◇The underworld

I kept walking inside for like about thirty seconds until I crashed into something hard... it can be possibly a door!

After messily inspecting random areas of that unexpected hard wall I finally began to lose breathe but boom baby! My hand landed on circle like thing I pulled it-realized it was a push instead.

The door massive wall gets pushed forward... a long and dark tunnel having few light sources made up of glass jars filled with fire flies comes into my view. I rummage in my pockets and get my black mask whose half right side was painted like a very dull smiling joker-thanks to Naina's creativity and obsession like emotions for smiles. The black side of the mask did not had any cut for eyes that means I am safer since they wont recognize my dual colored eyes this way.

I put the mask on and wear my full gloves ready to continue this journey. It would be a problem if they see my face.

There were more tunnels in different directions. I got confused... heavy ass confused.

If I made this place to hide criminals or illegally gained things then I would make sure only one passage is the right one and other would be trap or a dead end if my creativity for traps ended.

So the people would pick a random tunnel in a different direction thinking that the straight path is not straight all... but that would make things easy so there must be a fake dead end to the straight path-I hope I am correct.

I gulped in, and gathered my courage and started to go further; as I expected the straight path indeed lead to a dead end-a fake dead end.

I crouched, and looked around for any signs that may match to expectations.

"Oh my, come on. There must be a hidden door here." I mumbled, randomly touching different areas of that muddy dead end. My dart to the little crease between the smooth corner of this end. My hand instinctively reached that corner. I seriously punched it hard!

With a sudden quite 'click' sound the little corner expands into a door to the other world. I open the door with slight hesitation, infront of me a whole new world was presented.

A lot of people were there with masks; even the waiter wore a weird bunny mask.

The whole area was divided into various parts, in some corners ladies were dancing in Egyptian dancer clothing, some had illegal auction being held on while few points had a bar.

A waiter comes near me with suspicious eyes, "Are you new here young gentleman?" he asked too politely than expected.

I just nod simply; I wanted him to assume I am disabled by speech.

"I see, you know young newbie, here people have code names, those code names which are used here as their real name, so tell me your code name." he demands.

I hover my one finger above my palm, gesturing that I need a pen and a paper, using sign language I signaled him that I cannot speak.

"Oh, I see. My apologies" he states with a pitiful voice as he slides his free hand which did not carried any plate into his coat and took out a pen and a paper.

I take the pen and paper from his hands for a momenti drowned myself into the various code names for myself. After thinking for a while, I wrote, 'Levi' on the paper and handed him.

"It is occupied sir."

I write, 'Jupiter next.

"Occupied"

'Dog shit'

"Occupied"

"Looser'

"Occupied"

'Tea stall'

"Occupied"

I was raging up from inside, how could someone have 'dog shit' as their code name. I exhale from the exhaustion and give him the name,

'JOKKER 1.4'

"Hmm... this seems to not be occupied yet." The waiter muttered and took out a weird pen with red ink from his pocket along with a golden color small rectangular plate. With that pen he writes my name on it and pins it on my left side of the shirt.

Iglance at the name plate, it seems that this place does this to maintain privacy but why would if hand me an official name plate so easily? I wander around this weird area... in some places slaves were being sold off, few were for prostitution, most had illegal auctions being held on,

and few rooms were reserved for VIPs.

"Where could those thieves must have gone here?" I asked myself in my mind.

This place is huge and very criminal. Everyone was wearing mask to hide their identity, that means here not only criminals but even elite class people come. Unless why would they wear mask?

I was wandering then I suddenly noticed two figures similar to those who stole my blue rock. My blue rock was shining in the hands of one of those.

I followed them very carefully; they both eventually led me to a VIP's room. I peeked in from the little broken hole at the corner of the door.

The VIP was wearing a white mask with golden outlines. His both eyes had a mole near them, he was wearing a hood on his head but I could still tell that his hair were turquoise in color. His body was fully covered including his hands too. He looked muscular since the cloth was a bit tight on him.

Ding!

[IDENTITY DATA]

Name: Qin Mingshen

Age: 16

Height:57 feet

Profession: student for now

Weapon proficiency: ALL SKILL 10+]

Soul level rank: 40

Mana level: 10/10

***

Wait... he's Qin Mingshen! Why him?!

God I am going to die. He is way too out of my league for now. What do I do!!!

I kept screaming in my mind and the tension just fueled when I saw my little blue rock.

I cannot let this happen... if he gets that then he will do something bad with it-after all he is a bad guy.

I had no choice. No time to think. I burst into the room like a lunatic. Forget blue rock-I went straight for Qin Mingshen's throat.

The thieves tried to grab me, but I was too fast, slipping past the, like smoke. My little knife flashed as I lunged, stabbing and swiping like a mad bull seeing red-I know it's a myth, no need to correct me you all.

Qin Mingshen barely moved. He dodged each strike like he'd been rehearsing this event for centuries-no wasted efforts, not even a flick of his wrist.

I slashed again aiming low-this time he ducked, and-

Wait...is that a knife from his...shoe?

Who the heck keep knifes there?

His blade shot out like lightning, aimed right for me. I barely had time to grab one of his own men and shove him forward-my impromptu meat shiel. The thief yelped taking the blow.

Three of them were on me now. Handling this mess would not be easy.

Think...think. FREAKIN THINK YOU BASTARD BRAIN OF MINE!

Using the trick I had learned during one of my previous lives-no question you pretty dumb beautiful readers-I faked a stumble, slipping behind one of the thieves. My fingers moved like quicksilver, snatching my blue rock from his belt.

Gotcha!

Now I just had to survive long enough to get out of here.

On what I swore was my last my final breathe in this hellish place, I ran like a freakin man being chased by death...in a candy uniform.

Iran straight into ladies toilet, the women screamed loud enough to burst my ears thankfully using the window made for ventilation I escape that freakin drug house or whatever you wish to call it.

I stumbled, gasping for air like a man who just outran death itself.

Soon, I merged myself into a market nearby which was crowded enough to hide me. I took off my mask immediately and hid myself in a grocery store.

Fortunately the shopkeeper was kind enough to let me hide in between the apples.

Sure, hiding in apples in not one of my proudest moments, but hey at least I am going to smell fresh.

As expected those men came even to the market and asked each shopkeeper about me, but ladies and gentlemen my savior shopkeeper was tight lipped man ad he nicely offered them bananas.

Finally after four hours I got out of that apple swarm. I sat at the counter helplessly-why? Buddy I have officially lost my way to my home.

As I gave up on all hope and planned a suicide to rewind this mess a strange yet familiar figure approaches me.

A man in tea-brown hat and a long tea-brown coat with a dark brown shirt came close to me, he was wearing yellow glasses, his hair were eight inches long red crimson curtains which were parted in the middle, he has yellow lion eyes...wait I have seen him before!

"Alexander Russo Volvok?" I asked.

"Idiot Vance Sherman who argues for apartment only bathroom with me?" he lays another question; his smirk stretched wider than a con artist counting cash yeah he wasn't asking; he was taunting me.

Yes, I have an apartment neighbor, Alexander Volvok; he is my neighbor who I fight for bathroom rights; you won't believe that dude's forty with a three month old baby girl, yet somehow looks like he had been sculpted by the god of youth and gym memberships.

"Lost again, are you?" he grinned-I swear if only this man did not had a robotic arm which he hides in public under silicon covering I swear I would have suffocated his ass; not my fault he is just way too annoying.

"Yes, I guess you really said the truth when you cursed me of being lost today from your balcony." I sighed exhaling air in irritation.

"Want me to take the lost kitten back to its house?" he said in a pitiful sarcastic voice while leaning with one hand on the counter.

"Yes please..." I stated with absolute no yearning to go back in my voice.

"Beg me for it." His grin widened like a croc-I swearl saw extra sets of teeth showing up, as he calmly rested his chin on hand.

"Seriously...come on your Excellency. Don't be so cruel for your fellow citizen of your beloved nation." I said my hands clasped together with desperate semi-watery eyes. Yes, I was that pitiful.

"Oh my! Stop drug. I can't...pfft....!" He cackled up holding his tummy. And after a minute laughing session he finally stopped only to release a hyena laugh.

"What is a 'drug'?" I blinked, baffled at his word choice.

"It exactly means what you think it is" he snorted still cackling up-no way, I looked that funny while begging?

"If it is you who is saying that then yeah, it must be something bad. Afterall drug is humanity's one of the biggest enemy." I sighed, annoyed by his laughter.

"Oh, yes it is indeed a bad word. After all a good drug can bring out the worst roast-master from within you." He said still cackling up-man stop, I understood I looked funnily pathetic while begging.

"I feel like you are drunk or something. I do not understand a word you mean." I stated with a piercing blank face.

"Oh, fine-fine. Let's get the lost kitten back to its home safely." He said, finally stopped with his hyena laugh-if you don't know how bad a hyena laughs, Google it!

I followed Alexander like a lost kid in the dark. He was my of course the only hope in this time.

As we walked on the street, those two men of Qin Mingshen came; Alexander spotted my fear and hid me in his coat.

God, I swear, his frame is upper wide-why the men in this world are so cozy to be with, I mean I am not gay but seriously who doesn't get charmed by real masculinity?

"Hey hand that guy to us...unless." The big guy thief said punching his palm with his fist.

"Guess you really don't know who I am huh?" Alexander stated his voice very authoritative and screaming control.

"Why? Who are you?" asked the smaller thief.

"Hmm...let's say that you don't want Alexander Russo Volvok to give you third degree experience, do you? I don't mind cleaning more corpses though." He said in the most calm and horror way possible.

The thieves barked out laughter-a sharp mocking noise that grated on my nerves. Alexander didn't react. He didn't flinch.

Instead, he sighed-slow and deliberate as if their very existence bored him.

ZAP!

A beam shot from his robotic arm, carving straight through the first thief's skull the body dropped like a sack of stones.

The second thief froze.

"Run" Alexander ordered, voice sharp enough to slice the air. "I dare you"

The thief bolted, but barely covered a few steps before another shot tore through his back. His body hit the pavement with a sickening thud.

"Idiots.." Alexander muttered under his breath, brushing imaginary dust from his sleeve like he had just swatted flies. "You should have known better."

Meanwhile his human arm still held me tightly, protectively against his chest.

I wriggled free and stumbled back. "Ew...man, are you gay? Why were you holding me like I was your wife or something?!"

Alexander stared at me with calm unreadable eyes before letting out a soft hum. "Don't know... maybe having a baby girl softened me. or maybe," his smirk widened-"I just felt like protecting a pitiful fellow citizen of my beloved nation"

He turned away with a smug grin, following the path back to his home leaving me standing there-questioning my life choices.