Chapter 97 - Tsongsul

As the car drove, Jack and Coco chatted about all sorts of things, without touching on anything serious.

So it was until the car stopped at a large building.

They left Ruanapur a long time ago.

We arrived in a contented large Thai civilized city with less pronounced crime.

It was a normal life here.

No shots were heard.

There were no whores standing by the dark alleys.

There were no drunks hanging around with guns in their hands.

Boredom...

— Now can you tell me what we're here for? Jack sighed with a soft smile

Coco grinned conspiratorially, quickly fingering her hands — An excursion.

— An excursion? the guy lowered his eyebrows in embarrassment

Valmet, at the wheel, grinned — Yeah. Excursion to the museum of alcoholic beverages.

— What?..

— Valmet! Coco shouted and started shaking the woman by the shoulders — It was a surprise!

— Sorry, sorry! Valmet waved away — It's hard not to say.

— I know! — Coco grinned and looked at Jack, opened the car door — Let's go.

Jack slowly followed the girl out— the Alcohol Museum?

— Yeah! All the drinks of the world are collected here! Of course, there will be a tasting too. Coco spoke quickly, burning with energy

Jack chuckled softly—I didn't notice you had a love of alcohol.

— You just don't know me well yet. — the girl winked — So far.

— I'm a minor...

Coco froze and slowly examined Jack from the bottom up, lifting her eyes from her feet to her head — You know, it's hard not to forget about it with you.

Jack shrugged with a slight smile.

— Well, it's okay. — Coco spread her arms — If you're old enough to kill and sleep with an entire female collective, then you're old enough for the rest.

Jack thought for a moment and sadly closed his eyes, grinned — Really. Okay. Let's go. Besides, it's too late to turn on innocence.

— So it is! One-two! We are waiting for a tasting!

The tour was quite fascinating.

A young Thai man with a smile led them through various showcases, telling the story of a particular drink.

But in the end they found themselves in a quiet room with a large long table, where a variety of bottles were displayed in a row.

— We all will... try it?

— Of course!

Jack looked at Coco with disbelief — Can you stand it?..

Coco smiled—Of course not. So I'm going to try just a little bit.

Jack raised an eyebrow.

Coco grinned even harder and looked up and down, straight into the guy's eyes - Well, if anything, you can carry me to the car.

"If I'm strong enough."..

— Hey! I'm not heavy! I'm small and skinny!

— Well, I'm after surgery.

"You didn't think of that at first, did you?"

— What makes you think that?

— Just admit it.

— I have nothing to confess.

— Yeah, yeah. Coco rolled her eyes with a grin, and then quickly went to the table and took a clear bottle of strange wine — Wine from Laos. Perfect for the first tasting.

Jack squinted at the bottle—Really?

There were several meters between him and the girl, but Jack's eyesight was just fine, so he could see the contents of the bottle.

Some herbs, maybe even flowers, but the strangest thing... snake. More precisely, an eel.

- what?

— Do you really want to drink this?..

"Aren't you?" — the girl narrowed her eyes slyly — It looks impressive.

— Undoubtedly... — Jack shuddered his body, as if a regiment of ants ran over him — But I don't have a bad memory and I remember what they said on the tour.

- Yes?

— This wine has properties... aphrodisiac.

— Really? — Coco was most unnaturally surprised and shaking her head, said — But we'll just have a little drink, right? Simple tasting.

Jack squinted at the bottle—if only a little...

Gunther created in his hands a vivid illusion of the number twenty—three, with a hint of one characteristic - "Be careful. Otherwise, Coco will be quickly on the table, and you will be on her."

Jack ignored Mr. Mirror's statement and approached the girl who was already pouring the drink into glasses — What are we drinking for?

Coco put her finger to her chin in thought, and then grinned — To wake up tomorrow without a headache?

— Not bad. Jack replied, taking the glass from the girl's hands

He knew he wouldn't have a hangover.

— Mm...

— How do you like it?

— Honestly? Filth is filth. — the guy grimaced, putting the glass on the table

— Well, a little specific.

— That's putting it mildly. Jack grimaced, suffering from the aftertaste

— Oh! Now this one!

— Caramel whiskey?

— Do you think it's delicious?

— Anything will be delicious, after the eel pickled in alcohol.

— Don't exaggerate. Coco giggled, opening the bottle

— How much did this one cost... an excursion?

"Don't think about it. Coco replied, pouring the drink and enjoying the smell — It really smells like caramel.

Jack sighed—I know you're far from poor, but so am I.

— If it burns like that, then... then you'll pay. Coco smiled slyly

Jack squinted at her face—"Has she... got a chill already?.."

— Here you go.

The guy accepted the glass and drank the liquid at the same time with her — Well, not bad. Better than the past. Much.

Coco put the glass aside, leaned her hands and butt on the table and tilted her head sideways with a grin — As for the fact that we didn't visit you yesterday...

— Let's not talk about it. Jack smiled wryly

"You've already figured it out, haven't you?"

— I have no idea what you're talking about...

Coco smiled a little wider — You tricked me with that call. Honestly. Only then, an hour later, I understood everything. You're not stupid not to put two and two together in order to understand why we weren't with you that day.

— Hmm...

— Are you really not angry? Coco asked seriously already

Jack closed his eyes—Am I angry? No. But I am tormented by a question...

— Which one?

— Only suffered... the criminals themselves?

Coco paused for a while and answered with a half—smile - If you consider their families to be criminals too, including even domestic dogs, then yes.

Jack grimaced bitterly...

— Are you angry?..

— No... no. Simply... it's all sad. — Jack sighed and went to the table, half filled a glass of whiskey — It's up to you how to act in such a situation. It's not for me to tell. Maybe... I'm... a little disappointed. And that's all.

Coco closed her eyes—That's why we didn't think to tell you.

Raising the glass, Jack drank the contents in one go — the family could not be touched.

"It wasn't revenge. — the girl said calmly

- what?

— We didn't take revenge. It was rather... a warning. A very cruel warning to those who were thinking of doing something unkind to you. You can take revenge as much as you want, but it wouldn't bring you back. So it's better to show everyone the horrific consequences right away. So that you don't have to take revenge later.

Jack smiled sadly—My life is not worth dozens of innocent children, men and women.

He looked at Coco and saw complete indifference, which was replaced by a strange light smile — Everyone evaluates in their own way. If you don't think so, we do. Destroying the cartel clean, along with their relatives, is a very small price to pay for your safety.

Jack was startled by the girl's look.

He had affection, care and much more.

And it's because he almost doesn't know them, if you think about it.

What will happen next?

Will they destroy the city because of him?

At that moment, Jack really understood what scary women he was playing with.

In general, he already knew that, but... but when you're with them, you forget.

With him, they did not show their inner 'demons".

It can be said that at an accelerated pace it becomes a seal that restrains them.

But the 'demons' have not gone anywhere from this.

What happens if something happens to him?..

He has a system and Gunther.

He was not afraid of death, although he clearly did not want to die.

But now... now he was a little worried... the consequences.

Smiling wryly, Jack looked at the girl — Okay. Enough of the sad stuff... Our date...

- Yes? — Coco lifted with interest and a burning look, beaming with her trademark smile

— Is a date just a way to explain everything? Or...

Coco, covering her mouth, laughed — Of course I just wanted to spend time with you, but explanations were also important.

— Only there were no explanations.

— They were not needed. — Coco grinned, opening a bottle of blue wine — Although you shouldn't be surprised at this. From a man who brought such women together to expect less - it was not worth it.

The crooked smile on the guy's face became even more crooked — Clearly...

— Try this blue wine. It's pretty tasty.

— Let's try it...

...Fifteen minutes of tasting later...

— I'm definitely not going to taste it. Jack quickly replied, looking at the bottle that Coco took

The girl was already a little drunk, so her cheeks turned pink — Tsongsul. Korea. Perhaps, yes, we will not try.

Jack grimaced, remembering what he had said about it... drink guide.

He did not understand who, how and when thought of mixing human... feces with medicinal herbs, and then leave them to ferment to get this wine.

But he wasn't going to try it at all, despite the fact that the guide hummed to his ears about a certain healing power and the absence of the smell of feces from the drink.

— "If you drink, I'll throw a hundred points of evil."

- "No!"

- "Two hundred."

- "No and no again!"

Gunther chuckled, "You're boring. It's easy... wine."

— This... — Coco picked up the bottle

— Oh~ oh no. I won't try it either. Jack grimaced

Coco giggled at his reaction—Rat wine. China. Look, there are really little newborn baby rats at the bottom.

— Oh, how nice... no. I'm not going to try.

Coco shook her head—I think I'll pass too.

— Your hands stick to all sorts of nasty things. It's my turn to choose. Jack said quickly, approaching the table

— Go ahead. the girl grinned, looking at him

Her eyes looked at him distantly while the girl was thinking about something.

Jack was sorting through the bottles—Bilk? Milk-flavored beer?.. Snake Venom? Sixty-seven degree beer?.. Vodka with smoked salmon flavor?.. Cheech?.. You know, let's drink whiskey again, which is caramel.

— Jack...

— Eh? — he turned to her

Coco, with a detached look, asked — Do you believe in fate?

Jack froze—What?

Coco grinned, pushed her hair back from her forehead with her hand — If you think about it, it can't be fate. The guy who lost his memory falls into the hands of one of the most powerful groups of Ruanapur. And maybe the guy is forgetful, but there is no limit to his genius. After becoming the director of a brothel, he made him the cherry of the city...

— I was just lucky.

"You've had a lot of luck, Jack. — she said softly — I hope I won't offend, but being an ugly duckling, you amazed everyone by becoming an incredibly beautiful swan.

— Successful genetics...

— Strength, intelligence, intoxicating smell, kind disposition... I've been through so many difficult situations to what?

- what? Jack swallowed

Coco smiled sweetly with a little drunken glint in her eyes — To become a bright star in the eternally dark world of a bunch of women. Fate must have sent you for us. My intuition rings a bell every time I see you.

- "It's getting a little creepy..."

- "It seems to you."

Suddenly Coco smiled sadly—I'm lucky too. Very lucky. Yes, just not where I would normally wish it. And so, I was very unlucky. I didn't snatch you before Balalaika and Revie. I was a little late.

— Coco...

— And now I'm at a crossroads... You know, I didn't care about relationships. The monster has a beautiful couple only in fairy tales. I was just walking towards my crazy goal and then you show up. First, as a possible security guard, and then as a man.

Coco slowly, under the gaze of the guy, poured herself a whiskey — For the likes of me, such bright feelings are alien. Any normal person, finding out what I am and who I am, will say that I don't deserve them. Butterflies in the stomach, a pleasant mood and a feeling of weightlessness from the sight of this special person. These feelings... for people like me, like a hurricane or a tsunami.

Jack listened to the girl with disbelief.

Unlike the others, she didn't show much of her feelings and laughed more at the fact that he would live like a cat in butter by joining her group, since Chiquita and Valmet tasted him too well.

Coco didn't give any special hints, and he didn't use Belial's Eyes on her.

It seemed to him that constantly using this ability on loved ones was, somehow, too much...

— No one will understand the joy of a blind man who has gained sight. No one will understand the joy of an orphan who has found a home and relatives. And no one will understand the likes of me when love appears in their life. But also no one will understand the grief and longing of a person who finally finds all this, loses it again. This can lead to truly insane actions.

Jack instantly tensed—Coco...

- Yes?

"I don't have to be afraid of falling asleep, do I?" It can't happen by chance that when I wake up, I will find myself ten thousand kilometers from here?

In response, the girl smiled sweetly — No. Of course not.

Only Jack, on the contrary, was even more alarmed by this light tone and gaze.

— I was wondering whether it was worth ignoring the gift of fate with such a huge risk of going crazy from heartache and longing. Is it worth deepening the relationship? Is it worth opening Pandora's box? I'm still confused, Jack. In other things, I have already decided, although I still can't get rid of thoughts about a gross mistake.

While saying all this, Coco took small quiet steps towards the guy, not taking her big blue eyes, with an expanded iris, off Jack's face.

— If... if everything is so bad, then maybe it's worth changing your life? Do something else instead of selling weapons of war? — Jack was saying with a little bit of concern, with his eyebrows drawn together quite a bit

"It's too late. I have a goal. And I set this goal a long time ago. Preparations are in full swing. There was a brilliant person who shares my thoughts.

— What is the purpose? Jack asked, knowing perfectly well and understanding what she was talking about

The girl, closing her eyes, buried her face in his chest and hugged him — I won't tell you.

- why? I know how to keep secrets a secret.

"That's not the point.

— Then...

"It's just that you'll shoot me right away when you find out the plan." — Coco voiced in a light tone, rubbing her face on his chest and inhaling deeply through her nose — You smell too good. I guess I look like a cat getting high on catnip, right? I think it looks funny from the outside.

"Do you think I'll... shoot you?"

— The chance is great. Of course, it's better to die by your hand than by killers, but...

"You're going somewhere wrong. Jack quickly interrupted her with a strange feeling of anxiety and pity inside

O'Dim lifted the corners of his mouth, "Only you can feel sorry for a woman who sells death and has plans for the largest terrorist attack in the history of mankind, albeit with good intentions."

"It's still a long way to Jormungand."

"However, at one moment, it will be ready and all the planes that were in the sky will fall from heaven to earth. Have you already decided what to do? Are you going to let this happen or not? Coco will stay in Ruanapur for a while longer, and if you're not going to leave with her, then the only chance to stop everything is to really shoot her while she's in town."

Jack grimaced violently, pursing his lips until the girl could see it.

After a few seconds, he sighed—Okay. Probably, we've had enough of tasting already.

— Yes and no. — the girl grinned, lifting her head and resting her chin on his chest

— What are you talking about?

— It remains to return to the hostel and taste... you.

— Okay, you've really had enough. Jack said quickly

— I'm serious.

— I believe. Tell me this on a sober head, then there will be a conversation.

— I'm not drunk.

- of course.

— Pf.

— Come on.

Coco grinned and jumped on him, hung on the guy's body like a koala — Carry me.

— You can walk by yourself.

— Carry me. — the girl pouted her lips

— Okay. Jack sighed with a slight smile, grabbing her by the feet

...

When they left the building, Valmet quickly left the car — Something I expected.

— Valmet! Coco shouted with amusement

Jack sighed—She was playing. We had a few drinks. She just wanted to be taken for a ride.

Valmet quickly pointed to herself — Do you want me to take you for a ride?

Coco smiled—No. I want to ride Jack.

Valmet quickly added, "I can take you both for a ride."

— So. — Jack said quickly, before the Amazon threw him into his arms — I don't want to ride.

Once was enough for him.

Coco got off Jack and looked into Valmet's eyes — Take us to us.

By just one look, Valmet realized what was coming, and therefore licked her lips — M ~ m, good.

— Let's go. Coco said with amusement, looking at Jack

Sighing, he replied — Let's go.

...

— Where are we going?

"To my room, of course. I thought we could continue drinking in a more cozy environment.

— Can it be enough?

— It's too early to say that 'enough is enough". Besides, we haven't finished talking yet, don't you think? the girl raised an eyebrow

Jack looked at her and nodded.

— Great!

Valmet, who was walking behind them, was full of anticipation.

Her eyes darted from Jack's large male figure to Coco's small and fragile figure.

— "Jackpot!" she screamed to herself, with sparks in her eyes

— Come in. — Coco opened the door

Jack calmly stepped into the room, and she quickly followed him in.

— Coco! Valmet exclaimed softly when she saw the door to her new dream closing in front of her

— No, Valmet. — the girl smiled slyly

— I'm quiet!

- no.

— I'll just take a look!

— Nope. — the girl squinted with amusement — Maybe another time.

With that, she closed the door and locked it.

Valmet remained in the corridor with unsatisfied feelings and hope for the future.