The next day, Sparkle set off early, taking a taxi to the neighboring city.
It's worth noting that Sparkle's outfit, which would have turned heads in any other country, barely warranted a second glance in White Eagle.
As the saying goes, "In White Eagle, you might lose your life, but you can't lose your sense of adventure."
Though exaggerated, the saying perfectly captured the absurdity of the nation.
Bored during the ride, Sparkle rested her chin on her hand and gazed out the window. Then she saw it:
A golden retriever riding an electric scooter, towing a person seated in the front basket.
A black sedan stopped at a red light, its rear window rolled down to reveal a tiger's head poking out, tongue lolling in an adorably goofy manner.
On the pedestrian crosswalk, a passerby strolled along, holding a chicken on a leash.
A group of reckless youths on roaring motorcycles sped past. Sparkle clearly saw that their shirts were all printed with Elysia's image.
Sparkle stared blankly, speechless.
At least the journey wasn't boring. Even without her phone, simply watching the scenery outside was endlessly entertaining. This country truly embraced freedom.
Finally, as noon approached, Sparkle arrived at her destination: the iconic Dragon Statue in the neighboring city.
As the name suggested, it was a massive statue of a Western dragon. Long ago, a terrifying Dimensional Rift had opened in this city. The Martyr had swiftly intervened, resolving the crisis by creating just two dragons.
Afterward, the residents erected this statue to commemorate the event.
Remarkably, the statue depicted a dragon soaring with outstretched wings, making it surprisingly practical. Visitors often sought shelter beneath its wings during sudden rain showers, avoiding a soaking.
In Wrath and Lust's chat logs, Sparkle learned they had met here frequently. She decided to begin her investigation here, hoping to backtrack and pinpoint Lust's current location.
Sparkle released her clones, one by one. Perhaps luck was on her side, because within half an hour, one of them had already detected traces of the cultists.
Concealing herself with invisibility, she tailed them until nightfall, successfully tracing them back to their base of operations: a bar in the city.
To be honest, neither her previous self nor her current incarnations as Robin, Firefly, Sparkle, or Elysia had ever frequented places like bars.
She didn't drink.
Moreover, she had often seen news reports about bar pickups and other unsavory incidents, which left her with a poor impression of such establishments. She viewed them as havens for the reckless and immoral.
Following the cultists inside, Sparkle was nearly blinded by the flashing red and green strobe lights. The deafening heavy metal music, loud enough to shatter her eardrums, made her scalp tingle.
Scantily clad men and women swayed rhythmically to the music, the air thick with the scent of hormones.
Realizing this might be Lust's territory, Sparkle wasn't surprised. At least these people were merely underdressed; they weren't openly engaging in debauchery. By those standards, they were being remarkably restrained, right?
Sparkle trailed closely behind the Cultist, her petite frame allowing her to weave effortlessly through the crowd without making physical contact with anyone.
Finally, the Cultist headed straight for the men's restroom and entered.
Although Sparkle hadn't set foot in a men's restroom in ages, she used to frequent them daily in her previous life. Without hesitation, she followed him inside. She watched as the Cultist entered the second-to-last stall and opened a secret door.
A stone staircase leading downward appeared before her.
Good grief, she thought. Who puts a secret door in a public restroom? Imagine some unsuspecting guy using the toilet and someone suddenly popping out from below halfway through. Talk about a mess!
Ugh, how disgusting.
Lost in these strange thoughts, Sparkle still moved swiftly. Before the secret door could close, she slipped down the stairs after the Cultist.
After descending about twenty steps, she found herself in a spacious underground chamber. If the bar upstairs was just a front, this basement was undoubtedly the Cultists' true headquarters.
Suit-clad men paced back and forth in the basement. Sparkle scanned the room in astonishment, realizing that everyone present was male... and strikingly handsome.
If not for the bizarrely large bones they were moving, the dark green bottles and jars, and their occasional murmurs of "Lord Lust," Sparkle might have thought she'd stumbled into the wrong place.
Is this really a cultist stronghold and not some secret agent base? she wondered. Does this whole vibe feel a bit off?
Then, a word popped into Sparkle's mind: Reverse Harem!
A traditional harem involved one man with multiple women, while a reverse harem flipped the script, featuring one woman surrounded by a group of male suitors.
Gradually, an image formed in Sparkle's mind: a voluptuous demoness, scantily clad, with horns, a long, pointed tail, and a heart-shaped lust mark on her abdomen.
This demoness, known as Lust, licked her fingers as she surveyed the handsome cultists before her, selecting her chosen one for tonight's "blessing."
-
"Ah, this—?!"
Just then, two cultists walked past the invisible Sparkle.
"Hey, Lei, isn't it your turn today?"
"Yeah."
"Good luck. Lord Lust is resting in his office. You can go straight there now."
"Got it."
Sparkle slapped her cheeks, interrupting her strange train of thought, and immediately followed the cultist named Lei.
A mere corner later, Sparkle had transformed into Lei. Her clone, carrying the unconscious man, found a secluded alley and dumped him on the ground.
As Sparkle approached the so-called "office," her imagination began to run wild again.
After all, the idea of a demoness Big Sister was bound to spark some vivid fantasies, right?
Of course, these were just idle daydreams. When it came time to act, she wouldn't hesitate.
Creak— With a soft sound, Sparkle pushed open the door before her.