NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24: What exactly was that black mist
Anthony looked at the glass, then at the bill in her hand. Raised under the strict guidance of Alan, Anthony had always been a good kid who wouldn't do anything illegal. But, well, drinking wasn't exactly illegal.
"You said just one sip?"
"That's right."
Anthony took a small sip. "Now pay up."
The female espers: ...
...
The noisy, bustling Red Romance Bar carried on with its usual frenzy. After finishing up with a table of guests, Christine returned, only to be pulled aside by Belinda.
"Christine, look over there!" Belinda pointed.
Christine turned to see Anthony drinking. His pale face had a slight flush, which, combined with his naturally shy demeanor, made him look especially attractive.
"Anthony's learning fast," Christine remarked with some surprise.
When she first started in this line of work, it had taken her nearly half a month to get used to drinking. But here was Anthony, doing it on his second day.
"Sigh, I thought he was a good kid. Turns out, men are all the same."
"In this kind of environment, people are bound to change eventually. If someone offered me a billion right now, I'd marry them on the spot," Christine said nonchalantly. After all, they had all gone through the same thing. Money, power, handsome men, beautiful women—life was full of temptations.
Suddenly, Belinda licked her lips. "What do you think?Should we have sex with him while he's drunk?"
Christine blushed slightly. "He's only seventeen. Are you really going to go after a minor?"
"It's rare to find someone like him. Who knows if we'll ever meet another? What do you say? Want to join me?"
"I think you're the one who's lovesick."
The two women giggled and teased each other, leaving it unclear whether they were joking or serious.
In a room on the second floor, Martina stretched out on the bed, showing off her S-shaped figure in all its glory—if Belinda had seen this, she would definitely have felt a rush of springtime emotions. Martina had spent the entire day sleeping in the room, taking the rare opportunity to relax. Just waking up, she accidentally pressed something, and a large LCD screen lit up, displaying dozens of images from hidden cameras scattered throughout the bar.
Her beautiful eyes scanned the footage like a predator searching for prey. As her gaze passed over Anthony, dressed in his waiter uniform, she paused for a moment.
"Oh, so this is the little guy Belinda mentioned who just Espers his espers powers," she thought. She had to admit, he was quite good-looking—perhaps worth a bit of special training.
At that moment, Anthony, who had just taken another sip of red wine, had a slight flush on his face. Watching him, the female espers sitting with him grew even more excited.
"Anthony, dear, if you drink this glass, I'll give you five hundred. How about it?" she said, pouring another glass of red wine and licking her lips seductively.
Red Romance didn't offer any special services, but it was the 23rd century—if two people mutually consented to something, no one would interfere. Right now, all she wanted was to get Anthony drunk and take him upstairs; she had never tried such an adorable and innocent type before.
Looking at the large glass of red wine, Anthony's lips twitched slightly. The amount he had drunk so far didn't even add up to this one glass. His previously dazed eyes suddenly cleared. "Ahem, sorry, I've got something to take care of. Excuse me for a moment."
With that, Anthony quickly made his escape, his movements and speed betraying no signs of intoxication. The female espers watched his retreating figure, momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing. She realized she'd been tricked by this little guy, but rather than being angry, she found it amusing.
Anthony wasn't used to drinking red wine, but he had downed plenty of strong liquor before. Back in the day, he would drink hot, strong liquor with Alan to ward off the cold, and those drinks were much stronger than this. Anthony had pretended to be a novice drinker just to make some extra money. By the end of the night, he had already made eight hundred—a night's tips surpassing a week's salary. Originally, he had planned to keep going, but sensing the woman's predatory intent, he decided to bail.
This scene was all observed by Martina, who smiled slightly. "What an interesting little fellow," she thought. Working in a place like this, over time, one would inevitably be influenced. For example, encountering someone rich or handsome could easily lead to an infatuation. Her employees were trained to handle such situations, but Anthony was still on probation and hadn't been told about this. So, he had resisted the temptations of money and beauty purely through his own willpower.
...
Not long after, the bar closed. Anthony was staggering back to his room.
"Anthony, are you okay?" Belinda appeared out of nowhere, her tone full of concern, though there was a strange look in her eyes, as if she were anticipating something.
"I'm fine, Sister Belinda, just a bit tipsy," Anthony replied, his face slightly flushed.
Red wine didn't have a high alcohol content, but its aftereffects could be strong. Anthony was feeling a bit light-headed.
"Are you sure you're okay? Do you need me to help you back to your room?"
Anthony quickly waved his hand. "No, no, I'm fine. I can manage on my own."
With that, he began walking unsteadily toward the stairs to the second floor. Slightly inebriated, he didn't notice the unusual look in Belinda's eyes as she watched him.
As Anthony wobbled up the stairs, he vaguely noticed a beautiful figure descending. With just a glance, he recognized her as the woman he had seen in Belinda's room the previous day. Anthony didn't intend to engage—other people's business was none of his concern.
Martina hadn't planned on speaking to Anthony either, but when she noticed that he seemed to be ignoring her beauty, she became intrigued.
As they passed each other, she suddenly said, "Wait a moment."
Anthony steadied himself and asked, "Yes, ma'am? Is there something you need?"
"Do you think I'm beautiful?"
Huh?
Anthony hadn't expected her to ask such a question. Reflexively, he glanced at her face, and the next moment, he froze.
Seeing Anthony's dazed expression, Martina smiled, then turned and walked away.
But Anthony remained rooted to the spot. It wasn't her beauty that stunned him, but the faint black mist he had seen at the center of her forehead. The black mist wasn't physically present, more like something he had seen before—the blood-red skull over Irvin's head. It was something that existed between the physical and the intangible.
However, there was a clear difference. The blood-red skull over Irvin's head seemed like some sort of mark, giving off a sense of danger. The black mist, on the other hand, appeared to be parasitic, residing within her body and evoking a feeling of revulsion.
What exactly was that black mist?
Anthony remained silent, unsure whether he should mention it to her. That thing seemed to have been in her body for a long time, but judging by her complexion, she didn't seem to be ill. After a moment's hesitation, Anthony decided not to say anything. He had only just met this woman, and they didn't know each other well. Speaking up without understanding what that mist was could lead to trouble. If he stumbled upon some dangerous secret, he might not live to tell the tale.
So, the best approach was to pretend he hadn't seen anything.