So no, he wasn’t scary to her.
But to humans? That was a different story.
"How can you say that?" Tian asked, his voice tense. His hand on the railing was shaking. "You don’t even know what he’s capable of."
Medeia watched him silently, noticing the way he struggled to breathe, the way fear was creeping into his body.
"Tian," she said gently, her tone more serious now. "Do you know who’s scarier than Satan?"
She paused, her blue eyes locked on him. "Humans. Humans are far more terrifying than any demon."
Sure, Satan devoured children. But who gave him those children?
The answer was obvious: humans.
Those filthy humans were the ones gathering all the children, whether from their own sect or from women who had chosen to abort their babies.
The ones who killed those children? Also humans.
All while Satan sat on his fake throne, watching the show like it was entertainment.
Just by looking at the wound on Tian’s neck, Medeia could tell right away that he had been one of the sacrificial lambs.
Maybe one of the failed ones.
"Have you seen him?" Medeia asked. "Satan."
Tian was quiet for a moment before replying, "I’m not sure."
Maybe that meant he didn’t know if what he saw was really Satan or just some man dressed in a costume.
"Then there’s nothing to be afraid of," Medeia said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "Satan isn’t real. Those people in cults, they’re just worshipping an idea. That’s all.
"All the terrible things you saw, those weren’t demons. Just humans pretending to be something more."
She was about to step forward when Tian suddenly said, "But you’re real."
His words hit her like a bucket of cold water. Without turning around, she replied, "Oh? And what’s that supposed to mean?"
"You ..." Tian stood on the stairs, watching her carefully as she moved deeper into the dark cellar. "... You’re not Miss Medeia."
Then she let out a soft laugh that sounded cold. The sound echoed through the underground space, almost like the voice of a demon from hell.
She turned her head slightly, just enough to look at him over her shoulder. "So," she said with a grin, "who am I?"
From the beginning, Medeia had always wondered why Tian acted so cold around her.
Naomi once told her, "He’s like that with everyone." But Medeia wasn’t so sure.
There was something different in the way he looked at her, like he wanted her to keep her distance.
And that was strange, considering everyone in the village still treated her kindly, even after her change.
Before she became one of the Lost, people used to call her a saintess.
Her personality had shifted, yes, but most still showed her warmth and respect.
Everyone ... except Tian.
He had been distant from the very first day she arrived.
"A demon." Tian finally stepped off the stairs, but he didn’t come any closer. "You’re a demon who stole Miss Medeia’s body."
The smile on Medeia’s face grew wider. She tilted her head slightly, locking eyes with Tian’s eyes that now looked like they were filled with fear. "My, my ... what an interesting young man."
She didn’t bother hiding the truth. There was no point. Tian already believed what he saw, and even if she tried to explain, he wouldn’t believe her.
He wasn’t just some normal human.
Or maybe ... a system host?
[The system wants to run a beta version before the upgrade reaches 100%.]
[Ding! Ding! Another system detected nearby.]
[Estimated distance: 2 meters.]
Medeia lowered her gaze, doing a quick mental calculation of the space between them.
She had always thought Lucian might be the one with a system. That would’ve made sense.
He didn’t even seem that strong.
"Do you have someone who talks in your head 24/7?" Medeia asked. "That’s not a demon."
"I know," Tian replied.
He stepped back slightly when Medeia walked toward him.
"Why are you suddenly afraid of me?" Medeia grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. "Don’t worry, I’m not gonna bite you."
They had known each other for a few months now, so it didn’t make sense for him to suddenly be scared of her just because she admitted she wasn’t the real Medeia.
"I’m not afraid of you!" Tian snapped, brushing her hand away with an annoyed huff.
"If I was scared of you, do you really think I would’ve followed you down into the cellar?"
Medeia shrugged. "Well, I thought you might do something like ... I don’t know, an exorcism or something."
Then she added, "But let me save you the trouble. My soul can’t be separated from this body anymore. Your Medeia is gone. Don’t waste your time trying to bring her back."
"I won’t," Tian muttered, clicking his tongue. "I didn’t even know her that well."
He had just found out she wasn’t the real Medeia, but he was already talking like it didn’t bother him at all.
She didn’t want him to be afraid of her, true—but still ... It felt strange.
It was weird to see someone act so casually after learning such a huge secret.
Before she could ask anything else, the familiar sound of the system echoed in her mind.
[Ding! Ding! The system will now provide a brief report about the nearest system.]
Type: Prediction & Soul Reading System
– Random glimpses into the future
– Ability to read the emotions, desires, and truth within a person’s heart and soul
He could see the future and understand the truth inside a person’s heart and soul?
Did that mean Medeia’s heart was so filthy and broken that Tian could tell she wasn’t the real Saintess Medeia?
No, put that aside for a moment.
Why did his system have a name, while hers didn’t?
[The system also has a name, Host ...]