Successfully Seizing the Parasite

"Sister, what's your name? Do you live around here?" he asked in a friendly tone, though it was clear he was still shocked by what had just happened.

Amel glanced at him briefly, then shrugged. "Yeah."

Without another word, her eyes locked onto the mutant corpse on the ground. "Let's split the loot quickly!" she said excitedly. Without waiting for a response, she floated toward the mutant spider's body.

The woman—who now introduced herself as Wulan—nodded and signaled to her subordinates. They immediately began skinning and harvesting resources from the mutant's remains.

As she observed the process, Wulan stole a glance at Amel, who was still focused on the loot distribution. A hint of curiosity flashed in her eyes. "My name is Wulan. What's yours, sister?" she asked casually.

"Amel," the girl answered curtly, not even glancing her way, fully focused on making sure no one tried to cheat her.

Wulan studied her for a moment, a little surprised by her indifference. But considering the power she had just displayed, that attitude made sense. She shifted her attention back to her subordinates, who were busily processing the mutant corpse.

When they cut open the spider's chest, something oval-shaped, furry, and pitch-black appeared inside.

"A parasite," Amel exclaimed, her eyes gleaming. Without hesitation, she tossed a metal case toward them. "Put it in here."

The members of the Thorn Lily Gang exchanged glances before looking at Wulan for confirmation. The woman gave a slight nod.

Without hesitation, they placed the parasite inside the case and handed it back to Amel. "Here you go, miss."

Amel took the case with a satisfied expression. Meanwhile, the dismantling of the spider continued. They carefully dissected every part, searching for valuable resources. Five minutes later, the results were in.

Among the collected remains, they found crystals of various colors embedded in the brain, legs, and abdomen of the spider. However, no Evolution Essence was found.

"There are a total of thirty-six crystals," one of the men reported. "Additionally, other parts like bones, blood, claws, and tendons can be sold."

Amel frowned. "Wait, mutant body parts can be sold too?" she asked, surprised.

Wulan chuckled and pointed at the pile of bones they had gathered. "The government buys them. For example, this set of bones can be exchanged for seven crystals."

Amel's eyes widened slightly. She recalled their conversation with Captain Rio about the government alliance and the tradeable resources.

"In total, the loot is worth approximately seventy-two crystals, miss," the man concluded after finishing his calculations.

Wulan nodded in satisfaction before turning to Amel. "Not bad for this haul." She gave a faint smile. "Sister Amel, how do you think we should split the crystals?"

Amel tilted her head. "Isn't it obvious? Eighty percent is mine."

Wulan let out a small laugh. "The problem is, parasites aren't traded, so their value is hard to estimate."

"Oh." Amel blinked, then thought for a moment before shrugging. "Alright, out of the seventy-two crystals, I'll take twelve. The rest is yours."

Wulan could only nod slowly. Her expression showed clear dissatisfaction, but she had no choice. In this world, the rules were set by the strong. And she knew challenging Amel would be unwise.

"Alright then... thank you, Sister Amel." Wulan handed over the twelve crystals, albeit reluctantly. "Our gang is stationed not far from the city government building."

Amel accepted the crystals without much reaction. "Thanks... hope we meet again."

Then, she turned and walked away. A loud thud echoed behind her, causing the ground to tremble slightly. Amel didn't look back, but she knew the sound came from Wulan's frustration. The woman probably hated her now.

But she ignored it and kept walking. Adam had given clear instructions. She had to adapt.

When she arrived at the hideout, Adam was still observing something through his Viper Sniper's scope. When he noticed Amel approaching, he grinned and stood up.

"Good..." he said, satisfied, patting Amel's shoulder. "Your first mission was a complete success."

Amel handed over the case containing the parasite without a word. There was a slight unease in her heart, but Adam's pleased laughter made her feel better.

"You scared them... hahaha!"

Amel frowned, still confused. "Boss, why did we let them go?" she asked. With her strength, she could have easily wiped them all out.

Adam let out a long sigh, closing the case after checking its contents. "What would be the point of killing them?"

Amel thought for a moment before answering, "So they wouldn't hold a grudge and attack us later. Wouldn't that be better?"

Adam nodded slightly. "You're right. In some situations, we do need to eliminate problems at the root."

Amel smirked, feeling validated.

"But, Amel... like I told you before, we act based on benefits." Adam's voice lowered, calm but full of meaning. "If there's no advantage, killing them would make you no different from those monsters."

Amel looked at Adam, her eyes gleaming as if processing his words. Then, she gave a small nod. "I understand."

Adam smirked. "Good. We have more important things to do. Let's move on to the next phase."

Amel nodded slightly, her eyes fixed on Adam with careful consideration. Although she had some doubts, she knew Adam always had a reason for his actions.

Adam observed Amel's expression for a moment before nodding approvingly. "Good. That lightning man needs to be eliminated. He's a threat and clearly not someone we can cooperate with. Besides, this will serve as a warning to others," he said calmly, his voice flat but laden with intent.

Amel didn't reply immediately. She only gave a small nod, still processing everything Adam had just said. She was beginning to understand—in this world, power wasn't just about fighting but about how it was used strategically.

Adam grabbed his gear and patted her shoulder. "Let's head back. Get ready."

Without another word, Amel followed his lead. But high above the tallest building in the area, something moved silently.

A small drone hovered among the shadows, nearly undetectable. Its camera lens gleamed momentarily, capturing every movement below—the fierce battle, the one-sided negotiation, and now, two figures preparing to leave.

Without a sound, the drone spun, then shot up into the sky, vanishing.