CHAPTER 37: 37. HUNTED

Shin smirked inwardly as he caught Yuki trailing behind him in his peripheral vision. Whether she liked it or not, she’d guard him. Especially while he used Soul Harvest to get stronger.

But...

There was still one loose end.

"Well, well... had a good time in there, buddy?"

The voice belonged to Ado—one of the guys who’d been shadowing him like a damn leech lately.

Shin turned to face him, scanning him with a scowl. Ado’s posture made him grimace: one hand cocked on his hip like some wannabe diva. The fact that he was a dude only made it look more ridiculous.

"Oh, I had a blast," Shin replied dryly, brow raised. "Were you listening in?"

"What? Nooo, I’d never do that, sweetpie," Ado purred with a grin that made Shin cringe. "I just thought... you’re kinda cute. Would be nice if you invited me next time you’re out having fun."

"You’re sick. Ew." Shin muttered, disgusted.

Yuki caught up just then, her face still clouded with fury.

The moment Ado saw her—the Yuki, the woman whose name made low-level players piss themselves, he wisely decided not to push his luck. So his charms didn’t work on Shin. Too bad.

Well... there’s always next time, he thought.

"Catch you later, buddy!" he called, turning to leave.

"Stop following me around!" Shin snapped.

Ado paused mid-step, glancing back with a raised brow. So he noticed?

He forced a fake smile. "Following you? Me?"

"Yeah, not exactly subtle. You, another guy and the other who carries an atcher around and always clenches his fists every time I show up. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re planning to kill me."

Yuki watched in silence.

"Kill you?" Ado laughed, though it was hollow. "Man, what are you even—"

"Look," Shin cut him off, voice low and sharp. "I can sense hostility. So instead of playing pretend, why don’t you bring your boys and we’ll talk properly. Let’s see if you really have what it takes to take me out."

Ado’s smile faltered. His mouth felt dry. This kid’s too confident. He must have some broken-ass skill.

Without another word, he turned and walked away.

As his footsteps faded, Yuki turned to Shin, scowling. "What the hell was that about?"

He sighed. "Just a couple guys who seem really eager to kill me."

"And you told them to come at you?" she said, eyebrows raised.

"Yup." He grinned. "I mean... I’ve got you, Yuki. What’s there to be afraid of?"

He winked.

Her eye twitched. "Damn brat. I’m not your fucking bodyguard—"

"Yeah, yeah. Let’s go." He waved her off lazily.

Shin strolled through the busy streets, hands in his pockets, the picture of calm—like a man with a Pitbull at his back. He was heading to the Pleasure Hub, a place he despised. They charged him 100 coins just to enter, but he had no choice. He couldn’t risk sending someone else in to fetch Lilian—it’d only raise suspicions.

He stepped inside. Yuki followed like a silent shadow.

The male NPCs inside shrank back the moment they saw Yuki’s expression. She was infamous now—everyone knew: Don’t mess with Yuki when she looks pissed.

Oddly, Lilian wasn’t at the front like usual. In her place was a new girl Shin didn’t recognize.

"Welcome to the Pleasure H—"

"Yeah, save it." Shin cut her off. He leaned in, voice low. "Where’s Lilian?"

"I-I’m sorry, sir, but Lilian isn’t for hire. If you’d like a companion, just let us know your preferences and—"

Shin’s eyes narrowed. "Where. Is. Lilian?" he growled.

The girl froze, then bowed quickly. "Right away, sir! Please follow me!"

Shin trailed after her, Yuki still close behind. They climbed a staircase tucked at the back, entering a long hallway lined with doors. Inside the open rooms, various girls milled about, some naked, some dressed. All types were present: skinny, curvy, even fat women, the type mordern cultured men like to call BBWs. There was a wide variety, clearly designed to cater to every player’s particular taste. If he had to guess, these were the NPC girls programmed to fulfill the desires of players with all kinds of preferences.

Eventually, they reached a door at the far end. The girl knocked.

"Come in," Lilian’s voice called softly.

She stepped aside to let Shin through. Yuki hesitated, eyebrows pinching together. Who the hell is this kid? Even she had never been invited into this part of the Hub.

Inside, Lilian bowed her head deeply. "Divine Lord Shade, sir."

Shin’s eyes landed on the bed. Ayaka lay there, sleeping uneasily.

"How is she?" he asked.

Lilian exhaled. "The poor girl’s been through hell. She twitches in her sleep. Clenched fists... like she’s stuck in a nightmare."

Shin walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and gently brushed a few strands of hair from Ayaka’s face. Her cheeks were cold. She was shivering.

"And there’s something else," Lilian added. "I think she’s being hunted."

Shin looked up sharply. "Hunted?"

"Yes, Master. Some men came earlier, demanding to take her. I hid her up here and skipped work."

"Who the hell would be hunting a kid?" Shin muttered.

"Maybe because she’s a kid," Yuki said from behind him. "You noticed, right? No children her age left alive. They’re easy targets. Maybe someone’s just after a kill for the rewards."

Shin went quiet, thinking. It was already weird that Ayaka had survived this long. She’d made it into the Safezone, which meant she had coins. But how? You only earned coins by killing...

Living here wasn’t cheap either, 200 coins deducted per day. She wasn’t clueless. He’d met her at the Bureau, possibly trying to rent a place. Meaning she had a stash of coins... somehow.

So where did they come from?

And who’s after her?

Whoever they were, they knew something.

He smirked.

"Well then... tomorrow morning, we leave the Safezone. All of us in this room. We’ve got a few leeches to deal with. Don’t you agree, Yuki?"

He looked at her with a playful glare.

"Tch." She rolled her eyes. "What makes you think you can order me around?"

"Oh, no one’s forcing you." He shrugged. "You can stay behind if you want. We’ll just go out alone... and hope God’s in a good mood and doesn’t let us die horribly."

Yuki’s eye twitched again. "You manipulative punk!! You’re blackmailing me and you know it!"

He grinned wider. "Glad you noticed."

"Fine!" She growled. "I’ll play along!"

"Great. Tomorrow morning it is."

TBC