"Spread the word about Smith's bounty. A price that high doesn't come around often. Fifty mid-grade spirit stones—it's a fortune," said Dong Mie, slicing into a thick, rare steak before stuffing the bloody piece into his mouth.
One of his subordinates hesitated before speaking. "Boss Dong, if Smith's bounty is really worth that much, why don't we take him down ourselves and collect the reward?"
Even in Dark City, fifty mid-grade spirit stones was an eye-watering sum.
Dong Mie raised an eyebrow, chewing slowly. "Why rush? Let others fight and wear themselves out first. Whether or not we leave Dark City depends on timing. If you can sit back and reap the benefits, why get your hands dirty? Understand?"
"Yes, Boss!"
---
That evening.
Smith was settling into a small room. Wang Yan had kindly helped him clean it up.
As Smith was still unpacking and organizing, there was a knock at the door. He went to open it.
Outside stood Wang Yan with another man. The stranger had a scholarly look, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a calm, gentle expression.
"I brought some fresh food and fruits," Wang Yan said, handing Smith a basket.
"Thanks," Smith replied as he took the basket. His eyes moved to the man beside Wang Yan. "And who is this?"
Wang Yan gestured toward the stranger. "Let me introduce you. This is Zhang Yi, the president of our Guangxi Association."
Then he turned to Zhang Yi. "President, this is Brother Smith. He's the one who saved us—twice. If not for him, we wouldn't be standing here now."
"So you're President Zhang," Smith said with a polite smile, subtly observing the man.
Zhang Yi appeared to be in his thirties, older than Wang Yan by a few years. His build was average, his appearance ordinary. There was nothing particularly remarkable about him at first glance.
"Brother Smith," Zhang Yi said warmly, "thank you for saving Wang Yan and the others. I came personally to express my gratitude."
"It wasn't a big deal. No need to be so formal, President Zhang."
"It may have been easy for you," Zhang Yi said seriously, "but for us, you saved lives."
He paused for a moment before continuing. "Before coming here, I received a message. It's about you, Brother Smith."
Smith raised an eyebrow. "Me? Already?"
He had only just arrived in Dark City, yet someone had already dug up information about him?
"There's a bounty posted by Jinghai College," Zhang Yi said, narrowing his eyes slightly. "They're offering fifty mid-grade spirit stones for capturing a man named Smith."
Smith's expression didn't change. He responded calmly, "So the news has spread here already. Is President Zhang planning to turn me in?"
His voice was level, his eyes cool.
Zhang Yi didn't react strongly. He remained calm.
Wang Yan, however, was clearly flustered. "Boss! Brother Smith just helped us so much. How could we betray him?!"
"I never said I planned to turn him in," Zhang Yi said with a small sigh. "Brother Smith, don't worry. You've shown kindness to us at Guangxi Association, and we aren't the type to return that with betrayal. I just wanted to warn you—there will be others in Dark City who are tempted. You need to be extremely careful from now on."
Most people in the city had bounties, but they were often too low to warrant serious effort. Smith's was different.
Fifty mid-grade spirit stones could change lives.
"But as long as you stay in Guangxi territory, no one will dare to act rashly," Wang Yan said confidently.
"Then I'll thank you in advance," Smith nodded.
"You're welcome. Oh, by the way—" Wang Yan began, but Zhang Yi gave him a warning glance, silencing him.
Zhang Yi smiled. "Brother Smith, please rest well. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
"Alright. Thanks, President Zhang."
The two men turned and left.
As they walked away, Wang Yan whispered, "Boss, why didn't you ask him to join the Guangxi Association?"
"It's too soon," Zhang Yi replied. "He just got here. He doesn't know much about us. If we push now, it'll only make him cautious. Let's give him time. If it feels right, he'll come to us."
"You're really confident, huh?" Wang Yan pouted.
"Smith's the kind of person who thinks like us. Even if he doesn't join, he won't be our enemy. You'll see."
---
Back in the room, Smith muttered to himself, "Just arrived and already being hunted. That was fast."
He had come to Dark City specifically to escape the pursuit of Jinghai College. But it seemed the shadows had followed him even here.
"If things don't work out, I'll just keep moving."
With a sigh, he turned his attention to dinner.
He'd been eating dried rations on the road for too long. Now, with the fruits, vegetables, and fresh fish that Wang Yan had brought, he finally had something worth enjoying.
Without wasting time, Smith began preparing the meal.
He gutted and cleaned the fish with skillful ease and soon had a pot of fragrant, steaming fish soup bubbling on the fire.
"I didn't expect to be this good at cooking," he said, feeling a rare moment of pride as he tasted the broth.
Satisfied and full, Smith leaned back, preparing to rest.
Suddenly, loud shouts and chaotic noise erupted outside.
"What's going on?" he muttered. "That noise… it's coming from the dock? So late at night… could it be the Night Devil causing trouble?"
His curiosity piqued, Smith stood up and followed the noise to the docks.
---
At the Dock.
A massive commotion had broken out.
A giant creature—an Earth Elephant—was rampaging, its enormous body towering as high as a four-story building. Iron nets tried to restrain it, but the beast fought wildly, flailing its trunk like a monstrous whip and smashing the ground, leaving crater-like holes in its wake.
Only its legs remained bound by the reinforced nets, preventing it from going on a full rampage.
Zhang Yi, Wang Yan, and several others from the Guangxi Association had gathered at the scene.
"Anyone below third rank, stay back!" Zhang Yi barked. "Wang Yan, take your team and hold the chains! Don't let it escape into the city!"
"Yes, sir!" Wang Yan responded, quickly organizing his men and rushing to secure the chains.
A worried old man nearby rushed to Zhang Yi's side. "Chairman Zhang, this Earth Elephant was specially requested by that honored lord. Please be careful not to harm it!"
Zhang Yi's expression turned sharp. "If this beast is so valuable, why didn't you secure it properly?"
"This Earth Elephant has the bloodline of a dragon elephant!" the old man replied frantically. "We used three times the normal dose of tranquilizer, but it didn't work. Please, you must help us restrain it! If anything happens to it, I won't survive the consequences."
Zhang Yi eyed him calmly. "No problem—but the price just went up."
Normally, the Guangxi Association's dock only handled regular cargo or unconscious creatures. Moving a rampaging beast of this caliber was far beyond their standard agreement.
The old man nodded desperately. "Anything! Whatever you say, I'll pay!"
---
Smith stood in the distance, watching the scene unfold.
The Earth Elephant's raw power was incredible—it could crush a building if it went berserk. The net was already fraying under the strain, and Wang Yan's team was struggling to hold it.
Even the iron chains trembled as if they might snap at any moment.
Smith narrowed his eyes.
"If they can't contain it soon, this thing's going to break loose."
For now, he stayed back, observing. He wasn't planning to reveal himself unless absolutely necessary.
Besides, with the bounty on his head, the fewer people who saw him in action, the better.
Still, something about the way Zhang Yi handled the situation told Smith that the man was no ordinary leader. Calm under pressure, always thinking about the deal—he wasn't just a leader, but a strategist.
---
And just like that, Smith's first day in Dark City had already turned chaotic.
The city was dark, dangerous, and full of eyes.
And it was just getting started.
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