Following the untimely interruption, I could see Carson’s eyebrows twitch in annoyance, which prompted me to recoil back, as this was not a good sign at all.

  From my rich experience dealing with this piece of crap, I knew that whenever he gave off such a look, it was always followed by great violence.

  I was already starting to pity the poor fool who was stupid enough to get in the way of Carson’s fun. Still, it was perhaps a bit hypocritical of me to think so since I was actually the one who would benefit from this development.

  I think now would be the perfect time to get the hell out of here… I reasoned, wanting to take advantage of this much-needed distraction to quietly slip away.

  However, while shuffling around on the ground, still desperately searching for a way out of this mess, I finally spotted my would-be savior and froze. It's her!

  I thought that voice was somewhat familiar but couldn't immediately place it. Yet, now there was no doubt about it—it was no other than the illustrious Sara.

  Faced with the girl's menacing look, the trio of thugs quickly distanced themselves from me. "Ah, it was nothing... We were just having a friendly chat, isn't it right?" Carson blurted out, visibly shaken.

  "Oh, y-yes." I nodded in agreement as I hurriedly stood up. There's no need to aggravate him any further. I thought while still trying to process this absurd situation I had gotten myself into.

  Everyone around here knew the story of Sara, the youngest ever person to be made a captain of the Guard and also an unofficial hero of the Shelter.

  She was originally an orphan like me, but thanks to her outstanding martial talent, the young girl was soon scouted by the Sentinels and whisked away from the orphanage a few years ago.

  Which, of course, raised the obvious question. What is she doing down here?

  We never talked much back then because I always thought of her as just another unassuming mouse. Yet now, she couldn't be more different.

  Her hair was like spun gold, cascading down her back in soft waves. Together with her spotless porcelain-like face, she looked almost like some princess from the fairy tales the nuns used to tell us before bed.

  But this would, of course, never make someone like Carson waver like this. There was also that vicious-looking armor she was now wearing, undoubtedly crafted from the carapace of some horrifying monster.

  Not to mention the subtle yet sharp aura of bloodlust she emanated, painting her as the natural-born killer every great Hunter ought to be.

  So it was no wonder that right after gathering his bearings, Carson and his buddies hurriedly left the scene, not daring to provoke her.

  But not before the towering brute leaned over and whispered the ominous, "See you later, rat..."

  He then gave me one last angry look that promised nothing but pain and suffering and followed after his companions, who were already disappearing behind a nearby corner.

  Witnessing this, I couldn't help but gulp nervously. It was about as bad of an outcome as it could have been.

  "Are you alright?" Sara suddenly asked, breaking the awkward silence that now hung between us. She quickly examined my disheveled state, her bright emerald eyes sizing me up with a mix of pity and warmth.

  I raised my head, looking at her again. She looked young, even younger than I was, which somehow made this even worse.

  "Of course! That was nothing..." I said before hurriedly averting my eyes. Not only was I saved by a girl, but it had to be her, of all people, I thought dejectedly.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Still, I didn't dare to drop my guard. I won't let myself be fooled by a pretty face. After all, if half of the stories about her were true, then there was a vicious slayer hiding under that facade of pretended kindness.

  So when she offered to accompany me to the Infirmary, I promptly refused—not that I could afford those exorbitant fees anyway. I thought self-depreciatingly, but I made sure not to show anything on my face.

  "Anyway, thanks for the help. See ya around..." I said before quickly leaving the scene.

  Sara briefly raised her hand, seemingly wanting to say something else, but I didn't give her the chance, all but running away.

  I always thought it was much better to stay away from people like her, as I knew those types well; all smile until they stab you in the back.

  I couldn't help but grimace, remembering how she stood there all high and mighty, like she was better than the rest of us. This somehow made me even more annoyed at how everything went down. So what do I do now?

  I knew Carson wouldn't let this go, and even though Rowan might not have cared about me before, he would certainly be now. Being forced to back down like that could be perceived as weakness, and losing face was all but unacceptable for a proud man like him.

  And since they could do nothing to Sara for the time being, they would most likely want to take it out on me.

  So, unless I wanted to spend the rest of my life hiding in the Ratways, I had to do something about Rowan's gang, and I needed to do it now.

  Hiding in a side alley, I went over my limited options, trying to figure something out. Yet, in the end, I was forced to admit there was no easy way out of this mess.

  I guess I will have to settle my debt after all… That was the conclusion I came to after some pondering. My only remaining option to solve this peacefully would be to reach Rowan before Carson could tell him his side of the story.

  Because, unlike that bloodthirsty madman, Rowan was actually pretty smart, and he liked to maintain an image of civility in his dealings.

  So, as long as I declare my intent to negotiate, his thugs wouldn't lay a finger on me. As to the result of our talk... well, that was anyone's guess.

  Of course, there was no guarantee I would be off the hook even if I bought myself out. But, at least it would give me some time to come up with a more permanent solution.

  Ugh, this is not one of my brightest ideas. I Better go on with this before I could change my mind. Grimacing, I resolved myself for what was to come and then set off on the short journey between the dilapidated buildings along the floor’s outer wall, dauntlessly heading for the unassuming entrance hidden somewhere between them.

  From a distance, Rowan’s compound looked like any other assortment of shacks you could find in this wretched hellhole, yet it was anything but.

  I took a deep breath and stepped into the little courtyard, which was the centerpiece of the spacious compound, connecting all the various facilities that formed the gang's main den.

  The air was thick with smoke and the sour stench of cheap booze. Rough men dressed in mismatched armor glared at me from the shadows as I walked toward the largest building where Rowan himself lived, which also doubled as his office and the gathering place for the gang's big shots.

  Despite the insistent stares, nobody made a move to stop me since I was still technically part of the gang. Still, the looks the others gave me were mostly those you would give an already sorted pile of trash by the wayside as if I was already dead in their eyes.

  Well, I couldn't blame them. I wasn't particularly close to anybody here beyond the basic politeness that stemmed from the fact that we were all forced to share a common space. But I wasn't stupid enough to expect anyone to stand up for me here.

  Going back right after what just happened might seem suicidal, but I knew time was of the essence. If I had waited for them to come looking for me, I was certain Rowan would have been much less willing to come up with a reasonable solution.

  "I need to speak with the boss," I said to one of the burly "enforcers" who blocked my path as I arrived in front of the reinforced doors leading to Rowan's place.

  He scowled, and I tensed, fearing my plan to get to Rowan before Carson would fall apart before I had a chance to set it in motion, but then he simply nodded and disappeared inside.

  I suppressed a relieved sigh and patiently waited while enduring the everpresent stares. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long as the guard soon returned and beckoned me to go in.

  Taking one last deep breath, I forced my reluctant limbs to start moving. The door creaked open as I cautiously entered, my senses on high alert. I had been here only twice before, and each time was equally unpleasant.

  The interior was dimly lit, making it hard to see. Yet, I could feel the weight of several pairs of eyes watching me from the shadows. Nevertheless, I pushed forward, determined not to let fear consume me. Here we go…