Chương 175: Chapter 174: Intro

So this is Sally's house. It's as lovely as I remember it being, especially without the Chaos Storm around it. I wonder how Hamblin's economy is doing without the Chaos Storm being around? I'll find out soon, I guess.

"A desert, a plain, a forest, and a lake, all concentrated within a small area inside the Bone Desert. This is not what I expected from the former site of the Chaos Storm At The Edge," said Mel. We're standing on the hill I found myself on the first time I ended up here. Man, to think that was months ago… I think. Mel and I are here since Sherry wanted to wait in the car. 

In the centre, I can still see the cosy-looking house with its giant tree next to it. According to Sherry, whatever we need to pick up is in there. What is it? Some secret weapon from another world caught up in the Chaos Storm? The secret bottle of wine the immortal guy was keeping for centuries? A bag of lemons? My curiosity is killing me, figuratively.

"Well, time to meet our destiny, Mel." I took a step forward, with Mel following right behind. "What do you think we'll be picking up?"

"Something related to Myka, probably." 

"What makes you say that?"

"She suddenly disappeared after the whole Cookie thing, only to reappear at your family dinner as a bad guy. She's also very shady, thinking about it."

"Those make sense."

"She's also cutting down the big tree."

"Wait, what?" I looked closely at the big lemon tree to see Myka cutting it down, holding a standard axe and swinging at it. Huh…

"You always sucked at being observant."

"I'll have you know I'm very observant in a fight."

"Instinctively or intentionally?"

"Umm… you know the answer."

"Heh."

We both walked up to Myka, who had just finished cutting down the tree, which gracefully fell over, completely destroying the house that stood beside it,

"Hey Myka, we were supposed to pick something up from in there. Why'd you do that?"

"Oh, don't worry. There was nothing and nobody in there, and you're here to pick me up, you know?" She dropped the axe and then walked over to us. "So, how's it going?"

"I'm doing swell!" I happily responded.

"Why are we picking you up?" Mel asked, suspiciously eyeing Myka. 

"Hmm…" Myka took out a tablet, scrolling through some text. "I'll tell you next chapter. For now, let's have some girl talk, you know? It's our last chance."

Mel stayed silent while Myka looked expectant. I guess I'll take charge! "So, how's your love life, Myka?"

"Tch." Myka clicked her tongue. "I'll answer one of your questions, Mel."

"Why are we picking you up?"

"Vetoed. Try again."

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"You can't do that!"

"Hey Madeleine, got any nighttime activity stories?"

"Plenty! Did you know Mel really li-" My mouth was sealed shut by Mel's hand. I licked it to get her off me, but she easily resisted. Damnit, me and my licking tendencies! She's developed a resistance!

"Fine, I'll ask something else." Mel looked around, contemplating, when her eye fell on the fallen tree. "Why did you cut the tree?"

"Now that's something I can answer. Want to know some tidbits? Three little facts?" Myka nudged Mel's shoulder, making her reluctantly answer yes. If I were Mel, I'd have said yes immediately. Knowledge. "A spirit dies when you kill what they represent, lemons are part of an artifact recipe that creates a weapon that destroys specifically Mendass, and my father was a woodcutter. By the way, one of them is a lie."

I think the woodcutter one is a lie because it's the most normal one. You know what they say about three lies and no truths… wait a minute…

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere." Wow, very helpful, Myka. By the way, we just reached the car. Mel has somehow gotten into the car whilst still holding onto my mouth, which is amazing and inconvenient. As for Myka, she's in the front seat, scrolling down on her tablet. "I'll tell you where next chapter. Actually, I'll be telling Madeleine. Not you, Mel. Your role is elsewhere."

"How ominous…" I'd like to ask where Myka got her tablet. I will psychically send my question to Mel for her to ask. "Where'd you get the tablet? That's not something you casually have in Mendass."

"I can at least tell you it comes from Earth and that it isn't mine." She kept scrolling. "Madeleine would know, but she conveniently forgets things. You remember you have the weird prison orb of Kamikaze's holder, right Madeleine?"

I shake my head, not understanding what Myka meant, causing her to sigh. "I have a feeling every other question I'll ask gets vetoed. I'll stop asking."

"Good. I was getting sick of this whole thing." Myka made eye contact with me. "It's supposed to be between Madeleine and me anyways."

"Heh." Mel chortled. "You and I both know she can't move shit forwards. She used to talk about fucking a daughter but ended up being the one fucked, you know?"

"Hah! Sounds about right."

I tried to say something, having been slandered, but all that came out were muffled sounds. Damn, Mel has a tight grip on me… it's kinda hot.

"Actually, I have one last question. What's the endgame?"

"Best case scenario, you and Madeleine will continue adventuring as usual."

"I figured since that's how plot works. Worst case scenario?"

"We all fucking die."

"By your hand?"

"You wish."

The rest of the road trip was silent after that sentence.

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Chapter namesake: Intro by bo en (I know there are a lot of "songs" called Intro, but the chapter reference is specifically by bo en, from his Pale Machine album… huh, I wonder where we've heard of that from before?)