Changing the Rendezvous Point

Gelman was referring to the situation right in front of them.

Shizuku clenched her right hand into a fist and thumped it against her left palm, her eyebrows lifting as understanding dawned.

"So that's what you meant... Hmm... Then I'll help you, too."

That was what she said, but when she crouched to search the corpses, she stuffed all the Jenny she found into her jeans pockets.

Gelman naturally didn't try to take any from her. It was loot she'd earned.

He had his own "loot"—2 Stat Points, which he put into "Physique" as well, bringing it to 28.

Without a word, the two of them looted the bodies and the cars, found a set of Car Keys, and drove off in one of the sedans, leaving the deathly silent plaza behind.

Gelman sat in the driver's seat, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the gearshift, his eyes fixed on the road ahead in the dead of night.

Shizuku sat in the passenger seat with a stack of Jenny in her hands. She counted them one by one, then took out a rubber band and bundled them up.

The two of them looked just like robbers fresh from a bank heist.

Shizuku put the Jenny away, then looked over at Gelman, who was focused on driving.

"Where are we going now?"

Gelman flicked on the turn signal and accelerated past a lumbering freight truck.

"I was supposed to meet a friend the day after tomorrow. Now I'll have to change the location. If we stay in Yorknew City, we'll have plenty of flies following and bothering us."

Shizuku blinked her big eyes.

"You really do have 'friends'... Those two could threaten you, but their threats wouldn't work on me."

Gelman's lips pressed into a slight frown.

"You're the kind of person who no longer depends on society and has nothing to fear—in other words, an 'Invincible Person,' right?"

"Yeah." Shizuku's eyes widened slightly. "That's more or less what I mean. I just hadn't thought of the right word before... 'Invincible Person.' Exactly. I'm invincible."

The black sedan left the overpass and passed through an intersection. By one in the morning on the seventeenth, it had left Yorknew City and reached another city.

Gelman abandoned the sedan by the roadside and didn't use it again.

The two of them found an ordinary hotel, rented two rooms, and rested until nine the next morning before setting out together again.

Gelman had booked two tickets on an airship in advance. He and Shizuku boarded the eleven-thirty flight and left the city.

Seated in his place, Gelman composed a Text Message and sent it to Biscuit.

"My companion and I are on the airship. We'll reach our destination this afternoon."

He had already discussed changing the Rendezvous Point with Biscuit, and had told her that he would be bringing a companion.

Before long, Biscuit replied.

"Got it... By the way, you two made quite a scene last night. Sick Dog and Porcupine, two of the Shadow Beasts, died horribly at your hands (astonished face)."

"But so far, the Ten Dons' bounty on the Dark Web is targeting you. Your companion hasn't been exposed yet (snickering face)."

"Still, since you're from Meteor City, they're probably in a bit of a bind now, huh? The mafia and Meteor City have a mutually beneficial relationship, and Meteor City is famous for sticking up for its own (laughing face)..."

"But if they don't punish you, the Ten Dons' reputation will take a serious hit."

Sitting beside Gelman, Shizuku noticed him messaging someone and leaned over curiously to take a look.

Gelman angled his phone screen away from her and kept typing.

"I won't pin my hopes on someone else's decision, and I don't want to waste time on them. About when will you meet up with us?"

After a long while, Biscuit finally replied.

"Yorknew City was a little far from me before, but this destination is closer. I've already set out, so I should be able to meet you tonight (drooling face)."

"Be careful. The Shadow Beasts might come after you relentlessly. With only two of them dead, they probably still have plenty of confidence in their ability to hunt you down."

Gelman replied with a simple "Okay," then put his phone away.

By then, Shizuku had lost interest in his messages and was engrossed in a travel magazine.

The airship landed on schedule in the Coastal City of Saba City that afternoon.

If nothing unexpected happened, the city would serve as the registration site for next year's Hunter Exam.

Gelman and Shizuku checked into the Dore Port Hotel, where they could see the Azure Sea. Their rooms were separated by only one wall, and they planned to wait quietly until evening.

Eating soft afternoon-tea pastries, Gelman sat in a chair and watched the news on TV.

"Last night, what appears to have been a mafia clash broke out in Yorknew City, leaving seventy-five people dead and causing widespread panic. The case is currently under investigation. Here are some images from the scene..."

After watching for a while, he sensed several presences closing in. At first they tried to conceal themselves, but once they had completely surrounded him, they dropped the act.

So they've come.

The glass doors to the balcony slid open, and a naked man stepped inside. His brown skin and pointed bald head blocked the sunlight streaming in from outside.

"I'm Leech, one of the Shadow Beasts."

With a crack, the door handle was violently snapped off and the door shoved open. A smiling, slightly plump man walked in alongside a man with short, center-parted hair and sunglasses.

"I'm Worm of the Shadow Beasts."

"I'm Owl of the Shadow Beasts."

"Gelman," Worm said. "I can't believe Sick Dog and Porcupine died at your hands. We didn't even get a chance to see the scene. As soon as we received our orders, we came straight after you."

"Looks like you really underestimate the mafia, staying at a hotel so openly."

"I'm guessing you knew Sick Dog and Porcupine's abilities in advance and prepared counters, right?" Leech said with a squint and a smile. "Maybe our abilities have already been exposed, too."

Owl adjusted his sunglasses and spread his hands. "But it ends here. This time, to make sure you two are killed, the Ten Dons sent four Shadow Beasts after you."

"The three of us will deal with you." Owl raised a hand and pointed toward Shizuku's room next door. "Bat will take care of your companion."

"Don't think you can offend the Ten Dons and act like nothing happened. Even if you're from Meteor City, we'll punish you if we have to."

Gelman put down the TV remote, calmly finished the last piece of dessert, took a tissue to wipe the corner of his mouth, and then stood up.

He knew there was no point trying to reason with mafia members.

Shanzhi, Sick Dog, and Porcupine had been the ones to attack him first, and he had only killed them in self-defense. Yet now it was as if he had started the trouble and offended the Ten Dons.

Was he supposed to just surrender?

Gelman had given Biscuit's warning some serious thought.

She was right. The deaths of only two Shadow Beasts wouldn't be enough to quench the mafia's desire for revenge.

But what if four more Shadow Beasts died?