Everyone was hyped up on Halloween.
Inside the bar.
The dazzling lights and flowing alcohol were intoxicating; if one had to describe the scene, 'demons dancing wildly' would be the most fitting term.
Everyone was dressed as monsters, so that term was quite appropriate.
John looked at the array of Halloween costumes and thought that even if the Terrifier appeared, no one would find it out of place.
The Wendigo would have to be considered, as its size was too large.
After dancing for a while.
Perhaps finding it boring and with women constantly pressing against him, John simply booked a private room on the second floor.
Compared to clubbing, he preferred enjoying fine food and fruit platters.
Pineapple, watermelon, mangosteen, cantaloupe… these were his favorites, and while he found alcohol acceptable, he preferred beverages.
Jennifer followed him; what was the point of her staying alone after John left?
Heather was probably the most disappointed, as the party ended just as she mustered her courage.
The clubbing continued until close to midnight.
A host took the stage; his appearance was unremarkable, giving the impression of being utterly ordinary yet somehow familiar.
The man introduced himself as Mukins and then began to tell a story.
A horror story fitting the Halloween theme.
John, who had initially found it boring, became slightly more attentive and prepared to listen when he heard a story was about to be told.
Jennifer, who had initially been restless, was satisfied only after John firmly patted her shapely buttocks encased in jeans and pulled her into his embrace.
At this moment, the host had captured everyone's attention.
Mukins held the microphone, his voice flowing smoothly, creating an immersive experience.
"The story we are going to tell today takes place in a remote area in northern Sweden, where legend has it that a group of indigenous people have worshipped a human-faced, beast-bodied monster for generations."
"Some say this monster is a demon from hell, that it has extreme Bloodlust and feeds on human organs, and then it peels off its prey's skin and hangs it in the Black Forest. Others say this monster also has another identity in legends, which is the Nordic…"
This story was very exciting.
Even Jennifer and Heather, who had initially been uninterested, were captivated.
John, however, felt something was off as he listened, increasingly thinking, "Isn't this just the 'Black Forest'?"
This thing seemed to be linked to Cthulhu.
As for the so-called son of a Nordic god, it was a joke. North America indeed had mythical legends, but no divine miracles had ever appeared.
Were there not enough monsters disguised as divine sons?
More often, it was a lie fabricated by corrupt worshippers who feared the monsters and wanted to avoid accountability.
John never believed in those so-called myths. If there truly were gods, the Vatican would not be in its current state; they would be the first to react.
Compared to myths, there were more cultists who worshipped evil spirits.
In a sense, these terrifying existences hidden in the darkness truly would accept your offerings.
It's just that the pay and rewards were unequal.
The story continued.
The people in the bar quieted down as they listened.
It wasn't until the end of the story that everyone snapped out of it, and questions about the story's authenticity were constantly raised.
Mukins responded to this by saying:
"This story is adapted from a true event; whether you believe it or not is for you to decide."
Afterward, Mukins continued to tell stories.
But none were as exciting as the first one.
The people in the bar excitedly discussed it, with some even wanting to form a team to witness the supreme deity in the story.
Jennifer might not have believed it before, but ever since she witnessed those things, she felt that deities might truly exist.
"Darling, do deities really exist?"
John smiled, "Fake. If there were really deities, there wouldn't be the profession of an exorcist. Even if there were, they would be Evil Spirits, disguises of demons."
Heather overheard their conversation and found it incredible.
She also didn't believe in the existence of deities, but what she didn't understand was that if deities didn't exist, then how could Evil Spirits and demons exist?
And church exorcists, aren't they priests?
Or is it because of religious belief?
Dasan believed he had seen the Midnight Man, and it was precisely because of this that he wanted to cling to John's leg.
He didn't want to suddenly kick the bucket while walking one day, not even knowing how he died.
Jessie had a different feeling.
She now felt that not only North America was unsafe, but even the outside world was terrifying, and she even had thoughts of working at a church.
When the storytelling ended.
When John and the others went downstairs, the bar was still discussing the Black Forest story.
It seemed a few people genuinely wanted to buy tickets to Sweden to see that deity.
John somewhat suspected that this Mukins might be a follower of the Black Forest, specifically telling stories to lure people to their deaths.
However, John currently had too few containment items, so he bothered to intervene. Otherwise, he would have bought a ticket and joined this group to Sweden to see what the Black Forest truly was.
As night approached eleven o'clock.
The Round Clam Town police announced.
There had been a murder nearby, and town residents were advised to avoid going out alone unless necessary; it was best for individuals to stay at home.
The suspect's features were described as wearing black clothing and a ghost-face mask, having blended into the Halloween crowd.
The police announcement added a touch of horror to the approaching Halloween.
Especially young people, they were the most prone to reckless behavior.
Some, upon hearing the police announcement, were not scared but instead put on similar clothes and costumes.
John and the others happened to hear this announcement when they came out.
Black clothes + ghost-face mask = Scream.
Scream, the classic American horror series.
It was definitely Scream, just didn't know if it was the original or an imitator.
The Ghostface Killer was famous in North America and had even been featured on horror forums.
Many people liked to act under the name of the Ghostface Killer, but these imitators were often killed by the real Ghostface Killer in the end.
Looking at the young people on the street dressed similarly.
John just wanted to say, there are still too many people, so many are courting death and there are still so many.
Jennifer wasn't concerned about this killer; her boyfriend was capable of even expelling demons, so compared to that, a murderer didn't scare her at all.
"Darling, where are we going next?"
Dasan, Heather, and the others also waited for John to make a decision.
"How about we have dinner and then go home to watch a paranormal show?" John didn't have any special plans; after Halloween, he was preparing to go to California.
Jennifer hugged John's arm, "Whatever you want."
After dinner, they parted ways.
John and Jennifer returned home to wait for the paranormal show to air; this program was a broadcast of the famous British paranormal vigil.
Before the show aired.
John suddenly stood up. Jennifer asked him what was wrong?
"Nothing, I'm just going to the balcony to get some air. I'll be down in a bit."
John casually found an excuse and went to the third-floor balcony to look down. Several people dressed in black clothes and wearing ghost-face masks were sneaking over the wall into the adjacent villa.
They didn't look like the Ghostface Killer, but rather like a few lecherous petty thieves.
Given Jennifer's beauty, it was normal for someone to have ill intentions, especially since there were only two people in the villa today, and it was Halloween, with the Ghostface Killer operating in town, some people wanted to fish in troubled waters.
The Terrifier might cause a bit of a commotion if it encountered them.
John thought about it and decided to send out the Evil Spirit Wendigo; it would just eat them, saving the trouble of destroying bodies.
A massive creature silently appeared on the third floor.
Meanwhile, on the nearby second floor.
Little Emma was secretly peeking through the window, observing the few thieves who had snuck into the villa. Just as she was wondering how her neighbor's life would fade away.
She witnessed a scene she would never forget.
...