People are scared in America, my uncle is Dante

Long-forgotten memories surged from the depths of my mind.

a week ago.

In the dimly lit and cramped second bedroom, James sat in a chair, with a terminally ill woman lying in front of him.

The woman's entire body was covered in bulging veins, her face was covered with red acne and ruptured pustules, and her hair was falling out in large patches.

"I'm so sorry..."

He looked at his lover, who was on the verge of death, his eyes filled with an indescribable weariness and guilt.

"Ahem!"

Hearing the sound, Mary slowly opened her eyes.

She looked at James, forcing a smile, her voice weak and feeble:

"Don't apologize. I told you... I want to end this pain."

James nodded silently, gripping his knees tightly with both hands: "Yes...you said that, but...that's not a reason for me to do this."

His expression became incredibly conflicted at that moment, and his lips moved for a long time.

In the end, he suppressed his pain and looked cautiously at his wife, his voice trembling:

"The truth is... I hate you, and I don't want to deal with you anymore..."

"I want to get my life back on track."

Mary, lying in bed, seemed helpless upon hearing this.

She sighed deeply, looking tenderly at James, her eyes filled with no blame, only heartache: "If this were true..."

"Then why do you look so sad?"

This sentence became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

James's carefully constructed mental defenses crumbled completely, and he could no longer hold back his tears. He gently grasped Mary's hand, sobbing uncontrollably, "Mary..."

"It's okay, James."

Mary seemed to have anticipated this day. She interrupted James's subsequent apology and self-blame, and slowly took out a pre-written letter from the side.

"Give."

"What is this?"

James asked.

"This is what you've been looking for."

Then came the murder scene we just witnessed.

……

Memories fade, and consciousness returns to reality.

James slumped into the chair, as if all his strength had been drained away.

It turns out that his wife Mary did not die from an illness three years ago.

She died last week.

He smothered himself to death with a pillow.

No wonder Mr. Suren asked himself those questions.

A huge, unfillable emptiness instantly engulfed his heart.

He couldn't describe his feelings in words; it was as if a piece of his heart, which should have been beating, was missing.

Is this what they mean by "getting back on track"?

If this is the price, then this freedom is far too heavy, so heavy that even breathing feels like a crime.

James's eyes were vacant, and he subconsciously pulled a brown pill bottle from his pocket—

White Claudia grass.

The bottle has a line of small print: This should work, at a special time, in a special place.

This was something he had prepared for himself before killing his wife; it was said that if he drank it, he could stay with Mary forever.

However, he buried this incident along with the memory of killing his wife.

Now, the time has finally come to use it.

James slowly unscrewed the cap, tilted his head back, and raised the medicine bottle.

"call out--"

A faint whooshing sound rang out as a pebble struck his wrist with pinpoint accuracy.

"Well……"

In pain, he instinctively loosened his grip on the medicine bottle, causing it to fall and spill the medicine all over the floor.

James covered his reddened hand and looked towards the door.

A man in a red coat was leaning against the threshold, tossing pebbles up and down with one hand.

"Mr. James, this is putting me in a difficult position..."

Suren's condition is not good at the moment.

The iron spider had torn several large holes in his coat, revealing the skin underneath, and his face was slightly pale due to the loss of strength.

From a distance, he looks like a down-on-his-luck beggar.

When he opened the door, he saw this scene of "suicide by overdose".

He looked at James's numb and empty expression, feeling no emotion whatsoever: "The commission isn't over yet. If you die, who will settle the final payment?"

James stared blankly at Sullen, his emotions slightly calming down, and a look of shame appeared on his face:

"I...I killed her, Mr. Suren, I'm the monster."

Suren pulled Mary's letter from inside the lining, slightly bent two fingers, and flicked it out.

"Take a good look at what Mary left you."

James looked at the letter lying in front of him, paused for a moment. Finally, with trembling hands, he took the envelope and opened it.

What comes into view is that familiar sentence—

James, you promised me you'd take me back there someday, to that special little town, but you didn't keep your promise.

As his gaze moved downwards, more familiar handwriting slowly emerged, like memories he had lost and then regained.

I know I've hurt you terribly.

I wish I could change all of this, but I can't.

I lie here, waiting for you to come see me... How pathetic and ugly I am.

……

The doctor told me I could go home and stay for a few days.

I'm so happy, I miss you so much.

But I'm scared, James, I'm scared you won't welcome me home.

……

[Especially when I learned I was going to die, I was furious and hurt everyone I loved, especially you.]

So, if you hate me, I understand, but I want you to know that I will always love you.

……

I hope you continue to live.

Keep living.

For yourself, and for others.

Just like you did for me before.

James...you make me happy.

Mary's gentle voice seemed to transcend the boundaries of life and death and time, softly brushing against James's face.

Suren looked at James's face, which was twitching slightly.

Conflict, resentment, anger, helplessness...

A variety of emotions appeared on his face, mixed together, and in the end, only numbness remained.

【Ding! 】

A familiar notification sound finally rang in his mind.

Main Quest: A Letter from My Deceased Wife

Mission Objective: Find James' wife, Mary.

[Mission accomplished. James has faced the truth and found the real Mary deep within his heart.]

[Reward: 1000 points have been credited to your account, bloodline awakening in progress...]

[Solo defeat of James's inner demon: Maria, reward points: 500]

The moment the system notification appeared, Suren felt a burning sensation in his heart, as if a drop of magma was flowing out of his heart.

"Thump—"

A heartbeat as loud as a war drum exploded within him.

The physical strength that had been depleted in the previous fierce battle was completely restored at this moment.

Instead, a violent and destructive force surged from the heart to every part of the body.

A demonic phantom flickered across his body, revealing demonic armor, powerful limbs, and the outline of unfurled demonic wings on his back.

The oppressive demonic phantom lasted only a moment before shrinking back into Suren's body like a fleeting flower.

"call--"

Suren exhaled a long, hot breath that seemed to distort the air.

He felt the boundless power within him and recalled the battle that had just left him in such a sorry state.