Cole was stupefied after everything he heard.
Lowering his head towards the table, he stretched a fake yet believable smile as he covered his face with crossed palms.
"That's all I'm aware of at my current level," Snider cautiously spoke. "Do I pass?"
Cole chuckled, "I'm impressed with your sharp memory. Keep up the good work, you might go places."
Cole shot up from his seat, struggling to maintain his firm balance as he weakly passed through the other customers, heading towards the exit.
Snider was at a loss. 'Damn it! I didn't even get to know him better! He was so cool too!'
A purple mist fluttered behind Snider's ear. It deformed, then reconstructed into the shape of a moth that hovered by his side.
"Boss, may I know the reason for your visit?" He asked, his tone a mix of respect and consideration.
The mist replied with a high-pitched buzzing sound only Snider heard. It was a means of communication, mainly used for discussing confidential topics.
"No way, are you being serious?!" Snider nearly cried out. He managed to tame himself halfway.
Instead, he crouched near the table and whispered, "Are you sure he's involved in the theft of the Deep Eader?"
Snider shrieked in a controlled whisper, "The only available suspect? If this is true, then those involved will try to get rid of him!"
'What am I saying, he's already an Adherer class. From what I saw, he's tough, so his safety isn't a problem...'
Snider stroked his chin. 'Still, was it really possible HE stole the Deep Eader?'
The mist buzzed again, conveying another piece of information.
"Alright, Boss," Snider shook his head stylishly. "I'll give him the offer, but I don't think we need to worry about his safety. He's as strong as they come!"
Suddenly, the mist diffused into the air, swaying with the wind until it vanished.
Sniper hurriedly chased after Cole, his actions fueled by adamance. Pushing the door forward, Snider peeped both directions of the street, but Cole wasn't there.
'Shoot, has he went away?!'
Snider panicked for a bit.
Calming himself down, Snider took a lucky guess and followed the left direction. Not only did he lack any sort of special supernatural abilities, but he also wasn't a good navigator.
If he hadn't lived in the city as long as he did, Snider would have long since gotten himself lost.
When he arrived at the 5th street near a crowded cinema, he saw a familiar figure almost identical to Cole's on the other side. Alas, the long que of people blocked any free space, and his only option was to cross the road, then cross back when he passed the crowd.
Instead of doing that, he tactically used the more convenient method.
"Mr. Cole, sir! I want to talk to you!" Snider yelled quite desperately.
Yet his voice was barely audible compared to the loud muttering and chattering of the crowd. In the end, he followed through with the first plan.
Though it would have been more "convenient" to have done it in the first place.
Snider crossed back to the opposing street where Cole was, after struggling with the few people on the 4th line, he arrived at where he saw the figure.
But no one was there.
Or so it seemed at first.
"Why are you looking for me?" Cole asked from behind with a menacing look.
At first, Snider jolted, then immediately put himself together.
With a doubtful tone, he spoke, "Our faction Head would like to meet you, sir."
"Come again?" Cole could barely contain his surprise.
His heart slammed against his chest with ferocious beating. He couldn't be blamed, though, as according to what Snider told him previously, the faction Head was the highest and strongest seat in a faction.
Not to mention, the closest to deities that govern the factions and their powers. The moment his bluff gets exposed, his head would be used for a ceiling decoration.
The very thought turned his blood cold.
"Tell them I'm not interested. If they want to talk, it'll be on my own terms," he instructed in a cold, unyielding tone.
"Yes, sir, I understand. Even I was trying to tell them you wouldn't agree. As strong as you are, there's no way you need US to protect you."
"Protect? Me?" Cole stuttered to utter the word.
"It's just some crazy idea they had. Please don't be mad," Snider bowed.
"Hmmm... your boss seems like a nice person," Cole cleared his throat and spoke. "Tell them to meet me tomorrow at 11 am, by the central district."
Cole exaggerated his voice, "ALONE!"
"As you wish, sir. It just so happens me and the other faction members were summoned for a meeting," Snider scratched his head.
'Should I ask him to tell me more? No! That's confidential info, he might become suspicious.' Cole thought
"Tomorrow, then. I'll be waiting."
Cole turned dramatically and left, not even sparing Snider a short glance.
'He's so cool!'
"Did you get all that, boss?"
A faint cloud of mist brushed across Snider's face.
Snider smirked as a result. "I still wonder what his powers are."
Cole, however, had the opposite expression. The information he received ended up being a burden on his thoughts. Many things Snider said were either vague, incomplete, or partially untruthful.
Since he was unaccustomed to anything regarding the subject, Cole was forced to indulge in something he cautioned and even threatened himself against.
Going to the library!
'Damn, I hate this place.'
He stared unpleasantly at the large library before him. Climbing the steps alone took more manpower than he had exerted that day.
Once he finally reached the door, his body grew slower just trying to step inside. Eventually, 25 minutes passed, and Cole was barely halfway through the entrance.
The sight of citizens, enjoying reading each book with joyous expressions, pissed him off.
'Till date, I will never understand why people like books.'
Despite his resentment for reading, Cole had an aim for stepping foot in this "Forbidden zone." After a few minutes of navigating through the large shelves, corridors, and floors, Cole reached the center of the building.
Unlike the other rooms, this roof was made of a special oval-shaped glass. It was the section where ancient mythology, History, and supernatural books were kept. Each aisle was decorated with shelves containing some of History's "Dark secrets and human blunders."
Cole went deeper until he reached the last shelf closest to the left wall, by the back end of the room where the potted plants were kept. He drew his hand across each book, his eyes tracing each name until...
'Bingo!'
It reached the Anti Bundo Chronicles.
"The most basics of everything involving factions."
'According to what Snider said, the book is publicly available because its contents are completely unbelievable and often regarded as fake since nothing was practical.'
'At the same time...'
"IT'S what led curious thrill seekers like us into the inescapable life we have now," Cole recalled some of Snider's more intriguing words.
Considering it further, Cole hesitantly drew that Chronicles out of the bookshelf, gulping in a huge bile of spit from the unease.
'I'll have to take the risk! Things can't possibly get any worse from here. Right?'
He assured himself.
Cole strolled back to the main room. The continuous sight of books was beginning to give him a migraine. Disdainfully, he borrowed the book from the library, promising to return it after a week.
'I'll be done with it quicker than that!'
Cole left the library with a large, happy grin. The chronicle was safely tucked in between his arm and waist.
Cole couldn't resist the urge to skip, but he didn't. He was in public, after all!
He quickly glanced through the book, flipping the pages at random. Aside from a few scribbled letters and some odd signs and languages he was unaware of, Cole genuinely had no interest in keeping the book further.
Either way, he had to at least get through the first page, or he was done for. Truly a disheartening predicament.
To make things worse...
'I forgot I can't go back home. It's too dangerous.'
'I'll have to sleep under a bridge at this rate.'
While Cole contemplated, unbeknownst to him...
He was being watched, his actions clearly visible through a puddle of sparking water. The puddle didn't seem to be contained, neither were its edges present, only the middle where Cole's every movement was being displayed.
The person watching was shrouded in a dark aura, their features undescribable. Whoever it was simply leaned on their palm.
"He hasn't changed one bit."