4 mad dog

From Morrie's cursing tone and his previous mutterings when he jumped from the second floor, Zero was certain that Morrie knew his assailants well. Having intervened and killed the two gunmen, Zero needed to understand their identity and strength for his own safety. Though separated by a wall, Zero was confident the M500 bullet to the chest had left them no chance of survival, even if they were dark creatures with strong regenerative powers.

 "zero, it's 'Mad Dog' Norki, that bitch-like lunatic! He approached me this morning with a deal for a few early Suledes gold coins. Despite 'Mad Dog's' bad reputation, especially his recent unscrupulous expansion, the gold coins were too good to pass up, and a friend of mine needed them. So, I agreed to the deal. But he double-crossed me this evening. I recognized his two gunmen from this morning! Damn that 'Mad Dog' Norki..."

 Morrie's face, hidden in the shadows, looked particularly vicious. A black market merchant who could dominate this district wasn't one to be trifled with. A gunfire war was likely to break out in the streets in the coming days. After a few sneers, Morrie raised his head and thanked Zero: "Ye, thank you. If it weren't for you tonight, I would have been fish food by now. I can't fully express my gratitude, but please accept this."

 Morrie took off a bronze bracelet and handed it to Zero. Even though it looked unassuming, anything on the wrist of a black market merchant was undoubtedly valuable. Zero smiled, accepting the bracelet and putting it on his wrist. Saving Morrie had been a fact, and it wasn't too much to accept a reward.

 Following the principle of equivalent exchange, Zero touched the bronze bracelet with his index finger, but his skills were too low to identify its value. However, the weight and simplicity of the bracelet told him it was indeed valuable. Additionally, Zero had gleaned information about his mission target, "Mad Dog" Norki. The demon hunter, feeling quite pleased with the unexpected rewards from a simple weapons purchase, found his mood greatly improved. His tone softened as he conversed with Morrie.

 "Morrie, what are you going to do next?"

 "I'm going back to my old hideout to gather people and deal with 'Mad Dog'!" Morrie's expression was grim and terrifying. Noting this, the demon hunter asked indifferently, "Need help?"

 "zero, thank you for your kindness! But I must handle this myself!" Morrie's tone was unusually firm. Zero initially wanted to use this opportunity to gather more information about "Mad Dog" Keno, but seeing Morrie's resolve, he shrugged and stopped pressing. After all, urgent questioning might arouse Morrie's suspicions. Moreover, they had a deal scheduled for the next morning, which would be a better time to ask questions. So, Zero smiled at Morrie and said, "Then let's part here! Morrie, remember our deal tomorrow morning! And, good luck!"

 

"See you or leave tomorrow morning, Zero!"

 

The two parted ways, with Morrie returning to his hideout to muster forces against "Mad Dog," while Zero returned to his temporary base on Fisher Street—a hotel on the corner.

 

When he became independent a year ago, Zero had adopted this practice. Demon hunters are also prey while hunting, and to survive longer, Zero had to learn from the blood-soaked experiences of his predecessors.

 

Upon entering the hotel, ignoring the sleeping owner behind the counter, Zero headed straight to his room on the second floor. The short walk from the front door to his room was punctuated by oppressive or uninhibited groans, making Zero sigh with both disgust and envy. The life of a demon hunter was fraught with tension, and opportunities for relaxation were rare. However, after hearing from Old Ward about a senior witcher who was killed by a low-level blood slave while "looking for a bed partner," Zero took this as a stern warning and made it part of his life motto.

 

He took out the key and opened the door slightly, peering inside. Seeing the hair strands tied behind the door had snapped, Zero tensed up and instinctively grasped the M500 at his waist. Besides "special" room service, this hotel had no other room service, so the possibility of someone cleaning the room was out. This left only two possibilities: theft or surveillance, neither of which was desirable for a demon hunter.

 

Pushing the door open, Zero found the room undisturbed, except for a note on the bedside table, written in code. The author of the note was Zero's mentor and savior, John. The note briefly mentioned John's successful completion of a water ghost mission at Slint Lake and his need to assist a witcher friend, preventing him from meeting Zero. At the end, John sent his blessings.

 

Reading the final blessing, Zero couldn't help but smile: "What an awkward old fellow! If you want to see me, just go directly to Old Ward!"

 

The four years they had spent together had forged a bond stronger than family. Zero vividly remembered how John had taken him to Daddy's Bar two months ago and left without a word after handing him to Old Ward. Despite John's attempts to hide it, Zero saw the flash of emotion in his eyes through the reflection in the glass.

 

In the following missions, Zero noticed John's protective presence, but every time he turned to look, John was gone. After several attempts, Zero gave up searching for him.

 

Despite having John's cell number, Zero felt a weird embarrassment every time he thought of calling. But after seeing the note, he dialed John's number without hesitation. As for the weirdness and embarrassment? They could go to hell!