"What do you mean?" Deathstalker asked, his voice flat, unreadable. "And how could you blow that ear off?"
Bruno gave a small shrug, avoiding eye contact. "The spying eye and ear belonged to a man. One of Lu's guards," he replied.
"And your power?" Lily asked quickly, her eyes flicking between the two men.
"I don't know. When I closed my eyes, suddenly I was teleported to the kitchen. I barely even made an effort," Bruno said, trying to stay composed.
"You mean... we can use our power?" Lily asked again, her voice edged with cautious excitement.
"I think so. Although... it may be weaker. I mean... I could only teleport to a nearby place, which was the kitchen. Also, I was actually planning to make a greater explosion," Bruno added, a faint bitterness in his tone.
"That was great!" Lily said brightly, a rare smile breaking across her face. She pulled off the glove covering her left hand and reached toward Bruno.
"Ouch!!" Bruno flinched back sharply, his face tightening as pain shot through him. Blisters had already begun forming.
"You were right. That touch was supposed to cause third-degree burns," Lily said with a grin, her tone light, almost teasing.
"It still hurts," Bruno hissed, pulling his hand closer to his chest. "Now heal me."
Lily calmly placed her right hand over his and touched it. The blisters faded without a trace.
Bruno inspected his hand, jaw tight, as if expecting something more—some acknowledgment, a glance, anything—but she was already looking at Deathstalker again.
"You should also be able to move things, Death. Try it," she said, trying to sound upbeat, directing her words carefully toward him.
"No need," Deathstalker replied coolly. "We don't have time for that."
He walked to the bookshelf in silence, picked up the spying eye, and without a glance back, threw it out the window. Then, without pause, he sat at the study desk and lit a candle. "Let's hear what you've got these few days."
Lily and Bruno moved toward him. She sat quickly, still energized. Bruno followed, slower, quiet. Lily pulled a small notebook from her outfit pocket and flipped it open.
"Not much, actually," she said, scanning her notes. "These creatures resemble humans but are more powerful. They eat our flesh as their meal. They are nocturnal—work at night and sleep—"
"Tell us things we don't know," Deathstalker cut in sharply, not looking at her.
Lily swallowed, her fingers tightening around the notebook. "Okay," she said softly. "You know they don't have natural resources like we do above, right? But they have powers beyond humans. With those powers, they run their universe." She looked toward Deathstalker, hoping for a reaction. He gave her nothing.
"Continue," he said flatly.
"For instance, the day here is marked by a shining light produced by those who can create it. Thousands of light-enabled creatures work at some kind of company to produce light for the whole universe daily. There are also creatures who can create drinkable liquid, wind for transportation, and even electricity."
"All of them have superpowers?" Bruno asked, his voice a little tight.
"That's what Sukraj said... yes," Lily replied.
"About Sukraj... did you—"
"What else?" Deathstalker interrupted Bruno without turning his head.
Lily let out a short breath. "Like I said, not much. I've only wandered around for three days, mostly at night like this. Daytime would be too suspicious. So I didn't find anything out of the ordinary. Until yesterday..."
"What happened yesterday?" Bruno asked quickly, a little too quickly.
"Mr. Lu was furious at two of his guards. They went to work... high. He said he didn't care where they'd gone or what substance they took, but they had to be sober when working."
"Why is that significant?" Deathstalker asked.
"Because these creatures don't know how to have fun. Well, at least they didn't. Not until ten days ago."
"Ten days... so ten months on Earth?" Deathstalker asked.
Lily nodded. "Before that, the only thing they did to relax was sleep. They don't party. They don't drink. They don't have fun. So they definitely didn't get high."
"They don't... have sex?" Bruno asked, quieter this time.
"They do. But it's for reproduction—obligation. Not for pleasure, not for love."
Silence fell again. Bruno's gaze dropped. Deathstalker's expression didn't shift. Lily looked between them, her previous enthusiasm slowly dimming under the weight of their stillness.
What kind of life was that? No joy, no release. Just function. Duty. Purpose.
Deathstalker broke the silence with a sigh. "Any other information?"
"Well... last night I couldn't sleep. So I wandered around the second floor, near my room. I looked out the window and saw the two guards—Mr. Lu's—walking toward a remote area outside the city," Lily said. She stood and approached the window.
She pointed into the distance. "There."
Deathstalker and Bruno joined her, peering through the glass. Far away, a plateau lay just beyond the city limits.
"What's out there?" Deathstalker murmured, more to himself than to them.
"I don't know," Lily said with a shrug. "That's why I chose this room. First floor. The window faces that area."
"We can't do anything now," Deathstalker said. "We rest until day."
"You're right. I need sleep anyway," Lily replied, her voice softening—half disappointment, half exhaustion.
"Good. Sleep then," Deathstalker said, already turning away. "Come on, Bruno. Let's go to your room."
He walked toward the door, offering neither warmth nor farewell.
"Wait... you're not staying here?" Lily asked, her voice thinner now, almost hesitant.
Deathstalker stopped at the door, his back still to her. "Like I said—if I slept in the same room as you, I make no promises about your life the next day."
Cold. Absolute.
He opened the door without waiting for a response. Bruno didn't move. He lingered by the window, watching Lily silently.
Deathstalker's voice came again—this time sharp, commanding.
"Lái ba, núlì. Gǎnkuài!"(Come on, slave. Hurry up!)
Bruno lowered his eyes and followed.