New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

As everyone looked at him, a mix of emotions permeated the room.

From the Zhong Kui men, he received glares of unwelcoming. From Mr. Gu, he received a look of astonishment. If he knew about his organization even remotely, he shouldn't have been speaking to one of its elders like this.

But there he was, doing just that.

And lastly, from Alex and Kary, he received disapproving looks. As if they didn't like that, he entered a room and immediately commanded attention.

But David didn't care.

"Alex," David started, looking at his demonized friend.

"I saw enough of that red skin last night. Mind going back to normal?"

Alex side-eyed the men of the Zhong Kui before looking back at him.

"What about them? What tells me they won't attack me when I'm back to my body?"

David shrugged.

"Who cares? If they do, we can just kill them and be done with it. I know you've been holding back. I knew the moment I entered the room."

Alex's eyes became razor thin.

"How—"

But before Alex could finish his question, David shook his head, telling him to shut up, and one of the Zhong Kui shouted at David.

"How dare you speak to us this way?! Do you know who we are, you insolent westerner?!"

David locked eyes with him, smiling a devilish grin.

"More than you think, squinty. But I don't care. You are but trash in my way. You matter as much as a bug splattered on a windshield."

The man's face turned to rage, and he lowered his stance, ready to dash forward.

But Elder Bai stopped him, raising his hand before him.

"Elder Bai!"

"Silence, boy!" Elder Bai snapped.

Song Ping reeled in shock. He had never seen the elder get angry before.

The elder looked at David, his eyes squinting.

"You say you saw him last night. You would be dead if the demon had attacked you while you were alone. Why lie so blatantly?"

David chuckled at his words.

"Old man, you and your men are weak. Don't overestimate your strength based on the organization you serve. The Zhong Kui isn't all what it thinks it is. It hasn't been since the dawn of electronics. Also; who said I was alone?"

After finishing his sentence, David spread his arms out, making his shadow swallow the penthouse. A cacophony of bones rattling and pained moans echoed around everyone, sending shivers down the Zhong Kui's spines.

One of the younger members, Xue Wei, whom David had lugged into the room as he woke up, even looked at David like he was the incarnation of death, starting a short chant in Chinese and reciting it like a mantra.

Retracting his shadow, David locked eyes with the old man once again.

"Now. Can we sit down and have a conversation like civilized people? Or do you still want to fight to the death? Because I am more than willing to add four members of the Zhong Kui to my army."

The Elder clicked his tongue in anger.

"Fine. Let's have it your way, Mr. David Magnus."

David's eyebrow rose, surprised the old man knew his name.

"I'm honoured an Elder of the Zhong Kui knows my name. May I inquire why?" he asked, grinning.

The old man sat on the sofa, which had been shunted into the wall under the television, and huffed.

"You know why, Mr. Magnus. Let us not devolve into a threatening competition. We are already wasting our time as it is."

David shrugged again, assuming the reason. Why else would they keep track of him, if not to kill him if he ever became a threat?

Alex backed up to the kitchen island, pulling a stool and taking a seat there as he returned to his human appearance.

Kary and David sat beside him, and Mr. Gu was torn about which side to sit on.

But Elder Bai glared at him when he stepped toward them.

"Do not make me repeat myself, Gu Fang. You are not one of us."

Mr. Gu grit his teeth in anger.

'Thirty years of loyal service. And that is how they thank me? By casting me aside for finding a job far from them when I retired? Tch.'

He wanted to sit next to David, Alex, and Kary, but quickly realized Alex was also glaring at him.

Alex had already made the connection between them and him, and he was furious at him. But he would wait for them to be gone before he ripped him a new asshole, metaphorically, of course.

So he pulled another stool and sat to the side in front of the patio door.

"Good!" David exclaimed with a clap of his hands once everyone was seated.

"Now, on to the matter at hand. I know why you are here, but you will have to return home. Your help isn't required anymore," David said, looking at the four men on the other side of the penthouse open area.

Song Ping tensed, ready to jump up and shut this man's mouth, but Elder Zhang grabbed him by his shoulder and glared at him. This was enough to rein him in.

"And what makes you think you get to tell the Zhong Kui what to do, Mr. Magnus?" Elder Bai asked, glaring at him.

David smiled at him.

"Because if you don't leave my friend here alone, I will take him, along with a handful of other people, and we will visit Huashan Mountain. Of course, you won't be there to see this, as I will personally kill all four of you right here, right now."

The mention of Huashan Mountain made the Zhong Kui and Mr. Gu's eyes grow in size.

"How do—" Elder Bai started asking.

"Irrelevant. All that matters is that I know. And I don't mind using this knowledge. Do you want to risk it, old man? Because even if one of you leaves here alive and warns the rest of your organization, by the end of next week, there won't be any of you left."

David's threat was not an empty one, either. His eyes were icy, and his tone unwavering.

He was not bluffing.

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