"Listen, son. This job is not easy. Your life is at stake here."

The lighting in that place was very poor compared to the previous intersection, but there was no problem seeing where she turned her head.

Getting out of the car, she went deeper and found many shabby houses inside the dark alley.

"Are you sure?"

Under the shadows creeping up the wall, the woman repeated her question once more. Her voice that was so soft seemed to sneak into the soul of a child standing in a hidden corner.

"Y-Yes. Uncle told me to wait here." the boy replied nervously, his voice almost lost among the clinking streetlights that kept flickering as if the streetlights' life was about to end.

Realizing that there was nothing she could do, the woman gave a gentle nod to respect the boy's choice at first, but that all changed after he said something that caught her attention. 

Walking through the darkness that lay before her, the woman was immediately struck by the presence of a mysterious man when she arrived there. Reflexively, the woman hurriedly jumped back to keep her distance. With her self-defense looking so strong, the woman then threatened the man with a knife at almost the same time. 

The woman's gaze was even sharper than before. 

"Who are you?!"

Even so...

"That wound..."

Like an inherent instinct, her one free hand moved slowly towards the butt of the pistol under her dark clothes. However, the wounds on the man's face showed traces of long-lost memories. Wounds that not only showed physical scars, but also traces of emotions she had once felt. At that very moment, she recognized it as a symbol of someone who was not just an acquaintance, but someone who had made a great contribution to her life.

"Karsa? Is that you?"

"Never show your fear to the enemy. Remember that well." the man's voice was firm, contrasting with his face which remained emotionless, "I've trained him before, so he might be of some use. Is this the lady's request?"

"You're asking me? Shouldn't you know why I came here? There are so many dead kliwon children, Karsa. And from now on, their numbers will continue to dwindle."

Hearing those words, Karsa was silent for a moment, trying to remain calm even though part of her heart was shaken.

"So it wasn't because of that old woman's order? Asih, did you betray her?"

Asih shook her head slowly, her eyes and voice reflecting the conviction in her answer. She then carefully explained the reasons behind her risky actions. She was worried that waiting any longer would have uncontrollable repercussions. That was why she had to act now.

However, Karsa was not completely convinced. Karsa then added some questions to the conversation. He wanted to understand the situation more deeply. He watched Asih's face carefully, looking for signs of truth in the woman's eyes. Every word that came out of Asih's mouth had such a convincing meaning, and Karsa tried to understand it.

In the tension that filled the dark hallway, the two people stared at each other. Karsa's face showed uncertainty, realizing that Asih might be facing a difficult situation.

Silence fell over the moment, as if the hallway itself bore witness to the choice Asih was about to make. Although her words were spoken firmly, she realized that every action carries risks. In that silence, Asih felt the weight of the decision she had to make.

Finally, Karsa broke the silence with a quiet voice. Although he ended the conversation, his doubts still remained. Both realized that the line between choice and consequence was blurring.

"Take this child with you. If I find anyone else willing to become that woman's follower, I'll let you know. Now leave. You shouldn't be here."