Chapter 83 - Horror
Both Theo and Ethan didn’t know what to do or even say.
A little girl, no older than five, sat on the streets, her clothes completely covered in dirt and blood.
Her shoulders trembled as quiet sobs left her mouth.
’’Daddy...’’ she sniffled, holding on to his hand.
That’s when Theo and Ethan finally looked past the little girl.
There, a man lay on the street.
Blood had pooled beneath him, spreading slowly across the pavement.
His body was twisted unnaturally, thick bones having pierced out of some parts.
Yet, one of his hands still tightly clutched a knife.
Except... the blade was buried deep within his own throat.
Despite clearly having killed himself, the man’s expression was warm, his eyes still in the direction his daughter sat in.
’What...?’ Theo thought, his eyes wide. ’This...’
Immense sadness ran through him, alongside regret and pity.
Hearing the little girl’s sobs, he quickly shook his head.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and crouched down beside her.
’’Hey,’’ he said, his voice low. ’’It’s okay. We’re here to help...’’
Even as the words came out of his mouth, Theo felt a deep sinking feeling in his stomach.
Ethan slowly stepped forward too.
Instead of going to the little girl, he walked up to the body.
He crouched down beside the man, pressing two fingers against his throat.
For a moment, everything went silent.
Then he exhaled quietly and shook his head.
Theo looked at him, gritting his teeth.
’’...We should take her with us,’’ Ethan said quietly.
Theo nodded once, crouching down beside the girl again.
’’Come o—’’
The girl’s sobbing suddenly stopped.
A chill ran down Theo’s spine immediately.
’’...Ethan,’’ he called out, unsure what had happened.
Ethan crouched down immediately, grabbing hold of the girl’s head.
Without hesitation, he shone a bright flashlight into her eyes.
’’She’s not responding,’’ he said, hesitating for a moment. ’’Could be from stress or...’’
He didn’t need to say the rest.
A faint crack echoed through the air.
Both of them looked down, staring at the hand the girl was holding.
Theo’s eyes went wide.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
"That’s..." he started, his voice breaking slightly. "...that’s not—"
He couldn’t finish the sentence.
Ethan’s grip on the girl’s head tightened unconsciously, his brows furrowing as he stared at her eyes.
"No," he muttered. "No, wait... it could still be a stress respon—"
Another crack echoed through the air.
This time, far louder.
The girl’s fingers curled tighter around the man’s hand, bending it at an unnatural angle.
Ethan slowly pulled back his hand, his expression tightening.
’’...Theo.’’
Theo’s eyes wavered.
A little girl, probably not more than five years old, was affected by the parasites?
He couldn’t believe it.
Just then, the girl’s head tilted to the side, a thick bone spike piercing out of her collarbone.
Theo instinctively stepped back, horror filling his eyes.
Another twitch ran through her body, more violently this time.
A faint, broken sound slipped from her throat.
Theo’s grip tightened around his umbrella, but he didn’t move.
’’...No,’’ he said under his breath.
Her small frame convulsed, her back arching slightly as something shifted beneath her skin.
Ethan took a step back too, his eyes still wide from horror.
Theo’s breathing spiked.
But he knew...
It was already too late.
His grip tightened around his umbrella, a water wave surrounding it.
’I... have to do this,’ he thought, forcing himself forward. ’Before it’s too late.’
Theo’s foot hesitated mid-step.
For a split second, his body refused to move.
Then, he clenched his jaw.
The water around his umbrella intensified as he poured in more and more mana.
’’I apologize,’’ he muttered, his voice barely audible. ’’I don’t know if you still feel something... but I’ll try to send you off painlessly.’’
He closed the distance between them in an instant.
The girl’s head snapped up, her eyes locking onto him.
But... they were completely empty.
Theo didn’t freeze again.
He whispered something.
Then, swung his umbrella forward.
A dull impact echoed through the street.
Water burst forward, releasing all the force at once.
The girl’s small body went limp instantly.
Her body collapsed on the street, right beside her father’s.
Everything went silent again.
Theo stood there unmoving, his breathing heavy and hoarse.
Water still clung to his umbrella, slowly dripping onto the ground.
Ethan didn’t say a word.
He stared at Theo, his lips parting... then closing again.
There was nothing that could be said.
Theo exhaled slowly, his grip finally loosening around his umbrella.
He looked down at the bodies one final time, feeling his heart break into a million pieces.
He closed his eyes for a moment.
Then opened them again.
’’...We end this bullshit tomorrow,’’ he said, his voice hoarse.
Ethan nodded once, clenching his laptop tightly.
’’I’ll make sure the plan is perfect,’’ he replied quietly.
Then he turned to the bodies.
’’...I’ll also call someone to bury them.’’
Theo turned to him, nodding once.
The two of them walked off in silence, neither of them looking back.
By the time they reached the barricade, the same government hunters looked at them with faint smiles.
’’Did you get anything today?’’ one of them taunted.
Another joined in, laughing along.
’’I don’t know why these kids are even here,’’ he said. ’’They should’ve just left the work to the grown-ups.’’
Theo glanced at them coldly.
Several thoughts ran through his mind.
The government hunters were only Bronze ranks; taking care of them would only take seconds.
But... he shook his head.
’Just some taunting,’ he thought, exhaling deeply. ’Not worth reacting to.’
Many questions ran through his mind the entire time.
He couldn’t understand how the government could only send these useless scum.
’People died because of that,’ he thought, clenching his jaw. ’Do they just not care at all?’
As the two of them stepped past the barricade, the laughter slowly faded behind them.
Theo shook his head, pushing the thought out of his mind.
’Tomorrow,’ he thought.
That was all that mattered now.