"So, what do you say? Do you want to work together?"

"No."

​​

"..."

Rick's hand quickly froze on the spot as Van's words of total and uninhibited refusal entered his ears. He was here to form an alliance and was even willing to offer Van some incentives, and yet what met him was a big fat 'No'.

Was there something wrong with his offer? Rick looked at some of the people behind him, looking for answers as to what he did wrong. But alas, all they could do was shake their head and look at each other in confusion.

"...May I ask why you refused my offer?" Rick's stretched hand slightly stuttered as it returned to his side, "Not only do you have nothing to lose, you gain the houses which you sought for."

His deal was perfect. Whatever it is that Van was planning, it involved getting the houses near to the Portal. He was most likely thinking of escaping from this place. And ultimately, Rick knew that Van would fail. Giving him the houses near to the Portal not only ensured that his people would be safe once Van's plan proceeds, but they would also be far away if an aftermath happens.

It was perfect not only for Van, but for his people as well, so why… why did he refuse?

"I do not wish to be on anyone's side but my own, Mister Rick," Van said, not even a single trace of hesitation from his lips.

Seeing this, Rick could not help but form a frown on his clean face, "Do you know why sides were formed in this lawless place in the first place?"

"..."

"Because no one could survive out here alone. Without the groups, there would be people ganging up to steal and indiscriminately kill the people they don't like. The women would surely be molested and disposed of, treated nothing but playthings."

"...I am not alone, though," Van muttered as he looked at Nisha and the small group beside him.

"That's not what I mea-- Ugh," Rick let out a slight groan as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Fine. But please think about my offer, Van. You know where to find me."

"...Okay."

Van's stare did not leave Rick and his men until they dispersed one by one. There were a few curious eyes that were looking at Van as if they wanted to approach him, but could not as Rick was still there.

It took a minute before they fully dispersed, and once again, the air became lighter.

"Oof," Gil let out a huge unabated breath as he slightly backed away, removing his slightly trembling hand from his sword, "That was… that was a bit intense, wasn't it?"

"Was it?"

As soon as the group heard what he said, they all started looking at him in a weird way, their stares as if almost piercing Gil's heart.

"Was… Was I the only one that found it nerve-wracking!?"

***

"Boss, may I ask why you are spending so much time with the boy lately?"

"The boy? Oh, you mean Van?" Boss' giggled as her slow breath almost created steam, "Is that jealousy I hear from you?"

"Well, no… It's just that I...u… uhhnn!"

Once again, Boss' house was filled with the uninhibited moans of the people. Boss and Reed were on top of her huge bed, with Solomon standing on the side and just watching them with slight groans here and there.

There were other people on the floor surrounding them, with only the fluids of their body as their cushion, and the soft sweat that covered their body serving as their blanket.

Reed could not help but stretch his legs and raise his hips as Boss inserted three of her fingers inside him, pushing and pulling it at the same time as his rhythmic but at the same time erratic breaths.

Reed's long hair and androgynous face twisting and moaning in pleasure made him look completely feminine as pleasure filled his face like cherry.

"Don't worry, Reed. You're still my favorite toy," Boss said as she let out a slight giggle and pushed her fingers deeper in, "I won't leave you."

"Is… is that true?" Reed stuttered.

"...Yes."

"T… then, what… have I been hearing… about you escaping with the boy? Is it… is it tru-- Gah!"

Reed quickly rotated his body as Boss suddenly pulled her fingers out of him. "Everyone out!" Boss' sudden roar quickly woke up the people that were lost in their own sweat and pleasure. All of them started running out of the house, not even bothering to take their clothes which were sprawled on the ground.

"You… are spying on me?" The seductive and coquettish tone in Boss' voice was no longer present, now only exuding authority and firmness. "Since when?"

"No… I--"

"Solomon!"

Before Reed could even explain, Solomon, who had been keeping quiet the whole time, started to groan loudly and approach him. Reed quickly grabbed a dagger that was finely hidden and stored in his long and abundant hair.

"...You brought a weapon to my bed as well?" Any sweet tone in the Boss' voice was completely gone, "Solomon, get him out of here. From now on…

...Reed is not allowed inside this house."

"That's ridiculous, Boss!" Reed quickly dropped the knife in his hand as he slowly crawled towards Boss, "I… I've always been by your side since I got here! I am the one who stood longest on your side!"

"...You hear that, Solomon?" Boss slightly chuckled as she looked at Solomon, who only shrugged his shoulders and grunted in response.

"What… this?" Reed quickly looked back and forth between Boss and Solomon, "This big oaf of a beast that can't even talk is who you consider to be the longest one standing by your side!? He can't even talk! He won't even be able to satisfy your needs!" Reed's tongue almost twisted from the unending words that were coming out of his mouth, "I am the one that's useful! I know what you need, I am the one that's useful to you!"

Reed's desperate bellows echoed throughout the entire house, only to be replied by a cold and solemn tone, uncaring and stoic.

"Then tell me.." Boss slowly stood up on top of the bed. Her full naked figure was perfectly carved and curved, completely pleasing to the eyes of not only men but women. As if they were chiseled by the knives of the gods themselves. Her dark skin seemed as if sanded, polished to perfection with not even a single blemish or wrinkle to be found.

She flicked her long dreads to the side as she stared directly in the groveling Reed's eyes, "...What do I need as of this moment?"

"That…" Reed could not help but gulp as Boss' full figure laid before his eyes, "...You need someone to help you escape this place."

Hearing Reed's words, Boss could only close her eyes as she let out a tiny sigh. "No," she whispered, "What I need is for you to get out of my house right now."

Reed's face twisted as he heard Solomon's feet approaching him step by step… And as if a play drawing its curtains closed, Reed's long hair swayed strand by strand, covering his beautiful face as his head slowly turned downwards.

He then got up from the bed before Solomon could approach him, walking away, not even looking back, not even looking up. He just walked away.

"Solomon, make sure he doesn't come inside the house ever again."

"!!!"

Reed flinched as Boss once again repeated her hurtful words, skewering his ears until everything was ruined inside. Reed bit his lips, his blood trailing in the air as he ran outside the house.

He ran and he ran, the blood from his lips and the tears that were falling from his eyes mixing in the air. Reed ran towards the confines of the forest, screaming and bawling like a child.

"Why!? His shouts echoed.

"Why did you abandon me!? I stood by your side! I did everything, everything you ever wanted!"

Reed's beautiful face slowly twisted, his eyes that were full of color slowly bloated up in red as his tears trail on his cheeks without end. But slowly, the howls of a child that filled the forest turned into a chuckle… until it turned into a cackle that burst menacingly through the forest.

"I did everything, didn't I!?" A wide smile formed on Reed's once-beautiful face, "I… I have been a good boy… so why!? Why!?"

Reed grabbed his face, almost ripping off his smooth skin from his flesh, "No… ever since he arrived. Ever since that boy arrived, Boss changed."

Reed suddenly remembered Van's speed, his speed which he was not even able to chase. Come to think of it, the boy's hair is also getting longer, not to mention he had a pretty face as well whenever he cleans up.

"No… I… I am being replaced! I am being replaced by a kid!" Reed kneeled on the ground as he waved his hands.

No… Come to think of it, he was also younger when he first started standing by Boss' side. Was that it? Was it because he was getting older that he was being thrown away!?

"Then, if I carve his face and make him look older, will… will Boss once again allow me to stand by her side?"

No, that wasn't enough. He should… he should die. "Ha… hahahaha!"

And so, the animal that Reed had been hiding inside of him soon began to surface once again, howling through the light, seeping like the light that cracked in the forest.