'To think I ended up like this when I'm just supposed to hear updates about Floyd's case! This Wendy already deceived me, and now she's still making me worry about her life and death! DAFUQ?! Just what kind of bad luck did you bring me again today, system!'

Chris ignored most of its rambling and focused on what it said in the middle. For a couple of moments, he hesitated whether to hit her on the stomach or somewhere to render her unconscious.

He knew that could perhaps solve the current problem.

It was just since Chris had never raised a hand against a girl before, he couldn't help but hesitate!

Fortunately, or unfortunately, he no longer had to think much because the system informed him that someone already arrived.

"Wendy!" It was a feminine voice that echoed from behind.

The sudden shout distracted him a bit though. The controlled girl took that chance to break free! Her actions made Chris forget yelling back to Sofony Mendez as he had to tackle the girl down the floor to stop her from her next suicidal attempt!

"You madwoman! You're not allowed to do that!

"Uuhh..."

The girl moaned in agony, probably due to the dull pain coming from her back. However, when she recovered a little, she once again started struggling to break free. Chris was really annoyed by her sudden increase in strength so, in order to stop her from getting up, he pinned Wendy's hands above her head using one hand and pressed on her stomach using the other.

"Miss Sofony Mendez, come over here and help! Otherwise, this lunatic will try to jump off again!" he angrily shouted.

Fortunately, the crying girl came to her senses and realized the gravity of the situation. He immediately came over and joined in apprehending Wendy.

"Wendy, it's okay now! Stop this! It's me, Sofy! Calm down! Everything's already okay! So calm down!"

Chris knew the other was trying to hypnotize Wendy. However, minutes pa.s.sed that no change happened. He watched as Sofony's face turned paler. But she still didn't give up. Thankfully, three minutes after, Wendy finally stopped struggling.

Then, the seemingly crazy girl's body started trembling. He didn't know the reason for it. Fortunately, she stopped a minute later, her drowsy eyes closing.

Chris' left brow rose. His gaze went to the girl in front of her. "Is she okay?"

Sofony wiped the tears from her eyes and the few beads of sweat on her forehead then replied, "She just lost consciousness. Everything's fine now. Thank you, Mr. Meyer, for your help. I really appreciate what you did. If it weren't for you, I don't know what could have happened to her."

The young man's expression went back to its default. He then stood up and looked down to the beautiful and very-faired complexion woman sitting next to the unconscious wavy-haired girl. As he regulates his breathing, his cold voice resounded.

"Five minutes ago, we arrived at this place." he started. "Because she's probably guilty for lying to me just to make me come to the station, she offered to treat me to lunch. I accepted. She ordered. I went to the restroom, and then when I came back she's already not in her right mind. So what do you think happened?"

Sofony raised her head and met his eyes. Realizing the boy heard and saw things he should not, she started speaking, her voice strangely similar to how she talked Wendy to sleep earlier.

"Mr. Meyer I thank you sincerely for saving my friend. I'm also sorry for this. But since we both know this is not a pleasant experience, can you just forget everything you heard and saw tonight? Mr. Meyer, you didn't come with Wendy at Cristy's Restaurant. From the police station, you and Wendy already parted ways, okay?"

Chris only stared at her for a fairly long time. His cold eyes gradually showing anger. The system in his head kept advising him to just act as though he'd been really hypnotized. However, as he hated everything he'd gone through since last Monday, he decided not to heed its warning.

He balled his fist. If the other person was just a boy, he probably had punched him already on the face! And he would surely do it not just once, but until no plastic surgeon could ever magic it back again!

How he hated that the one in front of him was a girl!

The boy didn't listen though. He was too angry and upset so he started asking her with absolute seriousness,

"Are you happy now? With what you've done?"

Chris saw the girl being taken aback. She started blinking at him.

He didn't know whether she was wondering why her hypnosis didn't work on him or asking herself what his words could possibly mean, however, he didn't let her speak. He continued asking,

"Is this how you'll always wrap things up whenever people around you are attacked?"

He didn't raise his voice but anger could easily be noticed from it.

"Aren't you contented with what we've experienced last Monday?"

"Until when is this going to continue? Until a coffin is escorted into a black parade?"

"Last Monday?" Sofony dumbfoundedly muttered. His barrage of questions caught her off-guard, her bewilderment even grew after she realized something, "Y-you didn't lose your memory? H-how? Ehh? No! That's impossible! You couldn't be like us!"

"Like you and that Clarissa, you mean?" he questioned as he gritted his teeth. "Is knowing whether I become a host or not something more important than a life that is almost lost? Or are you not getting it yet?"

He had to look up for a while then inhaled deeply before glaring at the woman again. He knew he'd been very rude and ungentlemanly, but he just couldn't help but say,

"Sofony Mendez, I resent it, okay? Though I get it that you only want her not to get burdened by what she did... Until when are you going to resort to hypnosis? What if she really dies tonight? How are you going to deal with that? Hypnotize yourself? And everyone else? That she died because of suicide? Then that's it? You grieve a little but since nothing can be done anymore, you simply move on and find a new best friend?"

He shook his head before continuing,

"How about that fat teacher of ours? Though Wendy stabbed him because she was controlled, what will you do if he also dies?"

"You don't know what to answer? Haven't thought about these yet?"

Chris saw Sofony trembling. The light from the sole fluorescent lamp of the place allowed him to see her face turning red. Her eyes also became very distant to her usual gentle gaze which he usually compared with Wendy's. Those pair of beautiful black orbs turned emotionless. He's not good at describing, so maybe they were not really emotionless, but full of anger.

Chris thought, if he was still the guy he used to be when Felicity was still alive, he would be flinching and feeling guilty by now, wondering what he did to make someone angry.

However, right now, he was also as mad. Mad at the system. Mad at the hosts. Even if this Sofony seemed better than the other one he knew, in the end, she was still a host, and her fight with Clarissa was what pushed many innocent people to unwanted disasters.

Was he being unreasonable or wrong for suddenly being angry?

Maybe he was. After all, he doesn't know these hosts' sides.

But his point was that many normal people were already getting pulled into their d.a.m.nable conflict!

As he thought of this, Chris' glares sharpened. Afterward, he declared,

"I don't care what kind of ghost and monster you and Clarissa are!"

"I also don't care what kind of feud you and Clarissa have!"

"But if you two still have a bit of conscience in your body, then, please! Just do us a favor! Don't! Freakin' involve! Innocent people in it!"

Ten seconds after he uttered these, when Sofony's eyes turned equally icy and sharp, the system in his head sighed. It then let out a burst of crazy laughter and hatefully shouted,