—The Rule of Suffering wants debts to be paid. In exchange for using its power outside the Custom Boundary, it requires the Host to further carry out its will.
As soon as he wrote the name of the location, additional notes appeared. This was expected, but he wasn't looking forward to it. The frog had warned him about the risks, and it would only get worse the more he carried its effects outside the Custom Boundary.
Having my hand regrown after I left the hospital was necessary, but such a massive change would definitely come at a price in the end. And giving Irva all those abilities definitely didn't help, but it was a necessary choice. I'm sure I'll run into more Abnas like Ayona, and maybe even beings stranger than Hyonda in the future.
—The Rule of Suffering will impose two rules of its own.
—The Rule of Suffering desires the Host to set the rules without further delay.
It's personally involving itself again? Hezekiah narrowed his eyes, reminded of the events in the hospital. Although technically he wasn't bound this time, could he still call that comfort?
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Every woman that's within the location will immediately develop stage 2 cancer.
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Whoever isn't suffering from painful internal bleeding can never leave the location.
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—Satisfaction 0%
"Is it serious...?" Hezekiah muttered, skimming the page repeatedly. "Everyone is screwed no matter what they do... and I still have to write my own set of rules to raise the percentage."
Hezekiah fell back against the wall, pinching the bridge of his nose. Falina would be affected, no matter what.
Irva silently observed from a distance, folding her arms as she waited for her surroundings to black out again.
Dealing with the cancer isn't the hard part, but is hurting my sister the only way to free her?
Hezekiah held the pen against the sheet and wrote the next set of rules. The ink was jagged and scratchy, but as usual it cleaned the handwriting, making it neater than he had ever seen.
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Every woman that's within the location will immediately develop stage 2 cancer.
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Whoever isn't suffering from internal bleeding can never leave the location.
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The woman in charge of the creation of Husks Tools for this location will appear on Basement Level 5 if someone wishes so.
—Satisfaction 0.01%
At least it didn't go into the negatives like last time; fortunately it doesn't care about intentions, as long as the rule itself doesn't directly go against suffering. But one positive rule could lead me into writing several negative ones to compensate.
He added a fourth rule where everyone by default would have the least severe form of painful internal bleeding, but it was quickly erased.
—Should one rule nullify the purpose of another?
Damnit, but I get it. Can't add a rule that practically makes another rule nonexistent, or one that can never come into effect.
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Every woman that's within the location will immediately develop stage 2 cancer.
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Whoever isn't suffering from painful internal bleeding can never leave the location.
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The woman in charge of the development of Husks Tools for this location will appear on Basement Level 5 if someone wishes so.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
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If you jump while on Basement Level 5, you will teleport to the first floor.
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If you touch the walls, both your hands will disappear.
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If you stay in the location longer than 1 hour, immortal parasites will suddenly inhabit your body.
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If at least one person is within the location, all physical and digital photos in the location will cease to exist.
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All male Peak Connection employees will have a 102-degree fever.
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For every 30 minutes you stay here, you will lose a quarter of your remaining lifespan.
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If you keep your eyes closed, any sort of discomfort will reduce by 10%.
—Satisfaction 100%
—Circle Confirm or Deny.
I could add more rules, but if I want to erase any after, I'll have to bear the consequence instead. But this should be enough. Wherever my death photo is stored, it should just vanish now, but there are a couple more things I'm curious about.
"Listen, Irva." Hezekiah looked up at her, she was clasping her wrist. "Currently, I can kill all the Directors within the next few seconds if I feel like it. Are you sure you don't have any objections?"
Irva's lips tucked, briefly looking above her. "Is there a reason you're asking?" His claim sounded unbelievable, yet at the same time it didn't look like he was joking.
"I'm precisely referring to your relationship with the Chief of Sunset Garden. You don't view him as a simple boss, do you?"
"And what makes you say that?"
"It's just a hunch."
"That's bogus. We're just tools that do what it's instructed to do. Even more so with me, who was always with them at such a young age. Why would you assume I had empathy for him?"
"Lacking empathy, you say? If that's true, then it wouldn't matter if that mask girl tags along, correct? An Abna like her might be a useful slave, don't you think?"
Irva stiffened, searching for a response until suddenly focusing on the floor. "Huh? Something's happening? What in the...?"
"Is something the matter? I hope you're not changing the subject."
"You're sis... I'm not sure what's going on. It's as if she split in two just now."
"What!? You mean in half!!?" Hezekiah's chest batted against itself. "F*ck, damnit!" He quickly circled the confirm option.
Irva, focusing on her locating ability, was still lost in what she was sensing. But if Falina died, no doubt he would take it out on her. "If we hurry, maybe we can—"
"It's not f*cking working! Shit, why the hell is nothing happening!?"
Irva spiked her posture upon his outburst, taking small steps back. What is he blabbering about? He's just standing there doing nothing!
"Did I write the rule wrong? Why isn't she appearing here!?" Hezekiah's nails pressed into his palms as he worked to figure out what went wrong.
He thought back on the memory situation between Reed and the rest of his family. Sally, for example, should've forgotten her mother, since the rule stated that she would lose her memories of that parent if they died in front of her.
I'm making the same mistake again. Elaine never actually died; that led me to believe that the rules just didn't work sometimes.
"How could I be f*cking stupid? Of course Falina wouldn't be in charge of its development anymore! No wonder nothing's happening."
Irva observed him with caution, not wanting to agitate him.
Hezekiah crossed out the rule and immediately teleported out of sight.
"What in the—!?" Irva scanned around her. "Hezekiah!?"
He appeared before her a second later. Without sparing a glance, he checked the rules sheet again.
The rule I crossed out is now gone; now all I have to do is rephrase it in past tense!
"Where did you go just now!?" Irva demanded.
"It doesn't matter." If I erase a rule, I have to bear its consequence. Fortunately, this was nothing. "Leaving them in one piece is no longer an option. I don't care if I can just revive her in the Custom Boundary. Those Directors will suffer the worst pain imaginable."
"Re-revival!!?" Bewildered by his claim, Irva refocused her senses on Falina. "What in the smokes? Are both parts of her moving...?"
"What?"
"I—I don't know. But it feels like she's at both places at once now! I'm undoubtedly tracking her, but something ain't right."
What the hell is she sensing. I know I didn't give hard specifications on how her abilities operate, but it shouldn't be f*cking up like this. Even if the Rule of Suffering decided to fill in some of the gaps.
A black sheet of paper materialized in his hands, startling her. "Whatever you read here also applies to you. Also, don't mention anything you know about me to her." He handed her the rules sheet. Irva read each one, twisting her expression the further she read.
"You gave all of us cancer... Have you lost your mind?" she asked, roughly tossing Ghiza on the ground with her telekinetic powers.
"It's not like I want this. As soon as Falina is here, we'll leave quickly and deal with it later."
The space distorted before them upon Hezekiah's thought; light bent, obscuring the view.
Hezekiah tightened his grip around his arm. It was hard to believe that it hadn't been a full day yet. It had been a battle of life and death ever since he woke up in the hospital. But all the sacrifices he had to make to get here—hopefully it was worth it.
The light and surroundings snapped back into focus. A woman with torn clothes lay on her back, laced with cuts all over her body and throat.