chapter 27 “Talron”

The city was alive with a strange, almost oppressive energy, thick enough to taste on the back of your tongue. The buildings around them loomed like towering giants, their jagged edges cutting into the night sky, their surfaces slick with moisture that caught the dim light of the moon, casting long, eerie shadows on the streets below. The air was damp, heavy with the smell of wet stone and something… older. Something unnatural.

And yet, despite the chill, despite the oppressive weight that hung in the air, there was a pulse to this city. A pulse that made your skin tingle, your heart race. A pulse that made you feel like you were standing on the edge of something vast, something ancient, something alive.

Lu Yan's eyes flicked across the crowd—watchful, tense, waiting for something to break the silence. He didn't want trouble. But this place… something felt off. He could sense it, crawling under his skin like an itch that couldn't be scratched. It wasn't the people. It wasn't the city. It was everything.

The stillness shattered with a voice, low and dangerous, slicing through the tension like a blade through air.

"Hold your tongue, Zharak."

A figure stepped forward, overweight, male draped in an obsidian coat that shimmered like liquid night. His dark brown eyes glowed, gleaming with a cold intelligence that seemed to pierce straight into Lu Yan's soul. Every inch of him radiated power, like the sun's gravity pulling at the edges of space.

This wasn't just a ruler. This was something else.

"My apologies," the figure said, his voice deep and resonant, as though every word held weight that could crush a man. "For my brother and his son. They have been reckless. My father died a while ago, and it broke him. He has been… mad ever since."

Zharak, standing beside him, was a beast-man—a savage with rippling muscles, his face twisted in anger. His nostrils flared, but at Talron's commanding gaze, the rage drained from his face. He bowed his head, reluctantly, submitting to the leader's will.

Lu Yan felt the shift in the air. It was subtle—like the first drop of rain before a storm—but it was unmistakable. He could feel the ancient power that radiated off the city head, like it was pulling him in, anchoring him to this place where nothing and no one ever left. He stood tall, unflinching, his heart pounding in his chest like the sound of drums, but his face as unreadable as stone.

Talron eyes's locked onto him, piercing through the night. The weight of his gaze was like being crushed by the weight of the entire city. Lu Yan knew then, without a doubt, that this man was not to be trifled with.

"State your name," Talron said, his voice like the low growl of an approaching storm.

"Lu Yan," came the reply, sharp and calm. No hesitation. The words slipped from his mouth like a challenge.

The air seemed to vibrate with tension. The crowd behind them watched, hushed, as if waiting for a spark to ignite the powder keg. Zharak's eyes narrowed, but Lu Yan felt no fear. He was here for answers, not for confrontation. Yet, he knew something had shifted in the city's rhythm. He could feel the pull of the unknown.

"I understand," Lu Yan said, his voice quiet, but carrying the weight of unspoken truths. "I was an orphan once. I know what it's like to lose a father."

The moment the words left his lips, the entire crowd seemed to breathe in, a collective intake of air that drew the night tighter around them. Talron's face flickered, his eyes briefly looking away—just for a split second—but long enough to catch the crack in his stoic mask. Something broke in him, something raw and painful.

Then, the boy, his son, stepped forward—thin, angry, his fists clenched like a spring ready to snap. "So what?" he spat, his voice sharp, full of venom. "You think just because you lost someone, you're special?" He was itching for a fight, but his body was rigid, held in check by the presence of his father.

Lu Yan didn't move. He didn't flinch. His gaze met the boy's with unflinching calm. "You son of a Bit* LISTEN" Lu Yan said slowly, his voice flat but edged. "But at least your father's ALIVE. Mine wasn't."

There was a sharp intake of breath. The boy's face twitched, his anger boiling, but then it drained away. The father's face twisted, the anger flickering like a dying flame. He stepped between them, the weariness in his eyes heavy like stone. "You don't understand. You can't stay here. No one stays here. They disappear."

Lu Yan's gaze didn't falter. "I'm not like them I'm here.

Talron stepped back, his presence still looming large, his gaze unwavering. "We shall see."

Lu Yan turned back, his voice sharp. "It's because I'm not some hero trying to save the world. I came here for my own reasons. Use some common sense—do you think I'm isekaied, and you're my harem girl? even if This is another world, but even so, I'd rather stay single."

Talron stood silent, "...." not fully understanding the words, but the meaning still felt him hard

The city, ancient and unknowable, seemed to hold its breath.

And then, like a match lit in the darkest night, the silence shattered.

"I'll stay in a hotel," Lu Yan said

Talron raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "As a apogloy for before I can grant you one for free, the Best hotel in the city room as yours for 2 months."

Lu Yan nodded, unfazed. He knew what he was doing. "Then I'll stay somewhere quieter."