Villain: The Creator's Revolt

Chapter 5: The Despicable Woman

After a long silence, Amanda stared into the fire and spoke calmly.

"Once everything is confirmed, I owe you a few lives. I killed your subordinates… and your woman."

Sean raised an eyebrow, then grinned. "Very good. Since you're aware of that, how about making it up to me? Risk your life for me a few more times—or better yet, just sleep with me."

Amanda frowned. "Forget the latter. And I'm starting to regret this—because you don't seem to care about those people's lives at all."

Human lives? Did they even matter in Paradise City?

Sean had just arrived in this world—he had no attachment to those who died. His concern was for immediate survival and future gains.

Of course, that wasn't entirely true.

"Yeah, I don't care—" Sean shrugged nonchalantly. "Cheryl has died for me six or seven times already, but this time, you made sure she was gone for good… Haha. Bad news and good news. Which do you want first?"

Amanda remained silent, clearly uninterested in playing his little word games.

Sean smirked. "The bad news? I'll have an old mother, blind in one eye, crying herself into losing the other. The good news? I'm rich and powerful, so supporting one more useless person doesn't bother me."

Amanda's expression flickered slightly, but her lips tightened. "The last enhancement ability, [Weakness] + [Veto]... That was Cheryl, wasn't it?"

Sean chuckled. "You came to arrest me, but you don't even know the people around me?"

"Enemies are enemies. My only target is you. Those who try to stop me, those who try to kill me, are enemies. I don't regret it, but I will make up for it."

Sean leaned back and smiled. "So, now we're on the same side again?"

Amanda turned her head away. "We'll see—after I confirm a few things in your dark room."

"I like definitive statements," Sean mused, standing up. He glanced outside, where a thick purple mist covered the landscape, then turned back to Amanda. "Where exactly are we in the Great Rift?"

He recognized this place. When it was developed, there were several hidden 'Easter eggs' in the Great Rift map.

The only problem? One of those special locations was a place Sean had died before.

Amanda would soon face a dangerous trial, one that would unleash her hidden potential—but the aftermath would be lethal for Sean, who was still mostly an ordinary person.

Luckily, he knew the plot. He had even helped design the layout of this world. If things worked out, he could avoid the dangers and claim some of those hidden treasures… assuming this real world followed the same logic as the game.

Amanda studied the landscape. "I don't know the full layout, but this should be above Block 13 of the city."

Block 13? Sean's eyes lit up. That was close to where an Easter egg was hidden.

After a brief moment of thought, he pulled out his dagger and began carving on the dirty, tattered wooden floor.

Amanda watched in silence. Her initial confusion shifted into surprise.

A few minutes later, Sean straightened up, admiring his work—a detailed map, carved into the floor.

"Time is short, so this is just a rough draft."

Amanda's breath caught. Just a draft?

She had seen the maps of the Great Rift at the [Academy] before coming here. The massive earthquake that split Paradise City had created this treacherous abyss, filled with toxic gas and hidden dangers. Even the Academy had only mapped out the safer mining routes.

But Sean… he had just drawn a map far more detailed than anything the Academy had.

How was that possible? The Academy was supposed to be the brains of Paradise City. The [Golden Ghosts] were the ones who fought and killed. Yet, this man—this cocky, reckless man—had knowledge that outclassed them all.

Sean crouched down and pointed at the map. "Look at the terrain here. We're at this spot. Now, we need to go… here."

He pointed to the center of the map.

Amanda frowned. "This location—it's deeper inside the Rift. It doesn't lead out of the city or into the Golden Ghosts' territory. What's there?"

Sean smirked. "Something that belongs to me. And no one knows this, but when the city was first built, an underground sewer system was installed. Almost all the pipes collapsed during the Rift's formation—except for one."

He looked at Amanda with a mischievous glint in his eye. "It leads straight to my bedroom. That way, even if my older brother is still unconscious, we can sneak in unnoticed. You can confirm it yourself—then we can have a more in-depth conversation."

A breeze stirred Sean's hair as Amanda shot him a disdainful look.

"Drop the idea of sleeping with me."

Sean sighed dramatically. "You wound me."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "You can lock up other people, but don't think you can cage me." She turned and walked toward the exit. "Fine. I'll do as you say."

Sean shrugged, watching her leave. Just as he was about to follow, he paused and glanced back at the map.

After a moment's thought, he bent down and carved something extra with his dagger. Then, nodding in satisfaction, he stood up.

"Just in case… Hey, wait for me, you despicable woman! I'm a dead man if I get left behind!"

---

One Day Later

The dilapidated building welcomed new visitors.

A group of people in bird-beak masks moved through the space, searching carefully.

Their leader knelt down, running a gloved hand over the ashes on the floor. Then, his gaze landed on the freshly carved map.

Through the holes in his mask, his deep blue eyes flashed with recognition.

"Copy it." His voice was cold and sharp. "Then… we hunt."

---

Meanwhile

Amanda tossed a bundle of colorful fruits onto the shabby shack's wooden floor.

"The bottom of the Rift is filled with poison gas. These are the only things we can eat."

Sean, physically exhausted, picked up a fruit and eyed it warily. "This isn't going to be bitter like last time, is it?"

Amanda shot him a withering look. "This isn't your territory. People in Paradise City don't care about taste."

Sean snorted. "Oh, really? Then why are you 'kindly' offering me these fruits while keeping all the dry food to yourself?"

Amanda smirked but quickly wiped it away. "The dry food's finished. And these actually taste good this time."

Sean narrowed his eyes. There was juice on her lips. She had thrown the fruit at him too quickly. If it was actually delicious, would this woman have shared it so easily?

His suspicions grew as he watched her.

Amanda wiped her mouth, then—almost as if sensing his thoughts—gave him an innocent, offended look. She gathered the fruits, picked one up, and took a bite.

Her eyes curved into a crescent moon shape as she smiled in genuine enjoyment.

Sean hesitated… then took a bite himself.

A wave of unbearable sourness hit him like a punch to the face. His entire body shuddered as he gagged.

"What the—?! Shit!" He spat the fruit out.

When he looked up, he saw Amanda doing the exact same thing.

She wiped her lips, shivering, but then gave him a smug grin.

"Wow… so sour."

Sean stared at her, stunned.

This despicable woman…