Chapter 110: Leader Aerin
Night descended upon Playmore like a living creature awakening from an endless slumber.
As the darkness spread across the horizon, the city answered with a brilliance that rivalled the stars themselves. Tower after tower came alive beneath an ocean of neon, their glass walls reflecting countless colours that danced across the skyline. Massive holographic advertisements floated lazily through the air, shifting between luxury brands, celebrity endorsements and government announcements. Music drifted through the night from exclusive rooftop clubs, underground bars and lavish casinos, blending into the constant hum of traffic that never truly ceased.
From above, Playmore looked magnificent.
From within...It was terrifying.
Luxury towers gleamed beneath gold and silver lights while only a few streets away, forgotten alleyways swallowed criminals, politicians, brokers, mercenaries and Savages alike. Wealth and corruption existed side by side, separated only by a single street, and nobody questioned it anymore.
That was the truth of Playmore.
The Town of Opportunities.
A city where dreams could be bought...and lives could be sold just as easily.
Naturally, a city overflowing with opportunity attracted monsters.
Far from the dazzling lights of the entertainment district, hidden beneath an abandoned parking structure near the outskirts of the city, another kind of gathering was taking place.
The atmosphere inside the decaying underground complex was quiet, save for the occasional drip of water echoing from cracked concrete pillars. Rusted support beams stretched toward the ceiling while broken vehicles sat abandoned beneath layers of dust, making the hideout appear forgotten by the rest of the world.
At the centre of the open space, a bright holographic map flickered into existence.
Wasabi manipulated the floating display with practiced movements, causing streets, buildings and underground pathways to rotate through the air before everyone gathered around it.
Standing before the projection was Aerin.
Unlike the uncertain young woman who had once hesitated to make difficult decisions, the person standing there now carried herself with quiet confidence.
Her posture was straight and her breathing steady.
Her emerald eyes scanned every route and every marker with remarkable precision, calculating possibilities before anyone else could even consider them.
For a fleeting moment, several members of the team were reminded of someone else.
Daito.
Not because she looked like him...but because she carried the same unwavering composure whenever lives depended on a decision.
She waited until everyone was paying attention before speaking.
"Our objective is simple."
Her calm voice echoed through the abandoned structure as she extended a hand toward several glowing markers scattered throughout Playmore.
"We locate the source of the Frevage Drug."
Wasabi enlarged one particular icon until it hovered above the centre of the map.
"Stimuleigh."
The name alone caused the atmosphere to stiffen.
Even Nyx, who normally hid her emotions behind sarcasm and effortless confidence, quietly narrowed her eyes.
Wasabi adjusted his glasses before continuing.
"Stimuleigh has appeared in multiple underground intelligence reports over the past several weeks. Every source describes it as an illegal enhancement drug capable of temporarily multiplying a Savage's Astral output far beyond its natural limits."
His fingers moved again.
Several documents appeared beside the holographic map.
"Victims experience explosive surges in power almost immediately after injection. However, no reliable information exists regarding its long-term effects."
Wei-Wan folded his arms, his expression hardening.
"In other words..."
"...someone with serious influence has started distributing military-grade enhancement drugs inside Playmore."
Aerin nodded without hesitation.
"And if they're distributing it here..."
She slowly swept her gaze across every member of the team.
"...then this city is already infected."
Silence settled over the underground parking structure.
Nobody argued and nobody questioned her conclusion.Everyone present understood exactly what those words meant.
Drugs like Stimuleigh didn't simply appear overnight.
Someone powerful was manufacturing them. Someone wealthier was funding them. And someone even more dangerous was protecting the operation.
Aerin allowed the silence to linger for another moment before changing the holographic display.
The city divided into several coloured sectors.
"Three-person teams."
Her voice remained calm, but every instruction carried unmistakable authority.
"We investigate separately."
"We gather information."
"We avoid unnecessary confrontations."
"No attracting attention."
"No reckless heroics."
The order had barely left her lips before Champagne slowly raised a hand with complete seriousness.
"...What if heroics happen naturally?"
Without missing a beat, Aerin looked directly at him.
"Then die quietly."
For half a second...Nobody moved.
Then—
PFFT!
"Hahaha!"
The entire hideout erupted into laughter.
Even Wei-Wan failed to suppress a grin.
Champagne looked around at everyone with exaggerated disbelief before placing a hand over his chest.
"...That hurt."
"It was supposed to," Aerin replied without changing her expression.
The laughter gradually faded, allowing the meeting to continue.
Aerin enlarged one section of the city map, revealing a network of underground districts hidden beneath casinos, luxury hotels and entertainment venues.
"Champagne."
"Mardale."
"Zachia."
The three immediately focused on the projection.
"You'll investigate the underground auction network."
Several hidden locations blinked across the display.
"Illegal artefacts."
"Black-market relics."
"Savage trafficking."
"If Stimuleigh is changing hands anywhere in Playmore..."
"...it'll pass through these auctions."
Mardale's lips curled into an amused smile.
"Sounds entertaining."
Aerin's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"Behave."
Champagne shrugged with an innocent smile.
"I make no promises."
Beside him, Zachia calmly adjusted the hilts of his swords before giving a single nod.
"We'll find what you're looking for."
Satisfied, Aerin shifted the holographic display once more. Entire districts turned dark red as dozens of hidden trade routes appeared throughout the city.
"Wei-Wan."
"Fah-Jin."
"Wasabi."
The three stepped forward.
"The black markets," Wei-Wan said, immediately understanding the assignment.
Aerin nodded.
"Every illegal business eventually leaves a trail."
Wasabi smiled faintly while studying the projected routes.
"My favourite kind of investigation."
Beside him, Fah-Jin quietly removed the magazine from her weapon before checking every energy round with calm, methodical movements.
CLICK.
CLICK.
CLACK.
She slid the magazine back into place before chambering it with practiced precision.
"If Stimuleigh exists in Playmore..."
"...someone inside those markets knows exactly where it's coming from."
The metallic sound of her weapon locking into place echoed softly through the abandoned structure, leaving everyone with the same silent understanding.
Tonight...They weren't searching for rumours anymore.
They were hunting the truth.
to be continued....