“I say, Miss Penelope, aren't you afraid I might be a bad guy?” Moro chuckled.
Penelope snapped out of her reverie, her eyes focusing on Moro as she shook her head with a charming smile.
“I believe Mr. Moro is a good man. And even if you are a bad guy, I wouldn't be losing out!”
She winked mischievously, adding to her words.
Her delicate, alluring face, coupled with this slightly provocative gesture, would have moved the heart of any man!
It was obvious that the woman was teasing Moro. But, having experienced his fair share of tempting situations, Moro didn't take the bait. Instead, he playfully retorted, “Miss Penelope, I find you quite skillful. Do you often use this tactic to flirt with those naive young boys?”
“Oh, no! I just trust Mr. Moro, so I'm just joking. After all, I'm just a frail woman.”
Penelope propped her face with her hand, leaning back against the car seat with a seductive posture. She looked at Moro with a languid gaze, her voice soft.
The scene was reminiscent of a couple in love, playfully flirting.
But Moro wouldn't buy Penelope's act. Ever since recognizing her, he'd been on guard against this beautiful, mischievous cat. After all, in the movie, she was a professional thief disguised as a stripper.
However, based on the timeline, Penelope hadn't reached the point of stealing money while disguised as a stripper. The movie's plot might have taken place after Penelope's capture and release from prison.
After all, the current Penelope looked like a young woman who had just turned 20. Although she appeared mature, like a ripe peach, her youthful aura remained evident.
Furthermore, Moro could sense a subtle detachment from Penelope, something she couldn't conceal despite her efforts.
“Seems like I'm a good guy after all!”
Moro said with a self-deprecating chuckle and turned on the car radio.
Penelope, however, remained fixated on Moro, appearing docile and obedient.
This was Penelope's greatest strength. She was adept at utilizing her advantages to manipulate men's weaknesses and interests.
Despite knowing Penelope was putting on a show, Moro found it enjoyable. He could eat the candy, and he could also stop the bullets! At least for the remainder of the journey, having the beautiful Penelope by his side brightened his mood considerably, adding a lot of fun to the trip.
Along the way, Penelope was both a confidant and a perfect listener. The two shared their pasts, a mix of genuine accounts and subtle fabrications.
Even when Moro recounted his terrifying experiences as a demon hunter, Penelope didn't show fear or disbelief. Instead, she worried for him at critical points in his stories, offered encouragement, and occasionally raised questions about unfamiliar aspects.
In response, Moro answered each query, informing her about methods useful in emergencies. For instance, he explained that evil spirits weren't just susceptible to salt bombs and holy water but could also be countered by female menstruation.
Penelope blushed after hearing this, but she didn't lose her composure. She accepted Moro's words and expressed that if she encountered such horrors, she would try it!
Just as the conversation was about to hit a snag, Penelope quickly changed the subject, asking with curiosity, “Ro, even though I believe what you said, is magic really as cool as in the movies?”
“Pep, the real world is even more magical and cool than anything you've seen in the movies!”
“Wow, really, Ro? Such magical things actually exist? Can I have the honor of witnessing the power of a great magician?”
Penelope, with a starry-eyed, infatuated expression, looked at Moro with anticipation.
Moro, in turn, agreed with a smile, promising to show her a demonstration upon reaching the motel.
To this, Penelope excitedly hugged Moro around the waist.
If it weren't for those private little movements, Moro might have thought Penelope was genuinely attracted to him.
Clearly, he had misjudged. His title's power hadn't worked on Penelope. She was one of the fifty percent of women who hadn't fallen for him at first sight.
If this were a story targeted towards women, Moro would have said, “Woman, you've caught my attention!”
But here, Moro simply ignored Penelope's little gestures and continued their pleasant conversation.
…………
As evening approached, around seven o'clock, darkness began to descend.
Moro and Penelope arrived smoothly at a nearby motel.
Seeing the sign, Moro recognized it as Quicksilver Motel, the once-thriving mining town that had fallen into disrepair and transformed into a motel.
Of the five people in this establishment, the one who stuck in Moro's memory was the boss, Quissos, with his extravagant gestures when stopping cars. This guy was not only a cuckold but also a cult leader.
Although he was weak in the movie, Moro wouldn't underestimate him in this real world. Especially since this guy was a cult follower who enjoyed performing evil rituals.
Penelope, however, was oblivious to these details. As soon as she got out of the car, she happily dragged Moro to the front desk.
Upon seeing the tall, thin cashier behind the counter, she turned to Moro with a seductive voice, “Ro, do you think we should save money and get one room, or should we avoid any suspicion and get two rooms?”
Although she spoke these words, Penelope secretly hoped Moro would reject her invitation. That way, she could sneak away at night and wouldn't have to worry about how to deal with Moro.
After all, during their drive, when witnessing Moro's calm and composed demeanor while recounting his experiences, she had come to believe half of his demon hunter identity.
Ignoring the cashier, who seemed to be named Claire, and his lustful gaze at her and Moro, Moro answered with a chuckle, “Well, it depends on Pep's arrangement. After all, with a beauty like you inviting me, I think any man would find it hard to refuse.”
Penelope's heart leaped with joy, 'It seems my charm still works! But, little handsome boy, I prefer money more than you!' After making up her mind, she stepped forward and placed a finger on Moro's lips. “To maintain a sense of mystery, I think we should save that for later. After all, the best things are the ones we can't have.”
This woman was truly masterful. Even her refusal was phrased in a way that set one's blood racing.
Moro felt that this sensation was undoubtedly linked to her voice, which gave one an itch to do something reckless. After all, women like her rarely possess that kind of voice and demeanor!
“Since you put it that way, then I'll have to endure the agony of waiting.”
Moro then asked Claire, the cashier, to book two adjacent rooms.
It wasn't that he planned to attack Penelope at night. It was because he sensed a familiar aura from Claire, the cuckolded man.
It was the distinct scent of a Cthulhu creature, chaotic, disordered, bizarre, and insane!
Although the guy was hiding it well, Moro detected it easily. After all, with his 499 soul power amplified tenfold by his title, he could easily perceive another's aura and state as long as they weren't significantly higher in rank than him.
The current Claire gave off a vibe of a newly transformed Cthulhu creature. Despite the bizarre insanity, a sliver of rationality remained in his soul.
…………
Reaching the lodging area, Moro handed Penelope her room key and said, “I promised to show you, so here it is.”
As he spoke, a ball of gold suddenly appeared in his hand. The next moment, in Penelope's eyes, it vanished back into Moro's hand.
For safety's sake, Moro didn't showcase elemental magic. After all, with Cthulhu creatures around, who knows if those things might detect his magical power and target him at night?
But Penelope didn't need to worry about such things. Witnessing this incredible scene, she froze in place.
After several seconds, she snapped out of her trance, her composure forgotten. She grabbed Moro's hand and ran her fingers up and down, even tracing along his entire arm. Finally, she confirmed that Moro was using real magic and not a magician's sleight of hand.
“My god!”
Overwhelmed, Penelope couldn't help but utter a curse word, a first for her on this journey.
“Alright, I showed you what I promised. Now, little cat thief, you better not wander around tonight. Watch out for beasts in the dark, or they might catch you and swallow you whole!”
With those words, he slapped Penelope's firm, plump bottom and headed back to his room.
As for the few hundred dollars Penelope had stolen, he didn't care!
…………
Back in her room, Penelope blushed and rubbed her bottom, muttering under her breath, “That jerk should have gone easier on me! He already knows something is wrong with me and still won't say anything. He just enjoys watching me make a fool of myself. Did he watch this whole clown show of mine all the way through?”
Penelope, feeling wronged but without justification, returned to her room.
But as she thought back to Moro's words, she realized something was amiss. ‘What did that jerk mean by saying, “Little cat thief”? Is he referring to me, and are the “beasts in the dark” him, or are there monsters in this motel?’
These thoughts lingered in Penelope's mind, diminishing her desire to even take a bath. For safety, she stayed in her clothes and lay down on the bed, mumbling softly, “Never mind. If anything happens, I'll run to the next room. I don't believe that jerk would really ignore me!”
Perhaps due to exhaustion, Penelope drifted off to sleep after lying down for a while.
…………
In the basement of the motel.
Claire, disguised as a human, walked in.
Seeing a creature with a fleshy bird head and two flesh-colored wings on its back, and a lower body consisting of several large tentacles, pinning a human-shaped Meibaolian down and undulating above her, he felt no emotion, instead uttering a crazed statement, “Archbishop, two more foods have arrived. When do we eat?”
“Don't you see I'm contributing to the growth and expansion of our garden? As for the food, we'll enjoy it later tonight!”
The winged monstrosity, Quissos, reprimanded Claire and continued his work.
Claire watched silently from the side.
This scene created a grotesque tableau!
…………