Chapter 394

Levin was squatting in front of an alley in the slums, soaking up the sun.

Beside him, his friends Aaron and Dominic were squatting in the same posture.

To an outsider, they might’ve looked like delinquents waiting to shake someone down. But not a single local thought that.

Levin, Aaron, and Dominic had all been born and raised in this alley.

They’d fought plenty, but never laid a hand on regular folks.

They had their own code.

Even after Awakening, that code didn’t change.

They only fought other Awakened—never civilians.

Because of that, the people in the neighborhood didn’t look at them with fear.

Suddenly, Aaron lifted his head and looked up at the sky.

“Sun feels great today.”

“What the hell do you mean, ‘great’? I feel like I’m roasting alive.”

Dominic rebuked him.

Aaron scowled and turned to glare at Levin.

“Seriously though, Levin—do we have to sit in the sun like this? Let’s at least find some shade.”

“Why? It’s nice.”

“Nice, my ass. I’m about to cook out here.”

“You guys have zero patience, I swear.”

At Levin’s words, Dominic snapped.

“This is why high-rankers suck. You don’t even care about us low-tier Awakened.”

“Dude! Where did ranks even come into this?”

“Man! You’re B-rank, you can handle sitting out here. We’re getting baked!”

“Such drama…”

“It’s not drama…”

“Fine. Let’s go to the shade.”

Levin sighed, clamping his hands over his ears and getting up.

Once they moved into the shade, Aaron and Dominic visibly relaxed.

“Thought I was gonna die.”

“Now I can breathe.”

Levin gave them a look that said he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“You’re so dramatic. People are gonna think I’m torturing you two.”

“Think about us a little, will you?”

“Think about what? You’re both Awakened too…”

“Pfft.”

Aaron snorted and looked out of the alley.

“Anyone bring snacks?”

“Like anyone would.”

“How are none of you carrying food?”

“Listen to the richest guy here whining. Rich people, man.”

“Rich? Who, me?”

“You live at Zeon’s place. That counts as rich.”

“Yeah! There’s no safer place in Neo Seoul than his compound. You spoiled brat.”

Aaron and Dominic ganged up on Levin.

And he didn’t bother arguing back.

Even he knew how lucky he was to be living at Zeon’s house.

Aaron asked Levin,

“Does Zeon have any plans?”

“Not yet. Why?”

“Think he needs a porter or anything?”

“Doubt it.”

“Yeah… figured.”

“Obviously.”

“Man, I wanna go to a dungeon with him just once.”

“Hah.”

Levin smirked like he was enjoying a private victory.

Aaron and Dominic were currently unemployed.

They had quit the raid team they’d joined for the mana stone mine operation.

That team had suffered major casualties during the raid, and ended up disbanding altogether.

Aaron and Dominic had been out of work since.

They thought about joining a new team, but after getting burned once, they were hesitant.

So they’d ended up with an extended vacation.

Not that they were struggling—between them, they’d earned enough on the last job to coast for a few months.

A smile crept onto Levin’s face.

It made him happy just knowing he had friends to hang out with whenever he wanted.

Even after becoming a B-rank Awakened, his friends still treated him the same.

They were Awakened too, but none of them had changed.

He liked being with them.

Even sitting around and joking like this, squatting in a back alley, made him feel content.

Levin squinted at his friends.

That’s when—

“Never seen that old guy before.”

Aaron suddenly muttered, staring down the main street past the alley.

“What are you talking about? Oh… you’re right.”

Dominic, who was about to tease him, narrowed his eyes too.

Levin followed their gaze.

An old man was walking slowly down the street, glancing around.

He leaned on a cane and wore clothes you might expect to see on any slum resident.

He moved and looked so naturally at home that anyone else might’ve assumed he lived here. But he couldn’t fool three guys born and raised in these alleys.

The man didn’t fit in.

It was like dropping a single drop of oil into a bucket of water—he just didn’t mix.

He floated above the street like he didn’t belong.

No one else noticed anything off, but the three of them picked up on it right away.

“You see his sleeve?”

“Yeah. Bloodstain, right? Looks like it’s a couple days old.”

“He’s got armor under his clothes.”

“Looks like something from one of the Goblin Market’s workshops.”

“That cane’s weird too.”

“It’s wood?”

Levin’s eyes narrowed even further.

Obvious as it was, wood was a rare commodity in the desert.

A slum-dweller walking around with a wooden cane made no sense.

“Strange, right?”

“Totally strange.”

“He’s not even from Neo Seoul.”

People from Neo Seoul had a certain aura.

It showed in how they moved, in their eyes—their sense of superiority and pride couldn’t be faked.

“That guy’s an outsider.”

“A Scavenger?”

“Could be…”

It was common for Scavengers to sneak into the slums in disguise.

Neo Seoul was surrounded by high walls, making illegal entry nearly impossible—but the slums were another story.

Levin said,

“He’s not your average Scavenger.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Look at how he moves. He’s trying so hard to act normal while studying everyone. It’s like he’s learning—watching others and adjusting himself.”

“You’re right!”

“Levin, you’ve got a sharp eye.”

Aaron and Dominic agreed.

The man looked like a clueless country bumpkin trying to blend in after arriving in the city.

His outfit, his behavior, his eyes—everything was suspicious.

Levin turned to Aaron.

“Put some eyes on him.”

“How many?”

“Just two sharp ones. More than that and he’ll notice.”

“Got it.”

Aaron stood up.

The alleys of Sinchon were their turf.

The kids who lived there acted as their eyes and ears. Once someone entered this territory, escaping their surveillance was impossible.

The old man had no idea Levin was watching him.

He kept looking around, distracted.

“Something smells fishy…”

* * *

Zeon was seated in Old Man Klexi’s shop, eating beef noodle soup.

Slurp.

He liked the way the noodles hit his throat on the way down.

The rich broth was perfect, too.

“Damn, this is good.”

“You eat like someone who hasn’t had food in three days.”

“I was hungry.”

“What’ve you been doing that you missed meals?”

“Yeah, good question.”

“Still, it’s good to see you eat like that.”

“Your cooking keeps getting better. This is way tastier than before.”

“Humph! So now you understand how great this old man really is?”

“I’ve always known.”

“Hmph! Glad to hear you’ve finally recognized my genius.”

Old Man Klexi grinned with his trademark mischievous smile.

He looked like a villain scheming in some back alley.

“Now that I think about it, haven’t seen the little one for a few days. Where’s she gone?”

“Brielle went home for a bit.”

“Home? You mean the elf village?”

“Yeah.”

“You sure it’s okay to let her go alone?”

“She wanted to go. And I sent someone I trust to watch over her.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

Klexi let out a breath.

If Zeon had picked the escort, it was definitely someone trustworthy.

Zeon was meticulous—he never overlooked details.

“No idea when she’ll be back?”

“She’ll return when the time is right.”

“Well, that’s good to hear…”

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

“That’s just what old folks do. Worry.”

“She’s a smart kid. She might go through some trials, but she’ll handle it.”

“You’re right. She will.”

Kleksi nodded.

Zeon placed some money on the table and stood up.

“Heading out already?”

“Yeah. Thought I’d stop by the Goblin Market for a bit.”

“You need anything?”

“Not really. Just clearing my head.”

“Yeah. When your mind’s a mess, wandering through the market with no thoughts is the best cure.”

“See you next time.”

“Take care, then.”

Zeon stepped out of Klexi’s place and headed straight for the Goblin Market.

As always, the market was bustling with people.

“Hey there, handsome! Come take a look!”

“New arrivals from the Bluebird Workshop! Don’t miss them!”

“Items freshly excavated from the dungeon!”

Vendors still lined the streets, calling out to passersby.

People flocked toward their voices.

Some bought things as if hypnotized, others bargained like their lives depended on it.

Zeon smiled at the vibrant atmosphere.

He strolled through the crowd.

That’s when someone caught his eye.

‘Big guy…’

A massive man—impossible not to notice.

At least 2.5 meters tall, with shoulders as broad as a doorway and bulging muscles.

His face was hidden beneath a deep cap, but he still drew stares.

A huge sword was strapped to his back, and he carried a large sack over his shoulder.

The man scanned his surroundings before approaching a shop.

It specialized in magical beast byproducts.

Thud!

He dropped the sack on the counter.

“You buy beast byproducts here?”

Startled by the man’s presence, the shopkeeper hesitated—then forced a business smile.

“Yes, we do. May I take a look inside?”

“Go ahead.”

The shopkeeper carefully opened the sack.

And instantly, his smile vanished.

Because of what was inside.

“This is…”

“Ghost Beetle shells. What’ll you give me?”

“Where did you get this, sir?”

“Hunted it, obviously. How much?”

“Ghost Beetles are extremely rare beasts. Where exactly did you hunt this?”

“Just tell me how much it’s worth.”

“Sir…”

“…”

“Where did you get this, really?”

The shopkeeper looked up at the towering man, a hint of menace creeping into his face.

The giant bared yellowed teeth in a grin—but his voice was anything but pleasant.

“You sure ask a lot of goddamn questions.”