In the downtown area of the bustling city of Singapore, a woman just came out from the elevator while letting out a long sigh.

"Geez, where did that Asran go last night. I hope he isn't dead or something," Sofia was grumbling with her morning coffee in her hand.

"Sofia you're late," a loud roar coming from the chief's office. A balding man stepped outside the office with his suspenders on.

Sofia already closed both of her ears, annoyed by the voice alone.

"Keep it down boss, people are working here," Sofia replied.

"Enough of that, I've already had a headache from last night incident. You can't believe how much I got an earful from the higher up," from the top to bottom, Sofia was getting the brunt of her boss's dissatisfaction.

"Boss if you want to complain, shouldn't you do this with your wife," Sofia retorted.

"If I do that, I'm the one going to get an earful," the chief let out a sigh before he continued, "so how is it with the ongoing case? Any progress? The higher-ups is anxious about this one."

Sofia pointed at under her eyes.

"Don't you see these eyebags of mine, I've been working and I think I've got a lead," said Sofia.

She looks tired and fatigue but that didn't hinder the flames inside her eyes.

"That's my department's ace," he slapped Sofia's back out of excitement. At least he had some news to relay at the higher-ups.

"Ouch, boss don't hit me. You know I can file a sexual harassment report," Sofia glared at his boss.

"Sexual harassment? You? Hah, you're like my daughter. I've been seeing you since you were a baby. If your late-dad can see you right now, he would have been proud," the chief wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes.

Sofia was dumbfounded seeing this, just a while ago he was scolding the heck out of her. The sudden change in mood was too hasty.

"Chief, are you crying? Please don't, your appearance doesn't suit well with sentimentality," said Sofia.

"Hmph, I can cry whenever I want. Besides, I'm at the age of having menopause," said the chief.

"Menopause? You're a guy chief," Sofia retorted.

"Hmph, then why is there a men in menopause," the chief walked back towards the office as he said, " report back to me if you have any progress."

Sofia could only stared at her boss while being dumbfounded by his illogical reasoning.

"Geez that bald old man, he's really pushing me," Sofia sat down at her desk. She was going through the documents in her computer, at that moment she heard a passing by comments made by her colleagues.

"Hey, you heard about last night incident. They said an evol trashed the whole place killing everyone besides that pink beanie freak,"

"Is it that cat dude again?"

"I don't think so, eyewitness said that the evol who came was pretty much open with his face. A girl testified that the evol had cold eyes with sunken cheeks."

Sofia who wasn't paying attention at first suddenly perked her ears up.

She wanted to focus on her job, but hearing those words made her thought about Asran.

Sofia got up slamming the desk, everyone in the department were stunned and looked at her.

She walked towards the duo who were looking at her as she asked.

"Tell me about the evol guy."

---

It was lunch hour and Sofia dressed in casual clothes was sitting inside a fast-food franchise. The big yellow M was rather prominent on top of the store.

She was eating a cheeseburger with a frown on her face. She didn't even mind the tomato sauce splatter on her face.

"Eating cheeseburger again lady cop?"

Sofia only glared at the friendly-looking guy.

"It's none of your business, so what do you got?"

"Don't be so cold Sofia, aren't we friends?"

"Scum like you, a friend? If you want your knees busted, then keep on going."

The friendly man only laughed at her words not bother by the harsh words.

"If there's money involve, you'll always be a friend, hehe," he sat down opposite to Sofia.

He pushed a phone on the table towards Sofia.

"What's this?" Asked Sofia.

"Date, time and location of one of the illegal black marketer rendezvous point," Sofia smirked as she grabbed the phone.

"And here, your identity as well as an ID bracelet," the friendly guy pushed an envelope towards her.

"You sure about this lady cop? Going inside a portal is no fun and game, I doubt your gun can do anything against those monsters," the friendly informant was rather considerate.

"Stop with that fake concern of yours, you know how I am. The important thing is did you get what I ask for?"

"That amount of money you gave me isn't enough, but here," he gave a little box.

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"Don't waste it," said the informant as he left Sofia alone.

Turning on the old smartphone, she felt nostalgic seeing it. This type of phone only existed ten years ago before the portal break happened.

She opened the old version of Goggle's map and found the location.

"Tomorrow morning, best if I could get a good night sleep for the night," said Sofia.

After a brief time in the office, Sofia went home earlier. The reason she thrown at her chief was the assignment in the next morning.

She was skipping on the stairs with a pure smile on her face. At least for the night, she would have a good night sleep before her assignment.

She stood in front of her doorstep with the thought of landing on her comfy bed for the rest of the time.

Yet at the same time as she inserted the key into the doorknob, she saw someone arriving on the floor.

"Bastard, you're still alive?" She ran and stood in front of him glaring at him like a lioness.

Asran wasn't surprised by Sofia as his spirit sense already detected her from two floors below. He was munching down on a hotdog while looking rather casual.

Sofia eyed him from top to bottom. She wanted to see whether this man here was similar to the person described by that girl. Looking at those set of lazy eyes. It contradicts with what that girl said.

Although his cheeks were rather sunken a bit, but for some reason, it looks like he was getting healthier. Seeing Asran stuffing himself with that hotdog really took the picture of him being a cold-blooded murderer off her mind.

Along with the weak image portrayed by Asran being beaten by those loan shark, it only solidified his identity of not being the evol involved in the hostage incident.

"What's in the plastic?" Sofia saw Asran holding on to a plastic bag. Her nose smelled something savory.

"Chili crab, why?"

Sofia's eyes gleamed in excitement.

"Good, let's eat," she said those words as if those chili crabs were hers.

Asran's hand by instinct pulled over to his back. He stared at the sight of Sofia who was clearly displeased. It took him a few seconds thinking about it as he said,

"Fine, let's eat," he remembered the pizza last night. One thing he learned from his life as Bai Long, one must always pay their debts no matter how small it was.

"Nice," said Sofia.

Three people sat at the small table.

"Asran, where did you get these chili crabs? Aren't this expensive?" Lima was surprised by the food on the table. Sofia too was interested yet she pretended to remain oblivious.

"Mother I've something to say," his solemn voice caught Lima off guard.

"Actually, the call from this morning it was about your job," he paused taking his time. "You got laid off mother."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" Lima was about to rush to the telephone but Asran held her hand stopping her from moving.

"It's fine mother, let it be," said Asran.

"No son, we can't do that. I need to..." Asran interjected stopping her mother, "it's fine mother, you just need to rest."

"Son..."

"I've got a job mother," Asran flashed a gentle smile.

"Really? But how?" Her mother was full of questions.

Asran told of how he met an old friend of his and with the aid of his tender-hearted friend, he managed to get a job. The starting salary was enough for the both of them.

"Is this true?" Asked Lima with tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Of course mother," said Asran. He wrapped his arms around his mother giving a warm loving hug.

Sofia who was watching by the sideline was getting teary, the thought of her mother surfaced inside her mind.

"Geez, this shameless bastard really has some good luck," said Sofia as she turned her head around. She didn't want to see the touching scene as she was kind of the weak-hearted type.

"But son, these chili crabs?"

"Oh, my friend gave me pocket money so I bought these for you," said Asran.

"Oh my, your friend is really kind and generous," her eyes were twinkling as she thanked that friend of Asran in her heart.

'Sorry mother,' Asran felt guilt but it was necessary. Another lie fabricated for the sake of his mother. It didn't matter to him, as long as he could make his mother happy and relief.

"So can we eat now?" Sofia had to intefered the touching moment between son and mother.

"Oh my, we shouldn't let the guest wait. Let's eat son, I'll go get the plates."

Three people shared a feast of chili crabs. The mother was smiling bright and the neighbor was indulging herself to free food. The son could only smiled seeing this scene.

A memory returned from the depth of his mind. Just a for second he felt melancholic, but he shook his head not wanting to remember that moment.