Suspicion in the Holy District
Mandy gave Briel a slightly troubled look.
The girl in the conical hat had tagged along out of nowhere, and she wasn't exactly welcome.
They were hunting for a scavengers' lair, after all—a dangerous job even Mandy couldn't guarantee her own safety on.
She couldn't understand why Zeon would bring a young girl into something so risky.
It was a natural worry for Mandy, who knew nothing of Briel's true nature. But she quickly pushed the concern aside.
With Zeon along, there shouldn't be any real danger, she thought.
Zeon strode ahead without hesitation.
Mandy shot him a puzzled glance. He hadn't even mentioned any leads, yet he was leading the way.
"Where are we headed, exactly?"
"To get some intel."
"Pardon?"
"To find the scavengers' lair, we need info on them first."
"Where from?"
"There's a place... like that."
Zeon answered without a hint of tension.
He was heading straight for the food street where old man Clexy ran his stall.
The butcher shop at the entrance was Zeon's destination.
"Welcome! Master Zeon!"
Will, the butcher, greeted him politely.
Mandy shrank back a bit at Will's intimidating appearance.
Unlike the tough Eloi persona, Mandy's was rather timid. Just his rough exterior was enough to make her tense.
Briel, on the other hand, was unfazed.
"Hey, Will."
"Long time no see, Miss Briel!"
"Where's old man Clexy?"
"At the Dokkaebi Market right now."
"Because of that explosion?"
"Yes!"
"Aigoo, what a mess."
"Tell me about it."
Will cracked a subtle smile as he replied.
Briel was just too cute.
With her conical hat and her perpetual wobbly gait, she'd somehow become the street's unofficial mascot.
Will wiped the smile from his face and turned to Zeon.
"What brings you here today?"
"Scavengers."
"Ah."
"Know anything about their lair?"
"No word on that yet."
"Any unusual activity?"
"One moment."
Will excused himself and stepped into the back of the shop.
He soon returned with a few sheets of paper in hand.
Handing them to Zeon, he said,
"Major scavenger hotspots, compiled."
"Nice."
Zeon's eyes gleamed as he scanned the report.
He closed it after a moment.
"Their sightings are all over the place."
"Yes. Not just Neo Seoul—across the entire slums."
"But one spot stands out with zero activity."
"Right. Dongdaemun. No reports from there at all."
"The fanatics' doing?"
"Can't say for sure."
"Worth checking out, though."
"I just provide the info. The judgment's yours, Master Zeon."
"Thanks. This is gold."
"No trouble at all..."
Will smiled.
Zeon handed the report back.
Mandy whispered from nearby,
"Is it that weird that no scavengers show up in Dongdaemun? That place is fanatic central—no one dares make a scene there anyway."
"Fair point, but zero activity—not even a single sighting—is suspicious."
"Hmm."
"People subconsciously avoid trouble in their own turf. Scavengers too—they'd steer clear of their base, hit spots far from prying eyes."
If it were just one or two scavengers, Zeon's theory wouldn't hold. But dozens operating everywhere except Dongdaemun? Plenty to suspect.
Mandy frowned without realizing it.
Dongdaemun was a place even she, an Awakener, hesitated to enter.
Truth be told, she never wanted to set foot there unless she had to. But with Zeon pointing it out as odd, she couldn't back out now.
Then—
"Scared or something?"
Briel, who'd been quiet till now, piped up out of the blue.
"Scared? Me?"
"Pfft, you look terrified."
"Why would I be? And why are you talking down to me?"
Mandy glared at Briel.
Briel didn't flinch—instead, she snorted a laugh.
"Knew it. Totally scared."
"Hey!"
"Half-elf sis, scared people always raise their voice like that."
"You—?"
Mandy's eyes twitched.
Her half-elf heritage was a secret.
No one could tell unless Eloi emerged.
No one but Zeon had ever spotted it at a glance.
"How'd you know?"
"How could I not? You reek of it."
Elves had a distinct scent—but only to other elves. No ordinary human could detect or distinguish it.
"You're... an elf too."
"Yup. Pure-blooded, no human taint."
Mandy's expression hardened instantly.
Briel had touched a nerve.
"What the hell are you?"
Out came Eloi in a flash.
Unlike Mandy, Eloi was ferocious.
Same face, but her feral glare and overwhelming aura were terrifying. Most Awakeners would cower at her look alone.
Yet Briel, facing her head-on, showed no fear.
Briel tilted her conical hat up with a grin.
"Name's Briel. As you can see, junkie who can't last a day without her fix."
She popped a pill into her mouth.
She still needed them to manage withdrawal.
It was better now, heavily mitigated—but not long ago, she'd mainlined them like candy.
"Pure-blood junkie elf. Fun."
"Never thought I'd end up one."
"Life never goes as planned."
"Life, huh. Half-elf confirmed. Thinking like a human. That's why you're scared?"
"This brat—who said I'm scared? Not one bit."
"Then why hesitate?"
"Fuck off! Who's hesitating? I'm going."
"Good."
Briel snickered.
Eloi realized she'd been baited. But backing out now wasn't an option.
"Shit. Where you from? North District?"
"North?"
"Under the Ice Queen?"
"What? Who's that?"
"You don't know?"
"..."
"Not from Neo Seoul, then."
"..."
Briel clamped her mouth shut—confirming it for Eloi.
"Elf from outside. Where?"
"Voice is so damn loud. Ow, my ears."
Briel dug at her ear with her pinky and kept walking.
Eloi followed, pressing,
"Hey! Where from?"
"Mosquito? You're buzzing like one."
"You eat shit for manners? This little elf bitch..."
"What'd you say? Half-breed..."
"Half-breed? You little shit."
"Spit flying—back off a bit?"
"Hey!"
"What?"
"Tiny thing with a mouth on her."
"That's what mouths are for, dummy."
"You—!"
Zeon shook his head at the increasingly childish spat.
The two elves showed no signs of tiring, ripping into each other nonstop.
His head already throbbed.
Wonder if this combo's gonna work long-term, he thought.
First time in Dongdaemun, though.
Dongdaemun had no walls or checkpoints. Follow the road east from Shinchon, and you'd find yourself there before you knew it.
The biggest difference from Shinchon? The buildings and the people.
A massive church dominated the center, and nearby structures echoed its style under its influence.
Most striking were the outfits.
Not all were ordinary like in Shinchon. Many wore ornate priestly robes or heavy armor emblazoned with crosses.
All devotees of Yohan.
Murderous weapons ready to fight to the death at his command.
The moment they entered, Eloi instinctively furrowed her brow.
The air—utterly unlike Shinchon's—pressed down on her unpleasantly.
Zeon said,
"Ease up."
"Can't help it."
"Then switch to Mandy."
"Too gross..."
Eloi grumbled.
Her eyes softened, expression gentling—Mandy was back, as Zeon suggested.
Not everyone in Dongdaemun was a fanatic or Awakener.
Most were ordinary folk.
They had to blend in naturally.
Flashy behavior or vibes were trouble.
A beauty like Eloi with her aggressive edge drew eyes fast. Mandy was subtler.
Zeon walked casually through the crowd.
So natural, no one batted an eye.
Briel matched him effortlessly.
A mere district change wouldn't faze her.
She trailed Zeon, gawking around.
"Haa."
Mandy sighed, following behind.
The trio wandered Dongdaemun's corners like they were on a stroll.
Cleaner and more orderly than Shinchon, navigation was easy.
Mandy, looking weary, said,
"Doesn't seem off on the surface. Won't find answers like this."
"Wandering blind gets us nowhere."
Briel agreed—for the first time.
Zeon nodded.
Mere walking yielded nothing.
Real info meant talking to people—but that'd reach Yohan's ears quick.
He wasn't scared of Yohan, but needless fights? No thanks.
To Mandy, he said,
"Head back for today. Prep and return tomorrow."
"Sounds good."
As they turned to leave—
"You there. Hold up."
A stranger's voice stopped them.
A man in armor etched with a cross on his chest stared them down.
A Dongdaemun Awakener.
He approached.
"New faces. From another district?"
"That's right."
"Which?"
"Shinchon."
"What business do Shinchon rats have in Dongdaemun?"
"Just walking, ended up here."
"No special purpose?"
"Nope."
Zeon's answer irked him; he scowled.
His gaze shifted to Mandy.
Seeing her face, his eyes changed.
"Suspicious. Come with me."