BLOODY LOVE'S
Episode 179's

Doppelganger is a supernatural phenomenon, a creature whose shape resembles the twin of a person from head to toe. At first Jose thought he had met Doppelganger, but his instinct was to say that the entity that possessed him was not such a creature. It's something more ancient, more sublime.

Jose didn't even need to ask to confirm the identity of the figure before him. The entire cell in his body and his entire consciousness recognized that entity. The one standing in front of him right now was the embodiment of everything called energy. Power. System of. Bjork. Something that is in him and in everyone. Yang Esa's.

That entity is a whole old and sacred thing in Bjork.

Jose dropped himself in a kneeling position. His head was lowered deeply. It was only fitting that he felt those voices gave a familiar impression. That's where it used to come from. From there comes all consciousness, and that's where all that consciousness comes down.

"Wake up, son," said the figure. "Don't you say, if we want to ask you for help, we're the ones who have to beg?"

Jose lowered his head even deeper, unable to speak.

The figure laughed softly, rubbed Jose's hair with a father's affection, then led him to his feet. "We're watching you guys," he said. "We always try to talk to all of you, but no one listens. We're glad you crossed over, but this isn't your time."

Jose raised his face slowly right as the figure distorted. His image was blurry like a shadow on the rippling water. The entity brought his face closer, then whispered the secret into Jose's ears.

***

When Clearwater dives in to find Jose, Marsh takes off one suit after another from a coat, a long shirt, pants, and a pair of clothes, then multiply end by end and turn everything into an emergency rope. He also wore a Clearwater coat and shirt left by the river. Maria was able to quickly capture what the man wanted to do, and help make the knot as fast and tight as possible.

The river current was stronger than Clearwater had expected, but he could handle it. He found Jose. His friend was at the bottom of the river, next to his feet was stuck in water plants. There was no sign of any other creatures around them. There's no trace of the undead near Jose. Clearwater uses a dagger to free Jose's leg, then brings the man to the surface of the river.

The air never felt so sweet.

Both of them inhaled oxygen greedily once their heads appeared on the surface. Jose beside Clearwater, choking and coughing, struggled to keep his head above the water. Their ears were inundated with water, and the sound of the stream was so noisy it drowned out other sounds, but both could hear the exclamations calling their names.

Adrian Marsh, now wearing only underwear and shorts, shouted with all his might while running down the river. He carried his makeshift rope consisting of clothes that were joined together. As soon as Clearwater got his attention and exchanged signals through the eyes, he threw the rope with accurate precision.

Clearwater grabbed the end of the pants thrown at him, then wrapped them around his arm. Next to his hand was embracing Jose, pulling him swimming to the banks of the river.

Being on land feels heavier than being in a river. The two dragged along the body with all their might, aided by Marsh.

Jose rolled away from the river, still coughing and choking spewing river water. Water dripped from all over his body, making him look like a freshly squeezed mop.

"You'd better get your clothes on, Marsh, soon" Maria suggested. "The curious have arrived."

Some people from the South appeared from a distance, seemingly curious as to what the Northmen were doing in the river.

Adrian Marsh untied his makeshift ropes, choosing to wear only his dry coat and leave another suit wet. Without saying much, the four of them rushed off across the bridge, directly draping Tin Lizzie who was still parked beside the high wall of the tax office.

"Can you drive?" maria asks suspiciously when Marsh takes his place behind the wheel.

The man was broken. "Which man can't drive?" He patted the chair hard on his side. "Please sit down, Princess!"

Before Maria could respond, Clearwater had already opened the front door and occupied a seat beside Marsh, ignoring her friend's outcry. Maria sat in the remaining spot on Jose's side, in the back compartment.

"Your coat?" maria asked as she gave her handkerchief to wipe her face.

"Welded," Jose replied in an indistinct voice. He sneezed a few times. "Damn it, the water's so cold."

"Why are you here?" Jose looked at his two comrades in the front compartment.

Marsh started the engine and started the car. "I heard you borrowed thirty of Luke's bodyguards last night!" he shouted, deliberately raising the sound to interpret the sound of the car. "If only you told me, I could lend you more!"

Jose just laughed.

"Luke also said, Marquis Argent is back, so I'm more curious and want to visit to greet."

"Then we saw you," Clearwater continued, wiping the remaining river water from the face with his hands. Her clothes were soaked. His body shivered with cold. "You guys are circling around the city with confused faces."

Marsh had a short chuckle. "You're like tourists getting lost, the swirling isn't obvious. Well, then out of curiosity as to what you're going to do in the South, we follow."

"We just decided to go home when we saw you kneeling in front of Garnet." Clearwater cleared its throat slowly, this time not because it choked on the river water. He did not need to look around to know that the two people in the back compartment must have both blushed. "Then Adie saw you pull out a dagger."

"I thought you were attacked by bandits, so I was going to watch" Marsh said, turning the car into Bjork's main street. "And intend to jump in in case you need help. Who would have thought that the one who attacked you was not a bandit but ... what is it? Hey, that's your wagon, right?"

Jose bows his head out the window, meeting Gerald's eyes who cross paths with them. The man sat on the sais chair, controlling the four horses pulling the medium-sized wagon bearing the two Argent swords. The wagon was commonly used to transport items when traveling, but Jose knew its current contents must be ten workers. As soon as he saw it, Gerald immediately turned around and followed them. Hans jumped down from there and ran on the side of the car, ensuring Jose's condition.

"I'm fine" said Jose, assuring the worker that he was going home. "It's a shame" he lamented as two other workers jumped down from the wagon and walked out to their cars in an escorting manner.

Marsh didn't lower the speed of the car in the least. After all, the vehicle can only run a maximum of twenty kilos per hour. "If this is embarrassing, you should see how Luke has always been escorted by at least five hitmen!"

"He's a landlord, I'm not."

"You're an Argent" Clearwater said as if that was reason enough for Jose to get a strict escort.

"Argent who can drown in the river does need high supervision" said Maria, responded to Marsh's loud laughter. The man was always laughing as if everything in this world was a joke to him.

"What was that thing, Jose?" Marsh continued on with a more serious tone.

"Adie," Clearwater scolded him softly.

"Why? Is that one of Argent's business that can't be interfered with?" reply Marsh wonder. "You threw yourself into the river to help him. Time not curious? Not even a little?" he added when Clearwater was silent.

Maria glanced at Jose. He himself was also curious what creatures had attacked them just now. "That thing has something to do with ... all this?"

Jose nodded. His eyes were still watching the streets. People turned their heads towards them at a glance, but then immediately returned to their respective activities. The car that many bouncers escorted was not something surprising in their eyes, especially after seeing the wagon that followed the car had the Argent emblem.

"What is all this?" asked Marsh again, still insistent on wanting to know what happened. "You know you can count on me, don't you, Jose? I have more people than Luke!"

Clearwater grunting.

"I'll tell you when we get there" said Jose amusedly. He closed his eyes. His pelvis was still throbbing painfully, his nose was sore from the entry of water, and he was completely cold. "After all, I need your help."

***