Chapter 293

Chapter 293

Zeon and Briel came out to the vacant lot in the slums early in the morning.

The large vacant lot was filled with vehicles and people.

The attack forces mobilized for the Mana Stone Mine campaign had gathered there.

There were four hundred vehicles, three thousand Awakened, and several hundred support personnel.

It was a mission led by City Hall.

Naturally, the rewards were generous, and they had even promised to grant part of the operating rights to the new Mana Stone Mine city to the attack force that achieved the greatest merit.

Of course, countless attack forces joined with their eyes turned upside down.

That was because even a tiny share of the Mana Stone Mine’s operating rights guaranteed enormous profit.

Once one secured operating rights, not only could one earn stable income over the long term, but one could also secure a base at the new Mana Stone Mine.

Even the current rulers of Neo Seoul’s districts had started from humble beginnings. But when the existing Mana Stone Mine was developed, they participated, distinguished themselves, and obtained a portion of the Mana Stone Mine’s operating rights.

Using that as their foundation, they had grown into the giant powers they were today.

With such examples before them, it was only natural that countless attack forces would leap in.

On top of that, the existing districts had also dispatched attack forces.

Their intention was to expand their power by securing a share in the new Mana Stone Mine as well as the existing one.

Because of that, countless attack forces had gathered in the slum vacant lot.

The small attack force that Aaron and Dominic, Levin’s friends, belonged to was among them.

They were waiting for departure in the most remote rear section of the vacant lot.

It was the sorrow of an insignificant small attack force.

Jang Yong-beom’s party was waiting in a much better place than them.

It was an attack force whose Captain was a Grade S Awakened.

Naturally, they had the right to occupy a good position.

The vehicles they had mobilized were also excellent.

Desert-specialized buggies, transport buses covered in thick armor plating, and even supply transport vehicles. They looked like a proper attack force.

Jang Yong-beom sat on the roof of a buggy with a bored expression.

“City Hall bastards always handle work so fucking slowly. They could just depart, so why make us wait like this?”

“It probably means the mission is that dangerous. There must be a lot to prepare and review.”

At Aiden’s answer, Jang Yong-beom looked indifferent.

“No matter how you dress it up, we’re just catching one monster. There’s only one monster in that open-pit mine, right?”

“The monster’s estimated Grade is supposedly Grade S.”

“I’m Grade S too.”

“That doesn’t mean you can catch a Grade S monster alone, does it?”

“Tsk!”

With nothing to say, Jang Yong-beom clicked his tongue.

The strength of a Grade S monster was on a different level from a Grade A monster.

No matter how much of a Grade S Awakened one was, catching a Grade S monster alone was not easy. Unless one possessed an absurd authority like Zeon.

“Haha!”

A sudden laugh burst out beside the two.

The one who laughed loudly without realizing it was Levin.

Jang Yong-beom glared at Levin.

“Is this funny?”

“I’m sorry. It was just too funny.”

Levin covered his mouth with his hand and tried to suppress his laughter. But he could not stop his face from turning red.

With a displeased expression, Jang Yong-beom looked at Aiden.

“Tsk! My authority has fallen to the ground because you keep talking to me like equals, hasn’t it?”

“It’s good. It makes you seem human.”

“Bullshit! Human, my ass...... Anyway, none of you bastards are to my liking.”

“In any case, didn’t we receive enough potion support thanks to him? Please calm down.”

“Tsk!”

In exchange for supporting Jang Yong-beom’s party with potions, Zeon had proposed that they accept Levin into their attack force as a temporary member.

Levin wanted to protect his friends. But that did not mean he could join the attack force his friends had entered.

Small attack forces were usually closed off and had their own culture. Because of that, once one joined, it was not easy to leave.

A place where he could stay near his friends while moving freely.

That was why he chose Jang Yong-beom’s attack force.

Jang Yong-beom needed potions, and Levin needed an attack force where he could move freely near his friends.

That was why Levin was currently a temporary member of Jang Yong-beom’s attack force.

Although he grumbled, Jang Yong-beom also knew how strong Levin was.

He also knew how useful Levin’s ability was.

If they used Levin’s ability well, they could achieve great merit in this mission.

If that happened, they might even obtain part of the Mana Stone Mine’s operating rights.

Aiden thought the current situation was not bad.

‘No, it’s extremely good. We’re forming a deeper connection with that Sandmancer, after all.’

No matter what anyone said, Zeon was an absurdly overpowered Awakened.

Aiden had seen with his own eyes how powerful Zeon was in the desert.

There was nothing bad about being deeply connected to him.

Just then—

VROOOM!

With a roaring engine sound, an enormous vehicle entered the vacant lot.

It was a transport vehicle sent by City Hall.

Awakened got out of the vehicle.

The first to be seen was Pathfinder Team 3.

At present, they were the only ones who knew the location of the Mana Stone Mine.

Since they had to serve as guides, naturally, Pathfinder Team 3 had participated.

There was another familiar face as well.

“Oh! It’s Mandy noona.”

Levin brightened when he saw Mandy getting out with Pathfinder Team 3.

Mandy was also participating this time as a Supervisor.

She spotted Levin too and waved her hand.

At that moment, a man in his forties who had gotten out with Mandy spoke in a cold voice.

“Everyone is watching, so what are you doing acting so frivolously? Lower your hand.”

“Yes!”

Mandy answered with a dissatisfied expression.

The man’s name was Go Min-woo.

He was an analyst affiliated with City Hall and the person in charge of this expedition.

An analyst was, as the name suggested, someone who gathered and analyzed information that came into City Hall.
Usually, they worked inside City Hall, and it was extremely rare for them to come out into the field.

According to rumors, Go Min-woo had strongly requested to become the person in charge of this mission.

Go Min-woo was an extremely ambitious man.

His goal was to become deputy mayor of City Hall, a position currently vacant.

Officially, Neo Seoul had two deputy mayors. But both seats were empty.

If he took even one of those seats, he would become Neo Seoul’s second-in-command.

It was a position that guaranteed power as immense as that of the rulers of the four districts.

Anyone with ambition could not help coveting it.

‘If I successfully develop the Mana Stone Mine, the Mayor will surely look favorably on me. Then becoming deputy mayor won’t be just a dream.’

Go Min-woo was a Grade B Awakened.

Although his Grade was lower than that of the Numbers, this was still not a level where he would be looked down upon anywhere.

Go Min-woo was confident in the success of this expedition.

It was a force that could only succeed.

No matter how much the monster occupying the Mana Stone Mine was estimated to be Grade S, with the forces gathered here, they would surely be able to kill it.

Go Min-woo spoke arrogantly to Mandy.

“Has everyone gathered?”

“Yes! I confirmed that every attack force that applied is present without a single absence.”

“Hehe! Then we can depart immediately.”

“Shouldn’t you personally check the personnel and equipment?”

“You handle that. A commander only needs to command well, so why would I take care of such trivial details? That is your responsibility. Understood?”

“Yes!”

Mandy answered while desperately keeping her expression calm.

Inside, she was boiling.

She was so angry that she worried Eloy might come bursting out.

‘This useless man. Just how far is he going to dump this shit on me?’

The person she hated most in City Hall was Go Min-woo. And she absolutely hated this situation, where she had to go to the new Mana Stone Mine with him of all people.

‘Haa!’

She secretly sighed and looked toward where Zeon was.

Zeon and Briel were chatting warmly, unaware that her insides were rotting away.

‘I want to be over there too.’

The one consolation was that Levin was going with them.

Although they were in different vehicles, the mere fact that they would be moving together gave her some comfort.

Go Min-woo climbed onto the roof of the command vehicle and spoke loudly.

“Now, let us depart. If this mission succeeds, we will leave a major mark on Neo Seoul’s history. The rewards will be just as sweet, so let us all work hard.”

“Waaah!”

“Let’s go!”

With great cheers, hundreds of vehicles moved at once.

Briel, who was watching the sight, suddenly opened her mouth.

“Levin will come back safely, right?”

“If you’re worried, why didn’t you follow him?”

“To be honest, I’m not worried. If Levin really decides to run, no one can catch him.”

“That’s true.”

Zeon nodded.

If Levin fled using Ghost Transformation, there were almost no beings who could catch him. Even if this entire expedition were annihilated, he would probably be the only one to survive.

The problem was Levin’s friends.

Although Zeon had made them gain a lot of experience in a short time, they were still far behind other Awakened.

Even Zeon could not guarantee whether they would survive and return.

“We can only hope luck follows them......”

“Instead of that, can’t we follow them?”

“City Hall probably wouldn’t want that.”

“Really?”

“If I achieve great merit, they’d have to give me part of the Mana Stone Mine’s operating rights. Do you think Jin Geum-ho would want that?”

“Would he not?”

“You can tell by the fact that he didn’t invite me to participate. He doesn’t want my influence to grow any further.”

“That could be true.”

Briel nodded.

Zeon had no interest in power in Neo Seoul or the slums. Yet every power holder in Neo Seoul was paying close attention to Zeon’s movements.

That was because Zeon was such a destructive existence.

What they wanted was for Zeon to do nothing in Neo Seoul.

“Zeon, don’t you have any ambition?”

“What kind of ambition?”

“I mean, ambition to build your own domain in Neo Seoul, or become mayor.”

“Why would I do something so annoying? I like living here just fine.”

“Right? Actually, I feel the same! I like focusing comfortably on alchemy without getting involved in annoying things.”

“And playing with Gaia between your research?”

“Yeah!”

At Briel’s answer, given without the slightest hesitation, Zeon chuckled.

“Everyone has left, so let’s go home too.”

“Okay!”

The hundreds of vehicles that had filled the vacant lot had vanished as if it were a lie. They had all left for the Mana Stone Mine.

Before heading home, Briel looked around the vacant lot for a moment, then suddenly frowned.

“Hm?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, no......”

Briel’s voice trembled as she answered.

Sensing that the atmosphere was unusual, Zeon looked toward where Briel’s gaze was directed.

It was a place where many slum residents had gathered to watch the expedition depart.

Once the expedition had all left, the people who had been watching were scattering in every direction.

“Is there something over there?”

“That is......”

“What is it?”

“I think I...... saw it wrong. There’s no way they’d be here.”

“They? Who are you talking about?”

“Hunters.”

“What kind of hunters?”

“......”

Instead of answering, Briel bit her lip.

She seemed so shocked that she did not even feel blood flowing from her lip.

Zeon spoke gently.

“Briel!”

“Huh?”

“What kind of hunters are you talking about?”

“That is......”

“Are you talking about the ones who captured you from the High Elf village?”

“I think so!”

“Then we need to confirm it.”

“But I might have seen it wrong.”

“You might have seen it correctly. So will you tell me about the ones who captured you?”

At Zeon’s gentle voice, Briel gathered courage and answered.

“There were a few strange people among the ones who kidnapped me.”

“How were they strange?”

“There were beastfolk and dwarves together.”