Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

At this point, no one knew what to do but Benjie managed to get on his bearings before slowly but surely, released what felt like thick tendrils made of pure hate though it cannot be actually seen by the naked eye. His body started to shake all over while his injured eye started to draw blood and it didn't take long before he took his first step toward Castro.

But Mr. Cuervo stood between the two.

[I'm not allowing this—]

Benjie spat on the ground as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

[I, BENJAMIN CASTILLO CHALLENGE CASTRO CASTILLO TO A BLOOD FIGHT! I'LL PAY WHATEVER AMOUNT TO FIGHT HIM THIS INSTANT OR I'LL KEEP SENDING CHALLENGES UNTIL YOUR PEOPLE'S EARS BLEED!]

[Benjie! Didn't you understand what just happened?!]

[WHAT IS IT TO YOU?! WHATEVER HAPPENS IN OUR FOLD, YOU DON'T GOT A SAY IN IT! WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING IS ALLOWING ME TO KILL HIM RIGHT NOW! THIS CHALLENGE IS JUST A COURTESY!]

[CAN'T YOU JUST SIT STILL FOR A MOMENT?! THINK ABOUT IT!]

[THERE'S NOTHING TO THINK ABOUT! HE KILLED MR. CASTILLO AND HE NEEDS TO PAY FOR IT!]

[DID YOU HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE FOOTAGE AT ALL?!]

Mr. Cuervo and Benjie had started a shouting match but I was already on the phone with my new friend named Jericho. Everything right now was just a mess but if there was something that most people would've missed, it was the food and drink Mr. Castillo brought Castro.

Basically, I asked him to retrieve those two things and examine them because if Mr. Castillo was planning to break Castro's mind even more, one way was to put something in his system that would make the process a little bit easier.

And even if he found nothing, Mr. Castillo's "Change of Heart" was already some sort of evidence. That slip of the tongue as he thought that no one was monitoring them was a huge mistake.

Furthermore, since we still haven't found the person that made the disturbing "Art Piece" in Irene's place, all we needed to find was a few samples from the Castillo Family. It was just too much of a coincidence to brush off and all I needed to do was play my cards right.

With that said, as Jericho and I finished our conversation, there was an interesting development below.

Castro was now unbound and right next to Mr. Cuervo, wearing a determined expression.

[I'll fight you Benjie, no problem, but… you need to do one thing for me…]

[YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO TALK—]

[I know this place's rules but Mr. Cuervo is kind enough to bend them for someone like me. Listen, I know you owe my grandfather a lot— Annie too, she's innocent by the way… But once you kill me, go to Vanessa's room and you'll find this centerpiece statue… The angel with six wings and broken arms…]

[W-What are you talking about?!]

[That's… That's Casey and our s-son… Their souls won't be released while they're still kept inside that statue so I want you to break it and set them free… Have them blessed by our priest— Father Samuel before they get cremated or buried and I have no qualms whatever you do to me… Have your revenge or whatever but that's one thing I have to do… I need to set that only thing right before everything else…]

Benjie was this fucking close to agreeing and instantly reneging on that promise when Annie managed to reach him at the right moment. Well, Annie was also this fucking close to losing her eye because springing from behind her psycho cousin was a huge no-no. It took them a bit to discuss things without the mics picking up their conversation but I could partially read their lips since they were still on the big screen.

Essentially, Annie was saying that their family was now at a breaking point without proper leadership, and his actions were furthering the rift apart.

If there was anyone that could bring their family together—even though shakily—it was Castro.

To be fair, I don't know much about the power dynamics in their place but to keep the bloodshed to the minimum, Benjie had to step back and make things whole for a little bit before he shook things up again.

If anything, Benjie wasn't fit to lead because he was more like a gun or a knife that Mr. Castillo would point at something to make it disappear. Also, it seemed like the rest of their blood relatives—including the Vanessa that was mentioned—weren't present.

Well, those blood relatives of them were now in scalding water because if what Mr. Castillo revealed to everybody was true, they'd lose all of their followers. And even if it wasn't, their reputation or their name had already been smeared with a dark and viscous substance. If their family dared to do disturbing shit to one of their own, what could they do if it was just them?

To my surprise, Benjie actually heeded Annie's words but he did clock Castro on the jaw before he left the play area.

Castro just wiped his bleeding mouth before Mr. Cuervo helped him up and they had a few words to share with the Castillo Family.

[Alright, first of all, I need to give my utmost apology to this person right here for thinking that he had gone off the deep end when in actuality, he was the one we should've listened to all along. I've never made such a huge blunder but I promise you that you have my support in you leading your own—]

[Mr. Cuervo, you don't understand… I might've come out of this alive but all I want is for my—]

[Castro. I know what you want. I'll see to it with my own eyes that your wish is granted but you need to lead your people. You've already done it briefly and I know you'll be great at it. Your family's name might've been tainted but it's now time to rebuild it from the ground up, and on your own terms. Do something with it that your "real" family would be proud of.]

Castro just stared at Mr. Cuervo for a few moments before he took a deep breath and looked at his people.

[Alright… it'll be ugly but my first order of business is to surrender all your communication devices to the Cuervo Family. I want no one from… from home to know what had just happened and if they already knew, we should give them false info. They'll still be fucking rattled but once everything here is over, we'll all go home and "redecorate". Trust me, if they dared to do that to my girl, they wouldn't even blink if they decided to do it to your family… Believe me, they're the scum of the earth and they get off from just thinking of what to do with whatever fresh "material" they get their hands on…]

'My thoughts exactly…'

[Secondly, if what you witnessed here placed a damper on your relationship with my family, I'll allow you to leave my fold and join another family as you see fit. I won't force you to obey my commands but I'll greatly appreciate and remember if you stay. And thirdly…]

Everyone's eyes were on him when he turned in my direction.

[I don't know the whole story between you and Benjie but please, I ask you to withdraw your challenge to him. And Benjie, I want you to do the same. If any of you can't fulfill this wish of mine, I just wish you two don't actually kill each other. Right, I deeply apologize for this display at such a wedding but I hope for Mr. Cuervo and our newlyweds' sake, the two of you just stop short of causing something permanent.]

At that point, I didn't think that someone that looked so out of it earlier could speak in such a concise and clear manner. He even spoke with such serene eyes though he was breathing a little too hurriedly because his heart seemed to be on fire with happiness and excitement. He managed to turn around a situation only a few people could get out of and he would soon taste the sweetness of revenge.

We'd always hear that revenge wasn't the answer but they'd always forget that it could somehow dampen the pain for a little bit.

With that said, the Castillo Family followed his orders but a small percentage bade him goodbye. It was because he told them that they could leave on their accord and that was what they did. The split between the OG Families was almost too even and even a few wanted to join us. However, some went independent though they stayed to watch the show.

Everything else was just about concluded when Mr. Cuervo spoke on the mic.

[Heh. The timing of this, eh? Alright, the next fight is Sky from the Ishiyama Family versus Benjie from the Castillo Family! How about it, Hermano? Is it to the death or not?]