Chapter 33 – Mother Teresa

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An old woman tapped on her cane, waiting on a creaking bench. She had a hunch back which couldn’t be covered by her thin garments. She was waiting for someone but it had been several hours already. The wind was particularly strong at this moment, making her shiver from time to time. She drooped from the invading drowsiness. Like a worn-out rag, she had a face weathered by the years.

Anyone would feel pity for her. There were already many people who persuaded her to go home. But she rejected all their efforts. She only smiled with a weary visage, making everyone empathize with her.

Fortunately, they couldn’t hear her thoughts.

“Mela, you bitch!” The old woman thought. “I’ve been waiting since the first caw of the rooster! Don’t tell me you’ll let me wait till sundown?”

She wanted to use her phone and screamed her lungs out. But the city was quite chaotic thanks to the terrorists and she didn’t want to add to the scuffle. Especially since Investigator Supreme was residing in the city. The latter’s pesky subordinates were following her every movement.

“Fuck those brats! How dare they decide to move on their own? That Noodle is an idiot!”

“It’s better to lay low. Sigh. I suddenly miss those days.” This old woman named Teresa frowned. “Back then, it's pure bloodbath! Anyone is crazy in killing each other!”

“And yet, in just an instant, everything was erased! As if we are all just hallucinated!”

“I’ll find it! I’ll prove it! The secret of God!” A manic light flashed in her eyes. “I’m not crazy!”

The moment Teresa glimpsed of a figure on the corner, she jumped and screamed! It was the person she’d been waiting!

“Mela!!!” People stopped in shock, seeing an old woman charging with insane movements. They stuck out their tongue because they thought the latter was a fraud mimicking a hunchback old woman.

“Bitch!” She wanted to slap the woman but the former caught her hand. The woman shoved her to the ground. Teresa groaned. She looked up in shock before seeing the indifference in her eyes.

“How dare you?! If not for me, you would be a beaten dog!”

“And a dog knows how to bite when push to the corner. Even against its master.” Mela clicked her tongue. “I have no time for you. Tell me what you want.”

Teresa gnashed in anger. Her dentures almost fell off. But as an old fox, Teresa could control her emotion. It just she didn’t expect the brat she raised before, now dare to lay a hand on her. “Cough. Well, I’m just angry you didn’t call me anymore. I’m waiting for your call, daughter. Even though we are not blood-related, I’m still the one who raised you. I’m your mother. Cough.”

Mela narrowed her eyes. “This old hag really isn’t simple. She attacked me to assert dominance. But when she sees that I won’t hesitate to get physical, she changed tactics and use the emotional card. Anyways, I have to see what she’s here to bargain.”

“What do you want?” She urged her.

The old woman could see her impatience. She smiled. She looked at her up and down, even noticing the minute crevices on the reporter’s dress. As a self-proclaimed person who experienced the ‘past’ years, reading someone was her forte. That was the reason she got an ‘inheritance’!

“Cough. Of course! Of course! It’s like this. I want to know someone.” Teresa gave a cryptic smile. Mela found her expression disgusting. The former continued, though.

“See this picture. I want you to find him.”

Woosh!

The picture got stolen from Teresa’s hands. Fingers trembling and erratic breathing. She could see how agitated Mela was! The look in her eyes said it all. Teresa’s smile went from ear to ear. Gotcha, she whispered.

“How do you get this? Answer me! How do you get this?!”

“I’ll tell you everything I know. In exchange, you have to help me catch him.” Teresa’s eyes creeped out anyone who see it.

Mela closed her eyes. She could still vividly picture the past. The past that would never be erased. It became an imprint. And also the symbol of her vow. Thus, when she opened them once more, a smirk slowly plastered on her face. She would never let anyone use it against her!

“Old woman, you still haven’t changed. You are still the old you. I’m sorry. I already know everything I want to know. Humph!” Mela rolled her eyes and harrumphed loudly, surprising Teresa. With it, she turned around with her heels knocking hard on the ground. In her mind, the plot she weaved had started to unravel. With all she sacrificed through the years… it was time to bear fruit!

Seeing her decisively leave, Teresa was standing frozen while watching her back disappear. She couldn’t believe it! Once more, she looked at the photo. She saw a young Emanuel standing beside the school gate. But unlike the current Emanuel, this Emanuel looked arrogant and wild. The quality of the photo was poor. As if it existed a long time ago. She knew this was enough to stir up Mela! This was enough to use her!

Teresa knew Mela’s network and salivated. She had been harboring the thought of using her power. It was an arrogant thought though. She was used to ordering people weaker than her. In her mind, she considered Mela as her subordinate. Thus, she didn’t expect her outright indifference! She even played along with her!

“You! Bitch!” Teresa screamed and started punching the air! From the onlookers’ view, she went crazy like a mad dog! They maintained a distance from her.

“She dared to trick me?! I’ll kill her! Bitch! Fuck!” This old woman rushed towards a secluded location. She kept stumbling but she didn’t even let out a noise. As if she couldn’t feel pain.

“I was thinking of our past connection, but you severed it! You just put yourself to the tip of my knife!”

“Mela! If you could only help me, I cGod's power with youer of God!”

“Fuck! Imbeciles! Get up!” There was a flapping sack filled with grime. She pushed it and entered a room full of metallic doors. It was like a prison. She tapped hard on every door. Something woke up from behind each door.

Swish. The sounds of the doors sliding and creaking occurred at the same time. Small figures lined after another and put their trembling gaze at the old woman. Anyone would gawk at the sight of emaciated and feeble children huddling together. Especially after seeing the pious light twinkling in their eyes! As if they were looking at their savior!

“Do any of you want freedom?” Teresa clenched her stiff jaw. “Do you want to study? Have money? And live a colorful life?”

Suddenly, the weak lambs transformed into wolves! They couldn’t imagine such a life! And now, they were given the first ray of light! To see the beautiful world promised by their Mother Teresa! Their breathing became hurried. All of them nodded religiously. And they couldn’t wait to execute her instruction!

Teresa felt satisfied. These children were her soldiers. Unlike Cruel Noodle and Poopy, these ones would rather lose a limb than fail her! Even if the door was wide open, they wouldn’t go out without her permission. For them, it was heretical to go against her!

Her business model resembled a three-layered circle. The first layer represented the former and she called them Scammers. This group was just stupid kids, runaways, and orphans who didn’t know better. They could only handle surface-level missions. Like mosquitos, they sucked the blood out of the pocket of thousands of people in the city. Although it generated a little money, it was still meat.

Compared to them, the latter represented her military force! They might look unimpressive but that was the catch! Their appearance was their deadliest weapon! To put it simply, they tricked people into believing they were harmless! These lads didn’t train in any martial art. However, they were programmed to be cruel to their targets! They wouldn’t hesitate to poison an old woman or strangle a baby in the cradle. Teresa put minimal expenditure into nurturing them yet the profit she gets outclassed the first group! She named them Puppets!

Teresa spread her chicken feet-like hands and declared with uncontested authority!

“Right now, the police are scrambling all over the city. They are on a hot pursuit of a terrorist family. This is the most vulnerable time for the police and the city! Thus, your mission is to release all the criminals from jails and prisons! Let us wreak havoc in the city!” Her eyes, as fierce as a raging fire, swept through the dark vicinity! It shone like a brilliant ray, vividly imprinting itself on the pious minds of these children! They growled like feral beasts which slowly turned into full-blown roars!

ROAR!

Teresa watched the brainwashed fools scrambling to exit first. They were like hounds that smelled blood from kilometers away!

She turned around to a man waiting for her on the sidelines. The old woman passed the photo to him.

“Find him. Catch him if you can. Also, direct those boys to watch out. Today, either we die a sinner or live a winner!” The man bowed and went in the opposite direction. His gaze became ruthless as he imagined their gang reaching in the peak of glory!

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