Chapter 159
Zeon didn’t return to the slums right away. Instead, he walked through Neo Seoul Mall.
He had come to Neo Seoul before, but back then his purpose had been gathering information to deal with Tajik, so he hadn’t had the leisure to properly look around.
Zeon slowly walked down the streets.
Officially, the city was divided into four districts—east, west, south, and north—with City Hall at the center, but since there were no clear boundaries, he could go anywhere.
Thanks to that, Zeon was able to freely explore Neo Seoul Mall.
Neo Seoul was a completely different world from the slums.
While the slums seemed stuck somewhere between the modern and pre-modern eras, Neo Seoul had clearly surpassed even the civilization of the present age.
“Truly incredible. To create a civilization like this in just a hundred years…”
Jin Geumho was a man worthy of admiration.
Without him, creating a city like this would have been impossible.
Because Jin Geumho had rebuilt Neo Seoul, as many as twenty million people were able to escape the threat of monsters.
It was a miracle born from one man’s determination and will. Zeon looked around with admiration in his eyes.
That was when—
“Huh?”
“It’s Zeon.”
At the sudden voices of children, Zeon turned his head.
The moment he saw their faces, his brow furrowed.
Twin sisters with identical faces, as if stamped from the same mold.
They were Eun Sujin and Eun Suyoung.
“Why are you two here?”
“That’s what we want to ask.”
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be in the slums?”
They walked straight toward Zeon.
Since he didn’t sense any hostility, Zeon answered calmly.
“The mayor called for me.”
“What? Then are you joining City Hall too?”
“Are you coming into Numbers? Then we’re on the same side.”
“That won’t happen.”
“Why?”
Zeon smirked as he replied,
“It’s too clean here.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s no sand.”
“Ah! Right, you’re a sand mage.”
It was a trivial reason, but surprisingly, the two accepted it easily.
They had already learned that Zeon was a sand mage after probing his mind earlier.
They understood that an environment without sand was the worst possible condition for a sand mage.
Just then, another voice was heard.
“I was wondering where you all disappeared to. So you were here.”
An old man leaning on a cane approached the three.
He was another member of Numbers—the elderly man.
When he saw Zeon’s face, the old man wore a complicated expression.
They had fought Balrog together, so he knew very well how remarkable Zeon’s abilities were.
“What brings you here?”
“The mayor called him.”
“The mayor?”
The old man looked at Zeon with a puzzled expression.
As a member of Numbers, he knew Jin Geumho better than most.
He was not someone who would casually summon others to the mayor’s office.
He only granted an audience when there was sufficient value and purpose.
“Did he try to recruit you?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“We just exchanged a few casual words.”
The already wrinkled face of the old man gained even more lines.
‘The mayor called him in just for meaningless small talk? Even a dog wouldn’t believe that.’
There must have been some kind of secret conversation.
But he couldn’t press further.
Jin Geumho assigned missions to members of Numbers individually.
No one could know what mission another was carrying out.
The twin sisters moved together only because the old man acted as their guardian, but the circumstances of the other members were unknown.
Likewise, the mayor must have made some sort of offer to Zeon.
Whether Zeon accepted it or not, he couldn’t tell.
“Since we’ve met like this, how about we have a meal together? I owe you some help, so I’d like to treat you to a good restaurant.”
“Sounds good. I don’t have anywhere else to go anyway.”
“Then let’s go.”
The old man said with a smile.
The twin sisters stuck close to Zeon, chattering endlessly.
“When did you awaken?”
“What rank are you?”
“How long are you going to stay in the slums?”
“Do you have any friends?”
“Do you have a place to stay?”
Under their nonstop barrage of questions, Zeon felt like his ears were going to bleed.
The old man spoke kindly,
“They’re a bit noisy, aren’t they? Please understand. They only act like this toward people they like.”
“It is a bit bothersome.”
“Please bear with them. I’ve been living like this for years.”
“Alright.”
Zeon let out a small chuckle.
Just a short while ago, they had been wary of each other, yet now they were chatting like friends—it felt oddly amusing.
The twin sisters noticed his expression.
“Oh, he’s smiling!”
“So Zeon can smile too.”
“He’s handsome.”
“Really handsome.”
Their voices nearly overwhelmed him.
Still, he thought this reunion wasn’t bad.
After all, it was better than fighting each other.
The place the old man led them to was a rather luxurious restaurant at the top of a thirty-story building.
The restaurant was already filled with many guests.
All of them were dressed in elegant clothing.
Among them were a few awakened individuals wearing heavy armor. They paid no attention to others’ gazes and continued chatting among themselves.
In a world where awakened individuals held absolute dominance, no one dared criticize others for not being properly dressed.
“We’ll sit over there.”
The old man led Zeon to an empty seat by the window. Just then, someone who appeared to be the manager hurried over.
“Sir, that table is already reserved.”
“Cancel that reservation.”
“Th-that’s…”
“Will you still refuse after seeing this?”
As the manager hesitated, the old man casually showed his identification.
The manager’s face turned pale the moment he saw it.
Stamped on the ID was the mayor’s seal, signifying a high-ranking official of City Hall.
An ID bearing the mayor’s seal was practically a free pass in Neo Seoul. Its holder could use any facility without restriction.
And the manager knew very well what would happen if he refused.
“From this moment on, that table is yours.”
“Prepare the finest meal. I’ve brought a valued guest.”
“Of course.”
“Mm.”
The old man smiled in satisfaction as he took his seat.
Though he seemed humble at first glance, he was one of the powerful figures at the very top of Neo Seoul—and he knew how to use and enjoy that power.
He spoke to Zeon,
“The veal steak here is exceptional. Once you try it, you’ll keep coming back.”
“Is it real veal?”
“Of course. It’s on a completely different level from cultured meat.”
“Where do they even raise cows in Neo Seoul? The land is so limited.”
“Humans are remarkable—they find a way no matter the situation. So don’t worry about it and just enjoy the meal.”
Everyone who came here for the first time thought the same as Zeon.
After the world had turned into sand, animals like cows that required large amounts of grass had gone extinct.
Since grass itself no longer grew, there was no way to raise them.
Even a city like Neo Seoul didn’t have the conditions to raise cattle—yet somehow, they had found a method.
‘What a bizarre world… Raising real cows.’
He couldn’t even begin to imagine where in this dazzling city such livestock could exist.
“This place is really delicious.”
“Once you try it, you’ll want it again.”
“My mouth is already watering.”
“I want to eat already.”
The twin sisters excitedly banged on the table as they talked.
Even so, the other diners only glanced briefly at them and said nothing.
Instinctively, they recognized that this group held a high status even within Neo Seoul.
Soon, the veal steaks the old man had ordered were served.
Placed on pristine white plates, the steaks looked so appetizing that just seeing them made one’s mouth water.
The old man asked Zeon,
“Would you like a glass of wine?”
“You have wine here too?”
“Not just wine. If there’s any drink you want, just say it. Anything is possible here.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t drink.”
“Then I’ll have one myself.”
The old man ordered a glass of wine from the manager.
Once the wine arrived, the meal began.
Slice! Slice!
The sound of cutting meat filled their table.
The moment Zeon tasted the veal steak for the first time, his eyes widened.
It far exceeded his expectations.
It was on a completely different level from factory-grown cultured meat.
The tender texture and the rich juices inside made it feel like this must be what heaven tasted like.
“How is it? Not bad, right?”
“It’s delicious.”
Zeon answered honestly.
The old man smiled in satisfaction and took a sip of wine.
“If you come live in Neo Seoul, you could eat like this every day.”
“That would be too much. It’s better to come occasionally.”
Zeon gently declined the suggestion.
Food that was too luxurious could make a person arrogant.
If he became accustomed to such meals, he might never be able to return to an ordinary life again.
That wasn’t something Zeon wanted.
Though the veal steak was excellent, he still preferred the food cooked by old man Klexy.
In any case, Zeon decided to enjoy the moment.
He slowly chewed each bite, savoring the flavor.
The juices filling his mouth delighted his senses.
For once, even the twin sisters stopped talking and focused on eating.
At last, a rare moment of peace arrived.
“Mm! The aroma is wonderful.”
The old man took small sips of wine, enjoying its fragrance.
Just as the four of them were immersed in their meal—
“What do you mean there’s no table for us?”
“Hey, do you have a death wish? You canceled our reservation without permission?”
A sudden commotion broke out near the entrance.
Two awakened individuals were causing a scene.
They seemed to be the ones who had originally reserved the table Zeon and the others were now using.
The manager, sweating profusely, tried to calm them down, but it was useless.
“Move aside! I’m going to see what kind of bastards dared to take our table and tear them apart.”
“Bunch of trash…”
The awakened men, radiating hostility, approached Zeon’s table.
The manager no longer dared to stop them and could only wring his hands in panic.
Soon, the awakened individuals reached the table.
They appeared to be fairly high-ranking, each equipped with high-quality gear.
“So it’s you? The vermin who stole our table.”
“One old man, one brat, and two kids. Who the hell are you?”
The old man looked at them calmly and said,
“I apologize for taking your table. I’ll compensate you sufficiently, so withdraw quietly for now.”
“What the hell are you saying, you crazy old bastard?”
“Do you even know who we are to be talking like that?”
The awakened men shouted angrily.
“And who might you be?”
“Damn it! We belong to the Dark Brotherhood.”
“The Dark Brotherhood? Never heard of it.”
The old man tilted his head.
The ones who answered were the twin sisters.
“It’s an organization based around the border between the western and southern districts.”
“Their main income comes from illegal gambling dens and brothels.”
At that moment, a deep smile spread across the old man’s face.
“Then I suppose I don’t need to feel sorry.”
“What?”
“It was a place I was going to wipe out anyway. Don’t feel wronged dying a few days earlier.”
“What the hell are you saying, you crazy old—”
One of the awakened men, unable to hold back any longer, swung his large fist at the old man.
But he never got the chance to land the blow.
Snap!
The moment the old man flicked his finger, their upper bodies vanished as if erased.
He had confined only their upper halves within a barrier.
That was the end of them.
Blood spurted like fountains from the lower halves left behind.
Seeing this, the other diners screamed.
“Aaaah!”
“It’s murder!”
Ignoring the chaos, the old man spoke calmly,
“We’ll finish the meal later. Today, I think it’s time to clean up this so-called Dark Brotherhood.”
At that moment, the Dark Brotherhood was effectively sentenced to death.