Luo Ning held a card in his hand. "Are you really not going to let me handle it?"
"Brother, I was wrong," Neon folded instantly. "I added her secretly when Kurapika and Sister Milia were in contact."
"Why did you add her?" Luo Ning looked at her suspiciously.
"I saw that you all knew each other, so I wanted to get to know her too." Neon spread her hands; her reason was simple and clear.
"Fine." Luo Ning tossed the card to her casually. "There's a hundred million Jenny in there. It should be enough for you."
"Thank you, brother! You're the best!" Neon's face turned fawning in a second, losing any trace of the young miss she had been in the manga.
"Stop it. I prefer you when you're acting normal." Luo Ning felt goosebumps.
After spending time with Neon, the girl had lost her previous gloomy aura and became increasingly lively. At the same time, she was completely different from the girl Luo Ning had seen in the manga. She had become sunny and confident; that arrogant and willful temperament had long been worn away during the past few months of training. Now, she really felt like a sister to him.
The two joked and laughed along the way, soon arriving at the bidding market. Although the Southern Piece auction would have more valuable items, the Phantom Troupe was highly likely to appear there today. Luo Ning didn't want to head over there yet, so he figured he might as well come to this bidding market to experience the bustle and prosperity of the Yorknew auctions.
The vehicles stopped outside the block, and the entire market area was partitioned off. A large number of tourists wandered in front of stalls where auction items were displayed. If anyone took an interest in something, they could fill in a price on the bid sheet next to the item. If no one offered a higher price within the specified time, the item was theirs.
"Scavenging" for bargains in the market was a major feature of the Hunter world. Although Luo Ning wasn't particularly interested in these things, he still gathered Nen in his eyes to take a look. If he could find some treasures, it would definitely boost his mood. Neon, who was walking with him, was full of enthusiasm, but her excitement didn't last long, as it was rare to see anything that interested her in this kind of auction.
Luo Ning participated in a few bids but soon lost interest. Rather than wasting time here, he felt that going to a manga convention or playing a few rounds of board games would be more interesting.
"Let's go."
After circling the market for a while, the two hit it off and decided to go get something to eat.
"By the way," Neon asked curiously while waiting for the food to be served, "what will you do after the Phantom Troupe matter is over?"
"I'll probably become a professional Hunter, then become a Floor Master at Heaven's Arena and wait for the Battle Olympia to start so I can take the championship." Luo Ning shared his plan. "In my free time, I'll read manga, play games, participate in various fan activities, and find time to travel around."
"Except for the fighting, it sounds quite leisurely." Neon felt a bit surprised and sentimental.
"Fighting is my new hobby." Luo Ning picked up the coffee on the table. "It feels like... 'If you're rich and successful but don't return home, it's like wearing silk robes and walking in the dark!'"
"What?" Neon didn't understand.
"It means if you have something worth showing off but don't show it off, isn't having it a waste?" Luo Ning explained with a smile.
In short, if you have strength, you have to come out and flex. Luo Ning felt he was just that shallow of a person.
"What about you?" Luo Ning asked in return.
Neon followed Luo Ning's gaze out the window. "Me? I haven't decided yet, but maybe I'll become a Hunter like you and go look for things that interest me and that I want to collect."
"That's good. At least if you become a Hunter, you already have targets to hunt." Luo Ning leaned back in his chair. "If I become a Hunter, what should I hunt?"
Images of Kite, Isaac Netero, and Meruem flashed through Luo Ning's mind.
'I'll hunt the strong!'
It seemed he had a combat gene in his bones. Being hunted by the Phantom Troupe didn't make him feel much fear; instead, a trace of excitement was hidden deep in his heart. The solo battle with Uvogin had released that hint of brutality. When he crushed Uvogin's head, he only felt a sense of relief.
When he met Hisoka Morow in the Cemeteri Building, he hadn't used Ninjutsu—not because he was worried Hisoka would recognize him, but because he was enjoying the pleasure of close-quarters combat. When he encountered the Phantom Troupe members downstairs, his main body on the roof had actually been itching for action. Luo Ning even knew clearly that when he first saw Silva Zoldyck and Zeno Zoldyck in the hotel room, a sense of "meeting a worthy prey" had arisen in his heart.
How exhilarating and heart-warming it would be to have an all-out battle with either of them! However, with the trouble of the Phantom Troupe around and lacking the confidence to win, he chose restraint. As for things like the Dark Continent or the Five Great Calamities, Luo Ning didn't have much interest. Compared to leaving Lake Mobius for the Dark Continent, he preferred the bright lights and wine here, as well as the spotlight on the arena.
The food arrived. Luo Ning ate somewhat absent-mindedly, and Neon didn't say much more.
As the meal was nearing its end, Luo Ning noticed a large number of police cars appearing on the street. He frowned slightly because the direction they were heading seemed to be towards the Atour Hotel. An ill omen arose in his heart.
Luo Ning took out his phone and dialed Kurapika's number. Seeing Luo Ning's actions, Neon put down her utensils, a look of worry in her eyes. The call didn't go through.
Luo Ning stood up and flashed out of the restaurant. The phone was still dialing, but his figure was already racing towards the hotel like a gust of wind. Midway, electricity suddenly flickered across his body—LIGHTNING RELEASE CHAKRA MODE.
In that instant, Luo Ning seemed to turn into the Flash, leaving only a streak of lightning on the street. Ordinary people didn't even notice anyone passing by, only feeling a sudden gust of strong wind.
Before he even got close to the Atour Hotel, black smoke had already entered Luo Ning's field of vision. The phone still wouldn't connect, and the rising smoke was coming exactly from the upper floors of the hotel.
Luo Ning's brain worked rapidly, and he first performed the SHADOW CLONE TECHNIQUE. The resulting shadow clone rushed towards the hotel at an even faster speed, but Luo Ning's main body quietly deactivated the LIGHTNING RELEASE CHAKRA MODE and slowed down, approaching the hotel under a disguise.
A large number of police cars were gathered below the hotel. Many people were watching the commotion nearby. Amidst the noisy sounds, Luo Ning heard information about someone falling from the building. He squeezed through the crowd and stopped at the police cordon. Looking past the busy officers, Luo Ning saw a corpse covered by a white sheet.
His heart began to pound uncontrollably.
Luo Ning raised his hand and gathered Nen, making a sudden upward flicking motion. The calm air instantly turned into a strong wind, blowing away the white cloth and exposing the body beneath.
All illusions shattered at that moment, because the body lying on the ground was someone Luo Ning knew well.
The person who had been calling him "Big Brother Luo Ning" again and again!
Kurapika!
But... how was this possible?!
[Support the story with Reviews, Power Stones, and Comments—they mean a lot and keep me going! 30+ chapters waiting on patreon.com/elite_reads]