A Date with Sadako

"You... will die in seven days..."

A sinister, hoarse voice came through the phone, carrying a chill that seeped into the bone marrow.

Allen looked exceptionally excited. Having confirmed that it really was Sadako's death-call, he seemed like a man receiving a flirtatious call from the lover he had longed for day and night.

"Really?"

Allen asked eagerly, "Sadako, could you call me every day from now on so we can chat?"

"No..."

"If you don't call me, I'll eat shit and kill myself ahead of time so you can't have me. Believe it or not, I believe it anyway," Allen threatened angrily.

"Fine."

Faced with Allen's unusual threat, Sadako had no choice but to compromise.

To be honest, this was the first time she had encountered someone so strange.

Normally, when ordinary people received a call from The Ring, they were so frightened that they hung up immediately, rather than chattering away as enthusiastically as Allen.

"Then it's settled. Sadako, please make sure I die by your hand."

"..."

Allen's words carried the sickly-sweet stench of romance.

For a moment, Sadako was a little at a loss. She even felt the faintest trace of emotion in her heart.

He was too understanding.

If every cursed person could be as reasonable as Allen, her ghostly career would go much more smoothly.

"Sadako, you have no idea how much I like you. I've watched The Ring at least three times, and I didn't miss any of the spin-off specials either. The Ring: Service Customs, The Ring: Debt Love Fall... My favorite was Mother-Daughter Sandwich, where you worked with Kayako. I've always kept up with the works about you in the 3D section and doujinshi..." Allen could not help recounting his experiences secretly playing on his attending doctor's computer at Qingshan Rehabilitation Center.

"Beep... beep... beep..."

Sadako decisively hung up.

Look at that. Was that something a decent person watched?

After putting down the phone, Allen raised both clenched fists before him.

"Little Left, Little Right, listen to my explanation. That was just acting on the spot. I absolutely didn't cheat on you emotionally, and besides, you both took part when I watched those educational films."

After explaining himself, Allen let go of his fists in relief.

The next day.

Allen waited absentmindedly beside the landline, looking forward to Sadako's promised call.

Yet he waited from daytime until midnight without receiving a single cursed call.

That left Allen so angry that he could not sleep properly all night.

The third day.

Night fell.

The landline rang.

Allen answered on the first ring, but the other end of the line was silent.

"Sadako, why didn't you call me? I waited for you the entire day yesterday. I didn't even dare sleep at night because I was afraid you might call and I wouldn't answer. I was scared you'd misunderstand and think I was fooling you, yet you only care about calling other people while leaving me, someone who keeps you in his heart and thinks about you every moment, hanging."

Allen vented his feelings with a roar. After calming down, his tone shifted to one of concern. "I'm carrying out a dangerous mission. I can't even guarantee that I'll live long enough to wait for you. I hope we both cherish what time we have."

"Sorry..."

"Then will you call tomorrow?"

"I will."

"It's a deal. Good night."

That night, Allen slept exceptionally well.

The fourth day.

Sadako's call arrived as promised.

When the phone rang, Allen deliberately waited several seconds before answering.

"Guess who I am?"

Sadako's tone was as playful as a young girl's, as though she were acting cute while talking to her boyfriend.

Allen froze slightly, then his gaze sharpened as he rebuked her, "Sadako, you're a fierce ghost. How can you let your feelings get in the way? Where has your professional integrity gone? I only played hard to get a little, and you already fell for it. If someone else gave you the same Sweet Talk, would you soften up and let him go? Do you still want your ghostly career or not?"

"..."

After a long silence, Sadako replied eerily, "I understand. You have three days left."

"I hope you maintain the proper attitude," Allen said with satisfaction.

"Beep... beep... beep..."

The fifth day.

The League of Assassins delivered the equipment. Oliver confirmed the target's location, but Allen decided to wait another two days before acting.

That night, Sadako called.

"You have two days left. Beep... beep..."

The sixth day.

"You have one day left. Beep... beep..."

On the seventh day, Sadako did not call. Today was the day she was supposed to claim his life.

Allen walked out of the bathroom and picked up a backpack containing his equipment.

The mission to retrieve The Blade of Redemption had officially begun.

When Allen stepped out of the motel room, the television that should have been sitting on the cabinet was nowhere to be seen.

After heading downstairs, Bruce and Oliver were already waiting for him.

Before leaving, Allen deliberately extended the room rental by one more day to keep Sadako from mistakenly killing an unsuspecting guest.

←Raccoon City, Silent Hill→

A rust-covered signpost stood at a three-way intersection.

A yellow taxi sped straight toward Silent Hill.

Allen and the other two sat inside.

The driver played heavy metal rock music to himself, but the three remained unmoved and silent throughout the ride.

The taxi drove onto a stretch of long-neglected road. Less than fifteen minutes later, it arrived before an old town.

The three got out and looked toward Silent Hill beneath the setting sun. Covered in yellow sunlight, the town was steeped in desolation.

"Pay up, asshole."

The taxi driver shouted impatiently.

Allen casually pulled out a bill and said with feigned nonchalance, "Keep the change."

The driver took the money, smoothly turned the car around, and slammed on the gas toward the way they had come.

"How much did you pay?"

Bruce reminded him with malicious delight.

Allen pulled out the money in his pocket and suddenly realized that he had handed over another hundred-dollar bill.

Oliver took the opportunity to rub salt in the wound. "The fare was thirty-one dollars."

Allen immediately wanted to chase after the taxi, but it was already long gone. He clenched his remaining change in frustration and snapped, "Damn it, I'm never taking a taxi again."

Who told you to act so generous? What did the taxi have to do with it?

"Silent Hill suffered an underground fire many years ago. Since the fire beneath the ground could not be extinguished, the smoke carried toxins, forcing the entire town to be abandoned."

Oliver shared the intelligence he had gathered. It was not really a secret; the Philadelphia archives held records of it. However, the crucial details had been deliberately removed. After visiting several elderly people who had moved away back then, he had roughly figured out what had happened.

Bruce added, "According to the mission briefing, the ones who took The Blade of Redemption were an evil cult that has been hiding in Silent Hill. They have kept a very low profile and remain mysterious, so the information available is limited."

"I have a question. How did they take The Blade of Redemption?"

Watching the two talk, Allen felt that if he did not say something, he would seem like he had no presence at all.

"The Blade of Redemption was lent to a scholar for research, and the evil cult took the opportunity to steal it."

Bruce and Oliver exchanged a glance. Had this guy not read the intelligence they had been sent?

Before beginning the search, they needed to review the key points of the information to avoid being at a loss when danger arose.

"Hey, hey, hey, the way you're looking at me makes it seem like I'm just an NPC here to make up the numbers."

Allen said smugly, "Batsy, it's not that I want to steal your spotlight. I've watched the Silent Hill movie, so I know more than you two."