Chapter 128

"Watch where you're grabbing..."

Hearing faint laughter and chatter behind him, Eren silently shook his head and quickened his pace.

He approached Doug, who was standing at the school gate, and glanced at the backpack slung over the chubby boy's shoulder.

Slightly surprised, Eren asked, "School's not over yet. Why are you carrying your bag? Are you planning to skip class this afternoon? Aren't you afraid your mom will come after you with a feather duster?"

Doug rolled his eyes and held up a slip of paper. "What kind of look is that? Don't you see this leave of absence note?"

His mood suddenly dimmed as he continued, "My uncle was found dead this morning on 13th Street. My mom called at noon and asked me to take a few days off to help with his funeral. My grandparents passed away long ago, so we're the closest relatives he has left."

"I'm sorry, Doug. My condolences..."

Eren offered his sympathies, but he froze for a moment.

13th Street again? Could Doug's uncle's death be related to that rumored entity haunting the area?

Before Eren could voice his suspicions, Doug spoke up first. "Enough with the condolences. I've heard that enough today. Let's change the subject. How about telling me how far things have progressed between you and Gwen? Honestly, I've been at this school for so long, and I've never seen Gwen get into any guy's car before."

Doug paused, narrowing his eyes at Eren. "And what's the deal with that flashy sports car? Don't tell me you rented it."

Realizing Doug didn't want to dwell on his family matter, Eren decided to drop the topic. Doug was one of the few people Eren considered a friend, so pressing him further wasn't worth it. He figured he could find out more about 13th Street by investigating it himself later.

With that settled, Eren replied, "Gwen and I are just regular friends."

"Really?"

"Of course. Gwen is the school's beauty queen. If I had managed to date someone like her, would I keep it a secret?"

Doug instinctively replied, "Obviously not! If I scored a girl that stunning, I'd shout it from the rooftops."

Eren shrugged. "Exactly. If there was something between us, why wouldn't I admit it?"

"That... makes sense."

Doug stared at Eren, feeling like something about his words didn't quite add up.

Their conversation didn't last long before a yellow cab pulled up nearby.

"See you later, Eren," Doug said before climbing into the taxi and disappearing from sight.

As night fell, Eren crossed several blocks, weaving through dimly lit alleys, until he arrived at 13th Street.

Located on the fringes of Chinatown, 13th Street was the most desolate and rundown area in the district.

The scene was even more dilapidated than Eren had imagined.

Abandoned factories dotted the street, and only a few shops remained open amidst the boarded-up storefronts. The street's bleak atmosphere starkly contrasted with the bustling energy of the other Chinatown neighborhoods.

Eren couldn't tell if this desolation was caused by the rumored "entity" haunting 13th Street or if the area had always been this neglected.

Whatever the reason, the eerie tales of suffocating deaths on 13th Street seemed to have scared people away.

Under the cover of night, the streets were almost empty.

The few people Eren spotted hurried along with anxious expressions, as though something terrifying was chasing them.

The only signs of lingering life were a few groups of brash young men gathered at street corners.

Some smoked, others clutched bottles of alcohol, huddling in clusters or crouching in shadowy alleys. Whenever a new face appeared, countless vacant eyes turned to stare.

Scanning his surroundings and finding no one else in sight, Eren approached the nearest group.

As Eren walked toward them, two blond men holding beer bottles exchanged glances. Without a word, they moved closer to the alley, their eyes gleaming with ill intent.

When Eren stepped into the alley, the two blond men slowly stood and sauntered toward him.

Noticing their hostile expressions, Eren smiled faintly and asked, "I'm looking for some information. I heard some strange things have been happening on 13th Street lately. Do you know anything specific?

"For example... about the man who died today?"

The two men paused, their eyes lighting up at Eren's calm demeanor. They smirked and continued to close the distance.

When they were just a few steps away, they suddenly reached for their waists, revealing folding knives as sinister grins spread across their faces.

"You want answers? Sure, as long as you can satisfy us first. Then we'll tell you everything you want to know," one sneered.

Just as they pulled out their knives, Eren swiftly drew a silenced pistol from his waistband and fired.

Pfft!

The sudden shot startled the second blond man, snapping him out of his alcohol-induced haze.

He stared in shock as his companion dropped his knife, clutching his wrist and howling in pain.

Before the second man could fully process what had happened, Eren calmly shifted his aim, leveling the gun directly at his face.

The sight of the gun barrel sent the second man's face pale, and his pants grew visibly damp.

"Now," Eren said coldly, "can you answer my question properly?"

"Y-yes! Of course!" the man stammered.

"Then tell me—what's the real story behind this so-called 'entity' on 13th Street?"

The terrified man's legs shook as he cried, "Boss, I swear we don't know! We really don't!"

"Think harder..."

On the verge of tears, the man suddenly pointed to a distant building. "I remember now...!"

(End of Chapter)

[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]

[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[Thank You For Your Support!]