Chapter 167: Interrupted

/Wait...do girls prefer sweets?/

[I...think so?]

[Pretty...sure...]

[Yes, how is this a question? Wait...you’re a girl too, how you are unsure?]

[Don’t need to eat...except as a threat.]

[What the fuck?]

’Pfft! What is this conversation?!,’ Bellona thought with a stifled laugh.

"Lunch sounds good," Bellona answered, "But what do you mean by ’delciously greasy’?"

"Oh you’re gonna love this...hopefully..."

In complete fairness, Zhen Liu’s retelling of his journey up until now was mildly amusing to Bellona,it’s not often that one meets a dead man, but she had found it more interesting to listen to the commentary made by the voices inside of his head.

During the course of their conversation, she had attempted to identify the voices, since it sounded as if they had actual names, but the weird thing was that everytime they mentioned each other’s names, it sounded like static. At the very least, she could determine some of their personalities and a touch of their history...aside from one that seemed to be a wilder version of Zhen Liu’s voice.

When Zhen Liu talked about his "death" and subsequent survival, the confident sounding voice had made several comments that suggested she was the main fighter in those encounters.

[I remember that ugly bastard. Smelled like burnt iron....tasted bad too.]

[Ooooh that moment. Yeah, his jaw was like glass.]

She also sounded incredibly violent.

Her compatriots on the other hand were polar opposites of each other.

[Hmmm...warm...day...]

[D’awww, it sounds like y’all had loads of fun before I showed up. I’ll need to catch up.]

The deep rumbling voice spoke slowly yet thoughtfully. While there weren’t many words used, it was enough to get the point across. In Bellona’s mind, he was a stoic type who spoke softly but had more depth than what words could convey...that’s what she thought at least.

On the other hand, the croaking yet melodic voice sounded eager, but superficially young. Like a woman who suddenly regained her youth after assuming her best years were behind them. There was also this strange accent that she couldn’t exactly pin down no matter how much she thought about it.

But the oddest of the bunch was this one voice that didn’t sound...natural. It had this quality that made it sound like singing metal, but she wasn’t entirely sure.

<Really? You don’t want to tell her about the awesome be-I mean interface, that allowed you to do that crazy kick move? Boo~>

/I’d rather not have all my secrets exposed. Especially the sentinel...whatever you are./

<Pure awesomeness.>

/Stop that!/

<Never!>

The other three voices in Zhen Liu’s head sounded somewhat subservient yet respectful to Zhen Liu, however, this unnatural sounding voice sounded like to be his equal, or at least had a habit of messing with him.

’What kind of secret are you hiding, Zhen Liu? Are these voices different souls? Are they aspects of you? Who...or what are you?,’ she thought as she gazed at Zhen Liu.

If only there was someone who could answer her own thoughts too...

________________________________________________

<Alright, showtime. All I need to do is-huh? What’s this feeling of intense...whoa!>

________________________________________________

<Incredibly dense desire detected. Commencing core condensation.>

’Huh? Oh shit!’

Zhen Liu quickly stuck his left hand into his pocket to hide the light and core from prying eyes and Bellona. Unfortunately for him, the core was getting heavier and heavier and was actually affecting his ability to walk. Bellona’s expression was becoming more concerned as Zhen Liu started limping.

’That...can’t be good...’

"Hey Zhen Liu, are you okay?," she asked while thinking, ’What’s a core?’

"Oh it’s fine, it’s fine, I just-"

"OI, BITCHES!"

"Godsdammit.

Zhen Liu and Bellona turned to see who was calling them out, only to be greeted by a group of four tough looking thugs and...a bipedal horse?

’Huh? Another Bloodliner?’

[Is...is that a stallion man in leather gear,] Hurricroak asked.

[Yes...it...is...]

<Note: While core condensation is occuring, analysis will be unavailable.>

"Uh oh...," Bellona uttered under her breath. From the way she was acting, Zhen Liu presumed that she and them had some history together, but didn’t vocalize. The kaijin on the other hand...

[Oh right, they’re busy. Place your bets y’all: enemy that she forgot to kill,] Nepherage suggested.

[My money’s on him being her ex,] Hurricroak guessed.

[Random...crime...,] Frosttusk said.

From what Zhen Liu could see, the five gangsters all had an emblem in the shape of a horse skull embroidered on their clothes, with the Bloodliner having it on a face cover that was wrapped around the front of his horse face.

Once the five gangsters got close enough to the couple, they stopped.

It was about now that Zhen Liu noticed that the four thugs were acting a bit like a barrier, preventing people pass them from being able to witness was basically going to be a crime in broad daylight.

"Well hello there, youngsters" the horse headed Bloodliner began to say with an odd growl, "My name is Boss Must. And you must be the little girl who put the hurt on some of my boys."

"So what if I am?"

[So he’s not a jilted lover? Boo~]

[Whatever the case is, we now need plans of attack.]

[Too... cold...]

’Alright, do I this loud and just summon one of the kaijin, or do I try to be a bit sneaky...while probably creating some much needed mystique...’

"Oh it’s nothing too major, Miss. I’m just looking for some compensation as it were. Medical fees and what not," Boss Must said with arrogant eloquence, "And before you ask, I do mean more than what you and the Zhen Clan cripple can possibly have on hand."

’Okay, merciless personal ass whooping it is,’ Zhen Liu concluded, ’Nepherage, Hurricroak, Frosttusk, determine who will-’.

[Way ahead of you milord. You guys ready?]

[Yes.]

[Okay...]

[Rock...]

[Paper...]

[Scissors!]

________________________________________________

"What beautiful, beautiful, beautiful timing. Now all I must do, is wait, wait, wait for them to tire out from beating each other. Won’t matter who wins, wins, wins when the game is rigged from the start!"

The figure watched from his perch with eagerness, curious about who’s blood will be spilt first.

"Horse, fish or lamb, are all quite yummy, yummy, yummy in my tummy!"