Seducing the Conqueror

003: Typical Night at Area 74

"GET me another beer!" an abdominous guy demanded furiously. "Hurry!" He shamelessly shows his big belly out in the public while clunking his empty glass against the wooden table.

The waitress hurriedly gave him another glass of beer --- shaking and weary of what her customer could do in its irritation. Without a word, she turned and was about to return to her post when the fat guy grabbed her waist and pulled her to his lap. He locked her in his pudgy arms and tried to molest her --- sniffing her sweet scent.

“You smell like cupcakes. Can I eat you up?” His voice was deep and dangerous. His eyes are dark and full of desire.

The waitress froze. Her heart raced as she felt the threatening situation she was in.

"S-sir, p-please stop," the waitress pleaded as she tries to escape his grasp. But the drunken guy is a lot stronger than her.

He continued to sniff the waitress’s neck while he holds both of her arms to his embrace to stop her from resisting.

The waitress’s eyes teared up as she continuously pleaded for her release.

Every passerbys witnessed this scene but everyone chose to avert their eyes from the pleading gazes of the waitress. No one bothered to help her --- and that includes Candice.

One should learn to fend for themselves, Candice was reminded of this life lesson she learned from her father. It’s not that she doesn’t want to help. She just believes that she doesn’t need to help the waitress since it’s not a life-and-death situation.

The waitress gritted her teeth and shut her eyes.

Candice’s lips curled upward. She’s learning, she said to herself as she saw how the waitress put up with her situation.

"Do you have the goods?"

Candice’s attention was diverted to a skinny tall guy standing at one corner of the street.

"I have it. Where's the money?" his companion demanded.

Even though they keep their voices really low, their conversation is as clear as the spring water on Candice’s ears. She then saw them exchange bags. One clunked like a bag of coins, while the other sounded like a bag of sand.

Drunkards at one corner, illegal drug users at the other. One crime after another. Typical night at Area 74.

Area 74 stands for the gray area of each city. It means that there are no laws on these areas. It is natural to see these kinds of crimes on this place, and the soldiers won't even bother arresting them. But it also means that the residents of Area 74 --- the numbers --- won't receive any help from the palace or any city either. Whatever happens inside the area, no one will interfere from the outside. No one will care if they die from hunger or die from killing each other.

But once a number commits a crime outside their territory, it will be a different story. He/She will be put in jail immediately and be punished without trial.

Some find this unjust, but most of the population agrees in purging the numbers. Most people treat them like some kind of disease they want to get rid off. Some treat them like pests that are so insignificant that they don’t even bother to spare a glance.

It is true that mostly of the numbers are juveniles and notorious killers or crime offenders that escaped the guards’ pursuit. But it doesn’t mean they always deserve to die because there are quite a number of them that were wrongfully accused by citylanders: some were framed and some were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Candice noticed a girl wearing a tattered brownish cloak make her way out of the busy street. She kept her face covered by her hood as she swiftly moves from one space to another.

"Hey, watch it!" a guy exclaimed when the child bumped into him.

"S-sorry," the girl stuttered while lowering her head and making a quick escape. She ran towards Candice and glided on her side.

Candice immediately caught her swift hand when she tried to pickpocket Candice’s loots.

"Nice try, Nina. But I'm not a fool like the other guy you bumped into," Candice said.

The child lifted her head and smiled mischievously. "I miss you, Candice!" she exclaimed as she jump and hugs Candice. Her skinny arms wrapped tightly around Candice’s neck.

Wearing a poor disguise, Nina Hanchester is undoubtedly a seven-year-old bona fide member of the Black Heart Rebels. She is one of the rising stars among the rebels and she is closest to Candice. She treats Candice as her rival, but Candice treats her as her beloved younger sister.

Nina is a child born as a number and is trying to change her fate by joining the Black Heart’s army. Many children like Nina have come to the group --- some are even younger than her. Women, men, children or elderly, are all welcome to the group as long as they have the same goal in mind as the rebels: to make a just and better world for all.

"Okay, that's enough! Let's head out. The meeting will start soon," Candice said. Nina jumped off of her and walked ahead.

"But before we proceed, return my necklace first," Candice said to her.

Nina laughed and started to run. "Finders keepers, Candice!"

Candice snickered.

"Are you sure?" Candice revealed the bags she is hiding under her cloak. It is Nina's loots.

Nina's eyes widened. She immediately searched for her pockets but not a single treasure was left on her. "H-how did you --- Candice, give me back my bags!" She stomped back to Candice’s direction and tried to snatch back her loots.

Candice quickly raised the bags, turning it away from Nina’s reach.

"Uh-uh! First, return my necklace."

Nina pouted as she handed over a golden necklace with a round locket.

Candice flicked Nina’s forehead.

"You're a hundred years early to steal from me, you know," she said and gave back Nina’s loot.

"But I did steal it for a few seconds," Nina proudly announced.

Candice smirked. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I intentionally let you take it. I'm checking if you've become better at this --- but I guess, you have to practice more."

Nina’s face turned red; furious at her defeat and helplessness.

"Meanie!" she shouted then she stormed off.

Candice laughed at her outburst.

Candice kept her hood on --- covering half of her face --- as she and Nina walked side by side towards their destination. They turned at the 6th street of Area 74 M. And there, they found an old but homely restobar --- the Bear-Hugging Restobar.