The Broker

At the familiar voice, Xia Lun lowered his eyes and searched his memory. Even with his Intelligence now at 16, he still couldn't place it.

He didn't dwell on it. He and Renee soon slipped toward the sound.

Cold Blood Wax candlelight flickered in the darkness. Soon, he saw the person screaming in agony.

The man was Black and powerfully built, but a huge iron hook had pierced his shoulder blade. He hung in midair like livestock being bled dry.

Xia Lun studied his face and realized he looked exactly like the First Mate from the first Scenario.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Blood gushed down the groove in the hook and into an iron pot below. An elaborate Ritual was drawn beneath the pot, surrounded by a group of "Sages of the Temple of Memories" in white Sage Robes and pointed wizard hats.

"The bleeding's too slow." A man whose face was covered in boils drew a Priest Dagger with a smile. "At this rate, we won't make any Blood Wax today. Cut his femoral artery. Get the blood flowing."

As he spoke, he rose onto his toes and slowly approached the First Mate hanging from the hook.

The First Mate struggled desperately. He swung a fist at Boil-Face, but the effort only tore open the wound around the barbed hook. Shreds of flesh fell with his cold sweat.

Renee clenched her fists without thinking. She took a deep breath and whispered, "Don't interfere. We absolutely can't be discovered before we reach the Pilgrimage Site."

Xia Lun gave Renee a speechless glance.

Seeing this other world's version of the First Mate suffer didn't make him want to save the man at all.

He felt no sympathy for the First Mate. He was merely curious about why the same people kept appearing