---
## Chapter 27: The Search for the First Thread
---
Lux began gathering information on John, known as Ajax the Butcher. It wasn't easy; John was a ghost, appearing and disappearing, leaving behind nothing but chaos and a destructive trail. Lux spent days roaming the city's lower districts, dark taverns, and black markets, disguised as a mysterious traveler.
"Ajax?" one old informant in a dark tavern said when Lux asked about John. "That man is no mere butcher, stranger. He's a nightmare. No one sees him unless he wants them to. And those who have seen him haven't lived to tell the tale."
This information wasn't enough for Lux. He needed a starting point, a thread that could lead him to John. Lux began analyzing the pattern of John's recent operations, using his investigative and analytical skills learned from the Night Guard. He was looking for anything, any hint, any small detail that could reveal John's hideout or his next targets.
Lux discovered that most of John's attacks targeted corrupt figures or other criminal organizations, as if he had a hidden motive behind his actions. He wasn't killing just for the sake of killing; there was a pattern in his choice of victims.
"He's not just a criminal," Lux thought. "He has his own principle, no matter how dark."
This discovery made Lux even more determined to meet John. If he had a principle, there might be room for negotiation, or even for drawing him into his own vision. But the problem still remained: how to find him.