Chapter 27: The Returning Vehicle
When Akira reached the surface, darkness had already fallen, yet he had no trouble seeing. He muttered with admiration:
"This ability is really useful."
Alice replied:
"Certainly. You just need some training."
Akira said enthusiastically:
"Then… let's start now!"
She smiled and said:
"This is the determination I was looking for."
Then she pointed with her finger toward the horizon:
"Try looking in that distant direction."
He obeyed, casting his gaze toward the horizon… Gradually, the distances seemed to shrink, and eventually, he could see faint lights flickering far away.
He said, almost in awe:
"Those… are the city lights."
Alice responded:
"They're very far, yet you can still see them. That's quite an achievement."
Akira began walking toward the city, but halfway, he suddenly stopped.
Sounds of footsteps—or rather, a roar—came from the opposite direction. He focused his eyes and saw lights moving toward him.
"A vehicle…" he whispered to himself. "Specifically… an armored troop carrier."
He said warily:
"Are they returning in this darkness?"
Alice answered:
"Maybe on patrol."
Akira thought aloud:
"Should we try to ask for a ride?"
Alice looked at the approaching vehicle:
"If they stop and offer a ride… we'll accept. But if they keep driving, we won't chase them."
Inside the vehicle, a group of teenagers sat. From their appearance, it was clear they were not from poor neighborhoods. They were well-equipped with reinforced armor and modern weapons, sitting quietly in the back. An adult man drove the vehicle, and next to him was a child with blond hair and golden eyes, staring at the control panel.
The boy suddenly said:
"There's a weak signal… I don't think it's a threat. It's heading toward the city."
The man behind the wheel replied coldly:
"Ignore it."
The boy objected lightly:
"I don't want to cause more trouble… but what if someone needs help?"
The man's voice became sharp, as if the words weighed on him:
"As if I care. Just be quiet. Because of you, we were delayed in returning. Don't create more problems."
The boy insisted stubbornly:
"Are you suggesting we leave someone to face danger alone here?"
The man sighed harshly and said:
"Don't you understand? We expose ourselves to danger by returning at this late hour. Besides, he's not even part of our group."
The boy said nothing further. Silence fell over the vehicle.
The vehicle slowly approached the source of the signal, and the night-vision cameras showed a clear image.
The man froze in place.
But the boy snapped him out of his daze:
"Boy…?" he whispered in surprise, then raised his voice toward the man:
"You were right! Stop, we'll take him. We can't leave a child in these desolate lands."
However, his words were nothing but an illusion to the man. His real response was pressing the accelerator hard, propelling the vehicle in front of Akira and leaving a cloud of dust behind.
The boy shouted in anger, but the man completely ignored him.
"They didn't stop," Akira said coldly, staring at the fading lights in the distance.
Alice replied calmly:
"It doesn't matter whether they stopped or not… the outcome wouldn't change."
Akira glanced at her:
"What do you mean?"
She said without hesitation:
"Riding an unknown vehicle in a deserted area could be more dangerous than walking alone. They might kill you, take your belongings, and leave your body in this wasteland."
He paused for a moment, then asked:
"Then why didn't you stop me?"
She smiled lightly and replied:
"Because that vehicle belongs to an organization called the Stakes. They're well-known in the city, and their reputation is good. I didn't think they'd stop for you anyway."
Akira frowned slightly and sighed:
"Maybe I should buy a vehicle."
Alice answered without hesitation:
"Excellent idea."
Akira reached the city outskirts about an hour before sunrise, specifically the Commercial District.
He didn't have enough money, so he had to pay for his accommodation using an Unclassified Monster Core, allowing him to get a reasonably good room.
He woke up around noon.
Following Alice's advice, he finally decided to take a bath.
This inn was different from his previous one—it had a real bathtub.
He filled the tub with hot water and slowly submerged himself.
"Ahhhh…" he sighed in relief.
The warm water penetrated his body in a soothing rhythm. Perhaps it was the first time in his life he experienced a bathtub, and it was enchanting.
But what happened next… was enough to make any man gasp in astonishment.
Suddenly, Alice's clothes disappeared, replaced with a white towel wrapping her body, making her look extremely alluring. She then stepped into the tub with him.
Akira's mind was so immersed in relaxation that he didn't notice her presence at first.
She tried to get his attention softly:
"Akira…"
He raised his head slightly, eyes half-closed:
"Hmm?"
When he finally turned to her, he saw she was beside him in the tub. He was shocked and quickly said:
"I thought you didn't need to bathe…"
She smiled calmly and said:
"It's just… to lighten the mood."
Akira lay back in the bathtub, immersed in a calm he hadn't felt in a long time.
The heat of the water seeped into his tense muscles, washing away the stress of the past days.
She muttered something unclear:
"No, I'm just thinking about the things we collected. Do you plan to sell them as usual?"
He opened one eye and replied lazily:
"As always."
"I wouldn't recommend that. This amount might attract too much attention."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you remember what happened last time? If rumors about you spread, you might find yourself in a new cycle of problems. I think it's better to sell them in batches… do you agree?"
"I don't see a problem. Let's do that."