Levi knew she was worried that he, like Jason, had embarked on a dangerous journey.
He smiled and said with feigned nonchalance,
“It’s a very good job.
It’s on University Street, helping people with some maintenance work.
We’ll move out of here tomorrow and rent a house on University Street.”
Read Taiwanese novels easily on Qingsongdu.
Emily felt a little relieved and nodded, saying,
“Okay, that must cost a lot of money, right?
Once we’re on University Street, I can look for some suitable work for myself too.”
Levi originally wanted to persuade Emily not to work, because once she went out, the risk of being discovered by the Hyena Gang would increase.
But then he thought, if Emily didn’t work and he bore all the household expenses, she would definitely suspect he was following the same path as Jason.
Moreover, staying cooped up at home without contact with the outside world wouldn’t be good for her physical or mental health.
Hmm, I should find an opportunity to take Emily to the Tingen City Female Teachers Mutual Aid Society to see if she can find a safe job as a tutor.
The post-meal blood sugar spike brought a groggy drowsiness.
Levi lay on his floor mat and soon fell into a deep sleep.
…
After an unknown amount of time, Levi woke up in the Darkness, standing in a void.
Is this…
a lucid dream?
Levi was startled.
He turned his head and saw that familiar giant mirror, and within the mirror, his own cold and gloomy expression.
That dream again!
But this time, I’ve retained my consciousness in the dream!
Why did this change happen…
Could it be because I’ve become a Beyonder?
As he pondered, Levi’s hair began to transform into slimy tentacles, sweeping toward his body.
An ethereal laughter also rang in his ears, stirring up a chill that reached his very marrow.
Unlike before, the laughter became increasingly clear, as if a madwoman was panting right next to Levi’s ear.
“Who…
just who are you!”
Levi summoned his courage and tried to speak.
His voice successfully echoed against the mirror’s surface and throughout this void space.
After a brief silence, even more frantic laughter erupted.
Chaotic ravings flooded into Levi’s ears from all directions, tearing at his nerves:
“XX, XXXX…”
The dream came to an abrupt halt.
Levi sat up abruptly, his clothes soaked with cold sweat.
What was that woman saying?
Why does she appear in my dreams?
Just hearing her words caused me a pain as if I were about to die…
Levi couldn’t help but feel some concern.
His dream had changed like this on the very night he became a Beyonder.
If his Beyonder abilities grew further, would the dreams also evolve in an even worse direction?
He let out a soft breath.
The flow of air in his lungs caused his chest to rise and fall, but a burning, stinging pain came from his chest.
Levi unbuttoned his pajamas and looked down.
He saw an eerie, deep black pattern etched onto his chest: the pattern was wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, with two sides extending like small hands.
It looked exactly like the mask he had worn at the Flamingo Bar that night!
Levi tremblingly touched the pitch-black lines, and a burning sensation met his fingertips.
It hurts so much, a burning pain…
He struggled to stand up, wanting to go to the washroom to further examine the pattern.
As he stood up, Emily’s sleeping face came into view.
Her beautiful features were clearly visible under the moonlight, and her chest rose and fell evenly with her breath; she was sleeping very peacefully.
In an instant, a surge of power exploded in Levi’s chest.
Intense desire flooded through his body along the lines of the pattern, then converged in his lower body, awakening a powerful animalistic instinct.
Dammit!
How could I have those kinds of thoughts about Emily!
Bastard!
Calm down, quickly!
Levi crouched halfway and pinched the muscles of his thigh hard, trying to use pain to suppress the awakened desire.
However, it was to no avail; the consciousness in his mind was nearly blurring, and he only wanted to follow his body’s instincts to satisfy his bestial nature.
No, I can’t…
At the critical moment, Levi steeled his heart and suddenly grabbed the dagger from under his pillow, plunging it hard into his own leg.
Pfft!
Bright red blood gushed out, and a massive wave of pain surged to his head.
Levi gradually began to calm down.
He limped into the washroom and treated the wound.
During this process, the pattern on his chest also gradually settled, no longer giving off a faint stinging pain.
Levi scrutinized the pattern in the mirror.
The imagery it represented was still very vague, and it wasn’t clear what specific object it resembled, but it still reminded Levi of the succubus crests from before he transmigrated.
“At least it’s not on my lower abdomen…”
Levi said self-deprecatingly, deciding to ignore it for the time being.
After all, this thing didn’t seem to be taking his life for now, while the Hyena Gang could tear him to pieces at any moment.
If I went to the Church of Machinery to pray for purification, I wonder if I’d be handled as a cultist…
I’ll wait for a suitable time to ask Ms.
B.
He realized from Jason’s notes that wild Beyonders were not recognized by the churches.
Levi sighed, walked out of the washroom, and saw Emily’s beautiful and peaceful sleeping face again.
Although the agitation in his heart was gone, he still felt a lingering fear.
“I’ll rent a new house tomorrow and sleep separately from Emily…”
Levi lay back down and entered sleep with an uneasy heart.
Fortunately, that eerie scene did not reappear this time.
At dawn, Levi ordered two breakfasts from the front desk.
After eating with Emily, they headed to University Street together to find a suitable house.
University Street had several advantages: first, there were many students and high foot traffic, making it easy to hide their movements.
Second, the public security was relatively good.
Third, it would be convenient for Emily to find work as a tutor.
Because it had to meet the rental needs of many students, the housing prices on University Street weren’t too expensive.
However, the quality of the rooms naturally wasn’t great either, consisting mainly of small units and shared rentals.
After looking at several places, Levi and Emily finally chose a four-story red building at 46 University Street.
There were dozens of tenants in this building, mostly students, young staff, or artists.
The quality of the tenants was relatively high, and with so many people around, it was easy to blend in and hide.
Levi spent 1 pound and 3 soli to rent a two-bedroom unit with a window facing away from the street at the end of the second-floor corridor.
The lease was for three months.
Levi was very satisfied with this room.
It had a small living room, a kitchen, two independent bedrooms, and especially its own separate washroom.
Furthermore, because it faced away from the street, it was convenient for jumping out the window to escape and was less susceptible to prying eyes from the street.
Emily was also very satisfied with this room.
Although it was smaller than their previous residence, it had an independent washroom and the environment was much better.
“Levi, I didn’t expect your employer to be so generous, actually advancing you two weeks’ salary.”
She found the generosity of the employer Levi had invented quite novel.
Levi just smiled and drew the Triangular Holy Emblem on his chest:
“Steam above, they are very satisfied with my mechanical maintenance skills.”
Emily returned the Triangular Holy Emblem.
They were both believers of Steam, whereas Jason had been a believer of the Evernight Goddess during his lifetime.
“Emily, I’m going to work now.
In a few days, once I’m familiar with the surroundings, I’ll take you to the Tingen City Female Teachers Mutual Aid Society.
Maybe there will be a suitable tutoring job for you.
That place isn’t far from here, just on this street.”