The Lock Down

***

[RANDOM MISSION ALERT!]

MISSION: Verbally interact with Lily.

REWARD: Infinite elemental arrows.

PENALTY FOR FAILURE: None.

[ACCEPT] or [REJECT]

***

After he just finished his sentence, a string of words appeared in his eyes, which stunned him. He rejected it without thinking twice.

"I reject your goddamn mission and shove it in your system's ass. Moreover, interacting with that fiend is not an option. Even if it is acceptable, you can't control me," Blake said proudly, but at that moment, Empress Hecate came out of his body.

"Hi honey," She said sweetly, with her ruby eyes shining vibrantly in the darkness. Her sudden appearance made Blake jump up in fright.

"What are you doing in my body? And how can you stay in my body?" Blake asked warily.

'Somebody living in my body is bizarre. What if she gets pregnant? When I'm having sex, what if she just pops out and scares the girl? This is madness!' Blake screamed inwardly, his face transforming into a nasty scowl.

"I'm taking a nap. Well, that's not why I'm here. Do you know what you just missed? Rejecting that random, easy mission, when you will still interact with her," Empress Hecate said charmingly while staring at Blake with her ruby eyes.

"How is that your business?" Blake snapped at her angrily, at the same time testing the waters. He was trying to find out if she would hurt him physically.

"Don't shout, or people will think you are mad. By now, you should have guessed that only you can see me, from the seashore experience, and I'm no physical entity. I'm merely a soul remnant. Furthermore, I won't hurt the body I need," Empress Hecate said with an enchanting smile.

"Soul remnant? Is that a synonym for a ghost?" That was the only thing Blake said, thoroughly clueless.

"If that's how you understand it. Well, let's get to business. Do you know what the universal system is?" Hecate asked as she sat down elegantly on the table.

Blake just stared at her, waiting for her explanation.

"The Universal system is a runic technology system that makes use of ancient and modern types of complex runes. It was created by the Cyborg race. They were a powerful race in the universe and the only race, who could blend technology and runes perfectly. For other races, blending both runes and modern technology causes flaws in the crafted object. The Cyborg race had a metallic and robotic body. However, the Cyborg race had one fatal flaw," Hecate said while staring at the non-blinking Blake.

"What is the connection between the Cyborg race and the evil, devilish system in me? Do you know how to take it off?" Blake asked quickly.

Hecate hushed Blake, "Don't rush, and listen. We have all day, honey. The Cyborg race does not feel emotions. They like robotic machines. A birth tower produces their children. They electronically pass their memories and knowledge. So, after listening to the other races discuss emotions, they embarked on a project."

"Don't tell me it's what I'm thinking?" Blake asked warily.

"Yeah, the Universal system. They wanted to create something that would enable them to feel emotions. The Universal system will record the emotions, then, the emotions of the host will be transmitted to their mecha brain. Furthermore, they added a power column that will make the host live longer. The system has a spatial home that stores treasures, as for the size of the spatial home, I don't know. The treasures will be rewarded to the host slowly and based on merit; free and excessive power can lead to a twist in personality. Moreover, nobody will do those interaction missions without a reward. But, there are also battles and complex missions," Hecate solemnly explained, switching personality as effortlessly as turning the palm.

"As I feel emotions, don't tell me they will…" Blake's voice trailed off.

"Nope. After using ten millennia to perfect the Universal system, the Cyborg race suddenly became extinct. Don't ask me how. What I'm trying to say is that some random missions might be strange, nevertheless, the rewards are genuine," Hecate said seriously.

"The system is not helping. Moreover, they got the wrong guy. Girls are the source of calamities," Blake said, remembering his faithful fall.

"Why do you care so much about the mission?" Blake suddenly asked courageously, noticing she wouldn't hurt him physically.

"Because once I have your body, I will have the reward. However, I might miss it because you rejected it," Hecate suddenly reverted to her enchanting side, which made Blake scowl.

"What if I destroy my body?" Blake asked.

"I will save your soul and torture it for eternity," Hecate said sweetly like she was flirting.

"What is the difference between living and dying, then?" Blake asked with a contorted expression while suppressing his rage.

"When living, you have a chance. Even if I take over your body, I won't torture you. However, when dead, you lose your chance to die. Moreover, I want to test the limits of your 'will of adamant'. Hehe, you can take it as me bluffing," Hecate said while maintaining her sweet and enchanting smile, which was a contrast to her threat.

"But I'm a male," Blake still argued.

"I don't care, moreover, I want to know the feeling of being a male," Hecate said with a bewitching, melodious laughter that dazzled him.

***

WARNING! Primary Host control: –1%.

Primary Host Control: 9%.

Secondary Host Control: 91%.

***

Blake's face turned green with anger. He just dropped his guard, plus her charm was so strong, and he lost 1% control. He doesn't know how to even gain control, and now he's losing it.

"I need to sleep, or I will have a mental breakdown from seeing too many things. This is fantasy, maybe when I wake up, I will be back to reality," Blake said, climbing the bed to sleep.

"Do you trust that silver-haired little girl so much that you're sleeping?" Hecate asked while staring at Blake strangely.

"I don't trust her. But if she wants me dead, there is nothing I can do," Blake, who already showered, closed his eyes and slept off.

———

When Blake woke up, he felt refreshed. The bulb made him glad, thinking he had returned to the age of sanity. However, when he got to the door, and it automatically opened, he knew this was reality. Those apes and the system's stuff were real. The advanced technology was real. He didn't see Hecate.

When he got to the sitting room, he was shocked to see a bloody Lily lying on the floor in the sitting room.

The first thing that came to his mind was running. Anybody that can beat her like that will certainly kill him easily.

"Don't run like a scared cat. There is nobody. Help her," Hecate appeared and said to him.

"Are you crazy? She is just like a scythe placed on my neck. As a pragmatist, escaping is the best choice," Blake whispered to her forcefully.

"When did you become a pragmatist?" Hecate asked in shock.

"Just now!" Blake said angrily.

"Fine. If you are a pragmatist, helping her will save your life," Hecate said seriously, dropping her playful act.

"Don't look at me with those eyes. I need your body, so killing you is not a wise choice," Hecate added when she noticed Blake's suspicious glance.

All this while, Blake kept his guard up against her.

Blake thought for a moment and decided to take the gamble and help her clean the wound.

"How is her body? Seductive? Why don't you..." Hecate, like the devil, whispered in Blake's ear when he was bathing Lily. Tempting him with her charms, trying to manipulate him.

He had to grit his teeth to endure the mental torture.

———

It had been two hours, and Blake was still feeling shocked at the rate at which Lily healed. In merely two hours, the deep cuts, including the scars, have vanished.

"WARNING! Due to a virus spreading outside the city, nobody is allowed to leave the city. Tomorrow, A thorough vaccination will take place. So, there is an emergency curfew from dawn!" A loudspeaker blasted into the room even though it was locked.

The noise jolted Blake, making him turn to the door. When he turned to Lily again, she was sitting on the bed, staring at him. This made him jump back in fright, and he fell to the ground.

"Can't you make some noise when you wake up instead of startling me like that?" Blake asked angrily.

Lily just stared at him with complex emotions, which Blake couldn't decipher, which emerged in her eyes.

After a while, she stood up to leave.

"Hey, stop behaving like a bitch. I just saved you. The least you can do is say, 'thank you'," Blake yelled at her furiously.

"Even without you saving me, I would have still lived. Moreover, you saw my body, which is an offense punishable by death," Lily said without looking back as she walked out, leaving the stunned Blake.

Three minutes later, Lily came back and sat opposite Blake, which made him eye her warily.

"I tried to leave the city, but I was injured by the guards. They made the security intentionally lax to draw me out. I got ambushed," Lily said seductively.

"How is that my business?" Blake, who was fed up with her, exploded.

"I need to disguise as a—"

But Blake cut her, "I knew. A selfish, treacherous, and self-centered bitch. When you need my help, your temperament changes. I'm not going anywhere,"

Blake thought, 'She must be the lost twin sister of Hecate for switching temperaments perfectly.'

"Do you think you will survive? Let me clear the illusion for you. Do you know the young master I killed?" Lily asked coldly, no longer seductive.

"How is that my concern?" Blake retorted.

"He is Damon Rothschild, the son of Protector Jasper Rothschild. Protectors are controllers of cities, who protect and oversee the city they were assigned. So, you should know why my escape was unsuccessful," Lily explained composedly.

"But what does that have to do with me?" Blake asked, confused.

"Everything. You were the last person who saw him. You are also with me. Only death awaits you. Moreover, they have locked the city. The virus is a guise to search the city house-by-house," Lily explained while peering coolly into Blake's eyes.

"Can't you call for help or 911 with your phone watc–verse watch?" Blake asked with an ugly expression, noticing their bleak state.

"That's what they are waiting for so that they can trace back the call. And what's 911? Well, tomorrow is the deadline for us. Either to live, or die," Lily said solemnly.