Villain: The Creator's Revolt

Chapter 6: Obtaining the Easter Egg

"What are your hobbies?"

Sean sighed, clearly annoyed as they resumed their journey after a brief rest.

Amanda smirked, completely unfazed. "I tasted it when I picked it earlier. No way I'm suffering alone."

Sean shot her a sideways glance. "So because you got caught in the rain, you think it's fair to tear up someone else's umbrella?"

"Exactly! Great analogy. From now on, you're mine."

He rolled his eyes. "I'll let you borrow my golden words for free if you let me sleep with you."

Amanda's smirk widened. "Next time, the fruit will be poisonous."

Sean sighed. "Noted."

Despite their constant back-and-forth, there was an oddly natural rhythm to their exchanges, a strange kind of harmony.

But as they ventured deeper into the heart of the ruins, Sean's tone shifted. He no longer had the patience for banter.

"Listen," he said quietly, scanning the area. "From here on out, don't use your powers, and don't activate your energy blade."

Amanda frowned. "Why?"

"There's a creature in this area—one that's extremely sensitive to energy fields. It's absurdly strong. We're just passing through, not picking a fight."

Amanda gave a small nod, accepting his reasoning. He seemed to know what he was doing, so it made sense to follow his lead.

Still, curiosity got the better of her. "For someone as weak as you, you sure know a lot about this place."

Sean shot her a deadpan look. "You could've just asked without the insult."

She shrugged. "I'm just stating facts."

"Wonderful." Sean sighed. "The only sewer system leads straight to my bedroom, and that monster you're so concerned about? It feeds on the free energy carried by the toxic gas in the area. As long as we don't disturb it, we're fine."

Amanda raised an eyebrow. "You sure know a lot about a place like this."

Sean rolled his eyes. "Because I designed the damn thing."

She blinked. "Wait, what?"

Sean ignored her, continuing forward.

Amanda crossed her arms. "Okay, but besides the monster, are there any other creatures around here?"

"Yeah. The Spitters."

"Spitters?"

"One of the punishments in Paradise City involves tossing criminals into a massive ravine. Over time, some of them survived and made a home down there. They're called Spitters."

"Oh. And how do they survive?"

Sean smirked. "Same way everyone does—eating, sleeping, and playing Doudou( A board game)."

Amanda gave him a blank look. "Who's Doudou, and why do they play with him?"

Sean chuckled. "Doudou isn't a person. It's just a saying."

"Oh." Amanda narrowed her eyes. "And how did you find this place?"

"Because I'm smart, handsome, and adventurous."

Amanda snorted. "Uh-huh. And where do they get food from?"

Sean sighed. "Can we just walk in silence for a bit?"

Amanda grinned but said nothing more as they pressed on.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a rusted, crumbling gate. Above it, the barely legible sign read: Municipal Zoo.

What had once been a thriving zoo was now nothing more than a skeleton of its former self. Vines—dark purple and unnatural—crept along every available surface.

Amanda took it all in, but Sean was already moving forward.

After a few moments, she turned to him. "Hey, I haven't seen any of those Spitters you mentioned."

Sean glanced ahead. "They're further in."

"Oh. Then—"

"If you say 'why' one more time, I swear—"

Amanda smirked. "Touchy."

Sean sighed, clearly exhausted from the conversation. But as they walked deeper into the ruins, something caught his eye. His expression shifted from irritation to excitement.

The layout was different from the game, but it was close enough for him to recognize the landmark.

A small, rundown shack stood before them—likely an old staff lounge.

It had clearly been raided over the years. Anything of value was long gone. But Sean knew exactly what he was looking for.

On a rusted, half-collapsed metal cabinet, there was an old, faded sticker. The image on it was barely visible—a grinning cartoon character giving a thumbs-up.

Amanda peered over his shoulder. "What's so special about that?"

Sean grinned. "Everything."

Reaching behind the cabinet, he felt around for a moment before his fingers brushed against something. His grin widened.

A small, metallic chip, designed to resemble a piece of wood, was hidden there.

Amanda, whose sharp eyes caught every detail, immediately read the engraving on the chip:

World Series Commemorative Bat.

She tilted her head. "A prosthetic module?"

Sean wiped off the dust and tucked the chip into his pocket. "Close enough. I prefer to call it an ability module."

"Any difference?"

Sean smirked. "Just the name."

He knew the truth, though.

Combat ability in this world depended heavily on prosthetics and the enhancement chips that powered them. Most people relied on prosthetic modules to boost their abilities.

But this chip was different. It wasn't limited to cybernetic implants—it could attach to anything.

And that made it priceless.

Feeling particularly pleased with himself, Sean stole a glance at Amanda's long legs before quickly looking away.

"Let's go," he said. "The entrance to the sewer isn't far."

Amanda wrinkled her nose slightly. "Ugh. Sewers."

They had barely left the shack when Amanda abruptly stopped.

"There's someone ahead. Left side."

Sean immediately stepped back to her side, his eyes narrowing.

A sunken clearing stretched before them—what used to be Tiger Mountain, the zoo's old big cat enclosure.

A shadow moved at the edge. Slowly, a small head poked out.

It was covered in a tattered black hood. Beneath it, round, dark eyes stared at them. The whites of the eyes were laced with eerie purple veins.

Sean tensed.

"The Spurned…" he muttered.

Those born in the depths of the pit carried these marks—irises streaked with purple, bodies often riddled with defects.

The hooded figure hesitated, then focused on Sean.

A small, hoarse voice called out.

"Brother…?"

Sean stiffened.

Amanda watched him carefully.