Chapter 9: A Date with Sadako
"You... will die on the seventh day..."
A hoarse, eerie voice echoed through the phone, sending a chilling sensation down to the bone.
However, Allen's face lit up with excitement. He was certain this was Sadako's infamous death call, and he reacted as if it were a long-awaited, intimate phone call from a lover.
"Really?"
Allen asked with anticipation, "Sadako, can you call me every day until then, just to chat?"
"I can't..."
"If you don't call me, I'll eat feces and die in advance, so you won't get me. Believe it or not, I believe it." Allen huffed, making a dramatic threat.
"...Fine."
Faced with such an unusual threat, Sadako had no choice but to compromise.
To be honest, this was the first time she had encountered such a strange person.
Normally, those who received her cursed call would hang up in terror, unlike Allen, who seemed utterly delighted to engage in conversation.
"Then it's settled. Sadako, please make sure I die by your hands."
"..."
There was a hint of something indescribable in Allen's words—something almost like the stench of love.
For a moment, Sadako was at a loss. She even felt a slight touch of warmth in her heart.
How understanding he was.
If only all cursed victims were as considerate as Allen, her afterlife career would be much smoother.
"Sadako, you have no idea how much I adore you. I've watched The Ring at least three times, along with all the spin-offs. The Ring: Service Fetish, The Ring: Debt Lover—my absolute favorite was when you teamed up with Kayako in Motherly Sandwich. I also keep up with all the 3D works and fan comics about you…" Allen eagerly recounted his experiences sneaking onto the head doctor's computer at Greenhill Rehabilitation Center.
"Beep… Beep… Beep…"
Sadako decisively hung up.
Seriously, is this the kind of stuff a decent person should be watching?
Allen set the phone down and clenched his fists in front of him.
"Lefty, Righty, listen to me. I was just playing along just now. I haven't actually cheated in spirit. Besides, you two were with me when I watched those educational videos."
After giving himself a proper explanation, Allen relaxed and unclenched his fists.
The Next Day
Allen waited anxiously by the landline, anticipating Sadako's promised call.
But he waited from morning until midnight, and the cursed call never came.
Furious, Allen had a restless, sleepless night.
The Third Day
As night fell, the phone finally rang.
Allen answered on the first ring, but there was silence on the other end.
"Sadako, why didn't you call me yesterday? I waited all day for you. I didn't even dare to sleep last night, afraid I'd miss your call and make you think I was playing you. And yet, while you were busy calling others, you left me—the one who truly cherishes you—completely ignored!"
Allen roared in frustration. After venting, his tone softened, tinged with worry.
"I'm carrying out a dangerous mission. I don't even know if I'll be alive to see you again. Let's cherish the time we have left."
"...I'm sorry..."
"Will you call me tomorrow?"
"I will."
"It's a promise. Good night."
That night, Allen slept soundly.
The Fourth Day
Sadako called on schedule.
As the phone rang, Allen deliberately waited a few seconds before answering.
"Guess who?"
Sadako's voice sounded playfully girlish, as if she were teasing a boyfriend over the phone.
Allen froze for a moment before his gaze turned sharp.
"Sadako, you're a vengeful spirit. You shouldn't be acting on emotions. Where's your professional integrity? I played a little hard to get, and you already faltered? If someone else sweet-talked you, would you go easy on them too? What about your afterlife career?"
"..."
A long silence followed. Then Sadako responded in her usual eerie tone.
"I understand. You have three days left."
"Good. Keep up the professionalism." Allen was satisfied.
"Beep… Beep… Beep…"
The Fifth and Sixth Days
The calls came as expected.
"You have two days left… Beep… Beep…"
"You have one day left… Beep… Beep…"
The Seventh Day
Sadako didn't call.
Today was the day she was supposed to claim his life.
Allen walked out of the bathroom, shouldering a backpack filled with his gear.
The mission to retrieve the Redemption Blade was officially underway.
As he stepped out of his motel room, he noticed something was missing—the television that should have been on the cabinet was gone.
Downstairs, Bruce and Oliver were already waiting for him.
Before leaving, Allen made sure to extend his motel stay by one more day, just to prevent Sadako from accidentally killing an innocent guest.
——At a Crossroad Between Raccoon City and Silent Hill——
A rusted signpost stood at a fork in the road.
A yellow taxi sped toward Silent Hill.
Inside, Allen and his two companions sat in silence.
The driver blasted heavy metal music, but none of them paid any attention.
The taxi rolled down a poorly maintained road, and within fifteen minutes, they arrived at the entrance of an old town.
Stepping out, they gazed at Silent Hill under the fading golden sunlight, its desolate landscape bathed in a melancholic glow.
"Pay up, asshole," the taxi driver grumbled impatiently.
Allen casually pulled out a bill and tossed it over. "Keep the change."
The driver took the money, smoothly turned the wheel, and floored the gas, speeding off.
"How much did you give him?" Bruce asked maliciously.
Allen checked his wallet and realized, to his horror, that he had given away a hundred-dollar bill.
Oliver twisted the knife. "The fare was thirty-one bucks."
Allen instinctively took a step forward, but the taxi had already vanished. Clenching his leftover cash in frustration, he growled, "Damn it. I'm never taking a cab again!"
Whose fault was that? Certainly not the taxi driver's.
"Silent Hill suffered an underground coal fire years ago," Oliver recited the intel they had gathered. "Since the fire couldn't be extinguished, the toxic fumes forced the entire town to be abandoned."
Bruce added, "According to the mission details, the Redemption Blade was stolen by an evil cult hiding in Silent Hill. They've kept a low profile, so information is scarce."
"I have a question—how did they steal it?"
Allen chimed in, feeling the need to contribute.
"The blade was loaned to a scholar for research. The cult took advantage of the opportunity and stole it."
Bruce and Oliver exchanged glances. Did this guy even read the intel they sent him?
Before they started searching, they reviewed the key points to avoid being caught off guard.
"Hey, hey, hey! That look in your eyes is like I'm some random NPC." Allen smirked. "Batman, it's not that I'm trying to upstage you, but I've seen the Silent Hill movie. I know more than you guys."