บท 40: Mike the Conqueror

Mike returned home and noticed that all the lights in the house were on, casting an eerie glow throughout the rooms.

As he proceeded cautiously, a sense of unease crept over him, his heart pounding in his chest. The once familiar and comforting surroundings now felt unsettling and ominous.

Entering the apartment, the living room appeared unnaturally bright, the stark contrast between the harsh light and the shadows deepening the sense of foreboding.

The sound of running water echoed through the silence, amplified by the empty, stillness of the house. Each drop seemed to reverberate with an eerie intensity, creating an unsettling symphony.

Every creak of the floorboards and flicker of the lights sent shivers down Mike's spine, heightening his senses to their fullest.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, that he was not alone in this space. A chilling breeze brushed against his skin, despite there being no open windows or doors.

Mike's mind became consumed by the chilling notion that Jigsaw, the sadistic mastermind, had become aware of his actions. His mind filled with Jigsaw might be a supernatural entity, a demon.

He couldn't shake the image of the diabolical traps Jigsaw had devised for his unsuspecting victims, their screams echoing through his nightmares.

The twisted games Jigsaw played, where lives hung in the balance, sent shivers down his spine. Visions of drowning in icy water, desperately searching for a key, or mutilating his own body to escape an inescapable fate haunted his imagination.

Lost in these unsettling thoughts, Mike had already begun to demonize Jigsaw in his mind. He saw Jigsaw as an invincible entity from horror movies, an adversary from whom there was no escape.

With trepidation gripping his heart, Mike pushed open the bathroom door, bracing himself for the unknown.

Creak—

As the hinges creaked, a thick veil of mist embraced him, obscuring his vision and heightening his sense of unease. The dim light cast eerie shadows on the tiles, amplifying the sinister atmosphere.

But as the mist slowly dissipated, a captivating figure emerged from within, shrouded in an ethereal glow. His eyes widened, captivated by the beauty before him.

The delicate curves and graceful contours of the figure entwined with the steam, creating an enchanting dance of sensuality and mystery.

Transfixed, Mike couldn't tear his gaze away from the alluring silhouette. It was as if time had stopped, the air charged with a tantalizing energy.

Mia, seemingly unaware of Mike's presence, continued her bath. Mike stood by the bathroom door, frozen in time.

Finally, Mia turned around, locking eyes with Mike as if she were unsurprised by his presence.

She teasingly asked, "Have you seen enough?" Mike, startled back to reality, hastily closed the bathroom door.

BAM!

Inside the bathroom, Mia wore a mischievous smile, seemingly unperturbed by Mike's act of peeking.

Overwhelmed by the encounter, Mike's mind buzzed with conflicting thoughts. The image of Mia bathing persisted in his thoughts, and his heart raced with a mixture of emotions.

After a while, Mia emerged from the bathroom and addressed Mike, saying, "My bathroom is broken once again."

Mike numbly nodded in response, prompting Mia to shout at him for him to wake up to reality, "Go take a shower!"

"Sure, okay," Mike embarrassingly replied, rushing into the bathroom as if a fire were in his trail.

However, upon seeing the underwear hanging on the rack, he quickly averted his gaze.

Turning on the faucet, Mike began his shower, but it took a considerable amount of time to wash away the mental and emotional clutter that had overwhelmed him.

It was a seduction of the senses, a thrilling dance between danger and temptation that left him spellbound.

Emerging from the bathroom in his underwear, Mike looked around the living room, disappointed to find no trace of Mia and his lonely silhouette made its way back to his bedroom

But suddenly, a seductive voice broke the silence, reaching his ears from the direction of the bed.

It was Mia, her figure wrapped in a tantalizing towel. Her alluring gaze met Mike's dazed expression, creating a magnetic pull that left him unable to resist.

"What's taking you so long? I've been waiting for you," the voice laced with seduction and invitation.

Mike turned toward the sound, and there on the bed lay Mia, her body wrapped in a towel.

Mia gazed at Mike, who stood there in a daze, and beckoned him, saying, "Come here!"

Blood rushed to Mike's head.

[E/N: do you want a lemon scene or not? Vote within this paragraph comments]

. . . . . .

A brief interlude interrupted the narrative.

The next morning, Mike woke up to find Mia lying by his side, filling his heart with a profound sense of contentment.

Having traveled to this world and initially treated everyone as mere NPCs, Mike gradually realized that they were genuine individuals with their own flesh and blood.

He slowly integrated himself into their lives, but a certain sense of unreality lingered within him as if he had nothing to worry about.

However, this morning felt different. Someone who had occupied his thoughts was now right there beside him, tangible and real.

Mia also woke up, noticing Mike lost in thought. She covered her body with the quilt and gave Mike a tender kiss.

As Mike experienced Mia's affectionate kiss, a surge of reality washed over him. This was a genuine world, with genuine connections.

The two of them lazed in bed for a while before finally getting up.

While Mike felt rejuvenated, Mia, still lying in bed, felt unwell and couldn't bring herself to rise.

Mike prepared a Chinese-style breakfast and served it to Mia in bed.

After enjoying their meal, Mike reassured Mia, saying, "Don't worry, Jigsaw is skilled at playing mind games, but as long as you're safe, he poses no threat to me."

He then added, "Be cautious these next few days. I still have matters to attend to in Westwood County." After giving Mia a kiss, he set off.

Mike drove to Westwood County with two objectives in mind: finding Adam and placing a tracker on him, and locating Dr. Gordon.

Unfamiliar with the area, Mike relied on an old friend for assistance.

He called the director (Brian's old boss) and asked, "Director, can you help me gather information on a person with the name Adam?"

The director sternly responded, "I can't assist with that. It would be illegal and a breach of privacy."

Mike proposed a deal, saying, "This will be the last time I ask for your help. If you assist me this time, I'll credit you. Besides, this case involves Jigsaw."

The mention of Jigsaw instantly piqued the director's interest. A case involving Jigsaw meant a significant challenge.

If he could solve it, he would undoubtedly advance in his career.

The director attempted to maintain a composed demeanor as he replied, "Perhaps you're right. However, whether we can solve the case remains uncertain. How can I trust you?"

Mike thought for a moment and said, "If you help me solve this problem, I promise never to use the recording against you again. That's my word."

As he pondered, Mike realized that this time it wouldn't be him who would perish.

Even if Jigsaw died, the director would be promoted and would no longer remain in Los Angeles.

If Jigsaw didn't die, Mike sneered to himself, 'Then if this supernatural Jigsaw dude has powers that are truly exceptional, then the director will surely be played to death by it.'

The director on the other end heard Mike's words and immediately agreed, saying, "I'll take note of what you just said."

With a smile, Mike responded, "Good, let's both sign a contract. It's beneficial for both parties to have evidence."

Both of them wore sly smiles, knowing that they were playing a cunning game.

In Mike's mind, winning would bring him credit, and even if he lost, he wouldn't be implicated.

They exchanged their crafty smiles, resembling two cunning foxes.

The director, oblivious to Jigsaw's temperament, remained blissfully optimistic about his future promotion.

Mike understood the director's naivety but kept it to himself, knowing that the director's happiness would be short-lived should Jigsaw prevail.

Mike, realizing that secrecy was paramount, fabricated an excuse, saying, "We must keep this matter confidential. I have a feeling there may be spies within your department."

This allowed Mike to withhold information, as he couldn't trust the police force to keep matters discreet.

The director readily agreed, saying, "No problem."

In truth, he didn't place much importance on secrecy.

The department knew little about Jigsaw, and Mike planned to ensnare the director before revealing his intentions.

Mike conveyed a false sense of camaraderie, knowing the director remained unaware of his true intentions.