Chapter 261: Target on the back
The slave trader’s greedy smile instantly vanished, replaced by an expression of extreme fawning as he practically shoved Leo aside to make room for the newcomer.
"Ah, my deepest apologies, my Lord! You are absolutely right, my eyes were blind," the trader groveled, his hands rubbing together frantically.
"Please, step this way! We just acquired a fresh batch of High-Elf twins that haven’t even been put on display yet. Only a man of your esteemed status is worthy of viewing them."
Leo didn’t get angry at the sudden dismissal. Instead, his gaze calmly swept over the masked man and the two guards.
The guards were not tense in the least, their hands resting naturally near the hilts of their weapons, their eyes locked onto Leo with a warning.
Their equipment was top-tier, definitely military-grade or custom-forged, completely outclassing the crude prototypes sold in the surrounding stalls.
As for the masked man himself, the lavish coat he wore was giving a faint energy as if it was a treasure as well. It was a blatant display of wealth, almost comical in a place like this.
Leo couldn’t see the face of the masked man, but he had a feeling that the man was quite smug behind that mask, especially when he glanced at him.
The man walked past Leo, his eyes filled with a mockery towards Leo.
’He hides his face to avoid the consequences of the main city, yet dresses like a walking vault. What a contradiction.’ Leo thought, finding the situation more amusing than insulting.
People who wore masks here did so out of fear for their reputations or lives. Leo didn’t wear one simply because he had nothing to hide, and more importantly, nothing to fear from these people.
"You should learn your place, boy," the masked man sneered, misinterpreting Leo’s silence for intimidation.
Even though his face was hidden, the disdain in his voice was evident. "The lawless zone is no place for tourists. Keep staring, and my guards will pluck your eyes out."
"Is that so?" Leo smiled faintly, his tone incredibly casual. "I was just leaving anyway. Enjoy your shopping."
He didn’t bother waiting for a response. Without giving the arrogant noble another glance, he stepped back and merged back into the bustling crowd.
He could hear the masked man scoffing behind him, muttering something about ignorant commoners, followed by the trader’s fawning laughter.
If this were any other day, Leo might have entertained the idea of teaching the man a lesson in humility. However, checking the time on his internal interface, he realized he only had about ten minutes left before the scheduled rendezvous.
He had become a little too distracted during his stroll and almost forgot time.
Getting into a petty scuffle with a bored noble’s bodyguards would only draw unnecessary attention and complicate his actual objective.
He navigated through the winding, chaotic streets, the smells of cheap alcohol, roasted alien meat, and the strange scent from weapon testing blending into a unique smell.
According to the coordinates he had been given, the meeting point was within the abandoned factory itself.
Eventually, Leo stopped in front of the rundown factory, finding an entrance.
Two alien creatures stood before the entrance, looking far more frightening. Even Leo was a little intimidated, especially since they looked like giant spiders.
Each of their multiple legs were sharp enough to impale a person, but also huge. What made them appear bizarre was that they had bodies of massive spiders but face closer to that of a human.
"A chimera?" Leo mumbled.
It was a special that was the most bizarre out of them all. It was a complex species that couldn’t give birth by mating within their own species.
That’s why they often kidnapped other species to mate. And their favorite target was more often than not humans, the species which was spread across the entire universe, weak yet very fertile.
Unfortunately, the people that were kidnapped for this purpose had a very scary fate.
Not only were they forced by bizarre, and mostly ugly creatures, but even after that successfully became a father, they were simply used as fertilizers for the child, being eaten by them.
Just the thought itself made Leo shiver.
He often felt that his early fate of poverty was very bad, but when he thought about humans that were kidnapped by the Chimeras, he felt like he was blessed even if he didn’t have a system.
He shook his head, trying to forget about these strange thoughts, and stepped towards the ugly Chimeras.
"I have a meeting arranged within." Leo told the chimera guards.
The Chimeras verified the code that he gave them, and matched his name with the invitation list.
Only after they nodded, and cleared his path. Leo was allowed to enter.
Leo stepped inside the factory, feeling strange. He didn’t know why, but he suddenly had a sense of crisis. His back suddenly felt cold, which made him look back.
He caught the human faces of the Chimeras looking towards him with a strange light in their eyes.
They simply smiled and stopped looking at him, but Leo felt a headache at that moment.
He couldn’t help but wonder. Was he marked by these Chimeras? Did they want to kidnap him to bring him to their colony for mating? Just the thought alone made Leo want to pull out a weapon and blow their brains out.
Fortunately, he controlled himself. After all, the situation was different.
This entire place was more dangerous than he had initially expected. Even if he had a few good weapons, he wasn’t certain anymore that he could take on anyone here. His plans needed modifications.
The moment he disappeared from their sight, the Chimeras smirked, licking their lips.
"What a beautiful human. Wasn’t our princess looking for a human for her coming of age ceremony? This human would make for a good gift..."
"That is true. But he is invited by those people. It might be dangerous for us to just kidnap him, wouldn’t it?"
"What are you worried about? He’s just a prey to them as well. In this meeting, he would probably be robbed of everything he owns. That’s why, after he leaves, we should..."
The other chimera didn’t say anything else, only laughing with a knowing gaze.
"If we bring this young human, and he is selected as a mate by the Princess, won’t the queen award us heavily? We might even be promoted and won’t have to work here as spies..."
....
Unaware of the exact plans of the Chimeras, Leo had stepped inside the factory and was approaching the meeting destination.