The Sunday morning sun cast golden beams through the curtains into Rosy's bedroom, warmly illuminating the rock band posters on the wall and the stack of comic books on her desk. The faint, delicious aroma of pancakes and bacon, courtesy of her mother, still hung in the air, creating the perfect, peaceful weekend atmosphere.
Rosy sat on her bed in comfortable pajamas, humming a song by "The Eclipses" under her breath while casually scrolling through social media on her phone. After the chaos of Friday, returning to the life of a normal teenage girl was surprisingly relaxing.
But in the world of consciousness that overlapped this peace, the atmosphere was completely different.
Iris was projecting a complex, three-dimensional psychic map of the mafia gang's power structure hidden within The Velvet Shadow. It slowly rotated in Rosy's mind, the faces of the Boss, Marco, and Leo connected by fragile, web-like lines of relationships.
'This limited range is too annoying,' Iris's cold, powerful voice sounded in her consciousness, as a map of Titan City appeared. A red circle showing her 5-kilometer control radius pulsed around them. It covered the entertainment district, but just barely. 'If a target moves outside the radius, the signal will be lost. We need a mobile "relay tower," and it has to be someone trustworthy… and useful in other ways.'
Hearing Iris's complaint, Rosy sighed softly, the face of a certain lewd nurse coming to mind. 'You're talking about Talia, aren't you? That slut who's crazy for Owen?'
A satisfied smile formed on Iris's psychic form. 'Correct… Loyalty born from desire is the purest form of loyalty. Call her. Tell her to come here, now.'
Rosy rolled her eyes but complied. She found Talia's number and dialed. When the call was answered, she spoke in the short, blunt tone Iris instructed. "Talia, it's me… Come to my house now. We have something important to talk about."
Less than an hour later, the doorbell rang. Alicia, Rosy's mother, went to open it and raised an eyebrow in surprise at the unexpected guest. A tall, slender young woman with pink twintails, dressed in a meticulously crafted black and white maid outfit, as if she had walked straight out of an anime, was bowing respectfully. Her face was flushed with shyness, but her eyes shone with a fierce determination.
When Talia was brought into Rosy's room, she wasted no time, immediately dropping to her knees before Rosy.
"I am here to serve you completely!" Talia declared, her voice loud and clear. "I have resigned from my position as a nurse at the hospital and am ready to devote my body and soul to you full-time, Mistress!"
Rosy's jaw dropped, shocked by the impulsive act.
'Wait!? You quit your job!? How are you going to support yourself!?' Rosy screamed internally. She had just called her over for a talk, not to hire her as a "servant" or "maid." 'This woman must be insane! Just because she wants to be close to Owen!?' She truly didn't understand how Talia could make such an extreme decision.
Talia quickly explained, as if afraid of being rejected. "I've thought about this for days and realized that my boring life as a nurse can't compare to serving powerful beings like Mistress Iris and Master Owen! I don't need a salary. Just food, shelter, and… receiving a "reward" from Master Owen from time to time is more than enough for me!" she said, her eyes pleading like a puppy's.
'Okay, this woman has completely lost her mind…' Rosy concluded internally, gently massaging her temples at the distorted logic before her.
'Stop shouting in your head, Rosy. You wouldn't understand…' Iris's voice sounded, cool and composed. 'This isn't madness. This is "faith" born from a pure desire. And faith is the most powerful tool of all!'
Although Rosy disagreed with Talia's reckless decision, in the world of consciousness, Iris was nodding with the utmost satisfaction…
'Don't worry about such trivial matters, my love~' Iris communicated to Rosy, before taking control of the body and meeting Talia's eyes directly. "Rosy's" gaze was now cold and deep.
"I see the fierce determination in your eyes… Talia," her voice was flat but held an authority that made the atmosphere in the room slightly heavier. "Since you have chosen to offer your loyalty… I will accept it."
"As for your care… you need not worry," she gave a knowing smirk. "Serve your queen and your king well, and once I have built the foundation of my kingdom on the ruins of that low-life gang… you will have all the resources you desire."
The powerful declaration made Talia's eyes shine brightly. She buried her face in Rosy's leg with the deepest gratitude and emotion. "Thank you… Mistress!"
Iris let Talia express her loyalty for a moment before gently using her fingertips to lift Talia's chin, forcing her to make eye contact. "Very good… Since you have chosen this path, I will assign you your roles."
She began to explain Talia's new mission clearly.
"One, a mobile relay tower." Iris projected an image of the psychic network into Talia's mind. "The body of a broodmother like you is an excellent signal amplifier. When my children move outside the 5-kilometer radius, you will move to a central point to extend and connect the signal back to me."
"Two, a bulletproof shield." She continued in a flat tone. "Your elastic body has more uses than you think. In an emergency, you will be the frontline… the most perfect shield against the firearms of those lowly humans."
Talia listened to every word, her eyes sparkling like a child listening to a fantastic tale. She pictured herself standing valiantly amidst a hail of bullets, protecting her great mistress. That image was a hundred times more exciting and fulfilling than being a boring nurse.
Iris looked deep into those eyes, filled with faith, before delivering the final straw that shattered the last of Talia's reason.
"Of course… perfect loyalty must be met with a worthy reward," Iris said with a chilling smile. "When this mission is successfully completed… I will permit you to serve our sire king, to be filled by him completely…"
Those words were like a lightning bolt striking Talia's heart!
"Ah!…" she let out a soft moan, her body trembling with an overwhelming joy that almost made her faint. Her mind went white for a moment. The image of Owen's massive cock repeatedly shooting his sacred semen into her womb appeared vividly in her mind… It was the ultimate goal of her life!
Talia hugged Iris's leg even tighter with the utmost bliss, her body shaking uncontrollably.
She looked up at her new "Mistress," a slightly distorted smile on her face… It was a smile of pure happiness, completely consumed by her own dark desires.
…..
Monday began with the rich aroma of freshly roasted coffee hitting the nose the moment the shop door opened. The soft sounds of bossa nova and the light clinking of porcelain cups filled the familiar café.
Iris had claimed the corner table, which was relatively private and had a clear view of the entrance, as her temporary "command center." The warm sunlight streaming through the large window created a sparkling reflection on the polished wooden table. However, the peace was slightly disturbed by the presence of Talia.
She insisted on wearing her full maid uniform to perform her duties. The crisply ironed white lace collar and the beautifully tied apron bow were so eye-catching it was impossible not to be noticed. Nearly every pair of eyes in the café, from university students to businessmen, was fixed on their table with a mixture of curiosity and surprise, with whispers sounding periodically.
'Damn it, Iris, are you really going to let her dress like that?' Rosy grumbled internally, so embarrassed she wanted to crawl under the table. 'Everyone in the shop is staring! We look like some weirdo cosplayers having a private meetup!'
Talia, who was respectfully pouring hot tea into her "Mistress's" cup with a reverence as if she had practiced for decades, heard the complaint through Iris's psychic network. She turned to argue with Rosy, her eyes serious and slightly displeased, through her mind. "This is my uniform of loyalty, Ms. Rosy. Wearing this allows me to fully embrace my role as a servant and is also the highest form of respect for the queen."
'See?' Iris replied to Rosy with amusement as she accepted the cup from Talia. 'Let her be. It's just clothing. Besides… being a little conspicuous is a good cover. No one would suspect that two girls who look like otaku are planning to take over a criminal organization.'
Rosy could only sigh in defeat at the queen's logic, while Iris slowly sipped her tea before closing her eyes, letting her consciousness dive deep into the psychic network, which was now clearer and more stable than ever before… The silent war had begun.
Rewind to two days ago…
At the mafia's secret base, the air in the boss's office was heavier and colder than usual. The smoke from expensive cigars was so thick it stung the eyes, mixing with the smell of liquor and old leather to create a formidable aura of power. The flame of suspicion had been slowly kindled.
The old boss leaned back in his large, well-padded leather chair. He looked back and forth between the two stacks of documents on his table and the faces of his two sub-bosses, who stood with their heads bowed. Marco's fists were clenched so tight his veins bulged, small beads of sweat forming on his temples. Leo still managed to maintain his composure, but his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses couldn't hide his stress.
"Two files… the same accusation… appearing on the same day," the boss said, his voice flat and cold. He picked up the documents and threw them onto the table with a "thud," making both men flinch. "Do you think I'm a fool? You think I can't see this is a setup?"
"But boss! The evidence is…" Marco tried to argue.
"Shut up!" the boss growled low. His sharp gaze shot to Marco, who immediately fell silent. "This evidence appeared at the same time, as if someone deliberately threw it at me to make you two fight like mad dogs!"
He leaned back in his chair and took another puff of his cigar, letting the uncomfortable silence do its work for a moment before continuing. "I'll consider this nonsense an attempt to slander each other… You're dismissed."
The two men bowed and quickly left the room.
The old boss watched his two trusted subordinates until they were out of sight before exhaling a ring of smoke. "But…" he whispered to himself, "that doesn't mean the evidence is fake…"
A crack of mistrust had been permanently formed in his heart… and it was just waiting for the right time to shatter.
…..
Present time, Monday afternoon… The flame of suspicion that had been lit two days ago was now being fanned into a raging fire… by whispers as cold as a serpent, slithering through the dark corners of The Velvet Shadow, injecting their venom into hearts full of loyalty and hatred.
In a corner of the pub, where the cigarette smoke was so thick you could cut it with a knife, "Number 1," in the body of a man once loyal to the boss, approached a close subordinate of Leo who was quietly counting money. He pretended to look left and right before leaning in to whisper, deliberately making it sound like he was sharing a dangerous secret.
"Hey… Jimmy. I don't know if I should say this…" he began hesitantly, immediately piquing the other's interest. "Last night, I saw some of Marco's men secretly giving a thick envelope to two men in black suits at the end of the alley… They were driving a black, unmarked sedan. Looked just like plainclothes cops." He added false details to increase credibility. "I think it's weird… like they were secretly making a deal behind our backs."
Jimmy immediately stopped counting money. His eyes narrowed with suspicion. He knew Marco was always looking for a way to overthrow Leo, but secretly contacting the police… that was an unforgivable betrayal.
Meanwhile, at the bar, amidst the loud laughter and clinking glasses, "Number 2" was whispering in the ear of one of Marco's men, who were drinking heavily. He slapped a gang member on the shoulder and said with a concerned tone, "I heard Leo's been secretly contacting people from the Iron Python gang… you know they've been wanting to take over our territory for a long time… I'm afraid that brainy guy Leo might be planning to betray us!"
These baseless rumors, which perfectly targeted the insecurities of each side, spread like a disease. They eroded the trust that once existed, creating an atmosphere of suspicion and hatred that simmered throughout the organization.
Two days passed as if in hell… The atmosphere inside The Velvet Shadow was as tense as a wire pulled taut. Making eye contact became a challenge. Conversations turned into whispers laced with suspicion.
And then Wednesday arrived… The long-suppressed conflict was about to erupt into a foolish act.
In the underground parking garage…
The high-pitched screech of metal scraping against metal echoed through the underground parking garage. A close subordinate of Leo was using a pocketknife to violently and satisfyingly slash the hood of Marco's luxurious, fiery red sports car. He dragged it, creating a long, ugly gash from front to back, before using the butt of his gun to repeatedly smash the headlights until they shattered like a spiderweb. This was a release of emotion… a wordless declaration of a small-scale war.
At a deserted warehouse by the docks…
On the other side of the city, the air was thick with the smell of rust and salt. An important illegal arms deal Leo was conducting was about to close successfully. The foreign client was nodding with satisfaction at the latest model of machine guns. But then… disaster struck.
One of Marco's men, who had infiltrated the transport team, "accidentally" tripped at the most opportune moment. A large wooden crate filled with machine guns slipped from his hands and crashed onto the concrete floor with a loud bang! The sound of breaking parts and the curses from the foreign client that followed caused the multi-million dollar deal to collapse in an instant. Leo's face went pale, then turned red with anger and shame, the veins on his temples throbbing.
A small-scale war had begun… and it was the perfect cover for Iris's real plan.
On Thursday night, amidst the chaos and erupting conflict, the Boss had to call an urgent meeting with his sub-bosses and district leaders to handle the problem. No one knew that Iris's shadow army was silently growing within the organization…
In a dim, smoky corner of the bar, a gang member was passed out drunk at a table after a heated argument with the opposing faction. "Number 5" walked past naturally, pretending to go to the bathroom, before a small dragonfly parasite silently crawled from his collar. It quickly flew over and landed on the back of the unconscious victim's neck, then burrowed into his body like a drop of water sinking into sand.
In the back employee room, a guard was napping on an old sofa. Another parasite crawled out from under a table, slowly climbing up the leg of the sofa before successfully infiltrating that body without anyone noticing.
In Iris's mind, the numbers slowly changed… Her spiderweb map was slowly being colored red, one spot at a time…
[Number of Infected: 5… 8… 15… 20]
At her usual café, Iris slowly opened her eyes. She took a sip of her now-cold tea, her eyes shining with a cold satisfaction as she watched the rain begin to fall outside the window.
'Trust…' she said to Rosy in her consciousness, '…is one of the most fragile structures of a creature like a human. All you need to do is create a small crack… and soon, it will collapse under the weight of their own suspicion.'
Now… the foundation of this mafia gang was rotting from the inside… and it was ready to be toppled at any moment…
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