River parked his bike beside a small convenience store not far from the dungeon area—a run-down factory nestled in the industrial outskirts south of Voulton City. From the outside, everything looked normal. The streets bustled with pedestrians, office workers, and delivery trucks. There wasn't a single trace of fear or anxiety in the air.
People chatted happily as they walked by, clutching coffee cups and breakfast in hand. Couples laughed, teenagers loitered near food stalls, and a few kids even played with a stray dog on the corner. It was as if a dangerous portal, filled with monsters, wasn't pulsating just a few blocks away. The mundane rhythm of daily life continued unbothered, untouched.
River took a moment to observe it all. The calmness in their faces. The trust in their steps.
