In human society, there are many common or widespread superstitions. One of which is to believe that everyone has a fixed archetypical characteristic. Whether itâs kind, wicked, passionate, pessimistic, clever, stupidâŚ
Yet people are not like that. When you mention someone, we can say that there are more times where theyâre kind than wicked. More times theyâre passionate than pessimistic, more times theyâre clever than stupid, and vice versa. It is inappropriate if we just describe someone as kind, passionate, clever, and then describe someone else as wicked, pessimistic, stupid.
People are like rivers. Even if the water flowing in the river are the same, the rivers are narrow, chaotic, wide, flat in different places. Similarly, everyone has the potential to display any human characteristics. Sometimes this one shows up, sometimes another shows up. Sometimes theyâre completely unrecognisable, but theyâre still the same person.
Like that old blind saxophone player, one second he can be a master who loves music but is not famous, the next he can become a bastard who beats his family members. You canât just define him with a single category.
This is a world that has endlessly amplified the evil side, and has made Bright unable to adapt since this started. His past world is too peaceful. There is evil, but it is sufficiently suppressed and it is not overflowing. The evil a normal person might encounter could at most be pickpockets or brawls. So when the evil lurking in Bright has started to grow bigger and bigger because of all these additional nutrients, he realised it a bit late, and almost did something unforgivable impulsively.
Fortunately, he has woken up at an opportune time and did not end up committing a great sin. He can still confidently tell himself that he has not fallen. This also helped Bright learn something, which is that he will have to live with that devil lurking in the darkness. It is him, but it is not the whole of him.
He will get an urge to ferociously harm his mortal enemy, to get his revenge on Gentleman, to torture Shithead until there isnât a shred of healthy skin on him, like what Shithead has done to him.
He will also get an urge to just make a nuclear bomb and blow up the whole City and fucking destroy whatever Inner Outer City there is.
But then he will recall the Ococoâs fingernails that are gradually becoming cleaner and tidier, the werewolvesâ loyalty and sacrifice to their pack, Gingerâs facial expression towards him that hints at admiration and adoration, Piersâ never saying what he actually thinks, and many, many other experiences. He even considers them valuable and it would be a shame if they were destroyed.
As for Inner City residents, unfortunately, he has not yet discovered any redeemable qualities yet. If he really did have a bomb, he will start with Inner City and turn it inside-out.
Hopkin is listening to the saxophone in Brightâs embrace, while Bright is leaning on the rickety fencing of the roof. Sunlight seems to have softened those brown pair of eyes. This should have been a scene from a romantic dating segment, and his body is so hot he is almost burning up, but his heart is so cold it is seeping into his bones.
It should not be this way.
He would rather be dropped into the dirt like just now, be sullied and insulted, as the price for the man to plummet and descend into darkness forever.
He will not die. As long as heâs still breathing, any bodily harm is temporary for him. He will recover, he will forget, he will take revenge, he will make the enemies regret they were born. Then he will obtain peace.
Though, he feels his lungs and chest about to melt into liquid. This is largely attributable to the medicine, which makes him want to open himself up and wrap around the man forcefully. Then they might stick closer together, and he will be able to close in on and claim him in this way.
Just imagining the man hugging himself, is so stimulating that he has climaxed.
âBrightâŚâ
He murmurs this name which is frustrating, surprising, even confounding for him. His voice is muddled and quiet, but he has successfully caught the attention of the man.
Hopkin bites into his lips hard, and manages to stay conscious, âhow do you plan to deal with this?â It is his second time asking this question. The first time he asked he was ignored by the man.
To kidnap and torture an Inner City aristocrat, how do you plan to deal with the retaliation from Inner City?
Hopkin tries to smirk like he is in a position of victory looking disdainfully at the loser, but he fails.
âThatâs for you to deal with, isnât it?â Bright lowers his head, looking at him. Their bodies are close together. Hopkinâs head is leaning on his chest, and listening to his orderly and powerful heartbeats. The man is not just trying to sound confident, but he seems to actually believe that Hopkin who was kidnapped will willingly cover it up and deal with it for him.
The vibrations from the chest cavity seem to have been transmitted to where he is most sensitive. Hopkin is breathing raggedly and is restraining the moan that has climbed itself to the top of his throat. He says shakily, âwhy?â He can try to give more sarcastic responses, but his body wants to cooperate with the man, obey the man, please the man, and pay any corresponding price for that. So it has censored many of those responses itself, things like why do you think I will cover it up for you? Or you do not actually think Iâm in love with you?
âYou canât afford to let me go,â Bright says assuredly.
What that meant was not that Hopkin cannot afford to hurt him, because Heaven forfend, how many times have the Shithead already hurt him?! It meant that Gentleman is not willing to let him fall into the hands of any other Inner City resident. He is a clean freak, he is assertive, he is paranoid, his possessiveness is so severe that he is twisted.
Just imagine if word of this got out. It will certainly cause life-threatening troubles for Bright. He might be half-dead at the end of it, but it will also make the Inner City forever separate Bright and Hopkin. They will have to protect this Gentleman who has been so deluded as to lose his wariness, so that he is no longer influenced by the slave, until the trouble is dealt with. This will make Hopkin lose Bright completely, and lose any chance to torture him or have his way with him.
Hopkin makes a short burst sound, like a scream, or like a wail. The man has seen through his mind. He understands him completely. Not only that but he has used this understanding. This thought is both tormenting and pleasuring to Hopkinâs soul. This slave is looking more and more to his liking. The more he understands him the more he wants to acquire him. The longer he cannot acquire him for the more he is infatuated with him.
This is the last straw for Hopkin. He can no longer resist that desire bursting from deep within his body.
âTouch meâŚâ
âNo.â Bright refuses resolutely.
âYou touch me⌠Touch meâŚâ
âYou will regret it, Hopkin .â
Bright hits Hopkin so that he faints. He puts him back into the life support incubator, and sends it back.
He has to admit the devil in him is pushing for him to take the opportunity and have the gorgeous aristocrat for himself.
A gorgeous aristocrat. Just the words themselves are highly enticing. The Shitheadâs beauty is undeniable. Not one part of him is not delicate. Not one part of him is not perfect. Also, to demean and to enjoy an aristocrat brings waves of psychological satisfaction. It can make someone feel as if theyâre not fucking a person, but the entire social class. To drag those proud people high above the clouds domineering atop their heads down, so that they can experience well what it feels like to be physically suppressed and insulted by someone else.
The black pair of eyes are wet and foggy, and even the deep, dark colour looks tender and familiar now. The liquid reflects light that the eyes have transformed into brilliant obsidian gems. The eyelashes are like the wings of a butterfly fluttering. The whole of him is screaming pitiable weaknesses.
No wonder he had seen him as a victim before.
The devil has dressed in an angelâs skin, how innocent he looks.
Brightâs mind is as clear as itâs ever been. He might as well pity himself instead of him. When he recovers, God knows what kind of creative electrotherapy sessions will be awaiting him.
Ginger has waited until number 199 is finished with his work, then tells him happily, âIâve bought that beef you like.â
That is Wolfieâs favourite. He ordered them by the truckload every single time, but Bright does not correct him. He washes his hands clean from the inside to the outside, from the palm to the back. Then he starts processing the ingredients. The kitchen appliances are old here, with visible deterioration. There are signs that they have been used frequently.
âDo you also make your own meals?â Bright asks.
âYep. I just cook casually. It saves more money that way. I usually make a lot at once and put them into the fridge for several meals.â
Ronald helps Bright with cooking. A meal is quickly completed.
While the two are eating, Ronaldâs smart chip suddenly rings. It seems to be Piers.
Ginger looks carefully at Bright, saying âIâll be right back,â and leaves his seat.
For his plan to take revenge on the aristocrat, Bright has sent Wolfie to Piersâ place to have fun. If Ginger asked Wolfie what his tastes were, then Piers might have known he is at Gingerâs place.
He can just manage to hear Gingerâs voice.
âYes, heâs here⌠Of course, we didnât do anything⌠But⌠Alright, Iâll hurryâŚâ
The two finish their meal, and cleans it up a little before separating.
Bright returns to his home. There is no longer any trace the aristocrat was here. He sighs in relief and throws himself into the bathroom to clean himself up properly. The day was long and he had massive ups and downs over the day. The moment his nerves calm down, he feels tired.
He can finally have a good rest.
No, wait⌠He seems to have forgotten something importantâŚ
The moment he walks into his bedroom, he finally remembers.
In the room, the Dog-ear Boy immediately leapt down from the bed. Without his masterâs approval, he cannot make his way onto the bed. He was originally lying on the ground, his posture completely one and the same with a pet dog. His head shot up as soon as he heard footsteps. He sat properly, and seeing the man come in, he quickly puts up a tentative smile of ingratiation. His tail wags quickly behind him.
Bright remembers he has bought a humanoid pet. Though his motives were unclean, and he wanted to capture the aristocrat, but he did buy it in the end. He will have to take care of him since he bought it. He cannot just throw it away because itâs his responsibility.
âDo you still remember me?â
Dog-ear Boy quickly woofs and licks his lips. Bright knows he doesnât remember because his reactions were too quick. No matter what his master says, he will admit it.
Bright only notices how thin he is right now. Even thinner than before. His ribcage clearly visible on his chest as he breathes.
Dog-ear Boy was originally a product that was almost outdated. Though because of a â2Hrâ challenge that was indirectly instigated by Bright, they were revitalised and temporarily popular again. The hotel staff wanted them to be maximally efficient and starved them on purpose. As the fad died down and they are no longer popular, they immediately sell them for low to make back the cost.
This âlowâ is in reference to the upper society. It is still extremely expensive for an everyday citizen, whose earnings throughout their life will still not cover the cost; this has cost Brightâs entire savings.
Cost his entire savingsâŚ
This meant that he has no money to buy feed, and it doesnât help that feed for this type of pet is easy to buy anyway. Will he have to search for semen being sold online? This is way too debaucherous!
He canât even ask his roommate for it, as Wolfie doesnât have balls with which he could make feed.
Bright sighs, and waves towards the Dog-ear Boy who is starting to become restless, âcome. Itâs time to eat.â
Authorâs notes: Wild Plot Development Warning for next chapter.