Nightmares

Past, Present and The Future

In District XXIV, at one of the entrances to the Underworld, Shane's clothes had changed to the same combat suit and jacket that was suitable for battle. To deal with the stares of the others, he pulled out his past disguise, a mask over his face and an eye patch over his right eye.
As he stepped into the underworld, any Monsters that saw his appearance silenced and quietly retreated.

The lively and noisy atmosphere outside was isolated from the underground world.

The chilly temperature, the sound of water dripping from nowhere, and the feeling of the underground losing day and night combined to give the impression of the underground world.

Shane hadn't gone too far when a woman in a purple robe appeared in front of him, silent as a ghost.

She reached out her hand and offered to take Shane's.

He didn't refuse.

He wasn't repulsed by Petra, and he wouldn't have come to see her today if she hadn't always crossed the line with those around him.

It was never a good thing to get involved with the Bronze Wood.

Sensing the other man's indifference, Petra said to herself, "I'll show you around the place, you must not have seen it carefully, it's a very big place."

There was not a monster next to them where they walked, and if there was, it had been chased away by the Bronze Wood planted here, leaving an area suitable for conversation, Petra introduced Shane to the fleshy walls of the underworld, describing the darkness of the place, not mentioning a word about her victim.

Shane's nerves stayed tense and unable to relax in the dimly lit environment that smelled of delicious.

"Let the man go."

"No, he's seen my face."

"With your strength, you're still afraid of revealing your true face?"

"It's not time yet."

Petra said in a strange tone, "When I am silent, I will not reveal my face, and once I reveal my true face, it means that the Bronze Wood is about to officially go to war."

Shane said bluntly, "What do you want to do if you don't let him go?"

Petra said, "I have a way to brainwash him and make him forget about it, but it's a tricky process, and one mistake could easily drive him mad-"

Shane was expressionless behind his mask, "I thought we agreed on it, why did you pick this moment to break our 'understanding', it's not worth the loss to the Bronze Wood."

"No, it's only for you." Petra turned around deftly, "I don't care at all if you kill those stragglers from the Bronze Wood, as for the cadres, if you do, count your blessings."

She told the man with harsh reality.

"Your threats will have little effect on me, on the contrary, what will happen if I reveal your identity?"

"Nothing will happen, at most, you will be locked up."

"And your human friends?"

"They are not of low status and are unlikely to be affected."

"You're thinking clearly, aren't you?"

Petra taunted and Shane said unmoved, "It's the sort of thing that everyone should have thought about, after all, our greatest enemies in this world are them."

Petra's voice snapped hoarsely, "Haven't you ever thought about fighting back? Why should we live in such fear? You and I are aliens to this world, monsters and human blood, but the humans will never recognise our half of the bloodline! They will only drive us to extinction!"