Chapter 219: The Duality of Pardofelis

A light breeze stirred the dust, and on the bumpy road, the two sides seemed to be facing off. Inside the shanties, people watching from behind cover had quietly hidden themselves.

To survive in Sundown Alley, one must learn both greed and restraint. When it's time to be greedy, one must risk their life, but when caution is needed, one must quietly hide away.

The girl named Pardofelis crouched down, glancing at the slender figure behind her, then at the men drawing their guns. Cold sweat immediately began to form on her back.

Did I just ruin someone's business?

She recognized these burly men and knew exactly what they were involved in. Not only did they sell humans, but they also didn't spare live organs, and on the side, they worked as information brokers.

'I was just passing through, I was so deep in sleep during my afternoon nap, my head was dizzy, and when I landed, I didn't realize there were people here.'

The girl was protesting her innocence. If she had known, she wouldn't have stayed up late last night scouting the area. But would they believe her if she told the truth?

Pardofelis' lips moved, just as one of the thugs unlocked the safety on his handgun.

"Your goods shouldn't include people, right? What's this, planning to change businesses?"

I don't even know her, alright? Goods, yes, that's right.

She thought of something and slowly stood up, brushing the dust off her boots and clearing her throat. "Apologies, apologies, Boss Daffy, this is a guest invited by my boss, a VIP!"

Pardofelis emphasized "VIP" and made sure to look confident, causing the men to exchange looks.

They knew the famous merchant in Sundown Alley. If you had money, you could get nearly anything, though rumors said she stole some of it. But nothing had been confirmed yet.

The bosses were trying to figure out where she got her supplies from. If she was a thief, they would issue a bounty, but this didn't interest Daffy.

There was a powerful "boss" behind her who could not only get rare and strange things, but was also very mysterious. Once, the Black Blood Gang overheard their conversation and cornered them in an alley, yet they never found that boss.

Everyone was speculating that Pardofelis' boss wasn't even human, and in this world, there was a group that resembled humans but wasn't quite.

Fusion warriors, Pardofelis was most likely an informant for the Fire Moth, no wonder she could get military equipment. But what did it mean that the "VIP" her boss invited could walk casually in the street? Was it possible that he was about to step into the light from the shadows?

The men exchanged another glance and quietly locked the safety again, but they weren't planning to let it go. "What's the boss's business with him?"

"Uh, that's confidential business, you'd have to pay a big price to find out. Do you want to pay?" Pardofelis put on a look of difficulty, secretly standing on tiptoe, like a frightened kitten.

"Pay for what? You can at least tell me their name, right? Otherwise, how do I know you're not trying to fool me?"

"Is there any need for me to lie to you? He's really a VIP."

"Then can I use this VIP to lure your boss out? Do you know how much the gangs are willing to pay me for this information?" The thug cracked his knuckles, suddenly realizing the potential for greed.

Pardofelis twitched her mouth, displaying a smile more awkward than a cry. "Boss Daffy, you really know how to do business."

There's nothing I can do, I have to take the chance to make some profit. You're on your own now.

The girl wasn't exactly self-sacrificing, as she quietly pulled out a bag of lime from behind her, and from the corner of her eye, she noticed someone turning towards her, revealing a nearly perfect face.

So beautiful... Too bad she'll fall into their hands...

That thought barely crossed her mind when a hand reached down from above, just in time to grab the gun.

In an instant, no one cared about Pardofelis anymore. All the guns clicked open and were pointed directly at Ryan head.

"You want to die?"

"Watch Pardofelis, don't let her run."

"Break her arms and legs, and bring her back. We need to get the information out of her."

With guns pressed to his forehead, Pardofelis immediately stuffed the lime powder back into her waist pouch and raised both hands. This wasn't teleportation; there was no way she could move faster than bullets.

But just then, she noticed that not only did Daffy's gang not fire, but they all took a step back. Then she heard a "clink" sound, and half of a gun barrel fell to the ground, kicking up some dust.

Am I watching magic?

Pardofelis was bewildered, and just then, someone spoke.

"My name is Adam, understood?"

After a moment of silence, no one answered. They only looked at the shattered metal on the ground and the smooth cuts in their hands, completely confused about how this was done.

In an instant, the steel was cut, and they couldn't even tell what had happened. If this thing had struck them...

"Understood, Master Adam!"

Without hesitation, several burly men bowed in unison, their eyes only daring to look at the ground, sweat dripping from their noses, falling to the floor. Their legs began to tremble.

He really is a VIP. Those rumors were true. This little girl is connected to the Fire Moth and can invite monsters like him.

They couldn't help but feel awe toward Pardofelis, who was in a daze. From a mere small-time merchant to a representative of a powerful faction, this information alone could be sold for a good amount.

"Good, let's go. Pardofelis."

"Ah? Oh." The girl finally snapped out of it, stiffly turning around and properly sizing him up.

She had originally thought he was just a pitiful person, but he turned out to be so powerful that it didn't seem human. His exquisite, expressionless face gave her an instinctive fear, and then she realized the trouble she was in.

I seem to have gotten involved in something serious. The "boss" invited a super strong person to get things done. Boss Daffy will surely sell this information, and then the whole Sundown Alley will be shaken.

If this were a normal day, she would have gladly given her business a disguise, letting people guess and not dare make a move on her. But the problem is...

There's no boss. I was just too groggy from my nap and didn't land in the right spot!

Her usual luck turned into bad luck in an instant. Pardofelis drooped her head, following behind, her mind constantly working on how to cover up this flaw. Before she knew it, she found herself in a dark alley and then realized an even worse problem:

Why am I following such a dangerous person?

"Uh, Master Adam, can I leave now?"

Ryan stopped. While Pardofelis was brainstorming, he had already figured everything out.

This was clearly a coincidence for him too. He had originally planned to complete his first goal, but then Pardofelis suddenly jumped into the picture, changing his mind.

The order didn't matter anymore; the message had already been sent out. As for Pardofelis, wasn't she known for her luck?

Ryan stared at the girl. She was small, with slender arms and legs, and her green-blue heterochromatic eyes were very lively, just like a nimble little cat.

Cunning, timid, and a little lazy, she made people want to tease her.

"You want to leave?"

Who wants to stay by someone as dangerous as you? I need to find a corner to curl up in, wait for things to calm down, and then get back to business.

"Uh, today's events are all a misunderstanding. I need to report to my boss. How about I give you an address, and you can come find me later? My boss is very powerful in Sundown Alley."

What boss? The address is definitely fake.

"Are you and the person behind you from Sundown Alley?"

"Yes, I know this place very well. My boss knows all the secrets here!"

Ryan didn't want to expose her, slowly shaking his head. "I just arrived in Sundown Alley and need a guide. You seem perfect, come with me."

Uh-oh.

Pardofelis wished she could slap her mouth. Scratching her head, she muttered, "But if 'the boss' asks, it will be difficult for me."

"If it's difficult, don't do it. Let him come directly to find me." Ryan said, and started walking ahead.

The girl retreated quietly like a cat, soundless and swift. She wasn't that brave. Of course, she wanted to find a chance to escape. But after taking a few steps back, she felt like she had bumped into something.

Huh?

She touched around. There was nothing, but it felt like a wall. This magical phenomenon made her widen her eyes. Looking ahead at the straight back, it was like a deflating balloon, visibly sagging.

Damn it, I can't escape now. If I don't follow him, I'll be sliced in half, won't I?

Pardofelis hesitated for a moment, then suddenly thought that even if she ran away, all the gangs would track her down. It wouldn't be so easy to escape this time.

Her little head drooped, and she resignedly followed his footsteps, muttering over and over to herself.

It's all because the sunlight today was so nice. Why did I fall asleep so easily today?