"Ever heard of 'blood baptism'?"

"An old custom," replied Dr. Hopkins, who held up a Thomson grapefruit, spun it around it, and then took a sharp knife, and made two vertical crosses directly above the grapefruit, and then made a circle about a third of the way: "When hunting was for survival rather than recreation, the young hunter who had succeeded in the first hunt was smeared with the blood of his prey," and he changed a thin-brimmed spoon into the cut golden-coloured thick skin, He repeatedly cut and pressed along the edge where the flesh and skin joined to loosen the connection between them, and soon the small dot of peel was removed intact. If you look at the search ,.. The bright red flesh of the fruit, covered with a white lining, was revealed, and the "ghoul" skilfully and carefully peeled off the lining with his fingernails—the discarded parts were collected in the peel—he did the same by removing the membrane of neurons that had wrapped around the human brain, which was piled up in the removed skull: "Since the sixteenth century, it has been used more in fox hunting ceremonies, chapter 120—It's not a new thing, just last week, John . . . Mr. Carson and his friends have run into some trouble east of Poseidon Island - and it's their fault, they shouldn't have been so reckless as to trespass into other people's territory. Now the people over there have seized them and demanded a billion dollars from the Carson family......" he was speechless, "a lot, really a lot, well, those fools first found the 'government' and the Bureau of Investigation." It turned out that it was completely useless and afterwards they hired another gang of idiots, well, now it's really 'the blind with the blind and falling into the ditch together'. The men they sent were all destroyed. Twenty-four hours later, the Federal Express delivered back to John. One of Carson's legs. Frozen like a tuna. ”

Chegal spread his palms helplessly, "Just the day before yesterday, his ex-wife came to me crying and threw this tricky matter over. ”

"Doesn't the island to the east belong to Richards?" "I remember him and his son-in-law building a cod liver oil pill factory on it," Hopkins said. ”

"Where," said Beelzebub, curling his fingers and plucking the leaves from the cup and filling his mouth, "the Richards family planted coca trees on the ridges on either side, and they picked the fresh leaves to make rough products, while the factories were responsible for refining the free salt-based cocaine, which is what is called high-purity cocaine, which is a lucrative business...... But that's not a good thing, that thing is really profitable, but it's just because it's so profitable, so it's both eye-catching and annoying......"

"They're going to be pretty well guarded, John. Carson can be worn over his underwear. Hopkins naively responded.

"The devil knows what it is," said Chegalle, pointedly, "and he went up to the island, and was discovered, and was caught, and took with him all the people who were floating in the nearby boats—fortunately my men were not among them, and in fact they persuaded John very sincerely. Carson, don't cross the line I have set for him, but unfortunately Mr. Carson did not listen to his advice, and he went on his own and took his family. He looked at Hopkins: "He took his daughter with him. The fat-packed man narrowed his eyes and looked like a puffed out dolphin: "He always took his daughter with him in those days, like a Jew holding his money box." He shook his head: "It's so sad, if he was willing to leave his daughter on Poseidon Island, then she would still be safe." ”

"Fate makes people," Hopkins said, "what do the Carsons want to do?" ”

Chegal held up the glass to him, which had been cleaned, "At first they thought it was quite simple, they thought that I was a king, and that with a single order, they could get back all the unlucky people with the surname Carson and those who did not have the surname Carson - but isn't there a saying in their western continent, 'Even if a king trespasses into a courtier's house without the permission of his master, the courtier has the right to raise a knife and gun to drive him out' - I am not even a king, the people of Poseidon Island respect me, call me "Don", and are willing to listen to me, It's only because I'm a just and benevolent leader," he gestured inward, "Richards' family belongs to Poseidon Island, and Carson belongs to the Western Continent, and even if I could, I can't satisfy the demands of outsiders without regard for the interests of my own people...... They said they could only raise 400 million in a short period of time, and I had to suggest that they go back and make up again...... Otherwise, we will have to wait for the funeral to take place. Poor little Chiz, she was only fourteen years old, and what a delicate flower. He gasped heavily, as if he was really sorry.

"Thankfully, the Carsons aren't as hard-hearted as they think they are." Hopkins naturally picked up the conversation: "You're already getting ready for action...... If there is no money - they agreed to cooperate? ”

"What reason do you think I have to convince those shrewd stinking shit?" Chegalle took a long sip of the cold fruit cocktail, "They still know the trade-off, but the Richards family can't afford that piece of fat," he puffed through his nose: "Short-sighted guy." ”

But no, Hopkins said in his heart, otherwise they wouldn't have supported Mayare. Than Sandi up, but also in Mayare. After the defeat of Bissandi, he was still chattering and complaining and ready to move.

"So that's the operation?"

"Absolutely safe," Chegal repeatedly assured, "we will use nerve gas and tear gas, we will be fully equipped, Beelzebub and Sasha will wait until things are basically settled before going to the island, they are still children, they have this right." ”

"That's great." Hopkins said.

***

Chiz. Carson is in the midst of an absurd and terrifying dream.

She was chained alone in a large room, there was no furniture, the floor was white "colored" small tiles, mostly cracked, the mutilated places were black and greasy, part of the floor was covered with blankets, and several girls were lying naked/"naked" on it.

One of them was about the size of Chiz, with a small ass and chest like a baby, a head of unkempt black hair, thin wrists and ankles like matchsticks, sallow skin, and eyes like blue glass beads embedded in the sockets of inferior dolls—for an hour, four men took turns to provoke her, and she didn't say a word or move the whole time, and after the last man left, she waited with her legs crossed, and when she was sure that no one wanted to have another pleasure, she "fumbled" and grabbed a corner of the blanket. Wrapped his ass, rolled over and fell asleep.

She didn't have much of an appetite, the bread and water seemed to be shoved down her throat, and only the twice-daily "distribution" lifted her spirits.

At first Chiz didn't know what it was, as it looked like a fat cigar, until she heard a word, and they called it "rock".

The only horrific addictions Chiz had ever had had been marijuana and mild hallucinogens, but she had heard the scientific name, the official name, and the alias of the thing countless times from teachers and guardians—they had repeatedly told them that it was something that should never be tried.

It only takes one time and it's addictive.

(To be continued)

n (one second to remember the world)