...

Chapter 36: The Blood Message

...

Ian could swear he saw every muscle of every face in the room flinch.

"You're really not afraid of dying, are you?" Carmine remarked, a bit baffled by Ian's behavior.

"You're pushing it!" The Ibanescu head shouted while hitting the table in anger.

Carmine however signal to him to sit down again as he spoke, "Your family is quite successful, almost too successful. A lot of things happened around the city to facilitate your rise, an example of which is the war between us and a certain group. That's convenient now, isn't it?"

Ian smiled and nodded, "It really was. I almost want to thank that certain group for their actions, but they'll probably just take the chance to kill me.

If you're insinuating that I work with them or something similar... Well, that doesn't make much sense and I think you know that.

You see. I had a glimpse of what they were capable of, and I don't think their goal was actually exterminating the crime families. I am a master of the field myself, so I can guarantee that what they were doing is nothing but a distraction."

He was calm and collected as he spoke of his theories. He didn't mind giving them a bit of information as a show of willingness to collaborate. They can only take so many jokes after all.

Moreover, the information he gave might not necessarily be correct, but it likely is, especially with the recent mission with Batman, Ian easily deduced that the shadows' leader has acquired what he desired.

"Oh? A distraction from what?" Carmine questioned out of curiosity.

"That I do not know. I am sure that you'll figure it out yourself if you deem it necessary, you have more connections than me after all." Ian pointed out.

Carmine still has a few doubts as he questioned further, "You wouldn't have anything to do with the fall of the Sicilians, would you?"

"Of course not, I thought the Penguin was responsible. You have enough power to ask him a few questions even in prison, so you can verify that."

Ah, Ian was so glad he was asked that question because only then can he throw the bait. All it takes is an answer which he was given.

"Well, you see. What is strange about this is that he refused to tell me anything. He looked almost too scared to speak. I find that extremely strange because I know what kind of person he is, and what kind of person can make him experience such fear?"

Carmine spoke while observing Ian's expression carefully. All that he saw is surprise and interest as the latter muttered, "Now that's interesting. I guess I have someone else to thank."

Carmine seemed to have acquired all the information he needs as he moved on to the main topic, "You keep all the territory you acquired in the first half of the month while the rest will be divided by us as all things should be..."

"Say less, we have a deal." Ian almost instantly agreed, and Carmine wasn't surprised by that. He was in the field for such a long time that he'd look down on the Rose family if they refuse.

It was a good deal, and Ian knew that. There is a set of rules that the crime families abide by, and they take into consideration situations such as these. He was counting on them which is why the Rose family's expansion was so aggressive for the past month.

"Are you crazy!? Do you know how much territory they've acquired for the past month! They even took over the crime alley like starving fucking beasts!" Someone however was not happy, indeed, the Ibanescu head, Dragos Ibanescu.

Carmine let out a long sigh and spoke, "If you say one more word during the entire meeting... You're dead."

The Falcone family has their webs spread on every side of the city, so it rarely matters to them who controls the territory. They'll still benefit nonetheless. Of course, as long as their personal territory remains untouched.

"I guess I should say it now... Welcome to the underworld of Gotham, and may we have a bright future." Carmine then stated once he saw Dragos falling back on his chair in terror, perhaps the latter allowed his anger to control him, leading him to death's doorstep.

"And let's start the meeting. We have a lot to discuss starting with the Bat problem. This is a question I ask every meeting, do you have a way to get rid of him or find out his identity?"

A depressing silence overwhelmed the room instantly, and none spoke. Carmine on the other hand just took a long smoke with his cigar and just observed the absolute shit state of crime lords, all due to one man.

"So none again I take it... Well, I am the same, so I can't fault any of you." Carmine then eyed Ian, "You might not understand since your business and source of income is quite small and not that dangerous, but the Bat makes us lose almost half of our income a month.

Sometimes even leaves us at a loss, a significant loss... and that sometimes is becoming a common occurrence as of recently, as if he's been elevating his game.

Many of us are locked up in jail, and we can do nothing about it because he's waiting for us to move. Trust me, we've tried but ended up paying the price... Moreover, several crime lords fell by his hands."

Ian was thoughtful at the sound of the words, 'So Batman is successful in what he does, but the scale of the darkness in the city is way too big for his action to change its trajectory... What he achieved is already miraculous, but just not enough, and I think he realized that, so.'

Ian showed no change in expression as he just nodded in understanding.

They then moved on to discussing other things, mainly business.

Ian staying there means that the Rose family has formally joined their ranks as it should.

Some of them might not realize it but the Rose family is an absolute menace and headache to deal with. Carmine realized just how crazy the homeless can be, people who have nothing to lose but just gained something, they'd fight to the death to keep it.

"Boss!" However, they were soon interrupted by one of Carmine's subordinates.

Carmine took it calmly, knowing that none of his henchmen would even dare to do something like this if it wasn't important, "Speak."

"T-there is a body on the opposite side of the road, hung on the building, and there is something written on it by blood!" The henchman spoke as fast as he could out of fear though he did manage to stutter a bit before collecting himself.

Carmine frowned and stood and so did everyone, some were wary while others were confused, some even eyed Ian with caution.

Carmine was calmer than most as he ordered, "Go bring it down and search it before the police arrive... We'll wait here."

The underling gulped knowing exactly what that mean. If there is a bomb in it or a sniper somewhere, he'll be the one to suffer the consequences, a sheep sent for slaughter.

It had only taken a single glance at Carmine's cold eyes for the underling to obey. He really didn't have much of a choice, either certain death or potential death.

After a long wait of anxiety to some and tension to others, they received the news they were waiting for as Carmine muttered.

"So the body was just thrown out of the roof and remained dangled in the air by a rope... naked. The blood message only says 'Find Me... or?'"

He turned his attention to Ian and asked, "Is it for you? Or to be specific the Rose family?"

Ian contemplated the question for a bit before responding, "We didn't make many enemies since our commencement, so I am not sure... Unlikely."

He then started walking out, leaving the group with a few words, "I don't feel safe here after this, so I will be taking my leave, and we'll discuss things later."

The others followed suit, each leaving from a different exit with guards surrounding them.

Ian didn't walk far before picking up his phone, calling someone, and coldly saying, "Change of plans, kill the Penguin, then..."

...

Chapter 37: A Riddle To Be Solved

...

The sound of footsteps reverberated in the surroundings, many steps

The walking people came to a halt following their leader's example. Before them were a bunch of refrigerator units... They were in the morgue.

The leader was attired in a green suit, complemented by a green hat. He had a golden cane in his hands which seems to be useless because he seems to be able to walk just fine. Its shape was similar to that of a question mark.

"Open it." The man instructed one of his underlings, and the latter obeyed without a second thought and started walking towards a specific unit.

Somehow the leader's face contorted into a frown. He just had this bad feeling about all of this despite being confident about his plans.

His mind worked on deciphering all the possibilities before he started silently backtracking his steps. Some of his underlings did notice as they did the same.

A cue was heard, a faint sound that made everyone in the room freeze except for the leader who directly jumped out of the room while shouting, "Run!"

Then it happened, a loud boom and the whole building shook by the explosion, "AHHhHhhh... No no no! Why? This wasn't how it was supposed to go down! I don't understand!?"

The leader bellowed as he tried to stand up, feeling the pain in his leg, an exasperating amount of pain. He was barely able to move his leg, but luckily he had the cane with him.

He put most of his weight on it and slowly walked out of the building, but it didn't take long for some of his underling waiting outside to come rushing in and quickly take him out of the area.

Unfortunately, everyone else was dead, and the bodies in the morgue were destroyed.

"WHY? I don't understand! I left a bug on him, so why wasn't he asked anything?! Right! I need to calm down." The man tried to calm himself down, but the pain thought otherwise.

His men just drove him hastily towards their base, still tense because of what happened. He on the other hand just kept thinking back on all that happened.

He started targeting the Rose family for several reasons, but he knew he needed to remain hidden, so he did a little bit of manipulation, deduction, and investigation to get what he desires.

However, things soon went awry. His manipulation of the Penguin went to naught as the latter failed, all due to something unexpected happening.

He thought and thought and the only conclusion he came to is that the Rose family is in possession of a weapon of mass destruction. A weapon capable of destroying an entire building in a second, and he didn't believe for a second it was the result of some kind of bomb.

A period of observation then started, and he noticed the Rose family's aggression in the last month and several other actions that led to him believing that somehow the Rose leader have deduced that someone is behind the Penguin's strange actions.

He realized there and then that he was facing a worthy foe. Someone who isn't interested in fame to the point that even the family name is someone else's, specifically Ian Rose who seems to be the boss's right-hand man.

The man wanted to figure out who the Rose family's true leader is to the point that it almost became an obsession of his, so he used his power and influence to put a bug on the Penguin, just waiting for the day the Rose family comes for answers.

However, he listened and listened but only heard explosions and useless talk. Ones he heard the day of the Penguin's transfer to the courthouse as that specific trip was interrupted, and the Penguin simply died.

No one asked him any question, he was just put down. However, the man still didn't lose hope and listened as the body was transferred to the morgue.

He expected something similar to happen, so he planted the bug in an unreachable place despite the resistance of the Penguin.

And so, the body was washed and placed in the refrigerator unit, and that's all he had heard, so it made no sense to him that a bomb was in that specific unit.

'Someone saw through my means and expected my every move. I don't even know who is the Roses' leader and he probably doesn't either. He just played me like a toy, all based on my past actions.

He didn't need to know who I am, so he didn't bother asking the Penguin anything, he just killed him, but how did he expect I would visit the morgue? Wait...'

Perhaps his thoughts and the pain blinded his usual vision but the man only reacted once they already reached the base, "Wait! Turn around and leave right now!"

His screams confused his men as the driver pushed the brakes, coming to a full halt, not what the leader desires, "Why did you stop! Drive away from here!"

The driver sensed the tension and the panic he rarely sees in their leader, so he did as told though a bit too late as gunshots sounded from behind them.

The driver panicked and just drove away as bullets flew right through the car's back window nailing one of the henchmen in the head.

The driver drove into the base which appears to be just a worn-out warehouse and the gunshots stopped. "Gather all the men! Be ready to defend!"

However, nothing happened, no one came but the police and perhaps a dark shadow observing the surroundings.

The ones who fired on the other hand have already started their next course of action and waited for the final piece to arrive, and he just did, "How did it go?"

"We didn't have to do much, so it went perfectly. We followed them to a worn-out warehouse and forced them inside. A shootout against the cops should start at any moment."

Mike was the one to answer Ian's question. His face was a bit more stern, a month since the previous incident and Ian could tell that while he didn't grow out of the guilt yet, he has adapted it to it.

"Show me the picture," Ian said. The picture was that of his enemy, the green suit man. 'As I thought, it is who I thought it was.'

He noticed something else in the picture, it isn't very clear due to the vast distance it was taken from but he could see that the man was injured.

"Don't tell me he entered the morgue?" Ian was a bit confused as that was never his intention, he didn't think his target was stupid at all, so he assumed he'd send his men to search the body first.

"He did."

Ian looked at the picture again in confusion, 'Are my eyes deceiving me? It's definitely him, someone with extreme wits, so why? He's fucked in the head though, so that might be it.'

"I guess I can only ask him myself, and since he's injured, a change of plans is required," Ian muttered before nodding at Mike. They then got to work.

The shootout didn't last long as the lurker in the dark interfered, and the group could only look around at the dark corners, waiting for their turn.

"Dammit! Bat, you too?! I just want to ask some questions!" Indeed, their leader's mental state is certainly fucked as he bellowed in madness.

The Bat however just knocked him out, took a look at his face before leaving everything else to the cops, only God knows what he was thinking.

The ones still living and uninjured from the criminals were apprehended, put into a police car while the others were in an ambulance headed to the hospital.

The patients were transported to different ambulances and there were several due to the severity of the situation.

Two paramedics brought the passed-out green suit man to the ambulance, they got on and an officer followed inside as per normal procedure.

Several police vehicles followed alongside the ambulances as the medics inside started doing their job.

One of which injected his patient with a syringe which resulted in the patient waking up, all due to the syringe.

The officer next to them remained seated there with his eyes closed as one of the medics muttered, "The Riddler I believe?"

...

Chapter 38: It Was Never A Riddle

...

The officer next to them remained seated there with his eyes closed as one of the medics muttered, "The Riddler I believe?"

The patient was still a bit dazed, so he just muttered, "W-what?"

The medic lifted his hand and just slapped the patient without a second thought, basically baffling him and fully waking him up.

"You're the Riddler I believe?" The medic asked again.

The Riddler eyed the medic with confusion, barely holding himself from flinching due to the pain in his leg, "How... do you know?"

"Hmm, perhaps the pain is muddling your thought process? Allow me to help you." As he said that, the medic brought a different syringe and a vial, he filled the syringe with the solution in the vial and injected the Riddler.

"Just relax. this will get rid of the pain." Afterward, the medic waited for a while until the Riddler got his clarity back.

He kept eyeing that specific medic then his surroundings before his eyes shone with understanding, "You're the Roses' head? You planned all of this out?"

"Indeed, and you're the Riddler? The one who has been a headache for the Bat for the last few months, leaving dead bodies with some kind of riddle on them?" The medic specified.

An almost obsessive smile surfaced on the Riddle's face as he came to a conclusion, "I see... I understand now. You didn't need to ask the Penguin anything because you already concluded who I am... All due to the body.

It was all my mistake, I assumed you'd want to get more information about me other than the name I go by. However, the word 'Riddler' was enough for you."

The medic glanced at the Riddler's obsessive eyes in understanding as well, "And I see why your actions were a tad bit stupid. You allowed your obsession to control you. My nonsensical actions were a riddle you wished to solve."

The Riddler nodded with what looked like happiness, finally meeting someone who can understand him to this extent, "Not just that, I wanted to know who you are, so would you mind allowing me to know of your name?"

The medic had the usual medic mask on as well as a hat basically hiding most of his face, only showing his confused brown eyes, "Even you? I swear it's not intentional. Everyone just assumes that I am not the leader despite my last name being the family name."

"Excuse me?" The Riddler muttered in bafflement, his mouth was agape as the medic took off his mask and hat showing his handsome face, silky dark hair, a facial expression of someone he observed for a long time.

"You're Ian Rose? But how?"

"I want to know why would you think otherwise, I mean, I may not be smart but I think a lot, something very few people do. I'd also like to think I have the charisma to lead and I am talented in acquiring what I desire."

Ian was genuinely confused. He could understand the crime lords thinking that due to how he behaved but...

The Riddler's mouth kept opening and closing for a while before a word could come out of his mouth, "I guess I expected more?"

Ian frowned and remained silent for a few seconds, however, it seemed that the roast didn't offend him as he just moved on, "Why did you target us? Couldn't you just keep your attention on Batman so we don't have a problem?"

"Oh I see, this is why you're really here. You're like me, you want to know." He mumbled like a maniac before answering, "I just saw your potential, someone who leads all of those that are oppressed, a horrible power to have, and I wanted that."

Ian narrowed his eyes and contemplated the answer for a minute or so, "I don't believe you at all... Why did you target us?"

The Riddler let out a small laugh, "You really do take your time to think things through. How about I answer your question if you answer mine, what's your goal."

Ian closed his eyes for a second before letting out a sigh, "I guess I really can't get the answers I want from you, but really, I find smart people to be incredibly predictable to a frightening degree,"

He then looked at the confused Riddler and added, "A riddle, that's your goal, you want to use Rose's power to construct a city-scaled riddle. Your actions have already told me that."

"Then why ask me in the first place? Is it..."

"Yes, I wanted to see whether you'll answer some of my questions, but I guess I have to use secondary means despite them not possibly giving me all the answers I want."

Ian turned his attention to the officer. The latter picked up the signal and handed him a plastic evidence bag.

"I know of some of your achievements... You're really good at what you do, so I gotta wonder, how wonderful is your stash? Your collection? Someone like you will certainly hide somewhere hidden, not your base, that's for sure."

"Hehe, and you think I'd leave any trace in my phone," From a laugh to a sinister look, The Riddler spoke, "You're looking down on me way too much."

Ian looked calm throughout the interaction, then, "Pffft hahaha, sorry I couldn't hold myself back... Yes, I am looking down on you, and it's deserved, don't you think? Moreover, I only need your identity."

Ian didn't have to take off the Riddler's mask to look at his face because it has already been done, he just took a picture of his face.

"Psychology, a wonderful thing isn't it? I studied it a bit and the rest of what I know about it came from simply thinking and observing... People don't do that much, do they? They tend to ignore things as do I... Until I start thinking and things tend to solve itself out in my mind."

"What are you getting into?" The riddler asked, his tone sounding a bit fearful. His body was tense, but he simply couldn't move it much. Whatever Ian had done to him, limited his freedom.

"Do you know why Batman doesn't kill? I do. I also don't think he minds that much of someone killing someone evil as long as he doesn't do that. It's almost as if he's afraid of crossing a line, and I have a very good idea of what crossing that line might do to him.

What am getting at is that I don't think that applies to me. I've never killed someone, but I am already insane, so can it get any worse?"

"Wait! Just wait, please! You don't have to do this, we can even work together! Imagine what we could accomplish." The Riddler begged for his life, his tone almost reeking of insanity.

Ian ignored him and just picked up another vial and a different syringe, "I do believe in reformation. I think people can change with time."

"Then why!? I can't go down like this! I... I expected it something so much more splendid..."

Ian filled the syringe with the vial liquid and responded, "I just believe that more often than not, they'll change for the worst than the opposite."

"Wha.." Ian ignored the Riddler's response and just injected him with the syringe.

"It had to happen eventually. I had to do it, and what better time to do it than now?" Ian then just watched as the man's soul left his body, as life left behind a dead still warm body.

"Hmm..." Ian hummed to himself then closed his eyes after putting back the medic mask hat, not showing any reaction at all.

Time passed and the ambulance arrived at the hospital. Ian and his friendly medic carried the patient into the hospital, following along was the officer.

Many other ambulances soon followed and they started informing each other of who survived the way. Many died including the man known as Edward Nygma.

Ian then just left, he just walked into the hospital garage and got into a car that drove him and his fellow colleague out of there.

'Death isn't so bad after all... A hollow experience that just happens. I guess I never needed to hesitate. After all, how much more can an insane person get?'

Oh, they can get plenty more insane to horrifying degrees. The question is how much crazier did he get? Or perhaps...

...

Chapter 39: But Why?

...

"The Joker huh," Ian muttered.

"Yeah, he's a very successful new criminal. He doesn't seem to be much but he seems to like stealing from the crime families, probably a crazy person.

There were even rumors that he was once in Arkham Asylum, but he just escaped. There was someone like him who was operating in Gotham but was caught by batman I think? I am not really sure. It shouldn't be hard to find out if we investigate him thoroughly." Mike added before taking a sip of coffee.

"It makes you think really, how much of a shithole this city is to give birth to maniacs every day. Every kind of degeneracy occurs every day as if it's a common occurrence, yeah, it's freaking cursed." Barney also stated his opinion before taking a huge bite from the massive hamburger in his hands.

"So what should we do about him? The Falcones commissioned us to find any information about him, specifically his location." Ralf asked.

The Rose family network of information was understandably terrifying. What happens when thousands of the homeless work for you, and spread throughout the city, keeping an eye if anything happens? Very few things become unknown to you.

And the thing is that the information network is only getting larger and larger, especially since the Rose family came to officially rule half of the east end of Gotham.

"Keep an eye on his whereabouts, but don't tell the Falcones anything. Let him mess with them for a while, as long as he doesn't target us of course, and he has yet to do that." Ian contemplated it for a bit before instructing.

All the boys were assembled in the middle of the night in Cat's rest. Despite how far they've come, each of them still lives in the same building, the second floor.

"Ian..." Ralf strangely said while staring at his phone, seemingly seeing something bizarre, "I think we might've something strange."

"Oh, where?" Ian directly asked, his eyes were almost shining with curiosity.

"The message has been sent by the 9th group, so it should be near the central city, but still in the east end."

"Ok, let's see what it's about." Ian didn't bother to ask any more questions, he just started making his way there.

Ralf himself didn't have the answers because that's not how it works. He was simply sent a coded message that means something bizarre has happened.

The information in the Rose family moves mainly by letters, writings, not through the internet because Ian knows the risk of the latter.

So many powers in the world can get access to his entire information network if he were to go with that route.

The letters most often than not get destroyed after they've been read, the ones that are too important are saved in the collection chamber.

They traveled directly towards a secondary Rose base near the area, and one of the family members was already waiting for them there. He was fidgeting and moving around in nervousness.

Ian knows the man and knows his current behavior is unusual for him. That could only mean that what they found was that bizarre.

Ian got out of the car, and so did the others, attracting everyone's attention. There were many people around, but all worked for them, it was that late at night.

"Calm down, and tell me what you found and where it is," Ian stated, calming the man's mind a bit.

"Well... She's inside..."

Ian raised his brow in interest, "She? Start from the beginning, tell me what's happened."

"Right... Today days ago, a nearby experimental facility has exploded, I think they were experimenting on some kind of botanist shit or something, I don't really know what that means though."

"Yeah, get to the point."

"Right... We already informed you of the explosion and started investigating the area before the police arrive, but we didn't have enough time to find anything, so we had to retreat for the moment until they finish their investigation. You know how the police commissioner is, hardworking and honest right?"

Ian's face almost flinched seeing the guy still going on a tandem of unnecessary information, "Make it quick."

"I am almost there, so don't worry. Anyway, the police did their fair share of investigation before leaving only a few officers on the scene with the rescue team as they had to take all the wreckage out in search for survivors." He seemed to have no common sense, perhaps because of how he grew up amidst the homeless.

"Ralf left the handling of the situation to me, so I just used our influence to forc... instruct some of the rescue team to inform us if they found anything, for a price of course. They found several scientists' bodies, and they also found her."

Ian followed after the man inside into a specific room. A few underlings were guarding and only he and the group could get in.

"Her appearance is... bizarre to say the least, but the strange thing is what happened when they tried to come close to her. We were only able to transport her here because of Marry." The man further added.

Ian got to see what they found right after that. He found Marry already inside. She is one of the core family members and is responsible for looking over their side of the territory, overseeing the airhead next to him.

"Marry." Ian nodded at her.

"Boss!" Marry seemed to be just an average looking late thirty years old lady. She bowed before him and warned, "Please don't approach her, it's dangerous."

"Explain." Ian kept his eyes on the sleeping lady on the bed as he instructed.

"She responds violently if any man even came close to her." She let out a sigh of relief seeing he didn't misunderstand her and started explaining.

"Isn't she asleep, and what is she wearing?" Barney questioned with curiosity.

Marry started approaching the sleeping lady while saying, "She doesn't let any man get close to her at all, but that doesn't seem to be a problem for women except if they try to touch her. We had to carefully push a stretcher underneath her to transport her here."

Her hand then approached the lady, trying to touch her. Before she can react however, she found green vines tightly surrounding her hand but also her neck.

Mike instantly pulled out his gun and aimed at the lady only to be stopped by Ian. The latter just watched as Marry slowly retreated and so did the vines.

"She somehow is able to generate those things from her clothes which I think are created by plants." Marry was strangely not finding all of this that weird, I guess growing up in such a strange world can do that to people.

'Poison Ivy huh.' Ian thought as he started approaching the lady, "Ralf, take over the situation here and get everything that's found in the explosion site.

The thing that turned her to this might still be there, or perhaps some kind of research that we can use. Just find why the explosion happened in the first place."

Ian still approached as many more vines appeared surrounding her, just waiting for him to come closer.

"Boss?" Marry questioned, a bit baffled by his actions.

"Will it kill me?" Ian curiously questioned.

"No? The ones who approached her were just pushed back violently. Only one of them ended up breaking a bone, the rest were only mildly injured." She explained in hope he doesn't do anything unnecessary.

She succeeded because Ian expected the opposite, 'They survived? Too bad, I guess I'd survive as well and end up just hurting myself. If it was the opposite though, I'd be curious to see how my power would reverse that.'

Just as Ian wanted to retreat, he noticed something peculiar. The vines that were surrounding her started approaching him themselves, slowly but surely.

It was like they had a life of their own as they slowly closed the distance, seeming unsure and in hesitation.

One of the vines seemed to have gathered courage and reached him all alone. It gently came in contact with his skin which triggered it to hastily surround his hand as if it had sensed something.

That was the Cue for the rest of the vines to approach him and surround him from all around.

Before anyone in the room can act, Ian stopped them as he instructed, "Don't do anything. Just leave the room."

"But?" "Just do as I saw. You know I will be okay."

They were forced to leave seeing him frowning at their hesitation. No one wants to go against a fucking maniac.

'This is certainly strange. What attracted them to act in such a way.' Ian was very curious about that question as he observed some other vines act as legs for the lady bringing her to his embrace, and making sure her skin touches his.

"Ahh, ok. But why?"

...

Chapter 40: Answers

...

"Ahh, ok. But why?" Ian was utterly confused. It was as if the plants had noticed something he haven't.

However, they were plants after all, and despite how conscious they may look, they only work on instinct, so they understood nothing of what he said.

Their only action after that was to tighten the two's embrace and make sure every part of her skin is in contact with his.

Unfortunately, Ian was used to leaving very little of his skin shown. He had gloves on, a long-sleeved shirt, and a coat on top of that. The vines didn't try to change that, they were very gentle when in contact with Ian.

'Hmm Ian, what it is that you do when you find yourself confused with something? You just think.' He indeed followed his own advice and started thinking, why is this happening?

'Could it be that I don't actually have life force absorption? Otherwise, why would the plant life of hers act in such a way? It wouldn't actually be seeking its own demise? It would be the opposite.

If it's not that, then why did Selina feel that way, my power shouldn't have anything to do with pleasure, that'd make no sense.

However, when I had one-night stands in my previous world, while my dates often end up passing out, that'd only happen in like 40 minutes into the action.

My dick is big, but not to that degree, I don't have a two-foot snake Excalibur that somehow ends up stretching their bellies or whatever insane shit happens in people's fantasy.

Now that I think about it, they never saw themselves passing out as a bad thing. They just considered it the best night of their lives, and now that my power somehow got stronger, almost causing Selina to pass out with a single kiss...

I've abstained from sex for months unintentionally just because of everything that's happening. I've arrived at such a magical world, so sex was the least of my concerns, but what would happen if I do have sex? Can that even happen without my partner passing out in the first minute?'

The more Ian thought about it, the more his head hurt and the darker his future looked, to the point that he ignored the woman in his arms slightly moving, hugging him tighter as if she found his embrace to be warm salvation for her.

Ian let out a sigh before shaking his head, 'Whatever. I will surely be able to live without sex if it comes to it... I hope.'

Ian did his best to walk to the bed and take a seat despite the lady hugging him limiting his movement.

Perhaps that movement was a little bit too much because as he glanced at her again, he was faced with exceptionally luminous green eyes, staring at him with perplexity.

Her stupor was soon over as her face paled in the realization of her current position. Her confusion turned to fear, then into anger, "Wha!? You! Die!" Her words were a jumbled mess, all due to the close proximity to him, a man, something she hates.

Death however never came. Her power was that of nature, yet her cries have fallen to deaf ears.

'Oh? So she didn't just gain her power, then what was she doing in the facility?' Ian was understandably a bit confused about that, but what baffled him more is why her power didn't work.

It was like the vines surrounding them suddenly have no consideration for her commands.

She was not only baffled but also fearful, her creamy face paled even further as she ordered again, "Kill him!"

Yet nothing happened again as Ian got distracted just observing her, 'She's real, not just a character of someone's imagination. I guess I didn't give much thought to how I ended up in an imaginary world... Hmm, I will just think about it later, for now.'

Ian just observed as she paled in fear though even that wasn't able to hide a red hue on her cheeks. She was almost shaking as she weakly asked, "What have you done to me? Why can't I move or do anything?"

It was all too much of a shock for her. She could feel her body's weak state and that strange sensation coursing through her.

Her natural assumption was that she was drugged but she knows poison and other chemicals don't work on her, so she was even more bewildered, especially when in consideration that the man before her could just do whatever he wants with her.

Ian raised his brow at that, "You can't move? Well, that's not my fault."

She misunderstood His words which made her more fearsome of the worst as she pleaded, "Please let me go! Or just kill me, please?"

'It seems that she's quite traumatized by men to the point she'd prefer death over my touch... However.'

Ian let out a sigh, "Unfortunately my lady, I am the one who should be making that request. Please let me go."

"What?"

"Please let me go. Those vines of yours are responsible for all of this, so please order them to let me go or something."

"That can't be? You're lying! Just get this over with!"

Ian shook his head, noticing she was too worked up. Her mind was certainly not in the right place, and he couldn't blame her considering her circumstances.

He ignored her and spoke to another thing in the room, "Hi! Dear plants and vines and whatever, mind letting me go? I have a lot to attend you know."

And yet again, nothing changed forcing Ian to shout for the people outside, "Ralf! Come In."

Ralf was waiting for a cue as he didn't trust whatever supernatural thing the lady was, so he instantly came in, finding himself faced with a strange scene. "What's going on?"

It was the scene of the seated Ian with the lady in his embrace, her legs were surrounding him like a koala and her arms were around his neck. He could also see numerous vines surrounding them.

"It's complicated, but it should be alright in the morning I hope. Anyway, I will be stuck here in the meantime, so the 'things' I prepared will be left for you. Make sure to follow the exact plan, I will be there for the final steps... Also, if you notice anything strange, don't hesitate to kill."

Ralf knew exactly what he was talking about, and he trusts Ian the most, so he didn't hesitate to leave and close the door behind him.

The lady started gaining some clarity back. His words led her to believe that just perhaps she is misunderstanding the situation, but the panic flowing through her entire body due to the intimate contact with him still made her a bit worked up.

Ian decided to take control of the situation as he ordered the lady, "Command the plants to take off my gloves."

"Wh-why?" She stuttered.

"Just do it. I mean you're gorgeous and the position we're in is... Well, let's just say I want to figure out something more than staying like this, so do as I say."

She didn't hesitate for long before doing as he said, commanding the vines with her mind and to her surprise, it worked.

The vines that were holding them a close with little freedom of movement took his gloves off, perhaps because that's also their wishes.

Ian noticed that he had a little bit of freedom afterward, he could move his hands a bit. It was as if the vines wanted to see what he'd do.

And what he did is simply caress the lady's cheek with his hand, stunning her for a second. Before she could say anything however, he asked, "How does it feel? Why do these things want you to come in contact with me?"

"I don't know?"

"Just focus and calm down please."

She at least started feeling safe around only to the point she could think clearly. She closed her eyes and closely sensed where her feeling of weakness comes from, how his caressing feels.

Ian eyed her weirdly as she got lost in her daze, somehow bringing her hands above his, seemingly to make sure he continue to caress her. Not only that, she tightened the hug on her own accord in sought of more skin contact.

Perhaps that would've gone on forever if Ian didn't wake her up, "Just what's happening? Hello!?"

He just couldn't enjoy the situation, especially knowing the answers to how his power works are right before him, and that says a lot considering he has a thing for redheads.

"Eh?" She almost jumped in surprise at his voice, and only then did she come to a realization of what she was doing, and well, she was quite embarrassed, her cheeks had a blush almost as red as her lovely hair.

"Just tell me how you felt, I am curious." Ian gently spoke, his eyes shining in desire for answers.

She thought about it and came to a realization as to why this is happening as she eyed his handsome healthy face in wonder, what made her confused is how he isn't a dry corpse by now.

She regained a bit of her calmness and contemplated her situation under his patient eyes, and only then did she speak, "I don't understand what exactly is happening but I am sucking your life force..."

"Hmm, say what?" Ian's face couldn't help but twitch at the implication. He doesn't actually want to die, so that was certainly not good news for him, "That doesn't make much sense though, why would you feel weak due to that."

Her face flinched due to his question as she weakly responded, "Well... because It's too much I think? I am absorbing way too much of your life force which somehow led to me feeling weak and... Just weak."