Nightmare Mythos

Chapter 21: Corrupted Human

"Nope!"

Cesar immediately rejected another deal Melinda proposed after hearing the revised deal for the first time. Basically, Melinda was willing to pay double the amount of cash she was willing to relay and a free item from the shop that he or one of his group wanted to get.

It was a crazy deal, to be honest. Cesar's life will turned upside down just because he held the largest contribution point everyone had in the academy, only as a student, and used it as a bargain to grasp fifty thousand cash straight up. He will immediately enter the ranks of one of the richest students to be in the classes.

Yet Cesar was unwilling to give a single point to Melinda at this point. Right now, he was thinking of how to snatch everything from her while not garnering any losses on his side.

He had now possessed the upper card on his hand, after all. And it was only standing right beside him.

'You really had the guts to scam me out of all people, huh? I'll make you regret the choices you made this day. I swear it to my parents whom I don't know that I'll get the most precious items you have,'

Melinda's complexion grew even worse. She wasn't excluding any type of confidence as of the moment, unsure what Cesar would pull off. The only thing she wanted to do now was to appease Cesar who seems to be the leader of the group without creating a rift between her company and the Schmitz.

Forget about being fired, she'll be gone for good.

"W-what do you want to do, kid?"

Cesar looked at the clock, seeing that there were only a few minutes left till their allotted time was up. When he finished thinking about what to say, he demanded with an authoritative tone.

"I'll take the fifty thousand cash right and let me and my team choose something around the room that they wish to take for free." He beamed out a cordial smile, "In exchange, you'll get to maintain a good relationship with The Schmitz,"

"What kind of bull—"

Cesar immediately turned around upon sensing the answer she would give would be not what he was expecting but Melinda quickly changed her stance, afraid it would make matters worse.

"Wait, just wait!"

Cesar halted before seeing her continuing.

"I was just kind... shocked, haha! I mean, it's a lost business if I just straight up give you what I want in exchange for—"

Instead of letting her continue, Cesar started to be infuriated as he demanded with a more pressing tone.

"I don't want any more yapping nor finding tricks just to get on your way. Tell me if it's a yes or no," Cesar paused, "You have five seconds,"

"Please..."

"Three..."

Melinda hissed, "You jumped two seconds!"

"One..."

Melinda finally surrendered, not wanting to be pressured by some kid who was a decade younger than her. With a thump on the table, she regrettably answered.

"Deal!"

Cesar grabbed two cases filled with twenty five thousand Vennon money and turned his attention to his squad.

The only thing left that was here just a while ago was the wailing speakers to signal the forthcoming of a Nightmare.

They needed to regroup to Alms and Chin quickly.

Unfortunately enough, just as they were nearing the parking lot, a figure stood in their way.

"Ah..."

Quentin was about to step forward but Cesar immediately grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from moving any further.

"Are you blind or what? That isn't human,"

Frowning for a moment there, Quentin immediately squinted his eyes to focus more on the image standing meters away from them.

His eyes finally widened.

What actually stood there was a misshapen human figure that looked like had clung its way up to the lands of the living. Three meters tall with two heads that belonged to a human and a monster with nothing but flesh; two burgeoning arms letting out a foul stench; and its legs didn't appear human-like as one appeared a leg of a hairy mantis and a thin steed.

It was a Corrupted Human.

These are humans who have been corrupted either by being exposed to Nightmares or unable to control themselves, which is also a result of being vulnerable by them. If they are unable to check themselves through any means to make their condition stable, either physically, mentally, or emotionally, it will immediately bite them on their backs.

This was a piece of common knowledge, but it was something being reminded of them every day.

And looking at the corrupted wearing civilian clothes, one can assume he was unfortunate enough to be exposed to some Nightmare.

"Easy now, don't make any moves," Cesar paused, staring indifferently at the corrupted with a frown as he slowly stepped back, "We don't have any items to distinguish the level of this corrupted. We're lucky if it's the lowest but I wouldn't bet my life on it. This gamble is not worth it,"

The rest also began stepping back as well as they remained their eyes glued onto the corrupted. Jacqueline struck up a conversation as they did.

"Plans?"

Cesar nodded, "Let's avoid its vision for now,"

Thus, after this improvised plan was made, they continued moving backward.

Yet someone was following their steps. The corrupted slightly tilted its two heads before walking forward, matching the pace of their movement.

It made Cesar realize instantly what was happening.

They will never be able to avoid its line of vision.

'Is it sentient?'

Cesar tried to stop, making another stop as well. The creature, upon seeing him halted, also paused for a brief moment.

Only this time, two of its lips smiled, revealing hideous distorted teeth inside.

And the monster disappeared from its place.