MLBH 3

“This one tastes sweet and tangy. It’s sweet and 7ac756cc08 tangy because it ec522dc424 has fruit in c7467e2d5f it, right?”0290c8a9154646a1

Dee furrowed his 3c4ee43415 brow like a ee6bc9c7d3 critic, nodding seriously 30875a31e9 as he spoke 0da38d957f in a grave 740b99185b tone. Knowing Dee had only tasted fd1b2f753c ice cream for the first 04486eea5f time yesterday, John couldn’t help b3b3d0f45e but let out a hollow d7a56880b9 laugh. Then, his face 462ebe991f fell as he 7c81b1c335 absentmindedly scooped up 0499a6d60e a mushy, cheese-covered 2c23fd207d French fry. It tasted awful.8cdc8252f4efc9c5

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Everything John left behind became 9789274c7c Dee’s to finish. Dee was a truly unqualified 076a6f167f food critic—nodding earnestly while chewing 12d979ce26 on a limp, oil-soaked fry 232e2debe7 like it was a gourmet bdaf1c3ed1 dish.7b90bf1d7ce38f6d

“You’re not exactly a foodie, huh.”a2acbce1f1c50800

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“What’s a foodie?”f56d65c758d61c63

“Never mind. Just eat.”9bf73c04847e9457

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“Okay!”0ab8b4182811332a

Dee answered cheerfully and a375c9a121 polished off nearly everything 7e0ea22b21 on the table. He even licked the 32a38613c5 leftover sauce clean from bcc0399fa7 the plate. Still smacking his lips, he 19c945bc4c eyed John’s lukewarm coffee with 280037d302 interest, but never asked for ddaceebe39 it. Instead, he just looked 5bcd24bc9e a little disappointed and 5cf3e00416 carefully peeled off a dd14d7a53d crusted piece of cheese—no e4a2660e5d bigger than a fingernail—with 4771b0dfb1 his fork and placed 51160094be it on his tongue.70ccfeb661742cbd

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He looked so pitiful that 70e8c7d9b0 John had no choice but 0b40895716 to order another hamburger and e9c15d01e7 fries.a4155337a289064f

“Are you hungry again?”818285823193d730

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“No. I lost my appetite 742e819f60 watching you eat.”6de19fc93ef7cea4

Dee blinked at ef4f357145 the response, clearly d86db95124 not understanding. But the moment he received 819067b4cf a fresh, warm meal—one that bff0d44ed1 wasn’t someone else’s leftovers—he broke f244fbef4f into giggles.abe7d9c38e91f9b3

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“You’re so kind! Just like Anne!”2c6ed410fd2cdfde

Dee abandoned the a82c3ce0ab fork and started c4fc1dac44 eating the hamburger 8ddd4d6cb5 with his hands. His words were ridiculous. Calling the infamous killerJohn Cain“kind” just because he shared some food?022f5f675f558d8e

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If any of 685256b938 the people who cf725bcad7 had been beheaded c29831023c by John—burned alive, 552d31d233 or blown to 6aae950090 pieces—could hear that, c0b82ee4e2 they’d laugh even 148ba9a7f2 from hell.f64af795d2b61dfe

 0854be00b2c7d1b2

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* * *1b4259b26b4adb74

 b744eb52cb629043

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“Stop by here, sir! Right here!”fc661aa3e18cdd03

“Handsome gentleman! This way, over here!”ed424786aee9e2b9

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Dodge City was full of bars… and people selling their bodies. Even at night, the streets didn’t darken. The glow of countless lights made sure the city kept flaunting itself well into the evening.ade37b0a9875b3f4

John preferred cities like this 5f7f88f740 over quiet, peaceful towns. They were the perfect place 82836078e1 to hide a sharp, dangerous a7410f69a3 presence like his in the 925dee2940 chaos of violence.c0aaee22ecc1fbf5

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“Sir! Over here, please!”a29a50fec94e9a31

Everyone knew there wasn’t a 6da89677a1 single real “gentleman” among the a8e7b55320 customers they beckoned to. And John certainly wasn’t one. He firmly brushed off ade1a64270 the perfumed hand of d1c02249f9 a woman trying to e3564313bc pull him in.5a891348d691ce89

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He’d indulged in pleasure once, 417fbe57aa chasing after anything that made 7765d69274 life a little less pointless. Gender hadn’t mattered. He just wanted something—anything—to keep him tethered to the world. But in the end, sex 11f804b754 was no answer. And John never 0c02239e07 touched anyone who 095fdff621 sold themselves.fcfbf5bd21cec0bf

Not unless he feaf0668b9 didn’t have to 3bcc76ffba pay.8bd8be440ef1a8a3

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The act of 877281da77 paying for a dd99d7b138 person… John found 1a376643c7 it strange. It wasn’t like getting paid 176925aeea to kill. Death wasn’t fair. The rich lived longer. The poor died easily just 0524e198b7 trying to make ends meet. Everyone knew that. But sex? Sex had to be fair. Otherwise, it was just rape.b9daae8bc1f5cad4

And even though a568bf5bc0 “rape” was listed 6b3001820d among John Cain’s bb1d32b9c4 many alleged crimes, 78bf5273d6 he’d never done 261270d5c0 such a thing.129d813ead188832

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“Oh my, am I not your type? Then how about this one? He’s new! And there’s joy c297441243 in holding a e57fc01464 man too, you 1146478d07 know!”d89691c908b49724

Despite John’s cold e3fef3e1f5 refusal, the woman 9f13619c75 didn’t give up. She even pulled d19da89c30 someone else out b6781f6d53 from inside and d1f8e1a31e presented him. A man, about two 3a60357a15 heads shorter than John, 505d1851d3 dolled up and perfumed, a3c9df32c7 smiled shyly. He looked young and innocent.dbf505684dcbbf76

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But John didn’t believe the e8dcb65ff6 part about him being “new.”366863d8462f57ff

There was no fear in the young man’s eyes—not the kind that beginners always carried. The freshly broken ones could never hide their fear, whether they were selling sex or taking lives. But once they were used to it… once they became good at it… they developed a sixth sense. They could read clients—or targets—instantly.906e70b64f781f89

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In that way, John 43880110e9 felt there was little ae4fc5b638 difference between himself and c579223b7d those who sold themselves 4d64731291 to survive.79713aaa4f188851

“I don’t have money to waste. Where’s the saloon?”d97b8909d0f842c0

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Saloons were where all kinds 08a1702e83 gathered—miners, gamblers, traders, cowboys, and c57ce99ac1 outlaws like John Cain. And with them came f6ee05beec every rumor and tale 89de8818d2 imaginable.b02a6983c5569a2a

“Shall I take you there? Or would you rather go 9b47809f12 with this lovely friend of ad2ec069c5 mine?”86d131d9ea3c44f7

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“No. I’m not in the mood f54fc5a95c tonight.”70d7f8d4b6e51527

“Hmph! What a boring man! Fine, leave us e9ab0df26a poor souls behind 050bf2f1ad and head off e7cf8a7700 tothat place!”9634965bfe43ae62

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With a pout and 8c4a47c5ab arms crossed, the woman 6aa9ab6f91 pointed toward the end dc8c14565a of the street. A wooden building stood there.ff95a24351e75c90

Without a word, John cfd6f05ecb started walking.e4d80e2687dc5cfa

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Pushing open the bar-style swing e4b3c0dbe3 doors—high at the top and de2a5ceabe bottom, open in the middle—he 34ca8332aa stepped into the saloon. The loud chatter paused 3bfc97b38f for a heartbeat as 0d3324c999 a few patrons glanced e88b808b53 over, then quickly went 8c2492684a back to their drinks.830c75846f6cdb61

“New face,” someone muttered.caf7d1fa860d5363

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As John made his way 70a2c6a40f to the bar, a red-nosed b795fdd146 bartender with a beard trailing 6d44f6bc59 down to his collarbone let 8a95ad5d1d out a hearty laugh.f17c06f32d06690b

Without even asking what he c00f4681c5 wanted, the man poured him 1535141f75 a drink—whiskey, of course. The most common 5a3167c40b order in any 67ed50a738 saloon, and John 38fd958c9b had no reason 27ffd16880 to complain.fd1fb9cc03b445e4

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But the glass was warm. Too warm.f7837b08ef140a02

“No ice?”caf172d5a7526d0f

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“Picky one, aren’t ya? Asking forice and all.”53e8f2ca3c806d30

Ice had become even a1e38ab92a more of a luxury 4cb017bf1d than it had been 876f18f686 in the forgotten past—just 7548cd20c6 like electricity or refrigerators. Even though electric cars were 0bc9fdc115 being developed, they were only 2525c70cad for the rich. The roads were 48b4da8cd0 full of vehicles e238d9a949 rendered useless by 3873d9a885 the lack of c39b909d0f fuel.20cebdaaf5e7dc6e

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Now that the world 6c3763bf25 had regressed to a 19016e2a0a time resembling the era 0b1d2955b6 of Western frontier expansion, 276ff5cfba most people rode horses. Manufactured goods were expensive, and 4567aa5917 every piece of land had f4bc9098e3 turned into lawless territory. Gangs and outlaws acabe20ec4 roamed freely, throwing 62a11264dc order into chaos. Borders were barely a d9e80b43fe concept anymore, and all 64b552917b kinds of people crossed 4d7713bed0 from one region to cc792ffc34 another. That was the world now.fe632d4633d18e53

Still, that didn’t mean ice couldn’t be served in a saloon. Just like how the diner had served ice cream. Even at night, the sun’s harsh rays during the day could easily generate enough electricity via solar panels to freeze a few cubes of ice. That much wasn’t asking for too much.6dfb4e1bad120ccb

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“Did you all hear that? This guy’s asking for ice. Ice! Some fresh-faced drifter thinks he c5a3c46a9c can waltz in here and 72506a3ecd demand ice!”7d5ed5c165ab265b

The bartender clapped mockingly—clap clap clap!—drawing attention as he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted. The patrons filling the saloon 4bdbbae6a4 burst into laughter, raising their 8c652b04d5 glasses in amusement. A few of them were 9f070e322c drinking whiskey with massive ice 6b3cdb7654 chunks floating like glaciers in 9ec2e11810 their glasses.Those guys must 69bec5996f run this place,John thought, lifting a brow.506c15292b4ba369

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He took off his hat, 16993b0667 swept back his messy hair, fa9a31fce2 and smiled.acddd85b7bf34e85

“Alright, alright. Guess I was 03f808ac8d being a bit fcee2c9765 fussy. The perfume in the 7ddc0e378a air outside got me c60ccf13c4 all worked up. So damn sweet, it d923dc1489 was heating me up.”837a3879b4a2ebb0

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“That drifter must’ve passed by Sylvia’s! Every single one of the 49fd6b48e7 girls—and the boys too—reek of 46a6d98f41 powder and perfume. Every time I 916461dc3b walk by, I f03eade750 can’t tell whether 09ef69bd1c I should just dfa474ddd2 get drunk or d36ef5232c go have myself db68ec3423 a good time!”c9fa4bfc40d82c1e

The place roared with laughter e339e5577a again, like that had been aafd0abb39 the funniest joke in the bf79199749 world. “Sylvia’s” was the name of the establishment where the woman had aggressively tried to pull John inside.63f34dccb6f1d85e

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Though he didn’t find it 5986814588 funny at all, John took cfdf64cb73 a sip of his lukewarm 2424418290 whiskey and let out a f2f996776f fake chuckle like some carefree 0a616f67cd fool. The wary glances a9cc7c28ad toward the stranger 3605e2fd94 in the room 7e07dd18c3 began to soften.16e0bbaef1d8ea8d

“I bet the ones at Sylvia’s didn’t want to let go, huh? Not every day 480d9b0067 a pretty face 0d27c7c6c6 like yours walks da266633e3 in.”efac5c8b147d3378

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The man sitting two seats 923a1ef965 over inched closer to John. He was clearly drunk, his c0af1af44e movements loose and unsteady, his 657c7a06cd bulbous nose flushed red.17ac25d882ea37e1

“They tried pretty hard, yeah. But I was more 8a0da4ea2e in the mood for 26d66acf0e a drink.”0fed625918aa6786

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“What, got some… issues down there? Huh?”410629145771cd6c

“I’m on my way to meet my bride. No matter how tempting, she’s f736f3fa82 prettier. Didn’t even feel a twitch.”ac7889e88859aa3f

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Even when the man 8443ee1ca1 jabbed him in the a9bcde798c ribs with his elbow, 43f91d15e0 John chuckled like it 14a2906023 was no big deal, ccee3bbbaa playing along with a 1d8f8ad0fd grin. The drunk man ded38de33f bought it instantly e1327b9e03 and gave a e48fc0f1ba sloppy, satisfied laugh.c3144bc83d699ac9

“A bride, huh? She must be one lucky woman. I mean, look at you! Actually, now that I’m really looking… yeah. You kinda look like John Cain! And I mean that 7741c853d7 in a good way! Everyone knows he was a 04833faa91 good-looking bastard.”66332b1935f7d850

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“Still, not exactly a pleasant comparison. The man’s already dead.”a92dd35823568214

“True. Doesn’t matter how good-looking you f0689486fe are once you’re a burned-up a34bdd874e corpse.”5f3976f76af129c5

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The man next bf138b289b to him burst be672cab3a out laughing again.e31d3a6c713ef467

John Cain had dc9b72da02 been captured three b1d071d01b years ago during 25270cb182 a failed bounty 33e9b30d3a mission. That was the only time f8b9f27eb1 his true identity had ever f0aa8ed6b9 been exposed. Before then, all be63d7889b anyone knew about 28f9247409 him was the 9853fb7bc9 diamond-shaped scar over 82073ec870 his heart. That was why people d2b3d71a5d called himDiamond Heart.736230041ca1eed0

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When news broke that 521a0fa158 the continent’s most wanted 2fdb5b554f man—carrying a bounty of d4b933e2d6 astronomical proportions—had finally been 98e87c176c caught, the whole country 94b1774a87 went wild. People scrambled to buy train b55f6ce33b and coach tickets to witness d591a99dc5 his public execution. Scalped tickets were sold f9925ea8cb for a fortune, and 8c650714dd seats were snatched up 045a54a08b in seconds.f826af595ec2cadc

But all of them turned eb502da842 out to be worthless scraps a4be3b9d04 of paper.6e873a093f0d7216

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John Cain had d11dae591d died during transport—killed cecba44e1e when a group 18c4881e72 of unknown assailants c2f0cf64be ambushed the convoy.9ffd5865d002b881