Chapter 32 Lost in the Dark Night
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Blending into the shadows and slipping through the crowds unnoticed, he had spent an hour tailing the thieves before finally locating their hideout. The structure they used as a nest was an old, weather-beaten wooden building, stripped of doors and windows. Apparently, they had simply squatted in this abandoned edifice deep within the Slum.
Along the way, the thieves had struck several times—raiding open-air stalls and small shops. The guards nearby, however, pretended not to see. It was easy to suspect bribery and collusion. Perhaps it was wiser not to act rashly just because they were thieves.
Still, being constantly pursued by these scoundrels was a nuisance. In the end, there was no choice but to make them vanish. Since revealing his face was out of the question, the only option was to act under the cover of night. Yet he knew the thieves he tracked might be only part of the gang; others could still be scattered across the Slum. If he didn’t wipe them out in one swift raid, revenge was inevitable.
If so, I must act tonight.
He left the Slum to prepare. In the bustling Commercial Area, he bought black clothing and a cloth to cover his face. He returned to his shop for his dagger, then visited a nearby arms dealer to purchase a 16-centimeter combat knife. He coated the blade with poison and sheathed it carefully.
”While I’m at it, might as well grab a bite,” he muttered, deciding to splurge. It might be his last proper meal. He devoured spiced meat wraps—costly in this world and seasoned with expensive spices. Having survived on coarse fare since arriving, this real meal renewed his vigor.
Preparation complete, he slipped back into the Slum. Concealed in the dim streets, he waited until darkness fully blanketed the surroundings.
* * *
Nights in this world were gloomy at the best of times, but the Slum was darker still.
Though midnight had passed, two thieves kept watch as expected—alternating shifts, eyes sharp for any movement. For more detailed reconnaissance, he forced his pupils wide and drank a Potion of Night Vision and a Hearing Enhancement Pill.
A third thief patrolled the perimeter of the building. Silently, he crept behind the patroller, aimed his crossbow at the neck, and fired.
The bolt pierced the throat, severing vocal cords instantly. Catching the thief’s collapsing body, he slowly laid it face-down on the cold ground. Now for the two guards stationed at the entrance.
He slipped inside through a first-floor window, drew his dagger quietly, reloaded a bolt into the crossbow, and crept toward the door. A thief stood watch, yawning, unaware of the danger behind him. Perfect.
From behind, he raised the crossbow and fired through the vital spot in the neck, then plunged his dagger into the neck of the second guard before he could react.
Holding one corpse with his foot to prevent it from falling, he carefully laid the other down.
So far, so good, he thought, relief creeping in. But without lowering his guard, he advanced, searching room after room. Every thief sleeping inside was dispatched swiftly—poisoned blades piercing necks.
First floor clear.
He ascended to the second floor—a large 1LDK room where six thieves huddled around a lamp, drinking. Carefully, he pulled a blast bolt from his pouch and loaded it into the crossbow. The explosive charge used a contact-type detonator with about three grams of unstable explosive; one wrong move and he’d be the one turned to ash.
Making these detonators was a nightmare—some exploded spontaneously from static electricity. Each one felt like a gamble with death.
”Stealth is over,” he muttered. “Time to go loud.”
He fired the blast bolt straight toward the lamp and dove for cover. The lamp shattered in a burst of flame and smoke, plunging the room into darkness as terrified screams echoed.
Upstairs on the third floor, voices called out, sharp and tense:
”What the hell was that?!”
”Who cares!?”
”What happened to the guys downstairs?!”
”Wait! Don’t split up! We make our stand here!”
He smeared his dagger with a fast-acting poison, dashed up the stairs, and hurled a contact grenade—crafted from the same volatile technology as the blast bolts—into the tightly shut wooden door. The door splintered with a deafening blast.
Without hesitation, he tossed a homemade aluminum flash-bang grenade into the room. It exploded with a blinding flash and a piercing bang, overwhelming their eyes and ears.
The room erupted in chaos.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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