Captain, Take Off the Mask

Any cafe still open at this hour certainly wasn't the respectable sort. By the same token, anyone looking to drink coffee at a cafe at this hour certainly wasn't a respectable person either. Karen stood at the entrance of the cafe, looking up at the neon sign hanging above: [Magical Fingers and Above the Beautiful Sky] Translating and interpreting it in his head, the sign's name should probably be understood as: [Magic Finger Paradise] A waiter at the entrance eagerly came up to greet them, and Neo asked for a coffee room. Looking at Neo and Karen, the waiter was slightly surprised, but quickly said, "Understood. I'll arrange it for the two of you right away." The coffee room was at the corner of the second floor. Walking inside, though the space wasn't large, it had plenty of depth. Near the door were two small sofas and a coffee table; further in was a washroom equipped with a bathtub; beyond that was a round bed; and deeper still was a long couch set against a floor-to-ceiling window. On the floor in front of the long couch, a cushion had been thoughtfully placed. The lighting in the room was a dim reddish hue, intimate and secretive, and the walls were hung with numerous photos of starlets, their expressions seductive and provocative. Karen sat down on the sofa by the door and picked up a coffee cup, only to find that not only was the rim coated with aged sugar stains, but the cup itself was stuffed with cigarette butts. The waiter handed Neo a roster—a roster of staff who served coffee. Neo sat down on the sofa holding the roster and said to Karen, "I bought you drinks during the day, so tonight you're treating me to coffee." "All right, Captain." "Mm, then let's go with this: the eight on this page, plus a fruit platter and drinks. Oh, right, do you have coffee here?" "We do." "Add a pot of coffee." "Certainly, sir. Are you sure you want eight?" "Positive." "Very well, sir. Please wait a moment." The waiter stepped out to make the arrangements. "By the way, did you bring any riels?" Neo asked. Karen shook his head. "What a coincidence, I didn't bring any riels either." Neo smiled faintly. "When the bill comes and we can't pay, I'll just have to leave you here as collateral." The waiter pushed open the door, and eight heavily made-up beauties walked in, bowing to Karen and Neo sitting on the sofa. "Good evening, gentlemen. It's a pleasure to serve you." "Mm." Neo pointed around the room and said, "Clean and tidy this place up within a quarter of an hour, and that will count as your service." The eight beauties froze. Just then, the front desk manager walked in and instructed, "Do as the guests asked." The eight beauties began cleaning the room. Karen watched the scene, finding it somewhat amusing, but waved over the front desk manager nonetheless. "Sir, how may I help you?" "Give me a pen and paper." "Right away." Karen wrote down the phone number for the Pavaro Funeral Parlor and tossed the slip to the manager. "Please call this number. Tell them the young master is here, and have someone bring money." "Understood, sir." The manager guessed that this was a wealthy young master out having fun, and young masters typically didn't like carrying cash on them. After watching over the beauties until they finished cleaning the room, the manager led them and the waiter out. Returning to the front desk, the manager picked up the receiver and dialed the number on the slip. *It should be some manor or senior butler answering this call, right?* "Hello, Pavaro Funeral Parlor. It's our pleasure to assist you." "..." The manager went silent. ... Karen poured coffee for himself and Neo, adding two sugar cubes to each, then picked up a spoon and stirred gently. Neo took a sip of his coffee, set down the cup, looked at Karen, and asked, "Are we starting now?" "If you're ready, Captain, we can begin right now." Neo leaned back slightly against the sofa, both hands shoved into his pockets. Karen knew this was a defensive, guarded posture. "Should I start?" Neo asked. "I can ask the questions." "All right, you ask." "Captain, are you currently facing a dilemma—one that you can't resolve through direct means for the time being?" "I don't think it really counts as a dilemma. Besides, as things stand, I haven't found a reason that compels me to resolve it." "In other words, its existence is acceptable to you?" "Yes. I'm trying to make contact with it and understand it." "Has it always been like this?" "No. To be precise, it only began after Elisa died." "Before Miss Elisa departed, did this problem also exist?" "Yes." "What was your attitude toward it at the time? Were you repulsed by it, or did you deliberately put it out of mind and ignore it?" "Ignore it." Karen nodded. "Did Miss Elisa's departure take away the final line of defense in your heart? I mean, with regard to this long-existing dilemma." Neo spread his hands, as if it went without saying. "I felt that once a piece was lost from my heart, I should find something to fill the void." "Can *it* fill it?" "Not sure yet. I'm trying to test it out and make contact." "Then let's concretize it with an analogy. What could it be compared to? A grand feast that takes a long time to finish? A mysterious and alluring woman? A very weighty book?" "A book." "What kind of book? As I said, 'weighty'?" "Broad and thick?" "It could also refer to the content." "Neither, really. More like a novel. It's not that captivating, nor does it make me forget to eat, drink, or sleep to read it, but I don't mind reaching out to flip through a few pages when I have free time." "So, you're viewing it from the perspective of a bystander?" "Mm. How else? Could I really have a great sense of immersion in something that isn't mine?" Karen raised his coffee, took a sip, set it down, and leaned back slightly into the sofa as well. Looking at his captain sitting across from him, his eyes reflected deep thought. Through their exchange so far, Karen felt that his original perception of the captain seemed to have diverged right at the starting point—and the result of that initial deviation was that the further out it spread, the more wildly off-mark it became. "What is it?" Neo asked. "Is the problem very serious?" Karen frowned. "You aren't losing yourself." "Hm? Who said I was losing myself?" "You are... playing around." At those words, Neo's eyes instantly widened, staring fixedly at Karen. At that moment, Neo's upper body straightened noticeably, his hands hanging loosely at his sides, like a cobra rearing up. Karen maintained his original posture; only by doing so could he lower the other man's guard. This wasn't to say the captain was guarded against him specifically. In fact, it was clear the captain was genuinely trying to undergo psychological counseling. But human nature shared many common traits, and Karen knew his statement just now had struck straight at the captain's inner core. A person's instinct to protect the deepest secrets of their heart far exceeded that of clothing protecting their body. Gradually, Neo began to relax his posture. He picked up a slice of cut orange and brought it to his mouth, saying as he ate, "Now I believe those shrinks aren't all charlatans." "It's only because I know you somewhat, Captain." "You've been observing me all this time?" "Yes, I have." "Why?" "There aren't many people around me that I can interact with, and interesting ones are even fewer." "Oh, is that so." Neo pointed at the fruit platter. "The fruit is quite fresh." "All right." Karen also picked up an orange slice and set it before himself. He didn't eat it, but pulled out a tissue to wipe the two fingertips that had held the slice. "You're right. I probably am just playing around. Just as you said you've been observing me, I'm actually observing it, too." As he said this, Neo pointed a finger at his own chest. Karen noticed that the captain hadn't pointed at his face. "Right now, there are probably two possibilities." "Mm, let's hear them." Karen poured the remaining half-cup of coffee before him into the adjacent beer glass. The two differently colored liquids began to blend together. Neo asked, "Do you mean that after pouring coffee into beer, the question is whether it tastes like coffee or beer?" Karen shook his head. "Then what do you mean?" Karen lifted the glass of coffee-mixed beer and placed it in front of Neo. "You can take a sip and see. What matters most is whether you yourself like the taste." The two sat facing each other, both staring at the slightly muddy, grayish beer. "I don't know," Neo said. "Because it can't be predicted, I can't answer." "But that's the crux of it, Captain. It's very likely that the outcome of continuing down this path won't be something you can control or perceive." Neo chuckled and asked, "Well, then, can the outcome of life be foretold?" Karen fell silent. "The Church of Samsara loves to preach that this life is predestined, that everything exists solely to prepare for the next life after reincarnation. But is such a life truly interesting?" Neo lifted the glass and continued: "Many people love stability; many people hate change. But me, you, and the people in our squad aren't like that at all. Deep in our souls, there is an ineradicable restlessness and agitation. They reject our choosing an eternally unchanging life." Neo raised the glass and took a large gulp. "Ah..." Looking at the glass of coffee-mixed beer in his hand, Neo sighed, "It really tastes awful." Karen nodded. "Actually, Captain, you don't have any psychological issues. You're very clear-headed." "Oh?" Neo chuckled. "I thought I was supposed to be the one to say that at the end so I wouldn't have to pay the therapy fee." "You are walking wide awake into the depths of a volcano flowing with lava, but that is your personal choice, and outsiders cannot judge it. "To grip the circular railing in numb mediocrity, circling round and round in safety, versus lucidly admiring the scenery along the way while stepping deeper and deeper into the flames, even if the ultimate end is to be completely consumed... "Between these two paths of life, there is really no telling which is good or bad." "Then what about you?" Neo asked. "What is your choice?" "I'm just taking in the scenery," Karen said. "And your future? The end of the path you're walking?" "I don't know." "Heh, don't you think the unknown is actually the most terrifying thing?" Karen looked at Neo and shrugged. "Captain, if this Q&A keeps going like this, will I be the one paying you a therapy fee?" Neo opened his palm and murmured, "Light—Guiding Illumination." A gentle halo of light appeared in his palm. Neo looked at Karen and spoke: "I think if we keep talking, we're going to touch upon our true secrets." Karen nodded. "Yes." "I promised you that I wouldn't pry into your secrets. All along, that's what I've done, and I can guarantee it." "I can feel that. Thank you, Captain." "However, that doesn't preclude us volunteering our secrets. Perhaps we could try exchanging secrets with each other. What do you think?" Exchange... secrets? Karen looked at Neo. Between them, because of that halo of light, their appearances blurred slightly. "If you're willing, take this halo." Karen didn't move his hand immediately, asking instead, "Captain, I'm curious. Why do this?" "Because your actions have shown me that you're worthy of exchanging secrets with me. This is an exchange of equal value. Most importantly, don't you think continuing to play this riddle-guessing game between the two of us is excruciating?" "It is excruciating." "Rather than keep guessing and analyzing back and forth, why don't we lay our secrets bare?" Karen bit his lip. "You're hesitating so much, heh." A smile appeared on Neo's face. "Just how big is your secret? Are you worried about getting the short end of the stick?" "I just wasn't mentally prepared before tonight." "How about this, then: we take it in steps. We divide our respective secrets into tiers and stages, slicing them up like chips to be laid down on the gambling table bit by bit. Only if the stakes are equal do we continue revealing our cards. What do you think?" "All right, I agree." Karen reached out and received the halo of light. It continued to shine. Seeing this, Neo asked, "Then who should start first?" "I've always addressed you as Captain." "Fair enough." Neo rubbed his face. "In that case, we need to go somewhere first. Has your servant arrived with the money yet?" "He probably hasn't arrived yet." "Then let's leave first. He'll pay the bill anyway, so it doesn't count as dining and dashing." "Mm, all right." Neo stood up and walked to the deepest part of the room. Karen followed, stopping in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. Then, the two of them transformed into black mist together and drifted outside. ... It was still that VIP car, and the captain was still driving. Sitting in the passenger seat, Karen gazed out the window. Certain parts of the city were lively, but overall, it remained asleep. "It's not too late for you to back out," Neo said. "Once I place my bet, you'll have no choice but to match it." "The meaning of a secret's existence is to be spread." Neo nodded. "Indeed. Being spread is the sole intrinsic attribute of a secret. Actually, laying our cards on the table saves us both time and energy. Once we used Light in front of each other, it meant this step was inevitable." "I know, I understand. I also prefer not to let secrets fester overnight." "Oh, right. There's someone else in the photo studio's basement right now. She's a divine envoy of the Church of Light named Bertha." "Bertha?" "You know her?" "I do." "Don't worry, she doesn't know it's you. But next time you're on a mission, you need to get used to wearing a mask, because the target might not be the only one watching." "Yes, Captain, I'll remember." "I didn't kill her. I have her looking into a few things for me right now." Just then, Karen noticed the street the car was driving down felt familiar. He came here often—King's Avenue, in the heart of York City. Then the car pulled to a stop. "I think you'll find this quite interesting," Neo said, turning off the ignition and pointing out the window. Karen turned his head to look at the shop sign: Lemar Pottery Studio. *So, last time the captain deliberately got out near here and said he was going home, was he intentionally hinting at this place?* That night in Mr. Lemar's collection room inside the workshop, Karen had seen Neo's portrait placed right beside Mr. Pavaro's portrait. Karen got out of the car behind Neo. The shop door was locked, but that kind of lock could only keep out ordinary thieves. With a flick of Neo's finger, the lock inside dropped directly off. But when the door was pushed open, red light suddenly flared from the eyes of the ceramic figurines on either side. Neo waved his hand, and the red light in the figurines' eyes was instantly enveloped by a layer of mist. "I could have called for them to open the door." "It's best if they don't see you with me. Put on your mask." "All right." Karen touched the ring on his fingertip, and a silver mask covered his face. Altered along with it was his temperament. Just then, Karen saw Mr. Lemar walk out holding an axe. Serena wasn't in sight; Lemar had probably ordered her to stay in her bedroom. Karen noticed that as Mr. Lemar looked at the unmasked Neo, his entire body trembled. "It's... it's you?" Neo spoke: "I want to take my friend to visit your collection room." "I thought you were dead long ago. To think you're still living with this face! Heh, but do you think my workshop is a place you can just enter whenever you please?" "I wouldn't mind kidnapping your sister again. She should be grown up by now—her soul, I mean." "You..." Lemar took out a key and threw it onto the table. Neo picked up the key and said, "You can go back upstairs to rest. Come down after we leave. I won't steal anything of yours—that much you can trust me on." Lemar glared fiercely at Neo, then took his axe and went upstairs. Neo led Karen down to the basement. Unlocking the door with the key, the two walked inside. Clearly, Neo had been here before and was thoroughly familiar with the layout. Mr. Lemar felt both hatred and trust toward Neo—to borrow Serena's analogy, it was like a girlfriend pounding your chest with her fists crying, "I hate you to death!" Finally, the two stood before the wall covered with portraits. "Do you believe in fate, Karen?" "Depends on the situation." "I admired Pavaro's persistence and integrity, and then he recommended you—though not through a letter of recommendation. And then, the shop where you had Pavaro's face skin made into a mask turned out to be the exact same one I once chose." "It really is quite a coincidence." Neo pulled a ring from his pocket and slid it onto his fingertip. This ring wasn't plastic. "Have you always been curious what kind of face lies beneath my mask?" "Yes." "Good. This is my first bet." The ring Neo just put on emitted a faint glow, and a layer of light enveloped his body. Karen knew this meant the mask was being removed. Karen's gaze immediately moved to Neo's face, and Neo turned toward Karen of his own accord, revealing his face before him. "How... is that possible..." Karen took two steps back. "Surprised?" Neo "smiled" and said, "Looks like you're very satisfied with my bet for this round." Before Karen, Neo's face... was a sheet of seemingly coagulated, raw gore. It instantly brought to Karen's mind the memory of that night, when Mr. Pavaro had used his fingernails to slice off his own facial skin. "The face skin you had Lemar use to make your mask was..." Neo nodded and said, "That's right. My own facial skin."