Chapter 161: The Thief
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 161: The Thief
"Lorenzo's over here!"
That roar was like a torch ignited in the dead of night; every gaze instantly converged on him.
"Fuck! Lorenzo, you bastard, hand over the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood!"
After a volley of bolts, Sam quickly reloaded under the cover of his subordinates, screaming at Lorenzo all the while.
Things had already reached this point. There was no room left for caution—he had to get his hands on the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood first, no matter the cost.
"Lorenzo!"
On the other side, Schulz smashed an elite of the Red Fire Gang to death with his cane. His face was twisted with rage, his eyes bloodshot with murderous intent as he led his mob of thugs on a direct charge!
Regardless of who had initially drawn the most aggro, the influence of the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood meant that as the melee erupted, Lorenzo found himself the target of a loose encirclement.
Even a few "stray dogs" who couldn't stand to be left out of the action joined the fray. What infuriated Lorenzo even more was that a flickering shadow had been weaving through the crowd around him for some time now.
In just one minute, he had been sapped several times. The assailant had even mixed in some truly despicable moves, like a kick to the crotch. If his Magic Armor hadn't been powerful enough, he definitely would have lost something vital!
"Dammit!"
Lorenzo was practically seething. He shoved the metal container into the hands of the confidant beside him and barked, "Hold this for a second. I’m going to drag that pathetic rat out and kill him!"
"You got it!"
The confidant smiled, flashing a row of bright white teeth.
Lorenzo felt a faint flicker of unease, but in the heat of the chaos, he didn't give it a second thought. He raised his blade and dove into the crowd!
With a powerhouse like Lorenzo joining the fray, their formation stabilized instantly. Though he still couldn't find that slippery bastard, he managed to carve out a path for his teammates.
Nearby, his confidant kicked away a member of the Rat Society who was trying to sneak up on them, then hurried to Lorenzo’s side, panting heavily.
"Boss, what do we do now?"
"What do you think? We protect the Ancient Dragon—"
Lorenzo stopped mid-sentence. He stared blankly at his confidant’s empty hands. "Where is the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood?"
"The Ancient Dragon Heart Blood?" The confidant looked utterly bewildered. "Isn't it in your hands, Boss?"
"Bullshit! I literally just gave it to you!"
Lorenzo grabbed the man by the collar and shook him violently. Seeing the genuine innocence on his subordinate's face, his expression shifted drastically as the realization hit him.
"Dammit, I’ve been played!"
He spun around instantly. Through the gaps in the crowd, he caught a glimpse of a skinny figure slipping through the throng like a loach. The figure ripped a hood off his head and bolted at top speed!
The thief was incredibly fast!
"Stop right there!"
Lorenzo’s head throbbed. Ignoring everything else, he turned and sprinted after the fleeing figure.
"Lorenzo, where do you think you're going!"
At that moment, Schulz and his mob of thugs caught up. Drenched in blood and having long since lost their minds, the thugs ignored the massive gap in strength and lunged savagely at Lorenzo.
"Move, damn you!"
The Magic Armor on Lorenzo’s body erupted with a brilliant blue light. His speed and strength surged several times over. He threw a thunderous punch, blasting the blocking thugs aside.
But just as he was about to lunge forward, a sudden sense of crisis exploded in his mind. The sound of crossbows being cocked rang out as Sam and a group of his men aimed their Magic Repeating Crossbows at him once again.
"Lorenzo, hand over the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood!"
"Dammit, I don't have it! Someone stole it!" Lorenzo roared.
"You think I'd believe such a pathetic lie?" Sam sneered. "What kind of thief is skilled enough to steal something right out of your hands?"
"I’d love to fucking know where that guy came from too, but he really did run off with it!"
"Save your shitty lies for the devils in hell!"
Sam didn't believe a word of it. His crossbow was locked onto Lorenzo. He didn't believe the Magic Armor was so invincible that it could block his bolts indefinitely!
"Damn it all!"
Lorenzo was so angry he nearly spat blood. He could only mutter under his breath:
"I must ask for your assistance."
In the next instant.
The airflow in the entire alley began to churn.
It was as if an invisible force was gradually converging, and then, beneath a low-voiced chant masked by the clamor, it suddenly detonated.
Accompanied by a thunderous boom, everyone instinctively looked up.
A massive fireball soared into the sky like a miniature sun, instantly illuminating the entire block.
"Fuck."
Staring blankly at the fireball, Sam couldn't help but curse again. "Lorenzo, you bastard! You actually hired a mage? And you dared to let them use magic so blatantly? Aren't you afraid of drawing the Guard Corps?"
"Don't worry, I spent enough money that they'll look the other way."
Lorenzo felt a pang of regret thinking about the massive price he’d have to pay to settle this later, but there was no time for that now. He pointed a finger toward the distance and roared, "Look at what's in that man's hands!"
In the darkness illuminated by the "small sun," the sprinting figure had nowhere to hide. The metal container in his hands, gleaming with a sharp, cold luster, was exceptionally eye-catching.
Everyone followed the direction of Lorenzo’s finger, and many couldn't help but slap their thighs in realization: The Ancient Dragon Heart Blood really had been snatched away!
Wait, now wasn't the time for that.
The Ancient Dragon Heart Blood was getting away—they had to move!
The thugs, elites, and "rats" who had just been stunned by the massive fireball went wild once again.
The crowd fell into a chaotic mess. Those in front hadn't even had a chance to step forward before those behind them shoved ahead. The alley wasn't wide to begin with, and the pushing quickly turned into a shove-fest.
For these dangerous individuals armed with weapons, a simple shove was enough to cause injuries. Having already seen red, they weren't interested in logic; they started killing each other right then and there.
Blood sprayed everywhere as several people were cut down on the spot.
"Dammit, stop fighting and go after him!"
Lorenzo dragged his own elites out of the melee and resumed the chase. Meanwhile, Sam, who was in a better position and unaffected by the infighting, raised his crossbow, aimed at the distant figure, and fired!
In the fading light, Sam saw the figure blur. Not only did the thief dodge the bolts, but it was as if he had an explosion spell strapped to his ass—he zipped forward, covering a massive distance in a heartbeat.
"Holy shit, he's fast!" someone cried out in the chaos.
"Can you track him?" Lorenzo whispered again, his eyes fixed on the receding figure.
The air rippled. Blood gathered into faint, translucent red threads that drifted into the deep night.
Lorenzo’s expression was grim. He slammed his blade back into its sheath and gritted his teeth.
"After him!"
The brief light vanished, and the night grew even deeper.
The chaos and madness continued. Dawn was still a long way off.
*