Deep in the Living
Chapter 129 - 123 Eden

Chapter 129: Chapter 123 Eden

Thirty minutes ago.

A clothing store that had already closed for the day, as per the rule of the Corner Law, kept all its lighting equipment on, maintaining the brightness.

Luo Di was sitting quietly on the seat inside the store that men like the most when shopping. He had already changed into a brand-new outfit, but as for the mask, he was still holding it in his hand, seemingly waiting to put it on right before the action begins.

The squad leader was in the dressing room less than two meters away, changing into a very special and somewhat difficult-to-wear outfit.

The reason for choosing this store was because its back door faced the alley where their destination for the night was located.

While waiting for the change of clothes, Luo Di asked a question:

"Is the place we’re going tonight directly affiliated with the Sisterhood?"

A voice came from behind the curtain, "No, it isn’t. Your current status doesn’t qualify you to go to any place that has a direct link with the Sisterhood, even if I wanted to bring you in as Isabella, it wouldn’t be possible.

But the place we are going to is indirectly related to the Sisterhood.

Including Isabella herself,

some of the core members of the Sisterhood occasionally visit the place we’re going tonight, for leisure and indulgence. There’s a very fitting adjective for that place.

’Decadent.’

Only those sufficiently decadent can obtain a ticket to the Sisterhood.

Of course, our destination tonight might provide some benefit to the nutrition of your spine.

Oh, right~ I seem to have always disregarded your opinions, making decisions on my own without asking if you want to go."

The hand clad in rubber peeled back the curtain gently,

The squad leader was half-dressed in rubber clothes, with shoulders, upper chest, and head exposed, eyes fixed on Luo Di outside, throwing out a question:

"Are you willing to accompany me?

I now have to maintain the identity of Isabella. Her daily activities cannot be interrupted, the Sisterhood must believe that she’s still alive.

If you do not wish to be decadent, or you’re not ready for what that entails, you can refuse, and I’ll go alone."

Luo Di just looked at the mask in his hand, "Since you already know the answer, then there’s no need to ask."

"I may know the answer, but your attitude is equally important." The squad leader closed the curtain again and continued changing.

Luo Di kept on questioning: "What exactly is the Sisterhood?"

"Well, I’ll keep you in suspense for a bit!

Otherwise, if I told you everything all at once, some things might be hard to accept. Moreover, if you really want to see the true face of the Sisterhood, you need to experience it firsthand. It’s very hard to describe through words alone.

Luo Di, you just need to know that the Sisterhood is backed by the Corner.

Only females with sufficient qualifications can be selected to be among them and become core members."

Luo Di was not particularly surprised, or rather, he had already suspected as much.

A force that could gather so many elite Pseudo-Persons like the squad leader, Isabella, who were just a step away from the Corner, and to some extent even control them, surely had connections to the depths of the Corner.

"Can a man like me go?"

"You would be going as my servant or subordinate, not as a formal member.

Of course, if you Luo Di are considering ’gender transformation’, it’s not out of the question, as there is a professional within the Sisterhood who can do it painlessly and quickly, and I wouldn’t mind having another sister.

Whatever your status, the precondition for going to a Sisterhood gathering is to be recognized by them, which is also one of our goals tonight."

"How did you get recognized in the beginning, squad leader?"

"I did not get recognized; I was ’chosen.’

The foundation of the Sisterhood is sustained by a certain special kind of female Pseudo-Person, they are the essence of the sisterhood.

Even Isabella’s special nature is just mid to low tier within the overall Sisterhood.

The Sisterhood essentially ensures that every ’sister’ successfully completes the interstice screening to go to the Corner, and maintains the Sisterhood relations within the Corner itself.

Due to interstice screening, the core membership of the Sisterhood is in a state of flux, with changes in personnel nearly every year.

To ensure the Sisterhood’s stable position, they are constantly searching for new blood with potential.

The Sisterhood’s scope extends throughout the country, constantly searching for those females with outstanding talent, and back then, I was just the one they set their sights on.

My first ’disguise exposure’ was caused by the Sisterhood when I was just fifteen years old.

""

"Let’s talk about the specifics later,

put on the mask, and let’s go!"

The class leader, fully wrapped in rubber clothes, came out and draped a coat over herself, stretching her hand towards the back door of the clothing store.

...

Time returns to the present,

and the Iron Gate hidden in the deep alley is already open.

There is only one straight passage ahead, ending with a large cargo elevator.

Strangely, though an Eye had just scanned for identity verification at the Iron Gate window, there was no one inside the passage. However, Luo Di quickly noticed something round and wriggling in between the ceiling light coverings above - not just one.

Without any buttons, the freight elevator began to automatically operate as soon as the two of them stood inside.

It descended a full fifty meters before finally stopping.

Luo Di had assumed that the so-called ’secret place’ would be a large basement or perhaps something bigger like a subway station one might see in a movie.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened, and the class leader shed her coat, revealing her favorite full-enclosure jet-black rubber clothes.

A cascade of neon light rushed in eagerly, as if wanting to assimilate every "guest" arriving here,

and the elevator’s interior speaker emitted informal announcements in five languages mixed with a tone of desire.

A city street filled with neon lights revealed itself,

with a ceiling height of over twenty meters combined with advanced projection technology, creating a lifelike sky effect overhead.

Many people wearing different masks were moving about, with a crowd density rivaling some of the main streets in city districts.

Luo Di spotted a dog walker somewhat closer by.

A man with a large belly, donning a golden mask, held two pet leashes in his hand, on the other end of which were living humans wearing dog masks.

These humans playing dogs appeared quite willing, even eagerly partaking in the role, not limited to urinating wherever they pleased or sniffing garbage cans.

The man walking the "dogs" seemed to greatly enjoy the process, relishing in his control and bragging rights over the pets.

Other passersby were dressed in very bold clothing or wore nothing at all, wearing only masks.

Colored smoke billowed from the mouths of the smoking crowds, scattering hallucinogenic-like colors under the neon lights.

Moreover,

most of the shops lining the streets sold specially prohibited items, even actively displaying a variety of living goods.

Take the nearest shop, for instance,

with two steel poles on the display stand, two females with fine physiques and different skin tones were dancing to show off themselves, one of them equipped with several metal prosthetics.

The shop next door had a lineup of obviously drug-enhanced or otherwise modified ’muscle men.’

Available for long-term or short-term rental, they could serve as security or be used for other tasks.

Even the "dogs" seen previously were available for direct rental, catering to certain clients’ peculiar tastes.

However,

the place the class leader was taking Luo Di was not here but deeper into this underground city.

The jet-black rubber clothes perfectly accentuated the class leader’s figure, and paired with her confident stride, she appeared more premium than any merchandise sold by the shops here, attracting the attention of numerous masked onlookers.

On a normal day, there would surely be many approaching to chat.

But when they saw the companion accompanying the woman, they immediately halted their thoughts; the mere sight of the mask was enough to instill fear and phantom pain in them.

One individual who tried to slip his hand into his pants, preparing to get off on the rubber clothes right there, was completely softened by fright at the sight of this mask, losing all enthusiasm.

"How about that, Luo Di? Is it beyond your imagination? These folks in masks, they’re not Pseudo-People.

They are Humans who come from various cities, drawn to this place. It seems that it’s only here that they can truly be themselves."

Luo Di did not respond but followed the class leader deeper into the place.

His heart, however, was indeed profoundly shocked,

Once again he could taste that bitter and foul scent known as ’Evil’ in the air; his spine seemed to twist as if in sync with the living beings on the steel poles, and bloodshot spread through the pupils hidden behind the mask.