Chapter 106: The Ghost of the Past
Gathering cellular phones... destroying cameras... and erasing faces from human memory...
It was Cain who meticulously undertook the delicate mission of collecting smartphones from everyone in their expansive surroundings; he strove to the utmost of his ability to avoid touching devices that likely captured nothing.
Despite suspecting a few phones might have recorded scenes without his knowledge, and notwithstanding his high degree of suspicion, he refrained from executing a insane act such as obliterating every device in the area, lest he provoke grander inquiries and to minimize leaving evidence surrounding their existence.
Cain experienced a considerable degree of guilt and embarrassment; he would never have engaged in these complex maneuvers were it not to spare himself and Lucy from becoming entangled in legal and security pursuits that might force them to abandon Earth permanently in a humiliating fashion.
The process of erasing these humans’ memories without leaving magical damage or trace was extraordinarily arduous and complex... Perhaps assuming the guise of "ordinary humans" rendered the task less time-consuming for Lucy; nevertheless, it demanded extended time and redoubled effort until she finally managed to block and erase their faces from the imagination and brain of everyone who beheld them in that street!
While trimming and modifying those memories, Lucy was forced on multiple occasions to suppress and resist her surging urge to slaughter those three young women who dared to flirt with and approach Cain! Fortunately, that heinous crime stood as the sole atrocity Lucy managed to avert committing today.
In the end... she completed the operation, sealing the memory loopholes entirely.
Lucy turned her gaze toward the four truck workers, who stood frozen in positions of awe and terror... They had been thoroughly harmed owing to her impulsiveness; the precious cargo they were tasked with transporting was destroyed, and it was inevitable they would face rigorous interrogations from authorities, with the cost of the truck and cargo deducted from their meager wages!
Approaching Cain, Lucy stated with innocence, offering a suggestion: "Cain... what think you if I depart immediately and fetch a new truck with replacements for these workers? Surely its value shall be deducted from their wages should they remain thus!"
Cain stared at her with numbness and disbelief, as though she had uttered the most foolish, absurd resolution in human history!
For stealing a new truck and transporting it here via magic instantly would by no means signify that the cargo was restored or that the truck became their legitimate property... Rather, the security and intelligence investigation would double owing to this supernatural phenomenon, plunging the poor workers into harm and interrogation far more ferocious than a mere lost truck!
For the truck carried no vegetables or ordinary goods... but rather was laden with genuine Pharaonic artifacts excised and likely smuggled from a historic royal tomb!
In this manner, stealing another truck would serve only to multiply evidence of a supernatural event; furthermore, the venue or company from which Lucy purloined the new truck would itself enter a predicament and crisis vastly grander than the mere loss of a vehicle!
Cain stated with firmness and realism: "In any case, we can compensate these workers via another method later on... This truck is insured through insurance policies."
Cain comprehended with absolute clarity that the case would evolve into something vastly grander than a mere missing shipment, and that security agencies might pursue the threads of the scene; hence, it was imperative they inflict no harm upon innocent humans who bore no fault.
After Cain completely concluded destroying all neighboring vehicular dashcams with skill and precision—even forced to march toward vehicles stationed along further lanes that were not at the exact location, after sensing and assuming they might have captured angles of them somehow...
Cain turned and looked at Lucy, who stood silent and deeply absorbed in thought... Cain exhaled a gentle sigh, assuming at that moment that her silence stemmed from her feelings of guilt and remorse over what she had wrought; thus, he permitted her to gather her composure without pressing her.
Cain stated with hushed tenderness: "Hah... I shall step away briefly to forge a dimensional portal to transport us to another city... You may remain here for a few moments until I prepare the matter."
Cain knew not what was transpiring inside Lucy’s head the moment he distanced himself by a sufficient margin!
Lucy truly experienced the weight of guilt at that moment... She was contemplating with genuine seriousness a scheme to divert the threads of accusation and security suspicions away from Cain and herself in a clever manner, yet she knew not how such matters were navigated within the human world!
Yet... abruptly, ancient memories flashed within her mind, recalled via her [Soul Touch], from when Cain was watching cinematic films during his former existence upon Earth...
She recalled those emblems and symbols usually denoting dangerous organizations or groups that cause dilemmas and explosions, claiming responsibility for grand incidents!
She contemplated inwardly: Perhaps... perhaps if I drew the emblem of one of those famous groups upon the pavement, the investigation would center upon them, diverting suspicions from us entirely... Is that not so? And should that group be apprehended, the situation would appear as though we enacted nothing, and the poor workers would face no peculiar accusations!
Lucy began summoning her memories, digging through her mind for a drawing or emblem of one of the groups she witnessed within Cain’s memories. Following a swift review, her memories settled upon a strange emblem imprinted in her imagination: a drawing resembling a smiling emoji, yet featuring sharp, strange, terrifying teeth!
Lucy knew not the exact name of that group or organization, yet it appeared to her beyond doubt as a dangerous, secret group possessing influence and dread!
Indeed... without the slightest hesitation, a faint magical beam extended from Lucy’s finger to trace with precision that smiling emblem with sharp teeth upon the asphalt of the street, and she inscribed beneath it in Latin letters the exact phrase that was recorded beneath it in Cain’s memories!
When she finished, she experienced relief and satisfaction, resolving to depart immediately to join Cain, who had already opened the glowing dimensional portal for them to enter and transport within seconds to a new, distant city...
At that exact microsecond... time resumed!
The time of the physical world returned to flow as it was!
Cain and Lucy vanished from the venue entirely without a trace!
WHOOOOSH!
The sounds of sudden brakes echoed, and several vehicles collided with one another in shock and speed!
Panic enveloped the street, and drivers and workers rushed from their vehicles, sprinting toward the lake... and toward the sidewalk upon which stood that dark-black-haired woman who elevated the truck with a single hand and hurled it!
Yet... strangely and suspiciously, everyone—and anyone who beheld their faces tonight—had completely and fully forgotten the features and facial contours of Cain and Lucy! Nothing remained within their memories beyond two ambiguous shadows!
One of the workers screamed in anguish and horror: "The truck! Nooo! Damn it... what on earth transpired here?!"
Abruptly... a passerby shouted, pointing in astonishment toward the middle of the road: "Hey! Everyone... look at this drawing here!"
Passersby gathered in terror around the asphalt... The smiling emoji emblem was carved with absolute clarity; that laughing circle featuring sharp, terrifying teeth!
Two men on the street whispered, paleness and astonishment seeping into their features: "Is... is that not the emblem belonging to The Smile Gang?! Was it not said that their legendary leader was imprisoned and his followers liquidated long ago... and it is rumored he died under mysterious circumstances, his corpse vanishing entirely without a trace?!"
The other replied in terror, stepping backward: "Indeed! Yes, yes... he himself!"
Panic and horror struck everyone present at the venue...
One of them whispered, recalling urban legends: "I remember now... Their leader and founder was named... approximately... Cain! But... how did their emblem suddenly reappear tonight to elevate a truck and rend it apart?!"