"Whew! That was a total slaughter!" Jamie sniffled and sat back in the car, drenched in sweat. Her younger sister, Marcy, quickly wiped the nosebleed from her weakened face.
The aroma of charcoal-grilled meat wafted into the car. Who would have thought those foul-smelling things would smell so delicious once roasted?
"Chade, I'm a little hungry." Eleven licked her lips, her eyes filled with the longing of a little glutton.
Richard chuckled. "Sure. Once we're done here, let's pack a few vines from The Upside Down to take home. I'll make a divine dish you've definitely never tasted before."
Everyone: "..."
"Are you sure those things are edible?! They're poisonous!" Hopper's lips twitched as he complained.
Richard grinned. "That's where you're wrong. Poisonous insects, snakes, and even blowfish with neurotoxins are all poisonous, but they can still be eaten. The vines of The Upside Down are the same."
As he spoke, Richard salivated, looking quite hungry. "The vines of The Upside Down look like plants, but they're actually different. They're more like animals—like snakes without bones. As long as you remove the toxic parts, cut them into segments or dice them, and then simmer them with other ingredients for two and a half hours... Holy crap, it can nourish the yin and replenish the kidneys!"
"Replenish the kidneys!?" Hopper was stunned, his expression turning serious and his eyes flickering with uncertainty.
Eleven looked confused, while the twins, Jamie and Marcy, blushed, their eyes twinkling with amusement. Even the weakened Jamie couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile.
Ricky's expression was similar to Hopper's, both seemingly considering whether they should drink such a soup if it really existed.
"That's right, I, Richard, never lie." Richard nodded and sighed. "Actually, Dimo Creatures are edible too. Forget about the Demogorgons—they look too human, and I can't bring myself to eat humanoid creatures. But we could try the Demo-Bats. Oh, don't worry, if I handle them, they'll be safer and won't have any germs."
"Where on earth did you get these strange recipes?" Ricky didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I still feel like you're joking. These things shouldn't be eaten."
Richard crossed his arms, taking his hands off the steering wheel and letting the Wraiths take control. He said confidently, "Don't worry, I learned all of this from Hogwarts."
"What's Hogwarts?"
"Don't worry about that. Anyway, it's a magical place." Richard waved his hand.
Eleven didn't care about any of that. She stood up, leaning over the back of Richard's seat, and said expectantly, "I really want to try it. You'll make it for me when we get back, right?"
Richard's eyes flickered. After a subtle pause, he said, "Of course. I'll make it for everyone when we get back."
"Pinky swear?" Eleven keenly noticed Richard's strange expression and extended her pinky finger, feeling a bit uneasy.
Richard chuckled and made the pinky swear promise. Only then did Eleven beam with joy.
Thump! Thump!
Having run over countless vines stretching across the road, the group felt the jolts of the swaying car. A familiar musical melody reached Richard's ears.
Hearing the singing, he froze for a moment, then slowly guessed what Steve and the others in the real world had done. He couldn't help but chuckle. "I've got to hand it to them. I can't believe they thought of that."
After hearing Richard's words, the others in the car soon heard the rock music drifting from the distance, their expressions turning strange.
"What's going on?" Hopper asked hurriedly. "Did someone else fall into The Upside Down, into Henry's lair?"
As he spoke, Hopper wanted Eleven to sense if anyone else was nearby. However, Richard stopped her from wasting her energy and explained with a smile, "That sound is likely coming from the real world. I can faintly hear the roar of a crowd. It must be a concert."
"A concert in the real world?" Ricky looked as if he had lost a fortune. "Damn it, if it weren't for The Upside Down, I could be at a concert right now," he lamented.
As the sound grew clearer, Eleven recognized the voice. She smiled and said, "Ah, it's Eddie!"
Hopper also realized belatedly. "Steve and the others must have done something in the real world."
"They're probably trying to harass Henry with the concert noise. Loud noise interferes with a psychic's ability to use extra-sensory perception," Richard guessed. But after thinking it over, he added, "However, this move is risky. We don't know how much stronger Henry has become. If his power has grown, Steve and the others near the Creel family mansion in the real world will be in danger."
Everyone's faces paled. Without needing a word, the Wraiths driving the car seemed to sense Richard's thoughts and floored the accelerator.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of the Creel House in The Upside Down. Just then, the rock music abruptly stopped.
Realizing that Henry might have used his powers to cut the speaker circuits in the real world or something similar, it was likely that Steve and the others were in danger.
"Burn it down!" Richard pulled a bottle of vodka from his backpack and skillfully made a Molotov cocktail. He lit the alcohol-soaked cloth stuffed into the bottle and hurled it with immense strength into the attic of the Creel House. He knew Henry Creel was hiding there.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Hopper also activated the flamethrower on his back. The nozzle erupted in high-temperature flames, scorching the entrance of the house. Jamie, who had recovered some strength in the car, added her own fire from behind. Ricky and Eleven—one using physical strength and the other telekinesis—joined Richard in hurling Molotov cocktails into the old mansion.
"Fuck you!" A loud curse rang out as a tall green figure crashed through the roof. Floating in the air with a face full of fury, a large cloud of black particles swirled in from all directions, circling the green figure like a swarm of bees protecting their queen. They enveloped Henry, supporting him as he hovered in the sky.
Richard chuckled. "Finally meeting face-to-face, huh, you knock-off Swamp Thing."
"I am not a knock-off! And I am not a monster!" Henry spat out every word with rage. "I am the god of this Upside Down, and I am about to descend upon the real world to control and rule it as its god!"
"It's a good thing the term 'Chunibyo' doesn't exist yet, otherwise I'd definitely label you with a severe case of it." Richard gave Henry the middle finger.
Henry clenched his fists, a low growl like a cornered hound escaping his throat. Strange black veins bulged around his eyes. Just as everyone thought he was about to lash out in anger and Eleven was secretly gathering her telekinetic power, Henry suddenly laughed—a gruesome, twisted laugh. "Impressive. I must admit, you and your mortal teammates coordinate well. Even without any prior agreement, you've managed to work in harmony across both the real world and The Upside Down."
"You succeeded in limiting my extra-sensory perception, preventing me from launching a mental invasion on those in the real world. However... you made a small oversight. The gate at the Mental Hospital is currently unguarded... My servants will be able to easily cross through the gate and enter the real world!"
Hearing Henry's arrogant laughter, Hopper and the others felt a sinking sensation.
"The Agent controlled by the Wraiths at the gate should be able to hold them off for a while," Richard said. His words stunned everyone present.
At this moment, Hopper, Eleven, and even Henry sensed a cold indifference toward life from Richard, a feeling that was utterly foreign.
Henry frowned and said in a low voice, "Those Agent are still living people, aren't they?"
"So what? Since they intended to harm me, they are my enemies," Richard said calmly. "If they're enemies, there's nothing wrong with using them as tools. They were going to die anyway; I just gave them a less-than-pleasant way to go."
Henry couldn't help but re-evaluate Richard. It seemed he had held a mistaken perception of the man from the very beginning.
This man, who harbored such immense darkness within yet could still live so cheerfully in reality, didn't actually have a strong heart... rather, he had always been broken!