"Brother Smith, did we disturb you?" Wang Yan asked, suddenly noticing Smith standing off to the side.
Smith shook his head casually. "Not really. But what are you doing here so late at night?"
His gaze drifted toward the giant earth elephant struggling in the distance.
Wang Yan scratched his head awkwardly. "It's a long story. Let's deal with this first, and I'll explain later."
With that, Wang Yan and Zhang Yi stepped forward and gripped the heavy iron chains restraining the enormous beast.
"Be ready!" Zhang Yi suddenly shouted.
He leapt into the air, his entire body crackling with electric energy.
At the same time, the others let go of their chains in perfect coordination, leaving Zhang Yi alone holding one.
Sizzle!
A powerful electric current surged through the iron chain and instantly flooded the earth elephant's massive body.
"ROARR—!"
The beast let out a thunderous cry of pain, but its struggles soon ceased. Moments later, it collapsed unconscious from the shock.
Smith narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched the scene.
He recognized the creature—it was a third-level advanced earth elephant.
Zhang Yi, only a beginner fourth-level psychic, had subdued it in seconds. That was impressive.
As expected of the Guangxi Society's president… Smith thought silently.
"Thank you, President Zhang! Thank you so much!" an elderly man cried as he rushed forward, bowing repeatedly. He shoved a hefty sack of money into Zhang Yi's arms and shouted to his workers, "What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and take it away!"
"Thanks again, President Zhang," he said once more before leaving with his men, dragging the unconscious elephant onto a large transport vehicle and hauling it away from the docks.
Smith watched them go, curiosity piqued.
"Where are they taking such a massive beast? Aren't they afraid someone might try to steal it?" he asked.
Monsters—especially powerful ones—were valuable commodities. Even in the Dark City, there were many who would risk their lives to steal them.
Wang Yan and Zhang Yi walked over, having finished handling the situation.
"This is going to the Twilight Auction," Zhang Yi said. "And in the Dark City, no one dares mess with them."
"Twilight Auction?" Smith raised an eyebrow.
"You've heard of the Red Queen, haven't you?" Zhang Yi asked.
Smith nodded slowly. "Yeah, a little. She's a fourth-level superpower, the true ruler of the Dark City. She also runs the largest intelligence network here."
Wang Yan chuckled quietly. "If she relied on just herself, she wouldn't be able to sustain such a huge network. The real reason the auction house is so secure… is because of the person behind her."
"You mean her backer?" Smith asked.
Zhang Yi nodded. "Exactly. Rumor has it that the Red Queen's grandfather is the only fifth-level psychic in the Dark City. That's why no one dares to touch the auction house. And the elephant we just dealt with—it's a tribute for him."
"A fifth-level mutant?" Smith murmured.
That made sense. In a lawless place like the Dark City, fifth-level power was enough to reign supreme.
Still, he was curious. "What does he need the earth elephant for?"
"No one knows the full story," Zhang Yi said. "That old man rarely appears in public anymore. But I've heard he has health problems. Every now and then, he needs blood from a giant earth elephant to maintain his condition."
Smith nodded thoughtfully. The explanation was simple and plausible—but likely only part of the truth.
"Well, sorry for the trouble tonight," Wang Yan said apologetically. "We didn't mean to disturb your rest."
"No need to apologize. I'm staying here for free, remember? I wouldn't dare complain," Smith joked.
The three of them laughed and parted ways.
---
The Next Day
News spread like wildfire through the streets and taverns of the Dark City.
In just one night, Smith's bounty became the hottest topic.
"Hey, did you hear? A big fish just entered the city! Jinghai College placed a fifty mid-grade spirit stone bounty on his head!"
"Yeah! His name's Smith, and he's currently under the Guangxi Society's protection."
"He's lucky. If he hadn't entered their territory, he'd already be dead by now."
"Hmph! Who said we can't go after him just because he's in Guangxi's area? As long as he's not a member, we've still got a chance."
Taverns buzzed with talk. Many people had never seen fifty mid-grade spirit stones in their life. For bounty hunters and rogues, the reward was simply irresistible.
In the outer zones of the Guangxi Society, strangers began appearing more frequently, asking about Smith.
Wang Yan and his companions promptly informed Smith of the escalating situation.
To be safe, Smith decided to lie low for a while. He stayed at the dock for over a week, observing quietly and waiting to see how things would unfold.
During that time, he became familiar with most of the dockworkers. When he wasn't helping around, he often joined the others in fishing.
It wasn't about catching fish—they could do that in seconds using their abilities—it was about the experience. The quiet, the stillness, and the joy of feeling a tug on the line.
That morning, Smith once again went fishing with Wang Yan. The two of them set up their rods beside the river.
Suddenly, a rush of debris floated downstream—shattered pieces of boats and several bodies.
"What's going on?" Smith frowned.
"It's from upstream," Wang Yan said calmly, barely blinking. "Looks like someone was attacked. Could've been monsters or humans—who knows."
In a place like the Dark City, such scenes were, sadly, common.
But even for the dock, this was a bit much.
"There are too many bodies…" Smith pointed toward the water, where more corpses began appearing.
Wang Yan's eyes widened. "So many!? This is going to attract a whole swarm of monsters! I'll go call for backup!"
He dropped his fishing rod and sprinted toward the compound.
Soon, Zhang Yi and dozens of dockhands arrived. They began hauling the corpses ashore with practiced efficiency.
As they worked, Smith's eyes caught movement—a small figure floating on a crude wooden raft.
It was a little girl in tattered clothes, lying motionless. But she seemed… alive.
Just behind the raft, something darker lurked beneath the surface.
A black snake's head emerged, stealthily inching closer to the raft.
Smith's eyes sharpened. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and leapt onto the raft.
The black snake surged forward, mouth wide open in an attack.
But Smith's Sharingan spun to life, casting a powerful illusion.
The snake's eyes glazed over, and it slumped into the water, stunned.
Just a second-level monster, Smith thought. Trash.
He turned back to the girl, planning to carry her to safety.
But in that instant, she opened her eyes.
Her gaze turned sharp and cold. In one swift motion, she pulled a hidden dagger from her clothes and thrust it at Smith's chest.
Smith's instincts flared. He twisted away, avoiding a fatal blow—but the blade still grazed him, slicing a shallow wound across his chest.
Blood dripped down his shirt as he leapt backward, landing on the shore.
The girl was right behind him, relentless.
In the next moment, more than a dozen figures burst from the water, surrounding Smith and the others in a tight circle.
They were assassins—wet, armored, and ready to kill.
"Catch him alive, and we'll get fifty mid-grade spirit stones!"
"Kill him if you have to!"
Weapons were drawn. A fierce battle was about to erupt.
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