Mutagen

Day 318 - 7:11 PM - Temporary House, Black Lotus Compound, Kachidoki, Chuo City, Tokyo

After almost an entire day of going around different places, Mark's group went home.

Today's activities were not as tiring if it was compared to fighting the [Infected] and [Mechids]. However, it was just as exhausting. Furthermore, everywhere they went today, they were the center of attention. Worse, they could not do anything about it.

Mei and Amihan were already eye-catching. They were also escorted by the leader of Black Lotus too, not to mention the circumstances during the Combat Examination.

Except for Emika and Miracle, everyone in Mark's group was, technically, introverts. Being the center of attention was too taxing on their mental health.

The unwanted attention aside, there were other things that bothered the members of Mark's group.

While using a bright lamp at the center to illuminate the room, the group was currently eating their dinner. At the same time, they were talking about today's events along with their next plans.

When the topic of what everyone thought about the Reclaimed City came, there was one thing that came to their minds.

"This place is too peaceful that it's uncomfortable."

That was Spera's evaluation, where everyone could only agree.

It was not like there were no conflicts. Competition between "Territorial Groups" like Black Lotus Group and Blood Lion Troupe was prevalent. There were also conflicts between [Freelancers]. Not to mention the events in front of the Registration and Management Bureau this morning.

However, as Mark described a lot of people they saw in the morning along the road, people here were trying to relive their peaceful life before the apocalypse.

While inevitable changes happened, like the new form of government and the existence of [Freelancers], almost everything in the Reclaimed City was preserved from the pre-apocalypse. It gave the illusion of a peaceful life despite the drastic contrast once they looked past the boundary of the Reclaimed City.

The members of Mark's group, who spent the apocalypse facing struggles and fighting dangerous foes, the Reclaimed City's peace was suffocating. It was not like they did not want a peaceful life. It was just that they would want to embrace true peace and not just some illusion that could shatter at any time.

In fact, due to the peaceful illusion of the Reclaimed City, the common people would be the ones to suffer. The illusory peace they had dulled their senses. They convinced themselves that they would not step out of the Reclaimed City.

...They convinced themselves that there was no way this peace would shatter.

And in the event that the illusion of peace was gone, it would be too late for them.

"Just endure for now," Mark shrugged. "It's not like we will stay here for too long. After we're done with our business here, we'll head to China through Korea. Though we can return here from time to time."

The illusion of peace in the Reclaimed City was not that bad. It was only bad when one became drunk with it. It was pretty much like a lot of the people currently trying to relive their pre-apocalypse life in the Reclaimed City.

"Gege, what are we going to do next? Are we going to look for a different place to stay tomorrow, or should we take a mission from the bureau?"

Mei asked.

Ren allowed them to stay in this temporary house indefinitely. However, Mark had no intention of overstaying and taking advantage of her generosity. In the first place, this generosity stemmed from the fact that she wanted Mark's group to join the Black Lotus. Now that he surely made his intention clear that they would not join the Black Lotus Group, there was no need to stay for too long.

But there also came the issue of money. Aside from designated refuge areas, there were private properties in each area governed by the "Territorial Groups," like the vacant properties around the Black Lotus Compound.

These properties could be rented using credits. It was actually a method to increase productivity from the refugees by allowing them to move out of the refuge areas after earning enough credits.

Back in Bay City, they also employed a similar tactic, which was continued in Corregidor, albeit lessened due to a different leadership in the past.

"I want to look for a house first, but..."

Mei added.

"We don't have the money they use here."

Spera chimed in.

They needed money to rent a house, which was something they did not have since they had just arrived here yesterday. If they wanted to move out, they needed to earn money first.

Or maybe, get a loan from Ren, which was not what Mark wanted.

"There are few ways to earn money quickly."

Mark said with a smile.

"Hmmm?"

Spera tilted her head, staring at Mark in askance.

Mark then took two items out. One was a bar of triangular imported chocolate, and the other was a thumb-sized stone, a [Mutagen Stone].

"We can sell these," Mark explained. "Chocolate is a luxury product. Even if we sell these several times the original price, many people will still try to buy them. As for the [Mutagen Stone], you girls probably didn't notice because it's written in Japanese, but there's a sign by the reception saying the bureau is buying these. If it's these stones, we are not lacking them. The same for the chocolate since I got a nice amount inside my ring. Oh, right. I also brought a few boxes of imported cigarettes, didn't I? We can also sell those."

Mark had a few things inside his ring that he thought he could use when dealing with people. For example, chocolate and cigarettes were now high-end luxury products since commercial production of these items was stopped with no one to make them.

Selling a few of these luxury items would be more than enough to earn them money to rent a property.

"The question is, where should we sell the chocolate and the cigarette."

Spera said, tapping her bowl of food with her spoon.

"We have someone we can sell to."

Mei responded, making Spera turn to her.

In response to Spera's stare, Mei pointed at the building outside the temporary house. The office of the Black Lotus Group.

"Ah, yeah... Ren is rich, isn't she?"

Spera said as she ate a spoonful of her food.

Earlier, Ren treated them to lunch and also offered a loan if Mark's group bought some equipment from the old blacksmith at the Wholesale Market.

"That's what I'm also thinking," Mark agreed with Mei. "Besides, there's an opportunity later."

"Then, you should try that first."

Spera also agreed.

***

Dinner finished, and as Mark expected, Mako knocked on their door because Ren wanted to meet him.

Following behind Mako, Mark entered the main building of the Black Lotus Compound. It did not take long, and the two stood in front of Ren's office.

"Miss, I've brought him."

Mako said after knocking on the door.

The door was then opened by someone. When Mako and Mark entered the office, Tadashi stood beside the door while Ren sat behind her desk, reading some papers.

Ren put down the paper she was currently reading and looked at the two who entered the office.

"Mako," Ren spoke. "You can go back and rest."

Mako bowed her head and left without questions. She might be usually goofy and lively, but right now, they were working.

"Please, take a seat."

Ren said to Mark, pointing to the pair of leather couches beside a coffee table in front of her desk.

"Do you want tea or coffee?"

Reb asked Mark after he sat down.

"It's fine," Mark declined. "We just finished dinner."

"Then, we can start," Ren stared straight at Mark. "Just... Who are you?"

Ren then continued talking.

"Before meeting our first meeting, our scouts have observed your group for a day and a half. From what they observed that time and the prowess you and your members had shown during the examination, the former details became inconsistent. I reviewed the reports my scouts sent just now, and many details don't make sense anymore. One is where you went and picked up your two youngest daughters to run away from a small number of [Infected]. Before, it felt like you are running away to survive. But now, it looked more like you are restraining them from showing their physical abilities."

Without giving Mark time to answer yet, Ren continued further.

"There are other few circumstances before that made sense, but after the examination today, those things became obscure. It made me realize. It's all an act. You are aware that you're being watched, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I'm aware," Mark nodded. "It's hard not to notice, especially if one of them was seething with jealousy while observing."

Ren and Tadashi's eyes connected. They were both appalled. The jealous Youngest was one thing, but their scouts were highly skilled in terms of stealth. Even most people in the Reclaimed City would not notice them too easily.

It meant that Mark's strength and abilities far exceeded what he was showing on the surface.

"Let me ask you straight again. Who are you? What is your true purpose in trying to enter the Reclaimed City?"

Ren asked.

"Well," Mark shrugged. "Think of me as a traveler. I go from place to place to fulfill our goals."

"And that goal is?"

Ren responded.

And Mark responded.

"I'm looking for certain special people. There might be a chance they would appear here in the Reclaimed City, so I decided to try and enter. As for other things, I don't have any particular goal aside from being interested in Japan's final line of defense. It might be strange to say, but I'm an Otaku. That enough should explain a few things, right?"

Ren blinked blankly after hearing Mark's description of himself. If that was really the case, he was right that it would explain his interest. It was even bolstered by the fact that he was not a local. Many self-proclaimed Otakus from foreign countries were not only interested in Japanese entertainment. They were interested in Japanese culture as well.

"And who are these special people you are talking about?"

Ren asked, snapping back to the topic at hand.

And to that question...

"I don't know either."

Mark's reply made Ren frown.

"Don't look at me like that," Mark tilted his head. "I'll only know those people once I see them. Though there's one that I know."

And here, Mark decided to ask.

Ren was clearly a swordswoman, and Tadashi was an expert in certain martial arts. That was why there was a chance that they knew him.

"A swordsman named Shin. I wonder if you two know him."

The name made Ren and Tadashi flinch. They clearly know Shin.

"Looks like you know him."

Mark said, making Ren turn to him.

"What you want from that bastard. Why are you looking for him?"

Ren asked, with her tone becoming a bit aggressive.

"That guy had something he doesn't deserve," Mark explained, unaffected by Ren's tone. "I have to get it back from him."

In this case, Mark declared. Shin was his enemy. This fact made Ren and Tadashi calm down a bit.

"In short, Shin is your enemy too?"

Ren asked.

"You too?"

Mark asked back.

"No, not just me," Ren shook her head. "That bastard is known to be a member of an underground organization composed of non-humans that hated humanity."

"The [Auraboros], right?"

Mark said, making Ren stare at him even more.

"So, you know, huh..."

Ren sighed, thinking how deeper Mark's background could be. After all, the existence of the [Auraboros] was only known to those with high standing in society. The common people were totally oblivious to their existence.

"But something must have happened there," Ren continued. "It seemed that he left [Auraboros]. Right now, he is called the [Demonic Swordsman]. A [Demonic Human], traitor of humankind. He is currently working with the Demons living in the north. They are the ones plotting the worst toward the Reclaimed City. They are our enemy."

Mark's eyes lit up. It was quite unexpected, but he was right in his thinking that they might get information here in the Reclaimed City.

And now, that information was already in his hand.