However, Alda shook her head. "It's an attractive prospect for sure, but it's too far from our place. In case something happens and we can't react in time, we'd be pariahs if a fallout happens."Jouri put a hand on her chest and assured her, "Don't worry, I'll personally oversee the entire project. There won't be any issues, I promise you."Alda had to admit she was a little interested in that. "I'll call my dad and ask him, if that's alright?""Sure!"Alda then borrowed Frank's phone and called Donnie Ingram, informing him about what was going on."Do you think it's solid?" Donnie asked in return.Alda nodded. "It sounds like a leap, but new energy is the trend now, and many companies in the country are getting rich overnight because of it. We could give it a shot."And I know Jouri—she was my roommate back in college. She probably wouldn't swindle us."Donnie was less worried in contrast to Alda's hesitation. "The investment isn't that taxing, and we're not the only ones resp
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"With that, Jouri took them to Golden Lily, the biggest karaoke bar in town… only to find the front doors tightly shut."See? I told you it would be closed," Alda pointed out confidently.Jouri rolled her eyes at her. "Shouldn't you feel sadder that you're not burning my money? And don't worry—I'm naturally prepared since I've brought you here."With those words, she whipped out her phone and made a phone call."Why are you closed? Do you want to be shut down permanently?""Sorry, Ms. Yelin!" The voice on the other end exclaimed. "We'll open up for you right now!"In just five minutes after Jouri hung up, the doors opened.The valets, led by their manager who wore a miniskirt, promptly rolled out a red carpet from the entrance."How about that? I'm quite a big deal now, no?" Jouri chuckled.Alda could not help holding a thumbs-up—her family, the Ingrams, had established themselves in this town, but they certainly did not have Jouri's
The manager quickly said, "Come on, that's just being a buzzkill. I'll arrange for a designated driver—just drink up!"Jouri seemed to have been watching them too and took a moment while singing to run over, "Exactly. Why aren't you drinking? Just let them send us home."Frank was naturally happy that he did not have to drive and allowed the manager to pour him a full glass."I'm Meg Quill. Nice to meet you," the manager introduced herself while raising her glass. "Do take good care of me from now on."Perhaps by accident or otherwise, Frank could feel her brushing against himself."Nice to meet you. I'm Lugh Frankton," he said, shrugging. Even if Meg had ulterior motives in getting cozy with him, people were not all black and white.And as a manager of an entertainment outlet, it was natural for Meg to be eager to please, so Frank did not take offense."So, where are you from?" Meg then asked.Frank gave her the address of his fake ID, and she exclaimed, "What a coincidence—
The clothes maketh the man—Meg certainly proved that after she got changed.Taking everyone's looks of envy or lust as flattery, she catwalked her way back to the private room.Jouri was singing as she sat beside Frank, and seeing that Meg was making a play, she smiled as she whispered to Frank, "I'm shocked. You really have a way with the ladies!"Frank ignored Jouri, while Meg took her seat, brushing her hair behind her ear flirtatiously as she picked up her dice cup elegantly. "Come on, let's get started."Frank picked up his cup as well and shook it randomly.Meg shook her dice for a while before slamming the cup on the table. "Three threes!"Frank lifted his cup to check his dice and said, "Four threes!""Six!" Meg even held up her hands to gesture."Showdown!"Frank lifted his dice cup, showing that he only had a single one, and none of the others were threes.Meg's face fell as she lifted her cup too.And there were three threes!Frank smirked.Meg had done her best
It was no flattery—Meg earnestly thought that Frank was amazing.Still, they were both cunning, and Meg soon guessed that Frank was just doing this on purpose.Smiling while being earnestly impressed, she said, "Let's play something else!"Frank nodded. "Alright. I'm listening.""I'll hold three dice and roll them as you watch. If I get a pair, the remaining dice will be my scorer… Like this!"Meg flipped the dice cup bottom-up and threw the three dice into it.Getting two threes and a five, she said, "That's five points!""Got it." Frank nodded. "So it doesn't matter what the pairs are—the odd one out is the score, and keep rolling if there are no pairs, right?"Meg nodded. "One glass if you can't get pairs from three rolls, and you can pass on a score you don't like to keep rolling!"Frank smiled. "Then what are you waiting for? Let's get started!"Meg took the first roll, still impressed that Frank had managed to flip the dice without contact earlier.However, this one wa
Frank gestured with his palm. "Your turn!""I'm definitely luckier."Meg pressed the start button, and the wheel turned to 'kiss the first person on the right'.Meg's eyes lit up—she would have bemoaned her terrible luck if this had happened on any other day.But now, things were different—the one on her right was none other than Frank, whom she really wanted to hook up with!"Now, now. I'm not being mean, but rules are rules."Then, she kissed Frank's left cheek, catching him off guard."Really enjoying yourselves, I see!"Jouri was grinning broadly when she inadvertently spotted the two.Frank ignored her and told Meg, "That's neither fair nor fun. Most of the punishments wouldn't work if it's just us two."There's a dice game in this app too. We can prevent cheating since we're playing on our phones.""That's true!"Meg pretended to realize that just then—having worked here for so long, would she really not know about the app's functions?The reason she did not do it wa
"Then let's get started. How are we going to do this?" Jouri asked, having already whipped out her phone."There's an app where we can play dice. See here…"Meg walked up, helping Jouri and Alda get the app, and Alda asked, "So how do four people play this?""We will split into two groups," Jouri suggested. "Meg and I will be on one team, while Lugh and Alda will be on the other. That way, the team can decide the punishment, don't you agree?"Alda and Frank nodded, but that was not the same for Meg—if the punishment was not random, then why would she bother playing?Regrettably, Jouri was famous while Alda was the Ingram's sole heiress, so Meg could not mess with them.While she agreed to it reluctantly, she also suggested, "How about I take the first roll, Ms. Yelin?""Sure." Jouri spread her hands, sitting down in amusement.Alda smiled then. "You know I'm bad with dice games, Jouri. Let Mr. Frankton roll.""Whatever, it's your decision. Also, you shouldn't ask for their opi
"Got it!" Alda looked up as she exclaimed. "You will both… dance together!"Jouri and Meg traded glances, with the former shrugging. "I have no issues with that. It depends entirely on the manager.""Always at your service, Ms. Yelin," Meg said—she would like to show off, but she was not going to reveal her goals directly either."Good. I'll pick a song, and you girls can stand in the center."Alda went over to the karaoke machine, picking a random song and gesturing with her palm.Jouri did not waste her breath and started dancing to the rhythm, but she was clearly not that good—Alda was left giggling as she looked like a zombie, what with her stiff moments.Meg was totally different, however, as she had six months of ballet training. It was a solid foundation, and a little lap dance was certainly right up her alley."That's hot!" Even Jouri was impressed after seeing it.Meg ignored her and calmly returned to her seat when the song finished.Jouri was laughing in turn. "That
Frank snorted. "Alright, I'm hanging up. I'm getting started over here soon.""Yeah. Good luck," Jouri replied.Hanging up, Frank looked up at the waterfall overhead, and then at Skyler, who was standing beside him. "So? Is it time yet?""Almost… Now!" Skyler's eyes were glowing even as she stared at her watch."Alright."Frank looked up just as the skies abruptly darkened. "Ah, there it is—the eclipse."The sun seemed to disappear, and the world was suddenly shrouded in darknesses.And beside him, a stone door imbued with the power of the spiritron vein also rumbled as it parted."Got it!" Frank rushed inside without another word as soon as he saw it."Hmph. I'm surprised that you could reach this place." A cold, wrathful voice resounded inside even before Frank got a hold of his surroundings.Looking up, Frank found a youth in a black cossack and sporting grey-white hair, standing upon a cliff as he looked down on him.Frank chuckled. "Hehe. Like I said, I've come to kill
Frank narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?'Crane shrugged. "I don't mind giving it to you straight—members of Torrent are actually… Ahem. A part of Torrent himself."Frank paused. "What's that supposed to mean?""You don't get it, do you?" Crane grinned. "Then let me put it to you this way—every member is a clone of Torrent.""A clone?" Frank gasped in realization."Yes," Crane nodded. "That's why I believe that challenging Crane is just suicide. You have no idea how powerful he is—only death awaits you down that path."Frank smirked. "Oh, but I don't think so."Crane rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever—now listen closely. You will find Torrent in the Mystic Trail, but you would only find that place when the sun and moon coincide, and the entrance is beneath the waterfall south of Horton."As he finished, he snorted coldly. "I have no idea if you can actually do it, but I'm hoping you do kill him… Heh. I'm getting tired of being stuck under his control for so long."Then, waving off
Frank abruptly turned, immediately noticing one of the Cranes crouching, ready to spring forward and blindside him."Got you!" He laughed."Hah! You fell for it!"Just as Frank swung a punch to pulverize that Crane, he suddenly burst into pus that splashed at Frank's face."Damn it!" Frank took a step back, surprised that the clone's presence was identical to the real Crane, and a trap on top of that!"Die!"The Cranes around him each whipped out a dagger, all of them stabbing at Frank at the same time."Get off!" Frank bellowed, unleashing a shockwave that sent all the Cranes flying across all directions."Frank! Above you!" Skyler suddenly shrieked."Yes! I'm right here!" A strange laughter sounded above Frank just as he wiped the pus off his face.Crane was suddenly directly above him, launching an aerial kick straight at Frank's head, and Frank had no time to dodge!"Die!" Crane's smile curled into a twisted angle as he saw that too.He was very confident with this kick
"Disgusting…" Skyler murmured through her hand.Despite being skinned and scalped, the women were all still alive and singing to the music that was playing despite their anguish."Talk about a terrible fetish."Frank was scowling too—why were all the members of Torrent such sick deviants? It seemed like his plan to wipe them out was absolutely correct!"So, you killed my clone?"The lanky man on the couch slowly turned to level his bloodshot eyes at Frank.His lips were wet with bed as they curled upward into an eerie smile."Clone?" Frank narrowed his eyes."Hehe. It's a sage art."Crane shrugged as he stood up and wiped the blood off his lips. "It's only natural that you don't understand… Still, you deserve praise. If you can kill my clone, that means you're not just slightly stronger than Ghost."Naturally, the man was none other than the real Crane.Still, as Skyler studied him from a corner, even she could notice the strange twitch of his fingers, and his veins were pro
Even as Crane ran, he was looking over his shoulder, his heart pounding. "No… I won't win in a one-on-one!"No, as long as I get back to my real body… we can do this together!" He frowned, having seen how Frank sliced off the pinkies of those hood rats. It hence quickly dawned on him that Frank was not just slightly stronger than Ghost, as Torrent had put it!"Almost there!" He gasped when he saw the signboard of Pegasus Showtown in the distance. "As long as I get there and rendezvous with my real body, that brat will lose—"That was when he turned and saw that a shadow had caught up with impossible speed."What?!" Crane's eyes almost popped out in bewilderment. "What speed is that?! Are you kidding—"Even as he spotted the shadow, the shadow turned into a youth with an impassive visage.His fist outstretched, he was clearly punching toward Crane's forehead!"Argh…"Even as Crane looked on, the youth's punch slowed down by tenfold, but his fist kept closing in.Then, whe
Seeing Skyler sigh, the tattooed thug presumed that his extortion worked.He strode up, grabbing Frank's shoulder. "No one's gonna help you, boy. Pay up, or you're not leaving.""Exactly! You're not getting away!" the crowd of hood rats hollered. "Last chance."Frank's eyes were cold and fixed on Dani, however. "Are you going to intervene? If you do, you can keep that check. If you don't…""Ugh. Fuck off! I don't care!" Dani spat, her expression smug as she folded her arms before her chest. "Who do you think you are to threaten me?!""Exactly! Pay up, and you can leave!""Yeah! Ten grand, at least!""You probably don't know my boss Wyvern, but when he's here, you won't get away with just ten grand!"Even as the crowd closed in, Frank shook his head. "Well, you had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next.""You're giving us a chance?! Hah! Who—argh!"Even before Dani could finish gloating, Frank was suddenly in front of her, grabbing her viciously by the wrist."Arg
"Five grand?! Did you hear that?! He just threw five grand!""Must be a rich kid coming here for a secret rendezvous, out of prying eyes? Those types are the easiest mark!""Fuck! And Dani got one of us… It hurts me more than losing at the races!"Frank could hear the buzz around him but ignored it as he strode past the men flanking him and headed toward the street that stank of blood."Stop!" A big tattooed man grinned sinisterly as he intercepted Frank.As his buddies encircled Frank as well, Frank snorted—it seemed that they took his reaction for a sign of weakness and thought that he could be cowed.The tattooed man rubbed his chin as he leered at Skyler's voluptuous figure, chuckling. "Look, boy. I'm short on cash, so let me take a loan. I'll pay you back some other day, how about that?"His friend laughed. "Exactly! You just gave Dani five grand, and we won't ask for more… just four, how about that?"Skyler scowled in turn and glanced worriedly at Frank beside her—was he
Frank himself had just stepped out of the nightclub when his eyes narrowed."Blood," he murmured, his nostrils twitching."Blood?"Skyler sniffed the air, puzzled. "I can't smell it.""It's from the opposite street… I smell the blood of over a dozen people.""A dozen?!" Skyler did a double take.He could identify the number of people who were killed?! That was just ridiculous!"Come on, let's take a look."Just as Frank led the way toward the source of the stench, a woman suddenly came up, catching Frank off guard and throwing herself into his arms."Hmmm?" He looked down to see that she had thick makeup, average looks, and a rather pudgy belly."Argh! He touched me!" she pointed at Frank and shrieked even before he realized what was happening."What?!" Skyler was staring at the woman too, mystified."Oh, sister! You just didn't see it!"The woman kept hollering, pointing at Frank's face. "Your boyfriend grabbed my ass! Is that how you teach him manners?!""Teach him ma
Wyvern screamed even as he clutched the stump that was his hand, screaming so shrilly one might mistake his voice as inhuman."Oh, just shut up." The lanky man glowered and launched a kick, reducing Wyvern into puddles of blood and pieces of innards, splattering all around the lobby. "Argh!!!" the devilish lady screamed as she watched the carnage unfolded."Another sound, and you'd end up just like him." The lanky man turned and frowned at her impatiently."Hngh…" The devilish lady promptly clasped a hand over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as she trembled."What the hell?!"Outside, Wyvern's lackeys heard the screams and ran inside, looking for him. "Hey, where's Wyvern?!"However, the lobby was too dimly lit for them to notice the blood and guts scattered around the walls, and they only sensed that terrible stench."Hngh…" The devilish lady was too scared to speak, and tears trickled out of her eyes."Fuck!"One of the lackeys strode up and seized the lanky man