Chapter 104: Chapter 104: The return of Simon

Kai brought Jon Arryn just under the sewer’s entrance near the Tower of Hand.

Only half an hour remained for his mission to be over. He let the old man slump down against the slimy wall as there was no strength in Jon Arryn’s legs, his knees wobbling, his hands searching for a hold he had no use for.

“Easy,” Kai said, taking the mask off his face. “You won’t need this anymore.”

Jon Arryn’s nose squirmed when the real stench of the sewers hit his lungs again. But the old man couldn’t protest, much less let out a distasteful grunt. Kai stored the gas mask in his MRB and took out a flask of arbor wine, gifted by Cersei, and two cups. He poured the wine and handed over one cup to the Hand.

“My lord,” he said, forcing the wine cup in Jon Arryn’s palm. “Drink this. You will feel good.”

Jon did as suggested. His hand shook as he sipped the wine and then drank it like water the next moment. Kai grinned. There is still time, he thought. What so hurry for, old man?

Kai took back the cup and refilled it. This time, Jon Arryn curled his fingers around the cup by himself. “This one is for our good time together,” he said, smiling. “Sip it.”

Kai whiled away the time, drinking and making Jon Arryn drunk. When it was only 5 minutes to the Mission End, as shown by the Stats, he poured the last cup for the Hand. But this time, he planned to spice things up a little.

Kai flicked his hand, taking a vial out of his Inventory. This vial was full of colorless Light Neurotoxin Kai had painstakingly collected in the last 7 days. Two of his sabers were always freshly coated with this poison, leaving one to do miscellaneous work when needed.

Not only did this vial save Kai time, but it also prevented the loss of MP and HP, which the Skill Light Neurotoxin would have needed him. The only downside was that he did not know how many drops would it need to kill the old man before spitting out truths out there. So Kai added around 10 drops and hoped they would be more than enough for the task at hand.

Jon Arryn had neither strength nor interest in noticing these things. His eyes were drooping from drunkenness, and there was a smile on his face, thinking of his family above this hellhole.

Just after, Kai thought, repeating the words that had given him the idea. Just after, heh!

The Mission Hint was spot on. Time. It wasn’t about the value of time, but the Hidden Mission Time Limit. Not applicable meant Kai must complete the mission within the Main Mission time limit, or so he had thought.

There was another way to analyze these words.

Not Applicable also meant that Kai could complete the mission after the Main Mission. Even if he was wrong, Kai had nothing to lose. But if he won’t at least try the theory, he would never know. The prospects of losing a hidden mission’s rewards would have given him nightmares for many days, Kai knew.

Let’s just hope he will die timely after getting out of here, Kai wished.

When Kai was done with the vial, he put it back in his Inventory. He was just about to hand over the poisoned wine to Jon Arryn when his Perception alarmed him about a danger nearby.

“A Contestant?!” Kai incredulously thought, his free hand taking out a saber. “But I made sure that the Smoke Screen would keep everyone away from this place.”

Whoever it was, the person wasn’t trying to hide. Kai saw a silhouette walking towards him, his figure blurry because of the putrid light gas. Kai’s entire body became taut as he prepared himself for a bitter fight. For whoever could come to him, ignoring the effect of Smoke Screen, couldn’t be weak.

But when the torch’s light descended on the figure’s face, Kai’s eyes widened.

“Simon!” Kai blurted out. “Is that you?”

Simon was a fellow guard in Kai’s Initiation mission. Kai had thought of him as a top 1st floor or a 2nd-floor Contestant. He was lean, blind in one eye, and the most eye-catching thing about him was the ever-present smile on his face.

Kai hated that smile then; Kai hated it now. Though he could scarcely see it on Simon’s face.

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The middle-aged man’s face was covered in red boils and rashes. The half-sleeve shirt he was wearing also let Kai see the hideous wounds oozing out pus and filthy juices. Without Koffing’s transformation, Kai’s feelings were in line with normal humans.

Revulsion!

This isn’t the effect of a few hours of contact with Smoke Screen, Kai concluded. Damn it! For how long Simon had been searching the sewers? Days? Why is he even here? Simon is a Chaos’ Contestant, not of Order.

Simon halted. Only then did Kai realize how close they were to each other. A few meters.

How can he come up so close to me? Kai thought. It’s like he didn’t make any sound while coming to me.

Kai knew how difficult it was to not make any noise within the sewers. Filth, congested space, and closed walls all were against stealth down here. Kai could do it. He could walk through the entire sewers without making noise, but it would take him intense concentration. Then there was one more restriction. Smoke Screen.

He should be dead, Kai reflected, his heart thumping with an uneasy feeling. Why isn’t he dead?

Simon stepped close.

Kai lifted the saber. “Move, I dare you,” he said, forgetting everything else. “Move. And I will kill you.”

The monstrosity of the killing aura Kai had generated made Jon Arryn cower. Even Simon’s smile vanished, and now he looked at Kai with a renewed fascination. Simon took a step back but stayed there as if waiting to say something.

Kai was just a moment away from descending on the man.

He didn’t have time.

Simon smiled. “What did I say to you last time?” he asked, expressionlessly. “Tell me the exact words.”

What is this?! Kai thought, his face becoming ugly with every next second. Why am I feeling so creeped out by this man? Something’s off with him. I know. Kai didn’t want to reply. He was Simon, Kai could see it. And Contestants’ faces couldn’t be copied, as per the restriction of the Systems. But Kai was pressed for time. He had yet to make the Hand drink poisoned wine. So, he couldn’t help and blurt out the words.

 “A man searches for killers like Blood Demon,” Kai said, the strangest words echoing in his mind. “A man can’t invite you. You are not ready. Not yet.”

If Simon was thinking about something, Kai couldn’t tell. The man looked at Kai with a strange gaze. An absurd thought entered Kai’s heart, then. Is he truly Simon? Kai found him thinking. This thought made Kai tremble.

Kai’s instincts had scarcely betrayed him. It was too late, though.

“Indeed,” this person, if Simon he was, said. “You have made tremendous progress, Blood Demon. You will be ready by the next time you meet Simon, I am sure.”

Kai saw Simon’s eye leaving his face, and landing on the wine cup in Kai’s hand and Jon Arryn. Simon took a whiff, his nostrils taking in a lungful of the surrounding air. He grinned. “Jon Arryn,” Simon said, making the Hand turn his head at him. “Valar Morghulis.”

What the? Kai cursed, his mouth gaping at Simon’s retreating figure. What just happened?

The only sound he could hear was the odd rhythm of his heart.

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AN: I won't ask much. But I would urge the readers to think on what Simon meant, and what did this meeting mean? Thank you. All things will reveal themselves on their next meeting. (Chapter 209 and 210, now available on Patreon, to be exact.) Even reading the chapters' name will ruin it for you, so be warned.

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