The following was written toward a researcher, and at this point it could be any researcher-
Thanks for allowing me participation in your study. As I'm sure you're aware, Prolific's model is to basically vet participants over time and weed out bots and other BS participants who basically just click through randomly without providing valuable data to the researchers and participants - their true core synergyistic customer base.
I'm not a bot nor huckster, but a real person trying to take alot of the BS out of my life, and while I'm grateful for the tiny extra income afforded here on Prolific, I believe that in their better platform interest of promoting participant naievety, they are basically screwing over their core base by manipulating delivery of studies to "new" humans over the trusted humans.
To that end, I believe that they are creating their own demise. New idiots from whackadoo areas are not better than wiser participants with a good track record.
They are allowing so many new chinese studies now, and bullshit marketing trials, who each equally have the same power as you, as a legitimate researcher, to "reject" a participant's input/time/engagement with absolutely no justifiable reason. i.e., A .15 cent Chinese survey rejecion for nothing other than their culture is to try to screw over the next guy, holds exactly the same weight as your weeks-long longitudinal study.
These hucksters are de-valuing the entire platform and yet Prolific does NOTHING to stop it.
In fact, they are opening the gates toward further self-desctruction here- to the end of something along the lines of what happened to MTurk.
In closing, this little 1.78 study that I complete in earnest for you this evening bought me two frozen bagles that I will enjoy tomorrow morning with another 50 cents worth of butter earned elsewhere.
That cost me 17 minutes of my life.
The reward should be reciprocal.
I don't know what kind of reform needs to happen here, but I'll continue to make at least one voice heard..
What say y'all? Is it time for Prolific to listen up?
And there is no room for the usual commenter here who claims she has 20 sitting in her basket at any moment and they're all over $10/hr. No room for you here, cat lady.

So, I just want to apologize beforehand because I don’t remember a whole lot of the content.
So from what I remember the story begins after a guy dies and finds himself in a void, I guess that kinda looks like outer space. He was met by a vast entity who seemed compassionate and fairly talkative. I don’t remember exactly what it was they were conversing about at the time but it seemed profound, and the man believed he was speaking to god.
Essentially god told the man that all those people on earth for the entire history of earth are him… because he, like the entity he is talking too is also a god, only he is experiencing a lower dimension. A training of sorts. The entity then shows the man viewing of his next life and he is a Chinese or Taiwanese peasant farming rice. He will eventually experience the lives of every person on earth throughout all of time before becoming the god and controller of his own universe.
I may have left parts out or misremembered certain parts, but if anyone has a link to this episode I would greatly appreciate it.

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to track down a YA urban fantasy/romance book that I read as a teen. Here are the details I remember:

• The main character is a girl who discovers she has some kind of special powers and is destined to join a secret group (possibly with "shadow" in the name?) in a large city
• There's a significant romance subplot with a guy named Alex (or maybe Alexei) who can shift into a cat.
• One scene that stands out to me is when they sit on the floor and eat Chinese takeout with chopsticks (I don’t know why)

This has bothered me for YEARS and I haven’t been able to find it.
Does this ring any bells for anyone? I'd really appreciate any leads you might have! Thanks in advance!

Hi everybody, aspiring translator here, and French native.
I already speak English, and the next 5 years in uni will solidify that. However, I now have to pick 2 other languages to study , which are supposed to become part of my working roster once I graduate. I set my sights on Chinese. But when it comes to the 2nd language... I genuinely can't decide between German and Russian. I've combed through 100+ topics on Reddit and Quora, dabbled in both, and still genuinely can't decide, so I'm asking you guys for help.
TL;DR at the end of this wall of text ;)
Professional Aspects
Russian would give me the edge of knowing 4 of the 6 official UN languages at the end of my studies, and since I already have solid bases in Spanish, getting to 5 would be fairly easy.
On the other hand, European Institutions mostly seek translators for European languages, and as such Russian would be largely irrelevant. Chinese will still be somewhat useful I think, due to China being the #1 economic partner of the EU, but Russian doesn't hold quite that weight. So in regards to EU institutions, German would likely serve me much better.
Furthermore, freelance opportunities wise, German appears to be quite a bit more sought after, and pays better in terms of rate.
German speaking countries have much bigger economies, the GDP of Germany on its own is already double that of Russia. Moreover, Germany is France's top 1 business partner. Russia doesn't even make it to the top 10. Which once again suggests a bigger pool for opportunities.
Add the current politocal climate, and most indicators point to German being the better professional choice.
https://preply.com/en/blog/lucrative-languages-2023/
According to this article, Russian doesn't land in the top 10 by pay/demand, neither in the US, nor in the UK.
Difficulty
According to my research, since I already speak English and French, German should take moderate effort. The FSI estimates hang around 750 hours for German. That same organization puts Russian at 1100 hours.
According to my research, Russian grammar is widely considered to be an absolute nightmare to deal with (so is German grammar, but not quite to the same extent).
From my very surface level dabbling, I've found Russian immensely easier and more intuitive to pronounce. German takes a lot of conscious effort and feels very unnatural, my jaw and tongue legit feel sore after a while.
Having studied Ancient Greek, declensions aren't all that daunting. I have a pretty solid grasp of the concept, but they do take some conscious effort to use when speaking orally and due to how liberally Russian uses them, it may become an issue. German being generally easier means it'd be easier to combine with learning Chinese without damaging one or the other too bad.
Personal Affinity
I have a major love & hate dynamic with Russian. I am OBSESSED with the way Russian sounds. I'm not exaggerating whatsoever when I say it's the most elegant language I've ever heard. The only one I think could compete is Greek. I've been listening to Russian music for years, I often set some of my games in Russian just for the sake of hearing it.
But I have no interest in Russia's culture or history whatsoever. In fact, being part of a group that's actively hated by the average Russian, I have major issues with it. I've seen too much shit that completely destroyed any kind of appreciation I may have had for Russia as a country. I find little meaning in sinking so much time in learning to communicate with people who won't want to be associated with me and wouldn't care if I live or die. The russian litterature holds little appeal to me so that's not a good motivator either.
I don't see myself ever stepping foot in Russia for more than a tourist stay of 1 or 2 weeks, and I feel that such lack of engagement with native speakers has the potential to truly ruin my ability to get and maintain a good level in the language.
When it comes to Russian, my sole motivator is genuinely how cool it sounds, and how I'd love to be able to speak it. Except speaking it may even take that away from me, since finding meaning in it may ruin its melody.
As for German... I used to think it sounded horrible. Until I actually got exposed to it. Now I think it sounds badass af. Not half as cool as Russian/Greek, but cool enough that I'd enjoy learning and speaking it.
I don't feel any particular pull towards German culture, but as opposed to Russia, I could 100% picture myself living in a German speaking country for a few years. I'll also have a much easier time finding and engaging with natives.
Other aspects I'm considering
German has less speakers, and most native German speakers are competent English speakers, which limits the usefulness of German.
Russian speakers on the other hand are less proficient in English, but Russian is actively loosing influence as a language, with most of the former USSR countries completely dropping Russian. It's no longer anywhere near a Lingua Franca in Eastern Europe, and considering Russia's birthrate...
One specific thing though, is the relative lack of Russian dialects compared to the absolutely ludicrous amount of German dialects, a good chunk of which are only somewhat intelligible.
TL;DR:
Pros of Russian: Huge fan of the language itself and how it sounds, more native speakers, more niche, easier to pronounce, I consume more Russian media, less English proficiency amongst Russian speakers, lack of dialects
Cons of Russian: More difficult, less opportunities as a whole, appears to be actively loosing influence, lack of interest in Russian culture if not outright distaste for it
Pros of German: Significantly easier, more opportunities, I'm significantly more open to German culture and values leading to more chances for interaction and stays in German speaking environments.
Cons of German: I enjoy the way it sounds less, less speakers as a whole, very high english proficiency amongst native speakers, relative lack of interest in German media production, large amounts of dialects
Writing all of this honestly made me realize I kind of already know the answer, I just have a tough time fully accepting it. Still feeling a bit of a pinch at the prospect of not learning Russian, but maybe for me it's one of those things that are best left admired from a distance.

Mark was eager to get laid. But even the photoshopped pictures of his muscles couldn’t attract anyone on MatchIt. He was beginning to think he was hopelessly ugly when he finally saw the bright colored Match! pop up across his phone screen.
She was beautiful. Angela was her name. She appeared Chinese. His heart started pounding as he typed the first opening line. Within a minute or two she responded back. The conversation they had was a good one. Mark had never had a conversation like this. Eventually when the sun started to set, she gave him her address.
The next day Mark drove in his parents' car down to the house. He had waited for this his whole life. He was little worried his photoshopping might be apparent when he got there but he thought she was nice enough to forgive that.
When he arrived, he saw the small, isolated house on the hill. Just like the ones from her pictures. He started walking up to house with his heart pounding wondering what he would say. He can’t just say anything he…
A sudden beep of a car nearly scared the shit out of him. Mark turned around and saw a car pulling into the driveway of the house. The car stopped. He recognized the car from her pictures. Who got out of the car though was a tall young pale man with dark hair. He lurched forward and walked towards Mark looking him up and down. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, the man said, “Let me guess. Angela cheating again.”
Mark suddenly felt a wave of terror go through him. This guy was going to beat the crap out of him. He should know that all the hot girls on MatchIt were cheating and now her boyfriend was probably going to shoot him and…
“It is okay. I’ll talk to her. You probably didn’t suspect anything like the last two,” the man said.
Mark was shocked. He managed to squeak out a “I’m so sorry” and rushed to his car and drove off.
“Angela probably going to kill me,” the man said to himself as he walked into the house on hill.
When he opened the door, he saw Angela surfing on her phone.
“So did you get dinner?” She said it coldly.
“No. There wasn’t enough meat. Though I’m sure Samuel here will last us another week,” he replied with his eyes looking towards the fridge.

TL;DR: PLEASE READ THE LN!!!
I've always had an obsession over manhwa and manga (especially OI), and I was especially intrigued because how polarizing people's opinions were on it. I love my fair share of angst and trauma porn and toxicity, and although I dig through all the webtoon and manga trash out there, even I have lines I don't cross/tolerate, and series I drop. Especially with abusive/toxic couples, shit story, lack of development, lack of realism, lack of respect, misogyny, repetitive tropes, etc. But I always give everything a try (even trashy sexist smuts or Chinese manhuas)
But please I IMPLORE you: give the light novel of [My Beloved Oppressor] a read. The manhwa is great and beautiful, but doesn't do the story as much justice with how many details and emotional nuances that are left out. It's so rushed too.
I just finished and I am clutching my pears, biting my fist, sobbing my eyes out, and screaming.
I came for toxic hot trash and irredeemable black haired MLs and timid FLs to rag on, but actually got pretty hooked and teary from these 20 manhwa chapters. I saw on this reddit a great free place to read quality translations at: https://www.patreon.com/collection/188783?view=expanded
I do not ever read LNs for even my top-tier SSS class manhwas, but I had an unusual pull into these characters' lives and story. And thus I began to spiral with these characters.
To avoid spoilers, I wasn't expecting the development of the story, and I truly felt like I was going through the same life-changing rollercoaster as the characters. Not just the FL and ML but the world, setting, side characters, etc. the story is well thought out, detailed, BEAUTIFULLY written and expressed, and I literally felt like I was being sucker punched at some parts I was almost nauseous and disoriented. I could clearly picture scenes with such an artistic vivid imagination and suffered to many emotions throughout the reading.
My tissues are soaked with hot tears, and yet at the end I feel so unbelievably hurt and yet whole from the entire LN. The side stories and ending seriously felt so complete, and I felt there weren't any loose ends besides maybe some parts of the MLs past and whatnot, but I never said this series was perfect. I am very satisfied after, although I feel so impacted.
But they felt like fleshed out characters that I can't bring myself to love or hate, and I just want them find peace and happiness. I love how the FLs draws her line and doesn't just come running back to the ML when he's all ghastly and begging forgiveness. And he honestly doesn't do too much annoying begging and obsessing. He does try his best to separate them and to just love her from the shadows and be respectful of her wishes, although he's horrified of the thought of her killing herself while out. Even if not perfectly or at first. He also doesn't just leave his duties to some poor assistant side character, or completely neglect his role as the commander. In fact, he drowns in it since he feels it's the best thing he can do for her (bring peace and end the war and make a better place for her to live). It's my pet peeve when MLs abandon their jobs/duties over their loss of the FL and the company/empire/whatever they're running suffers from his emotional outbursts and grief over her while he's got bags under his eyes and has sexy shot of him with alcohol and cigarettes lmao.
The MLs development is truly such a breath of fresh air. I can understand his fucked up mentality and obsession, his self-deprication, self-destructive nature, and inferiority, and so on. And the FL isn't some pushover smiley happy Mary Sue. She has her flaws and confronts them throughout the story, and she's not some completely innocent perfect victim either. She really grows so much and I love how she interacts with Heiner. She really recognizes how unhealthy his 'love' is until he fully recognizes his feelings and perspective.
They get dirty and scarred, fight and argue, have unbearably sweet moments that made me want to burst, and gut wrenching parts that made me have to set me phone down. The insight the LN gives to Annette and Heiner's thoughts and feelings is on a whole different level.
For the homies who already read all of the LN too: First of all, Catherine supremacy for life. They were a fleshed out family with feelings, and not some tool or stepping stone for Annette like other runaway FLs after escaping or divorce.
Can't stress enough how the story doesn't just tunnel vision on the main couple too. Side characters are part of the story and make big impacts. Even the sniper at the church who got his face mauled is who saved her life in the fire. And even Catherine (in the side stories) would give it to Heiner over the phone and he'd reflect on himself. Even the guy who ratted Annette out while she was staying with them post-divorce showed up again when he lost his legs in battle and they had a moment together.
Annette's descent into depression was depicted so realistically it hit too close to home. The memory loss, handwriting and dexterity degradation, and her reaction to the miscarriage felt too real. So often depictions can feel too cheap or shallow. I was horrified by her suicide attempts but could completely put myself in her shoes. But it just doesn't go away quickly either, she does struggle with it and taking care of herself, or having the motivation to recover or do therapy to improve her ruined left hand after the church collapse
>!But seriously, the war church fire incident and the piano was seriously immaculate. The references to the Saint mural and glimpses to the past that reminds me of how far we've come and how much of her life has changed, Joseph, and the piano-playing scene. The shaken feelings of the enemy troops and battle with morality, that moment of pure serenity, I was so absorbed. I mean the play that the piano and music had in her journey and the story too was so tasteful.
And oh my God the ending with the title meaning reveal- I seriously thought it was another shitty toxic title but it was actually the name of the song Heiner fell in love with before he met her... and the one she played that lured him in. And what a switch around because I always assumed the ML was the oppressor in question, but really it was the FL to him because how much she engulfed his life. They even address in the story how her love is spread between so many things (piano) and people, and Heiner has nothing but her.!<
It's really such a tragedy that his innocent youthful crush became such a a double edged serrated knife. So obsessive and convoluted, and he created a cult-like worship of a fictional version of her in his head >! through extreme torture... I mean that kind of disassociation was literally the only way he could survive. Plus how could someone raised the way he was understand love and how to give/receive it? !<
I'll stop rambling here for now but guys please comment or something, I have so many feelings after reading the LN I NEED to talk more about it with someone 😭

I’m glad that Asian women (I am one) aren’t completely ignored when it comes to being represented compared to Asian me , but I honestly don’t like the actual representation at all.
We are always a very sexualized (well, almost all female characters in video games are over sexualized anyway, but especially so for female Asian characters), Japanese or Chinese ninja/assassin thing that goes “I am a deadly poisonous spider and a water lily that will slay you if you do not heed my words”. Either that or some innocent (but still objectified) sex kitten waifu who needs the white male protagonist to come save her or something, idk. I see more of the first one tho.
It’s weird and kind of gross, not to mention the character is always the side piece for the main character white man. Obviously the over-sexualization regardless of who the main character’s ethnicity is pretty bad, but it feels especially terrible since it’s usually a white guy’s Japanese conquest fantasy. Blehgh.

And, yes, the Bears got Lucky the WAS kicker missed some FGs. The Bears had been pretty atrocious over the years with seemingly only one bright spot: Walter Payton.
Youtube video (click link): Chicago Bears at Washington Redskins - NFC Divisional Playoffs- December 30th, 1984 (2nd Half)
This win also got the city behind this great team which was one year away from undoubtedly one of the best nfl seasons ever!!! I hope our current team gets to meet some of the '85 Bears...the new guys will begin to understand what we expect from our D!!! And hopefully the offense in Chicago can finally become a top tier crew...dare I say we get our 1st 4000+ yard passer!?!
Of course, the Bears got Bounced by the 49'ers in the NFC Championship Game (23-0)--but the team knew they had something special and that they had to come back and work harder...and in the end that hard work paid off with one of the most dominant SB wins ever!!! Sometimes a tough loss can be a learning experience; sometimes you need to add a few more pieces (sometimes both)...but King Poles has positioned this team to take big steps this year. Hopefully we'll make the playoffs and win the SB--but if we don't go all the way we know our players and coaches will (hopefully) be even more determined and put the work in to making a SB win happen.
Cheers!!!
(Scrunched Face Bear Claw)
Side Note: So funny to see this old broadcast of the 2nd Half--even the commercials are hilarious!!! Oh, wow, a 106 horse power pickup truck for $5998? Impressive!!! Even funnier is that a riding lawnmower now costs $5998!!!
Edit: Even for Bears fans who are "tired" of hearing about the '85 Bears--I have highlighted a lesson above which may certainly become relevant to our new crew... I'd also add the '85 team was definitely lob-sided in that the D really did carry the team but there were games when the offense came alive; hopefully Bears 2024 will be a much more balanced crew. And who knows--maybe that loss to Washington for Caleb is what becomes his motivation to succeed in the NFL and get those SB rings he's seeking.

[ [FIRST] [NEXT>]

Season 10 “Days of Fury” - Episode 2 “Visiting Omen”

He had hoped for a boring day. Boring days are good at work, and Santos was already expecting to not have many of them for a while.
The first couple of days were boring, as usual- Blackriver is a small town, and the worst that had happened was Nila and Kessa making a few wellness checks after worried calls from neighbors. A couple of people in denial, a few ashamed at their own violent outbursts and a stern warning to Tamm about painting others’ properties without asking first.
This morning, however, began with an all-hands meeting. There were no meeting rooms in the office, so they made do in the general workspace room, they all stood there at the center while Keya looked them over.
“We have received a report from a neighboring city about a convoy of protestors making its way to Blackriver” she describes without tone. At this point nobody bothers interrupting.
“This convoy is comprised of approximately four hundred and seventy eight individuals of multiple species, primarily human and venlil but with operationally relevant representations of the entire spectrum of size and mobility types” her paws are behind her back, her ears focused directly ahead, her eyes centered to keep the entire team on the core of her focus “They have crossed multiple cities already, generally engaging in verbal sparring with any figure of authority, parading signs and banners denouncing all manners of authorities as well as occasionally engaging in physical altercations with officers.”
“They are also known to engage in vandalism. Though primarily aimed at exterminator and police precincts as well as public offices, they have already caused considerable collateral to others they have identified as ‘collaborators’” there’s a single heartbeat of waiting for breath before she continues “They have, however, not shown to be an incredibly organized group or one with a clear goal and objective. The convoy appears to contain only extremely emotionally charged people with no clear overarching goal.”
“We are incapable of dealing with the situation should they turn aggressive, as such we will be simply maintaining watch and relocating the populace should they become a problem.” Then, she picks up her holopad and passes it to Lunek beside her “They can only follow one path with the entire convoy, the central street, therefore I have divided it into four sectors. One of each will be assigned to a sector.”
First her ears turn to the first target “Lunek, sector one at the entrance. As the most approachable member of the precinct your task is to give an initial image of harmlessness. Do not engage first, do not take initiative against them. Ensure the members of the herd in the area are warned of their approach. If they become aggressive, retreat and focus on the escape of the herd.”
She tilts her head a little bit, turning her ears the other way “Marik, sector two. Mostly the commercial area, your task is ostensive protection to lower the chances of them initiating aggression. Whereas protection of the herd is first priority your second priority is ensuring Tenve’s Hardware Store as well as Sunbreeze Meals and Watchful Café remain capable of providing anyone whose residences become damaged.” suddenly, she turns her head entirely to face Marik “Ostensive protection means dissuasion, ensure that they know they are not under threat and as long as those specific areas are not engaged, do not provoke”
Next in her line of fire is Santos “As our human officer you will be in sector three, nearby the precinct. They are liable to become most agitated in this area and your presence may serve to calm them. You are not to engage, if deemed necessary the precinct’s materials are considered expendable, do not attempt to stop them”
“Sector four, the exit of town, will be with me to ensure that they have fully left Blackriver and will not attempt to turn back” then she tilts her ears again “Aren, you will gear up with a CCG and remain out of view range, your task will be quick emergency response should the need arise.” she then points her tail at the last three officers “Vess, your task will be to inform the herd and ensure a clear path for the convoy while Nila and Kessa will gather all of our medical supplies and set a staging area out of the convoy’s range. Organize ambulance assistance from Striped Hill and Everrain”
Then, she turns her ears around to focus each one in turn “As any attempt at aggression will end only in negative consequences, and in order to reduce the apparent levels of threat you will be unarmed. The estimated time of arrival is a third of a claw, ready yourselves and be at your post in time. Dismissed.”
“Not sure if I like or I don’t that we had the cold bastard right now” Aren says, as soon as Keya had left the room “Maybe we should move in closer when the convoy gets to sector four?”
“Probably a good idea to be nearby” Santos adds with a sigh “They might take umbrage with her demeanor, hopefully they won’t be set off too hard.”
And with silent signs of agreement all of the officers of Blackriver depart for preparations. The first ones to leave the precinct are the ones in charge of support, the two girls set off early to find someone willing to permit usage of their lawn as a possible impromptu field hospital and a little while later Aren leaves with a heavy CCG.
Slowly, the clock ticks to the appointed claw… And soon enough, Lunek can see in the distance the incoming omen of people. At first a distant line in the horizon, slowly the dark mark on the road coalesces into distinct shapes, the shapes of hundreds of vehicles slowly rolling down the road.
When the first few get close to the initial buildings of the main street, the entire convoy slows down. Their process of preparation is seemingly laborious, each vehicle houses multiple people at a time, smaller cars full to the brim, flatbeds with more people on their cargo space than can safely be contained, even buses conscripted for the effort. They carry with them signs, flags, a multitude of symbols as they dismount their vehicles and start spreading out to fill the street.
They seem to naturally form two distinct yet highly mixed groups, at its most distinctive is the pack of humans who keep a good distance from each other. But they are not alone in this group as takkan, mazic, yotul, zurulian and even drilvar form this central group. But flowing around them, not avoiding their presence but never infringing in their space is the grey mass of venlil, packed tight together, and mixed in there adding color to the monochromatic flux are krakotl, tilfish, sulean, iftali, sivkit and even a seemingly very confused duerten.
And at the very core of the moving group are their vehicles, which gently start rolling forward again as the group starts moving. Lunek simply waits, silently, by the side of the road, his ears attentively swiveling from one side to the other, expression having given way to function. Before the first of the convoy even arrives close he turns to the side, making a pointing sign with his tail. A woman who had been watching from her yard flicks her right ear and runs back inside.
He continues to wait, scanning around at all times for the presence of… Anything. The street is empty of locals when the first visitors start to alight. The convoy is loud, their symbols carry a loudness of colors and their vehicles make as much noise as they can to draw attention, but those who walk seem content in allowing their tools to speak for them, for now. Lunek tries to make sense of the banners and signs, but the messages are disparate as the group- Some speak of injustices against their people, some speak of anger at invaders, some speak of betrayal.
“Fuck off, fireman!” comes the harsh bark of a human, causing Lunek to flinch. But flinch is all he does, he simply starts walking alongside the moving convoy.
The exterminator’s attention is drawn to the details of the few people he can distinguish amongst the mass. Something tickles at his pattern-recognition but he cannot quite ascertain what for a while, until a lightly limping mazic makes her way to the edge of the mass “Want to finish the job?!” she trumpets, her form towering over his.
“I’m just observing, ma’am.” Though the tremor of his voice is noticeable, he remains stoic. But her proximity makes him notice something about her body, marks in her wrists, neck and feet. Though mazic have powerful wrists and knuckles upon which they support the front half of their weight, her left wrist seems completely incapable of it, giving her a limp particular to a three-point walk. “To make sure there’s no impediment on your path” he notices the leathery skin around her left wrist is deeply blackened.
“Oh, ‘no impediment’ is that it? So everyone that lives here is an impediment?!” her voice booms.
“Ma’am” still, he does not yield nor does he break his pace following the convoy “We have not done anything other than inform our people of your presence…” for a half second all he hears is the sound of his own heart “We can’t do anything else.”
Those words, then, sealed his fate. The first shout to echo in his direction was a yotul howling “Yeah you’re useless!” and soon the avalanche came in multiple voices and languages “Can’t do shit!” “You’re just here to hurt people!” “Useless crap!” “Idiot!” and many more.
With every step and twitch the very average exterminator puts all of his focus on just being there. He lets himself cower a little bit, against the barrage it is difficult not to, but he continues to accompany. A few curious coats step out from their houses to watch, but the front of the convoy seems far too focused on the sole exterminator in view to bother anyone else.
A few steps ahead, an older venlil with a cane has moved the closest to the convoy as any watcher has up to now. Seeing her proximity to the increasingly rowdy crowd causes Lunek to speed up, quickly approaching her “Leva-”
But his words are stalled when she puts a paw on his shoulder, she gently puts her head against his for just a second “You’re doing good pup, keep at it” she mutters to him before breaking contact and turning around to walk back inside. He can spy her grandchildren looking on through the door. Lunek looks back at the still-shouting moving convoy, takes a deep breath, and continues to accompany them forward. A small pawful of them, however, seem to have fallen silent.
Once having reached the limit of his assigned zone, however, Lunek stops. He watches the convoy move forward, past the houses, now noisier than before. The initial hollering at him had turned into disjointed screams at some indistinct foe- Though the herd had been noticed of a foe, it was yet unaware of who, or what, said foe was. So for now it howled at the ineptitude of… Someone. And as the last of the convoy passes beyond the imaginary line of his duty, Lunek lets out a deep sigh and allows himself to sit down on the ground.
He stays there for a moment, without thought, simply letting the tension, confusion and fear permeate his body until a gentle paw touches his arm. He doesn’t need to look to identify it, he lets his lover use her strength to prop him up, raising him to his feet “Keina you shouldn’t-”
“Neighbor’s looking over Tiss” his wife wraps her arms and tail around him “I’m not leaving you alone.” she stays like that for a second, before breaking off “Do you need to go after them?”
“No”
Marik stalks through the sidewalk, moving with energy. His speed outpaces the movement of the convoy, his paws twitch to grasp at something that isn’t there and a deep and intense motion makes his short fur stand on end. He had let the convoy’s head move in front of him, simply standing still as he assessed as many as he could in the mass, and now he had begun to move towards the front again.
As he stalked forward he focused his sight on every member of the convoy that seemed of interest. A human whose clothes seemed suspiciously loose, a venlil whose movements were far too stiff, a gojid who kept his claws behind his back. He stared at each like they were his quarry, analyzing every piece of movement they made for threats, and yet aside from the challenge in the human’s gaze he saw no danger arise.
Tenve had closed his shop, so as the convoy moved forward Marik simply continued to follow along, scanning the crowd for threats. But the next point of interest arrives, and he rushes ahead placing himself in front of the only restaurant of the town. Sunbreeze Meals wasn’t a very common sort of restaurant, Blackriver did not have enough visitors for a normal restaurant to be profitable and was small enough most people had their meals at home, it most often served takeout for those farmers who’d spend so long in the field they would return home without the energy to feed themselves.
Sparing a look inside at the only five tables, Marik couldn’t keep a small thought away from his mind. How most who got their meals from Sunbreeze these days did so because they enjoyed the cooking rather than their need of work, ever since the sunspeck population has been brought under control and the maintenance of the fields had become much smaller. He feels the presence long before he can recognize what led him to feel it and turns to stare at a group of six that approach the entrance: Two humans, a tilfish, two gojids and a takkan had broken off from the convoy and approached the restaurant.
He traces his color band over each in turn, and they all bristle at his stare. One of the humans hesitates before continuing to walk inside, and Marik simply remains by the door with his arms crossed, left ear twisted as far back as he could to listen to the inside.
“What have you got here?”
“W-we mostly ha-have ready ma-made meals to go or- or- Or you can look over the menu”
“There’s no need to stutter, y’know”
“So-sorry-”
“Really, after everything y’all are still with this predator crap?”
The chimes on the door echo for the second time in sequence as Marik makes his way inside. The tilfish had started to lean over the counter while the other five had arrayed themselves behind her. They all turn their attention to him as he enters, including the venlil manning the counter. Marik keeps his gaze directly on the tilfish for a few uncomfortable seconds, before looking at the man behind the counter and making a simple sign with his tail, a short vertical bob with the tip and a slow horizontal swipe. It’s meaning simple: >Safe<.
After a few seconds someone else appears from the kitchen. The tall venlil carries a large stack of plastic boxes in his arms, all of them seemingly designed to attach to themselves so as to be carried with ease. He puts them down with a resounding crash on the counter, and opens up his voice with ice “Farmer’s Pots, good meal when you’re working and can’t go home.” With each word the owner of the restaurant and main cook comes closer and closer to the tilfish, until the last “Ten credits each.”
Nobody moves for a couple of seconds, and then one of the humans steps closer and brings a holopad over to the credit reader. There’s a noise indicating payment, and then the owner raises his head and tilts it to focus his favored eye and both of his ears at the man who paid “Now,” he shifts register in his voice and the language he speaks in “fuck off” he finishes.
With no small amount of surprise the group of six retrieve the stack of packaged meals, carefully walking out and back into the convoy. Marik stays behind for a moment “Didn’t know you spoke human”
“Pup’s enamored with their languages. Of course, first greek words he learns is swearing.”
Outside, Marik stalks further ahead to the next point of interest. He moves faster than the convoy, and has time to move in front of it. For a few meters the street is still clear as he arrives to find a group of people standing in front of the Watchful. Standing there were all of its employees, and even all of its regulars, twenty people total standing there as if they were having the most normal day. If not for their raised ears tracking every noise coming from down the street and their swaying tails swinging about like angry beasts.
One of them simply points his tail at the other side of the street as Marik comes closer, and the hunter doesn’t need a second command to understand the meaning. They have this, he has a less practical but just as important duty. He crosses the street quickly before the convoy starts coming closer, and heads towards the park.
As the regulars of the Watchful had feared, it took little time until a large group had broken off from the convoy. With the town on alert about the convoy they had found themselves bereft of prey and now this group had set out to find some, anyone who might be willing, or not, to listen to their grievances. And what is clearly a place designed for people to congregate looked most appetizing.
Marik shadowed the group as they moved through the park, but they were accompanied by nothing but silence. It wasn’t until they ran into the centerpiece of the park that he took initiative, stepping ahead of the group and simply… Standing there a distance away from the tree of many scions, between it and the group.
“What’s so important over there, fireman?” it was a venlil who asked, but his usage of an english word was not lost on Marik.
“A place you will respect” the exterminator has his arms crossed, the one good portion of his gaze set on the man who asked “This is a grave.”
Though the group that now prowled was large, those who heard were taken aback. One such, however, approaches closer. He was a venlil whose fur shifted between a soft, brownish color and a dirty white “A tradition of the tenets right? One of those family trees?” The man would have been distinctive in any other group due to his missing patches of fur around neck, wrists, even portions around his head. But such signs of long term damage were common in the convoy.
Interest. They had shown true interest, or at least one of them had. “No, but similar… The forgotten tree is a grave for the forgotten.” He felt like these people, at least the ones before him, could probably understand the meaning of this place “It is of no tradition. Someone, a long time ago, wanted to honor someone who was gone but whose name was not meant to be remembered. Someone who had disappeared in the system… So they borrowed on another’s tradition, and added a scion to this tree, with something in their memory. Others have done so similarly, until it became… A grave for the forgotten”
“Didn’t think you’d be worried about this kind of place” it’s a human that speaks up this time
“Our duty is to protect this town, what you think-” but Marik’s words are interrupted by that same venlil who had asked before. His demeanor suddenly shifts, his ears perk up and his entire body shifts forward for a moment. He hesitates, for a second everyone’s focus is on him, and then he runs towards the tree.
Marik follows behind, stopping just by the man’s side as he finds himself at the base of the tree. The man makes a direct line to somewhere, something he had found from the distance, as if it had called him. He finds a thick and heavy branch that had been bent down by the weight of its scions and memories, near its base and speaking of a memory left behind long ago is a braid of fur made of three colors, a dirty white, a soft brown and a dark grey, bound by the braids are two beads.
The man raises up a paw, but does not touch it. As if cradling it, he recites the words engraved in one of the beads “I will cross every star to return home” others have come closer to listen to the man’s hoarse voice “There will always be a home for you” he reads of the second one. The names on the beads have been scratched out. The man falls on his knees “S-she kept her promise and… I couldn’t keep mine…”
Marik steps back as he watches two others come closer to comfort the man. He looks as a few others approach with more caution, looking up at the tree with a bit more reverence than they had before. Then, he turns around and starts heading back towards the main street.
Gazing out as the convoy gains a new flux, some leave it as it passes to move towards the park while others leave the park to rejoin the convoy, Marik simply stays there at the side of the street looking as stern as he could. Though the noise of the convoy remains great, here in this portion it seems to die down a little. A thought crosses his mind as he turns an ear as far back as he can, a thought he can’t help but voice “I wonder how many are looking at their own graves…”
As the convoy progresses, Santos simply stands by the front of the precinct, hands in his pockets. He watches the convoy arrive, heart beating fast, constrained hands the only reason he hasn't started shaking quite yet. He starts tapping his right foot as he watches the first few people cross by without noticing what this place is yet, everyone knows where the precinct is, so aside from the words printed on the sign by the entrance there is no other marker of what this building’s purpose might be.
Of course, it is impossible for nobody to notice. The entire convoy seems to stop as soon as a zurulian riding on the shoulders of a human points a claw at the building and says something. A large group breaks away at the command, all of them holding disparate signs and messages. They turn on the building with enough roars that whatever they are attempting to transmit is lost on him.
Santos is thankful his hearing isn’t nearly as good as his coworkers’, as the cacophony is already overwhelming him. He changes stances slightly, taking his hands out of his pockets and crossing his arms. This prompts a small group to turn their looks at him, the focus easily identifiable with the humans in their midst, focus which made the hair in the back of Santos’ neck stand on end. Living in this place had refined his sense of danger, but he didn’t need that to realize what could happen.
It was a group of five that approached, four humans and a venlil. “Didn’t think they’d be letting humans live out here in the boonies” said one of his kin.
Santos just shrugs “Got hired to work here. Honestly, rural folk get a needlessly bad reputation, most of the time they just don’t care as long as you’re not bothering them”
“Really? In my-”
Santos interrupts the man “Cut it out” there are many ways in which humans make themselves obvious, many of which are their eyes. Santos did understand the fear of them and why it was primal, it was not the fear of the eyes but the fear of attention, it was knowing you were under the scrutiny and judgment of another that set off that emotion. It was rarely the eyes that showed this attention for most species, but for humans it was, and the man’s clear gaze on his badge made the entire situation clear to him “Stop beating around the bush and say it already.”
Someone else is who speaks. The tall woman starts not with words, however, but by spitting on Santos’ uniform “You fucking traitor” her voice is both fierce and cold at the same time. A very emotional coldness.
“There we go” he sighs “Just… Move on. We’re not getting anything out of this conversation”
“Why?” It was the venlil in the group that started this time “These people hate you, they hate you for what you are! Why do you work for them?!”
Santos rubs his eyes and sighs “Because someone has to. Change only happens when you make it happen, simple as that”
“Change?!” another one of the humans howls “Do you think those people can change?! You know the truth, those fuckers have never done anything good!”
“You know, if you had read your history books…” Santos stares at the one who had just had their outburst “You’d remember that we once thought the very same about the police” there’s the sound of glass breaking, but he doesn’t reaction “And a lot of us still do”
The human staring him down shifts their gaze slightly at the broken window of the precinct, then back at Santos “A broken window is easy to fix” he shrugs “As I was saying. Same shit.” he crosses his arms again “There’s a role those people play, a role that needs to be played because it’s important. Different name, different problems, still the same shit. Gotta fix this, I’m doing my part” he then stares at the venlil in the group “You do yours. Simple as that.”
“Role?!” the venlil of the group steps closer “What role could they possibly have?! They only exist to hurt people!”
Santos steps back, and raises his eyes a little bit. Of course, the classics had shown themselves in this instance. With as many humans as there are in the crowd there were now quite a few objects in the air, most clearly aimed at the precinct behind him. Though given the failed arc of some of them it was clearly not just the humans indulging in such a tried and true method.
“I used to be a wildlife preserve ranger” Santos then focuses his gaze on the aggravated venlil “This is a frontier town, if you walk in the brushes with shorts you’ll walk out with your ankles numb. The athai out there are rather harmless, but they keep the sunspecks under control.” He takes another step back “Since coming here I’ve been pest control, had to catch an exotic animal set loose, investigated a murder, helped stop a child from taking her own life, stopped large scale fights, helped a dozen people avoid being arrested for self defense and helped break a fucking siege”
Santos cracks his knuckles “There’s roles. Jobs that need done and there is one fucking organization doing it all. That is a problem.” Then, he sighs and takes a few more steps to the side, offering indifference from this point on “There’s nothing I can say that would make you calm down.” he says one final time “Just make sure not to injure yourselves in the process, alright?” His words seemed to be enough to make the small group cease trying to interact, as the convoy had begun moving again. Though the one human who had called him a traitor gets one final parting shot at the precinct “Where the hell did you get an egg in this planet…” Santos says with a raised eyebrow as the projectile impacts the front door.
Keya stands by a large sign, the same one that welcomes you into Blackriver on one side and sees you out at the other, the official limit of the town. Her arms behind her back, her attention directly towards the front of the convoy as they march. Something gains the whole of her attention, the car in the front. Someone draws her focus, a human with a megaphone on top of the car. The man shouts words of encouragement at the people behind him with the megaphone before turning to his holopad, then he bends over downwards to discuss something with the driver.
She simply remains there, waiting for the convoy to pass. But instead of moving on out of the city, here the convoy stops completely. Keya observes as the further end of the convoy starts to slowly compact upon itself, and her ears pick up something “Alright everyone, start getting ready, next town over is more than a claw away, make sure you’ve left nothing behind” the words were not meant for her, nor for anyone too far. They come from the same man she had seen standing on top of the car, but he had now climbed down and was talking with a group of multiple species.
It is clear they have some degree of leadership, though the convoy does not stop cleanly nor does it begin to organize with alacrity they do respond to the group’s organization. So Keya keeps her focus on them as they point, wave and talk between themselves, others and devices. But at least one of them has noticed her attention, a gangly and light-skinned human with fire-red hair, the man that was atop the car. He starts walking in her direction, before turning around for one final set of commands as he walks backwards “And make sure the guys at the back got all the crap! We’re here to be heard, not to trash the city!” he says before turning back again to head towards her. A venlil with pure white fur erupts from inside the car he was riding, quickly dashing to his side as they notice where he was going.
In a few moments both have come up to her, the human looking down at her with the venlil bristles at his side “Saw anything interesting, fireman?”
“What are you doing here?”
“What? Isn’t it obvious?!” it was the venlil that roared a response “You saw all of it! You know what they’ve done to us! What they’ve done to everyone! And you still work for those brahking monsters! It’s like you’re thankful they made you a cripple!”
The human puts a hand on the venlil’s shoulder, calming her demeanor just a little bit “We’re here because honestly, we’re all too tired of being fucking ignored is what. So what the fuck are you gonna do?!”
“I have put the wrong emphasis” Keya says with her lack of tone. She can see the human shiver just a little bit “My task is to ensure the safety of this town. Your convoy is a danger. We have eight field-capable officers, we cannot ensure the safety of the residents against a group like yours. People will take actions for reasons, you have broadcast your reasons clearly. You have chosen this place for a reason which I cannot ascertain.”
She makes sure her ears are trained towards both the human and the venlil, an action which causes the venlil to cower behind her partner “We do not house government agencies. This is a farming town of little note. The local precinct is a simple precinct, we have no regulatory or command authority. The town population is approximately double that of the number of your convoy. We have no individuals of appreciable social or political reach. There is nothing in Blackriver of interest to people attempting to change government policy, nor have there been actions taken here that I can identify as being cause for retaliatory actions within the context of your message.”
“I must ensure this does not happen again and the only way of doing so is minimizing our attractivity as targets. A logical assumption of your choice of quarry would be a town with the presence of politicians, a large city with constant news coverage, cities housing important government agencies or those containing the Regional Firebases”
“So I ask again. What are you doing here?”
The two remain silent for a few seconds, before the human turns around with a mouth noise “Whatever, I don’t need to explain myself to someone that won’t listen. Come on!” he starts to stalk back towards the car, but stops once he notices his venlil companion wasn’t moving.
The snow-white venlil has their focus on Keya, who offers a simple low forward swipe of her tail, a sign to proceed. Still, the venlil seems frozen in place until the human comes back and grabs hold of their paw with a gentle touch. At which point both finally return to the convoy.
Keya remains at the side of the road, watching as the convoy readies itself again to leave. People get back inside cars, they hop on the back of trucks and load themselves into buses. She continues to watch as the convoy takes its time riding out, making their way out of the town.
Once it is finally gone, multiple footsteps sound behind her. When she turns around she meets her officers, having returned from their assigned positions “They have left. I expect your reports of what happened in each sector by the end of your shifts” she states plainly, before looking at Santos “They did not appear to have a specific reason for targeting Blackriver.” The question remains unspoken.
The human officer just shrugs “Sometimes, you don’t know what you’re doing. We’re just a little town, I doubt they even know what exactly they’re angry about.” He looks at the tail end of the convoy as it leaves “Town was probably just a place they felt safe going to.”
“D-do you think we might get more like that” Lunek says, at the back of the group.
“Who knows…” Santos sighs “But if human history applies anywhere here… This is just a sign of worse things to come”
[ [FIRST] [NEXT>]
And thus the omen passes by. Feelings, emotions of all sorts, without a plan or a reason other than just their own rage and distress.
Did any of these even know what they were doing? And how much worse can it be when they do?

I'm going to try to translate those top comment from Hupu for MSI, I might skip some of them as they are Chinese internet memes that I've no idea how to translate, and those comment related to Honor of Kings, a popular league like mobile game made by Tencent.
The rating is user poll generated, you can give a rating between 2 and 10, and average is used. A total of 725k people participated in this series' rating.
Hupu rating is an in APP feature so it doesn't really have a link, but here is the post match thread for the match, and on the top there is an link you can click on that get you to that page. link

MATCH 1: BLG vs. T1

Bilibili Gaming

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Bin Twisted Fate	9.8	This is our BLG's double marksman!
Xun Xin Zhao	8.3	Good tempo, but what give you the confidence to so steal blue by yourself?
Knight Taliyah	9.7	This game Trist kept getting fed kills, while you are the one controlling the tempo of the game, and give all the kill to your teammates, you are the true MVP of this game.
Elk Kalista	3.7	This game just treat Kalista like Tahm Kench.
ON Renata Glasc	9.6	"I didn't say you could go, did I?"
BigWei	5.5	Don't ban Nid against Gen.G but ban it against T1, are you drunk?

T1

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Zeus K'Sante	6.0	I often think what if Sang-hyeok brother is 10 years younger.
Oner Sejuani	3.8	Tarzan: I logged on.
Faker Tristana	2.8	Hey bro, maybe you should go tryout for the Old Guy Cup.
Gumayusi Senna	3.6	That herald in the baron pit, directly give BLG a way to go in, pure comedy.
Keria Nautilus	7.9	Looks a bit red from player cam.
kk0ma	3.4	Kenzhu: I'm going to keep picking Neeko next game.

MATCH 2: BLG vs. T1

Bilibili Gaming

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Bin K'Sante	8.9	So weird, you are the most in form, but bot lane is getting the highest priority.
Xun Wukong	3.5	You the only one pick Wukong this whole MSI, and last time you tried you got giga gapped, why pick it again, J4 and Xin would be so much better.
Knight Neeko	8.6	Not your fault, same like last series against Gen.G, bot feed a lot of kills and then blame you invisible.
Elk Varus	2.6	You were not human in any of the recent games.
ON Kalista	2.7	If you keep playing like this, I'm gonna go watch KPL.
BigWei	2.7	BigWei and rest of the coaching stuff come out and face the flame, why are you so focused on strong lanes, didn't you learn. Don't waste so many ban for mid, just tell left hand be more confident and pick a tempo champ, don't always think about laning. Pick some engage champ like Naut, Rell, Alistar, Camille for On, Xun could pick carry jungle like Nid or Kindred if there are engage already, else just pick J4, Sej, Maokai, Wukong. Bin watch out for Zeus last pick counter pick, don't be cocky, BLG fighting, please win this!

T1

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Zeus Camille	8.7	Using the T1 formula, if Zeus can carry, this game will be a stomp.
Oner Sejuani	8.7	You tempo is so good, so why are you kept picking Viego.
Faker Akali	7.1	Dude, what use do you have? I mean seriously, you are not really useful.
Gumayusi Draven	9.3	Why kept picking me Senna, am I weaker than them?
Keria Ashe	7.4	If you didn't ult the real Wukong, that last fight will turn out different.
kk0ma	6.8	No difference compared to Ham. (Laker coach.)

MATCH 3: BLG vs. T1

Bilibili Gaming

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Bin Twisted Fate	9.9	Fine red wine glitters in a jade chalice that glows in the night, next card will be a ace of heart. (The first part is a famous Chinese poem "葡萄美酒夜光杯", and the second part rhymes with that in Chinese.)
Xun Xin Zhao	9.2	That flash for flash at top was so critical, as a Yasuo main I felt the pain.
Knight Annie	9.8	Knight: Yagao, I don't know what to do. Yagao: ZhuoDing, maybe its time for Annie.
Elk Senna	9.5	WE.Jiumeng, UP.ELK, BLG.Husband is fighting for control of the body, husband is winning right now. (past name and nickname for Elk.)
ON Ornn	9.7	Gift a kill when fountain diving, champion at karma.
BigWei	7.7	Wow, did you just first pick Senna? (This was a 1 star rating comment, probably made right after the draft.)

T1

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Zeus Yasuo	2.5	Come duo with me, I'm silver, my username is weird top. (It is the name for a steamer 霸哥 that is known for been bad，farming under tower, and possibly using 3rd party software to cheat.)
Oner Nidalee	2.8	Oner: Nidalee, I don't know what to do now. Nidalee: What, who are you again?
Faker Zac	2.8	This Zac pick is like a summary of T1, once Faker dies, four turd pop out.
Gumayusi Kalista	2.8	So you are really an egg, either fried egg, or egg drop soup. (Those are dishes in China, and dish is called 菜, which also means bad when used in league.)
Keria Nautilus	2.9	OP
kk0ma	3.1	Kenzhu:Hmm, did you reuse your old password? 1557, such an easy password.

MATCH 4: BLG vs. T1

Bilibili Gaming

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Bin Twisted Fate	9.6	Tried your best.
Xun Vi	2.4	Fully responsible.
Knight Corki	7.2	When Chovy's Corki had an advantage, his teammate didn't decide to int.
Elk Varus	3.5	You finally got you condition under control, your jungler's is acting up again.
ON Nautilus	6.6	OK I guess, the support Naut is the only one that could face check.
BigWei	3.2	Xun's Vi, Elk's Varus, game is GG at BP.

T1

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Zeus K'Sante	8.0	Showmaker.jpg.
Oner Viego	8.5	Oner: Viego, I don't know what to do now. Viego: Who are you? Oner: I'm Zhao "JieJie" Li-Jie, don't turn around to look.
Faker Aurelion Sol	6.5	Head scratcher, inted at least 4 times.
Gumayusi Senna	8.3	Your ult is so clutch, so many key shields.
Keria Ornn	8.1	I upgrade based on age, Zeus sad :C.
kk0ma	6.0	Kenzhu: You still haven't change your password yet, I get to pick Senna and Asol again.

MATCH 5: BLG vs. T1

Bilibili Gaming

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Bin Camille	9.9	Best top in the world, LPL's pride, you deserves it!
Xun Xin Zhao	7.6	Your entire purpose this game is to facecheck.
Knight Neeko	9.7	Watching you whole game, you were laughing the whole game.
Elk Senna	9.3	I think I kinda get LCK's love for Senna now, and your Senna last year G5 against Gen.G, maybe Senna is actually good.
ON Ornn	9.8	Everyone is even before Letme.
BigWei	5.7	So dumb, I guess you've made enough money and want to retire, how did you BP like this?

T1

	Player Rating	Top Comment
Zeus K'Sante	2.8	Now you really became Bin's son.
Oner Viego	2.6	Viego: Wait, your are not Zhao "JieJie" Li-Jie, byebye.
Faker Taliyah	3.2	Faker, now its time to wake up from the sweet dream.
Gumayusi Varus	2.8	A kid came to T1, his Varus is flying. (A copy pasta for TheShy, original one is something like: A kid came to WE, his Riven is flying. It was an compliment, but in this case Guma's Varus was literality in the sky.)
Keria Nautilus	2.6	That flash hook clone is a bit cringe.
kk0ma	4.1	Password too hard, let me try other side's.

We met up on a rainy Sunday about a month ago and talked about some books. Our pick this month was Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn, because Assaulty wanted to read a story from an elderly perspective. The characters in this one were not really elderly - they were maybe 60 - but that's an advanced age for an international assassin. It seemed like most people liked it, though it's not everyone's preferred genre. It did resolve itself really well. I thought there were maybe too many main characters stuffed into a shorter book. The_OG_Bert liked the cold hearted professionalism the ladies conducted their business, they really leaned on their experience to their advantage. At one point they compared notes about the best vein to open up for a discrete kill.
Asterion7 brought a bunch of books he had read to pass out including The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari, and Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. He also had The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories, which someone had brought to a previous meeting. Maybe that guy will get it back some time. He's finishing and really liked Menewood by Nicola Griffith, the second of the Light of the World series. He and Skyverbyver talked visiting Pompeii and going to museums there that really made The Wolf Den that much more interesting.
Assaulty did the same thing - brought a bunch of books in an attempt to declutter a bit. She shared Still Life with Bones by Alexa Hagerty, No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy, The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami, and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. These are all exceptionally good books. She spent the most time on Ruth Ozecki's The Book of Form and Emptiness, and it sounded interesting enough for us to add it to our list. She also talked about other Ruth Ozecki books including My Year of Meats.
The Book of Form and Emptiness is about a neurodivergent kid, and Ozecki weaves in pop references and talks about education and mental conditions. But she approaches these conditions not as tragedies, but as new opportunities for perspective. It has themes about hoarding and decluttering, and even has a positive things to say about schizophrenia. She read Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton, Richmond's Unhealed History by Benjamin Campbell, and The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi, saying that the Ottoman Empire part was particularly interesting; and recommends In Memorium by Alice Wynn, about a couple of gay friends who bonded over a shared love of poetry going off the fight World War Uno.
Aimee tends not to pick up a lot of Contemporary Fiction, so she was not likely to get much from Killers of a Certain Age. She talked about The Fig Tree by Goran Vojnović with Olivia Hellewell translating, and a few other books like The Power by Naomi Alderman and is reading the Silo compilation by Hugh Howley. Coconut_sorbet read the three books in the Remembrance of Earth's Past series starting with The Three-Body Problem, and said while they are incredibly heavy and hard to wade through, it's totally worth it. Apparently the fourth book is a fan fiction that someone sent the author and he supported it enough for it to be published.
The_OG_Bert read The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland, which is about a Richmond Theater kinda near where MCV is now that apparently burned down, and has been working through The Lord of the Rings. He's finding the audiobooks to be a really good way to experiencing the story, but found that the library doesn't always provide the narrator that you like, and that can ruin the flow. Skyver read Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole, a romantasy that leaves you hanging at book 3.
Aurora has mostly been reading award winning books and we talked bout the differences between Hugos and Nebulas. One basic difference is that fans vote for Hugos while professional panels select Nebulas. Besides Killers of a Certain Age, she knocked out The Tower at Stony Wood by Patricia A. McKillip, which she says is YA but really good. Unfortunately the author passed away and Aimee brought this one in last time. She read The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez unique but dense, saying it's possibly a best book she ever read candidate. The themes are more about the oral tradition and how stories are told, and includes first-, second-, and third-person narratives. What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher; The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera , calling it a great Sri Lankan story but a little hard to explain; Translation State by Ann Leckie; The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang, which is like a classic Chinese novel but with LGBT characters; The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz, saying the book had great ideas, but she didn't love the execution.
She liked Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh, saying it was the best novel she'd read in a while, so that could be literally out of hundreds of books; and Starter Villain by John Scalzi, who is a lot more popular than I thought. Muffin and Kim both liked this one, saying it was a popcorn read, but hilarious, and none of them wanted to ruin the experience by giving away the plot. There was also Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi which sounded like a lot of fun, being a heist story about deities working as independent contractors with the main character being minor nightmare god.
She told us about Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente which she read for a book club bingo contest, which both Skyver and Asterion loved. It's very weird, about sexually transmitted passes to parts of a city. The book has a lot of sex in it, but Skyver said it's not sexy or titillating at all, it's mostly a metaphor for addiction. We talked about In the Night Garden and several other Catherine Vallente books, like Comfort me with Apples, Space Opera, and In the Cities of Coin and Spice.
Incorrigible_Muffin read a few books: Recovery Dharma: How to Use Buddhist Practices and Principles to Heal the Suffering of Addiction, which teaches a series of quick, practical techniques; This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar; two John Scalzi books: The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain; The Other Significant Others by Rhaina Cohen, a series of case studies of deep friendships and platonic soulmates, trying to refocus of what society values to community and friends. She recommended a memoir by Rachel Willis The Risk it Takes to Bloom. The last one talks about becoming a woman, but missing those most important milestones in your life like your body developing through puberty.
She told us about You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue with Natasha Wimmer (Translator), describing it like a Bridge to Tarabithia but with time travel about anti-colonial uprisings; The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard, which she said was a mindfuck, but with interesting bureaucracy; and Lilith by Nikki Marmery, calling it lush and sexy and suggested you read it in a natural environment like a garden. I had brought in The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson for Assaulty to borrow, and Muffin said it is an excellent follow-up to Brutalities: A Love Story by Margo Steines. Aimee said it reminded her of The Power by Naomi Alderman. The author of The Violence Dawson got her start by writing Star Wars novels; I thought that was pretty cool.
We talked about Friends Don't Fall in Love by Erin Hahn, which is a sizzly slow burn, but funny; and A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid. But I didn't catch who brought those up.
We talked about the new series Fallout. I thought that someone who hadn't played the game might not be able to get into the series, but Coconut hadn't played it and absolutely loved the show - some of the scenes are right out of the game, and the nostalgia of the experience was the most exciting part of it. The show was set in LA, and I played Fallout 3 and 4 and New Vegas, and the composition of the scenes in the show looked like they were right out of parts of these games. Coconut also said that the Bad Batch star wars cartoon was straight up good storytelling. I've heard really good things about it, but then I look at the art and am immediately turned off. To me it looks like complete ass. Coconut agreed, saying that's the worst part of the experience, but it still manages to impress. I definitely need to give it a try. Asterion7 said the same thing about Xmen 97. Skyver is particularly excited about it, saying that the animated series is the only media that really follows the comics, and the comics were pretty awesome. She used an example: Mystique is Nightcrawler' father in the comics, but Marvel cowardly ran away from that gender fluidity in all their other media content.
Muffin was excited about Walter Goggins being in Fallout because of his work in Righteous Gemstones. Aimee is reading the Silo compilationand respects what the show did. Of the written series, Asterion7 didn't like Dust, and Coconut didn't like either of the second or third books, but both loved the first one. Most people who have seen it have good things to say about Star Trek - Discovery. I keep confusing it with Voyager. I'm not sure why, but I've always avoided it because of that.
Coming up on May 19

• story about some kind of conspiracy

Coming up on June 23

• Any kind of graphic novel - I'll have a couple to lend out if anyone needs

Coming up on July 21

• Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward. Laucchi recommends to go into this book blind.

Coming up on August 18

• The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozecki

Coming up on September 22

• Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente

I have a small window cleaning business. I have an excellent reputation and live in an area that has more demand than supply. (Arguably—at the least, it’s a favorable business environment.) I have a growing online footprint with YELP and Google. So far, my reviews are all 5-star. I am known for top notch work at a reasonable price. I don’t cut corners. I focus on getting the job done right and treating people’s homes as my own.
I expect this to change as a hire and grow, because although I have many years experience, I don’t expect employees to care like I do. Still, I believe I can provide very good service at a reasonable price, and the small hike in prices will be offset by my ability to complete the work much faster than before which is more convenient for my customers who generally to choose to remain home while we are there. So far, no one has balked at a 10% hike.
Now, I’m trying to scale up. I have 2 pick up trucks. Neither are pretty, but they’re Toyotas. I would only need a couple more ladders to fully outfit 2 vehicles for service.
I have found a reasonable worker’s compensation quote. I haven’t yet received the numbers for the increased liability insurance, or commercial auto policy. I understand that I will be matching Social Security and FICA. I’m not worried so much about these expenses. Perhaps I should be. With labor, he margins for window cleaning aren’t terrific, but not horrible. Depending on the bid and the nature of the property the margin can be tight. Sometimes we have to drive 30 minutes as I operate in a semi-rural area. Like anywhere, I have some customers that grind me down.
I live in Idaho where these expenses tend to be less than the more populous states. However, because of the nature of window cleaning, insurance is costly. I’m trying to decide if this is worth it, because although I do care about my employees (they are great guys), there is significant headache managing this younger generation. It never ceases to amaze how quickly they become prima donnas, or how heavily they are focused on feelings…..I digress…
Right now I am paying 2 guys as 1099, which isn’t a safe long term solution. I need to make a decision quickly. I keep them off ladders and roofs for now. But, that can’t last if I am to scale it up. My plan is to make them w-2 employees paying them a percentage of the jobs, then send them to complete jobs in their own, with me as: estimator, customer PR, roaming QC, touch ups, and sometimes working.
I intend to add additional services (I already do gutter clean outs which are far more profitable, but pretty unpleasant work, and have a short window of time)
To conclude: at this point, I’m unsure of whether the increased capacity is worth the headache. I’m currently clearing approximately what I would make alone. However, as my guys gain experience, I expect this to get better as they get faster and more precise. Window cleaning is A LOT harder than it looks. It takes an average 1-2 months until I can leave a guy a a job site unattended for even a few hours. I have other options, so there are times when this seems really tough
The other possibilities:
*Pressure washing (demands additional insurance policy, but is a naturally matching service that I believe would be successful quickly, but requires more space in the truck than is available, so it would mean 1 truck off the grid for windows
*House cleaning: better margins, but more competitive and even more employee headache (prob worth it all in all)
*Dryer vent cleaning: I have less knowledge about this, but the entry cost is very low. And the margins are apparently quite good.
Questions:
Does it make sense to form an LLC, and use that name on my EIN application? Is the additional expense up front worth it?
Should I just endure the headache so that window cleaning can fund the other services with better margins?
Should I sell one of the trucks to buy a van or similar vehicle that is dedicated purely to the business? I could get at least $10K for either.
General thoughts?

I (27M) went to a work happy hour yesterday. Saw an asian guy (late 30s) that looked new to the company and decided to chat with him. For context, I work in a field that doesn’t have many asian men in it, so these opportunities don’t happen often.
We start talking about our hobbies, and I mention one of mine is history. He seemed intrigued and asked me what regions’ histories I was particularly interested in. Being East Asian, I mention East Asia, to which his demeanor goes to condescending. He says “Most East Asian history is pretty boring. We invented some stuff a long time ago and here we are today”. And again, he said this in a condescending tone - I did not pick up any sarcasm whatsoever. I remind him China is the world’s oldest ongoing civilization and he says “O.K. sure but most of our history is pretty forgettable compared to European history and their accomplishments”. So at this point I’m thinking “WTF”, and before I can say anything else he says “I don’t get why minorities born in America are so proud of their heritage. It’s not like you’re Chinese or Korean or Japanese you’re American and that’s that. Only people born there can say they’re Chinese or Korean or Japanese”. LOL. And again I don't pick up any hint of sarcasm in his tone.
I switch topics because theres plenty of coworkers who I’m sure eavesdropped and heard bits and pieces of what he said. He later goes on to “brag” to other coworkers that his 3 sisters kids all look fully white (from their dads of course) and that no one would ever guess they’re half Asian. It's one thing to say that it's interesting, but it's a completely different thing to frame it as "they're so lucky" and "it's so cool it turned out this way".
Insane to think there’s asian “men” this colonized. Guess he's better off spending his free time not with coworkers but with some three letter org... I found someone new to avoid at work.

On this sub every woman is crying and bashing Indian "PaTRiarChhY"...... every guy is looking for validation....
When kdramas show a poor good looking guy with chiseled jawline flirting with an equally attractive Korean model like lead heroine you Indian women go crazy for that singapuri half plate chowmin. In k-dramas guy lives in a one room appartment on rent and doesn't own any vehicle. Takes a bus or walks to office. But you shitty Indian women get wet for him. But in real life struggling men don't look like that. In real life you modern abla naris won't even glance at a random man who is probably going through a lot. In real life India poor men returning from office on their bike get killed by drunk women driving BMW's bought by their father's or husband's money. Those poor men are usually the sole earning members of their family looking after their aged parents.
Why don't you Indian women give free hugs to us poor men ?
When I occasionally rant about my financial situation, people including women troll me by asking me to work harder and stop whining/cribbing. But when women cry as usual whole sub starts pampering them, abusing the country, patriarchy, system, men and social customs etc etc....no body asks women to work harder instead of crying. Even when it comes to men, the gen z woke feminine type of men get love and encouragement from this sub when they cry about their sorry ass pathetic life situation. But when I point out that my situation isn't bad due to my lack of efforts/skill but due to intentional willful malicious interference of surroundings and surrounding people who just like to trip me over by extending their legs in my way....whole sub experiences a meltdown. Pathetic. The fact that women expect men to keep quiet and keep working hard , be the provider without complaining where as when women complain, society should drop whatever they are doing just to console them, proves that women are not just obviously physically inferior but emotionally and mentally weaker as well.
Earlier at least women used to check me out during my college days. Even up until just before the covid lockdown I used to get good stares from women. But during lockdown women became more entitled and narcissistic due to rise of cheap illegal OTT porn through jio. Every woman knows that she doesn't even have to put any efforts as a content creator. She can upload pics of herself posing like a dead fish and she will still get thousands of followers. And with followers they get money by endorsing Chinese apps and betting apps. Obviously I don't get female attention now because every woman these days already has a boyfriend or has over fifty thousand followers on Instagram. Not because of of her quality of content. But simply because internet is cheap and every one has these cheap Chinese phones that they keep scrolling Instagram on. How the fuck is it that a guy who used to get 7.5-9 out of 10 on rateme sub suddenly started getting 3 out of 10 on rateme sub? I noticed this dip not just after covid lockdown but well before covid itself. Suddenly there was an influx of women on that sub. Earlier both men and women used to post on rateme or true rate me. Yeah I know the beauty standards on those subs are white and European dominated. And they are racist too towards Indians. But I noticed that there is obviously a conspiracy against men at a global level. Indian women are being portrayed as damsels in distress and intelligent goddesses where as all Indian men are called incels, ugly and potential rapists. American, African, Australians ( literally descendants of criminals) are somehow good. Only Indians bad. Lol.

Hi, I know some of you have been interested in Joost’s written stuff, so this is one of them. It’s a short story that Joost wrote for Boekenweek voor Jongeren (Book Week for Young People) in 2019. There’s more info about it here (in Dutch) https://www.vice.com/nl/article/qvgzpv/joost-klein-schreef-een-kort-verhaal-over-een-wilde-nacht-in-berlijn and there was also this promo video for it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx7wxnpxps0. It's been translated from Dutch - maybe not the most perfect translation but it's readable. Original in Dutch here. Enjoy

"How come he suddenly has cash?" I looked at Gurb, but he avoided my gaze. Louis never had money and yet he was buying another round. Meanwhile, a Moby song was playing and nothing made sense. "If he has money for drinks, he can surely pay me back, right?"
Just a few hours ago, I was alone in Berlin. Now, ten hours later, I'm standing in some obscure techno club with my best friends. Loud rock music with drunken shouting. "Hey, Miss Murder, can I make beauty stay if I take my life?" I woke up that day with a mild hangover from the lonely yet people-filled night before. Perfect conditions for a 20-year-old dropout.
The Hard Rock Café was the most beautifully ugly place in Berlin. Gurb had driven for seven hours straight in his mother's car, but we didn't notice. An iconic black Mini Cooper. Your body leads your mind, the beat never stops, and you can conquer the world. Louis threw in another crazy dance move. We were happy.
"Do you want another drink, brother?" Gurb asked me, half shouting. An evening filled with rhetorical questions. He saw me dancing and already knew the answer.
Gurb always had money. Louis, on the other hand, never did. Louis was also the youngest of us three. He had just turned 18. I wouldn't call him a cunning fox. More like a jack-of-all-trades. Like the time he made a lot of money on a Wadden Island with a group of boys. They sold large blocks of hash.
"Crazy dude!" I shouted at him. He yelled something back.
"Do you remember back then?" Louis said.
"Back then? Back then? Yeah man, of course!" I had no idea what he meant. "Do you mean the party?"
"Do you mean the party, he says! This guy. When I look at you like this, it makes me happy. The exact same kid is here letting loose just like back in high school!"
We knew each other from secondary school. He joined when I was in the second grade. He was very intelligent. Too young, too much knowledge of the world. His mother is from Brazil. We often went to his mother's place to play on the Playstation Louis and I had bought together.
I lived everywhere at that time. In the crisis shelter where I stayed for a while, for example, I wasn't allowed to have a Playstation. So we set it up in an accessible place, near school. It was always fun with Louis. Going together to the Apple Store. Taking all kinds of photos with all the webcams, posting them on Hyves, and then leaving. Louis always knew how to cheer me up.
"Aaaaaaaaaa!" There was Gurb with five drinks in his hands. Gurb was wearing a blue checkered shirt. Two buttons undone. Hair slicked back. "You look good, brother!"
"You look fresh too! We all look fresh!" Gurb said enthusiastically. Louis was wearing a completely white outfit. We quickly bought this before going out. He also bleached his hair.
"You look like the Brazilian cousin of James Dean in these clothes," I said. Louis laughed. "Let me take a picture."
Suddenly, the DJ switched to some kind of techno. "Ah, here Berlin briefly takes off its mask." I was fine with it all. Louis was talking to a lady.
Voluptuous breasts, I thought to myself. He gave her one of his two drinks.
"He's with a girl and he's thinking with his dick," I said to Gurb. "Let him be, tonight Berlin is ours!"
The bass kept pounding. "I simply don't have the patience for the club," I said to Gurb. He looked surprised. Like a sweet dog, tilting his head. "I'm just waiting for tomorrow. Can't do my thing here. Don't have patience for the already known. I want adventure and I want it now!"
Gurb started laughing. "Patience is a virtue." Yes. Patience is all well and good, but I think it's a waste of my time. Gurb grabbed my shoulder.
"I think it's time for another beer."
Louis and I were walking through Leeuwarden a year ago when suddenly a red Ford Ka stopped in front of us. It was Gurb, casually driving around the city. He invited us into his car. We hopped in. Since that afternoon, the three of us were together. A few months later, Louis got a tattoo on his ribs in honor of our friendship. It was the name of our group chat. Braddar Force Indigo.
There were also days when Gurb would take me for a drive around Friesland. He reminded me how beautiful Friesland is. The world doesn't spin there. The newspapers I threw away in the Stiens forest in 2011 could still be lying in the same spot, so to speak.
Just before midnight, I found myself in line for the restroom. My eyes fell on a pair of striking shoes. Cigarette smoke invaded my nose for the fourth time. "Müssen Sie eine Zigarette haben?" a female voice spoke to me. I felt like Tom Hanks in the final scene of Angels & Demons, where the new pope first steps onto the balcony. The curtains opened. There I was, witnessing an important moment in history. I was just told how I was sent by God, but my ears didn't want to hear any of it. At least that's how I felt. My mouth was empty. I had no words left. That's when I knew for sure. Berlin might really be as crazy as literally everyone says.
Dark blond, silky hair. Was this real beauty then? She wouldn't look 40, but I think she was. A true woman. Beautiful in all her elegance. I always joked about being interested in older women, but tonight one stood in front of me. "I don't smoke," I said to her.
Someone tapped me. "Please, just go to the toilet!" He was right. I hadn't peed in a while either. My urine was cloudy. "Glomerulonephritis," I said to myself on the toilet. This is an unusual condition. It's an inflammation in the kidneys, I thought I remembered. They should never have given me access to Google.
The evening progressed, and Louis kept buying rounds. "But seriously now. How does Louis suddenly have all that money for drinks?" I asked Gurb. He was outside smoking with a group of Swiss girls. I had strategically positioned myself so that I could always leave the crime scene if necessary.
"You shouldn't ask me," said Gurb. He was laughing with the temporary girlfriend group of Louis. Gurb has a beard. A lot of chicks like that. I get it too.
As much as I enjoyed Louis and Gurb being here for me, something didn't sit right with me. It couldn't just be about the money. "What's up with him?" I heard one of the Swiss girls say to Gurb.
Those kinds of questions really tire me out. "Not much, with you?" I replied.
They all started laughing. "That's not what she meant, brother," said Gurb.
"I couldn't care less whether she meant it or not. Send that brace-face back to Switzerland. Don't drive me crazy, alright!"
Actually, I hadn't drunk that much that evening. "Two vodka Sprites, please!" It's rare for me to get just one drink. "I always get two drinks, then you have to wait shorter for the third one!" Maybe the alcohol was affecting me more than I wanted to admit. Oh well, it was still the three of us against the world.
"Nice shoes, are those Prada?" I asked a random girl at the bar.
"No, these are fake. Why would I buy real ones for 600 dollars if I could just buy these for 20?"
"..."
I'm not very good at that. Talking. To women.
Louis and Gurb were in the smoking area now. It was less blue than the dance floor itself. My clothes already stank, so a visit to the smoking area couldn't hurt. "These people are so underground!" Gurb shouted. Louis was filming him with his phone. "These people..." There was a brief pause. As if Gurb forgot the only line he had. "...so underground!" All three of us burst into laughter. The alcohol flowed through our veins as if it came from the purest mountains. People seemed doubled and the room was full. We had been in the same club in Berlin for several hours.
"Leonardo! What are you hiding from the big boss?" I sometimes called Louis ‘DiCaprio.’ "You a rich guy, now?" I said, with an accent as if I were from the Bronx.
Louis started laughing. "Eh, you know nothing. Bullshit talk."
I had to laugh too. What was I even worried about? Friends are friends, with or without money. That shouldn't matter. Louis probably just worked for that money. Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe he just had enough to buy rounds. But what if my gut feeling was right? That feeling was never wrong. Except for that one time at the Holland Casino in Groningen. Even the best of us have slip-ups. I was just getting worked up again. When it comes down to it, Louis is one of the sweetest guys I know. I had to let it go. After all, it's still Louis.
"I think I'm going to have sex soon, man," Louis said.
"With who?" I asked immediately.
"That one girl."
"Which one?"
"The one with the boobs."
"Oh, her. Just be careful."
"What kind of reaction is that?" Louis asked indignantly.
I'd only had four drinks, but I was acting like a mess. Louis was right. I didn't understand myself. Where was my head at? I'm here in Berlin, supposed to be having the time of my life, but here I am feeling lonely and sad again. Joost once again couldn't control his emotions.
"Sorry," I suddenly said to Louis. "Sorry for my behavior. Been acting dumb towards you all night. It's unnecessary." Sometimes I have that. Mood swings. "Know that crime is never the solution. We've talked about this so many times. Yes, it's tempting and sometimes easy money. I sometimes find it amusing too, but it's always hypothetical. Ask me for help. I can help you, even with illegal things. I'll always have your back." The dancing was kind of over.
The words I had just placed on Louis's plate came from my heart. My Frisian, irregular boys' heart.
Crying in the club. I had never seen myself like that. Crying, yes. In the club, no. I never understood the taboo around crying. Or emotions in general. I saw myself in the mirror. They weren't tears of joy. They weren't tears of sadness either. It was me letting everything go. All the emotions I had ever felt. The emotions I felt between my brother and sister and myself because they wanted to take on a parental role over me, but I was in puberty, so I pushed them away. The emotions I felt when my old neighbors were supposed to take care of my dog, but didn't tell me that he was bitten by one of their dogs. They didn't have money for the surgery, they later told me. They were ashamed of their lack of money. My dog died from this injury. Even the emotions that were all jumping at once during the retake for my swimming diploma A, I let go of.
No emotions. Just for a moment, not feeling anything. Is that too much to ask for?
"You still don’t smoke?"
It had to be the voice of the woman with the cigarettes. I looked over my shoulder through the mirror. It was her. The one with dark blond, silky hair.
"Not to be rude, but this is the men’s room," I said. She took a step closer and kissed me on my lips. It tasted like more. We started kissing. It had been a while since I had had female contact at this level. It probably didn't look good and it didn't feel good either. She started kissing my neck. Slowly, I noticed the pressure in the erectile tissues of my penis starting to increase. "I really don't have time for this!" I thought to myself. The woman with the cigarettes started to slowly sink down until she was on her knees. I didn't want this. Not now, not like this. She unraveled my penis from my Polo Ralph Lauren underwear. Her tongue was blue. It was probably from cheap shots of alcohol.
Was this real beauty then? Was this the beginning or the end of her story? And had I become the boy my parents hoped I would be? I thought about the fact that this was once someone's little daughter. Somewhere in the world, an old man might be wondering what his daughter is doing. Am I really putting pleasure above my own morals and values?
With my semi-erect circumcised penis still exposed, I lifted her up. After giving her a kiss on her forehead, I pulled up my pants and left the toilets.
It was the usual last hour in any club ever. I met Louis and Gurb at the bar. "Should we have another drink?" I asked Gurb. "I feel like having a cocktail. Something sweet. Lots of sugar. What about you?"
Gurb looked at the menu. "A cognac would go down well right now."
"A cognac? You're only nineteen!" Gurb and Louis laughed. "Two Tequila Sunrises please!" I called to the bartender. "Also, two beers! Thanks!" I also got a beer for Louis. At first, I didn't want to, but I didn't want to spoil the mood either. Besides, I didn't want to show too much that it bothered me so much.
We danced away the last minutes. The club closed, and we decided to walk with the group of Swiss girls. Apparently, they were staying nearby.
As I lagged behind the group, one of them tried to start a conversation with me. "Are you okay?" she asked kindly.
"I'm fine. Just had too much beer. Makes me sleepy." Not true at all, but I've heard people say that.
"You’re tired? The fun has only just began!" And as she said this, she pulled something out of her inner pocket. Her clenched fist, shielded by a half jacket. Who is this girl, anyway? I thought to myself. She opened her hand flat, and right in the center of her palm lay two small pills with a smiley face on them. At least, they looked like it.
"Oh, I don’t do drugs. Sorry."
"Me neither!" And she swallowed a pill. "Now it’s your turn... Or are you scared?"
Scared? Who did this crazy Swiss witch (with really beautiful eyes) think she was. With her "are you scared". I'll show her who's scared.
"Scared? I’m not scared." I picked up the remaining pill and swallowed it.
Everything went in slow motion. Was this who I had become? Was this the same boy from high school? And just before I could swallow, I spat out the pill. She was shocked. I picked up the pill again, dried it with my jacket, and put it back in her fist. "Maybe later!" I shouted, running back to the group, over my shoulder.
I have nothing to say to 9 out of 10 peers I come across. Of course, I can be social. I can also have fun with random people in random situations, but that night, it just tired me out. I also didn't understand what we were doing there. Those girls found me strange anyway. Suddenly, I was the fifth wheel.
"We know this place where they go until 7 in the morning!" The girl leader of the group spoke. I wanted to go home. "If you guys want, you can go. Don't worry about me," I said to Gurb and Louis. The boys had a brief discussion. We agreed to stay for just a little while longer for some drinks. I consented. I was thirsty. "I'll have a Fanta, Louis."
Gurb had reached the last cigarette in his pack. Louis and a girl from the group were nowhere to be found. It didn't even bother me. This guy just walks around with some cash in his pocket and all hell breaks loose. After a night full of stimuli, I understood Louis. Of course, I understood Louis. He's a young god. Handsome, smart guy. But that didn't make me any less angry. It was purely about trust for me. Something inside me said I should stop subconsciously expecting things from people too. It prevents disappointment.
"Hotel please!" I jokingly suggested to Gurb. "Should you call Louis or should I?" I added. Gurb immediately grabbed his Android smartphone and called Louis. He put the call on speaker.
"Are you ready?" Gurb asked.
"Yeah. Sort of."
"What do you mean?"
"We didn't have sex."
"That's fine, right? Tomorrow's a new day!"
"I think I'm in love, man," Louis said.
"...," Gurb said, chuckling as he let out a sigh.
Once we arrived at the girls' hostel, it was already getting light. Louis was thankfully back. There were stains on his pants, around his knees. My focus was solely on arranging a taxi. Although the boys were still flirting, I was really done now. "How are we going to pay for this taxi?" I said a bit too loudly.
There was a silence. "Don't worry. I still have cash," Gurb said.
"Yeah, I knew you would," I replied.
My words clearly hit Louis. "What do you mean by that?" he said.
It was as if time stood still for a few seconds. "Exactly what I said. Better listen." Louis pulled out a small wad of green bills from his pocket. At least 400 euros. "I don't even want to see that money," I reacted. I walked away.
I'll just order a taxi myself.
"Why are you walking away now?" Gurb said.
"Twelve hours ago, I was alone too, and I had a lot more fun then."
"Do you really want to know how I got this money?" Louis said.
Yes, I did want to know. My whole evening revolved around that damn money.
He took a second of pause before he began speaking. "The answer lies in the Mini."
What on earth could be in Gurb's mother's car? Louis was trying to get into my head. "Taxi!"
Once in the taxi, the division was clear. Gurb was upfront, chatting animatedly with the driver. All adventures ever were recounted. Louis and I in the back. One of my best friends since I was thirteen. Funny how things turn out. It was quiet between us. I was in my head, rehearsing how I would bring up the money again. It didn't add up, and he knew it himself. "I don't care, you know," I said, hoping he'd break.
"What don't you care about?"
"About that money."
"What money? You're really a crazy woozy man." Louis burst out laughing again.
On the other hand, it was silent. Gurb had started talking about the driver's family. The driver didn't appreciate it. Gurb meant well. The driver smelled of alcohol. Or was it me? His nails were polished. Maybe his wife was a specialist. I bite my nails myself. Like now.
"In the Mini, oh yeah."
"Shut up. Illegal man."
"You'll never know."
"Stop playing. Just say it!"
Louis grabbed my head, pulled himself towards me, and brought his mouth to my right ear. "Why so serious?" he whispered. He didn't want to tell me.
"But always with this damn money, huh?" I almost shouted at Louis. I broke every silence within a radius of 10 kilometers.
"I'm trying my best, bro. It is what it is. I can't make it any different," he replied. It was clearly bothering him deeply. He ran his hands through his hair. "Sometimes people have to do things. And you know that better than anyone. Sometimes they have to do things they don't really want to or aren't supposed to do."
I knew this spiel all too well. Through all the drunken haziness, I suddenly saw a small glimmer of light. A tiny spark of sincerity. Louis was serious this time.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to involve you in this. I'm sorry," sweat dripped from his forehead.
"You're serious, huh? Damn, man. What mess have you gotten yourself into now? Worse than Terschelling?" Worse than Terschelling would mean stolen goods. Maybe even violence.
"It's not what you think."
"The Adlon Hotel, right?" the driver chimed in. Always saved by the bell, that Louis.
Suddenly I hit my head against the seat in front of me. Of course, I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. The last thing I saw was Gurb waking up in panic from his drunken stupor. One by one, I started losing my senses. It started with the feeling in my fingers. For a brief moment, everything wasn't quite black, and I could only see a vague pattern of colors repeating inside my eyelids. You could compare it to the brief moment after the commercial break before the movie starts in the cinema. The movie was about to begin.
I knew I wasn't dying. At least not yet. Not like this. Not after an overall mediocre night out in Berlin. I found comfort in the image I forced myself to see. It was all in my head. There I was, unconscious.
I saw myself in a third-person point of view. It wasn't like I was actually leaving my body. More like there was a webcam hanging in one of the upper corners of the taxi.
As a child, I used to dream a lot about death. Nights spent awake.
At some point, I developed a kind of compulsive behavior. I kept swaying my torso from left to right with my hands under my head. It became almost like a workout before bedtime. Every night.
I called it dream shuffling. Just like I had learned to shuffle puzzle pieces or playing cards. Making things a little exciting for yourself. But what I almost never told anyone was that I was scared. I was afraid of burglars, who were very agile and muscular.
Especially afraid that they would murder me. I really wanted to know what death was like. It scared me.
These fear visions originated during an all-inclusive vacation in Turkey. I was 6 years old and already in bed. There was a big old TV in our hotel room, so I could secretly watch TV from bed. Every evening, my parents sat on the balcony. Here they discussed their day while enjoying a glass of alcohol. There was a Japanese animated series on TV. In the few seconds that I watched, I saw a scary creature climbing a sort of apartment complex via the balconies. The creature had hundreds of teeth and blond hair. It quickly entered to decapitate the people, then drained them and, as a final insult, robbed them. Dozens of carcasses of dead people were scattered around the apartment complex. The complex on TV resembled the resort where we were in reality, and the TV world merged with my surroundings. I became part of it. I saw people watching. No matter how loudly I screamed for help, they didn't react. The sun became very bright, and the people turned into nothing more than shadows. As the intensity of the sun increased, something became clear to me. These were not people. They had a sort of orange skin. Where I had previously thought it was their nose and mouth, it turned out that these shadowy figures did not have such physical features. They simply had three holes in their heads. The police tried to do something, but in vain. Since then, we always kept the light on in the hallway outside my bedroom. By rocking back and forth, from left to right, I could glance fleetingly at the beam of light under the door. That bit of light, escaping from the hallway into my room, gave me an advantage. It allowed me to stay one step ahead of the burglars. Pretty smart, right?
"From Jamaica to the world!
It’s just love. Why must the children play in the street?"
It was Bob Sinclar with "Love Generation" speaking to us through the taxi's speakers. We were stationary. I was conscious again, but I didn't feel alive at all. "How long was I out?" I asked Louis.
I could tell by his expression that he was relieved. Relieved that I was back. "One minute," he almost apologized. Louis gave me a pat on the shoulder. Gurb, on the other hand, was sleeping. He slept like a baby cub.
I put my right index finger on my forehead. It felt wet, but it wasn't blood. Blood feels different. Meanwhile, I kept hearing whistling.
"Be the love generation! Oh yeah!" It was still that same song by Bob Sinclar.
The earlier scent of alcohol had now been replaced by the smell of incense. It smelled like the same incense I had in my room. Sold to me as Tibetan 39 incense. I had bought it at a coffee shop in Rotterdam. I pulled up my notes on my phone. "Who lights incense in a CAR????" I let Louis read from my screen. He took the phone from my hands and started typing as well.
"Look at Gurb >>>" Gurb was so deeply asleep that his head drooped. His seatbelt held his torso in place, but his head ended up on the driver's shoulder. The man didn't mind. He didn't move. I made eye contact with the driver through the rearview mirror, and soon I found him. He winked at me.
We arrived at the hotel. Gurb awakened from his alcoholic hibernation. "Who's going to pay for the taxi?" I asked. Clearly rhetorical. I already knew I would take this one for the team, as usual. I refused to use Louis's money. It was uncomfortably quiet. "By card please," I said.
"I'll always protect you, Louis. You really need to know that. I care about you like my own little brother. I'll always try to help you. But you have to be honest with me. Can you do that?" Louis didn't hesitate.
"Yes. Yes, I can. I'll show you. It's really in the Mini." Meanwhile, the taxi driver's card machine indicated that I had insufficient funds. That couldn't be right. Maybe I had withdrawn too much that evening.
"I have cash in the hotel room," Gurb said to me. Gurb informed the driver in broken English that he would go get his cash. The driver agreed. Money is money, whether it comes now or later. As long as it feels good in your hands.
Louis and I got out of the taxi. "You're not going to light a cigarette now, are you?" Louis wanted to smoke. "Especially for stress. That's really for people who can't handle pain. You need to feel pain. Pain needs to brand you for the rest of your life so you finally learn not to do such stupid things." It fell silent again. My blood boiled. All pots were on the stove. I felt like Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen. "Show me then. Do it."
Louis remained silent and walked around the corner of the hotel. Towards the parking lot. I followed him. "You're not going to find much," said Louis.
"Why not? Are you a magician?"
"No. Just. Not much."
"So there's suddenly magically nothing in Gurb's car?"
"Stop. Get out. Get out of my head!" Louis shouted. Louis had had enough. He was done with the parade. Normally we dealt with hypothetical stories. Only this time it wasn't a joke. I was sure now. Louis had dropped his mask. The revolution had begun. The government had fallen and the dikes had broken. The people were in charge. "You shouldn't freak out like this. Always wanting more. Sweet boy, think about yourself."
After Gurb gave the money to the driver, he came to us. He had a smile on his face, lit a cigarette, and exclaimed, "Brothers!" Once with us, he hugged me. He started laughing. "Maybe I haven't been entirely honest either." Sometimes Gurb seemed like a 38-year-old man. In a positive way. He exuded confidence in a way I didn't often see. Affectionate, with a hint of authority.
We stood in the middle of a large parking lot. "Look. We've reached a point where I might not even care anymore. You guys are teasing me." It did matter to me. Maybe more than ever. I was supposed to be two steps ahead of them, but I couldn't figure it out. "I give up."
The delightful silence returned. Louis and Gurb looked at each other. "You guys win. Apparently, I'm not to be trusted as a friend."
From Louis's expression, I could tell he disagreed with this. "Not true. Come to the car."
We arrived at the car. Louis unlocked it and searched for the trunk button. Gurb had started his third cigarette. "It's a corpse, isn't it? Say it now. I can still help you. I can still help us. I can book a ticket for you. We can get you out of here," I said to Louis.
"Just wait. Nutcase."
"Why won't you accept my help?"
Louis started laughing nervously. Or at least it seemed that way. Perhaps a sly laugh too. Had Louis killed someone? "It's not a corpse. That can't be. You wouldn't be stupid enough to use their ID. You're smarter than that. So it must be something stolen. Haven't you found that button yet?"
Suddenly, we heard a click. Louis had found the button. Somewhere, I didn't want to know. Shouldn't I just trust Louis? Wasn't that the whole point of friendship?
Finally, the moment had arrived. I placed my right hand in the slot of the rear hatch. Something in me doubted. Still. I still doubted. Louis looked dead serious. "You wanted to know, didn't you? Then you also have to be man enough to accept it." Louis was clearly not joking. Or was he acting again? "Pussy," Louis said. I looked away. "You're afraid of what's inside, huh? You're afraid of the real Louis." He began to laugh manically. "Open that thing, man. Nutcase!"
I started laughing too. Why did I make such a big deal out of it? Sweat broke out from every pore in my body. It was even a bit damp in the no man's land between my scrotum and my anus. A tropical climate. It had been quite an adventure the whole evening. I took my hand off the rear hatch and first gave Louis a hug. Not some half-hearted birthday wish. No, a real hug.
"It's okay, buddy," Louis said to me. I had no idea what he meant by that. It fit the moment though.
It was really time now. I opened the rear hatch.
"Where is it?"
"In front of you," said Louis.
"In some secret compartment?"
There was nothing in the trunk. Absolutely nothing. An empty trunk. For an empty evening, in an empty Berlin, with an empty group of guys. I didn't get it.
"You won, man," I whispered. "You finally fucking done did it."
I couldn't believe my eyes. Empty? There was still nothing in the car. Louis just stood there. Emotionally, I was a wreck. I had felt every emotion this evening. Seen every color and smelled every scent. I was done. My body was ready. No longer needed. My mission was complete.
"But why did you do this?" I asked Louis, laughing.
He scratched his chin. It felt like the end of a bad movie.
"I sold our Playstation. Wanted to tell you only after I had sorted everything out again. I terminated my lease. Had some debts, and I also wanted to have some money for once. Once not empty-handed in the club. Once not dependent on my best friends. This is not who I am... I know how much that Playstation meant to you. It was ours together. I should have just told you."
"… and how does Gurb actually make his money?"

Now I'm sure some Fleming purists (ie the kind that wish movie bond had a scar and was a food prima donna) might hate me for saying this. But the movies should be non poltical.
Most of them are non poltical. In the cold war era ones the Russians are the baddies in like 3 of them, so 3/16. The bulk of the baddies are ironically the same as the enemies of the communist. Industrialists, aristocrats, durg dealers and warlords. The few times when the Russians are bad they go out of their way to show that there are other nice Russians. Like in Octopussy and and TLD. It's actually pretty PC. There are plenty of movies from that era that do depict all Russians as savages that will eat the flesh raw off your bones.
Having it based off real poltics just dates it. Maybe the cold war interige and dirty double crossing was exciting during the year TLD came out. But there isn't much interige now knowing that the ussr couldn't make enough toothbrushes in real life and that the average Russian was still pooing in a bucket because most houses didn't have indoor toilet. While something like Goldfinger is timeless because everyone likes gold. An Indian or African who knows nothing of the the cold war could watch and get Goldfinger in in go.
Plus 007 is meant to be a male fantasy. The last thing I want to see in a 007 movie is real poltics. Dose anyone want to see a bunch of talking heads and men in grey suits saying "increasing Chinese influnce in Mozambique is increasing the cost of cobalt, we need cobalt to zzzz". Who cares. Its 007 not CNN.
007 villians aren't warroris fighting for their own country like Hector in the Iliad. They are self seeking egoistics. Auric has a fetish for gold, Hugo Drax wants to kill everyone who's a 9/10 or less. Dr No uses the word "stupid" to describe the ussr and USA. If 007 was realistic he'd being sent to Iran to kill the elected pm Mossadegh for wanting spend the oil money building schools.
Dose anyone want to see that? 007 being sent to Veitnam to shoot up some pesants for being "communist agitators"? That would be "realistic". Or Bond piloting a drone to blow up the Afghan orphanage because Akhoondzadeh is hiding in it. Only to find out that it was a different non taliban guy called Akhoondzadeh (son of priest), since its hardly an unsual Persian name.
Again it be "realistic" and "poltical". But where is the fun? Bond being sent on missions to save world is fun. Bond being sent on missions to post the Prime Minster's Gallop Poll score is not.
To me 007 is a hero. Escapism. Not an episode of CNN. This the same reason why 007 never gets syphilis or rips his tuxedo troussers when jumping out of a car.
The exception being if they set bond in the 60s and made the baddie a neo nazi.
I genuinely think people who say they want "a more poltical Bond" like the idea but have not thought much about the execution. Like captagon sales from Syria are worth more than the combined drug revenue of all the Mexican cartles combined. So realistically if there is a drug the government wanted to fight it be that. But because the public don't know what captagon is, it no doubt be cocane or herion.
If you are arguing for a more polical bond and you don't know what Captagon is or who Akhoondzadeh you've proven my point for me.

First of all, after 2.2 we know that Boothill is hunting Oswaldo Schneider, who is part of the IPC. In addition, he is also indirectly responsible for the genocide in Aventurine's homeland, and there has been some grudge between "Ten stonehearts" and Oswaldo. Along with multiple other mentions in the game, we can safe to assume that he has been painted as a villain in the IPC in lore.
However, some people have noticed that he is actually a former nameless, but now choose to become a member of the IPC, and is fanatically worshipping Qlipoth.
But one more fact about Oswaldo, which seems to be lost in the nuance of localization, is that, he is the head of the "Marketing Development Department".
In Chinese, this department is named “市场开拓部”, and it just so happens, that "开拓" is exactly the same word for the Aeon "Trailblaze". So the name of his department is really "Market Trailblazing Department".
And when you see what the game describes as the job for the "Marketing Development Department"?

The Marketing Development Department is engrossed in reaching more star systems to preach the calling of Qlipoth. At it same time, it is also responsible for pulling newly emerging worlds into the universal commercial sphere.

So... literally trailblaze, but in a bad way.
While this COULD be a pure coincidence, many people believe that this will be very connected with his identity as a former nameless.
Up until now, the game painted the path of Trailblaze as purely positive, building the star rail, helping everyone, and making friends along the way. But looking at this, I feel that perhaps it is more complicated than that, and hopefully the game will get to address this in the future.

Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Brick, Jasmine, Justin, Millie
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, Izzy, MK, Ripper, Scott
Episode 8: One Flu Over the Cuckoos
"Last time, on Total Drama Action! Imprisoned in a world they didn't create. Forced to ingest deadly foods, and even to taste them twice!"
"Nonetheless, the two courageous teams clawed their way to freedom! And... a lonely Chef made a new friend."
"But prison is no place for law abiding citizens. Even athletic ones. So at the end of the day, it was goodbye, Sky, hello... Izzy?" The camera panned back to show Chris lounging in the control tent. "Yeah. Izzy. That girl is eight shades of nutty. Will she drive everyone else crazy too?"
The scene flashed to a close-up of Chris standing in front of the cast trailers, the camera pulling back with each word of the show's title. "Find out now, on Total! Drama! Action!"
(Theme Song)
The scene faded in to a shot of an owl hooting on a tree branch at night until a few sparks erupted from it and its head popped off on a spring. The camera panned down and to the left, catching the castmates as they made their way back to their trailers; the Gaffers were in front, and the Grips were in the back, though Brick was noticeably absent.
“Everything is so much smaller than I remembered!” Izzy said while looking around.
"I can't believe that you guys eliminated Sky," Chase said as the camera focused on the Gaffers. "She would have continued to help carry us to victory if she was still here."
“I remember that bush! I remember that tree!” Izzy continued to observe her surroundings until she tripped onto the floor, only to get back up. “Oh, I remember that rock! Hey rock!”
“You know,” Scott spoke up, “with Sky gone and Izzy being back, it's like we didn't lose a player.”
“That may be because the teams are still evenly matched,” MK claimed.
"Good night everybody," Millie told the contestants in a tired tone as she took the steps up to the girls' trailer. "I really need to get some rest." She grabbed the door handle and habitually moved to open it, but it didn't budge and she slammed face-first into it.
"First they lock us in," Ripper said as the camera cut over to him pulling on the door handle of the guys' trailer, "and now they're locking us out!" He grunted as he kept trying to open it, but he failed to move it at all.
"Wait, wait," Izzy said from off-screen, "let me try it!" Ripper quickly stepped aside just as Izzy rammed the door and bounced off of it without making a dent.
A loud siren started up as tense music began to play in the background.
“Cops!!!” Izzy panicked soon after getting up and ducked out of the way.
Seconds later, an ambulance drove past, stopping in front of them just long enough for the back doors to open and a covered stretcher to fall out. Siren still blaring, the ambulance drove off and the castmates hesitantly approached its former cargo.
"What is that? A dead body?" Anne Maria asked nervously.
"Or an undead body," Ripper guessed.
Whatever was on the stretcher sat up, and the cover fell away to reveal Chris McLean lying on a colorful stack of books. The castmates gasped and murmured at the dazed-looking host. "...Boo!" the handsome man said suddenly, earning a blank look from MK.
The host then cleared his throat. "Calm yourselves. No one's dead yet," he said with a smile, holding up one of the books. "I'm here to prep you plucky ducks for our most awesome challenge yet! These textbooks hold the sum total of eight years of med school, and each one of you gets one," he explained before tossing the book in his hand to Anne Maria who raised an eyebrow once she caught it, "cause tomorrow, we're gonna play Doctor!" A few deep and tense notes played as Anne Maria rolled her eyes.
Confessional: Anne Maria
"I don't have anything against doctors," Anne Maria confessed. "It is their job to put scalpers and needles onto people, and give advice like “Don't break your leg because you were out late skateboarding,” but playing doctor isn't really in my wheelhouse.”
Confessional: Brick
"If I wanted to, I could be a doctor," Brick explained to the camera. "I've been to the doctor's office countless times because of my many injuries, like a twisted wrist, a joint thumb, bruised ribs, or even my leg getting bit by a dog." He shuddered. “Don't ask. But the military is my top priority.”
Confessionals End
"To win this challenge," Chris said as the footage cut back to him and the castmates, each of whom now held a textbook, "you're gonna want to memorize the entire contents of these textbooks. By morning."
"But it's already late," Millie protested.
"You got that right," Chris answered as a golf cart drove up with a giant pizza slice on the roof and a large stack of pizza boxes in the back. The driver was Chef, who had a pizza delivery hat on. As soon as the cart stopped, Chef got out and carried the comically large stack of pizzas over to Chase. "What med school all-nighter would be complete without pizza?" Chris asked.
Chase was shown dropping his textbook as he accepted the stack in awe, and a harp played in the background as he and Izzy gave it a sniff. He let out an approving sigh as Izzy smiled happily. "Pizza," the daredevil said.
"This has to be a trick," Millie said.
"More like method acting," Chris told them as he walked over to the golf cart and hopped onto the back. "Med school interns consume 850% more pizza than the average human. So, dig in! Cause there's plenty more where that came from!" The cart sputtered away, leaving the castmates by themselves.
Jasmine opened the top box and took out a slice. "Looks okay, smells okay," she said before finally taking a bite. "Tastes...great!"
"How is that even possible?" Anne Maria asked.
The scene flashed over to an unfinished pizza getting tossed into the air, the camera following it as it fell into Brick's hands. The table he was standing at already had four other pizzas on it, and they looked to be complete.
The camera panned right over to Chef with four cooked pizzas at his table as he held a can of parmesan. "Keep 'em comin'," Chef ordered. "I'll add the final cheesy touch," he said deviously while sprinkling the can on one of the pizzas.
"I'm pretty sure my team is going to question where I am," Brick complained.
"Not as long as they're eating, they won't!" Chef got up in Brick's face. "So hush up and spin that dough. Spin like the wind." As Chef went back to his station, the camera zoomed in on Brick's worried face.
The scene flashed to the five Gaffers sitting in chairs by a fire in front of the cast trailers, eating pizza and reading textbooks. The camera focused in on Izzy and Ripper, who were in the two leftmost seats.
"Y'know," Ripper said, "one time me and my brothers ordered ten boxes of pizza in order to see who can eat the most without using their hands." He chuckled. “You should've been there watching us splatter sauce on each other.”
“Let's pretend I was!” Izzy tossed away her book. “Here!” She sprung off her chair, landed next to the pizza box in front of the team, and began to scarf on the pizza without using her hands.
“My three brothers would be jealous to see you do this quicker than them,” Ripper commented.
Grabbing a pizza with her teeth, Izzy started to shake it around like a rabid animal, splattering sauce onto everybody.
“My hat!” MK exclaimed.
“My shirt!” Scott shouted.
“My pizza!” Chase cried out dramatically.
Confessional: Izzy
“I am so glad to be back,” Izzy said. “I was top of my pre-med class before the RCMP started chasing me, so this should be a snap! On the other hand, I'll tone down my impressions since it bothered Ripper the last time I was here, and he's my friend so I'll try to put his feelings into consideration.”
Confessional: Ripper
“It's amazing that Izzy is back in the game, and unlike the first time it happened, I'm around to witness it,” Ripper chimed. “She better not make us call her E-Scope though. That was really bugging me out.”
Confessionals End
The scene moved to the inside of the craft services tent, where four of the Killer Grips were studying at one of the tables. Millie and Anne Maria were on one side of the table, with Justin opposite them and Jasmine standing away from them.
Justin noticed Jasmine's unhappy expression and decided to go over and press the matter. “Is something wrong?” the eye candy asked.
Jasmine was startled by the question and regained her composure. “I'm completely fine. Nothing's bringing me down.”
“Just tell me. I don't blab about secrets,” Justin continued.
“If you must know, Brick's been spending less time with us lately,” Jasmine confessed. “Usually before the challenge, we never even see him.”
“I've noticed as well,” Justin nodded. “And this is bringing you down because?”
“Me and him have a special bond going, and it may lead into something more than that, but how are we supposed to know each other more if he's avoiding us?” Jasmine wondered.
“Brick'll probably explain what's going on to us, but don't badger him,” Justin advised. “It'll most likely cause him to lie.”
“That's a good idea. If there's one thing I do not like, it's when someone is lying to me,” Jasmine admitted.
“Interesting…” Justin mused to himself.
Confessional: Justin
“Jasmine's concern plus Brick's disappearances equals an opportunity for me to cause a little bit of turmoil between them,” Justin calculated. “That way, I could get one of them eliminated with Anne Maria and Millie's help.”
Confessional Ends
"Man, is this pizza delicious or what?" Anne Maria said as she took a bite out of the slice she was holding. "I wish Chef could cook more food like this for us every day."
Jasmine took a bite of her slice and saw Millie focused on reading rather than eating. "Are you not going to nibble at least one slice, Millie?"
Millie looked up from the book she'd been studying and blinked.
Confessional: Millie
"With the challenge that we're going to get, I have to focus on studying all the contexts of that textbook so I won't forget a single detail," Millie told the camera. "And plus, I'm not really a big fan of pizza."
Confessional Ends
A close-up of an open pizza box was shown as Justin reached in to grab one of the last remaining pieces. "If you don't want any pizza, then that means there's more for us," he said.
“Hold on. Brick hasn't had any,” Jasmine interrupted.
"Where is he anyway?" Anne Maria asked.
Brick then peeked out of the counter, and he ducked down, crawled under the table, and popped up in order to act like he just arrived. "Sorry I'm late. I had an urgent bathroom emergency," he said.
"Here's your pizza," Jasmine slid the open box to the end of the table.
Brick picked up a slice, took a bite, and smiled as he chewed it. "My cooking skills are great!"
"I'm stuffed," Anne Maria said as she stood up. "And with tomorrow being a reward challenge and all, I can just go back to my trailer. Good night!" She began to leave.
"I study better when I'm by myself. Nothing personal," Millie told the team and left the tent as well.
Confessional: Jasmine
"I could make them stay," Jasmine said in the make-up trailer, "but there's no point in doing so. Millie is already educated enough to not read the textbook, and Anne Maria is as tough as an untamed crocodile when it comes to talking with her."
Confessional Ends
The scene moved to Anne Maria and Millie as they walked through the film lot to get to their trailer.
"I thought you'd still be studying back at the tent," Anne Maria casted a suspicious look at her teammate. “Why are you following me?”
"I still want to read the textbook. I just want to do it someplace quiet," Millie replied. “What about you?”
“Like I said, I'm going to sleep,” Anne Maria said. “There's no need to give it my all if the challenge won't have an elimination.”
“You may be wrong about that. Chris is very unpredictable when it comes to episodes having eliminations or not,” Millie argued. “Did you at least read some pages of the textbook?”
“Yeah, and I don't want my head to be egg headed like yours is, brainiac,” Anne Maria claimed.
This got a glare from Millie. “Hey, just because I'm smart, doesn't mean I don't have any more depth to me,” the writer scolded.
“If all we're gonna do is argue, then let's keep to ourselves for the rest of the night,” Anne Maria rebutted.
“That's fine by me,” Millie agreed with the tanned girl.
The scene faded forward into a shot of the numbered studios the following day. The camera cut inside, showing the ten castmates lined up in a small room facing a double door, all but Millie and Anne Maria looking exhausted.
"So tired," Jasmine groaned.
"My brain has never been this full," Ripper mumbled.
"You guys should've turned in for the night like I did if you didn't wanna look like zombies," Anne Maria stated, making the others groan at her.
"Morning, competitors!" Chris said in a chipper tone as he slid in through the door. "Or should I say...DOCTORS!" He pulled out a large gun from behind his back, eliciting a gasp from the teens as he pointed it at them. He fired it at them starting with the Gaffers, and the camera focused on Izzy and Scott at the far end of the line as stethoscopes and reflector headband landed on them. Chase, MK, and Ripper were the next to get hit and MK fell to the ground after impact. Brick and Millie followed, then Anne Maria, Jasmine, and Justin.
"Ready for today's big challenge?" Chris asked them with a smile.
“We pulled an all-nighter studying for this," Scott grunted. "Why wouldn't we all be?"
"If only teenagers were as dedicated to their studies as you guys are!" Chris said with a light laugh. "Let's take it inside." He started backing into the room he'd come out of, the castmates following after him.
The camera cut to a close-up of a large compound stage light before zooming out to show the cast assembled in a large room, each team standing by a large green vat of bubbling slime, a ladder leading up to a high dive, and a sort of slanted platform with a person-shaped indent in it.
"Today's challenge is called," Chris said as the background music became low and tense, "Visiting Hours. And only one member of the winning team will get to enjoy the reward." A few drum beats played, and the camera panned over to the Grips on the left.
"Hold up," Anne Maria asked. "Why're we doing this in teams if only one of us gets to win?"
"I guess it's one for all and all for one this time," Jasmine said.
"But who gets to be the one?" Brick wondered aloud.
"Let's leave it to the one who contributes the most," Millie told them.
Confessional: Millie
"Which will likely be me," Millie added in the confessional trailer.
Confessional Ends
"So what is the reward, Chris?" Chase asked.
"You're very perceptive, Chase," Chris told him. "Let's see if that helps you and your team assemble a CADAVER!" A game show jingle played as he made the announcement.
"You're talking about a dead body, right?" Izzy asked.
"No," Chris corrected as the game show jingle played again, "I'm talking about a giant dead body!" The shot zoomed out further than it had before, revealing that the slanted platforms were attached to chains leading up to a reel in the ceiling and two strange devices on mounted either side just below.
"These tanks contain the dismembered parts of two identical cadavers," he explained over an elevator music-like tune. "Each player will climb their respective team ladder, strap on the bungee cord," the shot cut from his close-up to a bungee harness dangling in front of the Gaffers' diving board, "and jump into the tank with hopes of retrieving a body part." The camera panned down to the tank, then over to the slanted platform. "Any parts you find will be snapped in place on the platforms. Use those chains to raise them all the way to the roof," he continued as the camera followed the chain up to the strange device on either side of the gap in the ceiling as a jolt of electricity stream between them, "where they'll be reanimated by a blast of lightning!"
"First team to bring a Franken-Chris back to life wins," the host told them. "First crack goes to the team who can tell me how to treat someone with a bean stuck up their nose." He tapped his nose, and the camera panned over to the Gaffers.
MK was the first to open her mouth. "Administer two ccs of pain meds and probe the affected area with a sterile swab."
"Correctomundo!" Chris said, giving her a pair of finger pistols.
"Yes!" MK cheered.
The footage flashed forward to the AV girl on top of her team's diving board, the bungee harness already secured. She jumped off with a scream and plunged into the vat, popping back up a moment later as she was electrocuted by the electric eel she was now holding. She let the fish go at the peak of her trip back up, and grabbed on to the edge of the diving board. "What the heck was that?!" she asked in shock.
"Oh yeah," Chris said, "I forgot to mention the electric eels. Three zaps for each turn and you're out!"
With a hesitant look on her face, MK allowed herself to drop back into the vat. She emerged holding a grayish and slime-covered leg. "Got it!" she called as the camera cut to Ripper who was standing by the Gaffers' platform with his arms out to catch. He caught the limb, then turned around and fit it into place.
"Okay, next question!" Chris announced. "Your patient has an itchy red inflammation on their butt! Diagnosis?"
"Diaper rash," Brick spoke up first. "Apply salve repeatedly to achieve humectant dispersion."
"Yes!" Chris said, and Brick smiled.
The footage cut forward to him diving off the board and into the vat. He sprung back out holding an eel, and it shocked him. "Sorry!" he said before plunging back down. He came back up a second time, now holding two eels. "Sorry again!" he told them, falling once more after getting shocked. He popped out holding a hand, which he quickly tossed to his team.
"Don't let it touch my hair!" Justin fumbled with the hand a few times before tossing it over to Jasmine, who rolled her eyes and put it in the right-hand slot.
"Next question!" Chris said. "Your patient's got a white tongue, red eyes, and they're oozing gooey crud! Diagnosis?"
"If I'm not wrong, that should be Pinkus Eyeicus," Chase answered. "Treat with two rounds of floppity jibbits."
"Absolutely correct!" Chris told him. The camera zoomed in on him as he slyly added "I messed around with some of the terms in the textbook."
Chase looked down at the vat, then jumped. He fell without a sound, but when he came back up with an eel in each hand, he shrieked and got electrocuted. He plunged back down, and this time came up with another leg. "Hey, I got one this time!" he said with a smile before tossing the limb over to Scott.
Scott jumped for it, then turned around and slammed it into place.
"Smells like ear wax?" Chris asked next, rushing up to Jasmine with a grin on his face.
"Pineapple-itis," Jasmine answered before low-fiving the host.
Jasmine was shown jumping down, and sprung back up to diving board-level seconds later with three eels on her body; she screamed as she was shocked.
"Fur between the toes?" Chris asked, bending down to point at his bare feet, one of which had a tuft of brown hair growing out of it.
"Stick two horse feathers up the whizzbang!" Izzy answered when the host turned to her.
Izzy was shown dropping into the vat and coming back up with a torso and a smile on her face.
A montage of parts getting added was shown next. Millie was first, putting a leg into her team's platform. Second was Chase, slotting one of his team's arms in. Brick added a waist for the Grips, and the clips transitioned to other parts of the challenge.
"Waka-waka two-by-four!" Scott answered.
Anne Maria was shown listening to Chris's chest with her stethoscope before enthusiastically saying "Sissypants McGee!" to the host's brief approval and sudden discomfort.
Ripper was shown trying to strangle one of the eels as it shocked him, then Justin was shown being electrocuted thrice by the eels before eventually holding up a Chris head. He tossed it to Anne Maria, who was sitting on Jasmine's shoulders, and the two turned around to put the piece in – all they were missing now was the left arm and hand.
"The Grips ahead by...a head!" Chris announced, the camera cutting over to the Gaffers' platform and the five teens giving it nervous, annoyed, and uncertain looks – aside from the head, all they were missing was the right arm and hand.
"Alright Gaffers, next question!" the host said as he slid over to the other team. "Your patient's feeling tired, has spongy gums, and a bunch of spots on their thighs. Diagnosis?"
"Scurvy," Ripper said. "Treated with an increase of dietary vitamin C."
"Correct!" Chris announced excitedly.
The footage cut forward, focusing on the Gaffers' vat as Ripper dived into it. He emerged moments later with his team's hand, and threw it over to Izzy who quickly put it into place.
Confessional: Ripper
“I'm not sure if what we studied are actually real life symptoms and diagnoses, but who am I to know?” Ripper shrugged uncaringly. “I'm not one to study for this sort of stuff unless there's a million dollars on the line.”
Confessional Ends
Another skip forward showed Millie plunging into the vat and coming back out with the arm. "Alright, last piece coming your way!" she said excitedly before tossing it to her off-screen teammates.
It was Justin who caught the piece and put it into the only remaining indentation on the platform. "The Grips have their cadaver!" Chris announced in a close-up. "Time to start yanking some chain, and be quick about it 'cause the Gaffers are right behind you!"
Jasmine and Brick began to pull on their team's chain while Anne Maria moved the slanted scaffold out from under the platform and Justin and Millie watched in anticipation as the cadaver-containing platform was rising quickly.
The camera cut over to the Gaffers as Izzy dangled from the bungee harness covered in slime. “I got it! I got it!” She tossed the Chris head over to MK.
MK stopped in front of the platform and drew back her arm, tossing it up to Chase who had climbed the back of the platform in preparation. The daredevil caught it and slotted the part in, then dropped to the ground.
"Now we pull!" MK ordered as Chase joined Ripper and Scott at the chain.
"Heave!" Ripper said as the three started to pull in rhythm. "Ho! Heave!"
"The Gaffers are still in this," Chris told the camera in a close-up. "Whose cadaver will hit the roof first?" he asked with a shrug. "Make sure you come back for all the Total! Drama! Action!" he finished excitedly.
(Commercial Break)

First, I want to say I am happy to have found this supportive group. I don’t have anyone to talk to about this specific issue, so please bear with me it is a lengthy post.
I was probably about 7 years old. This was the early 2000s, so me and my sister would steal my dad’s flip phone we thought it was the coolest thing. Then we would find messages with his friends that would say things like “it’s get you a new gf day” along with a nude photo of a woman probably too young. there had been multiple nude photos that we had found. Even one time a video played with a loud pornographic sound. My parents are still married so even back then my sister and I felt badly for my mother. He had also mentioned to my mom in front of us all (me about 13) how he had been to a local specific topless bar a “long time ago” when my sister and I were toddlers. Again, I just felt horrible for my mom as the sinking feeling made itself a home in my gut to this day.
When I was 14 I started dating my first bf we dated for four years. I would feel sick and just worthless because of the movies we would watch. They would have nudity and he would make comments on the actresses. Even comparing me to some. His entire family would. He mentioned this to his mom and she told him I was young and insecure. I was pressured into sending him nudes or else he would watch porn and then blame me for it. I remember the rush of emotions, that sinking feeling when I would find even “innocent” photos of girls at school in his phone or porn in his search history. When we would go to the movies I was always on edge. I would search on those sites that go through the parent’s guide of nudity so I could prepare myself or convince to watch something else.
I dated another guy at 19. When were first together he told me he had never had an orgasm through sex and frequently struggled getting it up. It eventually went away but our sex life wasn’t healthy and we ended things. However, when I was about 20 I started dating a guy let’s call him David. David was the sweetest man. I felt so safe with him. We had an amazing sex life. I never had to worry about anything relating to porn or women around him at all. When I was about 22 I made a new friend let’s call him Jack. Jack and I were good friends nothing more. Until, two years into our friendship I fell “in love” with Jack. This caused me to end things with David. For the first year (we were separated for about 7 months) we never had penetrative sex. During the first couple of months, he told me he didn’t want his ED to negatively affect me. I thought because my ex was having issues and I understood it had nothing to do with me I would be fine. I went through our relationship believing it was ED. which turned out to be half the truth. I also believed his alcohol addiction and unhealthy lifestyle had something to do with it.
The part that sickens me the most is that we were friends first for two years, he told me he loved me and then destroyed me with his addiction. While we were friends shifting into a romantic relationship I would be grossed out by his prior use of strip clubs once spending thousands of dollars. Especially because in our relationship he would complain about spending money on me. He would always check out other women when we were together. It made me feel like I just wasn’t enough. One time on YouTube it was a video of this couple, the woman was doing her thirst trap thing with her butt and he said “We know why he’s with her” “She worked for that… you turn” I was so upset because I had already been insecure about my butt and into fitness for almost a decade, and dealing with body dysmorphia. Another time me, him and his friend were at a grocery store (this is the time of our budding romance) they pointed out how good this girl's butt was and followed her for a couple of isles claiming she wanted it to be seen.
I feel so stupid and ashamed typing this, the thought of getting into a relationship with a guy displaying this behavior WITH ME BY HIS SIDE. fast forward to six months later, 1.5 years into a relationship, 3 years of friendship. I’m now 25, he is 28. Still no sex. He told me he thinks his hormones are balanced and I honestly felt bad for him and encouraged him to talk to his doctor. He started taking the blue pills they kinda worked, but not really. I would talk about how I felt with my male therapist. I also felt very isolated almost because the honeymoon phase was ending he didn’t even want to cuddle.
We lived together at this point. My therapist told me he may have a PA, he may be lying to you about it. I thought no way because I had been looking through his phone frequently from a general lack of trust. I did ask him multiple times he would of course deny it. He would always be looking at thirst trap comments on Snapchat and YouTube. Even commented on one of my friends once “It was a joke”. I would tell him multiple times I did not like our sex life and it can’t continue like this.
I swear your PA may lie, but the algorithm doesn’t. I remember I got this TikTok on my FYP. The guy who in his videos starts by saying “Oh you want to know another disgusting secret about men” he talked about lying PA. I knew at that moment that’s what it was.
On the commercials for my favorite show, WWE commercials would come on. Women with makeup, hair and lingerie and I noticed he would always stare. I thought I was just making this in my head until once he made the comment that “he used to find them attractive when he was younger and that they are hot.” A couple of months ago we went on a trip. He would be sitting next to me just scrolling through YT reels of thirst content thinking I am blind. The first time we had sex he would buy my lingerie and I would go put it and makeup on while he was in the other room I noticed when I came out he had been on his phone. He was ALWAYS on his phone. I knew in my heart it was from watching porn bc he was hard. He claimed it was bc he was thinking of me. This happened a couple of times. I knew the truth but I ignored it because I craved intimacy.
The scrolling on Yt shorts happened again one night, his algorithm was just thirst trap after thirst trap including WWE clips. I was so stressed I knew I was not going to sleep the night. I planned to wake up and go through his phone while he was asleep. When I did, I found him on Reddit pages with porn of WWE women. Emails saying he signed into adult websites the date and times right before we would have sex. Even an article on the best VR sets for porn. I thought wow he’s really thinking of investing this amount of money when he can’t even invest in our relationship. My heart shattered into the glass, glad that continued to cut me. I never felt so disrespected or taken for granted, like I was never good enough before. I cannot believe someone who says they love me more than ever would gaslight me so hard.
The next day we were out at a restaurant he asked what was on my mind since I had been acting differently. Me: “ I’m going to ask you a question I’ve asked you before but this time you’re going to tell me the truth” Jack: immediately “no” I asked him to think again before you answer, why are you lying to me he kept denying it until I said why are you so comfortable lying to me. He said I’m not. Maybe I used it too much before in the past. I said I don’t trust you and I have no mental peace with you this thing between us cannot continue.
…Y’all this is all while he was trying to get me to move across the country with him!! The next morning we talked about it and I told him how he crushed me and how I went through his phone and after I said that, he then started feeling very bad, even shedding tears. Looking back it’s as if he knew that I knew I wasn’t crazy.
It sucks because I feel I will always love him and leaving was the hardest thing I had to do. I still go back and forth about my love for him it’s always love and pure hate. Half of the time I want to call him and tell him exactly how much he destroyed my mental health. I still always scan my surroundings, and the media around me. I still compare myself to every woman because I am used to him checking out everyone. He would say it takes nothing from me but it does. I’m tired of people saying that it’s insecurity if you want your man to only have eyes for you and make excuses.
I know this was not the case when I was with David it was never like this. I felt empowered and loved. Now I have begun to get back together with David but I feel like I am carrying all this baggage from Jack's pa. David is against this type of behavior and even talks about how it is disturbing how porn is so prevalent everywhere ( he doesn’t know about the pa with Jack or my past). I feel like I am soo disgruntled towards men (Dad included) even though David is innocent and probably the best man I’ve ever had in my life. My mental health decline from not trusting my gut is painful.
Thank you for reading and your support. I wish you all love and light.

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
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Chapter 414
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Some faces are unwelcome no matter how often they appear. For me, Lee Jeong-Ryong and Wu Hei-Xing belonged squarely in that category.
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Nevertheless, I initiated the conversation today because Wu Hei-Xing, against all odds, looked somewhat respectable.
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"Look who's here. I thought I'd never see you again."
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My lively greeting earned a venomous glare from the disheveled Wu Hei-Xing.
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「Shut up.」
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"Oh..."
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「One more word, and I swear on my grandfather's honor, I'll tear you to pieces.」
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Is he Kim Jong-Il or something? I'll never understand why these guys treat their deceased ancestors' honor like a credit card. [Note: Kim Jong-Il was the previous lead of North Korea from 1997 to 2011.]
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Keeping a straight face, I questioned him.
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"Did you have a bad relationship with your grandfather?"
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「What?」
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"I mean... Why stake his honor on something so impossible? It would make more sense if you were the one getting torn to pieces..."
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「You bastard!」
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As Wu Hei-Xing exploded with rage and rose to his feet, Lee Jeong-Ryong intervened with a raised hand.
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"Enough."
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「But Mr. Lee, this bastard...」
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"Fighting amongst ourselves before a decisive battle is completely pointless. Calm down."
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Crrrrick.
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Wu Hei-Xing gritted his teeth, fixing me with a hostile stare.
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「Understood. Since you say so, Mr. Lee, I'll stop here.」
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"Good thinking."
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Was he always this susceptible to persuasion? I glanced sideways at Lee Jeong-Ryong, noting the subtle smile playing on his lips.
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Mr. Choi, who had accompanied me, seemed lost in thought.
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"What about you, Jin Tae-Kyung?"
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Turning away from Mr. Choi, I shrugged nonchalantly.
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"I should listen to what my elders say."
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"I didn't think you were one to care about such things."
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"Shouldn't all young people respect their elders?"
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Lee Jeong-Ryong laughed softly at my casual remark, while Wu Hei-Xing looked at me as though he wished me dead.
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「Respecting your elders. Bullshit. What about me then, seven years your elder?」
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"If you don’t want to write a will, try opening your mouth kindly first."
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「This damn brat...」
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"Don't be a dick."
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Wu Hei-Xing, reignited with anger, fell silent.
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I stared him down with icy eyes and continued.
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"If you still have the energy to fuss over such pettiness, you should check on the friends you brought here."
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「...!」
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"These are people who risked their lives to come this far. They aren't disposable tools to be discarded after one use."
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My disdain was palpable.
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Around Wu Hei-Xing, the remaining Hunters were barely fifty in number.
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According to what I’d learned from headquarters, they had started with five hundred. The majority had either perished or fallen behind.
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"It's entirely possible that they were all casualties, especially in combat. But…"
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Despite the bloodshed around him, his armor remained almost immaculate, suggesting he had engaged minimally, preserving himself while his comrades fell.
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"Got anything to say, idiot?"
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I remembered a line from a classic superhero movie I watched as a child.
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With great power comes great responsibility. And that's not just for those bitten by radioactive spiders.
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If you're someone who can conjure Aura Blades instead of spider webs, amassing wealth and honor while shielding your misdeeds, then at least acknowledge your basic duties.
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"You might qualify as an S-rank, but you're no Hunter. So from now on, when introducing yourself, don't say 'Hunter.' Just go with 'the lucky S-rank, Wu Hei-Xing.' Got it?"
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「……」
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Wu Hei-Xing stood trembling, his fists clenched, as Lee Jeong-Ryong intervened.
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"He did his best."
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"Seeing his armor, I doubt that. It looks so clean, you could wipe it down and bring it to a thrift store."
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"Wearing strong armor isn't grounds for criticism."
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"I've noticed this before... You always seem to take his side. Does this bastard have something on you?"
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"Everyone has something. I just happen to be good at hiding mine."
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"You might want to run a check on your computer. Who knows, maybe the Chinese hackers are sharing images of the Vice Guild Leader watching porn in their group chats."
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"I’ll be cautious."
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A formidable opponent indeed.
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Unfazed, Lee Jeong-Ryong offered a slight smile, but the man behind him told a different story.
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I gestured dismissively at the man radiating a subtle, murderous intent.
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"Look who it is, Team Leader Seok. Isn't that our Go-Jun?"
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Lee Jeong-Ryong’s head of security and a devoted disciple.
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I recalled thrashing him soundly before his departure to China, yet now, he appeared not only unmarked but even more formidable.
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His gaze alone, deeper and more intense, was a testament to his vastly improved skills.
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'He's also grown more patient.'
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Seok Go-Jun ranks among Lee Jeong-Ryong's most loyal followers.
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Previously, he would have lunged at me without a second thought. Now, even brimming with murderous intent, he opted for restraint over drawing his weapon.
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Lee Jeong-Ryong seemed proud of his disciple and announced,
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"We've now reached just 20 kilometers from the Arch Lich, according to the coordinates."
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I ran my hands through my sticky, blood-smeared hair.
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"It’s going to be the longest and most intense 20 kilometers on Earth."
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"That's right. The Arch Lich has kept a substantial force in reserve."
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"How many?"
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"An estimated fifty thousand."
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At that, a wave of despair swept through the suicide squad listening intently to our conversation.
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Combined, the forces under myself, Lee Jeong-Ryong, and Wu Hei-Xing numbered barely five hundred.
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Even a rough estimate made the prospect of breaching an army a hundred times our size to reach the Arch Lich seem daunting, filling them with a profound dread.
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It was likely this overwhelming fear that prompted someone to cry out,
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「We need to retreat, now!」
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Soon, the dam of restraint broke and other Hunters joined in.
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「Fuck!」
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「There are too many monsters!」
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「We’ll be annihilated if it continues like this.」
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「I came here to defeat the Arch Lich, not to die a dog’s death!」
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The two hundred or so members of the Western Front's suicide squad, who had suffered minimal losses thus far, were not immune to the spreading panic.
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Yet amidst the rising fear, two figures remained composed.
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Shao Shen, looking at me with unwavering trust, and then...
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"There might be a possibility."
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Going beyond mere trust in me, Mr. Choi, having analyzed the situation independently, spoke with measured calm.
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"An estimated fifty thousand exceeds the General Headquarter's predictions by a significant margin."
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「So naturally, we should retreat, shouldn’t we?」
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At a member of the suicide squad's cry, Mr. Choi immediately shook his head.
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"And the number of monsters we've faced so far is also fewer than expected."
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「What?」
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"While there were many, the forces we encountered on the front weren't as overwhelming as anticipated."
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「Then...」
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"Maybe the Arch Lich anticipated such a scenario. Instead of committing all its forces to the front, it might have held back fifty thousand troops as a final reserve to prepare for any situation."
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The expressions of the Hunters hardened as they listened to Mr. Choi, not from understanding his point, but from the increasingly intense vibrations underfoot.
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Creak, creak, creak.
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The tremors, felt even tens of kilometers away, shook everyone to their core.
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Destroyed roads stretched beside vast plains. Through the thick fog enveloping us, the combined roars and footsteps of tens of thousands of monsters echoed as a distant, unified clamor.
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- Roarrrrrr!
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「This is insane...」
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「Run. We have to run. This is a fight we can't win.」
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Feet shuffled and retreated in panic.
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Yet standing resolute amid this chaos were the members of the Ares Guild, and Lee Jeong-Ryong, who, facing Mr. Choi, wore an intrigued expression.
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"So?"
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Their gazes met in the charged air. Mr. Choi's grip on the [Hero's Soul] tightened.
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"Even though the General Headquarter's predictions were off, the fact that the Arch Lich hasn't launched a full offensive means that his reserve strength is still on the fronts."
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"Yet, our forces are still outnumbered by the enemy."
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"But aren’t there people assigned to this mission with this already in mind?"
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Creak, creak, creak.
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The roaring and ground-shaking grew more intense. Amid the anxious murmurs of the crowd, Mr. Choi's mana-imbued voice resonated with everyone.
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"People capable of turning the tide in an instant. People known as S-rank Hunters, each one a one-man army."
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At that moment.
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Swoosh!
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A dazzling burst of light erupted overhead.
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With the brilliant illumination, the air itself seemed to cleave, as if cut by an immense blade. Three figures appeared, descending as though they were walking down invisible steps.
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「My great-grandmother often sat me on her knee and told me. Royalty must fulfill the duties befitting their status. Commoners like you wouldn't understand.」
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I chuckled and bowed slightly. Normally, he’s the last person I’d choose to align with, but this time, I couldn’t resist.
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"Your Highness, Prince Felix."
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「Hearing it from your lips is indeed pleasant, Jin. Hunter of the East.」
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Prince Felix's haughty demeanor prompted the beauty next to him to click her tongue.
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「Can't you do something about him? Maybe gag him?」
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"It seems I might have to let it slide today, sister."
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「Oh my.」
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Fei Chen’s eyes widened at my reply and soon, she sported a bashful smile.
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「That's good to hear. It feels right, doesn’t it?」
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At Fei Chen’s remark, the last person in the group laughed heartily.
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「Does this mean I can also expect something? What do you think, Jin?」
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"Why, would you like me to kiss you?"
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「Oh, not bad. But I must politely decline. I'm already married to my beloved Fred, and I have five adopted children.」
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Swoosh. Thud.
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Gliding through the air, Magic Johnson patted my shoulder with his enormous hand.
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「Jin, you brave little guy. How on Earth did you do such a dangerous teleport? I nearly gave up several times this go around.」
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"But you did it in the end, Johnson."
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「The odds were different. This time, the chance of failure was only 10%. You're at least 80% braver than me.」
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Courage isn’t measured by size. By simply daring to come here, risking death, they had proven themselves as some of the world’s finest Hunters.
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And as they received unexpected reinforcements, the crowd’s eyes widened in disbelief.
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「Fei Chen?」
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「Prince Felix and Magic Johnson are here too!」
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「S-rank Hunters! The S-rank Hunters have come to help us!」
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「I love you, Johnson! Fucking nice gay!」 [Note: this is not a typo. This whole line is in English in the raw.]
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But the excitement didn’t stop there.
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Thump, thump, thump.
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An unfamiliar type of vibration began, unlike anything previously felt.
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It signaled the arrival of a vast army, now visible as a speck on the horizon.
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「You thought we came here unprepared?」
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Fei Chen continued with a sly grin, fueling the ongoing conversation.
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「Combined, the Western and Eastern forces number ten thousand. That should buy you enough time to escape.」
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A voice, filled with wonder, murmured aloud.
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「Now we can live...」
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In response, another voice cut through the air with firm resolve.
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"No."
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Mr. Choi raised the [Hero's Soul].
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Even through the dense fog, the blade gleamed with a brilliant light.
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"Now we can win."
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I believe so too.
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Previous Table of Contents Next

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
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Chapter 413
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Whoosh, boom!
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The ground shattered as a gigantic greatsword plunged down. Wu Hei-Xing, quick as lightning, narrowly escaped, missing the blade by mere inches.
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Thwack!
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The sword pierced under the ogre's jaw, emerging triumphantly through the top of its head — a clean, decisive strike.
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Wu Hei-Xing, extracting his sword from the creature, used the falling body as a springboard to launch himself into the fray among other monsters.
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His blade danced through the air, leaving behind a tapestry of shimmering lines.
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'Sword of Twelve Crimson Threads.' [Note: direct translation - Twelve Blood Net Sword.]
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While the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976 was decried by many as a catastrophic injustice, for others, like Wu Hei-Xing’s family, it presented a golden opportunity. [Note: The Cultural Revolution in China, initiated by Mao Zedong, aimed to preserve Chinese Communism by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society. This extensive purge targeted a broad range of cultural, social, and economic features including old customs, culture, habits, and ideas. It led to the destruction of historical artifacts, temples, and texts, as well as the persecution of intellectuals, and the suppression of traditional practices and ceremonies.]
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His grandfather, once a close ally of Mao Zedong, used this turbulent period to amass a fortune, leveraging his son's position in the Red Guard to acquire priceless cultural relics and texts.
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Among these treasures was the Sword of Twelve Crimson Threads, an ancient text detailing a formidable sword technique.
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Shhhsh!
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Wu Hei-Xing unleashed the technique — a net of twelve crimson strands that spanned ten meters in every direction.
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The net, pulsating with a red glow, cleaved through skin, muscle, and bone, rendering dozens of high-ranking monsters into pieces.
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Such prowess was befitting of an S-rank Hunter. Thrilled by his dominance, Wu Hei-Xing bellowed:
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「What is the Red Guard Gang doing! Wipe them all out, you bastards!」
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「Yes!」
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The battle cry, imbued with potent mana, reverberated across the battlefield.
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Three hundred elite hunters, groomed and trained by Wu Hei-Xing’s family as personal soldiers, surged forward. They attacked relentlessly, driven by fierce loyalty and training.
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Shhhsh! Crack!
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Squish! Screech!
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- Crunch, gurgle!
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「Arrrgh!」
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The battlefield was a cacophony of human screams and monstrous howls, punctuated by the gruesome sounds of carnage.
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Though the remaining Red Guard Gang's hunters were formidable, the elite monsters at the rear were equally daunting.
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And the monsters emerged from the dense fog in overwhelming numbers.
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However…
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「How dare these filthy, foul-smelling bastards!」
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Puff, puff, puff!
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The presence of Wu Hei-Xing, an S-rank Hunter, was a force mighty enough to sway the tide of this brutal clash.
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Despite often being criticized for his reckless behavior and mercurial personality, Wu Hei-Xing was undeniably a product of both privilege and innate talent.
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His experiences on the frontlines, immersed in relentless combat and near-constant peril, had honed his abilities far beyond their initial limits.
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'I can do it! I am Wu Hei-Xing!'
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With a newfound zeal, Wu Hei-Xing brandished his sword with unyielding fervor.
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He faced an overwhelming legion of tens of thousands of monsters. Despite initial fears, he had grown immensely, adapting to the ruthless demands of war.
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Whenever wounds or fatigue threatened him, he would down costly potions like mere water and strategically use the hunters of the Red Guard Gang as his shields.
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Now, no creature could withstand the devastating sweeps of his crimson Aura Blade. [Note: a quick reminder - Aura Blade is the real-world equivalent of Sword Aura.]
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'I'll make sure no one can ignore me ever again. Lei Fei... The bangzi bastard... No one!'
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Wu Hei-Xing's jaw clenched as bitter memories surged, fueling his rage.
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Swoosh! Thud!
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A lance, hurled with stunning velocity, impaled several hunters and embedded itself deep into the earth.
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It was a 3-meter-long assault lance he had rarely seen before.
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Wu Hei-Xing snapped his head towards the source, his eyes widening in alarm.
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「Death Knight!」
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Thud, thud, thud, thud!
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It was a Death Knight, striding across the battlefield atop a skeletal horse. And not just one, but two.
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The second Death Knight poised its lance aloft while mounted.
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「Everyone, be careful......!」
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Swoosh! Bang!
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His warning was cut short as the second lance tore through the air, brutally penetrating a group of hunters.
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The finest armor was no match for the deadly force, scattering limbs and collapsing bodies.
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As the Death Knights continued their relentless advance, the hunters of the Red Guard Gang stood petrified, witnessing the gruesome spectacle unfold.
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- Dark. Vine.
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A sinister, rasping voice filled the air, heralding a new horror.
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Crack, crunch, crunch!
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The earth fractured like a spiderweb, and from the fissures, black vines surged.
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These vines, imbued with dark magic, writhed like serpents, snatching at human limbs and threading through armor gaps.
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Shiririrk! Thud!
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「Arghhh!」
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「Dark magic! It's dark magic!」
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「Don't panic! Cut the vines! Get out of range now!」
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The battlefield echoed with screams and commands, resonating through the chaotic fray.
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With a forceful yank, Wu Hei-Xing tore the encroaching black vines from the ground.
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His teeth clenched not in sorrow for fallen comrades, but in grim realization of the unfolding catastrophe.
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「Lich......!」
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His suspicion was confirmed. High above the melee, a death mage astride a massive wyvern brandished a staff crafted from skulls and bones, directing it menacingly towards the earth.
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- Dark. Fog. [Note: the direct translation here is 'confuse' so I changed it to something that sounds more like a technique.]
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Swoosh!
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A bone-chilling cry unleashed a shadowy miasma that enveloped the hunters.
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Those entangled in the black vines suffered hallucinations both visual and auditory, turning them into helpless targets for the circling monsters.
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- Squeal!
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- Roar!
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Crack! Crunch!
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「Argh, ugh!」
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「Save me!」
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「Mother! You mustn’t die. Mother!」
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Desperate cries pierced the air as some hunters succumbed to the illusions, their voices fading into silence.
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Yet, amidst the chaos, some with strong mental fortitutde managed to shake off the bewitchment.
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「You must go!」
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「Young Master!」
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Despite the cries of A-rank hunters surrounding him, Wu Hei-Xing's face was ashen like a blank sheet of paper.
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A single, daunting question plagued him.
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'How on earth do I handle this?'
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Above was the menacing Lich and on the ground, two Death Knights advanced swiftly.
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Could he retreat? If so, where and how should he retreat?
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Alone, perhaps he could face the Death Knights, but with the Lich’s sorcery and the encircling horde of monsters, the situation was dire.
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No strategy presented itself, no matter how desperately he pondered.
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'What a damn mess...'
​
Clench.
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His jaw clenched so tightly he felt his teeth might crack from the pressure.
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Swoosh, bang!
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The air burst with a compressed whoosh as a streak of light rocketed from the distant ground, slicing through the sky.
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In the next instant, the headless wyvern began to falter and plummet earthward.
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「This...」
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Wu Hei-Xing murmured, his voice a mixture of awe and disbelief. Around him, everyone ceased their actions, eyes drawn skyward.
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Before them, the wyvern's massive body and a cascade of black bones, once the formidable Lich, tumbled through the air.
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「...This makes no sense.」
​
The Lich was dead, vanquished by a single, astonishing strike.
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A blow that had pierced through layers of potent defensive spells to strike a target mid-air? Such precision and power were unheard of, even for an S-rank hunter.
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Wu Hei-Xing had never witnessed an attack so swift and lethal.
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Yet, for the one who delivered it, this seemed as effortless as drawing breath.
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Not far from the fray, he stood, observing the chaos his action had wrought. After a moment, he remarked casually,
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"It’s been a while since I threw a spear. It definitely doesn’t feel like it used to."
​
Behind him, a figure as solid as an iron tower responded with a rigid tone,
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"You did well."
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"Hmm. Not really. It seems I've become dull. A sign of aging, I guess."
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"How could that be?"
​
Lee Jeong-Ryong chuckled lightly at the security team leader’s unemotional response.
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"I saw a Death Knight."
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Seok Go-Jun silently nodded.
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"Yes. There were two of them."
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"Do you think Wu Hei-Xing can handle it?"
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"If you mean the Death Knights, he should be able to take them down without much trouble."
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Seok Go-Jun's voice dropped to a whisper,
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"As long as there are no monsters around."
​
"That sounds challenging right now."
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"The influence of dark magic has disappeared, but the troop damage is significant, and there are too many monsters."
​
"Then we must struggle with all our might."
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"It will be a very fierce and difficult fight."
​
"Well, then we must lend a hand."
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"How about we continue to observe a bit longer?"
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Lee Jeong-Ryong's eyes widened dramatically.
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"Why?"
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Having been mentored by Lee Jeong-Ryong since his youth, Seok Go-Jun understood that every interaction was potentially a lesson. He knew the response expected of him.
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"Wouldn't people be more grateful in precarious situations?"
​
Lee Jeong-Ryong’s stern expression softened into a satisfied smile upon hearing his disciple’s insightful reply.
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"Yes, exactly that."
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"The Red Guard Gang has always been a thorn in our side."
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"It’s funny, really. Those shouting about the people and communism, while forming a private army of hunters behind the scenes."
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"But aren't the Princelings, which support the Red Guard Gang, not friendly towards us?" [Note: the Princelings are descendants of the revolutionary veterans and Chinese Communist Party elites who leverage their lineage for influence and promote business-friendly policies. Wu Hei-Xing's family is part of this group.]
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"That's why the Red Guard Gang needs to be eliminated. We've always sat in the shade to avoid the sunlight, but if the tree is uprooted, what are we to do?"
​
"We'll have to find another tree or buy a parasol."
​
"We will become the new tree. That should open up more opportunities."
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Seok Go-Jun nodded in agreement before voicing another query that had been troubling him.
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"May I ask one more thing?"
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"Speak."
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"Is Wu Hei-Xing’s involvement in this operation... related to Jin Tae-Kyung?"
​
This question had lingered in Seok Go-Jun’s mind, puzzling him.
​
Despite Wu Hei-Xing’s status as an S-rank hunter, his inclusion seemed uncharacteristic.
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'He is a formidable opponent. Even if Master is using Wu Hei-Xing, what use could he have?'
​
It was often like this.
​
Just when Seok Go-Jun felt he had a grasp on his master's strategies, new layers would unfold, eluding full comprehension.
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And at such moments, Lee Jeong-Ryong would sport that enigmatic smile.
​
As he did now.
​
"Team Leader Seok."
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The atmosphere shifted; Seok Go-Jun instantly resumed his formal role as the security team leader of the Ares Guild, bowed respectfully.
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"Yes, Vice Guild Leader."
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"It seems like it’s time for you to step in. What do you think?"
​
Raising his gaze, Seok Go-Jun peered over Lee Jeong-Ryong's shoulder, assessing the chaotic battlefield below.
​
The Red Guard Gang’s elite, though carefully chosen, were faltering against the monster onslaught. Wu Hei-Xing had just managed to defeat one of the two Death Knights.
​
"I will go now."
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"Take care not to get hurt."
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Seok Go-Jun nodded briefly in acknowledgment, then led the assembled Ares Guild members toward the battlefield.
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As they advanced towards the monsters, they remained silent, yet a palpable momentum radiated from them, overwhelming and dominating the field.
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Crunch! Screech!
​
Lee Jeong-Ryong watched with a hint of satisfaction as one flank of the monster legion crumbled instantly under their charge. Just then, a scent of blood wafted to him on the wind.
​
The breeze from the west was not just carrying the tang of battle; it was a harbinger for the arrival of someone Lee Jeong-Ryong had been eagerly awaiting.
​
"Right on time."
​
Lee Jeong-Ryong murmured, his eyes scanning the distant horizon.
​
Heightening his senses with Qi, distant shouts reached his ears.
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- Damn it, kill them all! And that guy who keeps shouting 'eh', do it one more time and I'll consider you a monster! Got it?
​
A soft chuckle escaped Lee Jeong-Ryong as he extended his hand toward the tumult.
​
Then he clenched his fist, directing it towards Jin Tae-Kyung, who was somewhere amidst the chaos.
​
Previous Table of Contents Next

Cephalapod Genesis
The pharoah ejaculated into the river and in the sand the sperm found refuge and grew into papyrus. This an example of genesis.
Vampyrapods are the first intelligent species to live on this planet predating the dinosaurs. They came here somehow. They did not evolve on this planet. Perhaps just an ejaculated sperm from another being landing in the water. The direct offspring of this cephalapod is the modern octopus. Octopus are responsible for nearly every animal genesis on earth including humans and subsequently man made inventions and accomplishments. Octopus taught trees to fruit, destroyed the dinosaurs through becoming tapeworms, and even walked to the moon. Some of the animals you may recognize from the cellular genesis may have fused with the other local staples such as canine, equine, and feline, and reptile as well as temporarily the pachyderms in post-actualization causal genesis. This can be done by mating with, killing, eating, dying, being eaten, or simply a laying of hands or physical actions. Octopus only live for about 4.5 years of our relationship with time, but they have beaten death through a mix of telepathy and cannabalism. They've also mastered time travel. There are only 3 actual beings here. Others died in getting here and are fossilized. 2 males and 1 female survived. I call them Jack, Seth, and Claire. This is why the genesis had to completed this way as any direct offspring would not work. because theyve have infinite time to complete it, theyve walked over every inch of the planet and affected every species. In fact our own existence is simply the echo of the combined knowledge of the cephs. We are an amalgamation like the 'too much good stuff' guy from am/pm commercials. Make a bird with your hands. ¿Where are the beaks? The latest project is to use genetic science in order to bring back the mammoth and obtain a sixth digit from its feet. Should happen around 2027. When the vampyrapods first encountered life here it was eating their tentacles. So the first genesis occured in the offspring of those that ate of the tentacles. This is why modern cephs only have 8 limbs. The first language period is Enochian. A language of the eyes and limbs. Through different manipulation of limbs and eye fluctuations communication was made. After a while though telepathy became the established communication.
Here are some examples but not all of cephalapod genesis:
• Spiders (rare from trilobyte mix, had to go back in time to accomplish) (they had to avenge the original vampyrapods from being eaten from early organisms, thisnis how scorpions were able to evolve) • Mango (foilage and ceph mix. Ceph hung from a tree upside down) • Star fruit (the tree missed the octopus and tempted it to return) • Pinecone ( the bite marks of ceph beak eating the fruit of the trees) • Toucan (the beak formation from ceph in flux probably consuming a failed aviary) • Peacock (feather formations still in flux from limbs partial fusion) • Salamander (reptile/chameleon mix) (skin breathing evolution) •Sloth (feline and foilage mix) • Mistletoe bird (octopus ate a mushroom) • Lyrebird (mirage, digitage, and aviary from peacock and pheasant. Mastered the art of sound mimickry to develop better auditory communications) • Dung beetle (rolling backwards the earth through time) • VW bug (trunk up front) (mirage, digitage, pachyderm mix) (invented higher than the model T but arrived later in time) • Goliath bird-eating tarantula ( set a web to catch a bird which did not exist fully until the web was cast. When the spider consumed the bird the psuedo cannabalistic action resulted in a poison tree frog) • Snakes (a ceph lost its mating limb for some reason in a mirage mix experiment) • venemous snakes (a snake ate the eggs of its own offspring)(the cursed dinosaur souls live inside these) • Gumby (using hands to mold clay made a show about being an octopus) • Chameleon (reptile, ceph, foilage, mirage mix)(a ceph was purposely eaten by a komodo dragon to telepathically send a reverse osmosis of its makeup inside its body to another ceph that was attempting to kill the dinosaurs in the past. How they programmed the tapeworm to destroy them)

• Human organs (strife and love and tapeworm mix. Impregnating a mix of canine feline equine, ceph, pachyderm, reptilian, mirage, digitage, foilage, strife and love through years of experimentation lodged themselves systematically into more and more advanced versions and became functional in each iteration) • Sumi ink tattoo ink any ink really • The written word (anemone, sea urchin, porcupine quill, Bird feather and ink. Papyrus) • Floppy disk (suction cup on a piece of mail specifically a bill and the suction cup on the plastic window) • Cd, dvd, blu ray (laying of hands on a television screen) • Television (just a series of ceph exploring life through the inside of a glass tank with mirage and digitage mix) • Movie theater ( same but aquarium instead) • Papillon (love + insect from trilobyte and ink and papyrus needed training wheels to learn how to fly) • Taser (digitage mix of the two extra original tentacles lost from vampyrapod with mix of electric eel which was a detached limb of an octopus that had achieved ball lightning static existence) • Wisteria (ceph and foilage mix) (needed the seeds to play mancala or something) • Water strider (walked on water) • Lunar lander (digitage) (tapeworms in humans directed construction, the first electronic component gestalt high enough to become digital) (a tree really wanted to go to the moon) • Champagne cork (Ate some bark, vent plugged up and had to pee really bad) • Electrostatic Ball (attempting time travel, a ceph was meditating in complete non movement inside a digitized mirage flashing irridescence until it passed away) • Ball lightning (time travel attempt Same ceph tried a pure digitage and mirage mix) • Gnarwal (chameleon tongue, mirage and pachyderm) • Light bulb (ceph + mirage + digitage mix) (octopus crawled into a mirage jar and was irridescent) • Liquor bottle (octopus got stuck in a fulgarite and died temporarily trapping its soul in reflection but the invention of cork escaped it) • Silly string (mirage mix) (angry octopus sprayed another with diarhea from its vent) • Tapeworms (had to brave a walk into a volcano and die. As the octopus melted while running, it evolved the turkey, turkey vulture, vulture, and was just a slithering worm by the time it was engulfed by lava) • The Ten Commandments (vampyrapod fossils brought by a tapewormed moses to show people and try and explain the religion) • Dumbo (actually just a tiny cute octopus) • Hydra from capt america (introducing the public to idealogy of cephs) • Tobacco leaf (the laying of hands on deciduous plantlife, a gift to the early iterations of human) • Cow (equine ceph and pachyderm mix) essentially the Orca ate the Octopus, in its 4th stomach it finally died and so when the cow who has 4 stomachs manifested it came with udders symbolic of the octopus genesis in post actualization-causation • Rapa nui. The end of time. (Great stone heads disembodied) (mirage and strife)the final resting place. A graveyard. A place of rest always available