BXBX NOVEL Chapter 510 A Job Done
Lee Seng headed back to the Debt Board room and got in a very small line. When he popped up, the large lady called him over.
"What can I do for you?" The lady asked in her husky smoker voice.
"I finished the request. How do I close it?" Lee Seng asked.
"Necklace please."
Lee Seng pulled the necklace off and handed it to her. The large woman took it and placed it on the desk. She waited for a moment before looking away.
"Hmmmm… Is it true the wife of the Spirit died while you were on the job?" The large woman asked.
"Yes, but—"
"And you took her to Limbo?"
"I didn't know I did but—"
"You gave the pendant to her?"
"Y-yes."
"Did you follow Lord Cain's orders?" The large woman asked. Lee Seng bit his lip. She looked over at him.
"In my opinion, I think I did."
"Did you do anything you weren't supposed to do? Speak the truth or gods help me." The large woman pointed her finger at him. Lee Seng bit his lip and sighed.
"No." Lee Seng replied. She gave him a glare before continuing her work.
"What did you do?"
"Why do you need to know? Can't the necklace tell you everything you need to know?" Lee Seng asked.
"This 'necklace' gives me your credentials." The large woman pointed at it. "Answer the question."
"I gave advice to two spirits that needed it."
"And what did Lord Cain tell you not to do."
"Do anything unnecessary."
"So you did something unnecessary."
"How is that unnecessary? That's the part I don't quite understand." Lee Seng asked. The large woman ignored him and continued writing. She didn't ask anymore questions. She just made him wait, for what seemed like an eternity.
"You're done. You can check how many points you have by setting your necklace on that scale over there." The large woman pointed before giving him his necklace. He looked over at the scale and noticed some people putting their assigned jewelry onto it.
"What does that do?" Lee Seng asked. The large woman sighed and gave him a "I'm so done" look.
"You get points for finishing requests. Every debt, every request, every favor you do, allocates into your necklace. Once you have enough points, you'll have the opportunity to move up and do harder quests." The large woman explained. "Does that answer you question? Do I need to run anything else by you, Fox?"
"No, I'm good. Thanks. I'll ask someone who won't be so judgmental. Have a good day or night or whatever it is." Lee Seng waved. He made his way over to the scale and waited for the others to check before getting his chance to.
"Oh, you're back." David chimed. Lee Seng spun around and noticed David and Lisa. Lisa gave a nervous wave. "How'd it go? You were gone for a while."
"I-i-i-i-it's nice t-t-t-t-t-to see you a-a-a-again, Lee S-Seng." Lisa greeted him.
"Hey." Lee Seng waved. He stepped tot he side to make room for his new acquaintances. "It went okay, I guess."
"What's okay?"
"Mmmm… I guided another soul to Limbo, I guess? If you can call it that…" Lee Seng shrugged.
"Ahh." David nodded. Lee Seng turned and noticed he could go to the scale. He moved over and set the necklace on it.
"How does this—" Lee Seng began to say when something washed over him.
Debt Collector Points
20/200
Latest Request Finished: Lovers Pendant
Report: Collector met with the Spirit and went to Earth. Collector collected a soul while on the job. The Collector failed to follow their orders resulting in losing Points.
Request Grading: B
"That's it?" Lee Seng whispered, pulling his necklace away from the scale. He spun around and noticed David and Lisa weren't there. They were at the other scales, looking at their points.
"Wanna eat together?" David asked.
"Why are y-y-y-you asking h-h-him?" Lisa asked David. "I tho-though you didn't l-like him."
"I can't be friendly?" David looked at Lisa. Lisa gave him a knowing look. He turned his attention to Lee Seng. "Wanna eat together?"
"Isn't dinner in a couple of hours?" Lee Seng asked.
"Let's get dinner together later then." David motioned. "Whatever works with you. I just want to invite you out, that's all."
"I-i-i-ignore him." Lisa told Lee Seng. "He's just h-heard some r-rumors about you."
"Rumors? What rumors?" Lee Seng turned to look at Lisa. He had been gone for days and didn't think too much about everyone in this place.
"Can we talk somewhere private?" David asked Lee Seng. He scanned the area around him. "Shouldn't talk in an open space like this. Anyone could be listening."
"Sure… Let's go to my room." Lee Seng motioned. He started over and David happily followed after. Lisa bit her fingernail, following after. The motley group moved down the hall, gathering looks and whispers as they passed. Lee Seng eventually made his way to his door and opened the door.
"After you." Lee Seng motioned. His guests moved in, taking in the lavish room.
"Woah." Lisa and David gasped.
"Lord Cain set you up nicely." David tapped the drawer. "Is this real wood?"
"I guess? I just moved in and haven't… Been able to sleep as… Y'know… The job." Lee Seng awkwardly answered. Lisa let out a giggle as she sat on the bed.
"This… This is c-c-comfortable." Lisa told him.
"Mmm, I guess." Lee Seng shrugged.
"What were you gonna tell us about?" David asked.
"You were supposed to tell me about the rumors." Lee Seng reminded him.
"Oh yeah." David pulled himself away from wandering around the room and turned his attention to Lee Seng. "What was it again? Lisa, do you remember?" David turned to look at Lisa, who sprawled her legs and arms out on the bed and was making "angels" with the sheets.
'I shouldn't have invited them here…' Lee Seng thought. Lisa lifted herself up, brushing her hair to the side as she scooted to the edge of the bed.
"T-t-they said you a-a-aren't human." Lisa told him. "That yo-you're f-f-from a-another R-Realm." Lee Seng kept a neutral face. His tricky nature had got him places, good and bad, and he was using it once again.
"Oh really?" Lee Seng asked. David and Lisa nodded.
"It's just a crazy rumor, right?" David chuckled. "You're as human as can be. There isn't anything too crazy about you. You just wear a Fox mask. Which leads me to my personal question — why do you wear a Fox mask? Weren't our masks supposed to be from our Lord — Lady in Lisa's case."
'That I didn't know.' Lee Seng thought. David's face was hidden by black shadows. You could only see his eyes, if you were even perceptive enough. Lisa wore a simple face mask that had flowers decorated on it. Lee Seng, on the other hand, had a Fox mask with a protruding nose coming out of it. The red, blue, gold and silver decorations were nods to his and Keng's color scheme, but also had Mercury engraved in it.
"I was given this mask by him." Lee Seng told them.
"Oh, you were?" David asked.
"I-I-I thought h-h-he'd go with a more… Subtle theme." Lisa told him. Lee Seng shrugged.
"Why do we wear masks amongst each other? We're all Debt Collectors, why can't we see each other's faces all the time?" Lee Seng asked. "I saw parts of people's faces during breakfast that one day…"
"Your identity is big around here." David nodded at him. "There are a couple things that give power to another person. Your name, your background and your face."
"Your face? How?" Lee Seng asked, still not getting the reasoning.
"We-We-We're in L-L-Limbo…" Lisa reminded him. Lee SEng nodded. He knew that. When he still didn't get it, she continued. "Which means t-t-t-there's things that c-could t-t-take your face." She lifted her hand up and snatched at the air.
"Oh… So people who could take your form." Lee Seng slowly nodded.
"Not only that, but they could frame you for things you haven't done and put you in deeper shit. If you think Limbo's bad, try getting dropped into Hell or someplace deeper." David pointed behind him.
"You say that like it's from personal experience." Lee Seng looked at him.
"Well, that's just one of the many rumors about you." David changed the subject. "There's a very interesting one." David moved closer to Lee Seng. The shadows moved around his face as Lisa wandered over. Lee Seng watched Lisa, noticing she wasn't making any noise at all with her feet. When both of his new acquaintances came close enough to Lee Seng, they both leaned in. "The rumors are saying you made a contract with Lord Cain."
"And in that contract…" Lisa whispered. "They say you aren't going to be here long." Lee Seng's eyes went between his two new acquaintances.
'These rumors are scary close to the truth…'