someone the feeling that getting skin scratched, blood sampled, muscles bitten, cartilage torn, and bones stolen was inevitable. With cream-coated mushes, holding king-sized cake chunks in their hands, the Darling Twins turned their oversized heads and glimpsed over their shoulders when their stare metamorphosed into an incredulous one. The moment their eyes caught sight of Lirzod, the cake chunks in their hands cream-brushed the roof as the two skedaddled. "Hey, aren''t you two ¡ª" Lirzod beamed a grin, bouncing from foot to foot. "Eek!" (He''s seen us!) The brothers'' eyes bulged, bodies tremored, and feet came to a halt as they checked out each other''s faces. "Help me!" Lirzod shouted in a desperate tone, his feet reducing the distance between them in haste. "These dogs and cats took your sandwiches! And they didn''t stop there. They seem to want more!" The brothers'' mouths slacked and stomachs tingled in shock. (Since when dogs and cats liked to eat sandwiches?) Gulping down the heaviness from their mouths into their hearts, they shuffled back and bolted ahead. Lirzod slipped through the teeny space between those two and got behind their backs just in time. With adrenaline coursing through their veins and blinded by the bad mood, one of the dogs lunged at him, however, Elder Darling grabbed it single-handedly by its throat. "Where do you think you are frolicking off to?" He slammed the dog ¡ª head first ¡ª on the ground, cracking its skull open, and the cerebral matters smashed to smithereens. The cats turned their tails and sprinted away in cold feet, making themselves scarce. The dogs, howbeit, still barked with an aggrandized paroxysm of rage, their eyes reddened in a fit of fury. One of the inflamed dogs, the most vociferous of all, made a sudden forward thrust to pounce on those two. "You shitty pets! Show your rage someplace else!" Younger Darling roared, "Vomit Spit!" A greenish-fluid shot out of Younger Darling''s mouth, whistling the wind as it traversed, and drilled through the head and torso of the dog, damning it to the darkest of its dreams, before it punctured its way out through the rear ring and ended up in the wooden floor behind. Prior to reaching the brothers'' feet, the dog hugged the floor, drowning in its own blood as death knocked on the door of its fading away sentience. The souls of the remaining four dogs placated, and their tails coiled between their legs in a moment''s grace. In the time the brothers took a single breath, the dogs beat a retreat that comprised no goodbyes. "Thanks a lot!" Lirzod''s cheekbones came to light, as he leaped on those two from behind, and his arms curled around both of their necks. Taken by surprise, blushed by praise, dismayed by the gluey substance, and appalled by effluvium, the visages of the brothers turned into a grotesquerie. "Get down from us, please get down," the two of them pinched their lips. "Ah, I am so sorry," Just realizing what he did, Lirzod jumped down and took a step back. "I didn''t mean to..." "It''s alright," Though revolted by the happenings, they showered requisite smiles, with clenched jaws. They glanced at each other and nodded in affirmation. "Oh, that''s so nice of you two," Lirzod''s placed a hand on the chest. "I truly didn''t steal the sandwiches. Those canines eyeballed at the food and came after me willing to brawl for it. I was forced to run away. That''s what happened... That''s what the booth owner said, right?" The two brothers called to minds of the bygone affair ¡ª them rising to their feet in umbrage and flouncing out after hearing the owner''s words ¡ª and all but staggered through reveries. "He didn''t put me at fault, did he?" Lirzod''s voice outreached their ears, bringing them back to their senses. "No, no," Elder Darling was quick to reply. "That guy prattled on and on about irrelevant things. He never mentioned you." "Oh..." Lirzod''s eyes twinkled, his lips constructing an overstressed grin. (So, he didn''t blabber? How lucky.) "Is that so? Then all problems are steered clear, I guess." "What problems? There never was any problem," The brothers shoulder-bumped each other and beamed in unison. "To say the least, we both are just good-mannered brothers that''s all." Remaining hushed, Lirzod kept the expression of those two under his observation. A moment later, his expressions shifted to reserve means. (Good mannered? My foot! What about snatching my cashews huh? Geez, these guys are awful at lying than even Trirera!) Lirzod inwardly sighed. (Now, one thing''s still uncertain... what are these guys exactly overplaying things for?) The others who stayed hidden till then began to come out of their rooms separately and in succession. It was then they recognized the Darling Brothers and stirred up a commotion. A few amongst those were rather inclined towards tasting the cake. "Look! It''s the Darling Brothers!" Some of the loose mouths yelled in excitement. "Darling Twins of the Egg Diggers!"Some other oblivious souls called in delight. (The brothers that lack any etiquette whatsoever? The same brothers who would steal food even from infants?) A very few either stayed where they were and blended in the crowd or made an increasing distance. The Darling Brothers waved their hands at some of those and tossed few eggs into their hands, flabbergasting them. An Egg Digger gifting eggs to the outsiders was a big deal. Most people thought the reason for such a happening was because of the birthday. No other occurrence made as much sense. Some men ran into one of the rooms and carried out in their arms, the birthday boy. Seeing the birthday boy ¡ª who no longer wore a mask ¡ª Lirzod almost choked on his own breath. The Darling brothers, on the other hand, had their mouths fallen open from the sudden coldness that hit their cores. The birthday boy was the owner of the bread booth, both in flesh and soul. Hiding their faces from the birthday boy''s view, the brothers slapped their hands on their cheeks. Lirzod turned away and squeezed his eyes shut. Though they found their feet at a distance to each other, their vital fluids still rushed to their hearts of those three in a kindred vogue. Propitiously, surrounded by many men and overwhelmed by their wishes, the birthday boy never got to see the faces of any of those three. Realizing the shift of the limelight, the three of them breathed sighs of relief,turned to face each other again and exchanged apprehensive smiles. "Now that everything is taken care of, we''ll be going," Saying that the brothers turned back at full speed. Howbeit, as they began to stride away, the two of them couldn''t help but stare at the people who were smearing the cake ¡ª what''s left intact ¡ª on the birthday boy''s face before they resumed stuffing the cake down their own throats. Just the sight of it salivated their maws and grumbled their stomachs. Eyes consumed with desire, Younger Darling gulped his own saliva and massaged his belly, but his brother''s lucid head shake more than put an end to his mental yearning. "Wait!" A voice from behind churned all the fluttering butterflies in their stomachs. But they stepped ahead as if their ears caught the wind of nothing. Before they took another step, "Darling Brothers!" the same voice outreached their ears and grabbed most others attention as well. Cursing their bad luck, they pivoted back and labored their lips into a phony smile. "Oh, brother, you called us?" Elder Darling''s voice was half-smooth and half-strained. (Oh, dear Egg God... We were never lackadaisical in our grafts. So, why are you carrying out so many trails on us in one day?) "Yeah," Lirzod said, exhibiting a penitent expression, "I''m so sorry, but... Can you guys direct me to my room?" The brothers froze in their footsteps, turned their heads by degrees and stared at each other taking their own time. (What does he think of us? We are not freaking deliverymen!) Younger Darling struggled to contain his indignation. (Just bear for a little more time.) Elder Darling relayed a sight-coded stare, coupled with a twitching chin. "Is everything alright?" Lirzod''s voice cut the space between the two, making them turn in his direction. "Did I ask for too much?" "No, not at all," Elder Darling replied in an amicable tone, further backed by his brother''s salubrious head shake. "It''s totally understandable that one can find these corridors akin to a labyrinth. It takes time to get a hang on these singular decks. Just tell us your room number." "Oh, thanks a lot," Lirzod stepped forward, and his movements made others in the vicinity shift places, which startled him to a halt. "What''s wrong?" Elder Darling furrowed his brows. "N-Nothing," Lirzod glanced over all the onlookers, and then at his own attire, before making eye contact with the brothers. "Can I first take a quick bath?" It took no more than three silent seconds for the brothers to become conscious of the full extent of implication behind Lirzod''s words. They turned their heads in opposite directions to one another and instilled fright in the hearts of everyone their foreboding eyes made contact with. "Are your noses that sensitive to smell? What about the dozens of farts all of you pigs unleash every single freaking day, huh?" Their words embarrassed the men who previously stepped away from Lirzod. It was at that moment, their eyes met with that of the birthday boy. Everybody in the corridor froze right where they were, including Darling Twins and Lirzod. 19 NOVEL BELLE Dillo, the owner of the booth rubbed his eyes and took another look, but there stood the Darling Twins staring at him in a muted body language. His heart sank into his stomach and chest heated up like the frying pan he daily used to roast loaves of bread on. The next moment, he ended up shifting his head by a few degrees, only to find Lirzod staring at him in a similar fashion. His eyes broadened. "You are..." "I have to finish my bath first!" Lirzod wasted no time in entering one of the rooms, and almost at the same time, the Darling twins dashed away in the opposite direction. Dillo stood still and had a puzzled expression, unable to get his head around what just happened. The members of the crowd looked at each other in disappointment, as all they could do was watch the Darling Brothers snatch a layer of the cake as they made themselves scarce. "The cake from the 30th deck... half of it has already been wasted." "Did they have to take away the butterscotch layer of all?" "They didn''t even wish Dillo, yet snatched a big chunk of the cake. Taking such privilege for granted, hmph." "Idiot, this is too little of what a Major[1] is privileged to do." Men blurted out their opinions and those who disagreed with each other''s views began to quarrel. A few others were rather interested in stuffing themselves with the cake. The rest focused on slapping Dillo''s rear end separately and in succession which served as an additional gift for his birthday. Inside a bathroom. "Che, I ended up coming here when I should have run away instead," Lirzod bit his nails. "What do I do now? What if the brothers are waiting for me outside?" He looked around and his stare stopped on the rapidly-running ventilation fan which appeared to be made out of plastic. A corner of his lips curled up just a little. "Now I can get to my room without getting noticed." He couldn''t help but chuckle. A couple of seconds later. Something got sent flying out of the ship and traveled in a complex path before ending up in the sea at a spot quite far away from the ship. From a teeny hole, Lirzod''s head popped out and he took a look around only to meet darkness that laid everywhere ahead. With wild air whipping at him, he could barely see against the wind. He immediately pulled back his head. "What''s the hell? Why is it so windy outside?" He tapped his finger on his chin and pondered for a moment. "Surely, the ship isn''t traveling at this speed. It must be going through some wild region. Tch, what now?" Meanwhile, at someplace else on the same deck. A thin-lipped, glossy red-haired, oval-faced, milky smooth-skinned girl with delicate hands hanging from small shoulders supported by the petite body, walked down the corridors and attracted lots of attention. Even if she were to wear a hood, her floral-patterned white dress alone would have made her easily stand out. Her pink purse was simply an added asset. Most men were unable to take their eyes off her and in their eyes, she appeared no less resplendent than a laughing rose. "I may be living for this day¡ªa nautical day when I get to meet a novel belle built with bits of all rights and praise a mien of your magnificence." A yellow-haired man brought a fresh-looking lotus and knelt before her, his arms raised high, carefully holding the flower. "May I have the pleasure of knowing the name of this novel belle?" His eyes showered bountiful of warmth. She stared down at him with a blank face. "Oi, isn''t that the Flower Knight''s brother?" Some of the men standing nearby their rooms felt disappointed upon seeing that man. "So, he''s fetching her already?" "I guess, we can never get a girlfriend as long as we linger here." Some others were downright sobbing on the inside. The red-haired girl bypassed the kneeling man, startling everyone including himself. He swiftly stood and came to her front. "What''s wrong, miss? Do you not like flowers?" "I do," The girl said, her tone turning wintry by the second. "But not hypnotizing ones." Her words shook the hearts of most people around, especially the ones who didn''t know of the fact. The yellow-haired guy forced out a smile and quickly slid the flower into his coat pocket. The other men could only look at each other''s faces with slackened jaws. But none dared to utter a word, fearing the thought of their words reaching the yellow-haired man''s ears. "Now, if you step aside, I will¡ª" The girl was saying, but the guy took out a tiny piece of paper and exhibited its details to her. A name was written on it which read "Sariyu Basuvu." A teeny picture of her was drawn on it as well. The girl''s eyes slightly enlarged. She looked up at the man who was one-and-half feet taller than her. "How do you know my name?" Her voice strained a little. "Kyle Bilburg. You can call me Kyle." He smiled, and put his hand forward expecting a handshake, but didn''t receive it. He relaxed his arm and forced out a whimsical smile. "If you want to know how we know your name, you can come with me. I will straight away take you to the upper decks." Sariyu paused a moment. "What''s expected in return?" "Nothing much. You just have to work as we tell you to for one month, that''s all. By the end, you will be eating with a golden plate, drinking with a golden glass." She let out an impatient snort. "So, all I get is a couple of golden kitchenware." Kyle snorted even louder and said, "It all depends on the quality you put in your work." "Uh..." She raised one of her brows. "And I presume this work involves nothing fancy." "Like I said, it varies from person to person." One moment they traded smiles and the next moment, cold glances replaced the smiles. None of the two seemed like they would back down. "Oh, you mean like for those who smell the flowers daily and for those who don''t." Kyle''s makeshift smile faded away as his face turned redder by the second. "Look, girl," He leaned forward and darted an ominous gaze at her, pointing his finger at her face, and spoke in a low tone. "Like your appearance, you obviously belong to some weedy clan who''s identity I don''t even give a f*ck about. So, either choose to come with me and I''ll be gracious enough to throw some gold biscuits now and then for you to gnaw on, or just get the f*ck off my face... Unless you want me to pummel you into a pulp and serve you to seals." Sariyu stared at him, clenching her jaw. Kyle stepped back, spread his arms wide open and laughed in a playful manner before speaking out loud. "So, what do you say, beauty?" Sariyu stepped to the side and went past him without saying a word. Kyle just went into a deep thought before walking in the other direction. (F*ck! Another failure.) A few minutes later. Sariyu stopped by at a Bread Booth. "Excuse me, is there any shop here where I can sell goods?" The owner of the booth, a blind man replied, "No, madam. You must head to the 15th deck before you get to sell anything as we don''t have markets on the lower decks." "Mm," She mused to herself. (So, I have to wait for now.) "Where can I buy a map of the decks?" "Map?" The blind man laughed in a transparent manner. "Madam, no floors of this tenth belt has a map." "What?" Sariyu was bewildered. Earlier, she saw some maps in the pocketbook, so she expected to buy the maps of some decks to get herself going. Now, the blind man''s words made her feel uneasy. "Are you saying nobody ever drew the maps of these decks?" "Even if they did, they would be taken away by Majors." "Majors? Why would they want the maps of the lower decks that they''ve already cleared?" "I don''t know, madam. I''m blind to many things on this ship. Having lost my eyes the day I boarded the ship," the blind man''s voice turned desolate. "Even if I want to go back to my girlfriend, I can''t. I don''t want her to see me in this state. In a few years, I''ll hit forty. If I can gather enough money and request some Martial for help, I may just be able to see again. Then I can get out of this ship and finally meet Ayushi." Sariyu seemed slightly irritated. "If you don''t know, just say that you don''t know. Nobody asked for your biography!" "U-Uh, my apologies," the blind man bowed a little. "Can''t help it. My tongue is weak when the story concerns me." Sariyu startled. "Stop bowing! You don''t even know me." "Hehe," the blind man rubbed the back of his head. "It''s a habit, so I can''t help it." "Anyways, I''m off," Sariyu began to walk away, but she stopped and pondered for a second. From within her pink purse, she took out an inch-sized bottle filled with some sort of translucent gas. She came back and placed it on the desk. Sensing everything, the blind man furrowed his brows. "What made you come back, madam?" "This is Snow Turtle Fog," She spoke in a stern voice. "Turn it into liquid and pour a drop in each of your eyes." "What for..." The blind man was about to say but the moment his brain comprehended her words, he didn''t believe his ears, and he froze right where he stood. It took him a few seconds to process everything, and he spoke in a desperate tone, "W-W-Will it cure my eyes?" His hands desperately searched for the bottle. "It''s a diluted version," Seeing his struggle, she picked up the bottle and waved her arm in front of his hand for a few times. But he kept searching for it. "So... I''m not sure of its success." "Snow Turtle Fog. I''ve never heard about it," His voice contained both delight and doubt, while his hands still searched the top of the desk. "You are not playing with this blind man, are you, madam?" He didn''t get a reply but his ears caught the sound of the fading away footsteps. "Madam, who are you?" He shouted, but got no response. Later, he desperately searched for the bottle and got hold of it, and wasted no time in hiding it inside his boxers. He resumed his work as if nothing happened. A few seconds later, two bare-chested men came and occupied the bench situated right in front of the shop, not even a meter away from it. Wearing a stretched-out tongue tattoo on their spines, they wore round silver earrings. Resting their elbows on the desk they began to crack jokes with each other. (Flirters!) Hearing their voices, the blind man''s frowned inwardly but acted as if he wasn''t affected by it. "White or brown?" He politely asked. "What''s wrong, Jampa?" One of the bare-chested men with a spunky hair snorted. "Shouldn''t you be sweating your ass off in the Muscle Block? Who exchanged their places with you again?" "I got paid some silver by the Gray Dogs who ordered me to serve here till the next shift," The blind man, Jampa replied. "Shall I make it white?" "Gray Dogs?" The other guy with a badly-dyed green hair said in an irritated tone. "Those crooked faces are messing with you as well? How low can they stoop?" "Well, they at least paid me in coins. Even though it was only a little, gaining something is better than gaining nothing, so I''m not too worried," the blind man said and then asked, "White or brown?" "Forget about the bread, Jampa," The spunky-haired man''s said as they both laughed and clapped their hands. "How about we focus on you gaining a few silver for the stuff you shoved in your pants?" Jampa''s whole body shook which birthed a heavy feeling in his stomach. "What stuff are you guys talking about? I don''t have any¡ª" "Look, Jampa," the spunky-haired man''s tone shifted gears. "You know who we are. So, let''s not play any more games. Give that Turtle or some shit to us and we''ll see to it that your effort will be remembered by our guild." Jampa stayed silent for a moment, tightening and loosening his fists in an iteration. "I can''t look, Mansar." Mansar, the spunky-haired man''s face lost some of its glow as he glanced back at his comrade who nodded once. He looked at Jampa and coldly said as his comrade also stood. "You have ten seconds to pull out what we need. Otherwise, don''t blame us for what will happen afterward." Jampa tried his best to control the fear welling up from the bottom of his stomach, but most of it ended up showing on his face. "I really don''t know what you both are talking about." He took half-a-step backward. "Eight seconds," Mansar said. "Seven seconds," The other guy said and chuckled. "Oi, you two are in the way," A voice sounded out from behind them, but those two were too busy in counting the numbers, they didn''t bother turning back. "I said, you two are in the way." The voice sounded out again, just a bit hoarser than before. Mansar didn''t turn back, but he showed his middle finger to his behind while saying, "Two seconds." "One second," the other guy said and evilly smiled. "Hehe." "Zero second¡ª" As Mansar was saying, a giant shadow engulfed both of them from behind. Startled, they turned back only to see a monster that towered them in every aspect. "D-D-Darling Twin¡ª" Before Mansar finished his words, Elder Darling grabbed their heads and hammered them down drilling their heads through the desk, opening two nasty holes in it. From the bang that erupted at the impact, Jampa jumped back in terror. Elder Darling lifted them both into the air and effortlessly threw them in the opposite direction, one to his left and the other to his right. Face covered in blood, some teeth loosened and hanging down their gums, both of them collapsed on the ground with eyes whitened out. "The low lives in these lower decks know not to respect their seniors," Both of them occupied the bench, creaking it aloud. "The cake didn''t even serve as a snack. All the running had awakened our stomachs. Take out all the buns you have." Their voices brought back Jampa consciousness to this world. (D-Darling Twins! Are these two really them?) Jampa gulped his own saliva twice and hurriedly began to prepare the food. Seeing his speed, and after sensing with sniffs, both the brothers nodded in approval. Younger Darling spoke, "Loot their pockets to get your desk repaired." Jampa didn''t know what to say. All he could do was smile and nod. "Yes, Majors." _____________________________________________ [1] Major: Anybody ranked higher than oneself gets called Major. Likewise, Minor means the opposite. 20 COME OUT, PLEASE! Lirzod was still sitting inside the bathroom, not knowing what to do. He kept hearing threatening words from the outside. "I''ve been waiting for thirty minutes! If you don''t come out in the next minute, I swear on my beard I will break the door!" A tall but sturdy guy roared as he banged the door with one of his cupped hand, while the other hand held his belly firmly. "This is the longest I''ve seen someone shed weight!" Another guy standing beside him was shocked. "Maybe he''s suffering from serious constipation. Why don''t you let him ¡ª" "Shut up!" The big guy neglected his roommate''s words and resumed his banging. His facial expressions changed for the worse with every passing second. The other could only control his laughter. Lirzod yawned. "Geez, this guy doesn''t seem like he''ll stop. What''s their problem? Maybe his stomach is one the verge?" He frowned. "No, the Darling Twins must be forcing him to act." He stood and came near to the door. "Ahem, can you hear me?" The big guy waiting outside, startled, and then ground his teeth. "Yeah, I can you hear you, you dumb shit! Come out this very instant or I''ll beat the living crap out of you." "Why don''t you shut up and let the Darling Twins speak, huh?" A voice came from the inside. The big guy froze for a moment. (Did he just say Darling Twins? Wait, now that I think about it, he was talking casually with the Darling Twins, which means¡­ He knows them?) His eyes enlarged. (He may even be a member of Egg Diggers. F*ck, I''m screwed!) He looked at his stomach. (This is bad.) "What''s wrong?" Lirzod spoke out. (Hmph, the surprise explains their silence. So they are waiting outside after all. Tch, they are this persistent just for some stupid sandwiches.) "Uh, nothing," the big guy replied in haste, and he no longer dared to knock the door. "The Darling Twins are not here. Only me and my roommate are here." Lirzod smiled while nodding his head. "Oh, is that so?" "Yes, can you come out quick?"the big guy clutched his stomach tightly. "I don''t know how much longer I can hold on." "If your stomach is upset, why don''t you just go and use the bathroom of the neighboring room?" "Of course, that''s not possible. You should know that as well. If one uses other people''s rooms without their permission, they will be forced to pay 10 silver for the room owner as per the rules!" "Hmm?" Lirzod was puzzled. "You can just take the permission of the neighbor. Then you won''t have any problem." "That''s the main problem!" the big guy rose his voice. "Nobody would give us permission for free. They will make use of this chance and at least ask 5 silver! Who would pay 5 silver for shitting?" "Really?" Lirzod raised his eyebrows. "But I''ve never heard of such poop rules." "What?" the big guy was on the verge of crying. He slowly collapsed to his knees. "Come out, please!" (As expected, he''s diverting the topic.) Lirzod went back to his spot and sat on the toilet seat. Meanwhile, at someplace else on the tenth deck. Burton was strolling in a corridor of the T Block. What his eyes noticed was that most people were significantly taller than the humans he used to see. He was yet to see a single person who was shorter than six feet. Some people had bellies that were thrice as bigger than Allda had which in itself could be called abnormal. "Don''t get fooled by their misleading figures," A raspy voice reached his ears, making him look to the side. He saw a seven-feet tall gray-skinned old man wielding an ax which rested on his shoulder. Despite his appearance, his muscle definitions were abnormal. to say the least. "They are much quicker and agiler than they look." The first thing Burton''s eyes laid on was the giant ax, and he coincidentally realized that the old man had six fingers on his hand. "You look older than forty. Are you not?" Burton said. "Old, I am. But not forty yet," the old man chortled. "Want to enter the block?" He pointed his thumb to his behind where there was a closed door, and at its top,the signboard read ''M Block.'' "M Block, so this is the Muscle Block¡­" Burton said and paused a moment. It seemed like an ordinary room, like the rest, but the only difference was the details on the signboard. "What''s inside?" "Why don''t you find out for yourself? It''s free." "But, are there consequences that I may not like?" The old man tilted his head sideways, just a little. "Smart kid, aren''t you? Just reverse everything you''ve read in the guidebook." Burton froze for a moment and source of distress appeared on his lips. "So, it''s like a slave contract with no guarantee of their future." "Somebody has to work for others to get free bread and booze. The day-to-day life of Entries goes undisturbed because of us Hollows who help you Entries in reaching the top of the ship," the old man''s voice turned even hoarse. "If you can''t digest it, then walk away, kid." "You don''t have to tell me that," Burton resumed his walk. "Hmph, I can''t wait for the day when you will enter a Muscle Block. Remember my name, Karak! It might be of use, just in case." "Karkarak, yes. I will remember it," Burton replied without even looking back. "You cheeky brat," the old man gripped the handle of his ax tightly and was about to lift it but then glanced down at his feet where there was a small cockroach that just happened to pass by. His hand swiftly grabbed it and a second later, a couple of crunching sounds followed due to the exercising of jaws. Meanwhile, Sariyu was strolling in the T Block. She didn''t have a pleasant expression on her face. One after another, some men came and asked to let them be her Offsider. "I was expecting to find a girl Hollow to climb along with, but why can''t I find a single one?" It irked her that at every turn, a new group of two to three men began to follow her and didn''t give up until she reached the end of their corridor. It made her pick up the pace just a bit. At one of the turns, she almost ended up colliding with Burton. "Oh, here you are," Burton beamed a magnanimous smile and made an elegant gesture with his hand. "Want to tag along?" She quickly glanced back at the other men stalking her before looking at Burton and later nodded. And they bolk walked the corridor. Seeing the two of them, the men who stalked her till then were tremendously envied. "Who''s that crook? He snatched her easily by acting like a knight in a shining armor." "Che, I can''t give up yet!" Though some men gave up, one guy continued following. "I know how hard it is to join with an Entry much less a female Entry." Burton glanced at Sariyu, still wearing a simple on his face. "Those fools think you will pity them just because they follow you for hours." "What can I do? A good man is hard to find," Sariyu sighed. "It''s a lot easier to team up with a girl instead." "You longer have to worry." His eyes gleamed as he watched her to see her reaction, "Since you''ve found one." "If you successfully join the Shambala Sect then I''d believe you''re a good man." "Huh?" His slacked mouth displayed denial. "What sort of validation is this?" "My sort," she replied in a flat tone, her gaze wandering around. Burton could only tuck his upper lip as he tagged along. "You won''t team up with that good-for-nothing fool, will you?" Sariyu gently kicked one of the broken stones lying on the floor before smiling. "Even if I want to team up, my guess is he would already be as busy as a bee." "Yeah, chasing after every skirt that comes around," Burton snorted. "At this rate, things only go one way between us. Our presence benefits him but his presence doesn''t benefit us in the least." "You don''t have to so far. We are just getting started." "Yeah. We have at best four months to reach the top deck. You think just these many days are sufficient?" His eyes protruded and face reddened a bit. "We have to act fast." "Then act fast!" Sariyu rose her voice and her feet came to a halt as she gave an irked look at Burton. "You don''t want him to join with any of us but you want him to be of use to us? Can you get any more selfish?" "Selfish?" Burton frowned. "Yeah, I said it because I know, if he''s with us we make up a terrible team. So the least he can do is listen to us, his seniors." "Yeah, whatever," Sariyu looked away. Burton ground his teeth and let out a forced smile. "You know what, I knew this would eventually happen, but didn''t think it would happen with you. It''s good for the three of us if we just act on our opinions and move forward." Saying that Burton began to walk away while Sariyu stood still, her hands folded. She just watched Burton leave as she bit her lower lip and kept tapping the floor. "E-Excuse me?" A voice came from her side, as the lone follower from before closed in on her like a fool rushing in where angels fear to tread. "Can, can you please take me in as your Offsider?" His temporizing voice contained great expectation. Sariyu''s pulse elevated and a twitchy feeling spread all over her body. She turned back and utter a scream. "Get lost!" The man shrieked like a pussy thrown into a panic by a pissed-off pooch and did a quick disappearing act like the feline would. After a few heavy breaths, Sariyu clenched her fist. "Lirzod, you won''t even let me take a peaceful stroll. You better not fall in my eyes." Inside a certain bathroom. Lirzod shook his head. "Let the Darling Twins speak. And then I"ll come out!" The big guy sitting on the floor right outside the door had a stream of tears decorating his cheeks. His roommate persuaded. "There really are no Darling Twins here. They left long ago, almost at the same time you barged into our room!" Lirzod nodded once but then shook his head again. "Let the Darling Twins speak. And then I''ll come out!" The big guy hurriedly stood to run at full speed. As he was taking a step forward, his bladder blemished the front part of his pants that made him freeze again. He glanced at his roommate who understood the meaning behind the look. "Please come out!" He banged the door. "We will give you whatever you want." "It''s not like I enjoy staying here," Lirzod said. "I just want the Darling Twins to speak, that''s all." "AHHH!" the big guy lost his nerves. "Screw you! And screw the Darling Twins!" He turned and kicked the door at full strength for three times at the same spot making it break in the third attempt, which surprised Lirzod as the door seemed to be made of quality wood. But the big guy''s leg got stuck in the hole of the door his kick created. Making use of the opportunity, Lirzod ducked down and slipped past the big guy, escaping his binding arms. "Catch that bastard!" the big guy shouted. The roommate stood, however, stood lifeless as Lirzod made a quick escape out of the room. The big guy came to his roommate, grabbed his collar and barked, "Why didn''t you catch him?" "Your pants," A cold sweat dropped his chin and his voice contained worry, "their color changed on the rear end." His voice transferred enough chills to freeze the balls of the big guy. 21 LOST SOULS Lirzod was walking down a sloping corridor. "Geez, these streets are like a maze. Shouldn''t K Block come after J Block? Just how are these blocks situated?" Though some part of him wanted to ask others for directions, some part of him didn''t. So he continued to roam, hoping to end up at the K Block. However, the blocks had no straight paths that connected one block to the other. Because their shapes and sizes were different, it made it even harder to know which blocks surrounded a particular block. The curving streets were an additional bonus. All of this irritated Lirzod a bit. After he entered one of the corridors, his ears caught the sounds of music. "Is Snow White still playing music?" All his uneasiness got washed away as he walked in the direction of the source and began to dance a little while forming words for the music. "Bag, bag, bag your hazelnuts. Bag, bag, bag your chestnuts. Bag, bag, bag your walnuts. Bag, bag, bag your peanuts. *** Bag, bag, bag your Baru nuts. Bag, bag, bag your Pine nuts. Bag, bag, bag your Soy nuts. Bag, bag, bag your Raw nuts. *** Bag, bag, bag your salted nuts. Bag, bag, bag your roasted nuts. Bag, bag, bag your seasoned nuts. Bag, bag, bag your beloved nuts." "Hehe," Lirzod rubbed his nose. "I should make Duera dance to these lyrics when I get back home." Somehow he reached one of the entrances to the open segment and could barely see Stussy playing instruments at the top of the figurehead, but when he was about to step out into the open, he hit an invisible wall made of air and fell back. His nose got bruised, and that impact jolted awoke all of his senses. He came out of the dream where he was playing an audience to Duera''s dance. "What the hell..." He was surprised and looked around not knowing what he just hit. When he walked ahead, he hit it again and startled. "This..." He stood and knocked the air with his knuckles and a sound similar to that of him hitting a glass, came out. He shouted out loud but got no response from her or even from any other workers who should have heard his voice. "Can''t she hear me?" He tried again for a few times, but the result was pretty much the same. Not one person glanced in his direction. Seeing how his efforts were fruitless, he shook his head. "She must have set this wall." A pouting for a few seconds, he began to walk away. "I will come back when there''s no wall here, haha..." Saying that he picked up the pace and covered a few hundred meters before slowing down. "I should first head back to my room which is in the K block if I''m correct. But how in the world do I get there on my own?" He looked at some people who were nearby and wanted to ask them for directions but then shook his head. "No, I have to find the room by myself." He resumed his relentless journey with a renewed vigor. Fifteen minutes later. In some random street, Lirzod was walking like a zombie, his shoulders flailing, head tilted down, and spine arched forward. "Screw these streets. Screw this ship. I just want to go home. I''m really missing them both," He seemed distressed and couldn''t help but sulk. At that moment, he saw a female figure cross the junction and enter a different street. His eyes lit up and he ran after her. Only after he crossed the corner of the street and got close enough, he realized that it was Sariyu. Seeing her brought tears out of him. "Sariyu!" He jumped at her from behind, startling her. He curled his arms around her and rubbed his head on her back while sobbing. "Waah, I thought I''d never see you again." "Lirzod! Let go of me!" Sariyu did her best to get out of his bind, but he was too absorbed in crying that he didn''t pay heed to her actions at all. "Who the heck is that little finger?" Some of the men who were following Sariyu from behind were enraged. "How dare he attack a girl from behind? He needs to be taught with fists!" They all ran towards those two. "Lirzod! I''m talking to you!" Sariyu shouted, but got no reply. She ground her teeth and spoke in a controlled tone, "If you don''t step away before I count to three, I promise for real that I''ll kill you." The words ''kill you,'' reached Lirzod''s ears and brought him back to his senses. "No." he shook his head and hugged her tight. "If I do you''ll run away." Sariyu was startled. "Run away from what? Let go of me first!" Despite her attempts, Lirzod was in an advantageous position, so she struggled to succeed. In that time, three men arrived at the spot and wasted no time in pulling Lirzod away. "You rotten flower! How dare you cling to that beautiful lady?" They were quite furious as they forcibly pulled him away. "Are you alright, miss?" One of the men asked her. Sariyu took a deep breath and nodded as she glared at Lirzod. "Can you beat that prick for me?" "Of course," the three men stood in between her and Lirzod. "Hehehe," they cracked their knuckles and let our vulgar smiles, "with pleasure." "This is too much," Lirzod stepped back. "Sariyu, tell them to stop." "Huh? Did you stop when I told you to?" Sariyu raised her voice. "The right thing to do is bear the punishment." "What?" Lirzod frowned. "Hehe, you heard the lady," the three guys came closer and closer. "Now, hand your candy ass without a hitch and we''ll make a quick work out of it. Otherwise, you won''t be able to rest it on any surface for weeks." Lirzod pressed his lips harder and looked at Sariyu who pulled out her tongue purposely as he would do to her all the time. (You devil...) He looked back at the men and forced out a grin. "Heh, what are you smiling for?" One of the men snorted. "Maybe, he''s too afraid to do anything else," another man said. "Hahaha," they laughed in sync. Lirzod startled and stood straight. "Hello, brothers. Can I ask you three one thing?" "Ah?" Their laughing stopped. "What is it? Are you gonna make your dying wish or what?" They chortled. "No, no. You three are helping that girl for a reason, right?" Lirzod said and paused to examine their response. "Of course, we want to become her Offsider," those three replied simultaneously, and the next second, they looked at each other. "Hey, I got to her first, so I will be her Offsider!" One of the men blurted out. "What? I choked the boy''s throat and pulled him away. I deserve to be her Offsider!" Another man rolled up his sleeves. "Hmph, I''m better than you both. I even asked the lady if she alright after we helped her!" the third one loosened his collar. "Ridiculous. You call that a better thing than mine?" "Of course, it''s better than your both combined, to be honest." "Shove your honesty in your shoes!" "Yeah, I will shove mine in my shoes, while you two can shove them in your rear ends." He repeated made sharp gestures which picked the nerves of the other two. "You shithead!" Those two began to tackle the third guy and their struggle took no time before turning into a full-blown fist fight. As the three were busy in brawling, Lirzod sneakily made himself scarce. Seeing the unfolded events, Sariyu felt a sour taste in her mouth. She could only shake her head as she left the spot as well. After she crossed a couple of streets, a figure jumped at her from behind trying to hug her again. But this time she turned back and unsheathed her knife in a swift movement. The knife stopped less than an inch away from that person''s throat. "Maybe once, but never twice in a day," she said, her eyes oozing out a threatening aura. That person, Lirzod, forced out a smile and stepped back. "So you saw me coming," he exposed his empty palms, "just trying to surprise you, that''s all." "I knew you would follow me right away after escaping out of that place," Sariyu turned away and began to walk. "But that doesn''t matter. What matters is whether or not you''ll stop following me from here onward." Without saying a word, Lirzod followed her from behind which made her twitch. "Words are wasted on a shameless scoundrel like you." She felt a pulse in her throat which forced her to ignore him. "It''s not like I want to follow you, but I can''t help it," Lirzod''s voice weakened a bit as he tucked his arms at the sides. "Your room is right beside mine, right? So I''m just following you. That''s all." Sariyu was surprised a bit. "Hmph, whatever. Just make sure to stay at least ten meters away from me." "Ten centimeters? Okay." Lirzod quickly stepped closer. Sariyu grabbed the handle of the knife resting on her waist. "I said ''meters.''" "Got it." Lirzod raised his arms and stepped back enough distance. "Speak clearly, Madam Mustache. You know I get deaf at times." Sariyu''s feet came to a halt. Her pulse sped up and heat flushed through her body, all of which reddened her face as she turned back and jumped on top of Lirzod. She pulled his tongue up and placed the knife at a touching distance to it. "I told you not to call me by that name." Her expression was devoid of friendliness. She truly seemed serious. "Sorry. A tongue slip." Lirzod spoke in a not-so-clear tone. Sariyu let go of the tongue but swiftly moved her hand and cut something. "My sidelock!" Lirzod''s lower lip quivered as he looked at the bunch of hair. "Consider this as the penalty," Sariyu stood and sheathed the knife. Lirzod stood with and touched his face. He only had a sidelock on one of his sides. "You are heartless." He shouted at her. More than a year ago, he saw a strand of hair develop at the area between her nose and the upper lip. From then on he began to tease her with that name. Though Sariyu cut the hair and though it never grew back, Lirzod never really stopped using her name. "Fine, you shaved one side. But who''ll take care of the other side? Come and shave this side as well?" Sariyu didn''t bother to reply and resumed her walk. After crossing that street, Lirzod spoke. "Hey, hey, I almost forgot to tell you." His face beamed strong color and sheen. "I developed a new song. Want to know the lyrics? I''ll sing it for you, but you should shave the other side as well, okay?" "If it''s about the stupid nuts again, then save it for yourself," Sariyu coldly replied. "Yes, but I promise it will be good." "No." "Bag, bag, bag your ¡ª" Sariyu touched the handle of her knife and turned back. "What part of ''no,'' you didn''t understand?" "Oh, I thought you said ''yes.'' My bad. I won''t sing anymore." Lirzod put his index finger on his mouth. Sariyu sheathed her knife and continued her walk. Lirzod silently strolled behind her. A few minutes later. In a random street, Sariyu was being followed by two people. One of them was Lirzod and the other was a new guy who joined only a minute ago. "Hey, I''m following her for a good reason," the guy argued with Lirzod. "You said, you are following her even though she rejected your proposal. Aren''t you just wasting your time?" "I can waste a lot more time for a beautiful girl," Lirzod said. Sariyu could hear his words and it twitched her. But she didn''t turn back. "What? You mean, this girl isn''t beautiful enough to your eyes?" the other guy asked in shock. "I''d give her my life if she asks for it." "Hmph, you are talking like that because you know nothing about her," Lirzod said. "Then I''ll just know her a bit more and then disprove your words!" the guy closed in on Sariyu. "Excuse me, can you tell me about yourself? A little would be enough." "I''m not in a good mood, so back off before you hurt yourself," Sariyu''s voice as cold as ice. The guy got shocked as he came back to Lirzod and said, "you''re right." "I told you." "Yeah. And I don''t want to be an Offsider to such an Entry," the guy stopped and walked away in a different direction. Lirzod just waved him goodbye before turning back to Sariyu and chortled. "Nobody follows you in our town. But here, so many men want to follow you. I''m sure you are quite happy about it." "It''s annoying, to say the least," Sariyu replied without looking back. "Mm," Lirzod looked around and realized that they were in the D Block. "Hmm? Hey, didn''t we already go past this block before? Why are we in this one again?" He looked at her but didn''t get a response. A second later, his eyes enlarged. "Don''t tell me, you..." Sariyu''s heart began to pump faster and she pressed her lips hard hoping to control it. 22 THREE MONKEYS "Mm," Lirzod looked around and realized that they were in the D Block. "Mm? Hey, didn''t we already go past this block before? Why are we in this one again?" He looked at her but didn''t get a response. A second later, his eyes enlarged. "Don''t tell me, you..." Sariyu''s heart began to pump faster and she pressed her lips hard hoping to control it. "Were you looking to find a partner in this block?" Sariyu paused a moment and then nodded in haste. (Whew...) Her heartbeat slowed down. "C''mon, do you really think you can find a good partner on this deck?" Lirzod raised his eyebrows. "Let''s focus on climbing the decks first. If luck has it, we''ll meet suitable partners on the way. What do you say?" "Y-Yeah," she gave a hesitant nod. At that moment they both ended up meeting a familiar face at the street''s corner. Burton initially saw Sariyu who was in the front and was about to walk in the other direction but just then he saw Lirzod behind her. Seeing them both, he frowned and looked at her. "You told me that you wouldn''t team up with him." "And I didn''t," she was quick to reply. "Oh, then why''s he with you?" Burton pointed his finger at Lirzod, irking him. "Because he''s lost," she said in a flat tone. "Hmph," Burton smirked as he glanced at Lirzod. "Can''t even get back to your room and yet you boasted about joining Shambala Sect during your coming off age ceremony! If anyone sees this," His chest tightened and breath hitched, "they would ridicule not just you but our entire clan." "What ceremony?" Lirzod smiled in a bitter manner. "All that happened that morning was a casual meeting. No party was thrown afterward." "No party?" Sariyu looked at him in a questioning manner. "What about the party that was thrown during that night?" "That''s not really thrown for my sake, you know," he sighed heavily. "Of course, that party happened both for the clan and for you as well," Sariyu tried to convince him. Lirzod shook his head. "You didn''t even attend the party. You wouldn''t know how I got treated." "Well," she didn''t know what to say. Burton got irked by their conversation. "I''m worried about the clan but he''s more worried about the party." His brows furrowed as he turned to her, "And why are you even reasoning with him?" Sariyu was startled. (That''s right, I forgot that he called me something bad.) She fumed at Lirzod, puzzling him. "What did I do?" Lirzod exposed his palms to the skies. Burton narrowed his eyes as he fixedly stared at Lirzod. (He wouldn''t leave her side unless I tell him the way.) He took out a small white cloth which upon unfolding became ten times larger. He wrote the letter M with his finger on the cloth and a map faded in on its surface. It was a partial map of the tenth deck. He showed it to Lirzod. "There''s no set pattern for the blocks which is why it confuses newcomers like us. That''s why I wrote it down here. Now all you all have to do is go straight like this." He joined the D Block and the K Block in a straight line. "You encounter six blocks in between. Just mug the order and you''ll reach your room with no problem." While rubbing his chin, Lirzod paused a moment and then nodded. Burton folded the cloth and put it back in his pocket before walking away. Sariyu followed him from behind. A few moments later, Lirzod began to follow them as well. When Burton glanced back, he saw Lirzod walking behind her. "I told you the way," he scrubbed his hand over the face, "so why are you following me?" "Who''s following you?" Lirzod replied in a loud voice. "I''m following Sariyu." "You..." Burton clenched his fist. His stomach just hardened from hearing Lirzod''s words. "Just ignore him," Sariyu told Burton. He curbed all the frustration and continued to walk. Because Lirzod was following, Burton changed the course and headed straight towards the K Block. They went through streets neither Sariyu nor Lirzod had been to before. Some of the blocks they passed through had tiny tree-like objects stuck at the top of either wall of the streets, and such streets were calmer. Some streets which didn''t have them were crawling with many men doing all sorts of things from exercising and having fun to scaring people. If there weren''t three of them, Burton and his group would likely have been tested. Some of the men who previously messed with Burton and looted some of his money, now gave him ridiculing glances, but he ignored them wholly. However, some still mocked them with their words, especially the men wearing turtle shells as helmets. "Look at them three monkeys. I wonder where they are heading." "Where else? To steal food from others of course." "Haha, like most other monkeys." "How despicable. Monkeys like these deserve to be put down or at least tied to a rope." "Look at their line up. The male monkeys seem to be protecting the female one. How hilarious! These monkeys surely don''t know that the streets on this ship can be cold enough to freeze the balls of a brass monkey. As for you lot, your future is too self-evident." Like masters of mocking, different men used different words and voices to hurt those three. Though Burton and Lirzod weren''t bothered by their words, Sariyu''s blood boiled. New people getting picked at was common even in Helenia, and as a spectator, she always enjoyed such things when they happened. Only now, when she was on the receiving end of the jeers and laughs, she realized how uncomfortable it was. However, all she could do was act as if she never heard their words. Lirzod coldly glanced at them. "What are you looking at, huh?" One of them threw a stone at Lirzod. He moved his head and dodged the stone while continuing to walk. "Yeah, that''s right. Keep going like that." As they watched the three of them made more and more distance. "Did you look at the kid in the back?" One of the guys angrily said. "Yeah, he didn''t have a shred of fear in them," a gray-haired guy who seemed to the leader of that group said. "Either he''s faking it exceptionally well or he mean''s trouble. We can mess with them, but it will either be a hit or miss. What do you guys say?" "We stole some money from the purple monkey, and he didn''t fight back at all," the guy standing beside the leader stated, "so, the three of them must be duds. You can tell by their formation itself. Instead of walking side by side, they are walking in a line. They are definitely noobs. My gut says we can bag some decent coins from them. What do you say, Boss Budgen?" "There''s no need to hurry. Let''s wait and see how they do in the Deck Tests," Budgen said as he cracked his knuckles against his chin. He had the number forty-nine on the outer side of his palm. Sometime later. Burton and others reached the K Block. Lirzod no longer followed them and simply marched past the two to reach the room earlier than the rest. "Since when was this a race?" Burton scratched the back of his neck as he looked at her. "Just ignore him," she replied in a not-so-relaxed posture. A second later, she slowly increased her pace and walked past Burton, startling her. He increased his pace as well and overtook her. She sped up again and crossed him. The process repeated until they reached their rooms. Sariyu reached her room first as Burton''s room was the one after her''s. "I won," she said, puffing a little. "Yeah, ''cause I let you," Burton winked at her and beamed a satisfied smile. "Nobody would listen to a loser''s words," Sariyu opened the door and entered the room. Burton, however, looked around before taking a walk down the corridor. A few minutes later. Two men were sauntering on the streets of the K Block, and they ended up grabbing the attention of most people even though they just casually strolled around. "What are those two doing here?" "I saw them coming and going in this direction before." "This is bad news. They are definitely here to stir something." "Let''s hope we are not involved in any of it." "Why are they wearing gloves? I can''t see their hands!" "That''s not what we should be worried about now!" People were afraid to even ask the two men as to why they frequently roamed in and around the same block, for the two men were Darling Twins. While masticating on corn they were immersed in a discussion. "We have wasted enough time here. We should get back," Younger Darling just made short work of all the corn seeds and tossed its cob away before rubbing his hands. "If only someone had used a Rubberneck to take his picture, we wouldn''t have gone through all the stuff we did," Elder Darling said, "let''s hope he''ll at least be in his room." "Mm," Younger Darling nodded, but his eyes fixedly stared at the corn cob in his brother''s hand. When he attempted to snatch it, his brother shifted the cob into his other hand. "Hmph," Elder Darling snorted as he gnawed on the cob, "you are a hundred years too young to be snatching my food!" Younger Darling''s shoulders flailed, and all he could do was watch his brother finish stuffing his snack. Before long, they reached the room 10-K43. There was no footwear at the doorstep. The door was closed, but not locked from the outside. Seeing that, the Darling Twins exchanged grins that were beyond the pale. Younger Darling wasted no time and knocked on the door. Lirzod who was stuffing his pockets with different kinds of nuts looked at the door, which got knocked twice again. "Is it her?" Lirzod shook his head. "Too bad, I won''t share my song with you anymore." The door was knocked again. "Um, may if she begs me enough times, I''ll reconsider." The frequency of knocking increased gradually, but no response came from within the room. "Hey, did you think nobody would come looking for you after what you did? We know that you''re in there!" Younger Darling called at the top of his voice. "Come on out, or I''ll be forced to come in." Lirzod''s eyes broadened. It wasn''t hard for him to recognize the hoarse voice of the Younger Darling. (These bastards, how did they know that this is my room?) "We know you can hear us," Younger Darling snorted. "Stop acting like you''re sleeping." Despite his attempts, no reply came from the inside. "Hmph, fine. If you want your door broken," Younger Darling clenched his fist and pulled it to the back of his head. As he was about to punch, Elder Darling intercepted in a sense which meant that he would handle things from there onward. "You seriously think the door can stop us?" Elder Darling said in a loud voice. "You have ten seconds to open the door." Lirzod deeply frowned. (So the two of them came here, those gluttonous bastards. Just calm down and think of a solution, Lirzod. You can do this.) He took a deep breath and threw a couple of cashews into his mouth. At that moment, he looked at the cashews in his hand, and the corners of his mouth turned up. "Hey, what are you two shouting for?" A feminine voice rang out from outside, startling Lirzod. "Ah? Who are you to ¡ª" Elder Darling turned his head and spoke in a reckless manner, but his speech stopped in the middle after seeing the source of the feminine voice, which was a sparkling red-haired figure ¡ª a beauty of the sorts they often dared to dream about. "I, I... We, we," Elder Darling choked on his own words. The red-haired girl glared at Younger Darling who was still knocking on the door. "Hey, you! Are you deaf or what?" "Ah?" Younger Darling was about dart a threatening glance, but upon seeing the red-haired girl, his spine shivered. "Stop causing a disturbance," The red-haired girl, Sariyu narrowed her eyes as she placed her hands on her waist. "Understood?" "Y-Y-Yes, we did," Both the brothers nodded their heads repeatedly like dogs would at their owners. "If you did, then knock the door lightly," Sariyu said as he entered her room and closed the door. Darling Twins looked at each other. "Did you see that?" Elder Darling hurriedly said, eyes widening. "Yeah, she just talked with me," Younger Darling replied while standing in a slumped posture. "She talked with me first!" Elder Darling spoke a bit aloud. "Maybe, but she ended with me!" Younger Darling didn''t back down. "I''m going to propose first!" "No, it should be me!" They both exchanged serious stares. "Okay, let the toss decide," Younger Darling said to which his brother approved. He pulled out a coin from his shirt pocket. As the coin got tossed into the air and Elder Darling said, ''Tails,'' Lirzod''s room door opened, making the brothers look towards the door instead. They expected to see a person, but what they saw instead was a small packet at the doorstep. That see-through packet made it obvious for the brothers that it was filled with cashews. Highly excited, they both ran to fetch it for themselves. Both grabbed the packet at the same time, and struggled to take it away, and moved around in the street until their pulls ended up ripping the packet in two halves. All the cashews danced on the floor and like dogs, they hurriedly began to pick them up. At that moment, Younger Darling saw the coin which got tails, so he sneakily flipped it around before resuming the job. Meanwhile, Lirzod hid behind the door and whelped in silence. All he could hear was the sounds of his cashews getting crushed in between their teeth. It took no longer than a minute for the brothers to gobble up all the cashews as they left a trail of not-so-tiny dents on the wooden floor. "Look, it''s Head!" Younger Darling pointed his finger at the coin. After checking it for himself, Elder Darling was a bit disappointed. "Fine. You can ask her out first." He turned towards the room and looking at the open doors, his frustration subsided a bit. "Where are you hiding, my dear Lirzod?" Lirzod''s pressed his lips harder and cocked his head forward. (Wait, how do they know my name?) "Hehe," Younger Darling snickered. "The cashews were good, so we''ll treat you good as well. You can come out." The brothers exchanged glances and smiles, and it was too plain to see they didn''t mean what they said. 23 THE BODYGUARDS Lirzod''s pressed his lips harder and cocked his head forward. (Wait, how do they know my name?) "Hehe," Younger Darling snickered. "The cashews were good, so we''ll treat you good as well. You can come out." The brothers exchanged glances and smiles, and it was too plain to see they didn''t mean what they said. "I gave you more valuable food than what I took from you two, did I not?" Lirzod''s voice was loud enough to reach their ears. "Huh? You hurt our men and expect us to let you go for just giving a small packet of cashews?" Younger Darling waved his hand. Lirzod didn''t know what to say. "Maybe, if you give hundred of those," Younger Darling glanced at his brother before he continued, "we might forgive you after you deeply apologize that is." Lirzod frowned. (Deeply apologize for what? For not serving you lot when I''m not at all obligated to?) "Your time is over," Elder Darling stepped ahead with a frosty look. A line etched between Lirzod''s brows before he shook his head and stepped to the side, revealing himself. "Hundred is out of the option." The Darling Twins both froze in their places ¡ª their postures humped and necks bent forward. (He is!) A tingling sensation spread throughout their chests. "I can give another one if you want. That''s the best I can do," While maintaining eye contact with them, Lirzod bent to the side and pulled out an almond packet from the shelf and walked out of the room. Their hearts drummed and worry gnawed their visages as he stepped closer, making them step back reflexively. "However," Oblivious to what the Darling Twins were experiencing, Lirzod continued his speech, "you both must also promise me to show the way to¡­ What''s that, Test Hall? Is the deal okay?" The brothers exchanged glances before hesitantly nodding, only just a little. Lirzod was elated but in a controlled manner. (It worked! Hehe, I thought I was bad but these guys are even worse at bargaining.) He tossed the packet to them and locked the room without wasting another minute. The brothers murmured to themselves. "Is he Lirzod?" Younger Darling frowned. "I don''t know! Let''s just ask him," Elder Darling approached Lirzod, "Ahem, are you ¡ª" As he was about to ask, Lirzod went to Sariyu''s room and knocked on the door twice. "Hey, I''m heading to the Test Hall. Want to tag along?" Two seconds later, the reply came, "No. But when you come back, tell me about it." The brothers exchanged glances in astonishment. Lirzod glanced over his shoulder at the two. "Shall we go?" "Ye-yes, sure." Younger Darling was quick to respond as he hurriedly got to Lirzod''s behind. Seeing that, his brother''s mouth snapped shut and he cut the distance between them at his own pace. "How far is the Test Hall?" Lirzod casually asked. "It''s just eight blocks away." "Oh. It takes some time then," Lirzod took out some nuts from his pockets and tossed them into his mouth one by one. "Uh¡­" Younger Darling plastered on a smile and asked in a tentative manner, "Do you know the girl next door?" Lirzod paused a moment. "You mean Madame Mustache?" "Madam Mustache..?" Younger Brother''s face warped into an ugly mess. "You were talking about the girl you just interacted with, right?" "Yeah," Lirzod replied as he did his best to suppress himself from laughing. "Madame Mustache¡­ But she didn''t seem to have any mustache." "Because she shaves it." Younger Darling''s nose crinked and throat burned. (Is she¡­) With all speed, he took a few steps back and stopped beside his brother. "I''ve changed my mind, brother." "About what?" "About that girl. You can propose her first." "Oh, why the sudden change?" "Just felt like doing it," Younger Darling''s gaze laid on the cashew packet in his brother''s hand. "In return, I''ll be taking this!" He tried to snatch it but miserably failed. "Once the toss is done, the result must be respected," Elder Darling let out a playful grin. Younger Darling''s eyes bulged and he hid his face at breakneck speed. (So he heard us.) "You are a hundred years too young to fool me," Elder Darling let out a booming laugh. Meanwhile, Lirzod looked around and found literally nobody on the street. "We are going in the correct way, aren''t we?" "Yes," the brothers replied in unison and reduced the distance between them and him. "Why isn''t there a single soul roaming outside?" "Uh, sometimes they all go to work." "Work? I was expecting to find some beauties, but¡­" Lirzod kind of got a bit impatient. (At this rate, I wouldn''t get sleep at night.) At that moment, he saw the entrance to a large room which grabbed his attention. Since the door was open, he stopped right at it and looked inside. He could see many males sharing it. "Why are there so many people sharing this room?" "These are dorms for Hollows," Younger Darling said. "If you are looking for a good companion, you can find them here." "Companion! Yes," Lirzod entered the room at double quick speed. Unlike the single rooms that were given to the entries, this Dorm was almost a hundred times bigger and there were hundreds of layered beds each on which can be used by multiple Hollows. Seeing Lirzod being backed by two hulking men, the Hollows got their full attention on him. Whenever Lirzod''s gaze met with someone else''s gaze, they showered a fake smile and Lirzod was forced to smile in return. He averted his eyes from the stares and avoided eye contact. (I''m looking for beauties, but what''s with these mustaches and beards? There aren''t even any babyfaces. What should I do? I''m looking for girls but I also fear the lack of those would ruin this whole journey. You damn duality... You haunt me in this ship as well?) He took a deep breath and attempted to look at some others. Every person his eyes laid upon happened to be males with either beards or mustaches. Some of them were shirtless while some other were just on innerwear. Given how carefreely those men were living, it was made kind of obvious to Lirzod that there would be no girls anywhere around. "Are you looking for someone?" One of the Hollows dared to finally approach him. "Yes, where are the female dorms?" Lirzod hurriedly asked in anticipation. That guy paused a moment and tried to best to not laugh. "Only decks above number hundred have female Hollows." "And which deck are we on?" The guy knitted his brows. "Tenth deck." Lirzod smiled faintly. "I knew, but just confirming, that''s all." "Oh, it''s alright." "How can I go to the hundredth deck?" "Definitely not by a staircase," The guy laughed, and a second later, he immediately shut his mouth and stared at the two hulking men that stood behind Lirzod. The cold stares of the brothers didn''t just give him chills but made him wet his pants. "I''m so sorry! Please forgive me," he tried to touch Lirzod''s feet, but Lirzod moved back a couple of steps. "I really didn''t mean it. I was just¡­" he began to slap himself many times over. "I''m a fool. Yes. I deserve this." "What the heck are you doing?" Lirzod walked past him, and so did the two men behind him. Seeing them ignore him, the kneeling man felt relieved, but just then he realized that something was wrong and when he looked down, he realized what happened. "If there are no girls dorms there, it''s a waste to roam here," Lirzod told to himself before looking at the brothers. "Shall we head to the Test Hall." "Yeah, sure," they replied simultaneously, but then glanced at each other. (Weren''t we already doing that?) As he walked out, Lirzod kept daydreaming. (I will finish these decks quickly and go find some beauties in the hundredth deck and above. I can''t wait to cuddle in their arms.) Just by imagining things, he began to laugh to himself in elation, which puzzled the brothers. "What''s he thinking about?" They could only have a guess among themselves. After finding enough strength, Elder Darling approached Lirzod and asked, "Can you tell me how you know that Stussy?" "Oh, Snow White?" Lirzod took no time to reply. "She''s my future wife." Saying that he rubbed his nose. The brothers, however, had their hearts sink into their stomachs and watched him with an incredulous stare. Elder Darling turned to his brother and murmured, "It''s great that we didn''t mess with him. Otherwise, our bodies would have ended up floating on the sea." Younger Darling controlled his heartbeat. "But, just who''s this kid? He only recently boarded the ship, so how does he even know her? Is he a Shambalese? No, that''s not possible either. His dressing style isn''t too luxurious either, so he''s not some rich kid. Just what attracted her to him?" "Don''t you know of the saying that ''Love is blind,''" Elder Darling said in a downturned mouth. "Maybe that''s what started their relationship." "Then why doesn''t anyone love us?" Younger Darling got frustrated to the core. "Most girls just shoot through our hearts whenever we propose to them." As they walked through many corridors, most people who saw Lirzod were alarmed. "Who''s that one? Why are Darling Twins acting as his bodyguards?" "He must be their superior." "But he''s too young." "So what? Look at the scar on his face. He''s definitely not new to battle. Who knows, he might just be the real deal." Men chattered among themselves as Lirzod walked the streets. Two men in turtle helmets were especially left in shock after seeing Lirzod. "Hey, isn''t that the guy from before?" "Yeah. He is. We sure go and inform Boss about this." Though it seemed like Lirzod just came out for some air, different people deduced differently about the incident thanks to the two husky men that followed him as if they were his bodyguards. "About the Test Hall¡­" Lirzod spoke after a long time. "Can you guys tell me what kind of test will be there?" Younger Darling glanced at his brother, but he got pushed forward instead. "Tenth Deck is also called the Deck of Running," Younger Darling spoke to Lirzod from behind. " To get allowed entrance into the eleventh deck, one must pass the hundred meter run in less than twelve seconds." "Oh, sounds simple," Lirzod felt lot better after knowing the test. "There will be space for warming up or not." "You won''t be given any place to practice running. If you fail you can again participate in the event as many times as you want until you win. If you win, you get to go to the eleventh deck." "Oh, sounds flexible as well." "Hmm, however, in case you come down from the eleventh to the tenth deck, you will have to take part in the test again." "What?" Lirzod stopped and his posture stiffened. "Does that apply to all decks?" "No, this rule applies only to decks whose names end with zero." "Oh, then it''s fine," Lirzod resumed walking. "What about the rewards for finishing the tests?" "Finishing the test doesn''t explicitly reward you with anything." "What? Will there at least be female referees for the test?" Lirzod''s voice was hopeful, but the silence of Younger Darling made him gloomy. His spine bent forward a bit and hands dangled in the air. "Twelve-second sprint, and yet no girl to cheer... How can one get motivated?" Before long, the three of them got close enough to the Test Hall. When they reached a junction and were a few hundred meters away to the destination, Elder Darling said, "we''ll stop here." "Sure. That''s the Test Hall, right?" Lirzod pointed towards an entrance of the room and asked again to confirm. "Yes." From there, Lirzod went straight while the brothers took a left turn. "What should we do now?" Younger Darling felt a bit uneasy. "We didn''t finish our task. If we go like this, there''s no saying how they''ll respond." "Let''s just tell me what we saw, and then we''ll see how it goes," Elder Darling said as he finally opened the almond packet he held for so long. Instead of giving some to his brother, he kept on eating them all by himself. "Where''s my share?" Younger Darling fumed. "No share this time," A casual reply came in return. "What? Why?" Younger Darling glared at his brother. "This is your punishment for trying to pull a trick on me regarding that Madame Mustache." Younger Darling frowned. All he could do was grit his teeth, and swallow all the drool oozing out of his tongue at incredible rates, but he still couldn''t take his eyes off the almonds. 24 HALL OF FAME In some random corridor of the tenth deck. One messy blonde guy munched on pint-sized sweets as fed by two luscious ladies accompanying him on either side. Golden rings decorated all his ten fingers and six golden chains adorned his neck hanging all the way down to the chest. The two ladies kept on feeding him sweets as they laughed aloud, fortuitously grabbing the attention of many men. "What''s that Lady Luster doing here?" "Isn''t it obvious? He must have come to buy some ladies again." "Geez, look at the ornaments he wore. That''s pure gold right there. If I can get my hands on them, my life is settled." "Don''t be dreaming more than you can handle. He''s part of the Brokers Guild. Touch him and a dozen mercenaries from the upper decks will be on your tail." As the crowd kept murmuring about him, the man in gold didn''t even bother looking at them as they were all males. "Darling, if you hire another girl, will you abandon us both? One of the ladies wearing revealing clothes asked in an undemanding manner. "Of course not. You two are my dearest companions," he said in an exaggerated manner, "I think of you both as nothing different to girlfriends." "Darling, you are so sweet!" The girls were elated and showered his cheeks with kisses. "Haha, yes¡­ I''m sweeter than the sweets," the man chortled and brushed his lips against their cheeks once every few seconds. At that moment, two bulky men entered the street and were walking in their direction. Seeing them, the man snorted and the ladies laughed covering their mouths with hands. As they got close enough, the man in gold asked in a loud voice, "if I become as big as those two, would you both leave my side?" "Of course, we don''t, darling," the ladies who had already curled their hands around his hands, hugged him tighter. "Besides, we''ll never let you become like those pigs." "Haha, yeah. I will count on you two then. Those thugs look just like pigs. I never want to look like them." As his laughter echoed in the street, many men frowned and exposed their teeth. But their expressions froze when the two bulky men stopped and turned towards the man in gold. The two of them trudged their way to the man, making him and the ladies look back. "Darling, they seem to have heard us." One of the ladies hesitantly said. "Hmph, so what if they did?" the man snorted and spoke aloud, "you thugs better vanish before I open my eyes again." Saying that he shut his eyes. "Yeah, buzz off pigs!" the second lady didn''t back down. "Unless you want your asses handed to you." Eyes glistening with animosity the two bulky men glared at the lady who just spoke, making her startle like a cat and take a step back. One of the men stepped ahead. His footstep was like a stomp, and its sound alone forced the man in gold to open his eyes. "Having no darling is bad. Having one darling is good. But having two darlings¡­" He grabbed the head of the man in gold by his hand and lifted him up effortlessly,"... will attract thugs!" He waved his arm and tossed him away as if he were a stone. The man in gold crashed into the wooden wall and had his eyes whitened in an instant. Spilling a mouthful of blood and a few teeth, nose flattened out of shape, he collapsed to the ground, his face shape-shifted into a grotesquerie. The ladies and the crowd in the vicinity had their hearts pound in mouths, and guts shake in their shoes. Terror-stricken, some men wet their pants right where they stood. The cold sweat that forced its way out through their skin uneased them in addition. "An egg can''t criticize a chick," One of the two men stared angrily at the ladies, making them visibly shake like leaf, aghast at their brutality, "Call us pigs one more time and I''ll make sure you eat alongside real pigs for the rest of your life." Scared witless, one lady nodded subconsciously. But the second lady picked up her pace in the opposite direction, "you thugs, j-just wait, I''ll report on you both!" "Yeah. Come looking for Darling Twins!" One of the two men replied in a resounding voice that contained no traces of dubiety. The other lady who stood there scared stiff tried to take a breath, but her knees just won''t stop shaking. "Thugs like you deserve to die. I curse that your thug life will one day lead you both to death." "Ho¡­" Younger Darling looked at his brother in surprise. "A shivering squirrel[1], brother. How nice." Elder Darling leaned forward and checked her legs which were still shaking, "Hmm, shivering like a squirrel indeed." His eyes slowly moved up her body as if he was sort of taking pleasure in doing that. "But, you got one thing wrong, darling. We didn''t choose the thug life." He locked his stare with her''s. "It chose us." Her eyes enlarged and knees locked. Elder Darling turned and began to walk away with his brother. Younger Darling glanced at his brother and said, "she looked lovely when she was afraid. Should I try asking her out?" "Don''t," Elder Darling''s tone was somewhat serious. "But, she''s possibly a shivering squirrel." "Doesn''t matter." "Maybe she can be a great lover, brother." His voice contained an earnest persuasion. "Enough said," Elder Darling waved his hand, hampering his brother''s further attempts. "Forget about being lovers, gold diggers can''t even be candid concubines." Younger Darling dwelled on his brother''s words for a few moments and bitterly smiled. "At least, I''ll scare her once more." Eldering Darling nodded an approval. Younger Darling suddenly turned and took a step ¡ª more like a stomp ¡ª in that lady''s direction, making her, there and then career in the same direction her friend bolted away before without even looking back. Seeing her getting scared witless, Younger Darling felt like the cat that''s got the cream. "Fleeing like a flee as well, haha. How amusing." As the Darling Twins made enough distance, the crowd who just watched everything till then, had their gazes shift towards the man in gold who was knocked out cold, and especially, the gold ornaments that bejeweled his body caught their eyes making them gleam with greed. A few minutes earlier. At the test hall. As Lirzod stepped on the bright wooden floor of the test hall, he caught sight of too many things, albeit one by one, the hundreds of people foregathered around each running field, the animals of various sizes some of whom overshadowed others in the vicinity, the shouting men who haughtily held sacks of jingling coins, the transparent windows and the men watching the ongoing events from the other side, the multiple bread booths being graced by lot of customers, the shabby shoes lying at a corner were being put to use by some poor fellows, the men sleeping on the floor at another corner, the men putting brooms to use as they cleaned the floor at the vacant spots, and the small number of men who sat lazily and smoked. In essence, the atmosphere was akin to a fiddly festival, not facile to fathom. Walls were calligraphed with dozens of quotations. "Running creates legs of steel." "Every step ahead transforms you into a different person." "Running keeps you hale and hearty." "For every run, the goal should not only be to beat the other runners but also the one inside you." "Always make time for a run." "It''s time to run." There were many such quotations but not one of the quotations, per say, didn''t stall his breath; it was the mightily calligraphed diamond-chiseled sign hanging to the ceiling at the center of the hall which made him momentarily forget everything else. "Hall of fame." The subtly sanguine words on it gave rise to a euphoria that dispelled his doubts on every negative thought and convinced him that he could succeed in making a name for himself and arrive at the zenith of glory. A hornet went past his ear and its buzzing sound brought his attention back to the happenings in his neighborhood again. Howbeit, Lirzod still made a strong eye contact with the hanging sign as he lifted his chin and exposed his neck and thereby the stretching scar on it. The sign his eyes laid on was designed in such a way, no matter where one stood in the hall, the glossy words on it were still greatly visible. Ambling around, he observed the animals. There were frogs busy in catching flies, fire-bellied toads competing with the frogs, house cats that were as big as leopards but slender like cheetahs, dogs as bulkier as wolves, the jerboa hopping around aimlessly, and all sorts of animals that were mostly domestic. "So pets can be brought along as well." Lirzod felt a bit of heaviness in his heart and body. "Maybe, I should have let Gouse come along. Well, she should still be doing great at home." Gaining his spirit back, he sauntered to one of the elliptical running tracks each of which was exactly four hundred meters long at the inner end. The first thing he noticed was the track made of brick-red soil seemingly flattened to sublimity. "Perfect for a sprint." His eyes shifted to the entries running on the track as if their lives depended on it. "Sprint?" From his side, a rattled tone uttered in a rattling manner. The source of the voice was a small blonde guy, who barely reached Lirzod''s shoulder only after adding in his vertically standing twenty-inch long hair. "Did you just say you want to sprint through the entire track? For one mile long?" His full-throated voice made a few heads turn in their direction. "Very well, if you are so confident, then I''m going to bet in your favor." Saying that he patted on Lirzod''s spine twice before making himself scarce. Though the blonde guy left, Lirzod was still puzzled. "What''s was that all about?" He could only shrug his shoulders. However, few people still stared at Lirzod and murmured among themselves. "The Inch Man is counting on this boy to win. Maybe he''s really going to make us rich." "We are so lucky, let''s go and silently bet on him." Lirzod couldn''t catch their chatter but could suss out that they were up to something. However, he didn''t bother too much about it, as they all blended into the crowd in haste. His focus shifted back to the event. From the chitter-chatter of the crowd, he came to learn about various things. Only five contestants could participate during every round. To participate in it, one must take a token from the assistant referee first. Every time, a thousand tokens were sold, and until all of the thousand tokens were used in the event, new tokens won''t be given. Currently, the tokens that the assistant referee was giving numbered around six hundred, whereas the entries playing the event had double-digit numbers. Given that only five were allowed to participate, it would easily take more than an hour for him to be able to participate. Out of the ten elliptical tracks in the hall, twenty parallel events took place at a time and he was at the track where the maximum amount of people clustered. So he wasn''t inclined to go and try his luck on another track. The assistant referee kept shouting in a maddening voice. "Newcomers aren''t allowed to carry anything with them. Other than the dress, nothing else is allowed. Nothing should be in their pockets. I repeat. Newcomers aren''t allowed to carry anything. Don''t waste anyone''s time and come to me for the tokens." Although the information he relayed was quite helpful, albeit his voice contained concealed contempt. Generally, most people put their contempt into their words, but Lirzod was surprised that the assistant referee''s words were good but the way he delivered those words by stressing and stretching them was the main thing that annoyed him. It wasn''t obvious that the words were meant to be taken that way. Like a doctor that distracted a child by a song in order to inject, the assistant referee used his gestures and duping smiles to camouflage his wishes. It wasn''t clear as to how many could see through the facade of things, but at the end of it all, nobody seemed to care. "Asserting dominance on the new kids on the block, and that too coming from a guy you least expect. Things are getting a bit worrisome," As Lirzod was thinking whether to go or not to go to the assistant referee, a voice from somewhere in the crowd spoke aloud. "Token 101. Just for one silver coin. Offer exists only for the next one minute." Though initially taken by surprise, Lirzod let out a bark of laughter as he snaked his way through the crowd to the source of the voice. Before he reached the destination, another guy came out of nowhere and began to bargain. "One silver is too much. How about thirty copper?" "Huh? That''s not even half," the seller irked and averted his eyes, "either it''s one silver or there''s no deal." He raised his hand which had the token and shouted, "Token 101 people. Just for one silver. Offer ends in less than a minute." "Alright, fifty copper," the guy tried his luck again. "Are you mocking me?" the seller rebuked, his eyes gleaming hiemal light. "I don''t have time for brainless bargains. Get lost before your hurt yourself." The bargaining man left without saying a word but cursed the seller on the inside. "One man''s token can''t be shared by many. Only a fool bargains for these tokens," As the seller scolded the guy and turned his head away, this time, a potential customer seemed to have appeared in the form of someone who exposed the bunch of almonds in his hands. "Do you want the token?" the seller hurriedly asked. "Yes, but can you hold these first?" Lirzod put his hands forward. "What?" the seller''s brows furrowed. "What for?" "Just hold these. You will know afterward." "No. Do you have the money or not?" "If you give me that token," Lirzod leaned forward and said in a low voice, "I''ll let you earn more than just a single silver coin." After pausing a moment, the seller fixedly stared into Lirzod''s eyes. "You think you can win?" "You don''t need to doubt," Lirzod replied in a boisterous way as he poured all the almonds into the seller''s hand except for a few, and later snatched the token resting between his fingers. "What if you lose?" the seller''s smile appeared tight. "You can keep the nuts," Lirzod said and turned back to leave. "You gotta be kidding me," the seller was about to step forward to say that he never actually formed the deal, but before he could say another word, Lirzod pivoted back. Both their unblinking eyes met. "If you steal my nuts, I will make sure you will never forget me," Lirzod''s eyes let off a labyrinthine light and his voice blew at the seller''s face like a wintry withal whimsical windstorm. Taken by surprise, the seller reflexively nodded and just watched Lirzod walk away. Only after Lirzod made enough distance, the seller blinked once and opened his mouth, "Must be a bloody nut addict." He glanced down at his palms that were filled with almonds. "Mm, these nuts are fairly large," he unhurriedly shoved them in his pockets. Moments later, he went to the assistant referee and placed a bet that Lirzod would win. As Lirzod waited near the track, the event finished and none out of the five participants succeeded. The fastest one took thirteen seconds to reach the hundred meter mark. Even so, he didn''t seem pleased in the least. "AHH! One second short! if only I had warmed up a bit, I would have won!" He frustratingly screamed and wasted no time in asking the crowd if they could give sell him a token for the immediate next round. Howbeit, no matter how much he begged, none was willing. "Your form of running was not proper," a guy shouted from the crowd. "If you join my drill, I will make sure you win the next time. I only take ten copper coins per hour. Come to 10-D69 to meet me!" "I take only nine copper coins per hour!" Another noisy voice came from a different side. "Ten copper for an hour?" Lirzod sighed. "No matter what sort of techniques they teach, it''s just too much. If they want a drill, I can give them for free. Just make a dog chase them. Mm, that should do it," he nodded to himself, "there''s no better drill than getting chased by dogs." As he touched his chin and mused to himself, the people on the other side of the track began to move aside, seemingly making room for someone coming from behind. At that time, Lirzod was looking in the same direction. A white-furred creature almost as tall as the tallest guys in the vicinity ambled along the path men made for it on their own volition. Seemingly carrying the wind with it, its hazel eyes scanned around and estimated the potential of every life it saw. The smooth and shiny beast had abnormally long fur at its neck. Its scarless sinewy body stopped in a phlegmatic stance. Most men were intimidated by its guise, for the beast their eyes witnessed was a mighty white wolf that could snap their necks and slash through their skeletons before they know it happened. Nobody made an unnecessary sound or movement and watched the wolf without a fuss. It lifted its chin and glanced back. A whitish petite maiden with a long brown wavy hair descended down from atop the wolf''s back and made no sound as her quirky shoes made contact with the floor, which went unnoticed by every man around, for they were focused on something else in all respects. They watched her every movement with utmost attention and care. Her long curly eyelashes fluttered over the light-blue dreamy eyes that shone with diablerie as she bit back her breathtaking smile and gazed around. The painted reddish claw marks on both the cheeks and an almost identical mark on the forehead didn''t obscure her face and only enhanced her mien in a way it would enkindle approving emotions in the onlookers. The claw-studded necklace decorating her sweet-scented neck, the long earrings contrasting her small ears, the bronze bracelets that slid along her svelte arms whenever they moved, the brown buckle belt that held multiple low-key accessories at her waist, the lion-faced masks that sheathed her shoulders, the abstruse breastplate securing her well-turned chest, and the baggy silk pants that enlarged her lower frame to match the light brown woolen coat which hid her slender shape and colorful skin ¡ª all of the artifacts commingled and disseminated magnificence thereby exponentially boosting her whole beaut both from in and out. She was in sooth a natural beauty ¡ª prettier than the prettiest pictures. Her sculptural figure filled men''s hearts with wonder. Her untaught smile took them by a storm. Her every gesture was easy on the eyes of all men who stared at her forlornly knowing they wouldn''t have a chance with a girl like her. Thanks to her splendid shoes, she appeared as tall as the wolf. Forget about the assistant referee, the referee himself hurriedly made his way to her and stood in a slumped posture, his arms folded across the chest. "Are you here to participate, miss?" his voice contained utmost respect. The girl didn''t reply but the wolf puffed once. The referee nodded and looked at the crowd. "Who wants to give their token?" "I do!" "I will!" Many men, dozens of them dashed ahead ¡ª their heads tilted down without fail ¡ª but the referee only took one token, which was the first token that would be participating in the next round which should have already started if not for her sudden appearance. Seeing so many flocking to her to give away their tokens for free, the guy who lost in the previous round by one second, wanted to cry out loud and crawl on the floor like a child. But all he could do was curl the corners of his lips down and curse his own bad luck. The crowd also finally began to murmur among themselves. Lirzod was still dumbstruck and didn''t blink once in the past minute, or move a muscle, albeit a fly traveled in and out of his wide-opened mouth. He seemed like a frozen wood frog that froze up most of its body including the lens of the eye and the body movements, but his heart still pounded steadily and ears still heard the nearby discussions of men. "That girl¡­ Even the referee ran to her. Who the hell is she?" "I don''t know, but her appearance tells me that she''s from the Redguard[2] tribe." "No wonder, she''s getting so much attention. She''s from one of the top assemblies." "That''s not all. She is a Repeater as well." "Oh, that explains the special treatment. Let''s see how fast she can finish this round then." Closing his mouth, Lirzod glanced at the guy who just said those words, making sure only one of his pupils shifted to the side. "How fast do you think she''ll be?" "Mm?" the guy pondered for a moment before replying, "I don''t know, maybe seven seconds?" "That''s too long," Lirzod slowly shook his head, without breaking eye contact with her image. "Too long? I was actually thinking eight would be more appropriate." "I don''t think so. Do you know her name?" "No, but I would love to." "Oh, then let me help you." "How?" the guy chortled. "If you are thinking of asking her, then don''t. You better not bother her at all. If I''m correct, she''s already reached the fifth ¡ª" Lirzod pushed his way in through the crowd, but before he reached the front lines around the track, the event started with five of the contestants participating. The referee''s whistle signaled the start, and most men blinked once in the next second including Lirzod, and her image disappeared from the starting spot of the race. As their eyes shifted towards the end line, and heads rotated as well, the round was already over, with her having crossed the finish line. The jaws of most men hit the floor. "How much time did she finish it in?" The ones around the referee were too eager to know the stats. "Two seconds," the referee stared at the numbers appearing on the wrist cloth tied around his wrist. "A little shy than that to be precise." Even he was pleasantly surprised. The other four contestants of the round had long stopped in their footsteps and didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "Just two seconds with all that armor on her? That''s scary as hell." "And she didn''t even break a sweat. Are you kidding me?" "Well, she moved like a gentle wind ¡ª fast yet hard to feel its force, and barely made any sound. That''s how good we have to be to reach the upper belts of the ship." "Sheesh, you''ve gotta give it to those official assemblies. They sure can raise their young ones well enough to use Barth at such a young age. Compared to them, I spent my childhood like a donkey wasting away my time in the streets. No, I may be even worse, not even worthy enough to be a donkey dung[3]. Will I ever reach her level? No. Never..." Just like him, many members shook their heads and most of those who just watched her performance couldn''t help but feel demotivated. Lirzod''s face didn''t show much glow either, for he had missed meeting her. The moment she won the event, her wolf was right beside her, and she wasted no time in retiring from the site. She didn''t even bother to look back at the referee to know about the stats. (Che, if only I got a minute with her¡­) Lirzod pumped his fists. "Don''t be demotivated, man..." The seller from before came and spoke to him. "She''s among the cream of the top." "You know her?" Lirzod grabbed the hands of the seller, startling him. "Of course not," the guy pulled his hands away and chortled. "How can I? You don''t want anything to do with her or her Redguard tribe for that matter." Lirzod''s body slumped a bit. "Do you at least know her name?" "Valkyra Wunsch." Lirzod stood straight. "Valkyra¡­ what? Come again." "Valkyra whatever¡­" Lirzod coldly stared at him. "Easy. If you win the event, I will tell her name." "You are truly a¡­" Lirzod ground his teeth. He shoved his hand into the seller''s pocket, startling him. "What the ¡ª" he reflexively took a step backward. "Just for some nuts," Lirzod pulled out a bunch of almonds and began to chew one by one. "I will win it, but you must tell her full name the next time. Otherwise..." "Otherwise what?" "I will smack you with a wet towel till you tell me her full name." The seller was startled a bit. "Why do you care to know her so much? It''s not like you know her. At best you like the way she looks." "Not just like... I want to hold her hand!" Lirzod said as he walked away. The seller was left bemused from Lirzod''s words. "The heck that''s supposed to mean?" "It means I will do whatever I want." His reply truly baffled the seller. ----------------------------------------------------------- [1] Shivering Squirrel: An idiom used to refer to people who shiver their way out of coldness and produce heat, and thereby make an effort to overcome their fear. ''Shiver like a squirrel,'' is a well-known phrase particularly used among the martials, for a squirrel overcomes their coldness and generates heat through shivering. So it''s seen as an essential trait by the martial talent scouts. [2] Redguard: A tribe that''s known for their aggressive defense tactics. It''s officially ranked among the top ten thousand assemblies. [3] Donkey Dung: Despite dung''s disposition towards spreading disease, it being one of the most readily available substances, led to its usage in health remedies for its healing properties. It was also celebrated for its ability to ward off evil spirits. 25 RULES OF HOLLOWS "11.58 seconds... 101 passed," The referee shouted as he pointed his finger towards Lirzod who seemed to be lost in thought. "11.59 seconds¡­ 103 passed," he shouted to another person. The people who bet that Lirzod would win were satisfied without reservation. "I knew it! If we trust Inch Man, we will always make profits!" "Yeah, he''s a master gambler with great track record after all!" Though the crowd was in a visibly thrilled mood from seeing two winners, Lirzod stayed on the track itself, seemingly staring at the ceiling with a weird smile on his face. "I only saw their portraits in the tomes of the clan''s library, but they are more beautiful than in the books," he couldn''t help but recall the visage of Valkyra and it strengthened his smile and made him nod his head to and fro in a smooth motion. "Many times I wished that all of the beautiful portraits of the girls in the tomes were real. You gotta hand the credit to the gods who created such beauties. I will never doubt you again, god. Redguard tribe... I''m on my way to becoming your tribe''s most treasured foreign niece!" He began to shyly laugh within himself when a palm slammed his head from behind, which almost made Lirzod''s hands touch the ground. That strike wasn''t an unmemorable one, and it brought tears to his eyes. When Lirzod turned back, his temper barely hanging sense of morality, his eyes caught sight of two dark-brown legs packed with defined muscles, before his gaze moved up and witnessed the monstrous quadriceps, insanely grown obliques, abs, and pecs. But what caught his attention was the mouth that seemed close to that of a gorilla and the distinctly sloping forehead that would put any proud man to shame. (Who the hell is this macho?) Lirzod''s eyes broadened in wonder and wrath. "You just entered the ship today, and you want to go to the eleventh deck already?" The seven-foot-tall guy lifted Lirzod by the collar, forcing his feet to droop in midair. "If all newbies come and leave just like that, it will make us seniors look bad." "What the hell''s your problem, piggy?" Lirzod tried to pull himself out of that man''s grip, but the difference in strength rendered all his efforts futile. The big guy frowned and projected Lirzod into the air and as he fell down, the enormous elbow clobbered into Lirzod''s stomach, making him spit blood as he got sent flying back only to end up crashing into the crowd. To all appearances, his eyes exposed the whites before his body fell to the ground. One guy shouted, "he''s knocked out cold." "Tch, couldn''t even kill my boredom. Throw this trash back in his room," The big guy gave a disgusted glance at Lirzod before walking away. "I decide who get to go to the eleventh deck." His words were addressed to the rest of the crowd. It meant that whether one won the event or not, they had to take his permission. "That''s Geragorn for you," His followers laughed together as they left to their spots and funnily ran on the empty running track. "Don''t mess with the people of the exotic tribes." Many people in the crowd couldn''t help but feel down. "That Geragorn is doing this on purpose. With his build, he probably can''t pass this test, so he doesn''t want others to pass as well. This is too selfish behavior." "Idiot, can''t you see his body?" the seller who had almonds in his pockets said, "He can finish this test even when he''s dead drunk!" "Then what''s his problem?" "Who knows," the seller shrugged his shoulders, "maybe he likes doing this." "Why doesn''t someone try and stop him?" "Why don''t you try and stop him?" "No, no, I can''t." "It''s the same with the rest. Who can stop a monster like that? I once saw him lift a five hundred pound bear and almost choke it to death with his bare hands. Plus, if I''m right he''s even approached by Metalskulls to join their side." "Metalskulls? The mafia that drifted from Mitri continent? They are on this ship as well?" "Yeah, they may be criminals on their continent, but they haven''t done anything bad here." "Che, criminals are walking among us, but we can''t do anything? At this rate, we will stay on this deck for all of this journey." "No, don''t worry... He won''t stop everybody," the seller said, "it''s just the bad luck of the boy for falling in Geragorn''s eyes. But since you''ve already spent a week on this deck, you can go and ask him." "Oh, then I will have to utilize that discount." The seller just watched Lirzod being taken away by some men. He took out the almonds and chewed on them. On the night of the same day. On one of the upper decks, Pikolai and the Darling Twins were seated around a table inside an old-looking bar which was atop a cliff and a river could be seen flowing alongside. Pikolai was pouring the wine, and he didn''t have a pleasant expression on his face. "So, you both didn''t even warn him¡­" "That Stussy seemed to be related to him in some way," Elder Darling said, "we just couldn''t take the risk, major." Pikolai pushed the glasses towards them. "Drink." The two brothers hurriedly began to taste the wine. "If you don''t take risks, you both will never get in the eyes of our head." He took out an ostrich egg and thrust his finger through the shell at the bottom region. "Only if you dig your finger deep enough into an egg, will you be able to touch the yolk and get to take it out," he pulled out the yolk alone, leaving the albumen inside, "the lifelike part of the egg that contains the authentic taste," as he tasted it, the Darling Twins swallowed their own drooling saliva. Taking out the yolk without disturbing the albumen was an art they weren''t capable of doing. Like most people, they just break the egg and eat the yolk that''s coated with its albumen. It''s said that its taste wasn''t even half as great as it would be if eaten the way Pikolai did. By making use of the air cell of the egg, the albumen gets pushed aside upon drilling a hole and the yolk gets pulled out with almost less to none of the albumen attached to it thanks to it being taken out through the air pathway. Pikolai used an ostrich egg, but Darling Twins saw their boss use chopsticks to pull out the yolk from a chicken egg. They could only curse their natural ability as they lacked the subtlety in achieving such things. "So here you both are¡­" A voice rang out, and a dozen men came rushing into the bar and surrounded the table those three were at. A few seconds later, a person entered the bar. It was the man in gold. He had bandages all over his face, so his face was unrecognizable. And he was covered in gold again, albeit, different from what he used to wear. "Who''s that?" Pikola asked the brothers. "No idea. Must be from a circus," Elder Darling said. "What do you want son?" Younger Darling asked. "Son? Who the f*ck is your son?" The man in gold rebuked. "I''m the great Dalkan." "Dalkan? Never heard of the name," the brothers looked at Pikolai and he shook his head as well. "Oh yeah, wait¡­" Pikolai pondered for a moment. "Maybe, the guy who cleans up after the farm and gathers chicken manure is also called Dalkan I think." "Oh, so it''s the shit collector Dalkan," Younger Darling snorted. "What did you come here for? I don''t think this bar raises any chicken," he looked at the bar owner who nodded in affirmation. Dalkan was consumed by anger and his blood boiled like never before. He ground his teeth so hard that the sound was audible to the outside. "You bastards¡­ How dare you both mock me like that on the tenth deck?" He glared at them and roared. "I want all of their limbs. Get them!" The mercenaries immediately drew their weapons and dashed towards the table, swinging and thrusting their weapons. The next morning. The door of Lirzod''s room was closed but not locked. Two members entered the room. Lirzod was lying unconsciously on the bed. He was shirtless, and a bandage was wrapped around his belly. "Enough acting," a feminine voice sounded out, "why don''t you open your eyes?" Yet, there was no response. "Maybe he wants you to tend to his wound," the feminine voice sounded again while speaking to the second person. "With pleasure," the other person, owner of a masculine voice said as he folded his sleeves. At that moment, Lirzod opened his eyes and both his clan members were seated on either side of the bed. "Why are you two sitting here without bringing the one who did this to me?" Lirzod''s eyes emitted cold light. "That Geragorn isn''t someone worth tangling with," Sariyu said, "it''s your fault for participating in the event without considering anything. Did you even read the rules?" "I did," Lirzod averted his gaze from her. "Really?" "Yeah. It was only a couple of pages, so I did read it." "A couple? It was more than twenty pages!" "What?" "... You know that the rules are written at the back end of the manual?" "Backend of the book?" Lirzod was startled but covered up his expression quickly. "I did." "Just accept that you didn''t," Sariyu snorted. "So what if I didn''t?" Lirzod furrowed his brows. "What does that have anything to do with that pig attacking me? Or, was that perhaps foretold in the book?" His voice was satirical. Sariyu frowned. "You idiot. The rules explain the politics that happen in these decks. Some decks may be straightforward. You pass the test, you get to go. But some decks aren''t that simple. Like us Entries, the Hollows have some rules as well. Do you even know that?" "Yeah, whatever," Lirzod said and tried to get up which made him frown a little. "Agh, my rib..." "Not whatever," Sariyu said in an irked tone, but then controlled herself and looked at his bandage. "To your luck, it''s only ruptured." "I know," Lirzod''s voice sounded a bit sad. "You look terrible when you put up a moody face," Sariyu twisted his ear. "It just doesn''t suit you. So forget what happened with that Geragorn." "You know I can''t," Lirzod calmly said. Burton shook his head, "If not for your luck, you would have gotten a lot more severely wounded. Just what were you doing when he did all this to you?" "I¡­" Lirzod paused a moment. "I was enjoying my victory." "You can''t be serious." "I am," Lirzod blew air through his nose. "First tell me, why did that pig attack me out of nowhere?" "Why should I?'' Burton turned his head away. "It doesn''t matter now since you will not listen to whatever I may say." Lirzod turned to her. "That guy''s a newbie crusher," Sariyu quickly explained to him about what happened. "He doesn''t let new entries reach the eleventh deck so easily." "So we can''t go to the eleventh deck without his permission?" Lirzod was bewildered. "How can the staff see all of this and not do anything?" "Like I said, the staff is nothing but a bunch of Hollows. As per rules of Hollows, they don''t really have to go out of their way as long as the Deck Tests aren''t being affected." "That''s¡­" Lirzod didn''t know what to say. "You mean that pig will go unpunished even after he did this to me?" "Don''t you get it?" Burton replied in haste. "You aren''t the first, and you won''t be the last of his victims either." "What''s your problem?" Lirzod knitted his brows. "I am talking to her, can''t you see?" Burton turned his head away again. "You are right. Why should I care? I just came here for the sake of etiquette, that''s all." "Suit yourself, Big Brother," Lirzod said and looked at her. "What about you? How will you reach the next deck if that pig is in the way?" "Well, first we need to pass the test. You got no problems since you passed the test," Sariyu said, "We both, on the other hand, will have to wait for a week." "A week? What for?" "Geragorn will not bother about the new entries who spent at least a week on this deck." "Oh¡­ So, that''s how it is." Lirzod smiled and contemplated a bit. "Because I finished the race successfully, he can''t stop me now, as the staff would intervene." "Isn''t it obvious?" Burton stood. "It''s beyond my understanding why the useless get lucky all the time," he began to walk away. "I will try and see if there''s another way. If not, well, I just have to think of doing something productive for the next six days." In the next stride, Burton ended up slipping on a banana peel and crashed to the ground, his head slamming down on the wooden floor. Burton stood and looked at those who stared blankly at him. But the moment he took a step, Sariyu''s teeth exposed and shoulders jerked up and down. Lirzod did the same, and their smiling vibes hit Burton''s back. "Both of you," he picked up the banana peel and threw it at Lirzod. "Stop laughing for stupid things! And throw that in the dustbin." He looked at Sariyu who shut her mouth by her hand. "Blame Primera, not me," Lirzod said in a soft and held-back tone, "or maybe your luck." "Hmph," Burton turned away and quickly left the room. Afterward, both Sariyu and Lirzod looked at each other and laughed to their heart''s content. 26 GOA After Burton left the room, both Sariyu and Lirzod looked at each other and laughed their hearts off. A few minutes later. Sariyu had finished picking up all the banana peels and cleaning the dirt marks on the floor. "It''s not like you to throw the waste around like this." "I didn''t do that. The men who brought me here did," Lirzod was irked a bit, "those bastards took some of my stuff. And I could do nothing. I''ll pay them back soon." "Some loss now and then wouldn''t hurt," Sariyu said and smiled. "Easy for you to say," Lirzod harrumphed, "Can you say the same if your favorite dress was stolen?" Sariyu''s mood suddenly changed, and her eyes emitted piercing light. "I''d chase that thief down and force him to drink three ponds empty." "Yeah, thought so." "Good clothing makes us feel comfortable after all. Anway, I will take my leave as well," Sariyu stood as she tucked her hair behind the ears and began to walk away. "But you better not stand out too often. As for Geragorn, just forget about him." After she left, Lirzod was a bit displeased. "... What is she so busy with? Can''t she stay here and help me a bit? How can I freely move around with this pain in my ribs?" He looked around and grabbed one of the few phoenix fruits that were on the table. It was a strange fruit that seemed similar to that of a pineapple, but more colorful and lively. "The best fruit of my clan that helps quicken the natural healing process. Luckily, I packed enough of them." He cut it in half and the whitish insides were exposed. It had varied edible seeds that added texture and depth of color to the fruit. Using his hand, he pulled all of it and stuffed it into his mouth and enjoyed its taste. "This taste never gets old." "You are eating some strange fruits," A person entered the room. "Wait, aren''t those phoenix fruits?" "Triple Seven, what brought you here?" 777 rubbed the back of his head for a few seconds before speaking, "Heard about your incident with Geragorn," he spoke in a scratchy throat. "At first, I didn''t think it was you." His eyes shifted to Lirzod''s wound. "How are you feeling now?" "There''s pain, but nothing big to bother about." "Oh, that''s good news," he took a lasting breath and then looked at the phoenix fruits. "I''ve heard about those but didn''t think I''d get to see them on this ship." "Oh, really?" "Yeah," he picked up one of the fruits. "My... grandma told me that these fruits have the strange power to bring back a person even from the death''s door. I used to believe it when I was a kid, but thinking about that now makes me feel silly." "Ha-ha, you don''t have to. These are named that way because of their efficient and fast healing abilities." "Mm, I did hear about their prowess in healing capabilities. Where did you buy these?" "Didn''t buy these. Uncle Sinario produced these," His voice contained lack of empathy. "Uncle Sinario?" 777 blinked twice. "Who''s that?" "One of my clan heads." "You mean," 777''s eyes enlarged, "your clan produces these fruits?" "Not really," Lirzod stared at the fruit in his hands, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere. "These fruits are just an imitation of the original fruits. These are private to the important families of my clan. As for the real phoenix fruits, we buy them often for both researching and eating." "You are from Helenia, aren''t you?" 777 didn''t take a breath in the last minute. "What''s your clan name?" "Faceless." 777 never heard of it but he was still surprised. Given that Lirzod was eating such a thing, it meant that the phoenix fruit was duplicated to some extent. And more importantly, it looked exactly like the original one from the outside. After pressing his lips hard for a few seconds, he hesitantly asked, "Can I have one? If you are alright with it." Lirzod looked up at him and the corners of his lips curled up a bit. "Sure, is what I would have said if you had come to see me early." 777''s smile subsided, and he slowly put down the fruit back on the desk. "Just kidding," Lirzod chortled. "You can have it." "Really?" "Yeah." 777 forced out a smile. "Thanks." He picked up a fruit and sat on the bed before realizing that Lirzod was staring at him, without blinking at all. "I¡­ I''ll eat it afterward." "Fine." Seeing how Lirzod was still staring at him, 777 didn''t know what to think of his actions. (Is he joking or is he being serious? Should I take this fruit or not? For a kid, he''s surprisingly complex to read.) "Hey," Lirzod''s voice sounded a bit demanding, "when you gave me the guidebook, you should have also told me about that pig or at least warned me of the existence of such threat." 777''s shoulders jerked and the fruit almost fell out of his hands. "Y-Yeah, that was bad on my part. I didn''t think you would just jump into the race like that. Nowadays, not many new Entries have that urgency in them. By staying in these lower decks that are filled with people who don''t really care to climb the decks, I must confess that I myself got a bit corrupted by them. For what happened to you, I''m truly sorry." "I don''t keep it in mind if you help me smack that pig''s head." "Haha," 777 initially chuckled, but after seeing the frozen look on Lirzod''s visage, his face stiffened. "You serious?" "Don''t I look serious?" 777''s eyes squinted. "You must be out of your mind. That Geragorn just acts like he''s slow to make newbies fall into his trap. However, not only his strength but his speed also has to be feared. We won''t stand a chance against him." "Then.." Lirzod made a solid eye contact and said in a flat tone, "you can leave my room, and forget we ever met each other." "What?" Lirzod said nothing. "Are you serious?" Lirzod didn''t say anything, but his eyes revealed what was necessary. "I was thinking of becoming your Offsider," 777 raised his voice. "Then help me beat the guy." "I can''t do that. I''m not even capable of doing that." "Then what''s the use of having you as an Offsider? You can go and look for someone else who doesn''t fight back." "You, you are too rash," 777 stood and began to walk away. "There are many ways an Offsider can help than just fight alongside." "I can be more rash." "Hmph, if you act like this and attack him, it won''t end well for you. Don''t regret afterward. I warned you," Saying that he left. After finishing the fruit, Lirzod stood and wore a shirt but didn''t button it, so the bandage over his ribs was visible. He came out of the room, and without even closing the door, he left somewhere. On the afternoon of the same day. In the Hall of Fame of the tenth deck. Geragorn was talking with one of the Entries. "So, why do you want to climb the decks?" "I, I want to become a Martial like everybody else," the man with a long chin hesitantly replied. "Yeah. I know," Geragorn said in a flat voice, "but you don''t have to climb the decks to become a Martial. You can just stay here and enjoy the free bread." "U-Uh," the long-chinned man didn''t know what to say. "I can increase my knowledge and strength by climbing these deck. So¡­" "That''s what everyone says. People nowadays are becoming the knowledge hoarding, power hungry,and warmongering morons," His voice turned colder. "If you can prove to me that you won''t become such a moron, I will give you permission." "How, how can I prove myself?" "I''m a man who finds beauty in simplicity. Simple things are enough to satisfy me. like being honest, respecting the seniors, keeping one''s word and such. And now, I want you to keep your word too." "What is that?" "Nothing much. Before every time you eat, say these words out loud, "I thank Geragorn and his men for letting me climb the decks." The long-chinned man frowned. "He-he-he," Geragorn''s men began to snicker as they looked at each other''s faces. "What''s wrong?" Geragorn continued. "If you can''t even do this much, then forget about climbing." "I¡­ I will do it," the man said, his face turned solemn. "Mm," Geragorn glanced at his men who put a tattoo on the long-chinned guy''s forearm. It was the tattoo of a canine tooth. "I have eyes in the upper decks as well. If you don''t keep your word, then expect me to keep my word. Men will come for your tongue." The long-chinned man nodded and began to walk away, his body visibly shaking. "Hehe," one of Geragorn''s men sneered, "another one added to our free publicity group." At that moment, Lirzod entered the hall. It didn''t take long for his eyes to catch sight of the being he was looking for. As he folded his sleeves he headed straight towards a running track. Seeing him, Geragorn and his friends were initially puzzled a bit. "Isn''t that the little fowl from yesterday?" "Yeah, it seems like it." "I wonder what''s the Scarface coming here for?" "Maybe the beating wasn''t enough." "Pfft," they burst out into laughter and eventually made smiley smug faces. "Everyone with a scar on their face isn''t worthy to be known as Scarface," Geragorn chortled. "Right, boss!" His words made them laugh like a drain. "I want to punch him this time, boss," one guy said in an exuberant fashion. "Mm, it looks like he isn''t coming for a peaceful talk. Very well, go and give him an additional service," Geragorn glanced at that man who nodded and stood, before running forward. With a wide swing, he lashed his hand at Lirzod while roaring out of his throat. Lirzod leaned diagonally backward and dodged the hand with a little effort and spat in the face of that man, startling him. "The f*ck?" That guy felt eerie and disgusted but before he could react a low kick in his nuts made his knees touch the ground, and he softly howled in pain. The smiles on the faces of Geragorn''s men subsided. One after another, the gazes of the crowd turned towards the spot the matter was unfolding. Lirzod walked past the kneeling man, his hands placed on his back and his mettlesome eyes fixedly staring back at the audacious looks of the men. "In my whole life, I never let someone hit me for no reason and walk away unscathed. Mess with a monster and it might not mind your thoughtlessness, but I will. Gergura or whatever your name is, today... you and your men will know that I''m one of those beings of this world that should never be messed with." His fingers made cracking sounds. The crowd that was practicing on the track all watched the unfolding scene in a stupor. "Who the heck is that kid? Is he daring to fight them head on? Is he nuts?" A brown haired fat guy said. Geragorn smiled. "I felt your rib cracking yesterday. It shouldn''t have healed by now. Yet you are walking around as if nothing happened." "Hmph, you call that a wound?" Lirzod straight out snorted, "I used to get them every day when I used to brawl with bulls as an infant." The crowd had their mouths wide opened. "Brawling with bulls as an infant?" "That''s his hobby?" "Just who is this guy?" The Inch Man standing somewhere far away spoke aloud, "Are we witnessing the rise of another goat[1]?" "That''s ridiculous.," A guy rebuked. "Yesterday, he got knocked out cold by Geragorn. How can you say that he''s a goat, Inch Man? Your skills are waning." "Then," Inch Man gave a cheeky smile, "are we witnessing the birth of another goat?" "Inch Man, it''s hard to talk to you. You just never know when to give up." Meanwhile, Geragorn''s men were holding back their rage, waiting for their boss to say a word. Geragorn let out a stiff smile. (I''m sure his liver wouldn''t have recovered so soon. In order to be walking like this, either he got healed by someone or he must have taken something. Now, whichever option may be right, it''s hard to believe.)His smile vanished. "It''s obvious that your wound blessed by my weapon isn''t healed yet." He rubbed his elbow in a proud manner. "I''m sure your heartbeat isn''t in your control now." As light flickered in his valiant eyes, Lirzod''s feet still kept reducing the distance between him and Geragorn and his men. "I am yet to meet a weapon that makes my heart beat like a bonny woman does." The murmuring crowd fell silent. (How can he talk like that to Geragorn?) (Is he for real? He''s done for!) Though the crowd couldn''t speak, their thoughts drifted about, inspissating the air around them. A lady monk who sat cross-legged atop a big sleeping turtle, opened her eyes pleasantly stared at the ongoing event until her sight ended up stopping on Lirzod. "I see, a stripling with a singing mouth." With a scrunched up hat on her head, a tarnished, tattered robe on her back, and carrying a worn-out palm-leaf fan, her image was so familiar to most of the public. "Someone who holds onto their sense of humor even in the face of a hazard." One of the Geragorn''s underlings snickered as he pumped his fists. "Then our fists will be the first weapons to make you wet your pants." Lirzod sighed and lightly shook his tilted-down head. "I''m afraid that''s not possible," he lifted his up by degrees and made eye contact again. "Even if you wear the makeup of your life, at best you''ll resemble a pig and never a woman." "You¡­" the pointy-nosed underling was utterly enraged. "Who the f*ck do you think you are?" He glanced at one of his friends, who was his usual teammate. "Bilka, come on." The two of them charged forward. Lirzod looked around as the two men ran towards him, and at that moment, the lady monk bent to the side ¡ª while still seated on the turtle''s back ¡ª and snatched a thin mace from the nearby person and threw it towards Lirzod. "Oi, Oi, that''s my mace!" "It''ll be of more use in his hands right now." Lirzod''s ears caught the conversation and also the whizzing sound the mace. He pivoted and grabbed hold of the incoming mace and used its momentum to turn again and land a sweeping shot straight in the face of one of the guys, Bilka who made a cross block with his arms, but the impact bashed his arms and the entire face under it, forcing a few of his blood-painted teeth out. The pointy-nosed one stopped in his tracks. The crowd was quite surprised but at the same time was pleased. "The boy knows how to use a mace." "He''s also stronger than his looks." "Maybe, he can take down a couple more of his men." "Your Bilka is down," Lirzod sneered at the man, "c''mon, go and help him get up." The pointy-nosed man hesitated for a moment. "Shut up." He glanced towards the lady monk who threw the mace to Lirzod. (That b*tch¡­) He looked at one of his men as if asking for a weapon, and glanced back at Lirzod momentarily, while carefully approaching him moving back and forth. Lirzod also moved around trying to look for an opportunity. From far, it seemed like those two were playing wrestling of a weird sort, though the two were yet to land a hit one another. "Throw something, dammit!" While keeping eye contact with Lirzod, the man kept on moving his hand, signaling his friends to throw a weapon towards him but he never got any weapon. "What''s wrong? You can''t fight me without a weapon?" Lirzod said. "Hmph, put that down and then speak the same words," the pointy-nosed man replied. Lirzod threw the mace to him, startling him and most of the crowd. A second of silence replaced every action of the crowd in the neighborhood. Seeing the pointy-nosed man staring at him in a daze, Lirzod said, "Don''t have the balls to attack even now?" The pointy-nosed man was startled. He ground his teeth and roared. "Enough said!" He tried to scuttle ahead, but his head didn''t move and the torso got suddenly pulled back. From the corners of his eyes, he saw a giant figure staring at him with eyes that glinted bitterly cold. "B-Boss!" the pointy-nosed man''s eyes broadened and terror coursed through his veins. As his body was lifted and his feet were made to droop, he struggled hard like a rabbit caught in an eagle''s talons. The struggle seemed useless. Even if he wasn''t unnerved, he wouldn''t have been able to do anything against Geragorn''s grip which resembled a bird of prey at its work. Taking the mace away from the hands of his minion by force, Geragorn stepped ahead, his eyes fixedly staring at the boy with a scar on his face. He squeezed the head hard until the ears bled and the pointy-nosed man could no longer howl from the pain, before tossing him away into the crowd who had their hair raised as well. "A man with only a mouth is never fit for a fist fight." Geragorn threw him away towards the crowd and away from where his underlings were. "I may overlook weakness but not puniness." Standing only ten feet apart, Lirzod and Geragorn stared at one another. Till then, the distant crowd at the other running tracks who were doing their things had their focus shifted towards one spot in the Hall of Fame. "I give you praise for having the courage to face me again," Geragorn''s voice wasn''t as fierce as it was when he spoke with his pointy-nosed subordinate. "And you handled yourself well just now. I can see that you are a fleet-footed kid. How about you become my lackey and I''ll forget¡ª" "I won''t be joining, piggy." Lirzod''s words made some jaws of the crowd hit the ground. Geragorn, however, didn''t show any distress as he replied, "I don''t really care what you think of me." "Yeah," Lirzod blew air through his nose, "doesn''t sound plausible when it comes from the mouth of a guy who ruptured my rib because I called him just that. Don''t take me for a fool. I''m a tough nut to crack." "Heh," Geragorn smiled, exposing his teeth and canines. "Nobody is perfect. Emotions are hard to¡ª" Lirzod''s mace whizzed through the air and almost touched Geragorn''s ribs, but was stopped by his bare hands. He pulled the mace forcibly out of Lirzod''s hands and flicked it in the air making it flip multiple times in the air. "Trying to wound me at the same spot I wounded you?" He held the falling mace it at its base before swinging it at Lirzod who fended himself with the forearm and at the same time launched a brisk kick at Geragorn''s crotch. BAM~! An odd sound erupted at the moment of impact, and Lirzod scowled a bit, puzzling the crowd who held their hands at their mouths and got engrossed by the unfolding affair without knowing themselves. Geragorn smiled disparagingly. "My nuts are tough to crack as well. How does it feel to hit the steel guard?" He held the mace with two hands and vertically slashed it down straight at his opponent''s shoulder. "Say goodbye to your arm, airhead!" ---------------------------------- [1] Goat: Goats are great climbers. So the people who climb the decks faster than the average people are referred to as goats. 27 NECESSARY FEAR "Say goodbye to your arm, airhead!" Geragorn''s plummeted the mace vertically at his opponent''s shoulder. Lirzod crossed his arms to block the incoming attack, but a silhouette entered his vision before the mace reached him. The attack was neutralized with a delicate arm movement, without making much of a sound. "Hmm?" Geragorn narrowed his eyes at the person who interrupted his attack. "You... Why do you care for this foolish one?" "He''s smaller than you in physique, but who knows, his balls might be bigger than yours," The lady monk said in a teasing manner, concealing smile in her eyes. "Don''t push your luck, lady!" Geragorn let go of the mace and his elbow soared at her chin from underneath. Her eyeballs moved down, and she swiftly tapped his elbow and sprang up, her legs spread out as she jumped over Lirzod and landed behind him, who was staring at her with a lack of certainty in his eyes. "Heh!" Geragorn smiled and kicked in Lirzod''s stomach, startling both of them. Lirzod who was focused on the lady didn''t see that kick coming, and neither did the lady, and they both fell back to the ground on top of each other. Lirzod spilled blood and his head lied on her chest, seemingly from losing consciousness but the slight upward curl of the corners of his lips told otherwise. "What a great position," Geragorn sneered. "I''m sure you''re enjoying it. Guess you are a monk only in name." The lady monk pushed Lirzod''s body aside and stood before she assumed a flowing stance. "Are you sure you want to fight me for him?" Geragorn''s voice turned cold. "Not necessarily for him, but definitely for what you spoke about my monkhood!" With a propel, she bolted ahead and let fly a sweeping kick at Geragorn who blocked it with his forearm. BAM~! The impact was resounding, as loud as if a hundred kilo boulder fell from the skies on a solid ground. The subtle and fleeting air gush that spread around made most people among the crowd squint their eyes and take a step back. "You gotta be kidding me. If those two that can use Barth fight here, this track will be spoiled!" Some parts of the crowd were unsettled. "Hmph, so you can perform a kick after all," Geragorn stared at his opponent. "Better than you can pack a punch," The moment her other foot landed on the ground, she twirled her body and swiftly kicked the arm of Geragorn away from its defense, and her other leg nailed into his stomach. The pointy wooden footwear she wore made him feel the pain, but he tightened his stomach muscles and pressed her foot. She startled and pulled her leg back, and she did succeed, but her footwear got stuck. Geragorn took the footwear and broke it into two halves with his bare hands as if he was breaking a biscuit. "That itched. Don''t tell me that''s the best kick you got." "I wouldn''t bet on that if I were you," The monk maintained her sangfroid as she removed her other footwear and moved a couple steps away in an arching path. "We''ll see," he was about to step forward. "You pig-faced piggy!" At that time, a voice came from behind Geragorn, and a mace hammered on his head. The mace cracked, and the blood of everyone in the crowd ran cold upon seeing Lirzod in action. "You little¡ª" Geragorn gritted his teeth and turned back to grab hold of Lirzod, but a hideous foot loomed onto his face and smacked his cheek, making him crash and roll multiple times on the ground. The crowd was set on their heels and watched in wide-opened mouths. "She sent that four hundred pound monster packing to the side! How much power can her kicks generate?" Geragorn stood faster than he fell down, and a bruise blemished his cheek though it was mostly obscured by his reddish skin. The drop of blood dripping down a corner of his mouth was as plain as the nose on his face. He rubbed it and glanced at his own droplet of blood, and all the muscles in his body began to strengthen. "Now you''ve done it, monk lady!" "Shit, he''s pissed!" The members among the crowd panicked. "The tracks are done for. Everyone run!" Everybody began to run like mad dogs. Geragorn lunged onto the monk with a thundering jump that left a hole in the ground. His fist loomed onto her face fiercer than a lion''s paw, and she wished to meet his fist with her foot. Both of their weapons were about to meet head-on when a figure appeared out of nowhere and terminated both the attacks with bare hands. Lirzod eyes lit up upon seeing that person. Geragorn and the monk, however, were surprised, and immediately pulled back their attacks. "Madame Stussy," the lady monk respectfully pulled back her leg and joined her arms at her chest, before bowing, "I apologize for having you touch my feet." "You need not say anything, Everna," Stussy glanced at her once before she turned towards Geragorn, making him frown and take a step back. It seemed like he knew what she was going to say by her look alone. "You have overstayed on this deck." "I¡­" Geragorn wanted to say something, but he couldn''t find the words he was looking for. He kept scratching the back of his head with his finger. "The lives of all the Entries that board this ship haven''t necessarily been beds of roses," Stussy''s voice was rather mollifying. "Troubling them right away isn''t an exemplary thing." "I won''t go as far as to say ''sorry for the trouble,''" Geragorn began to walk away. "Like you, I have a priori belief of my own about the new Entries. In a way, they must thank me for giving them the necessary fear in order to survive this journey. Anyway, you are the boss, so you make the rules. I''m heading to the higher decks. You shouldn''t have a problem with that." "None," Stussy replied, fixedly looking elsewhere. "What?" Lirzod was startled. "How can that pig go to the higher decks after everything he did, and especially when he didn''t even finish the run?" Both Stussy and Everna stared at him with blank faces, while Geragorn snorted as he left. "Why aren''t any of you two speaking?" Lirzod was left confused. "He''s walking away." "You seriously believed that he''s not fast enough?" Everna said and smiled, as she came in between him and Stussy. "Well, I just wanted him to win the event and then go. So he''s already finished the test." Lirzod felt a bit disappointed. He was thinking of mocking Geragorn during his run. But now, knowing that he can''t do it, he could only rub the back of his neck. "He''s just let the rumors out himself, so that some would pick a fight with him," Everna''s smile subsided. "And he enjoys crushing the rookies that come after him. Most of his underlings are all victims of his methods." "That''s," Lirzod paused a moment in a deep thought, so much that he didn''t bother about the saliva that was drooping from his mouth. "So that pig was toying with me from the start." "Kind of, yes..." Everna said, taking slow and calm breaths that didn''t seem forced. "Hey, clean your mouth." "Oh," Lirzod was to use her shirt, but she held his head and stopped him. He was forced to use his own shirt. "So, you are.." Lirzod looked at her from top to bottom, and more than everything else, the image of her face brought tears to his eyes. "So sorry that you are bald," His expression turned sad, "Is there anything I can do to help the hair grow back?" Everna blinked twice. "I''m a monk, potato!" She slapped him, greatly surprising him. "Of course, I will be bald." "Monk?" His stomach hardened a bit and he observed her from top to bottom once. "You are right. I remember it. But I didn''t know that the female monks have bald heads." "Now you know that they do." Lirzod paused a moment before his hand moved in a flash and scratched the top of her head, startling her. Everna didn''t blink but ground her teeth as she glared at him. "What was that for?" "Just confirming," Lirzod said and nodded twice, "Mm, doesn''t seem like it''s some fake hairless wig." "Hairless wig? It''s called a skull cap. And I''m not¡ª" "So you''re wearing one?" Lirzod was startled and tried to touch her head again, but she grabbed his hand and pushed it away. "Let me finish my words. I was about to say that I''m not wearing a skull cap," she scratched her head a bit, bringing out a droplet of blood. "What were you doing?" Lirzod reflexively placed his hand on her head. "It''s a minor wound. Will heal in no time," Everna let out a slightly hard smile. "Do you at least believe me now?" Lirzod stared at her for a moment before nodding. "This is my first time seeing a monk in flesh. Your skull is so smooth," Lirzod''s words loosened her smile a bit. "You can remove your hand now." "I don''t think that''s a good idea." She furrowed her brows. "Why not?" "You may die from blood loss you know." The two of them exchanged looks before she displayed a decent grin. He smiled back in return as well. (Whew.) Lirzod removed his hand, stepped back and breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, he scanned her attire from top to bottom, which took her by surprise and ended her smile but didn''t really discomfort her either. "Something wrong?" Everna couldn''t help but ask. Lirzod continued observing her dress before his gaze rose up and stopped at her face. "Uh, nothing. It''s just that you¡­" he pressed his lips hard against one another. "Yeah, I." He forcibly shut his mouth trying to hide his laughter, but even so, the stress showed on his face which began to pinken by the second. Everna narrowed her eyes and briefly clenched her fist. "What''s so funny?" "Nothing," Covering the mouth with a hand, Lirzod restrained himself from bursting out into a cachinnation. "It''s just that, pfft, I''m sorry, it''s just that your hairless head looks like an egg," The atmosphere around Everna changed ever so slightly but Lirzod was oblivious to it, for he put his all to make sure he didn''t break out into gales of laughter. Controlling his emotions, he stepped ahead. "And I must say it''s an egg that looks too egg-ish," he placed his hand on her shoulder and taking note of her face almost made him burst out again, "Ahem, why don''t you think about growing your hair back? Then, you might look better and be eligible to be my¡ª" A slap very much vicious than earlier one greeted his cheek before he even saw it coming. "How rude!" Lirzod covered his cheeks, staring at her in a stupefied reaction. "What did I do?" "What did you do?" She bared her teeth. "You did nothing. It''s me who lent a hand to a laughing stock." She began to leave. "I never asked for your hand," Lirzod said, his voice raising a little bit while his hand still rested on his colored up cheek. "Besides, you lent a leg, not a hand!" He got no reply. Everna sat on the turtle which then sauntered away at its own pace. "Tch, I was only helping her back by giving a suggestion. It''s nothing to get angry about. Hmm?" Lirzod looked around only to get surprised, "When did Snow White leave?" he felt a bit of discomfort. "She escaped from me again! Ouch, my ribs..." One of his hand touched his ribcage while the fingers of his other hand touched his tongue and blood decorated them. "That pig got a hit on my ribs again. The phoenix fruit won''t help me get better as fast this time." He began to walk and felt pain with every step. "Che, breathing is beginning hurt again. It would have been nice if Primera was with me. That devil Sariyu won''t bother to treat my wounds even for a day. Whom should I ask for help now?" Burton''s image flashed in his mind. "He''s the last one I''d ask for help. That useless guy... Sitting his ass out in his room for two days. I''m sure he did the same in all the sect tests of the last ten years as well." "Hey, want some help?" At that time, a voice came from the side, and a person walked up to him. "You..." Lirzod was surprised. It was the seller who Lirzod took token 101 from during the deck test. "I''m 100." He gave support for Lirzod to walk. Most of the hall was empty except for a few souls still present here and there. "Nice meeting you, Hundred. Where are my nuts?" The guy was startled. (He didn''t forget about the nuts.) "U-Uh, they are in my room. I will give them to you afterward." "Mm," Lirzod narrowed his eyes, thinking whether to believe his words or not. "Anyway, I must say, I''m shocked. If Mad Monk Everna didn''t interfere, you would have gotten crippled to the point you would be worth less than a dustbin." "So that baldy''s name is Everna huh¡­ Now that I think about it, Snow White did call her that. But I must say, she''s too spicy for a monk." Just thinking about her made him want to rub his cheek again. (She seems more dangerous than Pentera.) "Hey, aren''t monks supposed to be peaceful?" "I know right?" Hundred also found himself thinking along the same lines. "But she''s like the opposite." "She seemed strong. What''s she doing on this deck?" "Only she should know," Hundred sighed. "Given her strength, she should easily reach hundredth deck with no fuss. But she spends her time in these lower decks. I have no idea why." (Hmm... Maybe she''s looking for pretty boys. Now it makes sense why she ended up helping me... I do like her oval face, but that baldness is killing all my appetite.) Lirzod thought to himself. "She must have her reasons." Mm, maybe if I can convince her to grow her hair. "That''s what I think as well. But most think she''s just wasting her time. It''s already been like five to six months since she entered this ship after all." "Oh, it''s totally understandable," Lirzod nodded. Extensive Voyage roamed on the seas for eleven months of every year, picking up Entries from all around the continent. "Hey, do you have an idea on how many entries are present on this ship right now?" Lirzod couldn''t help but ask. "I''d say at least a few million." "M-Million?" he felt flummoxed a bit. "That many?" "Of course. Just this deck alone has tens of thousands of people." "What? But there aren''t that many rooms right?" "You are new, so you must not have seen this, but this deck has many blocks each of which has at least ten thousand rooms. Also, Hollows use layered beds, so we require lot less space than you Entries. The tenth deck is the biggest deck for a reason. Most people would either choose to stay here, or forced to stay here unable to pass the test." "Hmm, not everyone can cover a hundred meters in less than twelve seconds." "Still, this floor is easy compared to upper decks." "You''ve been to upper decks?" "Not too many, but I''m knowledgeable." "Tell me about them." "I can''t." "Since you are here, I can only talk about this deck. Besides, you have every deck''s information written in the guidebook, right? You can even buy different manuals from the Book Booths." "I did read the guidebook, but just the test details. Do the upper decks also have people like that pig who mess with others for no reason?" Hundred''s shoulders jerked a bit. "You mean Geragorn?" He quickly covered Lirzod''s mouth and looked around at some of the people standing not too far away from them. "Don''t call him like that. He has many friends. You never when someone will come after you. Are we cool?" Lirzod glanced at the people who were in his vicinity, but they didn''t seem to be interested in their talk. However, he nodded. Hundred removed her hand from his mouth. "They are doing their work and don''t seem to be paying attention us. Aren''t you just being overly cautious?" "You want them to feel amped about it or what?" Hundred rose his voice a little. "Uh, I think I get it," Lirzod scratched his chin. "You don''t look like you did," Hundred sighed. "In any case, it all depends on your luck. Sometimes you''ll encounter trouble, sometimes you avoid it unknowingly. Regardless, you should always keep one thing in mind for as long as you''re on this ship or even anywhere for that matter. "What''s it?" Lirzod raised his eyebrows. "It''s necessary to have some fear towards the unknown." 28 THE THIRSTING FISH AND THE THIRSTFUL MONK "It''s necessary to have some fear towards the unknown," Hundred''s voice sounded as straight as a die. "Necessary fear huh¡­" Lirzod reflected on some things and nodded. "You are right. Everyone should have it when I''m around." Hundred pressed his lips hard not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "I didn''t mean it like that." "Maybe you didn''t, but who knows?" Lirzod exchanged a kind of knowing look with him and chortled. "Maybe you did." "The heck that''s supposed to mean?" Hundred swatted at the air. "It means what I meant," Lirzod rested his arm on the back of Hundred''s neck as he tried to move away. "Wait, tell me about Everna." "Tell what? I know nothing valuable about her." "Okay, tell me about the lady monks. Are there any more on this ship?" "... Lady monks," he pondered for a moment before giving a glassy stare at Lirzod. "Why are you asking about them?" "Yes," Lirzod nodded his head emphatically. "''Yes,'' what?" "I just wanted to know, that''s all." "If that''s the case, then I don''t know much about lady monks, but I can tell you about the monks in general." "In general?" Lirzod shook his head. "I already know about them to an extent. What can you say that I don''t know of?" "I know of a famous story," he said, making a grand gesture with his hand by waving it up and around in a delightful fashion. "Oh, that''s both great and not great. Hopefully, it''s not something I heard before." "Mm, have you heard of this name," Hundred''s voice quickened a bit, "the thirsting fish and the thirstful monk?" "No." "Great," Hundred began to clear his throat a bit like an artist preparing for some major event. "Just make sure that the story ends just as we reach your room," Lirzod''s words killed some of his enthusiasm and thinned down his chest. A bead of sweat surfaced on Hundred''s cheek. (He still didn''t seem to have forgotten about the damn almonds. What should I do? I already ate them all.) He let out an awkward smile. "Yeah." "C''mon, start the story." "I''ll try to," Hundred''s mouth was put to work, but his mind drifted onto different memories as they both began to walk together. "Long ago, there was a monk who practiced his arts a few hundred feet deep underwaters for years. On one of the days, when he was in deep meditation, a small fish came to him and was intrigued by the ring on his little finger. "Seeing the monk''s situation, it tried to pull the ring out of his finger. But no matter how much effort was put in, it didn''t succeed. But it didn''t want to give up. And it began to bite the monk''s finger, trying to cut it at its base. "Slowly, it ate the monk''s flesh bit by bit, making sure it didn''t alert him. It kept on eating and eating, so much it could feel its stomach was close to being full. That''s when the fish realized that the monk''s flesh was growing back at the same rate as it began to eat. The fish was quite surprised. It realized that the monk was not an ordinary being. It turned back and swam away into the distance. After having digested the food in its stomach, it came back almost an hour later. The monk was still in meditation." The fish was smart enough to realize that it can''t use its methods to obtain the ring. So it thought that asking the monk itself would be a better idea. It swam up to his face and shook its tail fins rapidly, forming bubbles that swashed and hit the monk''s face. The diamond-faced monk opened his eyes at a slow pace and saw a tiny and cute fish flapping some of its fins. Its large eyes suggested that it was a nocturnal fish. The fish''s voice transmitted through the waves and reached his ears which apprehended with ease. "I like your glowing thing. Give it to me." "My glowing thing?" The monk was pleasantly surprised. The phrase proved to be a minute hurdle for the monk to overcome. And it didn''t take him long to understand that the fish was talking about the only glowing thing he had, which was the ring. "What will you do with it?" "I will do whatever I want. Would you give it to me or not?" Having already wasted so much time for the ring, the fish no longer had the patience for to-and-fro of the mouths. The monk sort of smiled. "I can. But can you at least give me a proper reason first?" "I want to wear it of course." The monk slightly shook his head. "I''m afraid you can''t wear it." "Why can''t I? You sure are wearing it." "Because I have fingers. But you don''t have fingers." The fish showed its fins as if suggesting that the ring would fit its fins. Fingers loosely clasped in his lap, he didn''t change his posture at all, implying he was as calm as before. "If you wear the ring like that, you won''t be able to swim." "No." The fish, however, didn''t listen and still wanted to try. "I can take care of myself." (So, it''s called a ring.) "I like your doggedness, but doggedness without diligence will lead to doom." "Ugh, will you give it to me or not?" The fish began to swim to the left and right without fixedly staying at a spot. "If you don''t give me that, I will bring all my friends and we will eat you." The monk let out an unforced laugh, making sure not a drop of water slipped down his throat. "I am a dead coral to you huh. Fine. I will give it to you but I don''t want you to see me take this ring out." "I am not going to make distance if that''s what you are thinking," Being a smarty, the fish moved a bit closer to the monk. "You can''t escape." "No, I don''t want you to go anywhere," the monk''s gaze was weightless. "I just want you to close your eyes." "Close my eyes?" "Yes." The monk said and closed his eyes. Seeing him the fish tried closing its eyes but then realized that it had no eyelids. "You, who do you think you''re fooling?" The monk seemed to be enjoying, listening to the fish''s words. He opened his eyes. "What''s wrong?" "I can''t close my eyes like you!" The fish impatiently said, flapping its fins viciously. "Give me a task that''s easy." After pondering for a little while, the monk nodded. "Your thirst for the ring sure is high. Alright, you can have it if you can finish two simple tasks. First is, you must quench my thirst for water. The second is," He pointed his finger towards a coral that''s ten meters away, "you must manage to swim there in the shortest distance while wearing the ring. Otherwise, you should forget about the ring." "Agreed." The fish was quick to respond. "The first one is easy. Just drink as much water around you as you want. Now, let''s start the second task," the fish said and on the inside, it was laughing out loud. (Fool, you think I can''t swim straight? I may be young but I''m the great hedgefish!) "Come, rest on my lap. I will put the ring on your fin." The fish vigilantly got closer and settled on his lap. The monk took the ring out was about to adorn it on the fish''s fin, but the fish which was puzzled a bit, couldn''t help but ask. "Wait, how will you know if I''m going in the shortest route or not?" The monk smiled and said, "it doesn''t matter." The fish had no idea why the monk said that, but after he adorned the ring on one of its fins, the fish was quite excited from seeing the ring up close. "Should I start?" The fish asked. "Whenever you are ready," the monk said. "Alright, here I go." It tried to swim ahead with a flap of its other fin and a sway of its tail, but the moment it lifted its body off the monk''s lap and propelled itself ahead, it instantly dove down diagonally unable to control itself. Even though it flapped its other fin and swayed its tail, it totally failed in controlling its course, stopping only after crashing on the ground beside the monk. It tried to swim from that position, but couldn''t even do that. No matter how many times it struggled, it just wasn''t working. It was at that moment, the fish realized the reason why the monk said it didn''t matter, because the fish can''t go very far anyway while wearing the ring. Not only was the fish unable to use one of its fins to its will, the ring was heavier than it thought. The fish believed that the monk knew that this would happen and still he chose to do it, which enraged it for being mocked in such a manner. Angry at the monk, it shook the ring off its fin and swallowed the ring. "Now, the ring is mine forever." Saying that the fish swam away from the monk in haste. "And have fun sitting on the fish poop." The monk didn''t move an inch and still assumed a relaxed posture. He spoke aloud to the swimming away fish, "You have seven days and nights to bring back the ring and beg for mercy." The fish heard his words but didn''t turn back. (Hmph, whatever. As if you can ever catch me!) The monk just watched the fish disappear out of his view. Seconds added up into minutes which added up into hours that further added up into days. Through meditation, the monk calmly waited for seven days and nights but the fish did not return to him. The very next morning the monk opened his eyes and from having not drunk a drop of water for all the time he was meditating, he felt quite thirsty at the moment. He opened his mouth and began to drink. All the water around him got sucked into his mouth. And the void created pulled in more water to him. And he swallowed all the water that came to him, and the creatures that came along with it. In seven hours, he emptied the entire ocean, including all the creatures, not leaving the creatures hiding in the mud or the cracks of the ground before sucking out all the wetness from the ground itself, and by the end of it, all but a single creature was left at his feet, lying on the barren ground, jumping on and on, clinging to its life. It was the fish that stole the ring. "I''m terribly sorry. Without knowing your strength, I offended you. Please, show mercy on me," the fish begged for its life. It even spat out the ring. "Take your ring, but help me please." The monk calmly stared down at the fish and said, "The shortest distance between you and me is one straight line. The shortest distance between life and death is one bad step. You failed to come back to me in time, and yet you ask for mercy." "Please, I admit my mistakes. Please show mercy." Seeing it''s pitiful situation, the monk gently blew air through his nose. "Alright, for your persistence at least, I will give you a chance. You are a fish that can breathe air, correct?" "Yes, if there is mud I can estivate for months, but now even the ground is totally dried up," Its voice sounded more desperate than ever. "In these conditions, I can''t last for long without water. Please save me." "You don''t have to last for long. Just for seven days and nights, that''s all." The monk''s words stunned the fish, creating strange electric surges in its heart. The fish fell to the ground and did not move afterward, for it went to meet its maker. The monk simply wore the ring, grabbed the dead fish with one arm, before he spat the ocean out, filling the dried out region again with the water and all the creatures that he previously swallowed. The waters seemed purer and the sea creatures seemed livelier than ever before. The fishes roamed happily like they''ve never left the ocean. The monk simply continued his meditation. It seemed as if nothing happened, except for the death of a single fish. Things moved on. "What? The monk really killed the fish?" Lirzod was surprised. "Yeah," he reluctantly nodded, "he sort of did." "But, that''s so unlike monks, isn''t it? Harming another being?" "Not at all. There are many monks who eat meat as long as the animal was not killed on their behalf. As for harming others, the monks say that it''s impossible to not harm others in all of the physical, mental and spiritual ways. As long as one is alive, his life is bound to affect others in both positive and negative ways. Causing the least harm is the way most monks choose, well, at least as far as I know about them." "Least harm you say?" Lirzod snorted. "Since when killing is considered as doing the least harm?" "Don''t just see that the monk killed the fish. Also, see the way how he killed it." "Yeah, how? By giving it a freaking mind-stroke, and probably heart stroke as an addition." "Yes. But it was a fast and a painless way to go. The fish most likely did not suffer." "That''s," Lirzod was startled. "Personally, I think that the monk never killed the fish. He was willing to forgive the unforgivable fish. But before that, the fish killed itself." Lirzod stayed silent, feeling a slight heaviness in the stomach. A few seconds of silence passed in his mind, and only the sound of their footsteps could be heard in the street. "What did you understand from it?" "Me?" Lirzod raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, you. Who else is here?" "Well," Lirzod pondered for a moment as he pursed his lips, "the story surely reminded my thirst for nuts." Hundred''s skin tingled and shoulders jerked up and down and he almost stopped mid-stride. "How, how are the two even related?" His chin ducked as if to hide his eyes. "Uh-ah, they are very much related," Lirzod turned his head and looked at Hundred, his eyes effluging austere light. "Someone had taken my nuts away from me. If they aren''t in his room like he said," His hand somewhat tightened the grip on Hundred, "then I guess I will have to follow the story and bring him a fast and painless way to give up the ghost." "U-Uh, haha," Hundred barked out a requisite smile. "You are not a monk and I''m not a fish." "But the thirst is relatable, right?" Lirzod didn''t back down. Hundred trembled a bit and his heartbeat sped up. "What are you saying? I don''t even eat almonds on a daily basis. You can''t relate anyone to anything." Hiding his face from Lirzod, Hundred was on the verge of crying. (Why did I pick this story of all? Curse my carelessness!) "I didn''t mean to add insult to the injury," Lirzod quickly replied, "I ended up bringing out what I was feeling inside." Hundred was startled, but then breathed a sigh of relief. (What the heck is he talking all of a sudden? Wait, did my words get him?) He turned his head to the forward again. "It''s alright. You were just trusting your instincts." At that time, they reached a desolate junction. "It''s great that you can understand," As Lirzod was saying, something hit his head from behind making him frown. "What the," His hand automatically touched the spot, and when he turned back, he saw a small stone ¡ª not even half-inch thick ¡ª fall on the ground, coming to a halt in a few bounces. It was uniquely defined in shape to an unnatural degree. He looked at his hand and saw that there was a tiny amount of blood. He looked around but found nobody. Another stone came flying from the side and was about to hit his temple, but his ears caught the noise and he managed to shift his head a little. BAM~! A sharp sound was heard and Lirzod was forced to cover that region, a little to the right of his temple. Blood began to come out from there as well. "What the hell?" He turned to his right, but there was nobody on the street. "Ouch, it hurts." He looked at Hundred who touched his throat and had a dazed look. "Did you see someone?" "This is bad." Hundred grabbed onto Lirzod firmly, his breath paused. "We''re surrounded by the Stone Spitters." 29 CLIENT REPLACEMEN "You''ve chosen a slippery slope to climb, youngin," A cackling voice ¡ª weirdly gruff ¡ª reached Lirzod''s ears but he couldn''t locate its source. With all rooms locked, the four streets seemed unpeopled, except for the presence of those two. "Who''s there?" Lirzod shouted, stomping his foot on the locally not-so-dusty wooden floor. "Run. Run like a river[1]!" Hundred began to run and forced Lirzod to run with him. "You said, Stone Spitters, but I don''t see anybody here," Lirzod asked, already panting a little even though they haven''t yet taken ten steps together. "Look at the floor ahead," Hundred said, his focus fully shifting towards reaching the end of the street. "They are critters smaller than the size of our fists." Surprised upon hearing the words, Lirzod stared at the floor, when he saw dozens of tiny rock-like beings in the shape of a smooth cone hopping on the ground, which didn''t remind him of the icecreams he used to buy for Duera when he was a kid, but surely reminded him of some sort of poop. "What the heck are those?" Lirzod watched them with an incredulous stare. "How are they moving?" Goosebumps took over his body. They seemed to have no limbs or eyes or nose but had one striking thing ¡ª their mouth ¡ª which changed in its shape and size. Some of their mouths appeared like that of a shark''s teeth, while some others seemed more human, simple and plain. It was too obvious for Lirzod to not reckon that the pointy teeth were for digging into things and the plain shape was to grind things out. "We can worry about their details afterward," Hundred said, getting to Lirzod''s front. "I don''t seem to be included in their target list. Just stay behind me until we cross them. Also, watch out for the ones that might come from behind." Lirzod nodded, though he didn''t exactly get what was going on. He glanced back once to see if he could find similar beings behind him but didn''t see any of them. Beholding the approaching duo, the tiny beings were amused but at the same time also appeared to be bemused. "Why are you coming in our way, Hollow?" One of the Stone Spitters cackled and spat something out of its mouth which didn''t go straight towards Hundred but instead hit the ceiling, bounced off it in a blistering speed and directed down towards Lirzod, who openly stared at it, but before it pitched into him, Hollow managed to kick Lirzod away, resulting in that stone knocking the floor, thereby assembling an exquisite noise. Though it didn''t form a hole, it still left a petty mark. In the time Lirzod''s body was coming to a halt from the push generated by Hundred''s kick, more than ten of the Stone Spitters shot stones through their mouths which ricocheted off the walls and the ceiling before ending up striking Lirzod at many places. The raining blows, each of which felt no less powerful than a human punch, brought into existence a bellow birthed through affliction and indignation. "Hehe," Seeing Lirzod howl, two of the shadows watching the ongoing event from the end of the street were enlivened. One was Bilka and the other was the pointy-nosed guy. "Look at them, they''re doing a better job than we thought," the pointy-nosed man''s body shook with excitement and he was totally into watching the unfolding scene. Natheless, Bilka''s smile looked to be tight. "We are broke as a joke now. All of it was to beat some barmy boy. Was it that necessary, Pilli?" "What are you saying?" the glow on Pilli''s face subsided and stress marks arose on his forehead. "Because of that bastard, Geragorn kicked us away." "Well, in a way, it''s good for us, don''t you think? We couldn''t have gotten out of that group even if we wanted to. Now, some of our months were definitely saved." "Hmph, why are we discussing his right now? Did you forget that he humiliated you in the hall?" "That''s right too," Bilka''s breath paused. "Yeah. Just enjoy the show." The two of them resumed watching the event with their whole bodies hidden behind a wall, except for their heads. Their eyes sparkled as they witnessed Lirzod get ill-treated. Though blood didn''t leak out, bruises were still visible at most of the spots where the stones hit Lirzod. If he were to say that he didn''t feel a twinge at various places on his body, it would mean he was putting up a front. "You poop look-alikes, just what''s your problem?" he roared. The Stone Spitters just laughed it off and approached closer in a cute fashion. "We don''t beat around the bush. We are here to fudge you up." "Yeah. Fudge you up. Fudge you up," the other Stone Spitters also voiced in their views. If anyone who didn''t know them, were to see their motion, they would think that Stone Spitters were dolls and would probably want to take one or more for themselves. Having said that, their smile still got on Lirzod''s nerves. "You fudge faces¡­" He ground his teeth and said in a strained voice, his fists tight. Hundred stepped closer to Lirzod and said in a low voice, "Don''t badmouth them and give them another reason to hurt you." "Why should I?" Lirzod knitted his brows, irritated like an open wound. "They are the ones who are picking a fight with me." "I know that they are full of shit," Hundred spoke in a low voice again. "But, just stay silent. I will handle this," he stood in front of Lirzod again, but this time, he stood a bit too close that the scent of his sweat made Lirzod blow his nose in discomfort. However, Hundred was totally unaware of Lirzod''s situation, as his focus was on the ones ahead of him but not on the one behind him. Lirzod, however, silently took a step back. "If you all don''t stop, I will make a big stink about this incident." The forwarding of the Stone Spitters stopped slowly but surely, and all of their mouths flattened, though none knew for long. Hundred found it hard to believe that his words worked. He knew that the Stone Spitters didn''t want to create an unnecessary commotion, so they almost always chose empty streets to take care of their targets. "Don''t come in between us," one of the Stone Spitters said, "we must bring home the bacon for us to survive." "Brothers from other mothers, sisters from other misters," Hundred said, without expecting any reply. "H-How much money did your client offer?" "Who are you calling brothers and sisters, human?" One of them furiously shouted. "Trying to throw air biscuits at us, are you?" Another Stone Spitter rebuked. "We won''t reveal our client''s information. And if you don''t get lost, things won''t end well for you." "I''m being honest," Hundred persuaded, "I''m not the kind to give a bum steer to anybody." (Well, at least not without a reason.) "What should I offer for you all to stop?" "Kekeke, a Hollow from the tenth deck thinks he can bribe us," one of the Stone Spitters burst out into a freaky laughter. "This isn''t even a joke, though it made me laugh, kekeke." "Why don''t you all try me?" Hundred sounded somewhat confident, though Lirzod was still giving icy stares at them. "What''s your name, Hollow?" One of the Stone Spitter asked. "Hundred." "So you''ve been here long enough." Hundred slightly nodded. The Stone Spitters in the three other streets stayed where they were, seeing which Hundred understood that they were more inclined on blocking off their path instead of attacking them from both directions. "This poor bugger is innocent," Hundred still tried to talk into changing their mind. "If you don''t buzz off in the next five seconds," another Stone Spitter said in a flat voice, "don''t blame us if we fill you with holes." Hundred looked a bit sullen, however, on the inside, spleen smoldered in his stomach. (These little bastards are taking this too far.) "Two more seconds left, boss," another Stone Spitter said, making others titter, all the while they bounced off their bottoms again and again. If Hundred could be said to be hassled by the Stone Spitters, then Lirzod was even more so, albeit the sable blackness on his face wasn''t as plain as a pikestaff. Brassed off by their interaction, Bilka and especially Pilli clenched their jaws. "Why are you all booty chattering with him?" Unable to contain his annoyance anymore, Pilli shouted out of his lungs. "Shoot him. Shoot him hard. Shoot him till he bloody pisses[2]!" "Mm?" Both Hundred and Lirzod turned back and caught a glimpse of Pilli''s face as it got pulled behind the wall. "Fool!" Bilka rapped Pilli''s head with his knuckle. "What have you done?" "Oww," Pilli bit his tongue in startlement. "You think they have seen us?" "God only knows!" Bilka yelled in anger akin to a freezing rain. "I warned you to not come here, but you also dragged me here saying that witnessing makes everything worthy. Now, you made everything worthless." Meanwhile, Lirzod and Hundred looked at each other''s faces to reinforce their belief on what they just saw. "That bonehead is such a dingus!" a Stone Spitter spat a stone randomly into the air which bounced off the walls and ended up at a random spot, "these clients that have bones in them can never stay calm, can they?" All the Stone Spitters stopped, their expressions as clear as mud. "What should we do?" "If we proceed even after the client is known, we might get dragged into their complicacies. It''s in our interests to turn back." They all turned and began to hop away, including the ones in the other streets. "Whew," Hundred breathed a sigh of relief. "Wait," Lirzod walked past Hundred and stomped on the ground, making the Stone Spitters stop. "You think you all can just come and do whatever you want and then leave like nothing happened?" His mouth was a diamond blade in action, for it cast keen words that cut through the wind as they traversed. "Hey, what are you¡ª" Hundred tried to stop him, but Lirzod just pushed his hand away. "You all wet yourself with excitement from spitting at me," Lirzod coldly said, albeit his blood was in a seething pain, "but then what about my excitement?" "Watch it, boy," One of the Stone Spitters snorted, "Who do you think are?" "Now, don''t misunderstand me," Lirzod''s angry face turned into that of a smiling one. "I didn''t mean that I''ll be spitting on you all. I just meant that I can forget everything if you all spit on your client, or maybe clients for spoiling your mission." "And why would we do that?" A Stone Spitter couldn''t help but ask, his voice loaded with arrogance. Lirzod''s smile appeared stiff. (So they are not at all guilty huh. Then¡­) "Not for free of course. My man, Hundred has a full kilo of food to offer you." Goosebumps greeted Hundred''s flesh and bones, thoroughly locking his knees. "One kilo?" One of the Stone Spitters felt offended. "Not enough to feed even a quarter of us." Lirzod smiled inwardly from knowing they were okay to deal with. "If it was ordinary food, then yes. But we are talking about an entire kilo of rich Delis Almonds." Almonds? The word alone shifted all their focus to Lirzod. "Delis almonds? What''s so special about them?" "Very special indeed," Lirzod was like a smiling doll, the waves of white subtly stamping his smile. "Delis almonds are the wildly addictive nuts that we willingly wolf down. Packed with noted amounts of nutrients, from high-quality proteins and vitamins to fiber and minerals, they keep you healthy and are especially good for your gut," His mellifluous words were honeyed enough to take all the listeners into daydreams that presented themselves pootling in the almond plantations. His voice wasn''t loud but was still taken in by the Stone Spitters in the other streets. "Watered thrice a week as they are grown in the mid-summer, their shells basking in the sultry sunlight until the vehement winds of the late summer shake the trees and force the hulls open, dropping down countless auburn almonds that communicate through their aroma and captivate all instincts through their allure." All the Stone Spitters watched him without saying a word, and his manner of speaking manufactured mud in their mouths, for mud was their spittle. Seeing them drool mud out of their mouths, Lirzod smiled inwardly, but what he didn''t know was that Hundred was drooling on his behind as well, having briefly forgotten that he had already tasted those almonds. Meanwhile, Bilka and Pilli tried to have a peak again, and they didn''t see something they can look on with favor. "What the heck are they still talking about?" Pilli could barely contain both of his excitement and exasperation, on the verge of overfilling his heart. "I paid them to beat the shit out of him, not to have a group discussion with him!" "As I thought, it was a mistake hiring those shitty Stone Spitters," Bilka''s resentment was at an even higher level. He grabbed Pilli''s throat firmly and began to choke him. "Give me my money back you gumby son of a gorilla, or I swear I''ll pinch the pointy-nose out of you this time." Pilli was enraged. "I told you to¡­ not call me that!" He barely managed to speak as he tried to get out of the ghastly grip. At that moment, they heard the bouncing sounds coming from three directions, which took them a few seconds of blank stares at each other to discern. "Mm?" When they both were struggling on the ground, they looked in different directions, only to see Stone Spitters coming in their direction. "Why are they coming to us when they haven''t take care of the Scarface?" Pilli was puzzled. Bilka ground his teeth and seemed to realize that something was wrong. "I''m getting a bad feeling about this," Pilli said. His words only frustrated Bilka more. Both of them stood and began to run away. One of the Stone Spitters increased his speed and reached them in no time, scaring the living daylights out of those two. "The client has been replaced." the Stone Spitter said while in midair, wearing a broad smile on his face, for a Stone Spitter was able to talk in such way which was just one in many of their whimsical ways. ZUP~! A stone scraped through Bilka''s cheek and hit Pilli''s jaw. The aching of the bone made him howl. Before the tone of his voice could come down, one after another, stones pierced his butt like they were never going to end, all of which drove him to a deviant dance while bawling like a beaten calf. Lirzod made a rosy face, his eyes shining better than the stars. "Shoot ''em. Shoot ''em hard. Shoot ''em up till they bloody piss!" His words struck them hard. From out of their hearts and up into their faces rose regret which rankled their reasoning and gnawed at their souls. Like a demon in disguise, it sat on their shoulders and whispered wacky things, producing pangs that weighed them down like never before. "At least tell us why you are attacking us!" Bilka hollered, clutching his butt, his face warped into a grotesquerie. "What did he offer you all?" "One kilo of almonds," The reply from one of the Stone Spitters was akin to a slew of arrows piercing his stomach. It pained a lot more than his butt did. "Almonds?" Bilka couldn''t believe his ears. "Just a kilo? I can give you ten kilos!" (Though I don''t have the money right now. But these things don''t know that!) "Are the almonds grown in the mid-summer and watered thrice a week?" Another Stone Spitter asked, wearing a smiley face. "What?" Bilka was puzzled, grimacing at the vague words. "Guess not." They continued spitting at their rear ends, not letting them speak anymore. Even in that pain, Bilka grabbed hold of Pilli''s hair and tried to rip it out, but he didn''t succeed. As if Bilka''s onslaught wasn''t enough, a Stone Spitter''s voice eerily echoed in his ears. "I like your nose. Can I attach it to my face?" The next second, the Stone Spitter bit his nose, making him howl harder than a wolf. Both of them got ganged upon by dozens of the miniature beings that knew not the meaning of mercy. Every action of each of those Stone Spitters drove them both crazy. Their group struggle made the dust on the ground dance in the wind. Their butts literally bled and their howls could be heard throughout the heating up street. Above all, Pill''s butt burned hotter than the surface of the sun. "C''mon, take us to your place!" Some Stone Spitters gathered around Hundred and pulled him away from Lirzod. "Hey, help me!" Hundred called out loud, making fluttery hand movements. Lirzod took out the last few of the almonds left in his pocket. One of those almonds seemed out of color. "Not all nuts are nice. Numb-nuts must be left in the lurch." He tossed them all towards his mouth, and all of them except for the discolored one ended up in his mouth. The discolored one, however, hit his lower lip and fell to the ground. "Are you calling me a numb-nut?" Hundred was piqued by his words but had no time to say another word as the Stone Spitters pushed him down to the ground and got under him, before carrying him away like ants would carry their food. Lirzod turned and began to walk away. "I was talking about those poopy things, the fudge faces." His words weren''t loud enough to be heard by anybody other than himself. One by one, the almonds in his mouth got crushed betwixt his teeth while his ears make out the melancholic melody made by two men. ---------------------------------------------------------- [1] Run like a river: An esteemed idiom in the East which mean that one must flow forward and not resile as they keep the terrain in mind and take the route of minimal resistance to reach the destination. [2] Bloody Piss: It was a saying originated from the Murata Kingdom where tied up or hanged traitors were severely punished by stone-throwing until they piss blood. It wasn''t meant to be taken literally, but over time the phrase was misused often enough that now it could be used in various circumstances. So, Bloody Piss originally meant the state achieved after beating someone till their clothes get stained by blood and it appears that the traitor sort of pissed blood. Often, people targeted the private parts after all. 30 TENTH DECK COMMANDER Stone Spitters have long left. Bilka and Pilli were in the worst situation they have ever been in their entire lives. They couldn''t even cry out loud anymore as even the slightest movement of their limbs hurt them so much. Yet, it pained so much that they couldn''t contain themselves from moving around. It was a literal nightmare for the two of them as they crawled in their own blood, feeling plenty of veins that needled them from the insides of their bodies. "What do you want to do now?" Pilli just wanted to ask that question, his face in a dismal decoration. "I want to beat the shit out of you," Bilka extracted out some words out of the pain coursing through his veins and then went into a disconcerted pause before speaking again. "Getting beaten by him back then didn''t feel that bad. But right now, I feel pathetic. It''s embarrassing to be lying on the ground like that." "I apologize," Pilli rolled his eyes towards Bilka who lay beside him. Bilka didn''t say anything, but his ruffled face revealed most of his thoughts. "Guess who''s back?" A voice rang in Pilli''s ears, almost bringing him a heartache. When his pupils shifted by degrees, he saw the face he least expected to see. It was Lirzod who squatted down, making a poker face. The two of them had their eyes broadened in bewilderment. "I wanted to tell you I''m sorry." His words puzzled them both. "So don''t mess with me again, okay? I''ll be climbing the decks, so I guess you won''t try too hard to come after me. Anyway," he placed a somewhat abnormal almond on Pilli''s chest. "There. You can eat it and regain some strength. It will reduce your inflammation too, only a bit though." He stood and looked at Bilka. "Hope you got what I''m saying as well. Too bad that I only had one almond left. If he''s willing, you can break that one into two. See you both later." Saying that Lirzod began to walk away. Pill took the almond off his chest. What was it that he just received? An apology? A warning? No, he''s messing with me! "Damn you¡­" He threw it at Lirzod who turned his body a bit and caught the almond by his pant pocket. "Don''t want it?" Lirzod shrugged his shoulders, before turning back and continuing his walk. "My mistake. I thought everyone liked almonds. Well, at least everyone in my town does." Pilli squealed from the pain he felt because of moving his body. Bilka slightly blew air through his nose. "A fool till the final second." In the Z block of the tenth deck. One room was quite different than others be it in size or style. Its door was locked but was being guarded by two Hollows that held shimmering spears. A messy gray-haired man kowtowed on the ground in front of those two, albeit he didn''t speak, he still gave off a gloomy aura. The entire street was eerily silent, and not even winds whirled. Breaking the stillness of the street, the sound of soft pacing grew ever so clear by the second. In less than a minute, a panda of ample proportions slid at the corner of the street, taking a sharp turn and stopped at the first room itself. From atop its back glided down a small and somewhat stocky brown-haired man, his shoulders and chest guarded by slender and stylish plates that curved creatively around his muscular curves. His hard angled brows helped him in forging a fierce look with ease, and his mutton chops beard would shed all presuming doubts of him being a boy. His pompadour hairstyle increased his height just a bit. Both the guards bowed before one of them hurriedly unlocked the door and the brown-haired man walked in. The gray-haired man still assumed the same position. His heart, however, beat almost twice as fast. The panda sat down and was playing with a scurrying bark beetle, by blocking its path with the hand. After receiving a bite, it squashed the beetle into smithereens with a cupped hand and looked around, seemingly looking for another one. "Commander is calling you in," the guard gestured at the gray-haired to come in. Upon entering and passing through some sub-rooms, he stopped in a room that looked distinct than the others. An oversized painting made of blacks and whites decorated one of the walls and fully set the tone of the room. That large-scale art was the map of the tenth deck. The brown-haired man was seated in a peculiar yet comfortable chair that lacked arms. Its design resembled the rear half of a fish, with the tail fins rising towards the ceiling. Seated in that Thing Throne[1], he looked intimidating. Only the commanders of each deck had these custom-made thrones. "You look like death warmed over." His voice was rich and imposing. The gray-haired man knelt on the green carpet and could no longer hold onto his tears. "Please forgive me, Commander Zentzu," he caught the legs and pleaded, "just give me some time and I''ll make sure to pay you back." "Pay me back by when, Komal? A week?" Zentzu said in a detached voice but got no response. "A month? Or do you want a year?" Komal managed to squeeze out a few words through his heavy throat. "Two, two months. That''s all I need." "Two months?" He kicked Komal under the chin, forcing his whole body to lose contact with the ground. He crashed down ten feet away from the throne. Zentzu got down from his seat and got to Komal and stepped on his chest. " Whose leg do you think you''re pulling?" Komal frowned as he bled from his mouth. "If she didn''t fool me, I wouldn''t be in this place right now. Just give me two months." "What will you do in two months? Go up and get your money back from her?" He pressed his foot a little hard, making it hard for Komal to breathe. "If you wanted to stay rich, you should have stayed away from sluts. A man without money and a woman without a womb are one and the same. Both are equally worthless beyond a shadow of a doubt. Tell me why I should make you an exception?" "I¡­" At that moment, the barking of the panda reached his ears. Zentzu looked at the guard and softly said, "Give Pupuu the usual menu. Ten kilos of young and fleshy shoots, and five kilos of luscious leaves." "Right away, commander," the guard hurriedly left. Zentzu glanced down at Komal who had a mix of a splenetic and a sullen look. "Gotta feed my blue-eyed boy in time or he''ll get aggressive by the minute." Komal didn''t say anything, or rather he couldn''t speak anything because of the pressure on his chest. "I''ll give you one week, like how I give to those I have some trust in. Don''t know what you will do or whose boots you will lick, but if you fail to give my money back in time..." he put down his foot and lighted a cigar as he walked back to his seat, "you can bet that you''ll spend the rest of your life as a slave who never sees the light." "Yeah, I didn''t expect you to understand the betrayal of love either!" Komal roared, making Zentzu stop. "You are rich, richer than I can ever be. You can eat different food, wear different cloth, and sleep with a different girl every day. What would you know about attachments? What would you know on how much it hurts when the girl you loved and climbed a hundred decks together with betrays you for some f*cking prick of the higher decks? All you care about is making sure that you''re feeding off people''s blood and sweat in the form of interests." Zentzu let out a stiff smile. "This is what I get for charging a three copper per week interest when I could easily make that six or seven copper," he turned and strode ahead, his facial features becoming prominent and especially his resolute look pierced Komal''s very soul. "Do you know how it feels when your own stepmom and stepsister bully you for what you are, a three-foot three-inch scrotum-faced shaver? Do you know how easily they can make smiles that strike you sharp and dig deeper than a dagger ever can? "Do you know how miserable your days get when you come home in bruises and bloody limbs only to get further beaten up by those who should be taking care of you? Do you know how pitiful you become when they feel stronger and better by bullying you and turning you into a weaker and worse being? "Do you know how much you cry when you look for a rare moment of support, but the truth makes you realize that there''s no one to catch your fall? Do you know how days go by when you feel suicidal, losing any hope of life getting better? Do you know how long the nights get when at the end of every day you can''t even feel glad for being alive? Do you know how cursed you feel when you try so hard to love them but doesn''t get a speck of it in return? "Do you know how it feels when you realize that nobody is perfect but have already beaten both your stepmom and stepsister by then? Do you know how it feels when you look at your past during which all fingers point at you for one wrong thing you did which you aren''t proud of either, but not one of them point at those who made me do it in the first place? Do you know how gut-wrenching it gets when you go mad and literally beat yourself up, again and again, before you even grew a beard?" Koma''s eyes broadened not knowing what to say. "We all get shit smeared on our faces at some point of our lives," Zentzu said as he rotated around Komal. "So don''t act like the whole world is weighing you down. Get your shit together and don''t waste your days on planning your revenge. If fate has it, you will teach her a lesson. Knowingly or not. You just have to focus on paying my money back." He paused a moment, and the sound of his footsteps was the predominant sound in the room. "My grain is faker than your girlfriend. Trust me. You don''t want to see it in full." He began to walk back to his seat. "Get out of my room." Komal stood in silence for a few seconds, before his feet took him towards the exit door. "By the way, I won''t cut down the interest rate," Zentzu said, rubbing the cigar in the ashtray. "If your regret had righteousness, it would have reached my heart. Sadly, it didn''t." "Thanks," Komal said in an enervated manner before his slowing down pace picked up again. The moment Komal left the room, a guard entered and quickly knelt on one of his knees. "Commander, I went to the room you told us to check. Its door was open, but nobody was inside." "Mm, what about the neighboring rooms?" The guard flinched a bit, "Commander, you didn''t tell me to check the nearby rooms as well. So¡­" "If the information is right, he boarded the ship with two others. They would have been given rooms next to each other," Zentzu said. "He might be staying in one of those rooms." "Then I will immediately go and bring him," the guard swiftly stood and turned back. "Wait," Zentzu''s voice stopped the guard. "Instead of wasting my time here, I will go myself." The guard slightly bowed his head. "As you wish, commander." A few minutes later. Sariyu just reached her room, murmuring about something, and she didn''t seem to be in a good mood. "The official assemblies sure have it easy." As she was about to enter, a voice came from far. "Wait, miss!" She looked to the side and saw a short man striding towards her. Another guy was closely following him. After getting closer, the short man put his hand forward and said, "I''m Zentzu, the commander of this deck." Sariyu measured him from top to bottom before turning her hand and stepped into her room without saying another word. Zentzu looked at his hand before pulling it back. "How dare she!" The guard tightly grabbed the spear and took a step ahead, but Zentzu''s arm blocked his path. Zentzu stood right outside the door. After discerning that the neighboring rooms had no people in them, he said, "Do you know where Mr. Lirzod is?" Sariyu raised one of her brows. Her lips slightly stretched to the sides showing signs of suppression of smile. Her face was out of their view. (Mister? Now, that''s a first.) She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Why do you ask of Mr. Lirzod?" "I heard that he had a skirmish with Geragorn, so I just came here to see how he''s doing." "Oh, thanks for worrying but Mr. Lirzod is not here. And he''s not going to bother Geragorn again." Zentzu frowned a little bit. "So, is he staying on this deck?" "Mm?" Sariyu narrowed her eyes. (What did he do now? Oh my days, he better not come to me for money.) She gleefully disapproved the thoughts that came to her mind. "I don''t know. You should ask him." "Miss. Do you know who you are talking to?" the guard said, standing behind Zentzu. "I don''t think I have to know that." Her austere voice rang in the guard''s ears like the buzzing of a bee. -------------------------------------------------- [1] Thing Throne: A deck commander''s chair made to resemble a certain being or object. 31 ENTRY BADGES At a random spot in a forest, dozens of monkeys ganged up on an already beaten man and stripped all the gold off his body, scratching and biting him in the process. By the time the monkeys finished their work and left the scene, he lay on the ground in torn clothes, and not a single gram of gold could be seen anywhere on his body, other than a few of his hidden golden teeth. He even lost some of his fingers, for the monkeys simply bit his fingers off when attempting to get the rings. That man was none other than Dalkan, who often get called as the ''man in gold''. Now, the only piece of cloth covering his body that didn''t have a hole in it was his underwear. The huffs and puffs alone took away most of his remaining strength. After getting beaten at the bar, he escaped out with not-so-major injuries, but never in his dreams did he think that a bunch of monkeys would change his fate to such an extent. Am I going to die in a pathetic place like this? He still couldn''t believe what had happened to him. He ached to get up and get going, but he lacked the energy to do so. Fighting the monkeys took all of his strength. The monkeys didn''t even give him the time to remove all the gold items from his body. They were like a congress of pissed-off baboons ¡ª the loudest, the rowdiest, and the least intelligent group one could hope to come across. He had never seen such ferocious and obnoxious monkeys before. The bar stationed at the top of the cliff was noticeable in the background. He remembered the time when he jumped off the cliff, and luckily, the river happened to be underneath. But now, all that hard work felt like it amounted to nothing at the thought that he would end up in some wild beast''s stomach. While misery engrossed his mind, the ever-increasing sound of footsteps somehow managed to reach his ears. At first, his heart skipped a beat. But when his eyes saw a person, the pounding of his heart lightened. "Whoa, whoa," the simple-looking yellowish-haired person came hurriedly running to Dalkan. He smelled like a jungle. "Look at you, sir. You are all bloody. Did you get mobbed by the monkeys?" Dalkan nodded and squeezed out some words. "They took my gold." "Gold? Who would wear such shining things and enter the Stand of Apes? "The bloody you were asking to get offended if you''ve come wearing anything in excess to a normal clothing." "I wouldn''t have come here if I knew about the monkeys. Take me out, to my place, please!" Dalkan said desperately, not minding the way the guy spoke to him. "I will give you money." "Oh, But I only help birds," the guy said, "even among birds, only those that are birds of peace and aren''t birds of prey." His words left Dulkan in puzzlement. "C-Consider me as that bird, bird of peace!" The guy paused a moment. "I was thinking about going to the Bush Bar, but¡­I think I will consider the bloody you an exception, as a green bird." Dalkan couldn''t help but ask. "What''s a green bird?" "A prey that often gets preyed. How much can sir give?" "As much as you want," he said in an anguished tone. "Save me and your life will change, I guarantee." "Sounds like a passerine''s promise," the guy placed Dalkan on his shoulders. "I am in." Dalkan was elated. "What''s your name?" "Apa Chong." He walked away, in the opposite direction to that of the cliff. On the tenth deck. Zentzu was sauntering in a street. Many people approached him. Some of them acknowledged his presence. Some tipped their hats to him, while a few handed him sacks of money as well, all of which was collected by the guard behind him. Though he was wearing tall shoes, some of the kids who visited him were taller than him, but not even they showed any disrespect. The guard leaned forward and said, "Commander, can I ask you something?" "Go on," Hands placed on his back, Zentzu seemed to be in a sociable mood. "That girl we just met was a pleasant one," the guard''s voice contained respect, "Did you not ask her out because she didn''t believe you were a commander when you first said it?" A short-stayed smile surfaced on his face. "Many of my unpleasant experiences taught me that girls prefer bald guys or even unemployed guys before they do short guys." "But commander, you can''t be so sure," the guard''s voice was charged with assurance. "Who knows? You might find a girl who might like you even before knowing you''re rich." "Your joke doesn''t sound too funny when not a single woman ever approached me prior to knowing who I am," Zentzu just smiled and washed out all the negative emotions. "World isn''t a fair place for short guys, you know." His voice turned intransigent, "Short guys can be silly, but short guys can never be cute." The guard''s chest pained a bit. "I wouldn''t dare joke with you, commander. But now I think I understand why my words would have sounded different." He wanted to say sorry, but he knew that Zentzu didn''t like receiving an apology when matters related his physique. So he refrained himself from speaking out. "Nevertheless, I think you will one day find a girl who will like you the way you are." "I hope that''s the case¡­" Zentzu said in a shallow tone and took a breath. He rubbed his chin with the long side of his finger. "Where did that Lirzod go? Surely, he didn''t leave the deck yet. Just where would he be staying at?" Though the guard wanted to speak, he didn''t. It was sort of obvious to him why Zentzu was looking for Lirzod. It was most likely to know whether or not Lirzod was taking Geragorn''s place. If not, he could have easily ordered a dozen hollows to go and look for Lirzod. Since that wasn''t the case, it meant that Zentzu didn''t want many people to know about the incident. If he was attending official matters, Zentzu often came riding Pupuu. Because most people on the tenth deck knew about it, they came and greeted him. As they both neared towards a group of four boys that leisurely lay on the side of the road, the guard said in Zentzu''s ears. "Those four fools are causing quite some trouble by stealing jewelry of whoever they come across. They are even calling themselves Jewel Juniors." "Jewel Juniors?" Zentzu glanced at those four who were laughing out loud. "They look like kosher kids. Do they have some senior?" "No, commander. Not as far as I know." "Hmm," he took a moment to observe them, "they might just be wannabe Jewel Boys[1]." As Zentzu got closer and closer to them as he walked in the street, it was clear that he just came out for a stroll and not for them. But they quickly went to him, with arched backs and folded arms. "Commander, we are so glad to see you," one of them said, his voice simply carrying excess respect. "You look great." "Thanks," Zentzu said, slightly stretching his lips. "But there''s no need for you to praise me like this for no reason." "We weren''t praising you for no reason, sir," One of the four inflated his voice his splendor, "you are the commander of this deck. If you don''t deserve our honor, then who else does?" "Even a commander doesn''t deserve over-respect," His reply startled them. The four looked at each other with semi-sheepish faces. "We''ll take our leave, sir." Without wasting any more time, they turned back, and their steps shaped a bee-line to their previous spot. Zentzu minded them no more and resumed his walk. "Such crooks," the guard still gave icy stares at them, "though they were talking to you, their eyes were on your dress and rings." "They had the guts to come and talk to me after the things they''ve done. They are not just any cooks, but capable crooks," Zentzu glanced at them once more, only for a second. "As long as they limit it to looks, there''s no need to bother about them. If the frequency of their job increases, then inform me. But first, send a word to Karak that I want him to give them a chance." "For sure," though the guard felt like asking the commander to go and deal with them right away as he was asked by so many to report it to the commander. However, knowing that Zentzu might feel offended for asking him to deal with a small group of robbers, the guard chose not to break that news with him. "Commander Zentzu," A voice called out, making the guard and the commander turn towards the source. It came from within a room. "Can you grace our room, please?" The commander halted at the doorstep for a moment before entering the room. The guard closed the door while staying outside. Inside the room, two people instantly got down and held Zentzu''s legs. That room was the one that Lirzod broke into, during the birthday party. "I''m averse to overaction," Zentzu glanced down, his eyes darting daggers at them. The slender one quickly got back to his feet, but the big guy took his time, not because he wanted to, but he had to. He was easily twice as tall as the commander. "I''m extremely sorry, sir." "Just come to the point," Zentzu voice was flat, his hands were at leisure on his back. The big guy pointed his finger towards the bed, on top of which lay bread of tens of kilos. "What''s all that for?" Zentzu knitted his brows. "For a Copper Entry Badge," the big guy hesitantly said, his roommate watching silently. Both had their arms lightly folded in front of their bellies. "What''s your best attempt?" Zentzu didn''t wait or hesitate to ask bluntly. "T-Twenty two seconds." Discomfiture was written all over the big guy''s face. "Ten seconds longer than the pass mark and yet you want the Copper Entry Badge?" Zentzu''s voice turned slightly cold. "Sir Zentzu, I''m facing many hardships," Looking down at the ground, the big guy uttered in a disheartened voice. "Please give me a little advantage. If I can climb from the tenth to the eleventh deck, it means I will get a decent job outside." Zentzu sharply blew air through his nose as he tilted his head up to meet their gaze. "Do you know hard it is to lift one''s head up to look at every single person they meet? I do. But you wouldn''t understand it even if I were to explain it. Explaining solves nobody''s situation. Don''t bother telling me all your problems. I would most likely forget them." The big guy didn''t know what to say. "If you have nothing else to say," Zentzu turned back, and the guard opened the door from the outside. As he stepped out, Zentzu spoke just loud enough so that his voice would reach the ears of those in the room. "I eat meat, not wheat. Pleb," he said as he strolled away. The big guy nearly plucked his own hair out from catching the commander''s words. "If I had offered meat, would he have accepted the deal?" He was deeply frustrated thanks to his roommate who gave the idea of bribing the commander with bread. Momentarily, the misused chance made him feel like a cripple. If only he was at least a bit more successful, he may have received a Copper Entry Badge. That thought alone twisted his gut. On Extensive Voyage, the entries were awarded seven types of badges as per the number of decks they successfully climbed. These seven entry badges had the insignia of Extensive Voyage ¡ª its figurehead symbol ¡ª which would be on the front side of the badge with the highest deck number an Entry reached. The Wooden Entry Badge was the lowest-ranked badge among the seven. All the entries on the tenth deck were awarded the badge in case they wanted to get out of the ship instead of climbing further. Every entry commenced their journey from the tenth deck. The second one was the Copper Entry Badge given to those who successfully reached anywhere from eleventh to ninety-ninth decks. The wooden badge wasn''t a big deal, but the copper badge could be used to find a vast number of decent jobs outside on many continents. The higher the deck number, the more probable the individual was talented. "Stop standing here, Ballu," The big guy''s roommate pushed him outside, "Go and urge the commander more." He tossed a small sack of silver coins, pleasantly surprising the big guy. "Nawaz¡­" The big guy, Ballu froze for a moment, his eyes wide and steadily making contact with his friend. All his bodily tensions swiftly released and synchronously filled his limbs with warmth. "Don''t look at me like that," Nawaz said and smiled. "Your Copper Entry Badge appears much more formidable than mine. When we go out, you better keep me in mind as well." "Sure," Ballu gave an easy nod. "How sure?" Nawaz tilted his head a bit and raised one of his brows, while the corners of his lips were lightly curled up. He stepped ahead and hugged Nawaz tightly, and said in an emotion-rich voice, "As sure as the day I don''t fast." "That''s what I wanted to hear." After exchanging grins, Ballu left in the direction that the commander went in. His eyes rolled up towards the ceiling as he marched ahead, "God, you truly are great. You made Nawaz of all people help me. Thank you, Lord. I know ''thank you'' is a small offering, but that''s all I can give for now. Once I get the Copper Entry Badge and then get a job, I will make sure to arrange a great feast in your name!" He felt great at the moment and ran with newly found energy. After turning at the end of the street, and both Zentzu and his guard were not too far away. He picked up his pace, but before he took a couple of steps, he saw a face that forced his feet into a halt, and his visage warped into that of a vicious wolf. Just as far away as he was to Zentzu, there was Lirzod on the opposite end. His appearance alone made Ballu fume like a frenzied bull. "You dare come to my block after what you''ve put me through?" His eyebrows lowered and pinched together. "You may be acquainted with the Darling Twins, but look how I will get commander Zentzu to deal with you. If I don''t destroy you today, I won''t call myself Ballu anymore!" He raced ahead, albeit at a slow speed, but just then he saw Lirzod enter a special room. "Hmph, entering a library won''t save you." Inside the library. Ten bookshelves were aligned at a distance to each other, resembling a ring, with a couple of desks stationed in the center for the readers. The room was quite smaller than Lirzod expected. Only a handful of people occupied some of the twenty-odd seats available. "Welcome sir," the librarian''s voice was a bit rigid and felt lifeless. "Is this your first time?" He had to ask even though he was sure that Lirzod never entered the library before. Lirzod nodded. "This isn''t an official library, but my own that I have established here. So don''t expect to find great collections in here. For rare pieces, you must at least reach the hundredth deck." "I came here for Surya Chand''s collection of poems. Is there a copy of it here?" "Yes," the librarian beamed faintly and pointed towards a book before him "Enter your name in the register first. If you want to read the book in here, it''s free. If you want to rent it, then it costs three copper per day, as it''s a leather-bound book." "No. I only came for a peek at its contents," Lirzod began to write the name in the register, but at the same time, he noticed that there was a silverish spread on the librarian''s forearm. "Whoa, what''s that mark?" "Uh, this is the mark left by a Silver Bug," the librarian''s smile was somewhat bitter. "Luckily, I got saved by the good monk. If not for her, this Silver Spread wouldn''t have stopped and I would have gotten my hand amputated in the least." He couldn''t help but feel grateful towards her. Lirzod raised one of his eyebrows. "You are talking about a bald girl, right?" "Obviously. All the monks are bald." Lirzod paused a moment. "Was it... Everna?" "Yes, of course. There''s no other monk on this deck. Maybe, on the entire ship too." "Great," Lirzod''s eyes widened and glowed. "Do you know where she is now?" "I don''t," the librarian was a bit weirded out by his elation. "Why do you ask?" "I actually came here to write a letter to her." "Oh." (I thought he wanted to mess with that monk. Things surely wouldn''t have ended well for him.) "But this isn''t the mailroom. It''s in the next block in this direction." He pointed his thumb. "You can mail from here?" "You didn''t know? You can basically mail to any place in the world, including to those who are on this ship." Lirzod was quite surprised. "Then, will my letter reach Everna?" "Most likely, unless she hid in some random place." Lirzod pondered for a moment. "How does the mail get to her?" "The Seal Service will do the job." "Seal? You mean¡­ the symbols or the creatures?" "The latter," the librarian pointed his index finger towards the ceiling as he explained in a lively voice. "The seals are spread across on each of the decks and constantly obtain information. They communicate and travel through the network of water tunnels that go through the walls and the floors and almost connect the entire ship." "Oh¡­" His lower lip pushed the upper one a bit. "You might not believe me," the librarian put forth a knowing smile, "but at least one seal on this ship already knows who you are by your name and possibly even the room you''re staying at." Lirzod''s eyes enlarged. "Are you for real?" "As real as the wound on my arm," the librarian chortled. "And I won''t laugh at anyone who gets awed by such a delivery network. After all, I used to feel the same way about it." "No, I wasn''t really awed by it," Lirzod''s gaze wandered a bit, especially towards the floor. "I was just wondering if I can beat the seals that invaded my privacy and not face any punishment," he glanced at him, eyes asking for affirmation. The librarian was startled. "T-That''s probably not a good idea." --------------------------------------------- [1] Jewel Boys: An infamous robbing group in the West whose members snatched hundreds of jewelry every day and killed tens of guards, sentries, and sentinels in the process of establishing themselves. The town they started their profession eventually came to be known as the Town of Thieves, where the people of the region shiver at the mention of a shining thing. 32 TWO ALRIGHTS MAKE ONE GOOD "You think so?" Lirzod slanted the head a bit as his little finger meddled with the ear. "For sure, I''d not recommend it," the librarian said, standing stiffly. "Why?" he let out a loud breath. "There''s no rule saying we can''t beat them. Or is there?" "Looking for trouble, are you?" the librarian''s face no longer was as pleasant as before. "Just querying. Nothing more." Lirzod smiled, and his feet swiveled to his right in the direction of the shelves. "Where''s that book?" "Check the 23rd shelf," the librarian said, putting a jutting chin on view. "Spank you very much." Lirzod proceeded towards the shelves. The librarian stood confounded for an instant. Did he say thanks or spanks? Shaking his head a little, he looked at the register and saw the name that was written there. "Tarqa Pudota. So that''s your name." Lirzod didn''t take long to find the book he was looking for, and he wasted no time in opening it. "Here it is," In its table of contents, he found the poem he was looking for, "Two alrights make one good[1]. I didn''t think I''d be reading it here on this ship." TWO ALRIGHTS MAKE ONE GOOD Like the glow of the moon Glows the face of every woman Like the grace of the moon Goes above the fashion of every man Alike in many ways Be it in grace or in face The woman and the moon go way back *** Like the shine of the sun Shines the semblance of every man Like the service of the sun Outvies the avail of every woman Alike in many ways Be it in service or in semblance The man and the sun go way back *** Like the twin celestials of the skies Must complement the man and the woman Like the two lights sharing a full day Must share the glee and the gloom To make their two alright selves as one good self And grow rich in the time they stay around For the man and the woman go just as way back *** Drift: Man and woman share so many similarities with the sun and the moon. A full day isn''t complete without the sunlight during the day and the moonlight during the night, gracing us in turns. Earth wouldn''t exist much less prosper without any of the two. In the same way, the bond between man and woman cannot flourish if they don''t learn to complement each other. Man and woman are alike in many ways but aren''t the same. They must not try to outclass each other in every aspect. A man must do his work, the one he''s good at, and his woman must support him. A woman must do her work, the one she''s good at. and her man must support her. They are more complete together than alone. After reading it, Lirzod felt a bit nostalgic. It reminded him of the time when he and Duera used to play games as wife and husband. "I sure miss those days. Maybe, I should play with her again when I get back home." Nodding to himself, he looked down at the book. "Now, where do I copy this?" His eyes scanned the surroundings, hoping to find a paper and pen but didn''t find any. So, he was on his way back to the librarian, holding the book in his hand. At that moment, two people entered the library. "Commander Zentzu," the librarian hurriedly came over to him and bowed deeply. "You don''t owe me anything. There''s no need for you to bow so much," Zentzu said in a gleeful manner. "You tried doing a great thing, and in return, success seemed to have found you." He looked around. "You seemed to have gathered a decent amount of books." "Currently 4859 books, commander," the librarian''s voice unconfined in an ecstatic manner. "Mm, so close to hitting five thousand huh¡­" Zentzu nodded. "You are almost halfway to making this a one-star library." "Yes." Zentzu glanced at the guard, who then stepped ahead. "Did someone named Lirzod enter this place by any chance?" the guard asked in a stern tone. "Lirzod?" the librarian raised his eyebrows. "Isn''t that the guy who piqued a fight with Egg Diggers?" "Egg diggers?" Zentzu''s eyebrows vertically shifted in opposite directions as he looked at the guard. "Why wasn''t I told about this?" "U-Uh," the guard''s shoulders tightened, and his heartbeat sped up. "It''s my first time hearing this as well." His words brought back a cold stare from the commander, and his chin trembled like that of a chicken. "Hide the Wattle Chin[2]," Zentzu glanced away with displease. The guard quickly turned back, covering both his mouth and chin. The librarian pitied the guard. (Working under a commander of the deck and yet wasn''t aware of it? He must be sleeping under a rock.) "Ahem, I don''t think he came here. But, just to be sure, I will check the register once." "P-Please do so," the guard''s voice was that of a shivering rabbit¡ªsoft and delicate. He didn''t dare make an eye contact with the commander. The librarian turned back when he heard some sound coming from behind, and his eyes broadened after seeing someone searching at his desk. "Mr. Tarqa! What are you doing?" His voice wasn''t loud but wasn''t too quiet either. However, he got no response. "Where is it?" Lirzod kept checking one table cabinet after another, only to find old and torn books. "Where is what?" A voice reached Lirzod''s ears making him stop whatever he was doing. "Oh,'' Seeing the librarian, he smiled and said, "what''s wrong?" "What''s wrong?" he placed his hands on his waist. "You looking through the drawers without my permission isn''t wrong at all." Lirzod was a bit upset. "I was looking for a blank sheet of paper." He basically never bothered to take anyone''s permission whenever he visited any of his clan''s two libraries. To add to that, he was under the impression that it was a public place. "I don''t care what you''re looking for. Get back to your seat or get out," His voice was as cold as ever. Lirzod took a couple of steps and somewhat turned back. "But the paper¡­" "I don''t have a blank paper in here. The only extra book where one can write is in the register. If you have wanted to write," he harrumphed, ''"you should have bought a book before you boarded the ship." "Hello," At that time, the guard''s soft voice broke their conversation. The librarian quickly took the register and also brought two chairs at the same time. "I''m so sorry for keeping you waiting. It''s always a pain in the butt when mannerless people make their way here." The commander sat on one chair and put his short legs on the other, and began to stretch his body a bit. Lirzod heard the librarian''s words. (Not mannerless, I''m faceless, fool.) His eyes fell on the register. How should I get that book? The librarian had observed quite a many pages in the register. "I''ve checked the past week''s entries just to be sure and there''s no one named Lirzod." "Let me check again," the guard took the book. Lirzod who was looking at them ended up freezing at the spot. (Did he just say my name?) He looked at the other two. (Are they talking about me?) Zentzu shifted his pupils towards Lirzod. Both their eyes met. The line made by Lirzod''s lips stretched while maintaining its shape. "What''s your name?" Zentzu''s question surprised Lirzod, and both the guard and the librarian turned in his direction. Lirzod watched them with a blank face. (His gaze is hostile. Is he another one of that man''s accomplices? Geez, there''s no peace even in the library.) A few seconds of silence passed. "That''s Tarqa," the librarian said in a disgruntled inflection. Lirzod nodded and slowly distanced himself and got out of their view, thanks to the shelves blocking the space between them. (That scar on his face¡­) The guard knitted his brows a bit and bent down, before whispering to the commander. "The description matches the one we are looking for." "Confirm," Zentzu said without even pausing for a moment to think, and the guard nodded and walked towards the shelves, leaving the librarian in gauze. Ballu was sneakily trying to peek inside the room, trying to understand what was going on. So he didn''t notice the four shadows that lay their eyes on the coin sack he held in his hands. Lirzod, however, was busy in secretly tearing the paper off the book, while making sure none of the other nearby readers noticed him. "Ghnhuhmmhuhmm." A clearing of the throat that came out successfully grabbed their attention. All the four people looked at him, and they clearly saw the torn paper in his hand. Lirzod''s body swayed in both sides but he was quick to put up a fake smile. "The paper seemed out of place." He covered his mouth with that paper and coughed. "Got cold. Needed this one." Despite his effort, he couldn''t tell whether they fell for his pedantry or not. In his eyes, his performance contained precision, while in the eyes others it contained pretension. However, the readers didn''t deplore his actions, but simply shook their heads before returning their stares back to the books. Lirzod was quick in shoving the paper into his pocket and closed the book. (Sorry for tearing a page from your book, Surya. I had to do this to save a woman from an ascetic life.) He put it back in its previous spot. The guard came into his view and stopped beside him and spoke in a low voice. "We know who you are," he waited for a moment as if waiting to see Lirzod''s reaction, but all he received was a blank expression. "Commander Zentzu just wants to talk. He would appreciate it if you don''t complicate things." The guard''s tone didn''t contain due regard but it wasn''t scornful either. Lirzod glanced at him but uttered not a word. "What does the silence mean?" the guard paced up his speech. Lirzod appeared puzzled as he fully shifted his head to take a look at the guard. "I''m sorry, did you just say something? My ears are not working well for the past few days. Can you speak loudly?" The guard studied Lirzod from top to bottom, while his fingers scratched the back of his head. Meanwhile, Zentzu was patting his leg over and over. He had the habit of patting the side of his left thigh whenever his emotion raised to a certain level or more. "Commander Zentzu wants to talk with you!" The guard''s voice echoed in the room, surprising many. Some of the people got disturbed and took a look at the librarian through the gaps between the shelves, but the librarian could only break eye contact with them and stand right where he was. A few moments later, Lirzod and the guard came together. "So, you''re Lirzod," Zentzu''s voice was somewhat quick, but wasn''t craggy. However, he got no reply. The guard hurriedly bent closer and said softly, "he has some hearing problem, commander." Zentzu raised his eyebrows and looked at Lirzod. "Mediate. I thought you would have already entered the 11th deck. But here you are¡ªreading books. What brought you to the library?" The guard immediately repeated whatever Zentzu said, in a louder fashion. "I would have, man," Lirzod replied in a free and easy manner, his eyes keeping contact with Zentzu, "but I had to take care of Gerugura or whoever it was." His words surprised the guard. Who was Geragorn? Everybody on the tenth deck feared the guy. He was a pain in the butt of commander, who couldn''t take an action for all the offenses that Geragorn committed, simply because of his strength. Since Geragorn never bothered Zentzu''s dealings, he also gave a blind side to Geragorn''s actions. Everybody thought twice before they discussed things related to him let alone bad mouth him in public. Yet, this boy spoke so casually of Geragorn, as if the matter he dealt with wasn''t a big deal. The guard looked at the commander as if waiting for his next sentence. Zentzu, however, seemed to be in a daze, his overall visage radiated from the thrill of delight. Man. The three-letter word took him by a storm. Looking back, he couldn''t even remember a single person referring to him as such. His mind shifted gears and broke into a healthy state. The single word sure galvanized him off the chair and made him infuse his voice with credence as he spoke, "I see. That''s understandable." The guard felt stumped to repeat what the commander had said. It wasn''t an abrupt reaction, but it still seemed like the commander stood from his seat on his own accord. Why was he giving such regard for a boy? Did he by any chance, fear the boy? No, it didn''t make sense. He never saw commander fear anybody. If so, was he trying to get the boy on his good side? As thoughts flooded the guard''s mind, the librarian came forward. "Wait, if you''re Lirzod, then who''s this?" the librarian spoke aloud as he pointed at an entry in the register. "Mm," Lirzod nodded as he glanced at the register, "that''s Tarqa." Saying that he looked back at the commander. "Huh? What the hell do you mean?" the librarian stepped onward, vociferating, "you think you can write the name of whoever''s you want in here?" Zentzu lifted his hand a bit and gestured the librarian to stop, before pointing his thumb at the "Don''t shout" board hanging to the wall. The librarian squeezed his mouth shut in transience. "Commander Zentzu," the librarian''s voice came back to a normal level, "He''s been misbehaving a lot since he entered the library. He crossed the limits by recording a fraudulent name in the register. Since you are here, you must punish him appurtenant to his actions." Zentzu viewed at Lirzod who portrayed a pococurante face, resulting him to ruminate. (He must have not heard him. What should I do?) ............ [1] Two alrights make one good: A poem of the West that''s gotten ever so popular in the East. It''s written by Surya Chand. [2] Wattle Chin: A chin that trembles that like the wattle of a chicken is called as such. Typically, the people who cower in fear and expose trembling chins are referred this way. 33 SIXTH FACE "''Manifold'' Zentzu," the librarian''s voice came back to a normal level, "He''s been misbehaving a lot since he entered the library. He crossed the limits by recording a fraudulent name in the register. Since you are here, you must punish him appurtenant to his actions." Zentzu viewed at Lirzod who portrayed a pococurante face, resulting him to ruminate. (He must have not heard him. What should I do?) "You must be joking," the guard chortled, "this library isn''t even officialized and yet you want to punish him? For what?" The librarian''s shoulders slumped. He looked at the commander, hoping he might still help him. "He''s right," Zentzu was quick to back the guard''s words. The librarian let out a bitter smile. "Don''t worry," Lirzod placed his hand on the librarian''s shoulder and said, "you can hurt Tarqa if you want." "Tarqa?" the librarian gave a puzzled gaze, as he unknowingly spoke aloud. "You mean the one in the book? He''s real?" "Of course." "He''s on this ship as well?" "No." "Then how can we hurt him? Not that I want to hurt him." "It''s fine. You can strike Tarqa whenever you want," Lirzod took the register from his hand and stricken over the signature ''Tarqa Pudota'' with the ink pen. "There you go," he handed the register back. The librarian got buffaloed by his action, and couldn''t tell if Lirzod was willfully being facetious or not. At a certain place. Tarqa just came out of a room, and a passing by crow discharged its waste on his shoulder. Seeing that, Tarqa fumed. "You cheap crow!" He picked up a nearby stone and darted it at the flying away crow, and badly missed it. "Come back here! You useless bird." He could catch its caws as the crow distanced itself, for the reason it employed its wings. CAW! CAW! Back to the library on the tenth deck, the four of them were subconsciously speaking lustily. The caws of a crow reached Lirzod''s ears making him look around. "Did I just hear something?" "Mm?" the librarian paused a moment before replying, "ah, it''s a passerine." "Oh, where is it?" Lirzod asked as he looked around. "I can''t see it." "What the hell is a passerine?" the guard murmured to himself, but his voice ended up reaching the commander''s ears. "A passerine is a songbird that sings for communication, halfwit," Zentzu coldly said. "S-Sorry, commander," the guard almost crumpled to the ground when the commander suddenly replied to his susurration. The librarian asked Lirzod to help move the desk, and when they did, a tiny creature revealed itself. "So, here you are," Lirzod picked it up and the other three came closer. After taking a closer look, the guard smiled. "What, so it was just a crow," the guard snorted, but after receiving quick stares from those three, he shut his mouth and stepped back twice, before opening his mouth again. "It''s a passerine!" "What''s this baby crow doing here?" Lirzod looked at the librarian. "Are you raising it?" "No. It was just waiting at the door last night. I tried feeding it, but it wasn''t eating anything." "Can it fly?" "I didn''t see it fly. It''s only a couple of weeks old, I guess." Zentzu intervened. "Must have left the nest before it could fly." "Or, the nest might have gotten destroyed as well," Lirzod said and looked at the librarian. "Did you check if there was any crow''s nest on this deck?" The librarian''s face warped badly. "No. Why would I do that?" But seeing the blank stare from the commander, he cleared his throat. "There''s no way I can look for a small nest on this deck and succeed in less than a day." "There''s always a way," Zentzu said, in an ascetic tone. "Go and look for it." The librarian was bewildered. "C-Commander, I am doing my job. I can''t just leave the library for a crow! Neither is it my job nor am I interested." Zentzu narrowed his eyes. The guard gripped his weapon tightly. "Did you just raise your voice against the commander?" The chills that spread across his spine brought the librarian to his knees and made his hand touch Zentzu''s bantam feet. "I was foolish. Please, look past this mistake, commander. I will immediately look for the nest." "Success shouldn''t get into one''s head," Zentzu calmly said. "I will be shifting a thousand books from the library to my room. If I see that your character improved with my own eyes, then I will consider giving back the books." A severe chest pain quaked the whole of the librarian''s body. A thousand books wasn''t a small number. He never felt so miserable in a long time, and he was just a step away from crying his eyes out. "Here," Lirzod handed the baby crow to the librarian. He took out the unpleasant almond out of his pocket and left it at the crow''s feet. "It''s waste," the librarian said, in a sorrowful tone, "I already told you. It wasn''t eating anything." The next moment, the almond disappeared and ended up in the crow''s stomach, surprising the librarian. "H-How?" he looked at Lirzod, expecting some answer, but Lirzod shrugged his shoulders. "What did you try giving it?" the guard asked. "A fresh piece of apple," the librarian said. "Maybe that''s why it didn''t take it." "What do you mean?" "That crow probably likes to eat rotten food." The librarian gave a suppressed version of displeased look to the guard. He wanted to slap the guard so hard at the time, for everything he did. If only the guard wasn''t there, things wouldn''t have ended up the way they did. And as if everything he did wasn''t already enough, he was trying to crack jokes. Zentzu surveyed Lirzod for a slight moment before speaking, "Did you come here for a casual read or for a particular work?" "For a poem of Surya Chand." Zentzu was surprised. "You are a fan of him?" "Not really. Duera is his fan, but you can say that I''m half the fan she is." "My girl¡ª" Lirzod paused for a second, "friend." "Oh," Zentzu spoke without even pondering for an instant, "then you can take that book for free and then gift it to her." The librarian could no longer hide his tears and they streamed out. He ran behind one shelf, not wanting to show his crying face to the commander and especially the guard. The tenth deck commander was well-known for his competence in dealing with people. Those who were on his good side got to borrow money at low interest rates. But those who were on his bad side were not left alone and were languished in one way or another. Now, it was the turn of the librarian to experience the impact of staying on his bad side just for a brief moment. The price he had to pay, however, felt too much. Though many thoughts flooded his mind, including the settling of the score, vengeance wasn''t a discreet way when a deck''s commander self-embroiled into the affair. Still, he couldn''t believe how he enmeshed himself into such a harrowing plight. "Is she a girl friend or Girlfriend?" The guard just wanted to ask. Lirzod stared at him for a moment before patting his shoulder. "Both are friends only, right?" "They are not¡ª" the guard was about to say, but the commander''s clearing of throat alerted him to a stop. "Go and bring that book of poems," Zentzu ordered the guard who responded with no delay. After the guard brought the book, Zentzu opened it up and stopped at a particular poem named ''I promise''. He looked at Lirzod. "What do you think about this one? Surya proposed his girlfriend through this one, a driftless art." Lirzod took a look at the poem. I PROMISE *** On Ground, I promise On Water, I promise On Wind, I promise On Fire, I promise On Heavens, I promise My love for you is real I promise *** With my hand, I promise With my shadow, I promise With my heart, I promise With my love, I promise With my life, I promise My everything wants to be with you I promise *** More than the shining stars I promise More than the caroling birds I promise More than the rumbling clouds I promise More than the rain they bring I promise More than the rainbow that follows I promise My self savors your smile I promise *** Like the blackening fire whirls, I promise Like the swallowing maelstroms, I promise Like the arcane fish rain, I promise Like the great salmon runs, I promise Like the migrations of monarch butterflies, I promise My zeal is just as natural I promise *** "What do you think?" Zentzu asked again. "This is a spanking art," Lirzod''s eyes enlarged. "How did I miss this one till now?" "So you didn''t know about it," Zentzu took a slight breath. "That''s unlucky. This poem was a goto move for every man who wanted to propose to a woman. There''s no guessing how many succeeded from using this one, but because of its repetitive usage, it became too widely known and women no longer fall for this trick." His voice contained a bit of sadness. Lirzod understood that Zentzu must have tried using that poem on someone. He nudged him a bit, "C''mon man, you can tell me how you tried to propose. Your description might be of use to me later on, you know." Zentzu sighed and shook his head. "My proposals failed at abysmal proportions. It''s a lot better to talk about Surya Chand''s girlfriend, Fritzie, and how Surya explained the pleasantness of his girlfriend in ''Five Facets of Fritzie''. That might teach you more than a thing or two. "Oh, please go on." "It went like this... "A cough worth ten praises A sneeze worth hundred praises A smile worth a thousand praises A laugh worth million praises A gaze worth a billion praises." Lirzod was mesmerized by his words. "Her cough was worth ten praises. Her sneeze was worth a hundred praises. Her gaze was worth a thousand praises. Her smile was worth a million praises. Her laugh was worth a billion praises¡­ Wow, truly wonderful." "You totally got it wrong," the guard looked at Lirzod with blank eyes. "O-Oh, did I?" Lirzod embarrassingly laughed. "It''s alright," Zentzu said, "one can''t easily remember it from only one hearing. So, what do you think about this one?" Lirzod pondered for a moment. "It does feel like I''ve heard it before, but can''t remember it," he suddenly raised his eyebrow, "isn''t there a sixth facet?" "Sixth one?" Zentzu was puzzled a bit. "There''s only five." "No. I just had this feeling," Lirzod pondered a moment. "What about her fart?" Zentzu lost his composure just a bit and didn''t know what to say. "There was no praise for that, my friend." "He chose not to praise it huh¡­" Lirzod scratched his chin. "Probably, Surya must have felt it wasn''t worth a praise." "There''s nothing pleasant about that after all," Zentzu calmly said. The guard behind those two who had mixed opinion on Lirzod till then was trying his best to not burst out into laughter. (How are these two able to talk about it so casually and that too without laughing?) As he was laughing on the inside, the guard just happened to look towards the door when he saw Ballu in the doldrums. "God," Ballu who just heard the commander call Lirzod as ''my friend'' lost all hopes on getting his revenge, "it hasn''t even been few minutes since I praised you. And you do this to me. What wrong have I done?" BANG! At that moment, something struck him hard on his spine from behind, making him crash headlong. The coin sack in his hand slipped and fell to the side. Someone snatched it in a flash and didn''t waste a second more to run away. Ballu who was still on the ground looked at the four figures that were running away. They were the Jewel Juniors. "You brats!" Ballu ground his teeth so hard that it made a clear sound. He stood and took off after those four. "Give me back my money, little punks! Or I swear I will never forgive you four!" The four boys snickered as they ran off. "You think you can catch us with that pathetic pace of yours? Even pigs run faster than you can carry your fat ass." "Shut up, you skinny scoundrels!" Ballu bellowed. " Stop right there!" "We''re not stopping. Catch us in your dreams, uncle!" 34 STRIKING SPEAR "Shut up, you skinny scoundrels!" Ballu bellowed. " Stop right there!" "We''re not stopping. Catch us in your dreams, uncle!" Ballu ground his teeth. "If I catch any of you, I''ll skin you guys alive!" "That is only if you catch us!" Their voice became more and more distant by the second. Visible frustration showed on Ballu''s face, for he knew that he would never catch up with those four thieves. They were too nimble unlike him who embodied a distended belly and limbs. But the thought of wasting away Nawaz''s money didn''t allow his feet to rest. "Hehe, lots of money for gambling!" the four thieves were exhilarated and further increased their pace. Zentzu and the guard walked out of the library. Lirzod came out seconds later. Zentzu glanced at the guard who nodded and stepped ahead as he tightened the muscles of his right arm that held the steely spear. Lirzod''s attention was on the guard''s grip rather than on the running away thieves. The ceiling was at a height of three meters at best. How could one be able to throw a spear in such a tight space and make it go the distance? It seemed anything but an easy feat. The guard put his left leg forward and stood a bit sideways to his right and extended the spear-holding arm to his back and the other arm to his front in a smooth fashion. His pupils fixated on the thieves and appeared to be zooming in on them. Before one could blink twice in succession, the guard thrust forward his spear-holding hand¡ªhis other free arm providing aim and balance¡ªand though it seemed like he held the spear with his whole arm, by the time it was about to be released, both the thumb and index finger gave the last jolt making the spear whip ahead and whistle through the air. The spear nearly chafed the ceiling as it hastily darted and caught on to the thieves in no time and punctured its way through one¡ªthe one with the money in hand¡ª of their stomachs, forcing him to bite the dust on a dime. The three other thieves were terrified as they came to a screeching halt and upon turning back and looking at the source, despair dressed them like a cerecloth. "C-Commander!" Their limbs shivered and their hot feet turned cold in a matter of moments as they watched with eyes agape at the incoming commander. They had no idea that the commander was in the library. They were too busy planning how to steal from Ballu. Now, they stood motionless, brains gone blank. Ballu already stopped, and he was panting. Nevertheless, he was quite content with how the thieves were dealt with, and he waited for the commander to reach the thieves first. Zentzu, Lirzod, and the guard bypassed him and got to the thieves. The guard coldly said, "you fools dare to steal right in front of the commander''s eyes?" He pulled the spear out of the guy who lay on the floor and was dripping blood out of his mouth as well. He howled in pain as the guard forcibly fetched the spear. "Stop whining!" He put his foot on that guy''s stomach and tightly pressured it. Ballu who was watching that felt like butterflies were flying in his stomach. (Yes! Put more pressure! Those fools dared to steal from me. They deserve the harshest beating of their lives¡ªone that they would be scared to even remember.) "Hey, why are you entertaining yourself when he''s gonna die if not treated soon," Lirzod told the guard, also suggesting him to get his foot off. "Eh?" the guard shoved aside his words. "This is our job," he brought the bloody spear in between, "just stand there and take note." Zentzu stood still, his hands that held a book were resting on his back. He coldly stared at the thieves who were too terrified to even talk. He glanced back at Ballu who stood just a few feet away. "What punishment will satisfy you?" "I would love it if they just get off this ship," Ballu said, "but there''s no guarantee that they will not steal from someone again. So, instead of kicking them out ... they call themselves as Jewel Juniors, don''t they? Please make them Jewelless Juniors," he bowed a little, "that''s my request, commander Zentzu." "Very well," Zentzu said, "let''s take away their jewels." The three thieves who stood frozen like ice blocks up till the point got jolted out of their stances. "Commander, commander, no¡­ please, no," one of the thieves came closer and knelt down and touched Zentzu''s feet. The second one also came forward and it seemed like he was going to do the same, but he suddenly took two steps to the side and ended up behind Lirzod. A knife stopped at a touching distance of Lirzod''s throat, startling both the guard and the commander. The guard was about to take a step forward. "Stop! Stay right where you are, or I''ll slit his throat like that of a chicken!" the guy said, "if you don''t want that to happen, then listen to us. Listen to every word without any question!" The two other thieves¡ªwho were crying till then¡ªbegan to snicker before even the tears on their cheeks dried up. "Hehehe, nice job. Now, no one can stop us." They came to Lirzod and thanked him. "We will escape out of this, thanks to you, baby. Don''t play any tricks or you''ll end up hurting yourself. I''m sure you don''t want that as well." Lirzod blew air through his nose. "You think you can escape with your lives intact as long as the guard is still holding the spear? He''ll puncture you all with holes again!" The thieves turned their heads towards the guard."Put that spear down!" The guard seemed to be in a daze. He still couldn''t believe that Lirzod uttered such words. "You fool!" He raised his voice fixedly looking at Lirzod. Lirzod didn''t reply and put up a blank face. "Put the damn spear down!" Another thief shouted, his voice commixed with concern and chagrin. The guard glanced at the commander and after noticing a slight nod, he let go of the spear. It was picked off the ground by one of the thieves who then rashly tried to swing it as if he was showing off. "Che, spears are only good for throwing," he looked at the spear as if he had no use for it, "this seems useless at close range." He tried thrusting it towards Ballu as if he was practicing. "I wonder if it can pierce your family pack." Ballu ground his teeth as that was all he could do. "Hehe, what''s with that look?" the thief poked Ballu''s stomach with the tip of the spear. "Look down, or I''ll test this spear on you." Ballu was forced to look down even though his intestines were gassing up. "That''s right, uncle," the thief sniggered and pulled back the spear. The thief''s actions also riled up the guard, but he could only swallow all the soreness and stand still. "Seems like the spear is at least making them listen," the thief sneered as he joined the rest. "Of course," another thief said in the process of picking up the sack of silver coins, "though it can''t cut like a sword, it can still be used to scare people. And we have to take it out of that guard''s hand just to be safe. If he shoots at us while we are giving them a slip, another one of us would be down." "That''s right." Holding Lirzod as a hostage, the three thieves took quick and short steps as they made more distance. Lirzod who appeared unruffled till then showed signs of jitters. (What are they doing? Aren''t they going to do something to try and save me? Are they hopeless without the spear?)He could feel the sharp edge of the knife touching his throat at irregular intervals. "Hey, isn''t there a rule that killing is prohibited on this ship? So, you guys won''t do it, right?" he asked the guy who held the knife at this throat. "Shut up. Speak again and you will see your blood!" the guy used his crass wordage to dispirit Lirzod. The guard glanced sideways and spoke without moving his lips. "What should I do, commander? Those guys are nuts. They left their team member to die." Zentzu took his time to reply. "They seem to know that there''s no need for them to worry about their friend. After all, if he dies, you will be in trouble." The guard''s face stiffened a bit. "It was part of the job." "Job or not, you could have gone for his groin, but you chose to go overboard," Zentzu sighed. "There''s no need for us to do anything. Let''s just watch how the Geragorn conqueror deals with a couple of thugs." The guard was surprised to some extent. He seemed to have forgotten who Lirzod was. (That''s right. If he''s exchanged blows with someone like Geragorn, then taking care of those three should be a piece of cake.) He looked at Lirzod who appeared to be moving his eyebrows in a weird manner. (Is he trying to tell us something? Or, is it some sort of routine before he lets loose his muscles?) He watched every movement of Lirzod in detail. (Why are they not responding to my signals?) Lirzod was frustrated a bit. (It sure is a strange routine. I can''t comprehend it at all.) The guard was utterly puzzled. All of a sudden, a largish figure went past the guard, scuttling towards the thieves, startling everyone. It was Bulla. "What''s he doing?" the guard frowned. Zentzu, however, quietly stood rooted at the spot, his expression as calm as the waves of a still sea. (If no one helps me, I still have myself!) Ballu ground his teeth, his face varnished with vehemence. "Give me my money back, buggers!" "Stop right there!" the thieves tempestuously yelled out en masse. "Haaa!" All they got back as a response was an unrestrained bellow that bore a resemblance to a detonation and Ballu shortened the distance between them more and more. "We''ll kill this guy!" the thieves desperately howled as the pacing back of their steps dwindled. "I don''t give a damn about him!" Ballu roared as he closed in on them. "Give me my money." "Shit! He''s crazy!" The guy holding the knife shouted, "Free the money." The guard holding the coin sack wasted no time in throwing the coin sack towards Ballu, who totally ignored it and instead unleashed his might fist on the guy that held the knife. A crunching sound and a geyser of berry-red blood poured out into the air as the thief crashed to the ground, his eyes already blackened out. The bowels of the other two thieves loosened upon seeing it. "Fatty!" one of the two threw a punch at Ballu, but Ballu caught the punch with his hand as if it was nothing. "Yes, I''m fatter than you," Ballu''s voice was hoarse. "But you''re mistaken on one thing. I''m not your uncle. I''m your grandfather! And that''s precisely why you are gonna get trounced." He squeezed the thieve''s fist, the fracturing sounds of it were dominated by the ululation of the thief. The second thief came in for landing a quick punch, which startled Ballu, but before his fist reached Ballu, he got shouldered by someone. It was Lirzod who speared his shoulder into that thief''s belly and thereby pushing him away. That thief grimaced a bit and glared at Lirzod. "You..." At that moment, the thief felt like someone was standing behind him. He was hesitant whether to turn or not and his heart had already imagined the worse. "As you said, a spear surely can''t cut like a sword," the hoarse voice of the guard was heard by the thief, "but it can definitely deliver a crushing blow!" A speedy slash of the spear socked the skull of the thief, resulting in a neck fracture. The thief crumpled to his knees and shrieked in an insufferable soreness. Hands placed on his back, Zentzu reached the spot at his own pace. "Should we take their jewels, commander?" the guard asked. Zentzu briefly looked at Ballu. "They are yours. Don''t kill them, but feel free to do whatever you want with them." Saying that he began to walk away, "you can severe any body parts you want. It should serve as a good life lesson." "Yes, commander," Ballu brandished a barbarous grin. "I''ll start with their jewels." "No! Don''t leave us with him!" the two thieves¡ªthe ones that were still awake¡ªwailed relentlessly, hoping that the commander would take another look at them. "Anybody but him, please!" The guard hurriedly exchanged a few words with Ballu, telling him to also take care of the one with a hole in the stomach, before catching up with the commander who was chatting with Lirzod. "Now, which grandson should I start with?" Ballu scanned the faces of those thieves and toyed with them as he pointed his fingers to and fro. "You, or you?" The thieves cried out louder than kids and begged him to let them go. They caught his legs, but he pulled them up by their hair and slapped them hard. "I''ll go with this grandson first," Ballu focused his gaze on one of those thieves. "You are the one who mistook me for an uncle, aren''t you?" "No, no, no, no!" the thief howled his heart out as Ballu worked himself over that one. As time passed, the blubbering of the thieves resounded throughout the street. . 35 WIFE-CHANGING POINTER The guard hurriedly exchanged a few words with Ballu, telling him to also take care of the one with a hole in the stomach, before catching up with the commander who was chatting with Lirzod. "I never asked you, but ¡­ Did you finish the deck test?" Zentzu asked. "Yes, just barely," Lirzod said, glancing back at Ballu. "That guy won''t kill them, or would he?" "I think he won''t. If he lets his rage take over him, then anything may happen. Though killing isn''t allowed, people still take each other to near death situations, and sometimes people do die. In any case, if those four die, then he''ll be in big trouble. So, he will probably do everything he can while making sure those four won''t die." "Torture huh. That sounds even worse. Why is killing not allowed but torture is?" "I have no answer to that," Zentzu glanced up sideways at him, "so ¡­ I heard you finished the test. What do you think about it? Anything significant to share?" "Well, it''s just a sprint," Lirzod scratched his chin. "So I don''t know if there''s much to talk about it or not." "Haha, most people on this deck would cry if they hear that." "Mm? Why?" "Well, crossing a hundred meters in twelve seconds isn''t what everybody can achieve. Many that board this ship have fat bellies, or bent legs, or some other sort of reason that makes it hard for them to finish the test triumphantly.Practice booths were built just for those who always lose in the deck test. But those who have already passed the test but still want to improve themselves could also use them. However, many people still fail to make use of the booths. It just shows how lacking in talent most people on this deck are." "Practice Booth?" Lirzod''s nose wrinkled. "Yeah, you can find the relevant ones on almost every deck until the hundredth deck," Zentzu said. "The ones on this deck, however, teach the basic forms of running, breathing, and such things. Sergen here, teaches on breathing aspects." "Who''s Sergen?" Lirzod was looking down at the ground. "It''s me," the guard behind those two answered in an excited manner. Having his name spoken out of commander''s mouth gave him a lot of happiness. After all, Zentzu would only remember the names of those he deemed worthy to be memoried. "I mainly instruct people how to breathe to always keep their bodies teeming with oxygen, and to keep their fatigation at bay for longer, especially during battles." "Aren''t you a spear thrower? How do you know about the stamina-related subject during battles?" Lirzod darted a doubtful glance at the guard. "I guess you are clueless about the fact that a spear can be used for close combat too," Sergen snorted and thrust his spear in between those two. "If one knows how to execute a right technique, they can puncture through a person''s heart even from close range. It''s a shame that most people on this deck can''t even properly wield a spear." Lirzod stayed silent for a few seconds as his thoughts wandered a short distance away before returning, "I thought that getting an entry ticket for the Shambala Sect was super hard, but how come so many scoundrels boarded the ship?" "The entry ticket in itself was free after all," Zentzu bent his neck forward and heaved a sigh. "What?" Lirzod''s eyes almost popped out of his sockets. "For real? Anyone can get them?" His posture stiffened, and muscles turned rigid. "Hmm? Yes." Zentzu''s face paled slightly, "Anyone can get them, but not everyone will be given. You get the tickets either by directly proving your worth to the captain commander of this ship or by getting a ticket through recommendation. There are few ways of getting recommendation both from inside and outside of the sect. But that recommendation can either cost a lot or cost nothing depending on who you are. There are also plenty of officials who misuse this system and secretly auction tickets. That''s why there are so many good-for-nothings flooding the streets of this deck." He sighed, "At least these secret sellouts are regionally restricted. Or else, the number of entries that board every year would have increased by a hundred times." Lirzod was slack-jawed as he stared at Zentzu in a daze.He was under the impression that the clan leaders spent a large sum of money and hardened long-term deals of some sorts to obtain the tickets. That''s what most people of the clan also believed to be the case. Now, Lirzod began to doubt what the clan leaders expected him to buy. (Were they fooling all of us? How did they exactly get the tickets?) He looked at Zentzu. "What do you mean by ''regionally restricted''?" "Every year, Shambala Sect issues a different number of tickets to different regions. The region may be as small as the home grounds of a clan, or it can be as big as an entire state, or the kingdom, or even an entire continent. Though auctioning tickets among the people of the same region may get overlooked, selling tickets from region to the members of another region is strictly forbidden, and those who did it would be severely dealt with." Lirzod was surprised to hear that. (Wait, doesn''t that mean someone in my kingdom got these tickets and secretly sold them to the clan heads? Is that what happened in truth? But then why would they choose to sell to our clan heads of all people? I''m sure they would have earned a lot more if they had sold to the higher-ups. Ugh¡­) Lirzod scratched his head five times. No matter how much he thought, he couldn''t convince himself. Though his clan was just an insignificant clan of the kingdom, and though its place was somewhere near the bottom, his people still used wondrous tactics to withstand the test of time, while keeping a low profile. They mostly traded with the distant lands, leaving no worth-mentioning allies nearby. Lirzod never fully understood why the chamber members of the clan agreed for such trade dealings, as it made it extremely hard to get recognized in the state let alone the kingdom. Lirzod went into deep thought. (Did they sell the valley? No. People are too attached to that place for them to sell it. So, what else is left?) Zentzu got bored and looked at the book in his hand, and unsought memories rushed to his mind. "Most new female entries probably imagine great things as they come looking for me, but when they see me, they either turn back and leave without looking back or step forward with a faint and fleeting distorted face," he conversed with a heavy heart as dolefulness delineated his eyes, "they say that ''Good poetry attracts good girls.'' My tongue had articulated many poems, but none were effective. I keep on multiplying my money every year but still am unable to find a single girl that likes me for who I am. People think that I live luxuriously, but they have no idea how alone I feel." Sergen tilted his head down and was wordless. He was kind of aware of how Zentzu felt about girls all this while, but he never thought that his commander yearned for a partner to such an extent. But after giving it a thought, he realized that he had presumed many things. "You are not alone, man," Lirzod said in a heartening tone, "Many girls avoid me because of my scar. What can I do about it?" Sergen raised his voice, "You are comparing your single scar with the commander''s problem?" "It''s a single scar, but girls don''t see it that way," Lirzod let out a bitter smile. "I wish this scar kissed me somewhere else." "I can''t increase my height, but you can just get the scar treated," Zentzu''s words flew in the face of Lirzod. "No, some people want me to keep it," Lirzod verbalized his feelings without reserve. "Every girl has her preferences as we do, and you can''t blame them, or even ourselves for it. All we can do is either wait or look for the one who makes us feel special." Whenever Lirzod used the word ''man'' to refer to the commander, pleasantness entertained Zentzu''s ears. But Lirzod''s words felt very much supposititious in his case. "I think he''s somewhat right, commander," Sergen voiced his notion, albeit he didn''t want to support Lirzod''s claim. "Right huh," Zentzu bit his lower lip. (I was made to feel special in a bad way throughout my childhood. I don''t want to feel special anymore. Just normal is fine.) He clenched his jaw as he glanced at the guard. "Right in what way, Sergen? Even tall but bald guys struggle to get attention and play all sorts of tricks from wigs to wags, but most of them end up never receiving it. So they marry some random women and spend the rest of their life with them. I don''t want to be like those guys. Just as much as I want to succeed in life, I also want to win over a woman. I''m not bald, so I can''t wear a wig. But if it takes one to be funny or wear raised shoes or apply makeup to attract women and make them fall for you, then I''m not willing to go to such lengths." Lirzod glanced down at Zentzu''s feet and saw that the base of his shoes was more than two inches tall. He sighed was hardly noticeable. "You want women to be genuinely attracted to you while you are carrying a fake appearance." His words startled Zentzu. "What did you just say?" Sergen brought the spear close to Lirzod''s neck. "Mind repeating it?" Zentzu waved his hand telling Sergen to back off. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at Lirzod as anger tried to settle over him. "What made you say that I was faking my appearance?" "Your shoes," Lirzod said, "why aren''t you wearing normal ones?" "Commander is not wearing them for girls but for himself, fool!" A flicker of irritation beamed out of Sergen''s eyes. "For himself?" Lirzod touched the base of his neck. "Whenever he meets new people, he has to look up every time, which results in neck pain," Sergen''s blood quickened as he said, "he''s picked these type of shoes to reduce that effect as much as possible." "Oh, my bad," Lirzod felt somewhat remorseful as he gave a darting glance at Zentzu, "sorry, man." "That''s not enough!" Sergen blew air through his nose. "Touch his feet." "Don''t bother too much," Zentzu''s words hurt Sergen''s heart, and he wobbled a bit. The next moment, he received a quick mocking gaze from Lirzod that boiled his blood, but all he could do was swallow down his frustration. Zentzu looked at Lirzod in a complex expression. "I think I got a bit emotional and wasted your time telling my worries, even though it helps neither." "It''s alright, commander," Sergen intervened, stumbling over his words, "s-sharing takes some weight off us." "I''m not busy or anything, so it''s fine," Lirzod said, and his breathing slowed as memories took over, "Women won''t look womanly in a wig, and men won''t look manly in a makeup, but a woman can look womanly without a makeup, and men can look manly without a wig. Isn''t it funny how things that look good on men won''t look as good on women and vice versa?" "I''d say, it''s hard for most to digest such things and come to terms with their imperfections," Zentzu said and took a breath. "Though I don''t feel so bad for being short as much as I used to, sometimes it still haunts me." "No, man," Lirzod lay his hand on Zentzu''s shoulder, receiving an unglued glance. "You are tall enough." "Tall enough? For what?" Zentzu frowned, as frustration coiled in his stomach. "I can''t even give a proper hug." "For a love marriage of course." He grimaced a playful grin. "L-Love marriage?" Zentzu''s eyes enlarged, and his feet came to a sudden halt as he turned his head towards Lirzod in a racing heartbeat. "How? How can I do that?" "Simple," Lirzod uttered smoothly with no rush, "I assume you don''t want a girl who''s too tall to lay her head on your chest. So, how about loving someone your size?" Sergen staggered from hearing those words, while Zenztu was stumped. For a brief moment, it resembled as if fury immobilized them both. "What?" Sergen exclaimed, having had his stomach suffer a stab of anger a split second ago, irritation crackled through his voice, "You are out of your freaking mind. This is the worst advice I have ever heard in my life." "What''s wrong with what I said?" Lirzod was piqued, owing to getting licked all over by the flames of Sergen''s hissy fit. "Is it wrong to marry a short girl?" His voice was like a flame that had been spit, and it grew in tempestuousness as it traveled and struck Sergen''s face thereby slowly burning it. "Of course," Sergen, however, spoke back in a haughty tone, casting away all the heat that covered his face. "Someone like commander Zentzu deserves a winsome woman in the least, not some midget mademoiselle." The moment those words uttered out of his mouth, Sergen received prickly glances from both. Only then, he caught on to the scope of his words. "I-I didn''t mean it that way, commander!" Sergen slapped himself repeatedly. "I have no problem against midgets. It''s just that..." "Just what?" Lirzod snorted as he cringed away from the guard. "You revealed it in your own words your opinions on short people." Saying that he gave a subtle harassing smile. Sergen eyes bulged for a moment before he ground his teeth. (So, you are trying to make me look bad in front of the commander. I will make you pay for this!) "Brother," the word that came out of Zentzu''s mouth, dropped Sergen''s jaw. "I''m unsure why I didn''t think of it in such a manner." His voice was guileless. "A guy should feel short only when his girlfriend is taller than him. You are right." "It was nothing," Lirzod let out an embarrassing laugh. (When did I say that?) "I just spoke my mind, ahem, nothing more. Two short people make a tall couple after all, haha." "Two short people make a tall couple?"Sergen knitted his brows and satirically scorned. "How in the world did you arrive at that frivolous conclusion?" "Personal logic," Lirzod calmly replied as he totally ignored Sergen and instead peered at Zentzu. "As long as the couple views each other as almost equals, they can be as tall as they want in each other''s eyes. Don''t you think as well?" "Pfft, What sort of twisted logic is that?" Sergen sneered. "So Geragorn conqueror is just a boy brimming with wishful thinking. How¡ª" Zentzu raised his hand, stopping Sergen in mid-speech. Zentzu looked at Lirzod in an enigmatic gaze. "I think you''ve given me a life-changing pointer. I will for sure think about this in the coming days and hopefully, will come to a decision." "Yes. Take your time," Lirzod said. "One shouldn''t rush in these sort of things." "Life-changing pointer? It''s more like a wife-changing pointer," the guard wanted to squeeze out a few words into their conversation, but he could only murmur to himself. As anger stoked Sergen, Lirzod faintly smiled and savored the moment, however, he acted like he saw nothing. "I want to go to the office of the Seal Service. Can you show me the direction?" "To the office huh ¡­ it''s that way," Zentzu pointed his thumb to his left. "Okay. I''ll be going then," Lirzod began to walk away. "Don''t you want this book?" Zentzu showed the Surya Chand''s book in his possession. "No, I think it will be more loved in your hands," Lirzod couldn''t help but remember the time he tore the paper from the book. He was lectured many times by Sasha for doing similar things in the past, and when he thought he had gotten rid of his bad habits, he found himself doing them again. Zentzu exposed his teeth. "If you need money, come to me. I''ll give it to you with reasonable interest." Lirzod just grinned back in return. Zentzu continued walking in a path different to the one Lirzod took. Seeing Lirzod leave, Sergen wanted to tail him and get things even with him, but he was forced to follow the one he had to. "Commander, it''s not my place to say this," Sergen said hesitantly, "but don''t listen to his words. I wouldn''t go as far as saying that he''s tricking us, but he sure talks like a boy who left his home for the first time." Zentzu coolly said, "I get what you mean. He did try to trick us after all." Sergen was surprised, "What do you mean, commander? When?" Zentzu appeared a bit amused. "That deaf part of him was a disguise." Sergen''s eyes enlarged. "Now that I remember, we didn''t speak out loud after coming out of the library. So, he was putting up an act all this while?" His eyes looked like daggers, and a renewed swell of rage rose in him. "How dare he take us for fools?" "Just let it go. Possibly, we drove him to react like that," Zentzu said and thought back for a moment. "He didn''t seem to realize that he gave away his guise when he heard a soft caw made by the baby crow." Sergen was startled. He couldn''t help but be impressed with the commander. "As expected of you, commander. You are overqualified to stay on this deck." At that time, a gray-haired woman came riding a big dog. She quickly got down from the dog and looked at Zentzu in eyes repleted with recreancy as if she was waiting for him to speak. "Sista, I was thinking about visiting you," Zentzu''s voice was sarcastic, "but look, you are as trusting as ever. You came all this way to save me the time and the trouble." "Sir Zentzu," Sista couldn''t look straight into his eyes, and she couldn''t stand with her feet rooted either. "I know I''m late by two weeks, but in this time I''ve only been looking for ways to pay you back." She took out a small sack resting on her wasting and handed it to him. After scanning its inside with a look, Zentzu smiled, "this doesn''t even cover the interest." "I-I know, but give me just one more month," Sista''s pleaded with her voice, not exposing her face, "If I still fail to pay you by then, I will offer myself to you." Sergen swallowed his saliva upon hearing that. Sista was a woman with curves which not just any man could comprehend in essence. "Seems like you miscalculated me," Zentzu said, puzzling her a bit, "I made a deal with you not because of your beauty but because of..." His eyes lay on the dog behind her. It was almost a six-foot-tall dog with white and gray spots. Sista''s whole body shook down to the core when she saw Zentzu scan her dog. "No! You can''t take Volt!" Her full-mouthed voice echoed in the street. Sergen involuntarily took a step back. Zentzu, however, took a step forward as he put his hands behind his back. His eyes were as cold as the eyes of a wolf on a winter hunt. His stabbing stare made her flinch as a baby doe would upon seeing the stare of a wolf watching it from the distant woods. "Your dog is bigger than all the shepherd dogs I have seen," Zentzu said, eyeing Volt, "and I believe it''s not fully grown yet. I''m sure, selling it will easily pay off your debts and leave you with enough money to take you to the higher decks that you so much desire." Sista knelt and touched his feet. "Please, just one chance," Her face reddened and tears rolled down her cheeks nonstop. Sergen''s heart pained upon seeing her like that. Maybe, we should give her a chance? That was what he wanted to tell, but he didn''t dare to suggest his commander in his business affairs as he knew that he would potentially lose his job for doing that. "If you want, you can make me your slave," Sista begged Zentzu, "until I pay off the debt. But let me keep Volt, please!" Zentzu remembered the time when he first met Sista. When their eyes first met, he saw her face warp clearly from seeing his build. Remembering that instance, he smiled, "you had no problem when you took money from me. You should have considered all the possibilities back then. I clearly stated in our agreement that I will use whatever the method I see fit to get my money back. Now, why are you wasting my time?" His words hit her hard, and more tears streamed down her cheeks as she stood. "How can you treat a woman like this? How can you be so cold? Do you not have any heart?" "I do have a heart, but it only cares for those who care for my deals," Zentzu said and stepped closer towards Volt who bent down his head. Zentzu rubbed Volt''s chin, and she seemed to be enjoying it. "Guess your pet is immune to your tears. Look how good of a mood it''s in." Sista ground her teeth and seethed inwardly. But she came to him and requested him again. "Volt is a tough girl. But if my tears are worth anything to you, please give me a chance." Zentzu raised one of his eyebrows. "You know, it''s scary how pretentious you are unlike your looks. Thanks to the two women I grew up with when I was young, I came to realize one thing." Sista could only look at him with wet eyes, tear-soaked cheeks, and face down in dumps, whereas Sergen was listening to the words of his commander. "When reality strikes, women defend with waterworks." Sista went speechless, and Sergen was wide-mouthed. "And till now," Zentzu continued, "I was never once proven wrong." He looked at Sergen. "Restrain the dog." Saying that he began to walk away. "You know where your dog will be auctioned in a week. I guess I''ll be seeing you there." As Sergen took the dog and began to leave, Sista crumpled to her knees again. Volt glanced back at her once before shifting her gaze away. Though rage rose in her like a tide, though sadness suffocated her from the inside, all she could do was remain silent. Meanwhile, not too far away from that spot. Ballu had taken care of the thieves by fetching their jewels and throwing them to the street dogs that made their way drawn by the stench. Holding his coin sack in the bloody hand, and another small pouch in the other hand, he began to walk away from the rubescent scene. He looked inside the pouch that had dozens of small diamonds, "What a bummer. I was expecting to find a precious stone in it, but who wants these diamonds? I would barely get silver or two if I manage to sell all of these, but selling them is a real headache. Ugh, screw these," he threw the pouch to the side of the street and looked at his coin sack. "Tch... focused on these four, I forgot about handing the money to the commander. How should I find him now? Will he be in his room?" As he was thinking, he tossed four silver coins on the floor and said in a flat voice, "Take them to the tonic booth. Seal Service." The street was silent for a few seconds. Three thieves were already unconscious, but the fourth one still writhed in an excruciating pain. With every passing second, the two street dogs dirtied the floor with their droplets of saliva that dripped down their dangling tongues while they tried to close in on the thieves. Forthwith, like a door that opened itself in the wall about fifty meters away from the spot, the vertically adjacent wooden planks that made the wall distanced from each other to expose the stream of water flowing horizontally within the wall. The inside of the stream was lightless, and nothing was visible. A seal poked its head out of the water, also tearing through the air barrier around it, and scanned the surroundings once. Later, it jumped out of the water and onto the wooden floor of the street. The two street dogs¡ªwithout a second thought¡ªskedaddled the moment the seal landed on the floor. The seal had a basket-like object attached to its back. The basket didn''t have a lid but an air bubble acted in its place.A second later, three more seals came out from the water stream and got onto the streets. The four of them used their mouths to throw those four thieves up into the air and made sure they fell in those baskets. After they got hold of the money, they took less to no time in clearing out the place, and as they did, they also used their bellies to rub over the blood marks on the floor, thereby cleansing it concurrently. After they entered the water stream through the air barrier, the wooden planks arranged themselves again back into the place. If not for the transient water marks left by the seals, it would have looked like the seals never were at work in that street. 36 ICE DUMPSTER On the eleventh deck, at a particular spot known as Ice Dumpster, Lirzod was watching Burton compete with the rest. All the competitors brawled with each other in a three-foot-high icy-cold pool. At any chance, exactly a hundred of the entries were allowed to enter on one side, and the one who reached the opposite side first would be the winner who would then be eligible to go to the twelfth deck. Burton had already tried it three times and failed. An entry could only participate once in every three consecutive contests. However, he first had to wrestle with the masses to get a ticket for entering the event which was nothing less than a brutal brawl of entries. Getting a ticket for the contest was one thing but winning it was an entirely different thing. Inside the pool called Ice Dumpster, people pummeled one another pitilessly, dragged others by their legs, pulled each other down underwater, stomped over some, pulled each other''s hair, tore others'' clothes and did everything one could imagine as long as the contestants'' actions didn''t break the rules. In short, everyone did their best to stop every other from reaching the opposite end. This was the deck test of the eleventh deck. Even though armors and weapons weren''t allowed, it was still quite unmannerly to observe. No footwear was allowed either. There was a famous saying that ''You can''t pass the test without spilling blood in the ice dumpster." As the contestants battered each other''s bodies and broke bones likewise, the audience cheered wildly. Every time someone got their teeth fly into the air, or when someone bled from their legs, a wild response arose from the audience from witnessing the agony in that contestant''s face. However, what made them bellow more than anything was the burning passion of the contestants who fight back even from the brink of getting crushed under others feet. On the eleventh deck, neither were the losers looked down upon nor were they pitied. The winner, however, would be praised by the rest and would be given a big cigar. Some people made it their business to get tickets and sell them for others. Depending on the type of contestants that were present in a contest, people were either willing to spend more or less on the ticket. Burton lost in his fourth attempt as well and came to Lirzod, gasping somewhat heavily. At least, he wasn''t severely wounded anywhere and only suffered minor bruises here and there. "What happened? Got scared?" Lirzod teasingly said, his arms crossed, standing in a poised posture. The number ''eleven'' could be seen tattooed on the dorsal side of his palm. "Like when you face my buffets." "Scared?" Burton was vexed from Lirzod''s words. "I''m not like you who will blindly take part in every contest without putting much thought. And I was never scared of your lame buffets either." "Right, so ... can you tell me what you discerned about the test with your four-time experience?" "Well, this isn''t a race but a team event..." Burton looked at some clustered groups among the participants that helped one another reach the destination. "It''s chillingly cold in there, but to top it off, there are angled ice spikes hidden at random spots at the floor. Those are not ordinary ice spikes. They aren''t breaking at all. I''m not showing it, but the bones in legs are still aching, especially my feet." He took a deep breath, getting his respiration under control. "As much as I hate to say it, unless we three help one another, I don''t see any of us succeeding in this thing." "So teamwork is needed for us to dump this Ice Dumpster," Lirzod looked at the event where men were brawling like beasts and screaming along those lines. "But I''m not entirely healed yet," he placed his hand on the ribs. Though it wasn''t paining as much as it did an hour back, he could still feel the soreness and heat, "and Silly Sariyu is yet to finish the race. Your future doesn''t look well." "Not mine, but yours," Burton said. "We have to take all our chances to win, but I''m not going to team up with you alone." "Fine by me," Lirzod said and smiled. "Show me how you''ll win alone." "Yeah, just stand there and keep wasting your time watching me win," Burton took part in the struggle to obtain the ticket for the event and he got a ticket. His eyes reflected a renewed vigor as the contest began. He slipped past a few men only to end up getting caught in a sacrificing circle a few contestants made. The result was his failure. He came back and stood at a distance to Lirzod. "Getting to witness Big Brother fail at things might not be a rare thing," Lirzod chortled, "but I never personally saw it till now. So, how can I miss such a thing?" Burton stood still and spoke nothing, but let out a smile that appeared forced. "Here you are!" A voice sounded out, and someone placed a hand on Lirzod''s shoulder. Upon turning back, Hundred''s face flashed before him, backed by a cannot-be-contained girn that birthed on his lips. "Whoa, what are you doing here?" Lirzod wandered in his thoughts. "I''m looking for you. That''s what I was doing!" Hundred fumed as he fantasized violence, but at the same time, he seemed like he was about to cry. "After knowing that I didn''t have the promised amount of almonds, those Stone Spitters toyed with me." "They did?" Lirzod''s softened voice contained wonder as he took a gander at the ceiling. Hundred ground his teeth, controlling his urge to slap in Lirzod''s face. "You have no idea of the hardships I went through because of you, just because of you." Lirzod was startled. "I knew that you didn''t have an entire kilo of almonds. That''s why I waited in my room for you. But you didn''t show up. So, I thought you must have taken care of it somehow." "You did?" Hundred was taken aback a little. He didn''t know whether to believe his words or not, but for sure, he slapped himself. "I was a fool. I never thought of coming to your room." "So you thought I had fooled you, huh¡­" Lirzod turned away from Hundred. "What else can anyone think?" Hundred tried to swallow all the sadness and frustration built upon his face. "I came here to rock your boat, but now ¡­ I''m not sure anymore." "You can just watch us participate in the test until you decide," Lirzod said. Hundred was surprised a bit. "This Ice Dumpster challenge isn''t for the faint of the heart. Surely not for those that fear to face fists¡ª" While saying, he remembered that Lirzod piqued a fight with Geragorn. "You can participate in it though." "So, you are a Hollow. So you should have an estimate about this. How long do you think it will take to reach the hundredth deck?" Lirzod asked eagerly. "And also the top deck." "If you maintain your current speed," Hundred didn''t even pause for a moment, "forget about the top deck, you can''t even reach the hundredth!" "What?" Lirzod''s whole body straightened and eyes widened. "That can''t happen, no matter what!" "If you keep standing like this doing nothing, that''s what will happen." "I should first help Sariyu pass through the tenth level," Lirzod said and took a quick turn towards Burton. "If we both go there, we will have to retake the test. So why don''t you go to her?" "There''s no need for that," A voice came from the side, and those two recognized that it was Sariyu''s. Sariyu looked around, and thousands of people were clustered at different spots of the hall, though most of them were present nearby the ice dumpster. (The more the number of rooms in a residence there were, the more distant the hearts of its residents will grow, and such a residence never lasts long. The ridiculous number of rooms on this ship is disgustingly huge, but I guess these halls are making up for it by getting people together and providing them entertainment in one way or another.) Sariyu somewhat felt comforted after arriving at the hall as most of the streets she strolled on the eleventh deck to reach its hall were pretty much uninhabited. Walking in such streets subtly ruffled her like never before. Some other streets were all packed with men and men alone. Her problem wasn''t just that she didn''t see a single female on the eleventh deck, but it was much more. In a few other streets, people minded their own businesses, having locked themselves in their rooms. She couldn''t help but consider the fact that she probably had stayed in her room for almost a week if Geragorn wasn''t sent to the higher decks as sooner. "Hey, you finished it?" Burton quirked an eyebrow, keeping his smile at bay. "Yes, with a few hints from this guy..." She pointed her fingers towards a guy, who was none other than 777. "Your offsider was him?" Lirzod was displeased, and his eyes darted daggers at him. "He''s a coward. He just slows you down." 777, however, pleasantly smiled back. "Didn''t you hear what I said?" Sariyu twisted Lirzod''s ear. "I''m saying that he has already helped me. So, shut your mouth." "F-Fine, but tell him to wear a mask," Lirzod implied with all his heart. "Mask?" His words puzzled her a little. "Why?" "If I see his smiling face, I might lose my temper and smack his face." "Is he serious?" 777 was startled, his smile was all nerves. "He''s just kidding," Sariyu said and secretly glared at Lirzod, giving him chills. "Y-Yeah, I wasn''t kidding," He said, and instantly got pinched by her. "I mean I was!" "I guess you both have been bungling every attempt to have not passed this contest till now," She looked at both Lirzod and Burton."Let''s try this thing for real, shall we?" "You want to try it right away, without any preparation?" 777 asked. "Of course, even if we go at our current pace, we might only climb a hundred decks at best," Sariyu said, cracking her knuckles. "Now that would be a real waste of an opportunity of viewing the decks at the top, don''t you think?" "I''m fine with the hundredth," Lirzod said, saving the moments his imagination brought forth. "Maybe you are, but I want to do better than that," she gave sharp eye contact. "Then feel free to do that," Lirzod bit his finger and gave a silent look, negative thoughts flooding his mind. "You don''t have to tell me that," she glanced at 777, maintaining a positive outlook. "Get a ticket." "Oh, is that ticket for me?" Lirzod hurriedly asked, stepping closer. "For me," a cold glance from her made Lirzod go back to where he was. Seeing that the contest just ended, 777 went and participated in the struggle for a ticket. Burton was next to do that. Hundred crossed his arms before looking at Lirzod. "When are you gonna go?" "I thought you would bring it for me," said Lirzod casually. "And why would I do that?" Hundred was rather tolerant. "Because only you can bring the ticket for sure," Lirzod said, "you have the ticket selling experience, didn''t you? I doubt if there''s anyone in this hall who can get a ticket faster than you." Hundred blankly stared at him for a few seconds, trying his best to not show over compliance. "Fine." He quickly moved onward and slipped through the crowd as he headed towards the assistant referee who was distributing the tickets. "You could have gone in," Sariyu looked at Lirzod in a stony expression. "It would have served as a good warmup at least." "No worries. Lirzod knows when he needs one," Lirzod''s eyes shone as his palm pressed to the heart. Sariyu observed the ice dumpster. (It sure looks unpleasant. Luckily, I''m wearing an old dress.) 777 came back with a ticket and began to murmur something in her ears. "Hey," Burton who was right behind him, placed his hand on 777''s shoulder, making him turn back. "Don''t act like you''re her close friend." His voice was as cold as ever, and his eyes were devoid of warmth. "Keep your distance." 777 squeezed his eyes shut, and his hands slapped against the cheeks. "Sorry." "I don''t want your sorry," Burton indifferently said, "just don''t repeat it." "Y-Yeah," a tentative smile exuded out of his lips. Sariyu didn''t say anything and fixedly looked elsewhere for a moment. Lirzod furtively stretched his tongue out and teased 777, making him look down from the loss of face. Hundred returned with a ticket and handed it to Lirzod. "You owe me a kilo of almonds. Remember.that," he took short breaths as he spoke. Lirzod awkwardly smiled as he scrubbed the back of his neck with his palm. "Forget about the almonds. I will give you money." "No. I don''t want money. I want those almonds grown in mid-summer and watered three times a week," Hundred said, his calculations coruscating through his eyes, "those almonds only." Lirzod''s smile stiffened as he slid his forefinger on the eyebrow. "Isn''t there any other way?" "No. I could have easily asked you for two kilos, but since you said you waited for me in your room," Hundred''s utterance was unsentimental. "I''m now only asking what you owe me." Lirzod ruminated for a few seconds before whispering in his ears, "How about this? You place bets that all the three of us would win, and if we did, the almonds deal is canceled." Hundred was more or less astonished, but his mannerisms still demonstrated diffidence. His itinerant gaze vetted over Lirzod while weighing all the options. "What if you fail?" "I''ll give you half the money you bet," Lirzod''s words were as straight as an arrow, " plus the promised almonds as well." "Deal." Hundred didn''t have to think when agreeing to such a deal. He put his hand forward for a handshake. "Handshakes are for the unknown, Hundred," Lirzod said and asudden looked at Sariyu, slowly sliding his feet closer to her. "Let''s get a hug after we win, got it?" "Don''t be silly. I''d rather hug the unknown than hug you," Sariyu straight out denied his request, making him sulk. Lirzod''s feet slid back towards Hundred, albeit unwillingly. "Alright. Handshakes then." "Y-Yeah," Hundred put his hands in his pockets. At that moment, everybody had finished taking the tickets. And the time for their participation arrived. The three of them stepped ahead, leaving Hundred and 777 behind, both of whom briefly glanced at each other before minding their own business. 777 stayed right where he was, while Hundred went to the betting counter. "All the contestants who took the tickets must come to the starting point," the referee spoke through what appeared to be like that of a paper mike. "All the ticket numbers that won''t make it will not be able to participate in the next two rounds, but only in the one after that. Now, come on!" He still had to shout out of his lungs like a vendor at a local market, maybe lacking in grace but not prowess. Most among those who didn''t yet make it to the starting spot hurried like their lives depended on it. A very helpless few, however, were still bargaining for the ticket in a dreaded tongue. 37 THROWN INTO THE WOLVES The main attraction of the eleventh deck''s test hall was verily the ice dumpster; however, numerous minor events were also always taking place at several spots. Some events showcased people testing the coarseness of their skin while some others promoted people to harden their tootsies by moving atop a mat embedded with small and spiky substances or to alleviate oneself in the art of contending and tangling with tumult. All the minor events helped entries tackle the main test under a brilliant light, enticing them into trying them all out despite the exorbitant prices put by the event holders. Some of these events might be a bit painful to watch to those with faint hearts, but even those ones could find subtly-funny events thanks to entries frequently mishitting each other in foolhardy ways. The inflow of the masses into the hall would always be more than the outflow for most hours of the day. Currently, it was a peak time, so all the roads leading to the hall bustled with men except for one undulating road¡ªone which served as a way to reach the staircase that led people to the next upper deck. A handful of entries who won in the previous rounds of the deck test could be seen strolling in the Winners Street where private booths were set up. These booths primarily sold clothes, pills, and certain creams with ten percent more discount than how they were sold elsewhere on the same deck. One Winners Street existed on every deck, and only the winners of the deck test were warranted to step foot on it. On the whole, most of the losers envied the winners for not so omnifarious reasons, and because of that, most winners directly entered the Winners Street whereas a few would still choose to stay on the same deck. Lirzod, Sariyu, and Burton stepped onward, leaving behind both Hundred and 777 who briefly glanced at each other before minding their own business. 777 stayed right where he was while Hundred went to the betting counter. Hundred had only sixteen silver with him, so he used all of it. Even if he had more, he probably wouldn''t have placed all of it in the bet though he would have bet up to one gold, at best. Watching Hundred at the betting counter, 777 gave out an abstruse smile. (Betting on whom, I wonder.) Hundred came back and stood at a distance to 777 before exchanging short-lived smiles as if they were obligated. "Never spend money on those who didn''t earn it," 777 said loud enough that his voice reached Hundred''s ears. "It was an easy but effective principle for anyone to follow, yet, I guess, some people never learn things." "It''s good if one minded their business as well," Hundred snorted as they both were looking in different directions. Hundred then focused on observing the game and the participants. (Whew, I hope luck is on my side today.) With every passing second, the rhythm of his heartbeat grew erratic. (I wish I had taken more money from the Positive Parker.) White rubbing fingers through his hair, he looked for a higher spot in the crowd who all positioned themselves on the stairs made out of sculpted stone. Hundreds of people sat there to watch the event from either side of the ice dumpster. 777 glanced back at Hundred in a brazen smile. (Not so sure about the win, are you? No use worrying about it now. Your money is as good as gone.) Though Hundred could feel 777''s stare on his skin, he appeared like he wasn''t bothered. At that moment, a blonde guy came to Hundred and asked, "Hey, sir, do you want to participate in the Derxes Skin Contest? It''s right there," he pointed the direction with his thumb, "in the southern end of the hall." "No thanks," Hundred lightly waved his hand, telling him to leave. The blonde guy leaned forward before speaking in a genial accent, "You can give it a try in the least, sir. I can assure you that it will be fun." Hundred glanced at him in a galled gaze. "How does my skin look like?" "Pardon?" "In your eyes, my skin getting cut is impossible," Hundred''s frigid voice startled the blonde guy. "Am I correct?" "W-Who knows, sir?" the blonde guy''s unremitting tone sounded out after he recovered his composure in no time, "You might hit it big." "Yeah, I will get cut big," Hundred snorted as he broke eye-contact. "That''s what will happen." "You don''t know that until you try." The blonde guy slightly stretched the smile, his tonality as blandishing as ever as he spoke, "you might just wake up the sleeping spirit inside you." Hundred stood from his seat and stared right into the man''s eyes, conveying much more than what he was about to speak. "I don''t know if the contest can do that or not, but if you don''t escort your ass off here in the next five seconds, you will see the spirit right here and now." The blonde guy''s shoulders jerked from startlement, "I-I think I just heard someone call my name." He hurriedly turned away and began to leave in quick strides. Hundred plopped back in his seat. "Know that you are missing something that can make you rich, sir," the blonde guy''s voice reached Hundred''s ears, irking him further, but didn''t even bother to cast another glance at him, for he knew that the blonde guy approached him after probably seeing him at the betting counter. "Like how it never rains on this ship, it never ceases to amaze me how people always find a new way to steal others money. I don''t get why no matter the place I go, there are always more ways to lose than to earn money. If I''m not careful, I will lose everything I''ve stacked till now." Hundred couldn''t help but reinforce himself. Unlike some people who used various contests to cheat the new entries on the deck and earn boatloads of money, Hundred just resorted to selling tickets for higher prices with no restraint which was wholly allowed. Most hollows did the same thing as Hundred did for earning some quick coins. Howbeit, because of the heavy competition, such a profession never yielded consistent profits in the long run, and there was also the typical case of hollows grouping together to assert dominance on certain days. In worst cases, they even came after the loners and scared them into working for them. There were many instances when Hundred lost his hard-earned money, especially in recent times. And his experience brought him into the batch of hollows who believed that the best way to avoid unnecessary troubles with others like him was to climb the decks with an entry. Choosing the right entry was crucial to any hollow as it had the potential to change their lives in either good or bad ways. Higher decks meant higher stakes and better chances for forming grand connections with hellacious ones, but it also contained the risk of meeting egregious ones. Still and all, most hollows supposed that the payoff was almost always worth it. Hundred, however, held mixed feelings regarding that prospect. "You''ve done a good thing, mister," the person, seated next to Hundred, said in a friendly manner. Hundred looked to his left and got dazed by a familiar haircut. It was without a doubt a wonder as to how the twenty-inch long sunny hair managed to stand straight as though unaffected by the air currents nearby. Even such a haircut paled when compared to the man who owned it. "I''m Tarkan Solorzano, also known as the Inch Man," Unfitting his small figure, his voice was surprisingly soft yet oozed confidence. Hundred got pleasantly confounded, "I-I¡­ Of course, I know you who are. Mr. Tarkan." Their hands met and shook, "I mean, Inch Man. Every hollow knows who you are." He, for sure, didn''t expect to meet the honored Inch Man in such a fashion. "Kah-ha, you can call me either way," Tarkan chortled. "It seems like you are in the process of choosing a Nipper." "Yes," Hundred pointed his finger towards Lirzod, his eyes brimming with clear ado. "That one." "Oh ¡­ That boy," Tarkan perused Lirzod for a few seconds. "He''s giving off fresh vibes. He''s probably the type who brings new things to the table, though I could be wholly wrong, kah-haha," he turned towards Hundred, "can I ask what your first impression on him was?" Hundred wasn''t expecting such a question, so he pondered for a moment. He wasn''t the same as Tarkan who could sort of guess one''s character from their face and capabilities from their actions. Hence, Hundred blurted out what''s on top of his mind. "I would say ''recklessness.''" "Kah-ha, you see it in most people on this ship," Tarkan got a good amount of thrill off his response. "I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not though." He observed Lirzod. "He progressed past the Dog Run, so he''s not a complete newbie. Who knows? You might win more than just the bet, kah-haha." Hundred rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. (He saw me place a bet huh.) "But¡­" Tarkan put up an unsmiling face, "Dog Run is one thing, but Circus of Wolves is an entirely different thing be it in difficulty or scariness. Every year, only a handful of entries succeed this test in their first attempt itself." Hundred''s heartbeat raised steadily. Hollows gave an unofficial name to every deck test. The test on the tenth deck was known as Dog Run where the entries were expected to run like dogs to finish the hundred meter mark in the required time. Likewise, the test on the eleventh deck came to be known as Circus of Wolves. Hundred hesitated a little to ask but was unable to hold back the thoughts, and he ended up asking, "W-What do you think are his chances?" At that time, Tarkan was staring at Lirzod who finished removing the footwear and was looking for a place to stand among the boorish and boisterous contestants. Most men were six feet or taller and compared to their sturdy bodies, Lirzod, Sariyu, and even Burton looked like children. Tarkan''s eyes turned sharp as they hovered over the contestants, "He isn''t throwing himself into just any wolves; these are the tenebrous wolves¡ªones that would betray members of their pack without a shred of scruple. The chance of anyone expertly leading them is zero." Hundred''s eyes turned vacant, and he felt like his head was spinning. He clutched the sides of his head and inwardly frowned. (Why? Why did I place a bet knowing that winning in the first attempt is but a dream? I''m a fool! I shouldn''t have listened to his deal.) "Kah-ha," Tarkan continued, "I said, leading is not possible, but I never said anything about winning." Hundred''s eyes enlarged out of expectation. "You mean¡­" "Surely, winning is possible," Tarkan''s firm voice hoisted Hundred''s hopes into the heavens. "By and large, the winner would not be the one that came out after conquering the packs, but the one who skedaddled his way through the variant wolves and reached the finish line first before succumbing to opponents'' strength." "I know right!" Hundred''s pulse fastened. "If everything goes well, his two supporters will help him win." "Two supporters..." Tarkan''s eyes only now observed both Burton and Sariyu, and it brought a smile on his face. (The three of them look like sheep compared to the rest, but we are not on hunting grounds, so things should get interesting, and even a sheep might make it out of the dumpster before the wolves do. Whether they win or not, will depend on how hungry and smart the wolves are huh.) "I hope they will win," Hundred murmured to himself and appeared to be praying to his favorite deity. Seeing him, Tarkan slightly smiled and said, "This deck turns dogs into wolves. If your boy has what it takes to be a wolf, he will come out of it victorious." 38 SMELLS LIKE FEE Like all new contestants, Lirzod had finished removing his footwear at the allocated location nearby the ice dumpster. Sariyu, however, shut her nose so hard that blood amassed in that location. The drifting smell of shoes and socks shook her whole being. The word "unpleasant" wasn''t enough to describe the stink that winds wafted onto her. While her nose was sealed, the biting order in the air still slipped through the tiniest gaps and left a godawful taste in her throat. She didn''t smell something so rueful in so long of a time that it almost made her faint. Though Lirzod and Burton were calling her, she couldn''t open her mouth as the last thing she would want was succumbing to her senses at such a spot. More and more men arrived at the location to keep their boots, thereby intensifying her ailment. All she had to do was remove her footwear and leave the place like the rest, but she couldn''t find the strength to do so. It took her all to keep her nose shut. Her feet gave off almost no odor, but others could choke a crow with theirs. It took both Lirzod and Burton a few seconds to notice her struggle, and they hurried to her and grabbed her arm and rested it on their shoulders before wasting no time in removing her sandals. They brought her away from that spot and let her breathe well. "Are you feeling better?" Burton asked with a change in the pitch. While she nodded in response, Sariyu''s face still showed redness. Lirzod looked at her face and leaked out a tentative smile. "Looks like I''m wrong. I knew you hated certain smells but didn''t think that it was because you were allergic to them." Sariyu''s gaze shifted sideways and upward at him. "Will you keep your mouth shut?" "Yeah," Lirzod closed his mouth, but a second later he leaned closer and whispered, "want me to cool down your cheeks with a kiss?" Sariyu ground her teeth as her lips pressed into a white slash. "Dare it if you don''t fear death." "Let me have a taste then," Lirzod giggled and closed his eyes before stretching his lips onward, forming a heart symbol with them as they neared her cheek, startling the heck out of her. However, something came in between, and Lirzod ended up kissing it¡ªthe nasty taste of which opened his eyes only to have them enlarged upon seeing Sariyu''s sandal in front of his face. Burton who was holding the sandal looked coldly at Lrizod in a mouth curled with dislike. "How did the dirt taste, brother?" Lirzod spat down multiple times, trying to get the dirt out of his mouth. It brought a smile upon Sariyu''s face who seemed to be struggling till then. "Let''s take rest for now," Burton told her, "we''ll participate three rounds later." "No, I''m ready," Sariyu said, taking in steady and deep breaths. "Are you sure?" Burton''s voice turned a little quieter. "Fully," Sariyu''s eyes glowed, her face proferring a comfortable warmth. "Alright then." The three of them went together and crossed the checkpoint where their tickets were collected and got themselves glued with a sticker¡ªthat which showcased each of their numbers¡ªon their backs. As they were heading in groups toward the starting spot, Lirzod was right beside Sariyu. While staring at the leveled water in front, he said in a slightly appetent tone, "What comes to your mind when you look at this pool?" "It''s not a pool," Sariyu said, "it''s called ice dumpster." "Yeah, ice dumpster. What''s coming to your mind when you see it?" "Nothing much. It''s too cold for a swim, too." "You want to know what''s coming to my mind?" "No, I don''t." "Only one thing''s coming to my mind," Lirzod casually said in a somewhat ardent voice, "One can pee wherever they want without anyone finding it." Sariyu''s faced warped upon hearing those words. Her impression on the ice dumpster changed drastically in an instant. Strange imaginations of people doing strange things flooded her mind and later blanched her face before bringing a compulsion to flee. She swiveled back at once scuttled away, trying to get away from the ice dumpster, but she got stopped by the hollow guards who didn''t let her come out of the contest without participating in it. Left with no other choice, Sariyu came back to those two and exchanged a blank stare with Burton but a smile with Lirzod. Forthwith, she grabbed Lirzod''s throat. "Die!" Lirzod, taken by surprise, couldn''t put much resistance. After many attempts of trying to get out of her efficacious grip, he acted as if he was dead. Only then, Sariyu let go of him but still fumed. "Thanks to you, whenever I look at that ice dumpster from now on, it will always remind me of piss!" Her voice went up in volume as she exposed more of her teeth. "And I have to enter that thing now," She clenched her fist but stomped on the ground once. "Seriously, why do you act so moronic at times?" "Ugh, ugh, Lirzod was being Lirzod," Lirzod hesitantly made eye contact with her, "that''s all, ma''am." Sariyu clenched her fists even harder and did her best to control her rankling rage from elevating the body temperature. "Tch, then I don''t want to see this type of Lirzod on this ship, understood?" Lirzod didn''t reply, but the corners of his lips curled down. "Are you deaf?" she placed her hands on hips, and her voice went up further in sonority. "I''m not deaf." Lirzod turned away quickly. "Then..." Her attention snapped after he hid his face, and her muscles jumped under the skin. "Answer me!" Spots flashed in Lirzod''s vision as a painful tightness culminated in his throat. "Got it." A moment of silence spread in the space between them. "Good," Sariyu got her hands off the hips and turned her body at an angle instead of facing Lirzod straight. "Repeat something like this and see what will happen." From behind, Lirzod appeared to be rubbing his face. "Got hurt from just this much huh¡­" Burton lightly smiled with a somewhat long face. "Sariyu is not like Primera or Duera. She''s not your maid to bear every foolish act you do." Lirzod''s lower lip grew heavier by the second. He waved his hand without looking at them, telling them to leave. "Stop crying over little things," Burton blew air through his nose, "you are not a child anymore. At least, face us when you are crying. Do it how a faceless clan member does things." Lirzod pressed his lips hard against one another as he turned back and looked at them both, exposing his incarnadined eyes. "You two can leave. I''ll participate in this by myself." Burton let out a contentious chuckle. "Fine, suit yourself." He looked at Sariyu. "Let''s go." Sariyu stared at Lirzod for a moment, but he looked away, breaking the eye contact. She took a deep breath. "Geez, you are as sensitive as you can be." She walked to him and held his hand. "Let''s participate together, okay?" Lirzod shook his head, his lower lip covering most of his upper lip. "I don''t want to. You two make a better group without me." Sariyu sighed. "I agree. I was a bit harsh on you, but you¡­" She stopped for a second. "I''m sorry." "I don''t want your sorry," Lirzod hastily replied in repressed voice, still looking elsewhere. "Then, what do you want?" she asked forbearingly. Lirzod slowly turned his head and looked at Burton. "I want HIM to say sorry." "What?" Burton pulled his head back a bit. "Why should I tell a sorry?" Sariyu turned towards Burton. "It''s just a simple sorry. What''s wrong with telling one?" "I didn''t do anything wrong," Burton stated with certainty. "I don''t owe any sorry to anybody." "Yeah, you don''t owe a sorry," Lirzod quickly said, "but only if you also taste the dirt just like I did." Lirzod''s body bent down involuntarily to pick up his slipper. Burton was taken aback reflexively. However, they were standing on barefoot at the time, so Lirzod looked around to find other''s footwear. "We don''t have any footwear around," Sariyu said, staring at Burton, "so a sorry should be fine." "Lucky you," Lirzod eyed at Burton, expecting him to say that one word. "I don''t owe anyone anything," Burton turned away from them and strode away. "Wait!" Sariyu called Burton in a pressing tone, making him pick up his pace. Lirzod fleetly followed her with a sapless smile on his face. 777 who had been observing the three of them got utterly puzzled. "Those three ... Just what the heck are they doing?" "Having a chat even after going inside?" Hundred, on the other hand, covered his face with his palms. "They aren''t taking this seriously at all. I shouldn''t have placed a bet." "Kah-haha," Tarkan laughed. "At least they don''t seem to be daunted as most first-time triers would." Though Tarkan stated those words, they couldn''t cast away the doubt lingering in Hundred''s mind. (Will they win? Deck tests like these are places where it''s okay to be dirty, where it''s okay to play. There aren''t a lot many tests on this belt that gives full permission to break other''s bones if need be. And this place isn''t as spacious as the Crippling Circle either. Forget about winning, even reaching anywhere close to the finish line without getting tackled by some fatty would be considered a rare thing. After scratching his head multiple times, he screamed on the inside. AHHH, screw it. Whatever happens, will happen. I can''t change anything anyway.) As the three of them reached the starting spot¡ªthe place from where all the contestants spring into the ice dumpster, thereby signaling the start of the test¡ªBurton was the first to stop, and the rest of the two replicated his movements. More than seventy plus contestants already stood in ten lines with at max ten members allowed in a single line. The silence subsisting in that spot restrained the voices of the three youngsters. Most men were on shorts and undershirts, promulgating pretty much all of their pumped up assets. Injuries of all sorts¡ªsome striking and some not¡ªplagued many of those mortal men, but none of their eyes showed a shred of fragility. They didn''t seem like the wolves simply set focused on winning, but rather like the wolves that would tear apart any foes who had the backbone to stand in their way to the triumph. Their malign gazes swept all over the three youngsters and attempted to wear them out pensively; howbeit, Lirzod was the first one to step forth and stop near the first line made by the men. "What''s this?" One of them glanced at Lirzod and spoke in a power-packed tone. "Trying to stand among the wolves when you don''t even look like a dog? I''d say, that''s rude. Nobody on this ship likes brats much less rude brats like you." "Hey, puppy," Another man said with a smile on his face. "Get back before you hurt yourself." Lirzod ignored them and stepped ahead, but a man''s hand blocked his path. "Why''s the puppy still coming this way?" "Maybe, it''s deaf," another man spoke, making the others around chortle out loud. "Now, now, deaf or not, that''s not possible," he pushed away Lirzod. Lirzod stared at them fixedly. "What are you looking at, son?" A short-braided man popped his knuckles as he stepped closer. "A new entry must learn to look down when looking at a superior." He placed his hand on top of Lirzod''s head and pushed his head down. "Humph. Leave just like that." Saying that he turned back and began to walk. Lirzod raised his head and stared back at the short-braided man who scrutinized the faces of the other men, which made the man turn back. "Someone here is in dire need of an ass whopping," The short-braided man stepped closer. "Let''s join the rear lines, Lirzod," Sariyu''s voice came from the side. At that time, the man who was stepping forward stopped in mid-stride. "Lir...zod? Where did I hear that name?" He took a gander at Lirzod. Lirzod walked away while maintaining eye contact with the short-braided man. As the three youngsters headed to the rear end of the lineup, some other men eyed them from head to toe. "Wooo, look at her, isn''t she young and dishy?" A brown-bearded man said in an enraptured tone. "Right," The gray-haired man beside the brown-bearded man nodded as he caught the fly that landed on his shoulder wound and ground it between his teeth. His eyes broadened upon seeing the red-haired who walked past him. "What''s up with those cheeks? They look like they''ll swell for a season if we went for a rough kiss. I want to have cheeks like those." "You muttonhead," the brown-bearded man guffawed. "Forget about brutes like us ¡­ Even among young folks, only a few have those cheese-like cheeks." "But I want those cheesy cheeks!" the gray-haired man tapped his heel offtimes. "If you want them so badly, then all we have to do is walk off with them by the time the test ends." As they spoke, their eyes were wholly on Sariyu who did hear their words but didn''t stop at the line those two were at and continued to the next one. Though Lirzod and Burton were visibly displeased from hearing those men, Sariyu was more worried about something else¡ªher fuzzy head. (Everyone smells like feet.) 39 BROTHERS OF THE BOND At close quarters to the ice dumpster. Most men who recently contested had wounds all over their bodies. Some of them applied turmeric powder on their fresh and nude lacerations while some others put chili powder into service as brazier-red blood squirted from their wounds. A very few, however, employed alternate ways to gain resistance towards pain, and at the same time, keep their anger and hunger alive for the much-lauded win. If lunacy and masculinity had children, then this is was how they might have probably looked. Though no weapons were allowed in the deck test, the entries were still capable of tearing other''s skin with their nails or biting through their flesh and muscle. Compared to most other''s wounds, Burton received far minor injuries. A deck test usually resulted in the formation of new allies or enemies. In the case of latter, before the bitterness could consume the entries and drive them into killing one another, they used the sparring matches to blow off the hatred. In general, the referee promoted these sparring matches, and in rare cases, the commander of the deck took care of the business. The Sparring Sport¡ªwhat most entries and hollows refer ''sparring matches'' as¡ªmay feast the eyes of the viewers and provide fun to their hearts, but the sport was extremely painful to play. Not just the hatreds formed inside the ice dumpster but also many other debates of different fields and forms that take place on other decks got resolved through sparring. The rules and setting of the matches varied as per the desire of the participants. Not many entries or hollows would love to involve in skirmishes that lead them to the Sparring Sport. If Sparring Sport in itself was considered not as a good option, then the ice dumpster was even more so. In the eyes of many entries and hollows, it appeared as one thing¡ªplenty of fools ready to be mangled and maimed like in every round since the dawn of Extensive Voyage. Over its course, many women may have gotten displeased by Circus of Wolves, but there was no denying that it gave inexpugnable erections to many a hale man. As the three youngsters sauntered past the rows made by men, they¡ªin especial, the red-haired girl¡ªattracted the attention of most contestants. Gorgeous in all angles, a look at her superficial semblance was enough to trigger bountiful of emotions in the hearts of men. "What good looks! Every once in a while, Mother Nature does create things right," one man appeared bemused by Sariyu''s guise. "She''s the sexiest thing that boarded the ship in recent months," another man raised his hopes higher than his hands could reach, "she will be mine." "Fool, she''s mine," another man sniggered. Some men wanted to have a bite off her face while some others felt nervous to stare at her for longer than a second let alone think of approaching her. Nevertheless, it was tough for many of them to avert their eyes that had settled on her. Though Sariyu could feel their gazes on her sensitive skin, all she could do was go through the feeling. She knew that the only girl in the entire hall was her and her alone. It didn''t matter how lovely or unlovely she may have looked, the other men would likely check her out, albeit granted with a different degree of passion. Whatever her inner thoughts may be, she didn''t show it on her face¡ªnot even the discomfort birthed due to the smelly men. It was no quotidian smell. The air suffused with the suffocating scent of sweat and blood felt ungodly to Sariyu, and for sure, every breath of hers fairly loosened her bowels. "Geez, life is not fair. Many men have their eyes set on you," Lirzod hastily said to Sariyu in a somewhat envious tone but later brought it back to normal just as quick. "They all seem so frozen from seeing you. I wonder how their faces would have looked if Primera was here, too." "I never really considered myself beautiful," Sariyu slightly made a pinched expression, "I''d like it if you stop talking about it." "Haha, I know that. Your coldness outclasses your charm." Lirzod laughed. "These men don''t know it yet. Until they do, they would be willing to do whatever you want them to." He paused a moment before sighing a little. "Being beautiful has no real disadvantages, but I''m sure it sucks to have all the doors open up with a smile." "What do you want me to do?" Sariyu asked in a sharp tone. "Build a bridge so that ladies begin to bother you?" "I know that''s not possible," Lirzod said, raising his palms toward the skies, just a bit, "but you can at least cry me a river." "Hmph, I don''t remember you ever cry even a goddamn drop for me," Sariyu folded her arms while still guarding her nose with one hand. "W-Well, the need for such situation never arrived," Lirzod said, "but if there ever arises one, you know that my heart bleeds for you, don''t you?" "I doubt it," Sariyu''s voice somewhat softened and glanced at Burton before continuing, "Would you do the same if Burton is in trouble?" Lirzod glimpsed at Burton, who was coldly exchanging glances with other contestants that he fought in the previous rounds, before replying in a muffled voice, "If he cries out for help, then maybe I''ll consider." A moment later, a corner of Sariyu''s lips curled up a little. "Who did you say you wanna see cry?" Burton''s voice rang in Lirzod''s ears, startling him. (He was listening!) Lirzod cleared his throat. "I wasn''t talking about you." Burton slapped Lirzod on the back of the head, producing a harsh noise. Lirzod furrowed his brows, his expression instantly changing from that of a happy-go-lucky boy to that of someone who got his hard-earned breakfast stolen by the same lad on every single day of the week for an entire year. "Why did you do that?" "I wasn''t trying to hit you," Burton cast a downward glance at him, apparently unfazed by the anger that Lirzod exhibited. "I was swatting the air. It''s your head that got in the way of my hand." "I told you many times," Lirzod clenched his fists firmly, "to not hit me on the head." "Why?" Burton''s fingers touched his chin. "Shouldn''t you feel grateful toward my hands for putting some sense into that squirrel-ish brain of yours." "Will you two stop it or not?" Sariyu interfered. "Yeah," Lirzod ignored her and exchanged icy stares with Burton. "I''ll be grateful enough and one day wreck them for you." "Not gonna happen," Burton softly blew air through his nose. As those two were having it out with words, the other men who had their eyes on the three youngsters till now shifted their gazes toward the entrance where five hefty men were marching ahead. "When a blizzard brings you to knees, what will you do?" the one in the front, Aziz, the eldest of the five brothers roared aloud. "Rise like a ghost in the snow," the four brothers behind him responded in a resembling fashion. "Yeah, we rise like a wolf howling her way to her destiny," Aziz continued, and even though he was shouting, his voice seemed to be completely under his control. "Each howl able enough to shake every other soul and prevail over their sensoul." Seeing the seven-feet-tall brothers make their entrance, many souls¡ªof the audiences and contestants alike¡ªwere alarmed. Sporting unique hairstyles that wind couldn''t ruffle and attire that revealed most of their saturated fatty selves, the five of them perused the contestants who kept gawking back in return. "The heck? Hardy Brothers are participating?" the contestants were as confounded as a herd of buffaloes that caught the drift of a pride of lions in their stamping grounds. "When did they get the tickets?" "Someone must have sold it to them in secret," some others opined, albeit feeling just as regretful as the rest of the contestants for entering the event. "If they are taking part in the test, then there''s no guessing the winner." "I wonder which poor souls will get wrecked by them this time around." "I''m glad that I am not competing in this round." Different people had mixed opinions on the matter holding discussion. Meanwhile, the assistant referee''s face wasn''t bright either. Now that the Hardy Brothers were taking part in the test, it would be further strenuous for him to tempt the betters in placing their bets on contestants that looked promising. "So, those five are the Hardy Brothers," Hundred scanned them from head to toe. "They are heavy but seem able-bodied." He narrowed his eyes. (If they are fast as well, the others will not have a chance.) "A curious change of circumstances," Tarkan cackled as he took a vitreous flask out of his pocket and gently sprayed his hair with what the flask contained¡ªsome transparent liquid. People would think of it as a scent flask if they didn''t see him use it on his hair. "Your odds of winning the bet took a downturn from their entrance." "I''ve heard about them before," Hundred said in a discouraged manner. "I didn''t know they are still hanging around on this deck." Tarkan''s voice hardened, "Those five brothers have proven the worth of their bond. You can say they are a certified pack of wolves." He glanced at the betting counter. "Because of their attendance, the betters are already thrown into turmoil. Now, they will surely take their time to place their bet. It''s not surprising that you got upset from seeing the Brothers of the Bond here." "B-Brothers of the Bond?" Hundred''s butt almost sprang up from the seat. "Isn''t that a famous club that has one of the strictest qualifying tests?" His doubtful glance delved into Tarkan''s aspect. "You mean to tell me these five have joined that club?" "It''s the club that gave them the entry tickets taken right out of its quota," Tarkan''s fingertips touched his chin as his gaze scrutinized the Quintette of brothers. "Mess with them here, and you''ll have messed with that very club they''re part of." Visible worriment showed on Hundred''s mien. "Didn''t they pass the test already?" "No. Those five brothers are fully capable of passing the test, but they seem more interested in refining their spirits from breaking other''s." Credence evinced through Tarkan''s bearing, "It''s okay if you don''t respect them, but you should at least respect the club they''re in." "So they are simply fiendish." "I wouldn''t view them as such if I were you," Tarkan said. "The Circus of Wolves is an event where souls sweat and bodies bleed through grinding." He looked at the other contestants whose physique seemed prettified with wounds of all sorts. "One''s Martial Way is better manifested through four associated practices: Blood, Sweat, Drive, and Grind. No blood, no beauty. No sweat, no story. No drive, no duty. No grind, no glory. And without pain acting as the quintessence for these four practices, the Martial Walk would often dupe us well of its end." "The brothers are grinding themselves in the ice dumpster huh¡­" Hundred clenched his fists as he fixedly looked at the brothers. "Beasts get ground in the circus until they get things right. I didn''t realize it till now that Circus of Wolves also meant this." Meanwhile, the referee spoke through the mic, feigning enthusiasm with relative ease, "We have the Hardy Brothers participating this time. I''m sure everyone is as excited as me since the test is going to be thrilling." Aziz, the eldest of the siblings, had the shortest hair and the darkest complexion coupled with horsy semblance. The fire tattoo covering the right half of his face made him appear a bit more threatening than the rest regardless of his somewhat gripping looks as compared to his kins. Betts, the second elder brother, had a long, straight hair that he bound to his wrists to restrict his arm movement. "It''s been what, three periods of sleep since we last let loose in the dumpster. Now, I can finally burn some fat off my butt." Centry, the third elder brother, had a wavy hair and was the thinnest among the five. "I guess we''ll stand in the last line this time. We get to do more work that way." "I was thinking the same," Divas, the fourth elder brother, had an average build as compared to his brothers. "The last row is the best row to pick our targets." His abnormally long forehead also made him sort of unsightly to watch. Seeing the five brothers mosey along in one direction, all the contestants began to change their formations, puzzling Lirzod, Burton, and Sariyu. In a matter of seconds, all the first eight rows were taken in full, leaving only parts of the ninth and the tenth ones empty. It wasn''t so obvious for the eyes to see, yet it was made clear that no matter where a contestant stood, they all had their senses paying attention to everything that the brothers did. The Hardy Brothers assumed their spots in the tenth line without worry and wasted no time in springing their necks to tease the other contestants, further backed by their baleful glims. At that time, three youngsters took the spots in the ninth line right in front of the brothers, amazing every other contestant. "Why did they choose there of all places? They must be out of their minds!" "I guess they are looking for trouble. Otherwise, it makes no sense whatsoever." "They may very well be trying to show off to gain some initial good impression, but those poor things don''t seem to know that such tricks will not help them win the test." "I''m standing far away from those brothers, so I should be relatively safe." Many contestants expressed different feelings from what the three youngsters did. "Silly fools," the short-braided man snickered, "they are asking to get tortured by staying in that line." "Oh no, the cheesy cheeks is standing too far from us," the gray-haired man said in disappointment. "But I still want to have them. Do you think she will fund me those if I ask her?" "Take it easy," the brown-haired man beside the gray-haired man said in an unhurried tone, "if the Hardy Brothers get us, we''ll be in big trouble." "Heh, those fatties can f*** off for all I care," the gray-haired man snickered. Meanwhile, 777 was visibly frustrated. "Of all spots, they picked that one!" Hundred, on the other hand, had his mouth ajar. Till now, despite all the odds that ran through his mind, he still had the haziest hope of the three youngsters winning the whole thing, but now that very little hope just vanished off his consciousness. (Gone! My money''s gone!) "Kah-haha," Tarkan acted like his usual self. "What a careless bunch." Lirzod looked at the entries standing in the eight lines ahead of him. "They are all still looking at you." He turned his head to Sariyu. "How are you feeling about it." "Sheesh," Sariyu felt the urge to stomp her feet but controlled herself by brushing the edges of the fingernails of her thumb with the other fingers. "Stop it already." "Haha, fine," Lirzod said and leaned closer before speaking softly. "Also, don''t worry. I''m not gonna do nasty things in the pool, even though it may feel honored if I spat in it and be blessed if I peed in it." Sariyu clenched her fist. "It''s not a pool, and..." Her foot stomped on his dorsum of the foot, making him jump back a little. "Ouch," In that process, Lirzod ended up lightly colliding with someone standing behind him. "Mm?" The cumbrous man, Fimbry, the youngest and also the shortest among the brothers, glanced down as a wolf would at a fawn before speaking in a mild tone that contrasted his sharp stare. "Hehe, we''ve got an ant in front of us," He snickered at him while working out his knuckles. "You better watch out, boy, or else you might get buried underneath our head." Lirzod looked behind and stared up slowly from the bottom to the top, finally stopping there. His eyes chiefly took note of the scar marks on Fimbry''s body. He then noticed that the four other big guys standing next to Fimbry sported scars all over their bodies as well. "What are you looking at, shrimp?" Divas coldly stared down at Lirzod. Lirzod paused a moment before pointing his finger towards Fimbry. "Did he say something about me?" "So what if he did?" Divas snorted, slightly irritating Lirzod. Fimbry sneered. "I said, ''You better watch out or else you might get buried underneath our heads.''" "Fimbry, it''s ''feet,''" Divas said bluntly with a chuckle, "not ''head.''" "Right, right," Fimbry''s face slightly reddened from embarrassment. "I''ve butchered many women in my life." "What?" Lirzod was puzzled. "You''ve got it wrong again, Fimbry," Divas said, his chuckle getting significantly louder. "It should be ''words'' and not ''women.''" "Right, right, brother," Fimbry rubbed the back of his head. "I''ve butchered many words in my life." His smile subsided as he looked down at Lirzod. "What are you looking at?" "What''s your problem, man?" Lirzod turned away, exposing his back to them. "Mind your own business." "For a young one, you sure are daring enough to pick a fight with Hardy Brothers when you don''t even have weapons," Divas said, smirking dispassionately. "What''s your name?'' "You nutless gentlemen are not worthy of knowing my name," Lirzod replied without even looking back while waving his hand telling them again to mind their business. "This pipsqueak..." Centry, who was watching the whole time, stood on the verge of putting his fists to work and just as he was thinking to unleash his fists, Betts stopped him. "Let the event begin," Betts casually stated, "and we can amuse ourselves with him and," his gaze fell over the two others beside him, "his friends." "Hehe, you are right," Centry''s stare stopped on Sariyu. "A chick in clover[1], I see. You did well to reach here, but now that your fickle friend tangled with us, your adventure is going to end before it can take some shape. When Hardy Brothers are around, there''s no hope to cling on to, no faith to believe in, no love to build for, and no luck to comfort from, for anybody." Centry''s words were boisterous enough for most people in the vicinity to hear, yet no one uttered a word in return. All had their mouths squeezed shut. "That''s right," Fimbry said, thrusting his chest out as he let out a knowing grin. "Even if you heard us, you must fart like you didn''t." Divas chortled. "It''s ''act'' and not ''fart.''" "Right, right, brother," Fimbry felt embarrassed all over. "Even if you heard us, you must act like you didn''t." Some contestants who saw Fimbry felt like vomiting out. "I never knew that a pig looked this worse when it blushed." "Che, what are we being compelled to watch? I''d rather have someone poke me in the eyes than witness that misshapen smile." The members of the audience, however, were in acceptance with what the brothers were doing. They didn''t care for as long as the brothers beat up someone or some group thoroughly, thereby providing some entertainment. Meanwhile, Lirzod bent towards Sariyu and said in a low voice, "The big guys seem to be talking about you." "About me?" Sariyu raised one of her eyebrows. "You too fart like you didn''t, right?" Lirzod replied. Sariyu''s face froze for quite many moments. "But it''s not a unique skill of yours," Lirzod continued, "all girls fart like they didn''t." "Shut up," Sariyu words felt like a rush of silence. "What? I was only¡ª" As Lirzod was saying, she pinched him on his hand, making him step away from her. "You idiot," Burton pulled Lirzod closer by his collar. "Stop your rubbish already. You''ve already made many enemies before the test even started. If those five fatties come after us, it''ll seriously hurt our winning chances." "If you are afraid, then just go and stand elsewhere," Lirzod shook off Burton, irritating him further. At that instant, Sariyu came to Burton and said in his ears. "He acted stupidly, but it will work in our favor." Burton was startled, but before he could ask her, she left back to her spot. He glanced at the five brothers. (We are standing right before these thugs. Their number is enough to not only stop us but implement whatever plans they prepared in advance. So, why does she think this idiot''s actions will help us?) He couldn''t help but look at the rest of the contestants and the rows made by them. There were ten lines of people that made hundred in total, and as they all waited, Burton had different thoughts. (The people in the first row are least likely to succeed as they will always be the targets of others. The people in the last rows may not have enough time to pass through the others, so they are at a disadvantage too.) His gaze shifted elsewhere, to a particular place among the contestants. (The best spot to be is in the middle. By moving forward or backward whenever needed, they can still have the time to make it to the other side.) Burton kept looking around at the contestants to see who were in groups and who was alone. These sort of thoughts weren''t exclusive to Burton. Some of the entries who had played multiple times before and had gained experience would think likewise with the difference being the number of times one participated. Burton took a relatively fewer attempts as compared to the rest to discern the means in which contestants competed in the ice dumpster. Some groups stayed in the same row whereas some others picked consecutive rows. A very few, however, scattered themselves randomly. Most people stood near the center which was anywhere in the fourth, fifth, and sixth rows. Lirzod''s group of three stationed themselves in the ninth row which was second to last. Burton faintly smiled before looking at Sariyu and spoke moderately aloud. "If we lose this time, we can''t participate for three more rounds. With all these heavy people around, we must pass through the chilling water and moreover the hidden ice spikes. It feels like we won''t be winning this one." His words pleased the ears of many contestants as that''s what they expected to hear from that group of three. "Why don''t you use your mouth for something positive given the situation we''re in?" Sariyu replied in a like manner while concealing her smile. (He seems to have come up with a strategy as well.) "If you don''t like me being frank, then why should I care?" Burton shrugged his shoulders and hastily turned his head in the opposite direction to her. "Well, this isn''t the time for that," Sariyu looked away just as fast. Not minding those two, Lirzod, who was busy in flexing his fingers, glanced back at the big fellows¡ªfour of whom greeted him with scary smiles. As a response to their wicked smiles, he showed his middle finger, pissing them off right away. Anger thoroughly replaced the smiles on their now stiffened faces, except for on Aziz''s who had a hushed expression matching his eloquence. Centry turned in the direction where the referee was and howled like a wolf. "Start the goddamn test right now!" All the members of the audience felt the hair on their skin rise at once. The referee''s shoulders jerked up and down as if he awoke from deep slumber. "Y-Yeah, yeah." He looked at the assistant referee and gestured him to stop taking any more bets, even though not many people were willing to bet because of the attendance of Hardy Brothers. He spoke as he addressed the crowd. "Let''s see which alpha wolf will succeed this time!" "Yeah!" the crowd roared in response. Centry ground his teeth and popped his knuckles as he stared down at Lirzod with gibbous eyes. "If I don''t break your ribs today, I will change my name!" "Good luck," Lirzod replied coolly, but the brothers took it as a display of his disdainfulness. "You little¡­" Centry''s fists visibly shook from being unable to control his fit of rage in full. "How come only alpha wolves get to succeed?" Lirzod''s opened his mouth and made his voice echo in the entire hall. "All experienced alpha wolves are one day destined to be defeated by determined young wolves. By the end of this test, I''ll have all the hooligans who think they''re alpha wolves howl out my name!" Everyone was bewildered to hear his voice at a higher pitch than Centry''s voice did. Hundred revealed a source of amazement on his profile whereas 777 lightly strained his eyes. "You are pushing your luck too far, kiddo!" All the four brothers except for Aziz roared aloud. "Your tale ends tonight!" They simultaneously lifted their feet to step onward. In that instant, the referee signaled the start of the event by striking a bronze plate with a bronze rod. -------------------------------- [1] Chick in Clover: An idiom used for girls who prosper either physically, mentally, or spiritually. The inhabitants of the Clover Continent often used this idiom. In this context, Centry expressed his respect on Sariyu for boarding Extensive Voyage and also for reaching the eleventh deck while looking wholly healthy. 40 FELLED BY LOVE "You are pushing your luck too far, kiddo!" All the four brothers except for Aziz roared aloud. "Your tale ends tonight!" Their feet lifted as one to step ahead. In that instant, the referee struck the bronze plate with a bronze rod, signaling the start of the deck test which worked up the crowd into whistling, whacking the drums, and acclaiming in many other ways. "We, Hardy Brothers, hate flies that buzz by our ears!" The hands of the four brothers formed into fists and swung down at Lirzod concurrently. A hand pulled Lirzod away from the critical spot in the nick of time, and the red-haired girl came into the brothers'' vision, fleetingly desisting their fists from carrying out their occupation. At the same time, every other contestant sprang forth into the ice dumpster like frogs jumping into a well; however, the frogs that could jump across the farthest weren''t necessarily the first to submerge their feet into the water. "Why would you fight a kid?" Sariyu''s probing tone picked the nerves of the brothers. "Buzz off, kiddie!" Centry''s fist stormed straight at her face. Sariyu ducked down and slightly pirouetted to his right before switching the supporting leg with her arms and nimbly wheeled her leg into his shinbone, all in one flowing motion. BAM~! CRACK~! "Nngh!" Centry suffered a sharp pain in his leg as his whole upper body unmanageably bent to his right, briefly lifting his whole body off the ground. (This girl..!) The eyes of the crowd popped out of their sockets, for they were rabbits witnessing a deer rebel against the wolves with wary might. While gyrating on her hands, Sariyu capitalized on her momentum and endeavored for another brandishing sidekick into Centry''s stomach, but Betts carelessly came in between and met her pernicious kick with a parallel punch. Both the fist and foot clashed in an explosion of sense and skill, bringing about a hair-teetering breeze in their proximity. Divas caught Centry by his shoulder, thereby saving him from a disgracing collapse. Fimbry lunged at Sariyu with arms widespread and ready to strangle her in a suffocating bind. "Let me bake your bones!" With a resilient propel, Sariyu bounced off her hands and went for a reverse somersault, thereby dodging Fimbry''s bind in the process. Her foot gently landed atop Fimbry''s head, and as his eyes angled up, her other foot stomped down on the crown of his head, making him tumble headlong, therefore locking his arms under his chest. A moment later, Sariyu quietly landed on her feet a meter away from where Fimbry fell. The crowd who witnessed the spectacle were distinctly befuddled and gazed at her with awe. "She, she, she fended off the four of them?" Hundred''s buttcheeks were clenched to the max as his dilated pupils failed to discern what he had gotten a load of lately. 777''s face, however, was full of content as he noticed Lirzod, Burton, and Sariyu whisking away toward the ice dumpster. "Fimbry, it''s ''break'' and not ''bake,''" Divas helped Fimbry get back to his feet. "Right, right, brother," Fimbry massaged the top surface of his head with his rough palm. "I missed breaking her bones." "Fimbry, you stand back," Centry''s voice boomed with displeasure, combined with the crunch of sprinkled sand under his feet. "I will be the one who will let true terror seep into her bones!" "Don''t worry, both of you," Betts said as his eyes reflected the images of the three youngsters going forth, "the circus has just started." "Let''s give ''em all a taste of death!" All the four brothers took off at once whereas Aziz ambled at his own pace, his arms folded behind his back and an aberrant radiance emanating from the eyes. "Whoa, whoa, you did it now," Lirzod''s smile hit her like a friendly wave. Sariyu rubbed her palms together to get rid of the lodged sand off her skin before flashing back a marginally similar smile, for the ''smell of shoes'' in the air had considerably become vague. "Let''s hope their advance unnerves the rest and acts like an arrow leading us to our victory." Burton tagged along with the two with a somewhat impassive expression. As Lirzod, Sariyu, and Burton entered the ice dumpster with a middling long jump, the numbers tags on them: 28, 55, and 82 got perused by many an eye¡ªprincipally of the audience. "Number 55 ¡­ She''s thin, cool, and elegant. What''s her name?" Many people from the crowd who were previously disinterested now itched to know more about her. A quiet-eyed, red-haired girl in her late 10s became the subject of the chatter of men. Some betters wished they had bet on her as live betting wasn''t allowed on the eleventh deck. As the three youngsters plunged their feet into the piercing water, the newly forming ice spikes underneath posed as their first hurdle. Before the three of them fully landed, a tall figure¡ªone that had been hiding in the water¡ªrose from behind and jumped on top of the closest one, Burton. Taken by surprise, Burton who didn''t even establish a proper footing got pushed down into the water. When Sariyu was about to react,someone else who had been lurking underneath the water, sternly pulled Lirzod''s leg, thereby distancing him from her. Sariyu had less to no time to react. A frightful fist rose from beneath the water in front of her and rammed into her chin, lifting her entire body into midair during which a dark-eyed figure revealed himself. Sariyu somersaulted and planned to land safely in the pool, but the dark-eyed man who just let her taste his fist already reduced the distance and threw a straight punch at her stomach. She grabbed his fist by her hands and stood off for a moment until her leg slipped over the edge of an ice spike, making her crash backward into the water. The dark-eyed man''s lips curled up a little as he tightened his raised fist while staring through the air bubbles at Sariyu who responded from underwater with a flinty stare. "Bye bye, baby," His fist plummeted down at her punching through the water surface like a bear''s fist, but before it reached her face, a shadow engulfed him, making him glance up and ahead in mid-motion. "Second Bunch of Fives¡ªMisty Fist!" Bett''s mighty fist pummeled into the dark-eyed man''s nose and sent him packing back for a few meters, his body chafing over the water surface, making a balefire-red pathway of bubbles for well over a heartbeat''s time. Upper lip pulverized, a few teeth broken, eyes turned silver, and nose metamorphosed into a grotesquerie, the dark-eyed man no longer moved a muscle and gaily lay down at the bottom of the not-so-clear waters as perceived by the onlookers. "Big Brother!" The other two men, who were tussling with Lirzod and Burton, furiously attacked Betts; however, they both got their ribs fractured as Centry and Divas sent them flying away in opposite directions with a rude swing of their arms. Though not as beaten their Big Brother, the two of them could no longer fight back. Pulling themselves with ease, the four brothers marched past the three youngsters without even casting a glance. Neither of the three youngsters expected the four brothers to ignore them altogether. "Those prideless bastards!" Hundred stood from his seat and scolded out of his lungs. "How can you ambush like that? You deserved what you got!" "Kah-haha, there are no saints in that ice dumpster," Tarkan said, "Anyone who expects a fair fight can only blame themselves for it." Hundred plopped back into his seat and looked at Tarkan. "I know that, sir, but someone has to scold them for what they did." "Kah-ha, true enough." Meanwhile, Sariyu''s whole body except for face was still submerged in the water as she stared at the four brothers, her eyes packed with puzzlement. Burton aided her in getting back to her feet. Her hands dangling at ease, she forced for her hair flow back with a quick lift of her chin, and the water droplets upheaved off her hair and assembled into winding streams which sparkled en masse before splashing back into the waters below, creating evanescent ripples. Every bit of her was soaking wet. With the whole of her dress outlining her chiseled curves which shaped up into a groovy figure, most men in the audience stands couldn''t avert their eyes off her. Time lost speed for them all as their eyes traced the dips and curves and swells of the lass. Smooth was the frame perfected by her maidenly posture; smooth was the line traced by her roseate lips; smooth was the texture signified by her milky skin, and smooth was the silence born in the vicinage of men who lay their eyes on her¡ªa beauty to be had¡ªwith hearts set on fire. Sweat slipped down the faces of men, and the degrees of the audience stands crept higher and higher as more and more burning desires vivified their deadened minds. Despite being seated in the stands, a sudden rush of adrenaline and a few other hormones coursed through their veins and briefly made many a man forget everything except for the beauty that the girl with the red hair swimmingly redefined. Some never espied a goddess this divine; some hoped to touch every inch of her curves; some wished to see a bit more of her skin; some envied the superior innocence oozing out of her mien, but all of them were lost of words, blown away by the hidden treasure that surfaced spectacularly. Like the sweetness that soothes the sweltry souls in the heat of summer and the hotness that heartens the hawkish hearts in the cold of winter, she brought unwonted glamor to the wolfish ambiance of the hall. In consequence, all their confident and cocky selves were conclusively felled by love. Their minds might have gotten thrown off balance, but all eyes still reflected her image. The atmosphere in the ice dumpster, however, was wholly different from that of the audience stands. No contestant let the other contestant get ahead of himself, and made sure to not only keep it in mind but also implement it without a break. Lirzod, Sariyu, and Burton dashed ahead while keeping two meters of distance between the adjacent ones. The ice spikes their feet stepped on got sturdier and sharper as they went deeper into the ice dumpster, but none could find an apparent source of pain on their faces. "Go on, number 55!" A man from the audience cheered. "I hope you will win!" "I want you to win as well, number 55!" Another man bellowed. "Number 55! Number 55!" some other men also joined and began to chant her name, hoping to get her attention, but she didn''t even turn her head to gift them a deserved glance. Burton glanced back and noticed that Aziz stood still at the entrance of the ice dumpster. What''s up with him? Not minding much, he shifted his focus to the men in front. "Number 28, where do you think you are going without kissing my fists?" A slim-mustached man scuttled toward Lirzod from his left. "Not so fast, brat!" He unleashed a booming punch aiming at the boy''s jaw; however, water splashed on his face, rendering him temporarily blind. His fist in action hit nothing but air and the falling mass of water. "Howl my name!" A youthful voice followed by further splashing of water, uneased the slim-mustached man exceedingly. "Howl my name! Howl my name!" The ritual continued for a few more seconds and as the man was about to dip into the water, "tsk, you''re not howling my name!" A rising kick to the crotch crumpled him to knees, his eyes abruptly opened and face disfigured by much, but only his forehead was visible to the onlookers as the rest got submerged under water. If not for the water that naturally burdened the kick, he might have suffered even more damage. At that time, a black-bearded man with an average build and an unruly hair attacked Burton but got assaulted in the face until blood poured out of his nose. "Debt paid in full with nose job as a bonus!" A passionate punch to his nose put him down for good. Having exacted revenge for a surprise attack¡ªa smack on the back of his head¡ªfrom that man in an earlier round, Burton now felt a bit better. After her feet came to a halt, Sariyu folded her arms and began to rub her shoulders. Short breaths escaped out of her mouth in the form of vapors. "Why did she stop?" a man from the front rows of the audience stands was perplexed. "Why wouldn''t she?" another man spoke bluntly. "She''s just clinging close to her bodyguards." "Oh, so those two boys are her bodyguards?" "Lucky bastards! I hope I can replace one of them!" "I hope I can replace both of them!" Many men blurted out their desires shamelessly. Sariyu was slightly shivering as both Lirzod and Burton approached her. "Is it just me or did the temperature suddenly plummet?" "It''s fine for me," Lirzod said, shrugging his shoulders. "This pool is not much colder than the one I contended with the river monkeys for back home." "Stop showing off," Sariyu coldly harrumphed as her shoulders shrunk. "That smelly Moon Pool isn''t half as cold as this one." "You''ve never been there in years, so how would you know better than me?" "I just know it." "Yeah, you do..." Lirzod''s hand scraped over the surface of the water and picked up a palmful of water and pitched it at her face, startling her. "Aye!" Though she turned her head, the water slapped most parts of her face. Some sections of the audience who had witnessed that felt enraged and even stood from their seats. "A bodyguard dared to be rude to his owner?" "He crossed his limits! How could he cowardly attack someone so cute? He must be fired from his job!" "Yeah, fire him!" some men synchronously yelled. Sariyu had a frown on her face as she turned to look at Lirzod when both of her hands pitched even more amounts of water at him. "Take this with interest!" Some sections of members in the audience stands were left-benumbed and slack-jawed as they gazed in silence. "W-W-What''s she doing?" one of the standing men¡ªwho had been a group that kept shouting ''fire him'' till that moment¡ªbroke the silence upon feeling that the strength in his voice was being sucked out. "Can''t you see?" another man from the same group said, "she''s watering him." He sat back in his seat. "You too can rest your ass. Those two are probably not her bodyguards." That man sat down slowly but voiced out his hope¡ªor at least what''s left of it. "We don''t know for sure if they are her bodyguards or not. Who knows? She might have the habit of being close with her bodyguards." Hearing that, the eyes of many men in the vicinity overflowed with appetence for the job. Burton who was observing the other contestants turned to Sariyu and Lirzod who were still pitching water at each other. "The others have almost reached the center. If we don''t hurry, we won''t be able to catch up." Both Lirzod and Sariyu stopped at the same time, but the former one still secretly held water in his palms. "You are right. We should hurry," Sariyu said and slightly frowned as they stepped onward together. (All this coldness is stirring my stomach.) At that moment, a mass of water slapped her face from the side, entirely taking her by surprise. "You little¡­" Her eyes reddened as she took note of the annoying grin on Lirzod''s face as he took off like a lizard."You are gonna get a month of pain for this!" She hunted him at full pace. 41 MOVING MOUNTAIN Two comparatively shorter men unleashed a blizzard of punches into the chest of a hulking man¡ªeight-foot-tall and strong-bodied¡ªwho wore nothing but underpants. Nevertheless, he grabbed their fists and pulled them closer before his hands tightly gripped the back of their necks and pressed down their faces into the water with might and main; thereby drowning them simultaneously, and he didn''t stop until the frequency of bubbles rising to the surface lessened. "Who do you think I am? ''Brown Hill'' Boksa!" Soon after he let go of the two men, he tightened his muscles and precariously growled at the rest of men who were about to encircle him, making them scatter away as wild dogs do from a wolf''s growl. "That''s right. Run like the rats that you are, you spineless sissies." As he was about to turn back to run toward the end of the ice dumpster, his eyes caught sight of a boy with mostly black hair and a few white strands here and there, but the scar on his face was what got Boksa''s attention. "Coming this way to experience the sweetness of pain, are you?" Boksa malevolently grinned as he flung his fist down diagonally while swiveling back toward the entrance of the ice dumpster. Lirzod dove into the water and flat-out swam between Boksa''s legs. Though startled, Boksa reacted quick enough and plopped backward at once, bashing his husky butt into Lirzod''s back and forced all the oxygen out of him. Luckily, the nearby ice spikes already got crushed thanks to Boksa who had been rampaging in that neighborhood. "Hehe, why so sneaky?" He moved his butt around to freely sit when the water level almost came up to his chest. "Let me have some fun, too, boy. I especially like peeling the skin of plotters like you¡ª" An ostensibly frangible foot whizzed into Boksa''s weighty jaw, generating an unmelodious sound loud enough to be heard across a few tens of meters all around, but still, such strength couldn''t lift Boksa''s butt off Lirzod and could only twist his head to the side by a little over ninety degrees. "I should be the one who should teach a lesson to that fool," Sariyu landed in front of Boksa and furrowed a brow, "not you." The color of Boksa''s jaw turned red, and his heartbeat spiked up a bit as he stood straight, "What a wonderful kick." He scratched his jaw with his fingers as he stared down at her and he didn''t know if the hair on his skin stiffened from the feeling of fright or horniness. "Wonderful?" Sariyu raised one of her eyebrows. "What are you? A masochist?" she clenched her fists as she raised her arms to the nose. "Heh, Like any other living being, I also take pleasure in many things," Boksa exposed his yellowish teeth. "I guess you indeed derive pleasure in many ways." She smirked. "Like, for example, not bothering to brush at all so you can overindulge in your bacterial breakfast day in and day out." "Brushing is not for teeth that grind nothing but meat!" he sniggered. Lirzod, meanwhile, popped his head out of the water, and at the same time, he pulled out two more heads both of which belonged to the men Boksa had dealt with not long ago. Lirzod took a glance at them both who appeared unconscious. He slapped them on their heads, but nothing happened. He later elbowed them in their bellies. The next moment, liquid material disembogued from both their mouths into the water below, and both of them awoke. "Geez, my back hurts like hell," Lirzod tried stretching his back slowly. "That pig, how much does he even weigh?" "Idiot, what are you doing?" Burton stopped beside Lirzod. "Don''t you have better things to do?" "They looked like they might die," Lirzod replied in a slight rigid body posture. "Can''t you see the ''hollows in blue'' standing at the edges of this ice dumpster?" Burton pointed his fingers at them. "Their duty in and itself is to make sure nobody dies from drowning." "I know that," Lirzod made a pinched expression. "No, you don''t," the cords in Burton''s neck twanged a little. "What you did is a waste of time." "Stop it¡­ they looked like they might die at any moment," Lirzod sputtered a bit as he patted on the shoulders of the two men both of whom straight off attacked Lirzod and Burton. "Hehe, you seem to have saved us ... here, have our thanks!" Both their fists rocketed into the faces of Lirzod and Burton. Burton grabbed the incoming fist with his hand and twisted his arm making him writhe in pain. Lirzod, on the other hand, got hit by the fist right in the face. "Hehe, how was it? Fierce, ain''t it?" The man launched a couple more punches and hit cleanly, bruising Lirzod''s nose; however, Lirzod still didn''t avert his gaze from the opponent. "Oh dear, you don''t still look like you fully accepted my thanks ... then," he launched another fist, "I just have to keep thanking you until you do!" "I''ve had enough of your tasteless thanks." Lirzod moved closer, his cheek scrubbing past the man''s fist. Keeping his arm folded, Lirzod successfully invaded the personal space of the opponent, and his forearm and elbow together beat into the man''s chest while Lirzod''s words assailed the man''s mind, "If I had cashews," the man spilled out a mouthful of saliva before crumbling to his knees, "I would have given one to you." Touching his chest, Lirzod''s opponent made a pained expression when Lirzod put his hand on top of the man''s head. "But since I don''t ¡­ how about you tell me what I should do?" "Keep beating me!" Boksa''s voice came from the side, making Lirzod shower a faint smile, thereby further startling his opponent. "Leave me alone, bastard!" the man recklessly responded, waving his hand to push Lirzod''s hand off his head. "I could have let you howl out my name, but you are not even a wolf much less an alpha." Lirzod leaked out a playful grin which quickly subsided. "I don''t think anybody would pay attention to the barking of a dog." Lirzod walked past the man, puzzling him. However, just as the man began to breathe a sigh of relief, Burton came into his view. "You are¡­" His eyes slightly broadened and a bead of sweat slid down his cheek. "I remember you now," Burton raised his fist, "you were the one who pulled my leg a few rounds ago when I was so close to winning, weren''t you?" "U-Uh, no, that''s not¡ª" Burton grabbed the man by his hair and dragged him around, the man''s face submerged underwater. He kept bringing that man''s face up and down for long enough to let the man''s heart be able to function. "Yeah, bury that spineless b****." Many members from the audience rooted Burton for his hard-hearted actions. "Oi, isn''t he taking things a bit too far?" Hundred murmured, but his voiced reached Tarkan''s ears. "Some wolves like to kill and then eat whereas some like to eat first as followed by death without fail," Tarkan asserted, "it''s too bad that killing is a crime on this ship." Hundred fathomed what Tarkan had just spoken. Since murdering any hollow or an entry was prohibited on Extensive Voyage, most people always held back their strength during battles either consciously or otherwise. If killing was indeed allowed, there was no guessing how many bodies would have floated by the time each round of the eleventh deck''s test ended. "Whoa, number 55 is struggling to get past number 66!" the referee spoke through the mic, trying to shift the attention of the audience wherever he wanted to. "No matter what she''s doing, he isn''t budging. We have all seen that she can kick like a horse, but what can a baby horse''s kick do to an elephant¡ªan overgrown one at that? And we all also know that if he reigns down one of his potent punches on her, the result would be pretty straightforward, but it doesn''t look like number 66 is in the mood for unleashing his fists. Now, all said and done, is she ever going to beat him or will she simply get squeezed to submission?" "Kick me some more!" Number 66, Boksa, who fixed his number tag on his underpants, roared as he received a couple more gruesome kicks, but he didn''t fight back. Though he felt the water splashing into his back, he didn''t even bother to turn back either. There was only one reason she could think of that would explain his behavior; he was anxiously horny."Hehe, I will honor you for your efforts and will let you kick me even more!" "Tsk," Sariyu bit her lower lip, and even though her legs had been twitching somewhat, the water camouflaged her discomfort well enough for any ordinary eye to readily spot. "I''m getting vexed of your rubbish mouth which spews out nothing but trash." Boksa outstretched his arms a bit and exposed his palms. "Then all you have to do is shut my mouth." Sariyu frowned to some degree. (This pig has his whole focus on me.) The only good thing that came out of continually kicking him was that she no longer shivered as much, for her body was now well warmed up. She looked at the other contestants. Usually, most of the contestants would have crossed the halfway mark by now, but most men were still brawling many meters shy of that mark itself. Just watching those clusters of men duking it out like dogs on empty stomachs do for spoils of street food, made her raise her brows a bit. "When a mountain is standing before you, why are your eyes looking elsewhere?" Boksa clenched his fist. "Did you perhaps think I can''t move because I''m a mountain? Well, I''m not your usual mountain that everyone goes for an adventure." His legs pushed through the water around him effortlessly. "I''m an eighteen-hundred-pound moving mountain that cannot be climbed much less conquered. Let me show you how it feels when a mountain meets you in a collision!" His feet picked up the pace to shorten the distance between him and Sariyu who had been backing further away, but the sudden increase in his pace brought him close enough. In a flash, his tightly-clenched fist buzzed through the air as it advanced forth at her face in a twisting manner. "Hill Drill!" Sariyu''s eyes broadened. His punch came much faster compared to his speed when he had skittered at her. Sariyu bent his head to her left, and the waspish fist brushed past her neck and shoulder before bombarding into the water, drilling a gaping hole down to the bottom, though only for a brief moment. "There it is! A punch that can put a bull to sleep," the referee excitedly spoke, getting the attention of many audiences except for the betters none of whom bet on Boksa as he never once finished top ten let alone first in the eleventh deck''s test. "If it had landed on number 55, she would have seen stars then and there." Though Boksa''s fist only scraped past her, she got pushed to the side, her dress torn a little at the shoulder in the process. Granted that his fist had also hit her flowing hair, but nothing happened to it as it smoothly got blown back. Without a wait, Sariyu dashed past Boksa, startling everyone. She had been waiting for this moment and ran while making sure she picked up her knees which gave her a tremendous boost of speed. Before Boksa turned back, she had already made more than ten meters of distance. The distance between them was now big enough for Sariyu to stop and snort at Boksa. "I guess the self-proclaimed moving mountain is too snaillike to even catch up to a snail much less Sariyu," she spoke haughtily. "S-S-She''s provoking Brown Hill!" the crowd found it hard to believe what they were witnessing. "How long is her spine?" "I''m sure it will touch the heavens if taken out[1]!" Boksa blew air through his nose as he stared at her coldly while entirely ignoring the pat on his back. "Do you think you are safe because you''ve made some distance?" He snorted, and even though he felt the pat on his back again, his focus was solely on Sariyu, so he stepped onward in haste. The boy, who had been standing behind Boksa, ended up grabbing Boksa''s underpants with one of his hands in an attempt to stop him. Even so, the pull was too strong for a single-handed grip to last for much longer which forced the boy to use both of his hands; however, as Boksa took a couple more steps, the stretch of his underpants pulled the person behind into headbutting Boksa''s back before falling into the water. The underpants¡ªthe boy still held on to¡ªstretched down and exposed the entirety of Boksa''s buttcheeks, and the volumes of water that slid into the underpants further weighed it down and saw through that it slipped on the front side, too, thereby revealing the Boksa''s manhood. Sariyu turned her head and looked away without delay whereas the audience dropped their jaws lower than crocodiles could. Boksa didn''t feel much different except for the slight increase in coldness at his crotch; however, when he lowered his chin and took a look down, his eyes exceedingly bugled from seeing his third leg made public. If not for his bulkier thighs as compared to his pelvis, the underpants would have probably dropped all the way to his ankles. His hands instantly tried to pull up the underpants, and along with the pants, surfaced out a familiar face from behind. When Boksa covered his manhood back with his underpants, he glanced back through the corner of his eyes and caught sight of the crook who brought shame to him, which shapeshifted his face into that of a horse that drank a gallon of rave rum[2]. "Uh¡­" the boy, Lirzod, raised and waved his hand, albeit oblivious to what happened above the water. "Hello, Uncle Pig." Boksa ground his teeth so hard that he would have pulverized rocks if they were in between his teeth. "You little piece of shit." ............... [1]A spine that touches the heavens if taken out: This phrase refers to people whose arrogance exceeds their worth. In general, the longer a spine, the more delicate it is bound to be, so it''s seen as a sign of weakness rather than strength. [2] Rave Rum: A special rum which is fed to horses especially in times of war as it abnormally energizes the horses and sometimes even make them go crazy. 42 FLOPPED BURIAL Almost all the audience¡ªtheir eyes locked upon Boksa¡ªgoggled with watchfulness of immense proportions, further rooting themselves to their seats. If danger had a face, it would have resembled Boksa''s current countenance, for his face swam in the sea of rage and thoroughly soaked itself. The towering temper that over-exuded out of every single pore on his skin whispered a warning to the ones in the vicinity. "This number 28¡­ what has he done?" one man among the audience clutched the arm of the one next to him as goosebumps trailed over his spine. "He''s gonna get killed for sure now." "U-Uncle Pig? Did he say what I think he did?''" another man was bewildered as he riveted his eyes on Lirzod. "That boy ¡­ just how long is his spine?" "It''s unmistakably touching the clouds!" someone else hollered in a stupor. "No," a different man whooped a cough, "it''s not just touching the clouds but piercing right through them with no end in sight!" "Still, he''s a goner," another man bellowed. "Now that he brought such shame to Brown Hill, he''s done for!" One man let worry pucker his brow as he spoke, "It was one thing if there were only men in the hall, but that red-haired girl had a front row seat for the show her bodyguard performed. There''s simply no way Brown Hill is going to let that boy live now! I wouldn''t be surprised if he punches him to oblivion." Even the referee and the assistant referee had their eyes glued to Boksa as would rabbits do as they unaffectedly watch a wolf hunt one of their kind. Hundred left his mouth wide open and wasn''t bothered even when a fly took a tour inside. "Kah-haha," Tarkan, on the other hand, giggled like a chimp. "I like that boy." However, Hundred wasn''t at all impressed with Tarkan''s words just as he wasn''t¡ªwith Lirzod''s actions. Boksa ground his teeth so hard that he would have pulverized rocks if they were in between his teeth. "You little piece of shit¡­" He raised his hand¡ªa substitute trunk of an elephant, or at least what it appeared to be¡ªas high as it could reach and whipped it down at Lirzod. "Die!" Waves shaped up at the water surface underneath his arm, following its trail as it stormed into Lirzod who ducked down and dipped his head into the water as fast as a swan would, thereby dodging the attack by the skin of his teeth. A stream of water gushed out as Boksa''s hand perforated through the water surface, sprinkling cold rain on many people on his left. "Hill Drill!" Without going for another breath, Boksa straight away unleashed the other fist at Lirzod who was swimming away¡ªchest facing toward the ceiling¡ªwhile hidden underwater, but the attack was just a bit hurried, for it ended up scraping past the inner thighs and smashed into the ground between his legs. The impact opened up a hollow space in the water, revealing the ice shards for a brief moment, but more importantly, it also gave momentum to Lirzod who made great use of the waves and swam enough distance, albeit he ended up swimming toward the entrance of the ice dumpster. Hundred''s heart had almost stopped from what he witnessed, "If that Brown HIll had aimed his punch a few inches higher, Lirzod would have said goodbye to his lizard." "But, he sure is swimming weirdly," Tarkan made a foggy expression. "What''s that style? It somewhat resembles a frog style. Still, this is my first time seeing someone implement a reverse swim underwater. Was he just desperate, or..." To all appearances, there was no word in any known language that perfectly described how pissed off Boksa was at the moment. Merciless fists bombarded into the water, drilling ephemeral holes left and right, shattering all ice shards in their path as he vented his spleen through paroxysms of rage. "You little rat!" Boksa''s fury further intensified with every passing second as also reflected in the frequency of punches he threw¡ªthick and fast¡ªaiming to emboss the marks of his fists on every inch of Lirzod''s body. "Stop struggling." Having frolicked underwater for so long, Lirzod ran out of oxygen. With no more oxygen left in his tank, he was forced to pop his head out. Boksa, who had sensed such an occurrence beforehand, grinned and lunged ahead as fast as he could, his arms stretched to his front as if he was diving into a pool, in turn widening Lirzod''s eyes. "Mountain Burial!" As his massive body crashed down, the shifting walls of water splattered around and blinded most of the audience for a little while as the waves generated in the process traveled to both the nearby edges of the ice dumpster, surprising the guards standing at their positions. An eerie silence birthed in some sections of the audience, though it didn''t last long. "Did that boy get squashed to death, or, did he maybe escape?" "Idiot, his opponent is too huge. There''s no way that brat could have escaped in that short of a time." "Yeah, even if he did, at least most of his bones would have broken in that process." "Brown Hill intends to annihilate that boy. He''s certainly gone insane. The referee must stop him before he deprives the boy of his existence." As different members of the audience held several impressions on the fight unfolding before their eyes, the waves in the ice dumpster settled down in a moment. The very next instant, all of the audience got baffled when the first person their eyes caught sight of was a boy who got back to his feet, his clothes thoroughly drenched in water and possibly much more. "That was close." He didn''t seem to have suffered any major wound and seemed flawlessly fine. "W-W-What''s going on? Why is he the one who stood first?" some of the audience ogled at him, manifesting buffalo faces. Hundred, however, breathed a sigh of relief before squinting his eyes. "How did he move away in so short of a time?" His subtle smile appeared content. "He''s better than I thought." "Not really," Tarkan''s words briefly put Hundred in a fog. "That fat ass overestimated his jump." Hundred''s mouth partly opened from hearing that. A scare whooshed over his face, robbing all the pleasantness from it. "You mean¡­" "He probably didn''t use that ''move'' in a long time," Tarkan alleged, dropping his head as he slowly shook it. "''Mountain Burial'' or whatever it was ¡­ in the end, he buried himself." "A flopped burial huh¡­" Hundred had a blank face, but the other men in the vicinity either shook their heads or jerked their shoulders; howbeit, Sariyu was the first one to giggle, though only slightly, her expression was potent enough to spread to whoever lay their eyes on her. Consequently, many members among the audience began to guffaw as the contagion of laughter flowed over the audience stands, touching almost everyone. At the end of it, even Hundred couldn''t withstand against it and ended up letting out a restrained laugh. As Lirzod hastened away from the spot, he glanced at Boksa who still lied at the bottom of the ice dumpster, fully submerged inside the water, his silhouette almost apparent to the naked eyes of the bystanders."Man, I am not that knowledgeable, but you should include some almonds in your diet¡ªthey make you light." "He''s all good," Burton told Sariyu, "let''s go." "Mm," she nodded and turned back when she felt an abnormal gust of wind blow past her face. As she rubbed her face with one hand, she felt the coldness in the air. The increased whiteness in her breath also distressed her a bit. "It''s getting much colder now." "Try to hang on," Burton voiced support, albeit his tone lacked enthusiasm. "if you keep moving, you won''t feel as bad." "I know that, but..." she crossed her arms and at the same time rubbed them. At that time, Lirzod joined them. "I''m back." Sariyu glanced at him coldly and spoke with a tinge of anger in her voice, "I will take care of you after this event ends." "What are you talking about?" Lirzod reproved her words. "I took care of Uncle Pig for you." Her blood boiled instantly, and she stomped on Lirzod''s foot. "I fought him for your sake in the first place, fool!" "Ouch, my foot!" Lirzod took a step away from her, his mouth blowing air at his foot, while he hopped on a single leg. "Y-You are right, Sour Sariyu. My bad." Some of the audience envied Lirzod. "Not only did she save him from Brown Hill, but she also waited for him. He''s the luckiest bodyguard I''ve ever seen! I want to trade places with him!" "Hey, I forgot to stuff my pockets with some nuts," Lirzod asked Sariyu. "Do you have some?" "This isn''t the time for snacking!" Burton hastily replied. "Who asked you?" Lirzod snorted. "Mind your business, got it?" Burton ignored his words and glanced at Sariyu. "Don''t give him any." "Forget about giving him, but who would even carry food to a place like this?" Sariyu barked at Lirzod, "And stop lying! I don''t believe that you forgot to fetch some nuts on your way here." "I did fetch some¡­" Lirzod uttered in a dejected tone, his expression taking after a sad and starving squirrel that hadn''t even seen much less gotten a sniff off of nuts in quite a many days, "but before I could stuff them in my pockets, they got stolen." "Stolen?" Sariyu raised a brow. "By who?" Lirzod pointed his finger at a particular spot on his face. "This thing called my mouth." His words lit a spark of rage in Sariyu who instantly got triggered and swept her hand into his mouth. "Thief Thrashing Slap!" The dorsal side of her palm smacked his mouth vivaciously, making Lirzod right away cover his mouth in suffering. A slap straight to Lirzod''s mouth eminently entertained many of the audience. "Haha, she sure knows how to put a bodyguard in their place." "Now, I like her even more." "Slap him again, please!" Lirzod paid no heed to the voices of the crowd but still made a long face as he spoke to Sariyu. "When I die from hunger, don''t come to my grave and offer some nuts, because a buried man eats nothing but dirt ¡­ and maybe worms, too. That''s why I wanted you to give me some nuts." "No problem. I will leave some extra-large worms for you," Sariyu shrugged half-heartedly, deepening the pitiful look on Lirzod''s face. Meanwhile, Boksa slowly rose to his feet and brushed off the ice shards stuck to his body before exercising his limbs as his eyes worked to locate Lirzod. Seeing him stretching his body poorly, some people subtly shook their heads. "I ended up taking a nap. Where was that little rat again?" Because he had been underwater, he didn''t hear Lirzod''s words or even the riotous laughter of the crowd. "S-Sleeping?" the crowd who heard his words felt not only stupefied but perplexed at the same time. "That''s impossible. How can one sleep underwater?" "Yeah, he''s surely lying." "Oh, so he''s hiding the embarrassment this way huh¡­" "Pfft, he shouldn''t have put up such a facade. Most people probably already forgot about his fall. He''s simply reminding us again and possibly also unintentionally helping this memory get etched in people''s minds." HAHAHA~! As the laughter of the crowd came across his ears, he initially didn''t believe it was addressed to him as he wasn''t used to being laughed at, but as time passed, his thoughts changed and so did the fake composure, which chagrin notably traded places with afterward. "I will get back my face by the end of this race." He marched onward like an eminent wolf. The crowd got goosebumps, yet they didn''t know why. The emotions and feelings of despair in those who had fought with Boksa, now surfaced out, reminding them once again that this sole remembrance will not fade away as long as they lived. Tarkan narrowed his eyes as he observed Boksa. (The Alpha never cries, because it only knows how to make others cry. Now, will this Alpha succeed in making his enemy cry before the event ends?) 43 THE WOLF AND THE SHEEP She had the combined grace of a dancer and the smile of a performer enjoying the heat of the moment as she frolicked past the cohorts of frogs and their choruses¡ªother contestants and their calls¡ªwith fleet feet. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that a few minds felt motivated to train upon feasting their eyes on her artistic maneuvers. "Like flies collecting near honey, everyone is attracted to her, although love is felling all who approach her, or should I say ''her loving feet?''" The referee spoke through the mic referring to Sariyu. "Ahem, is anyone, who can hold off her kicks, going to stand in her way before she reaches the end of the ice dumpster?" "Hehehe, he must be talking about us," Like wolves prowling through the snow hail in search of prey, the brown-haired man and the gray-haired man crept through the packs of scuffling men and hounded the only girl in attendance for the test. It didn''t take long for them both to get to her, but the moment they arrived, a man whom Sariyu had just kicked fell at their feet and soundlessly cried in distress. "Her kicks are taking breaths out of men," the brown-haired man expounded upon analyzing the condition of the beaten man. "Heh," the gray-haired man snickered as his eyes met with Sariyu''s, "we meet again, cheesy cheeks." He walked toward her while scrutinizing her from top to bottom. "You didn''t fully bloom yet. Girls who couldn''t bloom cannot explode." He glanced back at his friend, wearing a fleeting smile that stretched a corner of his lips toward the ceiling. "We must help her bloom into a bombsh¡ª" A fiery cannon of death came into his face in the form of a looming kick that hurtled him to his side for a brief instant before his whole body crashed sideways, splashing water all around locally; however, he got back to his feet just as fast and further beamed a brash smile at her. "Not a bad kick, but it ain''t enough to put me to sleep." He dashed ahead, his legs pushing through the water in a foolhardy fashion. "If you don''t want to get bloomed, at least fund me your cheeks, will ya?" "The last one didn''t land properly, but it won''t happen again," Sariyu''s feet quickened onward when the gray-haired man wholly focused his eyes on her legs. As her kick stormed into his body from left, he grinned and curled his arm around her leg in an attempt to grab it. He did succeed, but in that process, the kick stormed straight into his ribs and cracked two of them, drastically changing the gray-haired man''s expression from that of an amused gorilla to that of a disheartened one as he later crashed into the water. Seeing his friend scream his way into the water, the brown-haired man lost his cool. "How dare you hurt Gul, Hac''s best friend!" he scuttled ahead to attack Sariyu, but someone grabbed his hair from behind. His messy hair got pulled so hard that tears welled up in his eyes. Hac howled in pain as a few hundred strands of hair got ripped out. "Your hair is so lifeless that even a starving horse wouldn''t mistake it for a dried grass," the one pulling Hac''s hair, Burton, dispassionately spoke before he blew the hairs away with a slight blow of air through his mouth. "My hair!" Hac''s face darkened, his eyes wet and scalp on fire. "My precious hair... Damn you!" As he was about to turn and attack Burton, a sidekick in his waist sent him darting aside a dozen feet. Sariyu landed in front of Burton, her eyes glancing at both Gul and Hac. "A pair of fools turned freaks." "Don''t focus too much on the offense," Burton cautioned, "this isn''t the time for that." "I know, I know¡­ But everyone in this ice dumpster is acting crazily you know. It''s tougher to implement our plays than I imagined," she looked in the direction of Hardy Brothers who were taking on many men. "Seems like we''ll have to get past those four if we want to win this one." "Yeah, the quicker we get to them, the better it is for us," Burton''s eyes surveyed the area around him, possibly looking for any hiding personalities. "But we can''t ignore the fifth one either." "Oh, you mean," she turned toward the entrance of the ice dumpster and noted Aziz who was quietly watching everything like another spectator. "What''s that guy still doing there?" "Not sure, but I don''t think that he''s there only to watch," Burton''s smile appeared tight. Sariyu gaze shifted back to Burton, her face glistening with a mix of water and sweat. "What makes you say that?" "Well, you can''t put a wolf to watch the sheep and hope it does not make a move on them," they both looked back at Aziz who was observing different contestants at the time. "A wolf can only watch the sheep for so long without acting huh..." Sariyu sighed, gently bit her lower lip. Hoping that the fifth brother didn''t act, if the three of them could reach the remaining four Hardy Brothers before those four took care of most men around them, then the four wouldn''t be able to focus entirely on the three youngsters. That was what Sariyu had been thinking about, but now, she felt like that things might not go as favorably as she calculated. At the time, Burton looked in Lirzod''s direction and was at a loss of words for what he regarded. Lirzod was shaking his hand with a short-braided man, Limon. "Oh, so you hate that Gergora." "It''s Geragorn, not Gergora, brother." "Yeah," Lirzod chortled, slight solace emanating off his eyes. "I thought that guy would be here." "He was here," Limon frowned to some degree, "and he won the test in the first attempt itself." "Oh," Lirzod crossed the arms across the chest, a tightening building under the eyes, "so he was fast enough to do that." "Not really," Limon repined in a half-hearted shake of his head, "he threatened everyone saying, ''If anyone acts like a wolf other than me, then I would make them live with sheep for the rest of their lives.''" His voice strained further as he continued, "After that nobody dared to run past him." "Then, he casually strolled to his victory," Lirzod maintained a steady eye-contact. Limon responded in a long and low sigh, "Yeah." A strange sort of recognition dawned on Lirzod''s face, "Haha, that guy is funnier than I thought." "Funnier?" Limon''s brows furrowed, "What are you talking about?" "He made the rest of the contestants follow him for as long as he''s in the ice dumpster, didn''t he?" "Yeah, so?" "Nothing," Lirzod loosened his arms, face turning a bit rosy. "He said that he would make them live with sheep if they didn''t obey his words, but even if they did, they are all directly becoming sheep by following him even though it would automatically mean they are bound to fail the deck test. From the beginning, he only gave them all two options: either be with sheep or become a sheep yourself." Limon''s eyes bulged as he spoke in a disbelieving voice, "So that''s how it was. Either live with sheep or live like a sheep." An enervating chill crawled over his spine. "It all makes sense now. That bastard, he never bothered to bat an eye for those who were weak." His neck reddened more as words spewed out of his mouth, "Beating a weaker opponent was one thing, but I even saw him torture the defeated ones and either make them join his group, or get a few of their limbs broken or organs stolen." "That guy is quite a crook than I assumed." Lirzod smiled, quirking an eyebrow. "But I think I can understand his actions if I look from his point of view." "What do you mean?" Limon gnashed his teeth. "You surely can''t justify all the tortures he put people through." "There''s no need to justify anything." "I don''t get it. Then how are you..?" "If that guy thinks he''s a wolf and everyone weaker than him is a sheep, then it''s easy to understand why he never cares about the worries of the weak," Lirzod posture relaxed further, "just like how we never see a wolf grieve to a sheep''s cry on the grounds that they didn''t grow up together." Limon didn''t know what to say. He still didn''t like Geragorn''s actions, but at the same time, he also couldn''t disagree with what Lirzod just said; however, he didn''t have much time to think, for his eyes enlarged upon detecting an approaching mountain in the form of an eight-feet-tall frame that exuded attitude. Lirzod who saw Boksa''s reflection in Limon''s eyes was surprised a bit. "It was nice meeting you, Limon," Saying that he ran past him. "W-Wait!" Limon said, but Lirzod didn''t stop. As his eyes lay on Boksa, determination welled up in them. (I wanted to build my fame by beating Geragorn, but I don''t think I can do it by myself yet. If I can get a few pointers from Brother Lirzod and boost up my strength, I might gain enough courage to one day stand before Geragorn again, but for now¡­) His lips curled up as came straight in his direction. All the hunger that had developed in his heart over the past few months, the drive to prove himself began to kick in like never before. (I will stop this guy first and get a good impression in the eyes of Brother Lirzod.) He went straight toward Boksa. "Brown Hill! I''m Limon the Lemon Licker. How about I lick the lemon out of you?" He unleashed his sizable fist into Boksa''s belly. "Lemon Licking Fist!" A seemingly threatening punch pummeled into Boksa''s belly only to get full absorbed as if it was nothing but a baby punch. "That tickles¡­" Boksa glanced down at Limon who himself was six-and-half-feet tall. "I''m not in the mood to play with you. Besides, I don''t lick lemons. I squeeze them dry." He grabbed Limon''s arm and pulled him closer before binding him in a formidable hug that reddened Limon''s face as he felt like all the bones in his body were on the verge of breaking. He couldn''t even shout, and by the time Boksa let go of him, he felt like all the energy was sucked out of him, for he later crumbled to his knees and looked like a lifeless sheep. Through the mic, the referee expressed himself in a sarcastic style, cocking his head weirdly, "This is what happens when a hippo tries to fight an elephant in shallow waters. It gets taught a life lesson, or should I say ''a lemon lesson'' in this case?" Many members among the audience cackled and broke into a burble upon hearing the referee''s words. "How did Lemon Licker perish?" "By drowning in his own lemon juice, haha." Most men pitilessly jeered at him which Limon''s ears heeded right before he passed out. In that instant, the referee perceived that Boksa was chasing after Lirzod. After pondering a moment, he continued, "We all know that it''s God who gives us food, but that doesn''t mean he''ll cook it and put it in our mouths. In the same way, he doesn''t put a sheep in the wolf''s mouth. Does anyone have anything to say?" He pointed the mic in the directions of the audience. "Yeah," the crowd roared in response, "the wolf has to get the sheep or go starving!" Howbeit, the audience had no idea that their words further aggravated Boksa''s temper. "Shut up, you bloody sheep!" he howled aloud, startling the audience and even some other contestants. Lirzod also momentarily stopped and gazed back. Breathing somewhat heavily, Boksa was staring right at Lirzod. "Mountain Roll!" With a forward roll, he fell to the floor, dipping his whole body into the water at once and rolled like a cylinder, effortlessly pushing his way through the water while his massive frame crushed whatever ice spikes that greeted him. Cold rain showered on many contestants as water splashed all around in the vicinity of the shortest path he took to reach Lirzod. "Crap! Brown Hill is coming this way!" "He''s gone nuts!" "Get out of his path, or you''ll get rolled over!" Most contestants in the ice dumpster began to freak out, particularly the ones clashing in between Boksa and his current target. Just as Boksa closed in on Lirzod at a great pace, Aziz, who had his hands placed on his back all this while, finally brought them forward and slipped them into the water. "First Flap of the Five - Hector''s Mist." 44 MAROONING MIS As most of the contestants tussled near the center of the ice dumpster, the sudden reckless move of Brown Hill threw them into a disorder which also hindered Burton and Sariyu''s plan of facing the four brothers together with other contestants. As if that wasn''t enough, the moisture of the air above the ice dumpster boosted in a matter of seconds as sheets of fog took shape in midair followed by jets of mist that spurted out of the water and hastily covered all the ice dumpster before spreading to the nearby audience stands, seemingly swallowing everyone in sight. The mist''s momentum alone played with people''s hair, twisting and turning their strands in weird manners. The lightning of the space all around the ice dumpster paled apace, despoiling all the clime. Men turned mad with the whelming thrill and tumult. Most hearts missed a beat or two. All the contestants, who were visible just a few seconds ago, now got secreted from audiences'' eyes, especially the ones present near the center of the ice dumpster. This unsought for occurrence perplexed the audiences. Blinded by the burgeoning mist, their hands no longer clapped and mouths no longer cheered. "W-What''s going on?" Hundred freaked out from being unable to locate Lirzod or even Sariyu and Burton much more than he did by the enveloping mist. "How did this much mist form?" "Kah-haha, so they''ve decided to use the mist this time," Tarkan chortled, fingers gently sliding past the hair even though not a strand had swayed. "Everyone''s hidden. It''s about time the alphas exposed themselves through hunting and surviving in this mist." "Where the heck did this mist come from?" some other audiences were in utter confusion, but those who have been on the eleventh deck long enough weren''t taken out of the blue by the sudden appearance of the mist. 777 frowned a bit as he loosened his folded arms. "Che¡­ If I had caught even a glimpse of Hardy Brothers before Sariyu entered the launching ground, I wouldn''t have let her in. Now, she''s bound to lose." His shoulders slumped. The entire hall fell silent. The referee watched with full attention, trying to see at least something in the mist. Even the men doing their things in the other parts of the hall had their attention shifted toward the ice dumpster, for they were now able to see a cloud of mist taking shape in its overlying air. Some had their feet move in while some had the opposite done to them. Meanwhile, somewhere hidden in the mist, Lirzod kept looking around, verbalizing thoughts without hesitation. "Wow, this fog is cool. I like it!" The mist''s concentration around him was much higher, and the water of the ice dumpster which was cool before was now hot. The fog was so thick that Lirzod was only able to see a little over a meter in every direction. As he was admiring the fog, a man came flying out of nowhere and settled in the waters before him. He took a step away from the man but stopped after realizing that the fog whirled and flowed in different directions. His brows furrowed a bit. After a second thought, he changed his mind, "This fog isn''t that cool. I don''t like it!" Even though he spoke aloud, his voice didn''t reach the audience, for it lessened into nothing as it traversed through the fog. At the same time, Lirzod couldn''t hear any voices in the neighborhood, so he imagined that the entire hall was being silent. "Mm?" he looked down at the man lying by his feet, and a thought dawned upon him. He grabbed the man''s collar and commanded, "Listen, Bushy Brows, if you want to go back to your grandma in one piece, howl out my name, as loud as you can!" The bushy-browed man, however, seemed too beaten to respond. Realizing that, Lirzod let go of him, but he wasn''t demotivated by it at all. He discreetly took a few steps in one direction, making sure to memorize the path he moved in, including the number of steps, and to his luck, he came across another beaten man who wasn''t as heavily hammered as the last one. Seeing Lirzod, that man tried getting back to his feet, but Lirzod kicked his chest, forcing his whole body back into the water. Lirzod pulled the man''s head out by the hair. "Take it easy, I''m not here to hurt you," Lirzod said in a low voice. "Stop pulling my hair, you little rat!" the man rebuked. "Oh, my bad," Lirzod let go of the hair and grabbed the shirt collar instead and spoke in a careful tone. "If you don''t want me to bother you anymore, howl out my name, as clear and as loud as you can!" The man uttered not a word but just bore his teeth. Lirzod gave him a blank look before dipping his head back into the water for a few seconds. After pulling the head out, Lirzod asked again, his voice containing a source of urgency this time around, "Howl my name and I will leave right away." "Bwuh," the man spilled out more than a mouthful of water. "Stop!" "Howl my name, and I will." "Your name?" The man made a crying face. "I would if I could." He wanted to punch Lirzod in the face but was took weak at the moment to do that; he also was in a disadvantageous position. Lirzod''s eyes broadened from hearing that. Only now, he realized that he never revealed his name to neither the contestants nor the audience, yet he expected the contestants to howl his name and the audience to recognize it. It almost made Lirzod want to pull his hair out. "Ugh... I''m a fool!" "You are right," the man responded. "Shut up," Lirzod ripped out a few tens of strands from that man''s head, making him shriek sharply in pain. As the man shrieked, Lirzod''s ear flickered. He noticed that the moving fog warped the shriek and made it sound a bit different as every instant passed. It felt quite abnormal from before. He couldn''t tell the difference when speaking normal words, but a shriek lasted much longer, so his ears caught the gradual difference the voice went through. He let go of the man and inspected his surroundings with a bit more attention than before. "The water of the entire pool seems to have warmed up which makes it comfortable to stay in, but this fog¡­ Something''s strange about it. What should I do now? I think I know the direction I should run in, but with this fog trying to push me around¡­ I''m not sure if it''ll be a good idea." Boksa, meanwhile, rose out of the water and ground his teeth, with nobody around in his vicinity. "Those shitty brothers¡­ They had to use this ugly ass technique now of all times." He clenched his fists, trying to control his rage, for he had to stop his attack ''Mountain Roll'' in the middle, all thanks to the marooning mist. "They seem to think they can do whatever they want when I''m around. Then I should show them how wrong they are." His mouth began to suck all the mist around him strongly. "Mountain Drain!" All the fog within the distance of almost thirty meters to Boksa got sucked into his mouth¡ªa seemingly bottomless, unplumbed pit, thereby revealing a few faces to him. Many audiences who sat at higher positions in the audience stands also were ultimately able to see the contestants in that spot. "Oh, there he is!" the referee, who jumped up to be able to see, articulated excitedly through the mic as the audience were still able to hear it. "''Brown Hill'' Boksa is talking in all the mist as if it''s booze. Is mist perhaps like booze to a mountain?" Hundred was also able to see Boksa. "That guy¡­ he''s capable of sucking that much of the mist into his stomach. Does he have a matrix?" "Probably," Tarkan said, narrowing his eyes to be able to see even the faintest silhouettes forming in the fog, "but what he''s taking in isn''t mist but fog, and it''s turning more and more silvery by the second." "Mm?" Hundred was puzzled for a moment before his eyes enlarged. "So it''s much denser in the ice dumpster than it''s here. Still, we can see that not just the mist around us but even that fog in the ice dumpster is moving around at a good speed. I can''t tell, but it''s probably moving faster there than here." His shoulders tightened a bit. "To think that Hardy Brothers were capable of doing this, they surely must be itching to prove a point." His heart pumped blood at an increased pace. (I hope the brothers won''t catch him in that mist, or they''ll feast on him.) After sucking in so much of fog in one breath, Boksa eventually stopped and seemed disappointed with what he achieved. "Just this much?" He expected to suck in all the fog present in the ice dumpster, but he only managed to clear out the mist for about forty meters from him in every direction. Probably, the abnormally high density of the fog gave him the impression that he absorbed a lot more than he rightfully did, at least volume wise. However, what surprised Boksa more was that the water level of the ice dumpster which should have lowered by at least a foot had in truth increased a bit, which in turn made him knit his brows. At that moment, Boksa noticed Betts who carried fog along with him as he locomoted like an emancipated shadow and took care of many men with a merciless bludgeoning his cupped fists delivered atop the contestants'' heads, making them all bleed through their noses and ears as they crumbled to their knees. Shades of red branded all the water around Boksa, albeit for the nonce. All the partly clear space that Boksa had created, now got filled by fog again, and it pissed him off. He attacked the shadowy figure as it was going past him; however, he hit nothing but fog. Before he could launch another attack, he downright lost sight of Betts. "Che, you sneaky bastard... Shrouding yourself with the fog and all, did you think I''d shit in my pants by mistaking you for a spirit? Show your face if you have working balls, you weasel." Boksa looked around, fully ready to launch his fists in any direction if Betts were to attack. (With fog swirling all around him, finding the correct range to land an attack isn''t going to be easy. I should let him close in and grab him the moment his attack makes contact with me.) As the fog around him got thicker and thicker again and restricted his sight, he sensed something on his back which made him turn around, and he saw the silhouette whose size slowly but surely increased by the second. "I''m sure I took the right direction, but it feels like I''m just wandering around," Lirzod mused as he walked onward, frequently tapping the index finger on his chin. "Where did all the contestants go? It feels like I''m the only one left in here." His shoulders jerked a bit. "Don''t tell me... someone already finished the test?" At that time, he saw a silhouette. "Mm?" As the silhouette before him grew in clarity, he stated, "Are you also wandering around like me?" As he said, the silhouette gradually appropriated into the shape of a familiar individual, Brown Hill. Both their eyes met. A brutish grin manifested on Boksa''s visage. "How nice of you to come back to me¡­ like a pet wanting to be petted by its owner?" "I can''t say I missed your bull face." Lirzod hastily raised his hand and pointed to the rear side of Boksa. "Look! Someone''s behind you!" "This is me caring," Boksa lunged at Lirzod. "Hill Drill!" Before Boksa''s fist reached Lirzod, a dash of water splashed into his face, affecting his punch into hitting nothing but punch through the fog beside Lirzod. He glanced pointedly at Lirzod who was running away to his right. "You think I''ll let you disappear into the fog?" He chased after Lirzod. "Stop following me," Lirzod''s forehead puckered. "I''m not your pet or even playmate!" "If you come to me, I wouldn''t have to follow you. Come to me and let things be done quick." Lirzod kept splashing water to his back without even looking, thinking that it would keep Boksa from getting too close; however, he didn''t know that it helped Boksa in following Lirzod''s silhouette without much of a problem. Every time Boksa attempted a punch, he missed. Calculating the precise range in the fog proved to be harder than he expected. And to irk him further, the splashes of water unceasingly gifted him with wetness. "Your fighting style is cowardlier than that of a chicken!" Boksa yelled, his fists clenched into a heavy hunk as they briefly perforated through the mist like the blows of an overgrown gorilla. "Just come and face me. Show me your guts." "Everyone has their own style," Lirzod''s eyes coruscated with zing, "but trust me, you are much better off without witnessing Lirzod''s Rage." "Hmph, you must have meant ''Nerd''s Rage,''" Boksa''s tone sharpened, probably due to the impatience trying to take over his heart. "No," Lirzod replied in a positive outlook, "a nerd''s rage suits you better as it teaches nobody nothing, but Lirzod''s rage teaches men ''Manners in a nutshell.''" Boksa''s face reddened by the second. Though he had controlled his anger and tried exchanging words with Lirzod to make sure he was nearby, Lirzod''s words truly tested his patience. When Lirzod had said that his rage was like a nerd''s rage, all the blood in his veins heated up so much that his body subtly began to burn off the mist that touched his skin. After leaking out a remorseless grin, he said, "Stop running around. It''s useless. We are probably swanning in circles at different spots. As long as the Hardy brothers are all standing, thinking of escaping this ice dumpster would be a fool''s dream. No one is safe from the fog, not even the innocent, and for sure not you." Lirzod was surprised to hear that. (Hardy Brothers created this fog?) He couldn''t help but believe that Boksa''s words had some truth. After all, he didn''t meet any other man¡ªeither beaten or not¡ªin the past minute or so. It was as if the other contestants had all suddenly disappeared like ghosts. The only positive thing was that he no longer had to worry about stepping foot on ice shards as they appeared to have vanished, too, without a trace. Just as Lirzod was thinking on how to tackle Hardy Brothers after silently making himself scarce from Boksa''s proximities, Boksa grabbed him by the pant. "Got you!" With a pull, he effortlessly lifted Lirzod with one arm. "Quench my thirst by drinking a gallon of this dirty water for me!" He sadistically grinned as he shoved Lirzod''s whole body¡ªthe head in particular¡ªinto the water on and off as if he were a rat. Unable to fitly hold his breath during such an unnerving proceeding, Lirzod ended up swallowing much more than a mouthful of sweltry, stained water. From the blood and sweat shed by other men to some of the anger and fear, the heat and cold, the comfort and chill they had transferred through the waters now invaded his mouth, triumphed over his throat and supremely stirred his stomach. His common sense was on the verge of cracking. "How wonderful this is!" Boksa''s muscles trembled in thrill as contentment charged his laughter through and through. "Stop helping our prey!" Blurred by fog, Fimbry came out of nowhere and gifted a fistful of spleen to Boksa''s jaw. The resounding punch also coincidentally made Boksa''s tongue squash between the teeth. Boksa winced, his hands involuntarily let go of Lirzod''s pants after which Lirzod tried to fade out from that spot, but another man appeared before him and blocked his way. "It should be ''stop hunting our prey'' Fimbry." Divas stared down straight into Lirzod''s eyes and spoke sarcastically, "I assume, you were waiting for us." "Bwah," Lirzod couldn''t reply because he was busy in vomiting most of what he had recently taken in. "Right, right, brother," Fimbry stepped back a little and stood beside his brother. The fog in the vicinity moved in mysterious ways, making just enough room in the neighborhood to stage a fight with a fuss. "That hurt a bit..." Boksa coldly glanced at Fimbry as he worked his jaw. "But I suggest that you both vanish from my sight in five seconds if you don''t want to get buried under my butt." He pumped his fists, eyes resolutely staring at the two brothers. "We give you the same offer," Divas replied a bit too casually, piquing Boksa further. At the moment, Lirzod, who was standing between the brothers and Boksa, looked like a crocodile stuck between two hippos and an elephant in shallow waters. He didn''t know what to do. If he were to move, all the three would react, and he didn''t want that to happen. Without a shred of doubt, escaping seemed much more difficult now than when Boksa alone was after him; however, Lirzod cleared his throat and bellowed, "I give five seconds for the three of you as well. If you are still before my eyes by that time, then¡­" "Hoh, what are you going to do?" the three of them asked at the same time. Lirzod fleetingly squinted his eyes before relaxing them again. "Trust me, you mannerless wolves, none of you want to get your nuts nurtured by me." Humor-filled words carried by an unhumorous voice came across their ears like a discordant ditty. For a second, he gave off the impression of being bound and determined as his gaze undeviatingly drilled into the depths of the eyes of the two brothers. 45 GRINDING IN THE GLOOM Breaths turned almost as silvery as the fog which began to bit by bit freeze everything it made contact with, including the water surface of the ice dumpster; the wind and water together chilled people''s bodies, not leaving any spots warm¡ªnot even the hairy ones. Colder than the cold before dawn, the scenery for those who could see it and feel it was both beautiful and blood-curdling. Lost in the fog, most men suffered a similar fate¡ªthrashed to the hilt, for Hardy Brothers took them out like snakes take out frogs in a murky pond. Those who sensed the movements of Hardy Brothers in advance either tried to make a break for it or played possum, but none showed the will to fight back. Somewhere in the ice dumpster, hidden from the eyes of the audience by fog, two people were having a go at it, and the fog''s density around those two was quite low as compared to their surroundings to the point it could be called mist. "You filthy casual... I''ve seen enough of your kicks. Now, have a taste of death through my fist!" Centry shot his disquieting and malaise-packed fist down toward Sariyu. "Third Batch of Five¡ªTemper Fist!" His fist murmured through the mist and froze the water particles in the air around it as it clobbered onto her foot. Both the rock-like fist and rubber-like foot collided with power and puissance as none showed any clement sentiment. Sariyu''s nails froze upon impact, which made her wince and pull back her right foot at full tilt. Making use of the opportunity, Centry closed in and got within her arms reach and attempted to bind her in his arms but got kneed in nuts instead. Clutching his crotch, Centry crumbled to his knees, his blood-filled eyes louring up at her in an obtrusive gaze. "You¡­ How could you?" For the nonce, all blood left his face¡ªexcept for the eyes¡ªand concentrated at a particular spot on his body where it was needed the most. Sariyu stared down at him with eyes that showed some concern. "I know it hurts a lot, but I don''t know how bad it hurts. Lirzod says that, for men, no pain is as true as the pain in the nuts. So I don''t like doing that to men, to be honest, but you''ve left me no choice, big brother." She lifted her leg slowly, "Take this as a return gift for what you''ve done to my nails." A stomp in Centry''s face shoved him backward and down into the water.Afterward, her attention changed to her foot nails that frozen fog enshrouded. "I hope they are going to be fine." Centry so badly wanted to grab her leg and sock her whole body to his left and right for as long as he could, but his hands were currently busy guarding his private region and seemed disinterested in doing anything else, despite his heart urging them to act. Still and all, he used his mouth to try and bite her heel yet ended up receiving a heel strike to his nose which made him bleed. Sariyu looked around and saw that both the fog and the water around her were a lot colder than before. Initially, when the fog had arisen out of nowhere, the water was at least warm according to her, but then the remarkably-cold fog kept on cooling the water. Even now, some parts of the ice dumpster had warm water while other parts had cold water. It made no sense to Sariyu as to what was happening, but after battling Centry, she surmised that Hardy Brothers must have had something to do with the change. Just then, the image of Aziz flashed in her mind, making her sigh. "Looks like this test is far from being finished. Where did this Purple Grass go? I''m positive that he''s at least close by, but¡­ I have no idea where exactly Lirzod is." Cold and silvery breaths escaped out of her mouth as her figure faded into the mist. "I can only hope he''s not caught by that Brown Hill or by one of the brothers." A few minutes ago. At the moment, Lirzod, who was standing between the brothers and Boksa, looked like a crocodile stuck between two hippos and an elephant in shallow waters. He didn''t know what to do. If he were to move, all the three would react, and he didn''t want that to happen. Without a shred of doubt, escaping seemed much more difficult now than when Boksa alone was after him; however, Lirzod cleared his throat and bellowed, "I give five seconds for the three of you as well. If you are still before my eyes by that time, then¡­" "Hoh, what are you going to do?" the three of them asked at the same time. Lirzod fleetingly squinted his eyes before relaxing them again. "Trust me, you mannerless wolves, none of you want to get your nuts nurtured by me."Humor-filled words carried by an unhumorous voice came across their ears like a discordant ditty. For a second, he gave off the impression of being bound and determined as his gaze undeviatingly drilled into the depths of the eyes of the two brothers. "It''s the opposite, little fish!" Divas snorted, eyes flickering with vanity. "We destroy what we dislike. But before that, show us whatever that you said you would. We will thoroughly cripple that confidence of yours first before moving on to preparing the main dish¡ªthe frying of a little fish." "As you wish," Lirzod turned sideways so that both Boksa and the brothers could see a part of his face. "This is your chance to run," Lirzod said as he closed his eyes, puzzling the brothers and Boksa. "Mm?" Fimbry raised his brows. "What is she doing?" "It''s ''he'' not ''she,''" Divas said as his eyes scrutinized Lirzod''s mien, "maybe, he''s concentrating?" "Concentrate what? I don''t think he has Might," Boksa, on the other hand, muttered under his breath, seemed somewhat untroubled, though irritation was ready to replace it any instant. Nevertheless, as long as Lirzod was in front of his eyes, he had no reason to hurry things. Moments later, Lirzod opened his eyes at his own pace as partly-white breaths escaped through his nose. "Have you finished your preparation?" Divas asked mockingly. Lirzod, however, replied with a serene look on his face, "It wasn''t a preparation... it was the end." "The end?" "Yeah," Lirzod tightened his stare and spoke in a slightly serious tone. "I just finished a ritual." "A ritual?" Lirzod''s words momentarily mystified the brothers. "Yeah," Lirzod continued, "Five seconds of silence for y''all that dislike me." All the three were baffled to hear that. "Huh?" Divas gnashed his teeth, "You dare troll us Hardy Brothers? Only those that have a death wish act this way." "No. If words can weigh a ton, prayers can weigh much more. Now, you three can rest in peace," Lirzod replied with a slightly sad face. "I''m sure destiny is now ringing in your ears through my words, telling you that you can''t become friends with Lirzod anymore." "Destiny can dance all it wants, but it''s not gonna affect us in any way, shape, or form," Divas'' gaze was as torpefying as gloom, "The one that will rest in peace first will not be us but you. If you didn''t piss in your pants by the end of this test, it just means your underwear is made out of a sponge." Lirzod covered his mouth in haste, trying to contain his laughter, but he failed in doing so for longer than a few moments. "Haha, I love that line. It further lights up that niggardly look on your face, though it''s still far away from that of Uncle Pig." Boksa clenched his fists so hard that he almost burst a blood vessel, yet he didn''t act. "Laughing at our words like a clown¡­" Divas felt a bitter tang in the mouth, "You have no pride at all, do you? Heh, it was my mistake to expect a little etiquette from someone like you who probably came from some backwater clan that nobody knows." "Right, brother," Fimbry simpered, apparently pleased with his brother''s words, thereby manifesting a complacent countenance on Divas'' face. "Pride?" Lirzod''s smile subsided a bit, but the redesigned one seemed more settled than before, "If pride could be exchanged for coins, my clan would have long become the richest clan of the world," He upped his shoulders a little as redness rose in cheeks, "but you are correct about one thing. I certainly am from a backwater clan, a clan whose pain only too few a people in the world fret to comprehend let alone feel compassionate. As for the rest, they don''t even care to know about us much less bother, except for when it comes to branding us as crazy people doing crazy things, always desperate to earn fame. "I guess they wouldn''t know what being crazy truly means unless they lived our lives as members of a clan that crawls at the bottom of the beta rankings. I may be a rich guy in my town, but outside, I can see that I''m just another ordinary guy. I''m starting to know more and more about the world with every passing year. And I must say¡­ being a low-ranking beta clan has its share of endless troubles that creep from all corners. Clans you believe are your allies invariably seek to make better use of your clan in any way they can. More often than not, trades will end up in a loss because of less payment received than when agreed upon, yet you are not in a position to do much about it. Even the neighboring towns that put up fake pleasantries are, in truth, solely looking for an opportunity to occupy your lands and further weaken you in every way possible and won''t ever stop until they either destroy you or swallow up all of your freedom and make your clan a bondclan[1]. "It''s these outsiders who are doing all these crazy things to us, yet they call us crazy people. When I was a kid, I didn''t mind that much, but now, I feel like I have to do something to change that. So I was wondering¡­ how would all those people react if I''m the one who does all these crazy things to them? Like making all their young misses fall in love with me, preferably deeply, ahem, or something along those lines," Lirzod shifted his brows up and down. "Would that change their views on clans weaker than themselves? Though I''m a bit late in paying their favors back, which I don''t like, it''s still something I think is necessary to make them stop, even though it might end up impressing them if they are genuinely crazy. After all, crazy minds admire crazy actions. So, what do you two brothers think? Should I get crazier or not?" Lirzod''s gaze darted at the brothers, but he didn''t get any reply as the brothers got a little lost in their thoughts. "What''s wrong? Did you two get constipation or did cats take your tongues?" "No, constipation fears our stomachs," Divas was a tad bit late to reply, "but coming back to your crazy idea, forget about you... Even with hundred lifetimes in hand, I still can''t make so many girls fall in love." He narrowed his eyes while his mouth made a knowing grin, "You are not the only one that has a story to tell. Every soul that boarded this ship has its own share of burdening stories. Put ten different fish in a tank and come back a week later, and you would see only one fish still breathing¡ªthe biggest of the ten. Be it with fish, or with humans, it''s pretty much the same. After all, we all live in the same world." "Hmph, don''t talk as if you believe humans and animals are worth the same," a too-quick smile took shape on Lirzod''s face as his brows squeezed together, "would you brothers do the same if you five were locked in a room with no food?" Divas'' breath got stuck in the chest. "Well..." "No, no," Lirzod''s head subtly swung from left to right and back, wetting his lips concurrently, "You brothers know each other, unlike the fish. So, let me rephrase it. Would you do the same if you were locked in a room with nine strangers and with no food?" Divas felt a prickling in his scalp that dimmed the fierceness in his eyes, but he was quick in bringing back his composure and let out an impatient huff, "Geez, why am I bothering to answer your questions when everyone knows that¡ªbickering is all that beta clans are good at. Listen, there''s no point in telling us your story, or, were you hinting that you acted crazily with us because of this reason you''ve spoken of?" Though Divas asked, Lirzod kept his mouth closed. "Well, whether or not that''s the case, we aren''t going to let you go unscathed after you messed with us. You and that red-haired girl, both of you will wish you have never met Hardy Brothers. We will make a good example out of you two so that the rest of the entries would paint their pants from the thought of crossing our paths." "Whoa, you guys are pretty scary," Lirzod offered a fearful look, making his hands and legs shiver for a few moments before ultimately downcasting his eyes at his arms. "Mm? Wait, why aren''t my hairs standing? And there''s no paint on my paints either." He raised his head and stared at the brothers in a puzzled semblance as if he sued them for failing to fulfill their commitment. The brothers ground their teeth to an extent their jaws pained, and their faces turned peppery red with rage. "That''s because your hairs are hot!" Fimbry almost spat his liver out from the roar. "And you probably took a clean dump this morning." "Huh?" Lirzod was befuddled. "Fimbry, it''s ''wet'' not ''hot,''" Divas sighed. "Right, right, brother," Fimbry smacked the back of his head. "I got it wrong again." "You three piece of shits¡­" Boksa, who had been watching all that, knitted his brows as his partly opened eyes closed. His face looked like he had a high fever. All the frustration built up in him gathered into his fists that had no eyes. Both his fists cannoned forth. "What do you take me for?" Lirzod scuttled toward the brothers, startling them as Boksa''s fists followed right behind him. Though Boksa had initially wished to let Lirzod have his fists, he made use of the opportunity to hammer two hills into the brothers'' chests, sending them sliding back for about three feet when they unintentionally ended up placing their hands on either shoulder of Lirzod who was in the middle of sneaking away. Both the brothers somewhat frowned from pain before turning their heads toward Lirzod whose beam had qualms. The brothers fully turned their bodies and picked him up before hastening away into the fog. Boksa reacted immediately and chased after the brothers, but lots of fog kept gushing at his face, hindering his movements. As a result, he ended up running around aimlessly for the next few seconds only to realize that he had lost track of them. "UGGHHH!" he kept on stomping nonstop in frustration. Lirzod, meanwhile, resembled a child as Fimbry and Divas carried him away. "Where are you two taking me?" Lirzod couldn''t help but ask with subtle traces of worry on his visage. Hearing that, the brothers sneered and spoke with added strength in voice, "We are taking you to our brother, Centry. He''ll take real good care of you, so you behave like a good boy now." As they spoke, a lot of tension lifted off of their faces. "Centry?" Lirzod pondered a moment before continuing, "You mean the one who shrieked when Sariyu kicked him?" The faces of the brothers discolored almost instantly, though they were quick to shove off all the discomfort and retort in a tone filled with aplomb. "Hmph! That was a fluke. She wouldn''t be able to scratch our brother again. Beyond any doubt, Brother Centry has probably taken care of her by now." "So the one I took care of is called Centry huh¡­" a feminine voice came across their ears, breaking their speed. From the side, two silhouettes gradually turned into two familiar faces, Burton and Sariyu. "Straining my ears to hear in this fog is beginning to hurt my ears." "You¡­" Divas'' forehead wrinkled as he gazed at her. "What are you doing here? Didn''t Centry take care of you?" "Don''t make me repeat myself," she recklessly waved her arm, telling them to leave, "your brother is drowning right now. If you both don''t go and save him soon, he will for sure end up floating like a ballooned frog." Divas frowned deeply. (Centry lost to her? I don''t believe it.) After pausing a moment, another doubt sprouted in his mind. (Wait, how were these two able to directly come to us?) Fimbry, however, seemed a little too worried. He turned his head toward Divas and promptly said, "we should go and gulp our brother quick!" Divas inwardly sighed before replying in a somewhat stressed tone, "It''s ''help'' not ''gulp.''" "Right, right, brother. Let''s go." "Easy, Fimbry," Divas said, looking at Sariyu and Burton directly in the eye, backing it further with a poised grin. "Have some trust in our brother. First, let''s take care of these little fishes quickly and gift their grilled selves to our brother." "Right, brother," Fimbry replied in an enthusiastic tone. "Let me down, and I''ll take care of those two for you," the one whom both the brothers were holding on to spoke in a manner¡ªa rumbling tone¡ªthat moderately mimicked the brothers'' tone levels. "Sure," Both the brothers involuntarily let him down, and though they realized their mistake right away, Burton and Sariyu reacted much more spontaneously and simultaneously launched kicks onto the brothers'' chests, forcing them back and away from Lirzod even if it was only by a few inches, for the fog on their backs had cushioned the impact. "Tsk," Sariyu cursed openly, "can''t fight without the fog, can you?" Having fought Centry, she was somewhat aware of how good the brothers could make use of the fog. "You can''t expect much hardness from them just because they are called Hardy Brothers," Burton backed her words with a pricking expression, "Too disappointing." "Disappointing indeed," Lirzod lightly shook his head, "Since it has come to this, I''ll leave you two brothers with two generous options. Either we will whip your ass till your ancestors hear your cries, or you call us your new grandpa. Oh, use ''grandma'' for Sariyu." "Who''s a grandma?" Sariyu barked at Lirzod. "I don''t want to be a called a grandma!" "You don''t have to take it so literally," Lirzod tried to reason with her, but it didn''t seem to be of much use. Furthermore, he sensed that her knuckles would rap his scalp if he pursued much longer, so his attention changed back to the brothers. "Ahem, so what do the brothers have to say? Would you both be disrespectful enough toward your roots that you disturb your ancestors'' sleep, or would you rather admit your mistake by honoring us three with titles next to your ancestors?" The brothers'' faces warped into warthogs upon hearing Lirzod''s blasphemous speech; however, not only did they not utter a word, but also didn''t move an inch until the fog around the three youngsters intensified, giving the impression that the brothers slipped back and vanished into the freely-moving, smokey fog. In a matter of seconds, the brothers erased all their traces as if they had become one with the fog. The sudden silence brought a chill much colder than the quieting breaths of wind the youngsters blew. The three of them paused as fast as cats do upon sensing danger, their senses wholly focused on their surroundings, harkening for movement. A whisper of the wind turned up on Sariyu''s right. She swiveled, lashed out aimlessly, felt her foot connect with brawny flesh, caught an ''oomph'' muffled by fog which continued blowing at her face. Camouflaged by fog, a fist crunched into her jaw, staggering her back, and at the same time, through the corners of her eyes, she saw Fimbry''s smiling face, only for a brief moment before fog took over his place. A bruise, painful than it appeared to be, surfaced on her jaw. Unlike Centry, who had aggressively attacked her for most of the time, these two brothers hid pretty well, plainly proving it how ugly they could make their opponents look in such a setting. The three of them randomly and repeatedly got socked by what seemed like smoke, and even though their physical hurting wasn''t visible to the naked eye, one could still hear the clear beating of smoke onto their flesh. "These guys seem well-versed with grinding their opponents in this gloom of a fog," Burton, with a frown on his face, murmured so that only their group of three could hear, "we should disappear from the eyes of these two before the rest of the brothers gather." "Leave it to me," Lirzod said aloud, leaving the two to wonder when he put his hands to work and began to splash the water around in every direction, thereby throwing water in both the faces of Burton and Sariyu as well. "What the hell are you doing?" Burton snapped in ire, "You idiot!" "Look where you are throwing!" Sariyu clenched her fists, wanting to rap on the crown of Lirzod''s head but did her best to control herself. "You two should have ducked!" Lirzod was quick to back his actions, further aggravating the two into baring their teeth. "Haha," Divas voice came across their ears, but they couldn''t make out his location. "Fighting among yourselves when you should be scared to death. It shows how foolish and inexperienced you three are! How about I blow all that foolishness off your faces?" Divas revealed his face behind Lirzod who swiftly reacted and splashed water to his behind. Divas'' face momentarily disappeared into the fog, came out again, this time with a nasty grin on his face. "Real men don''t splash the water around. Real men dare to drown each other to death!" The fog weighted Lirzod down as Divas neared, greeting the boy with a gruesome knee in the chest, lifting Lirzod off his feet, a bit of blood and saliva squirted out of his mouth and sullied Divas'' dress. Lirzod''s chest bounced off the knee, and his whole body went down into the waters behind. Sariyu and Burton ran in to attack Divas who curled in as if he attempted to touch his toes when Fimbry rolled over his back and concurrently kicked Burton and Sariyu in their chests, driving them back. Fimbry used the momentum to lunge at Lirzod¡ªwho was at the bed of the ice dumpster¡ªdove down and thumped Lirzod''s stomach with an energetic headbutt, taking all the breath out of the boy at once. "Fourth Batch of Five¡ªDual Expelling Fist!" Divas sprang forth, unleashing fists into the faces of Burton and Sariyu, but they ended up banging into the cross-armed blocks instead. An explosion of air at the time of impact blew them both rearward with the fog driving them onward. Though the collision had blown some fog away, the brothers still controlled some of it. At the same time, Fimbry, while he floated in the waters above Lirzod¡ªwho lay hurt at the bottom of the ice dumpster¡ªhe pulled back his fist, exposing the elbow to the outside for a second as both their eyes had locked. "Sixth Batch of Five¡ªBust Fist!" Fimbry''s fist punched through the water and pounded into Lirzod''s stomach, shaking him up as well as a bear''s paw could. Tee-heeing to his heart''s content, Fimbry got back to his feet and joined his brother to combinedly feast their eyes upon the wretched state of the three youngsters, two of whom had blood dripping from the corners of their mouth except for the purple-haired youth. The brothers sniggered as the three got back together. Sariyu''s arms twitched whereas the skin on Lirzod''s stomach was on fire as they coldly glared at the brothers. Despite the heaviness of the brothers'' physiques, their movements were pretty good and flexible. To make matters graver, the water of the ice dumpster made it much easier for them to move around, with the fog strikingly supplementing their mobility while hindering that of the opponents. Even with the three together, it seemed like taking care of two of them at a time proved much more difficult than it did outside the ice dumpster. "What''s with that look?" Divas blew air through his nose as his gaze attempted to domineer over them. "Did the reality hit you hard enough that you can no longer hide your frustration?" He ground his teeth after raising his clenched fist to his shoulder. "For bad-mouthing our ancestors, you will be receiving thousand times more pain than what you are experiencing now." The three remained silent, their noses and mouths went soundless, but their eyes still shot out a sense of swagger; however, the brothers perceived it as a conspicuous show in an attempt to impress and also possibly intimidate them. "Went voiceless too huh¡­" Divas sighed as he glanced at his brother. "Seems like Hector''s Mist is a bit too much for these three to handle." "I didn''t expect anything different either, brother," Fimbry replied and later looked down on the three youngsters. "You three from some backwater clan honestly thought you could change the future of Hardy Brothers?" Fimbry snickered and drummed his chest like a gorilla, attempting to teach a lesson to the kids for trying to taunt them. "That''s too funny that it''s worth farting about." "It''s ''laughing'' not ''farting,''" Divas stated, his jaw tightening a little, "this coldness seems to be further corrupting your speech." "Right, right, brother," Fimbry rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "But what''s not at all funny was¡­ You punks dared to snatch my prey when," A full-mouthed voice came from within the fog, startling everyone after a massive silhouette turned into an eight-feet-tall figure that launched itself at the brothers like a tiger pouncing at fawns, "my butt is bigger than your future!" Seeing that person over their shoulders, both the brothers'' faces turned black. "Twin Hill Drill!" The rock-hard fists of Boksa battered into both their backs and had a go at drilling into their spines, but in the end, just sent them flying over the three youngsters who were already in the process of running away. "Mountain Roll!" With four quick rolls, Boksa closed the distance and caught Lirzod by his pants again. "Not so fast," he got back to his feet and dipped Lirzod in and out of the water the way he had done before, albeit with increased barbarity. "You can''t escape until you quench my thirst, brat!" He violently shook his hand while keeping it underwater, trying to trouble Lirzod to his heart''s content. Lots of bubbles formed all around in the vicinity of Boksa, lowering the transparency of the nearby waters for a short while. As Burton and Sariyu swiveled toward Boksa, they both saw that Lirzod was no longer in Boksa''s hands, but what he held on to were his pants instead. Seeing that, they both turned in reverse and faded away into the fog. At this point, as Boksa stared at Lirzod''s pants, his breathing deepened yet hardened. Furious at having allowed Lirzod to slip away, he grabbed the pants with both hands are tore them apart. "Damn you!" As the two halves of the pants flew into the air, Boksa hurried forth to his front. ............. [1] Bondclan: A clan bonded to another clan or organization under an agreement. A bondclan is not necessarily a slave clan, but most people still view it as such. 46 NAKED WOLF "Where did that little rat sneak away to?" Boksa was looking everywhere for Lirzod, his veins tumefied and skin reddened from rage. His eyes, cheeks, and lips bloated and blackened with every passing second owing to distress. Not far away from him, Divas and Fimbry were also doing the same thing, except that their targets also included Burton and Sariyu, and they didn''t strike to the eyes as woebegone as Boksa. "I was sure they took off in this direction," Divas scanned around, feeling the presence of things to some distance all around him, despite a lot of fog fattening his surroundings, but he still couldn''t find much that would help him reach the three youngsters. At that time, Betts and Centry appeared out of the fog from their front. "You both seem to be relaxing," Betts said, appearing taxed, and sweat wasn''t present on most parts of his body, probably due to the temperature of the ice dumpster. "Taking care of many of the contestants took most of my juices. I''m feeling quite stiff now." "Did you see the girl?" Centry looked at Divas and Fimbry, his eyes demanding more than just a simple reply of ''yes.'' "We did," Fimbry replied in a hurry, "but they shivered." For a second, an unstable and ungainly silence birthed between the brothers. After that momentary pause, Centry, whose jaw had tightened in the last second, now glanced at Divas who promptly corrected Fimbry''s words, "they escaped." He pointed his hand to his right. "They initially took off in this way. We followed them but lost their track in between." Lots of blood mounted to Centry''s cheeks and mantled his face as if a terrible fever set itself loose upon him. "Where can that Red Rogue flee¡ª" "Idiots, they are swimming their way through to victory!" Betts blurted out, his eyes having enlarged from a thought that had just dawned upon him, dove into the water and disappeared just like that, startling the remaining brothers. "There''s no use of the fog anymore. I will signal Brother Aziz," said Divas, pushing the fog away from their vicinity as he spoke,"you both assist Brother Betts." He took off in a different direction than the one Betts had taken. Centry and Fimbry exchanged nods before following Betts'' trail. Betts, at present, swam onward while staying wholly underwater. His eyes looked for the disturbances in the waters ahead of him. He found only four spots, but his sight fixated on just one¡ªthe one that had the most disorder and thereupon stroked forth at an increased speed. The disturbance in the water that Betts beelined to was veritably generated by three youngsters who were swimming like it was now or never. At the same time, the mist in the audience stands began to clear away much faster than that of the fog in the ice dumpster, letting the crowd once again be able to view the affairs of the test with their own eyes and have them sink in the thrill of it. Dozens of contestants were at the edges of the ice dumpster, outside of it, either wounded badly or remained unconscious with the guards tending to them. "W-W-What happened?" the audiences bewildered as their eyes inspected the contestants who were in dire straits, already thrown out of the ice dumpster. "Wh-Who took care of so many contestants? Was it a lone wolf, or was it a pack''s work?" "Was it Brown Hill, or was it the doing of the Hardy Brothers?" "Look! I can see Brown Hill!" As some men finally lay their eyes on Brown Hill, who was moving aimlessly in the fog, they got the feeling that he was the reason. "Look! He''s running around in search of the next sheep to bite." "As expected of Brown Hill! He was able to fight even in the fog!" "There! There''s one to your left!" some even tried to help him, or at least they were under such an impression. Upon catching the cries of the crowd, or what seemed like cries to him, Boksa acted in haste. Getting to the closest contestant was the best thing he could do. From hearing the voices of the crowd finally after some time, his mood brightened a bit. At that time, to the eyes of the audiences, only a handful of contestants still appeared to be fidgeting around in the ice dumpster. "Where''s that little boy whom Brown Hill was after?" "Yeah, I can''t seem to find him, and the girl either." "Haha, they must have either gotten lost in the fog or must be cowering somewhere right now." "Let''s help Brown Hill find that sheep!" Upon overhearing their criticism, Hundred''s pulse quickened. "I hope their words are not true." Tarkan quietly smiled before softly saying, "Worry not. Sheep cry but do not cower. Anything that knows to cower can also know how to will others to cower. Even if your boy loses today, he''ll probably win this test one day." Tarkan''s words were like spilling oil on fire to Hundred''s ears, and he couldn''t tell whether Tarkan was trolling him or just being honest. Meanwhile, as the audiences scanned the ice dumpster with extreme urgency, some eventually managed to spot a few of the Hardy Brothers who seemed to be streaking toward the end in a drastic dash as if they were chasing after something rather than trying to win. To a few eyes of the contestants, however, their charge resembled like a stampede. The exasperated expressions on the brothers'' faces further solidified the doubts of the audiences. As the three out of five brothers testily chased after the three youngsters¡ªwho were still swimming away, fully submerged underwater¡ªand in that process beat anyone near to them with heedless swings of their arms. Under their blubbery feet, the newly-forming ice spikes felt like tiny stones that only tickled them. Even the few contestants who caught sight of the youngsters popping their heads out unoften and wanted to stop them from forwarding, they changed their thoughts after seeing the big brothers bellowing and beating their way through the other contestants as they headed straight toward the youngsters. Some contestants gave competition to the youngsters whereas some opted to test their luck against the brothers and shoot up their fame from a promising display. Still, the three big brothers made knives out of their hands and slashed the water, splashing liquids all around and blocking the other contestants, making even the floor briefly become visible when all the three hit the same spot simultaneously, stunning everyone except for those who already knew of their capabilities. Their display scared away most hearts¡ªaudiences and contestants alike¡ªinto abandoning any thoughts of tussling with the brothers. Though frozen in their seats for the last tens of seconds, none of the audiences had the time to reflect on the display of the brothers as they slowly but surely began to realize that the brothers didn''t look like they were merely trying to win and instead seemed like dogs chasing after bones, three bones to be exact. At that time, the referee just happened to look again toward the end of the ice dumpster when three figures climbed the hidden stairs with their arms and shot themselves out of the water, making the heads of everyone in the audience stands turn in their direction, whereupon six feet belonging to three youngsters landed¡ªalmost as one¡ªin the area past the ice dumpster. A radical silence instantly impregnated the audiences'' stands like never before as everyone watched the three youngsters¡ªone of whom seemed to have lost his pants¡ªwith mouths agape. Hundred''s eyes were awestruck as his body involuntarily forced him out of his seat in a springy jump, his hands raised as high as could be. 777, who was in the middle of yawning, froze midway. "That one day is today itself huh¡­" Tarkan''s lower lip pushed the upper one as he softly nodded a few times. Only now, the referee came to his senses and blew the whistle, signaling the end of the deck test. "We have the winner, no¡­ our first winners in a while! Three of them. No less. No more," the referee spoke while everyone else stood still and put nothing but their eyes to work, "The first one, number 82, is a purple wolf that barely seems to be wounded. The second one, number 55, is a red wolf who got a couple of scratches here and there but looks good overall, um, quite nice if you ask me. Ahem, as for the third one¡­" His eyes scanned the third youngster from top to bottom, "I can''t see his tag, but we''ve got a... naked wolf. I have no idea what happened to his pants, but these three are our winners of this round.," he looked toward the audience stands, "they deserve some claps, sheep, I mean, people!" "Who are you calling sheep?" "Did he just call us sheep?" "Someone, kick the referee out of the hall!" "Yeah, that will teach him a lesson." Some audiences took the task of criticizing the referee, who was quick to apologize, "U-Uh, my apologies, that purely came out of flow and was unintentional." Still, no one bought his words, not even for a second. "Claps, my dear people!" the referee spoke again, urging with as refreshing of a tone as he could bring out. Most of the audiences, who still portrayed dumb looks due to the unexpected ending of the test, slowly began to clap one after another, increasingly yet roguishly even though they still couldn''t believe that the three youngsters won. In their eyes, those three emerged out of nowhere and won the test in a flash. Most of the audiences weren''t ready for the test to be over just like that as they had hoped to see some thrilling action after the mist had finally cleared out, but what they had gotten was nothing close to their expectations, and in turn, irking and leaving them with a tinge of sourness in their mouths. The Hardy Brothers, meanwhile, still stood in the ice dumpster, faces devoid of any glow as the last bits of mist around them evanesced into thin air. They tumbled to the fact that they had mistaken the three youngsters to whippersnappers, and in consequence, got played on with their emotions until they were lead to a loss. Boksa''s eyes had long bulged like that of a choking frog, his expression gradually slipping into frore darkness. Concurrently, Lirzod jumped at Sariyu, startling her. "We won!" He bound her in his hug. "See, I told you, didn''t I?" "Wait!" Sariyu tried to push him away, but for some reason, she couldn''t find the strength to do so. "Burton!" With a flick of his index finger, Burton tapped Lirzod''s forehead. "Back off." Lirzod''s lips straightened into a line before he opened up his arms perforce. "Stop trying to control¡ª" As his gaze darted at Burton, Sariyu stepped back right away, getting Lirzod''s attention back. "What''s wrong? You seem uneasy." "Yeah, I''m uneasy, but..." Sariyu''s neck muscle twitched, her face long flushed like a crimson cherry before she blasted her voice out, "Anyone would be if they know you are not wearing anything under that shirt!" "Pfft!" Many men choked on their own words and broke their conversations upon hearing Sariyu''s statement. "What?" They were already outraged when a bodyguard hugged the owner out of the blue, and now, Sariyu''s words forced even the low-spirited ones to bounce off their seats. "He doesn''t have underwear? Then, does that mean..." Most of their eyes converged at Lirzod''s crotch which was still hidden thanks to the long shirt. "Nothing there''s under that shirt?" "Haha," Lirzod laughed aloud, hands placed on his waist, "don''t jump to conclusions." He caught the ends of the shirt and lifted it in a flash, staggering many people, but those who didn''t take their eyes off him were able to see the underpants. "What, he''s wearing underpants!" "Of course, I knew it! Who wouldn''t wear them when jumping into the ice dumpster?" "Don''t lie! I saw you get shocked and upset." "Haha, you did?" "No, I didn''t." "You¡­" Even the conversations of some parts of the crowd cracked up the others, but eventually, they all sat back in their seats, slightly shaking their heads as if they were a bit embarrassed to have reacted in such a manner. Sariyu peeked through the gaps in the fingers and breathed a sigh of relief, "Whew, so you were wearing one today." It was one thing if this incident happened in Helenia, but on Extensive Voyage, it would be too embarrassing for her; however, her brows gently knitted as she now continued speaking, "I was worried as you don''t have the habit of wearing underpants. I knew Aunt Valli would succeed in changing your mind." Lirzod giggled like an amused infant. "Believe it or not, I stole this from a guard." His words surprised Sariyu a little but dumbfounded the audiences. Their gazes quickly shifted toward the edges of the ice dumpster to take a look at the guards in an attempt to identify the one, but all of them were wearing full clothes. "What, they all have dresses on them!" "Why are you lying to us?" Some demanded an answer from Lirzod. At the same time, many of the audiences, who had grudges toward the guards for various reasons, didn''t want to miss this opportunity. Whether Lirzod would reply sincerely or not didn''t matter to them. "Who''s that guard? Tell us! Please tell us!" some loud voices originated from other sections of the audience stands. Upon hearing the demands of the audiences, Lirzod''s smile subsided. He turned in the direction the guards were at, and after a short scanning, he pointed his finger toward one of them, a guy with gray hair. Consequently, hundreds of people in the crowd jeered the guard without a second thought, altering the mood of the hall at once. Even a clan of hyenas would cease their laughter and crawl back to their dens, with lost face and tails tucked between their legs, when faced against such mocking. Some people even asked the guard to dare and remove his pants if he honestly considered himself to be a man. From all the humiliation, the guard''s face shapeshifted into that of a chimpanzee on drugs. He jumped into the ice dumpster, startling everyone, making people think that he was committing suicide; however, just before some other guards and contestants were thinking to jump into the water for a rescue, the gray-haired guard popped out of the water, holding pants in his hand, with the spumous waters around him hiding the lower half of the body. "Here! Take a clear look, clowns! I removed my pants! I am a man! I am a man!" He roared multiple times in excitement before hastily submerging back into the water. "Someone, go and bring him out before he wears his pants!" some audience urged the contestants, and though some responded, it was already too late, for the guard had already worn his pants back by the time they reached him. The sections of the audiences, who previously took part in ridiculing him, now went into silence like meek rabbits, their buttocks glued to seats. The attention of the audiences drifted away from the guard just as fast as it initially shifted to him; howbeit, the guard didn''t care. He kept on dancing in the ice dumpster, and the other guards had to jump in to bring him out, or the preparation of the ice dumpster for the next round would have to wait. Lirzod looked back at Sariyu, proudness painting his face into a picturesque one. "I know how you both found me when those brothers were carrying me around." "Oh," she was somewhat astonished, "you do?" "Yeah," Lirzod leaned closer and excitedly said in a low voice, "As soon as the fog appeared out of the blue, I got the feeling that the number of people present in the ice dumpster was quickly decreasing, which means most of them had either drowned or got wounded bad enough to get rescued by the guards. At first, I didn''t bother to know how guards always manage to get to the drowning contestants in time, but when Uncle Pig dipped me in the water repeatedly, I saw a guard carrying a wounded man while swimming underwater. Then I realized... with all the fog and with fewer contestants to trouble us, swimming beneath the surface is the best way to victory." Sariyu nodded as if appreciating Lirzod''s discernment, "But Burton had already guessed it soon after the fog began to spread around." "Humph, I didn''t focus on it quick, or else I would have realized it much earlier than him." "Yeah, yeah, I know your capabilities," Sariyu sighed as she looked at Lirzod''s dress, "but this isn''t cool at all, Lirzod." "Mm?" Lirzod''s puzzled gaze examined her mien. "What is?" "We are not at home anymore, you know. There are some habits you must make, and some you must break." "Got it," Lirzod replied, offering a thumbs-up, "but I''ve changed so much in these few days. I''ve adjusted to this new air that I''m breathing, and also walking on the wooden floor feels quite irritating at times, yet I never complained about it, did I?" "What the heck are you talking about?" Sariyu''s face contorted a bit, "I was talking about real habits, not some trivial adjustments that everybody has to go through." By clenching her fists, she worked to control her crossness. "At least begin to wear one for the sake of others!" "I will think about it," Lirzod replied, looking away. "Number 55..." At that time, a blonde man in disheveled hair approached Sariyu in slow steps. "Pardon me for not knowing your name, but can you tell me what I must do to become your bodyguard?" "Bodyguard?" Sariyu raised her brow. "What are you talking about?" "I''m willing to become your bodyguard," the blonde man ardently said, trying to control his tongue as best as he could, "and my name is Dirty Blonde. If there is any test that I can prove myself and impress you through, I''m ready to take the test." "I don''t need a bodyguard," Sariyu looked away, "you can go." The blonde man''s chest significantly shrank in size, "So you already have enough of them huh." His gaze shifted toward Lirzod, a noticeable manifesting on his face. "How much money do you want in return for giving up your position?" Lirzod blinked twice. "What position?" "What else? Your bodyguard position." "My bodyguard position?" "Yes." "And whose bodyguard am I?" Lirzod couldn''t help but ask, his brows elevated into a quizzing expression. The blonde man gnashed his teeth but controlled himself again. Given his fresh appearance, it was clear that he didn''t participate in the deck test. "Fifty gold. I will give you that if you can give up her bodyguard position." "Fifty gold!" the audiences, who were silently hearing to their conversation to see if the blonde man would succeed or not, now were thoroughly shocked. "I can buy a villa in my town if I had that much!" ''I will happily sell my grandpa-given seven acres for such a price!" "Who''s that blonde dude? He came out of nowhere and talked as if fifty gold was a tissue paper." "No idea, but I have never seen that face before. Never heard of the name ''Dirty Blonde'' or whatever he''s referring himself as either." The audiences fully engaged in the ongoing discussion, which abruptly ended on account of three words. "Five hundred gold!" Lirzod''s reply hung open people''s mouths. What was five hundred gold worth? With that much gold, multiple generations of a family could live a normal life in peace. The audiences looked at the blonde man, awaiting his reply, but even he had a deep frown on his face after hearing such an amount. "Are you serious?" His downward gaze was severe as he subtly attempted to domineer over Lirzod by standing tall. "Of course, either give that or give up!" Lirzod responded in a blunt tone. "Don''t go putting prices on my bodyguard position!" Sariyu barked at Lirzod. "Who gave you the permission for that?" "I was just trying to see your craze, uh, never mind," Lirzod stepped away from Sariyu, expecting danger. The blonde man, who was about to turn toward Burton, left the way he came, albeit with his head tilted down and in a displeased and darkened countenance. The expressions on the faces of the audiences changed considerably upon grasping that becoming one of Sariyu''s bodyguards wouldn''t be simple but pretty pricey in the least. "I didn''t think we''d win in our very first try together," Burton, who still wasn''t in total self, spoke to Sariyu. "Luckily, we did, but my feet turned red because of staying in that water for so long. I had to kick for quite many times, too," Sariyu glanced down at her feet, a little worry taking shape on her visage. "I can feel the heat of some tiny cracks in the skin as well. I should apply cream before they leave marks." "Stop bothering about your feet," Burton said in an imperceptibly annoyed tone, "You did the same for the tenth deck''s test. How are you trying to become a Martial Child with this sort of habit? I don''t think there is any martial who cares to have smooth feet. Even if they did, they would be a joke." "I care about my feet however I want," Sariyu''s forehead creased. She somewhat guessed where this conversation was going, "What''s your problem?" "Nothing, but it''s an eyesore to watch it time and time again even after leaving our town," Burton sniffled, "you are not the young mistress of this ship." "I know that much, " Sariyu''s nostrils flared, "If your eyes are hurting, then don''t watch. Nobody asked you to care in the first place." "You are right," Burton lightly frowned, lips drew back into a smile that could get under someone''s skin. "Now, it makes me wonder how you failed the sects tests all these years. Heh, you probably took more care on your feet than the sects tests themselves." "You are not the one to talk about failing Sects Tests," Sariyu rebuked almost immediately, "You were so hopeless that you couldn''t even find a reason for your failure. No wonder you have never won. Rather, should I say, you have never even dared to win?" "Yeah, whatever," Burton folded his hands and looked elsewhere. Having fought in the ice dumpster until a few minutes ago, a very healthy amount of adrenaline was still coursing through their veins. "Ha-ha, if you ask me," Lirzod stepped closer to them, "you two are at ''shitty'' standard when it comes to ''the number of sect tests bombed,''" he cackled like a cocky kid, breaking into their conversation, "Everyone knows that. Tell me something new." Placing his arms around their shoulders, he continued his pesky laughter, but a sudden realization changed his expression, "Oh, wait, nobody other than the three of us knows about it." He quickly looked around in different directions to see if the others were listening to their conversation or not, and some indeed were. "Have a taste of your own medicine," Both Burton and Sariyu elbowed in his face, making him crash back and down to his butt. Lirzod''s nose slightly bled, "T-Those heavy-headed idiots... they sure don''t know the meaning of holding back." "Yeah, yeah, we were holding back this time, or else the number 28''s body would still be floating lifelessly in that Ice Dumpster," A voice came from Lirzod''s behind. It belonged to Divas of the Hardy Brothers, and all the five of them were coming in together. "Mm?" Lirzod, while his butt rested on the floor, glanced back at the brothers. An unfussy, conspicuous smile bloomed on his face, burdening yet lightening his cheeks. "Oh, it''s you five! Thanks for making us win." His words almost anesthetized everyone who was paying attention but especially twisted and tortured the guts of the brothers, all five of them. 47 FISHY TALE Hands placed on hips, one of the contestants approached the referee. "How can three people win at the same time? You may be the referee, but you can''t do this." "What?" the referee coldly blurted out. "The three of them stepped foot in the winning area in the span of half a second, so they all passed." "What? Still, how come the three of them passed?" he resumed arguing with the referee, forming a hard jawline. "It makes no sense. With that rule, wouldn''t everyone step out at the same time and win this test? No one has to fight in that case, right?" The referee knitted his brows. To him, it was apparent that this man was a newbie who got to the eleventh deck probably only hours ago. "No," Controlling his impulsions, he replied rather calmly. "At max, five people are allowed simultaneous passage." "Really? No one told me about this." The referee ground his teeth and wanted to smack the man''s face so hard that the dumb look on his face would die right away but couldn''t do it as he was on duty. He raised his voice as he replied, "Read the test rules attached to the walls of the hall before asking such silly questions!" "Oh¡­" the man nodded to himself but still didn''t seem like he was ready to leave. "So the rules were indeed fastened to the walls huh. Because of all the exercise manuals, advertisements, wanted posters, strange symbols, and all sorts of decorations done to the walls, I couldn''t find them." He took a look over all the walls adorned with rich wood accent. The whitish tone of the walls set the right tone for the deck test on the eleventh deck. "The rules guide is appended on all the four walls," the referee speedily helped him understand more by showing how he could find the important details from just following the directions given by the carved designs in the walls. "Why do you think people form packs made of multiple individuals if only one of them could win?" "I get it now. So, a group of around five or less is the best huh..." "Yes. Now, can you please get out of my sight?" the referee gave him a frosty look. "Y-Yeah, thanks," the guy understood that the rules guide was probably not placed in the center of the walls to make the days of the entries a bit harder, for they would now be forced to look for the rules guide in every deck. He was also doubtful if older entries would give directions to the new ones for free. After all, the test halls would be spacious from what he saw and could tell. "I wish that the guidebook told more about each of the deck''s rules than it did about every other stuff. Geez, what a waste after I spent days locking myself in a room to mug that thing." His mouth twisted in many ways as he walked away. "Are they trying to mend the stubborn minds by compulsion instead of simply advising? Given how things are, it''s beyond me to climb this thing in three weeks." Hundred, on the other hand, was about to rush to the betting counter, but he stopped and looked back at Tarkan who also seemed ready to leave elsewhere. "Mr. Inch Man¡­ if you don''t mind, can I ask you something?" "Go on," a corner of Tarkan''s mouth imperceptibly quirked up. "Thanks. It''s just that¡­" He looked to his sides before leaning a bit closer. "Can you please tell me a trick when it comes to betting?" he stepped back after saying that and stiffly smiled. "You don''t have to tell me anything if you don''t want to." Though he said that, he truly wanted to know a hint or two about betting, and he couldn''t have thought of any better person to ask than the Inch Man himself, who rarely lost in recent times. Getting a hint or two from a person who mastered the craft was, to be frank, priceless. Tarkan''s expression hardened a bit before he responded, "You know what, Hundred¡­ In this world, hollows put money before wisdom whereas martials put wisdom before money. But I like to put them both at the same value. It was nice talking to you, but I''ve not known you enough to impart any amount of knowledge." Hundred''s face turned ashen, for he felt like he received two quick slaps with the same hand, but he did his best to smile through the distress and discomfort. "I am extremely sorry for troubling you." "I''m used to that, so don''t let it bother you," the corners of Tarkan''s eyes crinkled, "That said, I can still give you a little insight about this deck test since we are here and all. Only, if you are interested." "O-Of course," Hundred was quick to reply, concurrently hiding his excitement, "I''d pleasure that." "Kah-haha, though this won''t help you win every time, it will help you decide when to bet to make sure you win every time you do bet," Tarkan''s face glowed as he made Hundred lean forward and whispered in his ears, "The trick is not to bet on the strongest but the hungriest wolf. The strongest wolf may or may not win you the war, but the hungriest wolf either wins you the war or perishes in the process." Blood flowed at increased speeds as Hundred heard Tarkan''s words. "Thanks for giving me such a precious insight." "Mm," After nodding, Tarkan took a step away before looking back at Hundred and uttered audibly, "So you bet that those three youngsters would win in the last round just as I said. Great going!" Saying that he patted on Hundred''s shoulders for once before turning back and leaving as if he had no more business. (What was that all about?) Hundred had no idea what Tarkan just did until he realized that all the people around him were ogling at him, and he could somewhat make sense of their murmurs. "Oi, did you hear what Inch Man said?" "Yeah, to think he was lucky enough to get a bumper offer from Inch Man. Who''s this blonde dude?" "I think I heard Inch Man referring to him as Hundred. I don''t remember ever seeing his face though." "Oh, I think I saw him hunting follies before. He''s Hundred now huh¡­" "Kukuku, I wonder how many coins he earned in this round." "Maybe if we ask him, he''ll be kind enough to show us what he earned, perhaps along with some wisdom coinage, too." "Hehehe." Hundred felt quite discomforted by their words and could only baffle at Tarkan''s artful attitude for having helped and troubled him at the same time. He couldn''t stay there any longer as he could guess where the conversation was headed, so he straight away went to the betting counter, only to further get gaped at by many other betters including the assistant referee himself who previously snickered in silence as Hundred placed the bet. "Why so shy?" the assistant referee''s words were chilies coated with honey, and they raised Hundred''s hackles. "If you give me that money, I''ll put it to better use and give you a five percent extra a year later. What do you say?" "I will, but you should do one thing before that," Hundred stated, veIling all the built up anger with an inelastic smile. "Oh, definitely," the assistant referee got all excited, not sensing the impending chagrin. "Eat shit," Hundred''s voice was a crow''s caw, for it displeased all the ears it entered and prickled their pompous expressions. As Hundred made himself scarce, the assistant''s referee''s tongue produced sour juices, having already lost most of its color. To add to the insult, the held-back laughter of the nearby crowd made him do his damnedest to swallow all the sheepishness off his face. "C-Come on, come on, people," the assistant referee spoke in rough breaths, "who wants the tickets for the next round?" "I want one, but I''m a bit shy. Can I still participate in the test?" a random voice from the crowd leaked out, startling the assistant referee. "Why so shy, brother? Our assistant referee, Mr. Shy takes your shyness and returns it with five percent extra next year," another voice came from the crowd, making others burst out into roisterous laughter. Now, the assistant referee realized that he positively suffered a loss of face. Meanwhile, nearby the ice dumpster. "Mm?" Lirzod, while his butt rested on the floor, glanced back at the Hardy Brothers. An unfussy, conspicuous smile bloomed on his face, burdening yet lightening his cheeks. "Oh, it''s you five! Thanks for making us win." His words almost anesthetized everyone who was paying attention but especially twisted and tortured the guts of the brothers, all five of them. "You must learn to keep that nasty mouth of yours in check, or you''ll end up dead sooner than you can guess," Betts said, placing hands in pockets. "I''ll consider that," Lirzod said in a wandering gaze. "Good. What''s your name, brat?" "You lot are not worthy of knowing it," Lirzod said, smiling plainly, shifting his gaze back to the brothers. "But I''ll still tell you since you''ve asked it. My name is not Tarqa." "This pipsqueak," Centry was on the verge of putting his fists to work, but Betts stopped him. "Consider him to have a screw or two loose in the head," Betts spoke in a nonchalant attitude, "then you wouldn''t get so angry from hearing his nonsense." "Right, brother," Divas said, a hand casually anchored on the hip while the other move around, "a madman knows not of his madness." "I can add to it," Lirzod vocalized his thoughts, a feeling of lightness developing in the chest, "A madman is also never guilty of the madness he creates." His words fairly tested the brothers'' patience, and they had to bust a gut to maintain weightless gazes. "Ohh¡­" The crowd in the audience stands immediately took notice of them. "Hardy Brothers are going to get revenge now. The infamous treasure hunters are finally on the move to squash those three termites for daring to steal some of their fame in this hall of fame. Excellent!" Some of them who had wanted to see the brothers trounce the youngsters during the test got stimulated now. "Those three little fish won the test by swimming through the defenses of others while staying out of sight by hiding underwater. But now, on the ground, there''s no way they can stand a chance against the five." "Yeah, they are in for a bitter treat now." By and large, swimming through the ice dumpster to win the test was a terrible idea as there were a hundred contestants during every round, and the swimmers often get stomped upon without even knowing who hit them. In consequence, not many opted to use such methods to win the test but only either to temporarily hide or to escape from an opponent. The audience, who had gotten used to seeing people brawl a lot to overcome the odds that the deck test posed, didn''t feel great after the three youngsters seemingly swam most of their way through. As a result, some audience still desired to see some blood spilled outside the ice dumpster. "Beat those three, Hardy Brothers!" "Let the girl go and thrash the other two." "No, those three won together, so all the three deserve some beating." "Hardy brothers?" Lirzod, meanwhile, was repeatedly tapping his index finger on the chin. "Where have I heard that name before?" "Hmph, you must have heard it when you are in your mother''s belly," Centry snorted, adding an ugly twist to the mouth. "Mother¡­" Lirzod seemed like he was trying to remember a memory from the past. "I think I''ve heard of you people before." "Hmph, it''s no surprise. Everyone knows us," Centry said, backing with a grin cooked with arrogance. "Not only do we brothers hail from a renowned clan, but we also joined a certain organization which helped in boosting our fame by leaps and bounds. Though we aren''t known much in the West, we are well-known in the East." "Oh yeah," Lirzod nodded as he suddenly remembered something. "You people are the ones I read in a story when I was in school. I don''t quite remember its title though," he tried his best to remember it. "Hiding Mother and Seeking Sons," Divas said as the other brothers lifted their chests in pride. The audiences broke into their conversation in a hurry. "I know that story!" "I know that too! When Hardy Brothers were just little kids still crawling on fours, they played Hide and Seek with their mother. Their mother who went into hiding back then is yet to be found, and the five sons whom we now know as Hardy Brothers are still in search of her, which means that the game is still on." "Yeah, including my wife, so many people are waiting for them to find their mother and end the game, though it begs the question as to what the brothers are doing here on this ship. It''s not like their mother is at Immortal Peaks." "It would be nice if I get to witness their reunion. Would be an emotional tale worthy of getting inscribed on stone slabs." Some people even felt emotional. "Got it now," Lirzod almost sprang on his feet upon remembering the events of his past. "You were the toddlers who scared their mother into fleeing home from chest pain that over-nurturing bred." A singular silence¡ªsilent, stony, and severe¡ªbirthed in the neighborhood and screamed in the minds of men like an argument impossible to refute, forcing cold sweat to drip down many a cheek. Some wished to forget what they had heard right away, but the silence didn''t let them and instead spoke hundreds if not thousands of words, giving them anything but peace. All the Hardy Brothers froze in their footsteps and shivered in a soul-squeezing silence which further massaged their souls with sickening grips. In the past few quiet seconds, though nobody reacted to Lirzod''s words, it didn''t mean nobody heard them. At that time, Sariyu hurriedly came in between Lirzod and Hardy Brothers with apparent dolor on her face and broke the long-standing silence, "Please do not take his words the wrong way. He doesn''t yet know how to converse with people. He always says things he doesn''t have to say." She lowered her head more than a little. "I deeply apologize in his stead." Her words did earn approval from a few parts of the crowd but failed to bring any change in the expressions of the brothers, for their souls still suffered in silence. It may have been considered a joke if Hardy Brothers weren''t around when Lirzod had stated those words, but their presence entirely changed its essence. "What are you apologizing for?" Lirzod furrowed his brows. "I only spoke the truth. You too know that. Many of our clansmen think the same, too. Just because we read the story in a book, it doesn''t automatically make it true, does it?" "You, seal your mouth," Sariyu tightly shut his mouth with her hands and said to him in a low tone. "You can''t undo what you did. We fought against them inside the ice dumpster because it''s all part of the test. We don''t want to extend the enmity beyond the hall, understood?" she stressed the last word. Lirzod tried to shake his head, but she didn''t let him and forcibly made him nod. "See, he''s also apologizing for his mistake," Sariyu looked at the brothers whose attention seemed to be drifting elsewhere, although they didn''t move an inch. At the time, the nearby crowd was still in shock, but they were finally able to move their mouths. "I-Is that what truly happened?" one guy initially muttered under his breath before speaking out. "I thought their mother was playing Hide and Seek, and these five are yet to find her." "Yeah, that''s the tale told around," another person nodded, "but now I don''t know what''s what anymore." "C''mon, are you seriously giving credit to some random boy''s comments?" another man waved his hand, dispelling doubts in the minds of most, "He surely wants to make a mockery out of Hardy Brothers for giving him trouble during the test." "Yeah, you''re right." "That''s it, that''s probably it." "Whew¡­" Seeing that people didn''t fall for Lirzod''s words, Sariyu felt like a load was taken off her mind, and she removed her hand off Lirzod''s mouth. "You people seriously believed that story in the book?" Lirzod snorted aloud and looked at the brothers who stood not far away from him and wore pale expressions on their faces. "There should be only one seeker in that play, but why are there five seekers? It''s not just me, but most of my friends also didn''t believe the story when they read it either." "Don''t mind him!" Sariyu shouted before glaring at Lirzod. "You think there can''t be five seekers in that play? They were just children back then, so their mother probably wanted them all to find her. I get it that you didn''t get that part back when you were in school, but how can you still not comprehend it?" "No," Lirzod shook his head and chewed on his lip. "I get your point, but there''s something fishy about that tale, you know. They say there is no lie unknown to the heart. We will only know the truth if we ask the brothers themselves." "Alright, that''s enough," she grabbed his arm and began to pull him away. "Let''s get you out of here¡ªfor everyone''s sake." Lirzod, however, still tried to persuade her, "But what about the fishy tale¡ª" "The only thing fishy in this place is¡­" Aziz stepped forward, a flicker of hatred flashing in eyes, his clenched fist abnormally turning reddish as his stifling gaze locked on to Lirzod who was glancing over his shoulder, "your frame of mind." Subtle sparks of fire screaked out of his fist, "you brought this upon yourself." With a swift bend of the knee, he sprang forth, his twisting arm firing at Lirzod''s face from behind like a fiery wolf pouncing on its prey. ....... Author''s Note: WISH YOU ALL A HUGE HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope that I and you all will have a great year ahead of us. Most people try developing a new good habit or forfeiting an old bad habit from this day forth. Well, that''s a good start, but how about going and giving a damn kiss to all the cheeks you can? That might just light up many lives at least momentarily. If not, at least your cheeks will be reddened by the end of the day. Ahem, in case if you want to avoid the latter, stick to cheeks that can recognize your lips. 48 REACHING OUT FISTS Subtle sparks of fire screaked out of Aziz''s fist, "You brought this upon yourself." With a swift bend of the knee, he sprang forth, his twisting arm firing at Lirzod''s face from behind like a fiery wolf pouncing on its prey. With Sariyu standing by his side, holding a hand, Lirzod''s body instinctively moved, and his forearm met the hot punch head-on. Blazing steam burst out of Aziz''s fist during the impact, facilely ignited its way through the still-wet sleeve and scalded Lirzod''s skin, pressuring his torso to bend astern. "Nggh!" A flush of adrenaline tingled through his body, and his foot rose in response, crunched into Aziz''s chin before a mid-air backspin assured his safe landing. Nevertheless, Aziz''s muscles and veins still strained against the skin, his chin unhurt. "Wow," a few people among the crowd slapped their hands against their cheeks. "Nice move in return, but his arm must have already received significant damage in the collision." "Not bad, but it''s futile against the brothers." "Yeah, he''s trying to plant a ladder on the heavens[1]!" some among the crowd backed Aziz. "Bring that little fella down!" "Whoa, whoa," the referee speedily ran to the spot before another exchange of attacks took place between the two, "hold it right there." He glared at Lirzod, "You can''t fight in the hall. Don''t you even know that?" "Why are you blaming just me?" Lirzod squinted his eyes and vociferated, not reflecting the pain in his hand on his face. "He''s the one who attacked me first." "Quiet," the referee coldly said, his tone a breeze that breathed bad news, "you passed the deck test, so just leave through whichever the exit you want, either the Winners Street or the Champs Street." He swept an arm gesture. "Leave?" Lirzod knitted his brows and replied in a held-back yet noisy breath. "Who are you to tell me to leave? I''ll leave whenever I want to. The walk down the victory lane can wait." The referee''s posture stiffened from hearing that. What Lirzod had just said was utterly true after all. As long as an entry didn''t create unwanted trouble, the referee didn''t have the power to kick them out. Only a commander of the deck had such authority. Still, unable to hide their displeasure, the referee''s eyes protruded as he spoke, "Then do not fight in the hall." "You should tell that to them, not to me," Lirzod grunted, owing to his temper that gradually worsened from the moment the referee had made the entrance, "or, are you just too lily-livered to remind them the rules?" The referee''s shoulders jerked from hearing that, and his inability to meet Lirzod''s eyes for that brief moment further solidified Lirzod''s statement. Regardless, it was an open secret that referees favored the strong entries for trivial reasons. "This hall is full," Lirzod continued, sporting a somewhat hard jawline, "go home. Hopefully, someone more capable will take your place." The audiences got astonished from hearing his needling words. For him to tell the referee to leave the hall, with what seemed like a poker face, how burly must his bowels be? "You..." As the referee''s grudging gaze met Lirzod, the rumbling rage in his stomach forced the intestines to squeeze out acids that could dissolve chicken bones. He clenched his fists, wanting to punch in Lirzod''s stomach, but knowing that he would only be making himself look silly by doing that, he loosened his fist with a great effort before turning to Aziz. Though he said nothing, his eyes relayed much more information than his mouth could in as short of a time as it would take one to blink thrice. The hotness around Aziz''s fist simmered down; his heart, however, still squirmed in suppressed fury. "I''ll let him leave this hall in one piece." The referee thanked him with a blink of his eye before turning to Lirzod and discoursed in a raised voice, portraying the previous icy look, "You are the one who first attacked him with your words. The wrong is on your side. For your good, I''d say that you touch his feet and beg for mercy, or else you''re gonna get in trouble once you leave the hall." "What?" Lirzod knitted his brows, his shrewd gaze piercing up at the referee, "You entirely ignored the fact that these five attacked me during the test." He crossed the arms, "I wonder how you got this position." Shaking his head, he turned away from the referee and the brothers and began to walk, "Besides, I just spoke the truth after coming out of the pool. If they are hurt by the truth, then I''m not responsible for it. Maybe, if they were kids, then I would have helped them digest the truth, but in truth, these brothers are easily twice as old as me." He tried holding Sariyu''s hand, but she refused. Having had wasted his time on the affair at hand, the referee just shook his head in displeasure. At least, things settled a lot more peacefully than he thought, and it made him feel a bit proud of his achievement. "Sorry, Big Brother¡­" Betts'' voice came across Aziz''s ears, deepening by the second. "He insulted our past before this crowd." Betts'' brows squeezed together, his expression exhibiting a grimace of agony. "Unless I disfigure his face in front of the very same crowd, I cannot peacefully sleep at night." "You picked the words right out of my mouth, brother," Divas'' face had long reddened, and he could no longer rein in his temper. Centry, on the other hand, had already stepped past Aziz, letting his chagrin govern him. Following those three, Fimbry also tagged right behind. Together, they cut off the referee as he tried to speak to them, and the four of them hastened their feet toward Lirzod, their tightened hands prepared to pummel the target pitilessly. The crowd gawked with mouths open, for they had no doubt¡ªif those four fists were to land in full, there would be no tomorrow for the boy with mostly black and part-white hairs. Before any of the three youngsters could react to the reaching out fists, a weighty figure whooshed its way in, took the four jeopardous fists by the belly, "Mountain Jam!" The crash reverberated in many an ear; howbeit, at the same time, the one who just blocked the attacks released a mass of gas through his mouth that resembled a brief burp, but the following fart hushed most noses and mouths in the hall. It was no regular gas dispossession, for it lasted full fourteen seconds and not just rivaled the earlier impact sound but thoroughly won over it by seeping through the noses of many, badly affecting even some nearby people, one of which also happened to be the red-haired girl. Throughout the fourteen long seconds, different people felt either endangered or overawed by it for different reasons, but most hid their faces in tight spaces. Whoever dared to keep their eyes, noses, and mouths open suffered in various ways: itching in the noses, burning in the eyes, and awful tastes in the mouths. After the ear-upsetting sound finally died out, most men inwardly cursed the first face they had seen after waking up that morning. "I have never seen someone expel gas for as long and as deadly as this!" the crowd was petrified, to say the least, for all they could do was cover their noses as hard as they can but still couldn''t help themselves from speaking out. "Look, many people are passing out." "Who said that sound farts don''t smell? My nose is now flaring worse than after when I sneeze it for a thousand times!" "Forget about cows¡ªhe even puts elephants to shame." "Yeah, even gravediggers can''t stand this shit." "I guess this means... Brown hill is on an entirely different level even in the class of farting." "Weather forecast for the next minute: whiffy," Limon said, eyes flaring but his nose still shut. "I advise everyone to keep their noses shut and also refrain themselves from drinking lemon juice for the next minute." "One minute is too long! And only you would want to drink lemon juice even in this situation," some people who couldn''t bear holding their noses shut anymore had to open them, knowing full well that they''d suffer. 777, meanwhile, had an alarmed expression. (Just now, he flew in like a feather!) He narrowed his eyes. (So he was hiding his strength after all.) Hundred, who had been dragged into a discussion with the men near the betting counter, only just took a look toward the source of the scandalizing sound and got utterly puzzled by what was happening. "Brown Hill!" Centry ground his teeth as the rest of the brothers also pulled back their fists. "What''s the meaning of this?" "Uncle Pig!" Lirzod''s eyes broadened a bit. Boksa would surely not be on Lirzod''s list as to whom he would have expected to intercept the brothers in case if it were to happen. Seeing Boksa''s gesture, he felt a thickness in the throat and became unnaturally quiet. Boksa glanced back at Lirzod and spoke in a firm voice, "Run before I change my mind." As Lirzod paused a moment before starting to leave, Boksa looked back at the brothers, carrying his anger¡ªan old snakeskin¡ªto this moment, made known his bitter rage with his expression alone yet backed it with words, "I''m in an awful mood right now, bubbly brothers. I''d watch myself if I were you." Though it was a warning, his voice soothed over brothers'' ears like the melody of a harp performed by a heavenly being. "Get lost!" All the four brothers sprang at him like bulls sick in the head but not necessarily in the body. Boksa bent his torso forward and lunged ahead, "Knoll Chain Song!" An explosive series of palm thrusts slapped on the brothers'' bodies at different parts¡ªface, chin, throat, and chest¡ªsending two of the brothers three steps back while the other two crashed on their backs. Many members of the crowd were slack-jawed, for most of them have never seen Hardy Brothers fall in such fashion; however, the brothers got themselves together and attacked Boksa again in no time, thereby easing the amazement of the crowd just as fast. "H-He just struck the four of them in one move!" the man standing beside Limon still couldn''t let go of the bewilderment on his face. "How fast can his hands get?" "Yeah, for a mini-giant, his hands sure are fast," Limon said, his nose still closed as he licked on a half piece of lemon. "But he''s significantly bigger than Hardy Brothers. How can he move faster than them?" "He''s got more muscle after all," Limon casually answered. "Muscle? Don''t joke," the man retorted, "he''s well-stocked with fat." "Idiot. Look carefully. He has well-developed muscles hidden underneath that fat." "That''s¡­" Upon some inspection, the man was still unsure. "I''m not sure. Either way, I still can''t believe it." "Hmph, you think you can freely move around such a figure if it''s fully made of fat? Without muscle, you''ll be tired right away," Limon said, staring at Brown Hill. "That bastard is similar to Darling Twins. Though they are heavier than Hardy Brothers, they are still better at balancing their bodies." He lightly clenched his fists. (I can''t even imagine how much they must have trained for it. How long will it take for me to catch up to these freaks?) "B-But Hardy Brothers aren''t bad movers at all. You are talking as if they are nothing compared to Brown Hill." "Well, Hardy Brothers are strong, but compared to Brown Hill, they seem to be lacking in both training and experience," Limon said. "Looking at how two of those brothers couldn''t even keep their eyes open when Boksa attacked them, I must say, they have a lot more room to improve." "What?" the man refused to believe Limon''s words. "Don''t talk like you''ve seen if their eyes were open or not from this far." Limon chortled. "I agree that I didn''t see, but still, if you can''t see the incoming blow, your body won''t brace itself for impact. That''s probably the reason for their fall and not solely due to Boksa''s strength. After all, some sacrifice of power is necessary for throwing four fast and consecutive punches." "Then, he can''t severely injure them all at the same time, which means the brothers are still at an advantage," the man seemed a bit excited. "Of course, most can''t fight their way through the advantage in numbers. An alpha wolf may be the strongest of the group, but it still can''t easily fight four fearsome wolves at the same time. If Brown Hill isn''t careful, he''ll probably get taught a nice lesson." Expectation could be felt in Limon''s words. "Either one or five stretchers will be in use by the end of their fight." "You have said so much," the man raised one of his brows, "but... didn''t you get one-shotted by Brown Bill in the last round?" Limon''s was startled, for each word of that man felt like a needle that penetrated his pride. "Shut up!" He squeezed the lemon juice onto the man''s face. "Smug Spray!" "What the hell, man!" the man ran away from the spot in annoyance. "Tch, he made me waste so many drops," Limon resumed licking the lemon piece. Meanwhile, Boksa pumped his fists against each other, having warded off the brothers'' attacks once again. "Stop right now if you don''t want your useless fat made into candles." His cocky smile rubbed up the brothers'' faces the way it should. "Brown Hill, don''t butt in our business," Betts rebuked, his blood pressure steadily spiking. "Move if you don''t want to get beaten like a dog." "But the thing is¡­ I do want to get beaten like a dog," Boksa said, taking even breaths. "Still, no one even wants to bother me." Betts could see that Lirzod had already made quite some distance from them, and it boiled his blood. He looked at the other three brothers, "you three, leave this one to me and go after that brat." "Yes, brother," Centry, Divas, and Fimbry took off in different directions, irking Boksa. Right away, Boksa chased after the Centry, the closest one, but Betts blocked his way. "You have to get past me first, dog," Betts put his fists to work. In the meantime, Lirzod, Sariyu, and Burton were still yet to disappear out of the brothers'' sight. Because Sariyu''s breath was laboring¡ªthanks to inhaling an unpleasant gas earlier¡ªthey couldn''t pick up their speeds any further. "Let me carry you," Burton suggested, "and we can get out of here fast." "No," Sariyu straight out turned down his offer, "the brothers maybe faster in the ice dumpster but not here. Even at our current pace, we can make it." All the three brothers converged on them from behind. Sensing the increasing presence of the brothers on their tail, Lirzod felt like escaping without a fight was impossible. "Stop those three," Centry shouted, "Whoever stops them will get one gold." The audiences, who relished the spectacle until that moment, now sprang into action, their eyes sparkling with lust for gold. "I''m gonna get them!" "No, the early bird gets the worm." "I''m the early bird. Those worms are mine!" "Haha, you can have the worms¡ªthe gold is mine!" In under five seconds, people blocked off all the paths of the three youngsters, but just as fast, they began to fight among themselves on who should get the prize money. As the brothers closed in with smiling faces, Sariyu and Burton clenched their fists as they looked at each other faces. Just then, Lirzod walked past the two and yelled, "I''m Lirzod." His voice didn''t have an effect on the arguing men; however, he continued with an even louder voice, "I''m Lirzod, and whoever halts the brothers while howling my name out will get a chance to become her bodyguard!" he pointed his fingers toward Sariyu, producing a dumb look on her visage. "Eh?" some men suddenly shifted their attention toward Lirzod. "What? I didn''t hear clearly." "Me too. I heard something about being a bodyguard or something. Can you come again?" "I''m Lirzod." Lirzod roared, "Beat the brothers in my name, and you might just become her bodyguard." He pointed his forefinger toward Sariyu again. Everyone around those three fell into silence upon hearing that. "Hehe, as if such a stupid tactic would work!" Centry dashed through the masses, and he was the closest to the three. But just as he got within twenty feet distance, men abruptly made a stiffer wall between him and the three youngsters. The same was the case for the other two brothers. "You bloody bastards! What are you..?" Centry barked at the men. "In the name of Lirzod, we bloody bastards will have to beat you," the men attacked the brothers without a second thought. "Nothing personal, brothers." Though the brothers could still fight the ones around them, the number was just too much for them to handle in so short of a time. All they could do was watch as their foes swiftly snaked through the masses and distanced themselves. Lirzod, meanwhile, chuckled as he spoke with Sairyu. "Look, I''ve turned everyone against them." "You''ve certainly overplayed things this time," Burton said, eyes narrowed, and his stare boring into Lirzod. "Who knows which guy will come to us afterward saying that he wants to become her bodyguard?" "I am not taking any bodyguard," Sariyu hastily said in a sharp tone, "if someone comes to me, I will send them to you." "Haha," Lirzod grinned. "Then their day will be a total waste of time." At the same time, seeing that his plan didn''t succeed, Betts frowned inwardly as his fists stormed into Boksa''s face nonstop. (You might escape from us now, but our fists will one day reach your face without a shred of a doubt. And that day is not far, and I swear we''ll make it your worst nightmare.) Thoughts drifting elsewhere, Boksa took the punches without even worrying to block them. (Lirzod¡ªthe fire in my belly cannot be quenched until your bones bathe in it. For now, have fun and fatten up. One day, I will make a good lizard soup out of you.) ......... [1] Planting a ladder on the heavens:This is an idiom mostly used by the people of the East. Trying to plant a ladder on the ground is deemed to be prudent;trying to plant a ladder on the sky is deemed to be ardent; trying to plant a ladder on the heavens is deemed to be imprudent. 49 FEAR OF FIGH On the twelfth deck, at a small bread booth near one of the entrances of the test hall. "I was expecting to get my hands on the mysterious doughnuts, and not only do you not sell them..." Lirzod, who sat at the only table, complained to the booth owner, tapping his finger repeatedly on the food item on his plate, "but also this bread you''ve given us is cold." Sariyu and Burton were sitting next to him, not interested in ordering the bread as it lacked the sweetness or saltiness, unlike how they had always consumed at home. Only just minutes ago, Lirzod came to know about the existence of doughnuts from overhearing a conversation, and he came straight to the bread booth, his heart filled with raving hope, but all of that anticipation escaped out of his mouth, turning his tongue cold, and adding to his disappointment, the booth owner gave him cold and stiff bread. "Sorry, sir. We don''t serve hot and risen bread for free," the owner¡ªa young brown-haired boy in his late teens¡ªpolitely replied, albeit in a rigid posture. With his left half of the face burnt reddish-brown and his left ear completely gone, his visage had always failed him in shaping the expression he wanted to. "If you want hot bread, then each bread costs twenty copper." Lirzod''s brows creased. "Twenty copper coins for just one bread?" And there''s no sauce or any dish to serve with the bread either. You''re just looting us, man." "I''ve got to pay rent for the booth as well, sir," the corners of the owner''s mouth downturned with effort, casting a shoddy gloom on his face, "I may sell low quality food, but you won''t ever find a rotten bread in my booth." His voice, however, sounded convincing, "Since you have come from the tenth deck, you must know that for booths on these lower decks, it''s either bread or dead. I wish I could sell some dish that goes with bread, but that''s not allowed on these lower decks." "Yeah, but still¡ªserving cold food is a cold thing to do," Lirzod flapped his hand in displeasure. "I have never served cold water much less cold food to Gouse." "Gouse? Who''s Gouse?" the owner couldn''t help but inquire. "She''s someone who expects good things from me just as your customers do from you," Lirzod mouthed, eyes exhibiting credence, "you''ve got a lot to learn from her." The owner could only slightly frown from disappointment in himself, which was a common thing for many booth owners. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I''m not that knowledgeable, sir, but if there''s anything you want to know from me, like news or whatnot, I can tell you for free." "Really?" Lirzod almost sprang from his seat, zest transforming his face. "Of course, sir," the owner''s sorrow mollified a bit upon seeing Lirzod''s reaction, "selling information is also a part of our job. Otherwise, we won''t earn enough money from selling bread alone." Lirzod''s eyes brightened, "Then can you tell me how doughnuts look? How do they exactly taste?" His tongue salivated at a great speed to the extent it garbled his speech. "Are they crunchy? Are they salty? Are they toasty? Are they¡ª" "Either spit or swallow the damn saliva first," Sariyu twisted Lirzod''s ears, greatly put out by the bubbles that had come out of Lirzod''s mouth. "And don''t waste a chance like this by asking nutty questions. Ask him something useful!" "Aw, ow, uw! Stop twisting my freaking ears," Lirzod pulled himself away, brought freedom to his ear and later softly caressed it. "It hurts. Look, how red it has gotten!" His eyes shot sparks at her. "You deserved it," she clasped her hands which rested on her lap, shooting a frigid glance at him. Like the living tail of an animal, a long, thick braid sloped down the smooth curve her spine made and would have stretched down all the way to the level of her hip if she were to stand. A white ribbon adorned its tip further beautifying it. "Wait, how did you know your ears have reddened?" Burton''s brow shot up, his fingers casually placed under the chin. Lirzod''s shoulders jerked and shrank, but he clenched his fists and barked in haste, "I-I can, I can feel it." He averted his eyes from them and looked back at the booth owner, "Hey, you! Tell me about doughnuts." Sariyu''s jaw tightened. "Were you even listening to what I just said?" she howled at Lirzod. "I did!" Lirzod replied recklessly, but after perceiving the increasing redness in her eyes with a secret glance, he quickly cleared his throat and politely repeated without making eye contact, "I did." "Doughnuts are¡ª" the owner was answering. "Wait," Sariyu interrupted him, "we don''t want to know about doughnuts or whatever those things are, but can you tell me on which deck you can sell clothes and earn good profits?" "No problem," the owner''s response pressed Lirzod to purse the lips, "I think the fifteenth deck is good for that as a lot of exchanges and all sorts of trade happens there in the shadows. Otherwise, if you are interested in making long term official deals, you have to climb all the way to the twenty which is also known as the Deck of Trade, but I don''t think you''ll earn as much profit on that deck." "Oh¡­" Sariyu nodded to herself. (So, it''s the fifteenth deck then.) She began to calculate many things in her mind. "Then what about the doughnuts?" Lirzod asked now, his voice filled with expectancy. The booth owner, however, put his palm forward, puzzling Lirzod for a moment with his blank face¡ªthe only expression he was good at pulling off. "It''ll cost a copper." For an instant, Lirzod portrayed a dazed look before squinting, "You¡­" Paying a copper was not a big deal for Lirzod, but he didn''t want to pay to that owner now after everything that happened. "Hmph, I can find out about doughnuts without your help." "Your choice," the owner pulled back his hand and smiled as considerately as he could. "But, just for your information, I know on which deck doughnuts taste the best." Lirzod, unable to control his emotion, gnawed on the edges of bread as mice would, eyeing straight at the owner; however, at the same time, he muttered something in a hurry, though nobody understood a word of it. Eyes closed, the owner could only force a grin, trying to continue having the upper hand in the conversation. "Come to think of it, your offsider did help us escape from Aziz after we''ve gotten out of the hall," Burton told Sariyu, bringing her out of her cerebral world. "So¡­ are you gonna make his post permanent?" "I don''t know," Sariyu let out a weighted sigh, "to be honest, it feels too soon." Moments later, she turned her toward Lirzod, "You better thank him for his help, too." "That Triple Seven is a crook," Lirzod blew air through his nostrils, "Why would I thank him?" He was busy cleaning his ears with his little finger. "I can''t help but wonder why he stepped in. Maybe, he wanted an autograph or something, and we mistook it for help." Sariyu ground her teeth, "you don''t have to thank him, but at least keep your mouth in check and talk decently with him from now on." "Not happening," Lirzod said, inhaling deeply through the nose, "I will talk how my heart wants me to talk," he closed his eyes and placed his hand on the heart, "and it''s telling me to not listen to anyone''s words now." He opened his eyes back and glanced down at the bread. "Since you seem to wanna thank him so badly, you can thank him in my stead, too." His words killed her mood and tried her patience again. "You can think of it as doing a deed for our team sake," Burton propounded. "Team sake?" Lirzod sniggered as his eyes met Burton''s, "Look who''s talking¡ªa tiger is trying to teach a lion about teamwork¡­ pfft!" Lirzod shook with laughter. Lirzod''s laughter rubbed them up the wrong way, and his words had already boiled both their blood. Sensing the danger, Lirzod promptly got up from the seat. "Ahem, let me bring some more cold bread." He came to the booth owner, his eyes still keeping track of the ones behind him. "Is there only this one type of bread with you, or are there more?" "Only just this one, sir," replied the owner, already expecting something critical to come out of Lirzod''s mouth. "Why''s that?" Lirzod asked, most of his attention still on both Burton and Sariyu. "You can make hundreds of types of bread from different food grains, can''t you?" "Well, yes, but I don''t make things. I only supply things," the owner answered rather smoothly, "do you want another bread, maybe?" "Not really," Lirzod said in a low voice, only now shifting his eyes toward the owner, "I just came here to escape from their scoldings." Lirzod quietly giggled, secretly pointed his fingers toward Sariyu and Burton, both of whom were looking straight at him. "I bet they are looking this way right now." "Yep, you are right," the owner said and smiled. "Talking to you was nice, sir, you can have another packet if you want." He tried to hand Lirzod a packet holding ten pieces of bread. "No, I don''t need it," Lirzod said, but then expectantly looked at the owner, "How about some hot bread?" "I''m sorry, sir. Anything but that," the owner''s reply took some of Lirzod''s energy away, but then the owner leaned forward and murmured, "Don''t you think you can calm them down with this packet alone?" Lirzod was pleasantly surprised to hear that, and as a result, he grabbed the packet and leaked out an affected smile toward the owner. "You are smarter than you look." "U-Uh," the owner didn''t know how to feel about Lirzod''s words, but his shoulders flailed, and his appearance grew solemn. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?" "Of course," Lirzod frankly said, "you are smarter than Triple Seven in a good way." Lirzod''s words helped the owner feel a bit better, even though he had no idea who 777 was. "Hey, why don''t you try and become an offsider to some entry?" Lirzod stated, "That way, you can enjoy fighting with others, and who knows, you might get great girls, ahem, I mean, great fights under your belt." The owner''s face darkened instantly. "Fight¡­" His voice quivered, and his left hand began to shiver; however, he did his best control the shivering, "Fighting is what gifted me this face." Just his right eye turned teary as he stared at Lirzod, unblinking, "Unlike you who has two friends, I boarded this ship alone. Still, I wasn''t afraid because I wantingly chose to traverse the Martial Walk with my own strength. I dreamed of becoming a Martial Child, and I thought I was willing to face anything for it. But..." His left hand rose and felt the left half of his face with it. "Just one bold move against a group of individuals cost me half of my face, most of my courage, and in return, furnished me with fear toward fighting. This Viktor you are seeing¡ªis not the old Viktor anymore, and this face is still an unfamiliar one to me. This left eye doesn''t shed tears anymore. These hands no longer want to hold the sword. All this new Viktor can do is hope to earn enough to get my face treated one day and then head back home." As he said, he saw that Lirzod''s expression also was a bit out of sorts. "I''m sorry. I seem to have caused you distress." "No, not at all," Lirzod said, his mood foiled by the possible prospects, "I wish I can help you at least with the treatment, but I don''t have any money on me now." "It''s alright. Just the thought itself makes me feel better." "I''m sure it must be hard to even talk to new faces with an injury like that," Lirzod pitied him. "It was indeed quite soul-shaming in the beginning, but now, I got better at dealing with the ''surprised looks'' if I can put them that way." Lirzod paused a moment. He had already finished eating all of the phoenix fruits, so he wasn''t sure if there was any other way he could help. Still, he ended up assuring, "If you failed to get treated for whatever reason, go to my hometown, Helenia, and tell them that I, Lirzod sent you." Saying that he turned back. "And what will that do?" Viktor couldn''t help but want to know. "What else? It will get your wound treated," Lirzod said, leaving Viktor in a daze. Lirzod''s head was turned in a different direction as he approached the table and placed the bread packet on it. "Here, you two can have it." "Hmph," Sariyu harrumphed a little, "what''s with the sudden change? As far as I know, today isn''t a special occasion." "Do you want it or not?" Lirzod said, still facing away, clicking the fingernails against the table, "It''s okay if you don''t want it. Not everyone can understand my goodwill." "I''m not in the mood to pretend to be wanting the bread," Sariyu bluntly said, her voice lacking lovableness. Burton clapped multiple times, making sure to not break into a cheesy smile, thereby further irking Lirzod. "I clapped because there''s dust on my hands, not because I liked what she said," Burton spoke out as if he was talking to someone else. Lirzod bared his teeth, the veins in his neck twitching very much. He grabbed the bread packet and tossed it away into the distance, startling the two and especially the booth owner. "Hey! What have you done?" Viktor yelled and ran out of the booth. "Why did you throw it away?" Lirzod then turned his head to him¡ªirritation still apparent in his eyes. "I threw it away because my hand slipped and not because I was angry." Viktor got a dumbfounded look on his face for a while. "His reasoning gets beyond our understanding sometimes," Sariyu told Viktor, before turning to Lirzod, "you can just go and get the bread packet back, or you can just stand here and do nothing." Lirzod stood still, staring at the floor but opened his mouth, "I''m busy right now." Sariyu looked at Viktor. "Sorry for the trouble." She stood from her seat, "I''ll bring it back." "It''s alright," Viktor gestured to her, telling her to sit, "I''ll get it back myself." However, just then a red fox came out of nowhere and snatched the bread packet and ran away just as fast. After running for more than a hundred meters, it stopped and began to tear the packet cover in haste. Seeing that, Viktor, who had temporarily frozen, now got incensed instantly, for that fox had already bothered him too many times. "You damn little shit, I''m going to break all your teeth today!" He hurriedly picked up a few stones from the heap of stones he placed near the shop for this very cause and ran straight to the fox, hurling stones at it while cursing madly. The fox picked the packet by its mouth and started to run away with prodigious promptitude and prudence. He continued chasing after it with full speed and eventually disappeared from Sariyu''s sight upon crossing the corner of the street. About two minutes later. Viktor entered Sariyu''s vision, this time with empty hands, breathing heavily. She understood that he failed in getting the bread packet back, but what surprised her was that the fox still followed him¡ªstill holding the bread packet by its mouth¡ªwhile keeping its distance. As Viktor got closer and closer to his booth, the frustration on his face became quite noticeable to Sariyu. His face turned claret red, seemingly suffering from dementia. The fox came into the fifty-meter range and tore packet into two halves and pushed one half ahead with its nose while keeping the other half at its feet, and afterward, it barked multiple times. "Haha, it''s nutty as a fruitcake." Lirzod snickered. "I like it, though it got ways to go to catch up to me who''s nutty as a nut." "What is it saying?" Sariyu was a bit puzzled, and she glanced at Burton. "''The bread''s good,''" Burton said, "''but you can have the rest.'' That''s what it''s saying¡ªprobably." Viktor, who glanced over the shoulder at the fox, coldly said, "Bullshit." Saying that he entered the booth, and adding to his bitterness, a rat was munching on the bread through the hole it made in one of the bread packets. Viktor''s eyes instantly blackened as he grabbed hold of a meat cleaver from the set of knives hanging by the wall. Without hesitating even a second, the pointed object in his hand plummeted onto the tail end of the rat and cleaved through its tail at the base. The sudden sound of the knife striking the wooden floor shifted the attention of the three youngsters toward the booth when the owner picked up a wriggling tail and tossed it out. A second later, a rat came out of the booth, squealing madly, seemingly confused in its steps from the shock and the pain derived from losing the tail. A rattlesnake that had been hiding underneath the shop came out and caused the death of the rat with multiple easy bites and gone ahead with the swallowing process then and there. Lirzod slipped the snake a curious glance, "The rat never saw it coming." "Wow, the snake sure is impatient," Sariyu said, nodding as if approving the snake''s actions, "it must be quite hungry. At least now, it won''t have to eat for at least a couple of weeks." "Snake?" Only now, Viktor noticed the snake, and he grabbed the knife again and got out of the booth in double quick time, an ill temper coruscating through his pupils. Generally, he wouldn''t have wanted to deal with a snake without a long stick, but now he was in a pissed off mood. It wouldn''t be a surprise even if he tried to stomp the snake to death. Nathless, before Viktor could get closer, Sariyu got in his way. "Wait, just wait a few seconds, and that snake will be gone." "What? That''s a bloody snake," Viktor shouted, "We have to kill it, or it will end up killing more than just rats." "There''s no need for that," Sariyu said, her tone beseeching a bit, "Snakes don''t want trouble more than us." Her words affected him just a little bit, but her stare forced him to rethink. In a few moments, the rattlesnake did begin to leave the surroundings in silence, but to everyone''s surprise, the fox sprang into the scene and confronted the rattlesnake. More than desperation, persistence could be seen in the fox''s movements as it gracefully waved its tail and jumped around to avoid getting bitten, for this battle for the fox was both a hunt and a sport at the same time. Having just had a sizable rat, the snake was sluggish, so the fox finished it off fairly quick and wasted no time in wolfing it down in bits and pieces. "Poor snake, hope it will rest in peace," Sariyu felt sympathy for the snake. "I''m sure the fox will digest the snake and the rat just fine," Lirzod said and faintly smiled, "but the fox sure hit two birds with one stone." Sariyu somewhat creased her forehead. "More like a rat and a snake with one hunt," Burton thought aloud. "Hmm," Lirzod added, "The snake never saw it coming." Viktor, meanwhile, felt hot under the collar. Soon after the fox had seen the snake, it abandoned the stolen bread which infuriated him. He picked up some more stones again and was about to head for another attempt at perhaps teaching the fox a lesson or even bringing it down if luck gave a helping hand. Howbeit, Burton came in his way, "You can keep throwing things at it, pal, but it won''t make a difference to you until a hit lands. On the other hand, that fox will only get smarter from your failed attempts." A telling smile rose on Burton''s face. "Let it get smart enough to believe that it can steal food from your hands, and when it does attempt, you will be ready to catch it. Whatever you do with it afterward is your business, but if you ask me what''s the best thing to do, I''d say¡ªmake it a part of your life, and you will be its life." Burton turned back and started to walk, "Of course, you''d have an extra stomach to feed, but you can never fully guess the gains such a companionship may bring." Viktor froze in his steps, his expression complex. After some thinking, he dropped a rock with each step he took toward the fox that was busy in cramming down the snake meat. (Make it a part of me huh¡ªwell, I''ll be having to devour it then.) Sariyu slightly beamed as Burton came in her direction, "With a few words, you made sure that he would think twice before killing the fox even if he managed to catch it." Burton hardly nodded in response, oblivious to the plan in Viktor''s mind. "If it were up to me, I''d have flattered the fox with words alone," Lirzod chortled, "then I would have made it do hundred guilty springs[1], and it would have thoroughly satisfied the owner. Everything would have gotten settled then and there." Both Burton and Sariyu were left bewildered from hearing his words, for they couldn''t even imagine how a fox could do guilty springs. "C''mon, let''s go to the test hall," Lirzod strolled ahead, hands placed behind the neck, elbows raised high. "Go to hell," Sariyu hissed, arms crossed at the diaphragm. Lirzod turned back and met her with a blank stare, "I don''t know the route. Can you lead the way?" "Ugh," she narrowed her eyes, "one day, I will." "Yeah, every dog has its day. It must be what you are referring to, or am I missing something?" Hands hanging freely, Lirzod cocked his head to the side, his ear almost touching the shoulder, thereby getting on her nerves. A surge of heat coursed up her spine. "Yeah, you are missing one companion," she picked up a rock Viktor dropped before, "here, have him!" she hurled the rock at Lirzod who already was running away on his toes; however, she chased after him, her movement putting her braid into swaying as she followed him into the hall, throwing more stones in the process. On the twentieth deck, inside the surveillance chamber, only a single buck-toothed boy was present. The spacious room, quiet at the moment, was full of chairs made out of large roots and desks sculpted from wood. "So, anything worth mentioning today yet?" A golden-haired man in a white blazer entered inside, appearing effortlessly elegant, his voice not disturbing the silence by much, with the number ''ten'' printed on his dress at the right side of chest region plus a black rose pinned to his shirt pocket on the left side. His hazel-green eyes carried a sense of complexity that his warm and rosy complexion managed to somewhat obscure. His straight posture made him look leaner than usual; his clothing held close to the skin concealed enough of his bodily features yet was capable of flattering all eyes that lay on it, and his sharp-edged beard made the small chin and soft jawline less noticeable. Everything physical about him looked fresh and clean, including the polished white shoes whose sole also had less to no dirt. "Nothing much, Sir Gorka¡­" the boy replied briskly, and his expression froze for a moment, indicating that he was recollecting his thoughts, "but I think, there''s this interesting result on the eleventh deck." "Oh, what was it?" Gorka asked in a quiet tone. "Some new group passed through the Ice Dumpster on their first try," the boy glanced up at Gorka and smiled. "Well, two out of the three to be precise, sir." "First try?" The corners of Gorka''s lips slightly curled down as he subtly nodded twice, "When did that last happen?" "As far as I remember, none in this month, sir." "Hmm, okay¡ªshow me the footage." "Sure," On the desk before him, there were many lamps and buttons. With the press of a button that had number eleven on it, sparkling smoke burst out of the translucent lamp-like object fixed above the button. "Show us today''s footage from the eleventh deck''s hall." The smoke soon shifted into a flat screen and showed the visuals in color, with quality sound accompanying it as well. As the smoke displayed visuals of what happened, Gorka spoke nothing throughout its length and just watched the round¡ªone which Lirzod had participated, in the Circus of Wolves. "So, what do you think, sir?" the boy asked, expecting a positive response. "They seem like total rookies and lacked coordination," Gorka spoke in a flat tone, "but they at least seem to have some idea on how each other''s think. So it''s not a wonder that they ended up winning simultaneously." "U-Uh, yes," the boy didn''t know what to say, "You think they''ll make it up to here, sir?" "Hmm, they do seem capable of reaching this deck, but whether they will provide us with some entertainment or not, we shall wait and see." At that moment, the smokecast[2] was displaying the conflict that happened between one of the five Hardy Brothers and Lirzod after the event had ended, which slightly changed Gorka''s expression¡ªwith thinning of brows. "I didn''t know of this," The boy was surprised, "Fighting during the competition was one thing, but for that boy to be picking an unnecessary fight with someone that''s easily twice heavier than him¡ªhe''s insane. This sort of temper wouldn''t get him far. I''m sorry for wasting your time by talking about them, sir." "Not really." Gorka slightly smiled. "He''s better than I thought." The buck-toothed boy was utterly puzzled, "What do you mean, sir?" "Picking fights with stronger opponents is an essential proceeding for a martial, so there''s no avoiding it," Gorka''s eyes flickered with sharp light. "Though this kid probably never fought someone at this level before, at least he seems fearless. Fear is something you can''t easily let go of once it births in you. There is no training to conquer fear. The only way to win over fear is by facing it head-on. And this kid is probably doing the same thing¡ªhe''s helping himself become stronger at heart. After all, not only the level but also the scale of battles that one must face will only exponentially increase as we rise through the world of martials, at least until the apex is in our sight." The boy''s mouth was left wide-open for a moment. "So, you are saying that by these skirmishes, he''s overcoming his fear of a fight, or at least what''s left of it..." "That''s how it seemed to me," Gorka placed his index finger on his chin, "if his teammates are as good as him, they should at least provide us a little entertainment for as long as they''re on this belt. Keep an eye on them." The boy was astonished to hear that. Essentially, Gorka''s words indirectly meant that he wouldn''t be surprised even if those three successfully climbed up to the hundredth deck and more. "F-For sure, sir." ........ [1] Guilty Spring: It is a punishment where one holds their opposite ears with hands and sit with knees bent and heels close to or touching buttocks or the back of thighs, and stand up before repeating this process again for as many times as told. This was one of the attitude correction exercises generally given to children in schools and by some strict parents. This name came from a saying that ''A guilty spring never gets off the ground no matter how hard it''s squashed. [2] Smokecast: A system that converts electrical signals into audio or video, or vice versa, displaying them on screen or transmitting them through different mediums using various means. 50 GESTURES In the test hall of the twelfth deck, Burton was inside a fifty-meter radius grassy ground, standing tall with a graceful build, staring fixedly at the white cat lingering in the other half with his deep-set green eyes that seemed like two garden-fresh mangoes, endeavoring to make the cat sink into the depths of the spring that were his eyes. Be that as it may, the cat did find itself looking twice at Burton, but it cut the eye contact whenever it felt even remotely uncomfortable and thus resisted his pull. Dozens of fellows watched from outside the circle of grass, some of whom were chattering whether Burton would win or not. The size of the hall itself was three hundred meters long and wide. Compared to the test hall of the eleventh deck, this one was tens of times smaller and seemed a lot less lively as well, despite the two sets of paintings graced the walls of this hall: cats doing their cat-things, and humans trying to interact with cats in various ways. "You can''t blame him even if he loses. This test is too damn hard in many respects after all," one of the men in the crowd said in a thickening voice, "Not only did I fail to succeed in it for dozens of times but also I lost all my money in betting. It hurts me to say this, but if not for ''Loose Booths[1],'' my situation would have been equal to that of a beggar." "No one has managed to get a headband out of white cats in the last three days as far as I know," another man voiced his mind. "Yeah, as far as speed is concerned, white ones maybe slow compared to the black ones, but these white ones are much harder to fool." The deck test ''Cat Conflict'' was quite simple: steal the headband from the cat while both the contestant and the cat stay within the ring. If the cat stepped out of the ring even once, the contestant would automatically pass the round. If the contestant stepped out of the ring without any external interference, then not only would they fail the test but also they were not allowed to climb any more decks and would be doomed to bide their time on the twelfth deck or lower decks. There were two choices of cats: the black and the white ones. Black ones were aggressive, and they were more prone to attack. White ones, on the other hand, were less aggressive, but they were highly slippery as they would run at the slightest movement of the contestant. If one chose a particular colored cat, they''d have to stick to it no matter how many times they fail. And any contestant would get only a single try per day, and in each attempt, one was given merely three minutes. Only rarely, at times when there were less than four-hundred contestants ready to take the test, one might get multiple chances per day. Not surprisingly, the competition for the ticket was quite high here than on the eleventh deck. If not for Burton coming to the hall in less than a day after winning the test on the eleventh deck, he wouldn''t have been eligible to get one of the reserved tickets from the referee. In that case, he would have been forced to buy the tickets in black. Generally, the smaller the number on the ticket the higher would be its price as one would get to participate earlier in the day, but still, most sellers were always prepared to exploit the innocence of some entries. There were times when some naive people were sold tickets for as high half a gold. Customarily, the ones who were more likely to attract higher betting were the ones that referees favored. As for the test rules, the contestant was permitted to throw food at the cat or use food as a bait, but using weapons to scare the cat into submission, beating the cat, or intentionally hitting it out of the ring resulted in a direct disqualification. And the contestant would later be forced to explain to the judge of the current sector¡ªthe decks comprised between eleven and twenty, including these two decks as well. After trying his luck with his magnetic staring and failing to allure the cat, Burton then put a cup full of rose milk down at his feet, and the white cat did glance at it but looked away as if he meant no business. "Ha-ha, forget about sniffing, it didn''t even step in toward the bowl," One of the guys in the crowd sneered, feeling a lightness in the chest derived from needlessly interfering in others businesses. "You chose a bad one, buddy. Also, fooling these raised cats with milk is too routine of a tactic compared to your grandma trying to fool you with chocolates when you were a kid. This sort of tactic is too easy to see through for these cats. Rose milk is better than normal milk, but these nasty things only fall for special foods no less coated with greatly smelling ingredients such as catmint." There were a set of hundred white and hundred black cats from which a contestant got to choose from, and Burton preferred to take on a white cat. Now, in case he failed this time, he would only get to choose from one of the hundred white cats for all his following attempts until he scored a victory. Burton tried tossing some cat food¡ªtiny meat pills he bought just for the sake of this test¡ªaround, hoping that the cat would turn to him, but it seemed more interested in observing an audience slurp on chicken broth. If not for the training it received, it probably would have stepped out of the ring in an attempt to persuade that specific audience. Burton stood still, trying to comprehend the reason behind its ear shifting, for he didn''t have much experience with the cats in the past. So their body language was a new language for him to learn. At the same time, seeing that the cat pills that Burton had wasted didn''t work, some of the crowd laughed thoroughly. Most of them bet against Burton, so they were happy to see his efforts not get any response from the cat. "How many cat points you think he''ll earn?" "At best one, so I bet three copper coins on it." "Haha, I bet on one gesture as well." Many people had already bet against unknown odds. Cat points were given only by the referee after the cat showed a gesture from the set of appreciated gestures¡ªlicking themselves or the contestant, headbutting, kneading, rubbing, mouth talking, tail talking, purring, scratching, biting, paw rocking and so on. Generally, cats would constantly lick their bodies if left alone, but these cats were trained from birth in a similar environment to not get captured, so it would be safe to say that they somewhat grasp the importance of the test as long as they were inside the ring. As a result, getting any gesture wasn''t an easy thing. On average, almost forty percent of a day''s matches would end without anyone witnessing a gesture. Still, most betters chose to bet on seeing one cat gesture as most cats were prone to licking themselves often. If not, there was also the chance of the contestant managing to get a gesture out of the cat. Burton picked up the cup full of rose milk and placed it at the border of the ring, making the audiences wonder within limits. He had already wasted more than a minute in trying to get a positive impression using stare, milk, and pills, so he didn''t want to spend any more time on drawing its attention and instead just shot himself toward the cat at full speed, making it bolt away. "The cat''s on the move. There''s no way he''s going to that now," someone from the crowd purposely spoke in an attempt to demotivate the contestant. "Hehe, seems like this conflict is as good as done," another man voiced their opinion, being sarcastic with intent. His words garnered a few chuckles¡ªha-has and fu-fus¡ªfrom the crowd. Adding weight to the ploys of the audiences, the acceleration and agility that the cat displayed were leagues above Burton, and it kept circling the ring with relative ease, always sticking close to the border. All these things made it look as if Burton''s loss was inevitable; however, he did not stop and kept on chasing it as if his life depended on it. As the cat traveled near the border, it came across the rose milk every time, but it didn''t stop. "What is he doing?" a man among the crowd covered his face with the hand. "He seriously can''t be expecting the cat to stop and drink the milk. If that''s the case, his stupidity is beyond stupid." "Haha, he has no idea what he''s doing." "Yeah, it''d be more entertaining to watch if the cat were to claw his face into a bloody mess." The audiences voiced their opinions for whatever reasons they had. Killing a contestant''s confidence or wasting their time through trash talk was accepted as per the rules, so some experienced betters always tried to make good use of it. "You''ve done enough, buddy, so why don''t you try and bring a gesture out of the cat? We''ll give a packet of bread with added jam if you can do that for us!" Another one from the crowd vociferated, in an attempt to entertain other audiences, and he triumphantly caused a few sneers to bloom. Howbeit, the very next moment, Burton kicked the cup toward the cat, forcing it to jump into the air in startlement. With a flick of his thumb and middle finger, he sent a cat pill flying at its nose, making it jerk its head in confusion. And as the cat landed, Burton lunged at it, and though the cat was quick to react, he grabbed its tail before it picked up its speed. With a twist of the wrist, Burton whirled the feline by its tail, making it scream in fright. Wurravv~! The terrified scream of the cat echoed in the hall and got response calls from many other cats living in the cat home¡ªa spacious room for the cats to reside. All the audiences who had mocked Burton before were now watching him in slackened jaws as he stepped past the spilled milk, making sure his shoes weren''t spoiled, all the while twisting his wrist and causing the cat to cry out of its lungs. Everybody went momentarily speechless, not because he won, but because of the way he won. If that cup of milk had hit the cat instead of the cat pill, the cat would have gotten bruised a bit, and Burton would have likely gotten disqualified and be forced to face the Judge of the sector for a review. "Meow! Meow!" The referee, Jehez, a man with messy brown hair, long neck, and a broad build hurriedly entered the ring, "Let the cat go!" "I didn''t yet pull the headband," Burton said, his wrist still in action, "I won''t be failing, right?" "No," Jehez raised his voice further, his eyes emitting the coldness of the winter, "unless you want to die, stop spinning the damn hand and let the cat go!" "Okay," Burton let go of it, making the cat fly over the crowd, its scream trailing off in the audiences'' ears. "Someone, catch the cat!" Jehez requested the audiences, albeit with a demanding tone, and a few men responded. What Burton did, especially the way he let go of the cat, truly irked Jehez because Burton''s actions would likely scar the cat''s behavior for long, and it might not behave in ways they would expect it to inside the ring. As Burton walked out of the ring, Jehez gave him a frosty look as if deciding whether or not to make him pay for his actions. "I didn''t think he''d pass..." Lirzod who was in the back rows of the crowd said, unable to hide the dainty disappointment on his face. With enthusiasm, he had expected the cat to fool Burton, but that didn''t happen. Aside from that, his reddened ears still throbbed from the choleric twisting Sariyu had put them through after catching him in the hall. "He''s good at fooling, after all," Sariyu said, her arms loosely folded across her chest, "so I expected this result, but still, I didn''t expect him to kick the cup like that. Luckily the cat jumped a bit too high, instead of jumping away. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have caught it just like that. Anyway, it is my turn now." "Wish you cat-luck," Lirzod said, teasingly, already covering his ears with his hands to avoid any more twisting. Sariyu raised her hands and blocked the space between her and Lirzod with her palms as if she repelled his wish. "Cats signify bad luck, not just the black ones but all of them, so you can keep their luck to yourself. You will need it more when you participate afterward." Saying that she headed toward the room of cats known as Cat Home where there were so many white and black cats to choose from. There was the assistant referee as well, waiting at the door, ready to clarify any doubts at asking; however, as she closed in, a horrible stench came from the room, forcing her to shut her nose and also halt her feet. This smell wasn''t as worse as that of the socks she previously experienced near the ice dumpster, but it was still close to that level of ghastliness, so she didn''t dare take another step ahead and looked aghast at the cat home. "What''s wrong, miss?" the assistant referee queried, standing right where he was, at the door. His countenance and character had long changed for the better after knowing that the contestant this time around was a girl. "U-Uh, can you please bring some random cat outside?" she requested, her creased forehead showing distress. The assistant referee felt exceedingly excited upon hearing that and promptly entered Cat Home and came out with a weak-looking black cat. "Is this one, okay, miss?" he respectfully asked Sariyu. Seeing that gesture from the assistant referee, many contestants standing on the sides couldn''t help but envy Sariyu, for she was receiving an indirect favor for whatever reason. As Sariyu''s turn came, the crowd who already were in down spirits now felt even worse. Most people lost money because they bet against Burton. Winning the round wasn''t a big deal, but winning it without bringing a gesture of the cat was quite rare. So nobody ended up earning a coin, except for Jehez who gained a couple of silver from just that one match. Maybe, that was the reason Jehez held back his anger from barking at Burton, even though he pretty much wanted to. Now, the assistant referee''s gesture gently rubbed salt on the betters'' wounds. "Yeah, I will take it," Sariyu nodded in response to the assistant referee''s words, not minding the murmurs coming from the crowd, and though she initially hesitated a bit, she steeled her heart and tried to hold the cat. In addition to her hesitancy, the moment the cat landed in her hands, it shook out of her hands, ran straight into the grassy ring and eyed her as if trying to make a statement. Seeing the spiritedness in the cat, the betters among the audiences felt a touch of hope snake up their spines. "Did you see that?" "Yeah." "Maybe, the cat isn''t as sluggish as it looks," one guy mouthed, kissing a copper coin. "I guess I''ll bet on one gesture again." "Nah, I''d rather not lose twice in a row," another man stayed behind, choosing not to bet. "Fool! Look at her with your eyes open. She''s the goddess of cats in the flesh!" One man passionately expressed his view, gazing at Sariyu, pointing his forefinger at her. "She will surely win. Just watch that red cat win with ease." His words affected some people into joining the bettings. He later sneakily glanced toward Jehez and showered a hidden smile to which he got a subtle blink in return. In the meantime, Sariyu stepped in the ring while the cat paced to the left and right in the other half of the ring. Also, the assistant referee had a staggered look upon his face upon perceiving the energy levels of the cat and realized that he had made a mistake by choosing it, but all he could do was to curse himself on the inside for failing to help the arresting belle. Seeing Sariyu enter the ring without even taking any supplies, the audiences, who just bet in her favor, almost pulled their hairs out from frustration. "She''s not even using any bait," one man furiously said, "Is she confident in herself, or is this just some byproduct of overconfidence?" "Who cares? She looks so slim and delicate. My goodness, look at the grace in her walk." "Are you talking about the girl or the cat?" "Of course about the cat, I mean, about the girl. I wonder what her identity is. Maybe, she''s a nobility?" "Come down from the clouds, would ya? A noble wouldn''t be roaming alone like her." "Haha, you''re right. Anyway, I think I will bet a silver that she wins." "Do that if you have no problem losing more coin." "Wait, you don''t think she''ll do well." "Does she look like someone who ever stepped out of the home and spent a day under the sun? There''s no way she can ever catch that cat." "You certainly think so?" "Just trust me and put that bet against her," he said as he chewed on a bread, "she has a bonny set of buns, but she''s too babyish to be catching cats just yet." "Hehe, alright." Since more bettings were taking place, Jehez forced Sariyu to wait inside the ring. All she could do was walk to the left and right, seemingly preoccupied with her thoughts while she mimicked the cat''s movements. A couple of minutes later, after most bets were made against Sariyu, Jehez finally signaled the start by meowing aloud, for meowing once signaled the initiation of the test whereas meowing twice indicated its end. As the initial seconds of the three-minute time limit began, Sariyu casually approached the black cat that was at the other end and was staring right at her with vigilance and with a downward sloping tail that implied potential aggressiveness. As she came within ten meters of distance, the cat bent its legs, seemingly ready to either defend or attack, but Sariyu suddenly stopped. Both their eyes were locked on each other this whole time, and she gently blinked once, got down to her knees, placed her palms on her thighs and faintly smiled. The cat''s gaze slowly moved from her face and to her palms. "The heck she''s doing?" a man among the crowd was puzzled. "Haha, that''s a black cat for god sake. It doesn''t matter what she does. She surely doesn''t know how to handle cats." "Well, that''s good news for us." As the crowd was going crazy from laughing and booing her, already feeling assured that they would win, the black cat started to walk toward Sariyu, deadening all the jeering and whitened most faces in the crowd almost instantly. "A gesture!" The audiences couldn''t believe their eyes. In a few steps, the walk of the cat turned into pacing. "Another gesture!" Everyone''s skin tingled as the cat neared her, and when Sariyu put her arm forward, the cat took a step back before it hesitantly advanced and sniffed her hand. "Another gesture!" The audiences stood rooted and gaped in natural responses: enlargement of the eyes, clutching of the mouths, holding of the cheeks and other such gestures. Sariyu momentarily blocked the cat''s head from the audiences by using her hands. By the time she removed her hands, the cat was licking its lips. "Fourth gesture!" At this point, most heartbeats of the men among the crowd rang in their ears, and even those in the middle of eating had to freeze. "Who gives a shit about an additional gesture? Why isn''t she pulling the headband?" Another impatient member of the crowd spoke, for he was yet to participate in the test. And the next second, the cat rubbed its head on Sariyu''s palm, its eyes showing expectation for something. "F-Fifth gesture!" "T-This..." the audiences began to look each other''s faces, disbelief dancing on their faces through the expressions they made. "When was it the last time someone managed to bring five gestures?" "She has the cat under her thumb." "I can''t believe she bent the black cat to her will." "It hasn''t even been a minute yet, and to lord over a black cat in such a short time... Too domineering." As the cat kept looking for something in Sariyu''s lap, she rubbed her fingers on top of its head for a few seconds, thereby ended up unintentionally calming the cat before she lifted the cat into her arms and walked out of the ring. "She came out of the cat ring without taking the headband," A crowd member who recently arrived at the spot raised a question, "so that means she failed, right?" "Idiot, she already passed." "What? How?" "Because she freaking tamed the f**king black cat. If she desires it, she can even milk the cat let alone take the headband off of it." "But still, the rules clearly say¡ª" "Get lost¡ªyou rule freak! If you want rules to be exactly followed, then you''re on the wrong deck. Go to some other deck." "What? Is it wrong to point out the thing, too?" "It is. You can''t ask for a good tea in a tea shop. You must assume whatever the tea they serve will be good because that''s a freaking tea shop. It''s the same case here. What the referee follows here are the rules. As long as he doesn''t break them, he can bend them as much as he wants. Stealing the headband maybe the task needed to be done to win the test but stealing the cat itself would not just be an equal but an even difficult task to achieve." Soon after the experienced fellows schooled that newcomer, he left the place, tears streaming down his blackened face. Meanwhile, most of the crowd was still left with blank expressions on their faces, including Lirzod, for they had no idea how she managed to tame the cat in so short of a time. What did she precisely do? Many wanted to go and ask her, but suddenly they all felt inferior from having seen her win gloriously, and as a result, none managed to step closer let alone have the heart to clarify their doubts. Whatever the true aim of the test was, whether it was to try to steal the headband or try to tame the cat using various allowed means in under three minutes, everyone knew that neither tasks were easy to achieve. In the eyes of many contestants, just catching the cat was a daunting task in itself; as for taming the cat, that was just the people going overboard. Not one among the crowd bet that Sariyu would even bring three let alone five gestures out of the cat. Notably, one man among the audiences, who had bet one silver against Sariyu, was now in an utter rage as he began to badmouth the person who misguided him in so vulgar of a tongue that could bleed elephants'' ears and even tongue-twisting masters would have trouble repeating his wretched words. Jehez, on the other hand, was pretty happy. He profited a lot thanks to Sariyu''s win, and in the profits, he would receive a share of fifteen percent whereas thirty percent would go to the commander of the deck and just five percent would go to the assistant referee. This profit distribution differed among these three individuals irrespective of the deck number, but no matter the deck, their total share never exceeded fifty percent as the ship management would take the other half of the profits. "Well, I guess you can''t expect any less from a beast tamer," Lirzod said and chortled. "Oh, so she''s a beast tamer," Some of the crowd, who heard his words, now understood. "No wonder... She''s got a bright future ahead of her." Compared to her, they could only take pity on their sorry selves. "Of course," Lirzod said, keeping his emotion at bay, "she can tame Burton, so she deserves to be called a beast tamer." "Burton? Who''s that?" "Is it another cat?" "Is it a dog?" "A pig, maybe?" "No, it''s for sure a bull''s name." "How strong is that bull? Is it a tyrobeast, or..." As the crowd got overly immersed in the chatter, Burton who stood silently on the side had an unfriendly look on his face but didn''t move an inch. "Well, Burton isn''t a bull, but Burton is my big brother," Lirzod, concealing the thrill on his face, sported an innocent expression as he pointed his finger toward Burton. "Oh, wait, what?" the crowd was surprised, and upon realizing that Lirzod was fooling around, some of them even approached Burton, "Sorry, brother. We thought Burton was a bull or pig or something. We didn''t mean to hurt you. You didn''t feel bad about it, right?" "Buzz off," Burton coldly replied, not even casting them a glance. The crowd angrily walked back to their previous spots. "What the hell''s his problem?" "No idea." At that time, still holding the cat in her arms, Sariyu walked up to Burton and said in a low voice, "Why do you make people hope for this Burton to go for a burton?" Burton didn''t reply and just portrayed an apathetic expression, causing Sariyu to smile and walk away toward Lirzod. Meanwhile, on the twentieth deck, inside the surveillance chamber, Gorka was watching the whole scene on smokecast. "How do you classify her, sir?" the buck-toothed boy asked. "She''s like a rabbit," Gorka said, standing in a straight posture and formed an unfocused smile. "Even though a rabbit lives and survives in the wild, it still appears soft, susceptible, and weak, yet, it''s fast, smart and, talented." His eyes were occupied on Sariyu and Lirzod as they stood next to each other. "Even if we leave out the other one, these two can become worthy candidates for the Sect Test if we showed them the right way that is." He glanced at the subordinate. "Also, what about that amusing kid from the Big Tooth tribe if I''m correct?" "Yes, sir, that kid is also fourteen years old, but his feats speak for himself more loudly after he out-bit a watchdog," the boy spoke with excitement. Watchdogs were hollows appointed by the captain of a belt to watch over a sector and report the illegal activities or impending problems directly to the captain. These watchdogs didn''t have to answer to a deck''s commander and could raise the questions of favoritism or unnecessary prejudice if the commander, referee, or the assistant referee were to commit to any such practices. "Haha," Gorka laughed quite a bit. "You''d expect at least such wildness from a tribe like that. Which floor is he on right now?" "It''s..." In the meantime, on the twelfth deck, at the entrance of the test hall, a massive turtle was munching on the tiny insects that streamlined from their food source to one of their hideouts whose way in was but through a minute crack on the floor. With its noiseless intake of breath, it was able to pull in the insects straight into its mouth. Though it would seem as if thousands of such insects wouldn''t even suffice for the stomach of a four-foot-tall creature like that, the turtle still seemed somewhat pleased from snacking on the insects, although a snack in its dictionary would have been a grown rodent or some other equivalent. Most tiny holes on the floors of the ship one would see were the work of bandicoots and other rat species. And these holes were unusually high in number on the twelfth deck because hollows sporadically fed rats to the cats in Cat Home. Now and then, some rats would escape and eventually settle elsewhere, usually, on the same floor. Over the time, snakes, squirrels, insects, and numerous other species also repurposed these holes. So the turtle was searching around with its eyes to see if there was any decent hole around, but to its tragedy, it couldn''t find any. After all, the management always patched the holes with some fillers regularly. Also, not many rats dared to drill holes in the proximity of Cat Home. Standing beside the turtle was a girl with a scrunched up hat on her shaved head, wearing a tarnished, tattered brown robe, and holding a worn-out palm-leaf fan as she calmly conversed with a group of desperate individuals. Her round deep-blue eyes bore a resemblance to the depths of the seas. Her dry tanned skin would make one think of sapodillas. "Madam, I have been feeling a pain in my back since I entered into my early 30''s," a man with an overgrown nose pleaded, "please help ease that pain." "Madam Monk, a few days ago, one rat ate away my finger when I was fully asleep," a man with sagging ears requested, showing what was left of his finger that had swollen into a sphere, "I still can''t get over it because of the pain. Can you please do something and make this pain go away?" "Madam, a nail got stuck in my nose," a man with a snake tattoo on his bald head urged, "please do something about it. I want it gone quick, please!" "Madam, my tooth is hurting like hell," a man with a tall build and a big jaw said, clutching his jaw. "Take this pain away, I beg of you." Everyone kept on stating their requests to her, not even giving her any time to respond. If not for the presence of the big turtle beside her, they would have probably surrounded her and pushed her all around. "I have no problem healing you all, but I have one request," that girl, Everna replied straightforwardly. "Anything. We''ll do anything!" the overwrought voices of the people rose once again. "Don''t spread negative talk on me after I solve your problems," she said, her expression a bit tight. "Of course... of course," the crowd repeatedly said, nodding their heads concurrently. "Great, then form a line," she said, eyes closed, and her lips making a gratifying smile. In a matter of seconds, everybody scuffled as they made up a line. The first person standing in the queue was the one with an extra-large nose who had a back problem. "Please turn around," Everna requested him. He nodded and turned back, his face showering a hopeful smile all this while. Afterward, he exchanged a felicitous smile with the second one in the queue¡ªthe one with the sagging ears. "Lucky you, you are getting treated first," the second one in the line said. "Hehe, wish me¡ª" BAM~! "Eek!" the eyes of the second one in the line bulged out as the first one collided with him, carrying a great momentum, so great that he got lifted off his feet. After all, Everna straight out kneed the man with the extra-large nose, sending him crashing into the rest of the people in the queue. Everybody in the line was affected, and especially the ones in the rear end fell backward, for they had no support. "What the hell just happened?" "Did she just kick him in the spine?" As all the people stared at her, astounded and angered at the same time, the man with the back pain who previously howled, now stood with a glowing face. He exercised his back for a moment and later had a shocked expression. "My, my back pain..." "Oi¡ªare you alright?" one man couldn''t help but ask with eyes full of doubt. "It''s a good thing that you are still alive after taking that cruel kick." "My back pain..." the man with the extra-large nose was almost in tears. "Look, he''s crying," one man was greatly horrified. "Don''t tell me, his spine fully broke from the impact." "Idiot, how can he stand if it''s broken?" "Y-Yeah. You are right. Then why''s he crying?" Everyone''s faces were filled with doubt as they looked at him. "My back pain..." the man with the extra-large nose roared in delight, "it''s gone!" Seeing him dance like a monkey on drugs, the people couldn''t believe their eyes and could only slap themselves for thinking of scolding the monk for what she had done. They all immediately reformed the line while the man, who just got cured, thanked her by kowtowing and touching her wooden sandals even though she was younger than him. "Stop doing things like these," Everna stepped away from him before he could say or do anything else. "I''m not your guru or anything, so a simple thanks is enough." Hearing her words, everyone''s impressions on her spiked and broke through the thresholds of many prudent hearts. The next one in the line was the guy with the sagging ears who had his little finger chewed away by some rat. He welcomely smiled as Everna approached him, to which she responded with a comparable smile; however, the very next second, she grabbed his finger and twisted his whole arm with it, causing the man to spring on his toes like a rabbit while crying crazily. Her actions petrified the others as seconds went by, and especially, the chilling cries of the man were what really unsettled them. Still and all, before the people could say anything, Everna let go of the finger, and the man stopped screaming soon after. When everyone observed his hand intently, they saw that the swelling was gone, and the brightening look in his eyes told them everything. "I-I can''t thank you enough, madam," the man, who got his swelling healed, bowed with all his heart. Everna let out a teeth-exposing smile, one that smoothly stretched her lips up and outward, causing a spasm in the eyelid muscles that resulted in twitching of the eyes as she walked past him. The smile her lips forged was like the swaying of a flower, for it was never hard on the eyes, yet it had an immense weight behind it. Whether or not one could swim through the depths of her smile or not depended on their perceiving abilities, for it was known as the Monk Grin¡ªa smile that attracted goodness toward all those who witnessed it. Many exaggerated rumors floated around the world regarding this smile that if one saw it, then even their enemies would speak well of them, or one wouldn''t be hearing bad news for many days and so on. As a whole, this was a smile that something only monks could pull off be it due to secrecy and the toughness of the technique, so the monks considered it sacred. The next one in the line was the guy who had a nail stuck in his nose. He leaked out a hesitant smile before murmuring to himself, "I don''t know whether to feel good or bad about this kind gesture she''s showing toward us." He had mixed feelings as she approached him, smiling just like she did for the previous cases. "Madam, my problem is¡ª" BANG~! A thundering palm strike to the crown of the man''s bald head made everyone except the patient jump in startlement. Even the snake tattoo on his head changed shapes from soreness. The next moment, the sound of a nail bouncing on the floor reached everyone''s ears, enlarging their eyes further. Everna ignored the reactions of the people and moved on to the next patient who was the guy with a tooth problem. A deep chill crawled up his spine as she pleasantly smiled at him. "Madam, you kicked one''s spine, squeezed another''s finger, hammered the third guy''s head... Are you gonna punch in my mouth now?" he couldn''t help but speak his mind. Given his big build, he refused to believe that she''d treat him likewise, and after hearing his words, the others standing behind him also held similar beliefs. "Monks don''t like punching patients, so, swatting became their solution," Everna slapped him hard upon which a couple of teeth flew into the air, leaving everyone in bafflement and worriment at the same time, for it was a slap that reminded one of their fiery grandmothers. A mouthful of blood also gushed out of his mouth. "Oops, got carried away a bit. Sorry." The man could only collect his bloody teeth and leave with embarrassment written all over his face. Though he didn''t even thank Everna, she didn''t mind him anymore. "Oi, did you see that? She swatted that dude as if he were a fly," the other big guys standing in the line were having second thoughts. As she moved on to the next patient, everybody in the line showed visible discomfort like the farm chickens that could only wait for the butcherer to put their necks under the knife. Slowly but surely, they started to somewhat understand as to why she was called ''Mad Monk'' Everna. At the same time, not far away from the hall, Viktor was sitting on the floor in a pool of blood, a fox laying lifeless in his lap, for he had slit its throat not long ago. At that moment, a man with a broken leg was hurrying to the hall with the help of a walking stick. Seeing Viktor, he strained his throat to speak aloud, "Hey, Viktor, what the heck are you doing here? I thought you would already have gotten yourself healed." "Huh? What are you talking about?" Viktor said and smirked. "You know that I don''t have enough money for that to convince anybody to care for me." "I wasn''t talking about that. Don''t you know that the female monk, Everna, was currently healing people at the hall for free?" "WHAT?" Viktor''s eyes bulged spontaneously. "Are you speaking the truth?" "Of course, dude. Why would I lie? I''m heading there, too." Viktor shoved the slain fox aside and sprinted straight to the hall, even though the man who just helped him with the information was asking him to help with his walk as well. In about five minutes, Viktor reached the hall when Everna had just sat on top of her turtle, and the people in the vicinity were scattering away. Most of them had bright faces as if they got their problems solved, but some of them still looked in pain. Viktor immediately went and knelt before the turtle, blocking its path. He joined his closed fists and spoke in a heavy voice, "I have heard about your service multiples times already, ma''am. Please show kindness on me too and heal this wound on my face." Everna, who looked somewhat pale compared to how she did just minutes back, scanned him from top to bottom and saw his reddened clothes and arms, "What''s that blood on your hands?" "Ah, nothing, ma''am," he replied, his head still bowed a little, "it''s just the blood of a fox that I killed." Everna squinted her eyes a bit, "Did you kill it for food?" "No, ma''am, it was bothering me a lot by lingering around my booth, so I took care of it, and I sure as hell will either eat it or sell it for a good coin," Viktor''s voice sounded certain. Everna paused a moment. "Did you see the fox in the eyes before you slew it?" "No, ma''am. Why are you asking me that?" Viktor lifted his head and looked at her. "Because if you had done that, then things in your life may have turned out differently," she closed her eyes. "Let''s go, Belu." The turtle turned its direction and began to leave, startling Viktor. "Wait!" he stood immediately, "Ma''am, are you not going to heal me?" "With you covered in barbaric blood, I don''t feel like coming close to you much less heal you," Everna said, eyes still closed and her voice exuding calmness, "clean yourself and come find me again." "Thank you, ma''am," Viktor bowed once more, "I''ll come back quick." Saying that he left in haste after which the turtle resumed its walk at its usual pace. Elsewhere on the same deck, a group of five people just stepped foot on the floor in a synchronized stomping while also rearranging their wigs to make them look perfect so that no eyes could easily doubt. And the first thing the five of them examined were the faces of people who also recently got onto the deck and were holding their laughter as best as they could. It was apparent to those five as to why every new person they saw would later giggle behind their backs. After all, given the statures of the five men, not just anybody could dare directly laugh in front of their faces; howbeit, it was still quite embarrassing for those five brothers, in fact, it was arguably the biggest embarrassment they''ve ever faced. It was only natural that their anger piled up in the past few hours like never before, and what''s more, they were wholly fixed on whom to vent all that rage. It was also that hunger-killing hate which had made them breeze through the Ice Dumpster in their very next attempt, although the event got delayed because of the ruckus that happened in the hall. The five brothers were Hardy Brothers in the flesh, though they all carried minor wounds all over their bodies and looked considerably different from before thanks to the new wigs. Still, many people recognized those five not-so-distinctive faces with little to no effort. To all those who sneered behind their backs, they responded with the no-look middle-finger gesture. While at it, they stopped at no place and kept on looking for one and only one person¡ªLirzod. Upon finding out about his whereabouts from some hollows, they headed straight to the test hall. ...... [1] Loose Booth: A type of ownerless booth where free foods were stored. Their quality is generally lower than that of Bread Booth''s, but sometimes the leftovers from upper decks get parceled down to these booths. Only in those times, everyone feasts in these booths. 51 MEAT FOR THE CA A brown-skinned, green-haired young man with a big belly stepped in the Cat Ring which got sodding done to it. He was only 170cm tall, yet his stomach and well-stocked limbs made him appear less cute and more aged. "Kekeke, there''s no way this ''beer belly'' can win the test. Just look at his juggling assets, ew," one man among the crowd sneered, for the big-bellied young man was shirtless despite sporting a pregnant woman''s belly. "That tattoo on his arm is definitely for show. I wonder which shitty tribe he hails from." "Hehe, who cares about his tribe? I''m gonna bet against him and earn everything I lost in the last round." "I''m gonna earn that and much more, haha!" "It''s because of goofs like this that we bettors get to profit a lot at least once in a while." Most of the audiences gave strange and excited looks to the brown-skinned young man in the ring, which somewhat put the referee Jehez at unease, but given that he knew the identity of the young man in the ring, he could keep his worry under check. The big-bellied young man labored to settle down on the grassy ground inside the ring, and after he did it well, he began to gobble up the boiled sweetcorn, his eyes, however, gawked at the plate full of cooked meatballs and the big bowl full of brown soup that rested on the ground before him. Knowingly or not, his actions provoked the crowd. "What the heck? Not only did he plonk himself, but he''s also wolfing down the sweetcorn. I thought it was for luring the cat! Then that meat and soup¡ªare those also for¡­" Everyone, who was on their way to betting in his favor, abruptly came to a standstill and believed to have saved themselves from another disaster. "I don''t know where he got that meat from, but it''s such a waste," Lirzod said, his brows raised. "If it were me, I would have surely made the cat meow for the meat." One of his hand, however, was rubbing off the itching spot on his other arm thanks to the light burnt mark left on his forearm resulted from blocking Aziz''s punch only hours ago. "Sweet corn was one thing, but I thought that the meat and the soup were for the cat," Sariyu who was standing beside Lirzod opined, the black cat from the previous round still clung to her and fixedly stared at her face as if it was requesting something. Just then, the big-bellied young man emptied half the bowl in one lifting, tentatively shutting all the mouths of the crowd. Moments later, many men placed bets that he''d lose, and only very few people bet on seeing a single gesture from the cat, the latter of which was a rare thing. Jehez was in mixed feelings as he signaled the start of the round with a meow, for he was unsure of the potential of the contestant. Soon after Jehez signaled the start, the big-bellied young man picked up four of the boiled meatballs and bounced them in his hands while eyeing the cat. " Delicious things¡­ you want?" Though the white cat intently stared back at the bouncing meatballs in his hands, it still didn''t seem like it was about to step in any time soon. More than half a minute passed with the contestant doing nothing but juggle the meatballs. "No look. Only tell, Lord Cat," the big-bellied young man appealed to the cat. "I¡­ fulfill... request." His speech mystified the audiences.The crowd had already waited impassively for as long as they could, but now they got something that frustrated them to such an extent that they felt a gnawing sense gorging itself on their hearts. "The heck, he failed to entice the cat, and now he''s trying to chat and make a deal with it?" "What did he even say? I didn''t understand it at all." "How silly. Just get up and give up already." The crowd began to mock him mercilessly. "Stop wasting our time and get out of the ring, or do you want our help to get you back on your feet?" Some members of the audiences laughed so hard that their intestines twinged. "I doubt if he can even understand our words fully." A few, however, pitied him a bit. "Geez, such a mess for us to deal with!" some stayed indifferent to his efforts. Though the big-bellied young man couldn''t clearly understand their language, their laughter almost brought tears in his eyes; however, he held back the tears and put his concentration principally on the cat. "Come, Lord Cat. Please," he begged the cat with an emotional tone that seemed sincere. "You¡­ lick¡ªyour body¡ªno more. I lick¡­ your body." He wished to give it a meatball, so he casually waved his hand forward and backward and excitedly said, "Only some. Come. Come. Balls! Balls! Feast! Feast!" The crowd was utterly baffled as his dialect just messed up their minds. "What''s that gorilla ranting about?" "Someone please take him away. I think that headache is growing on me." At that moment, Lirzod spoke out, "''If you come to me, you''ll no longer have to lick yourself. I will do that for you. And this meatball is just an advance. Just come to me, and you''ll have the feast of your life.''" He took a slight breath. "I think that''s what he meant... in a nutshell." "Eek!" The crowd was taken back upon hearing Lirzod''s words, and some even felt sick down to the stomach. "Did he truly say that?" "It seemed like he did¡ªsomething along those lines." The audiences now looked at the big-bellied young man with contempt. "He''s too desperate and hopeless." "Yeah, as hopeless as a leafless tree hoping for Spring." "Can''t fully blame him though," Lirzod said. "He''s a bit too fat to even hope to catch the cat, so he must have no other choice than do this." "Do what?" one man refuted Lirzod''s words right away. "There are many better ways than commit to such a stupid tactic, heh, if it even can be called a tactic that is." Just then, the big-bellied man tossed the meatball ahead, and as the meatball rolled toward the cat, the creature skipped aside, and soon after the meatball went past it, the cat sprang forth and gripped the meatball with its two forelimbs and wasted no time in swallowing it whole as if it were a rat. "A gesture!" most of the audiences were stunned. A black cat going after a meatball wasn''t a big deal, but for a white cat to put such a display, most couldn''t believe their eyes, and particularly, the minds of some bettors slipped into chaos. The ones who had bet on witnessing no gestures this round now fell to their knees whereas the ones who had bet on seeing one gesture now jumped in ecstasy. However, the very next moment, the referee, Jehez stated, "Two gestures." "What?" Many people viewed at him in puzzlement, especially the ones who previously bet on one gesture now had their expressions turned ashen. Nonetheless, because Jehez''s whole focus was on the cat, he didn''t have the time to explain them. "How come he said ''two gestures''? I saw only one." Lirzod glanced at Sariyu. "What do you think?" "I think that cat took a quick sniff before eating," Sariyu replied, "though I''m not entirely sure about that." The audiences, who heard her words were pleasantly surprised, and they looked at her as if she was in a different league compared to them in many aspects. Subsequently, the crowd began to murmur among themselves. "Did you see the cat sniff?" "No, I didn''t." "I didn''t either." "Maybe, the sniff was so subtle that we missed it?" "Nah, I was watching the cat all the time with my eyes." "You can only watch with your eyes, brother. Not with mine or with some other''s eyes." "Hahaha, you caught me." As some sections of the audiences were busy in their respective chats, the white cat in the ring turned toward the big-bellied young man who just finished the remaining soup and burped like a bear. Both their eyes met. "Deal, or no deal, Lord Cat?" The cat, however, didn''t respond but continued to observe him with utmost attention. "Half time... gone," the big-bellied young man''s pupils dilated more and more by the second. "Patience¡­ also gone," he picked up one meatball after another in quick succession and tossed them into his mouth with one fluid motion of his arm. Seeing the speed with which he moved the arm and plucked the meatballs from the plate and later juggled them like a professional, the jeering of the crowd stopped, for a coldness crept in their cores, forcing the expressions of many men to freeze as wood frogs in winter do to survive through the chill. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the big-bellied young man put up an eye-pleasing display, for he didn''t even chew but simply swallowed the meatballs down his loose throat without the least bit of comfort. Each of the meatballs was a little larger than an adult human eye, and consuming such meatballs rapidly without choking was something that the audiences couldn''t accept. Seeing the meatballs disappear at a great pace, the cat hurriedly approached him, staggering some of the audiences, especially the bettors. Without wasting any time, the cat authoritatively munched on the meatballs and occasionally looked up at the big-bellied young man who didn''t stop stuffing his stomach either. And just as the cat went in for the ultimate meatball, he made sure to snatch the headband and immediately showed it to everyone excitedly, but after remembering how most people had been making fun of him, his excitement waned down without him having to control his emotions. "Meow meow!" the referee, Jehez soon signaled the end of the match, and he was a happy man at the moment as he earned quite a bit of money in the last few rounds. He couldn''t help but remember how, only just hours ago, he had unintentionally stepped on a fox''s tail as it was sleeping not far away from the hall, so maybe that was the reason for all the luck that poured on him in the form of profits for the last few rounds. In his heart, he felt like gifting the fox a good meal the next time he''d see it. After all, it was uncommon for anyone one to step on a fox''s tail even if it was sleeping because foxes were highly watchful of their surroundings throughout the clock. So if someone ended up stepping on a fox''s tail coincidentally, it was believed that good fortune would follow them for a little while. Even though Jehez was quite happy, he didn''t want to show all of his emotions to others, yet he glanced toward the big-bellied man who was leaving the Cat Ring. (Pannu from the Big-Tooth Tribe¡ªyou have my thanks.) Meanwhile, unlike Jehez, most of the audiences were crestfallen. "We''ve lost our bets again. Who would have imagined that fatty dunce to win, and in his first attempt at that?" the ones who had bet high prices felt like the blood in their hearts was drying up. "C''mon, you can win all of it back with just one right gain!" Jehez said, trying to lift their moods. After all, the more the number of bettings lessened over the days, the more likely he would lose the referee job, so he had to use all the tricks in his book to keep the potential customers interested. And Jehez''s words were more than enough to put their minds back on the track of a traditional bettor, for the experienced ones knew that betting was a chase with an irksome wanting for the gain, thereby putting them in desperation too often. And the irresistible impulses that such a practice generated made it even harder for them to know the right time to play much less quit. In the meantime, Lirzod was smiling a bit from watching the bettors dance to the changes that took place in the Cat Ring. "The difference between looking as lively as a tree and as dead as a paper is the same as the difference between winning and losing everything in gambling. Wanna try gambling on me? I assure you, by the end of it, you''ll look as lively as a Spring tree¡ªnot that you aren''t lively right now, but... you''ll look even better." "Will see when the time comes," Sariyu replied as she was watching Pannu. "I don''t recall seeing that type of tattoo before. Which tribe do you think he''s from?" "No idea," Lirzod said, glancing at the cat in her arms. He had tried to scare it away with his harsh look, but it didn''t work. At the moment, he was sitting atop a rum barrel that had an acronym ''DPC'' clearly carved on it, though it was stricken over. "How long are you going to keep that thing with you? Just toss it away for good." "You mean the cat?" Sariyu looked at the cat. "What can I do? It clung to me like a leech. It''s getting tough for me as well, you see¡ªit has a sandpaper-like tongue, and it tickles whenever it licks." "So licking is all it took for you to change your impression on cats," Lirzod shook his head in dissatisfaction, and then looked at the cat. "Let me warn you, you little feline, you might suffer from suffocation if you don''t let go of her soon." "If you''re that caring, then why don''t you try holding it instead?" she asked. "No thanks," Lirzod blew air through his nose, "my hands are full." After saying that, he hid his hands in his pockets so that she wouldn''t be able to tell what his hands were busy with. Sariyu twitched. "If you had two extra hands, it would have been good. Why weren''t you born like that?" "Go ask my parents." "No duh," an exuberant voice escaped her lips, "I blame you for that, so take this cat." "Blame my parents for that, not me," Lirzod said, pushing the cat away with his shoulder. At that time, a long-nosed man hesitantly approached them, gazing at Sariyu, "U-Uh, excuse me, miss, I just want to ask you one thing... how did you tame the cat?" Sariyu paused a moment before putting the cat in his arms. "Ask it yourself." Saying that she slackened her arms. Her actions upset the long-nosed man, and he could only look down amid the irritating giggling a few members of the crowd performed, which further hurt his heart. "Why isn''t the next round starting?" Lirzod looked toward the referee, muttering under his breath. "I still have to wait for another round to finish to participate." Jehez, at the time, was arguing with a light-blue haired man dressed in fancy winter clothing. "Who do you think I am?" the light-blue haired man raised his voice, pulsing the veins in his neck. "I''m Gon Drake. My father owns Port Monai." Hearing his words, everyone in the crowd had their heartbeats spike, and a fluttery feeling took over their bellies. "Wow, h-he''s the son of that ''Wet Whale'' Rommel?" Sweat formed on many of their foreheads, causing some scars to shine. A very few people even shuffled back a step or two. "Rommel? Who''s that?" Lirzod wanted to know. "You don''t know? He was an admiral of Royal Gulls," the long-nosed man to whom Sariyu had given the cat now turned to Lirzod and explained in haste, "he once cheated on a mission and took over Port Monai many years ago." "Oh, he must have gotten captured by now then," Lirzod contemplated. "No, Port Monai is considered as impregnable as Haven Roch," the long-nosed man responded and then lowered his voice a bit before continuing, "I don''t think anyone will capture the guy anytime soon." "Hmm," Lirzod nodded and glanced at Sariyu. "Some of our clan''s imports come through that Port Monai, right?" She slightly nodded. "Miss¡­ Can you now tell me how you tamed the cat?" the long-nosed man with the cat asked again, his voice packed with a bit of desperation. Sariyu paused a moment before taking something out of her sleeve and later placed it in Lirzod''s hand. "With that." Lirzod was puzzled from seeing the item in his hand which was a rattail. The cat in the long-nosed man''s hand shook itself out of the man''s arms, swiftly landed on the floor and promptly sprang toward Lirzod''s hand in an attempt to snatch the tail, but before it could reach the rattail, a quick swing of Lirzod''s second hand slapped the cat back to the floor. The cat''s tail instantly puffed up and whipped back and forth, thrashing the air with it. The cat then screamed at Lirzod, revealing its razor-sharp teeth. Without a wait, it bent its legs meticulously and leaped once more. "Shut up," With a modest movement, Lirzod''s leg met the cat in midair, under its belly. A thwacking sound erupted as the cat flew over people''s heads, its shriek trailing off with every fraction of a second. Lirzod looked at Sariyu as if nothing happened. "What is this? Did you make this by scratching your skin?" Sariyu pressed her forehead with her fingers. "I shouldn''t have given it to you." "What?" Lirzod knitted his brows a bit. "What is this thing exactly?" "Nevermind," Sariyu folded her arms and made a blank expression. "Do whatever you want with it." "I think that''s a rattail," the long-nosed man, who stood silent till now, opened his mouth again. Though he didn''t reveal much through his voice, his eyes still showed how much he wanted to take that rattail. "Rat''s tail?" Lirzod had a surprised look on his face as observed the thing in his hand. "Hmm, now that I took a closer look, it is indeed a rat''s tail." Sariyu squinted her eyes as she stared at Lirzod. "Ahem," Lirzod, upon taking a swift glance at Sariyu, looked elsewhere. "You must have brought it from the booth." "Not me, Burton did," she replied casually. "Passing the test shouldn''t be a problem with that. From what I can tell, the cats here seem desperate for meat. We are a bit lucky that they aren''t fed well recently." Most of the audiences around them would have loved to even bid for the rattail, but they were too busy in listening to the quarrel going on in the Cat Ring, so most of them didn''t pay any mind to Lirzod and Sariyu''s conversation. "Listen, Mr. Gon," Jehez patiently said, minding what words he brought out of the mouth, "I know that you''ve bought the ticket. I still remember the time when you bought it, but still, I can''t allow you to take the test without the ticket." "How can you say that?" Gon frowned as he held the hilt of his long sword resting on his back, and his cerulean eyes that were as clear as the bright summer skies promptly turned into grayish winter skies. "Is it my fault if someone on this ship stole it from me?" Jehez slightly nodded and slowly tilted his head down, not wanting to maintain eye contact as there was the chance of Gon taking it the wrong way. Gon paused a moment before letting go of the hilt. "If so, then be it," he turned back and began to walk out of the ring. "I''ll agree that it''s my fault for thinking that people who are trying to join Shambala Sect would lack even simple social graces." Jehez sighed in relief for escaping a touchy incident with prudence. Though as a referee he could get away with scolding someone like Gon, he also was aware of the fact that he couldn''t stay on Extensive Voyage forever. So, making an enemy out of troublesome characters was the last thing on his mind, for he also wanted to make sure that on the day he''d be leaving the ship, he''d do so, making sure to have accumulated a large mass of coins as many other hollows usually hoped. Clearing the throat, Jehez told the audiences, "Since the ticket number 181818 is lost, we will skip this round and move on to the next¡ª" "Heehaw," A distinctive and noisy bray made many heads turn and look around, though most of them failed to locate the source of the sound. "Lost are... you people¡ªnot the ticket," the voice that came from the slurring lips of a man reached many ears and especially jerked that of Gon. On the other hand, all the pleasantness vaporized off Jehez''s face pretty damn quick. 52 THE DRUNK AND HIS DONKEY "Heehaw," A distinctive and noisy bray made many heads turn and look around, though most of them failed to locate the source of the sound. "Lost are... you lot¡ªnot the ticket," the voice that came from the slurring lips of a man reached many ears and especially jerked that of Gon. On the other hand, all the pleasantness vaporized off Jehez''s face pretty damn quick. When Jehez hastily looked through the gaps in the crowd, he caught glimpses of a man riding a dressed-up donkey. Wearing and a yellow-collared red shirt under a blue coat which had lemony star-shaped buttons, the mischievous-looking man used a fishing rod to suspend a carrot in the air in front of the donkey and guided the donkey by carefully maneuvering the fishing rod so that the carrot always stayed out of the donkey''s reach. A baby crow was resting atop his red hat, and three small gilt bells decorated his baldric sword belt that supported an ultra-fine ethereal sword at his waist on the left while a fine wine-bottle was hanging on the right side. A gold coin served as his right earring whereas a golden dice served as his left earring. With a face mostly coated in some white powdery substance, lips decored in crimson, and a subtly showcasing twenty-four fingers in total, he was a man not at all hard to agnize by appearance alone. One man among the crowd raised his brows. "Who''s this drunk dude on the donkey?" "Is that a gown that the donkey''s wearing?" As he blew the red, round fan in one of his hands, he climbed down the donkey and tapped the floor rhythmically with his high-heeled, red-soled black boots. "Woo-hoo! My shoes are dancing without me." With a simple wave of his hand that held the fishing pole, he made the carrot drop in the donkey''s mouth. He tossed the fish pole onto the donkey before beaming at everyone with partially open eyes. "Hic, it''s my pleasure to meet all the jackasses on the twelfth deck," he bowed deeply with elegance, but his words twitched many veins of the crowd. "Who are you calling jackasses, you stupid drunk!" many nostrils among the crowd flared. The man in the red hat tilted his head in different directions and took a look at all those who just spoke before promptly replying, "I''m not drunk, hic!" He was a little over six foot and looked sinewy. Though his exact skin color was hard to tell, the tan on his hands subtly showed that he had spent quite a time under the sun. "No, you''re not just drunk¡ªyou are wholly drunk!" no one in the crowd was stupid enough to believe his words. "Care to tell us where you got to drink so much on this deck, buddy?" some others couldn''t help but pose that question. "I''m not drunk," the mischievous man in the red hat replied again, standing straight, his eyes still half-closed. Lirzod, who was standing at a distance, raised his hand and asked aloud, "How many fingers do you see?" "Mm?" the man in the red hat glanced in Lirzod''s direction and halted a moment before bending forward to bring his face closer to the donkey. "Tell them I''m not drunk." The donkey, however, was busy in licking its lips, for it had just completed consuming a carrot. Most people in the crowd sighed and shook their heads whereas a few had their upper lips curled. "Heehaw is busy, so she can''t speak," the man in the red hat said in a slurred fashion, but no one in the crowd was even remotely ready to believe his words. "None of you seem to be trusting my words... All right. Can anyone among of all of you jackasses answer a simple question of mine then?" he looked around with eyes that demanded an answer, but because they were half-closed, his stare wasn''t that effective. "Screw you!" the crowd bellowed back at him. "We are not jackasses. You are the jackass! Your mother''s a jackass! Your father''s a jackass! Your entire family''s full of real jackasses!" The man in the red hat seemingly paid no mind to their words, for he cleared his throat a bit before responding, "Eyes that can''t see, ears that can''t hear, and hearts that can''t hearken¡­ who has all these?" he asked, but only silence replied. Without themselves knowing, many men in the crowd murmured among themselves, but none were able to come up with an answer, including Jehez. "Who has all those?" "Tell us the answer." Though the masses wanted to ask him that question, their pride came in the way. "Hic," the man in the red hat smiled to himself before answering, "Everyone here except Booboo." "Booboo? Who''s Booboo?" the men among the crowd looked around at each other''s faces. "Hey, are you Booboo?" "No, I''m not. I heard you loud and clear, and my eyes can certainly see too¡ªyou fool!" "Booboo¡­ I feel like I''ve heard the name somewhere, or maybe not." "I''ve never heard that name before. Who''d have such a lame name?" As the men in the crowd were in a discussion, the man in the red hat stated in a rising and stretching tone, "I''m Booboo." "Eek!" After the truth sunk in during the next couple of seconds, the blood of most people in the crowd boiled quick. "You dare try to make fools out of us!" "I didn''t," the man in the red hat, Booboo, said. "Shut up, you meathead!" some men among the crowd howled back. "It''s a miracle that you were able to climb up to this deck, looking like this!" Booboo smiled a little, his eyes still partly closed. "It seems that, even with me being as less able as I''m right now, hic, none of you can still see through the hiddenness of my heart, which makes you all nothing more special than my Heehaw." "Enough with your Heehaw bullshit," Some popped their knuckles and was about to step forward. "You''ll now pay the price for that loose tongue of yours. We are gonna pull it all the way out for as long as your chicken brain can take it." Booboo took the wine bottle off his waist, opened its lid and tilted his head a bit backward to take a sip when the little crow that had been resting on the cat all this while now slid along the surface of the hat, forcing the crow to abruptly fly away. One man, who noticed the wine bottle, squinted his eyes and took a closer look, and upon spotting the word ''Naive'' labeled on it, he stopped mid-stride. "That''s Naive Wine!" "What?" All the men who were stepping onward stopped straight away. "Don''t joke. Why would a twerp like him own Naive Wine?" As the crowd observed the bottle with no expectation, their eyes gradually swelled upon seeing the five-letter word printed on the glass bottle. "I-It''s¡­ It''s really Naive Wine!" The mouths of many men hung open. "W-Why does he have such an expensive wine?" "He probably stole it from someone. Taking his getup into consideration, I won''t be surprised if my guess hit the nail." "How lucky he must truly be to get his hands on such a precious thing!" Envy filled many hearts to the extent they throbbed. Several men had long set their eyes on Booboo''s earrings, but now, this wine bottle was not something they could act through as if they had never noticed it, especially when it came as a surprise. When a few drops of wine got wasted on Booboo''s black trousers, many men inwardly cursed his recklessness. Some even wanted to lick the wasted wine off his pants but couldn''t come forward for trivial reasons. Meanwhile, Gon was standing silently among the crowd, his brows furrowed to the max. Seeing Gon''s expression, Jehez hurried off to Booboo. "Hey, mister, you said that you have the ticket, didn''t you?" Boboo scanned Jehez from top to bottom with his half-closed eyes, "Are you the referee?" "Yeah, if you have the ticket, then be quick," Jehez said in haste, "we can''t waste any more time." Booboo took out the ticket¡ªa small card with cat painting, deck number 12, and the entry number 181818 on it¡ªfrom under his belt and handed it to the referee. After confirming the ticket, Jehez nodded. "Hm, you can choose a cat." "Just send in a random cat," Booboo said, giving a half-smile. "By the way, can I make a bet on myself?" "No, you can''t bet on yourself," Jehez was quick to reply, "but you can let someone else do that for you given you trust them of course." "Of course, of course," Booboo pointed his finger toward the donkey behind him. "Can Heehaw bet for me?" "You mean the donkey?" Jehez was startled. "No, you can''t. Since it doesn''t have a conscience, you can''t use it." Upon hearing their conversation, the crowd responded with hoots of laughter. "My ears weren''t hearing things, or did that dimwit really say he wanted the donkey to bet for him?" "He surely did." "A donkey becoming a bettor like us? How insulting!" "Yeah, this is a joke. I''m sure that stupid ass is just as drunk as its master if not more, haha." "Yeah, this drunken fool''s taking things too far." Booboo gaze shifted toward the men who had just spoken about him. "Are you lot laughing at me?" His words alerted those men into holding their laughter back; however, Booboo''s next gesture truly confused them, for he gracefully bowed a little, "It''s a pleasure to be laughed at, too." As he was rising back, he stumbled and fell to his front. Luckily, Jehez caught him before he crashed into the ground. "Geez, man, you''re a mess," Jehez made him stand straight. "Are you sure you want to participate in the test like this?" "Sure? Yeah, sure as death¡ªof this one, hic," Booboo''s thumb pointed toward the donkey as he stepped past Jehez and wobbled on his way toward the Cat Ring. "''Sure as death'' he says," some men among the crowd snorted, letting derision detail their expressions. "I bet a silver that he hasn''t a clue on how hard this test could get. Before taking part in any deck test, the least an entry could do is devise a plan, however stupid it may seem, but I doubt if this dunce even has one." "Haha, we should be somewhat thankful to him though, guys. After all, we can be sure that we have a loser this time around." "Yeah, it''s time for our pockets to finally profit." "Kekeke." The words of the crowd were icicles of scorn¡ªslung right at their common target. Having lost a lot of money in the last few rounds, it didn''t take much for the crowds to gather their disdain and direct it at the contestant through all means that came to their minds. "Planning before participation huh¡­ hic," Booboo just entered the ring and seemed unbothered by the cold spells the crowd cast at him without cessation. "What''s the big deal? Putting the fear of Booboo into a pussy should be a piece of piss." Booboo''s voice was if wine continually bubbled at the back of his throat. Jehez''s heartbeat spiked as he gave a secret glance at Gon, but upon seeing Gon stand rooted to the ground with subdued ire shaping his expression, the stiffness in Jehez''s facial muscles lightened to some degree. "Wasted on wine and as drunk as a skunk," Lirzod opined, one of his eyes closed, as he watched Booboo, "It''d be a shocker if he gets through the test somehow." "I too highly doubt that he can win," the long-nosed man, who still stood beside Lirzod, said in a hurry. His nose was longer than any of his fingers. "Look, many people are already betting against him because it''s too obvious. I wouldn''t be surprised even if most people are willing to bet a silver or two." Sariyu was all ears, and she took a glimpse of Burton who stood like a rock at a distance. She shifted her gaze in the direction of a cat that Lirzod previously sent flying away with a kick. Currently, that cat was chasing after the baby crow which was hovering in the skies while sticking close to the ceiling. The cat fearlessly jumped on people''s shoulders, heads, and all other surfaces it could make use of as it desperately stretched the duration of its hunt, not wanting to face the failure at the end of it. The baby crow came flying in Lirzod''s direction and excreted as it hovered past him. Lirzod heard a faint sound and felt a strange sensation but didn''t bother much about it; however, the long-nosed guy took a step away from Lirzod and shut his nose without delay. "Ew!" "Mm? What''s wrong?" Lirzod glanced at him, and immediately, his eyes enlarged, and his hands clutched the nose. "I knew it! Who emitted wind down their bottom?" He looked around, and his gaze eventually stopped at Sariyu. Sariyu gave back a deathly stare. "Do you want to die?" "I-I never said it was you," Lirzod turned his head back toward the long-nosed man. "Was it you?" "No," the long-nosed man cried out. "Then who was it? Who was that foul fellow?" Lirzod''s voice held a sense of urgency. "It was a bird." "B-Bird?" Lirzod knitted his brows. "What the heck are you talking about?" "Just look at your shoulder¡ªthere''s something on it that none would be pleased to see." "My shoulder?" the moment Lirzod''s eyes took notice of the nasty stuff on his shoulder, his expression darkened, and a second of recollection was all it took for him to recognize the culprit, and rage overtook his face as he glared directly toward the ceiling. "Which damn bird had the heart to shed its weight on me! If I don''t beat some dread its guts, then¡ª" However, the moment his eyes lay on the baby crow, all the tightness in his face loosened just as fast as it had formed. "Wait, that chick¡­ Is it the one from the¡ªlibrary?" He couldn''t help but remember the time when he met a baby crow in the unauthorized library on the tenth deck. After reminiscing the past, Lirzod''s gaze sharpened again as he darted his eyes at the baby crow, "I gave you a nut for free, yet this is how you repay that kindness." He clenched his fists, and a vein popped out in his neck, "Thankless chicks are always on my list." "Bwuff," Sariyu could barely control her laughter. "What''s so funny?" Lirzod''s took a gander at her, his voice¡ªsharp and stony. "I could totally imagine why it gifted you the way it did," Sariyu replied, still covering her mouth with her hand. "I''m sure you must have given a spoiled nut to that bird. No wonder, it came looking for you because it held a grudge against you." Her words ignited animosity in Lirzod''s stomach, brought forth a distaste up into his mouth which further reflected through the flicker of hatred in his eyes. "Spoiled?" A vein in Lirzod''s forehead protruded through the skin as he controlled himself from lashing out his tongue. "Yeah, as per human standards, you can consider it that, but as per crow standards, it still was as toothsome as any nuts a crow could find." "Uh," the long-nosed man scratched his jaw as he voiced his mind, "crows don''t have teeth, do they?" Lirzod slowly turned his head and gave an icy glance toward the long nose of the man, "If you speak again, I might do unspeakable things to your nose out of frustration." Lirzod''s voice was a cold blade that threatened to cut through the long-nosed man''s habit of mind, and it made him spontaneously cover the nose with his hands. "Please don''t do that. If this nose is gone, then I''m gone," he said, but the very next moment, his eyes bulged. "Sorry, I won''t speak again." He shut his mouth with one hand while the other hand took care of the nose. Lirzod felt a burning desire to at least pinch his nose, but another urge took over its pace, making him shift his attention back to the baby crow which seemed to have almost emptied its energy tank and would land at any moment, but the cat also appeared to be waiting just for that. Just as the baby crow plummeted down for landing, the cat sprang in the direction of the fall, but Lirzod also dashed straight toward the spot. "Wait, you shitty cat! That bird''s mine. The only one who should be bothering the chick is me!" However, he was a bit too late to react, and the cat successfully caught the crow by its mouth in midair. With a few hops, it separated from the crowd and went off toward to secluded spot, startling both Lirzod and the assistant referee who had been trying to catch the cat all this while. But because the test for Booboo was about to start, the assistant referee couldn''t chase the cat anymore. Lirzod, on the other hand, went after the cat as if he was another hungry cat himself. Tens of seconds later. Inside the Cat Ring, Booboo and the white cat had been eyeing each other with half-closed eyes. After receiving enough bettings, Jehez closed the bettings and signaled the start with a meow. For the first half a minute, there was nothing but a simple stare off between Booboo and the white cat. "Hehe, he''s so drunk that he didn''t even bother to take any food. Now, the cat will, without a hitch, worst him." A chorus of delirium spread throughout the hall as well as the anticipation reflected in the eyes of many bettors. "This is our win." With the leaden cloud that forecasted a loss as it hung in the skies above Booboo, it seemed as if he''d succumb to the heartless harrying done by most of the audiences. Though it was a customary illusion the crowd always cast, it still worked wonders against the weak-willed contestants. Even if the cloud just leaked out a drizzle, an already hypnotized contestant would consider it as a downpour, and only few could go further in the contest with the storm cloud. Booboo lifted his arm and swayed it slowly and smoothly in the air, puzzling many audiences, but the slurred words that came out of his mouth next added up to a distinctive ditty which truly dumbfounded and dismayed them all. "Sleepy cat, sleepy cat Shut your eyes, shut your mouth Just go to your sleep mode Shitty cat, shitty cat Open your eyes, open your mouth Just come at me clawing out Do either of those Or I shit you not I''ll f*** you out." 53 THE DAMSEL AND HER HOMEBOY The moment Booboo concluded his ditty, most of the crowd had their jaws slackened, but ridicule filled their gazes right away. "What the heck has happened? Did he just versify his feelings for communicating with the cat?" "That''s not it," one man among the crowd voiced his opinion, his eyes showing the disrelish he had for Booboo''s actions. "How can he expect a common cat respond to that? Well, I guess he''s too drunk to know that." "Stop trying to socialize with the cat, schmuck! This test ain''t a f**king get-together party." "Yeah, this isn''t fair," another fellow sneeringly yelled, "Show something better for us to shit on." "Heh, just let him be, guys," one individual seemed rather casual about what was happening inside Cat Ring. "In a way, it''s good for us who bet against him." As the seething crowd continually trashed him outwardly with words while inwardly feeling glad of the ongoing drama in Cat Ring, Booboo waved his hand strangely as he said aloud, "Curse the cat that doesn''t come to terms with me. Curse it so that it knows its clanger." "He''s trying to curse the cat now?" one person among the audiences sniggered. "He''s such a chump." "Haha, as if his curses are gonna scare the cat into submission!" some sections of the crowd hollered and dissolved into laughter, especially the ones around Burton, but he didn''t feel the urge to join them in the cachinnation. Howbeit, the very next moment, the cat dropped its belly to the ground and fell asleep as fast as a kitten. Cries of surprise echoed in the hall. `"HUH?" the precipitous action of the cat came as a complete shock to the audiences, forcing a few to reel. As Booboo dawdled toward the cat, their hearts could not tackle what their eyes showed them, for the cat didn''t even jerk its ear let alone move its body. It only meant one thing¡ªthat the cat was fast asleep. The crowd cawed as if mimicking a murder of crows at work while Booboo pulled the headband from the cat and began to walk out of the Cat Ring. "This test was a breeze, hic," Booboo said and smiled as he took random steps in an attempt to come out of the ring, "but I liked it as it very much supports the saying ''the end justifies the means.'' It was a pleasure playing this." "Four months on the ship¡ªand I haven''t seen anyone win like this," one man among the audiences opined with a cloudy expression which gradually brightened. " I thought he was flogging a dead horse with his ditty, but how naive and wrong I was! I think we haven''t been making full use of the opportunities we have to win this deck test." "Hey, you!" The moment Booboo stepped out of the ring, someone approached him. It was Gon. "Where did you get that ticket?" "Where did I get the ticket?" Booboo didn''t even cast a glance at him. "It just got into my pocket somehow. I, hic, should thank it for that. Thank you, ticket, wherever you are. Thank you." Gon placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes oozing what seemed like killing intent. "Do you know who I am?" Booboo glanced at Gon and stretched his lips into a smile before shoving the headband in Gon''s coat and then patted on his shoulder twice. "You can keep it." Gon''s face warped into a warthog as he immediately shut his mouth and turned away. Moments later, he began to vomit like a pregnant woman. "What happened?" the crowd was utterly puzzled. "Why''s that boy vomiting all of a sudden?" "Did the daily bread get to his throat as well?" "No, I think the armpit of that drunkard does the deed." "How sneaky." Many of the audiences focused at Booboo, their eyes swollen with jealousy and contempt for all sorts of reasons. "We let his tipsiness belie his talent." If regret was a fruit, then it''s overly ripened image would have resembled their visages. Though one of the gestures was the cats falling asleep for any reason, no one still expected for such a rare gesture to be shown now of all times. Regardless, other than a couple of fellows, none bet on seeing a single gesture, so they made painful expressions. Only a few had the heart to let out dry smiles even after losing their money. The referee, Jehez, however, smiled so hard that half of his yellowish teeth were exposed. Meanwhile, Lirzod just got back to Sariyu with the baby crow in his hands. "That was quick," Sariyu cast a glance at him, somewhat smiling with her eyes, "you barely took a minute." "As nimble as the cat was, it ran into a corner and yowled as I approached it," Lirzod said and crowed with rapture. "All it took was a ''bow'' to frighten that fool." "You seem so satisfied for scaring just a cat that you are trying to relive that moment in your mind." Sariyu sighed, pleasantness escaping off her eyes at once. "Stop being a feckless entry, and show some responsibility!" "Responsibility?" Lirzod blinked twice. "I didn''t get you. Ah, did you perhaps think I would bring the cat back to you? My bad. I was¡ª" "Do I look like I''ll pinch myself over a cat?" One of Sariyu''s brows moved up and down, and her voice deepened to some degree. Lirzod shook his head twice, a trace of glumness still left on his face. "Listen," Sariyu pinched Lirzod''s nose satisfactorily, "I don''t give a damn about the cat, but I do give a damn or two about a heedless homeboy even if he failed to remember that it was his turn next to take the test." Lirzod watched her, his mouth agape with fascination. "Oh yeah, you are super right. It''s my time now." He tossed the baby crow at her, startling her. "Don''t let that chick escape. I will make it sing ''Caw Caw'' when I come back." "Uh, w-wait," Before she could speak, Lirzod excitedly left to the Cat Home. She didn''t know what to do with the animal. She took a quick look at the baby crow and saw that there were no wounds on it other than the loss of some feathers; however, it still seemed to be in a state of shock and didn''t move at all even though its eyes were open. "You almost got snacked on by a cat. That''s what you get for pooping on people. Don''t do it next time, yeah?" The crow, however, didn''t respond at all. "It''s either in too much of a shock from what had happened to listen to you now, or it''s stoned just like its master." The long-nosed man, who was still standing beside Sariyu, said and then stepped a bit closer to her and uttered in a low voice, "Don''t take my words in a negative way, but there''s some strange odor floating around you, miss. It''s very subtle, so I''m not sure if it''s perfume lingering over or something else." Sariyu gave him a fleeting glance before minding the baby crow again. "If you are uncomfortable, then don''t stick around." "No, no, miss, I''m not uncomfortable, but it''s just that¡­" the long-nosed man didn''t know what to say. He thought it would be the right choice to start a conversation with her relating to the odor, but now he surely realized that he shouldn''t have brought up whatever he had. "La-lee-la-lee-la," Booboo, on the other hand, made it to his donkey, Heehaw, while making a tune with his mouth. After he took a sip from his wine bottle, he was about to get on the donkey. "At long last, I can get off the ground¡­ wait," he touched the top of his hat. "Where''s Caw?" he looked around for the crow, and his eyes took a tour throughout the assemblages of audiences and eventually settled on Sariyu. Following a transient grin, he wasted no time and came straight to her, "Which crook cribbed my Caw?" His words attracted many ears including that of Sariyu. "Oh my, to my pleasure, it''s a damsel who has my bird. On second thought, I think she can keep it." Realizing that Booboo was coming straight to her and was speaking to her, Sariyu turned to face him. "What''s your problem, mister?" "My problem? It no longer is mine, hic," Booboo looked at the donkey, "You said you wanted something from this damsel, didn''t you? What was that all about?" he paused a moment. "Oh... okay," he looked back at Sariyu, "Nothing much. Heehaw seems to be interested in seeing your twin peaks, that''s all. Can he see them?" Silence took over the hall for a moment as Booboo''s words sunk into people''s minds. Sariyu''s brows made a fine line as her frigid look sent wintry winds at Booboo. Burton who was standing about ten meters away from her narrowed his eyes, focusing his stare at Booboo, but before he could step forward, the long-nosed man interfered. "Mind your tongue, you jackass!" the long-nosed man howled at Booboo. "Apologize to her right now, or I swear on your mommy that I''ll make you cry for your daddy." "Hic, did I ask for too much?" Booboo briefly shut his mouth and pointed his red fan toward the donkey. "Heehaw''s tongue must have slipped, but it was this ass'' instinct that caused everything. She doesn''t know that every woman can''t wear a drape that defines her twin peaks." He shut the donkey''s mouth before looking at Sariyu, "I apologize in her stead, ma''am. But I must say, quintessential damsels like you are proof that there must be God in heaven. And it makes me wonder, hic, if I can ever be like him on earth, then my nights would get lovely, to say the least." Hearing a strange apology, Sariyu no longer bothered to look at him anymore and handed the baby crow to the long-nosed man who also seemed to have calmed down to some degree. The long-nosed man approached Booboo with his nose closed and then gave the baby crow to him before speaking in a cold and hushed voice, "I''ll sneeze on your face if I see you again, understood?" "Quiet and obscure," Booboo replied with a frightened face. "Hmph, leave without speaking another word unless you want me clean my nose on you." Saying that he turned and walked back to Sariyu. Booboo placed the crow on top of his hat, climbed the donkey and held the fishing rod. "Okay, hic, now I''m asking for myself. " He smiled as he made eye contact with Sariyu, "Can you be the highlight of my night for tonight?" Sariyu stood still, but her stare subtly stung Booboo more so than before. "This guy¡­" the crowd could only marvel at how glazed his guts would be here and now. "He''s too drunk to know how to behave with a woman,"the long-nosed man shouted, "someone, escort those two donkeys away." "We''ll help you with that." A group of three guys in their undies came forward, snickering their way through the crowd. "A drunkard isn''t worth discussing over. Just leave him to us. We''ll send him to the land of sots." "The land of sots¡­ It must be a land that lacks temperance¡ªI''d love to breathe in such gin-soaked climes," Booboo responded in a zestful fashion as his attention shifted to the three men, "maybe, hic, my hiccuping will then come to a halt." "Of course, you can begin or end whatever you want once you get there, brother," the three of them showed Booboo directions as they exchanged wry smiles with each other. "Many have tried, hic, but all have failed," Booboo said in a depressed tone, "to cure the hiccup problem I have. You three won''t take pleasure in giving up on me, will you?" "Of course, we won''t," the three of them assuredly said, "that''s not how we work." Booboo now seemed much more willing to leave with those three, and as he did, he gave a flying kiss to Sariyu which in his perspective served as a goodbye, but it utterly revolted her. "Whoever he was," the long-nosed man maffled, rubbing his nose, "he makes my gorge rise." Meanwhile, inside the Cat Home. "How much longer are you going to keep staring at the cats, boy!" the assistant referee''s face was filled with irritation. "Quick." "I am quick. Can''t you see?" Lirzod stressed his words as he replied likewise. "Yeah, you are as quick as the dead!" the assistant''s referee''s words were like ghastly music to Lirzod''s ears and very much tested his temperament for some reason. Lirzod slowly glanced toward him, "Stop belittling the dead. You are going to join them one day, too." "W-Well, you''ve got a point there," the assistant referee said and then muttered under his breath, "but I was belittling you, you oaf." "The quick and the dead may be poles apart," Lirzod uttered every word with care, "but each of them will mean nothing without the other. The Quick are quick because the Dead aren''t and otherwise." "Yes, yes," the assistant referee lifted his arm in a ''who cares?'' gesture, "stop wasting my dearest time with your goddamn insight into some stupid shit." "You think I like to waste my time here?" Lirzod furrowed his brows. "It stinks like sewage in here. And on top of that, it''s so uncomfortable to be in a room full of cats." "Then finish it quickly!" "You needn''t say that. I''m doing just that," Lirzod had been looking all around with sedulous attention, hoping to find the cat that previously took the baby crow away, but it proved almost impossible for him to recognize that particular cat out of the hundreds of cats which were doing their cat things at this time. Lirzod couldn''t help but murmur to himself. "Where''s that fool? My job would get a lot easier if I take that one into the ring." "You do know that we don''t postpone the test even if you have the ticket. Don''t blame me later if Jehez decides to ignore you and move on to the next ticket," As the assistant referee warned Lirzod, he just noticed something. "What''s that on your shoulder?" "Nothing." "No, I''m pretty sure there''s something, something wet on your shoulder." "It''s a crow''s gift." "O-Oh, these damn crows can cause nuisance even on the ship. I wish I could shoot them down and sell them for good coin. By the way, tell me that gifted the crow back with something good." "I didn''t, but I will. That aside, man, some of these cats look remarkably thin," Lirzod said, his voice pressing a bit, "you must be giving them a jejune diet." "It can''t be helped. When you cluster these many kitties in a room, not all get to eat their full." "The bossy cats rule the room huh. Maybe that''s true, but¡­" As Lirzod was looking around, he just saw a cat¡ªwith both of its front legs broken¡ªstruggling to reach the plate that had milk. He silently watched the cat for ten seconds, and the cat didn''t move more than an inch because it was trying to slide forward. Lirzod walked up to the cat, squatted down, folded its legs and slowly rolled it on the ground until it reached the bowl. The cat desperately drank until it drained the residual liquid off the plate and later licked the plate clean. "The milk was quite transparent." He glanced at the assistant referee. "How much water do you people mix?" "Three to one," the assistant referee casually responded. "You mean three parts water and one part milk," Lirzod looked up at his eyes attentively. "No, three parts milk and one part water," the assistant referee leaked out a forced smile, "We don''t adulterate the milk below that belt." Lirzod''s jaw tightened, and his gaze sharpened apace. It was too evident that the milk was exceedingly diluted by at least five times its amount using water, but what bothered Lirzod more was the fact that the assistant referee didn''t even agree when he asked if three parts of water and one part of milk were being mixed. This blatant lying in the face made Lirzod frown. He looked down at the wounded cat which was meowing at him. After pausing a moment, Lirzod took out the rat''s tail from inside his pocket and put his hand forward.It took a while for the cat to sniff its way to the rattail and eventually devour it in quite a many bites. Afterward, the cat continued sniffing his hand and even bit his sleeve, which made Lirzod smile. "You are desperate. I know that, but I''m out of food." He glanced at the assistant referee. "Can I choose this cat?" The assistant referee raised his brows, for he was unsure if Lirzod was joking or not. "Of course, you can''t take the wounded ones." "Hmm, thought so." The assistant referee took a quick look at the entrance of the room before leaning toward Lirzod. "But if you can drop a silver in my pocket, I will let you choose an easy opponent." Lirzod''s ear jerked like that of a cat. 54 COINS AND SEEDS The assistant referee took a quick look at the entrance of the room before leaning toward Lirzod. "But if you can drop a silver in my pocket, I will let you choose an easy opponent." Lirzod''s ear jerked like that of a cat. "You can do that?" "Not to everyone, but you seem like a good guy," the assistant referee said in a lively tone, one of his eyes closed, and his lips stretched out into a toothy smile. "It''s only natural that I help you get through this deck''s test." "That''s kind of you," Lirzod pursed his lips in thought for a moment, "but I think I can handle it myself." "Are you sure?" the assistant referee''s tone emphasized his words, "there are hundreds of people who have rejected my offer before, and then came looking for me as they never succeeded in passing the test. But I reject such people, and there are thousands like them on this deck. I don''t want you to end up like one of them." He leaked out a knowing grin. "That''s nice of you, but this is just shady money you''re trying to earn¡­" Lirzod stood straight and wetted his lips before making brief eye contact with the assistant referee, "you have reminded me of someone named Allda. If he were to be in your shoes, he probably would have taken seeds instead of coins, or maybe he would have taken coins first and would have used them to buy good seeds." "Huh?" the assistant referee''s forehead wrinkled, "What Allda? What seeds?" "Any variety of seeds like those of almonds, cashews, and others whose trees have a longer lifespan will do," Lirzod said, stroking a forearm. "What for?" the assistant referee let out an impatient huff. "If you plant different types of seeds that grow in different times of the year and foster their growth, one day they will provide you with nuts throughout the year, which you can use for numerous purposes. This way you''d at least have put all of the shady money to better use, don''t you think?" "That sounds stupid," the assistant referee snorted and narrowed his eyes, "I don''t think anyone would want to do that. Besides, I don''t even like dry fruits." "You may not like eating them, but you don''t like selling them as well?" Lirzod asked, wiggling his brows. "To be frank," the assistant referee''s neck stiffened a bit, "not just selling seeds but growing trees is also a tedious process." "Maybe, but that''s what makes them different from money." Lirzod offered a bemused smile. "You can''t sow coins and expect them to germinate. Though finding any good seed can get immensely harder than we can imagine,it''s not like we will be at a loss if we don''t find one. It requires a decent amount of time for some trees to bear fruit, but in return for your effort, they will provide more to you than what coins can. That''s why seeds are a lot better than coins in many ways. Coins increase your wealth whereas seeds increase your worth in the world. Coins may come and go, but a seed doesn''t change as per the need. It gives us exactly what we expect¡ª" "What rubbish," the assistant referee waved his hand in displeasure and gave a glassy stare, "I can earn a lot more by investing the silver in some business, and with sufficient luck on my side, who knows, I might even earn enough to easily buy off multiple almond trees at once just for the fun of it. This way, I wouldn''t have to do any labor, but I will still be earning more, haha." He protruded his chest out and lifted his chin as if he won an argument. "You don''t know that for sure," Lirzod said and squinted his eyes that glistened with an inner glow, "can you guarantee that by the end of the year your money will be doubled? What if someone cheats you midway? You will lose all of your money, but if it''s an almond tree, you will only have to work and wait for around five years for the tree to bear fruit, but afterward, you will get around five silver per tree in a single harvest. And if you own dozens of such trees that bear fruit at the same time, you will be bathing in a golden bathtub, man." The assistant referee paused a moment. Until seconds ago, he appeared unbothered by Lirzod''s words, but now, he wasn''t feeling the same anymore. He cleared his throat and loosened himself a bit before replying, "But, but this involves risks as well. What if some storm messes up my trees?" "Isn''t there a certain level of risk in everything that we do? Just choose a region that suits the seed and where violent storms are rare guests, and that should do," Lirzod''s voice sounded light-hearted yet held some weight¡ªenough of it for his opinions to be considered, "I''m not speaking this groundlessly. There''s this guy named Allda in my clan. He climbed ranks in the clan with a similar strategy. Many years ago, he took dozens of wasted acres for lease, planted quality seeds in those lands, and now, he''s not only stinking rich, but he also gets respected for his works. He now owns all those lands he previously took for lease, and he always has enough nuts to spare on his stupid squirrels. He''s ventured into other businesses as well. Just imagine yourself in his place¡ªyou get to eat enough almonds until your farts smell like them." "Eat?" the assistant referee raised his brow, "I thought we were talking about selling." "U-Uh, yeah," Lirzod was taken by surprise, and he ended up awkwardly laughing, somewhat puzzling the assistant referee. "You can do both. You will have that luxury." "Hm, true. All this sounds quite tempting," the assistant referee just realized that Lirzod''s words had long salivated his mouth. "I guess I''ll spend these extra silver I earn for that long term plan. And also, I should thank you for telling me this method of working." "You can thank Allda when you''ve become rich," Lirzod said, and his heartbeat then slowed down a bit, "but for now, can you sell this cat to me?" he glanced at the cat that had two of its front legs broken. "That¡ªI can''t do. The only cats we give away are the unruly or the gravely injured ones." "You mean this isn''t gravely injured," Lirzod had an overall weighted feeling. "Not really. These sort of injuries are kind of common for the cats. With extra meat, this cat should get going just fine in a month or so." Though the assistant referee had said that, Lirzod didn''t want to believe his words, for he had already perceived how the guy was lying through his teeth. Lirzod''s brows pulled down in concentration. "Who brought the cat to this state?" "Uh, not long ago, a crazy dude, Seswatt if I remember his name right. That bastard burned half of the cats to death and broke the limbs of many more." Hurt and disappointment saturated the assistant referee''s words, "we were forced to do salary-less jobs for weeks because of that. Many cats died in miserable ways right in front of our eyes, but there was little that we could do. This cat is just one among the victims that somehow made it." A surge of bitterness rose in Lirzod''s belly, causing him to bite his lower lip, for it was hard to swallow a breath, "I wish I were here when that happened. I would have broken his teeth for good." "Heh, if it were that easy, I would have done it myself, but that''s just us dreaming for the dead and buried." The assistant referee''s shoulders slumped a little, for he was unable to shake off the guilt and defeat. He took a breath before continuing, "Even if you were here, you would have at best gotten stained by the smoke and at worse gotten roasted together with the cats. That''s all that would have happened." He sighed and then suddenly stumbled, "Wait, I almost forgot about the test!" His eyes enlarged and heartbeat rang in his ears as he quickly looked outside the room only to find out that Jehez was arguing with Gon and also a girl. "Whew¡­" he breathed a sigh of relief and quickly turned to Lirzod. "Choose the cat! Quick!" "You are right," Lirzod nodded and looked around to survey the cats. Moments later, he ambled toward a small clowder of cats. "Where are you going?" "Nowhere," soon after getting closer to the group of cats chilling on the ground, Lirzod leaned forward and yelled, ''Bow!" All the cats bounced off their bellies in startlement and scampered away. "What the heck are you doing?" the assistant referee couldn''t help but query in a stressed tone. "Choosing the cat," Lirzod made his way to another clowder and shouted again, "Bow!" All the cats bolted away from him this time, too, but he repeated this process, and after a few attempts, he found a healthy-looking black cat which didn''t run away, for it was sound asleep, resting in a strange position that exposed its belly. It was the first time that Lirzod saw a cat snore in such a manner. The cat also had a tiny bit of white hairs at the end of its long and thick tail. The long whiskers at its mouth stuck out sideways and waved with each breath it took, and even the whiskers by its eyes stood upright as if they were ready to detect even the slightest changes in a breeze. The feline was without a doubt a full-grown adult, probably in its peak stage of life. All of these impressions made the cat appear mighty in Lirzod''s eyes, mightier enough that it could make all the approaching dogs beat a hasty retreat, to say the least. "Hehe, I found one." Lirzod gave out a neat nod. The assistant referee''s skin tingled, and he voiced denial right away, "Wait, you don''t want that cat." "Hm? What''s wrong with it?" "There''s nothing wrong with him, and that''s the problem," the assistant referee strode toward Lirzod, and maybe it was the sound of his footsteps, or maybe it was his voice, the snoring of the cat stopped, and it opened its eyes, rolled its body so that it got back to a proper position before stretching its legs. Its prolonged yawn exposed its sharp and threatening teeth. "With fifty-four straight victories, he has recently entered the top ten list of cats of all time in terms of consecutive wins. He is Bruiser the current Lord of Cats of Cat Home. He is the only cat who can take more than just a catnap even when all the other cats are duking it out in a deadly brawl. He''s somewhat used to me being around, but you should avoid looking him in the eye for too long, or he''ll claw at you." As the assistant referee was saying, Bruiser clawed at another cat which simply stood nearby. "See, I told you. All the contestants who chose him in the past suffered more than just simple scratches. That''s why no one likes him. I suggest that you choose another¡ª" "I like him," Lirzod''s voice contained strength. "What?" the assistant referee was surprised. "Didn''t you hear what I said?" "I did," Lirzod said and smiled. "That''s why I choose this cat. He''s the one I want to compete with." "Compete?" the assistant referee looked at Lirozd in a daze. "Are you serious? You can''t trick Bruiser with food. He''s the kind to look for food on his own and vent the itching in his claws by clashing with other cats. You just saw him do that. Trust me when I say this¡ªyou don''t want to wrestle with him." "Well," Lirzod glanced at him in a weightless gaze, "I''ll take my chances and see if I can bring out a gesture or two from this fellow." "Hmph, that''s not even a joke. You are not a son of the night to think you can control a cat with simple gestures," the assistant referee''s tone hardened as he folded his arms across the chest. "Let me tell you this¡­ Bruiser has never shown any gesture till now other than hostility. And whenever he gets aggressive, the contestants get gifted with a loss and what''s more the bruises that''ll bother for ages." "It''s fine. I still choose Bruiser," Lirzod turned back and began to walk. "We''ll see who bothers who." "If you are that itching to lose, then so be it," the assistant referee involuntarily lifted his shoulders a bit, "but don''t blame me afterward for your bruises. You are bringing this trouble on yourself." "Roger, man," Lirzod gave the thumbs up without looking back. Meanwhile, not too far away from the hall. Booboo and the three of his escorts just stopped nearby a bread booth where there was another man¡ªin similar clothing as the three fellows¡ªwho now tossed swords into the hands of his buddies. Booboo looked around, and the street was pretty much desolate, and by this time, the four men stationed themselves in four spots and blocked the donkey''s path. "Why did we, hic, stop here?" Booboo asked, fixing the fish pole along the donkey''s neck. "Because this is where we''ll strip everything off you including your underwear!" One of the four men swung the sword straight at Booboo from his right side. A two-handed grip would likely result in a swing that could cleave through the skin and flesh and some part of the bone in the arm as well, for a grown-up man was in action. Still, with but a swift yet uncomplicated leg movement, Booboo booted the sword from underneath, hurling the weapon out of the man''s hands and into the air. Though surprised, the other three men immediately rushed in, thrusting their swords from three directions¡ªthe front, left, and behind. "Die!" they roared as their weapons drove through the air. The sound of approaching doom converged on Booboo from three different directions. "Duck, Heehaw!" he bent forward while seated atop his ride, forcing the baby crow to employ its wings, and subsequently, the donkey abruptly crumpled to its knees, startling the incoming men, and hence their swords ended up missing Booboo by a thin margin. The points of the three swords met in a clinking noise and deflected onto each other''s bodies. The points gleamed as the swords swished sharply through the air and penetrated the upper chest regions of the three men before they could even get a proper footing on the ground. At that instant, the fourth sword that had bounced off the ceiling now fell straight in Booboo''s hand. He gyrated on his buttocks and cut through the wrist of the three men without warning. The already bleeding men got terror-struck by his actions, fell to their backsides, howled in horror as little fountains of blood poured out of their wrists. The fourth guy, who was witnessing all that, shook in his sandals as Booboo now tottered toward him. "Any unmastered weapon considers its master a potential feast of flesh, hic," Booboo stopped in front of the fourth man and flipped the sword so that the hilt faced that man. "I took some pleasure in swinging the sword around, but it''s yours, right? You can have it." Booboo''s words wet his underwear, for he thought that Booboo would let him attack only to get his wrist cut as well. "Please, don''t kill me!" the man made a crying expression and resembled a rat cornered by a cat. His eyes weren''t even on the sword. "K-Killing is wrong on this ship. Please don''t kill me." He pleaded. "Killing is forbidden on this vessel in this day and age. I know," Booboo let go of the sword and curled his arm around the man''s shoulders, "but more importantly, do you know of the man on this deck who owns a star-like frog?" "U-Uh," the man''s voice was still quite shaky as Booboo made him walk together, "you mean the star-shaped frog¡ªyeah, yeah, we know him¡­ sir." "Can you lead me to him?" Booboo asked, and the baby crow landed back on top of his hat. "Yes, sure, sir," the man was too afraid to start to a conversation, but he wanted to gain a good impression in Booboo''s eyes and escape with his wrists intact, so he forced himself and asked, "Do you want to watch the circus of the star-shaped frog as well?" "Maybe, hic, I''ll buy the frog if it is up to the mark of my imaginations." "T-That circus man got a bad reputation for the way he treats his fans. If you make deals with him, some of his negative fame might transfer to you, sir," Though he could hear the screams of his friends from behind, he leaked out a forced smile as he conversed. "Well, negative fame is nothing to worry about," Booboo took a sip of Naive Wine before continuing, "he makes money with the frog, doesn''t he?" "Yes, he does fill his pockets with silver, sir, but he also faces a great amount of criticism for his ways of doing things." "Doesn''t matter. If it makes you rich, it is right. Lead me to the circus." "Y-Yes, sir." As the two of them left the spot, the donkey followed them, walking strangely, for it couldn''t freely move its neck around as the fishing pole was in the way. The three wounded men, on the other hand, suffered from different kinds of pain that burned through their chests and wrists better than any boiling liquid, and especially the one at their wrists controlled all of their thoughts and actions. Their minds spun in a blizzard of blackness, and no matter how hard they clenched their jaws, the spinning won''t stop, and eventually, their minds blanked out unable to withstand the tribulation. 55 NUTTY DEAL Lirzod had stepped out of Cat Home and was on his way to the Cat Ring when he saw Jehez arguing with Gon. There was a blonde girl standing behind Gon, wearing an eel-faced mask that was mostly blue except around the edges. The black staff in her hands resembled an eel, and it kept men from approaching her. Nevertheless, some men asked her to remove her mask, but she didn''t even respond, and her close-set copper eyes just paid attention to the conversation between Jehez and Gon. "Sir, even if your ticket was stolen, it didn''t happen before my eyes, so there''s nothing I can do about that," Jehez urged Gon to move aside so he could continue with the tests. "Besides, don''t you think you should be fighting that clown instead of me?" "You do know whose son I am, don''t you?" Gon raised his voice and lifted both eyebrows. "I-I know, sir, but¡­ please look from my perspective as well," Jehez made a complicated expression filled with both frustration and fear. "I let anyone with the ticket participate in the deck test. And that''s what I did. If you want to file a complaint, then I can talk to the commander about it, but that''s all I can do." "Where''s the commander then?" Gon looked around. "Uh, he''s not here," Jehez''s mouth dried up from the incessant talking, but he was forced to talk, "I''ll make sure to inform him by the end of this day." Gon bit his lip as he narrowed his eyes. "If you let me participate in the upcoming round, I''ll forget everything. You don''t need to worry about anything else either." Jehez was quite surprised. "That¡­" he cleared his throat, "it all depends on whether or not the contestant would be willing to sell their ticket." "Of course, I won''t," Lirzod said aloud, getting the attention of many people, especially that of Gon and Jehez. "Do I look like a person who would give away their ticket for some coins? Of course not." As he strode toward the referee, his boisterous voice came as a surprise to many. "Do I look like a person who would give away their ticket just because a girl takes out her mask for me?" he looked at the blonde girl standing behind Gon. "Maybe I will." The crowd chatted among themselves upon hearing Lirzod''s words. "Ah, what''s he breathing? He''s missing his chance to earn a handsome amount of coin." "Maybe he doesn''t want money and just wants to see that girl''s face." "He might just be doing that for us, too. We''ve been trying to see her face as well, after all." "Aww, what a softie." Jehez immediately understood what was happening and gazed at the blonde girl. "I''m not removing my mask for anyone," the blonde girl coldly replied, maintaining a relaxed posture. Gon glanced at her. "Bella, please. I will get to participate right away." "Sorry, but I can''t," the blonde girl, Bella slowly shook her head. "She has the air of a bodyguard around her," the long-nosed man standing beside Sariyu said, "I thought she was his bodyguard. Maybe I''m wrong." Both of them were about fifteen meters away from Bella and Gon. "Still, she''s not removing the mask even when her friend''s requesting her," Sariyu said, pinching the skin at her throat, "I hope Lirzod does irritate her with his antics." "I will help your friend, don''t worry," the long-nosed man began to walk toward Lirzod, swinging his arms freely. "Miss Bella, can you please either show your face and earn the ticket so that your friend can participate, or can you at least take your friend out from here so that my friend can participate?" Bella, however, didn''t respond, and her gaze wandered elsewhere. "Why aren''t you responding, miss?" the long-nosed man couldn''t help but ask. "She must have an evil face," Lirzod said and offered a deep sigh. "Hmm, that might very well be the case," the long-nosed man gave a heavy nod, drumming his finger on the chin. "I don''t have an evil face," Bella barked at them both, and her chest somewhat tightened. "How do we know that?" Lirzod lifted his shoulders a bit and tugged on the bottom lip. "Like this," she removed the mask, nonplusing almost everyone, for they weren''t expecting to see her profile so soon. She had somewhat of a chubby face, and most men seemed rather let down and offered her a sound of silence. Lirzod''s eyes, however, glowed and words poured out of his mouth involuntarily, "Wow, a face that can fascinate flowers with freshness." The long-nosed man glanced at Lirzod and uttered in a low voice, "I wouldn''t as far as saying that she ain''t beautiful, but she ain''t a beauty either." "Fascinate Flowers? Pfft," one big-bellied man in the crowd snorted at Lirzod and spoke for all to hear, "Either you are blind, or your standards must be really low. She''s an average looker at best. Maybe she can mesmerize pigs, but that''s all there is." "Hahaha," many men burst into laughter. Though it was a peal of controlled laughter, Bella''s ears perceived it as dozens of chalks screeching on the board. It was the worst sound ever, and it defiled her ears inexorably. Bella put a bit more strength into her grip, and a surge of bluish electricity ejected out of the staff, snaked through the air like a living eel and coiled around the big-bellied man''s frame before he even realized what was going on, tightly bound him and bit him at the neck. "Eel Execute!" The big-bellied man howled in horror amidst the crunching and chirping noise. The laughing voices of men hit a sudden break, and they all watched her with mouths agape. Bella, with a flick of her wrist, sent the big-bellied man flying over the crowd until he ended up crashing into the wall. His body and clothes got thoroughly charred, and even though he lost consciousness, his body still shivered in response to electrocution. "S-She''s strong," some men stepped back instinctively. A bead of sweat appeared on Jehez''s forehead. (If she''s this strong, her friend must be even stronger. I hope I can get out of this mess unscathed.) Even though he was obligated to warn her that fighting in the hall wasn''t the right thing to do, he refrained himself from doing so. "I-I take back my words." the long-nosed man mused to himself. The burnt smell floating in the air stirred his nose into sneezing fumblingly. "I don''t think she heard your words," Lirzod said and smiled. "The treatment she gave the dude looked like a buzzy massage, but it''s way scarier. Do you want to try that?" "I think I''ll go back to my place," the long-nosed man turned and walked back to Sariyu. Gon looked at Lirzod in the eye and put his hand forward, "she removed her mask, so give me the ticket." "Huh?" Lirzod didn''t see that coming and took a step back. "Wait, she didn''t take off the mask because I asked her. She did it later, out of her own volition." "What?" Gon narrowed his eyes, and his jaw formed a hard line. "If this is some sort of a joke you''re trying to pull, then I suggest you stop it and hand over the ticket." "Why should I?" Lirzod looked at Jehez. "You tell them. She clearly didn''t take off the mask when I asked her. Plus, I only said that I might consider giving the ticket even if she happened to take off the mask." Jehez didn''t know what to say. He glanced at Gon, his brows squishing together. "T-That boy''s right." Gon ignored Jehez, stepped toward Lirzod and a vein his hand protruded out. "Do you know whose son I am?" Even though Gon was standing right before him, Lirzod''s concentration was now on the blonde girl because she was looking right at him. He walked past Gon, "You are the chosen one, Miss Bella." "Chosen?" Bella''s stare was as cold as ever, and it wasn''t so obvious that she had been trying her best from putting the mask back on. "For what?" "To accompany Lirzod in his journey." "Lirzod?" Just like her stare, her voice was cold, too, "Who''s that?" "You are looking at him." Lirzod closed his eyes and grinned. Bella squinted her eyes. "If you don''t unchoose me, my shoe will choose your cheeks." "U-Uh," Lirzod''s feet came to a halt, "can''t you at least let your hand choose my cheek?" "What?" Bella''s expression hardened. "Everything that happens¡ªhappens for a reason," Lirzod stepped closer, "I believe that meeting you was no accident, my lady." "Yeah, you may be right, but I''m not your lady," With a swift movement of her hand, Bella thwacked Lirzod right in the gut with her staff, making him bend forward and blow moist air through his mouth. "Did this happen for a reason too?" Lirzod controlled himself from spitting out saliva as it would fall on Bella''s feet. He forcefully swallowed it and stood straight. "A-Absolutely." "Doesn''t matter the place I go to," Bella put her mask back on and turned away, "All folks see is flesh." Seeing Bella leave, Gon followed her. "Bella, wait!" As he went past Lirzod, he said, "Don''t ever come into my sight again, or I''ll make you regret everything you did today." Lirzod forced out a smile in return. "What a belligerent girl," the long-nosed man harrumphed. Now that she was distant enough from him, he was able to speak his heart, "she thinks too highly of herself when she doesn''t even smell that nice. Why does your friend even bother to talk with such a girl?" "Now, he''s a lot better," Sariyu replied in a quiet voice, her expression somewhat helpless. "In the past, he used to dance around girls like a cat on hot coals." Meanwhile, Jehez breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed the sweat off his face. He placed his hand on Lirzod''s shoulder from the side. "Ticket." "Oh," Lirzod quickly handed him the ticket. Upon observing the ticket numbered 181819, Jehez nodded. "Mm, you can enter the ring." "Yeah, but I need a minute." "A minute? What for?" "To persuade the audiences into betting for me," Lirzod said in a confident tone. "I can do that, right?" "You can..." Jehez''s voice was dry and sounded as if it lacked any respect, "but are you sure about this?" "Yes," Lirzod''s eyes gleamed with expectation. "All right," Jehez''s replied in a sharp tone as if he was warning, "since the cat is yet to come, I''ll give you thirty seconds." "Thanks," Lirzod turned around and right away addressed the crowd with a booming voice, "My humble hello to all of the gentlemen and also to the two ladies in the hall. I have a request, so please hear me out. I want you all to bet your money on my victory and earn your pocketful of coins. Let''s together make history in this hall." "History? My ass," one guy in the hall snorted, "why should we bet for you when we don''t even know you?" "I know that guy," a curly-haired person voiced his mind, "he''s picked a fight with Geragorn." "What?" many men were quite amazed. "Then why does he look all healthy? He doesn''t look that strong. I don''t believe it." "I just said what I saw," the curly-haired man said, "you don''t have to believe me if you don''t want to, but don''t regret after when he wins the test." "Did he really fight Geragorn then?" Everyone locked their gazes on Lirzod. Jehez, who was standing in the background, silently smiled. (There''s no way this runt could have fought that beast of a man.) The memory of Geragorn winning the deck test was still fresh in Jehez''s mind. A mighty roar was all it took for Geragorn to make the cat flee back to cat home with its tail tucked between the legs. Jehez''s ears almost twinged just from remembering that incident. "I didn''t really fight him, but¡­" Lirzod said, pushing his shoulders back a bit, "I will make you rich if you bet for me." "And why would anyone believe you?" one man among the crowd barked. "Because I will win," Lirzod straightforwardly replied. "Huh? That''s all?" some of the audiences had a dumbfounded look on their faces. "Yes," Lirzod said, clenching his fist, "I don''t like cats. That''s why I don''t want to lose to them at all costs. So I want all of your cooperation. The more bets there are in my favor, the more I''ll want to give it my best." Despite Lirzod''s speech, not many seemed to be inclined to listen to him anymore. "If I lose," Lirzod continued, "I''ll bear fifty percent of your losses." "What?" the crowd had their jaws hung open. "Are you serious?" At this point, Lirzod got the full attention of almost everyone in the hall. "Yeah, but if I win," Lirzod said, looking others directly in the eye, "I''ll have fifty percent of the profits." The widely opened mouths of men now closed in haste. "T-That''s too much!" "Make it ten, and I''m in!" "Yeah, ten is good for me." The crowd continued to state their wishes, and after listening to them, Lirzod replied, "then I''ll also bear only ten percent of the losses." "No!" the audiences were quick to reject his words. "If you lose, then bear fifty percent of our losses, but if you win, then take ten percent." "But that''s not fair at all," Lirzod shook his head. "Looks like this deal doesn''t seem pleasant to your heart. I was expecting a lot of support from you people, but I guess I overestimated your ability to seize opportunities." Lirzod began to walk toward the ring with a disappointed expression. "I will just fight for myself then." "W-Wait," some men among the crowd hesitantly called out for Lirzod, making him turn without delay, "we agree to your proposal, but in case you end up losing, what''s the guarantee that you have enough money to pay us?" "As long as your bets don''t exceed hundred silver, I think I can afford the deal," Lirzod said, "there''s enough money in my room on the tenth deck." "You better be telling the truth, or you''ll leave this hall with broken limbs," some men threatened Lirzod by popping their knuckles. "Of course," Lirzod nodded, "you are free to break my limbs if I fail to pay you in 24 hours." Lirzod''s words convinced some men who headed toward the betting counter as fast as possible. Seeing them, the other people, who were going to bet anyway, also joined and placed their bets in his favor. Jehez became busy for some time because so many men bet in Lirzod''s favor. After all, only those people would be paid half the amount back if Lirzod were to lose. As for the rest of the bettors, everything was the same as usual. In the meantime, Lirzod just got to Sariyu with displeasure written on his face. "Where''s the chick?" "The drunk dude took it," she replied, crossing her arms across her chest. "Drunk dude..." Lirzod blinked twice, "You mean that Wine-head took it?" His eyes enlarged, "Why did you let him?" "You left the crow with me," Sariyu said, her body posture rigid, "I just made sure that it ended up with its master." "You don''t know if that Wine-head''s the owner or not," a lump formed in Lirzod''s throat. "That chick was alone when I found it." "Just let go of this topic and instead focus on finishing the test fast," Sariyu said. "Uh¡­" Lirzod tucked the upper lip for a moment and then let out a short breath. "Fine." "Hey, brother," At that time, the long-nosed man said, "to be frank, that deal you made was nuts, and to announce that you''ll bear fifty percent of their losses, you sure got some balls." "Of course, some nuts weigh a gram, but some nuts weigh a ton," Lirzod said and giggled. After dazing for a moment, the long-nosed man laughed. "Haha, nonetheless, I must say that you will have made quite a sum of coins if you end up winning. All the best." "Thanks, but are you not betting for me?" Lirzod raised one of his brows. "U-Uh, I..." the long-nosed man face lost some of its glow, and he embarrassingly smiled. "I don''t know yet." "You are missing your chance of making easy money," Lirzod said and then headed back toward the cat ring. "Hey, boy," a plump-lipped man approached Lirzod, "your body language is giving the sign of confidence, but I''m thinking of betting ten silver on you, so I need to know your approach to the test. If possible, I will also help improve your tactic and thus better your chances of winning." "You look for signs to bet huh. How about I give you an entire storyline?" Lirzod said, "I intend to shine by overshadowing the feline and making the victory mine." "T-That''s all? That''s your tactic?" he was bewildered. Lirzod gave the man a thumbs up. "Wish me luck." "U-Uh, y-yeah," the plump-lipped man stopped in his tracks and just watched Lirzod enter the ring. He looked toward the betting counter and muttered under his breath, "All those rats are going to lose half of their cheese." 56 BLESSINGS AND BETTINGS "Hey, empty hands won''t win you the game. Take some food." Some audiences suggested Lirzod in a not-so-smooth of a tone. After all, he now was their silver dream¡ªa silvery silhouette that could drag them out of the darkness and bring them at least fleeting comfort. "Handling a cat is kids'' stuff," Lirzod casually replied while standing in the ring, showing comfort through words, "I don''t need food or even a rat''s tail for that matter." "Stop being so thoughtless and take the damn food already," a man with an elongated face tossed a small bottle of milk to Lirzod, startling him. "You can thank me later." "Oh, thanks," Lirzod opened the lid and began to gulp down the milk. "That wasn''t for you!" some of the audiences shouted, but their voices were ineffective, for Lirzod didn''t stop until he finished drinking half a liter in one go, thereby emptying the bottle. "Weird but sweet," Lirzod cast the bottle away, and he appeared to be somewhat pleased from the milk. "Of course, that''s mountain goat milk," the man with an elongated face bore his gaze down on Lirzod. "It was meant for the cat. Give me my milk back." "U-Uh," Lirzod didn''t know what to say. "I drank it. Didn''t you see?" "You¡­" the man with an elongated face wanted to step forward and put his fists to work. "I can''t believe you are the one who demeaned Hardy Brothers and climbed another deck to circulate the tale." If it weren''t for that news, he''d have long jumped into the ring and would have ended the conflict with a couple of blows. A nearby member among the audiences asked the man with an elongated face, "What do you think about the story he claimed about those brothers? You think that''s true?" The man''s voice carried waves of tension through the air. "It''s obviously a cock and bull story, but the brothers will probably get roasted for years because of it," the man with an elongated face said, his voice hitting other''s ears like a rough melody. "Still, since he dared to skirmish with hardmen such as Hardy Brothers, I bet fifty copper in his favor and even gave him goat milk, but now, I feel like he''s too rash for his own good." "Yeah, I''m thinking the same as well," the man''s lips pressed together in a slight grimace, "I bet five silver on this boy. With odds as they are, I hoped to make half a gold and get better armor, but I''m not so sure anymore." "Guess we let our greed guide us," the man with an elongated face had a slumped posture. "I should have bet on seeing a single gesture, but now I can only hope I won''t lose again." Any bet less than a silver had 1:3 ratio earnings; any bet more than one silver but less than one gold had 1:10 ratio earnings; any bet more than a gold had 1:20 ratio earnings. In some rural regions of the world, it took almost a year or two to earn one silver. Many people in the hall could be seen betting in copper, but a decent number of men also bet in silver. No one placed a bet in faces, for many traders on the ship didn''t accept the face coin. Upon seeing the high-range bet amounts, Burton had a hard time to breathe normally even though those betting odds were only for the win or loss category. The stakes for the gestures were different, and the odds rose through to the roof¡ª1:10 for a copper-grade bet, 1:15 for a silver-grade bet, and 1:30 for a golden-grade bet. "Look at them sheeple betting for naught." Burton approached Sariyu in a tight mouth as if he tasted something bad. "Their lust for coins will lead them astray. I would be embarrassed if I were in their shoes." "At least their passion is more so in their pockets than in their pants, unlike the donkey owner," she had an air of readiness around her. "Maybe," Burton''s forehead wrinkled just a bit, "but it doesn''t change the chance of all the money going down the referee''s pockets, I mean, down his superior''s pockets." "Only if Lirzod loses," Sariyu replied and gave him an easy nod. "Well, yes, but do you honestly think he''ll pass in his first attempt itself?" Sariyu paused a moment before her lips slightly parted. "I guess I''m a sheeple, too," she bounced the two silver coins in her hand and was about to step onward. "I didn''t mean it for you," Burton blocked her path with his arm. "You know that, right?" Sariyu didn''t reply but looked elsewhere in an unfocused gaze. "I just don''t want you to get this betting habit, too, that''s all," Burton said, feeling a tightness in the chest. "''Never fall in love with money.'' You still remember this line, don''t you?" Sariyu''s eyes expanded and brows rose a notch, but she was quick to contain her expression. "All I''m saying is," Burton continued, placing his hands on the hips, "you know that Lirzod hates losing, but you can never know how he''s going to try and catch the cat. So I don''t see any substantial reason to risk a bet. If you are still going to bet anyway, at least don''t bet on gestures." Sariyu looked in his eyes for a brief moment. "Thanks for your unwonted concern toward my capital."Saying that she walked in the direction of the betting spot. Burton folded his hands and mused to himself. "Why''s she in a temper when I was only trying to tell her to think a bit before betting?" He glanced toward the long-nosed man who was standing by the side, holding onto a copper coin. "Are you betting as well?" "Yeah, I''m thinking to bet¡ªbut I can only spare this much and not suffer from cold," the long-nosed man said with an awkward expression because was amount was too low compared to that of Sariyu. In the meantime, as Sariyu was heading toward the betting counter, she remembered the words that Burton had told her moments ago¡ªnever fall in love with money. It made her remember acustomary song played during special occasions in their clan''s schools, for she attended different schools in the past. "Never fall in love with money For it will break your heart apart Like gold does to hundred silvers Silver to hundred coppers And copper to twenty faces The said pieces when put together Never add up to the necessary." It had been quite some time since she last thought back about the song, and the memory brought a faint yet friendly smile on her face. "This betting isn''t solely based on my interests. Win or loss, I intend to take it the same way." Later, Sariyu bet two silver that Lirzod would win, surprising Jehez as two silver wasn''t a small amount, and because she also seemed to be acquainted with Lirzod, he couldn''t help but frown on the inside at the possibility of Lirzod winning the test. Given the number of bets in Lirzod''s favor, if he were to win, Jehez would not only not earn any profit, but his job might also be in jeopardy. He started to have forebodings about the upcoming test and just realized that his blood had long begun to run cold from dread. The long-nosed man soon came to the betting counter, but Jehez refused to take his money. "Sorry, mate. You just came a tad bit late," he told him that after enough number of bettings were made, the referee could close down further bettings. The single copper coin in the hands of the long-nosed man didn''t quite help change the referee''s mind either. Jehez then signaled¡ªwith a whistle and a hand gesture combined¡ªto Lirzod to come to him. Lirzod quickly came over to the betting counter, and Jehez promptly checked him to make sure that he wasn''t carrying any weapon or anything of the sorts. Usually, Jehez didn''t have to do this procedure, but considering the bettings, now he had to be twice as sure. At the moment, just the two of them were present near the betting counter. While checking Lirzod''s pockets, Jehez said in a soft voice, loud enough only to reach Lirzod''s ears, "As a referee, I have my connections on this belt. If you lose, I''ll make the ship-climbing easier for you." He didn''t even make steady eye contact with Lirzod. "What do you say?" "Are you done?" Lirzod asked, startling the referee, "With the searching I mean." "Y-Yeah," Jehez''s heartbeat wasn''t under his control, but he had enough heart to now make steady eye contact. "Do you agree to my proposal or not?" "I''m afraid I can''t," Lirzod said, a vague smile tugging his lips. "There is only one test per deck. Though we can participate over and over again, I don''t like to waste any first opportunity where every experience is fresh if not fruitful. In any case, if I let this chance wilfully slip away, I''ll have betrayed other''s trust." Lirzod''s words hardened Jehez''s expression. "But it doesn''t do well for me if you win now," Jehez''s voice contained a bit of ego. "On the other hand, if you listen to me, it will do well for both of us." "You are right," Lirzod sighed a bit and placed his hand on the referee''s shoulder. "Things may get hard for you if I win, but hey, my old man used to say that finding an easy day in a grown man''s life is harder than finding a needle in a haystack." "So what?" Jehez let out an impatient snort, "do you expect me to purposefully make my life harder when I can easily walk in a much simpler path? Your old man might have had tried to be hilarious with you, but you ended up taking it seriously." He then mumbled, "If not, he''s as impractical as you are." Lirzod''s gaze lost focus for a moment, for he couldn''t help but remember Picazo''s words: Life is a river of ordeals that makes men swim upstream so that they may chase after their dreams, and whoever refuses to swim gets washed away downstream and be dragooned to drown to its defeatist depths. "You are right," Lirzod said, staring at Jehez in the eye, "I also found his words hilarious as heck back then. I thought he was giving excuses for being unable to spend some time with me, but now I know better. We all live in a world where evil spreads faster than good, and my old man has been fighting some of that evil from dragging my clansmen down into darkness. Day and night, he helps people get through their hardships and hopes for them to be able to pick themselves up the next time and even help others if they could. Many people I know take their jobs for granted, but my old man sure as hell don''t. So, don''t talk as if you know my old man." Jehez paused for a moment and raised his hands a little. "My apologies. Whew¡­ Nevertheless¡ªmy offer still stands. If you think that I''m right," he spoke through the teeth with a strained voice, "then agree to my proposal. I promise you''ll not be disappointed." Lirzod smiled a bit. "Well, you are in the right when the matter concerns only the two of us, but that''s not the case when many others are involved. Besides, who are we to decide what''s right and what''s not? Only the one above the heavens can do that. Regardless of it, we tend to go with what we feel is right. I can''t let you do just that, not when I''m around." Lirzod''s bluntness made Jehez go unnaturally quiet. "Some say that my heart has hardened over the years, but I still don''t like to see tears in a woman''s eyes for any reason." Lirzod leaned even closer and continued to speak in a hushed tone, "You can just place a bet in my favor and make things easier for you even if it''s only a little bit." Jehez''s chest hitched and eyes went dull. Just as Lirzod was walking back to the cat ring, Jehez said, maintaining a downward gaze, "I''m not a woman." "I have never said you were," Lirzod gave him a thumbs up without looking back. Jehez didn''t know what to say, but his brows, however, pulled in. Being a referee, he couldn''t participate in the bettings, but he could surely lend his money to others and let them bet in his stead; howbeit, given that he had announced the closing of the betting counter, he could no longer resort to such an option even if he wanted to. From seeing the betting counter closing, most men gathered around the cat ring and chatted on with unrealistic expectations. "Till now, we''ve tested contestants with our taunting tongues, but this time, our target will not be the contestant but the cat itself." "Yeah, if need be, we should scare the cat into skedaddling out of the circle, haha." Lirzod didn''t feel great after hearing their discussion. "I don''t want any more help from you lot. I can take care of things from here on, so stand there and watch me win. Got it?" "You can''t be serious, kiddo." Many men cracked smiles as if Lirzod had just joked. "Did you think we all bet on you so we could stand here and do nothing? Get real." "For the love of God¡ª" Before Lirzod could even respond, another man approached him with a pitcher of milk. "W-What''s this for?" "Use it however you see fit. If I had meat, I would have given it to you, but to our bad luck, milk is all I have." the man said and left the cat ring quick. Another man made his way to Lirzod in a hurry and handed him a few blades of grasses. "Cats like to nibble on grass. All the best." Saying that he left the ring fast. This time, the long-nosed man stepped in the ring, holding a slight red-colored box in his hand. Upon reaching Lirzod, he opened the box, revealing an egg. Afterward, he spoke in a low voice. "Hardened eggs like this one don''t rot for years." He closed the box and put it in Lirzod''s hand and folded his fingers. "Only a few teeth on this ship can dig through this egg. It can break even hardened hearts. May it serve you well." "Whoa, why are you giving this to me then?" Lirzod''s skin tingled a bit. "I don''t need this." "Don''t be like that. You can use it to lure the cat." The long-nosed man smiled as he rubbed underneath his nose. "But that''d be boring," Lirzod tried to give the egg back, but the long-nosed man put his hands behind his back and continually stepped backward while facing Lirzod. Frequently, Lirzod had gotten used to getting things done the way he wanted, but now, time and time again, he was on the losing end as far as opinions were concerned. All this sudden change made him feel strange in a way that he couldn''t put to words, but since he was the one who started it all, he could only suck in a quick breath. However, from the ongoing vainglorious laughter outside the ring, Lirzod somewhat understood their intentions. Previously, he finished a bottle of milk, but now the quantity almost tripled thanks to the pitcher. Having already drunk more than he usually liked to, Lirzod didn''t even want to take a sniff at milk anymore. He shoved the egg-box in his pocket and put down the pitcher of milk. The only remaining things left in his hand were the blades of grasses. After looking at the grass again, he ended up remembering the time when he had seen Primera shave the light fuzz off her legs with a blade of grass, and the memory made him giggle a little. "I guess I will try shaving the cat." Fortunately, no one heard Lirzod''s words, or else some of them would have surely weirded out. After all, fur was one of the main reasons that helped cats to fascinate others, especially humans. Without such fluffy fur, cats would probably no longer be cute, in more ways than one. "Better luck the next time, buddy," Burton spoke out to Lirzod and then wore a sarcastic smile on his face. His voice wasn''t loud enough for everyone to hear, but whoever heard him had their expressions changed, although not right away. Before anyone else responded, Lirzod smiled back, albeit with some effort. "Thank you, Big Brother." "What the hell are you talking about?" some men barked at Burton. "The test hasn''t even begun, and you are talking gibberish." "A bad omen from a brainless bastard isn''t worth anyone''s time, but you better take back your words, or you''ll regret this day forever," some men threatened Burton by pumping their fists; however, Burton didn''t move an inch. "Hmph," One man stepped closer to Burton, but a glance from Burton was all it took to make him stop. "E-Even if you don''t take your words back, our blessings are more powerful. He''ll definitely win." Burton sighed and said, "I also wished him good, but mine was a blessing in disguise, that''s all." A few fellows gnashed their teeth. "You are pushing our patience too far." At that moment, the assistant referee came out of the room, leaning forward, his bum turned toward the audiences. "Hey, look! The assistant referee is out!" Many men got excited, but they couldn''t see the assistant referee''s face, for he was facing toward the cat room. "Wait, he''s acting weirdly. And where''s the cat?" In a matter of seconds, the assistant referee got about ten meters away from the cat home, and a finger-length slice of poultry dangled from his hand. Some men had a bad feeling when their eyes lay on the meat, and they immediately shifted their gazes toward the cat home when a black cat dashed out of the room with its eyes set on the poultry. ''T-That is¡­" Most guys had their eyes enlarged and mouths forcibly opened as they caught the sight of the black cat with a white point. "L-L-Lo-Lo-Lord Bruiser!" The scratches and bruises on the bodies of many men ached almost instantly, and their instincts mad them turn and take to their heels. "No way! That''s Lord Bruiser! Don''t tell me the chosen one is that monster cat!" "Everyone, run, or he''ll **** us all!" "Of all cats, did it have it to be him? What''ll happen to my money now? Shit, I shouldn''t have placed a bet." Burton and Sariyu were quite perplexed from seeing several men make a run for it just from a cat coming into view. The corners of Burton''s mouth were downturned as he observed Bruiser which ran straight toward the assistant referee. "An appearance that leads men astray." He glanced in the direction of Lirzod. "So you have picked a nasty one after all." "Still, the rattail should do the job," Sariyu opined as she noted that the headband was tied to Bruiser''s tail. Meanwhile, the assistant referee tossed the slice of poultry into the cat ring, and Bruiser rushed forth into the ring and got hold of the meat. With a rising smile on his face, Jehez turned to look at the assistant referee''s hand from a distance and noticed the blood. "So he was bringing Bruiser out all this while. No wonder he took so long." His smile subsided for a moment, but when he looked back toward the ring, his smile rose again at the prediction of Lirzod losing for certain. (I doubt you can handle Lord Bruiser¡ªthe fastest and the most furious feline of all.) He then brought a single word out of his mouth, "Meow!" Jehez''s voice was a trigger in action. Bruiser who had just finished swallowing the poultry and was beginning to gambol now put aside his play time and darted straight toward Lirzod, screaming out of his lungs. Not only did the cat''s response surprise Lirzod, but it also made the scampering-away men bring their feet to a halt against their will and turn back only to see Bruiser in midair, his paw already slashing at Lirzod''s neck. 57 A PROEM TO SAVAGERY The twelfth deck was usually full of characters who have their own sense of the surroundings, so it was rare for any notion to be accepted by most, but there would always come to be notions, a few, that would become popular. Here was one such belief: Facing Bruiser, willingly or not, is an itinerary that would imperil not only the body but also the soul. Another general belief was that beating a retreat in the presence of Bruiser was nothing to be ashamed of. Currently, inside the test hall of the twelfth deck, most men were doing just that. And as if supporting their actions, one of the painted sentences on the walls of the test hall phrased: Screw the shame when facing a formidable name. Granting a name to a challenging cat was a well-known tradition on the twelfth deck. Any feline that scored five straight winnings in a contiguous span of twenty-four hours was qualified to receive a name. A particular cat, though, earned twice as many triumphs on one of the bygone days and eventually got the name¡ªBruiser. That name alone was enough to make men forget about their pride and such senses, or else they knew they would be bruised positively, if not to an intense degree. With the peremptory presence of such a cat, the atmosphere in the hall simply turned into something only rarely seen¡ªanything goes. Almost everyone showed their backs to the cat in the ring, but still, some of the running-away men turned their heads back, and their eyes witnessed Bruiser making a leap¡ªfrom the security of the sod to the uncertainty that was the boy with a scar on his face. Lirzod, at the moment, was thinking about something. He had overheard some men discuss that exercise was the best way to improve one''s chances in triumphing over a cat. So he had wished to embrace that mantra for the first fifteen seconds and then proceed with his devised plan. Nonetheless, Bruiser attacked him out of nowhere, and in a flash, his paw was already slashing at his neck from up close. Lirzod, though taken by surprise, managed to bend his neck to the side. The claws, however, scraped against the skin. Lirzod''s forehead creased. (I thought I dodged.) A tint of worry washed over, stiffening the fine hairs on the back of his neck. Bruiser avoided the fall by clinging onto Lirzod''s collar and swiftly climbed to the top of his head and then began his real act of aggression. He strove to rip out a bunch of hairs by teeth while his claws were busy in bringing out blood by clawing their way down to the bone. Frenziedly, Lirzod powered his way back by grabbing Bruiser by his fur coat on the spine, tried to pull him away, but it proved more difficult than he had imagined. His hand slid across the cat''s spine and squeezed the neck. Bruiser let go of Lirzod''s hairs and bit his forearm, causing him to let go of his hold and push away the cat at the same time. Bruiser landed gracefully on the ground and strutted around Lirzod in a circle, his tail not puffed out but still raised high. Lirzod placed his hand behind his ear once and momentarily stared at his hand which now had blood on it. His pulse beat in his ears and blocked all other sounds for a moment. He looked at Bruiser who was walking as if he was the owner of the sod. "Look at him strutting in an arrogant gait as if he can win it whenever he wants to," some audiences ground their teeth in both fright and frustration from the mannerisms of the much-hated feline. "If I knew the one he had chosen was Lord Bruiser, I would have never placed a bet," one man cursed his luck, unable to control the hammering of his heart. "When up against Lord Bruiser inside the ring, every contestant is but a chicken trying to fly in a blizzard. No use of flapping one''s wings. No use of trying. The boy trapped himself," Though part of this man wanted to run, the other part didn''t want him to flee just yet. "Ah, my money has gone into a stonser''s stomach[1]," another man couldn''t get rid of the bitter taste in the back of his mouth and was on the verge of crying. Burton slowly shook his head. "I knew something like this would happen. He could have simply used the rattail, but guess what, he doesn''t take one thing seriously," he glanced at Sariyu, "and I think you are allowing it to happen." "What are you getting at?" Sariyu asked him back, her gaze turning sharp right away. "I know my presence doesn''t affect him much, but your presence allows him to be even more carefree," Burton said, thumbing the ear. "If this goes on, we can''t even climb to the hundredth deck before the ship reaches the sect." "Stop worrying over every little thing," Sariyu crossed her arms across her chest, "and cut him some slack." "I have done that plenty of times already," Burton said, staring blankly at Lirzod who was running toward Bruiser, "but this isn''t a little thing as you say. He let the cat draw out his blood, and I''m sure that won''t be the last of it." "C''mon, cats are idiots." "Cats are idiots, but so is he. Even if he somehow ends up winning and earns pocketfuls of coins, he''ll frivolously fritter them away. Just wait and see, he''ll probably throw a party, and all that wealth goes down the drain. Don''t you think we can do much better without him? Perhaps, he''ll do better without us, too." "No one asked you to tag along," Sariyu splayed her hands out wide before crossing them again. "You were always like this¡ªgetting worked up over little thing." Burton stood in an unnatural stiffness, and though his mouth was opened, no word came out of it for a couple of seconds. "You sounded as if you both would do better without me around." He felt as if something has walked through him and left him numb to everything. "If that''s what you truly believe," he took a step back while still looking at her, "then I guess I''ll climb the decks by myself." He turned away and began to walk, "but... if you ever change your mind though, you are welcome to join me any day." Sariyu lowered her gaze and took a somewhat burdening breath as the distance between them grew by the second, "I still can''t tell if he calculatedly complains so that he can walk off without guilt or..." she bit her nail before looking at Lirzod who brought her out of her contemplation with his chase. "Why aren''t you using the rattail, you barebutt!" she muttered under her breath. "Use it and prove Purple Grass wrong." "Stop, you sneaky little bastard," Lirzod kept chasing after the cat in circles, "if you don''t stop, I swear I won''t hesitate to shove these grasses up your nose." Sariyu''s shoulders slumped a bit. "Never mind." The audiences, however, were fascinated by what Lirzod was doing. "H-He''s going after Lord Bruiser," one man took two steps backward, and disbelief sucked the very breath from his mouth, "I can''t believe he''s showing his teeth against that monster-cat." "Lord Bruiser bruises everything that budges," another man felt the tenseness in his muscles, "He bothers all the cats, even the ones too fat to fight, and doesn''t stop until blood is shed, but this boy is running after such a cat. Does he not fear the claws?" "Lord Bruiser doesn''t even fear cucumbers. How can he expect Lord Bruiser to fear a bunch of grasses that can tickle him at best?" "Yeah, Lord Bruiser is no ordinary cat," one man had sweat pouring down his body. "He doesn''t do pre-fight talking and goes straight for the head of his foe because he''s got the soul of a tiger-cat." Despite the audiences'' views, Lirzod had his own plan. At the moment, though he was already struggling a bit to catch his breath, he had a complex smile on his face. "I''ve never thought I''d see myself going after a cat one day." To this moment, no matter how swiftly he had changed his pace and direction to get closer to Bruiser, the distance between them didn''t reduce much at all, so he leaped at the cat, howling his lungs out as he thrust the hand holding grasses. "Let the fur fly!" His move took the audiences by surprise, for it was an adequate jump. "Get him!" they rooted for him with increased heart rates. As their eyes witnessed, Lirzod''s whole body banged onto the ground, having failed to even touch a single hair on Bruiser, since the chase began, who had managed to bounce away and move out of Lirzod''s reach quite comfortably. What flew into the air was not fur but dust, sweat, and a bit of blood. Lirzod, eyes staring at the ceiling, didn''t move an inch. All the audiences couldn''t move their mouths, for the worst they had feared seemed to have come sooner than ever. They didn''t think that the test would end in half a minute; however, Lirzod, betraying their bad signs, got back to his feet at once and resumed his pursuit as if nothing had happened. "Whew¡­" some breathed sighs of relief. "I thought it was over." "Yeah, me too." "Haha, I''ve never given up like you lot." "Stop lying." Upon hearing the voices of the crowds, Sariyu, who had been standing in a slumped posture, thought back on what some of her stuffy friends had adviced her about Lirzod. "Sariyu, don''t journey with that Lirzod. I heard he gives long handshakes to girls." "Yeah, I also heard he runs away from responsibilities. Nothing good will ever happen when around such boys." "He may be a young master, but he isn''t good enough to travel with you." As her friends'' words flashed back in her mind, Sariyu had a complex expression on her face. "Am I not where I wanna be?" she lifted her head and looked in Lirzod''s direction. He was pursuing the cat as if it was now or never while also putting his mouth to use in many ways. Sariyu now thought back on the time when she had spoken to Primera about something. "Primera, why does he always act like he doesn''t care what the future holds for his actions?" "I don''t know," Primera replied, "he makes mistakes all the time, but I don''t think he has any hidden agenda behind that; however, I do think he believes something amazing always awaits in his future." "Oh, why is that?" "Because he is amazing." "..." "Just kidding. I don''t really know, young mistress. Young master''s mind may be easy to control, but it''s hard to crack. I doubt you can get a proper answer even from him." Upon remembering the talk with Primera, Sariyu''s unfocused gaze now focused on Lirzod. Bruiser was running so fast on the grassy surface that his legs seemed to lack traction in contrast to Lirzod''s advance in brazen steps. Even though the cat was covering the ground at a better speed and agility, Lirzod didn''t stop running toward the cat while also meowing repeatedly. Even after kissing the sod multiple times, he got back up and continued the chase, albeit with amusing expressions. His actions made Sariyu heedlessly stand straight, her comfort only marginally better than before. Wherever the cat went, Lirzod followed it like a dog saying ''I''ve got your scent.'' Though Bruiser seemed better in many aspects, he couldn''t shake Lirzod off his tail because of the perimeter restriction of the ring. As seconds passed, it appeared as if Lirzod would succeed in catching the cat by its tail; howbeit, the moment Lirzod got close enough for once, he went for the head instead and ended up failing to even touch the cat because it ducked all too quickly. "Oh, not the head!" some audiences shouted almost instantly, "Don''t go for the head. Go for the tail. Get the headband before it''s too late." "Too late?" one man could help but ask. "What do you mean by that?" "That boy better fetch the headband before the cat twitches its tail. Lord Bruiser is known to go mad when he''s pissed. Who knows what''ll take him into that mode!" "What? Is this not his maddened self?" "You have no idea. Why do you think no one has ever managed to remove the headband from that tail? It''s because none could form a strategy to get the tail off of him, even with the support from the crowd. Lord Bruiser is a tribulation that takes years of one''s life to overcome. I know one should never write off anyone, but the test this time around doesn''t feel much different either." "What, then he should get the headband quick." "Yeah, that''s the only way to win this test." "Go for the tail! Go for the tail!" Many began to chant synchronously. Some audiences feared Bruiser going into a rage mode, and so they wished Lirzod to end things beforehand, but they still didn''t have the hearts to come closer to the cat ring, afraid of receiving a claw or two in their faces. Lirzod, amidst the chants of the crowds, stopped in his tracks. Panting heavily, his hand clutched his right side under the ribs. "Shouldn''t have drunk all the milk. Now, it hurts. I can''t even bleed my lizard out here in the open," Even after clutching the troubling spot tightly, the cutting pain wouldn''t go. "How do I catch the cat like this¡ªhuh?" As Lirzod looked ahead, the cat, having finished shedding its weight on the sod, now gradually came toward him, hopping on fours, giving the impression that it was coming for play of some sorts, but then its tail puffed up all of a sudden, and so did all the fur on its body. In a flash, a fiendish ball of ferocious, furry ferity hopped onto Lirzod''s head and endeavored to claw its way through the hairs and then the scalp. Its movements were too quick, and also the pain its claws brought made Lirzod fall backward, again. All the audiences were left stunned. Most of them had bet in Lirzod''s favor, and so they couldn''t bring out their usual sardonic expressions to mock the contestant for such a graceless fall that had made Lirzod look like a bumbling fool. "He should get up quick, or he''s doomed." "Lord Bruiser dropped off extra weight for the fight. The boy''s in serious trouble now." "Get up, boy! Get up!" "I didn''t bet on him, so I''m all good no matter what happens. My cheese is safe," a plump-lipped man among the audiences said as Bruiser kept clawing at Lirzod, "but allow me to explain what''s happening in the ring for those who have their eyes closed." Upon leaking out a sadistic smile he continued, "the boy''s head is like a roof for Lord Bruiser who will now continue to dig into the boy''s scalp, with each of his claws vying for purchase on the growingly glistening, bleeding, comical crown of head which is nothing more than another platform for the cat to prove his point that none can beat cats on rooftops, for they are the kings of roofs. All of his current actions are but a proem to the upcoming, unsparing savagery, which I can''t wait to see¡ª" "You bastard! Whose side are you on?" some men rebuked at the plump-lipped man. "The winning side," the plump-lipped brushed aside their views with his unkind laughter. Though the audiences didn''t want to accept his words, whatever he said was admittedly happening in the ring, so they could only swallow their pride to the bottom of their stomachs. More and more droplets of blood filled the air as Bruiser did things his way. All Lirzod did was cover his face with both hands. Sariyu stood silently and watched the entire scene without blinking. (Fighting against humans and fighting against animals are not at all the same. The movements of the animals can be hard to analyze even for masters of martial arts. Their moves, to our eyes, can be hard to even clearly see much less comprehend. Most animals tend to have more stamina than us, so the quicker the fight ends, the better for us, and especially, a small feline like this makes it all the more uncomfortable to shape this fight into a proper one. So why are you not slapping the cat into sleep? Just what is going through your mind?) She moderately clenched her fists. (You better not be finding it entertaining when your blood is in the air.) In front of her eyes, the cat kept whapping Lirzod''s head with its hind legs and attempted to tear through his scalp with his other set of claws. As tepid blood and bedewed hairs rose into the air, all the glow escaped out of the audiences'' faces, for most of them knew there was nothing more vicious than a waspish cat on the twelfth deck, especially when the cat at the discussion was the champion of them all, and that his show off had just begun. ........ [1] Gone into a stonser''s stomach: Stonser is a creature made of stone. Its favorite food is bronze, silver and gold coins. The saying is that nothing that enters a stonser''s mouth is ever gonna come back. 58 LIRZOD VS BRUISER On the tenth belt, there was a saying among men: If there isn''t much going on in your life; if things are quiet where you have been living, and entertainment is a bit hard to come by, then come onto the twelfth deck. After all, one could see ravening cats in action, not just inside the cat ring but outside, too. One could often witness cats preying upon not just rats but also spiders, snakes, and scorpions in the streets. For the onlookers, their hunts were satisfying at many levels. Cats were rarely looked down upon by hollows because the felines made the deck a safer place, except for causing people to step on concealed cat crap all the time. However, in recent times, the perceptions of hollows on the twelfth deck were exceedingly altered, for the worse, due to the wicked works of a particular cat¡ªBruiser. Cats in Cat Home came in all sizes and strengths. None, though, were bigger or better than this meter-and-odd long enormity who became infamous for bringing down bigger prey and breaking them into digestible bits with his much-feared teeth and claws. From the day he arrived at Cat Home, no cat could let his fur fly, even after numerous attempts of ganging up on him. His savageness helped his superiority sink into the souls of other cats with but a swing of his paw. When food supply was in shortage, some of the cats in Cat Home were usually let out to unobstructedly roam throughout the deck, which helped in containing the number of petty animals. Bruiser, unlike any other cat in recent past, took full use of this system during his initial days on the deck and brought terror to hollows and entries by mercilessly attacking them for no reason. He was nothing similar to other cats which usually begged for bread and milk at whichever booth they would come across. In Bruiser''s case, however, if booth owners didn''t provide him with food at sight, he didn''t think twice to sculpt their skin with his claws and leave scars, seemingly sliced by the swords. There were times when he also led clowders of cats and took revenge on certain humans. In a short time, in many eyes, he had become the brander of bruises, or much worse the human equivalent of a king who held every right to do whatever he pleased to his subjects as far as the twelfth deck was concerned. Many men on the twelfth deck saw people go down than go up, not wanting to face the claws of cruel cats that formed clowders which Bruiser almost always presided over. In time, Bruiser''s bruising tales and winning streak spread throughout the deck, and from thereon, he really took pleasure in his freedom, for whenever he wanted, he could wander off to wherever his nose pulled him and legs took him. The referee and the assistant referee gave Bruiser such a luxury as they were given back both victories and profits. As time passed, more and more people disrelished Bruiser and any news that regarded him. During the deck tests, most people who hated him had always bet against him, thereby resulting in substantial profits for the management and the referee. Although in recent times, the gains have significantly reduced because of Bruiser''s rare appearance inside the ring, the mere utterance of his name still prickled many an ear and claws many a bruise. Currently, in the test hall on the twelfth deck, as many hollows and entries witnessed Bruiser conducting his routine ritual on Lirzod, their bruises ached all over again and drained whatever color left on their faces. Resultantly, they looked like they were on a ship drifting through rough waters and high winds. Each weighty wave swashed chilling water aboard, and each change in the air currents instilled forbidding fear in their hearts and brought back all the terrible memories of Bruiser which had scarred their souls. As perturbing memories surfaced out, the audiences couldn''t even root for Lirzod and fill his heart with enough spirit for a fight back. When almost every mouth except that of Bruiser''s went silent in the hall, "C''mon!" a feminine voice reached many ears. "You can do better than this! Show that Bruiser some of the morning stars!" Everyone turned to the source, and what they saw was Sariyu taking the job of getting the contestant''s juices running. Her words reached not only many ears but also some hearts. A few men then began to back Lirzod with their voices, too. Their combined voices entered Lirzod''s ears amidst all the screaming of the cat, and his eyes opened. "Have this grass!" Lirzod thrust his hand at Bruiser''s face, and a couple of grasses entered Bruiser''s nose, causing him to back away in startlement. Lirzod stood and shook his head to lose the detached hairs and the dribbling blood. Though not a drop of blood dripped down his face, stains of blood blemished his cloth, especially at the collar and shoulder regions. If not for his dense hairs, more fresh bruises would have been evident other than just the one on the neck. "It seems like that wasn''t enough." Lirzod eyed the cat with a sharp gaze, "Worry not. I have more grasses for you to guzzle on." He dashed toward the cat, and suddenly, the offensive ineptitude that had reflected in his movements for much of the time during the test was now replaced with a passable panache made somewhat evident through his fleet-footed steps. Bruiser, although initially turned his back to Lirzod, his eyes still flared with renewed fury, and he eventually circled Lirzod and attacked from behind. Lirzod swiveled back at the last moment with a swing of his arm at Bruiser''s face. Bruiser curled into a ball in midair and seemingly dodged Lirzod''s attack by flipping over his hand, set feet on his biceps and landed a paw strike on the back of his ears. Though Bruiser''s claws didn''t thoroughly dig into Lirzod''s skin, he got sufficient grip to climb to the top of the boy''s head and resume the ritual from where he left off. Lirzod who was in mid-motion got forced to fall to his side. Everyone thought that it was the end this time; howbeit, Lirzod didn''t succumb to the cat''s ways. Before Lirzod hit the ground, he randomly endeavored to grab Bruiser and ended up holding him by the tail. He recklessly pulled the cat off his head and spitefully twisted his wrist, popping the veins in his arm while spinning the cat by its tail. "You like being on top so much huh, then let me launch you to the heavens!" Putting aside all the pain in the nagging neck and head injuries, he hurled the cat straight up, "One blast for all bruises!" Bruiser''s body whizzed up through the air akin to a stone flung by a sling and would compete a cork blasted off a champagne bottle in terms of speed. Before Bruiser could stop his eyes from rolling, his head got bashed against the ceiling, followed by the inevitable crash down right back in the ring, definitely not on feet, in a fall as if from the heavens to the level of Lirzod''s feet. All of it happened rather quickly, and the blast had disbelief cross the features of the crowd and also helped cancel out even the few trifling boos. Some rubbed their eyes and looked twice or maybe thrice to ensure their eyes weren''t gulling them with guileful games. Though Bruiser wasn''t moving, many people hesitated to come to any conclusion. A few, however, still teetered between dubiety and daydream. "Oh, I forgot about the ceiling," Lirzod said, and his lips set into a thin line as he scrumpled up the remaining grasses in his hand. Upon hearing Lirzod''s words, the audiences sucked in breaths that put all the stagnant air in their mouths into motion. As the air molecules revitalized the living cells of men, and as their eyes took in the view of Bruiser lying on the sod like a cold corpse ready to be buried, splendid daydreams abounded, but at the same time, sweat fought for places on their faces. "D-Did he win?" "Looks like it, but he should get his hands on the cat if not the headband before the clock runs out." "He still has about a minute, so there''s no real hurry, right?" Tension thrived in the hall through the vacillating tones of men. "Not if Lord Bruiser gets up and going, for things will get back to square one. He should hurry." "Get the headband, boy!" Many men shouted at the top of their lungs. "Do it quick! Finish the test!" As with any test, it was one thing to position oneself for a great finish, but it was an entirely different thing to close the door shut. Many audiences, especially those who often involved themselves in bettings, knew it better than most as to how even seemingly simple tests could end up becoming inevitable tribulations that required one''s all. Though the thought of such a thing happening right now seemed as inconceivable as beholding a bolt of lightning come down from clear skies, their feelings told them to expect otherwise. Lirzod, meanwhile, was staring at the cat with narrowed eyes, and when his gaze focused on the tail, it moved just a bit, only scarcely, but Lirzod''s eye caught it. "This cat¡­" He grinned like a Cheshire cat and stepped ahead. (Acting like a dead serpent, are you? You must have killed quite many of them, but to your bad luck, you seem to have not fully mastered the art yet.) As Lirzod approached the cat and bent his spine to pluck the headband, the cat suddenly leaped at his face, startling the audiences; however, Bruiser''s claws didn''t reach Lirzod''s face, for the human held the feline''s tail tightly. Still, Bruiser didn''t give up and continued to resist subjugation through verbose screams. A lot may have had transpired in the ring by then, but Bruiser didn''t want his victory run to end. He wished to continue rewriting the history books on the twelfth deck. Though he was made to look a bit stupid when he got sent packing to the ceiling, he still wanted to shine brighter yet by the end of the test, not just for the sake of his record but also for the sake of his pride. All of it reflected through his attacking mindset and crafty claw movements which would have been far too much for many onlookers to handle, but having kindled the acids in his stomach, Lirzod rode the momentum and kept the scratching and clawing at bay and appeared on his way to a momentous¡ªif not picturesque¡ªvictory. Lirzod''s actions alone took the stage to rile up the crowd into backing him, for they were shown a tantalizing potential they''d probably remember for the rest of their lives. Before long, ''Bruiser be gone!" chant broke out in the hall. Jehez was inimitably surprised at the fact that people have omitted the honorifics when mentioning Bruiser, slightingly proving that it was the first time that ever happened. Under such circumstances, winning over Bruiser seemed a trial far more realistic to overcome for some elastic hearts in the hall while some with loose, crass tongues didn''t hesitate to bring them into play. "Take the headband, and piss on that sable pussy!" "Nah, spank him hard enough he meows for his mama!" "Screw all your spineless curses. He must skin the nine lives out of that impudent puss!" Many more men continued with cursing the cat through expressive imprecations. Even though Sariyu''s ears had acquainted themselves with a fair share of profanity over the ears, they now wished to briefly shut and spare themselves from bleeding out the surviving sensitiveness. Following that, two of her fingers helped her accomplish just that. Less than thirty seconds were remaining, and though most people wanted Lirzod to win, they were too absorbed in asking Lirzod to beat Bruiser, they forgot to tell him to get the headband first. Lirzod, however, was fixed on pulling out the headband, but it was tied in messy knots and didn''t slide along the tail even after numerous tries. "Why is this so tight?" Jehez, seeing Lirzod struggle, silently smiled. (Fool, that knot hasn''t been touched by any hand in weeks. You''d be lucky if you can undo it in three full minutes. You lost this game before you even started it. Thanks for deepening my pockets though.) "Lirzod, time is running out," Sariyu shouted in a hurry, "do something." "I know, but this, ngh¡­" Lirzod couldn''t concentrate while his arms were continually being blemished by Bruiser''s efforts. The action of holding the cat firmly came at a cost, but he was more worried about the test than the pain. "Ah, screw this." He put the tail in his mouth and harshly bit it. Bruiser squealed out a horrified howl, which turned out to be a piece of orgasmic music to many ears. As all the audience''s eyes were ring-gazing, a reddened headband rose high into the air. 59 WAYS OF THE WORDS There were less than ten seconds left on the test clock, and though many hoped Lirzod to display a knack for the narrow escape, they weren''t entirely sure of it happening. All those who knew Bruiser comprehended what was transpiring in the ring was not a joke. As many eyes witnessed everything taking place in the ring, Bruiser endeavored to claw his way back and take the lead. Lirzod''s teeth, however, chewed into the tail and dragged the headband along the tail, also bringing bits of flesh with it to the tail end before sputtering the flesh and the headband high into the air, thereby giving himself a victory that was three minutes in the making and also a license to move on to the next deck. As the bloodied headband rose high into the air, the audiences were baby monkeys wondering at the soul of their late elder monkey climbing the skies, seemingly headed to the heavens, for they gawked at the headband with their uvulas exposed¡ªso much that they ran the risk of bringing out their hearts into the open. "W-We''ve won! We''ve won!" "Good heavens! Bruiser''s streak has ended!" "I can''t believe it!" "I''m rich now!" Given how Lirzod''s victory came on the heels of several wins that had resulted in heavy losses for the bettors, jouissance oversaturated the hearts of men¡ªin particular of those who had bet in Lirzod''s favor¡ªand spread glee through blood. Some saw the test as the dethronement of a tyrannical king, but a few wondered as if this test was a tale of two kings wrapped into one. Beating a cat was one thing, but biting a cat was an unpopular thing to do on the twelfth deck, yet none seem to have cared, for they were all bathing in the burgeoning bliss of triumph. Meanwhile, like a frog that knew not of its own suicide-in-progress through gradual stewing, Jehez froze into a frog-still as regret tumefied his face a bit too much to let his mouth utter double meows and signal the end of the deck test. Nevertheless, none of the audiences, at the moment, was really in a mood to give a damn or two about such a hackneyed course of action even though it was an enforced rule; however, they were all in the mood to do something else, something they''d give all their damns about, which was collecting their individual profits. Without a wait, the throngs of starry-eyed bettors made a beeline to the betting counter where Jehez stood, appearing utterly despondent. Having so many men storm toward him at once was something he had gotten fully used to, but now, in his eyes, each of those men in the line was worse than blood-sucking leeches, for he had to prepare much more than just ears to bear whatever that would be coming out of their mouths. Only the great referees that had their names etched on the walls of a Hall of Honor were capable of surfing through the vocal tides of audiences more often than not, for they knew the ways of the words. Jehez, however, lacked any such flair, especially right after a test that not only cost him coins worth in gold, but also peace possibly worth much more. "Hey, sweetie, how''s your heart?" the first one in the line, a tall and bulky man with a big beard, shot an arrow through Jehez''s heart with his way of words. Even though Jehez had been preparing himself, he suffered as a whirling arrow wounded his heart. "Don''t worry, sir. It''ll only age a year for every lost bet," another man in the line sarcastically said, further deepening the puncturing of the referee''s heart. "We hope the deficit won''t bring about a death toll tonight." "I hate your loss with all my heart, but I still gotta collect my profits, or my heart would end up hating itself. At least, please do take inspiration from this loss, sir." As the voluble yet ribald voices of men racked his heart, Jehez doctored his expressions, from within, and pulled off a poker face, albeit with an unsmiling, pressing effort. After checking the token number, he dropped eighteen copper coins in the hands of the first guy without even looking. "What''s with that attitude, sweetie?" the first guy in the line said in a teasing tone, "You gotta give them with some love and attention." "Yeah, where''s the love?" some other men in the line backed the first guy. "Show us some love, sweetie." Jehez gnashed his teeth in utter frustration. "Hey, look, sir''s face is already changing color," another man innocently said, "I guess we don''t need to cook long enough to see some brown show up on the face." "Pfft! Puhahaha." Many men laughed till their stomachs twitched. At this point, Jehez''s intestines had long turned super-sour from shame, and he could only hide so much of it. After all, the loss, as he''d feared, was now surely turning into something that was more than just the sum of its parts. Not everyone in the line participated in cooking Jehez''s pride and confidence, but nearly all of them enjoyed watching his face change colors and bring about the ugly shades. In the meantime, Lirzod stepped out of the ring and let go of Bruiser who then ran away no differently than a rat that lost its tail. Meowing aggressively, Bruiser jumped on everyone''s ass he came across, scaring the people into skedaddling away in separate ways. His claws tore through their clothes and cut through their skins at places they couldn''t directly see with their own eyes. "Shit! The loss broke his nous! Everyone, run! Run for your skin!" Though most of the line at the betting counter was still intact, some feared Bruiser coming in their direction and chose to run away. In a matter of seconds, most men in the hall were thrown into chaos. Some lost their nerves and let Bruiser have his way¡ªgifting men with several scars. One such luckless soul, the plump-lipped man, hit his ankles and fell to the ground. The sound of impact caught Bruiser''s attention. He raced straight to him in long strides. "No," the plump-lipped man shouted, but Bruiser''s claw slashed through his lips and shut him up. It was then the plump-lipped man fully understood the definition of savageness and that the savagery of Bruiser wouldn''t spare anyone, including him. Lirzod, who was all eyes this whole time, was a bit disappointed with Bruiser''s actions. "I hoped my bite would deepen its sense of right and wrong, but it actually ended up worsening it." Sariyu walked up to him, running a hand through her hair which made her look somewhat sultry, "I thought you were a goner, but you hung in there. I guess, even for you, victory is never out of reach until the last moment." "Of course. I wasn''t playing around, you know." Lirzod gave a half-smile. "That cat meant business." "It''s your fault for choosing such a cat," she stuck her nose in the air, "Why didn''t you use the rattail?" "Uh," Lirzod sighed, "it''s a long story." "Then make it short." "Oh wait, it''s a short story." Sariyu narrowed her eyes. "Then make it shorter." "Okay, it''s a shorter story." In a flash, Sariyu pinched him on his forehead, making him utter an ouch and pull his hand back. "Don''t use your stupid-smarts on me." She went for his other arm again. "Ow, ow," Lirzod almost sprang on his feet and took a step back. "If I had your pinching skills, I might have done better in the ring." He looked a bit downhearted. "Better? You''ve won, idiot," she crossed her arms across her chest, "You should be happier. Gain some glow in your face." "I know, but the test gave me plenty of scars," Lirzod sulked, "though most of them aren''t throbbing as much as they did a minute back." "What are you talking about?" Sariyu gave his wounds a once-over. "I don''t know how much they are hurting. Surely, they aren''t petty, but time can easily heal those scars." "Yeah, I guess you are right," he hesitatingly nodded, "but... it doesn''t sound all that reassuring when it comes out through the mouth of someone who dances on toes from a minor scratch." "Hmph, I would make do with whatever I''ve got," Sariyu poked her tongue into the cheek, "You are the one not doing that. You''ve not put the rattail to use and made yourself an enemy out of the cat." "I didn''t think the cat would come after me right away," Lirzod said, his face paling slightly. "Because of that, I had no other choice. I couldn''t even sing the song that I have prepared for the cat." "Song?" Sariyu made strong eye contact. "What song?" "Ahem," Lirzod cleared his throat, making Sariyu think ''oh, no,'' but she wasn''t ready to close her eyes and then came in Lirzod''s way of words. "Aye! Aye! Move your feet! Come to me, or go for a pee. O pretty kitty." After finishing it, Lirzod''s chest puffed up a bit. "How was it? I wished to interact with the cat using that." Sadness crept over his face and shrank his chest, "Now we''ll never know what the cat would''ve done. Maybe it would''ve gone out of the ring for a pee, or maybe¡ª" "Would have hanged itself," Sariyu muttered under her breath, "that''s what it would have done." "Did you say something?" "Ah, I was wondering whether or not Primera would have been proud of you if she were to be here." "Oh, that''s nice of you, but it''s all right," Lirzod''s complexion turned ruddy. "We''ll sing to her multiple versions of this song when we get back home." Sariyu''s lips stretched into a smile while her eyes widened a bit. (Do that, and her ears will bleed for sure. I already feel some itching in my ears. Poor me.) Even though there was cotton in her purse, the damage to her ears was already done. "Still and all, you look satisfied enough from the victory." "Victory¡­" Lirzod paused a moment while tapping his finger on chin. "Wait, how much did you bet?" "Two silver." "Oh, so you''ll be getting twenty silver now. Give me half of it." "What?" Sariyu was bewildered. "You''ve just won a fortune, and you want a split in mine, too?" "Yep," Lirzod quietly replied. "That rule is for all, you know." Sariyu clenched her fists, "You really are..." "But you don''t need to give it to me. Just give it to the booth owner, Viktor... if I remember his name right." "To him?" Sariyu was puzzled, "for what?" "He wanted to repair his face," Lirzod said. "You mean ''heal his face,''" she was a bit surprised but also felt doubtful as she remembered Viktor''s face, "Would ten silver be enough? That injury looked nasty." "If not, give him more." Sariyu ground her teeth. "I''m not a cloud of coins to constantly shower money on all the needy I come across." She controlled her urge from pinching Lirzod. "That said, if you want me to be one, then first be an ocean and offer some vapor to the cloud." "You want me to put some wealth in your hands huh... Geez, you could have just said it straightforwardly." Lirzod paused for a moment before sniffling sadly. "Got it. Victory is sweetest not after the deft but diligent efforts. I was thinking of celebrating with you before the sweetness goes away, but you know, these deals don''t help the cause at all." "I''m not falling for that." Sariyu snorted and stayed silent for a moment. "But it''s still a surprise seeing you think back of a sentence or two from school. I hope no tsunami sinks our ship." "Hehe," Lirzod rubbed his nose, "what you''ve seen is nothing. I''ve barely scratched the surface of my remembrance. Wanna see more?" "No thanks," Sariyu lifted both of her palms and exposed them to him, "I don''t want to be swept under what comes next." "Haha¡­ Mm?" Lirzod looked around for a few moments. "Where''s he?" "He..." Sariyu realized that he was asking for Burton, but no more words came out of her mouth. "He''s probably hiding somewhere nearby because his wish didn''t come true, and I won in the first attempt itself," Lirzod said and laughed. "How cunning of him! He knew it was better to stay out of my sight for now." "Y-Yeah." "All right, let''s go and find out how much we''ve earned," Lirzod said, trying to hold her hand, "when he''s back, we''ll count the coins before him." "It''s better to let him be," Sariyu said, swiftly yet gently pushing his hand away, "he can be more of a bully than you can ever be." As they both walked together, she glanced at him. "Putting Burton''s matter aside, I think I''ve told you numerous times already to not hold my hand just for the hell of it. I don''t want people to think improperly about us." "I still don''t get why you make a big deal out of a simple holding of the hands," Lirzod harrumphed. "I wish Duera was here. She wouldn''t ever sully my sentiments as you do." "Mm, you are right," she gave him an icy glance. "Maybe I should tell her to treat you more impartially in the future." "Hmph, why would she listen to you?" "Did you forget that she answers to my house more than she does to yours?" Lirzod shoulders slightly jerked, and he looked away. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Meanwhile, on the twentieth deck, inside the surveillance chamber, Gorka was watching the whole scene on a smokecast. "Ow, those scratches burn like hell," the buck-toothed boy felt bad for Lirzod, "he''ll feel the burns for many moons." Gorka was observing Bruiser¡ªwho, at the moment, was mindlessly clawing at everything that moved¡ªwith a blank expression, and he squinted his eyes and noticed that Bruiser''s whiskers on one side of the mouth were missing in half. "Mm¡­ so that''s how it is." "What are you analyzing, sir?" the buck-toothed boy couldn''t help but inquire. "Is it about that scar-faced boy?" "Well, yes¡­" Gorka placed his hands on his back and smiled at ease. "Every deck on this ship awaits for new blood to arise. It''s good that his potential, apparent then, is clearer now." 60 MEANS AT HAND Many entries, for all their prominent and precocious tussling talents, never made it out of the ring with a win under their belt against Bruiser, and no soul any longer had the courage to give it a try, at least not until a scar-faced boy came along. Though some had feared on the inside that he''d act his age when it came to finishing the test in the last few seconds, they were all glad he proved them wrong. Some, however, believed that Bruiser''s arrogance proved his own undoing. A very few, though, reckoned Bruiser lost his edge and conjectured they had a chance of beating him now. However, when the test had finished, and Bruiser came clawing at them, they all lost their nerves and scrambled away for freedom from the ferocious feline who attacked some from behind and some from the front, left, and right. Each slash of the paw injected a virus known as dread into men''s veins and further debilitated their wills. All this led to a heart-rending realization that Bruiser-phobia was still alive and flowing the blood of the most. With every passing minute, the victim count of his claws skyrocketed. "Run! Keep running!" "Run where? He''s too fast!" "He''s not gonna let us go unscathed. For him, rats are food, and humans are scratchboards," one man had butterflies in his stomach, "but carving out a scar on either skin is like running a spoon through pudding. As I speak, he''s feeding spoonfuls of scare-sauce to all of us." "Someone, please stop him!" "It''s useless," another man crumpled to his knees. "We can''t shake him off our tails. Even if we did, it doesn''t really matter. No matter where we run to, as long as we''re on this deck, his claws can reach us!" Terrified, many men howled their lungs out. The twelfth deck was quite a familiar place for some of the men present in the hall at the moment, but to Bruiser, it was as natural a habitat as a swamp was to a gator, and all the entries and hollows were merely passing birds to prey upon. When it seemed like none could escape from much less stand in the mighty cat''s way, the assistant referee intercepted the feline''s path and put before it a sizable mirror. After looking at the freaky feline in the mirror, Bruiser stopped in his tracks and screamed like never before. Moments later, he bolted away straight for an exit of the hall, not messing with men anymore. All the men who witnessed what transpired were greatly mystified for a moment before coming to a slow realization that enlarged their eyes. "Don''t tell us¡­" many of them looked at the assistant referee for an answer. "Hehe," the assistant referee rubbed the back of his head. "We all know Lord Bruiser isn''t afraid of anybody, but a few nights ago, I discovered something that he''s afraid of¡ªhimself." "Eh?" Everyone who heard the assistant referee''s words stumbled back a step and was left slack-jawed. "No way!" "What dumbasses we are!" The assistant referee just watched men curse their bad brains and luck with a pleased smile on his face. He wouldn''t have leaked out such information if not for Bruiser''s loss. Now that his streak had come to an end, he wasn''t as valuable of an asset as he was prior to taking the test. Meanwhile, on the backside of the betting counter, Lirzod and Sariyu had to wait until Jehez brought sacks of coins from the inventory¡ªa small metal room embedded into the hall. After counting all the bets, what Lirzod had earned became clear: seven gold, five silver, and fifteen copper coins. It was, for sure, an amount that most robbers would kill someone without a second thought. Jehez handed Lirzod the money, mostly in silver. "Mm, it''s not as heavy as I expected," Lirzod chortled. "Well, earning it wasn''t hard, but it wasn''t that easy either. It should be worth enough to not be sneezed at." He thought about Allda and wondered how he''d have reacted, and it made Lirzod chuckle a little. "He''ll probably force Tarqa to earn twice as much, twice as fast. It would have been fun to watch him fail." Sariyu, meanwhile, crinkled the corners of her eyes and restrained herself from rubbing off the itching on her nose as she observed the smug look on Lirzod''s face, She sorely felt the urge to do something, and she suddenly started to tickle him from behind at various places. "S-Sariyu, what are you doing! Stop!" Lirzod was startled, but he couldn''t do much because he was holding the sacks of coins. Sariyu''s touches made him dance like a drunken horse. He let go of the coin sacks, fell to the ground, laughed and rolled to his left and right, begging her to stop. Sariyu''s face ticked pink before she decided to stop and let him breathe. "Uh..." Jehez, who was watching all that, had a dumb look on his face. He felt like he was somewhere he shouldn''t be. "What''s gotten into you all of a sudden?" Lirzod got back to his feet, his hands still clutching his stomach and gaze pressing for an answer from her. "Nothing," Sariyu casually replied, "My fingers were getting stiff. That''s all." "Oh, so you warmed them up on me," Lirzod pressed his lips into a thin line and narrowed his eyes. (Just wait, I will get back at you soon with triple the tickling.) "You shouldn''t keep money waiting on the floor," Jehez interfered. "Yeah," Lirzod picked up the sacks and gave Sariyu hundred silvers, surprising her momentarily, but she soon understood the reason. She assured him she would take care of Viktor''s trouble and walked away, leaving only Lirzod and Jehez together. "Oh boy, Lord Bruiser was extra aggressive today," Jehez said, placing his hands on hips. A calculated smile cooked his face into that of a crocodile''s. "Possibly, your face must have unsettled him." "What do you mean?" Lirzod asked, not grasping where the referee was taking the conversation. "Well, he didn''t like your face. It''s that simple," Jehez shrugged his shoulders and exposed his palms toward the ceiling, "With that scar and all running down your face, he must''ve felt the itching to exercise his claws on you, but I must say, Lord Bruiser didn''t quite get going today, or else, he would''ve put you in some really uncomfortable situations." Silence slipped into the space between them as their eyes fought off each other''s intent. "So, in a very different vein, can I," replied Lirzod, shutting Jehez''s mouth at least temporarily. "Ahem, I almost forgot telling you," Jehez continued with a held-back smile, "that you will be facing a review." "Review?" Lirzod drew in a breath. "Why?" "Because you physically beat the cat when inside the ring." "What..." Lirzod was at a loss for words."But the cat attacked me as well, physically." "Well, it''s just an obligatory review," Jehez replied in a nonchalant attitude, "I don''t think you''ll be fined or anything considering whom you won against." "Oh¡­" "I still have many more lost bets to cover," Jehez said, looking at the growing line of men. All those who had been running away from Bruiser were coming back to the betting counter in haste, "or, the next test will be greatly delayed." As Jehez was entering the betting counter from the backdoor, Lirzod said, "Wait." "What?" Jehez glanced over his shoulders, his stare perceptibly cold. "I want to talk to this deck''s commander." Jehez paused a moment to examine Lirzod. "For what?" "To give this money to him." Jehez turned back fully to face him. "What do you mean?" "Some cats in that cat room are in a really good state, but some are not, right? I don''t care about cats, but those dumb beings..." Lirzod sighed and shook his head a bit, "I was thinking... maybe, these coins can fill their bellies for at least a few weeks. And if things go well, I think I will have another thing to ask of the commander." Jehez''s eyes expanded as an unfamiliar grandeur flashed across his consciousness, and he briefly went wordless. "You are the referee, so you should know where the commander is right now," Lirzod continued, "am I correct?" "W-Wait... What?" Jehez tone turned sharp, and he stepped closer, shoving aside some troubling impressions. "Who do you think you are?" he grabbed Lirzod''s collar, and his stare weighted down on the lad. "Do I look like I need a helping hand from a boy with unbaked balls?" He growled. " You are but a frog in a well. Don''t act like you''re any different from the many entries that step foot on this deck every day and go to a higher deck soon if fate and luck have it for them. You are just seeking stardom on this ship, so don''t pretend like you give a shit about the cats." He pulled Lirzod''s face closer. "Stop playing a hero, and begone from my hall." He pushed Lirzod away. Lirzod, though stunned for a moment, slowly raised his brows. "Your hall huh." "Yeah," Planting his legs wide, Jehez made a sweeping arm gesture, "Go play a hero elsewhere, but now, scram out of my sight before you get yourselves slapped out of your senses." Lirzod''s features somewhat hardened. "Aren''t we all heroes of our own stories?" he smiled a bit, albeit with some effort. "I''m not sure if I''m playing a hero or not by trying to help the cats, but you do seem to be playing a victim in your¡ªown¡ªhall." "Mind your mouth, kid," Jehez coldly blurted out. "Ask anyone, and they''ll probably say cats are the real victims, you know," Lirzod continued, "not you." Jehez clenched his fists and ground his teeth. "Talk like that till my goodwill wears off, and you can bet on losing at least a tooth or two." "You must be grinding those teeth so hard," Lirzod said, softening his expression, "but what good is it if I can''t hear the sound of it?" Jehez greatly gnashed his teeth and raised his fist. "This is your last chance. Leave, or I''ll make you lick this hall''s floor clean!" Lirzod lifted his gaze to look at Jehez''s tightened hand before steadying his gaze on the referee''s face, "Fists of fools are not among those I fear." Saying that he turned back to leave, "You can undo that fist. I guess I''ll have to find the commander myself." "Then so be it," Jehez thrust his fist at Lirzod''s spine, "I''ll undo my fist on your insolence!" Lirzod, though surprised a bit, didn''t even look back but readied himself to dodge the attack at the last moment. "Jehez!" A loud voice came from the side, stopping Jehez''s fist before it reached the target. Jehez looked to his right, and there was a tall man in bluish silk clothes coming straight toward them, and a gray cat sat royally on one of his shoulders. It had a long mustache and a beard just like the tall man. It kept licking itself all over and also the man''s cheek now and then. "Most mortal animals in the world, especially cats, are cheerfully cruel creatures," the tall man with a long face said, a bayonet rifle coated with poison fixed on his back, "and they know not what they''re doing. So you can''t really call them evil beings, but what do you call a referee who doesn''t let an entry meet his commander even for a good cause?" "C-Commander Sean," Jehez immediately undid his fists, cupped his hands and bowed a little. "This entry is not worthy of your attention. That''s why..." "That referee will be a cheerful crook, I suppose," Lirzod voiced his mind. Sean looked at Lirzod, and after a long pause, he said, "Right, considering he doesn''t know what he''s doing as well." He glanced at Jehez, "What else do you have to say?" "U-Uh¡­" Regret washed over Jehez like the largest wave of a full moon night on a shallow beach, choked the air out of him and worked to pull him to deeper depths. Every passing second uneased him further and warped his face into weirdness. "So¡­" Sean fully turned to Lirzod, "what''s your name, son?" "Lirzod. But I''m not your son." "Okay, Lirzod, son of a man¡­ Let me ask you this. Everyone likes to have means in their hands," Sean said, flicking a tiny meatball into the feline''s mouth, "but not everyone likes to let their means slip out of those hands for the sake of others, especially the ones your age. So, what made you want to donate this money back to us?" "Let''s say, it''s because of a cat," Lirzod''s lips stretched into a smile. "Oh¡­" Sean rested his gaze on Lirzod for a moment. "All right, I''ll accept your money." "Commander!" Jehez interrupted. "If we accept it, we''ll look desperate in other''s eyes. I don''t like this." "Maybe, but we can''t deny that we''re not treating all cats the same," Sean said, tossing the tiny meatball into Jehez''s mouth, "Cat Ring is the best place on the twelfth deck when both the contestant and the cat are fit and competing at their highest levels. We can''t do anything about the entries, but it''s in our hands to keep the cats at their best possible health. When someone wants to give us a chance to do our duties better, I see no reason to refuse his request." "But it won''t be taken well by others," Jehez said in an urging tone, "please give this more thought." "There''s no need for that," Sean straightforwardly said, "Let foul mouths howl as they fancy, for this Sean heeds not those hearts that know not to honor a graceful gesture." He put his hands forward, and Lirzod gave him the sacks of coins. "You have my humble thanks, Lirzod, son of a man." "You can just call me Lirzod." "As you wish, son of a man, Lirzod." Sean laughed and patted on Lirzod''s shoulder twice. Lirzod didn''t know what to say. He just put it before my name. "What you''re doing for the cats is something I appreciate more than my eyes show." Recognition dawned on Sean''s face, "God spede for your grace. If you need any help, feel free to knock my door at any hour." "I should be the one thanking you," Lirzod said in a humbled tone, "I took the trouble of making a deal with everyone for helping the cats. If you hadn''t taken the money, I''m not even sure what I would have done with it." "Hmm, on this ship, most people would have a hard time spending this much wealth alone," Sean handed the wealth to Jehez, "In our hands, though, this will be safe, and I assure you every coin will be spent for the cats and cats only." "That''s all I needed to hear," Lirzod said, and relief suffused his features, "but hey," he glanced at Jehez, "this guy''s been ogling after the coins all greedily. The money will be safe in your hands, right?" "W-W-What?" Jehez blurted out in haste, malice flashing in his eyes. "Such rubbish! It seems I shall mend this frog''s mouth with my fists!" he stepped forward, ready to hurl a fist. "Stand back," Sean blocked Jehez with his arm. Jehez stepped back, frowning while he still made eye contact with Lirzod. After all, he didn''t ogle at the money, yet Lirzod accused him of that for whatever reason. "I''ll safeguard these coins as much as I do my cat," Sean said, stroking the cat a bit with one hand while he flicked a tiny meatball with the other. "Okay." Lirzod caught the meatball right before it entered his mouth and smiled a bit. "I''ll be off then." As Lirzod was turning away, Sean said, "Oh, I thought you said you have something else to request if I''m correct." "Dang," Lirzod swiveled back on heels in surprise, "I almost forgot." 61 SILVER ON THE STREE At Viktor''s bread booth, a narrow-chinned man with a walking stick was seated at the table, a dead fox lying on the ground beside him. Sariyu just got to the spot and asked him of the booth''s owner. "He''s gone for a bath," the narrow-chinned man replied in a somewhat disappointed tone. "You can go and fetch some bread if you want." "No, no, I didn''t come here for bread, but... wait, I can have bread even though the booth owner is absent?" "Mm," he blinked slowly. "No one keeps track of how much bread is sold every day because it''s free." "Oh, I didn''t know that," Sariyu''s heart gladdened a little. "This makes things easy." "Indeed," the narrow-chinned man nodded, "I''ve been on this ship for well over a year, but I have never heard of someone dying from starvation." "Mm, bread is cheap, but giving it for free on a large scale is still a costly affair, and by doing that, the chances are they are not only filling many stomachs but also healing some hearts." She tapped a foot to an easy beat, "I don''t really like bread, but I guess I should appreciate what the management is doing here," As she was saying, her eyes just noticed the dead animal. "Hey, that fox¡­" "Ah, this rascal, a good kill, isn''t it?" the narrow-chinned man''s expression brightened a bit. "It''s been months since I last tasted a fox. I can''t wait to treat my belly once more." "Y-You killed it?" Sariyu hesitantly asked, pressing her hand against her breast. "No, I wish I did, but I don''t have sly-boots like Viktor." "Then..." she felt a quiver in the stomach, "why is it with you?" "I''m just guarding it here in return for a chunk," the narrow-chinned man plainly said, "but if you want to taste it, you have to ask him though." "Ew, no. Can foxes even be eaten?" Sariyu had shivers spread throughout her body and curled her toes up. "Of course," the narrow-chinned man said and laughed. "Their hearts are delicious. Oh, come to think of it, there''s something special and strange I can show you, only if you are interested." "It''s nothing eerie, or is it?" "It depends on how one sees it," the man put his hand into the fox''s body, startling Sariyu, making her look away. He pulled out something, "Have a look." Sariyu cast a glance from the corners of her eyes and cringed away. "I-Is that¡­" "Magnificent, isn''t it?" the narrow-chinned man brought his hand closer, and in his palm was a beating heart covered in hot blood. "I-Is it truly the fox''s heart?" "Indeed." "Then why is it still beating?" she had a bewildered look on her face, "Do you mean the fox isn''t dead?" she couldn''t believe what she was seeing. Though she wanted to touch the heart, the fresh blood on it made her shy away. "It probably is dead," the narrow-chinned man said while still seated on the bench, "but it''s my first time seeing a heart in action even outside the body. Want to hold it?" "No!" Sariyu took a step back and clutched her face in confusion. "H-How is this possible?" "I have no idea," the narrow-chinned man bent down, put the heart back in the fox''s body and rubbed the blood off his hand to the fur. "Maybe," Sariyu''s mouth began to dry up, "if we take it to some healer, the fox may still be saved." "I don''t think any healer would go through a troublesome procedure to save a fox," the narrow-chinned man said, "especially when there''s no guarantee." His expression grew solemn, and a deep stillness settled over the surroundings. "Forget about the outside world, miss, it''s not easy to get our wounds treated on this ship either. Most healers and even priests here demand unreasonable prices to heal minor wounds. I''ve met dozens of healers, and some even asked for ten silver to lightly heal my leg. There''s no way I can earn such an amount with just one working leg. I tried my luck in betting only to realize that luck has long left me..." he sighed and looked at her with a wavering smile tugging his lips. "If a human like me is unable to get treated for a fair price, do you think anyone would show fairness to a fox?" "You¡­" Only now Sariyu realized that he was using a walking stick, and it briefly froze her, "did you help Viktor hunt the fox?" "I can''t even help myself. How can I help others with a broken leg?" the narrow-chinned man smiled helplessly before his look and voice turned severe. "Are you trying to play a joke on me?" "I think, yes." "What?" Sariyu paused a moment and then put her hand forward. "Consider this an apology," she dropped ten silver coins in his hand. The moment the narrow-chinned man''s gaze fell on the coins, he was too stunned to utter a word and looked at her with eyes that spoke for themselves through the wetness. "Why?" Sariyu slightly smiled. "When that Viktor comes back, tell him that he missed a hearty help for butchering what could have turned into a furry friend." Saying that she turned away and walked. The narrow-chinned man was left in puzzlement for a moment. "Wait, I''ve never asked your name," he queried; however, he didn''t get a reply or even a look back. "Whoever you are, miss, a big thanks to you!" the man cheerfully said and counted the coins. "With this, I can finally hope to walk freely again!" As he was saying, he saw a red-haired man across the street and was surprised. "That guy¡­" Upon seeing the silver band on that man''s bicep, his eyes enlarged. "He''s from the silver-class suites. He should be on the twentieth deck. What''s he doing here?" Everything that sparkled on the red-haired man was either silk or silver. His eyes had been locked on Sariyu for the past few seconds. "Mm," he licked his lips. "A pretty face with natural curves and a classic bone structure¡ªjust like a princess out of a fairytale. We''ve got the same hair as well. A rare find, hehe." Feeling thrilled, he whistled, causing Sariyu to look back. Many other nearby men also looked at him. "Hold on, you red-haired one!" he immediately walked toward her and kept scrutinizing her all over with a subtle yet weird smile on his face. "What do you want?" Sariyu''s brows furrowed, not pleased with the face he made. "Hehe, I''ve met much meatier ones, but none brought me into the mood as you did with your looks alone," he took out seven silver coins out of his pocket. "This is just a slice of the cake. After we spend some quality time in my room, you can have the whole cake. Your moans shall be music to my ears, and with every wonderful posture you perform, I''ll shower extra silver on you." He spoke with ease as if he had a habit of speaking similar things. "Your service is required only till sunrise, and you''ll have become rich by then." He raised his hand, "What do you say, dear¡ª" Sariyu swiveled on her foot like a whirlwind and heeled into his jaw in a boom, careening him to the wooden wall. The seven silver coins flew out of his hand, fell and rolled on the floor whereas the man coughed out a couple of teeth and some blood. Many men, who were standing nearby, had their eyes on the silver coins, but they didn''t make a move, not wanting to make an enemy out of both the red-haired man and the girl. Sariyu eyed him with a disgusted look. "Have some manners when talking to strangers, yeah? If you want to shower silver so badly, go find someone desperate." She snapped her braid to her back, "Hmph, even then, don''t assume no one''s gonna kick you in the face." "You bitch!" the red-haired man collected his two teeth, stood with effort and hurried away while roaring his lungs out. "Wait here, you just wait here, bitch! If you dare, then wait here! When I come back, I''ll cut your leg and feed it to my dogs, and then I''ll cripple you for good!" A shade of darkness swept over Sariyu''s eyes. "Cripple who?" she clenched her fists and dashed ahead, sending chills down the red-haired man''s spine. "Stop her! Someone stop her," he shouted desperately, "whoever stops her gets a silver each!" More than twenty men were in the surroundings, but eight of them moved and attacked Sariyu from all directions. The narrow-chinned man who was watching that felt bad because he couldn''t help her given his condition; however, to his surprise, the red-haired girl stormed at the incoming men, thundered her foot into a man''s chest and bounced off his chest, stomped on another man''s head and broke his neck, landed on another''s punching arm and footed in his face, rolled back in midair and countered the another man''s kick and defeated him to the ground using her momentum. The other four men stopped in their tracks and hesitated to charge at her. "What''s wrong?" Sariyu coldly gazed at them. "I thought you all wanted silver even if it took ganging up on a girl." As one of the men stepped back, she tightened her fists. "If you try to run away, I''ll make you all pay dearly." Her words forced them to stand even though they were thinking to flee in different directions. "But you four didn''t attack me blindly like the other four, so I will give you all a chance." Her words sprouted hope in the hearts of the four men. "What is it, ma''am? We''ll do anything if you are willing to let us go." "The mission is simple," Sariyu said, looking at the red-haired man, "Break that bastard''s leg, and we can all leave peacefully." Though she said that, it didn''t seem like they were willing to risk such a thing, so she continued, "One more thing. I don''t mind if you take all the silver he has during the mission." Hearing that, the four men turned their heads toward the red-haired man who had a horrified look. ."I-If anyone touches me," the red-haired man blurted out, "I''ll have them crippled!" The four men were left conflicted. Whose words should they listen? Under pressure, one of them literally wet his pants. "Ew, leave," Sariyu waved his left telling him to leave and glanced at the other three men who had similar expressions. "Tch," she gestured them to leave, too. Without a wait, the four men made a quick escape. The red-haired man, meanwhile, was also fleeing as fast as his legs let him. Sariyu hurtled like greased lightning, caught up with him in no time. He recklessly swung his fist at her, but she ducked down and kicked him in the shin-bone. The cracking sounds of the bone sang for a moment, and his shrieking followed it. "Please, ah, please forgive me," he begged her while writhing on the ground like a lizard that lost its tail. "I didn''t break it beyond repair. Be thankful." She grabbed his collar, "but if I ever see you looking to shower silver on women, I''ll shower all your remaining teeth on your grave." "I won''t! I won''t!" Sariyu took a deep breath and eased her temper. "I think you need a walking stick for a while," she bent and stretched her hand out. "W-What?" the red-haired man was in shock, not knowing what she was doing, but when she grabbed his hand and pulled him up and back to his feet, his shock only deepened, for he expected a kick to his other leg, too; however, Sariyu patted on his shoulder twice to get the dirt off and then walked away, leaving him in utter puzzlement. Sariyu looked at the four men who were still lying on the ground. "Do you guys need help getting up as well?" "No, no," they disregarded their wounds and hastily got up and made her way. The red-haired man, though his leg was hurting like hell, hurried off in the opposite direction. The narrow-chinned man made his way to Sariyu with a complicated expression on his face as the incident had reminded him of the time someone broke his leg during a quarrel; however, he covered it all behind a smile. "You were magnificent with those flowery movements you used to take out four men at once, miss!" Though he said that, he didn''t get any response. "Uh, but maybe you should have just refused his advances with a mouth instead of a boot." "What?" Sariyu cast a hard glance at him. "He treated me as if I''m a woman of the streets, and you want me to just mouth him off in return?" "Uh, that''s not what I meant," he leaked out a careful smile. "On some decks, you come across dorks like him all the time. It''s just that this guy is rich, and he''s from the twentieth deck. As far as I know, it''s a sea of traders up there. Who knows what sort of connections he has?" "I don''t care who he is," she folded her arms and looked away while moving onward, "but he deserved that beating." "W-Well, what''s done is done," he sighed. "At least, you should avoid falling in his eyes again. I know it sounds as if I''m telling a swan to be mindful of a frog, but some frogs are more than what meets the eye. As the saying goes, it takes a cautious swan to conquer a pond[1]." Sariyu stayed silent as she stopped and looked at the seven silver coins. "Those seven silver¡­" the narrow-chinned man slowly said, hiding all the expectation under his skin, "can I have them as well, miss?" "Silver shouldn''t be left on the streets, yeah?" "You are absolutely right, miss." "Ahem," Sariyu paused a moment before picking up the coins and calmly continued to walk. "Uh¡­" the narrow-chinned man embarrassingly scratched his chin and just walked off in a different direction. At the same time, elsewhere on the twelfth deck. Burton was strolling in a dirty street with cautiousness, for he didn''t want to step on concealed cat craps. Men of different fields dotted the street; some of whom could be seen playing cards whereas some others were hanging their clothes. Some were praying for mercy whereas a few stood guard. A cat came sprinting into the street, and upon noticing the cat, most of them freaked out like rats that lost their minds. "It''s Lord Bruiser!" "Shit! Looking at his speed, he''s surely not gonna leave the street without branding us with bruises!" Everyone took to their heels and endeavored to run back to their rooms, but still, some unlucky fellows faced Bruiser''s passion, for his claws punctuated their skin with much-hated scars of varying redness. Some threw towels and clothes at him, but he tore his way through all obstacles and cut men''s faces, showing no hint of backing down. Though Bruiser was coming in his direction, Burton stood still, and Bruiser went right past him and attacked others who were nearby and in motion. "That cat¡­ Isn''t it the one that fool chose? What''s it doing here?" Burton just watched the poker cards fly into the air as Bruiser brought a man down to the ground. As time passed, Bruiser made more and more distance from Burton while still exercising his claws and eventually rounded a corner. "I wonder who won," Burton mused to himself as he resumed his walk, not minding the wounded men lying on either side of the street. "It''s probably the cat." ....... [1] It takes a cautious swan to conquer a pond: A saying originated somewhere in the eastern part of the world, modeled after the rulers of those times. 62 NOT FOR ALL "I almost forgot about that," Lirzod gave a thankful smile to Sean before continuing to speak tenderly, "Is it possible to create a law that allows us to transfer a small share from the profits betters make from the deck tests to the funds of Cat Home?" Clear stupor registered on both Sean and Jehez''s face before they could hide it, and then they exchanged looks of wonder. Holding back his breath, Lirzod hesitantly stated, "If the percentage is low, like maybe ten, it should be all right." "No, it''s not!" Jehez blurted out while uncertainty still washed Sean''s face white. Having irritation infect his mind, Jehez''s eyes made it clear that he could no longer stand the sound of Lirzod''s voice. "You think the greedy betters would willingly give away their money for the cats? How naive! Even people with mental issues won''t easily agree to that." Lirzod still looked at Sean as if waiting for an answer. Seconds passed, but only an awkward silence responded. A pinched expression crept on Lirzod''s face, and the corners of his mouth turned down, "Is it too much to ask for?" "I''m sorry," Sean''s face appeared to have lost some amount of honor. "You are not the first one who has wished to help the cats, but you are the first who''ve proposed to enforce a rule like this. In all honesty, I would be pleased to help you, but it won''t be easy to bring this rule into action." He stared downward for a moment before casting a glance on Lirzod. "Since this matter concerns both the hollows and the entries, we''ll also have to implement a voting poll to see how many are in favor of the change." "Voting?" Lirzod was confounded. "Can anyone take part in it?" "Anyone on or above the twelfth deck," Sean put up a bright smile. "If the required minimum number of votes are cast and more than fifty percent of those votes are in your favor, it''s likely that the new rule gets enforced." "But¡­" Lirzod bit his lower lip, "Bettors will certainly vote against this rule." He slammed his hand on his thigh, for he now understood the meaning behind Jehez''s words and cast a glance at him, but Jehez had a broad grin on his face that exposed every single tooth. Lirzod''s face lost a bit of color in consequence. "I don''t get it. Why is there a need for voting?All it does best is complicate things." His voice already sounded somewhat hopeless. "Yes," Sean nodded and then sighed. "That''s why I say you don''t put much hope on it." "Hmph," Jehez softly snorted and continued playing the grin on his bristle. "I''d say it''s useless even to try, commander. Besides, no one on this deck or the higher decks even know this guy, except for maybe the ones in this hall right now." Lirzod couldn''t suspend the chagrin off his face. Though he was trying to have a conversation with Sean, Jehez always kept on intervening, and it eventually got on Lirzod''s nerves. He exchanged cold stares with Jehez for a moment before suddenly pointing his finger at his face, "Oh look, there''s something on your face." "Mm?" Jehez searched his face with the hand, "Where?" "Under the nose." "Is it the snot?" "No, it looks like... blackgrass, I think." "Blackgrass?" Jehez''s brows drew together as he placed his finger on his mustache. "You mean this?" "Oh yeah, that''s the one," Lirzod''s voice contained exhilaration. "Just rip that grass out." Traces of anger surged within Jehez''s eyes as his fingers slid over the mustache, "Don''t call this grass. Call this mustache!" "It''s a mustache?" Lirzod turned his head away abruptly as if he was unimpressed. "It looked so weird I thought it was something else." "You little¡­" Jehez felt the rage rising in the chest. "Just kidding." Lirzod giggled. "But for real, yours is uncool, unlike the commander''s mustache. Compared to his mustache, your grass-stricken one is just..." Jehez''s stomach grew in sourness. "Such insolence when you don''t even have a mustache!" "Yeah, but when I grow up, I''ll have the manliest mustache in the world. Every woman would slap you to touch it." "Hmph, a baseless statement. Not that I was expecting anything else." Sean, meanwhile, brushed his mustache with fingers in a lofty manner and spoke graciously, "If you don''thave any plans, you can come to my room for lunch today." "Oh, no, it''s all right," Lirzod replied almost immediately. "Why?" Sean raised his brows. "Do you not want to say on this deck for at least a few more days until you explore it all?" "I do want to stay here a bit longer, but I have to keep climbing," Lirzod said and stretched his lips. "You are right," Sean nodded and stroked his beard. His cat also imitated him and tried to stroke its beard. "By the way, how was the twelfth deck so far? Did you find anything to your liking?" Lirzod''s eyes broadened a bit, and he briskly stated, "One girl was good." "Girl?" Sean was surprised. He saw Lirzod wander into daydreams while still standing. "Ahem," he cleared his throat, bringing Lirzod out of his phantom world. "Okay, son of man, Lirzod, I can only wish you luck in your journey. Things are only going to get nasty up there. Be prepared for anything, so you might not regret no matter what happens." "I''ll keep that in mind," Lirzod said, leaning closer to murmur, "so you too keep my requests in your mind, got it?" Sean''s brows raised a little, and a smile followed. He then assuredly said, "As for your requests, leave them to me." "Great. Then I guess I''ll come back at the time of voting," Lirzod shook hands with Sean and then walked away. As Lirzod made the distance, Jehez made a hard face, "Commander," he voiced his mind softly, "why are you giving him such preference when he just won against Lord Bruiser just by fluke?" "Fluke?" Sean didn''t know whether to laugh or cry, but he flicked a tiny meatball at Jehez''s face, and the cat sprang toward the meatball and ended up biting his face. "A win of this magnitude bears no resemblance to a fluke." Sean leaked out a knowing smile. "He was off to a bad start, but there was hardly a grunt and nary a shriek as he fought that Bruiser. He may not be showing the pain, but those scars on his hand must feel like a furnace as winds brush over even during walking." Jehez, though bitten by the cat, had a startled look on his face. (So he was watching the test.) "As for you¡­" Sean cast a firm gaze on Jehez, and his eyes had the bitterness of the winter, "Even though you weren''t qualified enough to publicly address the events of the day, I''ve made you the referee because of your persistence, but your inept handling of winners has always been a thorn in my ass. You better change that side of yours, or I''ll change you." "Y-Yes, commander," Jehez choked on his own breath as he deeply bowed in haste. "Take this to the inventory," Sean tossed the coin sacks to Jehez, maintaining the firm look on his face, "I''ll take care of the counter." As they both parted ways and Sean entered the betting counter from the back door, every man waiting in the line got quite taken aback. Most of them had been waiting for Jehez, probably to tease him further, but now, they couldn''t dare run their mouths in front of the man who had dominion over the all living things on the twelfth deck. "Oh, it''s Commander Sean!" Some men chatted with extra liveliness in their voices. "How lucky are we to have the author of the fiction ''Cats in the Kitchen!'' take care of our bettings!" "And that cat must be Gray! The only cat on this deck which can stand its ground against that big bully, Bruiser! It would have been great if he was here earlier. We wouldn''t have suffered all these scars." "Worries are part of everyone''s life, brothers," Sean cackled as he stroked his beard. Gray imitated him, "And they usually include scars for wannabe martials." Though Sean''s speech was like a salt rubbing over the wounds of others, none of the men thick-enough tongues to speak back. Nevertheless, the betting counter became a bustling spot, for more men were drawn toward it like vultures to remains. Some even showed great concern for Sean''s wellbeing, hoping to acquaint themselves with him. After all, it wasn''t an unusual thing for the commander to sit at the counter and shit on the silly fellows, for they believe he can do whatever he wants but can do no wrong. At the same time, in the other spots of the hall, jabbering of all sorts sprang to life as men boasted how they''d win the test or become rich through bettings. Meanwhile, not too far away from the test hall. Sariyu was strolling in the street with two men who walked on either side while keeping their distance. "Where''s this shop you''ve spoken of?" she asked in a friendly manner. "It''s right ahead, miss," they replied together, speaking considerately and uttering every word with care, "just a few more steps." "I hope they have something I''ll like," Sariyu mused to herself while a few possibilities ran in her mind. The three arrived at a corner of the street, and when they took the left turn, there was a big turtle stranded upside down in the middle of the street. "What the hell is that?" the two men immediately made fists out of their hands and went into a self-protective mode. "Easy. It''s flat on its back," Sariyu said, and her eyes had a once over at the turtle''s frame. "Surely, it can''t attack us when it''s like that." "Haha, you''re right, miss. We were just surprised by its sheer size," the two men loosened their fists and postures, "but what''s this thing doing here? Can we even cook this thing?" "It''s better if we just walk past it," the second man said, having felt his quickening pulse. "We don''t even know if it''s alive or not. Let''s check it first," Sariyu said, startling those two. "What? How are you going to check that out?" the two of them had accelerated heart rates. " If it''s alive, it will bite us before we know it." "We don''t know that," Sariyu casually said. "How can you look so comfortable saying that!" The two men had their hearts sink into their stomachs and swim through the gastric juices, which rose a sour and smoldering feeling into their tongues. "Can''t you see its size? It can seriously wound us if it wants to." "Maybe, but we can''t just leave it like that now, can we?" Sariyu said, but the two men looked frozen. "Well, if you aren''t willing, I''ll do it myself." "Do it yourself?" one of the two lightly snorted as she walked ahead. "I doubt if even the three of us can move that turtle. Just look at that damn thing, it easily weighs over a ton. Someone should stop trying to show off. They will only make themselves look bad." Sariyu didn''t even pay attention to their words, for nothing but the turtle was in her eyes. "With all that shell, it should weigh a lot," she mumbled to herself, "If I can apply enough force at the right spot, I will be able to move it." She narrowed her eyes as she got closer to the turtle. "A minute of pain should do¡­" She suddenly put a spring in her step and lunged like a wolf, "Oras Paw Flash!" Her toe struck at the tail-end of the shell and flipped its whole body into the air and took a half rotation. The mouths of the two men fell open. "I-Impossible." Those two could barely follow her leg movement, for it seemed as swift as the eagle flight. The impact sound was also not as loud as it should be. The turtle landed on its belly in a loud thud. It brought out its head and limbs and jerked its head a bit, causing the two men to take a few steps back in fright. "There, it''s done," Sariyu said, placing her arms on her waist and looked at the two men, who had amazement written all over their faces. Her expression slowly changed as she seemed to have realized something. She lowered her head and laid her eyes on her toes, and one of her fingernails was missing. Her expression froze. She remembered the time when Duera had told her to wear shoes as she mostly used her legs to fight, but Sariyu didn''t listen to Duera''s advice and chose to wear high-heeled sandals that exhibited her colored, polished fingernails. Now, upon seeing one of the nails go missing, Sariyu''s eyes glistened with tears, and her lower lip buried her upper lip. Though it was blurry, her eyes searched the floor for the lost nail, puzzling the men who had no idea what she was doing. "I''m in your debt," A voice sounded out from Sariyu''s rear, surprising her and the two men. Sariyu didn''t move but unhesitatingly glanced over her shoulders at the wall behind her where a bald woman was butt-resting against a windowsill. It was Everna. She gently pushed herself forward with the help of her hands and noiselessly landed on the wooden floor. "He likes flipping over whenever he''s sleepy. If you hadn''t woken him up, I might have stayed here for a while." Sariyu squinted her eyes. (I didn''t see her at all. Is it because her clothes matched the walls?) Given that Everna didn''t even have hair, none of those three noticed her presence by the wall. "T-T-That''s¡­" the two men stuttered as Everna came closer. They turned to face the other side and began to walk away in long but quick strides, not daring to look back. "Hey, little brothers," Everna''s voice stopped them in their tracks. "Aren''t you the same guys who once tried to trick me? It looks like you two still haven''t learned your lesson." (Crap!) The men''s shoulders jerked. (She remembered! We are doomed.) "I guess my looks eventually made you give up midway," Everna said and walked over to them. "It looks like you two still haven''t learned your lesson." She placed her arms around their shoulders and brought them to Sariyu, and even though they didn''t say a word, they already had crying faces. "How should I fix you two this time for better?" "Please, forgive us, sister," they pleaded in low tones. "We will never try to trick anyone ever again." "Wait, you guys were trying to trick me, too?" Sariyu had a surprised look on her face. Because of losing a nail, she wasn''t able to think straight, so it took her a while to realize what was going on. "No, no, miss! We were not," As the two men were saying, Everna made chopping movements and struck the back of their necks, causing them to collapse. "Get some sleep, little brothers," Everna said and then looked at Sariyu. "The debt is paid." "Y-You didn''t have to pay it back this quick," Sariyu said and then gently blew air through her nose. "I was hoping to get some items cheaply from whichever shop they took me to. However, it happens to be another tough day in disguise." She folded her arms and stared down at the two men, "These fellows¡ªthey looked so innocent I couldn''t see the wool they put over my eyes." "There are no innocent adults, only good or bad," said Everna, moving closer to the turtle. She silently pulled out the nail that had been stuck in the turtle''s shell and balled her hand. "I guess you are right," Sariyu''s gaze was elsewhere. "Thanks for saving my time anyway." Surprise flashed in her eyes, "Wait, I guess I owe you one now." "If you feel that way, help someone else in need and consider this debt paid," Everna jumped and soundlessly landed atop the turtle. "Uh¡­" Sariyu had a surprised look on her face. The turtle turned around and began to move at a leisure pace. Sariyu just stood right where she was for more than ten seconds. Afterward, she started to walk, and in a matter of seconds she easily caught up with the turtle, and as she''s passing the turtle, her smile contained both cheekiness and awkwardness. Rubbing her cheek with a finger, she said, "I''m also going this way, so..." "Want a ride?" Everna asked with her usual calm look. "Uh¡­" She had already overtaken the turtle, so she didn''t know how to respond. "I think I''m good, but thanks for asking." "Okay, I''ll be off then, see you later," Everna made a series of soft sounds with her mouth, and the turtle picked up its speed and dashed through the street, totally taking Sariyu by surprise. Right before her eyes, the turtle covered a hundred-meter distance in less than ten seconds, and its speed only seemed to be increasing. As it arrived at a junction, the turtle pulled its head and limbs into the shell and slid and rotated on the ground by its belly. When its shell was aligned with the direction of the next street, it brought out its head and limbs and continued to run almost with the same speed. Even though the turtle had long disappeared out of her sight, Sariyu still had her mouth agape. "My ride..." Elsewhere on the twelfth deck, at a six-street junction. Having searched the entire bread booth, Burton felt a bit tired, for he failed to find anything that pleased his eyes let alone give rise to liquids in his mouth. In the end, he picked a small bun. "Looks like there really is nothing but bread that we can get for free on these decks. I was hoping to quench my thirst, but¡ªwhat should I do now? This bread might heighten the thirst." As he was in a dilemma whether or not to eat the bun, a dog hesitantly approached the bread booth with its head and neck lowered quite a bit. Burton stared at it for a moment and then stuffed half the bun into his mouth. The dog kept moving to his left and to his right. Burton tossed the other half bun onto the ground. The dog slowly got to the bun, but it quickly fetched the food and bolted away in a hurry. "So it does eat bread. Mm, it seems bread doesn''t often go to waste. No wonder there are multiple booths left unattended by their owners. Now then," he looked around at the different streets, " let''s see how my luck is..." he walked toward a random street that had a small sign which read ''Bachelor''s Street.'' For a few hundreds of meters, all he came across was empty, open rooms which made him think he chose the wrong street, and just as he was thinking to turn back, he caught merry shouts coming from afar to his front. His feet moved on their own before he could decide to continue walking ahead. As he got closer, dozens of men were on the street, gathered around a podium upon which a man was selling something that looked like a painting. He wasn''t using any tool to enhance his voice, for it was naturally loud. "Listen you piss poor folks!" the man on the podium said with authority as he showcased a revealing painting of a woman, "This lady right here is a daughter of the desert and no ordinary one at that. Just look at her, look at her well. Only a man with trained eyes can tell that she washes her body routinely with a swim through the oasis, whitens her skin by sucking all the shine from the wet sands of the night, and magnetizes men''s eyes toward her navel by adorning it with the rarest of jewels. And on top of it all, she possesses a smile that can enslave the pain of even the deadliest scorpion bites." By this point, most men were completely salivating, their hearts throbbing from prurience. "I want her!" "No, the desert''s daughter is mine. I want her on my wall." "Shut up! She''s your sister for heaven''s sake." "No, she''s your sister, you fool." As men quarreled among themselves, the man on the podium shouted, "Enough, punks! It''s time, to decide the luckiest one among us who can escort this beauty into his room and endeavor to understand her further. With a silver coin as the base price for this maiden of merit, the bidding starts now!" "101 copper." "111 copper." "122 copper." "143 copper." "160 copper." The bidding didn''t go on for long, and it was eventually sold at two silver. The man on the stage carefully folded the painting and handed it to the winner after taking the money. "Treasure her like you do every other sweetheart in your room." "With all my heart, I shall admire her." "That''s all for today, pimps," the man on the stage shouted. "When we find another worthy woman, we''ll bring her here." "Yeah!" Many men roared. "Next time bring someone from the snowy mountains, or the volcanic lands maybe." Meanwhile, Burton who had been watching all this from a distance had a weird look on his face. He had looked at the signboard before entering the street, but he didn''t expect to come across what he did. "Am I still on the ship?" he felt doubtful and looked around. "Oh," the man on the podium noticed Burton, "look there, everyone! We''ve got a new brother willing to stay single for a lifetime." "Eh? Where, where?" Everyone immediately turned around toward Burton, who was wearing a frozen expression. "Ow, isn''t he handsome?" "I can''t believe such a first-class face couldn''t get a woman. Women have become too cruel." "He must''ve suffered a lot for him to come here. A truly pitiful soul." "Let''s welcome him to join the Brothers of Bachelorhood." "Yeah!" Everyone ran toward him with glowing faces. "Eek!" Burton swiveled around and scurried away like a lone wolf fleeing from a ghastly pack. "Why are you running, brother? Join us!" some men shouted. "Who''s your brother!" Burton barked back, "and stop chasing after me!" "Hehe, brother''s shy like a fox," another man shouted, "we were all like that in the beginning days too." "Like I care!" Barton snapped. "I don''t want anything to do with you lot, so stop chasing me!" "Brother can certainly run, but you are underestimating us, your senior brothers," some men looked at each other before splitting up, and they ran along their edges of the street and caught up with Burton who was running so hard that his feet barely hit the ground. "No, stop. No, stop, you bastards, or I will kill you all," Disbelief washed over Burton''s face. "Hehehe," many men jumped on him from both sides, "before you kill us, join our bachelorhood!" NOOO~~!! Burton''s cry echoed throughout the street. In the meantime, inside the Cat Home. Lirzod took the help of the assistant referee to find out the cat with broken legs and fed it the tiny meatball. The cat showed its desperation through its screams, asking for another, but Lirzod had only one. Some other cats that caught the scent of the meatball came sniffing at him, but Lirzod stomped on the floor and scattered them away. Only the cat with broken limbs stayed where it was¡ªat Lirzod''s feet¡ªeven though the sound startled it. "Were you speaking the truth?" the assistant referee, who was standing behind Lirzod, had a doubtful look on his face, "Did you truly donate all the money?" "I already told you," Lirzod sounded a bit impatient, for he was asked the same question thrice already by the same guy. Now, Lirzod began to regret telling him about the donation, but he had to do that to enter the cat home and be able to spend some time inside. A fair amount of shock surfaced on the assistant referee''s face, "You, you must be quite rich." "Rich?" Lirzod grabbed hold of the cat with broken limbs which then began to nibble on his hands. His other hand waved off the houseflies that tried to land on his head and other parts of the body. "We are not rich." "We?" the assistant referee was puzzled. "Not us. Me and my clansmen." "Then why did you give away the gold?" "I am gold, so I don''t really need gold," Lirzod said and grinned. "I give it away from time to time. It''s no big deal though. I know people who do it better." The assistant referee blinked twice. "Uh, can I receive some of your gold, I mean, golden grace as well?" he asked in a positive tone. Suddenly, both stared at each other in a standstill. "No." Lirzod''s reply sucked all the energy out of the assistant referee''s body and left his shoulders flailing. "Grace may come for free, but golden grace won''t," Lirzod''s words stung him even more. A thin stream of blood leaked down Lirzod''s forehead without warning, traveled along his nose and dripped down its base. The assistant referee was startled. "You are bleeding! Are you all right?" "I''m fine," Lirzod said, pressing his scalp once, "one cut must have been deep, but¡ªit''s nothing to worry about." "I don''t think so," the assistant referee spoke as if he knew what he was talking about, "It''s a head wound, so you better get it treated soon." "Like I said, it''s all right." Lirzod rubbed the blood off his face and resumed to swat some houseflies away. "Geez, every injury is an Elysian field for houseflies. Foxes are much better than these houseflies. They mostly loot from corpses, but these things don''t hesitate to steal even from the living beings." He sighed and shook his head. "By the way," Lirzod''s eyes fell on the cat, "does it have a name?" "Ah, well, weak ones are never given a name," he answered, knowing full well that Lirzod was diverting the conversation. "Since this one gets back its legs one day, let''s name this... Leggy," Lirzod looked at the cat. "How does Leggy sound, Leggy?" The cat stared at him for a moment without blinking before rubbing its head against his hand. "It seems to like it," Lirzod glanced at the assistant referee. "U-Uh, yeah," he reluctantly nodded. "But hey, did you honestly donate the betting money?" Lirzod pressed his lips firmly to ease the frustration. He wanted to shout at the assistant referee, but then he might be forced to leave the room, so he had to keep his tongue at bay. He replied without even looking, "You can go ask the commander yourself." "No," the assistant referee exposed his palms, "I would rather not." "Hm?" Lirzod glanced at him, "Why?" "Well, you should already know," he spoke cautiously in a low tone, "Identities of the donors are rarely disclosed for most donations on this ship. Since it''s also a principle followed in the sect itself, I can''t risk asking the commander regarding the donations, at least not while on this ship." Lirzod''s face stiffened from wonderment. "Wait, you didn''t know?" the assistant referee''s eyes enlarged. "Did you perhaps give the money in public?" "Yeah, but there''s no one around us. We were behind the betting counter." "Oh, then you''re lucky," he took a breath and later rubbed his chin. "Still, why didn''t Jehez warn you about the bad things attached around making one''s donations known?" "But even the commander didn''t tell me anything." "What?" A chill spread across the assistant referee''s spine. "You met the commander? He''s here?" "Yeah," Lirzod was confused a bit, "maybe he forgot." "No," he shook his head, "if the commander was there during your donation and didn''t warn you, then you don''t need to worry. You said you were kind of discussing in private, right?" "Mm," At that time, Lirzod remembered that Jehez had initially barked at him saying that he was donating for fame. Now, he understood why Jehez had said that. All these thoughts made Lirzod scratch his cheek, for he felt like he was in the wrong. "Maybe I should have discussed it elsewhere," he mused to himself. "Well, you''ve done a good thing by donating it before the commander''s eyes," the assistant referee said, and a smile bloomed on his face. "I''m sure he would have been impressed. Hundreds of people on this deck do all sorts of circus to get in the commander''s eyes, but you''ve probably even impressed him with this single act." "I didn''t donate it to impress him or anyone," Lirzod replied spontaneously, "I did it just for the cats." The assistant referee''s mouth hung open. "F-For the cats? Tell me you''re joking." "I''m not," Lirzod shut his eyes and slightly shook his head. Upon understanding that Lirzod wasn''t joking, Jehez''s couldn''t blink, "You mean you donated all that money for the cats?" he couldn''t believe what he was hearing. He was under the impression that the funding was probably to clean the streets or to station more sandy knolls for cats to shed their weight or something along those lines, but Lirzod''s reason truly baffled him. "F-For all these cats..." he looked around at the hundreds of the cats inside the room. At the moment, he felt underprivileged than the cats. "Not for all the cats," Lirzod said, roughly stroking the cat resting in his arms, "but for the comfort of cats like this one." "S-Still, don''t you think it''s a bit too much to give for the comfort of cats?" he looked a bit stunned and disappointed at the same time, "you could''ve at least given it some thought before taking such a decision. You could have asked for advice from someone important¡ªlike me." "I want to climb the decks fast," Lirzod said, "so I didn''t see any other choice." "Well, you''ve got a point, but do you genuinely believe your money will be fully spent on the cats?" His expression turned somewhat helpless. "As good as the commander may seem, he''s known for taking commissions now and then. As for Jehez, I don''t even need to talk about that guy." "Yeah, that referee fellow couldn''t stand me, but you are a bit better than him." "A bit?" the assistant referee''s brow jerked. Lirzod turned away and bit his tongue. "M-More than a bit. You know what, forget what I said." "As if I can!" he barked, "you surely meant it." "Yeah I did, so what?" Lirzod backed himself, "He''s the referee, and you''re the only one who could become his assistant. That says something." Saying that he began to walk while the holding Leggy in his arms. Confusion dawned over the assistant referee''s face. (Did he praise or scold?) Lirzod''s eyes danced with laughter for managing to fool the assistant referee at least for the time being. "Wait," the assistant referee''s call skipped Lirzod''s heartbeat, "where are you taking that cat?" "Oh, it can''t walk on its own," Lirzod said, turning back to face him, "I only want to help it get some fresh air and a change in scenery for once. Vivid visuals may help the healing process." "Vivid visuals? I doubt there''s any on this deck," he mumbled to himself. "Fine, but bring it back quick." "Not a problem," Lirzod forced out a smile that showed none of his teeth. At that moment, a slim and seemingly fragile man entered the room. "Hey, who are you?" the assistant referee barked but got no response, "you, can''t you hear me?" he asked but got no response the second time either. Baring his teeth, he yelled and waved his hand, "Get out of here right now, you fool!" The fragile-looking man took out a dog-faced badge, and the assistant referee stopped in his tracks. The fragile-looking man looked around the at the cats, and his eyes stopped on the cat that''s in Lirzod''s hands. He approached Lirzod, "Cats like these have it worse in here, don''t you think so, young man?" "Yep," Lirzod nodded. "But you can''t choose this cat, you know." "Haha, I''m not a contestant," the fragile man laughed, and his whole body swayed like a flower. "I''m the watchdog for this deck. I just came here to have a look once before I quit this profession." "Watchdog?" Lirzod''s brows raised, "It means you''re like a watchman''s dog." "Haha, no one''s ever interpreted it like that, but no, I''m more like a watchman." "Then why not call yourself a watchman?" "Because watchdog sounds cool, don''t you think?" the fragile-looking man looked at Lirzod in the eyes. "Anyway, may I ask you something?" "Of course." He asked openly, "Did the guy behind you attempt to do any underhand deals with you?" The assistant referee''s heart almost exploded from hearing those words. He couldn''t look at Lirzod''s face as he was standing much behind. "Yes, he did," Lirzod replied casually, collapsing the assistant referee''s heart into his stomach. The fragile-looking man smiled a little. "Thanks for your assistance. I wish more entries were like you." He then glanced at the assistant referee who was on his knees and said, "A review is on its way for you, so be prepared." Saying that he turned back and left the room at his own pace while observing some cats. Soon after he left, the assistant referee came running to Lirzod, forcibly turned him back by the shoulder, grabbed the collar and roared his lungs out, "Why did you tell him?" Lirzod was taken by surprise from seeing the anger in his eyes, but he straightforwardly asked, "D-Did you expect me to lie or what?" His words and his eyes made the assistant referee go silent. Generally, watchdogs never revealed their identities and just observed all the events and reported to their superiors. The fragile-looking man revealed himself only because he was thinking to quit his job soon, and Lirzod ended up giving him just enough information to make that retirement all the more pleasant. Frustration flowed through the assistant referee''s blood abundantly and flourished in his heart, but he let go of the collar. "Get out." "It''s nothing personal," Lirzod said and then began to walk out. "Leave the cat here," the assistant referee''s voice came from behind. Lirzod stopped, and a moment later, he turned back to take a look in his eyes. "Did you expect me to allow you to take the cat?" the assistant referee coldly said. "Please," Lirzod somewhat stressed his tongue. The assistant referee stepped closer, "It''s nothing personal." Lirzod went silent as they both exchanged subtle glares. Meanwhile, in the hall, Jehez came back to the betting counter, and Sean was nowhere to be seen. "It took forever to resume the tests!" "One-round profits aren''t enough. Let''s bet better!" "If the stars stay aligned, we can make fortunes by the end of this day." Many men began to bet on the next contestant, for they all had weighty pockets due to the last round''s result. "The wolves are coming!" A man covered in sweat came running into the hall and attracted quite a many eyes with his words. "Watch out for the wolves!" This man was none other than 777. "Wolves! More than one of them?" Many men in the hall were surprised. Anybody who succeeded in the eleventh deck''s test would usually be called a wolf on the twelfth deck, especially at the time of their arrival. But over time, only the troublesome entries would be called in such a manner. Seeing how 777 came howling his lungs out, it meant that not a single wolf but a pack of them were on their way. One wolf was enough to put fear into a flock of sheep, but all men present in the hall were themselves wolves, however strong they may be. Even though the wolves symbolized freedom and fortitude, there was still a code among them they always adhered to, which was honoring the legacy of the senior wolves. If not, any brash wolf would perish under the might of many complementing claws. Now that a new pack was coming to the hall, everyone wondered if they would obey the existing rules or go so far as to play by their own rules. 777''s eyes scanned across the hall, seemingly searching for someone. He then hurriedly made his way out through a different exit, leaving everyone else with uncertainty. "What was that all that about?" "Are the wolves truly coming?" "Maybe that dude was just bluffing." "How dare that punk to fool us and waste our time for nothing!" Some men got infuriated from just the thought of people playing tricks on them. As murmurs escalated in the hall, ten gorilla-sized feet stepped foot into the hall, grabbing the attention of many people without delay. "Who the hell are those hippos?" some men wondered as they grew vigilant. However, some others recognized the five men right away. "They are the Hardy Brothers!" 63 RUCKUS IN THE RING Streets of all sizes and shapes cut through the miles of the room-packed deck, rendezvoused at various junctions and eventually came together at the test hall like rivers seeking an ocean. Any new entry would likely marvel at the hazards they would encounter along their way to the test hall, for sometimes these journeys resulted in disfiguring injuries or disabling of limbs. Men weren''t always the culprits, for even some street animals posed an adequate danger, especially when in groups. Over the years, these travels have strewn seamless lines of men with broken bones and withering wills as tokens to trace the way to the test hall. Sometimes, special skills were required to navigate through the maze-like roads and reach the hall, all the while avoiding the streets which had gone rogue. But the general belief among most hollows was different, for according to them, even the worst of the trial''s dangers could be sweetened by exercising common sense, which included relying on the guidance of a hollow. Still and all, to avoid unnecessary troubles, many entries preferred to travel slowly but surely, with some even resting along the way. However, no matter how careful one was, men with a notorious reputation would now and then come looking for new entries, carrying the smell of hell around them. A man, named Russell the Red Viper, attempted to hammer his superiority on five new entries on their way to the test hall; howbeit, at the end of their short exchange of attacks, Russell got thrashed with his own thorny belt. Though there was a thirty silver bounty on his head, the five entries didn''t bother about him anymore and instead hurried themselves to the hall. They encountered a few more troubles along their way, but the tasks weren''t even taxing enough for them to shed sweat, yet the continuous running made them sweat substantially, and they ultimately reached the test hall. As their ten gorilla-sized feet stepped foot into the hall, murmurs were escalating inside, but their sizes right away caught the attention of many eyes. "Who the hell are those hippos?" some men wondered as they grew vigilant. However, some others recognized the five men right away. "T-They are Hardy Brothers!" "What?" Many of them were greatly surprised to hear that. Even the vendors circulating in the hall with trays of mildly sweetened bread on their heads had to stop and take a look. "Ah, it took forever to find this little hell¡ªjust like the time when we had to find this ship," Divas rubbed the sweat off his forehead, "but we are finally here!" His eyes scanned across the hall, "I wonder if that black sheep and his friends are still here." "The sooner we find them, the better it is for them," Aziz pumped his fists and got his breath under control. "All the running made me thirsty," Betts licked his own sweat in an attempt to curb his thirst but ended up spitting it right out, "Pfft, salty as a grandma''s shawl." "For Hector''s sake," Centry frustratingly said, rubbing his back with great effort, "did someone plan against us and mix something in that ice dumpster or what? I''ve scratched myself into a red bottle gourd, but still, this itching won''t go." He looked at his brothers in disbelief and disapproval, "why aren''t you four not feeling any itching? It''s unfair!" "I''m very happy for you, brother," Fimbry said, his eyes swimming with tears. "It''s sorry, not happy!" Divas soon corrected Fimbry. "Right, right, I''m very sorry for you, Brother Century," Fimbry said again, tears running down his cheeks. "Never mind," Centry and Divas shook their heads and sighed together. "Wooo, look at their eyes," Betts said, for most men in the hall had their eyes glued to the brothers. "Aren''t we getting an extra bit of attention, today?" "It''s nothing new," Aziz stepped ahead, wearing a firm look on his face, "let''s quickly finish what we''ve come here for." "Want to warm up on these beta wolves?" Betts glanced at Centry. "On these noobs? Nay," Centry replied straight away, still scratching his back. Their bold words insulted the crowd, or at least whoever had heard them. Though the five brothers were bigger in stature than the rest, there still were a little over a hundred people in the hall. If they all were to jump at them, there was no telling what the result would be. As the brothers reached the betting counter, they ignored the line and went straight to Jehez. Centry audaciously asked for the tickets for the next five rounds as his eyes took a once-over at the nearby men. Seeing how none of the men in the line didn''t step forward to stop them, Centry couldn''t help but snicker, "That''s right, fear us alphas for the betas that you''re." Centry''s words further stirred the anger dwelling deep down their stomachs. "Didn''t you hear me?" Centry hardened his voice as his eyes were now back on the referee, "Give me the tickets." Jehez paused a moment as he recollected the times when he had heard about Hardy Brothers. Since when the news had spread that the five brothers would likely remain on the eleventh deck and not climb further, Jehez stopped from keeping himself updated on the news regarding the brothers. Now, with the five brothers standing outside the betting counter, Jehez, with his insufficient knowledge, didn''t know how to handle them. Smiling politely, he gave the tickets, "I wish you all the luck." Centry and Jehez exchanged cold stares before Centry just smiled it off even though he could sense the sarcasticness behind the referee''s tone. The five brothers no longer cared about the referee and sauntered in the direction of the cat ring. Except for Aziz, the other four brothers went off in different directions lured by the food items that other men had. They had to intimidate some men, and for some others, they didn''t even have to do that. Centry snatched popcorn packets from a plump-lipped guy and flicked a copper coin to him. Even though the popcorn wouldn''t cost a copper in the outside world, it still enraged the fellow that he got treated poorly. "This should do for the time others spend in the ring," Centry mused to himself. Betts, on the other hand, was browbeating a thin guy who was holding a packet of jackfruit. "Oi, if you don''t give me all those pods, you won''t have teeth to eat another one of those." His words worked wonders, and the thin man gave his food away. Fimbry, though, had forgotten about food and found himself chatting with a cherry-nosed fellow. Divas was also with him. "Haha, so you have already failed the test two times." "No, I''ve already passed it two times," the cherry-nosed man said, his eyes gleaming an inner light. "Then what are you still here for?" Divas asked with a bit of intrigue surfacing on his face. "I want to win every deck test three times," he resolutely said, looking at them both directly in the eye. "Isn''t it a waste of time?" "I learn a thing or two every time. So..." "Oh, then¡ª" As he was speaking, Divas farted, startling the cherry-nosed man, and it forced him to shut his nose in haste. The short but raucous fart was a hunger-killing one. "Haha, I don''t think it''s that smelly," Divas said while rubbing the back of his neck, "or is it?" "Don''t ask me!" the cherry-nosed man upbraided, his nose still closed. Divas leaned forward, "You act like it''s your first time hearing someone break the wind down their bum." "Yes," the cherry-nosed man rebuked, "So what?" "Don''t lie," Divas placed his forearm on the cherry-nosed man''s shoulder. "No adult''s ever too far from a fart." Fimbry laughed aloud. "You spoke the lie, brother." "It''s the truth," Divas aired his grievance, backed by another fart that caught the cherry-nosed man by surprise, for he had just unblocked his nose. He had to shut his nose again, but the presence of the two brothers began to work him up. As they discussed, a boy was speeding through the nearby crowds, seemingly escaping from a man. "Wait, give me the cat!" the assistant referee called out for the boy. "Hell, no! Give me five minutes, and I''ll bring it back!" The boy, Lirzod, said. "I won''t even give you five seconds!" "Best of bad luck catching me then!" Lirzod crowed and ran around with his upper body bent forward, which helped him blend well in the crowd. "Mikey! What the hell are you doing?" Jehez''s voice stopped the assistant referee in his tracks. Mikey, the assistant referee, frowned for a moment before heading back toward the cat home. "Whew¡­" Lirzod felt relieved for having escaped him; however, he suddenly got pushed forward and almost fell forward. "Hey, look where you are¡ª" As Lirzod turned back to mouth off the one who pushed him, he was surprised from seeing a familiar face, the fourth brother who turned to face Lirzod. "Oh, it''s you! So you guys made it here," Lirzod''s visage glowed a bit. "Good for you. I wish you good luck with the test." Divas turned back to Lirzod and laughed in recognition. "Wish you the same, kiddo." "I''m Lirzod, not a kiddo, and I''ve already passed the test," Lirzod said. "Oh," Divas looked at Lirzod''s skin, which was replete with thin scars to show for his victory, "then I wish you good luck in the future." He scratched his chin and glanced around to observe different men. (It looks like most people here have already passed the test. Then why are they all still meandering here? It can''t be that they all wish to participate in the test again, or do they?) "Thanks again," Lirzod said, stroking the cat on its spine, "I got to go. I have to show this feline some places." "Sure, sure, go on," Divas smiled and turned over to join the conversation that Fimbry and the cherry-nosed man was having. As seconds passed, Divas'' eyes enlarged, "Wait," he swiveled back and locked his eyes on Lirzod. "Hey, you!" Lirzod and many other men turned their heads toward Divas. "I almost couldn''t recognize you with all the blood on your face, Lirzod," Divas leaked out a half-smile. Fimbry, who just turned back, was surprised from seeing Lirzod. "Brother, it''s Divas!" "Divas is here, you idiotic brother," Divas said, pointing his finger toward himself. "Right, right," Fimbry hurriedly asked, "then what''s his name?" "Find out yourself," Divas said and smiled before narrowing his eyes, "and then tell me." "Right. I will do it for myself and for you, too, brother!" Fimbry dashed ahead, startling everyone in the vicinity. "Tell me your name, sheep!" He closed in the distance and slashed his arm at Lirzod with full force. "Fimbry Chop!" "W-Wait," Lirzod jumped back, with Leggy still in his arms, but he barely managed to dodge Fimbry''s hand, and then endeavored to move further away. "You''ve failed to escape my chop," Fimbry took a wide stance, "not bad," he spread his arms out as if they were blades attached to his arm and lunged at Lirzod, swinging his arms rhythmically, not giving any time for Lirzod to reason. "Fimbry''s Dream Chop Series!" Each chop was a club that came crashing down at Lirzod from the front, left, right, and above. One hit at a critical spot and all things could very well come to an end. All Lirzod could do was keep moving rearward. "Wait, you''ll hurt the cat," he kept saying aloud. However, Fimbry didn''t stop his assault and only increased his speed of attacks. He still failed to land a strike on Lirzod but destroyed a couple of rum barrels in the process. By this point, it was obvious to most onlookers that a fight broke out in the hall¡ªbetween two men. As they watched, a bizarre melee of three fists¡ªtwo of Fimbry''s and one of Lirzod''s¡ªensued. With two fists against one, Fimbry appeared to have a clear advantage as he pressed Lirzod to move further backward. A few close calls at the cat went by in the last five exchanges. (At this rate...) Lirzod frowned, for both him and the cat could be in real danger if things went on like this. "You''ve come right into my range," A voice came from Lirzod''s behind and disturbed his thought process. As he turned his head back, a massive fist hammered into his face, "Thundering Temper Fist!" Lirzod got sent packing over the crowds, bounced and rolled on the ground, looking like a ragged doll before eventually stopping in the cat ring that was full of grass. Panting with effort, Lirzod spat a bit of blood. Upon glancing at the cat and confirming that it wasn''t wounded, respite fleetingly flashed in his eyes. Everyone in the hall watched with dumb faces as the brothers made their way to Lirzod. "That boy, he had to mess those fat wolves of all people. I thought his guts flew out just now when he got sent flying." "Whatever he may have done, he''s going to suffer their combined wrath now." As everyone voiced in their opinions, none of them seemed interested to take a step in any directions. As seconds passed, none from the crowds moved except for Jehez. "Stop, you five! Stop right there," Jehez howled at the top of his lungs from afar and eventually intercepted the brothers'' path. He blocked their way with his extended arms. "You can''t fight in the hall. If you have unsettled things, then take it outside." Betts coldly stared down at Jehez. "This is the right place to fight. Step aside, or we''ll smack you, too." Jehez''s stomach hardened, and he couldn''t find words. On the one hand, he didn''t want to bother the brothers as he didn''t know the extent of their strength or influence; on the other hand, his job would be in jeopardy if a ruinous fight were to break out in the hall, and he did nothing to stop it. "If you can''t move, then at least stay silent like the rest," Centry snorted as he stepped past Jehez. Centry''s words made anger rise in the hearts of some men in the hall, and they couldn''t mask it as it reddened their faces, but those words still weren''t enough to make them move. "Those five belly brothers¡­" Lirzod stood to his feet, rubbed the blood off his mouth with a forearm, and then balled his fist as his eyes focused on the brothers. The five brothers stood in a horizontal line before Lirzod, standing only a few feet apart. "For making fun of our past, we''ll defeat you with our full strength," the brothers popped their knuckles, ready to bring out the bottled up rage from inside their gurgling stomachs. "So use all your strength to fight before it''s too late." "Fine," Lirzod eyes showed no hint of fear, "but let me take this cat to safety first." "Hmph, are you using this opportunity to run away?" Betts snorted coldly, "Just throw that shitty cat away." Lirzod gave them an unblinking stare. "Be quick," Aziz said while he looked as if fury had immobilized him. Lirzod and Aziz exchanged stares for a moment. "Thanks." "Screw your thanks!" Centry sprang forth, "The cat''s not our problem!" he swung his fist, seemingly aiming at Lirzod. Though startled, Lirzod managed to jump back, but Centry predicted his movement and thrust the palm straight at the cat. Only now, Lirzod understood that Centry was after the cat. He abruptly moved the cat out of the path, but Centry''s palm struck his belly hard. Lirzod slid backward for a few feet but avoided a fall. "You bastard¡­" Clutching his stomach with one hand, Lirzod bared his teeth at Centry. "That''s what I want," Centry grinned, "Show me more hurt on that face!" he stepped forward, wanting to resume his assault but suddenly stopped, for he felt as if he stepped foot on something strange. When he looked down at his foot, his expression warped upon seeing the black mass of mess glued to his heel. "Eww, he stepped in the poo!" one man among the crowd said aloud out of mirth, but then shut his nose and mouth almost immediately. "That''s Lord Bruiser''s waste," another man voiced his mind, albeit with a peal of restrained laughter. "It must still be fresh given that he left it there only minutes ago during the last match." One by one, many men began to giggle and laugh as they took a step away from the cat ring. No matter how hard they tried to control themselves, their efforts proved futile. In just a matter of seconds, the atmosphere of the hall had considerably changed. Centry wasn''t wearing footwear, so all the defecated matter clung to his heel. The visuals and the feelings they welled up inside him almost made him vomit on his own feet. Lirzod, meanwhile, used this opportunity to rush toward the cat home. The referee, however, was moving out of the cat ring. He had hoped that Commander Sean was still around, but it didn''t seem to be the case. All he could do was curse his bad luck. "What''s wrong, referee?" a man suddenly targeted Jehez. "Why aren''t you saying anything? And where are you going? Don''t tell us you shit in your pants already. Oh wait, the one that fellow stepped on, was it Lord Bruiser''s or..." "Shut up, you jughead," Jehez barked back at them. "I was just..." "You was just what?" another man continued the mockery, "You let them steal our stuff and do whatever they please in ''your'' hall. How disgraceful! Why don''t you quit your job and give it to me, huh? I''ll do a better job than you for sure!" The crowd thoroughly taunted the referee, whose face slowly but surely turned ashen. Generally, everybody would love to get on the referee''s good-side as that would increase their chances of passing through the deck test, but the twelfth round referee had far less to do anything with affecting the entries as they all just had to follow the rules of the ring. A few people were especially pissed off, for they had tried many times only to fail the deck test. Not only did their anger on the cats pile up over time, but also the referee of such an event was bound to end up getting hated, particularly if bettors kept losing bets often. It was an open secret that everyone who would recurringly lose their money would probably be waiting for a chance to humiliate that referee from top to bottom. "What''s wrong, chicken?" another man in the crowd vociferated. "Did your legs spring themselves out of the ring, or perhaps do you have anything to do with it?" "Why don''t you give that badge on your chest to me? I''d do a solid job as a referee than you ever can, hehe," another member said, and these words particularly stung Jehez''s heart. He coldly glared at that man. "Oh my god, such a scary look. I''m pissing my pants right now," that man, however, continued making fun of the referee, and most of the nearby crowd relished it in every respect. As bitterness flooded his stomach, the referee turned his course and strode straight toward the brothers with a blackened face, putting a brief break to most of the bashing mouths. "Oh, is he going to stand in their way and interrupt the fight?" some men among the crowds had amused looks on their faces. "Though, that can''t be called a fight, but a beating." "Hmph, he''s just showing off, that''s all," some others snickered, "If he had such courage, he would have already exercised his authority." As the crowds sneered at him openly, the referee got close enough to the brothers and stopped behind them. At that moment, all six of them were still inside the cat ring. The brothers, however, totally ignored the referee and acted as if he wasn''t even there. "Look, as I said, he doesn''t have the guts to take them on, even though they were so disrespectful toward most if not all of us," one man continued casting aspersions of Jehez, for if the referee were to fight the brothers and get gravely injured, then his position would be open for other hollows to try. "Such a pussy we have here for a referee." "The referees aren''t much different from us," another man voiced his mind, "They were all entries like us who failed to become Martial Childs. Expecting much from them will only make us look stupid." The crowd continued their mocking, and the referee''s eyes had a once-over at everyone in the crowd who kept raising their voices again him. "Listen, all you punks, I hope all of you have more than just mouths." "Eh? What the hell is he talking about?" "Has he gone mad?" Jehez plucked the badge on his chest and lifted it up into the air. "Whoever fucks these five pigs out of my hall gets a prize worth five gold!" The entire crowd fell silent and partly exposed uvulas as their mouths hung open. The Hollow Mandate! As those words crossed through some people''s minds, some others already ran into the ring like beasts hunting their prey. "What? What''s going on?" some new entries were utterly puzzled by the sudden change. "This is a Hollow Mandate," one man answered impulsively. "What''s that?" "Every hollow has the right to commission hollows and entries to do whatever he desires as long it''s within the rules. Not just any hollow has the power to use them and be successful, but this one''s from the referee himself... Now those brothers are damned for sure." Dozens of men dashed toward the ring with a shared goal. "Sha-ha-ha, I''m going to bang their big bums out of the ring and get me that five gold!" A slender person said, clenching his fists. "My elbows can crush coconuts," Another guy said. "That five gold will be mine." "Idiots, with this many people, the prize will obviously be split, but this Murugan of the Desert Wind tribe will be the one earning most of it." "Screw your Desert Wind tribe, I, a member of the Blouse Blueprint company, will be one to make them wear our blouses," A handsome man,who wore underwear outside of his pants spoke. Despite the weird dressing-style, he surprisingly looked elegant and wild at the same time. "Blouse Blueprints? A company member from the wild West is daring to dominate me who''s from the ethical East of the world. That''ll happen only in your dreams," another person snorted. "You call... dozens ganging up on five, ethical?" The handsome man spoke, to which that person did not reply but instead increased his pace and ignored him. Even though many men came at them and stepped foot inside the ring without a shred of hesitation, the five brothers, except for Centry, oozed comfort through their eyes. "Trying to gang up on us again, huh¡­" Aziz smiled a little. "But it''s not going to work this time regardless of how many of you come at us." A seed of fire sprouted up his stomach and reflected in his eyes. "Brothers, how did our mother wish that we wrestle?" "To unite as one and undo our enemy''s pride," All the five brothers joined their hands, and a gust of mist blast forth out of their bodies and pushed the attackers back and forced them all to go on the defense. A flush of adrenaline tingled through men''s bodies as the mist particles shrouded them and clouded their eyes from seeing others¡ªincluding the brothers. Five wigs flew in different directions and landed at various places, some atop new bald heads. "What in the world..." Jehez was utterly baffled by the mist, and especially on what was happening inside of it, just like most other men in the hall. "Ah, not again," Even Lirzod, who wasn''t far away from the cat home, turned back, and perplexity took over his eyes as he saw five shadowy figures move inside the fog, seemingly growing in size. 64 MONSTER WOLF All of a sudden, things got murkier in the twelfth deck''s hall. With the mist out and the wind at a low roar, and with the hotness of the neighborhood upping like never before, everyone gawked at the shadowy figures in the mist clump together into something stout and stalwart. With breaths held, all men''s eyes widened into the misty setting as they witnessed a staggering scenery unfold. A growl akin to that of a monster cast parts of mist away and poured out into men''s ears, also putting portions of a whaling fiend to view. Black mist burst out of the beastly being that stood tall as a giraffe and had limbs the size of an elephant. All the veins and the outer muscles that showed out through the reddish-brown skin cast the onlookers'' legs into boneless tails. The whole hall went crag-still, not counting the thumping heartbeats of men and the scarce cry of the wind. As if breaking the petrifying silence, the mysterious figure''s foot stamped onward in a vibrant thud, and the mist spread further in every direction around the foot. As his towering build strode forth into sight, his eyes that declared devoutness to never again let the enemy escape out of sight were too much for the onlookers to take. Some men shook in their shoes, wrought from dread and dismay as their eyes lay on the big, bald beast of a man who seemed to lack an arm, the left one. There was nothing on him. No wig. No hair. No brows. No beard. No clothes. No underwear. Nothing. However, one couldn''t see everything of him because of the mist that coiled around his body, including the slanted ''8'' symbol on the rear side of his leg at ankle-level that subtly glowed. Every part of him resembled that of a human; the difference in size, however, was too much to slight. "W-Who are you?" the men standing relatively close to him backed away on trembling feet, but they go no response. Gorka, who was watching the whole thing through smokecast, uttered two words with a beaming face. "A monster wolf¡­ named as Hardy." Back in the hall, disquiet danced through men''s minds, and trepidation continued to tremble their feet. "W-Who are you?" one man was taken aback, with fright written all over his face. "W-What do you want?" Hesitancy filled another man''s tone as he and most others grew as vigilant as ever. With a wave of the hand, the beastly man, Hardy flung four men through the air, and their eyes whitened before they hit the ground. The four men had surely defended themselves with cross-blocking of their arms, but seeing how their defenses got utterly destroyed, none in the hall moved anymore as if a strange aura enshrouded every living soul in the test hall. As Hardy''s body hummed with hauteur, his eyes scanned across the hall and finally settled on a young boy with part black and part white hairs. His hands tightened into hard rocks, and a grievous, guttural voice followed, "What Hardy wants is right there." He scuttled straight toward Lirzod, and the bursting mist around him rolled through the air and threw nearby men into a collapse without him even having to touch anyone. Like a monster wolf slaughtering sheep just for the sake of it, his fists also put many men to sleep before they even knew what happened. The moving mist around him confused many eyes, and some couldn''t see him in entirety. As horror hung heavily in the air, loud thuds of bounding feet gained in on Lirzod, accompanied by the mist which was ready to bind him for the nonce. Lirzod turned back and ran into the cat home¡ªthe entrance of which wasn''t big enough for an almost four-meter-tall man to fit through, but Hardy''s barrage of fists battered the wooden walls, and the echoing vibrations shuddered men''s souls, and especially, the cats inside the cat home were left scared shitless. Relentless meows came from every corner inside the room as cats looked for a way out and fought among each other to escape through the ventilation grills. Against the vigorous punches, the wall eventually gave away. Hardy barged into the room, and with hundreds of cats still scrambling for freedom, there was an unruly atmosphere inside that not even he could tame. With every step he took toward Lirzod, he crushed a cat or two to death, causing Lirzod, who had his back against the wall on the opposite side of the room, to pick up Leggy back into his arms. Mikey, the assistant referee, cowered away into a corner, inwardly praying that Hardy wouldn''t look in his direction. Shrieking at the top of their lungs, most cats now escaped the room through the large opening in the wall that Hardy had made. "Stop right there," Lirzod voiced aloud, "you don''t want to do this. You are ending so many lives." "Whatever you may be saying, it''s too late," Hardy''s hard look stayed the same. "You should have flexed your foolishness elsewhere." He popped his knuckles. "No one gets to humiliate Hardy and get away without experiencing worse." A squealing sound made him look down, and his foot was atop the lower half of a cat. He lifted his foot and stomped on it a whole before clearing off most of the mist between him and Lirzod. Lirzod couldn''t quite understand Hardy''s throaty voice that got muffled by the mist, but his actions stirred Lirzod''s stomach. "You bastard¡­ How many of them are you going to kill?" "As many as it takes to quench a bit of Hardy''s thirst for blood," he ground his foot, cracking the bones of the dead cat, or at least what was left of it, "but looks like cat lives don''t make a tad of difference." Lirzod gnashed his teeth. "If it takes an apology for you to stop, then¡­" He tilted his head down, "I''m sorry¡ªfor everything." "What kind of an apology is that?" Hardy felt insulted. "You are not even on your knees. You can shove such a sorry up your ass." He waved his hand in displeasure. "Hardy wants nothing but a fight, one with lives on the line." "But, haven''t we already fought enough? There''s no need to¡ª" "All we did is talk," Hardy firmly clenched his fist. "And Hardy is sure anyone with balls knows this much¡ªa fight is when you throw fists, not words." Lirzod''s eyes scanned across the room, and having understood that most cats already escaped cat home in the past few seconds, he took a slightly deep breath to calm himself down. "You seem to want a fight so badly." "Yeah. Hardy cannot face his mother without wearing a necklace studded with all your teeth." "And this fight would accomplish just that, huh¡­" Lirzod''s eyes didn''t blink in the past minute, yet they seemed a bit watery. "Got it. If you want a fight that badly, then I''ll give it to you." He walked straight toward Hardy whose lips slowly but surely formed a grin. Leggy, who hadn''t moved much despite all the anxious look on his face, now panicked to get out of Lirzod''s arms as they got closer and closer to the mountainous man. Meanwhile, outside the cat home, men still held reservations as for what to do. "What are you all dozing around for?" Jehez barked at the men, who were sweating all over. Especially after all the cats escaped the cat home, his mood had worsened like never before. "Don''t just stand here like trees. Either save your skin or save my honor. But before anything, know that five gold is more than enough for a family to live a normal life for a few generations!" Jehez''s words couldn''t have put it any more straightforward. "I don''t know how those brothers transformed into that monster," one man began to hurriedly walk away, trying to control the shivering of his hands, "but that thing walked through a dozen men as if they were nothing. I''m not going to fight a losing battle." "Yeah, we should better get the hell out of here while we can. Who knows when his attention turns to us!" "His sheer size alone is raising all my hairs. I don''t want anything to do with him either." As many men were on their way to exit the hall, Jehez said,"Forget about sharing the reward. Whoever sends that monster into sleep can have all of it." His words made many men stop in their tracks. A corner of Jehez''s lips curled down a little before he ardently continued, "The last blow is all that matters." Inside the cat home, tension filled the air. Hardy slapped his chest twice and roared, "Come and give all you got." "If I do that, you''d be a goner," Lirzod replied, changing from walking to scuttling. "Heh, we''ll see who will ruin who beyond recovery," Hardy pulled his fist all the way to the back of his head, "One punch is enough for punks like you. Take this¡­" As Lirzod came into his hitting zone, he unleashed his fist. Hardy''s fist tunneled through the wind, bringing about a ghastly screech as it sought the approaching youngling. Just as his mighty fist closed in, Lirzod slid under the advancing fist and skid through the space between Hardy''s legs. After getting past Hardy, Lirzod didn''t stop and continued to run away. "Ngh?" Hardy turned his head quite a bit to his right. "What are you doing? You promised you''ll fight Hardy." "I didn''t promise. I only said I''ll fight you," Lirzod replied with a turned-down mouth, " but I never said I''ll fight you right away. Besides, fighting a naked man is not my bag of nuts, and it''s awkward, to say the least." A wave of rage washed over Hardy''s face, and veins popped out even more and carved out blue pathways on his skin. "A lunatic''s logic..." Hardy''s jawline became all the more evident as he turned back toward Lirzod and outstretched his hands. "You were already forewarned not to flex your foolishness in Hardy''s presence!" A lot of swirling mist burst out of Hardy and covered the entire room before Lirzod even took two steps and pressured his body from every direction. The mist was much thicker and darker than the one the five brothers used back when in the ice dumpster. "Miststorm!" All the mist convoluted into a torpedo and ran through Lirzod and swallowed him up before running rampage in the room, destroying the wooden walls bit by bit. Though Mikey tried to run away, he got caught up, too. Outside the hall, just as some men finished preparing themselves to dash into the cat home and take on Hardy, the walls of the cat home cracked open and got blown to bits, setting loose a rapidly rotating column of mist into the hall, which then devoured every entity¡ªliving or not¡ªin its way and grew until it struck the ceiling. The walls of the test hall were made from different and much stronger wood than what was used to build cat home, so this time the walls withstood the attack without even a crack forming anywhere on the surface as the storm ran wild throughout the hall while sucking in dozens of entities along the way. The storm was too rough and too rough for most men to handle; however, unlike most, a dark-brown-skinned man stood his ground with all the five fingers of a hand touching the ground while the other hand held a long spear. "It''s getting too cold for my liking." He looked at Hardy, who had just walked out of the cat home, and focused his gaze. "This Murugan of the Desert Wind tribe shall be one to spill your guts!" He rushed over to Hardy and thrust his spear straight at his belly. Hardy casually attempted to grab the spear handle with his hand, and he did succeed; however, the spear tip suddenly glowed red, and the redness quickly spread down the shaft. As heat transferred down the shaft, Hardy reflexively let go of the weapon. "?rken Spyd[Desert Spear]!" The spear pierced through Hardy''s belly and came out from the other side in the twinkling of an eye. "Guk!" Blood rushed into Hardy''s mouth, but he shut it quick. "Ghnn!" A swing of his arm pounded into Murugan''s shoulder and sent him flying to the side. Hardy pulled out the spear and ran in Murugan''s direction. "You little shit. Take this!" Soon as Murugan crashed on the ground, he got back to his feet quick, but he noticed that his right shoulder was dislocated, and before he could even frown from the pain, his spear came whistling through the wind. Though he dodged to his right, the spear chiseled a part of his ear. Murugan swiveled and grabbed hold of the spear. Taking advantage of the momentum, he shot the spear back at the incoming monster-esque man, Hardy. Given Hardy''s size, he was too easy of a target for Murugan to miss; however, the spear somewhat slowed down as it reached Hardy, and this time it couldn''t pierce through his skin. Hardy swatted the spear away, for it was too hot for his hand to hold for longer times. Bleeding a bit down a corner of the mouth, Murugan stared at Hardy while setting his dislocated shoulder back into its place with a painful effort. (This one''s hard to hunt alone.) "Stationary legs¡­ I take it as you looking for aid," A voice came from Murugan''s behind. When he turned his head, there was a familiar face. "You lack a complete set of clothing. So, this Muttia Rednor will assist you if you put on these pants." He showed a pair of pants that had weird designs. "I''ve never asked for your help," Murugan blew air through the nose. "Mind your business, freak." "Where there''s gold, there''s my business," Muttia said and smiled. "Let this western fellow help you. That hairless guy only has one hand. I''ll take his left. You take his right." Saying that he dashed ahead. "Let''s see how he''ll fight us both at a time." "Tch¡­" Upon frowning a bit, Murugan followed behind. "I''ll be taking seventy percent," Muttia voiced his mind. "Whoever deals the final blow will get the lion''s share," Murugan replied right away. "Heh." They both split in the opposite directions and attacked Hardy from two directions. Meanwhile, the mist-torpedo somewhat shrunk in size, but it still carried a great force. Many people crashed into the walls and had their bones broken at places. Lirzod caught a hook fixed high to the wall and managed to escape out of the twisting air column. His face now had no traces of blood and looked clean. He couldn''t even feel the itching from the scars Bruiser had given, for the coldness of the mist-storm surprisingly eased his pain; however, this wasn''t the case for Leggy. It had long blacked out, and with all its fur gone, it not only looked like a different cat but also more miserable than ever. Lirzod let go of the hook, which was situated three meters above the ground, and safely landed on his feet. After feeling Leggy''s heartbeat, he felt a bit relieved, but at the same time, Leggy needed to be treated soon, or there was no guessing how serious his condition could get. "All this... because of you," Someone came running at Lirzod from the front. "If I don''t cripple you today, my name is not Jehez!" As Jehez''s closed in, Lirzod''s feet didn''t move an inch, but he lifted Leggy to his face level, forcing Jehez to stop. "What''s this?" Jehez angrily asked, though his mind was on the verge of snapping. "You''re the referee, right?" Lirzod said, "Take this cat to safety." Irritation coiled up Jehez''s intestines, and his chest visibly grew and shrank in size. "One cat and a shitty one like that is not even worth shit¡­" He jabbed at Lirzod''s face, but Lirzod easily dodged it. "You really get on my nerves!" "I can say the same about you," Lirzod countered Jehez''s next punch and bruised his nose. "You chose to attack me when that skyclad dude is the one who''s gone berserk." "You!" Jehez''s blood was up, "Just go down!" he rashly let his fists loose, but Lirzod blocked all the punches with relative ease using his forearm until Jehez stopped from overexertion. Breathing audibly, he looked at Lirzod in disbelief. "You gotta be kidding me. This¡­" "I told you," Lirzod loosened his fist and walked past him. "You can''t beat me. Fists of fools are not among those I fear." "Bullshit!" Jehez roared and slammed his fist against the wall before attacking Lirzod from behind. "I''m not a fool." Lirzod stepped to his right, thereby dodging the punch. Jehez fell forward from losing the balance, and as his body moved past Lirzod, a hard slap to the back of his head made his fall all the more hurtful. Jehez tried to get back to his feet as Lirzod was walking away, but before he even took a step forward, the mist-storm came from behind and swept him away. NUOOOHH~~!! Though Lirzod could hear Jehez''s cry, he didn''t look back and only moved forward at a slow but steady pace, his eyes locked on Hardy. Along the way, a man was lying wounded on the floor. It was Mikey. Seeing Lirzod heading straight toward Hardy, he was surprised. "Wait, don''t go. Just leave. Without you around, he will stop his rampage soon." However, Lirzod didn''t reply and walked past him. "Can''t you hear? I''m telling you to stop," Mikey was still on the floor as his leg was bleeding. "That''s an alpha wolf out there¡ªa monstrous one at that. You can''t fight much less defeat it." Lirzod eyes brought Hardy into focus. "You don''t have to be an alpha to defeat one." The words that entered Mikey''s ears froze his expression. Lirzod mused to himself, "I do want to make a quick escape, but if I leave, who''ll stop him?" he then looked at Leggy, "With that mist-thing moving around, no corner in this hall is a safe place. Don''t forget that a wayfare awaits you, so hang on for a little more time. I will settle things with him quick." Holding Leggy tightly in one arm, Lirzod''s feet hastened toward Hardy without hesitation. 65 SURVIVAL "It''s a sad thing that some girl hoodwinked even a dreamboat like you, but worry not, brother. Now that you''re here, you will be saved under our care. No one watches our lives here except ourselves. Despite all that may be happening outside, we survive on this street together." "On this street, we always follow words with deeds as kings do. Just let us end your losing streak with women! It''s time you start living your life as a king." After having caught Burton as a tired team, two men in Bachelor''s Street urged him to join the brotherhood; howbeit, Burton nimbly shook off from their grip and made distance before others caught up. Ten men grouped and chased after Burton. Five more men came from his front, trying to round him up, yet he spryly slipped through their defenses, lightly hurting whoever came into a touching distance. "Tch, how did you let him escape!" one man fumed at another one for letting Burton get past him. "Are your eyes growing on your ass?" "My bad. I couldn''t read his movement." "This isn''t working. He''s been prancing around like a fox on stimulants. We are the only ones getting tired here," another man frowned as he panted a bit. "It irks me to say this, but it looks like we won''t catch him without having to hurt him," some men looked back at the man on stage who took a few seconds to nod in response. "No one gets to enter our street half-heartedly. It''s our duty to wash a man''s brain and harden his heart for good. Let this experience serve as a lesson for this fresher, too," the man on stage, Bakaya waved his hand, "Revile the rookie!" Upon hearing those words, everyone smirked as they looked at Burton. Though he got a bit far from the stage, he knew that he was still quite far away from the end of the street, and even though most men appeared quite bevvied, escaping without a struggle seemed improbable. "Boys walk on clouds when they meet good-looking girls," one man voiced his mind in a harsh tone, "but seldom do they know, a lovely outside doesn''t signify a lovely inside. Since you''re here, it''s obvious you''ve been scarred by someone, too. Just let this street heal your scars, you darned dog." "Yeah. Here you can learn to ease the pain by praising the paintings of maidens in private, you petty prick!" "It''s time for you to stop being a princess'' puppet. We''re presenting you with the best choice you can ever make. Just accept it, you short-sighted stooge!" "What nonsense are you all speaking..." Amid a torrent of verbal abuse being thrown at him, Burton''s eyes focused on Bakaya. "Forget about me joining this brotherhood or whatever you call it, but it looks like, you''re the man who needs to be thrown out of this street." "How immature," Bakaya sniggered. "You think you can reach me before my brothers beat down the swelling of your head for good?" Burton stepped forward. "You never know until you try." Bakaya sighed and shook his head before smiling. "Very well. My dear brothers, you all know the drill. Let''s show this naysayer the scary side of Bachelors Street. Whether you later get to join the Brotherhood of Boldhearts or not will depend on how you fare against our fists." "Hehe," All men, dozens of them standing at random places in the street wore wicked smiles on their faces as they cracked their knuckles. "No one has ever lasted more than a few seconds against all of us." "Now, my dear brothers," Bakaya continued, "wash his brain and wipe his mind clean with our ways." Hundreds of feet hurried at Burton from his front and rear sides at once, leaving him no room to escape. As they got closer and closer, Burton looked around, and his eyes eventually stopped on a plastic container full of empty, tin cans and other waste products. With a swift movement, he booted it without hesitation. Like a bullet fired from a gun, the container stormed into men''s view and banged off the wall and broke open. All the tin cans burst forth and caromed off several men''s faces, tables, and other objects lying around, throwing so many men in disarray. Burton then endeavored to sneak through the confused crowds. Some cans bounced off people''s chests and rebounded at Burton, too, and he had to fend off the cans and also the fists that rushed at him. Seeing him get through the first wave of men unscathed, those who failed to land a hit were disappointed and put up stone faces. "Damn, I thought I had him. He''s so lucky." "And slippery as well." "Well, he isn''t that special." "He just slipped through almost twenty of our brothers. We''ve got to give him some credit at least." "Yes, but that''s as far as he can go." Some men smirked. "After all, there are no more dustbins around." Different men gave in different opinions. Burton, meanwhile, kept pacing toward the next wave of men blocking his way to the stage. "Someone must put him in his place," a heavy man came stamping at Burton. "Let my fists be the judge. I need six more to block his way on either side." Six men immediately gathered around¡ªwith three each on either side¡ªand completely blocked the way. "Where can you go now, huh? It shall be me who''ll wash your mind," the heavy man sneered and gestured with his fingers for Burton to come. "Trying to provoke me so that I''ll face you head on, huh." A corner of Burton''s mouth lifted a little. "Reminds me of a certain someone, but at least your thoughts aren''t written on your face. However, I must tell you¡­" Upon getting in a ten-meter range, Burton sprang forward, "Washing my mind won''t be a walk in the park." "Heh, let''s see how good your fists can back your mouth," the heavy man threw a punch, but Burton easily dodged it; howbeit, one of the six men speared his shoulder into Burton''s stomach. Though Burton managed to nullify the force by sliding back on his feet, another man''s sweeping kick sought his face from the front. He wasn''t in a position to move, so the kick landed solidly, albeit on Burton''s palm. "H-He caught the leg! Only a few people ever took that surprise attack combo and still managed to stand," many men were nonplussed and frustrated at the same time because it was a move that always gave them victory. "I thought you guys said you could finish me off in a few seconds," Burton pushed the men away and cleared his throat. "It seems we''ve got some liars on this street." His words flooded bitterness in men''s stomachs. "Someone''s getting ahead of themselves," a voice came from Burton''s behind, "you aren''t actually thinking you''ve won now, are you?" Two big arms curled around Burton''s chest and tightly grabbed him, forcing him to let go of the other two men. The heavy man from before, who now grabbed hold of Burton, spun him viciously and slammed him into the wall. Even the heavy man himself careened into the opposite wall. Burton rebounded off the wall and stopped in a slide, but his brain felt as if it was still spinning. He shook his head to lose the dizziness. "H-He withstood the monkeyed ogre spin[1]," the nearby men watched with widened eyes, "and he''s not even grazed a bit. I-Is he for real?" Every man in the past had fallen prey to that attack. Judging by how even the heavy man failed to balance himself and collapsed after finishing his attack, there was no doubt he had put his all into the attack, yet this purple-haired boy was still standing with but maybe a teeny twinge of pain perceptible on his visage. When Burton took a step forward, many men involuntarily took a step backward in hung-open mouths. Bakaya knitted his brows from seeing his brothers backing away. "Remember, brothers. Fear is our slave. There will be times when it rebels, but as its masters, it''s our burden to put it back in its place." He spread his arms wide open. "Everyone who can hear my words, it''s time to foil your fears once more. Band together and baffle that buffoon!" Bakaya''s words sowed seeds of strength in their hearts, and they quickly sprouted and spread insolence through the arteries, and in return, the veins unremittingly supplied their hearts with valor. Except for those on stage, every other soul in the street assaulted the purple-haired young man at once. In a moment''s span, vehement deluges of fists loomed into Burton''s vision and were on their way to rain down on him from every direction, not leaving room for even flies to flee. On the stage, in Bakaya''s eyes, a single fellow was getting routed by the ruthlessness of his brothers-to-be. Such a scenery backed by the belligerent voices of his brothers brought a blithesome beam on Bakaya''s face, and he began to clap briskly and showed his appreciation. "More. That''s right. More. Love him more with your fists until all the loveliness leaves his features!" Bakaya declared in an increasingly immoderately-excited tone, his eyes bathing in bliss as they witnessed the ongoing demolition. "Hah! Yeah!" Men''s zestful voices echoed throughout the street. After stroaming around for a few moments in sick daydreams, Bakaya got back to his senses and smiled. "All right, brothers. That''s enough. Let''s see if this foolish fellow has learned his lesson yet." Upon hearing Bakaya''s words, men slowly put their fists to rest and made way to open up a view for their big brother. Bakaya''s smile broadened from seeing the blood-soaked face of the man who was on his knees, his face wholly blemished by blood; however, Bakaya''s smile hit a sudden break when he saw that man''s hair which was black. At the same moment, one of the men also realized the same thing. "T-This is one of us! A baby brother!" "What?" All the men concentrated at a single spot was utterly stunned and looked around immediately, scanning each other''s surroundings. "Where''s that fellow? Find him quick." Bakaya who had a frozen expression heard a sneeze from his right. When he turned his head, there was a man right outside the ring. "Eeek!" Disbelief danced on Bakaya''s face as that man, Burton, stepped onto the ring. "I don''t know how you got here, but this is as far as you can press on," the young, muscular man standing behind Bakaya attacked without a second thought, but Burton blocked all the incoming vicious punches with his forearms. Everyone in the street suddenly looked toward the stage saw the muscular man grab Burton''s arms and roar before banging his head against Burton''s forehead. "Senior Brother''s skull can split open a turtle''s shell! That fellow''s skull would have cracked open!" "Haha, that''s what he gets for not listening to our warnings." As the men boasted in haste, their mouths hit a sudden break when they saw a man fall and hug the stage. The crowds were left slack-jawed. "Senior Brother Gainz!" "T-This¡­ Why did Senior Brother Gainz collapse all of a sudden? What''s going on?" "He''s not moving. Is our Senior Brother Gainz really¡­" As the crowd watched in dubiety and disbelief, Burton scratched his forehead with his index finger. "That brought an itch." "Good Lord, he actually took down the second strongest brother in our street." Hairs on some men''s bodies stood on their ends while some others were frozen in fright. Even so, a spiky-haired man from the crowd sneakily used his slingshot and shot three pointy stones at Burton, but to his horror, the stones reached a standstill between Burton''s fingers. "T-This guy..." the spiky-haired man was taken aback, wearing a frightened look on his face. (My shots fly at over 300 feet per second. He''s not even 100 feet away, yet he managed to¡ª) A shiver ran down the spiky-haired man''s spine. (He didn''t pinpoint my location, did he?) As he was thinking, Burton glanced in his direction for a moment, giving him a near heart attack, but Burton soon broke the eye-contact and acted as if nothing happened, making the spiky-haired man suck in a burdening breath. (He''s dangerous!) As doubts still disconcerted and bumbazed most men, Burton approached Bakaya, bearing the eyes of a predator being blatant with a foiled prey. "I-Impossible," Bakaya was taken aback, his hands patently shivering and unbelief oozing out of his eyes. "H-How did you do it?" Burton''s raised his hand a bit and slowly balled a fist, "I buddied up with fear."His response widened Bakaya''s expression. "You¡­" Bakaya gnashed his teeth in sheer frustration and launched a punch that curved through the air and sought Burton''s face. "No brother tries their hand against me in this street!" Bakaya''s fist, however, hit nothing but air, but before he caught on the opponent''s movement, a punch pounded in his stomach and instantly whitened his eyes. As Bakaya spilled a mixture of saliva and blood, his chin settled on Burton''s shoulder. "Big Brother Bakaya!" Everyone who witnessed that was shell-shocked. "I''m not your brother," Burton pushed the unconscious Bakaya to the side. The crashing down of their big brother reddened every pair of observing eyes. "Let loose Lobo!" one man roared his lungs out. Everyone began to howl simultaneously and produced ear-irking noise. Moments later, a horrendous howl answered back from afar. The response brightened men''s eyes apace, and they grinned at Burton as if he was going to get everything he deserved. Suddenly, the entire street fell silent, not reckoning the heaving breaths and burdening heartbeats. The whole neighborhood appeared scariest at this moment, for it seemed as if no one knew what was really in other''s minds, yet most of them were willing to take on a foe for the same thing, which was to preserve the pride of Bachelors Street. Burton''s right ear jerked a little. He turned around by degrees. Though the street was still pretty quiet, the rising sound of something scraping the floor was perceived by Burton''s ears, and then came into his view a four-legged creature, whipping its tail viciously, dragging a thick chain by its throat, a black wolf taller than every resident in the street and possibly stronger, too. "Get him, Lobo!" Men shouted as they pointed their fingers at Burton, and the black wolf, Lobo hurtled past men and approached Burton with an increasing gait. "Pounce on that prick for good!" Lobo, the guardian wolf of the street, leaped onto the stage and neared Burton. As every bystander expected a bloodbath, Lobo''s paw slid into a halt and stopped at only an arm''s length away from the human who moved not an inch, and both their unflinching eyes fleetingly met. Lobo prudently turned back, pranced down the stage and paced away from the purple-haired man, leaving all the onlookers in stupefaction. This time, the growing silence stuffed the surroundings with insecurity and riddled many minds, suffocated many souls and ate away bits of their apprehension. "What just happened?" some men couldn''t get their minds around what they just witnessed. Every time they had unchained their guardian beast, it did the job for the street. What had happened this time was something they had never seen before. "L-Lobo backed away?" "D-Did he stare down at the charging wolf and come out on top?" one man doubtfully stated. "This..." another man lost all the glow in his face. "How can a fierce predator avoid a fight? I must be seeing things. Yeah, right. Someone stone me!" "Predators can breathe fear into prey only when permitted," Burton booted a small stone, and it mildly hit the man who just spoke and left him momentarily speechless. "I didn''t mean it literally, but¡­" the man didn''t know what to say. It wasn''t just him, but most others had puzzled expressions, but now that Burton''s attention was on them, their veins ran cold. Bachelors Street had a strict hierarchy. With Baby Brother being the weakest, the ranks ascended into Little Brother, Junior Brother, Senior Brother, and finally the strongest being the Big Brother. Given that their Big Brother and one of the senior brothers already suffered a crushing defeat, the eyes of the rest slowly but surely showed the signs of seeking revenge at least half-heartedly. "You may have won against our big brother, but can you win against all of us?" Upon steeling their hearts through an uplifting exchange of glances, every man rushed toward the stage. "None of us think so!" More than fifty people immediately surrounded the stage, and some even jumped onto it. "Wait!" However, before anyone got their fists to Burton, a strained call caused them to stop and look toward the source where one of their senior brothers, Gainz was standing on his feet. A thin stream of blood dripped down his forehead and reached all the way to the tip of the nose, and he licked the blood off the base of his nose. "That was short but a good fight nonetheless," he said and leaked out a thin smile at Burton who was glancing at him sideways. Gainz gave a once-over to all the men in the vicinity. "My dear brothers, after tasting an inglorious defeat, I don''t have the right to command any one of you anymore, but to those who still want to give me a chance, please hear me out because I have a proposal." "A proposal?" Uncertainty crossed men''s expressions, and they looked at each other''s faces. "For him to say that now of all times, just what might that be?" Murmurs sprang to life on the street. In a short interval, the blood stain left by Gainz on the stage slowly but surely seeped in deep into the hardwood. "Bring it out! This is nowhere near enough! Do you see any pink faces here, huh, baby brothers?" Exuberant voices could be heard enlivening the street, especially near the stage. "Lay more rum at your elder brothers'' feet and supply them with every other sustenance they pine for!" Most men could be seen partying around the stage while a few kept kissing their favorite paintings, but all in all, they seemed lost in bliss. Bakaya, though, was escorted to his room for treatment. Gainz and a few other men, in the meantime, were discussing with Burton. "Bachelors Street can not only survive but also thrive under a strong overseer," Gainz politely spoke to Burton. Including Gainz, many others got on one of their knees and bowed their heads. "Brother Burton, please accept our proposal and become our new big brother." Those who were too drunk to kneel just lifted the jars and bottles in their hands to show their approval. Burton let out a leisurely, lucid breath. "I didn''t beat that guy to become your new big brother." His words brought about a gentle silence in the neighborhood. Burton then continued, "Besides, I don''t quite delight in being called big brother. It reminds me of Dumb-lord." Burton''s words brought puzzlement and disappointment on men''s faces. Some drunken men broke down into tears and yelped heavy-heartedly, but their acting was so bad that it made Burton shake his head. "Uh, if you don''t want to take our big brother''s role, then there''s nothing we can do, brother," Gainz said in a stressful tone, "but we want you to know that you will always be welcomed here, at least as long as I''m here." "Actually," Burton scratched his chin a little, "I thought it would be better if I just send the leader away from this street, but now, it looks like I have to send everyone else instead." Gainz and others had their eyes enlarged as they perceived as if he was hinting about fighting them. "B-Brother, are you suggesting¡ª" A sense of dread swept against men''s face, and it made many of them spring to their feet. A couple of men, who just walked out of a room, brought jars full of rum and put them before Burton. "Please chug on it, brother." Burton paused a moment and shook his head. "I can''t." "Hm? Why not?" the two of them asked simultaneously, while the hearts of other men throbbed in the background. "Thanks for the drink, but I can''t accept it," Burton spoke casually, but soreness flooded men''s heads from hearing his words. "Why are you not accepting our offer to drink?" one of the two men who brought the drink asked in a raised tone, "Except for the test hall, it''s quite hard to find even a drop of alcohol anywhere on this deck. So drink it while we are in a giving mood." His words sounded more like a demand than a request. The other men in the background swallowed down gulps, but they didn''t dare to interrupt the conversation. "No," Burton calmly refused. "Why not?" one of the two men walked unevenly on his feet as he stepped toward Burton. "Anyone who refuses to drink on Bachelors Street will not go to sleep without a dizzy mind and a beaten body. Since you are one of us now, you should also obey the rules. It''s just rum. I don''t see any problem. Heh, it''s not like you are going to die from drinking it." The other man also smirked to show his support, but the rest of the men, however, had beads of cold sweat dripping down their faces. As tensions around the stage quickly escalated, Gainz stepped ahead to speak. "I do have a problem," Burton said, stopping Gainz, "If I drink too much and lose myself, who''ll look after me safely? Who''ll tell me the difference between the good and the bad?" he gave a once-over to some people, most of whom were drunk as a skunk, but some had surprised expressions on their faces. "Clearly, I''m not in a clean neighborhood for me to rely on someone among you." Burton''s blunt words hurt their pride; but before anyone reacted, Gainz said, "We are not drinking just for the sake of it, Brother Burton. By getting drunk, we forget the pain this world has put on us. We can also praise ourselves for everything we''ve done to date." "Yeah, well said, Senior Brother Gainz," Everyone backed him, sloshing liquids in their jars. "What good will praising ourselves achieve?" Burton''s asked back but got no response, except for some guilty expressions. "All praising ourselves does is nothing but lessen us. Instead of praising the paintings on the walls, go and praise a real woman whom you may find to your liking instead. And whether she likes you back or not, don''t take your praises back. That''s how, I think, praising should be done." Everyone went silent for a second, and some stuck-out chests in the crowd shrunk on their own accord. "B-But women are too cruel out there," Gainz responded, rolling his fingers into balls of fury. "They''ve done so many bad things to us¡ªbroken too many hearts too many times!" "Yeah, Senior Brother Gainz is right," other men backed Gainz and barked at Burton, with rising vigor in their voices, "you have no idea what you''re talking. You wouldn''t have spouted all that nonsense if you also had gotten tricked more times than you can remember." Burton stepped forward, making many nearby men move away. Everyone just watched him climb down the stairs and walk away, but after going some distance, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder and addressed the men, "You know what... Women are not your problem¡ªthe world is." His eyes fixated on the path ahead of him as he resumed walking with hands placed in the pockets, "Dreams turn into destinies only when our focus is on fighting the world, not women. As far as I know, there''s no better way to survive." Not a single soul moved to stop Burton as he strolled away like a stately tiger walking out of a wolf''s den. .......... [1] Ogre Spin: Ogres were known for silently spinning their prey and make them go dizzy before beating and eventually eating them. There was a famous saying, "Ogres found! Lives lost!" which meant many things as different people fathomed it differently such as if someone found an ogre, then that someone is going to lose their life, or some others have already lost their lives by then, but the general belief is that lives are lost by the time the ogres are found. A monkeyed ogre spin, though, is but an imitated version. .......... Author''s Note: Hello, everyone. I''ve been inactive for more than three weeks due to personal problems. To all those who''ve been patiently waiting for the chapters, I apologize for this delay. In case you were worried or disappointed, wondering if this novel was put on hold, then please fret no longer. Although I may take little breaks here and there, I don''t intend to stop this novel until I write the last chapter. Please follow my discord server where I''ll post updates regarding the release dates or delays and what not, so you will never be left clueless as to what''s going on. You can also have great discussions with other members on the server. To compensate for the lost weeks in this month of June, I''m going to release more chapters in the coming days. Thank you. 66 DRILL HALL In a random street on the twelfth deck, in front of the room 12F-21. "How could you use my water for cleaning your foot!" A small-eyed man grabbed Sariyu''s shirt under the neck and howled in rage. "Do you have any idea how long I had to wait in line to get that half liter of drinking water?" "I-I didn''t think it was drinking water," Sariyu had a stupefied expression. "My finger was bleeding, so I had to wash it before dressing the wound¡ª" "I don''t care!" the small-eyed man enlarged his eyes and demanded, "give me my water back!" "W-What¡­" Sariyu was at a loss for words. "I''m sorry." "Screw your sorry," he pushed Sariyu away and let go of her shirt. "I want my water back." "But it''s already wasted," she was still mazed, "how can I give it back?" The small-eyed man ground his teeth. "Are you making a fool out of me? I was talking about you going to a drill hall and fetching whatever the amount of water you owe me!" "It''s not intentional," Sariyu replied, stepping back once while rapidly blinking, which lead to a wide-eyed look. "I don''t care." "Uh, wait, you can have some copper¡ª" "I don''t want your money, rich lass!" His eyes turned red. "What I want is my water." Sariyu was left in a dilemma, and guilt slowly crept over her face thanks to the small-eyed man''s growing diatribe. She had requested water from this guy, and he gave her a half-liter bottle and told her to drink half of it, then went into his room and came back a minute later only to see Sariyu treating her wound with the water and she used almost sixty percent, but the man argued that she used three-fourths of it. Having said that, what bothered him, even more, was seeing his water wasted for cleansing the wound, and he couldn''t digest what he had seen. "Is that drill hall nearby?" Sariyu asked with a sorry face. "To both of our luck, yes," the man snorted. "Let me lock my room, and we''ll go together." Saying that he hurried into his room, came out with another bottle and wasted no time in locking the door, all the while smiling to himself. (Hehe, I''m free anyway. If I go with her, I can get extra half-liter water. Two needs dealt with one deed.) Both of them set out, although only Sariyu showed any haste to reach the hall quick. The ants roving in the cracks on the wall of the small-eyed man''s room took their time to transport bits of sugar into their buried shelter through the ant hills made from tiny pebbles at the base of the wall. Sariyu and the small-eyed man arrived at the drill hall by the boulevard. The palm trees on either side of the street grabbed her attention, but the other fellow hurried her. Soon as they entered the spacious hall, eyes of all colors and capacities sought for a sight at the stunning sweetheart. Ensorcelled by the adorable belle, not a soul moved as most of them kept their two eyes on Sariyu while she was captivated by the warm orange glow in the room which was more apparent than in the test hall. It was so easy on the eyes and resembled the dawn of the sun. The lighting inside the ship, in most places, was just too good in creating a pleasant mood, but this was on a whole different level, so she couldn''t help but feel appreciation toward it on the inside. Meanwhile, the small-eyed man walked straight toward the Water Booth where dozens of ten-thousand-liter-tanks stood taller than everyone else. Some occupied wooden cells, like that of cages, could also be seen in the background. "Wow, so this is where people train their skills," the atmosphere in the hall enlivened Sariyu''s eyes. Seeing so many people practice martial arts in groups scattered across the room reminded her of her school days, "this is awesome." If many eyes weren''t locked on her, she probably would have jumped with joy. "Awesome, yes indeed," the small-eyed man substantiated her impressions with his words. "Martial arts gets drilled into the folks until the practice of it becomes a practice. Every deck has at least one of these halls, and since the training here is free, many people flock here, but hey, you remember what you came here for, right?" "Yeah, of course. We are here for fresh wat¡ª" Sariyu looked toward the Water Booth, and all the sprightliness in her face vanished apace. "Eh? Is that a line?" "Yep, that''s what it is. I''m glad you didn''t mistake it for a python," the small-eyed man said, looking at the long, snake-like queue made of around a thousand men. "This will take too long," Sariyu turned to look at him, furious over herself for having agreed to help him, "and we only get half-a-liter after all the waiting." Her shoulders slumped down and gloom shrouded her features. "Not exactly, but now you know the source of my anger," the small-eyed man frankly said, "If you think I''m going to fall for your gloomy guise, then please stop." "What?" Fury surged up inside her, and she stressed her words, "Do I look like I''m acting?" "U-Uh," the small-eyed felt a sense of dread and raised his palms as if telling her to stop. He also kept smiling, but nothing happened. "T-The joke wasn''t funny?" "Joke, huh," Sariyu squinted her eyes, "Joke again, and I''ll leave right away." "I won''t. I won''t, for sure." "Hmph," Sariyu folded her arms across her chest, "I-Isn''t there any other way? A quicker one?" "Uh, yes, well, there is one way, but I wouldn''t recommend it to anybody, surely, not to you. They''d only destroy you." "Who''s ''they''?" "Who else? The trainees in this hall," the small-eyed man said, clutching his shoulders as he looked at some people in the hall, for he got reminded of the time when he got trashed by one of the trainees. "In the beginning, I used to wait in line like every newcomer, and I didn''t have much of a problem back then as when my turn came, I drank stomachful and then took half-a-liter back to my room, but as the days went by, maybe my head grew big, or my eyes grew smaller, I challenged the trainees for water, thinking I could get an extra liter of it for every individual I defeat without having to wait in the queue for hours every day," he looked gloomy and depressed all of a sudden, "but I ended up returning home with a sore neck and shoulders. I learned a hard lesson that day," he was visibly frozen with terror, "You don''t screw with the rabbits here, or they''ll screw you up!" "So, sparring with the trainees quickens things in this hall, huh," Sariyu''s eyes scanned around. Many men paused their work and looked back at her, but still, some men were focused on their work. A few though shouted excessively to attract her attention, but her gaze stopped at a tall, gray-haired man with a long face who was walking from one group to another, teaching them things. "Who''s that?" Sariyu pointed her finger at him. "Who, you mean the one with the bayonet rifle on his back?" the small-eyed man''s eyes widened. "Yeah." "He''s the hall monitor, Sir Sean!" he hurriedly said with fear overflowing through his words, "Don''t even think about challenging him. He can beat anyone in this hall with just one hand." "So, he''s the supervisor. Let''s meet him then," Sariyu walked in Sean''s direction. "Didn''t you hear what I just said?" the small-eyed man clutched his head not knowing what to do. If he followed her anymore, the trainees might think him as her friend, and he didn''t want that. (There must be hundreds of trainees in this hall. No one would want to make enemies out of them. Just what is this stupid girl thinking?) He just watched as she walked away, but still, some men had their eyes locked on him. "Oh crap, we shouldn''t have entered the hall together. I didn''t think she''d be so short-sighted!" he frowned, "What the heck should I do now?" As Sariyu approached Sean, he was tutoring one of the new trainees, a shy-looking boy, while also sipping eggnog. "Stop chicken-winging your arms and rotate them around your core, or you''ll punch won''t even break your granny''s tooth." "Y-Yes, sir." "Don''t ''yes'' me. Answer me back with your moves!" the more Sean intimidated the shy boy, the more his movements lacked determination. "What''s up with these regressive punches? I see no purpose behind them. None whatsoever. Throw them like you mean them, you spineless snail! Didn''t your parents teach you ''fear''?" Tears streamed down the shy boy''s face, but he kept on punching through the air. His parents had always given him everything he wanted and said ''no'' to nothing. It was because his family got into trouble which introduced him with the reality of the world, he then decided to embark on a journey to strengthen himself to be able to steer his family through to a peaceful and happy lifestyle once more. Just imagining everything that happened in his past made him boiling mad, and he threw punches viciously while trying his best to not over-extend his arms. "Yeah, now we''re talking. Keep punching like that. Turn all your fears into strength," Sean said and snorted as he walked up to the next trainee with his arms placed on his back. "Fear is a fool''s foe but a wise man''s friend." He punched the trainee in his stomach, making him spill a mouthful of saliva. "Where''s the intent, huh? I see none of it in your punches. I don''t care what problems you have at your home, but don''t bring any of that to this hall. Don''t step in here without making up your mind, understand?" "Yes, sir," the trainee painfully replied, still frowning and bowing from agony. Sean continued to walk toward the next trainee, causing him to be extra active in his practice. He addressed the nearby trainees in a loud and confident tone, "Growing strong isn''t easy. Those who need help, don''t shy away from asking it, but at the same time, train yourselves to ask for help only if it''s absolutely necessary. Straighten out your thoughts, and fix your mind on just what you want. Such resolve is the key to stepping into the rabbits plane. Those who lack it, forget about fighting, they can''t even look at their enemy in the eye." "Excuse me," a feminine voice reached Sean''s ears, causing him to look to his right. "Mm?" Sean glanced to his right and asked in an irked tone because someone interrupted his speech. "What?" "I''ve come for water, but I can''t wait in a long queue like that," Sariyu said, rubbing her chin, looking all hesitant. "So¡­" "So what?" Sean didn''t move an inch. "Do you want to dare a duel?" "I do," she replied, holding in a breath, "but only if it''s absolutely necessary." Sean''s feet turned toward her, and his eyes also showed some light. "Miss, the upper belts have a perennial supply of fresh, drinking water, but that''s not the case for this belt. Here, one must earn every drop of water that goes down their throat. I wish there were different rules set for women, but I can only do so much with my power. It seems like you''ve have come prepared for what you''re asking," Seeing him face her, the nearby pupils started to gather around. "So how much water do you want, miss?" Sariyu''s lips parted to speak, "Just a liter." "Oh¡­ then a first-degree copper rabbit should do," Sean looked around at the gathered trainees, but his eyes stopped on someone who was at a corner, doing something strange. "Just wait a minute, miss," Sean said and walked toward a corner of the hall without making any noise. "Lord, I need a sign. Please show me something," the trainee at a corner, a blonde-haired youth, was on his knees, begging for a change of things in his life. "On your feet, you musty, little fool!" Sean''s voice that came from behind startled the heck out of him. "S-S-Sir!" he stood and bowed. "Prayer without practice wouldn''t get you anywhere," Sean turned around. "Follow me." Meanwhile, the men gathered around Sariyu numbered close to twenty, and most of them had their arms crossed across their chests. "Hehe, would you look at those delicate hands!" One man sniggered. "I bet she never lifted weights." "Forget about weights, brother. Has she ever been out in the sun? I wonder." "If you''re so thirsty, I will give you the water you need, but would you may be willing to becoming my girlfriend?" "Oi, someone''s getting way ahead about their future. What about us then?" "Hahaha." Sariyu calmly stood right where she was, even though their laughs kept growing on her. She breathed audibly through her nose. "Why aren''t you saying anything, girl?" "If you are that afraid to talk, then why bother challenge, huh?" "Maybe she just wants to show off to her boyfriend." "Boyfriend? You mean that shrimp she came with?" Many men looked toward the small-eyed man who was standing about fifty meters away. "I don''t know that chick," he said aloud and walked away toward the water booth in a hurry. Oh, no. They''ve still got their eyes on me. I"m gone. "Why that feeble fellow? Anyone from among us would be a much better choice." "Yeah. Do that." Sariyu bit the inside of her cheek. "It stinks here." "What?" the men were puzzled for a moment. "Yeah, we shed sweat here all day and night, so yes, it stinks. But you meant something else, didn''t you?" Sariyu, however, stayed silent and then shut her nose, causing some men to frown and grit their teeth. "Hmph, this girl''s got a corrupt tongue. Someone has to slap her back to senses, or she''ll continue to suffer." "Hehe, I''ll be that someone," a couple of men stepped closer to her. "Stop talking with your dicks, morons, and move aside," Sean''s voice made everyone step aside and make room in the center. He stopped before Sariyu and smiled. "I apologize on their behalf. It''s been a few weeks since a maiden graced this hall. So their mouths went a bit out of control." "I''m glad at least one decent person could be found in this hall," Sariyu unfolded her arms a bit, but her reply surprised everyone. The trainees especially felt an invisible hand slap their faces. Sean, however, just smiled. "Whist, woman!" the blonde youth, who was standing behind Sean, immediately stepped forward. "In this hall, one has to prove their worth before they can utter such words." He sprang forth, and with a rotation in midair, he launched an energetic kick at her shoulder. In a flash, Sariyu met his kick with her own by bringing the knee up to her face, and both the shins met in a bang. "Heh, what''s with that block? Her shin is screwed up for sure." As some men sneered, the blonde youth suddenly frowned and hopped back on one leg, clutching the other. "Nghh!" "Hey," men''s eyes widened upon seeing him dance on one leg, "what''s wrong?" "It hurts," the blonde youth mumbled to himself before eventually losing balance. His face showed others that he was in clear pain. As he dropped to the deck, the other men couldn''t believe their eyes. "Oi, stop fooling around and get up." "You are acting to save her face, aren''t you? You can''t fool us!" Though many men tried to reason with the blonde guy, they got no response. "H-He''s one of the rising rabbits, but she took him down without even attacking?" some men still couldn''t believe what they were seeing. They looked back at Sariyu with dumbfounded gazes. "After drinking your stomachful, you can take home a liter of water," Sean stepped forward and gestured with his hand to one of the trainees to bring water. His words baffled the trainees, for it meant that she surely won the exchange of kicks without trickery involved. "Just a liter of water is enough, and¡­" Sariyu looked at a couple of guys and then at the blonde youth and said, "Thanks for making things easy." Though Sariyu''s words did more than just rub salt over someone''s wound. Her words were akin to covering a hundred cheeks with one slap. What made her words all the more painful for the blonde youth was that she wasn''t even smiling. So, he got perplexed by her words while some others still wondered if the blonde guy really lost on purpose; however, the blonde guy''s face looked as if cockroaches had crawled on his face for hours and left dark spots all over it, and to add to it, he broke down into ears. One of the trainees brought the water bottle and handed it to Sean, who then tossed it to Sariyu. "Do you want to have a spar perhaps? It may serve as a good lecture for my pupils." After catching the bottle with one hand, she said, "No. I''m good." "Now, I''m not that strong if you maybe are having that impression." Sariyu turned sideways and smiled a little. "If there''s one thing I know for sure about the field of tutoring, it is that¡ªone shall not trouble those who tutor for free. Besides, I got what I came here for, so there''s no need for me to overstay if it''s simply to benefit those who bothered me." Even though Sariyu started to walk away, Sean didn''t speak; however, some of the trainees couldn''t help but let their mouth run wild. "You''re leaving unscathed because you fought someone who''s only a first-degree copper rabbit. Just fight someone who''s a second-degree copper rabbit and see if you can still leave in one piece." "Yeah, why not try for another liter, huh?" Sariyu, however, didn''t even turn back. Seeing how she was seemingly unaffected by his pupils, Sean laughed a little and turned to face his dissatisfied pupils. "Do not be deceived by her delicate features. Some flowers, no matter how dainty they may look, are better not taken granted for a sniff. This flower may very well arrest your heart if you''re not careful." Sariyu, on the other hand, wore a disappointed look on her face and her eyes dimmed down a bit, unlike the time she had entered the hall. "This hall seems like a good enough place for beginner martial artists, but sadly, it doesn''t seem like a good place for making friends." "You were wonderful, miss!" the small-eyed man came to her with his praising tongue out. "That fool deserved what he got. It would have been great if you had taught a nice lesson for a few more, but I guess it''s better to be safe than sorry. At least now that one of their peers got subdued, they will come down from the clouds thanks to you." "He was a bit hot-headed, but still, he may be a better guy than his impudent seniors," Sariyu handed him the bottle, brightening his face. "Thank you, miss. Thank you very much. Now I don''t need to worry for two more days, haha." Meanwhile, someone just entered the hall, panting a bit. "Whew¡­ those five baldies surely can''t come barging into this hall looking for trouble. I can be safe here at least for now. Mm?" Just then his eyes lay on two people who stopped only about ten meters in front of him. "M-Miss Sariyu! So you are here!" he ran up to her. "777!" Sariyu was both shocked and relieved from seeing him. "I was worried they might have done something bad to you." "No, they didn''t," 777 smirked. "And they won''t¡ªfor another million years, not until they cut their weights by at least half." His eyes stopped on the water bottle. "Oh, goodness me, my throat has been feeling like a desert." He snatched the bottle from the small-eyed man''s hand and hurriedly downed the water. "No, that water''s¡ª" By the time the small-eyed man spoke, 777 gestured with his hand for him to stop. After gulping down all the water in one go, 777 burped and looked at the small-eyed man, "you were saying something?" "You just drank my water!" the small-eyed man enlarged his eyes in anger. "Yeah, I did. What about it?" 777 casually replied as he tossed the empty bottle at him, "Do you have another bottle to give, perhaps?" "You¡­" The small-eyed man ground his teeth and then looked at Sariyu. She just raised her hands as if she had nothing to do with what just happened. "Commander Sean! Commander Sean!" Just then a funny-faced man came running into the hall and raced straight to Sean. "Commander Sean! Commander Sean, the test hall¡ª" "Whoa, calm down, buddy," Sean placed his hands on the man''s shoulders and helped him stand straight. "First take some deep breaths through your stomach and then speak out." After sucking in a deep breath, the funny-faced man cried out, "the cat''s home got wrecked, and the entire test hall''s thrown into chaos, sir." "What?" Everyone who heard his words was stunned briefly. "Huh?" Sean found it hard to believe, especially given how hysterical the funny-faced man looked. He gripped the man''s shoulders tightly, "If this is a joke¡ª" "I swear on myself, sir," the funny-faced man put his hand over his head, "I''m telling the truth." Sean let go of the man and balled his fists, "Who''s behind it this time?" "The Hardy Brothers." the funny-faced man said in a hurry, "they are destroying more of the hall as we speak, sir. If someone doesn''t stop them soon¡ª" Sean''s eyes slowly broadened, startling the funny-faced man. "Hardy Brothers¡­ Those five piglets dared to dance on my deck!" "Whoa, the hall''s in chaos?" everyone in the Drill Hall was greatly surprised as revelation bridged the gap between one mouth to the ears of another. (Is Lirzod still in there?) At the same moment, Sariyu, who also heard the news, showed a hint of worry. (I have to get there quick.) She looked at 777. "Solve your water issue with him, then find me at the hall." Saying that she stormed out of the hall. "Why''s she running toward trouble?" the small-eyed man wore a dumbfounded expression. "No idea," 777 also had a somewhat puzzled expression and began to walk. "I guess I''ll take a bit of rest somewhere first." "Wait, where you are going, huh?" the small-eyed man placed his hand on 777''s shoulder. "What about the water? Didn''t you hear her speak?" 777 coldly glanced over his shoulder. "You want me to wait in that long-ass line to procure water which won''t even suffice to wipe one''s ass clean? Take your hands off me, trash." Unnerved, the small-eyed man lifted his hand off 777''s shoulder right away. 777 walked away without looking back again. 67 FIERCE SHOW Ribbing ruthlessly, two felines cut each other off and bickered worse than brothers as they went about proving their point of pride through their recurring flare-ups. Black and gray fuzz flew into the air as they wrangled and wrestled their way in an attempt to subdue the other, and in that process, they put in an appearance at the entrance of the test hall. Though the room abounded with howling men, and a vicious mist-storm was also harassing its way through all obstruction, the two cats still didn''t have a care in the world and clawed each other''s blood out as they rolled on the floor, trying to get under the other. As the cats were preoccupied with their expeditious clash, the storm swallowed them both in two shakes of a grimlakin''s tail, yet it couldn''t stop their scuffle. Despite being blinded by the swirling jets of mist blowing in their faces, each cat''s claws still sought their recognized adversary. All the grasses, which used to be in the cat ring, now viciously drifted through the wind and cut those who bore smooth skin. The cats, however, nibbled on the flying grass in the middle of the fight. At the moment, inside the test hall, that wasn''t the only impetuous battle in existence. "How are you going to take on the two of us at a time, huh?" Muttia snickered as he approached from Hardy''s left rather cautiously. "Though I don''t have any clothes that fit someone your size, I still have to try and see if the extra-sized, elastic underpants from my collection will fit you or not." Hardy''s attention, however, shifted toward Murugan who closed in at an excellent speed. "You brought Hardy''s blood out. I shall bring yours, too!" "My blood can burn this wood," retorted Murugan, "I don''t think you can handle it, either." "Nothing''s too hot for Hardy," he raised his fist to meet Murugan''s incoming spear attack. "Got you, nudist," Muttia''s voice came from Hardy''s back, startling him as he didn''t expect Muttia to close the gap in such a short time. "Shadow Stripping Stab Series!" A chain of spear-like hand thrusts converged on Hardy''s back, and Hardy whose hand was already in motion had no time to react, except turn his head back a bit. "Got you, too!" a voice that came from Muttia''s side made him glance to his left when a foot came out of nowhere and smashed him in the face, causing him to crash back down to the floor. "Ngh?" when Muttia immediately stood and looked, a young boy was now standing behind Hardy. The sudden change of events also made Murugan stop in his tracks. "What''s your problem, baby gear?" "My problem is not your problem," suggested Lirzod, stroking Leggy under the chin, "Just go away." Hardy, on the other hand, couldn''t swallow saliva down the throat, "Why, why did you help me?" Lirzod tilted his head up by degrees and glanced up at him, "I had to." Hardy''s fists tightened into rocks,and by this point, he smelled hostile. "Why?" "To beat you," Lirzod responded in a pressing tone with no emotion on his face. With Lirzod being so close, Hardy''s breathing became more audible by the second. "Hardy delights in dry humor, but not when he''s the target of it." All the anger he had forced to sit still in his stomach now snapped. A ball of bitterness¡ªHardy''s fist¡ªwent for Lirzod''s face. With a spry leap, Lirzod dodged the attack and landed atop Hardy''s hand, and after a quick hop on the arm, his foot hacked into Hardy''s jaw in a resounding bang. Hardy''s neck twisted more than ninety degrees from the jolt. As Lirzod landed behind Hardy, both Murugan and Muttia had somewhat surprised looks on their faces. A momentary silence followed, and Hardy rubbed his jaw softly, for a contusion as large as his eye came to light. A smile came after. "So you can confront hostility after all. Hardy takes back his armchair speculation that thought otherwise, but still, a lizard will always be a lizard. It can never turn into a dragon," he raised his fist and punched the floor. "Mega Melt!" a shockwave burst forth in every direction and slightly pushed things back a bit, but Lirzod wasn''t affected to any extent. Hardy glanced at the mist-storm, which then diffused throughout the hall and split the groups of people, creatures, and objects and pushed them to random spots. Jehez, who crashed into a wall, somehow managed to stand, but he felt like his head was spinning. His vision was also too blurry to see anything. "What the hell happened?" Most other people and creatures were in a similar situation, with some having suffered worrying wounds. The visibility in the room has reduced remarkably from how it was only moments ago, but still, it wasn''t foggy enough to not be able to see things close enough to reach in a dozen steps. The entire hall would''ve gone silent if not for the two cats that were involved in an affray and some men who cried in distress. "Those two are¡­" Some nearby men recognized the cats right away. "Bruiser and commander''s cat!" "Don''t tell me¡ªthose two were fighting in that storm as well?" Awe took over men''s faces, for they weren''t sure if they could ever fight in such a manner, and all they could do was watch as the cats kept running to and fro shedding more fur and blood. An animated discussion sprang to life among the crowd of onlookers, whatever''s left of them. Still and all, everyone''s attention slowly but surely turned toward a spot where two figures fiercely fought in the mist and provoked unease among the spectators. One had a fist the size of a lion''s head whereas the other had but that of a regular human''s hand, but both fought tooth and nail. Having blocked some oppressive punches, Lirzod''s right hand discolored as time went by. Every fiber under the skin ached, but he had no time to loosen up. He could only shake his hand in the time between the exchange of punches to ease the muscles. "Wehaha, what''s wrong? Is your arm already giving up?" Hardy looked as if he was getting a great thrill out of it, "Throw that shitty cat away and use both your hands or this fun would be over soon." "Give your stinky mouth some rest," Lirzod maintained steadiness in his voice even though he was on the back foot."You are fighting with one hand, so I''ll take you on in the same way." "Don''t give Hardy that commiserating crap!" His punches became increasingly, intensely heavy. "You brewed this contempt in Hardy, so now you either shall bear it or be laid waste by it." With the mist around them condensed rapidly, Lirzod found it hard to continue to eat away his opponent''s attacks. At the same time, he couldn''t throw back as many punches in reciprocation either. "Disrobing Dawn Course!" "Orken Spyd!" A chain of Muttia''s palms pounded on Hardy''s ribs from his right, and a glowing spear pierced through his left calf, startling both Hardy and Lirzod. As Murugan pulled his spear out, Hardy''s knees banged onto the floor. His calf began to bleed profusely. Many russet bruises surfaced on his ribs. The pain in his leg and torso ached his mind, and his pupils changed quickly changed shape into ''¡Þ'' and came back to the usual round shape just as fast. "Oow," Muttia softly blew air to cool his palms, "quite some sturdy muscles you got there, macho man. It''s time you gave up and let me dress you up as a child would." "You two," Lirzod had a baffled look, "what have you done?" "We, no, I haven''t done anything yet," Muttia kissed his own fingers and smirked before resuming to speak, "not until I also give you a good grounding smack." He leaped toward Lirzod, who readied himself to block the attack; however, something caught Muttia before his hands reached Lirzod. Muttia''s body lifted, and his feet were no longer on the ground. "What the¡ª" he had no idea what was happening, but given how bits of mist swirled around his waist, it seemed like the mist itself grabbed him tightly. Another jet of mist tried to curl around Murugan, but he efficiently swayed his spear and immediately jumped back a few steps, thus avoiding the mist. "Why am I floating in the air?" Muttia was utterly perplexed, but when he realized that Hardy was standing right behind him, dread seized his heart, and sweat showed up on his face. Hardy, with a dark shade to his eyes, seemed unapproachable. He grabbed Muttia tightly. "W-Wait. Put me down, and we''ll forget this ever happened." His words brought not the slightest change in Hardy''s expression. "O-Oh, right. I-I will give you a pair of underpants for free. No cost whatsoever. H-How''s that? Finding underpants of your size won''t be¡ª" Even so, the grip tightened and Muttia''s ribs cracked, and he struggled like a mouse scuffling at the jaws of a mouser. With every passing second, the squashing only got worse, and before he could hope to do anything else, he even failed to take a decent breath. He desperately looked at Murugan and squeezed out a couple of words. "Do something¡­" Murugan, however, neither moved an inch nor changed his facial expression for a few seconds. "It''s getting too cold here to take a chance," Saying that he turned back and ran away in haste. "You can keep the full reward to yourself." Muttia, at the moment, regretted teaming up with the desert dweller and for having the fallacious assumption of outsmarting and outwitting Hardy, but it was too late as it looked like he was going to get squeezed to bits and pieces. A tear streaked down his face, for all he could do was howl in agony, which only worsened with time. Lirzod bent his knees and leaped off the ground. "Let him go!" His foot darted straight toward Hardy''s face, but a gust of gray wind swept him aside. Though he landed safely, he fell near two familiar cats. "You are¡­" The two cats, however, were too busy fighting to notice him. As they rolled past him, making irritating noise, Lirzod lost his composure. "Enough!" he booted on Bruiser''s butt, sending the feline flying into Hardy''s face. The other cat, though startled, it sprang and lashed its paw at Lirzod''s face, but he grabbed it in a flash. "You too!" he tossed the cat aside with a swing of his arm and dashed toward Hardy. Bruiser, meanwhile, scratched Hardy''s nose and cheeks. Though the mist tried to wash over the cat, it climbed up to the top of Hardy''s head and put its claws to use. This time, Hardy sure felt the itching and let go of Muttia. A burst of mist blew in Bruiser''s face, and though the cat sought for purchase, the baldness made it almost impossible, and it eventually got blown away to a great distance. Muttia, on the other hand, collapsed on the floor while panting with extreme pain, and though he tried to crawl away, Hardy''s reddened fist came down like a meteor of death, carrying heat and verve too overwhelming to fathom. It looked like he was going to die for sure this time, but a blurry figure came out of nowhere and took the fist head on with his own. BAM~~!! Without any warning, there was a boom so loud and sonorous that Muttia''s body contracted and his teeth vibrated from the sharp concussion of it. Dark gray fog, much compact and iniquitous than ever before, gushed forth out of Hardy''s fist and swallowed up the hall and chilled men''s spines. The world of everyone else in the hall briefly stopped as daunting vibrations drummed through the air and agonized men''s eardrums. Even clamping one''s ears did no good. The fog was so thick that people failed to see anything and to add to their dismay, the sound of a few windows collapsing into a shower of glass was heart-halting. Every strand of hair on their bodies now tingled from the nightmare that was upon them. Driven by darkness, Hardy roared and pressed on nevertheless. The mist at their feet subtly took action and made a foot lose balance. As the opponent''s foot slid back, Hardy''s fist hard-pressed his foe''s fist and pushed it away and later pummelled the face, producing a loud sound that boomed through the hall. The enemy, as apparent in Hardy''s eyes, got dispatched rearward, and four blood-bathed teeth flew up into the air. 68 BRUTAL FACE-OFF The enemy, as apparent in Hardy''s eyes, got dispatched rearward, and four blood-bathed teeth flew up into the air. Everything went dark for a moment as a stinging pain tortured Lirzod''s head, and he crashed into the wall and later landed on all fours. Blood flooded his mouth so much that none of his teeth were visible, and his entire mouth looked cherry-red as if his tongue had been cut. The sharp, cutting pain in the flesh of the upper jaw, especially around the missing teeth worsened his every other sense. With a blurry vision, he looked around to defend himself while swallowing all the blood down the throat, and as he stood straight, his chest rose with an abrupt intake of breath. Even though many men in the hall felt great irritation in their eyes, and some even coughed blood thanks to the dark mist, Lirzod was unaware of such things. There was just too much thick, rowdy mist around him, swirling about aimlessly, and it kept him on his toes. "It''s very good of you¡ªnot staying down!" A muffled voice came from Lirzod''s right, and he jumped to his left almost immediately. A hulking fist appeared out of nowhere, skewering through the mist, but it stopped short. A moment later, it slipped back into the mist and emerged again at the same spot with increased speed, but it went too far to the right as Lirzod rolled away; however, with a full swing of the arm, Hardy attacked before Lirzod could stop his momentum. And this time, the strike was on-target, for all Lirzod could do was watch as a forearm came booming at his face. Though he blocked the attack with his forearm, the impact made his arm bang into his own face, and the next thing, his sight went blurry as if he was drowning into the depths of darkness. As he fell to his back, he forcibly snapped his mouth shut and regained light in his eyes and did his best to stay on his feet. The mist around him kept moving again at a remarkable speed, and he could somewhat hear someone''s footsteps, but he couldn''t pinpoint the location. His senses were not working well, for only pain flooded his head. After sucking in a deep breath, he ran straight. Hardy, who wasn''t far away from him, was thrilled to bits. (Running straight toward the wall. Certified fool by Hardy''s deduction. This battle ends now after Hardy decorates the wall with your defeated self!) Without waiting, Hardy was at Lirzod''s heels, and just as the boy got close enough to the wall, Hardy unleashed his punch, but to his surprise, Lirzod ran up the wall only momentarily, then hurtled off the wall, flipped in midair and axed his heel onto Hardy''s head. BAM~~!! Hardy''s knees gruffly kissed the harsh wooden floor and served it a plash of rufous drink. He didn''t make out any ache for all that. Though he tried to grab Lirzod, the boy straight away jumped out of his reach. Hardy stood with a bit of an effort. Lirzod frowned a bit. (Tch, the kick wasn''t good enough, but the ceiling doesn''t let me jump any higher. What should I do?) Hardy stared at Lirzod whose mouth was fully covered in blood, and droplets of saliva dripped down the chin like that of a mad dog. All the mist in the vicinity cleared off and brought them into clear view. "Why struggle so much when your defeat is inevitable? Victory eludes whoever Hardy sees as his enemy. For you to still be toiling about like a wounded puppy, you can''t be thinking you can win against Hardy, do you?" "Regardless of what I think... Everything in life comes when it needs to come. Victory or defeat¡ªI just try to enjoy them for what they are," Lirzod''s voice sounded somewhat unclear because he had four missing upper teeth. "If you truly think you can best me, then cut the crap and come at me, unless your head is hurting so much that you lost your sense of direction." A corner of Hardy''s mouth curled up. After all, it was Lirzod who had lost his sense of direction for some time during the fight. Sporting an evil grin, Hardy charged straight at Lirzod,"Nobody has ever made me smile in the middle of a fight. As thanks, I shall break your nose and see how good of a blood-fall[1] you will create." "Go try scaring a chicken with that mouth!" Lirzod lunged forth, swinging his fist wildly. Both fists met in a reverberating boom and then resumed to attack each other with uncommon aggression. Whatever the mist left around them got blasted away from the thundering shockwaves their clash constructed. The dark mist in the hall eventually escaped through the windows and other exits, and the crowds, whoever was still in the hall, were finally able to see them both fight once again, and even though their surroundings were somewhat hazy, in their eyes, Lirzod never stood a chance from the first exchange of the fists to the most recent. Hardly totally seemed imperious. "My eyes are burning. Kick that nasty pig in the nuts!" "Yeah, he''s surprisingly fast for his size. You can''t beat him fair and square!" "But he is making fighting that monster look easy." "Don''t be silly. He''s clearly struggling." "My lungs are on fire. Beat him before he unleashes that ghastly mist again." Though some men escaped the hall in pain, a few men stood and shouted, but they were too distant for their voices to have any impact on the ongoing battle. Jehez, on the other hand, had an indescribable look on his face as he gaped around, close to panic. "My hall¡­" The rubble was all that remained of the cat home, and as for the cat ring, there weren''t even traces left of it because the storm had swept the whole sod away. With gyroidal, foggy winds and the knapping of the knuckle collisions composing music for their fight, Lirzod and Hardy persevered in breaking the opponent''s nerve. "Your head must already be spinning and aching, but Hardy can''t go easy on you," Hardy said, putting more strength into his punches. "Your irritated face just makes Hardy want to punch harder." "If the struggle for success gives a headache," Lirzod kept backing away while defending himself from the raining punches, "it''s a pretty good headache to have." "Heh, you''re thinking about success while still holding on to that cat? Let me take care of that for you!" Hardy targeted his attack at Lirzod''s left hand, but Lirzod''s knee finely crunched into Hardy''s wrist from below, causing him to pull back his arm at once. "Did I tap a vein?" Lirzod raised his brows as if teasing his foe. Hardy''s brows squinted a little. He hadn''t voluntarily pulled his hand, for it had come back all it by itself. "Ah, you did, and you''ll pay for it dearly." All the mist in the hall over-hastily converged and shrouded his body, particularly his forearm, and his voice also gradually faded out, "My fist only hardens from making my foes bleed fear, especially against insufferably insolent imbeciles." Lirzod narrowed his eyes. "Insufferably insolent imbeciles huh, which means your fist works best against yourself." "I was talking about you, you imbecile!" A resentful voice leaked out from the mist which moved in a way so that Hardy''s voice could be heard clearly, "If you are seeking death, then I''ll give it to you." Lirzod squinted his eyes further. (There it is¡ªthe ability to control the mist around him. Looks like he needs some interval between two usages. I''ll get through this one and get him next. Mm?) Hardy pulled back his arm while keeping it straight. For a moment, Lirzod couldn''t see the entire arm, but when Hardy''s groaning reached his ears, he reckoned something was coming. Hardy suddenly swung his arm sideways as if it were a whip, and the momentum almost tumbled the big guy. "Naga Storm!" A ghastly figure made of mist grew increasingly visible and bigger as it snaked through the air and blasted straight through Lirzod, simmering him as it swept him away in a crazy fashion. A burning sensation clutched Lirzod''s stomach and lungs. The wind was too hot and too strong that he couldn''t even breathe, and to the onlookers, he was caught by a long, misty snake which moved like a storm much wilder than the one Hardy had unleashed earlier; however, it seemed like Hardy was controlling this attack. The temperature in its proximity also grew enough to be felt by some of the spectators. Hardy swayed his hand to the left and then to the right, and the storm dementedly smashed Lirzod to the walls and the floor, and with each collision with the obstacles, the storm''s magnitude dwindled. By the time the snake-like storm has reduced in its size significantly, Lirzod held on to a crack in the wall, and though he couldn''t shake it off as it kept pressing him against the wall, he was able to last out. Soon after the storm died out, Lirzod fell to the floor on three limbs, puffing crazily and seemed so out of breath. Seeing Lirzod do belly breathing on the floor, Hardy had raised eyebrows as he proceeded toward the boy. "You are still conscious after taking my Naga Storm head on? It''s been a while since Hardy met someone who didn''t faint after taking that attack. It seems Hardy has miscalculated your base capabilities." A faint smile formed on his face, and a bead of sweat surfaced on the forehead. "But, Hardy''s sure that cat''s probably already kicked the bucket." Disquieted from hearing those words, Lirzod brought the cat near his ear to hear for any sign of life, but he picked up nothing. "It''s time you throw that thing away and fight Hardy with all you got!" Hardy''s voice rang in Lirzod''s ears even though he was speaking normally. Lirzod clenched his hand and roared, "If anything happens to this cat, you''ll regret ever hurting it!" Saying that he turned and dashed away, startling Hardy. "Showing me your fleeing skills, are you? How lizardly!" Hardy evilly grinned. "But I''ve never heard of a lizard that tries to save a cat, and do you really think you can escape from Hardy?" he went hot on Lirzod''s heels. Since there wasn''t much mist around anymore as much as before, everyone could fairly see what was taking place, but they stood still, not at all eager to help the boy. As Lirzod headed for an exit of the hall, he came across Mikey. "You are that sweeper!" "I''m an assistant referee!" Mikey barked and then murmured to himself. "But yes, I clean the cat room." Mikey felt a bit down-hearted because back when Lirzod had entered the cat home, he found Mikey sweeping the room, so he couldn''t blame anyone but himself now. "Look at your face. It looks like shit." "Hey, get this cat some immediate help," Lirzod put the cat in his arms. "W-What?" Mikey''s eyes bulged out, "You want me to draw attention from that freak over there? No freaking way! Besides, why should I even take care of this cat?" Lirzod paused a moment before taking out something from his pocket. "Here, you can keep this." "Eh, what''s this? An egg?" Mikey had a displeased look. "You think I''ll change my mind for a stupid egg?" "No, that''s a special egg." "Special? Did it come out from the mouth or what?" "I don''t really remember," Lirzod hurried his words, "but the needle-nosed guy said something about it. I''m sure it''ll be of some use. You are not injured anywhere, right?" "No, why?" "Then why are you still here?" Lirzod groaned. "Go." "Y-Yeah," Given that Hardy was coming straight in his direction, the last thing Mikey wanted was to stay in Hardy''s path. He wasted no time and hurried off from the spot. Lirzod also took off in a different direction while keeping his eye on Hardy who seemed rather slow, thanks to the wound that Murugan left him with on one of his legs. Lirzod frowned a bit for having not realized that sooner because there was mist all around him before, so he couldn''t see which state Hardy was in, but now he got a better picture. "Someone''s too fat to follow my footsteps." Though the discomfort was apparent on his face, Hardy held back his urge to shout back and smirked instead. "Heh, who said Hardy''s after you?" Lirzod''s eyes broadened, and his feet slid into a halt as he saw Hardy go after Mikey. "W-Wait!" Lirzod immediately changed his course. Hardy furtively glanced back at Lirzod. (That''s right. Hardy will get both the cat and lizard in one go. Two rats with one trap.) Mikey, who was oblivious to what was happening, was under the impression that he was free from danger. He looked at Leggy which was unconscious and looked ugly from losing all its hair, "Why this cat? There''s nothing special about it." He bit his lips, "It happened on the spur of the moment, but why did I listen to that guy''s request even after sold me out to the watchdog?" As Mikey was in two minds, the increasing sound of footsteps reached his ears. "Hm?" When he turned his head back, Hardy was right behind him, and it almost stopped his heart. "Hand over the cat, or get hit to hell!" Though Hardy said that, he gave no time for Mikey to respond, and a punch to his back sent him crashing to the floor. His eyes instantly whitened, and the cat fell not too far away from him. An egg bounced on the floor multiple times and stopped by Hardy''s feet. He pressed it under the foot, but to his surprise, it didn''t break. Intrigued, he picked it up into his hand and then went straight for the cat, "I wonder it if screams as I stomp it to death." Though Hardy wanted to jump, there wasn''t enough gap between him and the ceiling, so he had to scuttle over to the feline. After coming to a halt, he raised his leg and plummeted his foot onto the unconscious cat. A blurry figure came whizzing by and booted the cat away but got caught underneath the foot in consequence. BA DUM~~!! A wicked beam took over Hardy''s countenance as his opponent, of their own accord, ended up under his foot. After stomping a few more times, Hardy balled his fist as he stared down at his bloodied foe. "You maybe graceful enough to use just one arm against Hardy, but Hardy''s not!" Hardy''s fist trounced Lirzod like a tremendous crash of thunder. A successive rain of thunder-fists followed, with each thunder-fist hammering down without mercy and squashed Lirzod''s body. The booming sounds trembled the onlookers'' souls. "Does he want to kill that kid?" Jehez had a look of disbelief. "Surely, none in their right mind would do such a thing on this ship." As the dust settled and the rubble stopped bouncing and vibrating, Hardy was huffing and puffing, with his fist and bits of his forearm blanketed by blood. Lying at his feet was Lirzod rested inertly in a pool of his lifeblood. One of his eyes were swollen shut into blackness, but the other was partly open and looked undaunted. Though he tried to move, he could barely feel his arms but couldn''t feel his torso at all. With his back still parallel to the floor and Lirzod''s face within arm''s reach, Hardy took in a deep breath while his eyes looked like that of a beast and lacked humanness. "You might have boarded this ship with certain perception, but you are not fit to walk a martial''s path if you can''t even expect the expectable things much less expect the unexpected. You should have stayed home like a house gecko, but because you didn''t, you brought this on yourself. This is it. This is where a lizard''s journey¡ª" Bloody spittle flew into Hardy''s face and sprayed all over before he could even react. Dozens of Hardy''s brain cells perished as he stood straight and didn''t even bother to rub his face. Instead, his fist gained an unusual amount of redness as his fingernails almost dug into the egg inside the palm. At the same time, a red-haired girl arrived at the entrance, sweating all over, but what she witnessed numbed her momentarily. "Lirzod!" she hastened toward him there and then. "Good day. Goodbye¡­" Hardy''s fiery fist rapidly fell onto Lirzod''s chest. "Hardy Hit!" ........... [1] Bloodfall: The shower of blood falling from someone''s face is known as bloodfall. This word was taken from a sport, named Bloodfall itself, where the victor would be the one who produced the best bloodfall on their opponent(s) faces. 69 SEVEN ADVERSARIES "Good day. Goodbye¡­" Hardy''s fiery fist rapidly fell onto Lirzod''s chest like a meteor crashing down with belligerence and dominance. "Hardy Hit!" KA BOOM~~!! The moment Hardy''s attack landed with a crunching sound, a scorching, bright flash leaked out of the tiny gaps in his fist, and in a trice, his fist blew up, causing a reverberating sound that shook the entire hall. Hardy himself got blasted away by the crushing blast wave and the arisen flames which together devastated him further into losing his form, and all the five brothers got sent packing in different directions. In parallel, Sariyu''s eyes widened at the sudden blast¡ªwhich looked like an explosive breakup of a badly chosen cooking stone¡ªand a destructive gust of flaming winds blew against her and in every other direction. Many people couldn''t stay on their feet and got blasted away into the walls, but Sariyu ran straight toward the outbursting energy that oozed out waves of blazing heat. All the remaining glass windows in the hall got blown to bits whereas the wooden benches cracked and splintered all over the place, and even the barrels of rum, whatever was left of them after the storm, now shattered, and alcohol spilled everywhere. Fueled by the drink, the flames greedily endeavored to lick every inch of the hall, not sparing any entity. In the twinkling of an eye, chaos outstripped everyone''s schemes and congested dread extensively in the hall. Plumes of flames soared toward the ceiling and unilluminated it. The sounds of explosions infrequently breathed more fire to various parts of the hall and swallowed those who were trying to scramble away to safety. Surrounded by confusion, Sariyu was on her way to Lirzod, despite the strong pressure of the heat lighting up her skin. Though the flashing waves forced her to back-off twice, she drove herself unswervingly through the stretch of enraged darkness until her eyes caught sight of the one she was looking for. He was right where he was supposed to be, fully covered in blackened blood and with one of his eyes open, his skin gone at various places and both flesh and muscle exposed, yet he raised his thumb as she got to her knees with a face full of worry and placed her palms above his bleeding chest. "Don''t move. I will do something," she tried to breathe some energy into his chest, but nothing was happening. A deep frown formed on her face. She gently clutched Lirzod''s face, "Okay, okay. It''s nothing. I will first move you to a safer place. Don''t give up on me, or I''ll never forgive you, yeah?" She couldn''t even tell if Lirzod could hear words or not, but given how close he was to the blast, it was highly unlikely that his ears would be working just fine so soon. Even the only eye he kept open was slowly closing. She carefully picked him up and hurried toward the exit even if it meant walking straight through the field of scattered flames, choking smoke, and burning men. Had the rum barrels weren''t in the hall, the blast probably wouldn''t have been as destructive. Amidst all sorts of cruel, crackling sounds and upsetting howls, she kept her feet moving, also not minding the burns on her body. Meanwhile, four of the five Hardy Brothers also looked battered but nowhere near as grave as Lirzod. Fimbry, however, had burnt marks all over his legs that exposed his flesh. Still, the brothers didn''t take much time to regroup, put on ill-gotten underwear, and then scheme to catch Sariyu. Though they were left in perplexity regarding the explosion, they had no time to ponder on it as they chose to go after Sariyu who was taking Lirzod away. However, soon after they took two steps, strange noises came from behind, and when they turned, there were seven silly but also scary-looking drill monkeys making drilling sounds with their throats. All of them had small, cone-shaped yellow crystals protruding out of their foreheads and also had multiple weapons hanging by their waists. One of them was holding a small wooden board that had a sentence written on it. "You do not have the right to kill on this ship." Another one of the monkeys held a different board that read, "Dishonor anything but your duty." But the board a third monkey held in its hand made them appear all the more intimidating, and the third board read, "We are shy, but mess with us, and we will make you cry." "What the hell are these things?" Divas said, puffing a little. "If I''m correct," Aziz replied, with a frown on his face, "they are the Seven Silver Drills, ones who teach with fists to those who disobey the rules on this ship." "Like an imitation of the Fists of Law," Divas snorted. "Who cares?" Centry dashed forth at the drill monkeys when the seven of the split and only one monkey stood right where it was, but it began to hop on it legs as if it was exciting. "Hmph, go do your monkey dance elsewhere!" he thrust his fist at the monkey which was in midair, but it arched its back and easily dodged his fist, startling him. It evaded my punch in midair? Centry had a look of disbelief, but before he made another move, he felt something hit him in the face, and the next thing, he was on the ground near his brothers. "W-What happened?" "You won, brother," Fimbry said. Centry looked at Divas hoping he''d correct Fimbry''s words, but Divas wasn''t in the mood for such trivial things. He observed the drill monkeys'' physical proportions. With a powerful physique, vivid orange eyes, and seven-inch canine teeth, the drill monkeys simply looked fierce. To think they can send one of us flying with a punch. These scamps will weigh over 200, no, even 250 pounds, and there are seven of them staring right at us. Betts clenched his fists and said, "Where did these piece of shits pop out from?" "From the higher decks, obviously," Aziz said, "and it looks like we can''t get away without dealing with them." He couldn''t help frown on the inside. We are already quite exhausted, but we can''t let some monkeys mentor us! Five of the seven silver-haired drill monkeys attacked the five brothers. Like dogs preying upon their chosen victim, the brothers unleashed all their spite which built up from having fought with Lirzod till then, but still, the agility of the drill monkeys was too much for the heavy-footed brothers to even land one attack. On the other hand, there was nobody to stop the monkeys from pounding the pot-bellied brothers, hitting in their nuts, slamming on the back of their heads, elbowing on their backs, bringing them to their knees and doing all sorts of monkey-things. Everything that was taking place was more than what one could imagine. By the time those five brothers were thrashed to defeat, they were rolling on the ground, and they were left with countless bruises and every inch of their body exposed, for their underpants were either cut or snatched. Everyone else in the hall, who made it out of the fire spots safely, just watched things unfold with stupefaction, and it included even Sean who had just arrived with three of his pupils and stopped beside the watchdog after noticing his badge. "You shouldn''t have called those things." "I didn''t have any other card to use, sir," the watchdog said. "If only you got here quick..." "I agree that I was at fault, but look at their knee-jerk punishment," Sean said, with a visible disgust toward what the monkeys were doing to the brothers. "This isn''t how we handle culprits on this deck. Now, these brothers will get away with just this little humiliation instead of spending some time in prison and brooding on their mistakes. If we don''t punish the criminals properly, new wrongdoers will proliferate like weeds on a spring day." "He called those things for the reward, commander!" Jehez quickly walked over to the scene with a tense look on his face. "Reward?" Sean raised his brows as if demanding further clarification. Jehez hurriedly explained everything that happened, and Sean then glanced at the watchdog. "Did you call those things for the 10% share you get after I ratify his Hollow Mandate." After a momentary silence, the watchdog replied, "I''m going to retire soon. Given my health, I''m not sure if I can even get a waiter job. You can''t live a peaceful life with empty pockets, sir." "Hmph, no matter which corner of the world you may go to, money can at best give you some amount of freedom, but I''m not so sure about the peace it can provide." "Well, whichever land''s air I maybe breathing, anything goes as long as I abide by the local rules, so please stop your lecture, sir. I''m twice as old as most of your pupils." Saying that he made some distance and resumed to watch the drill monkeys do their ritual. Sean sighed and then glanced at Jehez. "This will be your last day as the referee." "C-Commander, what did I¡ª" Jehez''s face paled drastically. "At least do your best with the remaining time you have," Sean said and began to walk away. "P-Please, commander. At the very least, assign me to the Foster Hall," Jehez fell to his knees and begged. However, Sean didn''t even turn back and just walked toward the location where the cat home previously was at. Now there was nothing but rubble in that place. "It hasn''t been long since this room was rebuilt, but why does this keep happening to this place?" Stooping down, he picked up a broken piece of wood, but to his surprise, a cat was lying unconscious underneath, a hairless one that looked as ugly as ever. "The legs seem broken." He placed his fingers near its neck. "There''s no pulse either, but¡­ I''m not sure if it''s dead or not." After a moment of thinking, he whistled. His cat came hurrying to him. With a few nods, he interacted with the cat, which then took Leggy and beetled off. Sean looked back at all the rubble and frowned, "How many more of these things got caught in this mess?" he moved the debris around, and his pupils then supported him. The seven silver drill monkeys, in the meantime, were over and done with thrashing the five brothers in indelicate ways, for as long as the monkeys didn''t kill a convict, they could function with impunity. Muttia, who was watching from afar, looked satisfied. "Seven raw drill monkeys which are probably at barebeast level are taking on five denuded piglets. The world provides the opportunity to sell clothes even to your enemies. How enigmatic, and at the same time, exciting!" Meanwhile, Sariyu was hastening toward a secluded location, holding Lirzod in her arms, but a group of seven men came out of the blue and blocked her path, four from the front and the rest from behind. All of them had copper-coated knuckle dusters on both their hands. "Who are you guys?" Sariyu asked in haste. "What do you want?" "Who are we?" one of the men snickered. "Although you look like shit, you are definitely the red-haired girl with a long braid we''ve been told to take care of. Not many girls roam these lower decks, after all. So you must be the one." All the burns, dust, and smoke on Sariyu clothes made her look silly, so she looked worse than a roadside beggar at the moment, but the one she was holding looked much worse. "Luckily, we found you sooner than expected. For breaking a good man''s leg just for asking you out, we were sent here by the same man to break your legs and cripple you for good. However, if you don''t want that to happen, then let us escort you to our client right away." Sariyu frowned. "We can settle this matter later. My friend is in danger now. Please let me through." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please clickfor visiting. "Your friend sure looks like a mess. He must''ve gotten caught up in that explosion we''ve just heard. It''s too bad that you were the one who got to him first. Now, he can''t even die peacefully because of you." As they sneered, rage rushed through her blood and tried to swallow up her sanity. "So why don''t you stop acting and start worrying about yourself. You seem to have forgotten that you were only given two options, miss!" All seven men attacked her at once. 70 OUTNUMBERED KNUCKLES Holding in her arms, a boy who looked so wounded and hurt, he might as well be dead, Sariyu plastered on an emotionless expression, like a still volcano, ready to burst out all the raging fire in her stomach. "You want to save your friend? His death will be on you, not on us. Besides, you were only given two options, to begin with!" all the seven men attacked Sariyu, throwing their knuckle fists at her mercilessly, but to their surprise, they ended up hitting each other''s knuckles as she jumped high. Using one of the men''s heads as footing, she landed about a dozen feet away and didn''t stop, leaving the men in a mild surprise, but they quickly chased her. "She jumped over six feet with ease and while holding a person in her arms at that," one of the men said in an alarmed tone, "this one''s going to be more troublesome to thump than we thought." "There are seven of us, and that makes fourteen fists. If even a quarter of our attacks land, our work will be done." "Yeah, let''s not bring shame to our guild." Casting aside their apprehensions, the seven of them caught up with Sariyu in a matter of seconds and blocked her way on both sides again and stood still, like a pack of trained wolves that knew how to bring down their prey. "If you can jump, then we can wait," one of the men said and grinned. The other six of them also looked level-headed. "If you want to get going, you''ll have to face at least one of us, but before that, we all would very much like to know how you plan to fight us while carrying that mess." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Anger throbbed in Sariyu''s heart, and she was now visibly upset. One glance at Lirzod only worsened her temper. A dark-blue vein popped in her neck as their knuckle dusters pointed in her direction, the emotion came bursting forth."You scum! Move, or I can''t guarantee your lives!" "Hehe, what are you going to do? Scare us to eternal sleep¡ªwith words? Do you see any wet pants among us or what?" they all sniggered like sadists, not at all unnerved by her vocal belligerence. Their scornful laughter was akin to a sick song sung by sickly voices and made Sariyu so angry that sparks flew in her head, and she was on the verge of getting the link between her brain and behavior severed. "No, we don''t!" a loud voice came from afar, "but that will change in a minute." "Who''s that?" when the seven men looked, they saw a single youth whom Sariyu recognized. "Just one?" "I wish I alone am enough to deal with you guys," the blonde youth said and made eye contact with Sariyu, "but now I no longer live in the clouds, thanks to a certain someone." "What can you do alone, fool?" "Who said I''m alone, fools?" More than a hundred people entered the street and joined behind the blonde youth, who was none other than the one who had attacked Sariyu in the drill hall. Seeing so many people, the seven men felt a tightening in their chests, which then brought up a fearful look on their faces. "Judging by your appearance, you lot must be from the Knuckle Dusters, wait, is it Knuckle Hounds?" the blonde youth pondered and smiled. "Whatever it is, I feel so honored to meet members of that guild, or should I say dishonored to see how much of crooks you all are." "Shut your mouth and scram," the seven men barked, seeing how the blonde youth was being sarcastic with his words, "unless you''re looking to get your ass whopped." "Why so serious?" the blonde youth exposed his palms. "Rumors seem true after all, that you lot never take things with a grain of salt. I wonder what kind of dreams you people dream." Even though the seven of them wanted to flee, they couldn''t even dare to make the first move. "Y-Yeah, we are," one of the seven men shouted, "so you all better think twice before you do anything silly." "Oh, is that so?" the blonde youth didn''t know whether to laugh or cry, "But given how the seven of you were willing to take on a single person, you obviously belong to the bottom tier of your guild. Am I right?" At the moment, seven stomachs stumbled, hearts ached, and pants wetted. Sariyu, on the other hand, didn''t move an inch. She didn''t want to make any careless move given the number of men that showed up, but Lirzod''s situation forced her feet to proceed forward. The blonde youth glanced at Sariyu as she came in his direction. "There''s a clinic right next to Drill Hall. You can take him there." Sariyu was surprised to hear that, but the fire in her settled down a bit after realizing that all those men didn''t come looking for her. The blonde youth continued, "That said, I hope you''ll be free enough to fight me again one day." Sariyu nodded without even thinking and dashed through the way that men made her. "Now then," the blonde youth cracked his knuckles, "let''s see who''s got better knuckles, shall we?" As he said, all the dozens of men behind him wore scary looks. All the glow vanished out of the seven men''s faces. They turned back and increased their walking pace. "Where are you going?" the blonde youth shouted. "W-We forgot to brush our teeth in the morning. We are going back to our deck." Everyone dissolved into laughter at the seven men as they fled. "Haha, run like the asswipes that you are!" At the same time, Sariyu hastily covered a great distance and ran through a couple of streets, but to her surprise, tens of people blocked her way in a street as they all ran toward a particular open-ended booth, a loose booth. Most of those people were handicapped in one or two ways, and a few in very many ways. Even dogs and cats among them. All of them rushed to the Loose Booth, for a food parcel, a giant bag just fell from the ceiling into the booth that was already foul and dirty due to not cleaning regularly. However, nobody really cared and tore their way through the parcel and plucked whatever food was edible. As for dogs and cats, they had no problem filling their stomachs with even rotten food. And the masses still blocked Sariyu''s way, so she didn''t know how to move to the other side. Just then, someone stepped on a dog''s foot, making it howl. Thanks to the sudden shrieking, many people fleetingly moved away and made room. Sariyu used that opportunity to slip through that gap and got to the other side in the nick of time before the masses converged again. But afterward, Sariyu had to go through the busy Heat Street, an area present on every deck where contests of all kinds were held, but betting wasn''t allowed in this place. Even though it was crowded, she kept going without stopping, and a few eyes looked at her and the boy with pitiful gazes, but most people were busy with their life. "We are almost there, Little Hale," she tensely and tenderly looked at Lirzod. "Just a bit more." Meanwhile, at the Drill Hall. "Oh, your name is 777 now?" some of the trainees who gathered near 777 were quite surprised, for meeting somebody like him happened maybe only once in a blue moon. "Just from many years are you living on this ship?" "Haha, that''s a secret," 777 said, leaving others in disappointment, "but I can leak a hint if someone''s hands are itching enough to drop a silver in my hands." "Eh, a silver for just letting a kitten out of the bag[1]?" the trainees were left baffled. "Why don''t you fight with one of us? If we win, you''ll answer us for free, but if you win, then we''ll give you ten copper. What do you think?" "No, I''m not a martial artist, but a swordsman." "Swordsman? A swordsman is also a martial artist who prioritizes in using a sword, but wait, you are not carrying any sword." "Well," 777 put up an evil smile. "When I have a sword in my hand, I tend to end lives. I can''t be doing that on this ship, so I had to part with it for the time being." "O-Oh," some of the trainees stepped back a little. "If someone can be kind enough to give me a bottle of fresh water, I''ll be in their debt," 777 looked at them with a saddened face. Many hesitated to even respond, but one short guy stepped forward and spoke in a low voice, "I have a full liter of fresh water with me. It only costs three copper." "Three copper coins?" 777 had a baffled look. "That''s too much. Can''t you give this elder brother freely for once?" "I''m afraid I can''t. You should already know how hard it is to get fresh water on this ship. Three copper is already cheap in my opinion, but for you, I can give it for just two copper," he said, oozing out expectation through his eyes. It wasn''t so obvious that he was hoping to get some good information in exchange. "Two is still too much," 777 sighed, and his shoulders slumped. Unlike food, freshwater could be sold for money on the tenth belt of the ship, which only made people realize how valuable drinking water was on a voyage. However, the commander of the twelfth deck didn''t allow his trainees to sell water and punished those who sold it whether inside or outside the drill hall. 777 knew that, so he carefully crafted his words. "What? If you can''t even spend that much, then there''s nothing I can do." "Well," 777 pulled out the insides of his pockets, "I''ve burnt big-freaking holes in my pocket from buying freshwater in the early days I boarded the ship." He showed the two big holes in his pants pockets. "Why would I plead this much if I had money? If you don''t want to offer help, then fine. I can''t really blame you for this. I was like you, too," he turned around and audibly blew air through his nose as he started to walk away. "I couldn''t give the benefit of the doubt to anyone or anything and always let the heat of the moment dictate my actions. Maybe that''s why I couldn''t garner enough good fortune to get rich at least unexpectedly." The short guy let out a shaky breath. "W-Wait." "Mm?" 777 turned back. "Even if you brought it down to 1 copper coin, I don''t have¡ª" "Take it," the short guy handed over the water bottle. "Are you sure?" "Just take it. I''m used to waiting in line for water, so I''ll do just that." 777 grabbed his hands and said in a thankful tone, "Thank you very... very much." "It''s okay." 777 turned back and walked away. The gladdened expression on his face slowly changed into that of a self-assured one before he mumbled to himself. "This should suffice for another day unless I get forced to run like a dog again." Smiling to himself, he looked to his right, where he saw a group of trainees familiarizing themselves with the human bones and muscle structure by repeatedly punching a human who was bound by wooden wrist stocks. "Alright, fellows. I think that''s enough for today. It looks like he might die if we continue this. Let him recover first. Tomorrow, he''ll have to participate in our kicking lessons, but the punching lessons will resume the day after that." "Hehe, he didn''t scream as much as he did yesterday. I wonder if he''s getting stronger." "Idiot, you don''t get strong just by getting hit. Maybe if you recover well, you get a bit better at taking hits, but that''s all. But we, on the contrary, get to strengthen our armory in punching and kicking skills." "Haha, yeah, you''re right." "Bodbags[2]¡­" Seeing the wounded man get thrown into one of the wooden cells where there were plenty of other injured men, a cold current spawned in 777''s intestines. His hand shivered a bit, and he had to press it hard against his thigh to stop the uneasy feeling. People who had committed crimes on a deck were usually sent to the prison of that belt itself, but on the twelfth deck, most of the criminals were brought to the Drill Hall to serve as punching bags for the trainees. The low-level trainees simply learned to punch and kick the criminals put in wrist or ankle wooden stocks, but as they climbed the ranks, they had to fight the unrestrained criminals. If a criminal gained the required number of wins, they would be free to go. For the most part, the more heinous the crime, the more the number of days a criminal would be forced to stay in the Drill Hall, and the more the number of wins they had to get under their belt to win back their freedom in advance. Having said that, it was a rare thing for a criminal to release before the set date. After all, strong criminals would readily become a target for those trainees who were always itching to test their strength. 777 couldn''t help but remember the time when he was thrown in a prison back at home, and he was chained heavily and wasn''t even fed anything but raw vegetables that were half rotten. After all, no salt or spices were added in the food given to criminals in most prisons of the world, regardless of the severity of their crime. "I guess the twelfth deck has improved in many ways after this Sean became the commander," 777 muttered under his breath. "At least prisoners here get to eat bread, but at the cost of getting their bodies brutalized. Geez, this hall is still giving me enough goosebumps. Grounding the trainees and punishing the culprits at the same time. Filling two needs with one deed. A win-win situation. Then again..." he paused a moment. "The bodies of these prisoners who can bear some beating will toughen over time, so they have something to gain from this experience as well. If they get tempered properly, they''ll become decent swords, but otherwise, they''ll become faulty things that break sooner than later. Though it is the dream of many to be able to fight bare-handedly against weapon holders, only a few actually make their dreams come true. Becoming a martial is the first step that most believe puts them in the right direction¡­ but this first step in itself is so hard to take much less execute it to perfection. I''ve seen thousands waste the prime period of their lives and also plenty of their wealth in an attempt to see that first step through. Yet, the fact that so many people choose to go through such struggles still makes a negative amount of sense to me." He sighed. Meanwhile, outside the Drill Hall, at Drill Clinic. Two young boys were standing at the door and were involved in a heated discussion. Both of them held swords, but their eyes looked dull and a bit lifeless as if they hadn''t slept in a long time, "Are you sure this is going to work?" "Trust me. They''ll piss in their pants when they see us, and then give us all the herbs they have," he knocked on the door twice. "That would be really nice. I heard there are some good herbs that can make you feel good in this place." The door opened, and a silver-haired, brownish-skinned, chubby girl was staring right at them. The arrow symbol, with a crack-like resemblance, on the side of her forehead, caught their attention momentarily, but the long yet small wyvern-shaped, primrosy earrings that dangled by her ears and perfectly fitted her small face were in another league. Her ears weren''t much different from humans, except that they were slightly pointy at the top edges, so little that they would go unnoticed if one didn''t pay attention. "Oh, what do we have here, huh? A loving fool with spiky ears, or should I say choppy ears?" "An unsightly one at that, hehe¡­" the two boys unsheathed their swords, and then one of them shouted, "Hey, Pointy[3]¡­ Give us every good drug you have whether it''s pills or herbs unless you want us to chop those batty ears of yours and feed them to pigs!" "Wait," the second boy looked at the other guy, "are there pigs on this ship?" The other boy frowned. "You''ve gotta be kidding me! If not pigs, we''ll look for some fish," he then looked at the girl who was only five-feet tall. "What are you still standing there for, elf-bitch?" The silver-haired girl put her hand behind her back and slowly pulled out a weapon, which widened the men''s eyes, and they immediately let go of their swords. "A-A revolver! I thought guns weren''t allowed on this ship. G-Give us a break." "You asked for everything I have, right?" the silver-haired elf bitingly said, "How about eating lead for starters-fu?" Beads of sweat dripped down the men''s faces. "W-We''ve just had our breakfast. No thanks!" they immediately bolted away without even looking back. "If you touch fire, you are going to get burned. Stay away from insensible stuff for your own good," her throaty voice reached the men''s ears, but they didn''t look back. "They seemed a bit turnt up. They must be from the thirteenth deck." She put the gun in her dress behind her back and bent to take the weapons. "Swords and sissies never make a good pair." Upon catching the increasing sound of footsteps, she swiftly turned around, only to see a girl carrying a wounded boy in her arms. Sariyu stopped right before her and looked at her with a bit of a surprise, "Is this the clinic?" "It is," she replied. "Thank God," Sariyu turned and was about to directly enter the clinic. "Wait, the entry costs a silver per soul," the elf girl said, startling Sariyu. "If that boy isn''t a trainee in the drill hall, he has to bear all the treatment cost as well. Of course, given his situation," her eyes fell upon the boy in her arms, "I can''t guarantee his life. Step in if you still wish to enter and are willing to pay the bill." Sariyu dashed in without a second thought. "Looks like more will be coming," the elf girl mused to herself as she entered the clinic, "I wish there were more than six beds." .................. [1] Let the cat out of the bag: This means revealing information that was previously concealed. This idiom is often used on the twelfth deck. Letting a kitten out of the bag meant that the information wasn''t as noteworthy or valuable. [2] Bodbag: A living being used as a tool for people to practice their techniques upon and at the same time, familiarize themselves with the muscle and bone structures of the being. Throughout history, slaves were often used as bodbags. [3] Pointies: One of the derogatory ways humans often referred to elves. Choppies was another name they were labeled with, which was a taboo word among elves for some reason. 71 MONEY MATTERS "He''s got many hematomas on him, and a lot of the bony parts in his face and body are badly injured," the elf girl detailed as he observed Lirzod''s body. "This is a critical case. I''m only an herbalist, so I''m afraid I can only do so much." Sariyu frowned, and her chest caved in as if fear coiled around her heart and squeezed out plenty of hope. "How many hours he''s got?" "I can''t be sure. With my help, maybe a day or two at max," she took out a bunch of light green herbs with silvery scales on them. Each leaf was the size of her palm. "These belong to the family of moon herbs. They have high salving power, so they prevent his skin and flesh from getting damaged further. His pain will also be taken away to some extent. Given his wounds, I''ll have to use all of them, but it''ll cost a little over two gold." Sariyu nodded straight away. "Give him all the support you can, and don''t worry about the money. I will pay as much as you want." "Okay," she wasted no time and started covering Lirzod with the leaves. "Also, please tell me if you know someone who can cure him." "I''ve never been to higher decks, and most of my clients are the trainees from the drill hall, so I''m afraid I don''t have many connections." She paused a moment before continuing her speech, "I can''t give you any names or locations, but if you look hard enough on this deck, you may find someone capable enough who can do the job." "Are you sure about that?" Sariyu stressed her words. "Very much positive," she replied while doing her job. "Becoming a member of Shambala Sect isn''t an easy affair. Most people who board this ship probably don''t even wish to join the sect but simply to strengthen themselves because they know that if they stick long enough on this ship, they''ll end up meeting competitors of all levels one way or another." She briefly glanced at Sariyu as if to see if she was paying attention or not. "The world is filled with monsters whose powers are way beyond our comprehension, but this ship isn''t too bad either. One only has to look hard enough, and they''ll likely find one such monster on each of these decks. Now, I can''t be sure if there''s such a capable priest on this deck or not, but¡ªyou never know." "Then I will be going," Sariyu said and took out twenty silver from her purse and gave it to her. "That should cover in advance. You take good care of him until I come back, yeah?" After seeing the money, the elf girl''s movements became more fluid, and after dipping the herbs in cool water, she placed the herbs, with extra care, on Lirzod''s face and body at parts where flesh was exposed. After casting a long glance at Lirzod, Sariyu couldn''t hide the worry on her face, but she kept her tears at bay and hurriedly left the room. The elf girl glanced at Lirzod''s bloodied face while fastening the herbs, "So you fought Hardy Brothers, huh¡­ I''ve heard of them. The fat and clumsy ones who, thanks to their background, possess an arsenal of fancy techniques, especially the ones others can''t mimic, it seems. You should have known whom you were messing with." She shook her head and sighed. "Free spirits don''t live for long in flesh. If you lose your life in my clinic, it''ll bring me a bad reputation. Maybe I should''ve made the entry fee one gold instead of one silver-fu." Meanwhile, at the entrance of the drill hall. (His body heals faster than an average person. And that purified drop of baby basilisk''s blood should buy him more time. Nothing''s gonna happen to him.) Sariyu''s face was still full of tension. (How did he even get himself into such a situation? He should''ve been more careful.) She didn''t know where to direct her frustration. She swiveled in haste and kicked the nearby wall but ended up spraining her other ankle. "Aiyeee!" she jumped on her other foot for a few seconds, and then carefully walked. "Tch, it''s one thing after another." She then entered the hall. "I shouldn''t waste time. Where''s that 777?" she looked around, and to her relief, he was resting on the floor, slowly sipping water. Her rather quick arrival startled him. "I''m sorry. I''ve kissed the bottle!" "I''m not here for water. Get up," upon sensing the hurriedness in her words, he quickly stood. "Y-You are Sariyu!" Just now he realized who she was. "Wow, what happened to you?" he was bewildered. "Did you walk through smoke or something?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. Sariyu, currently, looked like someone who just escaped from a fire accident, so he could barely recognize her. "Please tell me you know someone on this ship who can heal life-threatening wounds or burns to be precise," Sariyu got straight to the point. "If they''re on this deck, that would be even better." "Hm? Why would you need someone like that?" he scanned her once. "You don''t seem injured." "It''s for Lirzod. He''s in the clinic next to this hall." "What?" 777 paused, but then his eyes widened. "Don''t tell me... Those brothers got him?" Sariyu clenched her fists. "We will worry about them later. Lirzod got deep burns all over his body. He doesn''t have much time. Do you know anybody on this deck who can help him?" "If the drill clinic isn''t good enough," 777 furrowed his brows, "I don''t think anyone I know on this deck will be of much help either." Sariyu frowned. "What about the upper decks?" "There are a few, but even if I managed to find them, I can''t guarantee if they''ll be willing to help or not." "Still, try your best. Use the Seal Service, too. Find someone and come back in twenty-four hours." "Mm," 777 nodded and then kept looking at her. "What?" she asked in haste. "Nothing," 777 scratched his nose. "It''s just that some coin would greatly help things move fast." She was a little surprised but was quick to respond, "How much?" "At least five gold." "F-Five gold?" Sariyu''s brows furrowed. "We are talking about those who stand out even on the upper decks. Most of them wouldn''t even move their asses for anything less than one gold. Money matters even for them." "Fine," she took out a tiny golden cube from her purse and gave it to him. It had number one written on all of its sides. "W-Wow, you''ve got a first-grade golden trade token," 777 was greatly surprised. "This is worth ten gold, but in auctions, it can fetch a higher price. Where did you get this one?" "That''s not important." Sariyu urged, "Just go and bring someone who can cure him for sure." "Yeah, yeah, sure," 777 said and smiled and looked at the golden cube, "with this, our chances have greatly improved." Saying that he left the spot in a jiffy. As Sariyu watched him leave, she remembered a moment with Duera from the past. "Why do you roam so much with that boy from the Basha family?" Sariyu asked Duera near the well in the garden. Both of them, at the time, weren''t even half as tall as they currently were. Sariyu was wearing long sleeves that covered her wrists and also a long gown that covered all the way up to her ankles. "Aren''t you supposed to work for our family?" "I''m sorry, Young Mistress. I will stop going during daytime if you don''t like it," her eyes were a bit downcast, and they lost a bit of sparkle. "I don''t mind if you be with him more." "Then, is there anything else I did wrong?" "No," Sariyu turned around and hid her face. "I was just wondering¡­ if¡ªif I can be friends with him as well." Duera looked bewildered but then chuckled. "Of course, Young Mistress. You can be his friend as well. He''s younger than you, so you can pull his cheeks if you want." "Really?" Sariyu quickly turned back. "But¡­ pulling cheeks? Won''t he hate us if we do that too much?" "He will. He''s quite sensitive." "Then why are you¡ª" "But his long face is short-lived. Give him a kiss, and it goes away. Give him something he likes, and everything''s good. There is a soul that does this to him all the time! Trust me, Young Mistress. It works!" "Mm," Sariyu got lost in thought for a moment, "wait¡­ our pet dogs are also like that. So you are saying he''s like them." "What?" Duera choked on her own breath. "No, no, no, no, no. I didn''t mean it that way. You''ve got it totally wrong." "I''m sorry," Sariyu put her hands on her mouth, looking startled and embarrassed at the same time. "I just insulted him, didn''t I?" "No, no, Young Mistress," Duera quickly replied. "You just said that he''s a bit like¡ª" she stopped herself from uttering another word. A few seconds of silence passed as they turned away from each other. Duera eventually took the courage to break the silence. "I will bring him here in the evening if you want, Young Mistress." She leaned closer and whispered. "I read in a book that ''friendship forms not for nothing.'' Starting it with something special should do the job¡ªif you get what I mean." "I met him a few times, but I don''t know much about him. All I know is that he looks cute and healthy," Sariyu spoke in a way as if she wasn''t sure of herself. "W-What does he like? I will make mom cook something for him." "You don''t need to cook anything for him. Just get a packet of roasted groundnuts. That should do. Don''t make them too spicy, or he''ll begin to cry." "Just groundnuts?" "Yes," Duera nodded twice. "Let him eat those nuts and fatten up, and when he''s finished, you can eat his cheeks." Sariyu smiled from the bottom of her heart and nodded. "I look forward to eating, I mean, pulling his cheeks." "Haha, but just don''t bring the topic of dogs, okay?" "Y-Yeah." Coming back to the present, Sariyu rubbed her teary eyes. "I can''t let our friendship end like this." She rubbed her nose and sniffled. "Why am I crying over that idiot? He made so many promises to our people. He surely can''t dare to die so soon." After bringing her emotions under check, she checked her purse to count the remaining coins she had. She then remembered giving away money to Viktor and the narrow-chinned man who was at the bread booth at the time. And that memory only brought a complicated expression on her face. "I don''t know whether that money helped them or not, but I hope that what I have is enough to better Lirzod''s condition." Sariyu stood right where she was for a moment and let out an audible breath out of her nose. "As the honorable Godrick put into words, ''money makes matters matter.'' He couldn''t be truer." As she was sighing, she suddenly remembered that Lirzod won a lot of coins in the hall. "Wait¡­ what happened to all that money? Where did he put it?" "Hey, miss! Miss Rose!" Just then, she heard a voice coming from afar. When she looked toward the source, she saw a somewhat unforgettable face behind bars. "That guy¡­ what was his name again?" she couldn''t quite remember his name, but she remembered that he was the one who had come to the test hall on a donkey. Though she didn''t want to bother herself with him, his desperate cries made her do the opposite. As she got close to the wooden cells, the trainees practicing their techniques with humans, who served as punching bags, made a line and blocked her. "Where do you think you''re going, girl?" one of the trainees coldly stared down at her. "He''s calling for me," Sariyu replied, her voice indicating a lack of patience. "Can''t I even talk to him?" "For what? Perhaps, you want to hear his story?" one of them snickered. "Are you acquainted with him or what?" "Do I have to be acquainted with him to meet him?" she retorted. "Not really, but it''s only that we don''t let just anyone talk to the criminals." "What did he do?" she asked, rather bluntly. "He was caught stealing something in the middle of a circus show, and on the stage, it seems. How foolish! If he wanted to serve as our bodbag for a couple of days, he should''ve just come to us straight, hehe." The trainees began to laugh together. "So, he''s a thief, huh¡­" Sariyu paused for a moment and then turned back, leaving the trainees in puzzlement. "Wait, miss!" a voice came from her behind. "I can help you." Sariyu stopped in her tracks and looked over her shoulder. "Shut your mouth, you clown!" one of the trainees barked at him. "Do you want to get punched that bad or what? Don''t worry. Your turn will come soon." Not minding their words, the man inside the cell, Booboo, shouted, "I can help your friend." Sariyu''s eyes slightly enlarged. He¡ªhow did he hear our conservation? When she and 777 were discussing, they were at least a hundred meters away from the cells, so she was surprised by what was happening. "Help who?" one of the trainees barked. "You are not getting out for the next two weeks, you prick." "You are not lying, are you?" Sariyu asked in a loud tone. "I don''t take pleasure in lying, miss," Booboo exhorted. "Get me out of here quickly, and I promise... you''ll not regret your decision." After some thinking, Sariyu looked at the trainees. "How can I get him out?" "If he can beat two of us, he can go for free," a trainee replied, looking at Booboo with ridicule in his eyes, "but I doubt he''s strong enough." "Can others fight in his stead?" Sariyu couldn''t help but ask. "Of course, there is that luxury, but I''m afraid," one of the trainees said in a taunting voice, "in that case, you''ll have to be fighting not us but Master Sean." "Oh¡­" Sariyu paused a moment and said, "What about coins?" "Well, since he''s caught for attempted robbery, you pay one gold, and he''ll go free." "O-One gold!" Sariyu was stunned. In some parts of the world, it would take a year or even more for someone to earn such an amount. "That''s too much." "But that''s the rule," the trainees said with smiles on their faces. "Otherwise, everyone would be looting each other all the time for trivial things. Also, half of that money would be given to the victims or their families, so it''s not like the rule is there just to pocket some coin." Sariyu looked toward the man in the cell, and her gaze stopped on the gold coin dangling by his ear. "What about that gold coin he has? Is that a fake?" "No, it''s genuine," one of the trainees said, "but he wasn''t willing to pay." The corners of Booboo''s mouth turned down, but he wasn''t blinking, "Please, Miss Rose. If someone as stunning as you can''t help me, then who else can I look for? Who else can I take pleasure from?" Sariyu slightly shook her head. "You are trying to wheedle your way out of the penalty." "What else can I do? My meager self can''t pull off anything proper. I need your help," he shed a tear that shone as it slid down his painted cheek, "please." Sariyu paused for a moment. "My name isn''t Rose." She took out a gold coin from her purse and flicked it at one of the trainees. After catching the coin, the trainees had surprised looks on their faces for a few seconds. "Release him." Until Sariyu spoke, they didn''t move. As the trainees let the man out and broke his bindings, they sneered at him, "You are one lucky fellow. If not for her, we would have gained a punching skill or two by beating the living daylights out of that clown face of yours, keke." "Lucky me." He smiled at them and then came straight toward Sariyu with a cheeky smile on his face. "Prisons, indeed, are for the poor. For sure, Old Rick knew what he was talking about." "Stop quoting others words and get going," Sariyu gestured. "I don''t know how to express my thanks to you," he said. "Maybe sharing a bed will¡ª" "Just keep your promise," Sariyu said in a serious tone, her eyes oozing out killing intent. "If you fail to help my friend, for whatever reason, you''ll regret coming out of that cell." "O-Of course. Of course." Booboo raised his hands and exposed his palms. "I wanted to go find my ride first, but I guess I''ll have to take pleasure in helping your friend first. Where''s he?" Sariyu gestured to him to walk. "In the clinic next to this hall." "Oh," he started to walk. "By the way, I''m Booboo. We''ve met recently. I don''t know if you remember me or not." "How can someone forget your face so soon?" "You are right, indeed." He got a bit excited upon hearing her words. "So let me tell you this, I got caught on purpose." "Oh, did you?" Sariyu''s voice was a bit sarcastic. "Yes," Booboo, however, continued speaking with excitement, "the frog I caught wasn''t the one I was looking for. So I was disappointed and just let myself get caught for fun." "Then, would you be kind to pay me that one gold back?" "Maybe one day, but not today." He smiled without exposing his teeth. "Thought so." "I wasn''t lying this time." His smile now showed teeth. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," Sariyu followed right behind him but kept enough distance from him to feel comfortable, for he reeked of alcohol. "I guess you aren''t the type who flirts with a thief," Booboo glanced over his shoulders. "That''s too bad. I''ll try to take pleasure in speaking from one end for as long as I can." "Just stop talking, will you?" Sariyu said. "Okay. Okay. If that''s what you want, that''s what Booboo wants as well. There should be many more dazzlers on Exvo, so there''s no need for me to feel down." He opened the wine bottle and took three gulps. Just as they were exiting the hall, a spiky-haired man who was hiding behind the wall suddenly attacked Sariyu, startling her, but before she responded to his punch, Booboo came in between and pushed the fist away before grabbing the man''s face and smacking him down to the floor and sat on him. "Only meanies ambush a lady. What are you up to?" "Let go of me, you creep!" the spiky-haired man barked in frustration. "Ow, so spicy for a sour tongue," Booboo twisted his hand, making him scream in pain. "I take real pleasure in twisting the fate of folks like you." "Let him go," just then Sariyu said after looking at the knuckle duster on the spiky-haired man''s hand. "Are you sure?" asked Booboo. "We don''t have time for this," Sariyu started to walk away, but she glanced back at the spiky-haired man. "Don''t expect mercy the next time you or your friends try to pull a trick like this." The spiky-haired man didn''t say anything but simply ground his teeth. "You heard her!" Booboo slapped on the back of the spiky-haired man''s head, causing him to bark in anger. "Get off of me, you bastard! I''ll tear you to pieces!" "Oh, let me tear some of yours out," Booboo then ripped out at least a few thousand strands of hair, causing him to howl in severe pain. "So noisy," Booboo then stuffed that hair in that man''s mouth before getting off him and following Sariyu. Sariyu couldn''t hide the disgust on her face. "What was that for? I told you to let him go!" "I-I did it for you, miss." "For me?" she narrowed her eyes. "Or for your own sick pleasure?" "It seems you don''t believe Booboo. Those who don''t believe Booboo can''t become his friends or win his aid." "I never said I wanted to become your friend," Sariyu continued to walk. "I''ll bear with you until you help my friend, and then you''re on your own." "I''m not on my own," Booboo murmured as he silently followed her. He opened the wine bottle and took six gulps. Soon, they reached the clinic. Sariyu first entered the room, whereas Booboo was standing right outside. "You''ve returned quickly!" the elf girl was pleasantly surprised. "Yeah, I''ve found someone who said he could¡ª" Sariyu turned around by degrees toward the door, but to her shock, Booboo wasn''t outside. She stood frozen for a moment but then immediately ran outside. "Boo!" the sudden sound scared Sariyu into jumping on her feet. "Haha, you got scared, didn''t you?" Booboo, who was hiding behind the wall, got a thorough laugh out of it. "Do you want to become my friend now?" After silently fuming for a second, she said, "This isn''t the time for fun. And you''re too strange. We''re never becoming friends." "I was just saying a boo," replied Booboo, looking a bit dull. "If you don''t take pleasure in it, then that''s too bad." He opened his wine bottle and kept gulping it down his throat nonstop. "Just do what you promised," said Sariyu as she walked into the clinic, looking disgusted, "and you can then go and boo whoever you want." After going ten steps into the room, she stopped a few feet away from the elf. A couple of seconds passed, but no one entered the room. Sariyu turned around by degrees and said aloud, "Can''t you hear me?" However, there was no response. She made her way back to the door in haste. "Not again," she stepped out and looked to her left, but to her surprise, Booboo wasn''t there. She looked to her right, and he wasn''t there either. Her eyes enlarged as she looked in the street in both directions; however, the street was desolate, except for the spiky-haired man. Her heart pounded against her chest at once. She clenched her fists and ran toward the drill hall, hoping Booboo would be there. Meanwhile, the elf girl scratched the back of her ear a bit, "What was that all about?" she looked disappointedly at Lirzod, whose body was now fully covered in leaves. "It looks like you''re going to give up the ghost in my clinic." Sariyu stopped near the spiky-haired man who was still on the floor and cringing from pain. His scalp was bleeding, and it burned. "Hey, that man who was with me, did you see where he went?" The spiky-haired man glared at her and bellowed, "Are you shitting with me now? Fuck off, you filly from hell!" Sariyu frowned. She couldn''t care less about his words, and she hurried into the hall. 72 KNUCKLES AND LEMONS On the twentieth deck, at Knuckle Street. 777 just reached there but got stopped by the guards. Only after paying five copper, he was allowed to enter the street, which was quite livelier than the last time he came here, and though everyone wore clothing from different places of the world, they all had one thing in common about them¡ªthe copper-coated knuckle dusters. 777 stopped by the reception desk, which was on the side of the road. "What''s on your knuckles, mister?" the petite receptionist, who was the only one of the two women of the guild, asked him politely. Another guard was standing only a few feet beside the desk. Only the receptionist and the guards were wearing guild uniforms¡ªlong blue suits with green borders, and a roaring white hound symbol on their backs with bloody knuckle dusters covering its paws. "Curing someone who''s got caught in fire¡ªand a fight," 777 said, making sure to keep his voice soft and polite. The receptionist flicked her long, light brown hair as she asked, "What''s the condition of that knuckle?" "Critical." "Our guild isn''t yet known for curing damaged knuckles, but if you still wish to put trust in us, then it will cost one gold if the patient''s on this deck, and two gold if they are on another deck." "I want Ms. Blood." The receptionist was a little surprised. "Then it''ll cost double, and with the member you''re requesting, the money won''t be returned no matter what happens. Do you still wish to proceed with the request?" 777 calmly put a sack of coins on the desk. After counting the money, she nodded. "Four hundred silver." 777 nodded. "What''s your name, knuckle?" "777." "And the name of the damaged knuckle?" "Lirzod." "The deck number?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting. "Twelve." After writing down the details of the mission, she glanced toward the guild. "Show him to Blood''s room." Meanwhile, inside Blood''s room. It was dimly lit, and a woman was seated in a rocking chair and kept moving the chair back and forth as she finger-knit a baby doll, while heeding to the voice coming from a floating newspaper in the air beside her. The newspaper was titled ''Daily Dose,'' with the tagline, ''A lot emerges in the world in one day.'' From that newspaper, a deep masculine voice read the news out loud as the colorful images on it kept changing. "Dose 26: The World Trade Bund has set up two new bases in the East, and consequently, the flow of food to rural areas will increase, and the prices of some gourmet foods are going to go down in many places soon. "Dose 27: Emperor Kritt was asked by a little kid about Paupers Sect again during a public party in the Nasira Kingdom, but as usual, he just smiled for an answer, while many at the party kept shouting an all familiar expression among the worldly masses, ''In the East, Kritt Honglo Morzz. In the West, Yong Moi Li.'' What can he say when asked about a sect that doesn''t exist? Had the Metal Minds done their job in letting the right people ask questions, he wouldn''t have had to answer to such senseless subjects. Poor Kritt. "Dose 28: Lezi Ahsab, after the news of her getting involved with the Million Maroon Massacre, has disappeared without a trace. Her guild has not released any official statement, but our sources say that she''s still somewhere in the land of the living. Nevertheless, if she keeps sticking her nose where it doesn''t belong, she''ll probably be pushing up the daisies before long. "Dose 29: It hasn''t been long since a silver mine has been discovered in the Wresledal Kingdom, and a civil war has sprung to life. It seems like another king is going to meet his ancestors. At this point, these wars have become a trend in Westendom. Are the Watchers sleeping? Maybe they don''t quite care as long as it''s a silver mine and not a silver-ice mine? Only God knows. "Dose 30: A group of fifty popular breathers of forty halls challenged Papa Poison but ended up meeting their maker together. Those young fellows sure were in haste. "Dose 31: Things again seem to be heating up at Silver Curtain after one of the local kingdoms, Cerchio, mysteriously disappeared, not leaving any traces of life whatsoever. Some are doubting that Dots are the reason, but most locals are wondering that either Derxes or Nikiri must have had something to do with it. But what can they do against two specialists of a high order even among martialites? Maybe something against them will be brought up in the next Grand Parley." "Dose 32: The news has been rampantly floating around in Silver Curtain that famine is on its way to the Ravaria Kingdom. Considering that this isn''t fresh news and that many had been saying the same thing for well over a decade, it''s hard to believe in rumors anymore. Still, one can''t grow that many crops on sloping lands, and given that the Ravarian citizens are predominantly hunters, they probably don''t know how to properly farm even on flatlands. So, it''s more like a race against the clock. The disaster in the form of famine is going to strike them sooner or later." "Dose 33: The Mikkis Kingdom has strengthened its capital''s walls again, surprising its citizens and even many folks in the world because rumor has it that they were drowning in debts, but that doesn''t seem to be the case. Just where''s their king getting the money from? "Dose 34: Vrusylvon Ventures has surprisingly suffered losses in the recent investments for areal shoes. The fault was neither in the functionality nor their marketing but the design of the shoes themselves, it seems. It''s rare to see Mr. Bibin failing to not think of such a simple thing as the attractiveness of the product. Some say that he still can''t get over his wife''s death, but we doubt that''s really the case. "Dose 35: The Huixian Kingdom has¡ª" "Stop," soon as the woman spoke, the voice from the newspaper stopped, and then it folded itself and fell on the stool below. "Up the glow." The lighting inside the room brightened, exposing the soft red glow on her pale skin. She looked at the doll and was satisfied with the way she knit even in darkness. She put the doll on the nearby table, with dolls laid out on top, which together told the story of a little girl. A moment later, someone knocked on the door. "Come in." The door opened, and both 777 and the guard stepped in. After the guard handed a slip that had the mission details, she glanced at 777. "Have we met before?" He paused a moment before shaking his head. "Then why are you staring at me like you know me?" Her words made him lower his eyes a little. She stood and stared down at him, for she was six feet and one inch tall. Her short, spiky red hair was darker than a rose, and her tight, leather jacket brought more beauty to her shredded body by showing all of her soft muscles and smooth curves. "Lead the way," she put on two silver knuckles and walked outside. As they were coming out of that street, the receptionist called out for them. She came running to Blood and brought seven men with her. "Sister Blood¡­ can you please help us with another mission? These fools have failed a simple mission of fetching a girl from the twelfth deck. They are giving excuses that she might have been a breather. If it wasn''t an important client, I wouldn''t have come to you." Blood coldly looked at the seven men. "Decide which one of you will be coming along." The seven sheepishly looked at each other''s faces. "You birdbrains! What are you hesitating for!" the receptionist smacked on the back of their heads and pushed one of them forward. Meanwhile, on the twelfth deck. People were out on many streets and were doing their best to catch cats, and it weirded out the newcomers. "Hey, what''s going on?" Limon, the Lemon Licker, who had just entered the deck, queried a busy man who was in the middle of cornering a cat, but thanks to Limon''s interference, the cat escaped. "You!" fury foamed at the man''s mouth. "Who the heck are you? You just cost me ten copper!" "T-Ten copper!" he removed his lemon-looking cap, "What in lemons do you mean?" "Not lemons, but cats is what I meant," the man frustratingly foamed. "The commander has put a price on them. Ten copper reward for the first hundred black or white cats brought back to the test hall. Five copper for any cat from there onward." He giggled. "Thanks to people like Jacob, he''s probably forced to act this way so he can take our help and secure the cat''s lives. In any case, this is a great opportunity to earn easy money. Well, not exactly easy, but not exactly hard, either. Still, I lost ten copper because of you." He glanced at Limon with irritation and also expectation. Limon scratched on a band-aid fixed at his chin, "Oh, that''s why everyone''s fighting among themselves for cats. Ten copper isn''t much for a cat when on a voyage. I''d rather make a lemon roast out of the cat I caught, but you can surely buy many lemons with that much money." "Don''t be foolish," the man snorted. "Killing cats is forbidden on this deck. If anyone''s found eating cat meat, they''ll be imprisoned for ten days with only cat fur given as food. Voluntarily slaying a cat gets you even more prison time." "T-That''s¡­" Limon''s eyes enlarged. "So cats are more precious than lemons on this deck." "Why in the world are you comparing cats with rubbish lemons as if they''re equal?" "No," Limon stared right into the man''s eyes with intent, giving him chills. "I''ve never licked cats, but I''m still certain that lemons are better." "By lemons, you mean the food item, right? Or are you talking about new species that some lemon manic discovered?" "Thanks for your banter, but say another word badly about lemons," Limon threatened with his voice and gaze, "and I will make a new species out of your face." The man stepped back and tensely said, raising his hand into the air, "L-Lemons are great." Chanting the same phrase aloud repeatedly, he hurriedly left, while keeping an eye on the other one. Limon pressed his lips a bit before putting his cap back on and walking. "I can''t miss up on an opportunity to fill my pockets with copper. Now, unlike my lovely lemons, cats can move. How do you catch these things? I guess I''ll just see one successful capture and start things from there." As he roamed, he came across a guy who scared a cat away with shots fired from his crossbow and lured the cat toward a corner before another man came out of nowhere and flung a net over the cat. While the feline struggled, they grabbed it and put it in a sack¡ªone that was typically used for packaging grains¡ªand moved on for another one. "That was a successful capture," Limon mused to himself. "So I need a crossbow, a net, and most importantly, some support from another lemon-head." He paused a moment. "Nah, I don''t want to split the reward. Let''s look at another successful capture." After strolling a bit, he entered a different street, and out of nowhere, four people came out of hiding and surrounded him, two from the front and the rest from behind. "Were you guys following me?" Limon asked, looking a bit surprised. "Since when?" "Hehe, you were clueless as a chicken suffering from constipation," one of them snickered. "Give us all the coins, and we''ll be off your case just as fast." "Coins? I don''t have coins," Limon exposed his palms. "You don''t have money?" one of them barked, "Don''t lie!" "Why would I lie?" Limon looked a bit bewildered. "Your backpack looks nice," one of them licked their lips. "I wonder what''s in there." "Uh, nothing." Some worry crept up on Limon''s face. "I mean, not literally nothing, but nothing that''s of value to you." The four men looked at each other and smiled. "Hehe, we don''t like being lied to by others, especially by paunchy chickens like you." Both the men on Limon''s back attacked him, causing him to turn around and throw punches, but then the tearing sound of the bag reached his ears. Dozens of fruits fell to the floor and rolled about, cutting all the smiles on the men''s faces. "W-What are these?" one of them stooped down, picked one up and sniffed it. "How does it smell?" another one asked in expectation. "Smells like a fucking lemon!" he tossed it away and stood in anger. "Let''s tear the bag further and see what he''s hiding." "Yeah!" all the four of them attacked together. "My lemons¡­" Limon, who had frozen from fury all this while, now howled in rage, stopping the four men in their tracks. "You wretches!" he removed the bag and swung it around at them madly. "Shit! This chicken''s liver is on fire! Abort! Let''s leave!" The four of them beat a retreat, but Limon shot a lemon and hit a man''s head perfectly, but there wasn''t enough power behind it, so it only left some pain. Limon roared. "Where are you running off to in such a hurry? Stop, and fight me, you cowards!" Though his words piqued their nerves, they didn''t stop. "Tsk," he felt disappointed as he looked at his torn bag. He went through a lot of trouble to buy a distinctive bag which could store lemons for longer times than regular bags. "I wonder if it still works the same way if I get it stitched up." Shaking his head, he picked the lemons off the floor. Just when he was going for the last one, a cat came out of nowhere and snatched it away. "Wait, you!" Before he could even take a couple of steps, the cat made enough distance to make him give up. "That damn thing! I swear if I see it again, I will lick some sense into it!" In the meantime, elsewhere on the same deck. Burton was coming out of a hall that had a big title board at the door of its entrance that read ''Foster Hall.'' He was holding a bag full of fruits. He crunched on an apple and closed his eyes to savor the taste. "A simple bite from an apple never felt so refreshing. Eating only bread for a few days has its benefits after all." Many men and even teenagers sitting on either side of the street were all smiles as Burton came out of the hall. They all suddenly ganged up on him, and before he could even do anything, all the food in his hands was gone, including the cover. Even the apple he had taken a bite from was missing. As for the people who had stolen his food, they all ran off in different ways. Burton''s jaw was slacked open. He couldn''t believe what had just happened. He was savoring the taste of the apple with his eyes closed, and then something happened. By the time he realized what was happening, everything was gone, for they had attacked him as one but fled as dozens. A crushing loss at the hands of thieves of all ages made Burton feel abashed, but then he was more worried about the loss of delicacies he suffered. "My apple¡­" Though he knew the food was gone, his mouth was still drooling. Just then he realized that even his copper ring was gone. "Eh? They stole the ring, too? I didn''t even feel it." He frowned as he rubbed the ring finger at the base where the ring was supposed to be. "The love of money can make a man''s fingers as sticky as a gecko''s feet." His eyes then turned cold as he made a fist. "Which dog did it?" Meanwhile, in the Drill Hall. Most trainees were practicing as usual, even though most of them wished to join the worthwhile hunt of cats. A few, though, were talking about something else. "Oi, you should go and ask her out before she disappears from this deck," one man pushed the blonde youth forward. He was the one who got his shin cracked during the exchange of kicks with Sariyu. "Stop it already! I''m not into her!" the blonde youth said. "What? You don''t like her? Who are you kidding!" "No, I do admire her looks," the blonde youth said in a praising tone. "From the tips of her toes to the ends of her outstretched fingers, she''s downright stunning." He flustered a bit, "But there''s no place for a partner in my Martial Way." "Ah, not again with that load of crap." "Just forget about her, alright?" the blonde youth sighed. "We should focus on our practice." 73 DUSTY BLOOD Inside the commander''s room on the twelfth deck, four of Hardy brothers were kneeling on the floor and looked to be in dire straits. The four of them were wearing lockets made of a single tooth. Fimbry wasn''t with the others, for he was not only suffering from severe fever but was also injured too much to tag along with his brothers. \"There''s a rule that none shall be murdered on this ship,\" Sean, who was seated in his chair, coldly looked down at them. \"You guys didn''t keep that rule in mind, but if it wasn''t for that same rule, you five brothers would have probably lost your lives by now, given the ruckus you''ve caused in the hall.\" He chewed his cigar that was almost over. \"Dozens got burned by the flames, but fortunately, only a few suffered serious injuries; however, if any of those people die, then you guys are doomed.\" The five brothers couldn''t directly look in Sean''s eyes. \"I don''t care how angry or insulted you may feel, but always take things outside the hall,\" Sean said, his eyes shimmering with cold light. \"Teach someone a lesson or two if you want, but never go for a man''s life on this ship. The rules are set for a reason, and it''s not to restrain the strong but to teach them some self-restraint, and also not to bully the weak but to build up their backbone. That''s why you are given the freedom to hurt and injure someone as much as you want if they mess with you, but in return, you are only asked to not end their lives. Can''t you even obey that?\" A few seconds of silence passed. \"You can''t polish people without pushing them to their limits. Every deck on this ship, in one way or another, provides new opportunities for growth. Anyone on this ship may one day become a member of the Shambala Sect. So, we should treat others either like friends, or much better, rivals, but not enemies. How do you people expect to become members of the Shambala Sect if you think and act no better than apes on pills?\" The brothers didn''t raise their heads all this while. \"Next time you brothers even think of doing something this nasty, also think about the consequences. Since this is your first mistake on my deck, I''m letting things go. Just pay for the alcohol you''ve wasted, and give five silver to all the injured, and then an extra five gold for the property damage. Last but not least, you should publicly apologize to the referee, the former referee, and then you will be allowed to take part in the deck tests, understand?\" \"C-Commander,\" Betts raised his head. \"We can somehow manage and give five silver to the injured, but as for the loss of alcohol and the additional five gold for property damage.. it''s a bit too much.\" Paying for alcohol is no joke. Though rum and wine barrels were stored in the twelfth deck''s test hall, they were only allowed to be tasted by people from the upper decks. It was the same with all the rich and exotic foods, too. Paying for all that would not only fill holes in their pockets, but they''d be left with a huge debt. \"Oh, fine,\" Sean''s voice was indifferent, \"then make it ten.\" The brothers'' eyes enlarged, and redness crept into the corners. Sean got up from his seat, a thing throne made to resemble a standing cat. Cat fur provided some cushion in the throne, and cat claws also served as a decoration. \"You think I''m playing games with you guys?\" Sean''s voice deepened. \"Ten gold coins won''t even cover half the destruction you''ve all caused. More importantly, you''ve wasted the time of many by throwing the hall into chaos. Can you bring the lost time back? Besides, if those monkeys hadn''t come, I would have made you guys take responsibility for each and everything you''ve done.\" He ground his teeth. \"Now, all I''m asking is that you pay some coins and show some regret to the public.\" \"B-But, Commander,\" Divas said, \"we don''t have that much with us.\" \"I don''t care,\" Sean blurted out. \"Pay it within the next 300 fiifs[1] of time, or you''ll all be escorted to Drill Hall, where you''ll be required to live behind bars for as long as I feel like it.\" The four of them nodded under duress. \"You can leave.\" After those five left, Sean shook his head. \"You just let them go like that, Sir Sean?\" Mikey, who was waiting outside the room, just entered the room. \"Given their background, they could easily pay a lot more.\" \"It''s a pain in the ass to punish those who have potential,\" Sean sighed as he sat back in his seat. \"The Martial Way is a long walk. Not all good guys or bad guys stay the same throughout. Let''s see how these brothers take this set back.\" \"Understood,\" Mikey nodded. (All bad guys don''t stay bad throughout, huh. He''s right. They may change, or even we may change. Also, all of our posts are temporary, so it''s better to be careful now than to cry afterward. No matter how I look at it, Sir Sean is very thoughtful. No wonder he''s managed to stay as the commander of this deck for so long. I''m starting to see why even a big shot like Captain Gorka favors this man. If only I can...) At that moment, Sean glanced at Mikey. \"Are you wondering why I didn''t make you the referee after sacking Jehez?\" \"No, no, sir,\" Mikey was startled, but Sean was starting right at him. \"Y-Yes, sir. Sorry.\" \"Don''t be sorry. I would be mad if you aren''t angry at me now,\" said Sean, surprising Mikey. \"Any man without ambition is no different than these thing thrones. They only exist to serve, and they can''t fill in your place. So¡­ keep aiming for this seat.\" Sean''s words enlarged Mikey''s eyes, and his impression on the commander totally changed. \"However, don''t let ambition blind your eyes,\" Sean''s voice turned a bit heavy. \"Though I''ve heard complaints about you¡­\" At this point, Mikey''s body shook, \"I overlooked them, solely because not just any ordinary man can stay in Cat Home for long. So don''t disappoint me again.\" \"Understood, sir,\" Mikey replied aloud and bowed a little. \"Thank you for giving me another opportunity. I will do my best to not disappoint you again.\" \"Anyway, what''s the update with that boy?\" \"Oh, you mean the one with the scarface, sir?\" \"Ah, yes, yes, did he recover enough to attend for his review?\" \"I''m afraid not. He was the one who got the most injuries of all. I didn''t go and see him personally, but I heard he got severe burns, and his bones were bruised everywhere.\" \"Quite a wild kid he must be¡ªfor him to try and fight the brothers alone. I''ll give him that.\" Sean smiled a bit. \"He was probably tougher than the brothers thought.\" \"Not so tough, though,\" Mikey remarked. \"He might die if not treated soon, sir. Nobody has come forward to offer help.\" Sean was startled, \"What? More than ten hours have passed since the ruckus in the hall, yet none stepped forward to heal him?\" \"News has already spread that the boy was the reason why the brothers fought in the first place.\" \"Oh, so that''s how it is,\" Sean pulled his head back a bit and thought for a moment. \"Even though the brothers have clearly gone against the rules, everyone''s siding with them. The brothers are doing well now, and they have a bright future ahead, unlike the boy who has uncertainty written all over him. Even though he''s promising, nobody knows his name enough, let alone him as a person to make an effort. I guess I can''t blame people for taking the brothers'' side.\" \"What do you want to do now, sir? Do you want to save him?\" \"I would if he was innocent, but that''s not really the case, is it?\" a corner of Sean''s lips curled up a little. \"Besides, if the boy dies, the brothers will have gotten themselves into huge trouble. I would love to see them suffer for their stupidity.\" \"But, sir, if he dies on our deck, your reputation might take a dent. Also, are you really wishing such an ill fate for someone who has donated so much for the cats?\" Sean paused a moment. \"Donated? Who? The brothers?\" \"No, sir. The boy.\" \"He donated?\" Sean raised his brow. \"How much?\" \"I''m not sure, but it''s quite a lot, given that he earned it by involving every bettor during that round.\" Sean blinked twice. \"Was his name Lirzod?\" \"I think so, but I don''t believe that''s his name, sir.\" \"Why?\" Sean''s voice hastened a bit. \"Because I''m told Lirzod was the one who tussled with Geragorn recently.\" \"Wait, the one who moved Geragorn''s ass off the tenth deck was Lirzod?\" Sean''s eyes widened a bit, and he got out of his seat at once. \"U-Uh, I''m not so sure, sir,\" Mikey made a dumb face, not knowing what to say. Sean was usually busy, spending time in Drill Hall, and even though many trainees talk about news there, they still wouldn''t dare talk in front of their master, unless some groundbreaking event happened, so Mikey could understand why he wasn''t fully aware of the information. \"Forgive me for being useless.\" \"This boy¡­\" Sean pumped his fists. \"We can''t let him die like this!\" Meanwhile, in the Drill Clinic, on the twelfth deck. The elf girl looked quite tired, but she also looked happy. \"Thanks a lot, miss,\" one patient kowtowed after he got healed, \"if not for you, I''d still be suffering.\" \"Please get up. I just did my job.\" \"Yes, miss, but you demand less coin than others, even though you heal better than the rest, as far as I know.\" He looked at his body and looked satisfied. \"I still can''t believe that all the burnt skin on my hand got healed in less than an hour.\" \"I''ve used a bit of mierion in the oil applied to the injury,\" the elf girl informed in a polite tone. \"It made all the difference, that''s all.\" \"I don''t know what that is, but please accept this,\" he pulled out his silver bracelet and put it at her feet. \"No, I can''t take this,\" she stepped back in surprise, but the man hurriedly left the room with a big smile. She shook her head and sighed as she picked up the bracelet. \"Mm, this should be worth at least ten copper. These vulnurs[2] can be really sweet sometimes,\" she slid the bracelet into her pockets and took a breath before looking at the emptied beds. Out of the six beds she had, only one was occupied now. She had healed around forty men successfully, but this one person''s injuries were way too out of her league. She reached his bed and looked at him, who was still covered in leaves and hadn''t moved an inch all this while. \"I don''t know how much pain you''re in, but it''s good that you are unconscious.\" She paused a moment and then frowned a bit. \"At the same time, being unconscious for this long isn''t a good sign either. It''s amazing how you''re still breathing after taking so much damage. I thought you''d have kicked the bucket by now, to be honest. Lord Jien[3], indeed, loves to show miracles that mortals can only marvel at-el.\" She removed a leaf on his hands and observed his skin and flesh. \"Mm, at least the deterioration has stopped.\" She then nodded to herself. \"It''s time I prepare an herbal drink, for when he abraids out of his sleep.\" She walked up to a bed where there was a severed arm lying in a small bucket. It was from one of the patients who got his hand squashed by a band of thieves. It was beyond repair, so she had to cut it. She picked up the bucket and opened a hidden door by pressing her hand at a particular spot on the wall and entered the bright, warm room before closing it from the inside. The inside had a vast space, almost twice as big as the test hall, which was filled with plants and herbs of all kinds grown in wide wooden vessels stocked with black soil. The ceiling was about fifty meters high from the floor, so even the trees had enough space to grow to their fullest. A sizable beehive could be seen embedded in the ceiling. Spiders were lying in wait on their webs cast between some trees. Though everything was kept clean inside, a variety of insects could be seen moving from one plant to another. She walked up to one of the vessels and dug up some soil with an old shovel before placing the severed hand inside, and then she closed up the hole, joined her palms and prayed, \"Lord Jien, please see to it that all the flesh, blood, and bone properly replenish the soil and nourish the plants.\" She then moved on to collect some herbs. In the meantime, a horse and buggy stopped outside the clinic. The two members of the Knuckle Hounds guild were in the carriage, whereas 777 somehow managed to catch up on foot. Panting heavily with his hands placed on his knees, he gave Blood a bitter look. It was a two-man carriage, but three people could be fit inside with some effort; however, he was made to follow the horse on foot. (I heard she was a bit sadistic. I hope she''s satisfied with this.) The three of them entered the clinic, and their eyes fell on the one and only person inside the room. \"Is that the knuckle I need to treat?\" Blood asked. \"Uh, I think that''s the one,\" 777 hurriedly walked over and lifted a few leaves off the patient''s face, and his expression stiffened. \"What, he''s not the one?\" \"N-No, he is the one,\" 777 took a breath and stepped back, for he could barely recognize Lirzod. \"Please heal him.\" \"That''s why I''m here,\" Blood made her guild member bring her a seat, and she sat beside the bed. \"Who put these leaves without even removing the pieces of cloth?\" she looked irritated. \"It was probably a doctor down the street,\" 777 purposely said, \"that''s why I''ve come seeking your help.\" \"Then why are the leaves still on his body?\" she glanced up at him. \"U-Uh, I will take care of them,\" 777 said in reluctance. Both 777 and the other guy then helped remove the leaves off Lirzod, leaving all his wounds exposed. As for the cloth, only bits of his pants were left untouched by Blood, and she removed everything else with her scissors. \"Don''t make any noise from here on, boozles,\" she placed her hand on Lirzod''s belly and closed her eyes. Green aura leaked out of her palms and cascaded into his body. A few moments later, the flesh and the skin on Lirzod''s body started to reconstruct, and vapors came out of his body. (It seems to be working.) 777 felt at ease. (Choosing her was the right decision.) As he saw, in about three minutes, all the wounds on Lirzod''s body were healed, and his face was restored. He looked like he was never hurt, at least from the outside. \"My work''s done,\" Blood lifted her hands off Lirzod''s belly. \"Wait,\" 777 intervened. \"What about that scar running from his face¡ªto the forearm?\" \"That''s an old scar,\" Blood cast a glance at the boy''s face. \"I''m not skillful enough to heal it.\" \"O-Oh,\" 777 didn''t know what to say. \"U-Uh, at least he''s all healed, so, thank you.\" \"Don''t celebrate yet,\" she replied. \"Hm?\" 777 was puzzled. \"What are you saying, miss?\" \"He''s not fully healed,\" she replied in a similar fashion. Blood''s words puzzled 777 and the other guy. \"What do you mean, miss?\" \"While I was healing him, I found some impurities in his blood,\" she looked at her palm and closed and opened her fist. \"They are probably a type of comminglers.\" \"What are those?\" 777''s expression changed for the worse by the second. \"Germs that take over the body from the inside,\" Blood continued speaking in a casual, unaffected tone. \"D-Does that mean he will die if not treated?\" 777''s eyes widened as he asked. She lightly nodded. 777 was bewildered. \"What the hell do you mean? Why didn''t you remove those things?\" \"I would if I could.\" \"What?\" 777''s barked. \"Are you kidding me?\" \"I''m not,\" she was blunt. 777 ground his teeth. In frustration, he clutched his hair. He thought everything was going fine, but he was wrong. Even though he wanted to fume at Blood, he couldn''t dare to do that. \"H-How did those things even get in his body?\" \"That''s not my concern,\" she stood from the chair. \"W-Wait,\" 777 hurriedly said, \"if his blood is impure, can''t we send fresh blood and purify it?\" Blood began to walk away, \"You can''t clean a dirty ocean by dumping clean water into it.\" Upon hearing her words, anger thundered in 777''s ears. What good did she do if she only brought back Lirzod''s outer appearance without actually taking care of the problems on the inside? \"How, how much time does he have?\" \"No idea,\" Blood casually replied, \"maybe a year, or maybe an hour. It depends on the knuckle''s luck. Dusty blood is always on its way to doom, so you better find an expert healer, but still, don''t put too many hopes on him.\" At this point, rage immobilized 777. Though his blood was boiling, all he did was grind his teeth. Meanwhile, inside the secret room. The elf girl had collected the herbs and walked over to the animal cages where different kinds of animals were caged in. Most of them were snakes, and as she fed them lizard eggs, she realized that one of the cages was empty, and on that cage was written ''The Seven Seasons Snake.'' The herbs and eggs'' baskets in her hands fell to the floor. ................ [1] Fiif: A span of five minutes. Three hundred fiifs of time is equal to a day and an hour, which is 25 hours of time. [2] Vulnur: This is how elves used to refer to humans in the past. Only a few species in the world still call humans in this manner. Vulnur means, ''one who can be easily wounded.'' [3] Jien: A deity elves believe in and pray to. 74 GERMS IN THE GORE AND MORE Two people were strolling through a street at a quick pace. \"I wish I could be of more help, but I''ve never had the opportunity to make acquaintance with important people on this ship,\" Hundred''s voice lacked confidence but contained some comfort. \"That said, I''m sure the news of what happened in the hall would have long reached many decks. So, I don''t think it''s too late to find a good healer. We just have to go to the right places.\" Sariyu clutched her head to keep her headache in check. \"I don''t know what''s the right place anymore. Every healer I came into contact with was either not up to scratch or was just pretending for some coin. I feel like I''ve been roaming on this deck like a fatuous dog. If only I had more time, I could''ve gone to upper decks. Maybe, it''s still not too late for that.\" \"You are worrying too much. Just calm down, and think twice before leaving this deck,\" Hundred uttered in haste. \"It''s not easy to move up and down the decks when doing it for the first time.\" \"But we have no other choice, do we?\" Sariyu clearly looked frustrated. Only minutes ago, Hundred helped her with some money, and together, they requested a notable healer named Roddy Blume for help. However, after taking six gold as advance, Roddy told them that he was just passing by on the twelfth deck, and he told them both to bring Lirzod to his room that was in the upper decks. Roddy''s words infuriated Sariyu, but Hundred stopped her from fighting him. All they could do was watch as Roddy left shamelessly without even giving the money back. Six gold was not a small amount by any means. One could build a decent house, or buy a few acres of low-level farming lands in some rural parts of the world, where it took years to earn one gold coin for the middle class and the poor. \"If you really want to try the other decks,\" Hundred hesitantly said, \"it''s better to go down than to go up.\" Sariyu was a little surprised. \"But do you think we can find anyone capable there?\" \"I''m not sure, but you never know, right? You told that guy to look in the upper decks, so...\" \"Hmm¡­\" After pondering for a moment, Sariyu suddenly asked, \"What about Stussy?\" Hundred''s heart skipped a beat from hearing that name. \"By Stussy, you mean¡­ the Captain Commander?\" \"Yeah, that woman should be able to help us. We know that she''s on the tenth deck. So why don''t we just go there and request her?\" \"You know her?\" asked Hundred, as if he eagerly awaited her response. \"No,\" replied Sariyu, straight away. Hundred''s shoulders slumped a bit. \"Then how are you going to get to her?\" \"What do you mean ''get to her''?\" \"Well, she''s mostly on the tenth deck, probably out in the open, steering the ship and all, but you can''t get to her without her permission. Lifting the Mighty Rock isn''t an option either. Many people have tried in the past, but no one has ever succeeded in years. Even the commanders of decks are nothing special in her eyes. As for you and me, she wouldn''t even give us an audience. And not to forget, our requests aren''t even selfless. You are from the same clan as him, and I''m trying to be his offsider. I don''t even see the slightest chance of her heeding our words.\" \"But, but, since death is not desired on this ship, that woman should be inclined to listen to our request, right?\" Sariyu couldn''t help but ask in a hurry. \"I mean, she can''t let someone die on this ship under her watch, right?\" Hundred leaked out a restrained smile. \"You are thinking too much. The rules do say that we are not allowed to kill each other, but I don''t think that the rules say, she must stop us from killing each other.\" Sariyu was startled a bit. With a frown, she responded, \"The rules seem so convenient for these superiors.\" \"I wouldn''t say that, really,\" Hundred opined. \"Even those executives can''t exercise their authority in ways that go against the rules. That said, I do agree that the rules aren''t made in our best interests.\" Sariyu''s frown deepened, and she went wordless with vexation. \"You said we should first go see him once before we think of our next move,\" Hundred reminded, \"so let''s first do that. Who knows, if luck has it, that 777 might have already brought help.\" \"I very much hope that''s the case¡­\" Meanwhile, inside the drill clinic. As Blood was leaving, the elf girl hastily walked in from the entrance, albeit with a tense look. \"I hope that snake didn''t come out¡ª\" However, upon seeing new faces, she briefly shut her mouth. \"Who are you people?\" Just as she asked, her eyes looked in Lirzod''s direction and noticed that all his wounds disappeared. \"Whoa, is that¡­ who made him well-el? Was it that person in the beautiful white mask who came here recently?\" \"We are from Knuckle Hounds,\" the guy from the guild responded with pride, \"and we don''t know about this masked person you are speaking about, but our Sister Blood is the one who took care of his wounds.\" \"Oh¡­ Knuckle Hounds...\" the elf girl''s eyes then looked at the floor beside Lirzod''s bed, and there were leaves all around, most of which got walked upon. \"I don''t care who you are-fu,\" she pulled her gun out, startling everyone, \"but tell me, who threw my moon herbs on the floor and made a mess out of them?\" \"U-Uh,\" both 777 and the other guy looked at each other''s faces. \"It''s them!\" Blood immediately pointed her fingers toward them both. \"You vulnuric scum!\" the elf girl glared at both men. \"Pay me for all the leaves you''ve wasted. Five gold. That''s their worth.\" \"W-What?\" 777''s jaw dropped. \"B-But you already used those leaves.\" \"They are reusable leaves, you fool!\" the elf girl''s voice deepened. \"I could have used them at least two more times, but thanks to you, I''m being forced to waste some lead now-fu.\" \"N-No, no, please, don''t shoot me!\" 777 hurriedly said, \"Even if you search my pockets, you won''t find a single silver. I''ve already given everything I had to bring this woman here.\" The elf girl narrowed her eyes, \"Pick up those leaves first. I will fix the fine after I see how many of them you guys have spoiled.\" \"Yes,\" 777 breathed a sigh of relief. \"Thank you.\" \"Move,\" the elf girl raised her voice, and both 777 and the other guy began to quickly pick up the leaves. \"For an elf, you''re wearing human clothes,\" Blood''s eyes met with those of the elf girl, \"and you are also the one who put those leaves on that knuckle.\" \"Yeah, what about it?\" the elf girl coldly responded. \"Nothing. I just wondered which inexperienced idiot would place herbs on top of burnt clothes, that''s all,\" she said and smirked. The elf girl briefly looked at Lirzod, and then narrowed her eyes and glanced at Blood once, and later broke eye contact. \"So you are the one who healed him, huh...\" she stepped past Blood. \"I don''t expect fledglings to know sensitive subjects.\" Blood''s brows furrowed. \"Who are you calling a fledgling?\" she clenched her fist and swiveled back, but to her surprise, her face was at gunpoint. \"I suggest you leave my clinic before you spit any more venom on me, \" the elf girl''s voice was as chilling as the winds of winter, \"or I''ll be forced to direct all my frustration into my first finger.\" \"Hmph, this deck is still as entertaining as ever,\" Blood turned back and started to walk. \"For a fleshy elf, you can move. So the sayings were true after all¡ªthat elves can be as nimble as apes. Thank your lineage, uncommon knuckle, or things would have ended differently for you.\" \"For you as well-fu,\" the elf girl put the revolver back under her shirt. Just that moment, two people entered the room. One was a female, and her eyes first fell upon the one who lay on the bed, and after seeing the patient''s condition, her eyes regained a bit of glow. \"L-L-Lirzod¡­ Thank goodness.\" A bit of wetness also gathered in her eyes, and they gleamed. \"Wow, so he''s healed already?\" the second one, Hundred, was pleasantly surprised. \"I told you that everything will be fine, didn''t I?\" Sariyu ran over to the bed and pinched on Lirzod''s leg, startling everyone. \"Enough acting, and get up!\" she said, but there was no response, so she was readying herself for another one. \"Whoa, what are you doing!\" 777 interfered. \"He''s still unconscious.\" \"Unconscious?\" Sariyu was puzzled. \"He''s healed, wasn''t he?\" \"Well, it''s complicated,\" 777 said and glanced in the direction of Blood, and the other guild build member was saying something to her. \"Are you sure that she''s the one you guys failed to capture?\" Blood looked at her junior. \"Yes, Sister,\" he confidently said. \"I mean, even if I''m wrong, how many red-haired girls can there be on this ship? And how many would carry an injured man? The guy on the bed is most likely the one whom she was carrying.\" \"So, you are not a hundred percent sure.\" \"N-N-No.\" He somewhat backed away. \"I am, I am sure she''s the one.\" \"If you are wrong, then I will punish you appropriately later on,\" Blood stepped toward the bed. \"Hey, you, Red Hair.\" Sariyu, who was busy talking with 777 and the elf girl, didn''t hear her words. 777''s eyes, however, were on Blood all this while. \"She''s calling for you.\" \"Who?\" Sariyu turned her head by degrees and looked at Blood. \"Are you the one who beat a man for asking you out?\" Blood slowly tightened her fist, for she got filled in with the information on what had happened during her travel here. \"Asking me out?\" Sariyu turned around to face her, guessing where the conversation was going. \"If you mean cheapening someone''s character by talking to them as if they''re a lady of the night is the same as asking someone out in your town, then yes, that''s what he did.\" \"Oh, so you are saying he behaved tastelessly, and that''s why you manhandled him,\" Blood locked her eyes down on Sariyu. She was, without a doubt, the tallest one in the room, but Sariyu didn''t back down and met Blood''s gaze with her own. \"What would you have done?\" Sariyu asked. A moment of silence filled the room, before Blood replied, \"The same, probably.\" She turned around and began to walk. \"But you should have handled it a bit more gently, for your own sake.\" \"I regret to say, everyone''s got a little beast in them, merely made out of base instincts.\" Sariyu''s words made Blood stop and turn back. \"Most of the cases, the beasts you see are overbearing and cause nothing but trouble all the time, but they are not the ones you need to fret for.\" Sariyu walked toward Blood. \"What you should really watch out for are the few cases of the beasts that stay docile and don''t show their fangs unless you are in their faces,\" Sariyu stopped right in front of Blood, and both their gaze pierced that of each other, raising the tension in the room. After a few seconds of unsettling silence, Sariyu turned around and moved toward the bed. \"When a fool tries to tame the wrong beast and somehow makes it back home with his life intact, he should be glad that he didn''t go missing. Instead, he sends more of his kind after the beast only to let them suffer a much worse if not the same fate as him. But now, maybe, I can be somewhat glad that, at least, you are not of his kind.\" She placed her hand on Lirzod''s forearm, \"Otherwise, I''d feel bad for having to fight someone who treated my friend.\" Blood slightly smiled, and then swiveled around before leaving the room in confident strides. The other guy from the guild tensely followed her. Sariyu snapped her fingers at 777''s face, for he was in a stupor. \"Tell me, what''s still wrong with him?\" \"She, she said something about comminglers being in his blood,\" 777 hurriedly said. \"What are those things?\" \"Some kind of germs that kill people from the inside, it seems.\" \"What?\" Sariyu was stunned. \"Are you sure she wasn''t lying?\" \"I think so.\" \"You think so?\" \"W-Well, she seemed incapable of healing his condition, so I don''t think she has a reason to lie.\" Sariyu''s heart was pounding in her ears, and her head felt heavy. (It''s one thing after another.) Hundred, who was standing on the side, noticed the surprised expression on the elf girl. \"She seems to know something about them.\" Sariyu and 777 immediately looked at the girl. \"I¡­ I don''t know much about them,\" the elf girl walked over to Lirzod and observed the clotted blood lying on his side, \"that woman must''ve sensed those germs in this gore, which means some of them probably are in his body now.\" Her eyes enlarged a bit. \"What can they do?\" Sariyu hurriedly asked. \"From what I know,\" the elf girl didn''t look comfortable as she spoke, \"there are many types of comminglers, but most of them travel through blood and eat all the organs from the inside, and then drink the host dry, but the worst part is, the host may look healthy from the outside, while he''s dying on the inside.\" She touched Lirzod''s hand, \"it''s mildly warm¡ªas if he''s fully well.\" \"Do something about those germs, please,\" Sariyu urged. \"I can''t,\" the elf girl shook her head. \"I don''t have any herbs that can help his situation.\" \"What?\" Sariyu was taken aback. \"You are underestimating these comminglers,\" the elf girl indifferently voiced her mind. \"The more time they spend in the body, the harder it gets to spot them as they merge with the body. I don''t know where these things entered this boy, but these germs are rarest among the rare. One of their kind, slumber germs, if I''m correct, they are only used on dead royalty in some civilizations, so they eat up the insides while keeping the outer appearance intact. That''s why the remains of their royalties not only look but also smell fresh even after centuries following their death.\" Sariyu, 777, and Hundred were stupefied to hear that. \"W-Why would those kinds of germs be on this ship?\" \"I have no idea,\" the elf girl then pulled her revolver out and pointed it at Lirzod, stunning everyone. \"What are you doing?\" Sariyu was about to move. \"Move, and I''ll shoot him in the head,\" the elf girl stated bluntly. \"Do that, and I swear I''ll kill you the next second,\" Sariyu stressed her words. \"Don''t worry. I''m not going to kill him now,\" the elf girl said, \"but given that he''s infected, he''s a threat to us and everyone on this ship. Though the comminglers can change hosts through blood, they are terrible at changing hosts within a short period, so the hosts usually tend to die before the infection even spreads. However, it still makes your friend dangerous. So we''ll have to make sure he''s taken into custody. If he''s lucky, someone will find him and heal him. Otherwise, he''d at least come in handy for some research.\" \"Research?\" Sariyu ground her teeth and stepped forward straight away. \"Screw that!\" POW! And the gunshot fired. 75 CROSSING LEGS POW! And the gunshot fired. It was a sound that was felt more than heard, one that squeezed Sariyu''s guts, yet she proceeded forth. Though she pushed the elf girl away, the shot was fired before she even touched her. Sariyu and others turned their gaze downward diagonally. There was a hole in the pillow right next to Lirzod''s head. "I wasn''t going to kill him," the elf girl shook herself off from Sariyu''s grip, "not when on this ship, obviously," she pointed the revolver at Sariyu''s stomach, "but I won''t let you take him. We can''t let him walk free, not with those things thriving in him." Both 777 and Hundred looked tentative. "That elf has a point, too," Hundred somehow managed to speak out, looking at Sariyu. "We don''t want anything bad to happen to Lirzod, but we should at least talk this out." "That''s what I''m doing," Sariyu''s features hardened. "Shoot me if you want to, but I''m not letting anyone take him." "You think I will hesitate?" the elf girl cocked the hammer with the thumb. They were about the same height, with the elf a little shorter, but both the girls, their eyes abounding with doggedness, exchanged unyielding stares. "Whoa, what''s going on here?" just then a voice invaded the room. When everyone looked toward the entrance, there was a face, familiar to all of them; it was Sean. "Commander, you''ve come at the right time," the elf girl pulled the revolver back and decocked it. "Mulyk! Explain yourself!" Sean barked right away after seeing the revolver in her back. "C-Commander, I have a good reason," the elf girl, Mulyk, said and then quickly explained everything that had happened. "I get what you mean, but still," Sean''s face was filled with displeasure, "I didn''t give you that gun so that you can point it at people whenever you feel like it. You think you can call back a bullet you shot? Your hands are still young." "S-Sorry, Commander." She tilted her head down, seemingly from regret. "I will learn to use it better." "If this repeats, I''ll take it back. No questions asked," Sean said, and Mulyk could only nod. He then looked at 777 and Hundred. "Are you their offsiders?" "Still in the process," both of them replied simultaneously, in a respectful tone. "Of course." Sean''s gaze then shifted to Sariyu, "You won''t be liking what I''m going to say, miss, but I''m totally on Mulyk''s side regarding your friend''s matter. I have no idea what that disease is, so I can''t let him roam free, knowing that he can spread it to others through blood or God knows what else." Sariyu''s jaw tightened. "But there''s good news, too," Sean continued. "Because I''ve sent a request to a certain person to come and take a look at your friend. And I''m positive that she can do something about this situation." Sariyu''s jaw loosened, and her lips parted. "Who''s that?" "Well, you''ll see for yourself. She should be here any minute now," Sean said. Sariyu narrowed her eyes, "Why, why help now¡ªafter so many hours?" Sean smiled, exposing a bit of his awkwardness. "What matters is that I''m here before it''s too late, right?" Sariyu pressed her lips, trying to contain her dissatisfaction. (I''d like to believe that he''s helping without any motive, but my gut says otherwise.) She glanced at Lirzod and weighed in the options. (In any case, I can''t be rash when Lirzod''s in need.) At that time, Sean was scratching his head while glancing at her now and then. "What is it?" "Uh, it''s nothing," Sean hesitantly spoke. "Now that you are here, why don''t you come to my hall and kick some of my pupils?" "What?" "It''s hard to find someone who moves so swiftly, yet so smoothly in a fight and still hammer hits on their foes," Sean said, but Sariyu didn''t respond. "If you are worried about your friend, then fret not. I will guarantee his safety. You can let one of these men stay here to look after him." Sariyu didn''t breathe in more than twenty seconds. (This guy, just what does he want? If I don''t go with him, he might change his mind about helping Lirzod.) She bit her lip. (I guess I don''t have much choice now.) She looked at both 777 and Hundred, but her gaze stopped on the latter. "You want to be his offsider, so you stay with him, yeah?" "Sure thing," Hundred replied rather smoothly. "Don''t let her do anything to him," Sariyu stressed her words, directing a threatening gaze to Mulyk. Hundred nodded twice, reservedly. "You are overthinking, human girl," Mulyk saltily stated. "I''m not a killer by any means-fu." Sariyu walked out of the room without saying another word. Sean followed her with a pleased look on his face. When they both entered the Drill Hall, Sean said, "Thanks for agreeing to demonstrate some kicks to the young fellows. I mean, you are younger than many of them in age, but I''m talking about the fighting experience." Sariyu replied in a nettled tone, "I''m in a bad mood. Choose your men wisely, or they will get their wills broken." Sean was a little surprised and could only smile it off. "I appreciate you for warning me beforehand." 777, in the meantime, was following them both from a distance. "All the Golden Ants, line up!" With a howl to his pupils, to the crowded center of the hall, Sean led Sariyu. "Everyone else, gather around and keep your eyes open." Having experienced similar situations before, most of the pupils knew exactly what was happening. Those who didn''t know just followed the rest and clustered at the center of the hall, leaving enough room for a fight in the center. "The rules are simple. Only kicks are allowed," Sean said aloud. "Let''s start." "I''m lucky!" the first man in the line, a six-foot-tall one, stepped into the ring made by men, among whom the blonde youth was also present. "Don''t take it personally, girl. Beating you boosts my popularity, that''s all!" he lunged ahead and thrust his foot straight at her face. (This fire in my belly¡­) Sariyu ducked as she moved in and struck the back of the ankle with her foot, causing him to fall backward, but he managed to land on his arms and used that momentum to flip once again and get back on his feet. Sariyu jumped onward, neither foot touching the ground, spun and delivered a foot strike on the man''s jaw, lifting him off his feet and driving him into the crowd. (I must quench it soon, or¡­) Her eyes showed a hint of pain as she landed on her feet, eye-pleasingly. "Wow, did you see that flying spin kick? She made up the height difference so easily." "Her legs must be quite springy!" "Her arms look slim, but she can carry herself on them." "Oi, look! He''s not getting up." "This golden ant''s out for the count." Even after counting to three, the man whom Sariyu just kicked didn''t get up, so the next golden ant entered the ring. "That guy attacked you straightforwardly, but don''t expect the same from me," he carefully approached her and tested her with a few kicks to see how she would react, but just as she reached the edge of the circle, he suddenly launched a barrage of successive kicks at her ribs, all on one side. Though Sariyu blocked the attacks and skipped the other way, he followed her and didn''t let her move forward. She ground her teeth as her body rattled from the force of the kicks. The blonde youth watching the battle from the front line in the crowd looked as if he wasn''t surprised. (You are definitely skillful, miss, but that senior isn''t bad either. As a man, he has the natural advantage of strength, so it''s not a surprise you''re struggling to block his kicks, and unlike you, most of us are used to fighting in this type of setting, so your loss is only a matter of time. You shouldn''t have come here with the master. Now, they''re going to make an example out of you just like previous times.) The crowd, though, backed their senior with blatant tongues. Sariyu, meanwhile, had a frown taking shape on her face. (He has kicked like fifteen times already, but the kicks aren''t slowing down. Quite a ferocious kicking style.) She glanced at Sean once. (He must''ve put his pupils through similar routines.) "What''s wrong?" the man in the ring smirked as he continued to storm forth with his kicks. "Why don''t you let me¡ª" As his next kick closed in, she ducked and dodged the foot. "Taste a bit of my knee!" she sprung and crashed her knee in his face, cracking his nasal bone, and a mini fountain of blood gushed out as he fell on his back. So fast! His eyes whitened the very next moment. The blonde youth was left in shock. (N-Never mind. She''s not your typical woman.) The crowd fell silent there and then when Sariyu''s sneeze ricocheted across the neighborhood as though it was the only sound in existence. "Ah, that hurts," she rubbed her nose. "His nose is the one that should be hurting!" Many men in the crowd barked at her and redirected their irritation to their senior. They splashed water and woke him up just to scold him. "How could you lose like that when you were at such an advantage? This is disgraceful. You brought shame to our master." Their words made him lose more face. Sariyu, on the other hand, was massaging her left arm, for it felt heavy and lethargic. "Your senior has not lost for naught. You should commend not chide him." "Shut up, girl!" some men among the crowd rebuked her. "This is our problem. Don''t interfere." "Then send me the next one, so you get to yap at another one of your seniors," Sariyu said, aggravating the mood of the crowd further. "This girl''s putting on some air." "That swelled head of yours will certainly steer you to disaster." "Yeah, you just poked your nose up in the air and are expecting to smell ether! How assuming! Just let us teach you the ways of the world!" As the crowd snapped and yelled at her, she opened her mouth wide, causing other mouths to stop. Everyone thought she was about to say something, but her mouth opened up for a soundless yawn. Everyone in the crowd felt prickly sensations and almost danced with rage. "My, my," Sariyu put her hand before her mouth. "This place is abundant with flatheads who get easily offended." "This girl¡­" the crowd was so angry that even silly things drove them to nuts. "How presumptuous!" She glanced at Sean. "I think I''ll change my opinion. You didn''t train them well in the mental department." Sean awkwardly smiled. "You can only lead a horse to water, but you can''t make it drink." "Indeed," Sariyu measured the crowd. "So the horses need a spanking breeze to bring them into the mood, huh." "Move it! Move it!" a hulking man wearing a blue-colored diamond earring began to push the crowd away. Many members were surprised by seeing the six-and-half-foot-tall beefy figure making its way to the ring. "Move aside! Back off, buddies! Big Dick''s coming through," one boy in the crowd shouted. "Ngh!" the beefy man glared at the one who just yelled. "I-I meant Big Nick, senior," the boy shied away. "Hmph," the beefy man came straight to the ring, for nobody dared to stand in his way. "Who''s this guy?" some new pupils couldn''t help query their seniors. "He''s Big Nick, the one who subdued a rampaging wild horse with his bare hands," the seniors proudly said. "He''s known for chasing after women until they fight with him, and if they lose, they have to sleep with him. Now that he has his eyes on her, she''s done for!" "Are you sure it''s a horse?" Sariyu voiced her mind, "It might have been a donkey." Her words baffled the crowd. "Hmph," Nick, however, smirked. "It neighed during the fight." "Even if it can neigh better than it can scream hee-haw, a donkey''s still a donkey," Sariyu let out a cheeky smile. "You can''t say it''s a horse." "Hmph," though the crowd got piqued by her words, Nick still didn''t lose his composure, "when I heard it''s a girl, I was excited that it might be a wolf, but even if that''s not the case, I was at least expecting a nasty fox; however, it''s just an average everyday jane who doesn''t eat enough, afraid of losing her frame." "Heh, so your head is more than just meat." Currently, she was still covered in some dirt, smoke, and blood, so she looked besmirched and off-color, to say the least. "You can try guessing what''s exactly in it," Nick bent his spine and knees a little, stretched his arms wide open and charged at her like a bear, roaring at the top of his lungs. Just as his speed increased, he leaned more and tried to catch her with his arm-bind technique, but to his surprise, she ended up appearing behind him. (She pushed in rather than back away from me!) "No hands, remember," she said, and he was a bit too late to realize that her foot was still in his way. In consequence, he tumbled over. Seeing their senior fall in such a manner was a sore sight for the crowd. "Oi, oi, did she just get the better of Big Nick in that exchange? Are we seeing things?" "He''s never hugged the floor like that before." "How''s that possible?" The blonde youth narrowed her eyes. (When brute strength isn''t enough in a fight, you can only depend on your brain. Your skill, technique, and experience will help increase your overall strength several fold and makes it possible to fight bigger foes or even multiple enemies at a time.) He then remembered Sean''s words that were told to him in the past. "A little bit of cleverness is all it takes to turn the tide in a fight that otherwise seems forlorn." (This girl¡­ Even though she''s not in a bad situation, she probably realized that she can''t beat Big Nick directly, so she used his own strength against him and made it look as if he made a fool out of himself.) He looked at Nick, who was grinding his teeth. (His pride has taken a dent. His calmness seems to be gone.) He then looked at Sariyu. (She won half the fight with her first move. How fearsome. She''s not your average everyday jane. She''s a practiced fighter!) However, Nick didn''t stay down for long. He got back in a frenzy and attacked her without a second thought. She kept parrying his punches. "Why can''t I hit her?" he kept throwing his fists madly at her. "You are using your arms again¡­" Sariyu''s lips formed a flat line before she turned into a blur and disappeared out of his sight. "What?" Nick was dumbstruck. (She slipped from my vision? Impossible!) "One second of pain..." a voice came from underneath, and when Nick''s eyes rolled down, something struck him in the chin. "Bairn Knock!" Nick no longer moved and stood stiff like an electrocuted chicken that had no idea what had just happened. "Oi, Nick! What''s wrong?" "Big Nick! Why aren''t you moving?" "What happened to you, senior?" "Why''s he suddenly become like a boat on the ground?" "This must be one of his jokes." "Hey, Nick, tell us that you are¡­" As the crowd asked in shock, Sariyu said, "Don''t disturb him. He felt the breeze and just entered the domain of dreams." EHHH~~!! Only after she spoke, the crowd realized that Nick''s eyes were cloudy white. Sariyu looked at Sean, "I''d rather sleep by my friend''s bed than play these humdrum fights." "Very well," Sean said and looked at the crowd. "The rules stay the same, keep crossing with your legs, except," he raised his voice, "three each get to fight her at once! Attack!" he waved his hand. "Yes, Master!" three golden ants entered the ring without delay and rushed at her like wolves hunting down a fox. 76 CHARACTER AND COMPETENCE In Drill Clinic, Lirzod was lying unconscious on the bed in new clothes¡ªthe combination of an old sleeveless cream-colored shirt and a brown plus-fours. Having just struggled to dress him up, Hundred sat back in his seat with a look of discomfort. "Couldn''t you have done that?" he looked at Mulyk, a hint of indignation flowing through his speech. "I''m not married yet," she was resting on the opposite bed, and she woke up from sleep only a couple of minutes ago, so her voice was dull but not vacuous. "What?" Hundred pried further. "What does that have to do with dressing him up?" "We elves have a tradition that unmarried girls shouldn''t dress up males above the age of seven. It''s the same for unmarried boys, too." "Are you kidding? That''s one of the dumbest rules I''ve ever heard." Mulyk narrowed the windows of her view, her voice becoming a bit biting, "If I were you, I''d mind my tongue-fu." Hundred shut his mouth, with some amount of agitation arising in his eyes. (The air around her suddenly changed. Damn, these elves are too damn dicey to prattle with. The old folks from my village used to say that their mood changes like the wind. Why do I have to sit with one of them? Thanks to this situation, the hairs on my hands aren''t going down at all!) And what''s more, the hemorrhaging stench of the clinic turned his stomach so much so that he felt like he was losing blood down his bottom. "You vulnurs might not follow your ancestors'' traditions, but we''re grateful to our ancestors and for everything they did," she was laid back in posture, but her tone was rather truculent. "Without them, we wouldn''t even be breathing now, and our survival makes sure that our descendants get to do the same." "Survival, huh¡­ yes, at the end of the day, it all boils down to that," Hundred sighed, and got drawn back into the conversation involuntarily. "People pull each other''s leg for even simple things, making survival a mountain to climb and every day a hard pill to swallow." Mulyk yawned and got up from the bed. "Sleeping in the middle of the day never feels good. My head feels all dizzy." She stretched her body a bit, and slowly but surely, her movements got more flexible, and eventually, she started to spin smoothly on the top of her toes while moving around the beds. "W-Wow," Hundred''s mouth opened without himself knowing. "She isn''t slim, but she can move so well." As she started humming, he could hear his own heartbeat. "S-She''s looking attractive now for some reason. No, what am I thinking!" He averted his eyes, but then they shifted back again and got a load of her dance. "I¡­ I never thought I''d live to see this." "Make that two of us," a chuffed voice came from the side, and when Hundred looked to his left, Lirzod was awake and seated on his butt. "Eek!" Hundred almost fell from the chair, and even Mulyk crashed into the wall. "W-When did you wake up?" Both of them barked at Lirzod in unison. Lirzod looked at them with a blank expression before lifting his head to look at the ceiling. "Say something!" Mulyk yelled. "Why is there a ceiling above me?" Lirzod murmured, "I thought I was under a clear sky¡­ with the birds singing and Duera dancing, but then some loud footsteps of a beast scurrying through the woods woke me up." He turned his head slowly toward Mulyk, making her blink twice, but then he looked at Hundred while pointing his finger at her. "Who''s that one in an elf costume? Are we in the backstage of some drama theatre?" Hundred was tongue-tied upon just noticing the four-missing front teeth in Lirzod''s mouth. Before he could recover from the revelation and respond, Mulyk barged in. "Who''s wearing a costume, eh? I''m an elf, a real elf in the flesh!" Lirzod got out of the bed and stood before her. "Stop joking. Why would an elf be¡ª" she pulled her ears from both ends twice. "Mm? Why are these not coming? You really fixed these well. I can''t even tell their base." Mulyk''s blood boiled at this point, "How dare you run your fingers over my ears!" she covered her shyness with a good deal of banter, and then whipped her leg at his crotch and landed a solid hit. "You¡­" Lirzod collapsed into a pile of miserable mess and writhed in pain. Hundred, on the other hand, had a petrified look. "You vulnuric bastards take too many things for granted and have the cheapest characters of all," Mulyk coldly said. Her gaze and voice may have been cold, but her body gave off heat. "Touch me again, and I will cut your hands off next time and make manure out of them." She turned away. "Get out of my clinic as soon as you''re healed." Soon as the word clinic was mentioned, Lirzod somewhat grasped what had happened, but he seemed to be in too much pain to even take his hands off his crotch. With a reddened face, he continued to suffer on the floor between two beds, and eventually ended up rolling under one of the beds. As Hundred watched, Lirzod poked his head from out from underneath and giggled a little, startling him, and later put his finger on his mouth as if telling Hundred to remain silent, and then went under the bed again. (This guy¡­) Hundred couldn''t believe what he was seeing. (He''s playing with fire!) Lirzod came out from the other side of the bed, wearing a not-so-convincing painful expression. "How could you hurt someone there?" His hands were still clutching his crotch. "Why am I even asking? A woman surely knows nothing of this pain." He fell forward onto the bed and stayed there, crying and sniffling. Mulyk glanced over her shoulders once to see his condition. (I did kick without holding back, but it just happened in the spur of the moment. Now, I can only hope I didn''t inflict any permanent damage, or I would be the one responsible for cutting his lineage off.) The thought alone made her feel uneasy. She turned around and began to walk over to him, but when she looked at his face, her expression subtly changed, though she quickly covered it up. "Hey, I didn''t mean to hurt you that bad. It was just¡­ I was raised with the saying, ''A word to the wise; a slap to the silly.'' That''s why my body automatically reacted." "But that wasn''t a slap," Lirzod continued crying, his face still hidden from view. She pursed her lips. "I-I know I can''t take back what happened no matter what I say, but I''m sor¡ª" Lirzod suddenly jumped and landed knee-first on the bed, "Haha, you bought it, didn''t you?" Mulyk seemed surprised and puzzled at the same time. "Bought what?" "That I was hurt," Lirzod placed his hands on his waist and proudly laughed. "I knew I had the performing talent in me." He walked on his knees to the end of the bed, then stared at her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don''t be shocked. You did well, too, but it''s time you remove those fake ears of yours and show your true self, Ms. Phoney Elf." Hundred, who was watching it, had his jaw hit the floor. (True self? What the heck is he thinking? If she takes her gun out, we both are done for!) A shade of darkness surfaced around Mulyk''s eyes as Lirzod''s grip bound her for some reason, even though his hands were simply on her shoulders. "Your performance is as terrible as it can get!" she punched in his abdomen, causing him to spill some saliva. "To think you thought you could fool me with your woeful skills¡­" She cracked her knuckles. "It looks like I''ve been severely underestimated-fu." "Eh?" Lirzod looked bewildered, his knees involuntarily moving backward and away from her. "Y-You saw through my theatrics?" "You call those theatrics?" she snorted. "Even my pet dog would have put up a better show!" She glanced at Hundred. "Even he would''ve noticed it." Hundred''s shoulders jerked when Lirzod looked at him. "U-Uh, o-of course. It was plain as day." Lirzod''s butt fell onto his ankles, his confidence having just taken a mountain-sized dent. Hundred gave an icy look toward Mulyk. What the heck did she mean by ''even I would''ve noticed it''? At that moment, a couple of knocking sounds came from the entrance, and when Lirzod turned his face to look in that direction, there was a familiar figure. "You are¡­ the one who sits on a turtle, the turtle-haired woman! What was your name again?" he poked his finger against his temple, trying to think hard. "I''m sure it starts with ''t.''" "Everna, that''s my name," after sweeping the entire room with a glance, she calmly walked in. "Oh, yeah, right, right," Lirzod nodded, and though Mulyk wished to teach him a lesson, she had to wait. "The one you ride, is it a turtle or a tortoise?" Everna looked at Mulyk and Hundred. "Would you leave us for a few minutes?" Her voice sounded more like a demand. Mulyk glanced at Lirzod with a frigid look, "I will be right outside, so don''t think you can run away without settling the score." "What score?" Lirzod raised his brows, irking her even more. "Wait, why does my voice sound a bit different?" "Probably because you have fewer teeth now," Everna said, sitting on the same bed he was on, but her feet were still touching the floor. "You already looked like a kid in the fifth standard with that baby face of yours, but now that you''ve lost some teeth, more people might mistake you for a little fellow now." Lirzod''s eyes widened a bit. "Now that you''ve said¡­" he remembered the moment when he lost his teeth. "That bastard, he pulled some nasty trick." "Trick or not, you got hurt in the end," she bluntly remarked. "If you bother them again, you may lose more than just teeth." Lirzod laughed lightly. "Lirzod doesn''t like to¡­ I mean, I don''t like losing, too, you know, but¡­ you can''t finish first in everything in life." "The heck that''s supposed to mean?" "Well, sometimes coming second is worth it." He thought of Leggy. (I hope it''s still alive.) "Coming second?" she raised one of her brows. "Thanks to Exvo, you''re still alive. If it''s in the outside world, a loss in a fight is often followed by death." "Don''t worry. I''m not weak enough to croak in a fight," Lirzod replied, smiling cheekily. He then ran his little finger through his nose, "In case, if death draws near, I''ll shit on it with a smile." Everna''s expression contorted. "That''s as good as an ignorant statement can be made. You not only look but sound like a child now." The room''s door now fully closed, leaving only the two inside. After a few seconds of silence, Lirzod continued, "So what made you come looking for me? My guess is you came here for a kiss." "Don''t overthink." She plucked one of his hairs, causing him to utter an ouch. "I didn''t come here for you or for the commander either, but mainly because of this," she took out a letter from under her sleeves. "Oh, is that the one I sent you?" Lirzod almost jumped on his butt. "Did I succeed in changing your mind?" "I''ve only read a few love letters, but if this one''s of such air, too, then I''m certain this is the silliest of them all." She lightly blew air through her nose, with eyes filled with a bit of displeasure and damn shame, "I don''t even want to know how many seconds you''ve spent to write it." "Hehe," Lirzod rubbed his nose, "that''s why you treasured it?" She tossed it on the bed. "You can keep that ''treasure'' to yourself." Lirzod took the letter and opened it to take a look at what was inside. And all he found was a few words: I''m sure you''ll look a lot more stunning with some hair on your head. Yours hairy, Lirzod. "What''s wrong with it?" Lirzod glanced at her and spoke in an urging tone, "I mean I forgot to add Surya''s poem, but this is also okay, isn''t it?" "Maybe for you it''s okay, but not for me." "Why? Will growing hair on the head discomfort you?" "That''s not the issue." "Then what is?" "Do I really have to tell you that?" "I wouldn''t know unless you tell me." "Well, ugliness is in the eye of the beholder," Everna waved her hand like a feather fan to blow some sweat off her face. "Maybe my current look isn''t pleasing to you. Maybe many others feel the same way, but I''m certain there will be a few who think this a pretty good-looking style to go for." "What, no," Lirzod vehemently shook his head, "only partial-baldies would go for that style." He then paused and peered at her for a moment. "Don''t tell me... you had partial baldness, too?" "No," she calmly replied. "Oh, so you were about to get it in the future, and that''s why you''ve shaved your head, right?" "No," she didn''t make any specific expression as she responded, other than briefly closing her eyes. "Then you were afraid that you might get it in the future and¡ª" As he was saying, he received an icy stare from her. "I-I guess not." A few seconds of silence passed. "Do you have a comb?" Lirzod asked. "No." Lirzod squeezed his lips, "This makes it even harder for me to guess." "Guess what?" she couldn''t help herself but ask. "Nothing. My friend, Duera, had this theory that baldies are likelier to carry combs in their pockets. Her father had that habit, too. I''m talking about partial baldness here, of course." He cast a glance at Everna''s crown. "Your case, though, is quite hard to guess." "I haven''t touched a comb in years." "Me, too. I prefer running fingers through my hair." "That''s not the point," Everna''s jawline became more evident. "If you bring up another such theory, I''ll buy one comb and brush your head until not a single hair is left." "N-No more theories then," Lirzod quickly covered his head with both hands. Silence ruled the space between them for a moment. "What made you choose to become a monk?" he asked as he looked at her attire. Everna stayed silent for a second before getting down from the bed. "It''s time I do the remaining work. Would you remove your shirt?" "Shirt?" Lirzod blinked twice. "Don''t tell me you want to shave my chest hair?" "Why would I even do that?" Everna''s brows slightly furrowed. "I came here to heal you, but, ahem, I doubt you are old enough to have chest hair." "That''s right, I don''t yet have chest hair," Lirzod nodded to himself, "but wait, you said you came here to heal me?" "Just take that shirt off," Everna stressed her words a bit. "O-Okay," Lirzod held the ends of his shirt and glanced at her. "Just promise you won''t tickle my nipples." Everna''s mouth turned down, "Why would I even do that?" "Got it. Just making sure, that''s all," Lirzod said and lay straight on the bed. "Now, you can act." Everna briefly stared at his face. (I''m confident in my ability to read faces, but I can''t read this boy well. It is different from a monk''s face. I wonder what is running in that brain of his right now.) "I knew it! You are thinking of tickling me, aren''t you?" Lirzod immediately rose and sat on his butt. "No, I wasn''t," she slapped his chest, pushing him back onto the bed. "Ow, that hurts," Lirzod made a frowning face. "Just stay down until I tell you otherwise." Meanwhile, inside the Drill Hall. "Oi, you''ve gotta be kidding me," the blonde youth had disbelief written all over his face. "She took down more than thirty seniors." At the moment, Sariyu was standing atop a man who just had his shin broken. "Please spare me. Don''t hurt me anymore," he begged her. "But unlike other mouths, your mouth has not only hurt my ears but also my heart," Sariyu''s voice was devoid of warmth. "You brought this upon yourself, you know." "I promise I will keep my mouth in check from here on," he cried in agony. "That''s not enough," Sariyu pressed his leg, making him scream a bit more. The crowd could only watch in frustration because they were told to not interfere by their master. "I''ll go back to my mommy and learn everything from her anew," he said aloud in despair. "That''s more like it," Sariyu got down from him and looked at Sean. "I think I''ve played enough, don''t you think?" "You say that when you didn''t even break a sweat after beating over more than four dozens of my pupils," Sean said with a face filled with both happiness and sadness for different reasons. "Regardless, I think I''ve done enough," Sariyu grumbled a bit. "I''ll be taking my leave." "Copping out so early?" some pupils taunted her. "There are still plenty of us left." Sariyu, however, didn''t respond or even seem to care. After all, those who had fought her now stayed put and showed no will to fight her once more. (For a young lass, she has already developed a bit of thick skin. If she uses her loaf better, she''d make a good convener or a politician.) Sean wondered and then tossed a water bottle at her, "Just tell us where you learned to fight, daughter of a woman." Sariyu grabbed the bottle and glanced back at him, "I guess I owe an answer for this bottle at least." "You are the winner." Sean implored, "You get to answer in whichever way you see fit. My pupils need every piece of advice they can get." "I don''t think I''m good enough to advise your pupils, but since you''re asking for it..." Sariyu began to walk away, "For the most part, as far as my memory goes, I just watched and worked on for years¡ªmy parents'' ways." After she left, Sean looked at his pupils, especially the defeated ones, "Did you hear her? Were any of you paying attention? If you did, I hope at least one of you ascertained that she didn''t care only about competence but also character. That''s the kind of mentality someone who''s aspiring to become a martial needs to cultivate. It puts you apart from the rest, and without that drive in your heart, you can forget about ever reaching the pinnacle of the martial world. Skills may help you lead life in many new ways, but when it matters the most, there is no skill in this world that will help you overcome the suffering that ordeals of life throw at you. Heck, if you only chase after skills, someone with a better skill will one day end up biting your ass. If you don''t want to bleed to death down your bottom, then you better start fostering some moral fiber in your miserable muscles." He took a breath to get his voice back. "Right now, if you ask me, you chumps are lacking in every respect!" All the pupils stood with their chins touching their chests. "What are you still here for?" Sean barked. "Don''t dawdle around, and get back to your routines!" "Y-Yes, Master!" they all stormed back to their places. "Chet, she took the easy way out," Sean didn''t look so pleased as he muttered under his breath. The most honorable action that Sariyu could do was defeat everyone that challenged her, but she didn''t take that route. Then again, was there such a route as a proper way? "Still, I didn''t expect her to wipe the floor with my pupils. A wild goose never laid a tame egg, huh. I wonder what her parents are like." He took a deep breath. "End of the day, I feel like I made a spectacle of myself." He let out a helpless smile. 77 A LOSS A CHANCE At the Drill Clinic on the twelfth deck. Though Hundred was standing still outside the door, Mulyk, however, leaned closer to the door and did her best to hear the inside conversation. "Oi, stop eavesdropping," he urged her. "How can you stand calm like that when a man and a woman are alone in a room for this long?" Mulyk asked, peering at him with her huge eyes. "This long? It hasn''t even been five minutes." "That''s hundreds of seconds right there," she resumed her eavesdropping. "Wait, I hear something." "Does it hurt?" a faint feminine voice came from inside the room. It was like a whisper that caressed her ear. "Ow, yes," a slightly clear masculine voice replied. "Does it hurt now?" "It hurts. Stop doing that!" At this point, Mulyk''s face turned into a tomato. "Oi, you look uncomfortable," Hundred asked, but his gaze at the moment felt like a leer that burnt through her clothes and set her cheeks on fire. "What''s wrong¡ª" "Stop looking at me like that!" she slapped him as she stood straight and turned away from the door. "W-What was that for?" Hundred''s face metamorphosed into a donkey-face as he rubbed his cheek. "Those fiends¡­" She folded her arms and harrumphed. "What sort of barbaric stuff are they doing in my clinic? They better keep the bedsheets clean-fu!" "You''re imagining too much," Hundred hesitantly replied. "It''s a monk who''s inside. She won''t do such things." "Oh, really?" Her upper lip jerked a bit as if she was mocking his words. "Why don''t you try your luck?" After pausing a moment, the curiosity got to Hundred, and he leaned closer to the door. "Stay down and stop moving." "How can I not move with what you''re doing?" Hundred''s eyes enlarged, and he looked at Mulyk in doubt and disbelief. "What do you say now?" she tilted her head to her right as her gaze weighed him down. Hundred had nothing to say for a few seconds, and then he replied hoarsely, "I-I didn''t hear it that clearly, so we might be mistaken." "Hmph, don''t compare your ears with mine." Meanwhile, inside the clinic. Everna was poking Lirzod at multiple places, especially around the navel. "Is it hurting?" "I''ve told you like ten times. Why do you keep repeating yourself?" Lirzod asked, with a little bit of worry creeping up in his face. "And why is a simple poke hurting?" "Obviously, there''s a problem inside you." "What problem?" some stress marks showed up on his forehead. "Did some worms get in while I was asleep?" "Until I collect more data," she replied as calmly as ever, "I can''t give you a good answer." "How long will it take?" he asked impatiently. "A few more pokes is all," she poked him again. "Aw, this time it''s hurting more." "Oh, it''s different this time, huh." A seed of doubt sprouted in her mind, as evident through the flashing of a teeny bit of fright in her eyes. "Since you started poking," his butt sank lower into the bed, "I feel some kind of burning sensation under my skin. It also feels like I''ve gained some weight." "I think I now know what has happened," she cast him a slightly pitiful glance. "You weren''t healed properly." "Took you this long just to say that?" Lirzod shot his dissatisfied gaze at her. "That''s not all." Her voice turned a bit harsh as she glared at the blood marks on the floor, "Whoever healed you¡ªjust barely did their work." "It''s that one in the elf costume¡­" Lirzod said as a conflicting emotion rose up in his chest, "it''s not that big of a deal, or is it?" "If you were to roam in this state," she focused on recalling her memories, "you may not feel any problem initially, but as time goes by, your health will gradually worsen." "W-What?" Lirzod freaked out. "Why? I thought I was healed." "I already told you that you weren''t healed properly," Everna responded with a knowing look. "It''s one of the wayward arts of healing. Instead of starting one''s healing from the roots, the healers concentrate on the branches instead. Not anyone can use this art, so whoever healed you¡ªknew exactly what they were doing. They just healed you on the outside but left a lot of internal damage uncured." She wondered for a moment. (I heard rumors that if one can''t afford this clinic, they don''t have a snowball''s chance in hell of getting treated here. So it doesn''t make sense that such a strict clinic would stoop to such a crooked practice.) "Eh?" Lirzod looked baffled. "That elf-imposter didn''t fully heal me then? Then am I going to die?" Everna squinted her eyes, "What do you think I''m here for?" Her words, though initially fell on him like a flattening boulder, but then all the stress and worry on his face softened up. "Y-You believe that you can get me back in full health?" "If we''re talking about ordinary healing, then it won''t be easy." She exposed her palms. "As the saying goes, it takes only a second to break an arm, but it takes many months to heal." Lirzod shuddered upon hearing her words. "However, it''s your lucky day because I''m here. You are going to be alright in no time." "That''s great," Lirzod almost sprang up from the bed, wanting to hug her, but she pushed him down with just a finger. "But I''m sure that it''s not luck that brought you to me. So, after we''re done here, let''s go and have a good meal together." Even though he said that, he was wondering where he could go other than to a bread booth. Everna''s eyes brightened up a little. "T-Thanks for asking, but I can''t do that," she said rather bluntly. "After I''m done here, you won''t be able to move for quite some time." Unwillingness dawned on his face. "Just what are you planning to do with me?" Everna went into deep thought. (I was told of the malignant germs flowing through his body. With the level I''m at, even if I identify them, there''s no way I can kill them. That leaves me with only one option.) "You didn''t answer me," Lirzod asked again, albeit with a shaky voice. Everna narrowed her eyes, which no longer dazzled with warm light, "I will heal you, but before that, I''m going to give you a lesson today." "Lesson?" he asked in a tense tone, "Like in school?" "Yeah, something like that. You may not feel the need to hear this now, but there will come a time when you''ll be glad that you did," Everna said, poking her finger on his chest so that he wouldn''t move around, and then she leaned and said something in his ears. After she was finished, Lirzod had a confounded look on his face that looked like a monkey that struggled to break a coconut for an entire day, but then a human snatched it and sliced the top of a coconut shell and then drank with a straw. The monkey, though, got upset initially, thanked the human later when he gave the shell back after drinking half of the contents inside. Lirzod felt as if some melody massaged his ears. "Think twice before you anger someone and thrice if that someone is yourselves, huh." His saliva tasted like honey at the moment. "It sounds great. I don''t know if I can follow it or not, but I will try to memorize what you said in my heart." Everna smiled pleasantly as was needed. "Just whispering them to yourself now and then should be sufficient at the start." "That said, you monks may not look cool but sure have cool things to say," he said and then hesitantly asked, a flutter of hope in his gut ready to rise through to the chest, "so you still don''t want to grow a braid?" Everna sighed, placing her hands on her waist. "Why do you care about my hair so much? You shouldn''t be judging others'' appearances like this. Didn''t your parents even teach you that?" "Of course, my parents told me to test everything the world throws at us and also what we throw at the world so that we can learn how to judge justly," Lirzod said, grinning heartily and at the same time a bit apologetically, "and I''m just throwing at you my honest opinion, just calling it for what it is." "Well, thanks for your opinion and testing, but I clearly explained my end, didn''t I?" she stressed her words. "So you should stop practicing your skills on me, and just give up on this issue." "How can I give up?" Lirzod replied right away, "Every time I see you, that soft ground on your head is outshining your face!" His words made her go silent for a moment. "You are great, but you will be greater when a mop of hair is flowing down your head." He then continued to speak with a clenched fist, "I don''t think that baldness makes the monk. I may have lost now, but since hair can grow on your head[1], I will take my chances in the future as long as you fail to convince me." "That''ll be a waste of time," Everna blurted out abruptly; however, she controlled herself pretty quickly, "so just stop it, okay?" "Give me one good reason, and I''ll stop bringing it up." "It looks like your blood is furnished with stubbornness! In any case, I already explained myself." "You did, but that didn''t convince me," Lirzod said, and upon looking at the slight shock in her face, he sighed. "O-Okay. You''ve seen my blood. Stubbornness is not what it''s made of, right?" "Hmph, then do what I say and never mention about my hair again." "Sure, but..." he showed his cheek. "If you give me a kiss, I''ll never talk about your hair again." "Huh? Nonsense..." she waved her hand, her body language clearly telling that she was totally against the idea so much so that she oozed out a bit of hatred. "Okay," though some hankering escaped out of his eyes, his voice still sounded hopeful, "Can I at least pinch your cheek once?" "No." "Can I, at the very least, get a handshake?" "No," she tightened her fist, a bit of distress still dwelling in her eyes, "I won''t just talk if you bring up any more of your farcical requests again." Lirzod''s shoulders jerked, but he shook his head as if he wasn''t convinced. His eyes still dazzled with doggedness, and for a second, just a second, he was unable to stomach her attitude. "You are being so stingy right now. It''s just a simple kiss. What''s the big deal?" "You don''t know me at all, and the same goes for me as well. Why should I listen much less agree to what you say?" Everna folded her arms, her hands still making fists. "Honestly, you aren''t even half-baked." Her voice then gained weight, "Before you throw your flowers or fists at someone, try to know them better, and then you might end up changing their minds, or, who knows, you might even end up changing yours," she somewhat loosening her fist, but her voice still pounded in Lirzod''s head. "It is one of your ''honest'' opinions that brought you to this state, and don''t forget that Geragorn''s issue either. You just have to stop being too free-spoken to avoid such mishappenings, or you''ll stand out like a sore thumb, someone to stare at and pick a fight with. You wouldn''t be welcomed into their groups either." She breathed, and her gaze settled on Lirzod''s mien. "Look, I agree with your parents'' words, but they didn''t tell you to hurt others'' feelings, did they? Sometimes, you should keep your opinions to yourself." Lirzod''s head spun a little, and he made the expression of a lost lamb. "How?" as his gullible gaze met her eyes, his mouth closed bitterly while he waited for her to say something. There was a second where none moved as their eyes seemingly measured each other''s depth. "What?" Everna''s expression then turned blank upon seeing the lovable innocence on his face. "W-What do you mean by ''how?''" Her voice was half-hearted as she fought the urge to pull his cheeks. "S-Stop acting like a child!" she subconsciously stepped back once, away from the bed. "I just spoke my mind," Lirzod quickly replied in an irked manner. "How can it be childish?" "Well," she took a quick deep breath, forcing calmness to curtain her face, "it is, so you should change yourself by slowly working on it. For starters, try to show at least some respect to those you meet on this ship. Not many have the courage to step out of their village and see the world much less step foot on this ship. Despite all the rules we have here, people die for reasons known or otherwise. You showed everyone that you''re different just by leaving your home and boarding this ship, but you still can''t see the world if you continue to run your mouth over frivolous affairs and waste your time on those who aren''t worthy of it." "But what if others bother me first?" Lirzod''s voice was a complaint wrapped up in a gift box. "What can I do if those brothers got butthurt just because I spoke my mind?" "That''s why I''m telling you to not be excessively straightforward and instead give it some time before you say something that might affect others, whether it''s in a good or a bad way," she urged, upon sensing his growing persistence. "A small stone in the kidney can greatly change a person''s life, but so does a wrongly chosen word." "I get what you are saying, but¡­" Lirzod frowned for a moment but then took a breath with some effort as if he needed some fresh air. "I don''t regret fighting the brothers, and I''ll fight them again if I have to," there wasn''t an ounce of defeat in his words. "Don''t think of it as me being careless and prideful, but just like any other human being, I don''t like to walk around in defeat for nothing." He spoke with rock-ribbed confidence, "As long as the sun is shining and I''m breathing, I''ll continue to see struggle as a season for me to gain strength and help myself keep growing and going. But..." He clenched his fists. "Living isn''t easy. There are many resources and so much knowledge in this world that I don''t know anything about, and there will be plenty of folks who know of such things and will use them either for or against others. It''s such a scary, volatile world we''re living in if there is no God. None of us are in control of anything, even though we may think we have control over our lives. I didn''t want to fight those brothers, but they left me no choice. It''s one thing that they hated me, but they didn''t put others in their eyes either. They killed so many cats and caused so much destruction for what? Because I asked them a question, which if answered, could end most rumors for good? All of this happened because they seemed ashamed of speaking about their own past." Suddenly, the room got quiet as he dwelled on his past actions for some time. He remembered the blast. Everna, on the other hand, was also brooding on his words. Simply put, she understood that he was saying that even if he stopped being so straightforward, it may not be enough to preserve peace because friction sprang to life in many ways, because different people had different thresholds of patience, levels of understanding, and rabbit-holes of resources. Her mouth slightly downturned as she somewhat nodded in rapport. "Those five¡­" Lirzod hesitantly asked, "how are they doing?" Everna wasn''t expecting that question, so she responded a bit late, "Well, they are wounded, but not enough to worry about, except, I guess, for one of them." "Mm? What about that one?" "He''s got some fever going on," she sounded doubtful as she spoke. "It seemed strange, but the brothers said that it''s nothing life-threatening." "Oh," Lirzod nodded, "that''s good." Everna''s eyes opened up and took in more light, a warmer one. "Why, why do you care about their wellbeing when you are on this bed because of them?" "Care?" He felt soreness in his chest where Hardy had pounded him repeatedly, but he couldn''t keep his mouth shut, "I don''t care about them." He remembered how Hardy killed the cats by stomping on them, and how he carelessly destroyed everything in his way just to get what he wanted. "They don''t even fight fairly, those pigs in wigs," Lirzod replied right away but then held his tongue for a second before resuming to speak, "but... if they die, they won''t be able to meet their mother, right?" Everna felt tongue-tied for a moment as a surge of strange comfort shook her core. "Ahem," she then cleared her throat, "well, those brothers have already approached me, and they aren''t affected by germs as you did." She narrowed her eyes and sarcastically said, "so you can stop caring about them." "Like I said, I don''t care what happens to¡ª" Lirzod''s brows suddenly jumped up, and he immediately turned his face toward her. "What germs?" "Ones that might kill you," her reply was as fast as a jab. "Oh, got it," Lirzod nodded, "wait, what?" His heart sank like a stone and drowned in the juices of his stomach. "But worry not," Everna opened up her fist, and there was a vial in her palm, and a yellow drop of liquid could be seen at the bottom of the vial. "I don''t like to give ''instant cures'' to people because most don''t deserve it, and it''s also not good for the body to go through such a sudden change, but your case is different." "Ew, what''s that yellow thing," Lirzod''s expression changed for the worse. He shook as if an insect crawled under his shirt. "Water has tremendous healing abilities, especially one that''s been canonized," she removed the lid and looked at him. "If you drink this, you''ll probably be freed from all pain, well, not exactly all, but most forms of it. Then again, even after taking this one, you''ll still not feel at your full strength, because you''ve probably lost a lot of blood. And since this is also probably your first time getting healed in this manner, your body will feel stiff, and some random pains might bother you for a while. You should have understood by now how special this is." "Don''t tell me," Lirzod''s eyes turned rounder than the moon, "it''s piss!" Everna gritted her teeth a little, a shade of dark yellow occupying her face. "Are you even listening? It''s holy water. A genuine and a high class one. After taking this, your body will be flooded with blessed healing energy, which even provides resistance against many hurtful things. Forget about cat scratches, even dog bites won''t affect you for at least a week. You should be glad that I''m willing to waste this only drop I have on you." "I don''t believe you," Lirzod sat straight and raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner and investigated her expression with his enlarged eyes. "Holy water? Is there even such a thing? Just tell me, whose piss did you steal?" Everna took a faint breath without blinking, "I didn''t steal it." "Oh, so it''s yours then." Everna''s face turned expressionless, but her eyes gained a bit of redness. "I was right, wasn''t I?" Lirzod''s expression turned wary. Everna''s breath became audible. "I knew it," Lirzod tried to move back on his butt, but he reached the end of the bed, "How could you even think of making me have that? Even if all the rivers in the mountains, wells in the plains, and oceans in the world were to dry up, I''m still not drinking your¡ª" "It''s holy water, you dimwit!" a solid smack on the head stopped Lirzod''s flurry of words, and just as he lifted his head, she stuffed the vial in his mouth and smacked again on the top of his head, forcing the vial to surf down his throat. Lirzod''s eyes bulged out like someone who stepped on poop, and he tried to squeeze his own throat, but it was too late. "You are so mouthy, and you''ve made me talk a lot today," she said, trying to calm down her heart to beat at a minimum. "Don''t struggle too much. That''s an edible glass, so all''s good." "No, it''s not, uwagh," Lirzod bent forward and tried to cough out everything that was in his stomach while being on the bed itself. "Stop spoiling the sheets!" she put some strength into her palm and made a chopping movement toward his nape. At the moment, he looked like a sacrificial goat, ready to suffer its fate, yet not fully aware of what was going on. Soon as the strike landed on the back of the neck, the head didn''t fly, but the eyes turned white, and then the boy hugged the bed, his butt poking the air. Meanwhile, Mulyk, who just tried to listen in again from outside the door, happened to hear a few words. (Spoiling the sheets?) She almost fell back from what she heard. Her face gained many colors at different spots, thanks to all the emotions stressing through her flesh. "A-At least one of them doesn''t lack manners in full." "Manners?" Hundred interfered, looking at her with a questioning gaze. "Are you saying what you''re doing is an elven custom?" Mulyk was startled a bit. "Of course not, but they''re doing nasty things in my clinic! How can I stay calm?" Hundred adjusted his shirt collar a bit. "You can just learn from me." Mulyk almost choked on her breath. "Someone who''s almost wet their pants from seeing a revolver is now getting ahead of themselves." Hundred''s nerves twitched, but he didn''t say anything. Meanwhile, in a certain room on the twentieth deck. A doctor checked the pulse of a dark-skinned woman lying on the bed and then looked at the cross-eyed dark brown-skinned kid who was standing right beside him. "I''m sorry, kid. She''s long gone." The kid''s crying only intensified upon hearing those words. Soon after the doctor came out of the room, he spoke to a man in a green uniform who was waiting outside. "Some sort of sickness got her. The previous healer has been doctoring a dead horse as if it were alive and emptied their purses. It''s an untimely death, but a natural one nonetheless." Saying that he left. The man in the green uniform then marched into the room. "You have three hours to cry before the body gets taken to the morgue," he spoke to the kid, "but if you can pay for the ice, you can keep it for a few more hours." The kid, who had been grinding his teeth, now screamed. "It''s not a body! She''s my mom!" A second of silence passed, and the air in the room only grew cold. "Right," the man casually said and began to walk out. "I take it that you have three hours to cry for your mom." The kid clenched his fists while tears overflowed out of his eyes. Even though rage ran rampant through his blood, and serrated tingles of tantrum snaked up his spine, he didn''t know what to do with all the hurt that kept sucking away the fire of his soul like a winter wind. He turned back and reached the bed and shook his mother''s hand for more than a minute, but there was no response. His mother had once told him of a myth that one shouldn''t give a handshake to the dead, or they''d come alive. However, that clearly didn''t seem to be the case. A myth was a myth, after all, he thought. He then lay his head on his mother''s belly and just watched her. All that ran through his mind, at the moment, were the last words she spoke some hours ago: Consider any loss as a chance to see the bigger picture standing in your way. Though his seven-year-old brain couldn''t comprehend the meaning behind those words even now, let alone back then, he somewhat made sense of those words in his own way now and then continued to stare at her unsmiling face with somber eyes. Not counting the smile, she looked just like she did every day, maybe a shade paler, but the weighty change he was faintly forced to notice was that he could no longer feel her warmth, and the coldness of her skin persevered in hardening his heart. Still, his hands didn''t let go of her and soaked in her absent presence. After all, he knew that once he let go of her, he would no longer meet his mother in the regular rhythms of everyday living. As time unaffectedly moved on, a funereal gloom pervaded not only the room but also a heart in entirety. ............. [1] Just to clarify, when Lirzod said that ''since hair can grow on your head,'' he meant that ''since you aren''t born with a bald head.'' 78 JACKANAPES At a child booth on the twentieth deck. A cross-eyed kid was inside the booth, seated near the inglenook, but he wasn''t eating anything like the rest of the children¡ªall of whom were in germ-free clothes that not-so-nicely fit their lithe bodies. Today''s menu had his favorite food, the vale sausage, but he was yet to put one on his plate. "To speak fluently, you must work at using elision," the governess¡ªthe quintessential part of the child booth¡ªwas lecturing kids with her mellifluous voice even when they were eating and playing. She secretly dropped translucent effervescent pills in water to make it all fizzy and made sure that the children found the bubbling water by a fortunate stroke of serendipity, so she could grab their attention and lecture them briefly about it. "Look! There are bubbles rising in the water!" "Eh? What''s this, teacher? Can we drink it?" many children gathered near the bucket of ''strange'' water and peered at it with big eyes. The pet peacock raised by everyone in the booth also came and peeked into the bucket. "It''s called bubbling water," the governess expounded. "This phenomenon happens when you inject gases into liquids. Soda also looks like this. Consuming this type of drink often will create problems in your stomach. That is to say, your belly will bloat, and you will burp and fart more times per day." "Aiyah! We don''t want it!" the children spread out like chickens that feared their own crooked shadows. The peacock also ran off, flaunting its iridescent feathers. "Hehe," the governess laughed within herself. "The tongue should indeed be feared more than the sword." Then she ran after a selective group of children and professed to them, "People with big bellies release a plethora of ''them'' every day. So, learn the habit of watching out for the changes in your belly every single day!" A child booth was a separate housing made just for children aged at or under seven years, and in some rare cases, eight years. Compared to a bread booth, a child booth was typically much bigger in size, and not just bread, but many other types of food were also made available to eat. Any deck usually had multiple child booths, but only one child booth on any deck was run directly by the authorities of the ship. This was called the Prime Child Booth. Every other child booth was run by private donations as still overseen by authorities themselves. For the most part, children, who lost their parents or got abandoned, stayed in the chid booths, which also provided free accommodation. Their lifestyles in the child booths were not opulent by any means, but they weren''t underprivileged either. The only strict rule followed in the child booth was to not take food outside the booth and instead eat everything inside. This was done so that adults couldn''t force children to bring them good food. If this rule was broken by a child, they would be sent away to another child booth, and if they repeated it three times, they would be kicked out, and no child booth on that deck would take them in anymore, thereby forcing them to leave the deck and move on to the other decks, the lower ones, in general, as they were too young to pass the deck tests. After all, a child born on the twentieth floor could freely travel to all the decks below that deck but had to pass the deck test of the floor they were born in if they wished to go to the upper decks. "Beren, why aren''t you eating anything?" a seven-year-old green-haired girl sat at the cross-eyed kid''s table and gave him a demure smile, but he didn''t reply. "Aren''t you forgetting something?" "Just leave me alone, Lima," Beren said in a disappointed voice. "How can I? I just turned seven today. I''m at the same age as you," she kept on talking, without reading the other one''s mood. "In a year, I''ll be leaving this booth. Though I''m scared, I''m also excited. Aren''t you getting fired up? As we promised to each other, we can explore all the decks on this ship, hear the Song of the Ship, and then see the world together! We should buy cakes for each other''s birthday when we go out. We should see the blue skies and walk on the earth side by side. We should see snow and wet our feet with it. We should soak in the rain together and see the sunshine that follows it. We should visit a lagoon and play with the fish living there. Oh, and we should also go to that place where it rains silver. We should visit all the cities on land, skies, and seas. We should verify if Critter City is real or not. We should¡ª" Beren stood and ground his teeth in frustration, puzzling her. "Lima, I don''t think I can keep that promise. And this Song of the Ship¡­ is just a myth." Saying that he began to walk away. He thought back on how he promised her that he would always be with her whenever she witnessed a myth come true or something new and wonderful. And the memories only brought a shade of gray to his face. "Look for another partner." Lima was left speechless and didn''t move an inch while in her seat. Another kid walked in and said, "You should have let the funny-eyed one be, Lima. Don''t you know that his mom died today?" "What?" Lima couldn''t digest what she heard. She was busy in the booth, given it was her birthday. She stayed with the cook and made sure that the vale sausages were being cooked well because she knew it was Beren''s favorite. She was immersed in perfecting everything to make the day as memorable as she can, but now, it ended up becoming an unforgettable day in an entirely different way. Though the child booths offered good food, they never sponsored birthday cakes. Since nobody was allowed to sell most kinds of food on the lower decks, these children never got to taste cakes, let alone cut one for their birthday. If not for the adults talking about cakes, they wouldn''t even be knowing about such things. Now, after Beren had said those words, Lima couldn''t imagine herself ever cutting a cake, much less the one that Beren bought for her. She couldn''t help but feel at a loss, for she had met Beren''s mother many times in the past. Even she didn''t understand what was going through her mind at the time. Meanwhile, on the twelfth deck. A few seconds after Everna left the clinic, "How is he looking now?" Mulyk asked aloud from outside. "He..." Hundred, who was looking at Lirzod, couldn''t believe his eyes as Lirzod''s skin glowed greatly, "he''s shining like crazy!" "Shining? Hmph, why wouldn''t he?" Mulyk bit her lower lip. "Just tell him to come out already!" A scornful voice beat against his eardrums. "Uh," Hundred fingered his ear, "but he''s not awake." "Huh? What do you mean?" Mulyk turned around and peeked inside only to see Lirzod laying on the bed. "Why''s he napping? Wake him up!" "He''s not napping. It seems he was forced into a deep sleep." "What?" she was initially discombobulated by his response, but then a knowing expression dawned on her visage. "You told me to clean the room, didn''t you?" Hundred said, "Let him rest till then." Mulyk paused for a moment and then responded, "I have no problem as long as you clean it well enough that no cockroaches come near this clinic for many months. Otherwise, you will have to work as my assistant for a year!" "Eh?" Hundred''s heart almost stopped. "T-That''s too much. How about a day?" "Get to work. I''m not getting in until it''s fully cleaned!" At that moment, Mulyk looked to her right, and Sariyu was drawing near on foot at a quick pace. After closing in, Sariyu entered the clinic without even glancing at Mulyk, which made her mildly snort, because what Sariyu did made it seem as if she was entering her own clinic. 777, on the other hand, was watching things from afar. If he got any closer, he was afraid that Mulyk would demand some coin for everything that had happened. Why''s she standing outside? Is she waiting for me? He wondered. "How is he?" Sariyu first asked Hundred and then looked at Lirzod. "The jackanapes will not die, but he may need some rest.'' That''s what the monk said before she left," Hundred put the broom into motion. "Monk?" Sariyu was surprised a bit but then smiled. "Did she call him a jackanapes? Haha, a fitting word for this presumptuous young ''un." She then quickly got herself under composure. "Ahem, can you brief me on what has happened?" "Uh, sure," Hundred hesitated because he didn''t know what exactly to say, but Sariyu took a seat and kept staring at him as if waiting for him to start. I think it''s better if I skip the awkward moments. At that moment, Sariyu''s stomach grumbled a bit. "Was that..." Hundred gave her a doubtful look. "It''s my stomach," Sariyu calmly replied. A second of awkward silence passed in the room. "And why are ''you'' cleaning the room?" she asked. He gave out a long sigh. "A lot has happened." He began to explain most of the events, and in the end, he managed to make her breath a sigh of relief, and that was when he understood that things took place the way she had wanted. A few hours later. Not far away from the clinic, two men were showcasing their skills with wooden swords while their pupils clapped in the background. They only had one customer, and it was 777. After they were finished with their display, the two men in decent clothes looked at 777 with a proud look. "Wow! Superb, masters!" "That was one of the best displays in recent times!" The pupils, mostly young adults, kept on praising their two masters and made them lift their noses even high into the air. "Not bad," 777 said, "but I don''t think I''m going to join." "Eh?" everyone was shocked. The two masters quickly cleared their throats. "We''ll reduce the fee by ten percent." "No, not interested," 777''s indifferent tone didn''t change a bit. "Twenty percent." "No." "A-All right. Thirty percent, and that''s final!" "No," 777 stressed his words a bit. "Why?" However, they were persistent. "We thought you were interested in sword fighting?" "Yes, but I don''t think there is much to learn from you guys," 777 retorted, startling everyone. "Even fools won''t waste one gold for nothing." Saying that he turned around. Both the masters looked at each other and then glanced at their pupils, who immediately deciphered their looks and jumped in 777''s way. "Are you guys seriously doing this?" 777 glanced over his shoulder at the two masters. "You think you can look down on us, Sword Morons[1], and leave without getting your skin sliced?" the masters snorted at him and tossed a wooden sword at his feet. "Let''s see what you can do with the sword." They then looked at their pupils, "Show him who he has messed with, morons!" "Yes, master morons!" all the pupils got into stances with their wooden swords, but 777, on the other hand, didn''t move an inch. "What are you doing?" one of the masters asked. "Pick it up." 777, however, stayed silent. "You think we''re not being serious?" the masters barked, and then waved their hands in sync. "Beat this bastard to his knees!" All the pupils, five in total, attacked 777 from every direction. Five thick wooden swords smacked his body at various places and served more as sticks rather than swords. Even after receiving more than ten blows from each pupil, he didn''t flinch. One of the pupils then struck 777''s head from the front, making him fall backward, but he still managed to stand on his feet; however, four more swords simultaneously struck the top of his head, causing him to crash onto the floor on all fours. A stream of blood dripped down the backside of 777''s ears, but his eyes were still open and eyed the wooden sword on the floor. "Hehe," the two masters snickered from the sidelines while standing in a confident posture. "It looks like our pupils will gain a team technique today, thanks to you." The pupils then resumed to strike 777''s back and didn''t stop even after he hugged the floor. "Stop hitting him!" a pressing voice made the pupils stop and look in the direction of the source, and there was a brown-haired child who was looking right at them, but none of them could tell who exactly he was looking at, because the child was cross-eyed. "I don''t know why you''re beating him, but¡­" he looked at 777, who was coughing up blood, "haven''t you already done enough?" One of the pupils walked over to the boy and turned him in the other direction and pushed him forward. "Go mind your own minute business, brat." The cross-eyed kid, Beren, turned back right away. "Will you let him go?" "Are you looking to get beaten or what? Where are you even looking at? I can''t tell at all." The pupil enlarged his eyes, "Didn''t you hear what I just said?" Blood rushed through Beren''s heart, and he could hear his own heart thumping, "D-Didn''t you hear what I said?" The eyes of the pupils bulged out from stupefaction. "You''re courting death, kid!" "Y-You''re courting death, adults." The pupils felt like boulders fell on their heads. "You little?? you sure can send back our words, but let''s see if you can send back our attacks as well!" the pupils all jumped at him, startling the heck out of Beren. " "Stop!" the two masters'' voices halted their pupils. "You morons want to disgrace our training center by bullying a kid?" "B-But, master morons, he''s mouthy. His tongue needs treatment." "Just kick that pushy kid away, and then focus on taking care of this fool," they pointed toward 777 and made their priorities clear. "Y-Yes, master morons." One of the pupils walked up to the kid. "You heard our masters. If you scram right away, I''ll not touch you." Though Beren was literally shivering in his poor sandals, he didn''t move an inch. "W-Would you let that man go if I leave?" "Of course¡­?? the pupil said and smiled cockily. "No." "Then I''m not moving," Beren voiced his mind without showing fear on his face. "You¡­" the pupil ground his teeth. If he didn''t move the kid away quickly, he would have to face the swords of his masters later, so he raised his hand high for a slap into the kid''s face, but just as his hand descended, the corner of his eye caught some movement on the floor and looked to the side. There was something crawling on the floor. A moment later, his lips curled up into a smile, and he asked. "How old are you?" "Eight years!" Beren said, as his birthday was nearing. "Oh¡­" the pupil suddenly pointed his finger to his left. "Look there, kid! That''s a snake." "Snake? What''s that?" Beren looked to his right and saw a snake slowly crawling at the corner of the street. "It''s moving a bit fast, but it''s only a big worm." "No, it''s not a worm but a snake. It''s much more capable than a worm. It may give you knowledge." "Knowledge?" the kid was surprised. "Really?" "Yeah. There is a legend that some snakes can transfer some of their knowledge through a bite. You just go and stand in their path." "Bite?" Beren paused briefly. "D-Does it hurt?" "A little, but it''s a bearable pain. If you want us to free that man, then you should bear at least that much pain. Also, the pain''s really nothing compared to what comes next." Beren suddenly stood straight. "I''ll do it." Right after Beren said that, 777 looked at the kid while still lying on the floor. "Good," the pupil was full of smiles. "Now go before the snake slithers out of sight!" "Yes." Beren was about to go, but then stopped and asked, "But what about you guys? Don''t you want to gain some knowledge as well?" The pupil''s shoulders jerked a little, but then he smiled and said, "We are all adults. Not just any snake can give us knowledge." "Oh, I see," Beren nodded. "Thanks for the information." He began to walk straight toward the snake. (Maybe after I get some knowledge, people might no longer make fun of my eyes. I can share that knowledge with Lima, too.) The pupil who sent Beren to the snake came back to other pupils, and they all began to smile as if they were being entertained. The two masters also watched with inquisitiveness. .............. [1] Sword Morons: It''s a sword-art training center that has ten pupils. Its two masters dream of giving competition to Drill Hall, which is why they established their center on the other side of the road to the entrance of Drill Hall; however, after their pupils lost to the pupils of Sean, they were forced to change their center name from Sword Majesties to Sword Morons as per agreement beforehand. 79 COGNIZANCE A thick, five-feet-tall snake darker than coal, toiled on the floor, seemingly trying to find food. Its small yellowish eyes and tiny but sharp fangs didn''t stir up chills in the cross-eyed kid''s body as he approached it unescorted by chariness. The footsteps of the kid alerted the snake, and it immediately rolled over on its back, wide-opened its mouth, and stayed still. "It suddenly stopped moving," Beren only got excited. He thought that the snake was willing to share some knowledge with him, and he increased the pace; however, just as he got closer, the snake suddenly turned over onto its belly and hissed with its mouth closed as it spread its neck and rose high into the air. Seeing the snake stand tall on its tail, Beren''s eyes were swamped with suspicion, and the hissing scared him into taking a few steps back. The pupils were petrified down to the soles of their shoes, and even the masters were taken aback, for they had never seen a snake stand so tall and give a perfect illusion of turning more corpulent. Towering over the kid, the snake was staring down at him with its vicious countenance, and he was too scared to move, for its hood was now bigger than his head. Maybe he was close enough to be considered a threat, so the snake opened its mouth and hissed as it bent its neck backward for launching an attack. As the snake shot its upper body at Beren''s face while hissing aloud, he fell back, but he was still in the snake''s path, and receiving a bite seemed inevitable. A wooden sword from one side and a foot from the other side swam into Beren''s view and smashed into the snakehead when it was only inches away from his face. The hissing ceased, and the snake fell to the floor, its head crushed out of shape, but its lower body was still twitching and writhing. Beren, though, was shaken up by everything that was transpiring, couldn''t help but look at the two people who stopped the snake before it got to him. One of them was holding a wooden sword, and it was the same person who had been getting beaten by the Sword Morons until moments ago. The other one was a red-haired girl, one who looked clean and fresh, having taken a bath not long ago. Everyone there suddenly felt a nasty smell so unpleasant that it raised their bile. "What in the hell is this?" "It must be the snake," with her nose shut with one hand, the red-haired girl picked up the still-moving snake that was giving off vapors and shoved it in her purse, startling everyone. "It''s so noisome." "Miss Sariyu, what are you doing here?" 777 asked in surprise. "Wait a minute." Sariyu, however, turned to look at Beren. "Hey, idiot. How can you be so obtuse that you''re approaching a snake so carelessly? Do you want to die that badly?" "D-Die?" Beren was startled and stumped for a second, but then his eyes enlarged. "I-I was told that snakes give knowledge through biting." "What?" Sariyu''s expression turned cold. "Who told you that?" Beren pointed his finger straight toward the seven people of Sword Morons. "They were beating this uncle, and when I asked them to stop, they told me to stand in the snake''s path, or they won''t let the uncle go." Sariyu glanced at 777, and his blood-covered hair, ears, and neck told her everything, even though he didn''t say a word. "If that snake had bitten you, its venom would have probably claimed your life." Beren was stunned to hear that. "I-Is that true?" his voice was edged with fear. "Only crooked bastards would trick a child," Sariyu barked at the masters and the pupils who wore brazen bearings. "Do you people always eschew your integrity like this?" "Huh! Aren''t you loquacious!" one of the masters replied in a spiteful and condemning manner. "Trying to shame us by your foofaraw. How foxy, hehe!" He snorted and waved his hand. "Go mind your own business, Red Fox, or you''ll get hurt." "M-Master," just then, one of the pupils spoke in the master''s ears. "She''s the one who beat the trainees in the drill hall today." The masters were surprised to hear the news. "Oh, this girl? Are you sure?" "Yes, master morons. I saw it with my own eyes." While the masters and the pupils were discussing, Sariyu and 777 were themselves busy in a conversation. "What?" Sariyu didn''t like what she had heard. "You don''t want me to fight for the boy? You saw how those nefarious punks tricked him! He may have died if the snake had bitten him." "Yes, but just listen, okay?" 777 replied in a low voice, so low that even Beren couldn''t hear his words. "There may be foul play involved here, but that kid is more than seven years old, and though he may not know what a snake is, he still approached it out of his own volition. It''s not murder as long as the snake has no connection to those guys over there. Even if the snake belongs to them, it won''t be easy to prove their guilt." His words stunned her, but he wasn''t over yet. "If the kid had died, it would''ve meant that he was misfortuned. That''s all there is to it. As they say, the loss of a man''s life due to the lack of knowledge is the same as the slaughtering of chicken." Once again, Sariyu didn''t like what she heard. "That''s a load of nonsense." "Maybe or maybe not," 777 continued to speak in a careful tone. "This rule may seem twisted, but I have some sensitive information... that people who were even indirectly involved in murderings on this ship never managed to pass the entrance test of the sect." Her eyebrows raised more than a little. "Not even one?" 777 shook his head with certitude. "Are you sure?" 777 nodded and loosened his throat, thereby lowering his voice further, "You may think no one''s noticing you, but trust me, many eyes might be watching us right now. It''s better to think that eyes are everywhere on this ship, well, not everywhere, but you get the point. All your actions on this ship may even be evaluated one day. Any information regarding the sect test is hard to come across. Even most people on the hundredth deck are not aware of this. So keep this information private to yourself." "Mm," she bit her lower lip, "but still, I don''t support a law that lets an adult kill a child through deception and then walk away free." "Deceit stems from lies. Haven''t you ever lied?" "I did," she furrowed her brows and was half-mad with annoyance, "but this is different." "It is, maybe to you, but how can you say that everyone else thinks the same?" 777 moved back and spoke in a normal tone. "Hey, I know this is hard to digest. On the good side of things, it''s not like this behavior is allowed in the outside world, but only in some places, this ship for one is where it''s allowed. Didn''t you read the guidebook, the claret-colored one?" "I did," Sariyu suddenly scratched her chin, "and I remember coming across some rules which stated about knowledge, but it was a long day back then. I kept on reading so many new things, so some were hard to process." "Well, not every rule can be understood alone in its entirety." 777 smiled a little. "Some rules explain the other. In any case, now you know." "Are you guys done?" the masters'' voices made Sariyu and 777 stop conversing and look at them. "Hehe," as the masters lay their eyes on Sariyu, they couldn''t hide their excitement. "My pupils say that you are the one who took care of over four dozen pupils of Sean and didn''t suffer a scratch," one of the masters said in a courteous tone. "Keke," the second master walked toward her together with the other master, "let''s give her plenty of scratches then." "Yep," the first master, Hehe, dashed at her. "By beating you is how we bring competition to that Drill Hall. Become a stepping stone for us!" He thrust his sword at her so fast over Beren''s head and at her face, but the sword didn''t even scrape her, for she had bent to the side and at the same time struck the master''s cheek with her toe. The second master, Keke, rushed in and swung his blade at Sariyu''s leg from the side, while she was bringing her foot down, but 777 appeared in his path. "Move aside!" the second master roared, but 777 didn''t even blink. "I guess the beating wasn''t enough. Fine, let me show you what real sword fighting looks like." He held the blade loosely and shook his hands so nimbly that it created after images of the sword, about half-dozen of them. And he diagonally swung the blade at 777. "Round Resonance!" The air itself vibrated and made a strange noise along the sword''s path. 777''s eyes widened a bit. He immediately stepped in, while dodging a couple of after images, and raised his sword horizontally, holding it at both ends. BAM~~!! The incoming attack was blocked successfully, but 777''s sword cracked at the region of impact, and a gust of cutting wind slashed his shoulder and drew out blood. 777 gritted his teeth and held onto his wooden sword, for he knew that if he were to let it go, the opponent''s sword would come down and cut through his shoulder. "Keke," the second master grinned. 777 was too close for him to generate enough strength to push him down. "Afraid to face my attack head-on?" "I''m more afraid of your face than the sword in your hands," 777 bulked up his arms and shoulders and pushed the second master back with a roar, and then held the sword with both hands. "What monstrous shoulder power!" the second master was quite surprised, but he quickly got back his mind in the right zone. Sensing that 777 was getting into an attacking stance, he readied himself to defend. 777 raised the sword to the back of his head, and in a quick long stride, he brought down the sword like lightning, "Sheep Slicer!" The sword in motion cut through the second master''s sword and then his chest. "Krgh!" Blood sprayed into the air as Keke fell back. The two broken pieces of his sword fell on either side of him. Though he was still conscious, he was puffing and huffing like a dog that had been bitten by a wolf. "You¡­" His eyes shot venom at 777. Hehe, the first master, on the other hand, was still on his knees and was on the losing end in his fight with Sariyu. He couldn''t believe what was happening, "H-How is this possible? W-Who are you?" he looked at Sariyu in disbelief. "I''m ineffable," she teasingly stated, plucking the sword of his hands and tossing it away. The first master bitterly said, "You surely jest." "I-Impossible!" all the pupils who were witnessing had disbelief cross their faces, for what just happened was beyond their cognizance. "First Master Hehe! Second Master Keke! How could they be outmatched like this!" Both their masters were losing in the hands of two plain-looking people at the same time. This only happened when the masters had previously fought Sean, though he fought both of them alone. "Did you gain any knowledge from this exchange?" 777 looked at the second master who was still on the floor, fueling his body with rage. "You swine¡­" the second master showed all his rage on his face. "Damn you, just wait! Let me get a real sword and¡ª" "Swords in sick hands have everything to whinge about. This sword will be more pleased when in better hands," 777 turned around and tossed the wooden sword at Beren. "That''s¡ªfor your assistance." Beren didn''t know what to say. Even cheap wooden swords cost around fifty copper coins. Though this certain sword had cracks, if he were to roam with such a valuable item, he would definitely encounter trouble sooner or later; however, he grabbed the sword''s hilt and looked at the pupils, startling them. "You can take this back for half the price." The pupils were baffled to hear that, and their faces soon turned ashen. If 777 and Sariyu weren''t around, they would have played with him until he screamed ''sorry'' for seven thousand times, but now they could only squeeze all their shame down their intestines. Sariyu, however, giggled. "Pushing the boat along with the current. Not bad, boy." She was now suave in front of the kid. "You might make a good merchant out of yourself one day." Beren couldn''t help but rub the back of his head, "Hehe." Sariyu then looked at the pupils and squinted her eyes. "Didn''t you hear him?" The pupils shook in their shoes. (She''s scary!) "W-We will buy the sword." "At full price," Sariyu demanded. As if enough color hadn''t already been drained from their faces, they now looked at each other''s visages, hoping one of them would be willing to pay; however, the next moment, they all looked at their second master, who suddenly started to cringe from excessive pain and said, "I have a rendezvous with God." He then acted like he passed out. Then the pupils'' eyes turned toward the other master, who was still on his knees. "First Master¡­" their voices were low but vehement. The first master frowned. (These mean morons¡­ so useless!) Just when he thought the attention was no longer on him, everyone was now staring right at him. He sluggishly took out a silver coin from his shirt''s inside pocket and threw it at Beren, who then tossed the sword in return. Upon taking the coin, Beren came and thanked 777 and Sariyu by bowing deeply. He never touched a silver coin before, and it made him so excited that he wanted to share the news with his friends, but he had to contain all of that inside his heart, for he had come to the twelfth deck on purpose. Until he finished what he came for, he wasn''t planning to go back to Lima. "You shouldn''t roam outside with that money on you," Sariyu said. "Go back to your parents or wherever your shelter is." Beren pressed his lips a bit and nodded. "Thank you, elder sister and uncle." He paused for a moment and then hesitantly asked, "Do you know of the person named Big Nick?" Sariyu''s expression changed a bit. "What about him?" "I''m here for him," he replied in her face with a bold mien. Her eyebrows flirted, "For what?" Beren clenched his fists, and one of Sariyu''s eyebrows twitched when she felt a faint offensive aura gathering around him, "For spitting in his face." 80 ADAPTABILITY "How much longer are you going to take?" Mulyk was sitting outside the clinic, wearing a sleepy face. She had woken up a few minutes ago, but Hundred was still cleaning inside. And the door had been shut all this time. "I''m almost done," Hundred''s voice came from the inside. Only the four uppermost corners remained, but they were a bit too high for him to reach even after he stood atop a stool stationed on a chair. There were spiderwebs at the corner, so he had to clean those, but it was out of his reach. So he threw the broom like a spear repeatedly and took care of the webs little by little. And he caught the broom before it fell down. "Hehe," he felt proud that his tactic was working. "I can''t catch bullets, but I can catch brooms. Wow, that sounded nice." After the dry dirt and webs were taken care of, he switched to using a wet mop. He quickly took care of three corners and was working at the fourth corner, the one near the door. Mulyk stood and rubbed the dirt off her back. "I ended up sleeping on the floor." After stretching her arms abroad to the point she ended up standing on toes, she swiveled and pushed the door open. Just after Hundred tossed the broom up, the door slammed against the chair, and the stool was thrown off. "Wuooh!" Hundred fell to the side, and his face hit the wall. "Just what are you¡ª" as Mulyk stepped in, the base of the broom hit the top of the door and overturned, and the bristles fell on top of Mulyk''s head. All the dirt and spiderwebs were adorned to her hair. And she stood frozen, with fury flickering in her eyes. As Hundred stood and barked at her, her body temperature rose, so much so it gave off the impression that if there was a shallow river nearby, it would''ve evaporated. "You wooden-head!" she picked up the broom and began to beat him. "W-What are you doing?" Hundred ran around, but she chased him. "Wait, no. Ah! Wait!" He jumped on and off the beds, but he couldn''t escape the sentence of the elf or the smell of the broom. A few hours later. "Just what did she do to him?" Hundred, who was sitting in a chair beside Lirzod''s bed, couldn''t help but show his frustration. "More than six hours have passed, and he''s still sleeping like a baby." "Just waste a mug of water, and he''ll be up in no time," Mulyk said, looking somewhat pleased. After all, her clinic now looked cleaner than it ever was. Hundred had done a better job than she had expected, and he also shared apples, so her demeanor toward him changed a bit, but still, because of him, she had to go and take a bath. In any case, since she punished him, she seemed to have already forgotten the broom-incident. "Didn''t you say you were thinking of becoming his offsider?" "Yes," he looked heavenward for a moment and then glanced at Lirzod. "With him as your nipper, you are not going to go far," she said and softly simpered. "What?" his forehead puckered as he lifted an eyebrow at her. "I''ve warned you," she gave a half-shrug. "Consider that a gift for cleaning the clinic well." Hundred didn''t even know what to say, but he sniffled a bit. "Hey, would you go out for a minute?" she brushed her palms together. "Why?" his expression hardened. "I have some work to do," she said, her breath held. "Just close the door while going out. Count to fifty and then come in." "For what?" Hundred''s face contorted. "Just do it," she wore a poker face. "This is my clinic." "Alright, alright," though he felt lazy to move, he had to get up and walk out. After counting to sixty, he came back in, but to his shock, she was nowhere to be seen. "What the¡­ where the heck did she go?" He looked under the beds, but she wasn''t there. He placed his hands on his head, with a great amount of shock flickering in his eyes. "Just what sort of trick is she playing?" "Look out!" Just then, Lirzod shouted, scaring the living daylights out of Hundred, who fell back in the chair and rolled over and crashed on his head. "Hhm?" Lirzod slowly moved his mouth, and then his eyes opened, thanks to the sound that the chair and Hundred together made. Seeing Hundred, he was surprised. "You... why are you in my hometown?" "Who''s in your hometown! Come out of your damn dreams already," Hundred barked. "And stop shouting in your dreams! You almost scared me to death!" "What, so¡­" Lirzod slowly got up and sat on his bum and looked around to confirm his position, "I''m still on the ship." "Of course. You don''t look too happy about it." Lirzod yawned a little and rubbed his eyes. "Hm?" Just then, he noticed that something was in his hand. When he opened it, there was a small folded paper. "What''s that?" Hundred looked intrigued. Lirzod unfolded it at a slow pace, raising Hundred''s interest even more, and what they saw were a few words: My story isn''t unique. Maybe, one day, if fate has it, I might feel like sharing it with you. "Who wrote that?" Hundred asked. "Whose story are we talking about?" Lirzod replied a bit late, "The turtle-haired woman." "T-Turtle-hair?" Hundred raked his fingers through his hair. "What sort of title is that? Wait, do turtles even have hair?" Lirzod crumpled up the paper and tossed it into his mouth and chewed. "W-Whoa, why are you eating that?" Hundred got bewildered. "I''m hungry," Lirzod said, scratching the neck region with the forefinger. "Did you bring any food for me?" Hundred''s eyes broadened. "N-No." He almost wanted to slap himself on the forehead. "C''mon, man," Lirzod looked a bit displeased. "You didn''t even think of bringing some food for me? Is this how an offsider cares for their nipper?" "U-Uh," Hundred couldn''t even reply this time. Though it was hard to come across any good food on the lower decks, he felt guilty for not even thinking of bringing some food. Sariyu did bring a bag of apples, but the thought didn''t cross his mind that she brought them for Lirzod. After Sariyu left, and after the broom-incident, he shared the apples with Mulyk. "Though there''s food in my room on the tenth deck. I don''t think I can get fast delivery to this place. Mm?" Lirzod''s eyes then fell on the bottle placed on the desk. "Oh, at least you got some water. Thanks." Hundred squeezed his lips together. He had to bring it over and hand it over to the boy. Actually, Hundred brought that bottle for himself and not for Lirzod, so it made him feel even more guilty. Lirzod finished the one-liter bottle in one go. "Whew, that hit the spot, but¡­" he rubbed his abdomen, "my stomach still feels like a furnace. Is it because of what I think it is?" "I-I will go and bring some food for you," Hundred whirled toward the exit. "No, wait," Lirzod said. "We''ll go together." "Can you move?" Hundred doubtfully asked, his head tilted to the side. "Of course, but¡­" Lirzod paused for a moment. "Where''s Sariyu? I didn''t see her before either." "She, she was here until a few minutes ago, but you weren''t waking up, so she left." "She left?" Lirzod drew in a long breath. "She couldn''t wait till I got up." "You''ve slept for many hours, you know," he bit a nail and was about spit to the side, but then spat in his own hand. "Then what about you? Didn''t you wait for me?" "W-Well, I¡­" Hundred rubbed the back of his head and embarrassingly smiled. "Yes, I get it," Lirzod sighed. "You want to become my offsider, so you stayed beside my bed. I get it." Hundred frowned. "Yeah, I did, but... that''s not all there is to it." He loomed closer. "Even if that''s the whole reason for me being here, then tell me, who doesn''t keep tabs on who helped who?" he spoke back in a mild temper. "Didn''t you just get disappointed that your friend wasn''t here now?" "That, I just wished that she was here now," Lirzod slightly pouted. "That''s my feeling. It''s just what it is." "Well, wishing alone is okay, but any more would be drivel. However, if you can prove to me that what you''re saying is true," he stopped by the bed and stood straight, "then I''ll agree that I''m here now solely for selfish reasons." "Look," Lirzod lifted his chin up, so his eyes met with the other. "I didn''t mean to hurt you." "You''ve said what''s in your mind," Hundred''s expression was rather settled, at least for appearances. "I''m totally fine with that. Actually, it''s good that things turned out this way," he took a seat. "We''ll know if we''re really compatible with climbing the ship together or not." "What do you want me to say?" Lirzod''s expression softened, and he gave a half-smile. "I wouldn''t be talking to you right now if I really think of you as a bad person." "You don''t think of me as a bad person, huh," a line surfaced between Hundred''s brows. "I was in the hall when the Hardy Brothers attacked you, but I couldn''t step in. I just watched from afar, and that was all I could do." He clenched his fists and drew his lower lip between his teeth. I''m not strong anymore. "It''s alright," Lirzod didn''t even think much before responding. The tension in Hundred''s face eased up at once, at least most of it. "R-Really?" he couldn''t help but ask. "You mean it?" "Of course," Lirzod nodded. "That thought didn''t even cross my mind until you said it, so it''s not worth worrying over." "I-Is that so¡­" Hundred wasn''t expecting such a response. His shoulders slumped a little, and his eyes shifted downward. "Still¡­" He thought about what happened in the hall. "You were in real trouble back then. I wish I could have helped you. But to be honest, I expected that someone would step in to save you, given how much profit you''ve handed to hundreds of hollows in that hall. However¡­ not a single soul came forward." His stomach turned sour. "That''s reality." Lirzod smiled and massaged the back of his neck. "They must have their reasons like you. What I did with them was just business, so there''s no real reason as to why they should trouble themselves for me. Of course, I''d have liked it if someone stepped in for ending the ruckus, but those who came only did so for other reasons." "Those bastards only involved themselves for money," Hundred ground his teeth. "It''s worse than not helping. It''s directly disregarding your existence. How can they be so selfish like lizards?" Lirzod thought back of Murugan and Muttia. "Being selfless isn''t simple. What they did might be wrong, but..." He remembered how he briefly helped Hardy so that he could beat him on his own. It was not the best thing to do at the moment, but he let his emotions get the better of him. He now lightly pressed the back of his neck out of frustration. "I''m not in a position to point my finger at others." "But¡­" Hundred also looked frustrated and wore a pale expression. From his point of view, he wasn''t even eligible to have this conversation, given how he stood at the sidelines throughout that incident. Even though he wanted to step in during many instances, thinking was one thing, but executing was another thing. Though his heart was willing, his body just didn''t allow him back then to throw himself into their battle. Now, he was so angry at himself, he wanted to run his head through a wall. "Still, I''m glad that you''re feeling bad for how things turned out," Lirzod loosened the grip on his neck and placed his hand on Hundred''s shoulder. "That''s more than enough." Nevertheless, Hundred''s countenance didn''t brighten by much. As an offsider, he should be the one guiding his nipper through the journey, but he felt like he failed his duty before he even became an offsider. "I wouldn''t say that I''m happy for everything that happened, because so many people got injured, and so many cats lost their lives, all because of me," Lirzod pressed his lips against each other, and he gaped at his own hands. "Nothing I do will bring those lives back." "Don''t blame yourself. You tried to stop him, didn''t you?" Hundred voiced his mind. "Besides, had the authorities shown up earlier, things wouldn''t have turned out this way." "Why blame them for my fault?" Lirzod had not breathed in the past minute or so, and he found it hard to take a breath. "I only wanted to end the rumors flying around about those brothers by revealing the truth of their past from their own tongues, but¡­" he sucked in a breath through the mouth. "I guess life is not all plain sailing, whether your heart is open or not¡­ whether you bust a gut to do some good or not." His shoulders lowered quite a bit. The last few words resonated with Hundred, especially because he had failed to step in to help Lirzod when he was battling the brothers alone. "You just told me that it''s okay, and now you''re feeling down? Sometimes when we try to help, people take it the wrong way. There''s nothing we can do about it, other than changing ourselves for the better." His voice sounded certain and sanguine, "It is hard to do good, sure, but it is harder to find a good friend in this world. I don''t know how you gauge good or bad in people, but I gauge it through my father''s words, ''He whose happiness derives from that of others is unlikely to suffer alone.'' Those words alone have greatly helped me study people and learn from betrayals." His eyes bore into the boy. "Now, I don''t know much about you, but seeing how your friend went so far to get you treated, I can somewhat safely assume that she sees you as a good person. If you ask me, that''s good enough for me to bet on you. Whether I win or not comes next. "Your friend might not be here now, but she was there when you were in need. Monks also don''t help someone just because they were asked to, especially something as exigent and extortionate as healing others. Still, for whatever reason, that monk chose to help you out of her own will. Now, both those people aren''t here, but at least, the fact that they helped you... shouldn''t it be enough to make you feel a bit better?" Lirzod paused for a moment, and though his face gained a bit of color, he slightly shook his head. "I''m really thankful for the help I''ve received to recover to this state so quickly," he stressed his words a little, "but how can I feel better after I let others get caught up in my mess?" He took a breath through his mouth, "And as for you¡­ You were selling test tokens for higher prices, weren''t you?" Hundred''s shoulders jerked. "I-I never said I implemented my father''s words without failure, b-but still, weren''t you happy even after buying the token in black?" "I won''t say I didn''t. However..." "I was a fool, okay?" Hundred said, his words gaining weight, "I''ve never listened to my father until I lost everything, except this useless life." "Now, you''re hoping to turn things back, huh." "I''m not sure about that, but maybe¡­ I do, or maybe I don''t," Hundred couldn''t speak with certainty. "The world has robbed me of my strength soon after my eyes were opened. I don''t know if I ever can dream of doing exciting things again, but I don''t see any point in regretting my past decisions anymore. I thought it''s time I try climbing the ship once more after meeting you. Though I haven''t done much till now, I''ll do my best from here on out and will help you climb the decks fast." Lirzod eyes went out of focus, "Why do people hurry so much in climbing the decks?" "What do you mean? Isn''t it obvious? The faster you climb the ship, the easier your fame spreads across the ship, and it will get you invitations from powerful guilds on the upper decks. With their support, you won''t have to worry about getting bothered by goons at every corner of the street. Also, the higher you climb, the more uses you''ll have, be it on this ship, or even in the outer world." "Guilds¡­ I''ve heard about them. They are a union of people with similar interests, right?" "Well, that''s how guilds started, or so they say, but now, it??s more like an association of people for mutual aid and securing money through missions. These guilds are everywhere, not just on this ship but in the world as a whole. Some top guilds even pay their members just for being part of their guild." "It sounds nice, but won''t we waste our time by joining these guilds? I thought climbing the decks was the priority for everyone." "You see¡­ It takes a lot to adapt to the changes in the decks and their tests. Not many are good enough to climb to the top in one go. You can count such characters on your fingers," Hundred said as if speaking out of some experience. "But most will end up settling on some deck, looking to boost their strength or rethink things. So, during that time, joining guilds is the best option. Not only will they gain a number of connections, but also their life on this ship will be more secure. However, those who don''t like doing missions would either join some organizations or gangs and whatnot. It''s all up to their choices and needs." "So, which deck do you think we should stop for our first settlement?" Hundred slipped into thinking for a moment. (In the Atom Belt, the Deck of Trade and the Deck of Circus are good, but¡­) He took in a deep breath. "It has to be the hundredth one," Hundred said without any hesitation. "Any lower just isn''t worth it. Once you''ve been to the hundredth deck, you''ll be respected by those on these lower decks, well, at least by most. That''s why many people who''ve been to the hundredth deck end up settling on these lower decks and share them as they see fit." "Hundredth deck is what I''m after, too," Lirzod excitedly said. "Good to know. Shall we get going then?" Hundred was about to get off his seat. "Yeah, but let''s go to this deck''s commander first." "Mm? Why?" "He invited me to lunch. Let''s go there first," Lirzod was almost drooling. "Given his job, he should have some good desserts with nut-toppings." "What? You want to eat desserts now?" Hundred was slack-jawed. "That monk may have healed you, but you should avoid sweets for a few days." "Eh?" Lirzod was disconcerted. "Then let''s avoid sweets, and eat the rest." "That¡­" Hundred couldn''t come up with a countermanding reply right away. "Wait, can you even eat nuts with missing teeth?" "I only lost four of my front teeth, so crunching can be done with the back teeth. As for foods that need biting, I''ll somehow manage with the rest." "Still..." Hundred shook his head vehemently. "No crunchy food until you get your teeth back." "EHH?" Lirzod''s mouth was agape. Meanwhile, inside the Drill Hall. One trainee was especially working hard compared to the rest. He used the flesh and bones of the prisoners for his target practice. "It looks like Big Nick''s going after her even though he lost badly." "He has suffered a loss in the hands of many women, but then he ended up beating them all in the end, didn''t he?" "Yeah, that''s how this bloke managed to raise his strength¡ªby making a mess of fresh flowers. Most believe that he''s the closest to knowing the might among all the trainees." "Wow, then his strength is going to spike soon." "Certainly. He''s been working on it for more than half-a-decade after all." Many other trainees waiting in the line kept on talking about Big Nick because he used the hard-earned drylls to get extra time for practicing his techniques on the prisoners. Drylls were points earned when a trainee won over another trainee during formal competitions known as Dryll Bouts. The winner would receive a quarter of the points the loser had. In case the loser didn''t have any, they should later give a quarter of the points that the winner had at the time. These points brought many luxuries in the hall; one, for example, would be to get oil massaged by other trainees by offering them points and whatnot. So every trainee loved to have some drylls under their belt. Each dryll could get them a liter of water, but since every trainee was allowed to freely drink two liters of water every day without having to wait in the lines, nobody really used the drylls for water, although many outsiders always urged the trainees to give them water for a certain amount of money, Sean strictly condemned that practice. He even imprisoned some trainees who had been caught in the process of selling water, and they eventually became practice targets for other trainees. Having said that, the trainees were still allowed to donate water to outsiders without expecting anything in exchange; however, only rarely any trainee would ever freely give water away, for two liters wasn''t really enough for them who practiced for twelve hours a day. Still and all, some trainees would often secretly sell water to others, sometimes even inside the drill hall itself because it was often teeming with people. Currently, in the drill hall, Big Nick was the one with the most number of points, 269. Just by using the maximum-allowed ten points, he gained an extra hundred minutes of practice time with the prisoners. Soon after he was done with the practice, he looked tired. He downed a full liter bottle and poured the last bit on his face. At that moment, an almost four-feet-tall boy walked up to him. "You are Big Nick, right?" his voice contained a subtle sense of indignation. "Mm?" Nick glanced down only to see a little fellow, who kept his face hidden by tilting it down a bit. "Yeah. That''s me." He bent down and brought his face closer while smiling. "Did you come here for water, kid? But, too bad, I''ve finished all of it." The little boy lifted his face and spat straight in Nick''s face, startling everyone. He then pulled out the knife he had been hiding all along and thrust it at Nick. 81 CHALLENGE At the Drill Hall. "Wow, so many people are dressed in white here," Lirzod said, pressing his hand against his chest a bit. "Are you okay?" Hundred queried, brushing the sweat off his forehead with the forefinger. "You looked uncomfortable since we left the clinic." "I''m good, and I''m surely not thinking about her," Lirzod assuredly said. Hundred''s shoulders jerked. "I-I never said you were. So that means you''re okay." "I''m okay. It''s just that there''s this burning sensation inside my body," he pinched Hundred''s forearm. "Ouch," Hundred leaned away and rubbed the pinched spot. "You made me feel the pain outside, not inside of my body!" "But it''s still a pain, right?" Lirzod tried to take a deep, slow breath, all the while feeling his insides. "I''ve never felt this type of pain before. It''s not entirely pain per se, but it''s strange." "It''s scalding in here, but maybe you should rest a bit more," Hundred said and sneakily tried to pinch Lirzod''s arm, but he failed. "Your body should still be healing." Though he said that, he didn''t want to go back to the clinic. However, he could see that Lirzod''s skin was parched, which gave the impression that he fully didn''t recover yet. (It looks like we''ll have to visit that shrewish elf again. A perilous task it will be. I''m sure.) "No. I think walking is all right, but more importantly, where''s the commander? Didn''t you say he''d be in this hall?" "Well, he should be if my calculations are correct," Hundred looked around, scanning different faces in succession. (I don''t know why the commander invited him for lunch, but given the situation, getting close to the commander should put those brothers away from us, at least for now. It''s better to bend in the wind than to break.) As Lirzod also took a look around, some people were eating fruits, and his mouth drooled by degrees. "Where did they get those fruits? Let''s find out." "No, wait," Hundred held him back. "They are not bought but probably earned." "Earned?" Lirzod''s attention shifted back to Hundred. "Yeah. The disciples in this hall exchange food for points they earned through competitions," Hundred explained, trying to remember things. "Those fruits may have been grown in the Muscle Block or the Stray Park and got sent to this hall in exchange for something else. Since we are not disciples, we are not eligible candidates to eat those food products." "So, we can''t get those fruits?" Lirzod''s shoulders slumped. But a second later, he got an idea that straightened his spine. "Why don''t we just become disciples of this hall?" "Huh?" Hundred was startled. "You want to become a member of this hall just for fruits? Don''t be stupid! They have rules, regulations, and demands for the members. Don''t think it''ll be a cakewalk. Becoming a member and getting wins under your belt is a long process, so you definitely can''t get your hands on a fruit today even if you wish to join right away. Lirzod let out a long sigh. "You''ve killed my drive.." He put his hands on his waist and looked around. "Is there anything else that we can¡ª" he couldn''t help but notice the wooden cells and the people kept inside them, and his brows drew together. "What are those for?" "Ah, those are for¡ª" "Wait, something''s going on there," just then Lirzod saw someone beating up a boy inside the cell. He hastened toward the cells. "Don''t bother yourself with them. You''ll only waste¡ª" Hundred was saying, but he soon understood that his words didn''t even reach Lirzod''s ears, or so it seemed. As Lirzod headed toward the sizable cells, the men in white uniforms brought a pink-haired man out and began to punch him. They were also heavily scolding a brown-haired boy, who was Beren. "If you want to earn Nick''s favor, then there are better ways than this," the guards, men in uniforms, barked as they beat the pink-haired man. "Where are you even looking?" one of the guards also shouted at the boy in the cell. "I''m talking to you, you little piece of shit! How dare you drive a knife below Big Nick''s belt! You are going to suffer for this ten-fold, no, hundred-fold the pain you''ve inflicted on one of our brothers!" Beren was silently crying. "Ah, stop with your pathetic crying already. You are quite tall for a seven-year-old. If not for the law that prohibits beating people under fourteen, we''d be practicing our techniques on you right now. You might be feeling happy about it, but wait until Nick''s back! Of course, he can''t physically beat you, but there are many other ways to introduce you to all the bad things that jailers do to prisoners in this world." He cracked his knuckles and grinned unpleasantly. "I kid you not, kid. I know Nick. When he gets back, he''s going to make a broken bitch out of you!" "Oi, do you think Nick is really going to be alright?" another guard joined the conversation. "He was bleeding a fountain down the crotch. I can only hope his balls didn''t drop off." "Who knows? To his good or bad luck, that fussy elf wasn''t in the clinic, so he was taken to a healer in the V Block. He should be fine as long as it''s only some blood he''s lost. And when he comes back, he''ll make this kid sing a million sad songs." "That''s for sure, haha." As everyone near the cells laughed, Beren was no longer crying, and he didn''t move an eyelid; however, he was still in low spirits as if he was uncertain as to what he was doing with his life. For some reason, he remembered Sariyu''s words. After beating the two masters of Sword Morons and filing a complaint on them to the commander of the deck, she said to him, "Knowledge is a double-edged sword. It is neither good nor bad, but it can be used both ways. Keep that in mind." Thinking back on what she had said, he was now in two minds. It was Sariyu who told him where Bick Nick was, but did he use it well, or did he not? "He''s only seven? How could you put a child behind bars?" Just then, Lirzod appeared at the scene, and he didn''t like what he was viewing, especially the way the prisoners'' bodies were being practiced. "Child?" one guard, otherwise called as a trainee, satirically replied, "That child was caught during an attempted murder." "M-Murder?" Lirzod was totally surprised, and he shockingly looked at Beren, who didn''t even seem to be in this world. "Whom did he kill?" "Huh? Where were your ears?" the guard barked impatiently. "I said it''s attempted murder! Stop wasting our time, and go stand in line for water, boy!" "So he didn''t kill anyone, did he?" Lirzod''s voice gained some weight, and his feet some of that thick wooden floor. "Who are you? His brother?" the guards twitched all over. "So what if I am?" Lirzod went along with their words. "Nothing," they snickered among themselves, "you are just going to be added in Nick''s list of targets, that''s all." "I don''t know who Nick is," he rubbed his chest, "but it''d be nice if you let me talk to that little fellow." "Little fellow?" their eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "Who? Nick?" "No, that one in the cell," Lirzod wiggled his brows, his eyes set on Beren. "Oh," their stature shrank to their normal sizes, "you can talk to him, but you should come in the visiting hours, not now." "Visiting hours? When''s that?" A wide-chinned guard raised his voice and said cockily, "Not now." Lirzod narrowed the windows of his view, "What''s your problem? Can''t you even let me talk to him?" "He can''t be given privileges after what he''s done," the wide-chinned guard said aloud, and a few others joined him. "If you don''t beat it before I count to five, I''m going to have to be rough with you." "There''s no need for that, friends," Hundred joined in the conversation with a polite smile forged with a decent effort. "We''re just here to talk, and since you already answered us so nicely, we''re going to take our leave now," he turned his head toward Lirzod, "right?" "I just want to know why a kid would attempt to murder someone," Lirzod straightforwardly said. "Is there any way to talk to him¡ªright now?" "Usually, you can release some prisoners by paying one gold," Hundred said, "but this is an attempted murder we''re talking about, so I don''t think they''ll just take the money and let the kid go." "Then, nothing can be done?" Lirzod looked at the guards with a resolute look. "Heh, your eyes and your teeth don''t match, and they are making up a funny face," the wide-chinned guard said, and then all the guards laughed together for a good five seconds. "Ahem, if you really wish to get that little dog out, then there''s only one way. You have to challenge our master and win in a fight!" "Your master?" Lirzod paused for a moment. "What''s wrong?" the pupils snickered. "Don''t tell us you''re changing your plans now, toothless teen." "Of course not," Lirzod promptly replied. "Bring your master right away." His words startled all the pupils in the vicinity, and even the prisoners in the cells were stunned. Hundred, on the other hand, felt as if a hundred-kilo boulder fell on top of his head and broke his neck at once. He choked on his own breath. "Hehe, you said it, boy," all of a sudden, the guards appeared over-excited. "Don''t go back on your words now." Lirzod closed his eyes and replied calmly, "I only go back on my words when I go back on my words." "Huh?" many trainees and even the prisoners blinked twice. "The heck did he just say?" "Don''t mind him, and go inform the master!" some other pupils hurried with their business. Hundred pulled Lirzod back and asked in a low, stressed tone, "Do you have any idea what you''re doing? Why did you promise to fight for a criminal without even hearing from his side?" "By criminal, you mean that kid¡­??? Lirzod''s voice was a bit icy. "Yeah. Just one look at him, and I can tell he''s seen more in life than most kids his age," Hundred asserted. "Even though you''re willing to help him, he''s not even looking at you. Unlike you, he''s not wearing his heart on his sleeve, and your misplaced pity will only invite misfortune!" "If he''s seen as of much life as you think he did," Lirzod quietly asked, "why''d he get himself behind bars for attempted murder and not for a successful one?" Hundred was tongue-tied for a while. "W-Well, that''s¡­ We don''t know his story and what issues he got. Feeling bad for him is enough in itself." "A child with issues is still a child," Lirzod said. "I''m sure many will pity him, but will it do anyone any good?" Hundred had no reply. "I will just hear his side first and see if there''s anything we can do," Lirzod uttered in an unhurried tone. "It''s easier said than done," Hundred said and sighed. "Winning against their master won''t be as easy as winking." "Don''t worry. I''ll deal with him with my eyes shut," Lirzod confidently said and grinned, eyes closed. "In the meantime, you go and find out where that commander is right now." "Haha," Hundred laughed a bit wildly. "What''s wrong?" Lirzod couldn''t help but ask. "Nothing," Hundred blew air through his mouth. "You''re in for a surprise when you see him." "Surprise?" Lirzod began to ponder, and his gaze then fell on his own clothes. "Wait¡­" he stared at his clothing¡ªthe combination of an old sleeveless cream-colored shirt and a brown plus-fours. "This attire... It looks cool, but it fits me like a glove. I prefer some looseness in my clothes. Where did you get these?" "Ah, those clothes, they look plain and fit as per the shape of the body, but they''re of fine quality." Hundred shrugged his shoulders. "Sadly, I didn''t get them. They belong to that clinic. I don''t know why she has men''s clothing, though. It was probably left at the clinic by one of her former patients." "I didn''t get to thank her, but anyway, I like this dress, though I don''t really like the tightness," Lirzod seemed to be pleased. "If I can get a loose version of this and then add a nice jacket and shoes, the set will be close to complete." As he was saying, he thought back about the two ornaments he used to wear back home. Because of the journey, he had to leave them at home. "Mm, planning to get dressed to kill, huh. Well, you can find good shoes on this deck, too, but if you want a nice jacket, then you should wait till you get to the fifteenth deck, or if possible, the twentieth one. Though the latter case will more likely burn a hole in your pocket, you can expect standard quality there." "I can wait." In the meantime, the murmuring of the prisoners in the wooden cells escalated and reached Lirzod''s ears. "Hey, brat! What are you smoking? Hand that over, would ya?" "Heh, to think you''ve challenged the master, you must be as unworldly as a frog in a well!" "Yeah, you are licking fire for a taste!" "Keke, you dug your own grave, kid, for another repulsive kid, nonetheless." "Haha, another sheep sacrificed for the sick pleasures of the pupils." Lirzod waved his hand at the prisoners as if saying hi, and they didn''t know how to react. "You guys must really like the master," Lirzod raised his voice, so they could hear him. "But¡­ don''t worry. I''ll go easy on him." "Eek!" the prisoners couldn''t believe what they just heard. Shock filled their visages. "Aren''t you afraid of biting your tongue when you speak?" Hundred fingered his ear. "These guys are not easy on the ear." "Haha, they must be really excited," said Lirzod, "to see me get beaten." "To see you get beaten, huh¡­" Hundred observed the prisoners for a moment and muttered under his breath, "I don''t think they''ve gotten chatty for that reason alone, though. Anger is a luxury they can''t afford, especially when inside those cells. They are likely venting all their pent-up frustration on us." He looked at Lirzod, who was still waving his hands at them as if he was acquainted with them. "Oi, what does he think he''s doing? Is he mad?" some of the prisoners could only scratch their heads. Two guards then guided Lirzod and Hundred toward the center of the hall. As they were leaving, Beren, who was sitting silently till now with his face hidden between his legs, lifted his head and took a look at them. At that moment, Lirzod glanced over his shoulder and took notice of Beren''s face before curling up the corner of his mouth. Beren''s expression froze. (He''s smiling. Why?) As Lirzod reached the center of the hall, many trainees hurriedly circled him, for the news had already spread throughout the hall. "Excuse me, guys," a blonde youth slipped his way to the front lines. "I wonder how the one who challenged the master looks like." When his eyes lay on Lirzod, who was widely smiling at everyone like a child who had just been given chocolate, he didn''t know how to make sense of him, not even in the slightest. "Huh? Where did this shrimp come from?" some trainees were utterly disappointed after seeing Lirzod and couldn''t hide their feelings. "We were expecting another Big Nick, but who''s this midget?" "You want to take on the commander? What a joke!" "Maybe he came to increase the size of his face by getting his cheeks swollen?" "Or rather, by getting more of his teeth broken?" "Pfft, puhahaha. You couldn''t have said it better." Though the words of the trainees twisted Hundred''s guts, he was surprised to see Lirzod standing up with a straight face that had a little redness all over. (He does understand that they are all taking digs at him, doesn''t he? His brows knitted together. I can''t tell if he''s embarrassed or angry at them.) As Hundred was wondering, some trainees standing beside him kept staring at him, forcing him to reply with an awkward smile. "Someone who challenged our master can''t be so weak," the blonde youth couldn''t help but step forward and ask for all to hear. "Why, why are you not retorting?" "Mm?" Lirzod glanced at the blonde youth before smiling a little. "There isn''t much a lion can do amid flies." All the mean mouths in the vicinity shut without question. 82 COWARDICE AND COURAGE "Why are you not retorting?" the blonde youth couldn''t help but step forward and ask for all to hear. "Mm?" Lirzod glanced at the blonde youth before beaming out an ephemeral smile. "There isn''t much a lion can do in the midst of flies." All the mean mouths in the vicinity shut without question. Though there was silence all around, everyone, who had laughed before, now felt so uncomfortable as if sitting on a rug of needles. The blonde youth was greatly impressed by Lirzod''s words and remembered a saying, ''a closed mouth catches no flies.'' By saying nothing, he was giving them no chances to use against him. "Hmph," one senior shoved aside all discomfort and spoke out, "did you challenge the master so you could beat him and take his place? If you have any such plans, then give up before you make a well-frog out of yourself. Trying to take our master''s seat is like trying to catch the sun''s rays!" "Yeah," another senior trainee voiced his mind composedly, "to move a mountain, one must start by removing small stones. Fight with us first and prove to us that you''re worthy of fighting our master!" "Let''s be honest," another senior trainee stepped in, "you just want our master''s seat. All this acting as if you really care for that child is you trying to profit from the misfortune of others. How much lower can you stoop?" "The wipers have just cleaned this portion of the hall. It''s perfect for fighting. What are you waiting for? Do you dare to cross arms with us?" Hundred deeply frowned upon realizing where the discussion was going. (Don''t fall into their trap, Lirzod. They are luring you in for an unfair fight!) But then he also seemed interested in seeing how the teenager would respond. "Just because a hundred flies are feeding off of a lion," Lirzod cleaned his nose with his little finger as his soliloquy gripped the men and nearly consumed their temper, "I don''t need to take care of the flies first before going for the lion. Like I said before, I have no business with you flies. If you guys have even a shiver of common sense, then just bring your master already. I don''t have all day. Got it?" "This punk¡­ how dare he treat us like we''re some kind of lowlives!" some trainees in the rear lines of the crowd showed their frustration, and they couldn''t stand still. The temperature in the vicinity suddenly rose due to the incandescence of their bodies, and vitriol gushed out of their mouths. "Either he''s a somnambulist, or his eyes must be growing on his forehead!" "Actually, he called us flies." "No shit, sir!" "He''s acting all cool because he has sleek hair." "Kids these days are predisposed to putting on airs. Let''s show him the art of throwing someone out the window." At that moment, the pupils began to clap and roar in delight in the distance, which only meant that the master had entered the hall. "Finally," Sean cracked his knuckles in exhilaration, "someone with a backbone has stepped on my deck." "Master, make waste of him!" the pupils voiced in their wishes. "Heh, leave him to your master," Sean said sonorously and smiled with confidence. "I''ll make sure his screams will wake his ancestors from eternal sleep!" "Whoa, Master looks in a living mood today. He''s going to beat the tar out of that challenger for sure!" all the pupils abandoned their routine and rushed in toward the center of the hall, and not one of them was willing to miss even a punch. "Hey, our master is coming." Some pupils demanded Lirzod, "Show some manners by bowing to him." "You guys are not one to talk about manners," Lirzod said in an irked tone, while his eyes tried to catch a glimpse of the master through the gaps in the crowd. "So who''s this daring feline that challenged me," Sean was cracking his knuckles. (The news says that Baba ''Silver'' Shinja, a man considered to have the power to destroy mountains with his fists was ambushed and killed by the Grim League. I don''t know if it''s true or not, but it proves once again that no matter how strong one is, they can''t win all battles alone, and if they aren''t careful, they''ll perish soon enough. I don''t know why, but it''s stirring up my adrenaline just from imagining how their battle would have taken place.) He soon reached the center of the hall and lay his eyes on Lirzod, and his smile hit a break. (Huh?) "You are¡­" Lirzod started to walk toward Sean. "Haha, it''s you. I was about to come to you. Did you come here to watch the fight, too?" "Uh, not really. I''m the master of this hall. Didn''t you know?" Lirzod shook his head. "Wait... what? You are the master?" "Whew," Sean leaked out a long sigh. "Surprises are not ceasing today." He stood rooted to the spot. "Why were you looking for me?" "Did you forget about lunch?" Lirzod asked in haste. "What lunch?" "You invited me. Don''t you remember?" Sean blinked a few times. "O-Oh, yeah, yeah, I do now." As the two of them discussed, every trainee in the vicinity fell silent with dumbfounded faces. "So you are their master," Lirzod patted on the commander''s shoulders, startling everyone. "Let''s finish the fight quickly and go for lunch." All the pupils scratched their heads, not knowing what was going on. "Why''s he talking like he''s Master''s best friend?" As for Hundred, his face showed total amazement. Sean, meanwhile, felt like he was put in a bind. (There''s no way that ''Mad Monk'' Everna could have healed such deep wounds completely. She must''ve healed him only a little and probably put more focus on fully healing his outer appearance, just like most healers do. After all, the best medicine a doctor can give is to make the patient believe they''re healed. In any case, I can''t fight with this boy right now and be proud of the win, but if I stop the fight without a valid reason, all the pupils will feel downhearted, and their productivity for today will plummet. What should I do?) Just then, Lirzod''s stomach grumbled. He rubbed the belly and smiled at Sean with no embarrassment whatsoever. Sean, however, found a way to resolve the situation. "Haha, hunger knows no holiday. It''s not good to fight with a hungry stomach. So why not fight to see who can fill the stomachs more?" "Hm?" Lirzod blinked twice. "What are you talking about?" "Wow! Master, are you perhaps talking about¡­" one of the trainees expectantly asked. "Yeah," Sean spoke aloud. "Clean the chamber of chefs and make known to every soul on this deck at once that it''s time for the Kitchen Wars!" "Whoa!" everyone in the hall got utterly excited from hearing their master''s words and took off in different directions, leaving only a few with those two. "Why is everyone in such a hurry?" Lirzod asked. "Where are they going?" "You will know soon enough," Sean curled his arm around Lirzod''s shoulder as they both walked, "but first tell me, did you really challenge me for a child, or..." "It''s for the child only," Lirzod replied in a low voice. "Oh, that''s kind of you," Sean said, but his face showed some disappointment. Now, the inkling of fighting urge still lingering in his veins vanished without a trace. "Just who''s that child?" Lirzod asked. "Doesn''t he have parents?" "Well, we''ve acquired some information on him after what he pulled off in the open," Sean patiently answered. "It seems he lost his mother recently, but instead of staying at a child booth, he came straight to this deck and attacked Big Nick. Considering Big Nick''s past, that child may very well be his blood son, but we haven''t received any confirmation on that yet. It''s not easy to look up information that''s many years old, but until we know exactly why he attacked Big Nick, we can''t decide his future. For now, the cell is his home, and the prisoners are his friends and family." "Can''t we just question him?" "We did, but he isn''t saying a word," Sean said and smiled a little helplessly. "We can''t interrogate him like we do the adults. But at least, it looks like he''s not taking pride in what he did." He looked in the direction of the cells. "It may be a stupid mistake, but given his age, I''m afraid it will haunt him for many years to come if not the rest of his life. And if Big Nick is indeed his father, then I can only imagine how blackened his heart will come to be." "This Big Nick is one of your pupils, huh," Lirzod was now able to string some things together. "Yes." "How''s he doing now?" Lirzod couldn''t help but ask. "The future will tell," Sean''s voice sounded indifferent, but his gaze was a bit emotional. "To his luck, it wasn''t an adult who was holding the knife." "Mm," Lirzod paused for a moment. "I¡­ can I try talking with that child?" Sean responded a bit late, "You are not related to him, are you?" Lirzod slightly shook his head. "Then there shouldn''t be a problem." "Mm?" Lirzod raised his brows. "Shouldn''t it be the opposite?" "Well, we don''t know how many people he may be holding grudges on," Sean chortled and patted on Lirzod''s shoulder. "It''s better to be safe than sorry, right?" "Y-Yeah," Lirzod looked quite surprised. He never considered that Beren might be holding more grudges. This drove him to go and know about him even more. "I think I''ll go and talk with him a bit." "Sure, but come to the chamber of chefs in an hour. It''s only a few blocks away. That''s where we''ll compete." Saying that Sean ordered one of the senior trainees to assist Lirzod and then left. Soon after Sean separated, Hundred walked up to Lirzod. "What were you guys talking about?" His voice contained both excitement and fear. "Nothing you''d want to know about," Lirzod let out a long breath, and the trainees became so lively in the background. "But did you notice that these disciples look happy all of a sudden even though one of them was hurt badly. What the heck is wrong with them?" "Nothing wrong if you ask me," Hundred shrugged his shoulders and put his hands on the back of his head. "The forest does not grieve for the loss of a tree." "Big Nick isn''t big enough, huh," Lirzod took a breath and curled his hand around Hundred''s shoulder, surprising him a little. Feeling Lirzod''s weight on him, Hundred sighed. "You are even struggling to be on your feet for long. What would you have done if the commander decided to fight with you?" "There''s no point in thinking about that now," Lirzod was clutching his chest. "I hope this uneasy feeling in me goes away after my stomach''s full." "Ah, I forgot to mention this before, but it''s better that you avoid fancy foods when you''re this worn out, or you might upset your stomach even more. I''d say that you just take some simple foods that won''t put too much burden on your stomach." "Simple foods? There''s only bread on this deck." ???Yeah, so bread should be enough," Hundred bluntly stated. "E-Enough? Bread alone isn''t gonna fill my belly to the brim. I want to eat something better." "I''m not sure how many times you''ve tasted the bread on this ship, but everyone in these lower decks lives on bread, you know." "But these loaves of bread... they don''t last long, right? Don''t that mean many people eat spoiled food? What if I get some of that bad food?" "We have booth owners to make sure that such things don''t happen. And the bread doesn''t last long because it is natural, or pure might be more appropriate. Nothing''s taken out of them, and nothing''s added. They don''t have the junk as you''d find in the outside world that brings bread more shelf time, so the bread here is easy on the stomach, which is why it won''t upset your stomach." "Mm, I won''t say that the bread on this ship tastes great, but it''s definitely not bad. Actually, it''s much better compared to dried meat. However, variety is the spice of life, and right now, I want to eat something different. " "Well, you may not know it now, but you''ll miss this bread when you leave this ship. And let''s not forget that it''s being given to us for free. Those who grew up in destitute families that barely had enough food to eat will gladly enjoy this bread. But in my opinion, no matter the lifestyle of a person, it''s a perfect food that can be eaten at any time as long as you don''t eat too much." "Too much?" Lirzod smiled a little, rather helplessly. "When that''s the only thing people are giving and selling, what else can you eat?" "You''ve roamed some of the streets, so you should know that there are different fruit-bearing trees you can find here and there." "Yeah, but I couldn''t find a single fruit on any of these so-called fruit-bearing trees," Lirzod complained. "Well, the competition for them is high after all," Hundred paused for a while. "However, for those who can be patient, there''s another way." "What''s that?" Lirzod''s voice contained eagerness. "It''s the Foster Wheel, also known as the wheel of fruits and vegetables," Hundred spoke in a formal tone, "but you can gain many other things from that wheel, too." "Wow," Lirzod immediately stood straight. "Where''s that wheel?" "Don''t get too excited," Hundred responded quickly. "Why not?" Lirzod impatiently asked. "Every sector on this ship has only one Foster Wheel. Since we''re on the twelfth deck, our Foster Wheel takes care of all decks from ten to nineteen. We''re told that the wheel is always rotating and that it drops food and items on any deck randomly; however, it makes sure that there''s at least one drop on every deck within a continuous span of ten days." "Oh... now I get why you said it''s only for the patient people," Lirzod put his finger on his chin. "You never know if the food will even be dropped on a given day. Still, among those who wait, won''t there be a fight for the food then?" "Of course," Hundred said as if speaking from experience. "On some decks, they fight for it. On some other decks, they use simple games to decide who gets the food. It all depends on the rules that the deck commander set, basically. You get to sell clothes and other items, but as long as you don''t sell the food that you''ve acquired from the wheel, you won''t be in trouble." "Where does this wheel drop food?" Lirzod couldn''t control his curiosity all that much. "In the Foster Hall," Hundred said, looking once at Beren from afar. "The physically-disabled ones and the kids between the ages of seven and fourteen can survive on this ship, thanks to the bread booths, but these same people get to eat other foods now and then thanks to the Foster Hall. These are two important sources for shippers[1]." "The trip to this hall should be great," Lirzod said while imagining things. "Yeah, but what really surprised me is that I''ve seen cowards turn into courageous characters in that hall," Hundred widened his eyes as he spoke. "I guess, as Dad of Doom once said, ''cowardice and courage are only intestines apart.''" Hundred sighed deeply. "Hunger surely is a hair-raising desire." "So this ship is doing a good job in bringing out the valor in people, even though it''s for their own survival." Lirzod faintly smiled and seemed impressed. That''s not an easy thing to pull off. Hundred shook his head. "There are still many people who fear to roam these streets much less attempt deck tests. So I don''t really agree with you on that note." "Well, there''s no perfect approach to some things in this world. There will be those that disagree. Besides, I doubt if one can be forced to be fearless." "So you''re telling me to shut my mouth indirectly," Hundred gave an icy look. "I can''t help you if you feel that way, hehe." "I guess I like it when you are more candid," Hundred voiced his mind. "I''m speaking heart-to-heart, you know," Lirzod did the same. "No, you''re not. When you are open, you are easier to cope with." "Now, you are being too frank with your presumptions, haha, but I like it," Lirzod put his arm back around Hundred''s shoulder, causing him to bend his spine. "You remind me of someone from my clan." "Oh, who?" "Someone who serves the Pudota family." "Pu, what?" As they discussed, they both almost reached the prisoner cells. A few trainees were playing cards near the cells, while some were busy releasing some prisoners for work. They would only play during the break time, but those who won the game would generally get to beat the prisoners. Currently, the trainees were talking about Beren, cracking jokes even. "I still can''t believe that a kid did such a thing." "A kid doesn''t hold a knife to kill. That fool is not a kid." "True. He doesn''t talk much with us, but he''s been talking about this and that with the prisoners, and the funny thing was that he thinks that the Song of the Ship is real." "Keke. The kids born on this ship grow up to be more clueless than monkeys. They always dream of dreamed-up things. Those are shippers for you!" "Haha, couldn''t have said it better." "Hey, kid. Here''s your Song of the Ship," the fattest one in the group lifted his butt and farted in Beren''s direction. "Pfft! Puhahaha!" every trainee burst into laughter, so hard that their stomachs hurt. Sitting in a knee-hugging pose, Beren could hear their words, but he tried not to show any emotion on his face. His arms, however, clutched his biceps in frustration. ......... [1] Shipper: A person born on Exvo. 83 CHILDREN OF WRONGDOINGS Everyone except Beren was being taken out of their cells for free labor wherever it was required in the hall. This action lessened one''s prison time by a little, so everyone was willing to participate irrespective of their injuries. If Beren was a year older, then he, too, would have partaken. Whether or not he would have gone was an entirely different thing, though. Thanks to a senior trainee who got assigned to tag alongside Lirzod, he was allowed to enter the wooden cell after Hundred secretly handed the trainee a few coins. Beren was perplexed by what Lirzod was up to, but he pretended as if he wasn''t bothered by another person''s presence. "I''ve asked you more than ten times, but you didn''t even respond to my questions while I was outside," Lirzod said, trying to appear calm and collected. "Now, I''m standing inside. Is there any change of heart?" "You don''t belong in this cell as I do. So get out," Beren quickly said and went silent again, not making any eye contact. Lirzod smiled a little and replied, "You too don''t belong here if you ask me." He went and sat about a meter away from Beren. The wood under his bum felt soft, which made him subconsciously wonder just how long it would take to soften wood from sitting alone. "If you want to hear the Song of the Ship or whatever it is, then wasting time in this cell wouldn''t do you any good either. Just tell me your problem, and I''ll see what I can do." Beren stayed silent, with his face hidden from view. "Hey, don''t be like that," Lirzod''s voice wasn''t caring, but it was friendly enough. "You are too young to rely on yourself for things like this. Just give me something to work on. Is Big Nick your father? If so, what did he do? If not¡­" he paused for a moment, "what did he do?" Hundred, who was on the outside, shook his head and muttered under his breath, "He''s asking sensible questions so insensibly. When it comes to information-gathering skills, this must be the worst I''ve seen in a while. We will get nowhere at this rate." "C''mon, kid," Lirzod urged a little. "I can''t do much if you stay silent." Beren still didn''t reply. "For crying out loud, say something, dammit!" Lirzod suddenly barked, alarming everyone around him, including Hundred and Beren. "How am I supposed to help you if you don''t even cooperate a bit?" "I never asked for your help," Beren yelled in response. "I don''t want your help! Or God''s! Just leave me alone, uncle," he curled himself into the corner and began to cry silently. "Nobody helped my mom when she was still alive." His voice wasn''t loud anymore, but it was sad. "Everyone she ever trusted ended up betraying her. There was never a day or night she didn''t pray to God, but what did God do to her in the end? He gave her a miserable death with no one but a stupid son to cry for her. God is one of the three pricks I''ll never forgive and forget." Hundred and the other two trainees outside the cell were quite surprised by hearing Beren''s words, for even though he wasn''t screaming, there was still so much rage and resentment in his tongue. "So Big Nick is your father then?" one of the trainees asked, albeit curiously. "Big Nick isn''t my father," Beren snarled. "He abandoned my mom. He''s nothing but trash!" "U-Uncle?" Lirzod pressed his lips and touched one of the bars of the cell, and the bar was covered with some dew, which puzzled him. "Dew?" the hall was relatively hot only until minutes ago, but now after most of the trainees left the hall, the temperature fell quickly. Though it made him lose his concentration, he cleared his throat and said, "I''m sorry for your loss. I truly am." He waited for a bit, but there was no response, so he continued speaking, "Spiritual stuff was taught in my school, but discussing it isn''t really my thing because it generally doesn''t get us anywhere. I only ever talked about it with one person the most. However, I can tell you one thing: you can cry all you want, but you can''t do anything to God from inside a cell." Beren raised his head and glanced at Lirzod, wearing a contemptuous look on his face, "Hmph, why should I go out of this cell? You are talking as if you know God exists somewhere outside for certain." He gritted his teeth. "All that''s left of my mom now is ash. If you know where God is, then tell me, I''ll throw the ash in his face." He frowned until his face gained a bit of redness, "But¡­ I know that''s not possible because there''s probably nothing after death¡ªnothing but ashes." "W-Well, I don''t want to pretend to know what I don''t, especially in a sensitive topic like this," Lirzod took a glimpse at him and replied with caution, "but I just have a gut feeling that tells me there''s something after death. Something more than just ashes and dirt. Otherwise, life and death serve no purpose, don''t you think?" "If there''s something after death, where''s the proof?" Beren barked, getting more and more impatient by the second. "Proof?" Lirzod quietly scratched the back of his head. (I knew this would get problematic. I don''t want to get into a controversy with a kid, but¡­ he''s the one asking questions, so I guess, it''s okay.) He softened his voice a bit and assuredly said, "Well, as proof, if you can call it that, we both are talking right now because of our parents who owed their lives to our grandparents who owed it to their parents, and the chain goes on to the first man and woman, but then how did those two come to be? I''m sure countless people searched for an answer to this same question, but I think the answer that almost everyone eventually ends up at is¡­ not ashes and dirt¡ªbut God." Seeing that Beren was hooked to his speech, Lirzod took a short, quick breath. "Some believe he is the beginning of beginnings, whereas some believe he doesn''t even exist, and then there are those who don''t want him to exist. In all cases, belief is involved because no one has yet proved or disproved God''s existence. Now I don''t know who or what God is and whether he exists or not, but he has become the answer to our questions that cannot be answered otherwise. For instance, which is first? Egg or Chicken?" Beren was a little surprised, but he didn''t know what to say. Was the egg first? Or, was it the chicken? It seemed simple but then also hard at the same time. He eventually put his lower lip above his upper lip as he slightly shook his head. "Well, the answer is, whichever that God has created first," Lirzod spoke with certainty. "These sorts of question-and-answers give us a basis for indirect proof of his existence." Saying that he grinned all by himself, but Beren didn''t look satisfied. "Hmph, what does a chicken have to do with God?" "We are talking about God here," Lirzod raised his voice a little. "From the popular belief passed down through history, he''s the creator of all creation, and everything happens according to his will." "If God puts his fingers in everything, doesn''t that mean God is everything?" "That¡ªI don''t think so. Because if that''s the case, I''d be God. You''d be God. Your crap would be God." Lirzod shut his nose briefly. "Even the cell we''re in, which didn''t exist before, would be God. Now, this cell maker didn''t shapeshift into this cell, did he? He just created this thing and then just chilled. Just like how this cell-maker is living his life elsewhere, God, too, is living somewhere and is probably watching us all right now. Just like how the cell is serving its purpose, we will be serving ours, and that doesn''t mean the cell maker hates this cell, or God hates us. It''s just that, without the cell-maker, the existence of this cell has no meaning; and without God, life has little value. The death of one or a million will just be two of a kind. And our lives will have no meaning, in which case it doesn''t matter whether one died a good man or not. That''s why I believe God exists; that he is the essence of holiness and that he has no darkness in him, or he''ll be no different from us. So coming back to your question, God isn''t everything, but he''s probably the origin of everything good, and so in my opinion, he''ll likely be a being who can''t be challenged because no love will be larger than him, no giant bigger, no power greater, and no fear better, for he is the one who''s above all things. Nothing will be impossible or out of reach from his hands. He needs not a thing, yet he holds all creation in conjunction. All these fundamental things about him are pretty much self-evident truths. You got it?" "I got it." Beren lightly clenched his fists. In others'' eyes, his mother''s life had little value, but to him, his mother''s life was worth more man the world. "However, that means we don''t know where God is, assuming that he exists." "Well, didn''t Godrick say that God is like our breath, without which we can''t last? So, doesn''t that mean he''s here with us now, allowing us to breathe?" "Who''s Godrick?" Beren queried. "Uh, never mind. Let me give you another example then." Lirzod pondered for a while and said, "Whenever someone asked the retired priest in my town where God is¡­ actually, you don''t have to ask him because he always nags at others saying, ''God will live in you if you love him and let him guide you.'' He doesn''t say anything else, but I believe that the priest''s point was, wherever God is, he''ll be always in your reach when you need him and seek his help." "He''s always in reach?" Beren looked doubtful and perplexed. He earnestly wanted to meet God for more than one reason. "Like Seal Service?" "Well, it''s complicated stuff, so common sense is the best tool to comprehend these types of subjects. Our lives can end at any moment, but we all do many selfish things every day and yet get to sleep and wake up again and again, always feeling entitled to life because God let us be ourselves, you know. However, what good is a child that doesn''t respect his parents? What good is a creation that doesn''t respect its creator? Not much. So you can''t think of God as a customer or a slave that you can shape as per your needs, you know. That''s why I don''t speak lightly of God or be flippant about death." "O-Okay." Beren''s head moved back a bit, a bead of sweat sliding down his chin. "I get it that you hold God in high regard, like my mom, but¡­ you didn''t give me any proof of his existence yet." "Ah¡­ I''m coming to that," Lirzod said and pondered for a bit. "To be frank, I don''t have solid proof or anything, but I can give you some sense. I think we just have to see the world and all the creation that exists and have to ask ourselves ''can any creation exist without a creator?'' Some things speak for themselves." Lirzod pointed at the spider crawling on the web at the top right corner of the cell. "There are a great number of spiders that grow up without parents, but they still end up building webs that look the exact same way as their parents, even though they all have different personalities. Why is that? "Where do those spiders get their instincts from? Where do we get our instincts from? Where does our intellect come from? Where does the basis for all our thoughts and emotions come from? What about our intuitions? Why do we intrinsically feel in a certain way toward certain things? Why do we all have unique thumbprints, even the twins? And last but not least¡ªwhy do we all die? No one in the world knows what happens next minute, yet some people plan for their whole lives. Why is that? Isn''t it because death has fooled us well into thinking we''re entitled to living, even though it dances right in front of our faces all the time, and yet none of us know the time, date, or place we pass away? Who gave death such power and authority? Who gives us hope against such an enemy?" A fly just got caught in the web, and the spider was at work. "Someone has to. Someone who can carefully create complex beings like us and the complex world that we live in. Someone we can''t see but know for sure exists, just like death, just like love and the multitude of other emotions we can''t see but only feel." Beren still looked not-so-convinced and also confused. "What''s the guarantee that what you''re saying is right?" "Guarantee? No one can give you that other than God. Ahem," Lirzod cleared his throat and put his fingers under his chin. "Let me give you another instance. There is a limit to how much weight you can lift, or I can lift, or a chicken can lift, but the one who doesn''t have that limit would be, God, who''s also most likely the only perfect existence that''s worthy of deciding what is what, whether something''s right or wrong. Without an existence like that, everyone will be right in their own eyes. And in that case, I wouldn''t be here talking to you right now because it wouldn''t have mattered to you. I can''t prove God''s existence. No one can prove his existence unless God himself wills it. You can get angry at God all you want for what he did to your mother, but then again, who created your mother? If God didn''t, then your mother''s life or any life for that matter is worth the same as their ashes. However, that''s clearly not the case. No one can replace your mother because she''s more than just dirt; she''s a unique soul. No one can hug, kiss, and comfort you like her." Beren''s mouth was downturned greatly, and his eyes turned wet. "I know it''s hard to digest," Lirzod continued in a soft voice, "but it''s always good to believe that there''s a reason for everything that happens in the world. That at least helps keep your conscience clear. So, if there''s no God, every person you know, everything that exists will have no reason at all for their existence, including you and me. Then it wouldn''t matter how we''ve lived or even how many days we''ve lived. Nothing matters. But if there''s God, then everything matters. And the world we live in reflects the latter, don''t you think? Generally, those who do great things get rewarded, but those who commit crimes get punished. Nothing in nature happens for naught, whether it be the crowing of the roosters in the mornings or the hooting of owls in the nights, even the lines ants make that we carelessly step on so often. We all know what happened yesterday in our lives, but none of us know what happens tomorrow. Clearly, there is a rooted order among all living and breathing things. Why?" Lirzod wiggled his brows but got no response. "Because it was all meant to be. It doesn''t make much sense otherwise, at least to me." Though he was tempted to bring up the topic of heaven and hell, he chose not to, for he didn''t want to frighten Beren. Beren stayed silent for a moment before responding, "You said God is the only perfect existence... By that you mean, we are not perfect?" "Well, how can billions of people be perfect when they can have different opinions over one issue?" Lirzod shrugged his shoulders, "Why would you end up in a cell if you think what you did was right? My mother doesn''t like me eating nuts all the time, but I eat them anyway. So, who do you think is correct? I, or my mother?" he asked. Beren had no answer. "She says that every addiction is an imperfection. So it gets strenuous to agree with her at times," Lirzod pouted a little bit. "That said, I stopped eating nuts in front of her so that she''d be at least a little happier about it. That is me trying to perfect myself in that issue. And I''m still trying. I would love, or maybe not, to stop eating nuts. It''s still a hard thing for me to decide, and that makes me imperfect, no? Just because I feel something''s right, that doesn''t make it right. And I''m positive that everyone faces these types of issues all the time. When things go wrong, most of us tend to blame others before we even blame ourselves for our wrongdoings as if they''re the reason for all of our imperfections. If we are okay with blaming people for some things, then we can also be okay with asking their help for some things. Maybe that''s why I''m here, trying to help you." Beren pressed his lips, still seeming to be in two minds. Lirzod resumed his speech, "My father used to say, "As the poor and mere mortals that we are, our strengths may differ in quantity or quality but not to an illimitable extent, so we need to take each other''s help, and above all, God''s help to survive and strive to be as perfect and good as we can.'' I once asked him why we need God''s help the most when we can''t even see him, and then he made me farm," he said and helplessly smiled a bit. "And I soon came to know that if the clouds don''t visit as they should, either there''ll be less water, fewer snails, less plant growth, and less everything, or there''ll be excess water, and the crops get washed away. So unless the clouds tour upon our heads normally every season, you can never get a good yield. And even after harvesting, no one knows when is the right time to sell. All things considered, agriculture, the backbone of the world economy, is so dependent on rains that just the thought of no one controlling the clouds seemed bizarre and scary even. How can lifeless objects drifting in the sky decide the fate of humans unless there''s a higher being at work? I understood what my little brain could in just a few years of farming, and that helped me understand why people pray to God because there are plenty of things in life that we can''t ever fully control." "But do we really need God''s help? Being mortal isn''t that bad," Beren tilted his head down. "We need not have to go through suffering for so long." Lirzod was a little startled. "My point isn''t about being mortal or immortal. It''s about facing your fears and having the attitude to change yourself for the better. How many people do you think die every night in their sleep?" asked Lirzod to which he didn''t receive any answer because that was how Beren''s mother had passed away. "Some consider dying during sleep as a good thing, but if you ask me, they just don''t have a better answer because they''re all scared of facing death, the biggest and the worst criminal in the world, for it devours hundreds of thousands of lives every day. Clearly, it is everyone''s enemy. That five-letter word ''death'' terrifies most mortals, and while they do their darndest to not die, they still feel miserable to even talk about it because they''re weak, lacking, and imperfect. That''s why they need help. That''s why people need friends." Beren remembered his best friend, and he felt conflicted at the moment for leaving her side. "As a mortal, if you can do something alone, that''s good," Lirzod continued. "Otherwise, receiving help will do good for you. Some works in the world demand teamwork, and I think it''s a good thing, or else everyone will be on their own, and even if you become immortal, everyone else around you that you''ll come to love will perish right before your eyes. So, whether one''s immortal or not doesn''t really matter, because we all swing between hero and victim every day until we don''t. Some take ten days to change themselves, but for some, even ten years won''t be enough, so I believe, whether you live the life of a mortal or an immortal doesn''t change who you are. That''s why most immortals of the past became history because either they weren''t helped or they didn''t seek out help." "Why don''t they ask for help even when they know they might die?" Beren looked confused. "Well, it''s plausibly because of their ego. Pride, you know, is a problematic thing," Lirzod remembered a memory of his childhood, when he asked his mother, Valli, why she rarely ever used a mirror unlike most other women, she replied, ''Because it puts me before everything else.'' Though he didn''t quite understand those words back then, now he was beginning to grasp things better. "But if God exists, why doesn''t he take care of pride? Why doesn''t he show himself to us? If he wants to help us, then he has to show himself, right? And how can we even care about him if we can''t see him?" "Ah, that takes us right back to your main question¡­" Lirzod paused for a bit. "How many times have you breathed since birth?" "So many times. Why?" "Have you ever seen one of those breaths?" "What? Seeing?" Beren shook his head. "None." "We can''t see our breaths, or keep track of them for long. We worry about our hair falling even though we don''t know them by number. We take many things for granted. As if that isn''t enough, some even want to take God for granted." He smirked. "You see¡­ we can''t even get the audience of earthly kings unless we work our butts off for their kingdoms, yet we want God to show up for a simple cry. If that isn''t ignorance and pride blinding your eyes, I don''t know what else it is. God doesn''t have to come directly to help us, you know. And even if he did, would you believe him? I could say that I''ve come here to help you because God willed it, but I can''t give you a solid proof, so you use your common sense, which you can''t see, to decide whether you should believe any word I say or not. In the same way, if you want to, you can believe in God, whether you can see him or not, or you can choose not to." "But¡­" Beren hesitantly asked. "If God is all-powerful, shouldn''t he help those in need? Otherwise, how can he be good?" "Well, I don''t have an answer for that, but I can say this much: Whom God helps or not is his concern, so don''t fool yourself by expecting miracles to happen in your life because you''ve prayed for ten or twenty hours every day," Lirzod put his hand on Beren''s shoulder. "Instead, try to live your life working well and doing good things, then God may make sure your life won''t be a burden you can''t bear, even the old age where you go bald, blind, and your teeth start to fall out, and you don''t even like to look at yourself in the mirror, assuming you were able to get out of the bed, and knowing that all those things are taking you closer and closer to death." A second of silence passed. "All in all, Beren¡­" their eyes met. "I don''t know for sure if God exists or not, but without him, the world we live in makes little to no sense. Furthermore, we may never find the truth of many things in this world, starting with its origin." Beren took a few seconds to process everything, or at least as much as he could. Lirzod''s words touched his heart because he was incapable of lifting his mother''s body after she had died, and tears welled up in his eyes. "I don''t get why a perfect God would kill my mother," he lifted his head and looked straight in Lirzod''s eyes once again. "Why didn''t he save my mom? Why did he even make her sick in the first place? She never put a foot wrong. Why did he put her through hell, and why did he give her a child with these eyes? How does he expect someone with these stupid eyes to see the world when all they see is ridicule!" Beren ground his teeth. "He even took away the only one who never laughed at what I''m born with! One after another, bad things keep happening just to me. All this for what?" Lirzod took his hand off Beren''s shoulder, and it seemed as if he was reminiscing his past. "I don''t know why God didn''t help your mom. You''ll have to ask him yourself if you meet him one day." He let out a long sigh. "But if you ask me, I can only say that¡ªjust like how we have our way of doing things, he has his way of doing things, and how he goes about disciplining his children as our parents do us. Sometimes he may throw flowers in our way, and sometimes he may throw thorns. Regardless, his ways are superior to ours." "Superior? How can you say that after seeing how my life turned out?" Beren''s eyes turned teary. Lirzod pressed his lips together for a bit and said, "You asked why bad things keep happening only to you, right? Well, then let me ask you this, did you ever smile in your life?" Beren lately responded with a nod. "Was there ever a happy day in your life till now?" "Of course." He nodded. "More than once." "Then, during those happy days, did you ever ask God why he repeatedly makes you happy?" "That''s¡­" Beren had no answer. Lirzod exhaled audibly. "I already told you, didn''t I? We tend to blame others when things don''t go our way. And God isn''t an exception from our blaming either. In fact, most people view God''s grace through the depth of a man''s pockets," Lirzod briefly remembered Allda, who was the wealthiest man of his clan, and he always tried to get more power and status than the three clan heads. "They love to blame God for their hardships but totally forget all the times they were happy and the nights they''ve peacefully slept through. When we can take joy for granted, why can''t we think of sorrow as the same? It''s ironic how God comes to our minds when we get sick, and then we deny his existence because suffering exists in the world. I wonder how much more subtle and specious we can get." Beren''s face lost more color. "I''m not blaming you," Lirzod softened his voice even more, "but just telling you that life offers more than one taste. Some days are sweet; some are sour, and some taste like no other. So the sooner you realize that any taste may come your way any number of times in a day and then make the best of everything that comes your way, the longer you''ll live like a king." He took in a breath through the mouth. "Anyway, I feel like I''m acting donnish like Duera and a bit too persuasive, so I''ll stop here." He stood and put his hands in his pockets. "About your eyes though¡­ Everybody I''ve met till now has all sorts of imperfections; some of which can''t even be perfected. Since you''re ''born'' with uncommon eyes, you shouldn''t feel guilty. How should I say this¡­" he pondered for a while. "Yeah. Not all trees grow straight. Some bend in all sorts of shapes, and yet people find them pretty, don''t they? If others laugh at your eyes, then something''s wrong with their eyes. Just let them laugh till their throats go dry, and then give them saltwater[1]," Lirzod said, laughing aloud, shocking the three people outside the hall. "But seriously, you can just prove them wrong by showing how special your eyes are, right?" "S-Special?" Beren, who was getting angry, suddenly found himself losing it. "Yeah," Lirzod bent and looked at him closely, "one eye is looking east, and the other is looking west. You can cover two directions at once. Not many can do that, you know. It''s pretty convenient if you ask me." Beren''s face lost all of its glow almost instantly. Hundred''s face warped into a warthog. "Lirzod, just come out of that cell! What in the world are you spouting?" He hurriedly entered the cell and pulled Lirzod outside. "Did that monk give you some mind-degrading pill or something?" " What?" Lirzod glanced at Beren as if he was doing nothing wrong and replied in a low voice, "We planned to make him talk. It''s working beautifully, so why are you interfering?" "Beautifully?" Stress marks appeared on Hundred''s face. "Only your hair was on fleek throughout the conversation. If I hadn''t interfered, he might have added you to his never forgive-and-forget list!" "He surely wouldn''t have!" Lirzod said with confidence and folded his arms. "Really? Just look at his face." They both looked at Beren. "He looks like he''s guarding the gates of the underworld." "U-Uh," Lirzod had to nod because Beren was currently glaring at him. "I can''t tell whom he''s looking at, but he''s definitely pissed off. How do you think we should proceed now?" "By giving him some time." "Oh, how many seconds." Hundred narrowed his eyes and stressed his word, "Hours." "What? We can''t stay here that long." "Whose fault do you think it is?" Hundred felt the urge to pinch Lirzod, but he somehow held himself back. "Let''s jettison this plan and come back when we have a better one." "Chillax," Lirzod patted Hundred''s chest twice. "I didn''t know that he held a grudge against God. Now, see how I handle him. Just watch," Lirzod walked back to Beren, who now stood, and looked straight in Lirzod''s eyes. "Why did you come back?" Beren spoke through his teeth. "To mock me some more? You''ve said enough. You know nothing about what you are saying." He slammed his cupped fist against the rod, and he felt a tightness in his chest. "Rather than live a lonely life, I''ll die and meet my mother." "Look, Beren¡­" Lirzod brought his face closer and lowered his voice. "What happened has happened. I don''t even know you to say kind words about you or your mother. Nothing I say may heal your heart, or even make you feel better. I know that, but let me ask you one thing. Is this what your mother would have wanted for you?" Beren, who was fuming at Lirzod and was angry at himself, suddenly found the tension in his body leaving. "I''m sure no mother loves to see her son behind bars much less wish their children would accompany them to the afterlife," Lirzod said and stood straight. "You went through hard times, but most do at some point in their lives, and some will have it worse than you. All of your sufferings are not found only in you, so don''t let them define you. Don''t let your emotions dictate your choices. It won''t be easy." He briefly paused, but his gaze was set on Beren. "I, too, have the bad habit of finding faults in others when things don''t go my way. When I think about it now, it feels silly of me to find faults in my friends, not for their sake, but only to make myself feel better. But what can I say, some habits sure are hard to be freed from." He couldn''t help but rub his jaw as he remembered Everna. "I ruined some good relationships in childhood with that attitude and have been trying to correct them ever since. If not for my folks pointing out my faults and disciplining me and inculcating some good habits in me, I would''ve probably grown up into a clueless character who can''t endure crap. I wouldn''t have known that people are more than their imperfections." Beren stayed silent, but his eyes were kept on Lirzod. "Be it worries or wonders¡­ all affairs in life arise as we allow them. I don''t need to know why you are inside this cell." He put his hand on Beren''s head and rubbed a little, "I just hope it''s not too late for you to correct your wrongdoings." He turned around and started to walk away, with a bit of worry in his eyes. "It''s good to be a child, but it''s not good to die as a child. Just look around with love, and surely, you''ll find something worth living for, be it the Song of the Ship, or a smile on the face of someone you love." Beren''s eyes broadened. He held the bars, and hurriedly asked, "Y-You believe in the Song of the Ship?" "When I find it, I''ll let you hear it," Lirzod replied and gave a thumbs up without looking back. Tears covered Beren''s eyes, and he just watched as Lirzod and Hundred left the cell and began to walk away. "I-I''m not going to die," he said aloud. Lirzod didn''t turn back. He smiled and waved his hand a little. The two guards, though, subtly shook their heads and looked at one another and smiled and murmured the same words: Stupid little children. Hundred, however, looked pleasantly surprised and felt a warmth feeling flood through his heart. After they walked a few steps, he asked, "You''ve turned it around as you''ve said, but you are not going to pursue him anymore? He might listen to you now, you know." Lirzod faintly smiled. "He may listen, but I have nothing else to say." "Oh, okay. Let''s hope God will somehow bring the kid out of the cell soon." "You believe in God?" Lirzod cast a slightly curious glance at him. "Well¡­" Hundred paused for a long while. "Not until I got treed by a bear, and then ended up pleading with God all the way out of the woods." "Pfft! Hahaha," Lirzod and Hundred laughed together. "I may be laughing now, but I definitely wasn''t laughing back then," said Hundred. "I can understand," said Lirzod, his face still glowing. "Anway, let''s go to the chamber of chefs. You know where it is, right?" "Um, yes¡­ I think I do." Meanwhile, in the Foster Hall. The walls and the ceiling were all filled with large holes that looked like the mouths of sculpted wooden beasts from where the food and other items would be tunneled through. Around three hundred people were scattered throughout, and Burton was among them. A gray-haired man with a long beard was seated behind the desk at the entrance of the treasury, a room within the hall. Many men constantly chatted with him for various reasons, for he was the overman of the hall. "Not only is this a second-hand cudgel, but also this is a regular one," the overman was currently bargaining with a client. "For a Glum Grade weapon of this level, I can give seven copper at best." "Eh? Only seven pieces? I was expecting at least forty." "Forty? Stop living on clouds, lowlife," the overman indifferently said. "B-But, it''s so light for its size," the client used all the neurons in his brain. "I thought it might be of nimborens." "No, it''s not," the overman, however, wasn''t buying any of it. "This cudgel''s head doesn''t even have a design. It''s a plain old regular cudgel made by someone just like yourself." "U-Uh, fine. How about for eight pieces?" "Seven," the overman placed the seven copper coins on the desk beside him. "Take it or leave." The client just took the seven coins and left the cudgel on the desk while murmuring to himself. "I hope some better weapons will be dropped next time. Even a second-hand hammer-sword of the dwarves would get me ten times more coin." Another man rushed to the overman, "Sir, how much for that cudgel?" "Ten pieces of copper," the overman confidently said. "Sir, I can afford eight pieces. You can take this knife, too." After a glance, the overman snorted, "Hmph, that rusty knife costs as much the hair on my ass. Don''t try to fool me. I''ve been working here longer than you were in your mother''s womb. That''s a Faulty Grade weapon you''re holding right there." He then said aloud, "Ten pieces. Take it or leave." "S-Sorry, sir," the man frowned and then put ten copper coins on the table before taking the cudgel. "Be patient, and you''ll get rewarded," the overman said, lifting that man''s spirit a bit. "Yes, sir." Burton, meanwhile, was observing everything that was happening, sitting by the wall all by himself. "So instead of trading items with each other, everyone preferred to trade with that overman to get acquainted with him. It''s probably because he has a lot of items to offer, all stored in that room behind him. If the items go unsold for long, they''ll probably be sent back for another drop. In the end, they are profiting off the items they drop straightforwardly, yet no one dares to complain. A scary stratagem, indeed. But¡­" He narrowed his eyes a little. "That''s not all." Burton kept looking around. After the previous drop, many people left the hall, but still, a significant amount of souls remained. Though Burton grabbed a bag full of fruits, he lost them right after he left the hall. On the twelfth deck, people were allowed to enter the foster hall only in the span of one hour every day. It was usually the hour following the item drop. If anyone wished to enter the hall in the coming days before the next drop, they had to enter during that one hour window. Because of that time limit, Burton entered the hall right away; however, he didn''t feel right about what he was doing all this while, and it took him all these hours to get his head around the events happening inside the hall. He stood and exercised his shoulders as he walked up to the overman. "Are you here to buy or sell?" the overman asked in a neutral tone. Burton placed a card that had the picture of food and items drawn over it on the desk. "So you want to leave the hall," the overman stared at Burton a bit intently. "Are you sure?" He stretched his words. "The next drop may come at any moment." A corner of Burton''s mouth curled up a little. "Your gray hair... Is it there from birth, or did you get it after taking this job?" "Hm?" the overman raised his brows, "Why do you ask?" "A job that takes pleasure in wasting others'' time¡­" Burton put his hands in his pockets, "it must really suck." The overman''s eyes broadened, and he sat straight. "Y-You, what nonsense are you blabbering about?" "Thank you for teaching me an important lesson," Burton said and began to depart. The overman frowned and stood. "W-Wait," he looked around and approached Burton before speaking in a low tone, "how did you realize that?" Burton glanced at the overman, "If you let me choose one item from your store, I''ll tell you." "What?" the overman frowned and blurted out, "There are so many valuable weapons, heartening stones, good skill books, and first-hand crux ware and exrex ware in there. I can''t let you choose just anything you want." "Then, so be it," Burton began to walk away. The overman ground his teeth. "Wait!" he ran up to Burton, and his tone turned defensive. "You can choose from among the low-tier Mere Grade weapons." Burton kept staring at him with a not-so-pleased look. "O-Okay," the overman bit his lower lip. "Mid-tier Mere Grade weapons. But that''s it. I can''t afford a higher quality one." "I don''t want weapons," Burton stated. "Ah? If you are eyeing on exrex-ware, that''s even more out of the question," he waved his hand in defiance. "I''ll take a look at the skill books," Burton coolly said. "Oh, skills ah," the overman''s body loosened up, and a smile surfaced on his visage. He put his arm around Burton''s shoulder, "Then you can pick from the first-echelon skills." "First echelon?" Burton lowered his brows. "I''m hoping for skills that are ninth-echelon or higher." "N-N-Ninth echelon?" the overman''s jaw dropped. He lifted his hand off Burton and gauged him from top to bottom. "You look too young and too soft of a character to be capable of learning such high-level skills. Are you looking to get yourself crippled or what?" "Just tell me this!" Burton snapped. "Do you have skill books of that level or not?" "N-No," the overman backed away a bit, "of course not, and I don''t think skills of that level are dropped anywhere on this tenth belt." He forced out a businesslike smile. "Even if they exist, do you think anyone would be willing to give you such skills so easily? Capable people definitely won''t." "That''s too bad," Burton dropped his shoulder and let out an audible breath. "I guess I''ll take a look at those heartening stones then." "A-Ah, you surely can," the overman said and silently smiled on the inside. (All the stones I have are tiny and are worth much less than one gold. If the information he gives is of help, this won''t be a bad deal at all, but if he sees the stones, he might be disappointed. I must get the information before that.) "Ahem, can you tell me that information now?" "First, let me pick a stone," Burton said bluntly. "You don''t believe in my words?" the overman feigned assurance. "My tongue is a token of troth." Burton paused for a moment and said, "Your tongue is a token of troth, huh. But I''m sure those famous words were said by Derxes?" "Haha, I''ve been seen through," the overman rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "But still, if there''s anyone who has the right to doubt, that''s me." There was no hesitation in his words. "I have a job here. You think I''d risk losing it by giving false promises and gaining a bad reputation? I don''t." "Fine," Burton nodded. "Great," he felt proud of himself at the time, but he didn''t show it on his face. "Now, tell me, how did you find out that it''s my job to keep people inside the hall?" "To begin with, your face loses color when people are leaving the hall," Burton said, startling the overman, "but as if that''s not enough, you persuade people into staying in the hall. Though it''s not obvious, with some focus, it can be seen. You''re clearly not new to this job, but you must be going through some personal problems, so you''re finding it hard to control your emotions these days. Do you want more?" The overman''s face lost color quite a bit. "T-There are more?" "I''ve just scratched the surface," Burton casually replied. "If you double the reward, I''ll leak two more errors." "Just how many did you find out?" the overman frustratingly accepted his loss. (Even though he hasn''t been here for even a day, he saw through everything.) He grinned and pulled Burton''s cheeks, startling him. "For someone who looks like a chocolate boy, you rose all the hairs on my body. Looks can be deceiving indeed." "I could say the same about this hall," Burton stopped him before his cheeks any more redness. "Looks aren''t everything." "I give up." The overman let out the laughter of defeat and gestured for Burton to enter the storeroom, which was also a treasury. After Burton went past the dark-red curtain that had a golden wheel symbol painted on it, the overman followed him, looking lost in thought. (I''ve been living on this ship for well over three years, but until I took this job, I''ve never realized that what this hall stands for is invisible to the eyes, and how it wastes people''s time graciously and at the same time hard-heartedly. Only a few people ever realize the truth behind this hall. I guess I was lucky to take this job.) He smiled a little. (I wonder when more people will start noticing this. Considering the past, though, until¡ª) After going inside the treasury, his eyes looked at the board mounted on the wall, and a few words were written on it: Idleness is the mother of all vices. (If there''s a board outside this hall that says similar things, I doubt that there''ll be much change. Most may still continue to stay ignorant and suffer the consequences without themselves knowing.) Burton, on the other hand, was slightly impressed by how neatly and compactly all the items were laid out so that the minimum amount of space was wasted. "Not bad¡­" "Haha, you surely jest," he patted Burton''s shoulder from behind. "Not everyone can enter this place, so consider yourself lucky." .......... [1] Saltwater: In this context, saltwater can mean two things. It can be thought of as holy water that can heal a person''s eyes, or it can simply be thought of as a distasteful drink that itches the throat. So Lirzod was killing two birds with one stone. 84 KITCHEN WARS I On the twentieth deck. A group of four men was sauntering down a crowded street, but the others made way for them. "Boss, those guys from the Knuckle Hounds guild have been too overbearing on our men," a bruised guy was dropping words in the ears of a reddish-skin man. "Just because of their top three members, they think no one can touch them. If we don''t retaliate in some way, those punks would even dare brand us as buffoons." "Mm, it seems like we''ll have to fight them sooner or later if we wish to rule this deck. But let''s take things slow¡ª" A little girl, holding a kitten toy in her arms, ran into the red-skinned man, and the bear doll in her hands fell to the floor. The red-skinned man''s eyes rolled down to meet the eyes of the girl. "Oi, you shrimp!" the other men let their mouths run at her. "Who do you think you just hit! Apologize right now, or ready yourself to face our punches!" "M-Mr. Geragorn!" the father of the little girl hurriedly came to the spot and kowtowed. Sweat fought for places on his face. "Please forgive my daughter''s rudeness. Please accept my apology on her behalf." "Hmph, be thankful and take your daughter away!" the other men snapped. "Unless you want to face our fists." "Y-Yes," the father swooped his daughter up and tucked her between his arm and ribs before starting to bustle away. "Papa, my Teddy," the little girl began to cry. "Ugh, stop whining!" the father yelled at her. "I''ll get you another plaything." Despite his words, the little girl didn''t stop crying. He had to shut her up by placing his hand over her mouth. "Hold on," Geragorn''s voice almost made the father fall to his front. As the father turned back with a tension-strung expression, Geragorn picked up the doll and walked up to him, making him almost wet his pants. "I-I''m terribly sorry?¡ª" the father was saying. Geragorn bent his spine a little, then lifted his hand and gently rubbed the tears on the little girl''s face with his forefinger. "The world will weep if a little one''s wangs stay wet for long." He smiled a little and put the doll in her hands. Though she was still in her father''s arms, light rushed into her eyes faster than a heartbeat. She hugged Teddy and no longer cried. Geragorn stood straight for a moment and stared at the girl before stepping past the frozen father. "T-Thank you, sir!" the father was still visibly nervous. "Thank you, uncle," the little girl also voiced her mind. The underlings of Geragorn snickered among themselves. "Boss, you sure seem to be in a good mood today. Is it because you heard that the scar-faced boy is on death bed?" "Ah, I wonder what that raw lad is doing now¡­" Geragorn picked strawberries from the box one of his underlings was holding, and then gorged on them all at once. Red juices slid down the corners of his mouth. "Victory isn''t assured until you raise your enemy''s severed head into the air. It''s a pity that all we can do on this ship is play children''s games. Let''s reckon he gets here erelong." "Right, right, Boss. Even if he somehow manages to live, he''ll have to pass through this deck one day. You can show him hell when that time comes. After all, he is the reason we''ve lost our foothold on the tenth deck and are now roaming restlessly on this deck. All we can do is hope he gets here soon and gets his ass kicked, keke." Meanwhile, on the twelfth deck. A breeze of disquiet swept against Lirzod''s face as he tried to stab a spear into the pool full of fishes, which kept on blasting water bullets at him. The pool was three-hundred meters long and just as wide and hosted more than a hundred gunfishes. It wasn''t just Lirzod, but eleven others were also trying to catch the fish. Sean was among them, too. As close to three-thousand people were watching from the audience glass-rooms, twelve chefs endeavored to catch the fish. Till now, not a single person managed to catch a single fish. Some threw nets into the pool, but the fish bit through rope nets as if they were butter. Some used worms as bait, but the fish bit through the hook as well. These fish were so aggressive that if anyone approached the pool, they shot water bullets out of their mouths so rapidly that they didn''t give anyone any chance. Owing to their pugnacity, they''ve earned themselves the title of ''Papa Piranhas.'' If the walls of the pool weren''t made of hardened steel, these fish would have long drilled holes into the walls, even though that would have gotten themselves eventually killed. Having said that, gunfishes could survive on land for several days, so they always liked to take their chances. These fish first became world-famous when a king put them in his aquarium made of toughened glass but still ended up becoming their food overnight. Because these fish were so dangerous, not many dared to participate in the chamber of chefs, for they had to deal with these raging fish that considered every other kind with blood in their veins as potential prey. Lirzod, who was standing more than twenty meters away from the pool, remembered Hundred''s words from before the competition began. "Hey, those fish look dangerous," Lirzod said. "What if they end up killing someone?" "Then that''s that," Hundred replied. "On this ship, a man killing a beast doesn''t go against the rules. Similarly, a beast killing a man is not murder but just a hunt as long as there''s no mastermind behind the beast. That said, if a beast goes out of control, it will be put to death, of course." Thinking back about the conversation he had with Hundred, Lirzod couldn''t help but sigh. "A life is a life whether it''s of the man or the beast. Each of these fish costs five silver even though they won''t even weigh a kilo. Does their price speak for their skills or taste?" At that moment, the fish started jumping out of the water on and off while shooting bullets at those who were closing in. Their mouths extended out as if to resemble the barrel of a gun. Seeing their desperation, Lirzod gripped the spear tightly. "This makes me wonder¡­ How would humans have fared if our roles were reversed? Hunting an already cornered prey is no fun and fair, but I doubt these fish would spare someone just because they slipped into the water. Well, not quite that, but at the end of the day, when men and beasts are at war, it''s all about survival, about who ends up on whose plate." After contemplating the issue at hand, Lirzod felt a bit relieved. Lirzod looked at the other competitors. (He warned me that the floor near the pool is slippery. Then a spear would be a wrong choice, but it''s still better than having nothing.) "Now then, how am I supposed to catch them if I can''t even get close to the pool?" Hundred, who was sitting among the audience, frowned a little. His view, just like that of any other audience, was screened by a glass. "Gunfishes¡­ these cold-water fish are rumored to be one of the smartest among their kind. And, to make things worse, it seems these fish haven''t been fed in weeks." "Yeah, they kept eating each other," the man in the adjacent seat replied excitedly. "Their number fell from a thousand to only a hundred or so. No wonder, the remaining ones look like freaks funneled down the hell itself." "There aren''t even any remains left," Hundred shook his head. "They must have eaten others down to the bone, and these last hundred must be the strongest of the swarm. Once they wound their prey, they are going to come at it like locusts. And what''s more, their noses and eyes are said to be highly sensitive to blood. The first one to shed the blood is definitely doomed, but who would that unfortunate person be?" Just as Hundred was wondering, two water bullets struck one of the competitors at his neck, and blood poured out, startling everyone, but what happened next was the real shocker. All the hundred or so gunfishes flew out of the pool and attacked the wounded man, and he desperately tried to fight back. "What?" Lirzod was taken aback. "T-They can fly!" And as his enlarged eyes witnessed, all the fish tore the wounded man''s body into bits and pieces, causing him to fall to his knees, and he couldn''t even properly howl in pain. "M-Meeka¡­" As he was trying to utter a word, a fish flew into his wide-opened mouth and came out from the other side, leaving a fist-sized hole in its wake. The crunching of his bones brought chills to some other competitors. The human was dead in a matter of seconds. Almost all the fish continued to feast on him. Though the audience was shocked briefly, they eventually roared out of thrill. Lirzod, however, looked dull and downhearted. The guy who just got devoured by the fish had come up to him before the event started and thanked him for giving the opportunity to surprise his girlfriend with the reward. But now, seeing that fellow perishing right before his eyes, all Lirzod could do was grind his teeth in difficulty. It was too late to do anything. In the meantime, a few fish went after other individuals and forced them to be on defense. The fish kept bouncing off the floor and the glass wall to keep themselves in flight. "Don''t attack them blindly!" Sean said aloud. "Attack their weak point, starting with the wings!" Thanks to Sean''s words, some attacked the fish wings and eyes instead of going for other body parts. The target was small, which led to many failed attempts, but those men with swords eventually cut down the fish, and those with spiked clubs clobbered them into a mass of mess covered in translucent blood. Sean, on the other hand, caught a fish with his bare hand and squeezed it while making sure its mouth wasn''t pointed in his direction. The tough scales weren''t so easy to crush, and it hurt his hand a bit, but he stopped not. Hundred, who was watching that, felt nervous. (Those fish have light but very durable bones. Crushing those fish must be harder than crushing an apple with a single hand. He''s showing us that he doesn''t need to go after their weak points, huh. This commander surely isn''t simple.) He then looked in Lirzod''s direction. A gunfish came flying at his face but ended up eating the spearhead instead. Whew. Hundred breathed a sigh of relief. (Their hunger must be making them quite desperate. This first round will be over if he catches five more, but it''s not going to be that easy.) "That''s one under the belt," Lirzod glanced down at the dead fish. "It''s been a while since I put a fair friend to sleep." He stooped down and stared at the struggling fish, which was trying so hard to cling to life. Lirzod lay a soothing hand on its puffing body as if to offer peace in its last moments. "Rest rightly." At that moment, he couldn''t help but remember a conversation from the past. "Mother, we have crops, and they give us those tasty nuts and a lot of food," Lirzod asked Valli when he was only a little boy and was at a dining table, graced by four people in total and with meat dishes waiting to be dined upon. "Then why do we kill animals? Didn''t you once tell me to treat animals and trees like my friends? Then doesn??t that mean we''re feasting on our friends now?" "Mm, that''s a tough question," Valli pulled his cheek. "My Little Lub is growing up fast." "Just tell me, Mother, or I''ll not eat this dish," Lirzod pouted. "You all can have it." "I can''t let that happen," Valli pondered for a moment. "How should I put it¡­ We don''t kill them just for food. Animal skin gives us clothing and shelter, and so does plants, but I''m looking for a better answer. Hmm, listen, Lub, we are all part of nature, so we should treat everything in it with proper respect. Sure we are killing animals, but many animals kill other animals for food, and if they get a taste of our blood, they will not hesitate to kill us, humans, either. Even though we are better than animals in the hierarchy of living things, but still, at the end of the day, it all comes down to survival. If not for winters visiting one''s doorstep every year, many tribes and clans in the world would have probably given up on hunting for food, but that''s not how the years go by. We are all part of the natural order of things, not separate from it, and certainly not above it. And for that reason, the men of the old did what was necessary to survive. Nothing less. Nothing more. Now, men make a business out of every imaginable thing whether it goes into the mouth or comes down from¡ª" she cleared her throat. "Ahem, starting with the closeness with nature, the average man has lost much, if not all. The ever-changing cultures have cut them off, and they''ve become mechanized in their ways. I don''t like to say it, but the few good martials, if there are any, may really be the saving grace left of humanity. That said, even for them, it won''t be easy to change their cultures much less the world." Lirzod paused for a moment and then asked, "What if we go above it?" Valli was a little surprised but then smiled and pulled his cheek again. "Forget even thinking about going above that until you can''t go above your hunger without eating what''s on your plate." "C-Can you say that again?" Lirzod asked, rubbing his cheek. "Eat." Thinking back on the conversation, Lirzod sighed. He looked in the direction where the swarm of gunfishes was feasting on the man, who was no longer recognizable. "So many versus just one. It''s like the law of the jungle is in effect. Can he rest rightly?" His jaw made a hard line as he witnessed the awful death of a competitor. All that was left of that person were bits of flesh and bones. "Where would the souls of those who suffered an undeserved death go?" The gunfishes slowly but surely began to bounce their way back to the pool. "This is the chance. Attack them!" some contestants roared and attacked the fish in groups. Sean, however, stood right where he was and took care of more fish with his bare hands. Lirzod gripped the spear tightly and was about to step forward, but a gunfish ricocheted off the glass wall and came flying at him from behind. Hundred''s eyes expanded. "Behind you!" Though Hundred''s voice didn''t reach Lirzod because of the glass wall in between them, Lirzod still managed to step to his left. The fish failed to bite him, but its wing, however, scraped past his neck. Lirzod swung the spear and smacked the gunfish away and into the glass wall. "Whew, that was close," Hundred''s hands were perceptibly shaking. Lirzod stood straight and placed his hand over his neck, and he could feel a slight burning sensation in the neck, thanks to a newly-formed thin scar. A second later, the redness on the scar intensified. His eyes drew in more light, and he quickly turned his head toward the pool. "Hm?" As Hundred was watching, Lirzod fully turned in the direction of the pool, and there was sudden unrest among the gunfishes in the water. Tens of them leaped in and out of the water and darted at the teenager while drooling blood. "You''ve gotta be kidding me," Lirzod''s eyes froze at the sight of what was unfolding. 85 KITCHEN WARS II "Oh no," Hundred was stunned upon seeing the gunfishes leap in and out of the pool, heading straight toward Lirzod. He priorly told Lirzod that the fish could fly, but Lirzod thought that Hundred was saying these fish could jump out of the water like dolphins, but he was wrong. These gunfishes were literally flying. "You''ve got to be kidding me," Lirzod''s eyes froze at the sight of what was unfolding. He held the spear in two hands and started to spin it, creating a circular wall in front of him. All the gunfishes that came lusting after a piece of his meat got thwacked away by the spear. "Wow! That''s decent spear-work!" the audience began to clap and root for him. "He''s spinning it like it''s a quarterstaff. If the spin was any slower, the fish would have made a meal out of the spear and the spear-holder." "Not good," Hundred said, upon seeing that a lot more fish were on their way. "Give me a break," Lirzod''s expression, however, wasn''t glowing, for the number of fish coming at him only increased by the second. Though the spear kept spinning in his hands and continued to block the fish, one of them still managed to slip past the defense of the spear and bit his shoulder, causing the audience to get up from their seats, but to their shock, Lirzod grabbed the fish by his mouth and endeavored to dig his teeth into its tough scales. "This boy, he managed to pull the fish out before it got a chunk of his flesh." "I can''t believe he''s trying to bite that fish!" "Wait, look! He doesn''t have his front teeth!" "Eh? One, two, three¡­ at least three of the front teeth are missing!" "No. He''s missing four I think." "H-He''s trying to bite that fish with four missing teeth?" the audience gasped in disbelief. "Impossible! Gunfish''s scales are too hard for a man''s teeth. If he doesn''t stop, he''ll lose the rest of his teeth." Hundred was in shock and fell back in his seat as if giving up. After all, almost all the fish gathered, a hundred of them near the pool, and they flew at Lirzod with renewed rage. In his eyes, there was no way to defend from that. Just then, a terrible yet silent screech echoed through the center chamber, and all the flying fish suddenly lost their momentum and crashed to the ground before taking a straight turn back to the pool. Even the one stuck between Lirzod''s teeth struggled, forcing him to spit it. "What the¡ª" "Master Sean has caught six fish, so the first round has finished," one of the senior trainees entered the chamber, holding a small, one-legged bird with pure white eyes, and its feathers had a variety of hues like with roosters. "Seal the pool right now," he ordered the junior trainees. "Woah, what happened?" some of the first-time audience were utterly puzzled. "Simple. Those gunfishes got intimidated by the scream of a powerful gunfish, that''s all." "A powerful gunfish? Where?" Hundred was looking at the bird in the senior trainee''s hands. "That must be the Blindbird, one among the rare species that can travel on land, in air, and underwater. They say these birds can mimic almost all voices of the world, and that they can smell danger from a mile away and see through someone''s psyche with but a glance. It''s all hyperbole, but no one has disproved it either." He looked at the gunfishes, which were now hiding at the bottom of the pool, clustered at a corner. "We couldn''t hear it, but those fish must have heard a distressing call. Having said that, to think these fish can communicate even above the water to such extent¡­ I can''t help but wonder how much more fearsome their swarm would be when being guided by a leader." His eyes then shifted toward Lirzod. "Whew, today is his lucky day. Had that bird call came a few seconds later, things might have gotten nasty." Lirzod was wearing a complex look. He seemed neither happy nor sad. "Maybe I shouldn''t have entered this contest." He shook his head, "No, it''s too late to be thinking of that. I should focus on what''s coming." Dozens of trainees together sealed the pool with a golden metal sheet while some others helped collect the remains of the dead man. Meanwhile, the other contestants took hold of the fish they did away with. The glass wall between the chamber and the audience stands went into the floor. "Bring out the six gourmet saints!" the audience roared. Without being late, six cats entered the chamber. All of them had beards and mustaches, but another common thing they had was the brown, circular crystal-like substances on their foreheads, which didn''t look like they were attached but something that grew out of the bone, flesh, and the skin. All the six cats were escorted to their seats, which were arranged for them at the center of the pool, atop the golden sheet. "W-Why do cats have beards?" Lirzod was astounded. "Those who aren''t aware of the rules of the second and the final round," a senior trainee addressed the crowd, "please listen carefully." As he was saying, eleven wooden tents were raised for all the remaining competitors, and these tents were their kitchens. "Each competitor will cook with the fish they caught. And whoever gets the highest visits of the saints to their kitchen will be the winner. And the winner this time around will be rewarded with ten kilos of boneless tuna!" The audience cheered, roared, and also drooled, whereas Lirzod raised his eyebrows as if he didn''t know whether to feel good or bad about the reward. "All this struggle for a mere ten kilos of tuna meat." Ten of the eleven competitors had already begun to cook using the ingredients that were provided for them. The only cook who didn''t start cooking was Lirzod. He was simply sitting in his kitchen, with his elbow placed on his thigh and his palm supporting his chin. On the table beside him were two fish that he had defeated. Had the one he tried to bite to death didn''t escape back into the pool, he would have had a third fish on the table. "Why isn''t he cooking?" "Maybe he doesn''t know how to cook?" "Then he shouldn''t have participated!" "One seat is wasted on him now!" The audience began to boo and showed thumbs down to Lirzod. With no glass wall separating them anymore, Lirzod could hear their voices clearly. Lirzod fingered his ear and mused to himself. "I understand their anger, but who understands mine? I don''t know how to cook, but here I am, being told to cook. All I can do is fry them and apply salt and spices, but I don''t know how to handle a gunfish. Without knowing which parts are useful, I''d simply be wasting them. I''d rather take them to Duera or Sawshin. They might know how to cook them, given Aunt Keira''s talent in cooking." Because they received no reaction from Lirzod, the audiences eventually stopped caring about Lirzod''s kitchen and shifted their attention to the other tents. Some chefs were boiling fish in plain water, while some used saltwater. One chef even brought ale with him, and as he poured it into the boiling water, the audience drooled like ravenous dogs. The boiling helped to brush away the impurities of the fish, and then, some tried to make a soup out of the fish, not leaving even the bones, while some simply fried the fish. Upon seeing that some chefs were just frying their fish, Lirzod was surprised. "Wait, so frying is enough?" he suddenly stood and grabbed one of the fish. "Hey, look! He got up." Some of the audiences had their eyes turn toward Lirzod. "Hmph, he''s too late. By the time he finishes the cooking, all the saints would have eaten their fill. They wouldn''t even visit his kitchen for a sniff!" "Yeah, he''s lost the war already. He better step out before he embarrasses himself further." Hundred, on the other hand, stayed silent. (Whether he wins or not doesn''t concern me anymore now that he''s passed the first round.) "I''m done!" one of the chefs had just finished with frying and seasoning. two of the six gourmet saints got down from their seats, rather lazily. "Haha, it seems two are interested in entering my kitchen right off the bat," the chef felt proud of himself. At that moment, in Lirzod''s kitchen, Lirzod had just finished boiling the water before tossing both the fish into the small cylindrical vessel. A second later, one of the fish came flying out, startling Lirzod. However, it didn''t come straight at him and instead struck a utensil down from the table and made enough noise to attract ears, especially those of the felines. Along with the audience, the six gourmet saints turned their heads to take a look into Lirzod''s kitchen, and a fish was bouncing off the tent walls, trying to escape out of the kitchen. "Crap, one gunfish is still alive!" the audience was quite surprised, but the real shock came next when all the six gourmet saints dashed straight to Lirzod''s kitchen, and they were so fast that most of the audience didn''t even know what had happened. In just a blink of an eye, all the six cats were inside Lirzod''s kitchen and were jumping and clawing at the flying gunfish. It seemed like a competition as well as a hunt to see who would do better. Lirzod, all this while, stood rooted to the ground and didn''t move an inch; however, after the cats caught the gunfish and brawled with each other to get the plaything for themselves, his patience grew thin, as evident in the clenching of the fists. Their egotistic meows injected irritation in each pulsing vein of Lirzod, and a wave of rage washed over his face. His eyes caught a movement made by one of the felines, which jumped at the feline in possession of the gunfish. "That''s my fish!" With a kick to the belly, he sent a saint ''wrrav-ing'' through the air, and all the remaining five felines immediately scampered off in different directions and left the kitchen; however, they soon chased after the feline that had the fish in its mouth. "Wait, you little! Give me my fish!" Lirzod ran after that specific cat as well. The audience, meanwhile, watched with dumbfounded looks. As for the chefs, they had slackened jaws and bulging eyes, including Sean. Hundred couldn''t believe what just happened, and he got out of the seat. "H-He won!" The six gourmet saints kept on running around the pool, and the fish changed many mouths, but they still kept on fighting for the prize. Lirzod was eventually left behind. With his back to the wall and his hands placed on his knees, he panted heavily. "These damn cats sure are fast¡­" He clutched the right side under his ribs. "It hurts." One of the senior trainees hurriedly approached Lirzod. "Hey, you, what do you think you''re doing?" "What, I''m just taking back what''s mine," Lirzod replied, standing straight but still breathing audibly. "These things sure can run fast. Catching them in this open space seems impossible." "Forget about taking that fish back," the senior trainee said, "unless you don''t value your life." "Huh? What do you mean?" "Those six gourmet saints are not your ordinary cats," the senior trainee said in a knowing tone. "If even one of them turns its claws at you, you''ll stand no chance against them. You should consider yourself lucky that you weren''t attacked soon after you had kicked one of them. Thank that fish for grabbing their attention. You should leave this chamber and not fall in their eyes for some time." "Huh? What about the competition?" "You can take ten pounds of tuna as you leave the chamber." Lirzod blinked twice. "Wait, what did you say?" The audiences, meanwhile, could only shake their heads and sigh. The other contestants, however, were gritting their teeth. "To think the competition ended in this manner¡­ my stomach feels sour." "This must be the first time something like this happened." At that time, some competitors began to complain. "He didn''t even cook. How could this be considered a win?" "Yeah, he doesn''t deserve the win." "We came here to see a cooking contest. This is bullshit." "We want the competition to get conducted again!" "The saints entered his tent solely for the fish, and that''s why he won. So shut your mouths and leave, please," Sean interfered and made the complainers leave with their heads facing down. Later, he walked together with Lirzod. "Let''s have that lunch, shall we?" "Would there be deserts with nut toppings?" "Haha," Sean smiled, brightening Lirzod''s expression momentarily. "No." "Eh!" All the air escaped out of Lirzod''s lungs. "Oh, wait, I have a small business to take care of," said Sean. "Why don''t you wait outside? I''ll be there soon." "Sure," Lirzod walked out of the chamber all by himself, and before Hundred could get to him, many people greeted him in a not-so-happy tone and badmouthed him for winning the event in such a stupid manner and kept telling him that he didn''t deserve the win. This came as a bit of surprise, and Lirzod couldn''t properly react to their verbal onslaught. 86 STOMACHS WITH NOTHING INSIDE "Nobody won in the manner you did, really," Sean said, chewing on a fried fish, comfortably sitting at the dining table in his room, with Lirzod and Hundred playing as guests. "The struggle of a live fish must have triggered the sleeping instincts of the six gourmet saints. They''ve always tasted dead fish, so they weren''t able to hold themselves from attacking that ''living'' gunfish. It''s funny how you won because the fish survived your spear strike. Either way, a win is a win as long as no rules are broken." Lirzod didn''t say anything. Even though he took whatever risks he could and came out as a winner, he was still being judged instead of getting praised. It wasn''t just Sean, but most of the audience had crudely remarked him for winning it in the manner he did. Because of the demotivating comments people had made, Lirzod soon lost the thrill and the joy of winning. Currently, he seemed okay because he was trying to control his emotions and set his expectations low. "Mm?" Sean looked at the food items placed before Lirzod. "You haven''t touched dried meat yet." "Is there a problem?" asked Lirzod while sipping sugarcane juice. "Not really. I was just wondering why you didn''t even sniff it," he said and glanced at Hundred, "when your friend has finished three full plates already." Hundred scratched his cheek with an embarrassed look, and he couldn''t speak. "I''m not that interested in dried meat, which doesn''t even need a sniff," said Lirzod. "What?" both Sean and Hundred were surprised. "You don''t like dried meat? Why?" both of them asked simultaneously. "I don''t like dried meat¡­" Lirzod sipped some more sugarcane juice before looking at them both once at a time, raising the tension in the room, "because I don''t." "Huh?" Sean and Hundred''s faces warped into that of weasels. They felt like they lost some brain cells from trying to get their heads around what Lirzod had just said. "At least have some chicken," exhorted Sean. "I don''t have a problem with that," Lirzod''s hand reached out for a chicken breast. As he brought it closer to his mouth, his hand stopped in midair. He pressed his lips and then put the meat back on the platter. "Mm? What''s wrong?" Sean was baffled. "You didn''t like this one''s smell, too?" "That''s not it¡­" Lirzod said and grinned as he pointed his finger at his mouth. "With four missing teeth, it''s hard to rip a chunk off of it." "O-Oh, yeah. You''re right," Sean cleared his throat. "Pardon me for not considering that. Otherwise, I''d have imported some veggies from Stray Park and would have made very many curries instead of meat dishes. After boiling them well and fully getting rid of the disease-causing germs, of course." "Meat would''ve been fine, too, if they were made into meatballs," Hundred opined. Sean was a little surprised. "Yes." Everyone then resumed with whatever they were having before. Lirzod, too, continued taking in more of the sugarcane juice. "Actually, there''s this thing I''ve been meaning to ask you," Lirzod hesitantly voiced his mind. "Go on. I''m in a good mood," Sean said and even smiled. "The food also tastes good." "I¡­ I was just wondering why you put so many cats behind closed doors." Sean''s brow jerked a bit, for he guessed where the conversation was going. The smile was still settled on his face. "Can''t you free the wounded or the unhealthy cats?" Lirzod continued, "Why keep them congested in that cat home? You even put a reward for those who capture and bring the cats back to the test hall. Why go that far and take their freedom away?" "First of all, I didn''t put them there. I''m just following the rules," Sean said and whistled. Moments later, his cat, Gray, came running out of nowhere and jumped onto his shoulder. Sean tossed it a small fish bone, and it began to crunch on it. "And we used the back-up cats to run the deck tests for now, but then, it will take some time for the cats to be imported to this deck, so we had no other choice but to depend on others to bring those escapees back to us. You see, I like cats. More than you can imagine, I don''t like seeing them get hurt. " "Oh, I get it now. You became the commander of this deck to help the cats, huh," Lirzod seemed to have come to a conclusion. "Uh, well, partly, yes," Sean replied, looking a bit out of place. "Since I''ve become the commander, I''ve brought some new rules. One such rule is that no cat should be used more than a hundred times in Cat Conflict. Previously, that number was at 300, and most cats couldn''t even last that long. I think I''ve taken a big step forward by doing what I did." "How do you keep track of the number? You don''t even use tags." "Actually, every cat is given a PIN. Permanent identification number," he lifted Gray''s head, and on its chin was a number: 4K9618125. "The assistant referee keeps track of their conflict count." Lirzod stayed silent, but his expression showed that he wasn''t that pleased. "You don''t seem convinced. You should know that we don''t even train these cats, for they come to us, having already received training from the beastmasters. They are the kind of people who train the cats so carefully that they won''t even hurt their fur. After all, if they were to abuse the cats, then they would never be willing to stand in a ring surrounded by humans and another of the same kind chasing after them. In fact, the beastmasters somehow strengthen the spirit of these animals to an extent that they won''t fear facing not just humans but even tigers," he glanced at Gray once. "Otherwise, an ordinary cat, a justbeast, can''t ever dare swing its claws at humans much less elephants unless it''s gone bat-shit crazy. That''s why fierce cats like Bruiser, who always thrive on their chaotic spirit, often stand out." Four trainees of the drill hall, who were standing behind Sean all this while, didn''t look to be feeling alright. They couldn''t digest that their master was going out of his way to explain trivial things to a guy who was partly responsible for the mishappening in the test hall. However, they didn''t know that it was Lirzod who had given so much gold for the welfare of the cat home. The amount Lirzod had donated was not a joke, for an ordinary family could happily live many generations with that. "Isn''t mixing so much water in milk when feeding those cats is also a form of abuse?" Lirzod asked, startling Sean and Hundred. "If you can''t properly feed that many cats, then you can at least reduce the number you keep in the cat home." Sean wasn''t expecting Lirzod to be so straightforward and blunt, especially when talking to him, the commander of the twelfth deck. "It''s not as easy as you think," he replied patiently. "There''s always a demand for deck tests. Having more cats is necessary for many reasons. As for the milk, well, if we have more in the purse than what we already have, we would obviously spend it for the bellies of those felines, for sure. But with all the existing rules, it''s anything but easy to perfectly care for the cats." Lirzod didn''t look happy. He felt like he was battling a similar thing like his mother did in Helenia. Faceless Clan was known for making their cattle overwork, so the domestic animals didn''t look all that healthy. Though they were freed every year and set loose in fields for a few weeks, that little time wouldn''t be enough for them to fully recover, and then the following year, they''d be made to work overtime again. At least, his clansmen fed their animals decently and didn''t adulterate their diet as the assistant referee did in the cattle home. Still, making their cattle work too much wasn''t to some people''s liking. His mother, Valli, had always tried to change the ways of the clan, especially the way they treated the cattle, and she was still trying. Lirzod remembered the time when Valli was barking at all the three clan heads that there would be a special place in hell reserved for those who abuse the animals and that the clan must change its ways. Though a temporary change had come soon afterward, it didn''t last long, and the clansmen went back to their old ways. Now, even though the clan heads were wishing people to change, it wasn''t so easy anymore. It was as if the clan heads pushed themselves into a corner. "How about this?" Lirzod continued speaking, "Since the cat home isn''t fully built yet, don''t you think it''s a perfect opportunity to make some modifications?" "I''m listening." "Why put all cats in the same room? Make different rooms, and put the wounded and unhealthy ones in a separate room. That makes your job easier to handle them, right? You can give special care to those that need it. And one more thing is¡­ you can make an emergency exit for the cats. You know, I heard that the cats inside got killed many times in the past because they couldn''t escape in time." Lirzod, at the moment, remembered how Hardy stomped on them, and yet Sean didn''t put the brothers in the cells of the drill hall. Sean didn''t look all that comfortable anymore. "Well, both your suggestions totally spoil the idea behind an entry choosing one cat from among as many cats as possible. Of course, we won''t let them choose cats that can''t properly move, but still, we need the number in the room." "C''mon, it''s not like I''m asking you to put half in one room, and a half in the other," Lirzod persuaded. "As for the emergency exit, at least make it so that it can easily open when trouble knocks on the door. It may be a bit pricey, but money can''t weigh a life, right? I''m only asking you to consider giving them a way to save their own lives in times of trouble." Sean stretched his lips and looked to be in two minds. He glanced at the cat. "What do you say, Gray?" "Meow, meow, meow," replied Gray and then licked Sean''s cheek. "Is that so?" he sighed and looked at Lirzod. "There are no particular rules saying that all cats should be kept in one place. As a commander, I have the freedom to design the cat home as I see fit. So, I''ll see to it that one or two connecting rooms will be built. As for the emergency exit, it''ll take some time, but I''ll look into it." "Great. Thank you," Lirzod picked up a tiny dried fish off the platter and tossed it at Gray, who caught it in haste, surprising others in the room, especially Sean and the trainees. After all, Gray wouldn''t take food from just anybody. So many trainees had tried to tame Gray in many ways so they could get closer to their master, but they all failed, for Gray never showed much interest in them. "Your cat is good," Lirzod said and giggled. "I remember breaking the fight between him and Bruiser. I thought it''d have gotten caught up in the fire, but thankfully, it didn''t." "Gray is greater than most cats in terms of character," replied Sean, in a bit of a prideful tone. "He probably thought that it was time to teach Bruiser a lesson." A few seconds of silence passed. Sean put up a pleasant smile for more than one reason. "Talking about rules," Lirzod continued, "what about the one I''ve asked of you?" Sean''s smile dimmed a little. "I like your boldness, but don''t you think this isn''t the right time for having that type of conversation?" "Why not?" Lirzod glanced at Hundred. "Tell him." Hundred''s shoulders jerked. "T-Tell what?" "What else? About how we should climb the ship quickly." "O-Oh, yeah," Hundred hesitantly looked at Sean. "Spending extra days on this deck is a good thing, but we wish to see many other decks as well. So..." Sean began to chew on the meat slowly, making Hundred uncomfortable. "Your problem isn''t new. Every entry wants to climb the decks in the beginning. I can totally understand that and don''t have a problem with that, but¡­" He narrowed his eyes. "What I do have a problem with is that you guys want to change a rule on my deck but don''t have the time to stay here." He flipped the fork in his hand and dug it into the wooden table. "It''s like you want to stand in an election but don''t want to do campaigning. What do you take the system for? What do you take me for?" he coldly looked at Lirzod but a couple of seconds later, he took a breath. "I guess you are fourteen only in number. With you who proposed this rule absent, how do you expect to get enough votes?" "Who said I will be absent?" Lirzod replied quickly. "I will come to vote." "Just showing up wouldn''t get you votes," Sean didn''t shy away from expressing himself through his expressions. "You have to go from door to door on this deck and tell people your side of the story. If you can''t convince enough minds, the new rule won''t get passed." "D-Door to door?" Lirzod''s mouth widened, and he looked at Hundred. (You got this on yourself!) Hundred glanced back with displeasure. "If you are willing to spend the time and effort, then I''ll arrange the voting in a week." "A week?" Lirzod felt like his heart dropped a bit. "What? You think you can tour this deck by tomorrow?" "No, it won''t take that long. Let''s arrange the voting today." "What?" Sean had a bewildered look. "What are you talking about? This isn''t a joke. Nobody can go from door to door in a day." "I''m not joking," Lirzod said, standing up. "Where are you going?" Sean couldn''t help but ask. Lirzod began to walk away. "If it can be done today, why wait for tomorrow? I''ll go deal with the promotion. You take care of arranging the voting in 12 hours'' time." "12 hours? You wouldn''t cover enough doors in that time," Sean also stood. "For your information, you need at least ten-thousand vote participation to change any of the copper rules!" "Ten thousand votes, huh¡­" Lirzod smiled. "That shouldn''t be a problem. Let''s go, Hundred." As both Lirzod and Hundred walked out, Sean had puzzlement written all over his face. He sat back in his seat and took a breath, "I don''t know where his confidence is coming from, but getting ten thousand votes isn''t as easy as sipping sugarcane juice." He paused for a moment and then glanced at Gray. "Money can''t compare with a life, huh. I can''t put a price on you because I know you, but then¡­" he looked at all the meat on the table, "it''s not hard at all to put a price tag on every item on this table. Alas, the human heart may very well be the haziest thing out there." He leaked out a burdened breath out of his mouth. Meanwhile, outside on the street, Hundred hurriedly scolded Lirzod, "You shouldn''t have left like that. You don''t get to enter a commander''s room every day, especially not that of Sean Phuller." "We''ve already stayed long enough," Lirzod patted on Hundred''s belly. "Look how big it has swollen." Hundred embarrassingly rubbed his belly. "W-We did, but¡­ Whew, I''m kind of glad that even though you''ve asked him for many things, you didn''t ask him why even make the cats fight us in the first place." "Why do you say that?" Lirzod asked out of intrigue. "Well, think of it like this... If you can''t even catch cats inside a ring, you think you can take on real monsters that wouldn''t think twice to kill and fill their bellies with us?" "Mm," Lirzod faintly nodded. "I guess you have a point. The cats weren''t really being beaten in the ring, so having Cat Conflict might not be a bad thing overall, given that the cats aren''t playing on stomachs with nothing inside." "Anyway, you have better things to worry about." "Like what?" "Like how in the world you are going to get ten thousand people to come for voting!" Hundred almost stood on his toes. "Even if you spend a minute for every door, you wouldn''t have the required number." "Of course, but that is only if we go door by door." "Hm? You mean you want to hire people? I don''t think that''s a good idea." "Not people but animals." "Animals?" Hundred was surprised. "You mean to use the Seal Service?" Lirzod nodded. "Are you stupid?" Hundred barked. "A delivery on the same deck costs a silver, which means it''ll take 100 gold to have seals cover just ten thousand rooms!" "Eh? H-Hundred gold!" Lirzod''s jaw slackened, and his eyes popped out of his sockets. "Yeah!" Hundred folded his arms. "Don''t tell me, this is the reason you were so confident before the commander just now?" Lirzod hesitantly nodded. Hundred shook his head. "How could you not even consider the money needed for such a task?" "My bad," Lirzod''s lower lip covered the upper lip. "I totally forgot about the money." Hundred sighed. "Seriously, hundred gold¡­ that''s like twenty million faces! How could you not count such an amount into your equation? With that much money in pockets, nine out of ten people would live out their lives like kings in their villages!" Lirzod''s shoulders slumped further. "Is there nothing we can do?" "I don''t know. If we had more time, then we could''ve done better," Hundred said, "but you can''t build a kingdom in one day." "But I''m not building a kingdom, only a tiny piece of it." "Tiny piece or not, it''s still too much to be done in a day." "I thought I could make this deck a somewhat better place for Leggy and other cats like him," Lirzod said, but then his mouth downturned. "Now Leggy''s probably dead, but if we don''t want another cat to suffer like Leggy, then I thought bringing in a new rule would be the best way. However, it seems like it''s going to be much harder than I thought." Hundred raised his brows. "Who the heck is Leggy?" "Leggy''s a legless cat I met in the hall, I mean not literally legless," Lirzod said, looking a bit dull, "but it doesn''t really matter anymore¡ª" the bag in Hundred''s hand fell in his eyes. "What''s in that bag? Did you bring food out of the commander''s room?" "What? No! This is our reward!" "Oh, that''s the ten kilos of tuna, huh. I totally forgot about that." Lirzod embarrassingly said. "My bad." "Give me one good reason as to why you doubted me?" Hundred leaned over Lirzod and gave an icy look. Lirzod laughed. "I didn''t doubt you. I was just asking." "Yeah, that''s called doubting. Hmph, I get it. We''re not best buddies." Hundred straightened his spine. "I don''t care about the reason, but I don''t like being doubted. So don''t repeat it for no reason." He handed the meat packet. "I''ll keep that in mind," Lirzod took the packet and held it loosely. A couple of seconds passed. "So, what curry are you going to make with that?" Hundred asked, gulping the saliva in his mouth silently. "We''re not making any curry out of this," Lirzod said, puzzling Hundred. "I think these ten kilos of meat will get us our ten thousand votes." "What? How?" "Haha, why don''t I just show you?" Lirzod looked around and saw a spotty-faced man who was sitting at the side of the street, his back rested against the wall, and there was a dead rat in front of him. Lirzod quickly walked up to him. "Hey, mister, do you have a minute?" "A minute? Maybe," the spotty-faced man glanced up at Lirzod but then looked back at the rat as if he was wondering whether or not to eat it. Given his dirt-covered face, it was obvious that he didn''t bath recently. "Great," Lirzod bent his spine and said, "there''s going to be voting in twelve hours for a rule change on this deck. Can you attend it and vote for me?" "You''re leaning on my lunch," the spotty-faced man coldly said. "Oh, I''m sorry." Lirzod backed away a bit and continued, "What do you say? Interested in participating in that?" "No." Hundred shook his head. (This isn''t going to work.) Lirzod then dangled the packet in front of the man. "There''s ten kilos of tuna in this." "What?" the spotty-faced man''s attention suddenly shifted to the packet and then to Lirzod. "I-Is that for me?" "It depends on you. You need to participate in the voting if you want to have a chance at getting all of it." "A-Are you saying the truth?" the spotty-faced man gulped his saliva. "Yes, but that''s not all," Lirzod said. "You should help promote this news to others. As long as more than ten thousand people vote, I''ll conduct a lottery and give one of you all these ten kilos of meat." "L-Lottery?" the spotty-faced man''s shoulders slumped down. "I should have guessed that something like this would have been there. I guess I''m only lucky enough to eat rat meat." "What are you saying? My offer was great, wasn''t it?" Lirzod asked. "One will surely benefit, and that person may be in as much need as you''re now. I mean, I would love it if every participant could gain something from it, but there isn''t enough meat." Hundred pulled Lirzod away and spoke in a low voice, "Are you out of your mind? You think people would promote it when their chances of winning go down with each new person that joins the voting?" Lirzod was startled. "But is there a better option?" "Well¡­" Hundred pondered for a moment. "It might work if you divide that ten kilos into ten parts and take out ten different winners in the lottery." "You think people would come to vote just for a kilo of it?" "I don''t know, but there''s no doubting the yearning that people on these lower decks have for good food. Besides, ten out of ten thousand sounds much better than one out of ten thousand." Lirzod nodded. "So be it. Let''s go and tell him that." "There''s no need for that," Hundred looked at the spotty-faced man, who was still struggling from not knowing how to eat a rat. "An empty stomach can heighten the senses as much as anything can. I know you heard us." The spotty-faced man lifted his head and awkwardly smiled. "If you are interested in trying your chances, then please come to the voting hall," Hundred said. "Yeah," Lirzod poked Hundred''s belly. "Look how big this brother''s belly is. Don''t you want to eat to look like this from only a single sitting?" "T-That''s from single sitting?" the man''s eyes froze, and his mouth began to salivate, but he quickly shut his mouth and showed no signs of interest. "Don''t forget to share the news," saying that Hundred and Lirzod walked away. "You think this will work?" Lirzod couldn''t help but ask. Hundred glanced over his shoulder and saw that the man was up on his feet and jogged away into a sub-street. "Let''s go and look for some more desperate guys." "You mean ''stomachs with nothing inside.''" Hundred smiled a little. "Absolutely." (We didn''t even have to tell them what rule is being changed to bring them to the voting center.) "Haha, this might just work!" 87 BROTHER BIG BELLY In the voting hall of the twelfth deck, there was a lively ambiance, at least on the face of the ongoing election. Thousands of people had given their votes and were waiting for the lottery to start, but they were doubtful if the said event would take place or not. Tensions were slowly but surely climbing over their shoulders. "Hey, where''s that toothless boy you''ve spoken of? Why isn''t he here?" "I don''t know. Maybe he''s still on the way." "Hmph, if he doesn''t come here, I''ll make you suffer for dragging me here!" Hundreds of groups kept chattering among themselves while some people handed the cats they had caught to Sean''s pupils. Sean, who was on the stage and observing the voting process with his own eyes, asked his disciple, "What''s the number?" A hint of unrest flowed through his voice. "Just crossed nine thousand, Master," the senior pupil replied with a tone filled with awe. "Nine thousand?" Sean wouldn''t have believed if he wasn''t overseeing things himself. He placed his hands behind his back and feigned composure. "Not bad." A moment later, when no more eyes were watching him, his brows furrowed. (I''m not surprised that thousands came lusting after tuna, but there are many more in this hall than the attendees to the chamber of chefs.) He glanced in the direction of the currently-busy water counter where half-liter water bottles were being provided. (I guess cost-free drinking water also helped the cause.) As per the rules, half-liter water or some sort of liquid drink must be arranged for all the voters during an election, so Sean was weighing in all the mandatory options that might have pulled people into visiting the voting hall. "Even if votes totaled to ten thousand, the chances of people backing a rule that brings them five percent less profit are not high, but you never know," Sean mused to himself. "In case the new rule gets passed, a lot more people might move to a different deck. Even though the administration may earn more profits with this new rule, it wouldn''t amount to much when the overall number of bettors has lowered. It seems like this rule would have been effective if it applied to the whole sector, but for that to even be considered, you need at least a hundred thousand votes in which case I could have appealed to the captain, but I guess that''s just me being too greedy. Getting such a large number of votes is almost impossible when the rule puts some sections of people at a clear disadvantage." At that moment, Hundred came into the hall, wearing a top hat, and many eyes recognized him right away. "Hey, it''s you!" "Look at his belly. It''s so big¡ªlike the members of Belly Batch. Did he really get all of it in one sitting?" "I think it looks somewhat bigger than when I saw him hours ago. I''m not sure, though." "But why is he alone? Where''s that boy?" "Don''t tell us that he cheated!" Everyone converged upon him and cast an avalanche of questions. "Easy, easy, guys," Hundred raised his palms as if telling them to calm down. "I''ve come here in his stead." "What good are you to us without the reward?" "Yeah, are you taking us for fools?" Hundred hurriedly took his hat off as men took a step closer with hostile looks, but inside the hat was the nine kilos of tuna meat. Everyone who lay their eyes on that promptly stopped in their tracks. The rest followed like sheep. "He has the fish meat!" "He was hiding it in his hat? How calculated." "Hmph, so he wasn''t lying after all." The anger in men''s faces vanished almost instantly, and hope replaced it soon thereafter. "We knew Brother Big Belly is a man of his word the first time we saw him." Some even rubbed their bellies and sweetly smiled at Hundred as if subtly substantiating the saying, ''Teeth do not see poverty.'' Hundred could see through their humbug, but he understood where they were coming from by putting himself in their shoes. "But I''m afraid," Hundred said, trying to keep the growing nervousness at bay, "there are only nine kilos in this." "Huh? What?" everyone was puzzled and aggravated at the same time. "What the hell do you mean by nine kilos? Wasn''t there supposed to be ten?" "Y-Yeah, but," Hundred scratched his chin and awkwardly beamed, "I could only bring nine kilos. Better little than too little, right?" Though displeasure developed and dwelled in people''s eyes, they could only bite their tongues and grind their teeth. Hundred kept the professional smile alive on his visage. (Most people seem to have already voted, so this news shouldn''t affect the result much.) "Some land-rat must have snatched a kilo of it somehow. How unlucky!" Sean intervened, getting everybody''s attention. "At least there are nine kilos left, right, folks?" he looked at everyone. Though they were disappointed, they could only look away in silence. "Whew¡­" (As expected of a commander.) Hundred gave a thankful smile to Sean before speaking out, "I''m sorry for what happened, and as a compensation for that one kilo of meat, there''s something else I can offer." His words made many heads swivel toward him, and he pulled out something from his pocket. It was a tiny crystal at the size of a rice grain. "What the heck is that?" "How can it possibly be worth the same as a kilo of meat!" "Are you taking us for fools?" Many men snorted and started to rant and ridicule. "It''s only a fragment of the whole thing," Hundred said, lifting the grain-like object as it stood between his thumb and forefinger, "but since it didn''t disintegrate, it may really be a Beast Bit." Everybody''s mouth hit a break, and their eyes focused on the tiny, brown crystal. "What?" "Is it... really..." "T-That''s a beast bit?" "C-Can you let us get a closer look at it once?" Hundred immediately closed his fist, hiding the tiny crystal from view. "You, what are you doing!" many men roared in fury and frustration. Hundred patiently waited until the vocal tide waved about and slowly died down. He then smiled and said, "If we win this voting, I will put this in the lottery, too." "What?" Many men looked at each other''s faces, and some regret could be seen in their expressions. Sean stepped forward straight away. "I''m afraid I can''t allow that. You can do anything to bring people for the voting, but no incentives should be given that affects their freedom to vote!" "S-Sorry, I take it back," Hundred quickly apologized by tilting his head down, but then he smiled while studiously keeping his face hidden. (Of course, I know that, but thanks to that bluff, I could tell that quite many people probably voted against bringing this new rule. Even though their empty stomachs may have brought them here, they''re not so foolish to vote in our favor, huh. It looks like this voting''s result may go in any direction.) He lifted his head and cleared his throat. "I guess I will just include this in the lottery whether the new rule gets passed or not." "Yeah!" Everyone now excitedly roared and cheered. "Brother ''Big Belly'' sure likes to keep his word like he keeps the size of his stomach," one of Sean''s disciples, the blonde youth who previously fought Sariyu, said aloud. Clearly, he also had participated in the election. "Hahaha." Laughter sprang to life in the hall. "If that really is a beast bit as he says, it may really sell for a reasonable price regardless of its level." "Yeah. Compared to this, a kilo of ordinary tuna meat is nothing." "Haha, true. It''s like comparing a crow''s feather to that of a peacock!" "If I can get this, I''ll wear it as my good luck charm!" The chatter in the hall soon went out of control. Hundred, meanwhile, placed his hand on his belly, looking a bit troubled by its appearance and effects. (I''ve never eaten so much bread in one day. I don''t even want to sniff it for another decade!) It was Lirzod''s idea that Hundred should eat more and appear like a woman with a child. And Lirzod forced him to eat sixteen loaves of bread. Right now, if there was any food item that Hundred hated the most, it was definitely bread. He could feel its smell flooding through his mouth and nose clearly even now, and it irritated him more than anything. "Once the voting is over, I should vomit all this out," Hundred muttered under his breath, for he could already feel some pain in the stomach, especially when he stood still. The longer he let all that food stay inside, the more he''d be suffering later, or so he thought. At the same time, elsewhere on the same deck. Lirzod was inside the drill hall. He gave almost a quarter kilo of tuna to Beren through the gap between the bars. The trainees in the background shamelessly drooled from smelling raw fish meat. "W-Why are you giving this to me, uncle?" Beren was pleasantly surprised, but he wasn''t sure if he could take such a thing or not at the moment. "I won''t be leaving this cell anytime soon. You probably need it more." "No, keep it," Lirzod said. "No. I don''t want it," Beren shook his head. "No. I don''t want it," Lirzod shook his head. "You keep it," Beren put forward the small meat packet. "You keep it," Lirzod stepped back and put his hands behind his back. A bead of sweat formed on Beren''s forehead, and he helplessly smiled. (Why does it feel like I''m talking to myself?) Lirzod then looked at the trainees, "You guys, help him roast those meatballs, got it?" "Got it. Got it." They all nodded repeatedly and mechanically. Seeing them drool, Lirzod narrowed his eyes. "I''ll come back again. If I hear that you stole it from him, then I''ll report it to your commander." "Eek!" all the hopes of the guards shattered, and they now had dull complexion. "How can I repay your kindness, uncle?" Beren asked, his voice sounding somewhat emotional. Lirzod sighed and said, "Just anything better than uncle will do." Beren''s eyes took in more light, and he straightened his spine, "O-Okay, brother." "Brother sounds way better." Lirzod grinned like a Cheshire cat, even though it exposed the cavity in his mouth. "I¡­" Beren tightly held the wooden bar with his hand, but his eyes slowly shifted down toward the floor. "Our teacher at the child booth always told us to be happy, but I still don''t know how true happiness really feels. I wanted to be happy and share it with my mother, but she''s no longer¡­" Tears welled up as he revealed his eyes. "I don''t know where she is right now, but¡­ wherever she is, do you think she will be happy if I''m happy?" Lirzod sucked in a faint breath through the mouth. "I don''t know what lies after death. Maybe your mother is watching you right now, or maybe she isn''t. I don''t know." His speech was neither rushing nor dawdling. "However, what I can tell you is that you shouldn''t pursue happiness because it''s a troublesome thing to go after." "We shouldn''t go after happiness?" Beren awkwardly laughed. "You must be joking." "I''m not," Lirzod straightforwardly replied. "In our world, happiness is somewhat like a rainbow, which generally comes after heavy rainfall to brighten up all the dullened souls beneath the clouds for a little while. A rainbow that pops up after a drizzle isn''t as much appreciated as the one that follows a downpour. In my opinion, happiness is the same. You appreciate it more when it walks behind woe. Since our world isn''t solely blessed with good people, one can''t be happy all the time, unless they also enjoy the sadness in life. But by our very nature, we can at best bear the miseries in our lives but can''t take pleasure in them, so it''s practically impossible to be happy forever as long as sorrow draws breath and hearts continue to ache. Maybe that''s why people think greatly about heaven because of the popular belief that suffering doesn''t dwell there." Lirzod paused for a moment and blinked twice. After realizing that Beren couldn''t follow his words fully, he cleared his throat, "Ahem, maybe your mother is already up there in heaven. Maybe she''s already happy that she''d been relieved of her physical suffering." "You really think so?" Beren''s voice sounded hopeful. "You think she''s happy?" "Yes, of course. Whether she can see you now or not, she''ll be happier if you live on your legs. So don''t bother about finding happiness, but try to stay true to your heart and try to give your everything in whatever you do, and then you''ll have no regrets. This way, it''s happiness that seeks you, not the opposite." Lirzod paused for a bit, and he subconsciously touched the scar on his face. "Sometimes, a simple story is all it takes to turn your world upside down. So don''t teach your tongue how to tell tall tales." He put his hand on Beren???s shoulder and looked in his eyes. "If Nick is your father, then accept it for what it is and move forward. Families are built when people help not hurt each other. Not all get to build a family with those we want to. If you can''t walk with your father, then walk alone. If you can''t walk alone, then know that it''s okay to look for shoulders you can lean on. Just try to be patient and open to good things, so you can see all the wonderful possibilities and paths that life presents. I know it''s easier said than done, but if everything is easy, life would be boring, don''t you think?" Beren couldn''t speak, and his expression turned complex. Lima''s image flashed in his mind. "Anyway, I have to go," Lirzod started walking back while facing Beren. "You just take good care of yourself, got it?" Beren nodded and said in a soft voice, "Thank you, Brother." Lirzod waved goodbye to Beren and the trainees and then walked away. Beren waved his hand back in return. Moments later, three senior trainees brought a familiar face to the cells. "Hey¡­ isn''t that¡­" "Yeah, that''s the clown that was in the cell only hours ago." "What did he do this time?" The three trainees brought the criminal and put him in the same cell as Beren. "Hey, what did he do this time?" the other trainees quickly asked. "Ah, this bastard stole Blindbird from the chamber of chefs," a senior trainee slapped on the back of the prisoner''s head. "All the six gourmet saints were found severely wounded¡ªnear death, in fact. He might also be the one responsible for their injuries." "What?" the other trainees were stunned. "The six gourmet saints were beaten? That''s gotta be a joke." "Joke or not, that''s the truth." "I-Is at least the bird fine?" "No, it''s missing. We interrogated him in the chamber itself, but he stayed silent for the most part but then kept on sniggering throughout." "Sniggering? What a freak." They looked at the prisoner who stayed pretty silent for the moment. "Whatever he might have done with the bird, we won''t know until we find a clue. This fellow probably deserves to be put in Hell Block, so guard the cell safely. We''ll go and report this to the master." "Yeah, sure. Don''t worry. We''ll cuff him up tightly." After the three trainees took off, only two other trainees remained to guard the cells. They bound the criminal with wooden bindings at both arms and feet and later locked the cell from the outside. A few minutes later. Beren glanced at the criminal, who was beaten pretty badly in the face. When Beren made eye contact, the criminal also glanced back at him and faintly smiled. Beren looked away immediately and acted like nothing happened. "I''m Booboo," the criminal said in a soft tone. "People call me ''Clown Ass'' Booboo. By the way, it''s not because my ass smells but because I ride an ass." "I didn''t ask you," Beren said tentatively. "Mind your business, uncle." "But I''m getting bored here from all the silence, and it''s a pleasure to be speaking to a chick inside a cell," Booboo''s tone turned a bit passionate. "It''s not often that encounters like this happen." Beren kept looking elsewhere and acted like he wasn''t even listening to the conversation. "Hey," after checking that the trainees were involved in a serious discussion outside, Booboo resumed to speak in a low voice, "you want to know what happened to that bird?" Beren didn''t speak, but his eyes evidenced intrigue. "It''s with me right now. Do you want to see it?" "Not interested," Beren didn''t even look at him. "It''s a rare bird, for pleasure''s sake, chick. Even if you roam the largest continent, you can count these birds on your fingers. Luckily, they got one on this vessel. Trust me. You will love its beauty. Want to take a look now?" "Nope," Beren still didn''t cast a glance at him. Booboo waited a few seconds before speaking, "You seem to be going through a lot. I can feel it in your ''ora''... both the spite and the shame." An influx of emotions swelled Beren''s chest, and his gaze now slightly shifted toward this adult with a painted face. Booboo''s voice was soft and smooth on the ears like the hissing of a snake, "I don''t know what troubles you''ve had and still are having, but I do know that there should be no place for shame beside spite or contrariwise. They never go well together for a good reason." He slightly enlarged his eyes and got the full attention of Beren. "Considering your age, holding a grudge in itself isn''t a good thing, and the addition of shame makes things even worse for you in the long run. If I were you, I''d eliminate the source of my shame as soon as possible even if it leads me to my caretakers, and if that takes care of spite, too, that''s a bonus. You can then finally be ''happy'' again. Won''t you agree?" Beren hesitantly nodded. "I-I just wanted to be happy and free with my mother, but she passed away, and now I''m alone, neither happy nor free." He sounded sad. Booboo''s words now brought gentle wind onto Beren''s face. "Delight loves to dance with good people, but sometimes, Despair dresses up like Delight and comes to you," he said. "And if you let it prance about for too long, you''ll either die or become Despair yourself." "I-I don''t get what you are saying, uncle," the glow in Beren''s face was crumpling and ceasing bit by bit. "I''m just saying that you being here is a bad thing," Booboo lowered his voice. "The more you stay here, the more your heart will rot. If you ask me, you should be out there, taking care of your problems once and for all." Beren''s eyes slightly enlarged. "If you wish to get out and look for the source of your distress, then I can help you," Booboo''s voice turned smoother, "but it all depends on you. What do you say?" Beren slowly blinked once without himself knowing. "Then, I''ll take the pleasure of getting you out of here and giving you a little taste of true freedom." Booboo suddenly began to laugh aloud, grabbing the attention of both the trainees. "Stop doing that. I will give up on giving freedom, so stop doing that. Please stop tickling me!" "What the hell?" the trainees were alarmed and also puzzled. "Did he suddenly go mad?" "What''s tickling him?" "Who gives a shit?" the trainee said and barked, "Hey, stop!" However, Booboo didn''t stop laughing. Even after the trainees warned twice, nothing changed. Booboo didn''t even try to put an end to his laughter. He was in his own world. "The heck? He''s giving me the creeps." "Let''s just punch him to sleep!" "Yeah." Both the guards unlocked the cell and entered. "Whose freedom have you said you''re gonna bring?" one of them punched him in the face. It was strong enough to twist the criminal''s neck. Booboo''s laughter stopped, but then he started to snigger in a low tone. "Freedom to a chick. And if you let me, then to you, to your friend, and to all, too." "What nonsense!" they continued to punch him with all their strength for about a minute, and then they stopped to take a breath. "That should''ve hurt good." "Hic, you guys joined with the ants to tickle me, too?" Booboo innocently asked. "But why did you stop? Please go on. The ants are doing a better job. Don''t let them beat you guys." The trainees gritted their teeth as his words tested their temper. "Just shut up, you creep!" they put their fists to work again, and they eventually stopped after their hands began to hurt. "What is this rapscallion made of?" "Pfft," Booboo couldn''t withstand their stupidity and half-baked attitude. "You can''t free yourselves from nuisance even with force. How worthless your lives are! Much more wasted than these ants that never stop tickling me," Booboo, with his face down, continued to snigger, angering the two guards further. Even though their hands were hurting, they mercilessly unleashed a torrent of fists on his face, and he began to bleed from the nose and lips, but a corner of his mouth lifted up, exposing some of his unclean teeth to Beren. "Are the ants in your dress still tickling you?" one of the guards sarcastically asked as he cracked his knuckles. "Yes," Booboo licked his own blood and sniggered once more in a strange manner as the taste of his own blood made him drunk. "Keep your eyes open, chick," he said because Beren wasn''t looking in his direction anymore. "These two twerps can''t stop me or you from getting out, not with their frail fists." "Who are you calling twerps!" one of the trainees smashed his elbow on top of Booboo''s skull, causing his chin to crash to the floor. "We''ve had enough with your bullshit. You or that varmint ain''t going anywhere. He will still get good food for as long as he''s here, but as for you¡­" they grinned evilly. "When our friends get back, there''ll be war among us to decide who gets the privilege to beat your ass up and give you full meals with our fists for what you did to the bird and the cats. That''s the price you pay for stealing and killing on this ship." Booboo tilted his head to the side, so it rested on the floor. His eyes were now set on the trainees. "Let''s say I caused the death of the cats, but why are you pussies making so big of a deal about it?" His words boiled their blood. "Cats kill creatures all the time. They''ll kill us, too, if they can, and they''ll virtually do anything to get their itches scratched. It''s all a matter of who''s dominant and better. The strong eat the weak and get stronger. In every battle, death only comes to the weak. That''s how the world works. Crying, let alone caring for them, will only make us look weak. The lives of those cats or the bird or the fish are all equally worthless and aren''t any more noteworthy than the ants we stomp on every day. We¡ª" "Stop acting wise," a guard kneed in his face, stopping Booboo''s speech in the middle. "It doesn''t fit a clown." "What are you saying?" Booboo licked the blood flowing down his nose. "Cleverness always fits a clown." "You think you are clever, huh," a trainee put his foot on Booboo''s head. "Then how did you end up here? For you to treat this prison as a home, your momma didn''t give birth to you in a cell, or did she?" "Who knows?" Booboo''s voice wasn''t full because his head was being pressed down against the floor. "Maybe she did end up in prison for kicking your mamma''s ugly ass, you donkey-ass skunk." "You son a wench!" the guard angrily kicked Booboo''s face a dozen times before stopping from exhaustion. "I''m not done yet." He was huffing and puffing. "We''re not done yet. We both will teach you some manners and turn you into a pacifist overnight!" he then looked at the other trainee, who nodded and raised his leg and went for a kick in Booboo''s face but ended up hitting nothing. The next moment, Booboo disappeared from their sight. "What¡ª" they were purely taken by surprise. "Pacifists are pieces of pussies who know nothing about freedom," Booboo was standing right behind those two, and his hands comfortably broke out of the binding and tightly grabbed their necks from behind, not giving them any freedom to move much less counter-attack. Their sudden fearful expressions gave away their story. They were like cute little deer caught in the clutches of a colossal tiger. Their whole being was seized by terror, and they shook in their shoes. "I truly enjoyed your company, hic, but as they say, all good things must come to an end." The next second, he banged both their heads into the wooden bars, cracking both the wood and their foreheads. Both the guards collapsed in a heap, red liquids seeping out through the cracks in their heads. "You can''t win a war through nonviolence but only through blood and sacrifices." He turned to face Beren, whose countenance was taken over by disbelief. "You can''t calm the fire in your stomach with food alone. The more you feed the wrong thing, the more it burns and etches deep in your soul." "Why did you hurt them!" Beren looked thoroughly shocked, and all the hairs on his hand stood on their ends. His back was firmly pushing the rods of the cell as if he wanted to escape from the person standing before him. "They were asking for it," Booboo''s voice was indifferent as though he had just swatted a couple of flies. "Besides, how else can we get out?" Beren got surprised upon hearing the last sentence. He stayed silent for a moment, still looking confused. "I-Is it okay if I leave the cell now?" he hesitantly asked. "Won''t my mother be unhappy with me? Won''t God be unhappy with me?" "Unhappy? What for? You''re perfect the way you are. Whatever you did to come here is fully justifiable, so don''t give a damn if anyone says otherwise!" Booboo passionately said and took a step closer. "Nobody in the world knows your pain better than you do, not even the sky-daddy," he pointed his finger upward for a moment. "Who decides what''s right and what''s wrong for you? He leaned forward and put his hand on Beren''s shoulder, "It''s yourself. Good or bad, it depends on how you view it. Every chick that dreams of ruling its own little world, let alone the whole world has to become a warrior and a maverick at some point. You don''t need others'' help for it. You are enough for everything you want to achieve." He pulled Beren up by the arm and gently pushed him toward the exit of the cell. "Go and wildly deal with all the things that are stopping you from being happy and free." By the time Beren stopped, he looked befuddled, but one of his feet had already stepped out of the cell. 88 SCORES OF SECRETS "Last chance for you to change your mind and throw that packet in the bin, or you''ll face the consequences." A group of forty or so members of the plunderers guild blocked Lirzod''s way ahead, and even though all, except their leader, had masks covering their noses and mouths, the folding of the skin on the side of their eyes showed that they had strange smiles on their faces. Everyone was wearing large wooden baskets on their sturdy backs. On all their shirts were printed a few words: Hope High. Expect Low. At the moment, the street was full of hungry folks, and their eyes were all on one lad. Lirzod, however, blurted out without hesitation, "Last chance for you all to change sides and stop looting people, or you''ll all face the consequences." "Hoh¡­ you dare to threaten us the Dustbin Diggers?" the leader of the group, a tall man with a rough bearded look, showered an uppish smile. He had king-sized nails piercing his whole torso, and he struck as a fearsome fellow and gave off a threatening vibe. "You think you can throw garbage in any dustbin on this belt without our permission?" "I''ll take my chances," Lirzod replied in a positive tone. "Take your chances?" the leader of the group narrowed the windows of his view. "Those who won''t factor in our words into their way of living will suffer from our spleen. I''m not going to ask again. Give us the meat, or I''ll nail you to the wood!" "You''re welcome to try," Lirzod said dauntlessly. "I''m not the type who fights without rhyme or reason, but at the least, I''ll test your testiness." "Hmph," the leader glanced at his underlings, and they all took out various things from their baskets. Lirzod blinked numerous times upon seeing the ''things'' they had taken out. "W-Wait.." Without wait, the underlings hastily tossed many nasty items at Lirzod. "Wait, stop! This isn''t fair!" Lirzod danced around trying to dodge the banana peels, rotten eggs and tomatoes, fungus-housing loaves of bread, and much more. After more than a hundred of such spoiled items got hurled, the leader signaled to his underlings; they stopped. All of them sported a smug look with their hands in their pockets, even though they were quite surprised in truth. "Not bad," the leader said, looking amusedly at Lirzod, who was perfectly alright, though he was panting audibly, "you dodged the first wave, but the second one will be much more entertaining. Do you want to dare face that?" "Not as long as I have legs," Lirzod turned around and put all his concentration on fleeing. "Trying to escape?" the leader was slightly surprised. "Is this the ''consequence'' you alluded to a minute ago?" He immediately pulled out one of the nails pierced in his arm, but no blood leaked out, only a bit of transparent liquid. He swiftly flung the nail at the boy. It spun like a drill as it whizzed through the air. The nail scraped past Lirzod''s calf muscle and hit the floor in front of him, then stood upright and continued to spin. In that fraction of second, Lirzod''s foot stepped right on the flat top of the nail, and before he knew it, the spinning nail took him along for a ride. "Bambarammm!" Lirzod cried out as he was carried away like a spinning top. "What?" the leader and all the underlings were thoroughly slack-jawed. "T-That''s so cool!" "I''ve never seen such a thing." "I want to try it, too." The underlings were quite impressed by what they were witnessing. Still, the leader quickly shoved the shock aside and ordered, "Stop admiring and chase him, idiots!" "Y-Yes, Boss!" However, after traveling for more than fifty meters like a spinning top, the direction of the nail changed, and it came back toward the Dustbin Diggers. Lirzod bumped into the wall a couple of times, and the momentum died out. He fell off the top of the nail, then stepped on a banana peel and crashed onto the floor. The nail was still spinning. Lirzod felt like the surroundings were spinning. And so was his mind. Before he could get back to his feet, he got surrounded from every angle. All of those men together tried to shamelessly snatch the meat packet away from him, and despite his efforts, they readily overwhelmed him and plucked it out of his hands. Though Lirzod tried to get it back, they kept tossing the packet from one to another and made him run around like a driven dog. "I need to give it to someone," Lirzod yelled. "Give it back!" "Give it back?" The leader smiled. "Fine. Let''s give him what he wants." "Hehe," everyone snickered, and then a storm of garbage came at him. The sounds of foul eggs cracking, and rotten tomatoes breaking, combined with the foolhardy laughter of men was all that could be heard in the street. Though Lirzod initially tried to dodge, he eventually got sick of it and dashed straight at them, in the direction of the packet-holder. "Stop persisting," the leader said and smirked. "It''s useless." he waved his hand. "Commence the Fleeing Tactic 3!" All the underlings suddenly blocked Lirzod''s way, and, at the same time, got together. While the ones in the front lines blocked his vision, they concealed the meat packet in one of the baskets, and then they all dispersed and ran in different directions. Lirzod stood right where he was with a blank expression on his face. After they left his sight, he eventually smiled a little. "Spoony thugs. They are going to meet their expectations like never before." He put his hands in his pants and took a small packet out. "The real meat is here. Wearing underpants is uncomfortable, but it sure has its uses." He looked around and scratched his head. "Which way was that clinic again? Is it up ahead or on my rear? I was sure I was close enough, but those thieves made me lose my way, and now I''m confused." Just then, he sniffed once, and his expression changed. "What''s this sense-killing smell?" he blinked twice and then looked down at his clothes. A couple of egg and tomato marks were left on his clothes. "Oh, right. That''s coming from me." He shut his nose. "It stinks." Meanwhile, the leader and the underlings of Dustbin Diggers gathered in the neighboring street. "Haha, he stopped following already?" the leader laughed thoroughly. "That was easy." He looked at one of the underlings. "Take it out." The underling promptly took a packet out of the basket, then tossed it to the leader, who was nestled among his men. When he opened the pocket, his smiling face froze and shriveled like aged wood on a summer noon. Everyone around was puzzled; they couldn''t control their urge and took a peek inside, and their expressions soon metamorphosed into mortified monkeys. The leader soon pulled out what was inside the packet: Wet dough. He squeezed it in frustration. "I-Is that dough?" the underlings had no more words to say. "A work of art¡­" the leader squeezed the dough some more and then tossed it in his basket. "He couldn''t have gone far." He took a meat pie out of his bag, grabbed a big bite, and strode forth in high dudgeon. "I don''t care what you do to him, but I want the fish meat!" "Yes, Boss!" A few minutes later. Inside a child booth on the twelfth deck, a tall blonde woman in glasses was teaching five kids by asking questions rhythmically, and the children replied in a simple, avid fashion, and there was a rhythmic song in the air. "Where is the sun?" the teacher, who was missing the left ear, asked, lifting the stick, so it''d point toward the ceiling. "In the clouds!" the children replied together. "Where is the moon?" she asked again, shifting the position of the stick into her other hand. "In the clouds!" the children replied just as enthusiastically. "Where are the stars?" she dotted the air with the stick. "Also in the clouds!" "Where are the clouds?" she drew rings in the air. "In the sky." "What do they all do in the sky?" she asked and grinned. "They give us light throughout day and night." "And¡­" she circled the kids and also moved her arm in a wavy motion. "They cause the seasons and the waves of the oceans." "And¡­" she spun the stick on her fingers, making the shape of infinity with it. "They tell us the time, day, and month of the year." "And¡­" she stopped and leaned closer toward the children. "They shine for those who have eyes to see and sing for those who have ears to hear!" this time, the children replied in a strikingly loud tone. "That''s right," the teacher looked pleased. She started walking back to her position at her own pace. There were drawings of the clouds, sun, moon, stars, and some other heavenly things on the board. "To be more clear, they do different things. The sun gives away the time of the day, the moon gives away the day of the month, and the stars give away the month of the year. Seasons depend on the sun''s position from us. Now that the luminaries in heaven are taken care of, let''s move on to another set of questions. This time about battling. What do you do when you encounter an enemy you can''t defeat?" "Run." "Hide." "Surrender?" The children kept giving answers that didn''t quite please the teacher, so she kept shaking her head. "Do whatever it takes to defeat the bad friend, I mean, the enemy." Just then, a voice echoed through the room. Everyone looked toward the door where Lirzod was standing. He had washed himself using tap water, so he appeared okay, not counting for the wetness of his clothes. "It''s Brother Lirzod!" all the children sprang to their feet and ran to him. "Whoa, calm down. I didn''t bring you guys anything this time," Lirzod hastily said. "Eh?" their eyes, however, were still set on the packet in his hands. "What''s in that bag?" "It''s not for you," Lirzod lifted his hand and kept the packet out of their reach. "We''ll give you kisses." "S-Still, not for you." He had to stand on his toes as they kept jumping to get their hands on the packet. "Brother Lirzod, you stink!" the children finally caught the smell still lingering off his clothes. A couple of them moved back, but the rest did not. "It doesn''t smell like sweat." "Sorry," Lirzod said and rubbed the back of his head, "but that''s not because of sweating. It''s something else." "You must be working so hard." "Not really. Being a teacher here is perhaps much more toilsome and tiring than doing my daily affairs," Lirzod opined. The teacher, also the governess of the child booth, slowly walked over with a smile on her face. "What brought you here again?" Anyone would think that she was a bourgeois lady, judging by the amount of gold on her body, but only the children of the booth knew that was all fake metal. "Actually," Lirzod scratched his jaw, "I was heading for the clinic, but I somehow ended up here." "The clinic isn''t far from here." Her voice was quite kind and mature for someone who was in her late twenties. "Want me to lead the way?" "Thanks, but no thanks. You seem to be busy here. Besides, I think I can find my way from here," Lirzod replied, as he was forced to spring about on his toes. "Okay," she observed him for a bit. He had a rakish, genteel look only a little while ago, but now his hair and clothes were all messy and looked anything but suave. Still, he had that genial bearing, which made up for the loss. "What happened to the dough I gave you?" the teacher couldn''t help but ask because Lirzod was holding a different packet at the moment. She gave him the dough in a packet made out of coconut leaves, but Lirzod was currently holding a palm-leaf one. "Ah, that''s a long story," Lirzod said and then tussled with the kids. "You guys can have this food if you can touch the bag." "So, there''s food inside! Yay!" The kids excitedly endeavored to touch the packet; however, Lirzod didn''t go easy on them. Some of them managed to pluck the paper that was in Lirzod''s other hand and then ate it out of frustration. Lirzod pressed the kid''s cheeks and forced the paper out of her mouth. "You shouldn''t eat paper." "Eh? Why?" many kids looked surprised. "Paper tastes good." "Still, you can''t eat it," Lirzod shook his head. "I once ate a book and then couldn''t release my bowels for two nights! Those times were nightmarish. Could you guys imagine yourself not being able to take a dump even for a day?" The children clearly looked like they didn''t want to experience such a thing. "But we don''t eat books, brother," one of the kids replied. "We only eat one or two sheets of paper. They go well with pencil leads and erasers. So we should be okay, right?" "Not at all. If you eat a book at once, you''ll only suffer severe pain for a few days, but if you eat a paper a day, things might look fine in the beginning, but then nature will one day stop calling you, and when it does, nobody can help you relieve yourself. If you add erasers and pencils on top of that, then..." The children already had petrified looks. The teacher looked pleased with the way Lirzod handled the kids. She had been telling the kids to not chew on paper, but they weren''t quite listening to her. She was afraid that she wouldn''t be able to change the minds of the paper addicts, but now, she felt at ease. "You won''t even be able to sing in the bathroom then," said Lirzod. "Eh? S-Sing in the bathroom?" the children looked surprised. "Can we sing in the bathroom?" "Of course," Lirzod quickly said. "Don''t you guys do that?" "No, no, that''s it. Stop," the teacher rushed hotfoot and intervened. "Don''t teach them weird habits." "What food is in that bag, brother?" the children still kept trying to get the packet from Lirzod again. "Find it yourself, that is, if you can," Lirzod continued to tease them. How did these kids come to know Lirzod? A few hours ago, Lirzod brought a wounded little girl back to the child booth, and he gave papaya to the other kids, so everyone in the booth got quite friendly with him in so short of a time. The papaya was offered to him prior to that by a stranger whose father had lost all his wealth in betting while Lirzod was taking Cat Conflict. Currently, Lirzod randomly ran about in the room, trying to escape from the kids, using one avenue of escape after another, and continued to own the meat packet. However, when Lirzod arrived at a certain spot, he stopped and kept sniffing. "Did you stop to distribute the food?" the children asked with full expectation. Their eyes glowed restlessly. "My nose can smell anything nutty," Lirzod replied, still sniffing, "even if¡­" his eyes fell upon a book that was on the floor, "it''s hidden inside a book!" he quickly picked up the book and flipped the pages, and a nut fell. He let go of the book and caught the nut. "An almond!" he tossed it into his mouth. "Thank you very much." One of the kids immediately started crying and saying that it was his almond, but Lirzod continued to run away. The other kids kept chasing him again. The teacher called for them, but they didn''t respond, so she smartly posed a question, "Tell me one of the riches of the world that can heal the creatures of the land and the water." She said, but nobody replied. "They are flat," the teacher gave a hint. Still, no child replied, for they were too busy chasing Lirzod. "Flat lakes are truly earth''s awesome riches that heal," replied Lirzod. "C-Correct answer," the teacher was a little surprised. "How did you know that?" "Well, all life forms in the world can depend on lakes," Lirzod replied while running away from the children and hurdling past all obstacles, including even the teacher. "Of course, lakes are obviously not as spread out like rivers, but you don''t find rivers in deserts. Lakes are cool in their own way for so many other reasons. Then again, I guess, water gets the credit in the end. After all, we all know¡ªthe world is in waters." The corners of the teacher''s lips curved down as she nodded in approval. As she watched Lirzod run around in the room, she pondered. (Who''s this boy with a babyface? If not for his height and the scar on his face, he''d have looked like a sixth-grader. No wonder, even though it''s only their second time meeting him, he''s already mingled with the children. It''s as if he cracked immortality without even becoming a martial.) She put her hands on her cheeks. (He''s such a cutie patootie. I hope he doesn''t mind if I pull his cheeks.) "Since I answered correctly, I''ll get a gift, right?" asked Lirzod. "Sure," she said and smiled. "What do you¡ª" Just then, Lirzod ran into the kitchen and climbed the ladder and entered the attic where many food items were stored. He quickly pulled the ladder up so the kids wouldn''t follow him up. Teasing with the tongue followed. However, all the kids had fearful expressions on their faces. "Brother Lirzod, you shouldn''t enter that place," they said in a low voice. "Come down quickly." "Haha, you are not fooling me with that," Lirzod said and looked around. There was a lot of food stacked up nicely as if put for an exhibition. "Wow, so many varieties." There was enough room for him to freely walk, so he decided to take a look. The smell of fresh food made him close his eyes and take a deep breath. His tongue was already producing saliva. Just as he opened his eyes, a door opened up in the wall right next to him. "Mm?" he turned and looked to his right. A familiar face came climbing up a ladder. "You are¡­ the elf-impostor!" "Eek!" Startled from his shout, the elf girl, Mulyk, let go of the ladder. She fell backward. "Kya!" "Oh, no," Lirzod straight away took a peek down. Mulyk fell on her back and hurt her head. "Etetete." However, she seemed to be alright. Lirzod climbed down half the ladder, then turned and jumped. He landed safely on his feet. There were mickle trees and plants everywhere around him, so many that, for a second, he felt like he was in a forest. "Wow, where is this place?" he was momentarily left in awe by the scenery. "Wait, what am I doing?" he slapped on the back of his head and then advanced toward her. Mulyk hastily got back to her feet and frowned a bit. (That was an inelegant fall. Did he see me fall?) "You look fine," Lirzod slowed down upon seeing her stand without a problem, "even though you fell from tens of meters height. Your bottom must be tough." (He saw it!) Embarrassment washed over her face like the high tidal wave on a full moon night. "You, you shouldn''t be here. Wait..." She sniffed once. "What''s this raw smell that''s rushing into my nose?" "That''s coming from me, haha," Lirzod leaked out a broad smile. Mulyk paused for a second, for she suddenly felt strange. She remembered her childhood days when her butler told her not to open her mouth in front of the guests because she had a missing tooth. (He can smile freely, even with so many missing teeth.) Unknowingly, she clutched her dress at the chest region, not feeling sure if she could ever do that. Just then, she saw Lirzod walk to a banana plant and clean himself with its leaves. "What are you doing!" she ran half the distance and lunged. With a kick to the shoulder, she sent him rolling. Though Lirzod wasn''t wounded, he looked baffled. It took him a few seconds to process what just happened. "W-Why did you do that?" he asked as he stood. "Why?" Spots of redness surfaced on her face. It seemed like she might turn into an angry bird at any moment. "Hmph! Be thankful that I didn''t cut your nose for what you did!" "What did I do?" Lirzod''s perplexity only multiplied. "It hasn''t been a day, and you spoiled the clothes already," Mulyk fumed like a mad swan, "and now you''re trying to spoil my plants, too!" "Plants?" Lirzod took a look at the soul of his boots. "Did I step on some seedlings or something?" A vein on Mulyk''s forehead bulged. "You truly are¡­" At the moment, more than Lirzod, her anger was proving to be a more difficult customer. "Hmm?" Her gaze shifted down and noticed a packet lying at her feet. She picked it up. "What''s in this?" Her nose immediately picked up the smell. "This¡­" "Ah, that''s for you," Lirzod said, pressing his own shoulder a bit. (That was one good kick.) "For me?" she sniffed the packet once again. "The smell is surely making me salivate¡­" she forthwith opened the packet. A peek inside widened her eyes. "F-Flesh!" "No, that''s fish meat," Lirzod said, his gaze crept from her face to the foot. "That''s all yours." Currently, Mulyk was wearing shoes, so he still found it hard to digest that she just kicked him while wearing footwear. "For real?" Her eyes broadened. "Abso-loving-lutely," replied Lirzod. Her face gained a lot of glow. "It''s been a long time since anyone has offered me food. Thanks." "It''s okay, but I''d be happier if you do me a favor," Lirzod said, his voice sounding sanguine. "Just a little parting gift." "If it''s anything I can afford, I''ll surely give it," Mulyk hastily ensured. "It''s something you can certainly do," Lirzod tapped his finger on his cheek. "Just one kiss." "K-K-Ki¡­" Her complex turned a shade pinkier when Lirzod showed his cheek. "In your dreams!" she barked and tossed the fish meat back to him. "Keep this for yourself. I knew that you were up to something. You vulnurs all have an innate talent for skulduggery. I should never take anything for granted with a human-fu." "U-Uh," Lirzod felt a bit sad, but he quickly shrugged it off and laughed. "Haha, I was just joking-fu." He tossed the packet back to her. She caught it but then narrowed her eyes to a slit. "You didn''t mix anything nasty in it, did you?" Lirzod shook his head vehemently. "Mm, then," she gave him a tight stare, "never try to pull such a shenanigan before me ever again-fu." "Fu. Fu." Lirzod nodded twice. "Say ''yes,'' not fu-fu!" "Yes, yes." "Anyway, it''s hard to get any meat on these lower decks, so I''ll gladly accept this, but...." her voice was no longer appreciative but rather interrogative, "where did you get this?" "I won it in the competition of chefs," his voice was dull and a bit dispirited. "I think it''s called¡­" Lirzod tried to remember the name, but it proved to be harder than he thought. "Competition? You?" she furrowed her brows. "Why don''t you be more honest?" "I was being fully honest." "Really?" Mulyk narrowed her eyes and examined his expression. (He''s an amenable youth, but he also has that disorderly side to him. I guess adolescents are the same, whether it''s an elf or a human.) She remembered how he tried to play a trick on her back when they were in the clinic. "What?" Lirzod looked bewildered. (Is she going for another kick?) "Nothing." She gave a tight-lipped smile. "I was just wondering if this might be the first time you were being honest with me or not." "Of course not," Lirzod straight away retorted as if he was razzing her, "but you talk like you were honest all the time when you are still in that costume?" "What?" she hardened her voice. "I''m in a ''costume?''" "J-Just kidding," Lirzod stepped back and rubbed the back of his head. "But seriously, it''s my first time seeing an elf, so it''s not proving to be easy for me to believe, you know. I read that elves can move their ears as well as animals. If you can show me that skill, I''ll apologize and will believe in you and in your honesty¡ªfully." "I don''t need to prove myself,??? she stressed her words, her gaze implicating a warning. "This is my real appearance! And I''m always honest!" "Always honest?" Lirzod shook his head and then waved his hand with confidence. "Till now, I''ve never met a single soul that''s always honest." "Hmph, then everyone you''ve met till now must''ve been a disappointment. I''m not like the rest," she proudly said, putting the hand on the chest. "I''m one of a kind." "One of a kind, huh. Let''s see how honest you are then." "Forget it. I''m not going to fall for your jiving." "You don''t know what you''re missing," Lirzod''s voice contained pity and doubt, "or maybe you''re scared?" She paused for a moment and asked, "What are you going to do?" Lirzod smiled and said, "Simple. You only have to take a test called Candor Grill that I created. For the first round, I''ll ask a question, and you have to answer me honestly." "That''s it?" Her posture unwinded reasonably. ???How easy. Give me something more challenging." "Well, first, pass this question, and then we''ll move on to a tougher round," Lirzod continued to speak with certainty. "Okay," she snapped her finger stylishly. "Throw your question." "How many times do you fart per day?" he asked right away. Mulyk''s expression froze like a rat that had come across a cat. "How many? Give me an ''honest'' answer," prompted Lirzod, wiggling his brows. Mulyk''s expression soon warped into that of a chimpanzee suffering from constipation. "Why aren''t you saying anything?" Lirzod closed the distance and continued in a teasing tone, turning her face into gleed. "Don''t tell me¡­ you are still counting because the number is too big¡ª" "Enough!" Mulyk punched him in the face, and she was panting and blushing a bit. "You don''t have any manners whatsoever." "Eh?" Lirzod looked bewildered as he rubbed his jaw. He was even more disappointed. "I shouldn''t have expected an honest answer, given that no woman has answered this question till now. Not one has passed the first round yet." "No one in their right mind would!" Mulyk snarled, her voice crackling with fury. "It was my fault to think you would ask a decent question." "My question wasn''t decent?" Lirzod tried to speak back, but he stopped after getting subjected to her glare. "U-Uh, okay, it was only ninety-nine percent decent." "You are unbelievable," she shook her head, but just then, she remembered that she was holding fish meat in her hand. "I almost forgot about this precious thing. How silly of me. I''m going to make good use of this, but..." Mulyk still had traces of doubt written all over her face, "why are you giving this to me, huh?" she coldly glanced at Lirzod. "If you are thinking of getting treated for a lower price in the future, then¡ª" As she was saying, Lirzod strolled around, still rubbing his cheek. "I must say, a nice place you got yourselves here. So many trees in this closed space, yet they''re so green. How do you grow them where there''s no sunlight? I mean, there''s light in this room, but is that enough? And how do you even water all these things?" "That''s a secret." "Secret? Like how women break wind!" Mulyk ground her teeth. "Talk about that again, and I''ll really...." she blinked twice and then went silent. "Really, what?" "Never mind," she averted her gaze. "C''mon, another secret again?" "I will tell you just enough,'' she folded her arms. "You asked how these plants grow in this place, didn''t you? Well, this ship has as many secrets as the hairs on your head," her voice contained traces of arrogance. "Consider its architectural design a strand among those. I get by with what I know, that''s all." "I''ve got too many hairs to count, you know," Lirzod moved his hand through his hair once. "Are you sure you don''t want to change your words?" "I''m pretty sure," Mulyk advanced toward him. "If an elf beauty is so sure, then it can''t be helped," Lirzod said and continued to walk and observe the surroundings. Mulyk''s face turned pink, and her expression partly bloomed. (E-Elf beauty? Me?) "It''s hard to imagine that there''s a spacious garden like this inside a ship," Lirzod wondered. "I know that it''s a big ship we''re on, but still¡­ I can''t help but wonder how big thing actually is." "Uh, exterior-wise, I think I know Exvo''s measurements," Mulyk replied with a somewhat softened voice. "It''s 21.1 miles long, 3.5 miles wide, and 2.1 miles tall. That said, I may be wrong, though, because interior-wise, every deck has its own unique dimensions and atmosphere, so the estimates I told could be wrong." "That''s still freaking huge," Lirzod was wide-eyed. Mulyk faintly smiled. Lirzod glanced up at the ceiling, "This place would''ve been perfect if there were a night sky and a cool breeze." Then he couldn''t help but look at the text engraved on the ceiling at a particular spot. Most of the writing was stricken, and only a bit remained; however, the size of the letters was large enough for their naked eye to notice. "There''s something written up there. What language is that? It''s just a string of letters with no breaks." "Ah, that¡­ that''s probably an ancient language used before someone invented the punctuation system." "Ancient language?" his interest picked up a bit. "Each character looks so complex, and I can''t tell if it''s all a single word, or..." he slightly scratched his head. "It''s only natural for you to be bemused. Because of the lack of punctuation, the same text can express different meanings, which can raise confusion, but it may also have been written that way intentionally. Who knows?" she said. However, after seeing that Lirzod was still staring at it, she continued, "Though I don''t know the name of the language, I do know what it says, well, only one of many interpretations." "And what does it say?" Lirzod put his hands in his pockets. "That you should go and get a bath first," Mulyk said, closing her nose with her hand. Lirzod laughed. "I''m sure it doesn''t say that." "Well, you are right for once," she said. "It says, ''When the wicked ones are done¡­''" "That''s all?" "Yeah." "Sounds like something written to scare children." "I was told that it was either related to a fictional tale or maybe an apocalypse, but God only knows." Her expression subtly turned serious. "These sorts of mysterious texts unnerve me because they are trying to tell us something, which means there are others keeping secrets. Every time someone holds information for their own benefits, something always goes wrong." She let out a long sigh. "Anyway, go and clean yourselves first." She pointed in a direction. "There''s a washroom in the corner." "What? Really?" Lirzod asked, and upon receiving a nod, he was overjoyed. "That''s great news. Then I''ll be using it." He dashed away without delay. Mulyk just watched him leave and muttered under her breath. "He''s not a bad egg. I don''t even remember the last time when someone set my cheeks on fire." She then went on to do her business. Meanwhile, outside the child booth, there was a comfortless ambiance. The blonde teacher and the children stood frozen in awe and shock, for more than twenty men were lying outside, beaten out of senses and shape. They were all the men of Dustbin Diggers, a gang that was part of the plunderers guild. The leader just arrived at the scene and was left baffled. "What just happened?" he was stunned upon seeing his men in such a pitiful situation. Some got their teeth and jaws broken, and some others had their noses bent out of shape. The leader knelt and asked one of the men who was barely conscious but was bleeding by the mouth, "Hey, what happened? Who did this to you?" "Boss¡­ we''ve come to the booth to ask for our weekly quota, but the governess refused to give it in full, saying that they lacked food. Guh," he coughed up some blood. Speaking itself brought a lot of pain because his nose was turned into a grotesquerie. "So we tried to force our way in. The kids got in our way, so we manhandled them. Things were going well until a son of a bitch showed up out of nowhere." "Who?" the leader gritted his teeth, and his eyes gained redness. "Who dared to meddle in the business of the plunderers?" "He didn''t give us his name," the underling replied in a painful voice, "but he had purple hair. He took all of us out with ease, and one more thing, Boss... He kept asking for some ring." "Even the commander of this deck would think twice before sticking his nose in our affairs," the leader clenched his fists, and the nails on his body started quivering, "so where does this purple-haired punk come from? I''ll not let him be after he sleighed over us like this!" The teacher of the booth, on the other hand, had a frown crease her forehead. It was common for the big guilds on the ship to bully the small guilds, child booths, bread booths, and every other delicate establishment, be it businesses or public institutions. So, she couldn''t help but worry about the passing friend who freely offered help when they were in need. "W-We have nothing to do with him," the teacher spoke out before the leader''s gaze even settled on her. "He was just a passerby. It was our first time seeing him." Though she felt guilty for saying that, she had to do what she could to keep herself and the children safe, even if that required her to act like an ungrateful, thankless person. "Go and prepare the Dustbin Slice," the leader indifferently told her without even casting a glance at her. She frowned but nodded without delay. Dustbin Slice was the weekly quota they had to offer to the Dustbin Diggers, who were part of the plunderers guild. People had to accept that the quota was a good deed and must be thought along the lines, ''throwing some food away for the sake of the dustbin and those that live by it.'' Even though everyone knew that the plunderers guild never helped the real beggars or the destitute folks, there was nothing they could do about it, for they were all only small fish in a small pond. Even the fat cats on the ship would avoid upsetting a big fish like the plunderers guild, so what could small fish do other than surviving as long as they could in the large pond of a ship? Landing a governess job in the official child booth on any deck wasn''t easy, and it was considered a privilege. After all, the governess could eat anything from the booth just like the children, which was why they would generally think of themselves as cat''s whiskers. So the governess jobs were heavily sought after by women, especially in the decks from ten to nineteen. However, those who didn''t sway to the demands of the big fish were still not cut out for the job. If any governess went against the big fish, they''d mysteriously lose their limbs or organs or something precious to them. The previous governess of the same child booth also refused to give the quota repeatedly, and she soon lost three kilos of her skin, which she could only blame on her recklessness. Skinning the unruly governesses was the most fearsome tactic employed by the plunderers guild, who had mercilessly plundered the beauty of many women and brought shame to those women for not doing their bidding. The current governess was also missing her left ear because she once said ''no'' to the advances of a man from another big guild and publicly humiliated him by slapping him. Since sexual assault resulted in a death penalty on Exvo, that man took his revenge by cutting her ear off so she would never look the same in the mirror ever again, at least not until she was wealthy enough to visit a healer who might very well demand an unreasonable price. The reason why she wore fake gold ornaments was probably to catch the attention of a healer or some other rich man and make him do her bidding. Currently, the governess was entering the child booth with a strained expression, and the children were even more tensed up. She packed a bunch of vegetables and fruits in a large sack and brought them out of the booth. "Stop it," a voice came from inside the booth. The governess looked back. Mulyk was standing at the door. "Sister Mulyk!" the children immediately ran over to her and hugged her and cried. "It''s going to be alright, little vulnurs," she patted their heads and then walked past them, her gaze set on the leader of the Dustbin Diggers. "Miss Mulyk, you shouldn''t¡ª" the governess tried to speak, but Mulyk raised her hand and stopped the teacher from speaking another word. "A miserly pointy wants to poke in a man''s affairs?" the leader turned to face her and crudely stated. "We elves are very fixed in our ways like the vulnurs who are too long in the teeth to properly eat an apple," Mulyk said, striding forth fearlessly as the underlings got back to their feet, "but many people misunderstand us elves because of their lack of comprehension. We don''t meddle in others'' affairs, not because we''re callous but just cautious. We stay set in our ways for the sake of ourselves and the world. However, you¡ª" "Pointies sure can talk the hind leg off a donkey!" the leader lunged at her and threw a fist. She bent her head to the left and dodged the fist. BAM~~!! Her ankle struck the leader''s head from the side and almost bent his spine. Stress marks appeared around his mouth as he straightened his spine and simultaneously pulled out a nail and attempted to stab her calf. However, she deflected his arm to the side and thrust her foot into his belly. Her foot pressed against the nail and forced it deeper into his flesh as he got blown back. "Boss!" the underlings were quite shocked. The leader still safely landed on his feet and tightened his stomach muscles and brought the nail back to its original place again. He then slightly grinned. "Not bad, pointy. You can move. I''ll give you that." Mulyk stood rooted, wearing a placid yet frosty expression. (This bastard is strong. Fighting him off the cuff will result in unnecessary sores.) She put her hand behind her back and pulled out the gun, startling the leader. "Don''t make me use this in front of children." The leader glowered at her for a bit and then shifted his attention toward the governess. "Hey, governess. The plunderers guild is much more understanding than the other great guilds. Do you seriously want us to let your booth out of our shielding? You think you can have a peaceful life after that? Take a hint!" The governess started shivering visibly. If she didn''t keep the booth under an umbrella, it would get washed away by rain sooner rather than later. Either she would be replaced, or the booth itself would get abandoned. After all, there were many ways to oppress and bully the weak. "Please take it," the governess said and tilted her head down, feeling culpable for wasting Mulyk''s efforts. The leader smiled cockily at Mulyk, who was clenching her fists. The underlings picked up the food sack and wilfully snickered as they walked away. Mulyk could only watch as the leader threatened her by running his finger over his ear as if warning her that her ears would be cut if she butted in his affairs again. His taunting, however, didn''t tick her off. Mulyk hid the gun and started walking back into the booth. "I''m sorry," the governess said, but Mulyk didn''t care to stop. "Your duty is to not only educate the children but also keep them healthy," said Mulyk, "and you''re failing at both." Ridden by guilt, the governess broke into tears. The children went over to commiserate with her. 89 A DROP OF MERCY Tons of different cargo was being unloaded from Extensive Voyage near Bravery Port, at the edge of a city with torn walls. "It''s quite an honor to meet you, Madam Stussy. You look far prettier than in the portraits," the Port Captain in suit formally bowed to her. At the edge of the ship, both of them were standing under the shade of a tree, overseeing the ongoing exchange of goods. There was enough wind blowing around to make some leaves fall or drift about aimlessly. "I didn''t expect that someone of your stature would be assigned to captain this ship." "I didn''t expect that your city would grow to the extent it did either, and it''s still growing just like you are," Stussy said in a rather friendly tone. "I am happy for you, but I''m not quite sure whether to feel good for your city or feel bad for all the poor towns and villages it has working in bondage." "Haha," he didn''t seem much surprised, which showed that he had come prepared to face many things, "the tides of the ocean are ever-changing, and so do the wind currents and minds of men. As the sun and the moon shift spots in the sky, some waves never break to the shore, some winds never rise to the clouds, and some minds never allow themselves to do new things. So it''s only natural that one who''s living in a village and one who''s living in a city sweat for different reasons." "Stop quoting Elvyck." "Haha, I''ve been seen through." He rubbed the back of his head. "I''ve embarrassed myself." "Trying new things in new places with shallow pockets is rarely rewarding," Stussy calmly replied, her eyes looking in the city''s direction in a knowing gaze. "Only a few places I''ve been to were free from filth, and a city isn''t among them. Cities, as they''re now, don''t quite provide opportunities for the poor to get rich as they do for the rich to get richer. Whoever knows how to neatly[1] steal from the rest through deft dissembling will presumably end up among the richest, and those with pockets full of coins are likely to indulge in all forms of sharp practices than those who feed their children dirt-cakes. Wherefore, cities often engender concentration of evil." Her eyes briefly glanced up at the towering ship that looked like an artificial-tiered mountain. (Without the fair and strict rules, this ship would also become another city, the only difference being that it can move, which makes me wonder what the builders had in mind when they built this distinctive vessel. If cities were to fall into the wrong hands, there''s no saying what disasters will spring out of them.) Stussy cast a rebuking glance at him, but she patiently replied, "Everyone experiences life in different yet similar ways. Some are elegant. Some are not. You can''t look down on others just because your views are at odds with them. Is this the gratefulness you show for all the food you eat produced through the perseverance of the poor?" "Well," he cleared his throat and somewhat frowned. If it were any other person, he''d have broken out against them and called them an armchair critic with no experience but plenty of advice. However, the woman standing before him was someone who had probably seen a lot of the world than he could ever see in his lifetime, so he could only keep his impatience in check. Still, he replied a bit bluntly, "For all practical purposes, someone has to do the labor, and we are paying the laborers as we see fit. So, what''s the big deal?" "The deal is this¡ªthe lack of appreciation," Stussy''s gaze turned a bit cold. "A drop of mercy if you can call it that for all the sweat and blood they shed to bring food straight to your repository. Or are you saying that the poor have nothing to gain but poverty?" "That''s¡­" he didn''t know how to respond, and his feet couldn''t stay on the floor quietly. He had to choose his words correctly, or even his head was separated, no one in the city would dare wage war with her, let alone with the sect she was part of. Stussy briefly glanced at his feet. She then softened her expression and voice, not wanting to intimidate him without good reason, "Money makes it hard for a man to do the common things of the poor. Do you know any rich folk in your city who work hard with little pay? Can they swim through squalor for anything noble? Can their pride bring prosperity to the poor? You see, more often than not, those with deep pockets hardly struggle to correct their wrongs when a matter concerns those with shallow pockets. It''s an irony how the richer one gets, the more they lose the sense of the value of a coin." She glanced at him and made eye contact, "I can go on, but the gist of it all is this: Can you tell apart the rich and the poor by their ashes?" she asked, and he silently shook his head. "The issue is not about being rich or poor, but about one''s character. Richness is never as much in coin as it''s in character. You can''t buy character once you lose it, so don''t let coins cloud your character. We already have enough lost souls ravening about in this world seeking everything save themselves." "I think I somewhat get what you''re saying, Madam Stussy. The more coins one has, the harder it gets to maintain a good character in and out. And since cities glorify wealth..." The Port Captain''s lips stretched out in an awkward smile. "I give up. Winning an argument with a mighty martial is more demanding than what my current mind can bear." "I wasn''t trying to win in an argument," Stussy looked into the distance. "A brother once told me, ''the rich man is a creature born to eat the poor.'' I wouldn''t go that far, but¡­" she smiled a little. "What he said can''t be disregarded either. In most societies, since long ago, while the poor strive, the rich forever thrive. The poor get forced to feed the rich with their flesh and blood, increasingly, with every year. And cities are places built with the ever-rising standards of the rich in mind, which the poor can never catch up with. One such standard is that everyone tries to get rich through money and not other means. No one tells them, ''you can always have enough money to fritter away, but you can never have enough for invaluable experiences.'' One empties the pockets of riches, while the other fills the heart with substance. It''s clear to see which way is worthier to walk, yet most fail to take the right one. They choose to live with tornadoes of smoke and tall walls of brick rather than breathing wilderness and openness. And after they stack enough coins, they all look for ways to extend their pathetic lives. How can one who can''t respectably walk the Mortal Way hope to fittingly walk the Martial Way? It is but a doggy dream.[2]" A few seconds of silence passed. "I''m already in my late forties," the Port Captain sighed. "Can I still start pursuing the Martial Way?" "Some things in the world have no set beginning or end." A paper slip slowly drifted through the wind and fell in Stussy''s hand. She then handed it to him. Upon taking a look at it, his expression hardened. "The herbs, meat, and the grains¡­ all their prices went up significantly compared to last year." He folded the paper in frustration. "This isn''t fair, Madam Stussy. I mean, even though your sect doesn''t let us levy taxes on our people for your exports and forces us to follow many other conditions, we still deal with Exvo because you don''t take brokerage fees. Your sect has high credibility, but if the prices of the goods alone are so high, it feels like we''re at the short end of the stick." "Mr. Bryan," Stussy put her hands behind her back and turned to face him. "What would you give in exchange for your health?" Bryan couldn''t answer in return and went expressionless. "As easy as it may sound, there is no denying that health is one of the most precious things in the world, and we do our utmost to harvest and hunt food from the flourishing mountains and forests. We don''t export goods grown from the same region every year, so prices vary every year depending on the efforts we exert to procure great, quality things," Stussy''s voice contained no hesitation or hurry. "Every blade of grass, every piece of grain, and every chunk of meat we trade heals people''s bodies like they were meant to, yet some fools, who can''t go out into nature and get food for themselves, complain that our herbs don''t taste good and wish they were as sweet as candy. Unlike those fat-heads, if you have a legitimate problem with our products, then we''re willing to listen, but as long as the prices we''ve set are within the agreed limits, there''s no room for negotiation anymore. There are many people out there who put more care on their clothes than on their own bodies and health. If you want to be like them, then please go ahead and send a request for the termination of our trade." "P-Please don''t misunderstand me, Madam Stussy. I''m not foolish enough to suggest my superiors to break this trade," Bryan said and smiled, but then quickly hid his face and frowned. If he had even an inch of ground, he would''ve fought his way back into the conversation, but he knew that all the meat was of animals that naturally grew up in the wild and not raised in the farms. Even the grains were of top quality. As for the herbs, their results were too evident to even raise doubts about their quality. Still, he kept looking at the list to find something that would help him gain the upper hand, and his eyes eventually stopped on a particular item. "This Mock Sand¡­ Three silver pieces per ton? Why is it so expensive?" He made a baffled expression. "Isn''t the current international price only a little over forty copper coins?" Stussy slightly took a breath before responding, "It''s in the name. What we sell is not natural but mock sand. Unlike those who steal sand from lakes or river banks or beaches and disturb the neighborhood, we make our own sand by breaking down the rocks using our own ways. Still, producing sand in large quantities in a short period isn''t an easy task." "That''s what the high price is for, huh," Bryan narrowed his eyes. "If our mock sand was not different from desert sand, you think anyone would even be willing to buy it? Besides, the prices we set have nothing to do with the prices of products sold internationally. We sell to our clients as we see fit. Don''t you even know that?" "S-Sorry," Bryan had no answer, but he came to his own conclusion. (I see. That''s how it is. If the price were to be between one to two silver, then there''d be more demand, so they kept the price high enough to make sure they won''t overburden themselves and, at the same time, will make enough profits out of the limited clients. What a smart business tactic! Moreover, the contracts they make are confidential, so we have no idea how they''re selling to other parties. This isn''t possible with just brains. No wonder their sect ''stays'' near the top. Shambala Sect, huh. Never in my life, the name itself made me feel practically nervous.) To add to that, the beauty and the calm-yet-powerful presence Stussy held was second to none among all the women he had come across, at least up until now. (She surely must be a big cheese in the sect.) At this point, he couldn''t hide his envy. He was used to having the upper hand in general, but now, he felt like he was tasting his own medicine. Still, he didn''t give up and tried the sympathy route. "Madam, you should already know that eight months ago, our city suffered a lot of property damage due to a felon summoning a terrifying beast that our metals couldn''t pierce. We''ve suffered great losses, and the fact that we just watched as the beast took the criminal and flew away into the night didn''t help settle down the masses either. An economic conflict arose between different classes, even though a ''everknight'' stated that he would catch the criminal. Our economy soon fell off the cliff but somehow miraculously survived at the cost of some sacrifices, broken bones, and loss of faces. Even though those affairs affected the trade business, we''re slowly starting to pick ourselves up again. So please consider offering some help, however much you can. Fortto will never forget favors." "So you''re saying¡­" Stussy calmly said, "your city is as wide as an ocean but only as deep as a puddle." "Uh," Bryan was left frozen for a short while. He tilted his head down. "We are, after all, just a city full of hollows. Though we try to stand on our own feet, given the monstrosity of the world we live in, we''re not inane enough to push away all help that comes our way." Seeing how he bowed his head, Stussy didn''t think much before replying, "Since everyone has to eat and also have a roof over their head, I''ll reduce the prices of all products by five percent, but that''s all. No more bargaining." "I''m deeply grateful for your change of mind," Bryan''s head was still tilted down. He was pretty happy for more than one reason. Though he wanted to try and test his luck to see if he could ask about including war weapons of at least Minimal Grade in the trade, he couldn''t dare speak his mind, afraid of losing the discount, for he was sure that she saw through his little veil of haggling. At that moment, a fat man dressed in green approached them and kneeled before Stussy, revealing even more clearly that he was thin on top. "Chief, I''ve come bearing bad news. A number of deaths were reported in the tenth belt yesterday, seventeen to be exact." "Is there any death that we need to look into?" she asked, trying not to look at his not-so-beautiful head. "From what we gathered till now, the information looks clean, Chief. But two of those deaths are from the thirteenth deck." "Thirteenth, huh¡­ Is it because of the scamps in the sand, or..." "It''s the deltas who passed away in their sleep." "The poor deltas..." She squinted her eyes to a slit. At that moment, a group of nine men in their sixties was unloading dozens of barrels by themselves. One of them, who had the most sweaty face, took secret glances at Stussy a couple of times, with a hint of fear and maybe also lust dwelling in his eyes. Just then, Stussy''s eyes made contact with that sweaty-faced man, causing him to look away lickety-split. She walked past the fat man, puzzling him, and then approached the group of nine men and asked in a calm yet commanding tone, "Which one among you is the leader?" One among the nine men quickly stepped forward, with his hands folded and shoulders squeezed in tightly. "Captain Commander, it''s me," he politely bowed, and Stussy''s eyes had long settled on him before he even came forward. "My name is Znoja Schweess." "What''s in those barrels?" "Nerve wine, madam," Znoja replied in a respectful tone. "Nerve wine?" Bryan got a little excited. "Isn''t it one of the strongest white wines? One that stimulates the nerves and forces the brain to work extra-hard and heal the body. However, there''s also a major side effect of people suffering from hallucinations if they drink too much. I heard stories of people doing more than just sleepwalking after taking that wine." "Sir is quite knowledgeable," Znoja nodded and paused a moment before continuing, "but we carefully dilute the wine so that it doesn''t diminish the positives as much as it does the negatives. So, drinking our product is not only safe but will also make you immune to the pure and original wine in the long run." Bryan was surprised to hear that. "Only expert brewers are capable of making such beverages without breaking a sweat. Did you guys make such a fruitful wine?" "Yes, sir," Znoja humbly said. "We are not experts by any means, but we do have decades of experience. And I believe anything done without breaking a sweat isn''t satisfying." "Talented yet modest. You''ve come to the right city to sell," Bryan started to walk toward them with a big smile on his face. "I''m Bryan, the Port Captain. If you can impress me with your wine, then consider yourself to have landed a lucky deal with our city." "That''s very nice of you to say, sir," Znoja looked at one of his associates, and he quickly served Bryan nerve wine from a bottle hanging by his waist. After taking a sip, Bryan closed his eyes and squeezed his lips tight. A second later, he opened his eyes. "How was it, sir?" "Strong." Bryan leaked out a big smile and nodded twice. "It left a taste in my throat. This is good stuff. How many barrels do you have in total?" "About 400 or so." "Alright, I''ll be buying half of those, and you can do business with the rest." Znoja hardly smiled. He could guess that Bryan would probably throw a big party soon and use this wine to impress the rich folks of the city and even gift them some wine. Whether that was the case or not, if the leader didn''t oblige with the Port Captain''s wishes, he wouldn''t even be allowed to step foot on the city grounds, so he could only swallow his disappointment. "Sure thing, sir." Bryan then looked at Stussy. "You should also taste some, madam. It''s darn delicious." The leader of the group himself hurriedly tried to pour a cup of wine for her; however, she walked over to the barrels and tapped at different spots on numerous barrels with her fingers, and though it produced soft sounds, she was able to tell the difference. "Open one of these." "Pardon?" the leader of the group looked confused. The fat man, who was standing in the background till now, slowly closed in. "I said open one of these," Stussy stressed her words. "U-Uh, sure," the leader glanced at one of his associates. "Open it." Bryan silently watched with intrigue. With a nail and a hammer, one of the associates carefully broke the earthen sealing around the cap of the barrel, and when he removed the cap, the fat man took a glance inside before he looked at Stussy and nodded. "It''s full of wine as they say." Stussy''s eyes swept over the nine men once, and their faces put up pleasant smiles. She tapped on top of another barrel twice. "Open this one." "Yes, Chief," the fat man quickly came over and started to unseal the sealing by himself with his bare fingers. As he did that, all the nine men kept looking at each other''s faces, and beads of sweat formed on their faces. With a wine bottle in one hand, the leader''s other hand slowly gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. When the fat man undid the sealing and opened the lid, there was an eyeful of white wine inside. "It''s wine." He looked at her as if asking what to do next. All the nine men silently breathed sighs of relief. "Look closely," Stussy said. "Mm?" the fat man then put his hand into the barrel, but it only went down to his wrist. "Chief! It''s not going in full." He bent the barrel to the side. All the wine gushed out onto the floor, causing twitching in the noses of horses in the distance. "How can you waste our wine like that!" the leader barked and tried to get near to stop what was happening. "Shut up," the fat man coldly said, stopping the leader from approaching any closer. "What''s this, huh?" he looked inside the barrel again. "Looks like you guys built another compartment in here. A barrel with a bucket inside, aye? I wonder what''s hidden under the bucket? I bet it''s drugs or some stolen stones," he quickly removed the wooden basket, and to his shock, there was an unconscious child inside, with his mouth sealed and limbs tied up tightly. "What the¡ª" the fat man was stunned. The leader, Znoja, straight away sprang forth and flung the wine bottle at Stussy. "Twenty Halls of Dusk¡ª" in a flash, he unsheathed his sword, covered the distance in quick streaks, and appeared behind Stussy and thrust the blade straight at her heart, "Sunless Strike!" Stussy caught the wine bottle with ease using two of her fingers, but the sword of the leader almost got to a touching distance to her back. "Chief!" the fat man shouted in worry, for everything happened too quickly for him to react. However, the sword suddenly stopped, and so did the leader, as if something promptly pressured him from every direction. The shockwave generated almost lifted people off their feet, but some tools and boxes in the vicinity flew away. "The hell?" the leader couldn''t move his body anymore, and the shockwave died out quicker than it initially broke out. "A barrier? I can''t move!" A sharp, gruesome gust of wind blew him back. The sword in his hand fell, and even though he was bleeding from the nose, mouth, and ears, he somehow managed to land on his feet, but he seemed to have lost his grip on his senses, for he could barely hear anything and his sight turned blurry, too. What''s up with this woman? (To think even I couldn''t sense her attack coming. She hadn''t even lifted her intent, and yet I couldn''t move. This is bad. I can''t control my ''ora'' well anymore.) "I can''t accept this." He ground his teeth and then charged at her with a roar, startling everyone, "We can''t be that far apart." He unleashed his punch at her, but she also formed a fist and unleashed a casual punch at him. Just by looking at her fist approaching, his heart sank into his stomach and gave up on attacking and put his total concentration in dodging the punch. He bent his head to his left, and her fist went past his head, seemingly failing to hit him; however, the very next second, he got sent flying to his left as if a cannon struck him in the head. Bryan looked utterly perplexed and stunned. (I thought her punch didn''t land. Yet how did he get blown away like that?) With his right half of the face disfigured and bleeding worse than before, Znoja could barely hold his senses together as he got back to his feet again. Stussy, even though she was simply standing, appeared like an unsurpassable monster in his eyes. Blood kept pouring down his ears nonstop. (She didn''t even use layers, and my insides are burning, even though I''ve reinforced them with ''might.'' This woman¡ªI''ve never met someone with such scary Plenary Might.) He gnashed his bloody teeth, trying to keep his senses together. (If she gets serious, even the nine of us together won''t be good enough to buy a second.) He tried to clench his fists, but his body wasn''t fully under his control yet. (Why did this monster have to be captaining this ship of all people? Against her, our only hope is... )"Everyone, get a puppy!" he shouted and then ran in a specific direction. "A puppy?" the fat man was puzzled, but he quickly yelled, "Someone, stop that guy!" A few workers reacted quickly enough and chased him, but the first one who got to him was defeated with a single kick and then held hostage. "Let us go, or I''ll kill this fellow," he shouted and looked at his associates who were struggling to get more hostages. Just then, something invisible struck Znoja''s face and sent him flying back. His nose now got broken, and blood poured out like a fountain. (Argh! Shit! This bitch!) "Shoot him!" the fat man shouted. Many workers took their pistols out and shot at Znoja. Many bullets landed, but they only left what seemed like tiny cracks on his skin. "The bullets are not working!" the workers were shocked and puzzled. "Even his clothes look just fine! They have become like armor. What''s going on?" "Doesn''t matter. Keep on shooting," the fat man said and folded his arms. (He has put up an exobody, but let''s see how long his defenses will last.) Dozens of bullets were being wasted, seemingly for nothing. "I''m too strong for simple bullets, you fools," Znoja said, but then he soon remembered that he was still in Stussy''s presence. Screaming at himself on the inside, he tried to flee. "Is he trying to jump out of the ship?" the fat man''s eyes broadened a bit, and he shouted, "Stop him!" Other than the workers, even the nearby personnel, who were helping with the trade, acted right away. However, they were a second too late, for the leader had almost reached the edge of the ship by the time they took a few steps. Znoja looked desperate. (There''s still hope! If I can step on that land¡ª) At that moment, a bead of sweat slid down Bryan''s chin and fell; however, just before it hit the floor, it changed its trajectory and took off with incredible speed like an arrow shot from a bow. In the twinkling of an eye, just as Znoja''s eyes were turning to his right side from sensing danger to an extent, something pierced through the back of his head and came out from the mouth, leaving almost a fist-sized hole. As many eyes witnessed, he lost his life instantly, and his body fell into the waters below. All the eight associates, who were fighting with the other workers, got scared stiff by what they witnessed. "What just happened¡­" Bryan had his heart in his mouth. "You eight¡­" Stussy opened her hand, and Znoja''s sword that was on the floor came flying and rested in her palm. Black marks began to spread over her hand. (A cursed sword?) She was a little surprised, but with a casual swing, she sent a vertical slash that cut up a bit of the floor and traveled all the way to the edge of the ship. All the spreading black marks on her hand vanished without a trace. All this while, her daunting presence weighed down on the eight men. "Move an inch, and I will shove this up so high it''ll touch your thoughts." Her unnerving stare set off shivers from neck to knees for every single one of the associates, and they felt the air pressure around them climbing. "Surrender and spit out everything you know, and I''ll think of a punishment that doesn''t break your mind." "We''d rather die than disclose even a word to you!" some of the associates shouted. However, as the hollows were about to bind their wrists in ropes, they all tried to run away, desperate like deer cornered by a pack of wolves. The leaves drifting about in the neighborhood altered their course and swirled into a mini-tornado and forcibly picked all the associates off their feet. "I''ll give one last chance," Stussy said. "Speak, and you''ll have my mercy." "Fuck off, bitch!" they all roared in rage and resentment. She exhaled a long sigh and turned around. The leaves soon cut the eight associates apart, and by the time the tornado stopped, all that was left of them were indistinguishable bits of flesh, blood, and bones. As the winds settled, the bloody leaves emitted steam and withered away as they fell either on the deck or got carried away by the wind toward the waters. Bryan was dismayed. He pulled a never-before-seen face, aghast from what his eyes just witnessed. All that remained of the eight men, who were alive only seconds ago, were unidentifiable pieces of pulp. He just realized that only he was watching those eight people turning into nothing because all other workers had turned and looked the other way just like Stussy did. "Check the barrels with a scar on their lids, until you find eleven more kids," Stussy sheathed the sword and threw it into the sea. All the workers wasted no more time and made checking the barrels their priority. After saying that, she looked at one of the workers, who got wounded by an associate of Znoja. He was bleeding heavily at the chest, and he couldn''t even stand. She pointed her finger at his chest. A blue ball of energy shot out of the forefinger and struck his chest. The blue mass spread throughout the wound and solidified itself and stopped the bleeding at a stroke. He could see some strange blue substance on his chest, and though it uneased him a bit, he at least didn''t feel as much pain as before. "I''ve just halted the bleeding, but the seal will wear off in a day. You have to find yourself a healer and live through this. This sentence is not for losing but for closing your eyes in the middle of a fight." Saying that she walked away. "I-I''m extremely sorry, Captain Commander," the wounded man forced out a few words of regret as he tried to get up. "I won''t repeat this." Stussy just waved her arm without looking back as if telling him to take it easy. (What an idiot. I can also heal. If he had shoved his shame aside and asked me, I''d have restored his health right away.) "Chief," the fat man voiced his mind as he followed her, "you could''ve left one of those associates alive for interrogation. Their accomplices might still be on the ship." "I know this has happened before on this ship, but it''s a first this year," Stussy said, her expression giving away that she wasn''t so pleased with what had happened. "Spread the news that if this repeats, I will find every single soul involved in trafficking and hang their heads at the stern for ravens to feast upon." "Y-You mean all forms of trafficking, Chief?" he asked, but her glance told him something. "I got it." (Lack of detail sows a seed of fear in every soul regardless of the type of trafficking they''re involved in, huh. I thought Chief Commander Stussy was more benevolent than the previous one, but she''s also menacing in her own right. Moreover, her ability to exercise her authority vastly outdoes every single one I''ve ever worked for. I must make use of this time to learn a thing or two from her.) "But what about the leopards who habitually do these sorts of things? They can''t change their spots." "Unfortunately, the hardest thing to do for some people is surrendering to someone better than themselves. Instilling fear may yield temporary results, but our advice or warnings will never truly reach such people unless they have a change of heart." "I understand. Even if we use force and change them, they''ll sooner or later fall back into their old ways." "He said his name was Znoja," she put her fingers on her chin. "It felt like he was telling the truth, but it might also be an alias. Dig the name, starting with the logbook." "Sure, Chief. But what about the ''puppy'' word that guy used? It must be some sort of a code word." "Mm," she slightly nodded. "The moment he said those words, his men shifted their focus into running away, so it must''ve meant that, but write it in the records, just in case I''m wrong. If you happen to find their families, then send them adequate recompense." "Surely," he said but then began to scratch his head a bit. (Is compensation really necessary?) "And also¡­" Stussy said, getting the fat man''s attention, and he put his hand down. "Yes, Chief, what is it?" he excitedly asked. "Not anyone can be fat and fast. If you aren''t in that category, then you should consider watching your diet a bit, Gerett." The fat man, Gerett, quickly pulled his stomach inside, and stood straight. His face reddened a bit. "Y-Yes, Chief." He somewhat understood why she gave such advice because he hadn''t directly tried to stop Znoja but instead ordered the other workers to do the physical work. Stussy then glanced in Bryan''s direction and pleasantly smiled. "The time is over, Mr. Bryan. You should get going." "A-Ah, yes," Bryan just came back to his senses, and smiling tensely, he climbed down the rope hanging at the edge of the ship and onto the nearby smaller ship. "Chief," Gerrett asked in a low voice, "I think that guy probably knew about the children. Maybe we should''ve grilled him a bit?" "He''s not the fish that needs to be caught." "But his smile looked just like my uncle''s. Fake as my grandma''s golden teeth.?? She let out a soft breath and asked, "Sometimes wilderness becomes safer than a society. Why is that?" "Uh, well, that¡­ because of the people, right?" She silently stared at him. "I butchered that one. I apologize, Chief. Please open my eyes." "Morally speaking, one shouldn''t be able to do whatever they want without consequence, but some places allow certain people to have inequitable privileges than the rest. You see, this invites all sorts of problems into ordinary people''s lives. Is it worth living among those who talk about nothing important? When nothing in your neighborhood is plain anymore, wilderness becomes a better place to draw breath and support yourself because you can tell apart predators from the rest." Stussy started to walk away. "Be that as it may, everything is evermore plain for those that have eyes to see. Life beyond the grave probably won''t be all lovely for the black-hearted, but be it now, or in the afterlife, those who don''t lead their lives virtuously will only have themselves to blame." "No matter how many times they may escape, the villainous hearts will have to suffer at the very end, but it is up to the ordinary to not fall prey to the predators, huh," Gerett bowed a little. "Moving out of bad places is indeed the best option when you can''t recognize a bad face." "Oh, no! My baby!" Just then, Stussy cried out as she just realized that the violin she had kept by the wall was now in pieces. "How did this happen? Who did this?" she looked around angrily at the workers. "Ah, chief, that¡­" Gerett and the other workers couldn''t speak a word out of discomfiture. "How, how can we say this?" they kept looking at each other''s faces. "Mm?" Stussy looked at the floor and saw a cutting mark on it that formed when she had casually swung the sword. She now rubbed the back of her head, and bashfully smiled. "So it was me." Gerett tried to reassure her, "Chief, you can fix it, can''t you? So nothing bad actually happened, right?" Stussy''s gaze somewhat sharpened. "Do you hurt someone or something you love for no reason just because you can fix it later?" "I-I take back my words," Gerett turned away and shouted at other workers, "what are you all morons looking at? Get back to your work!" Meanwhile, Bryan, who just set foot on the shore, looked at his hands, and they were still mildly shaking. He looked back at sea, and Extensive Voyage was almost at the edge of the scope of his vision. He took a breath and turned around. There were three words roughly written in the sand. "CURE THY CITY." His eyes swelled out for a second, and then a mighty wave broke to the shore and washed the words away. Stussy glanced back at the shore. (Without knowledge, we will forever be at the mercy of those who wish to do our thinking for us. Mr. Bryan, will you at the least explore your city and one day expose its darkness to the world with the light of your heart, and show to one and all that man isn''t just another animal, or will you let poison find a home in your heart? Either way, do not fall to pieces.) ....... [1] Neatly: Neatly: Bending or breaking the laws in the shadows, so that the truth never reaches the public. [2] Doggy Dream: Also known as Dog''s Dream. Dogs do dream, but it''s believed that they generally don''t have the mental capacity to make those dreams come true. 90 LIFE AND HOPE As a pack of Dustbin Diggers plodded past, two eyes secretly and patiently peeked through the gap in the clinic''s partly-open door until those men took a sharp left into another street. Soon, the door opened fully, and a young man dressed in a jerkin stepped out, a foul cauliflower in hand. The hood partly hid his face, though part of the facial scar was still in the open. "Just how long are they going to search for me? Don''t their legs get tired? It''s as if they are bred for long walks and composed chores¡ªjust like the walking water-thief[1]." As he walked, the silence, that annoying silence that filled the streets uneased him, for he felt like anyone could step out onto the streets at any point, and his cover might get blown. If the Drill Hall hadn''t been vacated, the pathways probably wouldn''t be so quiescent. Just then, two people entered through the corner. Judging by their clothes, he could immediately tell that they were part of Dustbin Diggers, a gang that was part of the plunderers guild. Seeing that they were coming in his direction with doubtful looks on their faces, the youth began to sing a song as if he was passing the time. "O dear Jay In the skies I say There is a bird of prey Why don''t you stay For just another day So we can play Better than yesterday This is the best I can convey So what do you say My dear morning jay." "A wonderful piece of poetry," those two men began to clap as they approached the youth. "There are no birds here, and the sky is hidden from view, too, but your verses touched our hearts. Here, take this squirrel-bitten apple." "N-No, thank you, but you can have this," the youth tossed the cauliflower at them and quickly walked past them. "By the way, little brother," one of them asked, "did you perhaps come across a purple-haired young man recently?" The youth was a little surprised, but he shook his head without looking back and then continued to walk away. "Okay, sorry to bother you, and thanks for this vegetable," they waved their hands. "Have a nice day." Soon, the fading sound of their footsteps made the hooded youth slow down his pace. This young fellow in the brown hood was none other than Lirzod. Now, the street went quiet again, not counting Lirzod''s footsteps. "Mm?" he saw a dried onion at the edge of the street, so he picked it up. "This should come to use if they were to bother me again." A feral cat skidded at a corner and burst into the street. A filthy stray dog was on its tail. The cat came right in Lirzod''s direction, and it even seemed like it knew what it was doing, for it soon hid behind him. Lirzod, having understood its intentions, barked at the top of his lungs, and the dog stopped in its tracks just in time. Separated by only three, or maybe four meters, the dog howled in anger as if warning Lirzod to step away. The cat had its hair all puffed up, and it didn''t back down either. "Calm down, you two. Take it easy. My ears are hurting," Lirzod yelled, but the commotion of the animals only grew on his ears. MEOW~~!! BOW~~!! The two animals were at it like their lives depended on it. "On a second note, I prefer silence over your babble. I''ll make this street silent again, and you two don''t even have to thank me for it." Though Lirzod said those words, the dog and the cat weren''t even paying attention to him. The dog abruptly lunged in for a quick grab of the cat. "Cut it out!" a sweet sound rang in the cat''s ears as Lirzod''s foot landed a solid blow in the dog''s face and smacked it back to its place. The dog shook its head and growled at Lirzod. "What? Want more?" he stomped on the floor, startling the dog, and it shied away a bit. Just as it was considering leaving, a faint smell flowed into its nose, and it lowered its head and began to sniff the floor again and again at different spots. "Mm?" Lirzod raised his brows, for the cat also seemed to be doing an impression of the dog. Sensing that something was off, Lirzod stepped back a little, and the scent the animals felt faded off a little, but when they took a step toward him, the redolence strengthened again. In no time at all, the cat and the dog now got their eyes on him. "Eek, don''t tell me¡­" Lirzod''s heart skipped a beat. Just then, he realized what was happening, but by then, the dog had already jumped at him, its mouth wide open and aimed at his crotch for a gripping bite. "No!" Lirzod reflexively turned back, and the dog ended up biting his butt. "Ahwoo!" he screamed and jumped and rolled around on his butt in pain. Thanks to that, he suffocated the dog and forced it to let go of his bum; however, the cat gnawed at his crotch commandingly, sending a jolt up his spine and to the brain, which rendered him motionless for a moment. He then bawled. The dog had recovered in that time and tried to take its bit of digging into his crotch. "You darn things!" he kicked in the dog''s face and sprang to his feet and fled from the spot in a weird running posture, for the cat was hanging between his legs. "Let go of my family jewels!" he tried to shake the cat off, but the situation was delicate, so his heart was in his mouth. "Let go of them I say!" He felt powerless at that moment. As if that wasn''t enough, the dog was already back on its feet and was charging straight at him. Before he realized that, the dog leaped and caught the cat by its mouth as it slipped between his legs. To his deliverance, the cat let go of his crotch, but the dog''s bite was enough to inflict a grave wound on its back and stomach. With a vicious shake of its head, the dog dug its teeth further deep into the cat. After about ten quick shakes, it tossed the cat away and licked its bloody teeth and lips. Blood poured out of the cat as its stomach expanded and contracted from rapid breathing. It was clear that the cat was doing its best to survive, but right before Lirzod''s eyes, the movement of the cat''s stomach had significantly slowed down in a matter of a few seconds. The dog went to the cat and started sniffing it and kept moving it around as if it was playing with it. "That''s enough," Lirzod clenched his fist and stepped in. Antagonism was rising in his face. The dog let go of the cat''s throat and bared its teeth at him now. A loud bark and then a robust leap followed. Just as its jaws reached up to his face, a mighty fist thundered into its chin from underneath and shut its mouth. Multiple teeth cracked as they squeezed against each other and eventually broke. An unpleasant yelp echoed throughout the street as the dog''s eyes whitened, and it crashed onto the floor and slid into a screeching halt. Though its senses were smashed into oblivion, its tail was still subtly moving. He stooped down and checked for the cat''s pulse, but he couldn''t feel it. A faint breath escaped out of his mouth. "Oi, what''s happening over there?" a group of two men hurried over. These were the same guys Lirzod had conversed with only a couple of minutes ago. (Why are they coming back? Did they see through my cover?) Lirzod hastily, but without much movement, pulled his hood down so his face wouldn''t be seen. (I hope another poem will divert their attention from knowing my identity.) He quickly chose a poem to put to use and let his tongue work. "A lone kid Named Sid Tossed a stone At a chicken¡ª" Lirzod''s expression suddenly froze. "Ah, crap," he muttered under his breath and frowned, "I can''t remember the rest!" However, those two men picked up the poem from where he seemingly stopped. "¡ªWithout batting an eyelid But straight away Feeling the chicken''s fury He bailed not so beautifully." "Hahaha," those two men laughed as best as they could while wearing the masks, but they soon pulled the masks down and breathed freely. "It''s been a while since we''ve sung the ''Silly Sid'' poem. It surely took us back to our childhood days. I''m sure every child who heard this poem often dreamed of riding a chicken into battle." Lirzod faintly breathed a sigh of relief. He was worried that he forgot the poem midway, but luckily, these guys voiced the rest. "The dog and the cat must have been brawling." One of the two men asked as they observed the scene, "Is the cat dead?" Lirzod nodded with difficulty and stood. "Okay, then we''ll be taking it," they picked the cat and tossed it in one of their baskets, and their eyes fell on what was in Lirzod''s hand. "And that onion looks past its age." Lirzod handed it over. "Thank you, little brother," they looked pleased. "What about the dog?" Lirzod asked. "Ah, we don''t eat dog meat," they said. "Besides, it''s still alive." Lirzod was startled and was even taken back a little, "Y-You are going to eat that cat?" "Yes, is there a problem?" they casually asked, but he stayed silent. "It''s not your pet, or is it?" "No," Lirzod slightly shook his head. (But...) "Then we''ll be taking it. You can do whatever you want with that dog, though." Lirzod grudgingly said, "So you guys take scraps¡ªjust like vultures." "Vultures, huh¡­ you can say that." They smiled a little, and one of them let out an egregious burp, so appalling that even Boksa would have trouble ignoring. This sort of unbearable smell would only come from the mouths of those who had followed one of the worst diets ever. "But we are more warm-hearted. Because of the rules, we won''t be eating this cat on this deck. So there''s no issue at all. By the way," they asserted through their voice, "be careful if you come across the purple-haired youngster. The word is that he''s a bad guy. His actions sparked conflict in this locality and will soon surely engender debates and disputes all over this sector. Some will initially galvanize support for child booths, but in time, the purple-haired fellow, the root cause of all of this trouble, will be ostracized by everyone he comes across until he pleads guilty and begs to be directly punished by our boss. Anyway, thanks for your cooperation." Saying that they left, quarreling among themselves as to who would get to eat the cat. "There are no warm-hearted vultures I know of," Lirzod murmured, waving his hand before his nose as the horrid smell of the burp still lingered in the air. "Only vicious ones that don''t even leave the bones for the family of the dead to grieve over their loved ones." Xiao was the name of one of the cows Lirzod''s family raised. Some years ago, her mother, Abby, was mercilessly dragged away and brutally eaten alive by wolves. By the time Picazo tracked down her location, not even bones or horns were left, thanks to the vultures that often accompanied the wolves. These were no ordinary vultures but ones with long red beards, infamously known as Bloodbeard Vultures, whose 75 percent of diet contained bones, horns, hooves, antlers, and so on. There was nothing Picazo could bring back to Xiao, who was only a calf back then. That incident left a big impression on Lirzod because that episode sparked the beginning of a long-standing conflict between the townsmen and the wolves \u0026 vultures. Lirzod felt powerless back then because he couldn''t save the many livestock that fell prey to wolves. For some reason, the explosion that happened during his fight with Hardy came to his mind and how he couldn''t save many cats, especially Leggy, and even brought harm to many bystanders. All of this caused him to clench his fist so hard that his nails dug into his palm. "There are people waiting for me to come back home. There are all kinds of individuals here, but losing was never my intention. I should''ve bested Hardy, but I couldn''t because I was indecisive. I played into his hands and let him do as he pleased." He stood silently, lost in thought for a good ten seconds. "Whatever happened has happened. I can''t change that, but from now on, I''ll try to never put myself in such a situation again." A second of silence passed. His gaze then shifted toward the dog on the floor. His hands soon reached out to the dog, and then he picked it up into his arms. Meanwhile, inside the Drill Clinic, two patients were in a raised discussion. "Hey, darling," the young fellow fervently whispered, "am I the first person you ever kissed?" "Yes, dear," she pinched his cheek and tickled his ears with her words. "Why do men always ask the same silly question?" Mulyk was sitting in a chair. She woke up from light sleep, only to see two teenagers romancing on a bed. She jumped out of the chair in stupefaction. "You two found no better place to romance than my clinic?" With a lunge, she attacked them right away with her kicks. "Get the hell out of here-fu!" "Uwaah, what''s wrong with you, woman!" the teenagers cried out in fear as they got kicked out of the bed. They had come to the clinic to get the girl''s cold treated, but after seeing the fiery look on Mulyk, they changed their minds and fled, while scolding her and saying that they should''ve never come to an elf''s clinic. "Tch, what''s wrong with me?" Mulyk blew hot air through her nose. "I can''t believe they had the guts to exercise their exaggerations here. How flighty. If they come again, I''ll rub their noses with Red Rash[2]." Just then, Lirzod came into the clinic and put the dog on the same bed where the two teenagers were before. "What in the world are you doing bringing a dog here?" Mulyk was bewildered. "You don''t need to do much," Lirzod said and waved his hands in a strange motion, "Just apply some salve around its mouth, and then cover it loosely with a bandage." "What?" A nerve in her neck popped out. "I''m asking you why you brought that thing into my clinic!" "Why ask," Lirzod exposed his palms, "when you know it can''t come to the clinic by itself?" "Huh?" Mulyk''s jaw hung open. "Treat it, please," Lirzod urged. "I don''t know if it will get its teeth back. I can only hope it does. Also, after the treatment''s over, give it a piece of the fish meat I''ve given you. Of course, only if you still have it." Mulyk''s eyes turned icy, and her shoulders almost touched her ears, "You are unbelievable!" "Ah, and one more thing!" Lirzod patted his butt a couple of times. "This dog ate my pants, thinking I have meat hidden in there," Lirzod said, considering how even though he had taken a bath, he had to wear the same underpants that carried the scent of fish with them. "Do you have another pair of¡ª" As he was saying, she walked over and elbowed him in the face. "Shut your trap." She folded her arms and looked down on him. "You''ve tried your luck with me enough times already. Don''t you dare do it again! Besides, why should I even listen to a pervert in the first place, eh?" Lirzod removed the hands off his face and rubbed his nose to ease the pain, but at the same time, sparks flew out of his eyes. "Who are you calling a pervert, you elf-imposter!" "Ho¡­" the corner of her lips curled up. "You think you can run your mouth as you want in my presence?" "That''s my line," said Lirzod, not backing down. "Take back what you said." "Hmph!" she paused for a moment and then smiled before continuing, "Alright, let''s see who''s the boss! If you can get past me and touch any cloth in that closet," she pointed her thumb backward over her shoulders, "that''s yours." "Are you sure about that?" Lirzod teasingly said, "Your closet may very well be emptied, you know." "Humph, let me see you try," she confidently spoke. "I''ll give you a two-second headstart." "That''s kind of you. Then here I go!" Lirzod dashed past her, and in the next two seconds, he took five long steps and almost reached the closet. Mulyk then swiveled around and launched herself at a terrific speed. Just as Lirzod opened the closet and his hands got to a touching distance to a dress, Mulyk grabbed his collar and pulled him away. Her brute strength was enough to pull him back a step, but he kept stretching his arm, trying to reach a dress. "It''s no use," she said with a glowing face. "You lose." Lirzod struggled for a couple more seconds and then stopped. "Finally stopped, huh," she somewhat snorted. Lirzod turned his head a little. "Oh, no, look! The dog''s pooping on the bed." "What?" Mulyk instantly turned her head to take a look, but her hand was still holding on to his collar; however, Lirzod stretched his neck forward and then extended his lips and planted a kiss on her cheek, startling the heck out of her. She let go of the collar without herself knowing. "Hehe." Lirzod then pulled a pair of clothes out of the closet and laughed. "You lost." Mulyk''s face turned red and pink at the same time, and a few other strange shades also crept up from the corners. "You vile vulnir..." She jumped and kicked hard in Lirzod''s face repeatedly with both the legs and sent him into the closet, but her kicks didn''t stop. "Nobody has ever kissed me before. How could you do this to me? You should be executed for this felony!" "Bi~ba~bu~be~bu!" Lirzod wasn''t even given time or freedom to talk back, and kicks continued to storm his face. Meanwhile, on the tenth deck, there was a serene atmosphere. Stussy was moving the ship with her own strength because they were in the doldrums, the windless weather belt. The waters around Exvo were calm, and the winds Stussy set in motion were soft and gentle. This was a perfect time to take in some sun and fresh air, and that was what some workers were doing after they finished hauling on a line, gathering exports that would get unloaded at the next stop. There was enough sunlight to warm the water in the tubs, enticing men and women alike to take a barrel of water into their cabins and take a bath. All in all, so much hustle and bustle were going on. Stussy just let the workers relax and even play little games like, "Tag, you''re it!" However, after seeing some workers repeatedly splash water on each other, she couldn''t just stand by. She made her way, and before she even spoke a word, they stopped their play and stood stiffly. "I get that you want to have some fun, but please do it without wasting fresh water. Keep in mind that we''re traveling on seas, so every drop of freshwater counts." "Yes, Captain Commander!" they all bowed and replied in unison. "We''ll be careful from here on out." After confirming the location the ship was at using a wooden sextant, Gerett, the fat man in short gray hair, was hurrying toward Stussy, but he hit his foot and fell flat on his face, revealing how thin he was on top. At least, the sextant didn''t break. "Ochochouch! I think I just broke my nose. Maybe I need some break." "Cut your act," Stussy said. "Not a drop of blood spilled on the floor." "Haha," Gerett embarrassingly laughed. "Since dawn, I''ve been working hard with the sextant, so I tried to play a game. I hope you understand that, Chief." "I will give you a break when you can tell the location without the need for such tools," she said. "Uh, sorry, Chief," he hid the sextant behind his back. "I don''t think I can achieve that anytime soon." "How''s the progress with the kids?" she asked. "There are no visible torture scars on any of them, Chief, but when we used black light, every one of them had dozens of scars." "So either they have been held captive on this ship for some time," Stussy bit an end of her lower up and involuntarily shook her head, "and nobody noticed, or they might have been brought in recently through an underhanded way. The latter case seems likely as they wouldn''t risk trafficking under my surveillance when they could have chosen some other route." "Those children didn''t know who their parents were, and they didn''t register in any of the child booths either, so we don''t have their birth record. No wonder none of us noticed." "That''s why they became perfect targets because they looked expendable. Nobody cares when an orphan or a homeless person goes missing. How is their psyche?" "Nothing bad, but they are acting strangely in some ways. From what we''ve evaluated, they are smiling when subjected to simple mildly painful things like pinching." "Smiling?" Stussy narrowed her eyes into the distance. "Plain is a pleasure for either a sick or a shattered psyche." "How should we proceed with them, Chief? To me, everything else about them looked normal and natural. They are asking for food and toys, and they are even sad that their masters left them." "Masters? You mean those nine?" He nodded. "The kids missing those traffickers looked natural to you?" "Uh, that¡­" Gerett didn''t know what to say. "I thought some of them probably acted as their caretakers while the rest tortured the kids. So I was thinking, maybe, they used to work at casinos or something, or they could be part of a nasty groomer gang, given how good they were at fighting." "Those traffickers weren''t groomers. They had a different air about them, one that smelled far worse. They put children through the torture that most adults would rather die than go through. You need to understand that you could get severely beat up, lose an eye, get an arm cut off, or get stabbed or shot, but these wounds don''t go much deeper than your eyes can see. The worst wounds are mental." She clenched her fist. "It hurts me to say this, but those kids were scarred for life. Right now, all we know about those nine traffickers is that they all worked as florists in neighboring decks, but we must get to the end of their case sooner rather than later. Regardless, it''s not good for these kids to be on this ship where their worst memories lie. For now, give them proper medical and hospitable care. We''ll drop them off at Shepherd''s Town." "Yes, Chief." "So they''ve decided to bother us," just then, Stussy looked up toward her left, and a flying ship¡ªdriven by solar, wind, and a few other free energy sources¡ªthat somewhat looked like an owl in flight came into their view and was tagging alongside. Compared to Exvo, that flying ship looked like an ant. It had platinum armoring done at the front that resembled the face of an owl. Though it had wing-like designs extending from the sides, those wings presently stayed still. Hundreds of people in white uniforms were on the ship, all of them, seemingly ready to act at notice. "What the..." Gerett was unnerved. "Is this an attack?" His face lost some color. After all, no ordinary group would dare to even taunt those on Exvo. Someone threw a shield from atop the flying ship. A figure then jumped off of the flying ship and landed on the plummeting shield, surfed through the skies and burst their way through the air barrier, and picked the shield into a hand before landing only a few feet away from Stussy, greatly startling Gerett and everyone around. A silver-haired woman, dressed in a long white jacket with colored collar and linings, was what they saw. She was as pale as winter itself. Her hair fell well below her knees and almost touched the bottom of the jacket. Her hands were hidden in white gloves sprinkled with gold dust. There was a longsword, resting diagonally on her back. Her six-and-half-foot tall figure was a sight to behold. Upon seeing the badge on her chest, Gerett''s eyes enlarged to the max, and his heart pounded against his chest. It was a badge made out of crossing swords resting atop a thick feather that looked like a rod, and under that feather stand, six golden feathers were hanging. "T-That badge¡­ She''s a Marshal!" "Eh?" every other worker was taken aback and was gasping. "Forgive my rudeness for boarding without permission," she was staring right at Stussy as if she already knew that the rest wasn''t worth a glance, "but since you are sailing through a squash zone, I found such formalities rather time-wasting." "What do you want?" Stussy asked right away, her voice sounding neutral at the moment. "So straightforward. That makes things easier," she said, and then faintly smiled. "You must be Stussy Junksman, the one who got her name engraved on Diggs Stone as the most aesthetic scribbler of the millennium at a mere age of eleven, and you are also the one who built ''that'' world-famous bridge. It''s an honor to finally meet you, and I must admit, you are a looker, fufu." She casually looked around. "I must also say¡ªthis is one monster of a vessel. The oldest ship in the world, or so they say," she tapped her foot once. "Top-grade wood to boot. Absorbs shock like rubber. It has no paint, but there''s no rotting from exposure, at least as far as I can see. I can''t help but wonder how this thing was even made." As far as her experience told her, every exterior surface on ships had to be scrubbed, tinted, varnished, oiled, tarred, or greased as often as per the boatswain''s orders, so this Exvo''s existence was like a massive puzzle she couldn''t get her head around on first sight. "But, too bad, it has no sails. So, things like punishing with belaying pins for any misconduct isn''t possible." She laughed a little, and then upon reading the mood, she cleared her throat. "Ahem, anyway, I''ve come here looking for someone, a member of Elfall, that folks from the Dawn Order are after." "Why?" Stussy asked, and she didn''t blink in over a minute or so. "The word led us here," her voice sounded majestic. "You may have heard about this person they call the White Vizard." "I''m not asking how you got here," Stussy squinted her eyes, "but why are you interested in that person?" "Ah, regarding that¡­" a corner of her lips slightly curled up. "I''m just interested in the bird that has raised many eyebrows all over the west." "But, at the moment, I''m not interested in seeing other''s interests through," Stussy said bluntly. "You can go back to your baby bird and save me time." She narrowed the windows of her view, "Are you taking me for a joke?" A burst of energy leaked out of her body and sent everyone in the vicinity flying away into the objects, walls, or to the edge of the ship. Even the trees swayed madly. Only Stussy was still on her feet, unaffected by the shockwave. As she stepped forward, the heavy objects in her path slid to the side as if making way for her. (A freakish burst of energy! Glad that I didn''t fall into the ocean.) Unlike other workers, Gerett tried to get back to his feet, but he and every other worker around suddenly got squashed to the floor by some invisible force. The pressure was so potent they couldn''t breathe. Blood leaked out of their noses and ears. The weaker workers even got blood-shot eyes and cried out from the burning sensation in their heads. The wooden structures around them were cracking and breaking. The metal objects got bent out of shape. The haystacks caught on fire. Their clothes started to tear, and their bodies began to lift into the air. Even the big trees began to get uprooted. (Are you kidding me? What''s this? A mental ability?) Gerett couldn''t believe what was happening, and he felt like his heart was on the verge of exploding. (Someone, please get me out of here!) He literally shed tears. Stussy snapped her fingers a little, and all the choking pressure in the neighborhood passed away almost instantly, and the wind around them settled again. The fire in the haystacks, too, was gone. Every worker and the object fell back to the floor; however, most of the people on the flying ship felt dizzy and went unconscious. "Hoh," the silver-haired woman stopped. A teeny spot of blood surfaced at a corner of her mouth, but she faintly smiled. Her gaze was still fearless. Both she and Stussy kept staring at each other for a few seconds, and the air between them crackled now and then. "Elfall isn''t even listed in the Nox Order," Stussy indifferently said. "I won''t feel the least bit guilty for ending your uncalled-for adventure and sending you back the way you came. So I advise that you turn and find your way back to your ship, and the weather will be fair as you leave. If you want to make a scene, though, I can''t guarantee if your people will recognize you from what will be left of you." However, there was no vocal response, other than a bold smirk. Stussy forthwith lifted one of her fingers, and the sky suddenly turned dark, and the clouds rumbled together like a ferocious sky-beast letting loose its fury. A streak of lightning snaked down from the heavens and bolted onto the silver-haired woman. With a sweep of her sword, she sent the lightning bolt into the ocean, vaporizing a vast amount of water almost instantly. Gerett and every other worker were stunned to the core from what little they comprehended. (S-She redirected a thunderbolt! Just how fast can she move?) Just the after-effects of the vibrations that lightning had set off, such as sound and heat, were oppressive enough that their spines shook uncontrollably. "Flashes are but delicacies for someone like me who roams the skies all the time," the silver-haired woman said and grinned. "Don''t tell me that was the best shot you''ve got. You''ve ruined good weather for nothing." "Fret not. That was just a warning for what you did to the ship and my subordinates," Stussy''s voice grew cold. "Next one won''t be so easy to deflect." She raised her hand, and thick darkness covered the skies apace and blurred the shadows of men as black clouds congested and rumbled unrestrainedly, a lot more viciously than before. The sounds the clouds made this time around caused men and women in many decks to pause their work in surprise and trepidation, for they felt something ring in their hearts. On the twelfth deck, Burton, who was resting on the back of a twelve-feet tall elephant being ridden by a mahout, opened his eyes, while he casually chewed gum; his dress was drenched in sweat like a farmer who had worked all day under the sun. The elephant got scared and began to shake its head and stomp its feet, but the mahout controlled it with the hook, albeit with some effort. As for Gerett and the other workers who were in the open and who were witnessing everything with their own eyes, they felt like the clouds were rumbling right above their shoulders, giving the impression that their lives were so insignificant. However, Stussy then suddenly stopped all the rampage and made the environment calm again. After all, had she continued it, someone in the vicinity might have died from heatstroke. But the silence that formed afterward felt even deadlier, for nobody moved an inch. Gerett was extremely tense and scared, for he knew that the next few seconds would determine whether a real fight would break out or not. As for other workers, some of them long emptied their bladders, and the rest were on the verge. After a momentary silence and some stare-off, the silver-haired woman, upon hearing the rising heartbeats of her underlings on her flying ship, smirked before sheathing the sword and then turned around. "Whatever¡­ I''m going empty-handed because you''re right about one thing. I don''t have a good enough reason to cross swords with you, but when I do, expect your dead body to end up in the depths of the ocean where none, not even your parents, can hope to pull you out of." She suddenly swiveled and shot the shield at Stussy at speed faster than a bullet, and the shield bolted through the air even faster, but it got repelled before it reached Stussy. The silver-haired woman jumped and landed on the flying-away shield and surfed through the skies with it. This time the air barrier did not provide any resistance. "If I can''t see the bird here, I can go live near the flock," she muttered to herself. "Then again, I wonder if waiting there will be worth it." Moments later, after the smaller ship flew away into the distance like an owl streaking through the sky, all the workers and Gerett felt at ease, for they knew that if those two were to fight seriously, then a nightmare would have been upon them. Stussy, however, narrowed the windows of her view as she looked in the direction of that flying ship. (She works for an organization that says it wants peace, yet they rejoice in destruction. Such hypocrisy and evil! At least, she''s not too far gone and knew when to hold back, unlike most of those she works for.) Her attention then shifted toward the workers. "Get back to work," Stussy''s voice made them all get back to their positions and continue from where they left off. "Quickly repair the damaged things!" Gerett also barked at other workers. (Whew, nothing major happened. If those two had fought seriously, even a thousand lives wouldn''t have ensured my survival. Luck returned to my side before it was too late, haha.) He laughed a bit nervously, which only made him aware of the pains growing all over his body. (That woman¡ªI should have known the moment she came down on a shield when she could have just flown her way here. What a showoff! That said, even though her ability only lasted a few seconds, my mind and body have taken more damage than I thought. So this is what a marshal is capable of doing. No, what she''s shown is probably just the tip of an iceberg.) He then glanced at Stussy. (Luckily, we have a monster on our side as well. Otherwise, I can''t even imagine what could''ve happened, especially given the zone we''re in.) Stussy, meanwhile, started to walk in a specific direction. "Parents, huh¡­" though she was casually walking, she seemed to be lost in a flashback of her childhood. "Darling, if we give Pinky to this rich couple, they promised that all our troubles would be taken care of." "Honey, but she''s our eldest daughter. And we found her only a week ago." "I know, but Pinky is whom they''ve asked for, and they are willing to give us three cows and some more coins for her. Not only is she born beautiful, but she''s also excellent at studies. It must''ve been hard to find someone as rare as her." "But¡­" "Look, it''s not like we''re never going to see her or anything. The rich couple even promised that we could visit their home once a year." "This¡­ how do you think Pinky will take this???? "She will feel bad for a few days, but we are doing this for all of our good. I''m positive that she will understand that as well." As the father and mother were discussing in the middle of the night, Pinky, an eight-year-old, who was sleeping on the floor right beside her parents, had to act like she was asleep, but she still couldn''t control her lower lip, which quivered uncontrollably. All this while, her eyes were open, and tears streamed down her face and soaked the old bed sheet that her hands clenched tightly. A few ''rough'' days and ''rougher'' nights later, she was taken to the rich couple''s home, and the first words her father-to-be spoke to her was, ''Though I wanted a son, you''re all I could find. From today, your name will be Stussy, and you shall never show a trace of Pinky again either in the house or in the world outside. Otherwise, I''ll be disappointed." Pinky nodded hesitantly, but then voiced her mind, "What about meeting my parents?" "Your parents?" His cold and indifferent voice echoed in her ears. "Both your father and your mother are standing right before your eyes." At that moment, Pinky, for the first time, tasted the barefaced lie of a rich man, and all the anger and hate she had developed on her blood parents till then seemed nothing compared to how she felt about her new father. Even though her original parents gave her away, she still found it hard to digest, not being able to see them even once in a year. Her first experience with her new father began with the breaking of a promise. As if that wasn''t enough, her mother-to-be then opened her mouth. "Look at how ugly you are. Till now, you''ve worn clothes with holes and ate spoiled food and slept on the floor every day, pretty much like a slave. Habits are hard to change, the childhood ones, even more so. But, as your father said, you''re Stussy now. Without sacrifice, there can be no success. Now, be a good girl and go to your room. Discard your old self, and find your new self. Do not come out until you''ve buried Pinky, which more smoothly means you''ve just given up all hope on her, your poor self." She then leaned closer and said in a low voice, "I saw your face warp when we weren''t willing to hold your former parents'' hands, but we have a good reason to do that. The rich and the poor never shake hands. It may all seem confusing right now, but you will understand everything in time." She patted on Stussy''s shoulder. "Go to your room and relax." After standing uneasily on her feet for many seconds, Pinky nodded. She wore a shocked and saddened face as a maid guided her to her room, or rather she couldn''t hide her emotions at the moment. These new parents didn''t bring up her siblings at all, so she could already guess how they would treat them if she ever were to bring them home. Would they even let her meet her siblings? Probably not. All of these apprehensions made her feel sick. To add to her miseries, the maid stared at her with an expression devoid of warmth, as if she was looking at an empty, spiritless doll. Pinky, wearing an emotionally-strangled mien, stepped into her room. That was all she could do then. "You think she has what it takes to shine?" the mother, a brunette with a lovely face enhanced by make-up, looked at her husband as if to reinforce her beliefs. "Kids think the world revolves around them, so oftentimes, they only worry about what affects them," the father, an elegant brown-haired man with a thick mustache but no beard, replied in knowing tongue. "They live in this box that doesn''t breed consequences until they come to a certain age and start seeing how their actions affect those that are outside of that box." "The sooner she steps out of that room, the better it is for us, huh." "In search of an heir, I''ve met thousands of youngbloods, so I''ve learned to estimate their capabilities from their eyes alone. I believe she is worthy of achieving great things, which is why she''s here, but we can''t be certain until we see the results. If she comes out tomorrow morning, it''s all good. Otherwise, it''s best that we consider that her psyche got cracked from getting kidnapped first and later getting sold by her own parents right after she found her way home. If that''s the case, then we can''t keep her." "Fine by me," the mother said. "Given how neatly she writes, she''ll make a fine calligrapher even without us, but to reach the top, she will need help from those who know the ways that lead them to the zenith of glory. But then, I only want a daughter who gives us her hundred percent, not even ninety-nine something." Coming back to the present, Stussy stopped by under the shade of a tree. She rested her back on the wooden floor, with her hands placed under her head. "While there is life, there is hope¡­ Mom." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. .... [1] Walking Water-thief: A legendary thief who roams the seas on foot and steals wealth from second-rate people, mostly from pirate, ill-famed marine, or rich private ships. Nobody has ever seen his face till date. [2] Red Rash: A plant with leaves of three, which causes itchy sensation upon touch. This was one of the most hated plants among the itchy-type species, for many people lost their limbs, and some even scratched themselves to death. 91 GONE FOR GOOD Lean and dark women and children were walking in intense heat for miles in search of water, and they had no spirit to shoot the breeze. The women had thin hair on their heads, and the children were just skin and bones, with their ribs showing out in full. Including men of all ages, about three hundred or so people arrived at a well not far from the seashore. Getting down to the bottom of the 1200ft deep well was fraught with dangers, but along with men, the children and women fearlessly made a line down the messy slopes of the well and helped each other to get loaded waterpots to the surface. Currently, there was only a large puddle of muddy water at the bottom of that massive well. Fetching water from whatever source available had once again become part of people''s routine in the past few years, especially at the end of the summer and the beginning of the monsoons. During these days, finding a pot of water a week per person was considered a roaring success. On this day, all people got at least one to two pots of water for themselves and their families, except for two¡ªa senile man in a turban and a little boy. One was too old, and the other was too young to contribute, but they both had two things in common: little clothing and similar facial looks. As the villagers downed mugs of water in the wink of an eye, the little boy gulped his dry saliva. He unwittingly made a piteous expression, but his cake was dough, for nobody batted an eyelid for his sake. The old man, on the other hand, was in somewhat of a lather. He did not ask any villager to share some water and just followed those who still went looking for more wells. Unlike other villagers, these two didn''t carry any pots because they had already sold all the vessels¡ªpots, jars, and jugs¡ªfor little food and water. Otherwise, they wouldn''t even have survived until now. Currently, they were following the villagers, so they could quench their thirst if someone showed sympathy to them, despite knowing such tender mercies only came once in a blue moon. "Why are we going to another well, grandpa?" the little kid asked, his voice sounding dry. "Why can''t we dig deeper into this well for more water?" "Without rain, it doesn''t matter how deep we dig the wells won''t recharge any better. We''ll be drinking more water to quench our thirst during the process of digging than the water that we may find if we dig deeper." As hot winds washed his face, the old man looked away from the shore and toward the mainlands. His eyes were set on the sky, looking for the signs of dark clouds. However, the sky was as clear as it could be. All the trees in sight had only dried up branches and zero leaves. The voices of younger men, who were involved in a conversation, reached his ears. "There''s not much water left in the wells, and there''s no sign of rain either." "Last year also we had a severe drought, but this year, it''s worse. What cursed lives we''re living!" "Some of our friends had already left our village, but if it doesn''t rain soon, we''ll be forced to do the same. The longer we stay here, the closer we get to our death bed." "Yeah, I dug my fields a few inches yesterday, and it''s all rock. It takes heavy rains for our lands to even become useful for farming. I don''t see that happening any time soon." "I''m almost out of fodder. Whether it rains or not, I can''t stay in this place for more than a couple of days, or I''ll be watching my buffaloes die!" "You can just sell them as we did." "They''re like my children! I can''t do that!" "You''re not the only one who treats their cattle like family, but there''s nothing much we can do, given our situation. Even if we were fighting against forest fire, we could somehow hope to stop it or escape from it, but now we''re fighting against the fire in our bellies, one that needs much less water, yet we can''t even get that. Tch, what miserable lives we''re living. We''re truly left alone." "I don''t agree on the cattle part. They are everything to me." "Whatever." Their words didn''t help the old man''s situation either, but he tried to lighten the mood with his words, "Let''s not worry about trivial things, folks. We don''t have enormous energy like the sun to be angry all day." However, the others kept chatting, and the old man was totally ignored, so he awkwardly backed out of the conversation and stayed silent like he was never part of the conversation, to begin with. He knew that being in the vale of years was enough to make everyone look down on you, but he also knew that he only needed a few praises to make them listen. However, unlike the younger ones who seemed rejuvenated after wetting their tongues and throats, he neither had the stamina nor the mood for such frivolous conversations, at least not at the moment. As death was indirectly but repeatedly brought up in the men''s conversation, the old man''s memories drifted into the past. About a month ago, a tiger came out of the dying forest, probably because of the harsh climatic conditions, and mauled his cow to death. Not long after that, his son had gone to sea for fishing but never returned. The old man fathomed that the sea had taken a liking to his son and chose to keep him in her bosom forever. However, only days after his son''s loss devastated the family, a slight mistake at a well cost his daughter-in-law her life. Wells claiming people''s lives wasn''t anything new, but every time such an event happened, it seemed to have occurred out of the blue, as if no one ever expected that people would give their lives away, willingly or not, in ways that would cause anguish in their beloved. Right now, the old man''s bare feet could bear walking on the hot and parched road much better than the loss of his son and daughter-in-law through unnatural deaths. Even though he wanted to cry, he held back his tears, not wanting to waste whatsoever water left in his flesh and blood. After all, if he died, who would look after his five-year-old grandson? Even though the old man was wearing a turban, the glaring sunlight and the heat regularly gave him headaches. His waist, knees, and feet also hurt a lot from daily walks. "Grandpa, some of my friends say that people in cities live comfortable lives and that we can get water every day. Why can''t we go there?" "We can''t afford to get there, let alone live there, Cotton," the old man replied with a desolate voice. "Maybe our destiny is like this, never worthy of leading comfortable lives, but I believe it''s better than the people who abandon their drought-ridden villages like rats desert a sinking ship." He could guess that people in large towns and cities have their own problems, but throughout his life in Noclopogo, he had seen many deaths, but the worst of them all was dying from thirst. He never wished such death to befall even upon his enemies. He knew very well that he was killing the hopes of his grandson, Cotton, who was given this name because his cheeks were soft like cotton when he was born, but he just didn''t want Cotton to have ''fruitless'' wishful thinking. Be it life or death, it had to come in the village he was born in; however, he didn''t want Cotton to live similarly and be desperate for every drop of water in his sight. As he was lost in thought, he didn''t realize that his sight turned blurry. He licked his sore lips with his cracked tongue, but that didn''t help much. He felt like something was wrong, so he raised his hand to call others for help. Before he could speak out, however, he collapsed to the side. "Grandpa! What happened? Grandpa!" Cotton tried to help him, but the old man couldn''t feel his surroundings at all. One of the villagers, who were walking in the front, noticed the old man''s situation and was about to turn around, but her friend stopped her and advised her that a gulp of water might save the old man''s life for now, but given his condition, he might kick the bucket regardless. However, if that same amount of water was instead given to cattle, they''d provide milk. Even though Cotton''s cries reached them, they kept walking. This wasn''t the first time they abandoned someone, unable to feed them, and this probably wouldn''t be the last either. The old man had seen many people admit defeat to the intangible monster of their lands, the long-lasting drought, but he didn''t want to throw in the towel like them. He tried to get up, but the fall had sprained his back, and the shock numbed his whole spine. He couldn''t even sit straight. Laying on the hot ground, putting his hands on his face, he cried out in his heart. "Damn it all¡­" The old man, who was bearing all the pain in his heart until now, broke out into tears. Cotton didn''t know how to react. His expression was filled with confusion and sadness because he wasn''t sure if his grandpa was now taking another one of his usual quick forty winks. He couldn''t tell that his grandfather was having a back problem, but he could tell that something was hurting him. "Grandpa, the ground is hot. You should get up." His grandfather suddenly stopped crying. He took a long glance at Cotton and then removed his turban and put it in Cotton''s hands. "Take this and follow those people." "What about you, grandpa?" "I''ll follow you soon, so go. Hurry," the old man urged. "You can still catch up to them." "No," Cotton shook his head. "I don''t want to go without you." "Don''t make me repeat myself! I''ll catch up with you soon!" Anger filled the old man''s eyes, and he pushed Cotton away and threw dirt and stones at him. "Just go!" he kept waving his hands. Cotton''s mouth was downturned, "But you walk like a snail, grandpa." Tears filled up his eyes, and he started to cry. "How can you catch up with us?" The old man''s expression froze. He gritted his teeth and continued to toss dirt and stones, with his head tilted down. Cotton soon walked away in haste, without saying another word. "Don''t be like me! Don''t have a one-track mind! No matter what challenges life throws at you, always be up to the mark, so you can one day have the world by the tail," the old man told the parting words as he continued to throw everything his hands could get off the ground, even though his spine hurt a lot every time he moved his arms. Tears had long stopped coming out, and his eyes turned bright red, with which he took a final look at the back of his grandson before shifting his gaze toward the clear sky. His mind, however, felt muddy at the moment. "I was born with nothing, and like everybody, I strove for riches and fame. Like everybody, I tasted both success and failure. Now, as I near the end of my story, why does it hurt so much despite knowing that I won''t be able to carry anything beyond my grave just like everyone else?" as pain rose up to his throat, he found it hard to swallow. He went silent at a stroke. The sun was right above his head, but right now, he was looking straight toward the sun with open eyes and without blinking. Many seconds passed, but he didn''t blink. Seconds turned into minutes, and still, the old man didn''t blink. A housefly came and briefly landed on his nose and then left; even so, there was no movement in his body. Just then, the sound of footsteps reached his ears. He shifted his head and blinked for the first time in many minutes. As his sight slowly restored, the image of Cotton reflected in his eyes. Why? Why did he come back? Just as he rubbed his eyes to get a better rock, the familiar voice of Cotton reached his ears. "Grandpa! I''ve brought water!" The old man had an utterly puzzled look because Cotton was not holding any pot. However, Cotton soon skidded into a halt and knelt beside him and said, "Open your mouth, grandpa!" He put the turban on the old man''s face. The old man''s eyes widened upon seeing that one of Cotton''s eyes were blackened. "Cotton, don''t tell me, you¡­" "Just open your mouth," Cotton put his fingers into the old man''s mouth and forced it open. Then he squeezed the turban, and water dripped down from the cloth and mostly fell into his mouth. The old man gladly and desperately wet his tongue and throat. Cotton was careful to not waste the water. After all, he obtained that by dipping the turban in one of the waterpots the villagers were carrying, and, in return, received a blackened eye, but the effort was worth it. Though the thought of climbing down the 1200ft well came to his mind, the sheer size and depth of the well itself scared him, so he had no other choice but to resort to this method. After squeezing all the water he could, Cotton gave the turban back to the old man, who then squeezed it masterfully and brought more water out, startling Cotton. This time, it was Cotton''s turn to wet his tongue while laying his head on his grandfather''s chest. Afterward, they soaked their faces with the wetness of the turban. Even under the scorching heat of the noon sun, the coolness they currently felt, there was no pleasure better than that in the world, or so they fancied. "Mm?" Just then, Cotton''s eyes shifted toward the sea. His eyes widened to the max when a mountainous ship hove into view. This ship that approached the shore was Extensive Voyage. "G-Grandpa¡­ look!" Cotton quickly pointed in the direction of the sea. "A ship!" The old man''s eyes exhibited a significant amount of surprise. "T-That ship..." his voice trembled from joy. He quickly took a deep breath and tried to get back up, but he had to take Cotton''s help for that. "Let''s get to the shore fast!" His paced forth like an old ship that had wind added onto its sails. "G-Grandpa, why are you in such a hurry! Let''s take it slow. Besides, that ship looks dangerous!" "That ship''s not dangerous," the old man said, his eyes full of hope. "That''s our friend. The only friend we''ve got in this world." "F-Friend?" "It''s the only ship that can pull even landlubbers toward the sea!" he briefly remembered the first time he saw Exvo when as a kid, and his disinterest toward the sea was flipped on its head, and he grew up into a sailor. The grandpa and the grandson hastily and desperately headed toward the shore. A few minutes later. Exvo had stopped near Noclopogo, a group of islands, which was one of the most pauperized places in the world. "Marm[1], we''ve been suffering from a drought for the past few seasons," the headman of a section of these lands, an old fellow named Chaves Lowry, was politely requesting Stussy by kowtowing to her. "And we don''t know when ''dearth'' will leave our lands. So I''m afraid we can''t give the usual prices." "Please get up," Stussy helped him stand. "We can see that famine is inflamed in your lands, but you don''t have to worry so much, sir, for the prices have fallen this time." "R-Really?" Rays of hope escaped out of his eyes. Exvo visited these lands every other year, so her words sounded like a matchless melody. "Yes." "Thank the heavens! Thank the one who watches over us from up there!" he was overjoyed, but then after hearing the prices, he raised his hands in joy and cried. After all, he only had to pay less than half the international price for most goods. Though he had no idea about what the worldly prices of the products were this year, he could still tell that they were cheap. Had it not been for the timely arrival of the much-awaited Exvo, he knew how many families would be facing hunger and not live through to the next season. If this wasn''t help sent from God, then what else could it be? "Thank God! Thank Shambala Sect!" he bowed, and his forehead touched her hands. "Thank you." As they were discussing, packages of goods slid down the sloping windy ways and reached the islands'' shores that were lined with hopeful eyes that exposed their needful lives. Chaves gave different colored stones in return. "W-We only managed to gather this much over the past half-year. Are they enough, marm?" After taking a glance at the crystals in that sac, she smiled. "These should cover." "Also¡­" Chaves then gave her a small bag. "Please take these." "Mm?" she took the bag and saw that it was filled with wheat cakes. This moved her quite a bit. "Y-You don''t have to do this. You can feed hungry children with these. Please take this back." "Please don''t refuse, marm," Chaves stepped back once. "We may be poor, but we don''t take things back once we''ve given them. I hope you understand." "This¡­" Stussy was put in a bind. She wanted to help them somehow, so she quickly thought of an idea. She then asked, "How is barely production going in your lands?" "Not so much as wheat, but to be honest, even wheat isn''t properly growing in our lands anymore. Why do you ask, marm?" "Nothing," she spoke, choosing her words carefully. "I know that barley is almost half as cheap as wheat, and it also gives a lesser yield, but barely can grow in places where wheat can''t grow. You get what I''m saying, right, sir? I''m sure you, too, know that." Chaves frowned a bit. "Don''t keep your knowledge to yourself, sir," Stussy said, "or, your head grows heavier by the day. Don''t animals eat barely just like they eat wheat? You can also temper the bricks, or use it as straw and do many more things with barely, too. Please tell your people about these benefits that barley has over wheat. Not only does it require less water than wheat, but it also has a higher salinity tolerance. Besides, you can make beer with barley, too, not just wheat." Chaves'' eyes enlarged when she brought up beer into the conversation. "Even after barley is harvested, you can grow chickpea to use up the residual soil moisture. That''s just one way to optimize your schedule. So, with the right usage and implementation, barley can become a miracle crop for your lands and your people." "I''ll see what I can do in the coming winter, marm," Chaves replied, looking a bit guilty. They were secretly exporting beer to make some money at the cost of cutting their diet, but he didn''t know that Stussy knew about such sensitive information. "Then I''ll be looking forward to the barley cakes in our next meeting," said Stussy. "Thank you for your care, marm," Chaves bowed once more and then looked at the fat man standing behind her. "Thanks to you, too, Sir Garett." The fat man, Gerett, however, looked away, seemingly dissatisfied. But then when the old man handed him a small box full of home-made sweets, his eyes glowed, and he beamed big time. Gerett then gave Chaves a mug full of nerve wine, and then they exchanged the phrase: Bottoms up! In the calm weather, some quick drinking followed as those two men recalled the halcyon days of their youth. "Oh, by the way, I almost forgot about this," Stussy intervened in the off-color discussion between Gerett and Chaves. "Since you are facing drought¡­" She took out a brown-colored manual from within her sleeve and handed it to him. "What''s this, marm?" Chaves couldn''t help but ask. "It expounds on farming drought-tolerant crops¡ªthose that require less water to thrive." Chaves'' eyes broadened. "This¡­ This is too precious. I can''t take it." He tried to give the manual back, but she gently pushed his hands. "No. That''s just a copy, so keep it. However, pass the knowledge only to those who need it, and don''t ever sell the information in it." Chaves didn''t even have to think. "This hollow understands," he deeply bowed. "I will treasure this treasure." Chaves understood that she didn''t take out this manual because he had offered her some cheap wheat cakes, but this manual was clearly prepared beforehand itself, so his respect over her and the sect once again grew by leaps and bounds. After a little discussion, Chaves alighted down the ship with a happy face. He couldn''t wait and opened the book to a random page, and what he saw was detailed information on cherry tomatoes. "Oh, so if we pour enough water during the early stages, we can pull back on watering after the fruits are set, which means we don''t need to spend as much water as we usually do till the harvest. I didn''t know that. Some of the ''saved'' water can be used for other purposes." He nodded to himself. "This is wonderful." Just then, when he touched the image, his finger went into the book, shocking him, and though he felt something, he immediately pulled his finger out. "Wow! That scared me." After getting his heartbeat under control, he touched the image again. His hand proceeded into the page as if it was dipping into a bog. He grabbed the things he could feel and pulled his hand out. His eyes popped out of the sockets upon seeing the seeds packed in paper bags and even seedlings bundled together. At that moment, he realized just how useful that manual would be, and it fully exceeded his expectations. Though he could tell that the book didn''t contain an endless supply of seeds and seedlings, he was more than satisfied. He wasn''t only granted knowledge but also the means to act upon it and get things started for a better future they could actually look forward to. The rest was all up to him and his people. It was in their own hands to work hard and carefully with what was available to see themselves through the tough times. If everything went well, then maybe in a few years, they would no longer need to wait at the shore for the arrival of a specific ship like they did every other year from the past few decades. Even though Chevas was away from Exvo, he turned around and kowtowed with teary eyes. As Exvo sailed and moved away from the islands, Gerett felt warmth flowing in his heart. (Looks like we made it before their hope ran out. They will get over hunger for now.) He glanced at Stussy. (If the captain isn''t stalwart, then the ship can never reach the shore in time. I''m glad that I was blessed to work with exceptional chiefs over the years.) He looked back toward the islands. (The growth and yield of the plants we''ve given can''t be compared to the common types, so if things work out, they won''t have to be worried about famine again. However¡­) He turned to Stussy. "Chief, you could have also brought some rain and eased their troubles a bit. Why didn''t you?" "They''ve gone through more than most could endure, which is why what we''ve done will be plenty enough. If we do what you say, then we''ll be giving them false hope, which can lead to all sorts of troubles. After all that they''ve been through, what they need is hope that never ceases. Only the one who brought them into being can offer that. He sent us here, and he knows when to send the clouds, too," Stussy said and started to walk away. "If your stomach''s still in knots, then pray for them." "S-Sorry, Chief," Gerett bowed in shame, but then quickly stood straight. "Also, Chief, some of our workers caught flu-like symptoms, many at once." "Give dandelions and mint for the mild cases. As for the rest, send them over to me," Stussy replied without looking back. "Right away, Chief, and thank you!" Stussy briefly glanced in the direction of Noclopogo and remembered a poem she read as a child. "The man manipulating the weather Is tantamount to The tail wagging the dog And neither is ever fruitful For what can a foot achieve If it was made to sit upon the head? Alas, nothing but specks of dirt." Upon muttering the poem under her breath, Stussy faintly smiled. "This Surya Chand had a talent for making enemies with his poems. I would love to meet him if he''s still in this world." At the same time, on Noclopogo, thousands of dots could be seen heading toward the shore. However, Cotton and his grandfather were among the first who arrived there. Thanks to that, they were able to fill their bellies with water that tasted like honey. Dozens of tall water tanks were left by Exvo, so with careful spending, these tanks would last for at least a couple more weeks. Both Cotton and his grandfather thanked Chaves for letting them drink freely. Chaves wrote down their names¡ªVamasa and Cotton¡ª and then gave them two pots of freshwater, a watermelon, and a small bag full of oranges. Both fruits were ones that had a long shelf life even in warm conditions. "Come to the head office if you want seeds," informed Chaves at the end. "Surely, sir," Cotton and his grandfather, Vamasa, thanked him once more and left for home, holding each other''s hands, wearing a bright expression on their bony faces. Cotton now understood why his grandfather called the ship their friend. Even though the neighbors and other villagers showed their backs in time of need, this stranger-esque ship came from a distant land and offered them free water and food at slashed prices. Though he didn''t know all of the dealings, he somewhat grasped things from overhearing people''s conversations. Even though he only received a few fruits, he realized that he wasn''t just the only one being helped. He felt grateful for the help he, his grandfather, his village, and the people of his land received. At least for the next few nights, he and his grandfather wouldn''t need to sleep on a hungry stomach. The same could be said for many others. Vamasa, meanwhile, was carrying the watermelon by tying it to his butt with the turban. The oranges, however, were in the handbag itself. His name Vamasa meant ''victory through hardship,'' or so he was told by his mother. So he always wondered as to how his name reflected his life and sometimes even hoped that his mother gave him a different and joyful name. Currently, Vamasa was looking at others who were hurrying to the shore for their share. "I think I now know why life hurts, at least mine," he thought to himself, "because life has been a hunt to me. I was neither a hero nor a villain. I was just another bird looking for a worm. No matter how many worms I eat, I''ll always keep looking for another." His gaze shifted toward the oranges in the bag. Putting all the heaviness in his heart aside, he took out an orange. It fit his whole palm. When he tried to peel it, the citrus scent flooded his nose, but he was even more surprised by how easily he could peel because the skin was quite thin. His vast experience immediately told him right away that the quality of the fruit is top-notch. After all, the fruit wouldn''t have grown this big unless it was correctly watered, and thin skins guaranteed good taste. He gave half of the fruit to Cotton and kept the other half with him. The moment they put the juice sacs in their mouths, the rich taste of the orange washed the dryness and dullness of their tongue and mouth away. They looked at each other''s faces in elation. It had been a while since they tasted fruit so fresh and tasty. "Remember this, Cotton, fruits with thin and healthy skins are like gold dust. They get sold in minutes upon their arrival to the market, so the only way you can ever get your hands on these juicy fruits in our lands is by waking up early and waiting at the shop, standing first in the line." "Yes, Grandpa!" Soon, instead of talking, they shifted their focus back to eating and savoring the fruit. Chaves, on the other hand, continued with distributing food and water to other people. He took the trouble to personally handle everything so nobody would steal or get anything in excess. Some tried to grease his palm, but he put them through the wringer for subornation. After all, he had to be strict if he wanted his people to last until the rains showed up. However, he was still worried that the other headmen of other regions in this archipelago would come after this water and food. Not wanting to let the food go to waste by ending up in the bellies of the corrupt officials and their family members, Chaves was distributing all the food items near the seashore itself. This way, those officials wouldn''t dare to take the food away from him, fearing that the wrath of the starved souls would turn toward their storehouses. As people flocked to him, Chaves was happy to give them food and water, but soon, even the birds and other animals were stopping by, for their hungry bellies smelled food from afar, but because of too much human presence, they could only watch from a distance. Even those animals lost their loved ones because of bad water and lack of food. Chaves felt for them, but that was all he could do. Humans were his priority. Still and all, as more ''malnourished'' cattle and other animals were gathering in the distance, he couldn''t breathe as freely as he did only seconds ago. "I hope this drought will be gone from our lands for good. God, please help us!" Meanwhile, back on Exvo, somewhere on the twelfth deck. Beren and Booboo were walking together. "Uncle, can I ask you something?" "Yes, chick. You can ask me anything. Maybe you want some alcohol?" Booboo thrust his hand to the front, and by the time he swiftly brought the hand back, there was a branded wine bottle in his hand, as if it appeared out of thin air. Beren''s eyes widened a bit upon seeing Booboo pull off a magic trick. "No, no, that''s not it." "Oh¡­" Booboo then opened the lid and took a few gulps. "Then what else do you want? The touch of a woman, maybe?" "N-N-No!" Beren blushed more than just a bit. "T-That''s not it! I just want to know about a myth." "What myth?" Booboo took a long gulp this time. "I heard that people who die on seas end up at a place called Ghost Cage," Beren hesitantly and hopefully said. "Is that true?" "Ghost Cage, huh¡­" Booboo could guess why Beren asked about ghosts because his painted face made him look no less scary. Still, the boy''s words caused him to get a bit lost in thought. "You don''t seem to know either," Beren seemed disappointed. "Forget about that. D-Do you think ghosts even exist?" "Well¡­" Booboo took a few more gulps from the bottle and grinned. "What do you think, chick?" "I don''t know. That''s why I''m asking. Do the dead come back?" Beren earnestly asked. "Can they be brought back?" "La-lee-la-laa¡­" Booboo laughed, making a gurgling sound with alcohol. "I can see where your interest stems from, but the dead don''t roll in their graves to our jokes because they are gone for good. However..." Elsewhere on the same deck, two people were strolling the streets together at a moderate pace. "You look better after washing your face, but, miss, you haven''t eaten anything for more than a day, right?" 777 asked Sariyu as they both seemed to be headed somewhere. "You''re going to collapse if you don''t take care of your health properly." "Didn''t I tell you to not worry about my diet?" Sariyu replied in a displeased tone. "I know what I''m doing." "O-Okay. Just saying, that''s all," 777 said in a low voice. (She must be in a foul mood because so much money was spent to heal her friend. I guess I can''t blame her. If I were in her shoes, I''d probably be even more worried.) When they reached a corner, they heard a child''s voice. "What? They aren''t fully explored? How deep do the oceans even get?" "Very deep, hic¡­ So deep that the song of no sea can get there, and no sane beasties would be so bold as to dive into." The next second, Beren and Booboo were right in front of them. The moment Sariyu caught sight of Booboo, her eyes slightly widened. "Brother! Sister!" Beren was surprised upon seeing Sariyu and 777. Sariyu didn''t even look at Beren, for all her focus was on Booboo. "You trickster¡­ How dare you cheat me!" she barked. "U-Um, nature called me, so I had to go back then," Booboo hurriedly said. "It''s not good to hold it in, right? The body can take no pleasure in it¡ª" "Shut up!" Sariyu, who was grinding her teeth, suddenly dashed at him. "You are gonna pay the price!" However, Beren came in between and blocked her way, forcing her feet to a halt. "I''m sorry, Sister," Beren hastily said. "I don''t know what happened, but please don''t fight." "You don''t know anything. Move aside!" Sariyu raised her voice. "I can''t. I''m sorry," Beren stressed his words. "To get to that uncle, you''ll have to go through me." "What?" Sariyu frowned. "What is he to you?" "Miss Sariyu," 777 quickly closed the distance and voiced his mind. "Let''s not start a fight here. We have more important things to do." She paused a moment before saying, "Thank the boy, or I''ll have broken your bones by now." She was coldly looking at Booboo, who put up an innocent face. "But¡­ Mark my words. I will make you pay in spades." An unnatural silence flowed between the two parties before she glanced at Beren and faintly smiled, which startled him a bit, but then he smiled back. Then they went separate ways. "Why is she angry at you, uncle?" Beren asked in a low voice. "She got hurt in the meow meow is all," replied Booboo. "Meow meow?" After going a distance, 777 asked. "What was that all about?" "Don''t bother," Sariyu was not in the mood for an explanation. (If not for that kid''s presence, I''d have laid that clown out in lavender.) Just then, an adult woman, who was seated at the edge of the street, slowly stood and came in their direction, holding an empty plate in her hand, and an ugly backpack hung on her back. Even though she had red hair like Sariyu, her hair had no life in it, and overall, she looked weak as well. "Please show some kindness, madam, and sir." She begged those two. "Go away!" 777 barked. "Don''t get close. Who knows what sort of disease you''re carrying on you. Keep your distance." "S-Sorry, sir," the woman approached them no more and was walking back to her previous spot. After taking a few steps, Sariyu stopped and blew air through her nose before taking two copper coins out of her purse. "No, wait," 777 quickly suggested. "People like her beg almost everyone that comes their way, so they earn a lot more than you think. She''s probably hiding some silver coins in her bag for all we know." "It''s okay," Sariyu, however, walked over to the woman, making her turn her head. "I''m sorry for how he treated you. Please take this," she put her hand forward. After a momentary pause, the woman received the coins. Sariyu was turning back, but the woman held her hand, puzzling the girl. The next second, the woman took out an apple from her bag and put it in Sariyu''s hand, startling her. "No, no, I don''t need this." "Don''t take me for a ride, young lady," the woman politely said. "I can hear the cries of your tummy." Sariyu was surprised. She just stood there as the woman went and sat in her spot. When Sariyu went back to 777, he was scratching the back of his head as he glanced at the apple, which looked like it was anything but firm or fresh. Though it wasn''t rotten, it was as clear as day that it stayed in that woman''s bag for a long time, given that it had shrunk significantly. "You are not going to eat that apple, are you? We don''t even know if it''s safe to¡ª" As he was saying, she took a bite. 777 frowned. "You should at least boil it first, or you may get sick." Sariyu took another bite. "N-Never mind," 777 spoke no more. Meanwhile, elsewhere on the twelfth deck, in a busy neighborhood. A boy with a swollen face was carrying three sandbags on his back as he followed an adult man to a shop and dropped the bags there before stretching his back. "That hurt more than I thought¡­" his voice wasn''t clear. "I hope it won''t take long for me to heal fully." The adult man looked quite happy. "Each bag weighed sixty kilos, so I didn''t expect you to carry three of them across half-a-dozen blocks, but you proved me wrong. Thanks for your help. And, sorry for initially doubting you because of your face." He took out a couple of copper coins, "Here, have this." "No, no, I don''t need that," the boy whose face looked like he was bitten by bees was none other than Lirzod. He stepped back. "In fact, I should thank you for letting me carry those. I needed that exercise." "Still, I can''t just let you leave empty-handed after making you work so hard," the man said. "Then¡­" Lirzod pondered for a second and said, "how about you send some fruits to the elf healer at the drill clinic?" "I live not far from that clinic," the man said. "I can surely do that. What shall I tell that elf?" "Just tell her that if she kicks every man who kisses her, she''ll never get married." "Huh?" the man was slack-jawed. "H-How can I tell her that?" "You can do it," Lirzod gave a thumbs up, then waved goodbye and quickly walked away. "He gave me quite a troublesome task," the adult man could only watch. "What an amusing kid¡­" He then felt goosebumps as Mulyk''s ''scary-laugh'' image came to his mind. I hope she won''t put a bullet in my head. Lirzod was stretching his body as he walked through the busy street, and he didn''t look pleased, "The exercise was good, but it wasn''t satisfying enough. I should look for better ways to exert my strength. Only by pushing myself hard can I break my limits," he thought about the times he received punches from Hardy and Geragorn. "Both of them managed to crack my bones. The last time someone hurt my bones was when I kissed Sariyu last year after she returned from a sect test. She was already in a bad mood at the time, and I foolishly ran in and bothered her, and then she just snapped. Since that day, I started to act a bit more carefully whenever she looked to be in an off mood. And today, that elf girl blew off her steam on me. Though none of my bones are broken, I feel like my head has become twice as heavy." He gently pressed his palms against his swollen cheeks. "Whew, anyway, I cannot let myself get badly hurt anymore. Primera and Selena were right. This journey doesn''t seem like it''ll be a cakewalk. I never imagined that I''d get beaten to this extent for a simple kiss. When I said, "If you didn''t like the kiss, you could have just returned it to me," she dealt me some more blows. The elf women sure are spicy as pepper. I have to be much sweeter next time to counter them! Yeah, sounds like a good plan." Then his thoughts went back to Hardy Brothers and Geragorn. "I got separated from Sariyu because of those guys. If I meet them again, I''ll not let them have things go their way. I''m sure I''ll meet stronger characters as I climb the ship. Fighting in a fastened form won''t be possible for very long. I must get healthy quickly so that I can train harder and raise my current limits." Just then, his stomach grumbled. He rubbed his belly. "But I guess it''s time to eat first." He looked on either side while bimbling around. "Cut a watermelon in a single strike with your bare hand, and you''ll earn five copper pieces," the owner of an open-fronted shop kept shouting. "Those who succeed also get to eat the watermelon. The entry fee is only one copper, so don''t hesitate to try your luck!" "Just cutting fruits will do?" Lirzod, who just reached the shop, asked in expectation. "Yes, and welcome, sir! Do you want to try your hand?" "Um, they say an empty sack cannot stand upright," said Lirzod, rubbing his belly and drooling a bit. "If you can offer me one fruit beforehand, I''ll do better in cutting the watermelons." The shopkeeper awkwardly smiled. "I-I feel for you," he replied in a neutral tone, "but I''m afraid you''ll have to win first." "Do I have to win to eat it?" Lirzod found his energy already leaving. "Yes. Do you want to give it a try?" "Ah, well," Lirzod didn''t know what to say. He didn''t have any coins on him, so he felt at a loss for not taking the money that the adult man had offered for his work. And now, he couldn''t go back and ask him either, so he scratched his chin and looked at the broken melon lying on the side in sacks, and then he looked around before asking. "Why don''t you give me one of those broken ones for free? You are going to waste them anyway, right?" "Of course not. They will be sent to the foster halls on the upper decks." "What?" Lirzod looked shocked and disappointed. "If you are not confident about using your hand," the owner picked up the sword on the table, "you can use this for the job. Though, you''ll only get two copper if you win." "Thanks, but I''m not interested in that right now," Lirzod walked away, leaving the owner in a displeased mood. As he strolled, Lirzod observed different stalls that were being visited by at least one or more people. Breaking a pumpkin with an elbow in one attempt, placing one''s palm on ice for five minutes, blowing out a large flame in one breath, dipping one''s head into cold water for at least a minute, stroking a cat and making it purr in less than thirty seconds, throwing a bamboo hat at any of the stuffed dolls from a distance and making the hat rest on top of one of the dolls'' heads. "So many contests, but none are free to enter. What a bummer! Mm?" his eyes stopped on a ring where men were fighting. "Oh, so there are brawling contests, too? Nice," as he was getting excited, he saw that people were paying to participate, and his shoulders flailed. "That''s right¡­ Nothing''s free to take part. I guess I''ll have to find another place to eat." He then scanned more shops. "Nobody seems to be selling anything here. All shops are holding contests. I was hoping to surprise Sariyu by bringing her here, but this Heat Street doesn''t seem like it can do the job. Where should I go then?" he pondered for a bit. "But before that, I wonder where she is. I wanted to wait at the clinic, but then I don''t know when she''ll come back, and I can''t surprise her if I stay there, either. I hope she didn''t go to the next deck already. How can I¡ª" "Aiyee!" just then, an old woman cried out. Lirzod was startled, but he immediately realized that he had stepped on the old woman''s thigh. She was sitting on the street begging while moving at her own pace on a small wheeled wooden stool. Her legs below the thighs were missing. "I''m extremely sorry," Lirzod hurriedly apologized and bent to check her leg. "I didn''t break anything, did I?" "It hurts. You should watch where you''re going," the old lady cried out, shedding fake tears. (I hope at least this little fellow gives me a handful of coins.) "P-Please don''t cry," Lirzod felt terrible upon seeing her sob like a child. "Let me take you to the doctor." He was about to pick her up, but she slapped his hands. "I don''t need a doctor," she rubbed her belly. "I want food and water, and if possible, some money. I need those three more than a doctor right now." Lirzod reflexively checked his pockets, "But I don''t have money." "You don''t?" the old woman''s expression suddenly changed. "I can''t believe I wasted my tears to fool a poor bloke," she openly snapped, leaving Lirzod in bewilderment. "Why are you still here? Do you have no one to look after you, kid?" she asked, considering his age, but she got no response other than a poker face. "I see. It''s strange how in this world full of people, one can be so alone. It''s one thing to have a broken heart, but to have it at such a young age..." she sighed and took out a copper coin and tossed it in his face. "There. Lighten up, and try your luck with that." Lirzod''s jaw slackened, seeing how she assumed things. He stood frozen as she went past him and then put up a sad face before begging others. Lirzod picked up the copper coin off the floor. He briefly looked at the old woman, and then his focus shifted toward the shops. His gaze eventually stopped on a specific shop, where people were spinning sticks in their hands. It was only a stone''s throw away, so Lirzod hurried over. "Ladies and gentlemen, you only need to spend a single copper piece to participate," the shopkeeper said aloud while showing the poster that had diagrams of spins one must do, and the money they would earn for completing them. There were both one-arm spins, and two-arm spins. "The more spin you can recreate, the more you earn. It''s simple, isn''t it? Don''t miss the chance to show off before your lover or friends!" Many people were trying, but out of the eight spins portrayed on the poster, most people only recreated just one, the first one where they did a simple spinning of the stick in one hand. Lirzod participated without any hesitation. There was no queue or anything, for multiple participants could show off what they got at the same time. Nobody was expecting Lirzod to do anything, and most of the crowd''s eyes were on another guy who was successfully doing the second spin. "Give me two sticks," said Lirzod, his eyes taking in the eight forms of stick spinning detailed on the poster. "Two?" the shopkeeper looked at Lirzod from top to bottom. "First, start with one, boy. Once you succeed in that, you can gradually up your level." "That''d be a waste of time," Lirzod casually replied. "Hmph, whatever," the shopkeeper handed two sticks. "If you want to make a fool out of yourself so much, you can go ahe¡ª" Before the shopkeeper even finished speaking, Lirzod started spinning the sticks in both hands effortlessly, catching everyone''s attention right away. Their eyes popped out of their sockets upon witnessing his speed, which was so fast that they could barely see the sticks. As if that wasn''t enough, he then transitioned into the second type of spin by changing the way he held the weapons and the way he twisted his wrist to spin them in the required fashion. In a matter of twenty seconds, Lirzod rushed through the eight types of spinning, made short work of them, and then stopped. The entire crowd, including the other participants and the shopkeeper, had their mouths hung wide open, with their uvulas exposed, and multiple flies clung onto those fleshy extensions in their throats. Lirzod dropped the sticks into the pile. The shopkeeper suddenly came back to this world and said, "T-That was magnificent, youngster. I haven''t seen such good stick-work in weeks." "What I did isn''t special at all," said Lirzod. "The one who taught me can spin it much faster with minimum work and can even warp the flow of the stick." "I-I see," the shopkeeper nodded in understanding. "No wonder you''re already so talented at such a young age. You''ve got a good master. You have a bright future ahead of you. Do you perhaps want to join¡ª" "How much did I win?" Lirzod straightforwardly asked. "Haha, you''re in a hurry to claim the prize. I get it," the shopkeeper patted Lirzod''s shoulder. "You prize doubles with every new spinning style you recreate, but since you did it with both hands, your end reward will be doubled again." "So, that means¡­" Lirzod paused for a moment. "I earned a little over five silver coins." The shopkeeper disappointedly nodded and then quickly arranged for the money. "5 silver and 12 copper coins are inside," he handed a sack to Lirzod and then whispered in his ear. "Please exaggerate your happiness as you leave." "Mm¡­ okay." Lirzod said and then turned around. As he left, he started laughing so proudly and happily, "I-I earned so much with so little! Hohoho! This game is great!" (That''s terrible!) The shopkeeper was utterly disappointed, but then his ears caught the murmurs in the crowd. "I never thought someone would ever earn the full prize money." "Yeah, I don''t remember the last time someone recreated the eight spins." "Who cares about the spins? He multiplied his money by over five hundred times. Why is no one talking about that?" "Even a kid did it, so we can also do it, too!" "Yeah, even if it takes a hundred attempts, I''m going to achieve that feat!" "Count me in." "Me, too!" In the end, the shopkeeper didn''t become a dog with two tails, but he was still somewhat satisfied with how things turned out. Though he lost five silver now, he''d recover it in a couple of days and earn even more if the news of someone finishing all the eight spins spread well. Lirzod, meanwhile, stopped in front of the old beggar lady. "What?" she asked in an angry tone. "You lost the copper coin already?" she waved her hand. "I''m not gonna give you more, so don''t waste your time." Lirzod took out the sack from his pocket and dropped it in the begging bowl and then walked away. The sound the coins made when the sack fell in the bowl made her immediately aware of the situation. She quickly opened it, and there were five silver coins and twelve copper coins inside. She was briefly left in stupefaction. She quickly looked in Lirzod''s direction, but he had already blended in the crowd and vanished from her sight. She looked around and swiftly shoved the sack in her jacket and then continued to beg with a sad face as if nothing ever happened. In the meantime, Lirzod was wearing a pouting expression. After all, he now had nothing in his pockets; literally, zero coins. He wanted to take a copper coin from the 512 copper coins, but since he earned all of that because of the single coin that the beggar lady gave him, he felt that the right thing to do was to give to her all that he had earned, especially considering her situation. However, now, he was stuck with not knowing where to get a single copper coin from so that he could participate in a game. And what''s more, his stomach that didn''t roar for the past few minutes started making noises again. "I want to find Sariyu, but first thing''s first. I have to eat." All the troubles made him think hard. "On second thought, I should postpone the meal." He suddenly started to run. "An empty stomach is the best time for running! Also, I hope I will find her before my legs wear out!" ....... [1[ Marm: A polite term of address for a lady; madam. 92 SWORN ENEMY The weather around Exvo seemed pleasant, and Stussy was appreciating the time under the sun. Gerret came to her in a hurry and said, "Chief! A report from the first deck says that a monster is coming up. From what they''ve noticed, it''s a nanari, so they said they weren''t gonna attack it." Nanaris, also known as Ninetooths, were sea monsters that looked like a humongous snake with two fins running along the spine, all the way to the rear and beyond. They had no eyes or nose but only a mouth with nine sickle-like teeth inside. The myth about them was that they ate only dead, rotting, or toxic beings and rarely attacked a living being, so they came to be known as Oceanmaids. While most part of that myth might be considered real, nanaris not attacking living beings was generally believed to be false because, in the past century itself, there were countless cases of nanaris attacking ships, especially those of pirates, so much so that the marines gave these beasts the nickname ''Piratemaids.'' "Nanari, huh¡­" Stussy sighed and got up from the floor. "Death is uncommon on this ship, but still, people eat all sorts of creatures, and there''s plenty of rotten food lying all around on many decks. I guess the scent this ship gives off must be enticing to a nanari." "This isn''t the first time, Chief!" said Gerett, looking visibly tense. "Since I''ve been working here, nanaris attacked our ship a few dozen times. I never understood why they aggressively attacked our ship when they could probably tell that there were living beings aboard." "I''ve fought nanaris before. They usually don''t attack the living, but if you go and hug a corpse and expect them to ignore you, then you''re just fooling yourself." Gerett was startled. "S-Sorry, Chief." "If you can connect the dots," Stussy continued, "it''s easy to notice that whenever they attacked the living beings, they chose those who would smell rotten, be it from not bathing or whatever. That''s why they often targeted pirate ships and scared the pirates to the point that they didn''t dare to sleep without bathing, even if it''s with the chilling water of the sea. Keeping dead fish lying around on the ship was also just as dangerous. It was because they forced sea travelers, especially the pirates, to take regular baths and keep their ships clean in the past, the marines mocked pirates by giving nanaris the name ''Piratemaids.''" "A-Ah, I see." The nanari forthwith sprayed a rain of greenish acid onto the ship, but the air barrier around the ship blocked all of it. As the acid fell into the waters, lots of escaping fish, sharks, and other sea creatures floated to the surface, while some still struggled to cling onto life as their bodies melted. "That''s some amount of acid! Trying to tenderize flesh and bones, is it?" Gerett wondered. The nanari drew air into its mouth, and the pulling force was so strong that all the floating fish were sucked into its mouth. However, it still couldn''t sway the ship''s course. "It''s cleaning up after its own mess," Stussy murmured. Upon swallowing thousands of fish, the nanari whooshed through the air at a blistering speed, creating ripples in the waters underneath, and there was a drumming sound in the air. "I-It''s coming!" the workers in the open space assumed defensive stances, but their hearts undeniably pounded against their chest. "W-Will it break through the barrier?" Gerett was able to see better than the other workers. "Are those¡­" he swallowed the saliva once. "Hexagonal patterns on its horn?" His face lost a significant amount of color. "I-It''s a brillbeast, Chief. You should be careful¡ª" SHWOOOOHMM~! A ray of brown light shot out of Stussy''s palm and pierced through the nanari''s chin and came out from above and soared into the sky and blasted the white clouds away in the twinkling of an eye. The nanari pulled its tongue out as it screamed in pain. Its tongue also had a hole in it. It soon rushed back into the waters, creating large ripples. A few seconds passed. The ripples died out, but there was no trace of nanari. "I-It''s gone! It''s finally gone!" the workers began to exclaim in joy. "It got scared and ran away, haha! It got what it deserved!" While the workers were relieving their stress through celebration filled with speaking in gibberish, Gerett looked at Stussy. "Is it dead?" "Of course not. I only put a hole in one of its brains. It got spooked and left is all." "I-It has multiple brains?" Gerett was startled. "Cool off. That thing came here alone, so it probably won''t resurface, but if it did, taking it down will require much more effort, though. Their kind is hard to kill. To our ease, they can''t fly for long, or they''d have also likely gained the title of Humanmaids. Robbing graves, killing those who don''t regularly bath, and you know how it goes. Anyway, we''ll be entering the Byinshi river soon, so get the fishnets ready." "Yes, Chief," Gerett quickly replied. The Byinshi river was home for many tasty fishes, and it was a prosperous river that stayed well over a hundred kilometers wide even in summers and grew much broader during the rainy reasons. It was thousands of miles long and was also too deep for sunlight to penetrate its bottom, making it possible for all kinds of creatures to dwell. Stussy started walking toward a tree and was slightly yawning. (That nanari had a golden hook stuck in its mouth. I helped remove it, so it must''ve felt grateful, or it probably wouldn''t have left just like that.) She put her hand gently on her abdomen. "I''m feeling a bit hungry, but I''m tired of eating the same sweet food again and again. I want to eat something spicy, but I''m not carrying any spicy food. What should I do?" as she was in a bit of a bother, a flash of memory reminded her of the food that Lirzod had left for her. "Let''s see what he''s packed in the bag," she felt a teeny bit excited. (Did she just yawn?) Gerett''s eyebrows raised in a convex shape as he watched her leave. (It would have taken an entire country of hollows to defeat that beast, but she bullied that brillbeast while she''s still in a sleepy mood? For heaven''s sake, just how far is she ahead of me?) He snorted in helplessness. (I''m a martial like her and am climbing the ladder at my own pace, but it feels like there are infinite steps between us.) Meanwhile, on the twelfth deck, a particular fellow had grabbed some attention over the past hour or so. Wearing an old, broken armor he had picked off from the roadside, Lirzod was running around in the streets, sweating profusely and breathing audibly. He got fleeting attention from people, but that was all he got as he looked for Sariyu. Their murmurs didn''t interest him anyway. "Just where is she? If she''s not on this deck, then¡­" as he was thinking, he just crossed a junction, but then came back to the center. Even though he was going in any direction, his feet were still in running motion, striking the same spot on the floor. His nose was also at work. "It''s faint, but it''s definitely her scent. So it''s this way." He picked up his pace and ran with haste. After running for about four hundred meters, he slowed down and brought his breath back under control. "It''s getting hard to breathe with this heavy armor even though it''s quite loose. But this is the discomfort I''m looking for. Time to improve my endurance and respiratory capability!" he increased his pace again. "I feel like I''m growing stronger, but so does the wolf in my belly." After going for about two hundred meters, he slowed down once more. "Haha, I''m glad I found this armor. It''s quite heavy. It must weigh at least thirty kilos. Since it''s going to help me with training, let''s give you a name. Let''s call you ''Mentor'' Solid. Let''s see how many steps I can cover in one run." About a hundred and seventy minutes later. Lirzod''s breath was no longer under his control, and his running form was all over the place. Sometimes his speed was so slow that even those who were hurriedly walking beside him overtook him, and some people even giggled at him, wondering what he was up to. Sometimes he was fast enough that people who followed him eventually gave up at some point. "24, 914." "24,915." Even though his lungs were hurting, Lirzod kept going, while counting the steps aloud, trying to pronounce the number clearly. Though he didn''t look like he was focusing on his run, his body seemed to be running on its own, given how tired yet casual of an expression he made. "28,145." "Not yet. My limbs can still move. I can''t give up yet!" Lirzod was trying to squeeze out the last bits of strength, but with every step, he was leaning forward. After a few more steps, he felt used up the rest of his energy. His head leaned forward even more. "What''s that kid doing? Trying to lick his own feet while running or what?" a fat bypasser regarded. "Pfft," the fat man''s companions couldn''t control themselves from bursting out into laughter. "Not yet," Lirzod took a deep breath through the nose. (Not yet!) His chest and stomach expanded to their max and supplied the much-needed gas to all his muscles in a jiffy. Even though his head was tilted, his eyes were on the path. And he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body, starting with the heart. He gained strength in his footsteps, and his speed suddenly picked up. It seemed as if a translucent wind-shield formed before him. He went fast enough that a fat man''s wig flew off. "My wig!" the fat man ran after his wig, whereas his companions now laughed at him. "W-Who was that? He''s running like a horse!" some people could only wonder in astonishment as Lirzod whooshed past them. However, Lirzod''s speed slowed down after he covered about half-a-mile. Even though he was spent and his body was faintly giving-off vapors, he kept going to finish the goal that was so close. Thanks to his persistence, he was able to get into a touching distance to his goal. "29, 998. 29, 999. 30,000." Before taking another step, he collapsed headlong; however, as he was falling, he saw some yellowish thing on the floor. "Eek! Don''t tell me that''s¡­" he suddenly brought his arms out and landed on his palms, then with a great effort rolled to the side and avoided crashing in cat poop. "Ah! That was close. I almost smelled a cat''s ass." Even while running, he had come across this trouble, especially at the corners, but thanks to those recent experiences, he managed to finish the run without falling prey to the open traps. Currently, after such a long run, his body was burning hot, and sweat was on every inch of his body. His eyes slowly shut, wanting to take a long rest. Even though his eyes were closed, there was a pleased smile on his face. "That was a solid run. The ending sprint felt really great this time." "There he is!" "Thank Goodness. I thought we lost him!" Suddenly, a group of ten men of all sizes and shapes, with veils covering their faces, came running to him. Some held Lirzod down while the other searched him, still panting. Clearly, they had been following him for some time. Lirzod''s mouth was forced shut, and he felt so lacking in energy that he couldn''t fight back. One of them kept punching in his face, to knock him unconscious, while the others kept doing what they''ve come for. "He isn''t carrying anything." "Look carefully." "The pockets are empty." "He''s not wearing any jewelry, either." "Looking under the armor, and there''s nothing." "How can this be? If the information is correct, didn''t this fellow win a lot of money through bettings? How come he doesn''t have a single coin on him?" "Did you check the underwear?" "Uh, this guy doesn''t have one." "What?" "What a waste of time!" "Tch, maybe we''ve come a bit too late. There''s nothing we can do when luck isn''t on our side. Let''s go." "Wait, shouldn''t we ask him?" "Ask him what, you idiot! You couldn''t even punch him to sleep. Let''s get the hell out of here already!" Just as fast as they came, they began to leave, and one of them kept complaining about how he stepped on cat crap. "You damn robbers," Lirzod barked with all his strength. "Don''t ever let me find you!" Though they heard him, they acted like they didn''t and soon vanished from sight. "Tch," Lirzod wasn''t bleeding anywhere, but his forehead was bruised. He was still on the floor. "What timing! I couldn''t even breathe in peace." After twenty minutes of resting in the middle of the street, he got back to his feet, which still felt quite rigid. All the rooms in that street were locked, so he looked for a spot where no one was watching and then emptied his bladder. "Aw, this is the worst part¡­" Peeing gave him burning sensations, so vividly as if he was leaking out lava. "I thought I wasn''t running under the sun, but still, I''ve run a bit too much, huh. I must hydrate myself soon. More than water, buttermilk would be better, but I doubt I can get it here. At least some tap water should do for now. No, wait, there''s free drinking water at the voting hall if I''m correct. I have some work left there anyway. So I guess I''ll head there." As he was heading to the voting hall, he thought about Sariyu. "Where the heck is she? I''ve pretty much toured most of this deck but couldn''t find her. Focused on running, I forgot to track her scent, too. And then the robbers spoiled my mood. What a day I''m having. I''ve gotta do something to get my mind off them. Let''s just sing a song, describing a day on earth." As he kept walking, he thought of a poem on the fly. "The sun shows The night goes The wind blows The river flows The flower grows And the heart knows." Lirzod suddenly stopped and bit on his fingers. "T-That sounded smooth. I must write it somewhere before I forget it! When I get back home, I''ll defeat both Primera and Duera with this single song!" Meanwhile, elsewhere on the same deck, inside a specific room. Big Nick was lying on the bed, looking as healthy as ever, but his mood, however, was down, and the bedsheet was still covered in blood. "Thank you for bringing a healer, Mr. Roseberry," he glanced at the dark green-haired man in red clothes, sitting next to the bed. He had a red-colored diamond earring, and in one of his arms was a black dress. He looked like he was in his late fifties. "If not for you¡­ I''d have probably lost my manhood." "I was on my way here anyway, so I just did what I could," Roseberry replied, his hands resting on a walking stick. "You were so close to getting promoted but couldn''t control your hormones, could you? To think you lost to some random girl, that came as a surprise. Your reputation has taken a dent, Nick." "She took me by surprise," Nick''s voice gave away how frustrated he was. "If I fight her again, I can win." "Are you sure? You still didn''t learn that martial art from Sean." "I know. But that shitty Sean is so stubborn," Nick seemed visibly frustrated. "He doesn''t even teach his trainees any particular martial art but only teaches them some random techniques. It''s highly unlikely that he teaches me his main martial art even if I become his favorite disciple." "Goleol used to be one of the lesser-known bone-breaking arts many centuries ago, but it is certainly noteworthy. I don''t know where he got hold of those arts, but if we can steal it from him, then he can be disposed of, and the art will be solely ours." "I''m trying, sir, but I''m not sure if I''ll succeed. In any case, I don''t need to learn that art to take care of that red-haired girl." "Well, the girl''s matter is not of importance right now," he glanced at Nick in a knowing gaze, "but the matter concerning your son, however, is." Nick was startled. "What do you mean?" "Though you''ve suffered a humiliating defeat, it''s still not too late. Try sending the higher-ups a bloody gift." Nick frowned a little, for he understood what Roseberry was talking about. "You can''t rise in the ranks without stepping over someone, even if it''s your own blood." Roseberry narrowed his eyes, "Unless you show me some conviction, I can''t help you. I can only hope that you have an idea of how quickly you can change your fate once you climb another step on the ladder." Nick stayed silent, stress still taking over his mien. "Anyway, I''ll leave your son''s matter to you. There''s also another reason for my visit. It''s about..." In the meantime, at the voting hall. "Let me get in. I''ll kill that damn Sean with my own hands!" a peach-haired woman was barking at the guards, who stopped her from entering the hall. She had a red-colored diamond nose ring, a berry hat, and a green-colored crystal locket made out of two letters M and A. "Calm down, miss," the guards did their best to calm her. "We feel bad for what happened to your lover, but he entered Kitchen Wars out of his own volition." "Bullshit! Alix was a sick man. It''s your fault for letting him participate!" "We''re sorry, but we can''t change what happened." "Just let me in!" she tried to force her way in, but the guards used their force and pushed her away. She fell on her butt. "S-Sorry, Miss Meeka. We didn''t mean to do that," the guards tried to apologize. "You don''t need to be sorry. That''s in your nature. You men are either brainless or barbaric." Meeka got back to her feet. "Alix was also stupid. He couldn''t bear with the illness." Tears filled her eyes. "So he participated in Kitchen wars only to end his pain. But he''s at least different from you guys." She clenched her fists. "You men are nothing different from monsters!" She attacked the guards with an avalanche of fists. "How dare you call us monsters!" they blocked her attacks, but they received a few punches, and their mood greatly changed. "You bitch! Do you want to get hurt that badly?" Together they attacked and punched in her stomach, making her cough blood. "Not bad. You withstood our combined attack, but¡­" Without giving her any time to breathe, they attacked her again to silence her. However, something hard came in between, and both the guards ended up punching into hard metal. They shrieked and pulled their fists back, but upon seeing who interrupted their fight, they were surprised. "Y-You are¡­ the one who won the Kitchen Wars competition." Meeka was surprised to hear that. She took a look at this person, who was wearing an armor that had a poem carved on its back. The one in the dirty armor, Lirzod, turned around. "Are you alright, miss?" "So you went to participate in that stupid game, too¡ªjust like Alix," she couldn''t hide her frustration. "You men are all the same. You are all mindless morons, no, mindless monsters. How does it feel to win the event? Do you feel great?" she looked at him from top to bottom. "You must be feeling great." She spat to the side, "Pftu, how pointless." Lirzod stayed silent for a moment. "Let''s say all men are as you say, but if all men are monsters, then what of their mothers?" Meeka''s expression briefly froze. A second later, she frowned and looked down at the side. "I don''t mean to hurt you, but¡­" Lirzod said with a heavy heart, "I feel like I have to say this. Before the contest started, one of the contestants came to me and told me that his girlfriend likes fish meat, so he wanted to surprise her by winning the contest." Meeka''s eyes slowly but surely enlarged. The sound her heart made also grew on her ears. "I don''t know if it was your boyfriend or not," as Lirzod was saying, her hands began to shake, "but from what I can tell, he surely wasn''t looking for a place to die." Meeka''s knees shivered, and she crumpled to the floor. Memories of the past kept flooding her mind. Alix expressed his wish to her many times that he wanted to treat her to a great meal before he drew his last breath. As someone who was suffering from a terminal disease known as Blackheart, he only had a few more months to live. No one really knew what illnesses caused this disease, but sometimes, children who suffered severe trauma tend to fall prey to this disease as they entered adulthood, and their heart would slowly shrink in size and eventually stop to beat. The more they got excited or exerted themselves physically, the sooner they''d die. It was a truly terrifying disease, for even laughing would lessen the patient''s lifespan. Meeka wanted to stay with Alix till his last breath, but she was shocked when she was informed of his death. She didn''t even get to see his body, for most of it was eaten away, and then the apology letter that Sean sent only infuriated her. She came from the twentieth deck to deal with Sean, but now, after knowing what Alix was up to, she was down in tears. "Why, Alix? Why did you leave my side for something like that!" As she sobbed her heart out, the corner of Lirzod''s mouth turned down. A second later, he turned around and barked at the guards, "Why did you two make her cry?" "Eh?" the guards were stunned. "Don''t let a lady cry in public," Lirzod hastily said. "Go help her." "W-Why aren''t you doing it yourself?" the two guards talked back. "Shame on you two," Lirzod shook his head and then turned around and closed in on Meeka before stooping down to her level. "I don''t know if it''s right of me to say this or not, but..." he scratched his jaw as he continued, "if you want to taste the fish meat that your lover fought for, then consider casting your vote. Then if your name comes up in the lottery, you''ll have it." Meeka slowly stopped crying. "I don''t want to have something that resulted in Alix''s death." She stood and rubbed her eyes. "I''m sorry. I don''t want to stay in this place any longer." Saying that she walked away in haste while continuing to rub her tears Lirzod was vacantly looking down at the trail of tears. (You take offense at all the warm feelings of the heart, and love may very well be what you loathe the most. You never change, do you, Death, the curse of curses, my sworn enemy? You always hunger for a dance on any bridge linking two hearts that love each other, even though...) Lirzod placed his forefinger on the tears Meeka had shed. (All you can do is destroy the bridge, not their love. A billion shames on you.) He glanced at Meeka, who had already made some distance. (Wherever he may be, I believe he loves you the same, miss.) After closing his eyes for a few seconds, he stood and leaked out a faint yet burdened breath before heading into the hall. 93 AGAINST FATE In the K Block on the tenth deck, Gerett entered the hollow hall allotted for tending the children they had saved from Znjoa Schweess and his associates. Usually, the hollow hall was mostly filled with triple bunk beds, but now only a few regular beds remained, and the rest of the hall was filled with dolls and toys. The floor was also carpeted with grass to give the park vibe. When Gerett entered, many children ran over to hug him, though none of them could tightly hug him because of his fatness. "Uncle, did you bring sweets for us?" their eyes were on the bags in his hands. "No, these are my snacks," replied Gerett, taking slow but larger steps while keeping his chin up. "If you want a bite, you''ll have to wait till pigs fly." "Uncle, you''re already fat. You shouldn''t eat so much," they tried to pluck the food out of his hands. "I''m not fat. I only weigh twenty-five stones." "But your belly is bigger than a pot." "What are you batty brats babbling about! My belly is the best thing since sliced bread," Gerett came over and plomped down on a swinging bench, then opened the bags and gorged on the hot and spicy items first while the children sat on either side and kept gulping their saliva. A couple of female workers were standing nearby, and they were also drooling a bit. Chaves had given him some of these food items, so Gerett was quite impressed because they carried a unique flavor, though not super delicious. Upon waiting for a couple of minutes, sensing that Gerett wasn''t going to give them any food, the children slowly started poking his sides with fingers. Though Gerett wasn''t bothered initially, as they raised their frequency, he felt a bit irritated and barked, "Stop it." The children moved away a bit, but their eyes were still on the food. Gerett continued eating at the same pace and kept chewing like a buffalo that masticated dried grass many times over. "S-Sir Gerett," one of the female workers voiced her mind. "Did you bring anything for the children?" Gerett took his time to reply. "I only brought food for myself and my wife." He glanced at that woman. "But, sir, you are not married." "I know. I was hoping one of you would become my wife," Gerett shamelessly said. "N-No, thanks," the woman said and spoke no more. "Hmph, too bad for you," Gerett indifferently snorted. "You can never get a husband who can become your pillow whenever you need." He looked at the second woman, who awkwardly scratched her chin but didn''t say anything. Gerett could only sigh. "You know not what you''re missing. Anyway, I''ve come here just to check on the children, and they seem to be doing fine. I''ve already sent a letter to Jawn, so he''ll be sending fruits and vegetables every other day. Take care of these children well until we drop them off at Shepherd''s Town." Gerett, though he was stuffing his mouth, didn''t feel all that good now after getting rejected by two women. (I''ve initially taken up this job to find a partner, but even after all these years, I''m still single. Women used to either take pity or laugh at me in the past, but now they''re scared of me. I know I''m chubby, but what can I do? It''s hereditary. My dad used to rip hundreds of waiters to shreds because they didn''t get the order in time, but I''m different. I think twice before even ripping apart a paper, given it''s not covering food. And my dad can''t even roll over properly, but I can. He can''t touch his feet, but I can. However, he got married, but why can''t I? I smell much better than him, yet why? Just why?) When the memory of Gerett''s mother crying when cooking breakfast for his father flashed in his mind, his eyes turned a bit teary. His mother didn''t know how to say no, yet his father often treated her like trash and was needlessly mean to her. In the end, his father''s momentary anger accidentally took his mother???s life. After his father got sentenced to ten years in prison, Gerett was left alone. Upon receiving the news that his father died in prison, he became absolutely alone. Only food gave him a piece of mind. Just thinking about those past incidents boiled Gerett''s blood. (Why can''t I find someone kind like my mother? Why am I so unlucky?) Suddenly, Stussy''s image came to his mind. One the first day he met her on this ship a few months ago, she gave him a handshake and a light hug and appreciated him for his work, which no other chief before her took the effort to do. (Though she remarked about my size, she never called me a fatty. Maybe, I have a chance with her. I know it''s a long shot. She and I live in different worlds, but she''s the one who''s closest to my mother. If I impress her in some way, I might have a chance! Yes, I can''t give up! I''ll marry her and change my fate!) Gerett got lost in thought for a while. However, when he came back to this world, he realized that the children had taken out the food from the bags and were all eating like ravenous little crows. The veins popped out in his forehead. "You little thieves!" he mercilessly snatched the half-eaten food items from their hands and put them in the bags and walked away, leaving the children and the two women in stupefied silence. "You two worked as governesses in child booths," Gerett spoke without looking back. "Teach these kids well, and if you do a good job, you might get your jobs back." The two women''s expressions brightened a bit upon hearing that. "Thank you, sir." The children, however, still kept pouting. Nevertheless, Gerett didn''t say another word. Gerett walked out of the hall, looking somewhat angry and irritated. Two men were passing by, and one of them, the thick-lipped man, recognized Gerett and approached him from behind. "Brother Gerett, do you have a moment, please?" However, he got no response, as Gerett kept walking, muttering things to himself. "Brother Gerett, it''s me," the thick-lipped man overtook Gerett and poked his chest. "Don''t you remember me? We drank together a few weeks ago. You said you would¡ª" Gerett grabbed his shirt and shoved him into the wall. "I don''t know who the fuck you are," Gerett''s eyes turned red from rage, "but poke me again, and you can bet on your stinky little ass that I''ll make you bleed from your nine holes for all four mother-fucking seasons." He pressed the man further against the wall and deepened his voice, "Understood?" "Y-Yes, sir," the thick-lipped man was sweating crazily. "Never do it again. Never," Gerett let go of him and walked away, still looking to be in a pissed-off mood. The thick-lipped man looked at his friend, who came to help. "What the fuck did I do, huh?" "You shouldn''t have poked the man. He''s not your friend like I am, so you probably ticked him off. They say what goes around comes around, and that''s what happened to you." "Yeah, ''they'' can go fuck themselves." "Well¡­ Simmer down first, buddy. You look like an angry cookie." "Fuck it. I''m never gonna go near that pig again. He almost gave me a bloody heart attack." "We are not martials yet, so we should act more carefully. Once we become martials, we can then live like a maggot in bacon." "Don''t bullshit me, okay?" the thick-lipped man straightforwardly said. "I don''t have flowers in my ears to believe that we can surely become martials one day. If becoming a martial was so easy for a nobody like me, I''d have turned into one right now, so I could go and poke that fat prick''s nipples until he begged me a billion times not to!" "I must say, you are not wrong this time. If plucking feathers off a chicken made it a martial, then we''re currently the same as bald chickens. We must grow some feathers, no matter what lotion it takes." "Yeah, but where can we get this lotion or whatever that can help us? Things won''t just happen because we want so." "I don''t know where we can find the lotion, but let''s not give up on our hopes." "Heh, for a second, I thought you were gonna surprise me." "Actually, I do have an idea." "What is it? C''mon, tell me." "Maybe we''re barking up the wrong tree all this time." "Speak common tongue," the thick-lipped man gritted his teeth. "I''m not in the fucking mood to decipher your rhetorical rubbish." "Sorry. I''m just saying, why don''t we take a step back and look for another tree, and by that, I mean, why don''t we try becoming cruxlers first?" "Are you kidding?" he was quite startled. "A cruxler? Their lifestyle was built on high-risk. One wrong step, and we''ll blow ourselves to pieces before we know it, or in the worst case, we''ll be roaming the woods as monsters in making." "Yeah, but if you have a better idea, then tell me." "Not right now, but¡­ let''s give it some thought." Meanwhile, near the foster hall on the twelfth deck, Burton was lying in wait about a hundred meters away from the entrance, where many poor-looking souls were gathering on either side of the street. Eventually, he stood and approached them without blinking. They realized that he was coming their way, but they acted like they minded their business by having frivolous conversations and laughing out loud. Burton stopped in their midst. "I''ve only come here for my ring. It''s a copper ring with a sword symbol and weight scales on it. I know one of you has taken that ring, so it''d be nice if you give it back, or..." The men and boys continued to laugh and ignore Burton. "I won''t ask again," Burton stressed his words. "If you have that ring, then come forward. If you know where that ring is, then tell me, and I''ll reward you. However, if none of you have anything to say, I''ll be forced to bring the answers out in an unpleasant way." Still, there was no change in their expressions. "Don''t blame me afterward,??? Burton turned to his left and approached the nearest group of two, who seemed like a father and a son. As Burton closed in, the father stood and said aloud, "Go away, or you''ll get hurt¡ª" Burton grabbed the father''s collar and pushed him against the wall. "I know that it''s you who took my apple before." The father''s expression changed a bit, but he was quick to cover up. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." "Let go of him!" the son barked and at the same time kicked Burton from the side; however, Burton didn''t budge an inch. "Where''s the ring?" Burton''s cold gaze began to eat away the father''s confidence bit by bit. "I-I don''t know what you''re talking about!" the father replied without much hesitation. The other men and boys, who were sitting on the sides until now, got up and surrounded Burton. "Why did you come back, youngster? Why are you bothering us when someone else stole your ring?" Burton let go of the father and turned to face them. "Stop playing dumb. I only want my ring. I''ll pay if you want." "We have no idea what you''re talking about," the men cracked their knuckles and grinned evilly before launching their fists at Burton. Even the teenagers threw in their kicks. SWOOSH~~!! However, before their fists and feet reached him, they all withdrew their attacks in the middle and began to cry out loud. "Hotatatatatot!" "Hot! So freaking hot!" The men kept blowing air at their fists, whereas the teenagers kept dancing on a single foot. "Ah! It''s freaking hot!" "What did you do?" "He was just standing, but he definitely did something!" "It feels like I put my hand in the oven. So hot!" "I thought I touched an eel or something!" They all kept crying in mild but sharp pain, and fear crept up in their faces. "Where¡­ is¡­ THE RING?" Burton''s voice grew deep. All the dozen or so people surrounding him suddenly felt shivers running down their spines. Without wait, they bailed like deer that got a first-hand taste of the spite of a tiger. "Not so fast," Burton, however, caught one man, the father, the same person he caught before. He pushed him against the wall. "I''ll give you five seconds. Speak, or I''ll begin to break your fingers one by one." "I-I really don''t know what you''re talking about, sir," the father said. "I didn''t steal anything. I was just sitting and begging here, that''s all. So please let me¡ªAHH!" Burton bent the father''s little finger till it touched the back of the palm. He immediately moved on to the ring finger. "Ah! Fuck! Wait!" the father cried and gasped. "I''ll tell you. I''ll speak. Your ring¡ªI don''t know who took it, but it''s probably already got exported from this deck." Burton was quite surprised. "What do you mean ''exported?''" "T-The stolen goods won''t be sold on the same deck, sir," the father hurriedly said, while his face was cooked with wretchedness. "That''s all I can say. Now, let me go, please!" "Which deck would the stolen goods mostly go to?" Burton bent his ring finger more than just a little. "Stop! Ah! Thirteenth deck! It''s the thirteenth-fucking deck! Please, stop!" the father replied in double-quick time, tears streaming down his cheeks. "If you''re lying, you''ll regret it for the rest of your life," Burton let go of him and started walking away. The father gritted his teeth and attacked Burton, "You blue-eyed bastard!" Burton swiveled and kicked in his abdomen, causing him to spill saliva and blood. As he collapsed to his knees in utter disbelief and pain, Burton looked mildly frustrated, "Tch, my bad, I put some strength into the kick." He flicked a silver coin and then started to walk away. After taking a couple of steps, he stopped and flicked two silver coins over his head. "These are for your courage." Saying that he continued to walk. The father, despite being in so much pain, still crawled on all fours and picked up the three coins. Even so, when he looked at Burton''s back, there was simply distress and dissatisfaction in his eyes. "If the ring was sent to other decks, finding it will be infinitely harder. What a mess," Burton, on the other hand, looked visibly disappointed with himself. "I shouldn''t have let my guard down." He put his hand on his face. "Now, I''m suffering for it." Meanwhile, elsewhere on the twelfth deck, as Lirzod entered the voting hall, the lottery was almost finished. Everybody was eagerly waiting for the last item, a beast bit. Hundred took out the final slip and read the name, "Mr. Heehaw." Almost all the shoulders in the crowd dropped for the moment. No one raised their hand or stepped forward. "Who''s Heehaw?" Hundred asked again. "I''m Heehaw!" one thick-browed man stepped forward. "Hey, your name''s Nicholas!" another man barked. "Stop acting!" "What are you saying? My full name is Nicholas Heehaw!" "Bullshit! Who are you fooling! Your full name is Nicholas Bootless!" "Get back, please," Hundred urged the thick-browed man and then addressed the crowd. "I guess I''ll be taking another one." He took out another slip and was surprised by seeing the name. "Mr. Sean." "What?" everyone was slack-jawed. Judging their reactions, Hundred tossed the slip toward them, and only after checking the name on it, many people got convinced that they weren''t being fooled by a pretense. Hundred walked over to Sean, who was watching over the vote counter. "Mr. Sean, you won the beast bit." "I''m sorry, but that thing doesn''t feed the soul," Sean was rather quick to reply. "You can keep it." Hundred briefly froze. "A-Are you sure?" Sean slightly nodded. "In case either you or your friend is uncomfortable with this, then consider that as an Extensive Award for trying to help the cats." "Thank you, Commander," Hundred happily said. Sean pressed his lips together and forced a smile, for he could easily see that Hundred wasn''t at all uncomfortable with taking the beast bit back. "Mm?" Hundred looked to his right, only to see Lirzod stepping onto the stage, holding an almost empty water bottle in his hand. "If you''ve come for voting, then you''re late, sir. The voting has already finished." "You''re still salty about the bread, huh, Brother Big Belly," Lirzod said and smiled. Hundred''s belly was no longer as swollen, for he had already vomited multiple times. "That''s what some are calling you." "All because of you," Hundred harrumphed. "C''mon, I can''t eat that much bread and still freely walk around, like how you are doing¡­" Hundred ground his teeth. (He''s purposely testing my patience. Just wait, I''ll make you eat something worse real soon!) He looked at Lirzod''s swollen face. "Anyway, what happened to your face? Did you run into a beehive or something?" "No, I just kissed a woman, and she rewarded me a thousand times for it with her feet," Lirzod pitifully said. "W-What? Which whippersnapper dared to do that?" "It''s the elf from the clinic." Hundred''s heart skipped a beat. Imaginations such as Mulyk pointing a gun at him already flooded his mind. "O-Oh, that girl is dangerous." "Dangerous, maybe, but definitely not so friendly," said Lirzod rubbing his cheeks a bit. "I''ve grown up around girls, but it''s hard to see through them, you know." "You have no idea," replied Hundred, "but¡­ what made you say that?" "Well," Lirzod''s memories drifted into the past, "there was a girl named Navoni. We used to be classmates when we were kids, but she suddenly stopped talking to me because I never kissed her, and told me I can never become a good friend." "That''s one crazy kid, I mean, girl." "Back then, like everyone, I only kissed those I loved, but Navoni''s words affected me a lot. Not long after Navoni stopped talking, I became friends with another classmate named Megha. This time I went out of my way and kissed her one day, but she bit my hand and said I was indecent and that she could never have proper friendship with me." "What? T-That''s too much for just a simple kiss on the cheek." "Yeah, right?" Lirzod''s voice gained some strength. "If one girl says yes, then another says no to the same thing. They can be so confusing and obscure at times. You never know when they laugh in their sleeves or fart in others'' faces." "Your childhood seems to have many twists and turns." "Mm, after many such experiences, I''ve eventually decided to just be myself and go with the flow, you know. I''ve made many friends just this way, though I''ve lost some, too." "That''s the right thing to do," Hundred gave a thumbs-up. "If you care too much about what others think about you, you''ll never be able to do what you want to do." Lirzod faintly smiled and then faced the commander, "How did the voting go, sir?" "You don''t have to call me ''sir.'' Just Sean will do. As for the result, it will be out any second," Sean glanced back at his trainees. A couple of seconds later, they handed him a paper. After gazing at the details, his expression didn''t change by much. Lirzod stood on his toes and tried to peek, but Sean folded the paper. He then said aloud, addressing the audience, "A total of 12581 votes were cast, so the voting is valid. At least 6291 votes must be cast in favor of the new rule for it to be passed. And as for the result..." His pause only raised the suspense in the hall. "Only 847 votes were cast against the rule change, so it''s an overwhelming victory. New¡ª" "We won! We won!" Hundred and Lirzod were already celebrating with Lirzod before Sean finished his speech. Those in the crowd also cheered and whistled. "New betting rules will be implemented in the test hall starting tomorrow," said Sean, but nobody was paying attention to his words anymore, and the atmosphere in the hall turned livelier than ever as Hundred lifted Lirzod. Others joined and moved Lirzod around on their raised hands. Sean''s eyes eventually settled on Lirzod, whom many were congratulating, "Did the boy win, or¡­" his eyes then shifted toward the crowd, "did their greed for the fish meat make him win?" A few minutes later, the atmosphere in the hall eventually settled. Lirzod came to Sean to thank him, but Sean said he was just doing his duty and then gave him a cover. "I wouldn''t say it''s a gift, but¡­ just a little help for your journey." A look inside the cover revealed the small but fresh sweet potatoes. "Thanks for everything." "Again, I just did my duty," Sean stretched his lips a bit, this time not so forcefully. Lirzod then turned around and walked. After reaching the edge of the stage, he turned his head around. "I was afraid, thinking whether the rule would get passed or not, but... the people on your deck have proven their worth and yours, too, Commander." After saying that, Lirzod left casually, but his actions brought an untaught smile on Sean''s face. Lirzod and Hundred then left the hall together. There weren''t very many people in the streets anymore, for most voters had long left the neighborhood. "Did you get this armor from the foster hall?" Hundred asked Lirzod the question he had been meaning to ask. "I just found it on some street," Lirzod said and laughed. "How do I look?" "It''s a bit too big for your size, and¡­" he knocked on it two times, "it''s tough, too. It should weigh a lot." "That''s why I''ve picked it up." "Huh? Are you alright in the head?" "I''m totally alright¡­ in the head, but not so much in the stomach," Lirzod rubbed his belly. "I feel weak. I want to eat something so badly, but I don''t want bread." His mouth turned down. A few seconds of silence passed. "Ten kilos, yet we didn''t even get to eat a piece," Hundred expressed a bit of disappointment. "Well, we have eaten enough in the commander''s room, right?" "We did, but¡­" he glanced at Lirzod once before looking ahead, "I didn''t expect this restraint from someone who indulges himself into eating nuts often." "If we go a few days without nuts, they taste even better afterward." "U-Uh, so that''s your reason," Hundred covered his face with his hand. "I should''ve guessed it." "Haha," Lirzod chortled. "I''m looking at the positives here. Still, it takes a lot of self-control to do this much. I couldn''t even last a day without nuts a few years ago, you know." Hundred raised his shoulders a bit, "I can''t tell if you''re disciplining yourself or spoiling yourself." "Of course, it''s the former. I no longer eat nuts when my stomach is upset." Hundred sighed. "Well, I guess that some temperance you''ve got there," he sarcastically said. Lirzod suddenly stopped. "Did you hear that?" "Hear what?" "The scream," Lirzod looked around. "Scream? It must''ve been an echo," Hundred put his ears to work. "I can''t hear any scream, though." "No. I heard it." A few minutes earlier. "How long are you going to sit here?" Booboo was sitting beside Beren, their backs resting against the wall of a room, outside in the street. Beren was looking at the newly-sharpened knife in his hands. "The strong walk over the weak like how we humans flatten the ants," Booboo put his hand on Beren''s arm. "There''s no need to give it a second thought because that''s how the world works. The strongest decide what''s right or wrong, no matter where you go. That''s why it''s not abnormal for children to rebel against their parents," Booboo said in a slightly passionate tone, with a hint of bloodlust dwelling in his eyes. "Royals do this all the time. They do it for power, but you have a better reason. Your father is near. Whatever you do to him is fully up to you. I''ll be here, so if you need me, just call out my name, and I''ll be there before you know it." "I¡­" Beren seemed to be in two minds. "Believe me," said Booboo in an urging tone. "This knife will bring you freedom." "I¡­" after some thought, Beren shook his head. He then handed the knife back to Booboo. "So you''ve decided to let him go," Booboo''s expression somewhat dullened, "even after he brought you so much pain." "I''ve never wanted to kill him in the first place," Beren said, wearing a lame look on his face, but his expression slowly changed for the better as he remembered Lirzod''s words: All of your sufferings are not found only in you, so don''t let them define you. "I¡­" All the friends from different child booths had their own sad stories, some of which sounded worse than his own. Even his best friend''s mother dropped her at a child booth when the going got tough and never came back, but his friend never slung mud at her mother during any of the conversations. "I¡­" Beren stood and clenched his fists as his mother''s image came to his mind. He remembered the time when he read one of the letters his mother wrote to her brother. In that letter, her brother looked down on them so much that he said whatever happened to Beren and his mother was their own fault, and that they were both worth dirt to anyone with a brain. Currently, Beren''s blood boiled with all the emotions that memories whipped out. He took a deep breath. "I just want to prove people wrong. I will prove that I''m stronger than I look, that I''m not worth dirt, and neither was my mother." Booboo''s mouth slightly turned down. He took out the wine bottle and had ten full gulps before leaking out a sharp breath through his nose. "Still and all," he gave the knife back to the boy, "keep it just in case as a countermeasure." Beren paused for a moment and then hid the knife under his shirt. "I don''t know how to thank you, uncle." "Just help yourself, and I''ll be happy," Booboo said and smiled. Beren didn''t smile back, but he looked focused. As he approached a nearby room, his heart began to beat loudly, and the memories of his mother from months ago flashed in his mind. "I''m probably gonna die soon, but don''t cry for me for days on end, Beren." "Aren''t you afraid of death, mom? One of my friends said death is like a deep sleep, and one can''t wake up from it." She was a little surprised. "Yeah, it''s like a deep sleep, but there are many things scarier than death in this world," she told Beren. "For one, sickness is worse than death. So many times every day, I feel like ending my own life, but I feel, yielding to defeat is worse than death. That''s why I''m clinging onto life, fighting against my fate, so I can raise you long enough to bring you to the shore. Then I can peacefully..." "Don''t worry, mom. Even if you fall into a deep sleep, I will wake you up for sure." "Haha, how are you gonna do that?" "By giving you hugs and kisses!" he jumped on her and cuddled her. Coming back to the present, Beren''s eyes had a layer of tears, but they didn''t wet his eyelashes, much less stream down his cheeks. He was considering how foolish it was of him to think he could wake his mother up from deep sleep when nobody had ever done it before. He failed his mother back then, but at least now, he wanted to set things straight with someone else before they entered deep sleep, too. About fifty feet away, inside a room. There were ten trainees near the bed where Nick was resting. Together, they already offered him some fruits¡ªmostly apples and bananas. After all, the amount wouldn''t amount to much had they given him individually. "Are you feeling okay now, brother?" "Yeah, I think I''m out of danger," Nick replied in a friendly tone and beamed a smile. "Thanks for visiting me." "What are you saying? You are like our big brother. We''ve practiced together for many months. If we can''t even come to see you, how are we supposed to show our faces to you later?" "Haha, you guys are too frank." "By the way, Brother, who was that healer that helped you? We heard he''s not from around here." "Ah¡­" Nick didn''t know what to say. "That¡­ He was someone who owed me in the past. He came to repay the favor. Simple as that." "Oh, to treat such a threatening injury so fast, he must''ve been a skilled healer." "To my luck, yes," Nick said and then went into deep thought. (Why is Mr. Roseberry interested in recruiting that fellow even though it hasn''t been long since he boarded the ship? He even wants me to try and persuade him. I want to go and see that guy quickly, but resting on this bed will gain me more sympathy. He gave a once over at the ten guys. I don''t care much about these idiots, but I hope that Sean will come to see me. I will make use of that opportunity and persuade him to teach me his martial art.) At that moment, Nick and others heard the sound of footsteps, for someone entered the room. When the ten people looked back, some of them recognized Beren and got quite surprised. Nick, who tried to look through the gaps between the ten guys, couldn''t clearly see who it was. Is it Sean? "Who is it?" "I-It''s¡­" the ten guys didn''t know what to say, and they moved aside, bringing Beren into Nick''s view. Nick''s expression froze fleetingly, but then his brows squeezed together, and his head tilted down a bit. His eyes, however, were still fixed on Beren, who was staring right back at him. "I don''t even want to look at that trash. Someone kick that piece of shit away. If he''s here by the time I open my eyes..." he clenched his fists. "I don''t know what I''ll do to him." "You heard him, kid!" one of the guys barked, especially to intimidate. "Leave!" "I only came here to say just one thing," Beren said, trying to look confident, "and then I''ll be on my way." "Didn''t you hear us?" a man walked toward Beren. "Not only did you dare hurt your own father, but now you are also trying to test his patience and goodwill!" "Patience? Goodwill?" Beren ground his teeth, and all the emotions he had been keeping in check burst out at once. "That fat guy sitting on the bed has none of those. In fact, he''s so sympathetic that he left my mother to live on her own after knowing that she was with a child!" His words surprised the men and briefly froze them in their tracks. Beren continued, "I don''t care why he abandoned her, but I just want him to know..." as he was saying, one of the men quickly grabbed his hand and dragged him out, but he didn''t put his hand on Beren''s mouth, so Beren shouted, "My mother, Quinna Kimani, never once spoke a bad word about you." Nick frowned for a moment, but then his fists loosened, and his eyes opened. "Bring him in." Hearing Nick''s words, the man pushed Beren back into the room. "You can kill me if you want," Beren said, his knees were struggling to stand straight. "I''m not afraid." "Check him," said Nick in an emotionless tone. Another man came to Beren and inspected him and found the knife right away. As the knife got taken away, Beren''s heart pounded against his chest harder than ever. Nick didn''t seem surprised, but he narrowed his eyes like a predator locking its gaze on the prey, "So you''ve come with bad intentions for the second time." Though he asked, Beren didn''t reply. "Why did you not proceed with the plan?" Nick asked. "Was it because I''m not alone?" Still, there was no response. "Those eyes???" Nick seemed visibly disappointed, "I can''t even tell if you''re looking at me or not." Beren shifted his head and looked away. "Can''t even look me in the eye, huh," Nick exhaled audibly. "I see. Quinna raised a dud. She lets me down even after death." A surge of rage sparked in Beren''s heart. "Don''t you dare badmouth my mother!" he roared and ran toward the bed. The other men stepped forward, but Nick''s hand gesture stopped them in their tracks. Beren jumped onto the bed and punched Nick repeatedly in the face for tens of times until his hands bled, and he eventually stopped from exhaustion. The next moment, Nick grabbed Beren''s tiny throat and squeezed without wavering. The boy''s tongue hanged, and his eyes popped out, but Nick''s grip kept tightening. He felt utterly powerless. "Let me make you look a bit prettier," Nick gouged out one of the eyeballs. A mad pain took over Beren''s head, and all the men in the room were no less shocked. With a wave of his hand, Nick tossed Beren onto the floor. "Get him out of my sight." Two men hurriedly grabbed Beren as he howled and crazily rolled on the floor from pain. As they were taking him out, Nick looked at the eyeball in his hand. (Will this be enough to show them my conviction?) He looked toward Beren once more. "Wait." "Mm?" the two men, who were taking Beren away, stopped. Nick got down from the bed and walked toward them, scaring Beren like never before. Beren was shaking like a twig. He hurriedly shouted, "Uncle! Uncle! Please help me, Uncle!" A couple of seconds passed, in the span of which Nick took a few steps, but nobody came for help. Sensing that Nick had ill intentions, one of the two men holding Beren looked at the other, and they subtly nodded to each other before making it look as if Beren managed to slip out of their grip through his struggle. After falling on his butt, Beren desperately crawled his way out on his four limbs, like a wounded rat searching for its freedom from a despotic cat. Though Beren managed to come out of the room, so did Nick, stepping over the thin bloody trail. Just when Beren was about to get back to his feet to make a run for it, Nick''s foot stomped him back to the floor. He cried out in pain and spat out a mouthful of blood. (One eye might not be enough. An arm, in addition to that, should suffice.) Nick pressed his foot on Beren''s back harder. "You brought this on yourself." Beren felt like he was getting crushed by a mountain. He couldn''t breathe at all. With great effort, he looked to his right, in the direction where Booboo was supposed to be sitting, but the spot was empty. Even the rest of the street seemed empty without a soul roaming around. "Brother Nick," the ten members came out of the room, and hesitantly said, "aren''t you punishing him a bit too much?" "You guys don''t come into my business!" Nick yelled, his daunting gaze making him look even more menacing. "This is what happens when someone goes against the wishes of the strong. Even if he''s my own flesh and blood, a weak thing is worthless." He turned Beren over with his foot and then picked him up by his shirt and looked at his son, who was missing his left eye, and grinned. "You look much better now, son of Quinna." "Tphoo!" Beren spat in Nick''s face, shocking the onlookers. "You little shit!" Nick let go of the shirt and grabbed his throat right away. "Do you want to die so badly? If not for the location we''re at, I''d have granted your wish, but don''t worry. I have my own ways of teaching you a life lesson." Despite the immense pressure binding his throat, Beren still kept struggling for freedom. "The moment you messed with me, your fate has been sealed. There is no point in fighting against it." With brute force, Nick ripped Beren''s arm out and tossed the boy away, leaving everyone in utter bafflement. Beren screamed as blood poured out of his open shoulder. Despite his cries, there was no remorse in Nick''s eyes, who looked indifferently at his own son''s miserable state. Even though the pain was too much to bear, Beren, afraid of losing his life, tried to get back to his feet, and run away. His footsteps weren''t under his control, and he couldn''t even run straight. After going past the ten men, he couldn''t keep on going for long. Just as he ran desperately from those men, a familiar youth came into his view at the corner of the street. Though there was only about a fifty feet distance between them, after taking five more steps, he could no longer control himself and fell headlong. Lirzod''s eyes enlarged, for he had recognized Beren right away. He ran to Beren, who was already on the floor. "Hey, kid!" he tried to talk to Beren, who already seemed to be on the verge of losing his consciousness. Looking at the boy''s condition, Lirzod''s blood boiled. "That fellow is the one who won Kitchen Wars," one of the ten men stated in surprise. "I heard he fought against Hardy Brothers and got severely injured. But he looks okay now." "Then, needless to say, he got healed by someone." As the other men were talking, Nick took a look at Lirzod, "So that''s the rumored brat, Lirzod." Just then, Hundred also entered the street and was briefly revolted by what was going on. In that little time during which he tried to understand and digest what was going on, he noticed the change in Lirzod''s expression. The sheer anger flooding through Lirzod''s veins made him stand and hastily stare at those eleven men, and his eyes stopped on Nick, who was still holding onto Beren''s arm. "Are you the one who hurt him?" Straight away, Lirzod scuttled toward Nick at full speed like an angry ram, his heart already gripped by rage, and a thick vein throbbing out of the skin in his right arm, but ten men were standing between him and his target. "This is our family matter," Nick coldly and bit casually said. "Don''t interfere." "AHH?" Lirzod''s fuse sparked off. "You want me to listen to a scum who assaults a child?" When two men tried to stop Lirzod, he whooshed past them like a whirlwind. (He can move so fast while wearing that big chest armor!) All the ten trainees were greatly surprised, especially the two in the front. "If you don''t stop," Nick raised his voice while wearing a slight angry frown on his face, "I won''t hesitate to rip your arm out, too." Lirzod leaped over the rest of the men and went straight for Nick, "Do it if you can!" Nick dropped the arm and met Lirzod''s attack with his own punch. Both fists collided with a thundery bang. 94 MATTERS OF MONEY At one of the staircases connecting the twelfth and the thirteenth decks, there were two guards and a group of three Dustbin Diggers, the latter of which was forcibly taking an item or two from every person looking to use the stairs. A small cage filled with downcast cats they had caught was nearby. Unlike other parties, they had used a three-legged rat as bait. Pocketing some coins by handing the cats over to the referee was on their minds. "I''m getting tired of waiting. What if that bastard never shows up and spends his time hiding somewhere on this deck?" "How long can he hide?" "He''s been quiet as a mouse, but he''s gonna come out eventually, and when he does, he''ll suffer. The sooner he comes out and admits his guilt, the better it is for him." Just then, a light brown-haired man with the number 330 tattooed on his cheek climbed down the stairs. None of three members of Dustbin Diggers dared to look him in the eye. Even the guards just kept their heads tilted down until he swaggered into the distance. "Whew, what''s a guy from the seventh belt doing here?" "Maybe he''s a reviewer." "But he isn''t wearing the uniform." "Well, it''s not an obligation, right?" As the three members chatted, Burton entered the street and came into their view. Their expressions brightened as Burton came from the direction the light brown-haired man just went in. "That purple hair¡­ he''s the one." The three of them forthwith charged Burton like annoyed beasts while carrying garbage baskets on their backs. "You seriously expect to fight me with that baggage?" Burton said, "I''m getting excited." "Don''t underestimate us!" "Well, what a surprise. You saw through my sarcasm. Very good. Well done!" Burton clapped, incensing them further. "You are dead meat!" they roared. "Am I now?" Burton smiled and waited until they closed in. As the closest man launched his fist, Burton sidestepped and used his lead leg to circle the three men at high speed, then stopped in front of those three again, causing them to freeze in their footsteps and look at him with bafflement. His sheer speed and expertise in moving nimbly made three bellies cramp. "Along the way, I''ve come across a few members from your gang or guild or whatever you call yourselves. I''ve dealt with them, but now I''m not in the mood to waste my energy on you hoodlums," Burton adjusted the unkempt shirt collar on the one standing in the front. "Tell your boss to spend time on why I had to fight his men rather than on finding me so he could get his little revenge. If not, I''ll be forced to shift my focus, in which case, his whole world will be turned upside down, understood?" Burton politely smiled. "So the boss who sent you guys here hasn''t yet spared a thought for me," Burton casually said, "or he''s not among those dozens of light-under-bushels." "You little!" the three of them couldn''t control their anger, but the one in the front acted first by recklessly throwing a punch. Burton grabbed the fist with ease. "Taking me lightly just because I was having a peaceful conversation, are you?" he twisted the wrist, causing the man to scream. The other two men attacked him. Burton used the man he was holding a shield from one of the attackers. At that moment, the third man grabbed his arm and tried to twist it with brute force. Burton kicked in his knee, forcing him to lower his head in pain. A swift punch to the face made him crash on his back, crushing the basket and the food items inside. A foul smell wafted about. In a flash, Burton whooshed through the gap between the remaining two men and pushed them down to the floor by their faces. His palms continued to iron their faces. "I try not to take any pleasure in crushing the weak, so stay down, or I might crush you like a bug." Other than wincing, there was no response from them, so Burton stood, rubbed his hands, and walked away. "Enjoy your time because your days are numbered," one of those three men gathered courage and shouted while still staying down. Burton, however, didn''t stop until he reached the staircase. He glanced at the cage full of felines. "Cats may feel safe in a cage but never satisfied," he kicked it, sending it flying into a wall. The cage fell, and the door broke open. The cats speedily scurried out and away in double-quick time. "Y-You!" the three men found themselves boiling in rage. "You are courting disaster." Burton faintly smiled and then sought to climb the stairs. The two guards blocked his path. After he gave his name, they checked it through the updated list. His name was there, so they took his signature and thumbprint and then changed the tattoo on his left wrist from twelve to thirteen. Afterward, they moved away and made way for him. "Please go ahead." Burton climbed the stairs as he unfolded his sleeves. "I hope I can find the ring," he looked a bit sad and down-hearted as he remembered about his precious ring. "Once I find it, I''m sure I can buy it no matter the cost." At Drill Clinic, a few hours after the incident with Lirzod and Nick. The dog that Lirzod had brought was still unconscious at the corner of the room. Though Lirzod had put the dog on the bed, Mulyk had moved it to the corner and then proceeded with the skin-deep treatment. Beren was lying unconsciously on a bed, with his severed arm reattached using what looked like thin tree roots. Hundred was also resting on a neighboring bed, for he was transferring his blood to the boy using a mosquito needle. Two moderately hardened veins made out of cloud leeches connected the mosquito needles to a white translucent bottle made by hardening a cloud turtle stomach that was capable of converting any blood type to universal donor type, though its capabilities waned with usage. Usually, a regular cloud turtle stomach could be used for about thirty times with no problems, as long as it wasn''t utilized in a continuous period. As for Beren''s left eye, it was gone. A leaf was covering the eye socket now. Mulyk pressed the vein a little at a spot and controlled the speed of the blood flow, for the vein took time to regain its natural shape. By pressing it at different points with varying applied force, she was able to precisely control the rate at which blood coursed through the veins, both from the donor and the recipient. "He''ll be able to use his arm again, wouldn''t he?" Hundred asked in a bit of a somber tone. "The arm was ripped out with brute force-fu," Mulyk replied, giving away just a bit of emotion in her tone, "so he won''t be able to use it well anytime soon. After that, it depends on his luck. If he meets some good priest or healer, then he may be able to use his arm like in the past. In any case, with my treatment, he should be able to do menial tasks in about twenty weeks, assuming he takes proper rest, of course." "Twenty weeks, huh. That''s a long time." He glanced at Beren. "I wonder how he''ll handle it when he''s in such a state." "His physical suffering is one thing, but what he suffered mentally is what he should be more worried about," Mulyk said while briefly rubbing Beren''s feet. "I''ve seen many patients. Incidents like these will take away all the confidence from his heart. At best, he may stay weak. At worst, his hands may fail to make fists even when fingers get pointed at him or his people for no reason." Hundred didn''t say anything, for he was also referring to the same thing. After suffering such a mental trauma in the hands of his father, how would he spend twenty weeks while being handicapped? And there might not be anyone to help him, either. Mulyk narrowed her eyes as she gazed upon Beren. (He might get back to his usual self if he''s a son of a gun like the scar-faced brat, Lirzod. He was one hell of a guy seeing how he brushed aside the experience of an explosion that took him close to death, and also bovine enough to bring a dog into my clinic.) Meanwhile, on the same deck, in S Block, the surveillance room''s entrance had two cherry blossom trees on either side, with leaves falling piece by piece. Both Sariyu and 777 came out of the room. Judging by the way she carelessly stepped on the cherry blossom petals, it was easy to tell that she wasn''t in a good mood. After all, she had been kept in the surveillance room for many hours only to learn they didn''t have anything she required. "These idiots wasted my time for nothing," Sariyu ground her teeth to vent her frustration at the surveillance staff who called themselves as inspectors. She glanced at 777, setting off a cold breeze at his face, "Didn''t you say that there are eyes everywhere on this ship? Why didn''t they get the feed of what was happening in the test hall?" "U-Uh, I didn''t say that there are eyes everywhere, but I only said that it''s better for us to think that way when we are outside our rooms," 777 replied in a definite yet soft tone. "After all, they can''t put surveillance on every street. Like the name sounds, it mainly keeps watch on those who previously committed crimes, at least as far as I know. That said, it''s unexpected that they didn''t have the footage of the test hall as well. Probably, the surveilling system failed for some reason. Why do you want to take a look at it so badly anyway?" "I just want to know what exactly happened back then before I go meet those brothers?" "What?" 777 was momentarily surprised. "You want to meet them?" His eyes took on a haunted look. "For what?" "To make an apology." "Huh?" 777 seemed to be puzzled and even somewhat distressed. After mulling over things a bit, he voiced his mind, "Do you really want to apologize to those guys after everything they''ve tried to pull? They almost killed your friend Lirzod." Sariyu subtly clenched her fists, but then loosened them a second later. "Yeah, but he''s not dead. That''s what matters now. The life of my friend is more important than his feuds. If all it takes is an apology to erase the bad blood between them, then I can''t just sit and do nothing." 777 just stayed silent. "Also, I need to ask them about something else, too¡­" she said, and the memory of the explosion came back to her mind. (How did a simple punch explode like that? Even the one throwing the punch got blown away. Something just wasn''t right. I should first go and ask the referee and hear his side of the story. Then I''ll head over to those brothers.) Meanwhile, elsewhere on the twelfth deck, a kitten had been following Lirzod, but he shooed it away, yelling, "I''m not your mother. Go away, or the dogs might get you!" Still, the kitten kept meowing nonstop as it followed him. "I don''t have any food if that''s what you want. Leave!" Still, nothing changed. Just as he was getting tired of the kitten''s dumb pursuit, the mother cat came over, grabbed the kitten by the neck, and moved to safety by entering an abandoned room through a broken window. "Whew¡­" Lirzod breathed a sigh of relief, but there was wonder on his face, for there wasn''t a single cat raised or born in Helenia, his hometown. If a feline were to enter the town, people would chase it out right away either directly or with the help of dogs, so he rarely ever saw them before. "Just what is a cat? They can''t guard like dogs, but they eat all the time, and they crap everywhere," he thought as he kept going. "They seem to enjoy freedom more than the dogs and maybe even mankind. Humans have school, stress, jobs, taxes, and obligations, but cats¡ªjust meow. Such confounding creatures..." Just then, someone put a hand on his shoulder. The hand was heavy and gripping. When Lirzod glanced back, there was a man in a smiling mask, his eyes swelling out through the mask, giving the vibes of a creep. "Don''t move." He put a revolver near Lirzod''s waist, though most of the weapon was kept hidden in his long sleeve. "Keep walking." He cocked the hammer. "W-What do you want?" Lirzod''s heart skipped a beat, but he began to walk. "Not much," he replied, walking side by side. "You don''t need to worry too much. I''m one of the Nice Folks, so I keep my word. Hand over the money you earned in the staff-spinning competition, and I''ll walk away without touching so much as your hair." "What?" Lirzod was startled. His face lost some amount of blood. "But I already gave it away." "Stop lying," the masked man''s voice turned hoarse. "You don''t want a bullet in your liver, trust me." "I-I''m telling the truth," Lirzod''s voice turned a bit shaky. "You can check my pockets." The masked man paused for a moment and commanded, "Show me your pockets." A bead of sweat trickled down his temple as Lirzod pulled out the pockets, and he was right. His pockets were empty. "Whom did you give it to?" the masked man''s eyes sparkled with spleen as he pressed the revolver into Lirzod''s waist. "Lie," he leaned closer, "and I''ll find you and put a hole in your head. No one will ever know who sent you into your grave." Lirzod frowned. His blood was up. His right arm instantly smacked the masked man''s hand. BANG! A cracking noise echoed in the street as the bullet split the air into shockwaves and ricocheted off the wall. The revolver fell out of the masked man''s hand, and at the same time, the air pressure the rotating cylinder gave off tore the cloth on Lirzod waist and bruised his skin. However, in that split second, Lirzod promptly swiveled and elbowed in the masked man''s face from the front. The masked cracked and broke as he abruptly crashed on his back. Blood poured out of his broken nose, and his sight turned blurrier than that of an aged lady. By the time he regained his sight, Lirzod was checking the revolver. "How do you remove the bullets?" Lirzod was bemused. As he worked on the revolver, he unknowingly pointed the muzzle at the masked man and himself a few times. "W-Wait¡­ don''t shoot me," the masked man faltered as he got back to his feet. He was no longer wearing any mask. His red nose turned bluer by the second as it was the same with Lirzod''s waist, though Lirzod didn''t show any trace of pain in his face. "I won''t shoot you, but tell me how you take the bullets out," asked Lirzod. "O-Okay," the bloody-nosed man croaked, for some blood rushed up into his mouth. He coughed a little and then explained from a few feet away while subconsciously standing in a knees-locked posture. "I see," Lirzod marveled, his eyes sparkling like the desert sand during the golden hour upon successfully removing six more bullets from the cylinder. "I told you how to unload it, so please let me go," the bloody-nosed man was walking backward with his heart in his mouth. "You don''t want your gun?" asked Lirzod, lifting his brows. "What?" the bloody-nosed man puzzled and quivered in his shoes at the thought that he was getting teased. "I already broke your nose for pointing a gun at me," said Lirzod. "Since you''ve explained to me how to take the bullets out, I don''t want to tear you down anymore. Just do a thousand sit-ups, and I''ll give the gun back." "Huh?" the bloody-nosed man gasped. (What''s he talking about? Is he trying to make me stay here so others will gather here upon catching the echo of the shot I had fired? I''m not so foolish! I have to leave right away, but I can''t go without the revolver either. It''ll give away my identity.) As tension bloomed in his stomach, he crafted a painful and pitiful expression and said with his heart in his throat, "T-Thousand sit-ups are too much, sir. I have knee pains. How about ten sit-ups?" "If you have such a health issue," Lirzod scratched his cheek with the muzzle of the gun, "it can''t be helped. Ten is enough." The bloody-nosed man''s heart was beating even faster now. (What''s with this guy? I can''t guess what he''s thinking. What is he up to?) He was so confused and doubtful that he wanted to scratch his own face, but given his current situation, there was nothing much he could do. Without wasting time, he quickly finished the ten sit-ups, and then acted as if his knees were already in significant pain. "Can you hand over the revolver?" His gaze was gutless as he made eye-contact. "Sure, but show me your pockets first," Lirzod brazenly said, his arms spreading wide. "After I make sure you''re not hiding more bullets, I''ll give you the gun." "Alright," the bloody-nosed man pulled out his pockets while cold sweat filmed his body. There were only a few silver coins and some copper coins inside. "Mm," Lirzod then tossed the revolver into the distance, "there you go." Both their heartbeats quickened at this moment. As the bloody-nosed man hurried to pick up the revolver, Lirzod hastened away in the opposite direction. The bloody-nosed man took the revolver and ran without looking back. He didn''t stop even after crossing the street and kept going. Lirzod, on the other hand, was still looking vigilant, even though he had covered a few hundred meters. He placed his hand on his waist. (It hurts. To think even the shirt has a hole in it¡­ I''m sure I pushed his hand away, and the gun wasn''t facing in my direction, yet I received some damage. Guns are pretty nasty.) A few seconds passed as Lirzod looked for an empty room with a window to throw the bullets in, and he eventually found one. After dropping the bullets through the window, he got going. "Come to think of it... no one came even after the shot had fired. I didn''t even see anyone yet. No wonder he attacked me in these empty streets. Things could have gotten dangerous, but luckily, nothing bad happened. Why was I even roaming there in the first place?" He pondered for a bit. "Ah, I was thinking about earning coins to pay for Beren''s treatment." Lirzod was lost in thought as he plodded through a corridor. His mind drifted to many things. Mulyk had told him that it would cost ten silver pieces to attach a severed arm of a child. Another silver piece as a service fee. There was even a patient-membership fee, which was three silver per month. Those with a membership could freely enter the clinic and get treated for some common injuries without having to pay the service fee every single time. Normally, Mulyk wouldn''t have taken Beren in until she got paid; however, after taking some fish meat from Lirzod and also recently receiving a watermelon delivered by a shopkeeper sent by Lirzod, she felt like she owed him a bit, so she agreed to get paid afterward. Right now, Lirzod had just fifty copper pieces, and he didn''t know where he could find eleven silver. The first person that came to his mind was Sariyu, but he didn''t know where she was. Though he thought of going to the test hall to make a bet, he was also afraid of losing whatever he had. At that moment, he saw someone chasing after a cat, trying to catch it. Just then, Lirzod remembered that there was still five copper prize money for every cat caught. However, he frowned at the thought of taking away a cat''s freedom and then thought of other ways. As he roamed, he got tired and chose to sit on a rock bench. A small sharp stone made him jump onto his feet. He flicked the stone away and sat again. A few seconds of rubbing his butt on the bench made him settle down comfortably. "I don''t want to do anything," he said aloud, but there was no one around to hear. He was alone in the street. Dullness gradually stiffened his face, slumping his shoulders further. For some reason, he remembered Allda''s words once spoken in public in the market after Allda refused to help pay for someone who didn''t have enough money to buy a good. "Call me complacent or whatever, but to my ears, the cries of the poor sound like a chicken giving birth. Life is simple for those who have deep pockets. After all, most situations in life are matters of money. If you have wealth, then you automatically have the upper hand. You rarely ever bow before others. That''s the sort of simple life those with wisdom seek." Lirzod touched his head and contemplated things. Because he didn''t have enough money, he was out on the street, not knowing what to do to earn some coins quickly. On the one hand, he was thinking about meeting up with Sariyu soon. On the other hand, he had to help Beren. Then again, he was worried if he would be able to calm the boy''s heart or not. The bruise on his waist also affected his thinking a bit, but the fact that someone pointed a revolver at him only minutes ago also significantly swayed his mood. Currently, life felt a bit complicated for him. So he just sat there, not wanting to do anything. Just then, his stomach grumbled. A pause. His eyes soon widened in surprise. "Uncle Allda, you''re somewhat right." At that moment, he understood that Allda''s words had some truth in them, but then he believed that money alone couldn''t solve all things. Even if Big Nick were to give a bunch of coins to Beren, it wouldn''t make the boy feel any better about his own situation, let alone change the impression on his father. "Life is simple, but it''s much simpler than you''ve put it. The problem isn''t just about money. I''m feeling stressed because I didn''t even remember my body''s condition and forgot that I''m hungry. I''m not sure if my aid will really help Beren or not. Not feeling okay with what I''m doing is why I feel strange right now. But life isn''t strange. It''s simple." He rubbed his belly, "You are hungry, or you''re not." He put his hand on his waist at the wounded spot, "You''re healthy, or you''re not." He pulled out his pockets, "You''re wealthy, or you''re not." With his head tilted down, he put his hands on his thighs and clenched them into fists, "You''re happy, or you''re not. You''re good, or you''re not. You''re loving, or you''re not. The chain goes on. But it''s not easy to choose between these two extremes, so most of the time, we take refuge in between, in the shades of gray, like someone sitting on the fence. It''s ourselves who are making our lives harder, and then we complain about it. Quite thick and tentative brains we have. If not for that, our lives would be a lot more beautiful." He then slapped himself for sitting and wishing to do nothing, even though it was only for a few seconds. After all, the action he took to save Beren wouldn''t mean much if he withdrew his help midway. He took a deep breath. "Let''s keep things simple. Beren''s only a child, and since I admitted him into the clinic, I will take responsibility. His father might not appreciate it, but it can''t be helped. My father said it''s important to do what''s right. That''s all I''m trying to do." He then pouted a little. "Why wouldn''t the elf girl take some responsibility, though? What if Beren was her brother?" He briefly paused and then sighed. "Come to think of it... she charged for my treatment, too. That girl is so ungenerous. I bet she took the healer profession for stacking coins through to heaven[1]." He let out a breath and then wandered through his thought-garden, hoping to chance on a fruitful encounter. Time passed, but Lirzod couldn''t think of anything that could make him earn such an amount in so short of a time. It made him remember the time when his mother sent him to Deadwell town on a mission to earn a silver coin in six hours. Though he had that experience under his belt, it didn''t give him any substantial confidence. Just then, he overheard the conversation of passersby who just entered the street. "Hey, how much did you profit from this trip?" "I converted ten copper pieces to thirty-two." "Oh, not bad." "What about you?" "I only converted four copper to forty copper." "Eh? What did you win?" "The deca-ring contest." "That''s why you''ve earned so much. I better improve my archery skills before I hit Heat Street again." "Hehe, I''m gonna do the same, but I wish you good luck." Upon overhearing their conversation, Lirzod''s eyes lit up. "I totally forgot about that place!" He stood quickly, albeit with some effort, and headed straight to Heat Street. A few minutes later. Lirzod somehow arrived at the Heat Street after getting confused with the routes a couple of times. As usual, the neighborhood was hotter and smelled like sweat from people exerting themselves day and night. He asked around and didn''t take long to find out where the deca-ring contest was taking place. To his surprise, this event wasn''t happening inside a small shop, but outside in free space with ten large metallic rings placed three meters apart from each other, their sizes in descending order, with the smallest ring being the farthest one from the archer. Each ring had a different color than the other. The white-colored one was the closest; the gold-colored one being the farthest, with black, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet in between. Tens of contestants were already waiting in line for their turn, so Lirzod joined the line without further thought. Afterward, he patiently observed other contestants. The distance between the contestant and the first ring was twenty meters. From where Lirzod stood in the line, even the first ring itself didn''t look that big. As time went by, he somehow understood the rules. The contestant could bet anywhere from one to ten copper coins. If they managed to shoot through the first ring, then their money would be returned. If they managed to shoot through both the first and the second ring, then their money would be doubled. If their arrow went through all the ten rings, then they would receive ten times what they had bet. Also, any contestant could bet three times consecutively even if they failed to shoot through the first ring. However, if they succeed in an attempt, they would get three more chances, so they wouldn''t need to go back and stand in line again for another try. Overall, the rules were pretty simple for Lirzod to understand. On average, one of five contestants succeeded in shooting through at least one ring, but only a handful triumphed in shooting through both the first and the second ring. As for shooting through more rings at a time, nobody had succeeded. Whenever Lirzod got bored, he looked to his left at another archery event that was happening next to this event, where the target was to hit a strawberry placed on the crown of a deer doll. It was a male deer, and the antlers were blocking the target, so it wasn''t easy, and everybody kept failing, so he was glad that he hadn''t participated in that event. As Lirzod''s turn neared, he couldn''t help but be excited and, at the same time, tensed. The image of Trirera flashed in his mind. (I wish Little Arrow is here.) Trirera was an excellent archer. On mornings, she often hunted the boars, rats, snakes, and such wild beasts that destroyed the farming lands. Over the years, she came to be known as Little Arrow. Unlike her, Lirzod rarely touched a bow, so he couldn''t help but feel a bit anxious, even though he wasn''t an outright newbie. Still, it didn''t help that he also didn''t have gadgets like finger tabs or gloves that some others had brought along. So he prepared himself for some pain. Eventually, his turn came. He walked up to the mark, a line on the floor. He bet one copper coin, and then the event manager handed him a bow and arrow. It was a basic bow, but it was surprisingly weighty, and the string was rather rough. Lirzod right away understood that it was a wise move from the event manager, for a heavy bow would be hard for most beginners to use. Also, rough strings increased the chances of archers hurting themselves. However, ignoring all the negative thoughts, he sucked in a breath and took aim. The event manager was a little surprised by seeing the way Lirzod had nocked the arrow and gripped the string. (Nocking wasn''t bad, but a three-fingered grip, huh. Such a traditional thing.) He subtly smirked. (Let''s see how he loses.) Just then, his eyes drew in more light upon looking at Lirzod''s gaze, which seemed to be focused not on the first ring but the tenth ring. (This boy¡ªdon''t tell me, he''s a professional!) As seconds passed, a bead of sweat appeared on his forehead. (If so, why did he bet only one copper piece? Is he trying to warm up first?) Lirzod let go of the string, and the arrow whistled through the air; however, to the event manager''s surprise, it didn''t even go into the first ring but went at least a meter away on the right side. (Never mind.) The event manager felt like slapping himself. (I was worried over nothing!) Lirzod pursed his lips. (I thought that aiming at the center would be the right thing to do, and I put some extra strength in the pull, hoping it''d reach the tenth ring, but my balance went through the window as I let go of the string. Even the bow shook a little.) He sighed. (Geez, it''s been too long since I touched a bow, and I don''t remember much of what was taught. I hope some of the knowledge will come back before I go broke.) He could only hope to recollect some memories soon, so he could try shooting arrows better. "Do you want to continue?" as the event manager was asking, Lirzod flicked a copper coin, and then he was allowed to pick another arrow. Lirzod aimed again. This time the event manager effortlessly saw through Lirzod''s flaws. (His feet aren''t wide apart. They should be shoulder-width apart. He didn''t even align the body properly to keep it perpendicular to the target, and his chin is nowhere near the shoulder. His left hand looks kind of stiff even though the elbow was bent a little.) He let out an audible breath. (All he did correctly was raise the bow to where he''s looking down the arrow. But that isn''t enough to get the job done. And wait, he doesn''t even know how to anchor. He brought it almost to the level of his eyes!) He screamed on the inside. (I can''t believe I mistook this idiot for a pro! He''s a total noob!) Lirzod let go of the string, and the arrow whooshed through the wind and hit the ring, fell on the other side, surprising the event manager, for the arrow went through the ring before crashing on the floor. "Hehe," like an excited child trying hard to fake his excitement, Lirzod picked up another arrow without even asking the event manager for confirmation and aimed once more. The event manager secretly gnashed his teeth a little, but then openly smiled and clapped before he moved from Lirzod''s right side to the left side to collect some arrows. After amassing the arrows into the bucket, he then folded his arms and stood straight. His gaze turned a bit cold again as he observed Lirzod''s stance. (Hmph! His posture is still as poor. You were lucky last time, even though your release was a bit too sudden. But miracles don''t happen in a row!) This time, Lirzod looked calmer than the previous two times. His full focus was on keeping the bow stable during the release. However, just as he was about to let go of the string, a fly toured his nose and came out immediately, but it left an itching in the nose. Something stirred inside. Even though he wanted to hold it in, it was too late. It all happened so quickly. ACHOO~~!! He didn''t know what had happened as he sneezed, but his fingers were no longer holding on to the string. ...... [1] Stacking coins through to heaven: A saying meant for those who likely wish they can take their earthly wealth into heaven if they stack coins up to heaven. This saying was created by Surya Chand and was often used in his works. 95 SEARCHING FOR AIM "Eek!" Something whizzed past the event manager''s ear, just scraping the skin enough to trickle out some blood. He felt an out-of-body sensation as his hands flew to his face in haste. In the end, he ended up slapping himself on both cheeks, shrieking akin to a scaredy-cat. In the adjacent event, the archer had shot at the strawberry, but his arrow missed; however, another arrow came out of nowhere, slipped through the gaps between the horns of the deer and pierced through the berry perfectly, and flew out without touching the horns again, then finished things by striking some bystander''s butt who was watching another event. Everyone was puzzled, including Lirzod. "Where did the arrow go?" It flew so fast that nobody had seen it. Only the experienced event manager''s eyes briefly caught the sight of the arrow, even though he couldn''t stop it from cutting a teeny bit of his ear. The event manager turned back at once and looked here and there for the arrow, but then the cries of a fat man caught everyone''s attention. He was jumping up and down in pain like a mad hippo. The nearby men realized what had happened and pulled the arrow from his ass, but still, they were left in a shock, for there was a bloodied strawberry at its tip. "This¡­" Many heads from afar looked toward the archery section to see where the arrow had come from. Eventually, their eyes stopped on Lirzod. "It can''t be¡­" "Did that fellow strike the strawberry from that angle?" "Impossible! I mean, the deer''s head is tilted forward a bit so that the horns not only block arrows coming front the front but also from the sides. How did his arrow go through the horns not once but twice? It''s just not possible." "Maybe he fixed the strawberry before he shot the arrow?" "Idiot! Then why''s the strawberry on the deer missing?" "Y-You are right." "Then, it''s really him!" "Was it skill, or was it plain old luck?" "M-Maybe, he got cat caressed[1] today." Many people began to abandon the archery shops they were at and scuttled their way to the event Lirzod was participating in, so they could get a closer look at the magnificent archery, which also seemed to have shocked the event manager who was looking at Lirzod in disbelief. "How fast was that release! They say the smoother the release, the accurate the shot; the faster the release, the foolish the archer. But this fellow''s release gives him a knight''s position among fools!" Lirzod, who had been looking for the arrow, now turned his head toward the event manager. "Where did the arrow go?" "Huh?" all those who were gathering around to see him almost crashed headlong. "This boy¡­ he must be joking, right?" "Maybe he doesn''t like to be in the spotlight, afraid of losing concentration or something." Lirzod was still standing at the mark, waiting for the event manager to reply. "The arrow didn''t hit the target," the event manager said, trying his best to appear calm and professional. Though he was angry at Lirzod for almost putting a hole in his ear, he was also feeling happy that the crowd around his event had tripled in the past minute or so. "You have two more chances, but do you want to continue?" "Of course, I want to continue," Lirzod tossed another copper coin and then picked up another arrow. "I sneezed last time, but it was still valid, huh," Lirzod felt a bit disappointed. He shoved the failure away and tried to focus, but the commotion in the background disturbed him more than it looked. Lirzod sighed and took a breath. (Don''t panic. Let them scream. I have to take my time.) Still, it wasn''t easy to concentrate while the crowd chatted about matching the cackling of hyenas. "It''s getting hard to aim," Lirzod muttered under his breath. As he was searching for aim and struggling, Sinario''s words suddenly rang in his mind, "Only those who are able to aim can shoot as they like!" And his posture suddenly changed a bit. His muscles loosened, and his hands somewhat moved down so that the arrow anchored at the tip of his nose. His body automatically moved and took a position. Something about that stance felt right, and he didn''t want to let the string go. He wanted to feel it more, even if it was just another second, so much that he didn''t even know that he was holding his breath, but his eyes were focused on not the first ring but the bullseye on the cardboard behind the golden ring. Throughout the next second or two, he kept watching the target, and then the arrow was fired off so smoothly that he didn''t even know when he started loosening his grip on the fletching. The event manager was smiling as the arrow rushed through the air, but his smile fell flat, and his eyes sprang out of the sockets when the arrow snaked through the white ring and the black ring, and it didn''t look like it was going off track. Third ring; conquered. Fourth ring; conquered. In that split second, everyone''s jaw almost hit the floor, including Lirzod, as the arrow hummed its way through the fifth and sixth rings, and though the arrow''s path curved down, it still went through the seventh ring. However, it then dipped and failed to go through the eighth ring and eventually pierced the sandy soil. For a moment, there was silence in the vicinity as a wave of wonderment washed over the onlookers'' faces. "Whoa! Did you see that?" "Yeah! That was sick!" "How long has it been since someone managed to clear the blue ring?" "Probably weeks." "Two rings, even three rings can be a fluke, but seven rings isn''t!" "This dude''s skill is genuine!" Most of the crowd was in a state of awe. "Wait..." dubiety and disbelief fought for places on the event manager''s face. "You''ve gotta be kidding me!" Lirzod, in the meantime, stood frozen like a frog that just got out of a well for the first time in its life. (What was that? I''m sure I heard Uncle Stiff''s voice, and then something happened. I must try it again right away to get familiar with that feeling.) He hurriedly picked up another arrow and took aim. Seeing that, everyone in the crowd went silent once more. This time, unlike in the past, nobody wanted to disturb him. Thanks to the silence in his locality, he could concentrate a bit better. I''m sure I lowered the level of the arrow up to the nose. Now then¡­ He paused for a moment, but then everything else seemed blank to him. (What else did I do? C''mon Lirzod! Uncle Stiff must be laughing right now. Think of that board as him! You must not miss the target no matter what!) As every audience watched with utmost attention, Lirzod released the arrow in the twinkling of an eye. The arrow zizzed through the air, and though Lirzod had felt that the aim was off, the arrow still managed to go through the first ring, but that was all it did before piercing the sand. "Oooh," the crowd seemed to be a bit disappointed. "Oof," the event manager leaked out a breath and rubbed the sweat off his jaw. That''s right. (This guy''s just a noob. I don''t know how he managed to release that breathtaking shot, but I know that look on his face. He''s searching for that stance he made that time.) A corner of his lips curled up a little. (Hehe, this is the kind of customer that can make me rich.) He brought his expression back to normal and then cleared his throat before clapping. "Not bad, sir." Lirzod, though, was initially disappointed, then ended up smiling. The event manager''s words gave him that little boost of confidence he needed at that moment. He picked up another arrow and shot again. This time he even missed the first ring. The shoulders of those in the crowd slowly but surely started to slump. He tried one more time and missed the target over again. Since he failed two times consecutively, if he failed again, then he''d have to go and stand back in the line. So he took his time and shot the arrow. This time, it went through the first but then hit the second ring and flew backward and fell nearby. For some reason, the blood in his veins burned, and it didn''t help when the sound of dissatisfaction birthing in the crowd reached his ears. He hastily picked up an arrow and didn''t even properly position the bow before pulling the string for a sharp shot. The arrow didn''t even travel till the first ring, and its shaft chaffed the sandy floor and lifted some sand particles before eventually stopping. "Haha, what''s he doing?" "Did he lose his mind or what?" "I think he''s getting a bit desperate to prove himself." "But that''s not the right way. He''s just grasping for straws." Though the chatter of the crowd wasn''t pleasant anymore, Lirzod''s focus was no longer on them. What made the arrow go through the seven rings successfully? He only wanted to find that aim again. It happened once, so it could happen again. All he wanted was to experience that feeling once more, but his body wasn''t just taking him there. Every time he shot, he either missed or managed to get through the first or the second ring. This continued, and the crowd that had gathered to see a good show didn''t get what they had expected, so they began to leave one by one after flouting at Lirzod and giving him an earful of mockery. As time passed, Lirzod didn''t even realize that he was wasting more money, especially given that he wasn''t winning as frequently as he needed. As time passed, the other contestants waiting in the line got frustrated because he kept taking one coin after another out of his pocket. It made many wonder as to how many copper coins the young fellow brought. However, the only person who didn''t worry about that was the event manager, who had predicted all this, but he didn''t show any of it on his face. Even though the crowd that had come to watch Lirzod had vacated in groups, he didn''t care. After all, what he could earn from a customer like Lirzod would be multiple times more than what he could have made from most other customers who only knew how to run their mouths from the sidelines. About twenty-five minutes later, Lirzod was still standing at the mark, pulling the string for the hundredth time, and he missed the first ring by a few centimeters. He just gave another coin and continued. This went on for some more time. At some point, when he missed even the first ring twice in a row, the boos from the crowd not only reached but echoed in his ears. "How much longer is he going to show off?" "Go train for another year and then come back, kid!" "We already get that you''re a one-time wonder, so please give others a chance, too." "Give up already, and save your face, sir." "Stop wasting our time, dude. You think we don''t have anything to do other than watch you?" "Just stop already, or do you want to make enemies out of us?" Though their voices bit his ears, he did his best to not care about them, but when put his hand in his pocket, he suddenly felt as if night covered his sight, for there were only two more coins left in his pocket. He stood frozen for a few seconds until the event manager''s indifferent voice brought him back to his senses. "Yes, I want to continue," Lirzod replied and handed the event manager another copper coin. "This is the last¡­" Lirzod told himself as he picked up the arrow. His fingers had long turned red and started to hurt. The image of Beren came to his mind. "I tried my best. Whether I win or not in this round, I''ll stop." He nocked the arrow, slowly raised the bow, and smoothly pulled the string as his eyes squinted toward the target. He sucked in a slow and deep breath that helped him control his heartbeat. Though there was a lot of noise all around him, he told himself just one thing: Think of nothing else but the target. Focus. "I''m here because I need to be. There is no such thing as a coincidence¡­?? As he held his breath and steadied his aim, nothing reached his ears. Everything went silent, or so he felt. Then came the faint voice of the wind that stroked past his ears as if trying to tell him something by gently kissing him. It was at that moment, his eyes were no longer fully focused on the bullseye, but he still knew very well where it was. And as this strange sense of confidence filled his heart, mind, and soul, he just let go of the string ever so smoothly. Zup~~!! Just the sound alone startled the event manager and woke all those nearby people who knew something worthy about archery. Like a dragon snake shooting through the skies, the arrow whispered through the wind and murmured its way through the first five rings with ease, getting the attention of many eyes. Though it seemed to be deviating a bit, the sixth, seventh, and eighth rings were left behind. Just when it looked like it might hit the ninth ring, the arrowhead and the shaft seemed to have scraped past the inside of the ring and recoiled back to the course and speared through the bullseye. All mouths in the vicinity went voiceless; a tingle of wonder snaked up their spines and escaped through their eyes as astonishment. The event manager was no exception. Lirzod, however, kept his calm expression going. Before any mouth uttered a word, Lirzod put the bow on the stool and approached the event manager whose face was furnished with incredulity. "The money," said Lirzod, bringing the event manager back to this world. "U-Uh, yes," he quickly took out ten copper coins and gave them to Lirzod and just watched him leave while licking his swollen fingers. Only after Lirzod walked enough distance, the murmurs sprang to life in the crowd and among the ones waiting in the line. "H-How lucky he is!" "Yeah, the arrow was going away, but fortunately, it struck the ring and ended up hitting the bullseye." "Still, it''s not an easy thing to do." "C''mon, we''ve seen him fail miserably for so many times. If we try as many times as he did, we will also strike the target." "I think you are right." As the crowd was immersed in a prolonged chatter, the event manager walked over to the bullseye, also thinking to himself that it must be a fluke; however, when he tried to pull the arrow, it didn''t come out. "Mm?" he put some strength, but the result didn''t change. "This¡­" he was startled a little. He used both hands and tried to pull out the arrow, but the arrowhead was stuck inside the wood almost completely, so it didn''t come out. Then he resorted to using technique instead of brute force. He shook it to different sides and loosened the hole before pulling the arrow out with relative ease. Afterward, he realized he was a bit out of breath. "That wasn''t luck," he thought to himself as he walked back to his regular spot, one where he got to stand beside the archer. Meanwhile, Lirzod was already looking for the next game he should play. "I came here with fifty copper coins, but now I only have eleven copper." His shoulders shrank significantly. "At this rate, I will never convert this into eleven silver coins. I must choose the next event wisely." He looked a bit dull as he walked, "Earning money hotfoot isn''t easy." After walking past many shops, shaking his head every time, he eventually stopped at a shop he had been to before. A face that he had seen in the past was now looking right at him. "Welcome to the Watermelon Chopping Contest, sir," the owner of the watermelon shop excitedly said, for there was no other customer around other than Lirzod himself. "Do you want to give it a try? For one copper, you''ll get five copper pieces if you break it with your bare hands. If you use our sword instead, you''ll only get two copper pieces. In any round, you can''t bet more than ten copper pieces." "Mm¡­" after pondering for a moment, Lirzod asked, "Do I have it split it into two perfect halves?" "If you are using a sword, yes, but if you''re using your bare hand, then as long as your hand goes at least fifty percent into the fruit, then it''s considered a win." "Oh, that sounds tempting," a surge of hope tingled through Lirzod''s chest. "Haha," the owner confidently smiled. "If you win, you get to eat these watermelons or do whatever you want with them. What do you say, sir? Do you want to participate?" "Yes¡­" Lirzod took out ten copper coins, and the shop owner''s eyes lit up. He said thank you as he received the coins into his hands. From his actions alone, it was clear that Lirzod was his precious customer, but Lirzod wasn''t really observing the owner. He was trying to calm himself. The owner wasted no time and picked up a relatively large watermelon and placed it on the fixed wooden desk between them. The moment the owner stepped back and gestured, Lirzod slightly shifted his body to the side as he lifted his right hand and chopped it like a butcher, making a sound not with his mouth but only through his hand. The owner, who was all smiles, suddenly lost the color when Lirzod''s hand axed through the watermelon and sent pieces flying away to the sides. "Eh?" a shade of gray cast over the owner''s face as he looked at the broken pieces of melon in stupefaction. Lirzod pursed his lips a bit and seemed to be somewhat dissatisfied because the watermelon wasn''t perfectly split into two halves, and the left part was destroyed more while the right part was left intact. Not impressive. (I hate to admit, but Brainass would''ve done a much better job. However, he''s not here. Even if he was here, I''d have probably avoided asking for his help. His cocky smile is just too much to take. Anyway, though I can''t feel at home like Brainass, this event is still much more my type than the bow-and-arrow one.) "S-Sir, you''ve won," the owner''s voice contained perceptible shock and disappointment. "I can chop more watermelons," said Lirzod with a bright expression. "You want to move to the next round?" the owner hesitantly asked, and he got a nod as a reply. "Fine. But know this, sir. In the second round, you have to break two watermelons consecutively without taking a break of more than three seconds in between. If you fail, you won''t get anything. If you succeed, you''ll get ten times the money you''ve put." "Oh¡­" Lirzod had picked up one of the broken pieces of watermelon and began to eat without spitting the seeds. "Okay." "Alright¡­" the owner quickly finger-tapped through the watermelons and chose the medium-sized ones but those with tough shells. He placed them on the desk next to one another. The moment the watermelons stopped moving, the owner gestured, and Lirzod acted. ......... [1] Cat Caress: A massage done to humans by cats through rolling, kneading, and mild scratching over a towel or some thick cloth to avoid injuries. The twelfth deck attracted many tourists who visited just for this service alone. [2] Fool''s bravery: Nobody knows who first said this phrase, except that it originated in the field of archery itself, and it usually described those who fake their archery skills to scare off the enemies or to impress allies. Still, there were many stories told in the world that this phrase came about because of a so and so, but the most famous story of all was that this phrase came into existence after a human successfully saved his family from a group of elf archers, who had surrounded him in the woods, by boasting about his skills so much that those elves eventually retreated. 96 LIFE AND DEATH It had been an hour since Beren woke up, and everything seemed new to him. After Hundred explained what had happened, Beren just stayed silently on the bed, with his face like a wet weekend. Even though Mulyk brought water and fruits for him, Beren didn''t have them. He just seemed to be lost in his own thoughts while being down in the mouth. Mulyk and Hundred wanted to give him some time to think, so they told him to not take things hard and then left him alone. Currently, Beren was awake. Mulyk wasn''t there, but Hundred was sleeping in the chair next to the bed. However, a haze of fear dispirited Beren because the dog had just woken up. Since the door was shut, it had no way out. So it kept looking for an exit, which made Beren even tenser. Eventually, the dog stopped in front of Beren''s bed. Both their eyes met. Meanwhile, Hundred, in his dream, was arguing with a girl. "No, Khoa. I''m not in the wrong." "Then why did you apologize if you''re not guilty for not wishing me for my birthday?" "I apologized because I didn''t want to prolong an unnecessary fight. I respected our friendship more, so I backed away." "Hmph! As if you''d ever done that! You clearly are guilty, Ninety Nine!" "How can I be guilty when you''ve never even told me when your birthday is!" "No! You''re guilty!" she yelled. "I can see it in your eyes!" "Huh? That''s bullshit." "Yeah, I can see ''that'' too in your eyes. You are very good at striking raw nerves with your gaze." "Stop speaking nonsense." "No, you''re the one speaking nonsense. Shut up!" she yelled again. "Just because you can scream louder doesn''t mean you''re right¡ª" Suddenly, a cry intruded into his dreams. "Ah! Let me go!" "Eh?" Hundred was forced to come out of his dream. "Who disturbed my¡ª" he was startled upon seeing a dog biting Beren''s pants and trying to pull him down from the bed. Hundred''s body automatically reacted. He swung his leg over the bed and kicked in the dog''s face, causing it to roll back and squeal a little. "Heh, serves you right, puppy." GRRR~! The dog now bared its teeth at Hundred, and his laughter abruptly stopped. "Ah, wait, I was only joking. Of course, you''re not a puppy." As the dog took a step toward him, he moved back a step. "You shouldn''t take my words seriously, or you''ll lose your brain cells, little friend." BOW~! The dog barked vehemently, causing his skin to crawl. "Crap," Hundred was taken aback. "T-That was loud. You truly have a bone or two to pick with me, huh?" The enclosed space only amplified the dog''s barks, and Beren had to plug one of his ears with his finger. "Open the door," Beren hurriedly said, his hair standing on end. The dog fell back. Hundred used the opportunity and opened the door. The dog still set his eyes on him, but he stomped on the floor and barked, "Go!" The dog immediately changed its priorities and vamoosed out. Hundred shut the door in all possible haste. "Whew¡­ dogs are such tough bastards to take on. Luckily, I took care of the situation without getting hurt." He looked at Beren. "Why was it attacking you anyway? Did you throw something at it?" "No," Beren quickly responded, blinking sweat from his eyes. "I did nothing. It attacked me for no reason." "No, they don''t attack you for no reason. Either you angered it, or it might have been quite hungry." "I didn''t do anything," Beren was lightly massaging his shin. "It bit my leg. If its teeth weren''t broken, I might have lost a leg to it." "Probably," Hundred sighed. "Sometimes, all it takes to trigger an animal is your stare, so be careful." "Staring, huh¡­ okay," Beren said, but then his eyes enlarged as he suddenly remembered how he kept looking at the dog for a prolonged time. "U-Uncle, I think I did stare at the donkey for some time." "Oh, so you did. No wonder that ticked the dog off," Hundred sat back in the chair. "Remember this, kid. You can''t stare at some animals in the eyes, because they''ll think you''re challenging them. A glance may be okay, but any more, and they''ll consider you as a threat, so if you don''t have the smoke to back up your stares, you better avoid their gaze, especially those of alphas." "Dogs are so scary," Beren''s voice was a bit shaky. He remembered the times when dogs had chased him on multiple occasions, which now left a bitter taste in his mouth. "Scary indeed. Compared to humans, most animals are physically gifted, and they hone their natural abilities through their lives, unlike us, who tend to depend on tools to get most of our jobs done." "So, if I don''t look them in the eye, I''ll be fine," Beren told himself. "Come to think of it, isn''t there a rule that says we shouldn''t look at someone from the upper belt directly in the eye?" Hundred paused, unable to breathe abdominally as a moment from the past flashed in his mind; he had looked in a person''s eyes, and then a lot of unpleasant things happened to him. "I can somewhat understand why we can''t look at animals directly in the eye, but why can''t we look at fellow men, too?" Beren couldn''t help but ask. Hundred took his time to reply. "I guess the Shamblians are telling us that powerful men ''can'' transform into the wildest beasts, ones that can''t be stared down. No matter what gimmicks you do, you can''t fool their eyes or make them feel the least bit cautious about you, which is why if you annoy them with your gaze, they will likely look to assert their dominance in any way they can." He continued to speak in a slow, doleful manner, "But don''t worry too much about it now. You''ll get a very real dose of reality sooner or later. Everyone who stays long enough on Exvo is bound to experience it, but just hope that nothing too unfortunate happens to you." Beren''s heart was pounding against his chest at this point, and he was sweating all over. Hundred looked a bit irritated, "Ah, now, I can''t get the same dream again." Beren quickly said, "I''m sorry, Uncle. I never apologized for disturbing your sleep." "Huh? Why are you saying it this late?" Hundred asked, but Beren stayed silent. "Don''t tell me, it''s because I''m at a higher spot on the food chain compared to you?" he shook his head. "You''re overthinking. There are all kinds of rules on this ship, but don''t let them get to your head, or you won''t have a peaceful time here. Get some sleep" "Mm¡­" Beren faintly nodded, but he wasn''t in the mood. "Then let me sleep," Hundred started sleeping on the chair itself. Beren got lost in thought. A couple of minutes later, as Hundred was sleeping with his head tilted up and his mouth partly open, Beren gently slapped on his thigh a few times. "Who woke me up!" Irritation took over Hundred''s reddening eyes, but upon seeing that it was Beren, he forced out a smile and brought his expression back to normal. "What do you want?" "I''m sorry for disturbing your sleep again, Uncle, but when will Brother Lirzod come back?" "You woke me up just to ask that?" Hundred''s nerves twitched. "Do you bear a grudge against me or what?" "S-Sorry, but I just wanted to know," Beren''s expression looked lame. "Soon," replied Hundred, guessing what was going through the kid''s mind. He thought that Beren was probably waiting for Lirzod and would''ve tried to leave if not for that. (In just a couple of minutes, his countenance had changed a lot. He must be thinking about his parents again. At this point, it''s better to divert his attention to something else, but how the heck can I achieve that? It''s easier said than done!) Nevertheless, the atmosphere in the clinic looked dull. Elsewhere on the same deck, a two-wheeled fox cart that looked like a berry turned upside down was traveling down the street. To ordinary eyes, it was a two-man vehicle¡ªnot including the driver¡ªbeing driven by four foxes. Each fox was almost a meter tall. Currently, the cart was going at a slow speed. A white-haired robber whooshed out of a room and attacked the driver, forcing the latter to go on defense. The cart stopped as those two fought. Half a minute passed, and those two were still fighting. From the entrance of the cart that was on the back of the vehicle, two people stepped out. One looked fresh, but the other had his arm and waist wrapped in bandages. The former fellow was Roseberry, and the latter one was Big Nick. Seeing those two men, the robber raised his voice while putting the knife at the driver''s throat, "I''m Rouji the Reckless Robber!" Though he said that, he didn''t get any response. In fact, their expressions didn''t change. "If you don''t know me, then know now! My crimcost is eighteen silver! If you don''t want to die, then walk away. I''ll be taking the cart." "Ho¡­ so you''re after the cart, huh," Roseberry nodded to himself. "Okay, if you can take this guy''s punch and still stand," he pointed his finger at Nick, "then the cart will be yours." Rouji raised his brows a little. "I''m not dumb," he looked at Nick, "Even though he''s wounded, I''m not falling for that age-old trick. Just turn your asses and beat it, unless you want to see your driver''s throat get slit." The driver was sweating madly. "Please don''t leave me." "Hehe, you heard his cries," Rouji snickered. Roseberry exhaled audibly. "I played along for once, but if you really can cut his throat while you''re on this ship, then go ahead. Show us how big of balls you''ve got, Mr. Reckless Robber," His words startled Rouji, but then Roseberry lowered his voice and said, "Go." Nick charged ahead almost immediately. "Tch, I thought it''d work," Rouji pushed the driver to the side. "Charging at me like that¡­ You are looking down on me a bit too much." He dodged Nick''s punch by bending to the left and thrust the knife at his waist. However, Nick''s elbow, of the right hand, lifted and met Rouji''s chin. When the side of the elbow struck Rouji''s chin, his body spun in midair, but he somehow managed to land on his feet. "Hmph, so the eighteen silver is not for nothing after all," Roseberry narrowed the windows of his view, "but I think you''re probably worth more." Rouji rubbed his chin without any shame. (Even with a wounded arm, he lifted me off my feet. His power, at the least, isn''t inferior to mine. And then there''s also that other prick who could be just as strong.) He glared at Nick and Roseberry for a moment, but then he turned around and dashed away without saying anything. Nick didn''t give chase. "Not as reckless as he proclaimed himself to be," Rosberry also just watched. The driver''s tendons still stood out in the neck with a visible pulse. As Roseberry was climbing back into the cart, the driver hurriedly apologized, "Please forgive me for my uselessness, sir." Roseberry didn''t say anything. Nick, too, got inside, and soon, the vehicle was in motion once again. Though the cart looked small on the outside, the inside was a thirty-foot diameter hemispherical room. The interior had walls, flooring, and it seemed like it was a scenery from inside a home. Both the men sat in their respective seats in their sofas, facing one another. There was a small table in between, with food and drinks adorned atop it. Roseberry''s expression was calm, but there was a hint of displeasure in his eyes. "Losing to a girl who defeated a few dozen fellow trainees was one thing, but losing to a boy who was half as old as you and probably wasn''t in good condition was an entirely different thing. You completely let him steal your show." Nick gave a rare pause before responding, "This Rouji fellow is nothing, but that scar-faced boy was quite fierce." Nick looked down at his right wrist that was wrapped in a bandage. He looked a little flurried as an off-putting memory came to his mind. Lirzod had defeated Nick in two moves. The first move, a punch, broke his wrist. The second move, a side kick, broke two ribs and sent him flying into the wall and knocked him out cold. Just remembering the incident made Nick feel utterly frustrated, causing him to grit his teeth for the umpteenth time; however, he quickly brought back his usual composure before Roseberry, but there was also a bold look in his eyes. "I don''t know if he was giving his all or not, but he''s going to get even stronger with every deck he climbs." Roseberry''s eyes were currently watching an ant that was carrying a strawberry all by itself, albeit with great effort. "Brawny little bugger, huh¡­" Roseberry went into pondering as his hand rubbed on top of his walking stick without moving the cane. It was a simple skill, but it required a lot of practice, for the staff would have fallen had the rubbing force been improper. He picked up the strawberry, and the ant came together with it. He tossed them both into his mouth and chewed with his mouth closed. (Mm, a little guy with the goods. He didn''t disappoint.) Roseberry faintly smiled, though it was a short-lived one. (I can see why that Geragorn referred to this boy as a gutsy one.) Nick, on the other hand, was having different thoughts. (I won''t let things end like this, Lirzod. The next time we meet, I''ll strain every nerve to wipe the floor with you. For now, I''ll play the pig so I can eat the tiger afterward.) Meanwhile, in Drill Hall. "He was freed?" Lirzod couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "How could you guys let him go? Didn''t he get four weeks of jail time?" "He did," one of the trainees, guards of the cells, patiently explained, "but someone paid a gold piece and released him." "Someone?" Lirzod''s voice quickened. "Who?" "Actually, only an envelope was sent to us, with a letter and a gold coin in it." Lirzod could only swallow his frustration. After succeeding in cutting watermelons for six rounds, he had earned 9 silver and 90 copper. He failed in the seventh round where he had to cut seven watermelons straight. Though he had sliced seven of them, the fifth watermelon wasn''t properly cut, so he lost. He wanted to keep on trying until he reached the eleven silver profit mark, but the owner told him that Lirzod was no longer eligible to replay the game from the first round and that once he had passed some rounds, he could only aim for the following, tougher rounds. However, from there on, he would only receive five times the amount, given that he had failed. So seventh-round victory meant five-time profit, and eighth-round victory meant ten-time profit, and ninth-round victory meant fifteen-time profit and so on. Lirzod didn''t feel like it would benefit him, and he then also understood why there wasn''t much of a crowd around that watermelon shop. Since his hand also started to feel the heat after having broken about twenty-five watermelons, he decided to stop. Even though Lirzod didn''t earn all the way up to the eleven-silver mark in that shop itself, he was more than happy, for he could take all those watermelons that he had successfully broken. He then went to a few more shops and contested until he reached the goal. On his way back, he had given most of the watermelons to the kids in the child booth, and a few more to the passersby who requested him. Now, in his backpack, there were four broken watermelons. His mood had lifted because of the success, but after coming back to the drill hall, he was shocked that Nick was already let out. In his eyes, Beren was yet to even wake up after that incident, but Nick was already free and roaming. After realizing that arguing with the guards wouldn''t achieve more than flogging a dead horse would, he turned back, feeling as if cold water was thrown upon him for bringing a criminal to the drill hall and putting them behind bars. Just then, one of the guards said, "Wait for a second, mister." Lirzod turned around and furrowed his brows a little, "What?" The guard handed him a small sack that had fifty silver coins inside. "Can you give this to Nick''s son? You are going to the clinic now, right?" "Did that Nick give this?" Lirzod was about to give the money back, but the guard shook his head. "No. Half of the money used to release the criminal would later be given to the victim or their family. I was going to give it myself, but since you''re going there, I gave it to you. Make sure you deliver it, or you''ll suffer jail-time." Though Lirzod still didn''t like taking the money, he knew that it wasn''t his place to decide. Besides, Beren would need all the money he could get, so he swallowed his anger and put the sack in his pocket. Afterward, he could only find his way out of the hall, albeit not with a friendly face. However, he had to change his countenance before entering the clinic. Now, Mulyk was also there. After seeing Lirzod, Beren immediately tried to get out of the bed, but even tiny movements hurt him, and he fell back onto the bed. "What do you think you''re doing?" Lirzod arranged the watermelons on the desk, except for one, before walking toward the bed Hundred was on. His eyes were on Beren all this while, "You shouldn''t be moving around any time soon." Beren didn''t say anything, but he still looked as dull as a baby duck that got lost and lost its energy from quacking for hours and also the hope of reuniting with the family. Lirzod discussed with Hundred in a low voice and found out that Hundred hadn''t mentioned putting Nick behind bars, afraid that the boy might go after his father again. Also, though the blood transfer had long finished, Hundred had to rest until now, though he didn''t actually rest on the bed during the time Mulyk had gone out. He was thinking of leaving with Lirzod right after he returned, but Lirzod gave him a broken half of the watermelon and then silently slipped eleven silver coins in his hand. Though Hundred was initially puzzled, he quickly understood and then glanced at Mulyk, who was sitting on the last bed and signaled her to follow him. As Mulyk followed Hundred and walked past Lirzod, she seemed to be a bit salty because Lirzod didn''t give her the watermelon; however, Lirzod blocked her path with his arm, and in his hand was the other half of the watermelon. "Hmph!" she snorted. "You think I would eat it after someone sunk their teeth inside that thing?" "No, nobody put their teeth into it," Lirzod said and scratched his chin. (Only the hand.) "Really?" she asked, her expression a bit more bubbly than before, but she didn''t even wait for his reply and took the watermelon. She had a bite and said, "It''s sweeter than the ones you sent me before." Looking pleased, she followed Hundred without fuss. The moment they left and closed the door, Lirzod raised his voice, "What the hell were you thinking, huh?" Anger flowed through his gaze and voice well enough to scare Beren as Lirzod came up to his bed. "Escaping out of the cell¡­ I''m disappointed." Beren was startled. He initially thought Lirzod was asking about why he had gone to meet his father, but that clearly wasn''t the case. "I¡­" Still, he had no answer. Lirzod sat in the chair, his eyes still set on Beren. "I know it''s a bad and embarrassing place to stay at, but it was still a good opportunity for you to reflect, which you wasted." Beren''s mouth turned down. "Do you think you don''t deserve to be put behind bars for what you have done?" asked Lirzod, but Beren''s head was tilted down, with guilt taking over his face. "Why aren''t you saying anything, huh? My mom always says that admitting one''s mistakes is the first step to becoming a humble and good person. It might not be an easy thing to do, but did you at least think hard and struggle between thoughts before breaking out of the cell?" Beren faintly nodded, though only hesitantly. "So, you did. Good." The anger on Lirzod face soon faded away. "Whatever happened has happened, but be more honest next time." He let out a long sigh. "Anyway, taking everything that has occurred into consideration, your disciplining period has been invalidated. So, you are free now." "Ah?" Beren was quite surprised, but it didn''t show on his visage, not counting the eyes. After all that he had experienced, whether he spent a few more days inside a cell or not didn''t matter much to him. Then there was silence for about half a minute. "If there is anything you want to say," said Lirzod, "then you can tell me." Beren took a laborious breath and then smiled. "I just want to thank you, brother¡­ for everything. I don''t know how I can¡ª" Lirzod looked into the boy''s eyes. "Is that all?" "Y-Yes," Beren looked away. "If you don''t want to talk, then there''s no point for me to be here," Lirzod stood and put a sack on the bed and started to walk away. "W-Wait," Beren hurriedly said, making Lirzod turn rather slowly. "I don''t have anyone to guide me. Will you listen to my story and tell me what step I should take from here on?" Lirzod stood right where he was, and a moment later, he said, "I''m listening." Burton then told his story. His mother, Quinna Kimani, used to be an apprentice of a tailor on the twentieth deck before she got permission to raise a separate shop on her own. Since then, she had regularly burned the midnight oil to finish her work in time and had been saving a lot of money for many years. She regularly sent money to her brother to raise the wealth through interests, so she could one day buy a property and build a simple house in the mountains near the village she was born. After Nick persuaded her for months, she accepted his love and married him; however, upon hearing that she was with a child, he didn''t like it and said later on that it was an ''accident,'' and that led into daily quarrels. Eventually, Nick just left the deck and went away, leaving her alone. She was heart-struck by it and wanted to go to her brother when Exvo would reach her island, but then she received a letter from her brother''s son explaining that all the money she had been sending was being eaten away by his father for his own profits and that he had no intention of giving even a copper piece of it back to Quinna. She didn''t believe it. Even though some part of her wanted to go and confirm, she could only wait for Exvo to go there. In a few months, Beren was born. She sent a letter to her brother, telling him about what happened with Nick, and then the birth of Beren. However, her brother, who somehow came to know of his son''s doing, smartly sent back a letter that ridiculed not only Quinna but her newborn son. It was so demeaning that she couldn''t digest the truth. Out of shame and regret, she didn''t get down from Exvo when it stopped by their village. She had learned a great lesson from her brother, born to a different mother. All sorts of doubts kept creeping into her mind, forcing her to wonder if even her brother''s son was an honest person, or was he simply a bootlicker who sent the letter as per his father''s order? These types of crazy thoughts worsened her temper day by day. Eventually, she had decided to continue staying on Exvo and look after her son. She kept stitching clothes for those on the deck, for that was all she knew. Though her health was deteriorating, she worked overtime. She was alone. Even before the betrayals, she had few people she could freely talk to, but afterward, she stopped talking to anyone other than to a customer. But the memories of her looking forward to living a happy life kept coming back; the house near mountains; the betrayals of her brother and husband. The more she held onto the past, the more her health worsened. By the time she was willing to let go of the negative thoughts, it was a bit too late. She couldn''t work anymore, and her treatment cost a lot that even her stitching mission had to be sold. As Beren was telling the past, tears streamed down from the only eye he had. The other eye socket was covered with cotton, which got wet. "When she was sick and dying, she told me that it was her fault to let others hurt her and use her for their benefits, but that I wasn''t born out of an accident. What do you think, Brother? Am I an accident?" "Your mother was right. As far as I know, people can die from an accident, but no one can be born from an accident," said Lirzod, rubbing the boy''s wet cheeks with his fingers. "That''s just silly." "You think so, too?" Lirzod paused for a moment but then nodded twice, "Yeah, I''m sure." "Mm¡­ My mother put all the blame on herself," Beren''s expression still looked sad. "She told me to forget what my uncle has done, and if possible, forgive him. In my father''s case, however, she told me to forgive him, and if possible, to forget what he has done. One betrayed her in the name of blood. The other betrayed her in the name of love and abandoned her. I don''t know how she could still forgive them. I don''t know why she asked me to forgive them." His blood was boiling as he spoke. "How can I do that when they brought her so much misery that eventually took her life?" He clutched his head. "I just don''t know what to do." "Simple. Just get stronger, first, at least until you are no longer confused as to which path you should take." "Stronger?" Beren bitterly smiled. "Can I ever become strong enough to beat my¡­ to beat Nick?" "Of course, you can," Lirzod replied in a lively tone. "Nick had nothing much to offer. If you put your heart to the task, you can easily surpass him in more ways than one." Beren was pleasantly surprised, for he wasn''t told of the fight that had happened between Lirzod and Nick. He was only told that Lirzod had helped him get to the clinic. So he thought Lirzod was exaggerating things to make him comfortable. "How can I get stronger? What does it take?" "Getting stronger, huh¡­" "I''m not at all strong," replied Beren in a pitiful tone. "When I had both eyes, I couldn''t look at myself in the mirror. My friends laughed at my eyes behind my back and made jokes about me, so I was always uncomfortable to even look people in the eye for long. Now I only have one eye, so I don''t have to hide my face anymore, but I know that it''s not because I overcame the problem. Next time, when I face such a problem, I want to overcome it with my own strength." "Mm," Lirzod nodded. "Whatever reason you may have for wanting to get stronger, I tell you, it''s not something that can be achieved overnight." Lirzod raised his brows, and his eyes hinted that he was speaking from experience. "The work you put in today may not show you results right away, but it will pay you someday. You should have such a belief, and you should stick to it no matter what. Once you''ve got your faith on track, you can then go look for ways to get stronger. As for how to get stronger¡­" he pondered for a few seconds. "Well, listening to the experienced fellows in the field, picking up what is good in others, and such things will greatly help. After all, we are what we learn." Beren kept nodding frequently. Lirzod continued, "None of us are born with a book in hand. From our birth, we take in things, good or bad, from others and the world around us. Infancy is the time when we pay the most attention to things around us. Still, we didn''t learn to speak a language in a day, right? It was a slow process. I believe it''s the same with learning any new thing. If you can, it''s better to take things slow." He then remembered a quote from one of the books Duera read to him, "Only ingest what you can digest, with the zeal to learn anything until you know it backward. If you can get all these things working," he then said what Burton often said, "then I don''t see why you can''t turn every hurdle in your way into a stepping stone." "I kind of get what you''re saying¡­ But how can I make sure that what I''m doing is the right thing?" Beren couldn''t help but ask. "How can I believe that it makes me stronger?" "You seem to be mistaken about something," Lirzod said and casually smiled. "Taking major decisions certainly requires strength, but putting them into practice requires a lot more strength. So¡­" Lirzod ran his fingers up Beren''s arm, puzzling him, and he suddenly started to tickle near the armpit. "It''s not what you do that makes you really strong, but how good you do what you do." "S-Stop!" Beren almost jumped on his butt. "And you''ll know it''s probably the right thing for you when your joy vastly outweighs your regret. So no matter what you are doing, try to give it your all, got it?" Lirzod said and chuckled. "Only then you may see some improvement before your passion and patience runs out." Beren also faintly smiled, though it was barely perceptible. "Anyway," Lirzod rubbed the back of his head, "someone once told me, "Being strong isn''t as much about beating your enemies as it''s about protecting those in your heart.'' After all, even defeating a thousand enemies wouldn''t bring back a friend you failed to protect, right? So set your priorities straight, and also make good friends, so even if you fall, they''ll get you back on your feet." "''They?''" Beren''s head was somewhat tilted down, and he responded a bit late, "What''s their names?" "For one, there was someone I used to call Squeezel. Then there''s Primera, Duera, and a few more." Beren stayed silent for a bit. "I have a friend named Lime. Her actual name is Lima, and I promised her that I would explore the world together with her, even though she has Keerthi, her sworn sister." He looked at his hands that were slightly shaking upon thinking about the recent happenings. "I don''t know if I''m even eligible to tour the world with her. She is a special girl, but I am..." Seeing Beren''s hesitation, Lirzod let out a long sigh and said, "Why do you think you''re not special? In this world, there is only one sun, only one moon..." he poked his finger on Beren''s chest, "only one you." All the doubt in Beren''s eyes evaporated almost instantly. "Don''t let anyone tell you that you aren''t one-of-a-kind," Lirzod said and folded his hands. "You wanted me to guide you forward, but I''m telling you¡­ I''m not here to make your choices. You have to start making your own decisions. That''s the only way to freedom, from others and yourself." Beren faintly nodded, but then he still wasn''t sure if he could muster enough courage to go back to Lima after what he had told her, after what he had attempted to do to his father. And what''s more, he knew that he was doing a similar thing that his father had done, which was to abandon his wife. Beren also, sort of, abandoned Lima. Though he realized that to an extent, his anger on his father had clouded his judgment, and even at this moment, he felt like he could defend himself. Still, he couldn''t hide it all. The guilt and shame swam about in his eyes. "I wanted to achieve many things, but now, I''m not so sure. I don''t even know if I''ll live long enough to fulfill just one of them." Though he didn''t say it directly, he feared in the depths of his heart if he could even return to Lima safely. Even if he did, would he be the same person? Lirzod looked at the boy''s left shoulder. At that time, if not for them being on the ship, he thought back on how Beren could have died from blood loss, much less an infection down the road. He put his hand on Beren''s leg. "Life and death are only separated by a heartbeat, yet some people go to any length to make their dreams come true. These kinds of people weigh better either on the lovely scale or the nasty scale. Nick was a nasty fellow, but..." Lirzod''s hand slowly raised and slightly touched Beren''s left hand. "Don''t curse yourself for having him as your father. I know what he did to you is unjustifiable and evil, but you can''t change what had happened. All you can do is learn from it. The quicker you grasp that, the more pain and fear you''ll leave behind." Beren wanted to nod, but his head wasn''t willing. It felt heavy for some reason. "What about what I tried to do to him? Doesn''t that mean I''m also evil?" Lirzod paused for a moment and asked, "If you are evil, then why are you questioning yourself?" Beren was startled. "Because you aren''t purely evil, which is the absence of good," said Lirzod. "There''s good in you because you''re reflecting on things so you can change yourself for the better. You have to cling onto that goodness in you long enough till it grows big enough and forces out the vice in you for good. I think that''s what your mother was probably trying to convey when she told you to forgive and forget your father and uncle so you won''t end up becoming like them." Beren stayed silent, but his eyes gave a hint of understanding, which birthed a bit of hope. "I think after the talk we''ve had, we deserve some watermelons." Lirzod took out two pieces of watermelons and then put one in Beren''s hand. "It''s time to get some strength back." Lirzod gorged on the fruit, together with the seeds. Meanwhile, outside the drill clinic, Hundred was spitting seeds right in front of the entrance, and he suddenly received a slap on the back of the head that popped his eyes out. "Stop spitting seeds everywhere!" Mulyk barked. "This isn??t your home!" Hundred grunted from pain. She struck him hard this time, and so he couldn''t hide the suffering. Even though she saw his reaction, she didn''t give an apology, which he was sort of expecting. So it felt as if he now received a second invisible slap that hurt his heart and did some immeasurable internal damage. After all that, Hundred couldn''t spit the seeds, so he couldn''t help but wonder and look at Mulyk to see what she was doing. However, she wasn''t spitting, so he realized that she was eating them, too. "You¡­ are you crunching on seeds as well?" "Of course, they not only add texture to the crunch but also make you strong. That''s how we elves eat anyway. I don''t know why you vulnurs spit out seeds. Such a waste." "Texture is okay," Hundred tapped his finger on his chin, "but I doubt if they''ll make us any stronger because when I eat them, they just come out through poop." Mulyk spat all that was in her mouth. "Don''t talk about ''that'' when I''m eating-fu!" "Uh, I-I''m sorry," Hundred''s heart had just involuntarily skipped a beat, afraid that she might slap him again, but luckily she didn''t. However, he still moved a step away. "Hmph!" she shook her head. She glanced at the watermelon and could no longer put it in her mouth. "Now I feel I lost all my appetite!" she glared at him making him act like he was looking elsewhere while eating the fruit. (Since he''s spoiled my mind, I''ll do the same!) She then said, "When you said about the seeds appearing in your excretion, you weren''t counting the fact that you humans and we elves are not the same. Our stomachs can digest a lot more things than you vulnurs can." "More like animals, huh¡­ tiger, deer, and such." "Hmph, we have no likeness with animals, other than that we are closer to perfection than you people are." "Oh, so elves can brag perfectly, too." "What did you say?" her brows twitched. "N-Nothing." "Humph," she continued to glare at him. "So stupid." "You are the one who''s stupid," Hundred muttered under his breath as he took in another bite. (Out of habit, I was spitting seeds on the street for birds, or I would have looked for a dustbin. But this crazy girl hit me hard. It still hurts.) He rubbed the back of his head while making eye contact with her. "I can see why 99 people didn''t find it pleasing to travel alongside you," she said. Hundred was startled, and he lowered his head to cover his expression. A couple of seconds later, he lifted his head again and acted okay. Mulyk was a bit puzzled as to why her trick, a rude remark, didn''t work all that much, so her gaze turned a bit icy and her cheeks salty. "Uh," Hundred took a golden wrapping paper out of his pocket. "I can give you this if you''re willing to calm down." "A wrapper?" she snatched it from him. "Where did you get this?" "When I was cleaning the clinic," said Hundred. When she opened the neatly folded wrapper, she saw some pieces of melted chocolate inside. "Ew, this was already used!" she tossed it back. "I know," Hundred folded it and put it back in his pocket. "You did that on purpose!" Mulyk rapped her knuckles on Hundred''s head. "Argh," Hundred cried out in pain and rubbed his crown. "Never do that again-fu!" "Never, never," Hundred looked a bit foolish with his face cooked from both anger and fear. (Women are such weird creatures. As Lirzod said, you never know when they laugh in their sleeves or fart in others'' faces.) Just then, a man came hurriedly to the entrance of the clinic. "Please, help me! The maggots are eating me alive!" "What the heck happened?" Hundred covered his mouth to suppress his voice upon seeing that man''s forearm, which was packed with maggots living around the wound and under the skin. "That looks nasty. Are they feasting on his flesh?" "Please help me," the man pleaded. "I don''t have money, but I''ll pay you soon." "If you didn''t have money, you should have at least kept your wound clean and not let flies settle on them," Mulyk indifferently said. "I hate treating for free, especially for stupid people like you." "Please, madam. I beg you," the man wailed. "Have mercy on this halfwit." "No. Go and bring a silver coin. Then we''ll talk," Mulyk coldly said, causing the man to cry and sob a lot harder, but it only worsened her mood. "Get away from me, you oaf," she kicked him away as he tried to touch her feet. "How dare you try to touch a lady''s foot without her permission?" The man continued to cry helplessly. "Oi, I''ll pay for him," Hundred intervened, "so treat him, okay?" "Well, okay," Mulyk showed no objection. She took a small wooden box out of her pocket. There was a pill inside. When she had opened the box, Hundred immediately shut his nose because the odor was so strong that he felt like vomiting. "What the heck is that?" Hundred''s eyes gained redness. "A special garbage pill I made," Mulyk said with a smile on her face. "Maggots love this thing." She brought the box closer to the wound, and all the maggots desperately came out of the wound and fell to the floor. There was localized pain, but the man bore it. In less than a minute, all of them were out. She then gave him a few healing pills and said, "Take these pills once every day. There may be more eggs left inside, so keep washing the wound with salt or vinegar. If you can afford it, take hot baths for a week. If you encounter any trouble, seek me out immediately. I won''t charge you if you come back within a week." The man looked at Hundred and said, "Thank you." He then quickly left without saying another word. "That prick¡­" Mulyk was a bit angered. "He didn''t thank me on purpose. You vulnurs are always so keen on getting revenge." Hundred, however, wasn''t in a mood to chat. He was biting his shirt collar. (I let my emotions play me again. One silver deducted from my balance. Poor me. I should''ve at least told that man to pay me later.) Mulyk, meanwhile, collected the maggots into a paper bag. "A bit of animal feed was acquired for free. Hehe." A hint of abhorrence could be seen in her eyes, for she had a special hatred toward maggots, which often destroyed plants, starting with the roots. "Or should I just squash them into a pulp and use them as manure?" Meanwhile, elsewhere on the same deck, Sariyu and 777 were heading to a particular room. A group of men who were passing by stopped and asked, "Have you seen a purple-haired guy? He''s fair, of a decent height, and breathes arrogance." "Purple-haired guy?" Sariyu and 777 briefly looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously. "Why are you looking for this Mr. Arrogant?" asked Sariyu. "He messed with our guild members, so if you come across him, tell him that he''s committed the biggest mistake of his life. After we???re done with him, he''s gonna wish he never left his home." Saying that they walked away. These men didn''t yet know that Burton had already left the twelfth deck. After those men had walked enough distance, 777 opened his mouth, "Is it Burton they''re talking about?" "Who''re those guys anyway?" asked Sariyu. "Judging by their attire, they seem to be part of the plunderers guild," 777 pondered. "They love stirring storms in teacups and are notorious for bullying those who so much as poke their skin. Would your friend be alright by himself?" "Don''t worry about him," Sariyu casually said. "I don''t know how powerful this plunderers guild is, but against him, they are probably no more different than blind wolves hunting a tiger." 777 stayed silent, albeit looking a bit surprised. They continued taking twists and turns through different streets for the next few minutes. "We''ve entered the J block¡­ finally," Sariyu said in a relieved tone. "Let''s hope he''s at least in this block." "It can''t be helped. This fellow had many rooms, given the position he enjoyed until recently," 777 said, putting some spirit into his walking all of a sudden. "It was only natural that he picked up different resting spots spread out all over this deck." "Hey, what''s wrong with this block?" she looked around, and the streets were desolate and dirty. Only one or two people could be seen living in dozens of rooms in the whole street. There were cobwebs everywhere, leaving just enough room for two to three people to walk side by side. "Well, if bad incidents take place often in any block, it''s only natural that it gets abandoned by most. Unless the commander puts some direct effort, this block will not see many smiles again." "Why is this guy even staying in a place like this?" "Isn''t it obvious?" "Dealings in the dark, huh. But won''t a place like this also be too obvious?" "Yeah," 777 nodded, "but it''s not like a watchdog can keep an eye on this every hour of the day all week. Though they know that some referees are like snakes in the grass, unless and until they prove otherwise, they can''t take severe action." "Mm, I think I now understand why this guy owns multiple rooms. It just adds to the confusion." "That''s part of the reason, of course. Living in dorm rooms together with other hollows won''t do much good, after all," 777 looked at the number written on the hand. "12J-345¡­ I think we''re getting close. It''s probably right up that corner." A few seconds later. "Mm?" Just when those two rounded the corner, at about a hundred meters away from them, they saw the four familiar faces entering a room. 777 reflexively hid behind a stack of empty oil cans. "What the heck? What are they doing here?" "That''s not the issue¡­" Sariyu narrowed her eyes, and her pupils gave off a faint reddish-brown glow that didn''t even last a second. "That room¡­ Why are they entering his room?" "Mm? Which room?" "12J-345." 777 was slightly surprised. "Maybe to apologize to him? Though that seems out of their character, maybe, they changed." She looked at him as if he was being silly. "No, those five are definitely up to something." She paused for a moment while keeping his eyes on him. "Anyway, what are you still hiding behind those cans for?" "Well, I don''t want unwanted trouble with them." "You think I do?" Sariyu shook her head and started to walk. Though 777 called her in a held-back voice to come back, she didn''t stop but instead waved her hand as though telling him to follow. He shook his head and followed behind, albeit without making much sound with his footsteps. As those two were closing in on the room in focus, four people dashed out of that room, sweating madly as they quickly left in the way they had come, without even looking back. Those four people were four of the five Hardy brothers. They didn''t see Sariyu or 777 who had clung to the wall, for they were in so much of a hurry to leave the place. "Oh, crap!" 777 was already backing away. "Something''s wrong. We should leave, too." "I can''t walk away after coming this far," Sariyu felt the urge to look inside the room to see for herself as to what made those four brothers run like scaredy cats. When Sariyu peeked into the room, she got the shock she wasn''t ready for. A man with messy brown hair was hanging from the ceiling by a cloth, with his eyes bulged out but devoid of life. 97 THE APOLOGY "I can hear it. Your pulse is getting louder and louder like that of a chicken put under the knife." "Shut up. Say something like that again, and I might kick you through the floor to the eleventh deck." "Oh, my. What''s going to become of your foot then?" "Just shut your mouth and focus on the game, you sack of shit. Winning against me is as hard as humming while holding your nose!" "Well, winning against me will always be a dream for a little cunt like yourself." "Yeah, says someone whose confidence is as fake as my grandma''s golden teeth." Six guys dressed in brown uniforms were playing cards in a room; they seemed partly drunk, though alcohol wasn''t publicly sold anywhere on the twelfth deck. In the same room, there were old rags piled up in the corner with wheat and corn grains sprinkled on them. Rats were touring in and out of the pile, only to eventually get caught in the variety of traps set around those piles of clothes; these captured rats would either be used to catch cats or get sold to the referee for a fair price. A young fellow came rushing to that room, seemingly out of breath. He was probably a little over eleven years old. "All of you wipers are here. Good." He took a breath and continued to speak in a low tone, "I''ve been looking for you guys everywhere." "What''s wrong?" some of those men showed a hint of worry before even hearing the story. The young fellow panted for a few seconds before saying, "Brace yourselves. Jehez''s dead." A pin-drop silence formed in that room for a couple of seconds. "What? Come again." "Jehez''s dead. He''s no more." "That''s impossible! Are you sure?" "Hundred percent sure. Jehez hanged himself, as far as I know." "That bastard¡­" the six men didn''t look pleased, and they were already having thoughts about their future. After all, being the wipers that they were, they all got their jobs by secretly bribing Jehez, who quietly got them into their jobs by finding faults in the previous jobholders whenever he could until eventually replacing them with those who worked for him. Wipers were also hollows, but they had a job. It was to keep the deck clean. Especially given how much nuisance cats could cause, the position of the wipers wasn''t low on the twelfth deck. They received secret payment for cleaning rooms and streets that cats often spoiled. After all, not just anybody could clean after the mess of the cats. Moreover, they often than not knew what was happening on other decks better than most people, for their job allowed them to eavesdrop on others'' conversations without inviting doubts. "That punk¡­ To think he committed suicide right after losing his job, even a chicken has a stronger heart. I can''t believe I took his help to get into this cleaning job." "C''mon, all it takes is a flood of emotions to make you feel like shit. Not just everyone can control themselves. He probably couldn''t take it anymore, and..." They looked at the young fellow who brought them the information and tossed a silver coin before saying, "How many know of this incident?" "Not many, yet, but¡­ ears are everywhere, right? Sooner or later, the news will spread like wildfire," the young fellow said and then paused a moment before continuing with a stronger voice, "there''s also another news." "What''s that?" they asked together. However, the young fellow stayed silent. One of the guys was about to flick another copper coin, but he was stopped by another one, causing the young fellow to lose some glow in his face. "First, tell us, and if it''s worth it, then you''ll be rewarded." The young fellow didn''t take time to realize that he had to take a gamble. If even one of those six guys would successfully keep their job, it was worth it to stay on their good side, so he didn''t hold back, "Someone saw the Hardy brothers enter Jehez''s room before he was found dead in his room." "Someone?" "Don''t know the details, but things are getting crazy..." as the young fellow said, a copper coin was thrown toward him. After catching it, he smiled big time. "I wish you guys good luck." Saying that he left like the wind. The six guys looked at each other''s faces. "If Jehez''s death isn''t due to suicide, this is no ordinary matter anymore." "Yeah, things will heat up on our deck pretty quickly." "You think our commander was informed?" "The story sounds as tall as a fool''s tale, but it might be true, so we shouldn''t waste this chance. Aryan, use your crycall." "What crycall? I don''t have one." "Hmph! We are talking about the one you''ve recently stolen from a rich woman." "U-Uh, Mmm, okay," Aryan once again understood that hiding things from their eyes was as impossible as going home after just one beer. "I didn''t exactly steal it. She just lost it, and I happened to find it, that''s all." "We know that, so hurry up! We have to relay the message before others do!" "Alright, alright," he then took out a device from within his underwear. It was a greenish glassy sheet with a parrot figure carved on it. On the back of that sheet, there was a unique identification number at the bottom, also engraved on it. He pressed on the parrot''s nose, and the whole thing glowed just for a moment. He then slowly said, "Wipe your own ass." When he said that, ten numbers from zero to nine appeared on the backside of the sheet. "Wipe your own ass," when he said that for the second time, the parrot figure moved. The entire glassy sheet shape-shifted into a small parrot that looked to be made out of tiny crystals of different shapes and colors. And numbers from 0 to 9 showed up as a cluster on some crystals on the back of that parrot. There were a volume knob and other controllers on its neck. "Wipe your own ass," the parrot replied in Aryan''s voice with the same wording, a code phrase, which meant that the device was now fully unlocked and ready for use. Aryan pressed a few numbers in sequence and then waited. A couple of seconds later, the parrot''s eyes glowed momentarily, which meant that some connection was established. The parrot raised one of its wings, where there was a voice input mechanism, "Commander, can you hear me?" Aryan hurriedly asked. The parrot lifted its other wing, where there was a voice output, and a few seconds later, another voice came out of the parrot as it cocked its head and then randomly moved its head in different directions, "Yeah, who''s this?" "C-Commander Zentzu, I''m Aryan, one of the wipers from the twelfth deck. I called you to give you some important information." "And that is¡­" the voice on the other side sounded casual, almost disinterested. Aryan then quickly began to explain. On the other side, Zentzu was listening by placing the crycall near his mouth while the device was still in its base form, which looked like an almost see-through glassy crystal sheet, and the carving of a panda could be seen on it. He was sitting on the back of his panda, Pupuu, which was snoring while standing on its four limbs. After the explanation was finished, Zentzu leaked out a faint smile. "How sweet¡­ If your information really puts me ahead of others, then you''ll be fairly rewarded, Aryan." "Thank you, sir. Thank you very much." Meanwhile, as time passed, the news quickly spread, albeit with rumors added per every few tongues. Worry began to spread among the entire twelfth deck members. The death of a former referee was totally unexpected. If it was a suicide, that was one thing, but if it was a murder, then it was one of the taboos on the ship. Not only would the occurrence of such a thing ruin the reputation of its staff, but it would also ruin the reputation of the ship itself if the culprit was not caught and punished soon. Extensive Voyage''s prestige was too big as compared to its staff, so none of the twelfth deck members yet had an idea of how grave a mistake the culprit had committed. By the time everybody began to slowly realize the gravity of the situation, it seemed like they were a little too late because new rumors kept burdening their hearts, especially because one of the tales told that the captain of the belt was coming. For the next few hours, the news had stirred quite a stitherum on the twelfth deck. Nobody slept. Nobody was in their rooms, either. The streets were full, and so were the booths. Everybody discussed nothing but one thing, the death of Jehez and what could have caused his death. They couldn''t take the matter off their minds, for the referee of any test hall was someone that most people supposed the sun would rise and set on. The news also reached Lirzod''s ears, and he just stared into the distance. As time passed, tensions raised, and many people kept visiting the test hall to know what exactly was going on. The next morning, at around seven o''clock. Still sporting the old chest armor, Lirzod also reached the test hall, holding two bouquets. At the entrance, while resting his back against a wall and his bottom on the floor, a dirt-covered golden-haired street singer was playing violin with his hands and simultaneously struck drums with sticks gripped by his toes. One of his eyes, the right one, was pure white, and sadness dwelled in the other. Two tiny silver trumpets were his earrings. The melody he crafted was easy on the ears as befitting a funeral ceremony. "Sorry, I don''t have money," Lirzod dropped a banana in the beggar''s bowl, which was actually a small convex shield put upside down, before entering the hall. "May your parents live more than a hundred years, child," the street singer said in a pleased tone. It was the first offering he received on that day, so the street singer opened his mouth and uttered a song that went well with the melody. "Every life exists To live and multiply. Every note exists To compose marvelous melodies. Imagination exists To see the worlds that cannot be seen. Emotions exist To express in languages that cannot be spoken. Death, too, exists To let the living taste the pain of losing. All things exist for a reason To make every mother''s son as they''re now. So fret not, folks For no one is an exception To the wonders and woes of this world Set in motion by the biggest yet gentlest hand of all." The moment the street singer opened his mouth, some people found his voice familiar, and they soon realized that this person was the most famous street singer on the ship. His name was Yohann Rosenthal. The story of how he had turned from one of the most famous singers in the world to a mere street singer was also pretty famous around the world. Those who recognized him shamelessly asked for autographs. However, he turned deaf ears to them and never stopped playing the violin. Eventually, the people lost their patience and left him alone, cursing in their own unique ways. However, he was unaffected by their actions, just as how he was unaffected by the change in the drifting wind and the subtleties of the odors it carried. Still and all, to show his gratitude, he sang another one of his songs, ''The Seven Bes,'' for all those who took the effort to approach him. "Be A fox in the desert A tiger in the mountains A lion in the prairie An owl in the sky A river horse in the rivers An orca in the ocean And a human in the world at large." Meanwhile, there were so many people gathered inside the hall, so many, in fact, that Lirzod had to gently force his way through people to make his way to the new cat home, which was still under construction. Most of the cats were temporarily being kept in child rooms, which were attached to the test hall as subspaces. These child rooms were made just for such situations. However, there were still a few dozen cats inside the partly built cat home. The design of the new structure was much better than the previous one, which was nothing but a simple hall. However, this time, the interior was being painted; there were more scratch poles now, and there was even a large sand knoll placed at one corner, where the cats frequented to shed their weight. This kept the remaining section a lot cleaner than before. It was Mikey who came up with that idea of putting a sand knoll inside the cat home, so he was even given some bonus for his contribution. Though the child rooms were yet to be built, Lirzod didn''t feel at unrest, for he could already tell from a glance that the building plan included other subspaces as well. Currently, no deck tests were taking place, and all the cats inside the cat home were pretty much in a relaxed state. Lirzod didn''t go all the way in but stopped after he was about ten feet inside. The memories of Hardy stomping on the cats flashed in his mind. He gripped one of the bouquets tightly before getting down on one of his knees. He looked to be lost in thought for a moment, and then his other knee touched the floor. He placed one bouquet beside him, then put the second bouquet before him and kowtowed. "I didn''t mean to put any of your lives in danger. I''m truly sorry." His heart grew heavy, and a layer of wetness clouded his eyes. "I know my apology won''t bring back even one lost life, but I hope, at least, you all found peace." As his heart was burdened with feelings of answerability, something hit his head, causing him to lift his head. A cat was right before his face, sitting on its butt, and was playing with the flowers, trying to enter into the bouquet and hide inside the flowers. Seeing how its attention was all on the bouquet, Lirzod understood that it had probably hit him while it was playing with the flowers. Upon seeing the cat play, Lirzod''s face brightened up a bit. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed the wetness away with his fingers before taking a deep but barely audible breath. He then looked at the other cats. Though there weren''t even a third of the cats as there were in the past, at least now, all the cats looked a bit more healthy. He thought of Leggy, and his expression hardened a bit. Wanting to get his mind off the bothering thoughts, he decided to take a look around and see how the cat home was being built. He went and checked the blueprints lying on a desk, and he had to scratch his head a couple of times to comprehend it. Even though the drawing itself was simple, all the calculations and lines drawn on top of the design made it extremely hard for him to look through that. At first glance, it looked like a mess, but after straining his eyes for half a minute, he somewhat understood their idea. "Looks like they''re building six rooms with reduced sizes." Though he wasn''t impressed with it, he could only sigh and tell himself that something was better than nothing. As he turned around and was coming out, his eyes ended up shifting toward the center of the room where the milk bowl was. A couple of cats were quenching their thirst. Lirzod silently made his way over there, already expecting that much better quality milk was being fed to the cats. However, to his nerve-snapping shock, the milk looked as transparent as before, if not more. "What is the meaning of this?" Lirzod''s heartbeat hardened, and his fingernails dug through the bouquet and pressed into the palm. 98 THE CULPRITS? Like the inflexible celerity of a lying tongue, the quality of the milk didn''t change as had been agreed and as Lirzod had looked ahead to. The ease with which droplets of milk spilled out of the bowl while the felines quenched their thirst further solidified Lirzod''s understanding. This affair seemed akin to how a good many of his clansmen kept burdening the animals by making them overwork time and again, despite being advised otherwise on numerous occasions. He was aware that some habits, especially addictions, were hard to get rid of, but it had always been harder for him to digest the thought that there were people who would smile and promise to do one thing but then never keep their promise, and they would repeat the same thing ad nauseam, either publicly or secretly. Would these people ever stress a little in an attempt to change themselves and keep their promises? Would they ever feel guilty for not living up to their word and for having to constantly lie? Would they ever have remorse for mixing truth with the lies incessantly? Lirzod''s little brain could only wonder in the same vein as a callow shepherd who couldn''t tell the sheep from the goats. Regardless, the current situation, with the cats drinking watery milk, left a bad taste in his mouth. From his experience, he knew that animals were much more habitual beings than humans, so it would be so much harder for them to break their habits by themselves. Animals that grew up and lived indoors tend to depend more on their owners for food, to the point that they might prefer starving when they could have just gone out for a stroll in the streets and munched on some leftovers or could have hunted creatures lower on the food chain. So if they weren''t fed properly, they would never grow up to their full size. Though some of the cats in the hall looked healthy, there were many cats with empty stomachs, just staring at him, probably hoping he''d drop some food. Just as Lirzod''s knuckles turned white out of frustration, Mikey entered the cat home, looking taxed from all the extra work that he had to do to bring things back to normal since the fight between Lirzod and Hardy had taken place. Mikey noticed Lirzod straight away. "You are¡­" he was about to leak out a big smile, but after looking at Lirzod''s expression, and especially after realizing where he was looking at, his smile instantly vanished, and his eyes showed a hint of unease and worry. Many cats ran over to Mikey and started meowing and begging for food. He took a few meat pellets out of his waist-bag and threw them on the floor, thereby stopping their crying at least for the time being. Lirzod gave a blazing glance at Mikey as he pointed his finger at the milk bowl, "What''s that in the bowl?" "Explain what?" Lirzod fully turned to face Mikey, who had long stopped coming any closer. After just realizing that Mikey had thrown some food to the cats, Lirzod loosened his fists, trying his best to control his emotions and not show it on his face, but it wasn''t easy, which caused him to pause for a bit. "I''m seriously disappointed in you and your commander," his voice was quick and heavy from carrying a sense of sadness, almost like the whimpering of a wounded puppy. "Please first listen to our side, sir," Mikey''s voice now had a tinge of respect, and the pace of his speech also sped up as he did his best to curtain his fear. "Whatever you may be thinking, that''s not what happened." Lirzod exhaled hot air through his nose. He could almost imagine Mikey in place of one of his clansmen steering his way by lying through their teeth. "Let me explain," Mikey hurriedly continued, for he felt silence to be a lot more unsettling. "Actually, the money you''ve given was stored in the depository. We were intending to use it solely for the cats. The last person to have opened the depository was the former referee, Jehez. Only the commander and the referee had the keys to that room. Jehez reported to the commander that he lost the key during the incident, you know, that fight between you and the five brothers. Afterward, when the commander opened the depository, everything seemed alright. Nothing was stolen. However¡­" He seemed quite hesitant to speak the rest. "However, what?" Lirzod was not in the mood to stretch things. He was already beginning to regret the large donation he had made. "However, just the money you''ve donated went missing," Mikey''s expression warped with consternation and culpability. Lirzod''s eyes broadened like a quake splitting a valley open. "Huh?" His heart shrunk like a hole in the sand as if trying to bury the emotion, but his lips still trembled, and his mouth bent into a weird shape as frustration and disbelief ran amok inside him, "W-What?" "We were trying to find the thief since then," Mikey''s voice was honest but not as convincing, thanks to him sporting the face of a guilty cat. "We also had our suspicion on Jehez, but yesterday, we received the news of his death. It only added more confusion." "You didn''t steal that money, did you?" Lirzod words flew in his face like a stone. He was doing his best to stand rooted, afraid of otherwise running up to Mikey and punching him in the face. "Haha," Mikey laughed at his own inability to pull off such a thing. "I, too, am under suspicion of stealing that money if that makes you feel any better." Lirzod didn''t say anything; however, there was still an ample amount of annoyance and unease crossing his face as though some invisible kittens had been clawing at him. "Don''t worry, sir," Mikey affirmed, trying to manifest the recipe of troth through his words, "even if we don''t find the thief, the milk we give to the cats will be improved thanks to a new rule that got passed because of you. Since bettings always take place, some share from the bettors'' profits will greatly help take better care of the cats. The new referee is a tough guy, so I''m sure things will be okay." As he was saying, Lirzod just walked past him and left the room, waving his arms slowly but steadily. Form inside the twelfth deck, it was hard to tell when the morning began or ended, thanks to all the fog around the ship blinding their view completely, most of the time. However, there were crywatches, tools that helped people know the time of the day of one region or more. For ordinary folks, it was a mystery as to how those things worked. Still, educated people generally knew how to read one, even though operating them was a different thing. Crywatches came in all sizes, shapes, colors, and some even had glowing scales on them as if they had grown out of the skin. Currently, in the test hall, only a handful of people out of the thousands that gathered had crywatches. And one of them, the one who was nearest to the cat home, was getting his flesh cut because a crywatch had integrated with the skin. He couldn''t even sleep because of that for three days, so he was done with it. After the flesh was cut and tended, he felt much better. "Next time I''ll buy a regular crywatch, though, only after this wound heals completely. But if I had more money, I''d have bought a crycast," he sighed and then went and stood alongside the other people. Around the same place where people always competed with the cats in the ring, everybody stood in lines with quickened heartbeats. The atmosphere wasn''t gloomy but definitely tense. Most people had their bodies worn with sweat, whereas some visibly shivered or showed some sense of anxiety. Many expressed different emotions, but the most common emotion exhibited was fear. Like a thief in the night, it kept robbing them of confidence by the second. In the center of everyone, also in the center of the cat ring, lay Jehez''s cadaver in an open coffin. Two bowls of incense placed on either side of the coffin produced aroma that masked the less pleasing odor that time whipped up. Sean was standing next to the coffin, and four of Hardy Brothers, except for Fimbry, were also present nearby, but they were seated on the floor, their arms bound to their back, wrists tied with thick ropes. Moreover, they seemed to be wounded, though not to the point they couldn''t speak. Lirzod silently walked over and placed the bouquet together with the flowers that were placed next to the coffin. There was a clear difference between Lirzod''s bouquet and other bouquets because instead of buying from a shop, he had plucked some flowers from street-side trees and wrapped them up with paper to make a bouquet. He had made two of them. He had to come up with this idea, owing to his shortage of coins. Lirzod looked at Jehez''s face, and complex yet subtle emotions stirred up in his heart, but not much showed on his face. He found it hard to imagine this fellow died so suddenly. Looking at those flowers laid all around Jehez in the coffin, his emotions and thoughts brought forth a question out of the depths of his mind, "I''ve never fully understood why people offer more flowers to someone after they died than when they were alive and well. Are all these flowers here out of present sorrows or due to past regrets? I guess I''ll never know," he let out a long sigh, which let him feel the incense in the air all the more. "I''ve known you for only a little while, Mr. Jehez, but I hope you rest well." He stayed still, staring at Jehez for a good ten seconds; he knew that he would never be able to speak with him again, not that he had wanted to. Still, as he saw it, death was the most merciless of all things. If Jehez deserved to die with a mystery surrounding his sudden demise, then what would death deserve for killing countless people since the dawn of man? Definitely, deathless durance in the darkest place there ever was. Whether death deserved such fate or not, either way, Lirzod was acutely aware that he was far weaker than his sworn enemy, so much that he had always struggled to digest the news of some random person dying, much less if that person was someone held dear to his heart. Even now, the ambiance of the hall weighed him down by bringing back some unpleasant memories. After innocently staring at Jehez for some time, Lirzod went and joined the lines of men. Though the Hardy Brothers had long-sighted him, they were neither in the mood nor in the right place to run their tongues. Still, a couple of them looked daggers at him. Lirzod, however, hadn''t even looked at the brothers, except for once. At first, Lirzod had imagined that the people were all being silent as they were paying tribute to the dead person; however, as minutes went by, he realized that he was wrong. Some people kept chattering silently, and at some point, his ears caught onto a conversation. "If those brothers aren''t the murderers, then why are they still tied up like that?" "No idea. All I know is that Jehez died many hours before the Hardy Brothers were seen entering J Block. So they no longer have to worry about getting sentenced to death, but they still are among the suspects, I guess." "I see." "No. Those brothers got tied up for a different reason. They went to the foster hall and tried to steal some items from the treasury, or so I was told." "What? I didn''t think they were so fiendish. Trying to steal from a foster hall is like stealing food from the poor. No wonder they are suffering like this now." "But if these guys didn''t murder Jehez, then who did?" "Isn''t that the reason why we''re here? To find out where this thing takes us." "Jehez had a lover. Does anyone know where she is?" "Yeah, I saw her spending time in private with some clown. So much for a lover. Not coming here to pay her respect is one thing, but she''s already hooking up with another man, some creep who rides a freaking ass." "Maybe, she''s just letting someone console her in this hard time." "Ah, spare me that donkey-shit, would you? She just loved Jehez for ''dough.'' Now that he''s gone, she couldn''t care less. I hope that little minx will be thoroughly grilled." After hearing similar conversations, Lirzod could only look at the coffin and wonder about what would have happened. Lirzod knew that Jehez did shady dealings, and whoever he might have had offended, and whether his death was a suicide or a murder, it felt meaningless and unnecessary. Squeezel, someone who was very close to Lirzod, once told him that cruelty wouldn''t correct a crooked heart. If it did, then wars wouldn''t endlessly wreck the world, the regimes wouldn''t continue to be drunk on violence and corruption, and every criminal sent to a prison where physical and mental torture prevailed would come out as a saint. In view of such conviction, if Jehez had committed suicide, he gave up his life for nothing, and even if he had been, in truth, murdered, then whoever had done that in the dark was corrupting themselves even more by taking pleasure in cruel means. At the moment, whatever the truth was, Lirzod felt bad for Jehez, for even if he had been murdered, would punishing the culprit bring him back to life? The damage was already done. Time passed, and nobody was leaving, so Lirzod was feeling rather bored, except that more than the boredom, the tittle-tattling of others vexed him. He wanted to leave, but he didn''t want to do it first. Though he noticed Hundred standing in a different line, he didn''t want to go to him, either. In the end, he stood still while worrying that he might soon grow roots under his feet. "What''s the meaning of this?" Sean started to speak just at that moment, his voice reaching many ears. "You people are all chitter-chattering even now instead of being silent. Hmph, since when did you guys even have the sensitivity to pay respects to a dead man? Did you perhaps come to show the difference between you and animals? Even still, it changes nothing, absolutely nothing. There is but one difference between you all and animals. You can put on clothes¡ªthat''s all. That''s the only freaking difference that''s coming to my mind right now. How much more hopeless can you get? To think you would stoop so low as to attack the suspects..." The moment Sean stopped speaking, the hall went silent all of a sudden, only to soon be replaced by the sound of footsteps steadily growing on their ears. A golden-haired man in a white blazer just entered the hall. He was tall as a tree, and when some people turned their heads to look at him, his sharp, focused gaze alone set off chills up and down their spines, and they made way for him, whether they knew of his identity or not. "Mm?" Lirzod glanced at the hazel-green eyed man casually as he walked past the scar-faced boy and stopped at the cat ring. "So many flowers. A lot more than I expected," the golden-haired man took a look at the funeral coffin and spoke in a reserved tone. "Grief is clearly much easier to sell than gratitude. From what I''ve heard, this Jehez didn''t have a clean image, but still, quite many people came here to pay their respects. As Godrick said, I guess, death can really flip a fool''s image. This makes me wonder what my funeral would look like." "Captain Gorka," Sean slightly bowed for a couple of seconds, and then stood right, but then received a sudden slap at that moment. The sound of a solid slap echoed in everyone''s ears and popped their eyes out in shock. However, nobody said a word. The entire hall fell as silent as Jehez. "If you don''t know how to run a deck, then don''t become a commander," Gorka coldly said, not even looking at Sean. "You are dismissed. You have two options. Either go back to the tenth deck or find the murderer and then meet me." Sean stayed silent, with his head tilted down and a hand planted on his cheek. Every onlooker was shocked. Who was Sean? He was someone they wouldn''t dare to touch, not only due to his position but also because of his strength, character, and reputation. To humiliate a person of such stature in public, only a captain of the belt could do that. Even though people were only watching, many of them couldn''t control their heart from beating erratically. Some knees couldn''t stop from putting themselves into pendulum-like motion. "Do you want me to repeat my words?" Gorka stressed his words. "Sorry for everything, sir," Sean frowned and then began to walk away. Seeing the commander leave helplessly, all men and women felt that the gravity in the hall spike up, and each of their legs grew heavier. "All of you..." Gorka now looked at everyone that included both the entries and hollows, a crowd upward of ten thousand, not counting those outside the hall. "Till we reach the destination, none of you shall climb up the decks anymore. You are only allowed to roam in these three lower decks, 10, 11, and 12 from now on." The glow in everybody''s face vanished without a trace as silence once again played with their egos and fears. "If you all have no problem, that''ll be it," Gorka said and was walking toward the coffin. Nobody from the crowd dared to open their mouths, even though they all wanted to. But who would dare speak up in front of a captain? "Wait!" at that time, a voice rang out. Everybody looked toward the source, and it was Pannu. "I¡ªpass¡ªdeck test. Commander still kept me here but allowed three girls to climb. Logic. Logically, I already should be gone. And I¡ªno participation¡ªin beating Hardy brothers." Gorka glanced back at Pannu. "If you didn''t participate in it, then what were you doing?" "Papapa, eating nuts..." Pannu said, to which some people from the crowd banged their heads with their hands. "Committing an offense is a crime on this ship, but so is watching a crime happen and doing nothing to stop it," Gorka said. "This deck''s referee died yesterday, and nobody knows the killers who were smart enough to destroy all the gadgets that were used for surveillance. But that''s not the big issue here. The key to the depository has gone missing. Some wealth was stolen. And then the referee mysteriously hanged himself. Also, someone saw the Hardy brothers enter the referee''s room, but nobody knows who that someone is. As if that''s not enough, so many of you people ganged up on those brothers before they were even proven guilty, but we don''t know who those people are, name by name. With unknown variables present in every single clue we have, how can the culprit ever be caught?" "The culprits? Who cares! I don''t care if Hardy brothers get beaten, or if the referee gets killed," Pannu said at his own slow pace, without moving his jaw. "All I care¡ªstuffing my stomach¡ªgood sleep all night. If standing and watching a crime is a crime, give appropriate punishment to me, but staying in this deck throughout the journey is nowhere near justifiable for doing nothing," maybe because of frustration, he was able to speak long sentences without break. "In these hundred lowest floors..." a card, with an octopus of the third order and its stats printed on it, slid down from within his sleeves and fell in Gorka''s hand, though it looked to others as if it just appeared out of nowhere. "My words are justice." With a slick flick of his wrist, the card flew out of his hand and heavily struck Pannu''s belly and effortlessly lifted him off the floor and carried him over the people''s heads and banged him into the distant wall. Pannu was knocked out cold, with his eyes turned completely white. From his mouth, he spilled out much more stomach fluids than an average human would. Many groundnuts that he had stuffed in his pant pockets fell and spread out on the floor. The octopus card traversed through the air before it came back and fell in between Groka''s fingers, the forefinger, and the middle finger. "If anyone else got objections, they can come forward as well," Gorka calmly stated, but none of the members even dared to look in his eyes and just stared down at the floor. "Good..." Gorka turned and began to walk away, with his hands elegantly placed in his pockets. "Excuse me, sir..." a voice rang out from within the crowd, like before, but everybody was even more surprised this time because the voice came from someone who was partly responsible for most of what had happened. It was a boy wearing mismatched armor. 99 STRUGGLES OF THE SENTENCED As Gorka was leaving, "Excuse me, sir..." a voice rang out from within the crowd, as it had only seconds ago. Everybody got even more surprised this time because the voice came from someone who was partly responsible for most of the recent turmoil cultivating on the twelfth deck. The voice belonged to a boy wearing mismatched armor. Gorka stopped and looked at him. "You want to teach me rules as well?" "One of your shoelaces isn''t intact," Lirzod pointed his finger down at Gorka''s shoes. Gorka glanced at his feet. A lace had indeed come out loose. "Oh..." He lifted the knee and tied it up swiftly. "You have my thanks." Saying that Gorka turned and began to walk away. He remembered the time when he was young, and some woman whose face he still couldn''t remember was tying his laces. All Gorka could see was her hands and also could hear her voice. He had a guess as to who she was, but he wasn''t sure. Maybe it was because of that unsureness, he always wore laced shoes even though they didn''t quite fit his attire. "Don''t get any funny ideas, folks. The only way up is through me," Gorka said while waving his hand at the coffin. A card flew out and slammed the coffin''s lid shut, then slid under the coffin. A second later, the coffin lifted into the air, revealing a pair of octopus limbs underneath. These limbs carried the coffin away. "Only those who do good and I believe are worthy will be pardoned and elevated. The rest can rot for all I care." As Gorka left along with the coffin, nobody raised their voices this time as they sweated buckets, enough to probably fill a swimming pool. After Gorka exited the hall, everyone''s bodies flailed. "So that''s the captain of this tenth belt. No wonder I couldn''t measure the guy''s strength!" Limon, the Lemon Licker, looked a bit unsettled, "My hairs are still standing up." "If I''m correct, his name is Gorka. He''s from the Zephrylls Guild," another guy, a dark bronze-skinned brown-haired man, said while keeping his hand on the hilt of his long sword, the tip of which was resting on his foot. "That guild from the nox order?" Limon''s heart skipped a beat. "Wasn''t it destroyed?" "I don''t know," The bronze-skinned man shrugged his shoulders and then said confidently, "but what I do know is that he killed one of the conductors of the sect test and battled with a few others, and he eventually got banished from participating in the sect test for many years. So, compared to us, he''s in a different league." "You, you think he will be participating this year along with us?" Limon stammered. "I don''t think so. It''s been like a decade since that incident happened. Since then, he has acted as the captain of this tenth belt. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn''t give away such an influential position unless I can cling onto something better." "You can''t underestimate anyone, or put one above the other," the brown-haired man sheathed his sword and smiled reservedly. "They are all definitely monsters in their own right, except for maybe the captain of the first belt. I heard that guy''s a monster among monsters." "Wait," Limon hardly swallowed his saliva, "are all the captains still yet to become martial childs?" "In the public eye, yes. They are all former hollows like me, who climbed to that rank, but they are definitely much stronger than your typical martial childs. Many sects would gladly accept them, but I guess they''re here for a reason. Anybody who got the entrance ticket once could participate in the sect tests as many times as they wished unless there''s some issue. So the captains, some of them, if not all, are perhaps just polishing their skills or biding some time before they make their move. After all, joining Shambala Sect through the sect test is said to be much easier than compared to other available options. Still, being the captain of a belt will let you lead a luxurious life. Why leave such a lifestyle which lets you roll your tongue however you want? If I were them, I would do the same. That said, unlike myself, they''ll probably end up participating in the sect test again." "Are you lemon-shitting me?" Limon was becoming more and more aware of his own heartbeat. "If even strong individuals like them fail the test¡­ Just how many will the Shambala Sect take in as disciples every year?" "I have no idea because the number itself is, you know, kept secret. Not just the number, but the tests themselves are held in privacy, though we still get to know a little bit from those who failed in the past. Since we''re talking about secrecy, even the location of the headquarters of Shambala Sect is a mystery to the outside world, isn''t it?" "I know we are heading to a mysterious place, but that thought itself feels scary all the more now," Limon said and inhaled sharply. "Since I''m participating this year, I can only hope that tests won''t solely be based on strength. I don''t want to grow old trying to become a member of the sect. Dying would be better than that, though I''d love to see the headquarters of the sect before kicking the bucket." "It''s said that only Extensive Voyage and a few other vehicles of the sect can reach that mysterious place. They also have a private means of transport through portals. Otherwise, everybody would try to get there and beg for an entrance. Because they can''t do that, they''ll attack these vehicles as best as they can to bring them down or use them to invade the sect or something." "Oh, so that''s why I''m hearing some big sounds now and then." "Yeah, those were mostly from the passerby ships doing their best to scratch this ship. Pirates attack all the time, but no one succeeds." "Haha, this ship is indeed wonderful. In fact, it''s the best ship this Limon ever set foot on, but now I''m stuck on this twelfth deck, thanks to..." Limon looked around, and his eyes stopped on Lirzod. "That one. That one guy." He pondered for a moment with conflicted feelings. (Even though he''s about half as old as I am, I still respected him for his courage and strength, but this is just a bit too much. I feel like I''m stuck here because of him. Then again, he''s just a boy who''s yet to see the world, so I can''t really blame him for everything either.) Limon was trying his best to control his urge from challenging Lirzod to vent out his frustration. At that moment, Lirzod was at Pannu, gathering all the groundnuts that were on the floor. He then turned Pannu''s body over and put his finger under the nose. "Mm¡­" he scanned his body once and patted the belly, "Nice cushion you''ve got here, buddy." "Oi, kid," just then, a man with an average height but defined arms approached Lirzod and put his hand forward. "Hand over those nuts." Lirzod was still leaning forward, so he looked up at the long-bearded man who had a piercing gaze with sharp features everywhere. He was a fully grown man with no faults, except for his height. "You''ve got cool pecs. They are not excessively bulky, and I can almost feel the muscle tension from here with my eyes. You must have been following a strict diet and workout plan. Would you mind sharing a bit of¡ª" Before Lirzod finished speaking, his hand was grabbed by that man who then forcibly tried to snatch the groundnuts out of the boy''s left hand. However, to his surprise, he couldn''t open Lirzod''s fist. He gritted his teeth and was about to use his second hand, but Lirzod quickly pulled his fist out of that man''s grip. "Give me those peanuts, or I''ll wreck your ass, lad," he babbled in a threatening tone. "These nuts aren''t yours, right?'' asked Lirzod. "So what? It''s that little pig''s fault for sleeping on the floor, and now you''re doing the same by angering me," the long-bearded man barked and threw his left fist at Lirzod. It came fast, carrying his body weight behind it, but Lirzod slapped the fist away using his right hand. "Krgh!" a nerve in his brain burst, and he unleashed a torrent of punches at Lirzod, forcing him to dodge and back away simultaneously. Lirzod jumped over Pannu, but the long-bearded man stepped over Pannu''s chest and resumed striking Lirzod, but all his fists were either blocked, dodged, or parried without much effort by Lirzod, especially while wearing armor. This further aggravated the long-bearded man. He momentarily stopped and beat his chest like a gorilla before rushing forth again. "If you want to be crippled so badly over some food that''s not even your own, then I''ll make your dream come true." Redness increased under his skin as he recklessly launched his fists at Lirzod. "You want to cripple me over food?" Lirzod''s gaze turned a tad bit sharper, and he swiftly deflected both of the long-bearded man''s arms in quick succession. The long-bearded man was quite surprised. (He stopped my punches? This kid isn''t simple.) A few beads of sweat surfaced on his forehead. "F-Fine. You''ve got a point. Let''s forget about the nuts in your hand. I''ll go and fetch those left in the fatty''s pockets," he turned in the direction of Pannu. However, before he took a few steps, Lirzod went past him and blocked his way, causing him to frown. "We''ve made peace, and I''m free to do whatever I want. Why do you stop me?" "Free to do whatever you want?" Lirzod clenched his fists tightly, and the groundnuts in his left hand started cracking. "A fool like you?" "F-Fool?" a vein bulged in the long-bearded man as a wave of fury swept over him. ""How dare you call me a fool! I''ve butchered my brother and his wife for calling me a fool time after time! Now, I''ll make you regret calling me a fool by cutting your tongue and then the tongues of your entire family and friends!" he hastily shifted his body and threw a wide-swinging kick at the boy''s shoulder. Lirzod stepped in and elbowed in the opponent''s shin with a diagonally backward movement of the arm. "Argh!" the long-bearded man cringed from pain. "Dammit!" "Why are you bringing my friends and family into this nonsense of a fight?" Lirzod pulled his left fist as if he was about to throw a punch. "Going for a punch? You think you can hurt me with your measly little arms and fists?" the long-bearded man withstood the pain in his leg and stood tall. "Even your kicks would at best tickle¡ª" DUM~! Lirzod''s fist clouted into the opponent''s abdomen, abruptly changing his expression right away into a grotesque one, and his upper body curved concavely. "I love peace," Lirzod''s firm voice and breath were felt by the long-bearded man from up close, "but you can''t expect even pacifists to phrase proverbs when you poke them in the wrong places." The long-bearded man lifted his face that was cooked with pain and looked at Lirzod in bewilderment. He was standing in a bowel-squeezing pain, unable to react in any other way. It had been a while since he was in such a position where he was totally at his opponent''s mercy. Lirzod withdrew his fist. "If there is a next, consider yourself doomed," he walked past the long-bearded man, who then crumpled to his knees, with bloody saliva dangling down his mouth. Lirzod''s words sent a lasting shiver up and down the long-bearded man''s spine. This pain¡ªit feels like all the juices are rushing into my throat. (To think I, Harrison, who could take a dozen grown man''s punches to the stomach without budging, would get forced to my knees after taking just one blow from a brat. It hurts.) He found it quite hard to swallow the loss, probably much more than what it took to suppress the liquids rising in his throat. "It''s a pity that most of the time all a fool does is turn freedom into a freak of nature," Lirzod reached Pannu and sat on his belly. He opened his left hand; all the groundnuts had broken into pieces. With one breath, he blew away the dark-reddish outer skin, leaving only the crispy brownish cream-colored groundnuts, and his mouth began to drool. He glanced at Pannu, who was unconscious. "I-I am gonna give you some nuts sometime later, okay?" saying that he began to eat them at a slow pace, not wanting to finish them soon. "These aren''t roasted enough, but they are not bad." With a hand on his abdomen, Harrison got back to his feet and glanced at Lirzod, only to get his lower jaw to come loose and strike through the floor after seeing Lirzod savoring the taste of the peanuts with his eyes closed. "Huh?" He gnashed his teeth hard as sweat fought for a place on his face. "That little turd..." However, it wasn''t just Harrison that was staring at Lirzod. Many people from both the entries and hollows came up to him and gave him cursed words for how things turned out. "Picking a fight with another man after everything that happened? What an asshole you are!" "Harrison lost, but I curse you that someone will soon beat the crap out of you!" "How can you eat so shamelessly when we''re all stuck here because of you? Just leave this deck already!" "So young yet so stupid. You deserve all the defeats in the world!" "I hope someone will break your arms and legs so you''ll beg for the rest of your life!" Lirzod kept his eyes closed while people went wild with their tongues. He was still smiling, for the taste of the peanuts grew richer as time passed. Though he didn''t like the way people linked Jehez''s death to his feud with Hardy Brothers, compared to the cursed words some of his clan members, a woman named Cherry, for example, daily used in their conversations, the curses these men used sounded cute. After the cursing fellows left his vicinity, Lirzod opened his eyes, which carried some glow in them. "So tasty." Generally, it was natural for the average individual to feel saturated after only eating a few handfuls of peanuts; however, Lirzod now felt like he could eat more than he usually does. Either it was because he hadn''t eaten nuts for tens of hours, or the peanuts were special. "I want to know where he bought these groundnuts," he put his hand on Pannu''s chest and moved him a little bit, trying to wake him up, but there was no response. "Ah, forget it. I can ask him later. Let him sleep for now." Lirzod glanced in Harrison''s direction. A dark bronze-skinned man holding a sword was conversing with Harrison, seemingly giving him a discordant lecture, telling him not to fight in the hall. Though Lirzod couldn''t hear their conversation, some others could. The conversation basically went on with Harrison getting mocked about how the recent fight was as short as his junk. In the meantime, a few more people purposely approached Lirzod so they could turn the air blue. After everything that had happened, nobody dared to gang up and hit Lirzod this time like they had beaten the Hardy Brothers a few hours ago even though similar thoughts now drifted in most minds. The hostility in their gazes tingled Lirzod''s skin, but as long as it was just the mouths they employed, he didn''t care much. "You sat here on purpose, didn''t you?" Hundred, who had been watching all that had taken place from afar, finally came up to Lirzod after having a brief word with the bronze-skinned man so that he wouldn''t need to also lecture to Lirzod. "Yeah, you can''t expect me to stand for long while wearing this armor," Lirzod said, darting a somewhat icy glance at Hundred. "I think I might be finding a newfound respect for all those who fight in wars wearing heavy armor. It''s getting harder to breathe while standing, much less while in motion. I reckon, a little rest now and then will keep me away from pain." Hundred cleared his throat, "I wasn''t talking about that." "Then?" There was some awkward air flowing between them. "By letting everyone scold you as they pleased, you are subsiding the anger in their hearts." "Anger, yes. Hatred, no," Lirzod crunched on the groundnuts. "We have to stay in this deck together, and these people will definitely take a jab at me whenever they can, and I will count on you to defend me in those times, at least verbally." Hundred was startled. Staying together when Lirzod could no longer climb the ship wouldn''t help Hundred much, so he was thinking about parting ways, but he couldn''t put his feelings into words at the moment. "Even verbally¡­ you are giving me too big of a task." "Then this is where we part," Lirzod bent his wrists as though he was disappointed, but in truth, he was allowing Hundred to leave his side and go separately. "You took care of me well, but I guess I just asked too much from you." "Wait," Hundred was quick to reply, "I never said I wouldn''t do it." "So, you want to tag along amidst all the ruckus that will come at me?" Lirzod asked calmly. ???I am, and trust me," Hundred put his hand on his heart, "it''s not a new experience among us hollows." "But spending some time for others isn''t among those, right?" Lirzod raised one of his brows. Hundred frowned a bit. "You are still thinking about ''that''?" "I, indeed, am," Lirzod tossed another groundnut into his mouth and crunched on it. "Is that a problem?" After looking at one another for a couple of moments, they both looked away, blowing hot air through their noses. In Hundred''s view, he would have wasted his time if he had escorted Beren to the twentieth floor. However, now, even though he was also wasting time by sticking together with Lirzod after knowing they wouldn''t be able to climb the ship anymore, he still couldn''t leave the boy''s side, probably not wanting to leave Lirzod alone when most people would target him in the coming days. Though Lirzod had brought up the possibility of Nick attacking Beren, Hundred still chose not to help Beren, so he felt a bit guilty at the moment. Even though he decided to stick with Lirzod now, he didn''t feel like he was doing any favor but rather redeeming himself a bit. After about twenty seconds, Hundred took a breath and said, "Anyway, what happened has happened. Let''s forget about that. and start thinking about our future." "I do agree. We can''t waste our time on things like these, but I''m still mad at you." "Then, I''m sorry, okay?" "Huh, you should have said that to Beren, not to me," Lirzod didn''t look all that pleased and wore an expression of a child being tricked. "But he''s not here now," Hundred shook his head again, and then tried to divert the topic. "By the way, your friends probably already left. You must be feeling jealous of them." "I''d be lying if I say I am not," Lirzod said, wearing an intricate look, "but, I''m also happy that at least they will get to roam around the ship. However..." he threw a bunch of groundnuts into his mouth and masticated on them without reserve. "I''m angrier that they left me here! Couldn''t they wait for me? Don''t they love me?" "Haha¡­" Hundred chortled upon seeing a complaining child in Lirzod. "I can understand them. If I heard the news that the commander was temporarily stopping people from leaving the deck and had the chance to leave the deck, I''d have done that without thinking twice." Lirzod still didn''t seem comforted. He felt strange because before he boarded Exvo, he thought traveling with Sariyu and Burton would only hamper his freedom and also his semi-secret mission of meeting many beauties. However, now, he was feeling the opposite way. Now, he didn''t have his mother, or Primera, or Duera to comfort him whenever something went wrong or when he needed a hug. Maybe, that was why, deep in his heart, he was expecting Sariyu and Burton to fill those roles, but he also knew that he''d be asking for too much. After all, Sariyu and Burton were also on a journey. "I can imagine Brainass leaving without me, but Sariyu¡­" Lirzod squinted his eyes, "that Triple Seven would have probably pushed her. If that''s really the case, the next time I see him, I''ll paint his head green and make a horse pull a thousand hairs off at once!" "Hey, you can only make guesses from here," Hundred opined while covering his head with his hands, "but don''t ever mess with my hair no matter what happens between us in future." "Your hair is too curly," Lirzod casually said. "Even if I paint it, the horse won''t mistake it for grass." "Y-You''re probably right. Why does my hair have to be so curly?" Hundred''s face lost some glow, and he bitterly cried on the inside. Lirzod patted on Pannu''s chest a couple of times, then slowly stood and began to walk away, "Maybe it''s because of the age gap¡­ your views seem to be very much in line with ''theirs'' than mine. Why don''t you go and become one of their offsiders instead? Brainass might reject you, but Sariyu might not. She also deserves someone better than the stingy Triple Seven anyway." "Well, right now, I can''t go even if I want to," Hundred tagged along. "So, you would have gone if you could." "I didn''t say that." "But, you meant that." "No, I didn''t." "Then what did you mean?" "Whatever I said." "By the way, why are you coming along? Stop following me." "I''m not. It just so happened that our rooms are in the same direction." "We weren''t allotted any rooms on this deck." "But we have to rent them now, given that we are stuck here and all," Hundred said, even though he could live freely in the dorms, which only subtly showed his commitment to being Lirzod''s offsider. "However, I''d say that you best stay in this hall for now. The last thing I ate was the watermelon you gave me, but we don''t know who''ll attack us if we leave the hall, so staying here, for now, is the safest option, even though we can only eat air here." "Maybe, I should go back to the tenth deck since I have a free room there. Then, I won''t have to worry about the rent either," Lirzod continued teasing Hundred. Hundred couldn''t help but frown, though not because of Lirzod''s words. (With the jabs they''ll throw at us, it''s going to be a struggle to live on this deck from here on. Even if we''re armed to the teeth, we still can''t wax the ears. Maybe, going back to the tenth deck might ensure better safety.) There was a reason why both of them were acting a bit salty and having a verbal go at each other. It all started when Lirzod was leaving the drill clinic. He had asked Hundred to take Beren to his friend, Lima, who was on the twentieth deck. However, Hundred refused, not wanting to waste his time on that. Lirzod got angry because he couldn''t take Beren as he wasn''t eligible to climb so many upper decks yet. As they were quarreling, Mulyk stopped them and suggested that they pay the third person to take up the job of taking Beren back to his place. Though Lirzod didn''t like the idea of leaving a kid with some stranger, he eventually agreed. However, he still didn''t stop giving icy looks to Hundred since then. At that moment, the Hardy Brothers were also exiting the test hall, so they ended up clashing ways with Lirzod and Hundred. Both parties exchanged glances, though, with the brothers the only side giving off cold stares. Lirzod could see no traces of regret in their eyes, which led him to ask a question, "Did you guys kill Jehez?" However, none of them answered and just walked away. Only Centry uttered a few words, "It''s not over between us." "Tch," Hundred could only fold his arms in frustration. "These bullock brothers can''t catch a break. If not for Jehez''s untimely demise, they might have come after you by now." "Good for them," Lirzod sanguinely replied, starting Hundred a bit. Just then, Harrison was also leaving the hall, and Lirzod caught sight of him. There were still a few pieces of groundnuts in his hand. He put one piece in Hundred''s hand, puzzling him. "What''s this? Not even a complete nut. My hunger will escalate if I eat this," Hundred opined, but his hand was moving toward his mouth anyway. "That''s not for you," Lirzod replied, pointing his finger toward Harrison. "Give it to him¡ªif he''s modest enough to accept it." "Huh? Are you trying to rub salt on his wounds?" Hundred stressed his words. "Just give it a try," Lirzod said, tilting his head to his right, toward Hundred. "If you succeed, I will listen to whatever you say for an entire day." Hundred was initially surprised, but he was quick to shower a confident smile before pacing toward Harrison. "Let me show you my humanitarian skills." "I''m all eyes and ears," Lirzod stood rooted, with his arms folded uncomfortably because of the armor. "Mister, wait for a second," Hundred quickly caught up to Harrison, who still sported an angry buffalo face. "I''ve got something to tell you." "What? Say it quickly," Harrison''s voice was thrust with irritation. "Here," Hundred pulled Harrison''s palm and placed a small food item. "What the hell is this?" Harrison''s rage spiked. "Your broken tooth?" "No, no, it''s a piece of groundnut." Harrison''s expression froze. His eyes took a glance at the item in his hand. It wasn''t even half of a peanut but, at best, a quarter of it. Even if Hundred had assumed Harrison to be a beggar, wouldn''t he deserve better than that? Harrison clenched his fists. "Is this some sort of a sick joke?" he threw his fist at Hundred. "Whoa, easy," Hundred hastily moved away and continued to jog. "I was just trying to help." "Get lost, you coward," Harrison showed his middle finger. "What a waste of time," he left without looking back. Hundred came back to Lirzod, who was giggling. Hundred could only shrug his shoulders. "I guess you can''t sell things to some people, even for free." "Yes, yes, whatever you say." Sometime later. It had only been a couple of hours since Gorka punished everyone, and it severely affected the mental health of entries and hollows alike. Everyone had to deal with each other''s conflicting opinions, racing blood, boiling nerves, and altering egos, making some scenarios take a form too ugly to fathom. Lirzod and Hundred were still in the test hall, as they waited for a guide to show up. Guides were hollows dressed in green uniforms. They were the ones who had the authority over the rooms and booths and halls on a deck, so only they could let an entry or a hollow rent a room. So even if one wanted to build a bread booth or even rent an existing one, then they had to take the permission of a Guide in advance. To both Lirzod and Hundred''s surprise, Harrison returned to the hall. However, what surprised them was the fact that Harrison was wearing a guide''s uniform. Harrison intently approached Lirzod and uttered a few words while walking past him, "I''ll make sure nobody gives you a room on this deck. My connections extend to the lower decks as well. Since you love peace, I''ll keep you at unrest for the rest of your stay here, kiddo." Hundred''s heartbeat ticked up, though Harrison had already left. "To think he''s a guide, what cursed luck we have!" Lirzod gave a long stare at Hundred. "I-I don''t like the look in your eyes," Hundred stuttered. "Why can''t you become a guide?" Lirzod raised one of his brows. "Then, he can''t stop us from getting a room, right?" "That''s a great idea," Hundred said and laughed, causing Lirzod to laugh. "Hmph, if becoming a guide was so easy, you think I would have become a ticket seller on the tenth deck?" "Y-Yeah, thought so," Lirzod looked away. "If staying here is so troublesome, then¡­ we''ll have to think of a master plan that gives us a ticket with which we can buy back our freedom." Hundred''s eyebrows jerked. "You mean¡­" Currently, most of the rooms and halls on the twelfth deck seemed vacated as people gathered in clusters in the streets and discussed random stuff. But no matter what topic a group talked about, they all came back to one thing in the end. It was about Lirzod. Everything started because of him. If only he never messed with Hardy brothers, if only he at least apologized to them after knowing their identities, if only he tried to make a deal with them, or at least try and escape from their beatings... If only he¡­ If only¡­ There were just too many ''ifs'' in everyone''s thoughts and discussions. Whenever they came across some struggle, only Lirzod''s face flashed in their mind. There was a limit to how much they could take, and that limit was probably not far off. Meanwhile, elsewhere on the twelfth deck, Sean was in a dorm room, as he was no longer allowed to have a private room for free. "Don''t worry, Fourteen. You will surely overcome this tough time." Some other hollows tried to console him. Among the hollows, only the working staff members or those who chose to travel alongside entries were free to have their real names known. Once a hollow lost their job, they were forced to use anything but their real name to identify themselves. Even though there was no official rule on Exvo refraining the hollows from using their real names, many of them still used aliases, afraid that they might get subjected to heavy mocking. Having said that, people who had significant strength, or those who were part of an organization, or worked in a specific profession still used their real names. For instance, Mulyk from Drill Clinic and Miss Blood of the Knuckle Hounds guild were known by their real names. However, currently, Sean was intending to use Fourteen as his sobriquet, showcasing that he wasn''t confident enough to keep on using his real name. "I''m not worrying about my lost job," Sean clenched his fists, and his eyes showed resoluteness. "I just didn''t like how I had to suffer for others'' mistakes, that''s all." "Too bad for you, bro," one of the hollows in the room cackled out loud. "You can never climb again and succeed after everything that happened. Just stay here, where you belong¡ª" BAM~! Fourteen''s fist pounded into that guy''s face, knocking him out cold. "Don''t you dare put words in my mouth!" Sean, who was now Fourteen, angrily glared at every hollow in that room, and none found the heart to make eye contact with him. They couldn''t even see him covering the distance before hitting the guy in the face. As expected, he was out of their league. "As hollows, building better lives for both us and the entries must be our priority, but the arrival of new things only makes situations get out of our hands, many times. I don''t mind staying in this room had there been a good friend here with me, but with people like you around, there''s just no point staying here another second." At that moment, a man in a black uniform entered the dorm. "Well said, Mr. Sean." Everyone looked at that person and was surprised. "T-That uniform¡­ don''t tell me, he''s a banker!" They all subconsciously backed away a few steps out of respect and fear. "Mr. Roseberry¡­" Fourteen was surprised, and he quickly walked over. "Why did a person of your stature come here?" "I''ve come to this deck after hearing that money was stolen from the depository. However, right now, I came here for you, of course," Roseberry was straightforward as he not-so-gracefully scratched his back with his walking stick. "Honestly, punishing you, who''s been the household name for this deck these past few years, for the mistakes that others committed isn''t the right thing to do. Then again, let''s see the good in this. A man of your caliber was never fit to be in a lowly place like this. Why don''t you come with me?" "That''s¡­" Fourteen didn''t know what to say. "Why are you hesitating? Even if Captain Gorka doesn''t put you in his eyes, I will." "But¡­" Fourteen said, looking hesitant, "I still have some things to take care of on this deck. After I''m done here, I''ll think about your offer, sir." "There''s no hurry. Take your time. I''ll be waiting for good news," Roseberry turned around and started to walk away. His kind smile then turned into that of a capricious one, and then it faded away just as fast as it bloomed. Fourteen just stared at Roseberry as he left, and only Fourteen knew what he was thinking. Meanwhile, on the thirteenth deck, Sariyu just finished the deck test successfully. While washing her muddied feet, she looked around, "I didn''t see Burton on this deck. Do you think he picked a room to stay in, or he just continued climbing?" "Who knows," 777 shrugged his shoulders. "Now that we have formed a team, let''s head up without any wait. Only then can we hope to reach upper belts and can earn more fame and money." "Mm, you are partly right, but..." she glanced at 777, "who gave you the cheeks to claim things, huh? We haven''t formed a team yet¡ªnot until I say so." 777 just awkwardly smiled. "Yes, yes, I understand. By the way, if you want to know whether Burton has climbed higher or not, we can ask the guards at the stairs." "Mm," Sariyu then looked into the distance. (I couldn''t come back to check on you, Lirzod. I hope you''ll catch up soon.) Meanwhile, there was a chaotic atmosphere in the test hall of an upper deck. Inside a muddy ground, wearing the number 23 tag on his chest, Burton was one among hundreds that were desperately searching for something. After wearing a ring on his finger, he raised his hand. "Finished! Number 23 is the winner!" the referee of that deck announced. "Whew..." Burton walked out of the ground as many watched him with eyes of envy, but he didn''t even bother to pay attention to anybody and brought his breath under control, albeit wearing a bit dull face for some reason. "I''ve overheard people saying that those on the twelfth deck are forbidden from ascending the ship. Whether that''s true or not, I''m not surprised. Like my old man said, ''wherever the boy of Basha wakes up, a storm brews on the horizon.'' Such tough luck he carries. It''s a pity that he can''t catch up, but it''s nothing new under the sun. I hope at least Sariyu managed to dodge the misfortune. Anyway, although I''ve been delayed by some garbage collectors, my job here is done. Time to head to the next deck." 100 CLASH OF CONVICTION Gerett picked up a few smaller fish and hand-fed those two seals before sending them off back to work on the ship. While eating a baguette with a boneless, roasted fish hidden inside, Gerett watched over as other gloved workers packed the fish in containers. "It looks like we''ve got plenty of salmons this time. It''s only the month of Mitvallen, yet they have already begun migrating for whatever reason. Lucky us. Keep a few gravid ones aside," Gerett ordered. "We can have some fish eggs for dinner." "Yes, sir." Stussy, meanwhile, was silently observing from the side while also reading a leaflet that contained the recipe for cooking an ororo¡ªa poisonous freshwater fish that regularly consumed gold up to almost sixty percent of its diet. Eating an ororo would temporarily supply one''s nails or hair or both with a golden tinge, and the ororos'' bones and flesh were also golden to an extent. Naturally, the ororos were quite pricey, so only the rich people could afford to often bring ororo meat onto their plates or decorate their food with crunchy golden bone flakes to show off their wealth. In general, commoners preferred eating ororos right before a big event, whereas rich folks spent extra every day to get drunk drinking gold-flaked alcohol. "So it releases a toxic gas while being cooked," Stussy nodded to herself and then looked into the distance, at the extensive view being offered while standing on Extensive Voyage. Normally, given the wondrous scenery Stussy was in, she would be playing a tune to wash the spots off souls around her, but because of Jehez''s death, she chose not to. She was currently looking above at the clouds. A giant spider had connected the clouds and a mountain with a thin, transparent web and had been trapping monsters. Even though rough winds pulled the clouds away, the web was sturdy enough to not let the billows go. There were also many half-eaten creatures hanging from the web. At the moment, a mighty bird that had caught a hulking python got stuck in the web. The spider wasted no time and hastily feasted on the fresh prey, and both the bird and the snake could do little despite all their struggle. Stussy brought her gaze down to the sea level because she had the chance to look away. At first, she spotted tall monkeys in trees husking oversized coconuts with bare hands or teeth but didn''t fully eat the coconut meat, and then she noticed overgrown bears near a waterfall ingurgitating fatty-bits of fishes¡ªmainly the eyeballs and the brains¡ªseemingly wasting away the rest. However, Stussy knew very well that the remains of the food thrown away by the monkeys or the bears would later be gladly devoured by other creatures and would also be supplied as nutrients for other trees, plants, and streams in the neighborhood. For instance, birds lower on the food chain would eat every morsel a bear had left, and the remaining waste would eventually compost in the water or land and thus enrich the whole neck of the woods. Nevertheless, be it the monkeys and bears on the land or the spiders in the sky, they were making an embarrassment of riches and were eating so much quality food in profusion that they would put any rich man''s diet to shame. An average person, at first sight, would definitely envy these creatures. Stussy, however, knew enough about living in the wilderness to not let jealousy break through to her heart. Stussy''s eyes eventually settled on the pods of whales stranded in the sand at the shore. The expedient and unprincipled birds were pecking and eating the whales alive in throngs. Though the arrival of Exvo had pushed water over the shoreline, there wasn''t enough force to move such large beings. With a wave of her arm, Stussy sent forth a tidal wave, frightened the feathers out of the birds, and pulled the whales back into the river. A quarter of those whales had already died, so they floated back to the surface. The still-living whales kept rubbing their bodies with the dead whales as if trying to wake them up. Soon, they mournfully cried for their dead friends and mates and for having to leave them behind. Their grieving wasn''t clearly understood by ordinary ears living above the sea even though Stussy and some others on the ship could decipher the cries that traveled many miles both above and underwater. Either way, it was such a sad sight to behold, except maybe to the dastardly eyes. Meanwhile, elsewhere on Exvo. "You said there was work to be finished," Roseberry was talking with Sean inside his cart while it was on the move. "Was that taken care of, Mr. Sean?" "Please call me Fourteen," Sean seemed rather uncomfortable. "I can''t do that," Roseberry said and flashed a knowing smile. "Someone as capable as you should keep using your original name." Sean exhaled a deep breath. "But¡­" "It''s not like you are thinking of climbing the ship with some entry anytime soon, so why bother following such informal formalities?" "You''ve got a point, sir," Sean gave out a long sigh. "Alright. I''ll take your advice to the heart." "Good. So, regarding your unfinished business¡­" "Don''t worry about that. It''s been handled," Sean said and remembered telling Mulyk to take care of the drill hall for some time. He then slurped on fish soup textured with golden meat. "This is good. Shiny, soft, succulent, and full of flavor. What fish is this?" "Ah, that''s a goldgill," replied Rosberry in a mannish insouciance. Sean, for a second, stopped eating. "I''ve heard about them. The rare fish that can be found near underwater volcanoes. So this meat isn''t artificially colored, huh." He faintly nodded his head, looking impressed, while the meat melted in his mouth. (The fish that''s said to bring brilliant luster to the skin, but if consumed too much, then one''s nails will¡­) He glanced at Roseberry''s long nails, which had a soft golden glow to them. He slightly smiled. (Though goldgills aren''t as costly as ororos, they have a longer-lasting effect on one''s skin and nails, which can last for weeks if not months depending on the diet. The only downside is that I heard this is highly addictive meat, to the point of turning people crazy for it.) "I think women would love to add this to their daily menu." "Haha, I can totally understand why," Roseberry briefly slapped his thigh. "After all, the skin looks the best right after taking a bath. Still, one can''t easily get their hands on goldgills, but there are many other ways to get their nails to naturally change color. That said, goldgills have their own special place in people''s hearts." Sean could only softly smile. Goldgills were the kind of fish that shed bits of their sparkling skin and used them as bait to lure prey. It was said that once a fish ate a goldgill''s skin, it would crave for its meat and would go crazy if it didn''t get to eat a goldgill''s meat soon. There was also the ill-famed legend of how an entire kingdom was reduced to ruins because they couldn''t provide a mighty martial his goldgill meal on time. "Anyway, let''s talk about you." "What''s there to talk about?" Sean shrugged his shoulders. "My life is boring." "In my eyes, it''s not. For instance, I was genuinely surprised when I heard that you chose ''Hot Tongue'' Hovan as the referee. I didn''t think you were acquainted with that rogue." "We''re not friends or anything," Sean was quick to reply. "He owed me a bit, and since he was also free, I asked him to take up the job for a little while. That''s all." "Oh, I see, but from what I''ve heard, he''s a hot-headed person," Roseberry somewhat tilted his head. "You think he can be competent and responsible?" Sean paused for a moment and replied, "I believe so." "Mm, that''s good to know. In any case, as long as the referee spends the money well and earns profits, I don''t really care who''s doing the job. By the way, where''s your pet cat? Are you not bringing it along?" "Ah, he''s¡­ he had some scores to settle, so he stayed behind." "Oh. Don''t get me wrong, but this is good in a way. I mean, cats are cute and all, but they can quickly turn nasty given they crap everywhere." "It''s okay," Sean slightly scratched his jaw. "Though I''m a cat person, I know everyone can''t be like me. My mom, for one, never let me bring cats into the house." Sean amusedly laughed. Meanwhile, elsewhere on the same deck, Lirzod and Hundred were still in the test hall. Currently, Cat Conflict was terminated for a day, so people were idling in the hall. Gorka''s effect was also another main reason why folks in the hall looked so dull right now. Even though Yohann was still sitting right outside the hall, he wasn''t playing music and was just writing his songs in a palm-leaved notebook titled ''Bard''s Soul,'' with his eyes closed. A girl in tears came up to him and told her story of how her boyfriend had been cheating on her, and how she was still struggling to break up with him. She gave Yohann two copper coins and asked him to give her strength through a song. Yohann, being a blind person, couldn''t see the worry in her eyes, but he could feel it in the air. He could guess what sort of expression she was making while being in her presence, so he didn''t need to think much, for he had not only been in her shoes but also her boyfriend''s shoes, so he swiftly wrote a song on a leaf and handed it to her. As she read the poesy, her tearful eyes widened and dazzled in delight. "O Love You have made me dance In the middle of your palms From the start And here I am today Kneeling in your presence Saying ''Damn it all!'' As you trample over my heart And walk away without giving a fuck. Well done, Love For leaving a huge hole in my heart. Well-fucking-done! Thank you for turning someone Who had the strength to fight back Into someone who couldn''t run away. Well done, Love Thanks to you, I''ve seen it all! Well-fucking-done!" "Thank you. Thanks a lot," the girl thanked Yohann and gave him two more copper coins before contentedly leaving with a spring in her steps. "I''ve been his little cat until now, but with this, I can decamp from that fraud of a flame! I''ll be free once again!" Yohann exhaled an audible breath, for writing those few words had taken some toll on his heart, even though it didn''t look like it on the outside. In the meantime, Lirzod and Hundred were arguing inside the hall. "You said that we''d come across a guide if we stay here," Lirzod gave a displeased glance at Hundred. "I''ve wasted a lot of time just because of those words." Hundred suffered a loss of face, but he couldn''t just sit and do nothing. "I only told the truth. Staying here is the safest option for us. When we meet a guide, we can get a room and go there without others noticing us." "I think it''s better if we just go and search for the guide ourselves." "No, it''s too risky." "I know, but I''m willing to take that risk." "Aren''t you listening? It''s too dangerous for you to go outside. You may not even get far from the hall." "How do you know that?" Lirzod stood and headed to exit, despite Hundred''s warnings. Just then, an abnormally large elephant stopped by at the exit, which, of course, also served as an entrance. After the elephant got on its knees, two people climbed down from the towering beast and entered the hall. The mahout, the elephant rider, was still on it, picking his teeth. "Wow, this is one big elephant," Lirzod had long stopped in his tracks. He was about ten meters away from the elephant and viewed it in awe. Its presence was so felt that he could literally smell it from afar. "This¡­" after seeing the elephant, Hundred thought of an idea. "I think I''ve found a way to find a guide without a problem." He caught up with Lirzod and hurriedly said, "We just have to ride that thing until we find the guide and then reach our room." "You think nobody would bother us if we are on that elephant?" Lirzod cast a questioning glance. "I can say confidently¡­" Hundred looked up at the elephant once more, "not just anyone can dare to stand in the path of that thing. It looks different in size and shape than your average elephant." Meanwhile, the mahout signaled with his mouth, but the elephant didn''t get up. "Stand, Gaja!" he used the hook and put pressure on its forehead. The elephant grunted and got back to its feet. "If he keeps doing that," Lirzod mumbled, "one of these days it''s going to squash him." "Let me ask the price," Hundred was going, but Lirzod grabbed his hand, making him turn his head. "What?" "That elephant looks upset. Staying away from it would be the right thing to do." "Upset?" Hundred just snorted. "Those things are always upset. Don''t worry about that. We are just going to ride it for an hour or two until we get our job done, that is landing at our room." Lirzod, however, didn''t say anything. He could only wonder what if people attacked their room? Though it was a rare thing, it was surely possible. "Look, if you are that afraid," Hundred suggested, "then close your eyes and pretend you''re riding some buffalo or something. How about that?" Lirzod sighed. "You''re not getting what I''m saying, but whatever, let''s go. I''ve never sat upon an elephant before, so I do feel the urge to experience the ride." "That''s more like it," Hundred flashed a grin. Both of them then flitted to the burly beast, and Hundred clapped twice. The mahout looked in the direction, but the elephant raised its hind legs, causing him to roll forward from the saddle and fall from the top. Luckily, he landed on his butt, and no bone was broken. Hundred ran over to help him get up, but the mahout pushed him away and hastily took out a knife from under his shirt and pierced it in the elephant''s trunk, making it scream and back away. "You piece of shit! You think you can dance whenever you want? You only dance when I tell you to!" He went closer and loudly said, "Sit!" The elephant got on its knees. The mahout now turned his head toward Hundred. "Are you looking for a ride?" "N-No," Hundred was quick to reply. "Yes," Lirzod intervened. "What''s the price?" "A silver per hour." "What?" both Hundred and Lirzod''s jaws dropped. "That''s robbing." "Gaja is not a regular elephant. He''s the result of cross-breeding done through two powerful elephant races," the mahout pulled a bit of the elephant''s hair off its trunk. "See for yourself. Even his hair is colorful." He put the hair in both their hands and smiled. Lirzod and Hundred could only look at the hair and then each other''s faces. "He''s only ten years old," the mahout continued employing his versatile tongue, "but he can already easily trounce your typical adult elephants. And he''ll grow much more in size and strength over the coming years. Then the price to ride him will be much higher." "Ten years means it''s quite young," Hundred opined, "yet it''s already quite big. If it grows any bigger, you can''t roam with this thing on many decks. I can see the reason behind your desperation." He then looked at Lirzod. "What do you say? Want to waste two silver pieces to ride this thing?" Lirzod nodded straight away. "Great," the mahout quickly climbed to the top of the beast. "Just wait a second. I''ll remind him of some manners first." He put on a spiky glove and slapped hardly on the elephant''s neck. "How long are you going to sit? You can get up now, you useless thing!" The elephant was trying to get up, but it was slow. He held the knife again and stabbed once more on its head, making it scream even more. Gaja got back to its feet in haste as blood slightly slid down its face. The mahout put the knife away and then propitiously smiled at Hundred, who looked to be stupefied and even stepped back a bit. "Please get on, sirs. Your silver pieces will be paid more than their worth through this ride. Oh, and by the way, don''t clap when around Gaja. He''s not well trained yet, so he still can''t differentiate the signals from the owner and others well." "Uh¡­" Hundred still looked to be in a bit of a shock. "It''s okay if we climb, right? It''s not gonna go wild, or will it?" Lirzod, who was watching all this, had his hand clenched as the mahout''s image reflected in his sharpening gaze. "There''s nothing to fear, sir," the mahout assured. "Gaja doesn''t get violent. Even if he did, I know how to put him back in his place." He held the elephant hook with his right hand as if subtly showing that he had ways to bring the beast under control. Hundred looked back at Lirzod for approval. Lirzod, however, was looking right at the mahout in a disgruntled look. Sensing that things were a bit off, the mahout took a gamble. He took out a copper coin from his left pocket and flicked it toward Yohann, who grabbed it while he was writing something in the book, with the other hand. "Play us a tune." Yohann indistinctly smiled before raising his foot and banging the drum with the drum sticks. He then played the violin together with the drums. Looking at this man playing drums so effortlessly, with his feet nonetheless, Hundred was quite impressed. He looked at Lirzod, who also seemed astonished. The last time when Lirzod saw Yohann, he was only beating the drums at a slow speed, but now, Yohann was playing so fast that it was hard to take one''s eyes off. Yohann''s ankles looked so rubbery that they were bending nimbly as if he had no bones. Lirzod couldn''t help but compare Yohann to Primera. Even though Primera was a master of many musical instruments, she had class when thrumming the strings or tapping the drums. Yohann, however, was now playing instruments in a bizarre fashion. Still, the sonorous melody of the violin and the fast-paced yet restrained beats perfectly enhanced each other. For a blind man to be playing with such skill, it was his first time seeing something that made his blood flow fast and give rise to a strangely good feeling. In that time, what nobody knew was that even the mahout was mimicking what Yohann was doing. He got excited for sure, but more than that, he wanted to show off and reveal his cool side to attract the present customers. However, what he didn''t know was that he was still holding onto the hook while making the drumming gestures. And before he knew it, Gaja raised its trunk and trumpeted in pain. The noise was so loud that everyone in the vicinity had to clamp their ears tight. Even then, Hundred felt like he might pass out at any moment, and his eyes suffered some loss of blood. Lirzod had a frown on his face, too. Even though the mahout was used to hearing elephants roar, even he was taken by surprise. Only Yohann stayed calm under that intense vocal pressure, having stopped playing the music almost immediately. Gaja''s roar lasted for six long seconds, and the indoors only intensified the noise and caused some ears to bleed. After Gaja stopped screaming, out of startlement, the mahout howled, "Gaja! Shut up!" he pierced the hook on its forehead again and further broke its mind. The moment it shook its head, its eyes fell upon Hundred who was standing right next to it. And its gigantic trunk came swinging at him diagonally like an ax going for the tree. Though Hundred was taken by surprise and had no time to react, his whole body had long frozen before the mighty beast even made a move at him. He would be a goner if that incoming trunk were to hit him now, yet all he could do was watch as the massive trunk came swinging like a majestic weapon, but before it reached him, someone else came in between and took the blow by his ribs. The armor dented, and dust flew off of it. Though this person didn''t feel any cracking of the ribs, the heavy blow took all the breath out of him. Blood came to light at the corner of his mouth. "L-Lirzod!" Hundred was stunned. "Go!" Lirzod shouted without looking back. Just then, the trunk wrapped around his waist, startling him. Though he tried to stand his ground, the beast effortlessly lifted him with the trunk as if he were a twig and smashed him to the super-hard wooden floor. The moment his head banged into the floor, he coughed up blood. Though he ground his teeth and glared back at the beast, it tossed him away as if he were a rag doll. "Gaja! Stop!" the mahout madly slapped and pierced the elephant''s head nonstop, and its temper now totally snapped. With two quick side steps, it closed the distance to the wall and banged itself into it sideways, throwing off the mahout in the other direction. This time, when he landed, his ankle sprained, and he fell on his hands. The rumbling noise then reached his ears. When he turned back in eyes full of shock, the mighty beast charged him, thrusting its tusks down at him. But Lirzod appeared in between and grabbed the tusks by his hands. He was still pushed back, and his feet slid on the floor, but he roared back similarly. His muscles tightened, and veins swelled out through his skin as he supplied strength into his arms. The elephant got stopped in its tracks, at least for the time being. "Ho¡­" Yohann''s expression released a hint of surprise as he silently paid attention from his position, though he couldn''t put his eyes to work. Reading the situation, Hundred came and helped the mahout retreat into the hall. Lirzod tried to rotate his arms, seeking to tilt the beast, but the elephant stepped back once, causing him to lose his grip and balance. The next second, it hastily headbutted him and sent him back onto the floor, and then went for the kill by getting down to its knees and thrusting its tusks at Lirzod. However, he rolled halfway and dodged the tusks. It shook its head, trying to batter him with the tusks, but its tusks were long enough for Lirzod to grab onto them. And as the elephant stood, he stood with it and jumped. Both of his feet landed on its tusks, and he briefly stood there before jumping and landing on top of its back. He attempted to remove the hook stuck in its forehead, but the elephant violently moved about, and he was thrown off balance. Also, at that moment, the beast went straight for the only person in its sight, Yohann. Sensing the elephant coming his way, Yohann didn''t even flinch. Lirzod struck the elephant''s head with his elbow, and it groaned a bit, but that didn''t stop the beast. "Go away! It''s coming at you, Mr. Singer!" Lirzod shouted at Yohann. Just as the beast was nearing Yohann, Lirzod jumped into the air to get some room for a kick, and at the same time, Yohann put the violin away, and when he jerked his wrist a little, something came out of his sleeves. It was a harp. His fingers swiftly strummed across the strings, leaking a loud noise accompanied by a gust of wind that blew hard and pushed the elephant to the side and redirected its path into the hall. It seemed as though some invisible pressure had deflected the elephant''s momentum. Lirzod, too, was blown back, and he banged into the wall before eventually landing on his butt. He looked at Yohann in astonishment while rubbing his butt. "If you have time to look at me, then drop a coin, sir," said Yohann while brown gas leaked out of the harp''s strings. "Oh, right. You said you didn''t have money. My bad." Lirzod was startled. "Ah, crap," he thought about Hundred and then hurriedly ran into the hall, chasing after the elephant. "Maybe I should get going, too," Yohann thought, but then sighed. "But I feel so lethargic. Let''s wait and see if I get to play some more melodies." He put his hand into his sleeves and took out glass vessels containing milk and tea. He boiled the milk while holding the glass cup in his hand, then poured the tea, stirred the liquid with his breath, and took in the scent of the vapors before taking a sip. "Mmm¡­" he nodded to himself as he slowly savored its taste. Meanwhile, inside the hall. As the elephant was destroying all objects in its path, the people panicked and ran for their lives. There wasn''t anything hard enough in the hall that they could hide behind, so they could only flee. Hundred, who was helping the mahout, couldn''t get far, and the elephant caught sight of them, and it immediately changed direction and went after them. By then, Lirzod was following it, too. Seeing that it was still going after Hundred and the mahout, he closed the distance in a few quick long jumps and used the momentum to spin and kick right in the elephant''s balls. The mighty beast at once crumpled to the floor and grunted in pain as it slid to a stop on its chin, its tusks having left two thick lines of marks on the floor. For the moment, it stopped moving. Hundred looked back and breathed a sigh of relief. "Use this time to run," Lirzod said aloud, startling them, and they got going again. "That damn thing¡­" the mahout was busy cursing the elephant while escaping. Lirzod also used that opportunity to leave, but just as he was leaving, a dark bronze-skinned brown-haired man went past him in a blur and landed on top of the elephant that was still down on its belly. When Lirzod glanced back, that person unsheathed his blade without waiting and thrust it straight down onto the back of its neck. "Hey¡­" in a flash, Lirzod appeared right behind him. The sword suddenly changed direction and curved its way back under its holder''s arm and went straight for Lirzod''s belly. "Whoa¡­" though Lirzod rotated his body to his right, the sword cut through his armor and scraped his skin, sending a sudden chill up his spine. However, he wasn''t the only one who was surprised. Gritting his teeth, the brown-haired man swiveled to his left and twisted his wrist so that the cutting edge of the blade now faced toward Lirzod. And then he swiped it horizontally, aiming to cut up Lirzod''s back. "W-Wait!" Lirzod said, but his eyes enlarged as the opponent wasn''t stopping. He promptly ducked and dodged the sword that came from behind without even looking. His knees were already bent, so he dodged the blade, though at the cost of getting the tips of his hair cut. He put one of his arms on the elephant and crafted a spinning kick that struck the opponent''s ankle from the side. Though the opponent lost footing and was about to fall, he stabbed the elephant on the skull and helped himself land on his feet comfortably. He instantly went for a thrusting attack. Lirzod side-stepped and avoided the blade, but the opponent grinned, for it was a feint. He changed the direction of the sword in mid-motion and went for Lirzod''s chest; however, Lirzod moved a step closer and clapped onto the weapon with his hands that whooshed from above and below as though he sandwiched the sword. Before the sword even gained enough momentum, let alone reached his chest, it was stopped. "What''s wrong with you!" yelled Lirzod. He saw through my feint? The brown-haired man was mildly surprised. (In that split-second, he came closer to me and stopped the blade before it picked up any more speed. This kid''s good.) They exchanged glances briefly, and as the opponent tried to twist his sword, Lirzod pulled his left hand that was under the sword and then pushed the weapon down with the other hand. The move slightly pulled the opponent forward, for Lirzod had smacked the sword in the same direction the opponent was going to pull his weapon. At the same time, Lirzod''s right palm thrust upward straight toward the opponent''s chin. Just as the heel of Lirzod''s hand was about to bang into his chin, the brown-haired man moved his head to his left, and the edge of Lirzod''s hand brushed past the jaw. Lirzod swiveled to his right and chopped his hand onto the back of the opponent''s neck, but then he suddenly stopped. He glanced down at his leg, where the tip of the sword was pointing at him, and Lirzod''s left hand had grabbed the sword and stopped it from piercing his stomach. Lirzod''s hand was bleeding as both their eyes met again. "You were a fraction of a second faster, so why did you stop?" the brown-haired man asked. "There''s no reason for us to fight," Lirzod replied in a rough voice. The brown-haired man didn''t like what he was hearing. "If you hadn''t stopped me from taking care of the elephant," he tried to pull the sword, but sensing that, Lirzod let go of the weapon and saved his hand from getting cut further, "I wouldn''t be doing this." As Lirzod stepped away, the brown-haired man changed from double-handed to single-handed grip and dashed ahead while slashing the sword diagonally at Lirzod. Though it was aimed at the shoulder, it was a full swing with enough force to fully chop any man''s head without fail. Lirzod sprang back and evaded the attack, but in return, he almost reached the rear-end of the elephant, where there wasn''t enough room to move around. Also, the armor he was wearing proved to be a burden with every passing second, for it somewhat hindered his movements. A straight thrusting sword came at him mercilessly. Lirzod crouched down, for he couldn''t even risk taking an attack with the armor as it had gotten cut once. The elephant that had been silent till now suddenly rose to its feet, throwing them off balance. The brown-haired man used the blade to support himself from falling but ended up stabbing the beast''s skin. Lirzod, on the other hand, grabbed the opponent''s leg. The elephant roared in a fit of ill-temper and torment. It ran rampant and bulldozed through every object in sight and banged its body against the walls, trying to get the two people off its back, but those two humans briefly held each other''s hands and balanced themselves before resuming their fight. While the elephant rampaged, those two were busy fighting each other. Lirzod ducked from horizontal sword swings, deflected the straight thrusts, and dodged the vertical slashes even though it was a hard thing to succeed repeatedly. With his opponent doing a lot of wrist-work, there were many close calls, but Lirzod didn''t back away. There were a lot of feints thrown in by the opponent, where the sword seemingly moved away from him only to suddenly angle into him, but Lirzod met them head-on and cleanly staved them off, his feet shuffling side-to-side or back-and-forth from the line of the sword. Whenever the opponent tried something different, Lirzod upped his game and was proving to be more than a match for his opponent as far as fending-off was concerned. Still, the opponent kept hurting the elephant either wantonly or not, and the challenge of freeing it from his whims beckoned Lirzod into chasing the swordsman. Both their aims were clear. One was trying to stop the opponent and kill the elephant if possible, and the other was trying to stop the kill. In that process, they moved over the elephant along its spine. When they were at the head, the brown-haired man stepped on the elephant hook that was still stuck to the head. This caused the elephant to raise its trunk and shake its head madly. It made a mess out of a stone bench with its tusks. Lirzod, who was already punching at the opponent, ended up striking nothing, for the brown-haired man once again used the footing on the elephant hook to dodge Lirzod''s fists and then shift places. "This thing keeps destroying things, and you want to save it?" the brown-haired man asked in haste, his voice filled with contempt. "I do!" Lirzod immediately turned back, but the sword came right at him. He was forced to move rearward. His feet hastened backward on top of the elephant''s forehead, while the beast had its head tilted up. "Tch!" the brown-haired man stepped forward and thrust his sword again. Luckily, the trunk was down, so Lirzod ran back along the length of the tusks, for they were raised now. He barely managed to make enough distance to avoid the sword, but the opponent went for the tusk instead. "Swift Song!" he diagonally slashed the sword while twirling on his feet, and his blade cut through the left tusk near the base and scraped past the right tusk, startling Lirzod, who now got forced to stand on just one tusk. "Stop," Lirzod hollered. "One more to go," while the beast groaned from a sharp pang of pain, the brown-haired man, however, seemed to be going for another continuous swing to cut the right tusk as well, but sensing that, Lirzod immediately leaped, briefly stepped on the rising trunk, then spun in midair and kicked the back of the opponent''s forearm, causing the brown-haired man to lose balance. Lirzod''s toe landed on the beast''s face, but his foot slid down the bloody elephant''s face. The elephant sought to catch him with the trunk, but he jumped and landed on the right tusk and slid for a second, then leaped again and hopped on the tip of the trunk before landing on the top of the head and straight away ducked to dodge the enemy''s blade, then banged his head heavily into the brown-haired man''s chest. Both their sweat flew off their skin during the impact. The brown-haired man got his feet lifted off the elephant''s back, but he safely landed about four away and then coughed up some blood. This was the first time someone made him bleed with a headbutt. As he forcibly shut his mouth and swallowed the remaining blood, Lirzod turned around and footed the elephant hook up and caught it. "You can''t stop my blade with that!" the brown-haired man stepped in and swung his blade almost horizontally like he was whipping someone. It was a reckless move, but it seemed seamless, probably because of his practical experience. Lirzod hastily blocked the attack with the hook, but the wooden handle of the hook got cut, and its head fell to the floor. Lirzod blinked twice, and his jaw dropped momentarily. But before the brown-haired man went for another attack, he stepped close and grabbed the opponent''s wrists tightly and locked his arms so he wouldn''t be able to swing his weapon again. "I don''t have to stop your blade," Lirzod said, making a hard jaw. Having locked each other in a rigid position, they stared into each other''s eyes, aiming to assert dominance. "Why do you stop me?" the brown-haired man questioned authoritatively. "The elephant meat will feed cats for weeks. Let me finish off this crazy beast already for daring to dance around in my hall." "The elephant didn''t go crazy. It''s just angry," Lirzod replied boldly, "as you are now." The frown on the brown-haired man''s face faded away. But something else took over his face as flashes of his childhood played in his mind. He narrowed his eyes and asked callously, "So what?" "Should we feed you to the cats, too?" asked Lirzod. The brown-haired man''s gaze lost more warmth as he remembered the time when he was a mere four-year-old kid, and a herd of elephants had run amok through his village at night and killed hundreds of villagers, including his entire family. Eleven of his family members¡ªparents, grandparents, four sisters, and three brothers¡ªgot trampled under the feet of those hideous savages on several occasions, and somehow, only he had miraculously survived. Sitting in the pool of blood painted by his family in their torn-down house, he cried and cried and cried, but no one came to their rescue. Amid the seemingly unending chaos, he had to watch some of his siblings take their last breaths, and there was nothing he could do to help them. He could only cry. That was the worst nightmare he had ever experienced, which, even to this day, gave him sleepless nights. Coming back to the present, Lirzod and the brown-haired man briefly exchanged biting stares. "I''m not bad like this elephant," stated the brown-haired man while shuffling his feet to keep his balance. "So if an animal gets angry, it becomes a bad being, but if you get angry, you become a saint," Lirzod raised his brows. (The elephant indeed started rampaging out of anger, but every time he stabs it, the screams it''s letting out tell that it''s also terrified. It''s probably feeling quite confused right now.) He pitied the beast. "For your information, this elephant didn''t get angry for no reason." "Huh! They are called animals because they get angry and stir bullshit for no reason, and you are spouting all this nonsense because you are dumber than this elephant for thinking you can take me on," the brown-haired man''s voice was sharp and numbing like the growl of a predator, "but let me warn you. You may lose your precious limbs for taking this risk of standing against me." "Too bad for you. If the elephant was strong enough, I wouldn''t have had to step in," Lirzod replied right away. "Besides, I can''t help but step in if it involves saving the life of a poor elephant." "Hmph! You are delusional if you think you can stop me from putting this elephant on tonight''s dinner plate," the brown-haired man snorted, and then the two pushed each other off and made the distance. Lirzod was standing near the tail, and the other fellow was at the head. Even though the elephant was on the run, some people, including Hundred and the mahout, were watching those two from some distance. When the elephant eventually found the exit of the hall, both of them had to duck to avoid getting hit by the wall. Afterward, the brown-haired man looked at Lirzod as if wanting to know if the boy had changed his mind, but Lirzod raised his fists in defense. The brown-haired man smirked, "Fine. If I need to cut your ass to get to this elephant, then so be it." He dashed toward Lirzod, who also charged ahead. A sword slash and a straight punch were at work. Both of them dodged each other''s attacks as they also exchanged places. As the elephant paraded its rage in the streets, many people turned their invisible tails. A wave of worriment broke to the shore. Minding the winding emotions in the air, Yohann turned his hand to his lute and strummed and rode the waves with his voice. "Fear Thou art always here Running inside me Like thou own me And seldom taketh a tea For thou are jonesing for me To feel thee And loathe and pee But alas I can see The way to be free And the key To make thee takest a knee Is to not flee But austerely agree And pay the fee In grit and glee To go beyond thee." His ditty failed to stop the beast, much less the two individuals involved in a dogfight, but some men''s feet came to a halt, and their racing hearts shortly slowed down and breathed more backbone into their rough-and-tumble lives as they witnessed the war. As the two gents fought with a sense of urgency on its back, the elephant ravaged through the street, banging itself to the walls and objects in its way before entering the hall again through another entrance that was about a few hundred feet away from the last one. This time it ran straight into a large pile of barrels stacked next to the wall, forcing both of them to jump onto the barrels and exchange a few blows and cuts there. While the elephant pushed its way through the pile, those two kept fighting on the side, as they ran up and down the staircase made by the barrels. At one point, Lirzod had to bend to the side to dodge the vertical slash. However, it was a feint. The brown-haired grinned as he stopped his attack in the middle and slashed his blade horizontally. Still, to his surprise, Lirzod couldn''t control the momentum and was forced to fall to the side. The weight of the armor definitely played a part in it. However, as he fell, he received a flesh-deep cut on his shoulder in that process. The brown-haired man was startled but then inwardly smiled. (There isn''t enough room in that direction. I''ll jump the moment he falls!) Lirzod had no time to mind the wound. He turned during the fall and landed on his hands, placing them at the edge of a barrel because there wasn''t enough room. He then sent a solid kick into the enemy''s belly. "Ugh!" the brown-haired man was blown back, but as he fell, he turned in midair and safely landed on another barrel before jumping off in the elephant''s direction. After landing safely on top of the beast, he rubbed his belly and narrowed his eyes. (Just when I think I have the advantage, he makes up the difference by moving like a monkey in a circus, while wearing that crappy armor nonetheless. I can see why he could gnaw at Hardy Brothers without much of a concern, but as a swordsman, I can''t allow myself to lose to a dancing monkey.) He gripped the hilt of his weapon tightly and looked toward the rest of the collapsing heap of barrels. Lirzod somehow skipped on the falling barrels and bounced off a windowsill to reach the animal''s top. As the elephant left a trail of rolling barrels in its wake, both of them were again on top of the beast, causing the elephant to feel even crazier. "Safe¡­" Placing one of his hands on his shoulder wound, Lirzod panted a little as he looked at the elephant. "This is one hot-headed elephant. When is it going to stop destroying things?" he bit his lower lip. "It will if you just let me stab it in the neck," the brown-haired man let out his opinion. "Oh wait, I wonder if there''s any female elephant nearby?" Lirzod, however, was preoccupied with his own thoughts. "That should get this thing''s attention. Where is its owner?" he looked around for a bit. "Hey¡­" the brown-haired man called out. "Do you think this is a joke?" "Mm?" Lirzod then looked at the opponent. "What?" The brown-haired man moved his hand closer to the hilt. "Our fight isn''t done." "Eh? You want to get hit more?" Lirzod raised his brows. The brown-haired man rubbed the blood off his mouth and chin and then snorted, "Don''t take my pause as me hesitating or changing my mind." "Is that so?" the corner of Lirzod''s mouth turned down a bit. "Your grandparents must be gobbing in their graves." "My grandparents died on the first night I''ve seen their faces, and I don''t even remember their faces clearly, much less know them on a personal level, so I honestly don''t give a shit if they''re spitting or farting in their graves." "That''s sad¡ªin many ways. But, believe it or not, I kinda feel you." Momentarily, they stared at each other, their bodies warming but hearts calming. At that moment, it seemed as if they could see what the other person was thinking. But that silent period¡ªnot counting the elephant''s ruckus¡ªdidn''t last long, and they resumed their battle, their attacks even faster and sharper than before. The elephant still madly stomped its way around in the hall as the two humans kept battling on it before finding its way out through the previous exit again. The armor on Lirzod clearly seemed to have weighed him down while they were fighting on the barrels, but on the elephant, he looked much better. Yohann, who was witnessing the battle in his own way, could smell the blood coming out of the elephant''s wounds and the cuts on Lirzod''s arms. He picked up his beggar''s bowl and tossed it in Lirzod''s direction. "Let it aid you in this endeavor!" His voice definitely reached Lirzod. Though the brown-haired man tried to stop Lirzod from getting that item, Lirzod responded a bit early and caught the object and right away used it to block the sword. Lirzod then banged the opponent''s chest with the bowl, which was actually a small shield resembling a buckler. The brown-haired man was pushed back, but he attacked again without hesitation. "Sparking Slash!" He waved the sword from underneath, but Lirzod, too, didn''t back away and parried the attack meticulously. Sparks produced where the shield and the blade came into contact. Lirzod''s fist then punched his jaw and sent him back two steps. The opponent spat to the side and then rushed at Lirzod once more While Yohann started playing Lionheart¡ªa fast-paced battle song meant to match the fury of a lion''s roar¡ªusing zither and drums in the background. Lirzod focused on blocking, but at times, when he got pushed to the edges, he parried the attacks left and right and landed punches and kicks at every provided opportunity, all the while they both shrunk their frames and kept their bodies closer to the elephant. Whenever Lirzod lost balance, he landed on his arms and momentarily fought with his legs. However, when his opponent lost balance, he used the sword to stab the elephant''s skin, causing the elephant to never feel at rest. This irked Lirzod even more, and he smashed the shield into the opponent''s face, but it was blocked pretty neatly using both arms effectively. A few more attempts of bashing with the shield changed nothing. (He''s using the second arm to support the sword so he can block the shield comfortably. No wonder I couldn''t push him back.) Lirzod frowned upon realizing what was going on, so with a stretch of his arm, he brought the shield parallel to his arm. This time, his arm slipped past the sword, and the edge of the shield struck the opponent''s face. Still and all, the opponent bent his head backward in the last split second and avoided getting his nose broken. Lirzod quickly went for a kick in the ribs, only to again get blocked by the arm. When Lirzod briefly backed away to get his breath back, the opponent took his turn to attack, forcing Lirzod to defend himself. His lower half of the legs were targeted by the opponent, making it extremely hard for Lirzod to keep up with him while carrying armor and a shield. The brown-haired man also seemed a little frustrated, for he had been trying to make Lirzod jump into the air so he could take the boy down with one solid strike, but his plans weren''t working as Lirzod always tried to close in to minimize to restrict his offense and also the damage done by the sword. Still, Lirzod''s foot once slipped over the spine of the beast because of the bloody wetness of the skin, causing him to collapse backward. His opponent saw an opportunity and struck the sword down without hesitation. Though Lirzod landed sideways on his ribs and elbow, he still managed to block the sword with the shield and then kicked in the opponent''s calf, causing him to fumble to the side. They quickly found their footing and resumed fighting. Both of them kept using their whole bodies as they tried to outsmart each other, all the while making sure they didn''t fall from the angry elephant''s back. Before Lirzod got hold of a shield, he could only deflect the sword during the thrusts and had to avoid the slashes, but now, he began to pretty much trouble the opponent by actively using the shield to not only defend himself effectively but also strongly attack the adversary and push him back. As the elephant rampaged in the streets and entered the hall once more, many people now followed the creature from a distance, not for the beast but to watch the two men clashing on its back. "They can fight on the back of the elephant without falling!" "Despite being in such a place, they are moving so well and fast. Especially that Hovan is swinging his sword exceptionally. Even someone like him isn''t good enough to be the Sword Child?" "Hovan may no longer be a member of Flirters, but bothering him wouldn''t do anyone any good." "That boy, Lirzod, has been fighting our new referee, Hovan, on an equal footing for some time. I guess his battle with Geragorn was true then?" Among the onlookers, Limon was also there, and he just happened to stop nearby Hundred. "Those two are not standing straight anymore. By lowering their bodies, they are gaining more control over their movements even in such an awkward spot. Clearly, they''re either not new to battles or just naturally responding to a new setting," the corners of his lips curled down as he nodded in surprise. "Maybe I can learn a thing or two from their fight." "Mm?" Hundred glanced and looked toward Limon. "Who do you think will win?" "I don''t know," Limon opined. "If that Lirzod didn''t have a shield, then I could have chosen Hovan, but now¡­ It''s hard to guess." As he saw the battle, Lirzod was blocking at times but was trying to parry whenever he could. "As long as he has that shield, he can block the attacks, so he doesn''t have to fear losing," Hundred said. (Of course, if he falls, and the elephant gets a good step on him, then he''ll be done for, but that''s a different story.) "Not necessarily," Limon replied a bit late, for he was busy observing the ongoing fight. His eyes were still set in the direction of the elephant. "If he was fully blocking, that''s one thing, but it''s hard to stay at one spot and focus on defense while that elephant is going around crazily. Maybe, that''s why he''s parrying whenever he can. That way, he''s diverting the momentum of the attacker, thereby giving himself more time to counter-attack." Hundred was a little surprised to hear that. Though he rarely ever fought with a sword, he could still tell that their fight looked cool, but after Limon explained things to him, he understood that a lot was happening in that battle. "But Hovan is no slouch," Limon continued. "He''s trying to put himself in an advantageous position, too, through trickery." "Trickery?" "Feints," Limon casually said. "Unless you have exceptionally experienced eyes, you don''t know which thrust has full strength behind it, so that boy must be extremely careful before he goes in for a counter-attack. After all, parrying itself means putting oneself at risk. Blocking is much safer, as long as you have a good shield. I''d say it''s best that he gets down from that place. On the floor, he has more space and can block relatively easily. That said, the elephant might not let them have a good fight once they get down." "Maybe that''s true, but¡­" Hundred put forward his thoughts. "Whether they are fighting on the elephant or the floor, whoever puts themselves in an advantageous position will win." Limon glanced at Hundred and chortled. "Haha, of course. That goes without saying. If Hovan''s tricks pay off, he''ll come out as the winner." Hundred narrowed his eyes. (Why aren''t you getting off of that elephant, Lirzod?) The mahout, on the other hand, was still cursing while hiding behind Limon because he was tall and bulky. "Someone stop that feral beast! Beat him into submission. I''ll pay whoever kicks some sense into that big moron!" "Shut up," Limon took out a half-cut lemon that had pepper sprinkled all over, and then squeezed it in the mahout''s face. "Ah, my eyes, my eyes!" Limon then poured some drops into his mouth and savored the taste. Meanwhile, Lirzod became more aggressive and was trying to attack whenever he could. Just when he parried a diagonal slash, he realized that it was just a feint, but before he could recover, Hovan slashed in the same manner and cut through the armor, and blood leaked out. Lirzod stepped back, but he was given no time to think, for Hovan attacked him again with a straight thrust. However, to Hovan''s surprise, Lirzod swiveled two times to dodge the sword and moved past him and appeared on his back. Using that momentum, Lirzod tried to bang on the back of the opponent''s head with his right elbow, but to his surprise, Hovan turned around to his right and appeared on Lirzod''s left side, wearing a big smile on his face as he slashed the sword at Lirzod''s thigh. Before he could land a strike, Lirzod''s left elbow came out of nowhere and smashed him in the front and broke his nose. A fountain of blood poured out. Hovan almost lost consciousness from the impact and was falling backward. Lirzod grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. "Are you satisfied now?" With a bloody nose, Hovan grinned and then stuck his tongue out and barked. "Not yet. Not until I see you on the floor, crying for your lost limbs! But if you don''t want that to happen, then you can give me your tongue. How about that?" Seeing Hovan tightening the grip on the sword, Lirzod pushed him away. Lirzod was now standing straight near the head, and Hovan near the tail. Hovan looked at Lirzod''s belly, from where blood was dripping out. "You are bleeding more than I am. How long do you think you can keep standing on your feet?" he purposely pierced the elephant on the back once before changing his grip to a double-handed one and smiled. "But it won''t be any fun if you just let me cut you or this beast without a fight." A second of silence passed between those two, even though the elephant under them was still at unrest. The elephant''s back was pretty much covered in blood now, and so was the soles of the men''s feet. "Have it your way," Lirzod loosened the fist of the hand that wasn''t holding the shield. "I''ve boiled up enough, and I think you deserve to taste a shiver of my smite." "That''s the spirit. Now I can continue painting this stupid plant-eater with both your blood until you''re a step away from hell," Hovan said and grinned. He briefly looked down to see where the spots were bloody and unsafe for footing before gyrating ahead with a massive double-handed swing. "Vortex Tear!" The wind itself seemed to be swirling around him as his feet snaked over the elephant''s spine. "This will hurt a little, tusker." Taking a deep breath, Lirzod bent his knees and pressed his feet down with such a strength that the elephant''s knees shook a bit. Being the mighty elephant that it was, it too had pride. Instead of collapsing on its front knees, it raised its hind legs and did a circus move like in the past. At the same time, Lirzod propelled himself up at the incoming vortex of an opponent. With a booming thrust of his shield, he put an end to the vortex attack, leaving only a few fleeting sparks and also Hovan in shock. (I-Impossible! He broke Vortex Tear even though it''s his first time seeing it. And he stopped my full-powered sword!) Hovan''s eyes enlarged. Both of them were still in midair, with Hovan right above Lirzod. "I-I give up. Please stop." As he was saying, a knife popped out of his boot, and he swung his foot at Lirzod''s face, but the shield came in between. Sparks flew momentarily as metals scraped past one another. "Just kidding." He spun in midair and landed on the bum of the elephant, for the beast was still standing on its front legs. Lirzod landed back on the steep spine of the elephant but straight away ran up the spine. "Let''s see if you can stop this!" Hovan jumped high, held the sword in both hands, and came down somersaulting through the air. "Drunken Crane''s Descent!" Lirzod, too, had jumped off the beast and thrust the shield at the incoming opponent. The blade and the shield clashed, but to Lirzod''s surprise, Hovan''s body was still in motion. He somersaulted over the shield and stomped his feet on Lirzod''s face. Using the face as a footing, he jumped high and brought his body parallel to the walls, with his head down, and spun axially. "Vortex Tear!" As the cutting blade came down piercing through the air and aimed to drill its way through Lirzod, Hovan felt the hilt twist in his hand, and a soft sound leaked out, and the blade suddenly stopped. (He stopped my blade again?) Hovan''s eyes widened as his momentum was completely gone, and what''s more, he saw that Lirzod stopped the sword with his five fingers. As if that wasn''t enough, Lirzod was outstaring him with one of his eyes closed. "H-How did you do it?" "Fighting has much to do with flair than just force. I thought you knew that." Both of them briefly landed on the elephant''s bum, but Hovan bent his knees and jumped high in haste, not wanting to stay in close proximity of his opponent. "L-Let''s stop. Let''s take a break." "I have no respect for someone who swings his blade without caution or creed," Lirzod also jumped in double-quick time," so ''break'' comes after I beat your ass." "Krgh," Hovan gritted his teeth and briskly thrust the sword down. Lirzod, however, smacked the blade away with his bare hand, stunning Hovan momentarily. In that split second, Lirzod pulled his elbow back and thrust his open hand straight at Hovan''s chest at a blistering pace. "Humbler''s Palm." BANG~~!! CRACK~~!! Hovan''s enlarged eyes instantly turned white from the impact that dented his chest and cracked bones at numerous places. The sword slipped out of his grip. He spurted out more than a mouthful of blood as he got sent flying to the roof like a projectile. The onlookers looked in disbelief, including Hundred and Limon. As for the mahout, his jaw was hanging as far and down as it could. Even Hundred didn''t comprehend what exactly happened, but Limon did, and yet he was quite nonplussed. When Hovan was coming down with his drilling sword attack, Lirzod had actually bashed the spinning sword with his fists, one of which was guarded by the shield. The sudden impact stopped most of the force behind the spin, and Lirzod later caught and stopped the blade with his bare fingers. "That knuckle-based move¡­ for a second, it reminded me of the Bone-Breaking Knuckle Arts, an exemplary art among the knuckle-based martial arts. Even though his move seemed different, it still stopped a fast-moving sword. Did he do it without planning, or did he mean it?" Limon''s face was still filled with wonder. "What am I thinking?" he slapped the back of his head. "There''s no way a young lad with a little background to be acquainted with such distinguished arts. In any case, he prevailed. But what truly surprised me, though, was that palm strike..." Limon suddenly went back to his childhood when he, an orphan, was taught how to fight by an old man wearing diapers and a large bamboo hat. This old man had saved Limon from a bull''s attack by slapping it as if it was a fly. Limon had only spent a few weeks with him, and now he remembered the words that that old man once told him after his knuckles had broken during practice: "Listen, kid. Fists are fast and all, but if you prefer power, then strike with your palm instead. As long as your feet are grounded, not only does the attack generate more power and do more damage, but also the risk of injuring yourself is quite low. "However, if you''re not scared of injuries and still desire to have powerful attacks that can do lethal damage, then you should learn how to kick. Legs naturally generate a lot more power than arms because they have stronger muscles gained through daily labor. A powerful punch to the face can break the nose and jaw, for sure, but a powerful kick can break the neck and even fracture the skull. So, you must not recklessly kick others because you may end up unintentionally killing them. Still, without speed and timing, a kick to the head can be seen from a mile away compared to the kick to the thigh or the knee. Having said that, there are experts out there who can break an opponent''s kicks with their punches, so don''t take my words literally when I said legs generate more power than arms because a fight depends on both you and your opponent. Regardless of what one is up against, a warrior with stable legs and a strong heart is like a tree in a storm. Even if a crazy number of thoughts are running through their mind, their arms and legs sway as their heart desires, all the while never losing sight of how their abdomen is rising and falling. That''s why I call such people ''untoppleables.'' You should aim to be a untoppleable!" Coming back to the present, Limon still seemed surprised. "I don''t think I''m anywhere close to becoming a untoppleable. That palm-strike looked so cool all the way from here. Also, to be able to generate so much power through the palm while in midair is no joke. I regret never learning palm techniques from the geezer. He taught me how to kick, but with my current physique, every time I kick, I''m afraid of letting a fart out. So I''ve long begun to subconsciously hold back myself from kicking often." He put his hand on his face. "What an embarrassment I''ve become." Lirzod, meanwhile, landed on the elephant''s butt because it was still standing on its front legs. He sniffed a little and didn''t like the smell the air carried in that spot. As Hovan fell back, Lirzod stretched his arms out and caught him, then jumped off of the beast. The moment Lirzod got on the floor, the elephant saw him and hastily got back on its four feet and chased him. "You''ve gotta be kidding me!" Lirzod, who was casually walking while carrying Hovan and the shield, had to run away with a shocked expression. "Give me a break. I saved your life, you dumb idiot! Don''t come after me!" However, the elephant was in no mood to attempt to comprehend a foreign language. It chased Lirzod more aggressively than before, trumpeting dementedly. "Geez, this bastard is so heavy!" though he was running as fast as he could, Hovan''s weight slowed him down, and the elephant easily caught up to him, but Lirzod took it toward the remaining heaps of barrels. As the elephant tried to jam its tusk into his back, it ended up piercing the empty barrels that got stuck to its remaining tusk. The elephant then got confused, and it desperately shook its head, trying to shake off the barrel, but it wasn''t coming off. "Hehe," in the meantime, Lirzod sneaked away like a rat and ran off into hiding. While breathing heavily, he faintly grinned for having succeeded at escaping. He was still holding both Hovan and the shield. The elephant, on the other hand, kept struggling in all ways possible, but the barrel seemed to have settled in its new home, a tusk that was over three meters long. "Damn it. It''s still not stopping. Just how long can it keep going like that? Maybe I should go and bring it to its knees," Lirzod muttered to himself while his body was aching and burning all over. "Mm?" Just then, he noticed a few guys trying to steal the fallen tusk, but it was too heavy for them to carry it alone. Just when they were arguing with each other to form a group, Harrison entered the scene, picked up the tusk onto his shoulder, and quickly left after briefly smirking at Lirzod. "That guy..." Lirzod''s brow jerked a bit. "I doubt he''s thinking of gluing it back to the elephant. Then again, would gluing work?" He was in doubt, but he chased Harrison, shifting Hovan onto the shoulder. "Hey, wait! You can have this guy for that tusk!" "Stop following me," Harrison ran like a dog with a bone in its mouth. "Don''t stick your nose where it doesn''t belong." "Stop! I will give you a kilo of groundnuts," Lirzod said aloud as he exited the hall. "What a fool! I can buy food that lasts an entire year if I sell this tusk," Harrison snorted as he increased the pace. "Tch," Lirzod also picked up his speed, but then he noticed a few people rounding the corner and entering the street, and they were shouting Lirzod''s name and were cursing at him, which caused him to stop immediately. "He used the tusk as bait to lure me out of the hall. I should''ve known." Lirzod quickly put Hovan down on a stone bed at the side of the street and then hastened back to the hall. "Don''t let him go!" Harrison shouted. "Whoever brings me his arm gets its weight in ivory, and of course, no rent for three months no matter which room you stay in." The incentives Harrison gave boosted men''s speed as they chased Lirzod. Just as he reached the entrance of the hall, some people came out and tried to block his way. Hundred came out of nowhere and spear-headed two men out of their lines, giving Lirzod just enough room to act. Lirzod took the chance. He slipped through the other''s attacks and entered the hall, leaving Harrison utterly frustrated. Lirzod and Hundred then got together and exchanged a hi-five. Harrison arrived there a bit slowly because he was carrying the tusk. "You bastards had one thing to do, and you couldn''t even do that properly!" he fumed at those men. "If there were more men, it would have been tricky," Lirzod was panting, his hands placed on his knees as he tried to get his breath back. He then stood straight and stared at Harrison, who was standing right outside the test hall. "What? Do you want me to get that tusk back from you?" "Do it if you dare," Harrison said and icily smiled. He could see that Lirzod had cuts and bruises all over his body, so there wouldn''t be a better time to teach him a life lesson. Alone, he might fail, but with almost thirty people behind him, that was no longer the case, at least in his view. "Or should I say, ''do it if you care?''" "You¡­" Lirzod felt the urge to step out of the hall and deal with him. As Lirzod was about to step forward, Hundred blocked him with his hand and said, "Don''t. He''s not worth wasting our time." Lirzod was able to agree with Hundred this time and stayed back. "Backing away like a chicken, are ya?" Harrison taunted and stepped forth. Just then, Gaja entered the street, scattering the men gathered at the entrance, including Harrison. "There, tusker!" Lirzod pointed his finger at Harrison. "He''s stealing your tusk!" Coincidentally, the elephant also noticed its tusk and chased Harrison with increased speed and trumpeting in rage. It was catching up with him, bringing his heart into his mouth. He dropped the tusk and ran away shamelessly, "You little bastard! Mark my words! I''ll pay you back in twice!" "Hehe," Lirzod just laughed and waved his shield. "You can pay me back in your dreams." Lirzod and Hundred then looked at each other and just breathed sighs of relief.