Chapter 60

Reunion

Nipda City was located on land that didn’t originally exist.

Before the apocalypse, no map recorded it, because it simply wasn’t there. It emerged after the cataclysmic shifts in the earth’s crust during the apocalypse—a newborn landmass.

If this new land had been like a blank slate, Nipda had been stained black from the start.

After all, it was first discovered by a band of outlaws.

These outlaws took Nipda as their doomsday playground and reveled in the apocalyptic world.

The so-called “paradise” near Sunlight Base was nothing compared to Nipda, with its rampant gambling, prostitution, and brutal fighting arenas. Here, there was no king, no rules. Or rather, if there was an unwritten rule, it was this:

“In Nipda, killing is legal.”

Yes, exactly that.

Corpses rotted on Nipda’s streets daily, with no scavengers to clean up or bury them.

Nipda smelled of sea salt and death—a stench visitors often described.

Passing by some drunks and a few bodies, Ped arrived at a towering building, dazzling and new, a striking contrast to the filthy, narrow streets below. Yet in Nipda, such juxtapositions were typical.

The powerless rotted on the streets like sludge, while those with strength enjoyed the finest luxuries. In Nipda, every conceivable pleasure awaited, as did pleasures unimaginable—but only a select few could partake.

This glass building, fully transparent, glowed like a radiant diamond when illuminated. The transparent structure meant that all the revelry inside was on full display for those on the street below.

Some passersby looked on numbly, others with envy, while some harbored ambitious dreams of claiming their own place within that shining building.

In full view, Ped strode into the glittering skyscraper, hands in his pockets.

Taking the elevator to the 45th floor, he swiped a card to enter a messy room. Half-eaten instant noodle containers sat alongside untouched gourmet meals from upscale restaurants.

Without a glance, Ped went straight to the closet, grabbed a few items of clothing, and threw them haphazardly into a large bag.

Scanning the room, his gaze landed on a small plant on the balcony.

To be specific, it was a vegetable.

A pot of green onions, some bok choy, a tomato plant, and a selection of seeds spread out on a newspaper.

Humming a tune, Ped watered the vegetables, gathered up the seeds, and tossed them into his bag. His eyes settled on his left wrist.

A gold bracelet, adorned with a large emerald, gleamed there.

Admiring the bracelet for a moment, he discarded the watering can, slung the bag over his shoulder, and left the room without a backward glance.

He didn’t even close the door.

He wouldn’t be coming back. Even if he returned to Nipda someday, he’d never return to this room… probably…

He didn’t care.

Anyway, it didn’t matter.

Humming a tune, Ped took the elevator again. This time, he went straight to the helipad on the rooftop. He passed by the flashy flying vehicles and stopped in front of one of the most extravagant ones, jumping aboard and starting it up quickly before flying off.

“Hmm… Flying the craft myself, just charging for the flight ticket seems a bit unprofitable. Maybe I should add a service charge next time?” he muttered to himself as he hovered in the air for a while. After locating Menqiu City’s coordinates on the console, the aircraft promptly headed in that direction!

Meanwhile, Juan was having dinner with Old Mr. Blicher.

They checked into the top floor of the hotel, named the Menqiu Palace, and after a brief rest, they went down to the restaurant on the middle floor to dine.

Although there were no explicit rules, everyone dining there was dressed in formal attire—elegantly dressed, with moderate perfume, and though there were many people, everyone spoke quietly and politely. The music played by the restaurant’s musicians filled the room, smooth and gentle, like flowing water or a spring breeze, and the soothing melody helped calm the diners.

Having noticed that his grandson had quite an appetite at their last meal, Old Mr. Blicher ordered five times the usual amount of food for Juan, asking the restaurant to deliver it in two batches.

In the entire restaurant, Juan was the only one not dressed formally. He had arrived in such a rush that he hadn’t had time to go home to pack, and he hadn’t brought any change of clothes, let alone formal attire. But clearly, he didn’t mind the difference in their appearances. When the food arrived, Juan began eating with focus.

During their meal, several people recognized Old Mr. Blicher. Raising their glasses, they approached him from their seats and toasted with him. Each time, Old Mr. Blicher introduced Juan to them, and so, even though the auction hadn’t yet started, the news that Old Mr. Blicher had brought a grandson to the auction began to spread.

No matter the era, people are always interested in gossip about the ultra-wealthy, and even in the apocalypse, this habit hadn’t changed.

In an age where celebrity idols had faded, high-level supernatural beings and post-apocalyptic billionaires had naturally become the new icons. Every move they made was scrutinized. Soon, photos of Old Mr. Blicher and Juan having dinner in the restaurant appeared in tabloid newspapers.

As a giant in the energy industry in the apocalypse, Old Mr. Blicher attracted a lot of media attention, especially after he started using a wheelchair. At over a hundred years old, he was now at the point where he had to choose a successor, and everyone wanted to know who it would be. Before this, he had never taken any of his grandsons out on their own, so now that he was with Juan, many people started to make their own guesses.

“Successor decided?!”

“Old and young Blicher dine together!”

The media rushed to report, and before Juan and Old Mr. Blicher had even finished their meal, the tabloid with their photos was already spread out on the new Blicher family’s dining table.

“Oh! Looks like Dad really likes Scott, huh? You see, although the photo’s a bit blurry, I feel like he’s smiling at Scott!” Penny said, eager to stir things up. She picked up the newspaper and studied it for a moment, then smiled at the others.

“…” Browning, his face darkened, murmured, “That embarrassing guy… He went to such a formal restaurant and still didn’t know how to dress appropriately. He really makes the Blicher family look bad!”

The others in the Blicher family may have had their thoughts about his comment, but Old Mr. Blicher didn’t feel the same.

Watching his grandson eat quickly, generously, and gracefully without being affected by the external world, Old Mr. Blicher observed, occasionally taking a bite himself. Without realizing it, he had eaten more than usual. When he felt satisfied, he put down his knife and fork and looked at Juan, who was still eating with relish. He said, “You really are something.”

“Most people would feel awkward in a place like this the first time they come, thinking that if they just dress like everyone else, they won’t stand out. But they don’t realize that their dignity doesn’t come from the clothes they wear—it comes from themselves.”

“You’re different from Browning in that respect. You’re more like me, very good.”

Looking at Juan, who was dressed casually but carried himself confidently in the formal restaurant, Old Mr. Blicher remembered the first time Browning had been brought home by his daughter. Back then, Browning had been a much younger man, awkwardly brought to meet the parents by his girlfriend at the wrong time—well, he thought it was the wrong time, anyway. The Blicher family was hosting a ball, a very formal one, with everyone dressed in fine clothes. And then Browning, who had been suddenly brought back from his date, showed up in ordinary clothes.

“Do you know? He looked like a giant bear, but that day he shrank down like a quail, tsk tsk!” Old Mr. Blicher recalled the scene without hesitation, and then remarked, “Such a small mind—I’ve thought that since then.”

After reflecting on the few times he’d seen Scott’s father over the last three days, Juan remarked, “He seems very particular about his clothing.”

When he had knocked on Juan’s door to wake him up that day, Scott had still had the fresh scent of having just washed, clearly having only recently woken up. But despite that, his clothes were impeccably put together, with matching colors and a coordinated look…

A good conversation goes both ways, so as an equal exchange, Juan shared his observation with Old Mr. Blicher.

When Old Mr. Blicher heard Juan’s response about Browning, he chuckled, laughing so happily that several people nearby secretly looked over.

“It sounds like you don’t like Browning,” Old Mr. Blicher said, finishing his last sip of soup and evaluating the meal.

Looking at the young man across from him who calmly stated his opinion, Old Mr. Blicher grew even more intrigued. He lightly tapped the table with his fingers and said, “I don’t like him either.”

Juan looked at him in confusion, though he didn’t speak. Old Mr. Blicher, however, immediately noticed his puzzled expression.

“Do you find it strange? Strange that even though I clearly don’t like him, I still let him prance around in front of me?” Old Mr. Blicher said.

Juan nodded.

Old Mr. Blicher smiled again, “Because he’s useful.”

That was all he said. He waved at Juan, signaling for him to come over and push him.

“Although a person’s dignity doesn’t come from their clothes, a good set of clothes can still make a big difference. Let’s go, I’ll take you to get a few custom suits made.”

Soon, photos of Old Mr. Blicher and his grandson customizing formal suits at a prestigious store appeared in tabloid newspapers, spreading everywhere.

Of course, they also made their way to Browning.

And—

To Ped.

Holding the newspaper in his hand, Ped whistled as he pointed at the photo of the elderly man and the young one.

“So, which one is the target?”

Sitting next to him, a man wearing glasses and a plain suit—looking like an ordinary clerk—responded, “Originally it was the older one, but now they’ve upped the ante. The younger one is part of the deal too.”

In this era, where could you find a regular clerk? The man’s plain outfit only made him seem anything but ordinary.

“Then we’ll need to adjust the price. The original price should be doubled,” Ped said.

“Fine,” the man readily agreed.

Satisfied with the terms, Ped tucked the newspaper into his pocket and left.

After he walked away, a man with curly hair stepped out from a back room. He looked at the man still writing in his notebook and frowned. “Always using him like this. Why not just bring him in? It’d be cheaper, his prices are too high.”

The man looked up from his notebook, smiled at him, and said, “If it were you, the salary after joining would actually be cheaper. Would you join?”

The curly-haired man paused for a moment, then scratched his head and said, “You’re right…”

The smile on the man’s face didn’t fade as he continued writing in his notebook and softly added, “But not letting him join isn’t a matter of money. It’s about his personality…”

“He’s too hard to control. No, actually, you could say he’s impossible to control.”

“He seems to be all smiles, looking like he has a great temperament, but in reality, he doesn’t have any preferences. No likes, no dislikes, so he has no weaknesses.”

“Hmm… Now that I think about it, he really does resemble a killer trained by an assassination organization…” The man paused and reflected.

“You’re talking about yourself, aren’t you?” The curly-haired man pulled a piece of fruit out of his pocket and ate it.

The man shot him a look with his narrow eyes, then smiled before lowering his head to continue writing.

Ped, meanwhile, was humming a tune as he walked down the street. He was wearing a light gray hoodie with a mishmash of logos, black skinny jeans, and black leather boots adorned with heavy silver chains. With the latest pair of headphones on, he looked like an average teenager living in the city.

Hovering vehicles streamed past him, and the neon lights changed his hoodie’s color from pink to purple as they reflected off his clothes.

As he passed a fish ball shop, the smell drew him in, and he stood in line to buy a box of fish balls. Carrying his snack, he casually walked to one of the most famous landmarks in Menqiu City—the Menqiu Palace.

“Real luxury really does make a difference,” he muttered as he looked up at the towering building, awestruck.

Upon closer inspection, Menqiu Palace looked exactly like the building where he lived in Nipda!

Of course, that was because the building in Nipda was built as a replica of this one. After all, what’s a place like Nipda without everything? Even their luxury hotels were one-to-one copies from the outside.

The only difference was the height—the buildings in Nipda were a bit shorter, and overall, they were a bit more compact, with a lot more differences in the details!

The security, for example—Ped glanced toward the entrance. Several tall security guards were standing by, and through the transparent glass doors, he could see several women in black uniforms, perfectly made-up with beaming smiles. But at the core, they were still security personnel.

And highly skilled ones at that.

High-level ability users!

Ped immediately sensed their aura.

This was a place designed for the wealthiest of the wealthy, so naturally, the security would be top-notch.

No wonder they had come to him.

Like a tourist, Ped stood downstairs for a while, looking at the Moriqui City Palace, before pretending to leave.

He turned into a nearby alley and quickly cast a spell.

“Browning’s New Clothes—a perfect invisibility spell that can hide you for ten dragon breaths! Don’t try to use it to steal from dragons, though; besides their eyes, they have a sharp nose! But it will help you avoid awkward situations without clothes.

Wash, dry with wind magic, and iron. Ten dragon breaths is just enough for you to get back to looking sharp. Trust me, this will be one of the most useful spells you’ll be thankful for on your journey.

—Excerpt from Ped’s Magic Book, page 523.”

With his presence completely hidden, Ped finished his last fish ball and looked up at the towering glass tower. After a quick stretch, he summoned a gust of wind, wrapping it around his body. Then, with the wind at his back, he began walking up the side of the building!

Yes, he was walking straight up—along the exterior glass wall of the Menqiu Palace, at a 90-degree angle!

At first, it was just walking, but soon it became a run, and before long, he was speeding up, surrounded by the wind as if he himself had become the wind!

The Menqiu Palace, with its stringent security—every floor was well-guarded, with high-level ability users stationed at each level and the latest technology protecting the building—had one weakness: its outer surface.

It’s likely that no one had ever considered the possibility of someone climbing up the building in such a direct way. Despite the glass of the Menqiu Palace being specially treated to be extremely sturdy and smooth, there were no security measures on the outside.

So, Ped just climbed up. For him, getting into the palace wasn’t the difficult part. The real challenge was finding the old man and the young one within ten dragon breaths of time.

“Ah… it’s already been fifty-two minutes, and I still haven’t found those two. Don’t super-rich people usually like to live on the higher floors?” Ped mumbled to himself as he reached the top floor of the Menqiu Palace. One by one, he checked each room, glancing at his watch—

Ten dragon breaths was essentially an hour and ten minutes, and his time was nearly up. He only had about nine minutes left. If he didn’t find them by then, he’d have to use his small glider to leave.

“Ah! The reason people live high up is not just for security or to show off their status, but to enjoy the view, right? So why would anyone close their curtains?” When Ped reached another room, he noticed that the curtains in this one were tightly shut. He crouched on the glass and hugged his head, just as the curtains were suddenly yanked open.

It wasn’t the slow, steady motion of a smart device drawing the curtains—it was a sharp “swish,” and they were pulled open in an instant.

Then Ped saw the young man who had opened the curtains.

The room was dark, but one hand was still resting on the curtain, and the neon lights outside flickered on his figure.

He had brown, fluffy short hair and a pair of blue eyes, wearing a meticulously tailored suit…

This face looked familiar—it was the “young one” from the newspaper photo.

Without much effort, Ped recognized that this was one of his targets.

However, what really caught his attention was not just that.

Looking into the young man’s calm eyes, Ped felt his heartbeat speeding up.

Though the eye color was completely different and his face was completely different, the way he was looking at Ped…

That’s right—he was still in his invisible state, wasn’t he? In that case, someone who could look directly at him…

Ped held his breath.

The next moment, he punched through the glass beneath him. As shards of glass fell like stars, Ped plunged into the air, landing in the young man’s arms at the window. He hugged him tightly.

“Juan—” Ped whispered his name, his voice sweet as syrup.