abcnovels
Chapter 304
Chapter 304
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[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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Chapter 304
The Cult master and the leopard-headed wolf who gave me this refreshing experience...
From what even the insectoid clerk knew, this Cult master seemed to be quite a prominent figure in the area. Considering the crowd and prying eyes in this busy district, launching an immediate attack wasn’t ideal.
That’s why I planned a more intimate conversation with them later tonight.
In the meantime, I visited the other shop the insectoid clerk had recommended. Unfortunately, there were no traces of the 22nd-ranked Coldblood.
‘They might not be in this city.’
It was unlikely that the 22nd had left Verzan-02. Escaping this heavily monitored planet undetected wouldn’t be easy. Not to mention, a failed escape could put them directly in the hands of Jason and the ruling faction.
That meant they were somewhere on this planet. However, whether they were in this district—or this city—was another question entirely.
‘I expected this to be a long game.’
That’s precisely why I had already prepared a hideout. There was no need to rush now.
"Let’s head back for now."
?Wait.?
As I was about to return to the hideout and prepare for tonight, the Mother of the Sky stopped me.
"What is it?"
?I need to buy some clothes.?
"Because of him?"
?Partly. But also because staying like this is going to cause problems.?
She scratched her beak irritably.
In truth, the Cult master’s behavior was an outlier. Slaves were identified by the silver collars around their necks, not their lack of clothing.
Besides, her black wave-like tattoos were clear indicators of her origin. To most, she looked like a free member of the Wolf tribe.
‘Still…’
The Cult were prideful and unyielding in their beliefs. To them, the Mother of the Sky likely seemed savage and uncivilized. While few would act as blatantly as that Cult master, the possibility of similar awkward encounters wasn’t zero.
?While we're here, I’d better wear something. I don’t want to deal with pests like him again.?
"I’m not wearing anything either."
?Don’t be stupid. Thanks to your mimicry, you look like a normal Cult.?
"Just joking. Let’s shop around a bit more, then."
Leaving the slave market behind, I accompanied her to a clothing shop. There, we picked out a robe resembling the stola often worn by high-ranking Cult women. It was an outfit typically reserved for noblewomen when venturing outside, ensuring no one would dare look down on her again.
?…It feels strange to wear clothes again.?
She fidgeted, unaccustomed to the feel of fabric enveloping her body.
The Mother of the Sky, who had exuded the aura of a beastly warrior, now radiated a different kind of allure. The soft fabric accentuated her hidden physique, highlighting her athletic frame and the natural curves of her figure.
"You look great. It suits you."
?Hmph, it'll just rip the moment I transform.?
"Then you’d better take it off before transforming."
?In the middle of battle? Would you do that??
Though she grumbled, her amber eyes softened slightly. She wasn’t used to wearing clothes again, but she didn’t seem to dislike them either.
With her new outfit, we returned to the hideout where Charas was waiting.
---
"Master, I’ve discovered where that individual went."
In one of the rooms of a luxurious mansion, the leopard-headed wolf concluded his call and reported to a young Cult man.
The silver-haired man with yak-like horns was named Alqadi.
Alqadi, captain of Verzan-02's Defender-class imperial carrier, and the man known as the largest slave owner in the Light's Quarter, was no stranger to notoriety.
As the older brother of Alsas, a captain of an imperial mothership, Alqadi enjoyed wealth and influence that made him a household name in this district. Even within Verzan-02's political circles, his power was difficult to ignore.
However, among the Cult nobility, his reputation was far less favorable, largely due to his peculiar hobby: an obsessive fixation on collecting slaves.
Alqadi's collection spanned the spectrum—slaves of extraordinary beauty, immense combat prowess, or remarkable intelligence. He even went so far as to target slaves with existing masters, determined to acquire them at any cost.
While owning slaves was a personal liberty in Cult society, Alqadi’s actions crossed a line, especially in the eyes of the conservative nobility. His behavior was so extreme that even his politically gifted brother, a key advisor to the Reformist faction, had once pleaded with him to stop.
For a while, Alqadi had restrained himself—until today, when he encountered a peculiar individual in a local shop.
---
"As you suspected, the man is not a gunner. He’s staying at the ruins of a hover-bus station," the leopard-headed wolf reported.
"Just as I thought."
Alqadi nodded triumphantly, a smug grin on his face.
‘No soldier on this planet wouldn’t recognize me.’
As the brother of Verzan-02’s imperial carrier captain, Alqadi couldn’t imagine a warrior who didn’t know of him, especially not a gunner.
What’s more, Alqadi had a secret weapon—an inconspicuous bracelet gifted to him by his brother, who had feared assassination attempts from political rivals. This bracelet alerted its wearer to nearby hidden threats, though it didn’t specify their nature or identity.
The bracelet had flagged the suspicious gunner in question, someone who had failed to recognize Alqadi’s face. That alone confirmed the individual wasn’t normal—perhaps even a member of the Vortex Cult, the Empire's insidious enemy.
And if that were the case, would it not be perfectly justified to take the beautiful wolf slave accompanying him?
"Tonight, I’ll send warriors to his location," the leopard-headed wolf continued.
"Good. Don’t kill the master; bring him to me instead. If he’s truly a Vortex infiltrator, we’ll hand him over to the Prophets’ Council."
"Understood."
"Oh, and about that wolf... Make sure she remains unharmed."
Alqadi’s eyes gleamed with a disturbing hunger as he recalled the wolf. He had seen countless wolf slaves before, but none as radiant and striking as the one accompanying the stranger.
Her golden fur shimmered like polished novametal, her finely honed muscles wove together like strands of tempered steel, and her eyes gleamed like miniature suns.
There wasn’t a single ordinary feature about her. Alqadi could only imagine the ecstasy of sharing his bed with such a magnificent creature.
As Alqadi reveled in his fantasies, the leopard-headed wolf, now serious, added, "Master, she seems highly skilled. If I don’t join the operation, the casualties could be significant."
"You think she’s that strong?"
The leopard-headed wolf was Alqadi’s most formidable warrior. For even him to express caution spoke volumes about the wolf’s abilities.
"A strong and beautiful gladiatrix, you say? That makes her even more desirable. Go personally and handle it," Alqadi ordered.
"Yes, master."
Once the leopard-headed wolf left, Alqadi summoned several of his other slaves. Even as they attended to him, his thoughts remained fixated on the golden-furred wolf.
---
Time passed, and night fell on Verzan-02.
However, night here was merely a relative term. The twin suns of the Aur Star System meant that Verzan-02 rarely experienced true darkness.
Of the two suns, one was brighter and more prominent; the other was dimmer, casting a subdued glow. The Cult defined day by the presence of the brighter sun and night by the appearance of the dimmer one.
This "night", bathed in faint sunlight, was the backdrop for what was to come.
It is now the time when the Dark Sun, the Companion Star, rises.
‘Should I get going?’
The Cult, much like humans, is a creature that requires sleep to survive. At night, they retreat to their homes for rest. By now, the Cult owner I’ve been targeting should either be preparing to leave their shop or already heading home.
?Where are you going, Little One??
[ZZZ ZZ (I have some business)]
?Business?? ?What kind of business??
Adhai, who had been enjoying a sand bath buried in the ground, raised her head.
[ZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ (I spotted some prey earlier today)]
?When you come back,? ?bring us,? ?a gift.?
?Yes, I want a gift too! Just like the one the Little One gave!?
[ZZZZ (If possible)]
Earlier today, when the Mother of the Sky arrived dressed in garments, these creatures showed an unexpected amount of interest.
From Adhai, who mocked the poor aesthetics of the “dwarf clothes”, to Number 26, demanding to know why it didn’t get one, and even PS-111, who had observed everything through the MPS-05 in my pack and was now requesting improved genetic material.
‘I don’t even know why that one joined in.’
Faced with the playful complaints of a Sea Demon and a Gallagon, I promised them gifts.
‘I was planning to transplant some traits after acquiring new ones anyway.
The reason I’m heading out now isn’t unrelated to that. If I bring back good traits, they’ll be pleased.’
[ZZ ZZ (Alright, I’m heading out)]
"Take care. Please, take care!"
I grabbed the MPS-05 and stepped outside.
Beyond the entrance lay the Ruby-Encased Sand Kingdom.
The dim light reflected off the crimson sand, casting the entire world in a deep cherry hue. Even though I had seen this sight a few times in a game, witnessing it in reality felt entirely different.
‘In the game, it felt eerie.’
Some players disliked how the world became entirely drenched in red at night.
Yet, the scene before me now was breathtakingly beautiful despite its unsettling atmosphere. A destructive beauty. That was the night of Verzan-02.
I dashed through the crimson sand-covered streets. My shelter quickly receded into the distance, and all around me were buildings buried in sand.
While my four legs worked tirelessly, the Sensory Organ beneath my jaw scanned for any sign of movement in the buildings.
With the shift in the sun, the temperature of the streets had plummeted to levels incomparable to the daytime heat. Unless, like Adhai, one was buried in the sand, wandering these abandoned streets was far from wise.
As expected, I didn’t detect any signs of life within the buildings.
‘No one here... huh?’
Just as I felt reassured, the Sensory Organ caught something. A group was heading in my direction.
I buried myself in the sand alongside the MPS-05.
Moments later, suspicious figures appeared, their faces concealed. Clad in reinforced suits and armed with various weapons, they passed right by the sand where I was hidden.
Once they were far enough to be out of sight, I emerged from the sand.
I could recognize them even with their faces covered. Leading the group was the leopard-headed Wolf I had encountered during the day.
They were heading straight toward my shelter.
‘Hah.’
It was obvious what these heavily armed slaves were after. Their master hadn’t given up on the Mother of the Sky.
‘So, that’s how you want to play it?’
The novelty of this situation wore off after a while. Watching their actions filled me with displeasure.
No, it made me furious.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Tell the others prey is coming)]
“Confirmed. Enemy. Confirmed!”
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Leave one alive. We need to know where their master is.)]
"One. Leave alive."
Issuing the command to PS-111 through the MPS-05, I sprinted back toward the luminous streets.
There was no need to return to the shelter. The ones heading there would be annihilated by the others. I only needed to extract their master’s location and act swiftly.
‘I’m curious just how extraordinary this individual thinks they are.’
It’s been a long time since I’ve felt such intense displeasure.
Let’s see if they’ll continue this charade once they’ve faced me directly.
If they still dare behave like this, even with parasites burrowing into their mind…
Before today ends, they will pay the price for their actions.
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[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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