The room pulsed with heat.

  Zara stood over the charred, writhing figure, her eyes burning with rage. The scent of scorched flesh hung in the air, mingling with the man’s ragged, agonized screams.

  Then—she let go.

  His limp body hit the floor with a sickening thud.

  The flames around her arms flickered, then faded. Slowly, she stepped back, exhaling through her nose like she was trying to calm herself down.

  Then—her gaze caught something.

  A tattoo.

  Wrapped around his neck like a living thing, the black ink slithered down to his chest—a serpent.

  Zara’s eyes darkened.

  Then, she chuckled.

  Not loud. Just a small, amused breath.

  "Oh, fuck. He's part of the Qi Family."

  She turned toward me, catching my confused stare.

  A slow, twisted smirk stretched across her face.

  "Them Qi’s? They’re one of the most dangerous families around here. No one would even dare mess with a Qi."

  The words felt heavy.

  I glanced at the man’s charred body. He wasn’t moving.

  I swallowed. "Uhm… How dangerous are we talking?"

  Zara tilted her head, counting on her fingers.

  "Oh, you know. They do abductions, drug trafficking, human trafficking, assassinations—"

  She snapped her fingers.

  "Oh! And horrid, brutal acts of torture."

  My stomach dropped.

  The air felt colder despite the lingering heat.

  "So… this man… is a Qi?"

  "Yup."

  I blinked.

  "We’re not safe, are we?"

  Zara grinned. "Nope. Definitely not."

  CRASH.

  The door slammed open.

  A patrol of MedTechs stormed in, their movements quick and clinical. They moved like machines, their focus locked on damage control.

  Zara barely reacted.

  The MedTechs swept through the room, stepping over blood and ashes like it was just another day. They didn’t ask questions.

  No sympathy.

  No hesitation.

  Just work.

  They stripped the Qi’s belongings from his body, tossing them into a pile. A compact pistol. A wallet. A strange bracelet. A small serpentine insignia.

  They never once looked at his face.

  Then—

  "Ms. Zara, as a contracto—"

  "HEY!"

  Zara cut him off.

  Her grin sharpened.

  "Let’s… uhm… go talk over there, shall we?"

  She grabbed him by the shoulder, steering him toward the far side of the room.

  The MedTech hesitated.

  Then, one glance at her face, and he didn’t argue.

  In the shadows of the corner, Zara spoke in low, clipped whispers.

  The MedTech listened, stiff, nodding occasionally.

  Then—her hand shot out.

  She grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him just close enough to make a point.

  The man didn’t flinch.

  Didn’t resist.

  But he understood.

  With a tight nod, the conversation was over.

  The pile of belongings sat there—untouched.

  I edged closer.

  No one was looking.

  Zara was distracted.

  The MedTechs were too busy cleaning up.

  Slowly—I reached out.

  My fingers curled around the pistol.

  Then—the bracelet.

  I pocketed them both.

  "Alright, kid! Let’s go! There’s a luxury bathtub with my name on it! HAHAHA!"

  Zara’s energy was relentless, her grin wide as ever as she marched toward the front desk.

  I followed, less enthusiastic, more cautious.

  The receptionist stiffened the moment we approached.

  Eyes flicking between Zara and the MedTechs still clearing the wreckage behind us.

  "Hey, man, we got a room here. How 'bout finding that for us, will ya?"

  Zara leaned onto the counter, her usual mix of swagger and intimidation practically oozing off her.

  The receptionist’s hands trembled as they hesitated over the terminal.

  "Y-Yes, Ma’am. Do you have a keycard that was given to you? If not, you can always boo—"

  "OH YEAH!"

  Zara cut him off, snapping her fingers.

  "Desire-boy, show this nice lady the keycard we got."

  Desire materialized from thin air, his mechanical wings fluttering as he produced the keycard with a dramatic flourish.

  "Here you go! The very key that will unlock our path to unparalleled luxury!"

  His voice dripped with theatrical flair, his eyes glowing as if he lived for moments like this.

  Zara chuckled. "Damn, you’re dramatic. I like it."

  The receptionist, visibly relieved at the shift in tone, quickly scanned the card. Their fingers still shook, but they forced a polite smile.

  "S-Suite 237, right this way. Enjoy your stay."

  They gestured toward the corridor, eager to have us gone.

  The moment Room 237’s door swung open, a soft golden glow bathed us in its light.

  The subtle scent of lavender drifted through the air, rich and calming.

  Everything—the plush furnishings, the crystal chandelier, the pristine white sheets—felt so far removed from the filth of the city.

  From the gunfire, the blood, the screams.

  Zara didn’t care.

  She barreled in like she owned the place.

  Desire and I entered more cautiously, the weight of recent events still pressing against us.

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  The world outside hadn’t changed.

  But inside this room, it almost felt like it had.

  "Oh hell yeah!"

  Zara flung herself onto the king-sized bed, limbs sprawled out like she belonged there.

  "I claim this as my throne!"

  She stretched, exhaling deeply, then let out a satisfied laugh—somewhere between relief and defiance.

  "Ahhh, this is the life! Luxury fits me well, huh?"

  Her eyes gleamed with exhaustion, but also mischief.

  Desire hovered above her, giving a theatrical bow.

  "Indeed! A well-deserved respite from the chaos of the outside world."

  I forced a nervous chuckle, shifting uneasily.

  The Qi Family.

  The man Zara had burned alive.

  None of this felt real.

  The luxury was just a mask, covering something rotting beneath.

  I exhaled, forcing myself to push the thought down.

  "So, what’s going to happen next?"

  My voice was quieter than I intended.

  Zara propped herself up on her elbows, waving a hand.

  "Oh relax, kid. We’ve earned this rest."

  Then, she paused.

  Her grin didn’t fade, but it shifted—just slightly.

  "But you’re right. We can’t stay here forever."

  Her fingers drummed lazily against the bed.

  "The Qi Family definitely won’t take my little attack lightly."

  I stared.

  Little attack?

  She incinerated a man’s face.

  I couldn’t shake the unease that clung to the air like a shadow refusing to fade.

  "What about the guy you just… dealt with?"

  The words felt heavy as they left my mouth.

  "Won’t the Qi Family come looking for him?"

  Zara grinned, completely unfazed.

  "Oh, totally! Those motherfuckers put trackers on all their goons. They could be on their way here right now. You never know."

  Her words sent a shiver down my spine.

  They’re coming.

  There might be another fight.

  Another Marcus Farhide.

  "It’s okay, Mari!"

  Desire’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts.

  "I can always help you during your fights! Like how I helped you with Farhide."

  His words should have been comforting.

  But instead—

  A cold emptiness settled in my stomach.

  I still didn’t remember.

  Not the fight. Not how I survived. Not how I hunted Marcus Farhide.

  The only thing I remembered was the Sugar Land preset.

  And after that—nothing.

  I forced myself to smile.

  "Thanks, Desire. I… uhm, appreciate it."

  The words came out hollow.

  But he’s my friend.

  I can still trust him.

  Right?

  "Okay! No more of that worry talk. Bathtub awaits!"

  Zara sprang to her feet, grabbing my arm.

  Her grin was infectious, her energy relentless.

  "C’mon, Mari! Our throne is waiting for our asses! Oh, and Desire—stay out here. No men allowed."

  Desire scoffed. "I’m not a—"

  SLAM.

  Zara shut the door in his face.

  The luxury of the suite bled into the bathroom, wrapping around us in pure opulence.

  A massive tub—almost too big for just the two of us—sat at the center, surrounded by flickering candles and rose petals.

  Steam curled in the air, carrying the scent of lavender.

  The warmth, the glow—it was intoxicating.

  For a moment, it felt like the rest of the world didn’t exist.

  No blood. No fights. No Qi Family.

  Just this.

  Zara stretched, rolling her shoulders as she stepped into the water.

  Her eyes fluttered shut.

  "Ahhhh, finally. I’ve always wanted to try this. My body is fucking melting."

  She sighed, sinking deeper into the bath, pure bliss painted on her face.

  Then, she cracked an eye open.

  "C’mon, kiddo. What you doing standing there for? You ain’t my servant. Get in here! Water’s hella nice."

  I hesitated.

  Then—stepped forward.

  The moment I sank into the warm water, my body melted.

  The tension unraveled.

  The fear, the worry, the weight of everything—it slipped away.

  The water was a cocoon of warmth, wrapping around me, pulling me under its spell.

  The lavender-scented steam curled around my skin, the candlelight casting soft, flickering patterns across the surface.

  For the first time since stepping into this world—

  I felt safe.

  Even if that safety was an illusion.

  Even if the danger still lurked outside this door.

  For now—

  I let myself believe in the illusion.

  Zara leaned back, arms stretched along the rim of the tub, her eyes half-lidded with satisfaction.

  Her voice was lazy, relaxed, almost dreamy.

  "You see, Mari? This is what life should be. We gotta be indulging in the finer things more. Treat ourselves like we’re royalty, you know what I mean?"

  She sighed, sinking deeper into the water, completely at peace.

  "Mhm…"

  I let out a soft giggle, my body sinking into the warmth.

  "I’m so tired of having to worry about things so much. Hehe…"

  The water lapped against my skin, the lavender-scented air pulling me further into the moment.

  Then—

  "This reminds me of that time when Mommy gave me a bath back at home."

  A pause.

  A tightening in my chest.

  "Home… I want… I want to go back home…"

  The realization hit me like a truck.

  I don’t know if I have a way back home.

  The thought crashed over me, dragging me under like a rip current.

  My throat tightened.

  Tears welled in my eyes.

  I miss my mom.

  I miss my dad.

  I don’t want to be here.

  I don’t want to do this anymore.

  Zara opened one eye, her expression softening.

  For a second—just a second—her tough exterior cracked.

  "Hey, hey, hey now. Stop the waterworks, Mari."

  Her voice was gentler than before.

  "I get it. We all yearn for a place that feels safe. A home where we can let our guard down.

  But sometimes? Life takes us on unexpected journeys.

  And we end up in places we never imagined."

  She flashed a lopsided grin, shaking off the heavy mood.

  "Plus, you get to experience luxurious and fancy shit like this, man. Let’s just chill. Let’s not let the water get warm on us now."

  I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

  Zara grinned wider.

  "And bro, seriously! Look at this place! Legit has a bathtub fit for a king—or, you know, a badass bitch like me."

  She gestured grandly at the massive tub.

  "We can’t be getting all sentimental and drowning in emotions. Not when there’s so much more exciting shit waiting for us out there!"

  Then—

  A loud voice echoed through the door.

  "Zara’s right, Mari!"

  I nearly jumped.

  Zara snorted.

  "Desire, the hell you doing? You eavesdropping?"

  "No, I’m merely standing guard." A dramatic pause. "But also, I can’t help but overhear everything. Thin doors."

  I couldn’t help it—I laughed.

  Desire continued.

  "The world outside might be a mess, but you've got each other! That’s gotta count for something! Just face whatever comes next with your heads held high. You’re a team, a family. And families… well, they find their way, no matter how rough the road is."

  Zara rolled her eyes.

  "Bro, we’re naked in here. Go do robot things."

  "I have no need for modesty protocols. Besides, I am technically outside—"

  "DESIRE."

  A loud sigh from outside. "Fine. Enjoy your primitive soaking ritual."

  I let out a slow breath.

  Despite everything—despite the blood, the uncertainty, the fear—

  I wasn’t alone.

  Zara and Desire weren’t just allies.

  They were… something more.

  A small smile found its way to my lips.

  Then—

  SPLASH.

  Zara smacked the water, drenching me in retaliation.

  "There we go! That’s the spirit!"

  I laughed, shaking the water from my face.

  For a moment, just a small moment, everything felt lighter.

  Then—

  My bracelet flickered to life.

  A glowing text scrolled across the screen, its bright, cold letters slicing through the warmth like a blade.

  NEW JOB ASSIGNMENT

  HUNT: QI ANRAN

  DURATION: 15 DAYS

  REWARD: BIONIC EYE

  NECA NE NECERIS.