Reincarnated In a Cthulhu World And Everyone Is Obsessed With Me - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Devil – “You are my angel.”

Xia Mingyu bundled himself up tightly and hurried through the residential buildings. The nearest entrance to Paradise was on the edge of the base, a thirty-minute walk away.

Few people ventured out after nightfall; the residential area was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Tonight, even the Great Migration purge had ended early and silently. The base at night felt shrouded in a mysterious, lethal haze; the artificial sky hung low, and the unnatural darkness felt stagnant, making every breath feel as heavy as lead.

Passing through the pupil recognition gate, Xia Mingyu saw a tiny spark of fluorescent blue current dancing near him before vanishing. The Sanctuary hadn’t given up on monitoring him.

Xia Mingyu smiled good-naturedly. “Good evening, Sanctuary.”

A tiny arc of electricity flickered out—a greeting—then disappeared. Since the Sanctuary had adjusted its settings, its tone and behavior had become like that of a cute young girl, making it difficult for Xia Mingyu to stay truly angry. It was a true product of the Central Hub: highly experienced in manipulating the human heart.

…

The underground bar was as boisterous as ever. Xia Mingyu was taking over Chesa’s shift tonight.

“You’re finally here,” Chesa said excitedly. “My heart was breaking waiting to clock out.”

“Go ahead,” Xia Mingyu nodded. “I’ll change and be right out.”

As he entered the locker room, a male bartender was lazily tying his necktie. He perked up slightly upon seeing Xia Mingyu. “Hello, new colleague. I’m your partner for the night, Antonio.” His voice was a smoky rasp soaked in nicotine and alcohol, lingering and sultry. Combined with his perpetually bored, world-weary expression, he had a charm that made customers’ hearts itch.

Xia Mingyu froze for a second before offering a polite smile. “Hello, I’m Xia Mingyu.”

…Why did it have to be Antonio?

In his previous life, Xia Mingyu had done everything possible to avoid shifts with him. Antonio’s regulars were always troublesome, and the man loved playing “jealousy” dramas, which inevitably dragged Xia Mingyu into the crossfire.

When Xia Mingyu emerged from the locker room, he was in full uniform. The expensive metal cufflinks and leg straps perfectly accentuated his lean frame. The intricate metal engravings paired with the “Devil Tattoo” applied to the side of his eye transformed his aura from cold, distant moonlight into a forbidden, seductive fruit fallen into hell.

The “Devil Tattoo” was a whim of Nie Yinniang. She loved playing dress-up with her bartenders. Tonight’s tattoo was a temporary one, featuring suggestive patterns that faded from soft pink to deep black—specifically designed for “connoisseur” guests with peculiar tastes.

The moment Xia Mingyu stepped behind the bar, the room went still. Every guest in the bar cast a calculating or yearning look his way.

Antonio, already serving three Sentinels, glanced at his guests and let out a soft, audible huff. “Ah, is Antonio’s charm not enough? The guests are always looking elsewhere tonight.”

Xia Mingyu began washing glasses, sighing inwardly. Here we go.

“How could that be?” a Sentinel replied immediately. “I came here specifically for you tonight.”

Antonio’s voice took on a melodic, wounded quality. “Dear guest, your words would be much more believable if you withdrew your gaze from my colleague first.” He dropped ice into a glass with a crisp clink. “My new colleague is very shy. If you’re too enthusiastic, you’ll scare him away.”

“New?” a Sentinel’s tone went up.

Antonio lowered his eyes, looking dejected. “Yes. He’s so beautiful; I wonder if Antonio will lose his job because of him? I’ll end up a homeless stray on the streets of Paradise, praying for a guest to take me home.” He tilted his neck slightly, revealing faint marks that looked like they were from a tight collar.

The Sentinels’ attention was instantly hooked back, leaving Xia Mingyu to wash his glasses in peace.

…

Xia Mingyu sat back at the bar and wiped his fingers with a silk cloth. When he looked up, a Sentinel was sitting directly in front of him.

“Welcome, guest. What would you like?” Xia Mingyu smiled gently.

The Sentinel had severe genetic mutations: silver hair, green eyes, and heavy dark circles. “Do you have anything for nerves? Something that will let me sleep properly after I get drunk.”

Xia Mingyu recommended a reasonably priced drink and asked casually, “Have you been suffering from delirium lately?”

“Delirium? You could say that,” the Sentinel said. “I was recently summoned by the Church to awaken my ability. The Angel said that being haunted by delirium is a normal symptom.”

As he mentioned “ability,” he looked pointedly into Xia Mingyu’s eyes, hoping to see admiration. Xia Mingyu let his gaze flicker with simulated awe, but his question was different: “…Angel?”

“Hm?”

Xia Mingyu handed him the drink. “Please enjoy. It is said that delirium dreams are connected to supernatural existences. Gods and demons convey their will through them, which is likely why your ‘Angel’ says it is normal.”

The bar’s overhead lights reflected in the drink and in Xia Mingyu’s watery, gentle eyes. Paired with the demonic tattoo, he projected an irresistible, contrasting allure.

The Sentinel flicked the rim of his glass with a finger. “Indeed. You are my angel.”

Xia Mingyu acted as if he hadn’t heard the flirtation. “Philosophers of the peaceful era used a few words to dismiss dreams, calling them ‘patches of consciousness.’ Perhaps your Angel is just an active imagination within your mind.”

The Sentinel’s smile stiffened. What the hell is this bartender talking about? Still, he stayed, watching Xia Mingyu mix drinks while listening to him explain Freudian dream theory in a calm, melodic voice.

“…Did you know? The more bizarre and obscure the dream, the more undercurrents are hidden in your subconscious. Based on your description of your delirium, I think…”

The Sentinel interrupted him, lowering his voice. “Bartender, do you usually prefer to be on top or on the bottom?”

The question caused a momentary silence in the surrounding area. Every Sentinel in the vicinity had been eavesdropping on Xia Mingyu’s deep theoretical talk, and now, someone had finally asked the question everyone was curious about.

Xia Mingyu felt the sensitive, agitated emotions of the Sentinels. He placed a mint leaf on the drink’s surface with steady hands. “Sir, I am right here.”

Guests served by Antonio were always impatient. But really… it’s been a while since I’ve seen such an impolite one. Xia Mingyu smiled professionally, telling himself: Don’t get angry. Don’t let the pheromones leak.

Sensing the atmosphere cooling, Antonio laughed and walked over. “Oh my, I told you, you’d scare him.” He reached out and grabbed Xia Mingyu’s necktie, slowly sliding his hand down to pull the end out from under his vest, twining it around his fingers.

Antonio took over the “teasing” lead, and Xia Mingyu played the “wallflower” perfectly.

“You’re such a block of wood,” Antonio teased Xia Mingyu. “Next time, just stick to the chores.”

Xia Mingyu looked down at Antonio and let out a very soft chuckle, his eyes curving up in a way that made even Antonio daze for a split second. But when Xia Mingyu looked up again, he was back to his calm, blank expression, as if he didn’t understand how things had become this way.

…

At 2:00 AM, their relief arrived. Xia Mingyu and Antonio entered the locker room together. Antonio didn’t change immediately; he leaned against the wall, a cigarette in his mouth. “Mind if I smoke?”

Xia Mingyu was at the sink, trying to scrub off the Devil Tattoo. “Yes, I mind.” The tattoo wouldn’t budge under the water, and he frowned.

Antonio laughed and lit the cigarette anyway. He exhaled a cloud of smoke, squinting in the dim light. “Your service attitude really wastes that face of yours.”

“My service attitude is fine.” Xia Mingyu looked at Antonio’s smoking fingers with a hint of displeasure.

“Are you free tonight?” Antonio tilted his head. “Xia Mingyu, what do you think of me?”

Xia Mingyu’s cold, sharp gaze contrasted sharply with the scandalous tattoo on his face. Only then did Antonio realize that Xia Mingyu’s “service attitude” consisted of hiding his sharpness and indifference while working.

—That makes it even better. I like them wild and aloof.

Antonio crushed out the cigarette and leaned in close, looking at Xia Mingyu in the mirror. “I’m serious, Xia Mingyu. What do you think of me? Am I qualified to spend the night with you?”