Chapter 116: Falling into a trap?
Edward gathered various items that Aurora had given him and that he had bought himself. Even though he was walking into a trap, he didn’t plan to go in unprepared.
During his stay in the underground city, he noticed that several people were secretly watching him.
’Since you want to follow me, get ready to get lost and wander aimlessly for a while.’ Edward laughed and began to walk more quickly.
He turned at different corners and quickly slipped among the few pedestrians in the city.
Before he knew it, he was already inside one of the train cars heading out of the underground city. The watchers disappeared.
Several dozen minutes later.
Edward got off the train somewhere in the middle district of Lor City and began walking calmly. It wasn’t long before he began to feel the stares.
They weren’t powerful people; it seemed they were only there to watch him. Getting rid of them wouldn’t be difficult, but he didn’t do it right away.
’63rd Street in the Lower Sector is part of the land managed by Mr. Henry.’ He recalled the information he had about that area.
’It’s a street lined with abandoned buildings and dilapidated houses. The people who live there do so in the first zone. And Abandoned Building Number 18 is located in the middle zone, far from the residential area. Its strategic location was meant to make it a large vertical shopping center, but the abandonment of development in that area due to changes in the economy and land management led to it becoming a ruined place, home to the homeless.’
’Since it was built as a shopping center, it naturally has many entrances,’ Edward recalled.
’I used to play around there a lot as a kid. I remember the entrances to that building very well. I should be able to send my beasts in to scout the area before I go in.’
He devised a plan of attack. If he had to rescue his father, he had to be careful. Based on what he knows about his father right now, he’s a legendary figure, but he probably isn’t strong anymore. He has plenty of evidence in his memory that his father isn’t what he used to be. So being careful was the most important thing right now.
He clenched a small piece of paper in his hand that he had written on the train and called his messenger bird. "Hey, little one, take this to Aurora," he whispered softly. Then he handed it the message and gave it something to identify Aurora by.
It was risky, but not foolish. He understood the dangers of falling into a trap like that.
After that, he decided to shake off the onlookers. He circled the entire area, weaved his way between buildings, and then plunged into the crowd, where he blended in by wearing clothes he’d bought at a nearby store.
Before he knew it, his pursuers were nowhere to be seen.
Finally, he entered the Lower Sector and quickly reached the streets surrounding 63rd Street.
This area had few people walking around and very few stores.
After walking for a while, he reached the abandoned 63rd Street, though he didn’t enter from the front; instead, he scaled the walls of various buildings on 61st Street to drop down a passageway onto 62nd Street and end up in the backyard of Abandoned Building Number 18.
’Nothing has changed in years,’ he thought as he looked around.
He sensed some people inside.
’Ten. One is injured.’ Edward frowned and ran to the back door.
He looked inside; there was no one in this area, so after checking that there were no traps either, he entered the building.
They were in the large plaza inside the building, on the first floor.
After approaching cautiously, Edward let his butterflies slowly slip through the cracks and settle on the ceilings.
Since it had been abandoned for years, it was relatively easy to lead his butterflies to a good spot that served both for defense and attack.
After all that preparation, he looked into the large, abandoned plaza.
’Joel and John?’ He felt stunned as he looked at those two on the other side of the door. ’Mr. Henry is there too...’ He looked carefully at the other people.
Mr. Henry himself isn’t a powerful figure. He’s just an ordinary person. But he has prominent subordinates known as the Three Thugs; in the Lower Sector, they’re notorious for their misdeeds.
They are beast masters who have been working for Mr. Henry for many years.
The most dangerous one—and the only one he need to watch out for—is the one nicknamed the Six Fingers of the Devil. He is someone who was once a 4-Star Student at the Academy. He is famous for having six fingers on all his limbs and also for a red scar that covers his face.
The other two: one is called the Wood Illusionist, whose abilities are unknown, but his beast is apparently a Tree. Finally, there is the last of the three, nicknamed the Three-Faced One.
’He’s with the Three-Faced One,’ he thought.
As the weakest of the three, he was a 2-Star student when he was at the academy, and right now he’s on the run from the law. He’s a dangerous man, but he’s the most likely candidate.
’I remember hearing my father mention once that he’s just another illusionist, but his illusion skills are poor and break if you hit any of his three faces.’
Edward turned his head toward the wounded man, who was sitting in a chair. His whole body were covered by a black cloth.
He seemed to be wearing one of his father’s clothes...
Edward scoffed. ’I would have been fooled if he were weaker. But he’s clearly not my father.’
He thought about leaving now that he’d checked, but then he looked back at Joel and John...
’Should I kill them before I go?’ His eyes glinted dangerously.
They had caused him headaches throughout old Edward’s childhood and throughout the year of the new Edward. They beat his father repeatedly and robbed him more than once, forcing him to work even harder in the mines so he could provide Edward with what he needed.
Kill... a word that had never crossed his mind until recently was now echoing in his head.
’It’s a dangerous word if I let it take root in my mind, isn’t it? I might become addicted to it.’ He thought with a slight, mischievous smile. ’And a seed will take root only when you let it stay in place for a long time. So I just have to get rid of whatever causes that word to appear.’
Although his thoughts were dangerous, he was no longer the same boy he had been just a few weeks ago—innocent and naive. He could face them and turn the situation to his advantage.
He made a quick decision and positioned his beasts in better spots. He also kept his winged serpent close by, then turned around completely to enter through the front door.
Creak!
The screech of the metal door with its rusty hinges caused the room to fall silent.
Joel, John, and the other men watched Edward walk through the door and rose from their wooden chairs.
"I thought you’d be so afraid of dying that you’d let your father die," John sneered.
Edward shrugged and, with his hands in the pockets of his baggy black pants, moved forward. Every step kicked up dust. This place hadn’t been cleaned in years.
Before he could get within 10 meters of Joel, John, and the man tied to a chair, Lord Henry signaled his men to surround him.
"I’m here now," said Edward, glancing at the men surrounding him but keeping his attention fixed in Three Faces. "What do you want?"
John smiled. "I heard you beat my father to a pulp a while back. After seeing your strength, I completely understand. You were very lucky that your beasts gave you so many attributes. But it looks like you’ll be stuck there for the rest of your life."
Edward gave a mocking gesture and said sarcastically. "The last time I saw you, you weren’t acting so arrogant, little John. You even cleaned my uniform."
John felt his legs tremble with rage and clenched his fists in fury. "I’ll admit it, Edward. You had an unusual awakening, and you’re strong. Who could have imagined that four caterpillars would grant such stats? But..." His eyes glinted dangerously, and a malicious smile spread across his lips. "Do you think you can beat us? Did you think I’d never get my revenge for that?"
John stepped back and drew a dagger. He walked toward the man sitting there, bound.
Edward frowned from behind. "Do you dare?" He clenched his teeth.
"Heh... What do you mean, ’if I dare’? Of course I’d cut off his head. Unfortunately..." John shook his head and used the dagger to cut through the strips binding the masked man. "It’s not your father. That guy’s so hard to track down that we had to use a decoy."
His sarcastic words didn’t surprise Edward. Instead, it was the revelation of the man’s identity.
When everything covering him fell to the ground, six-fingered hands and a red scar covering his face were revealed.
Six Fingers of the Devil.