Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert

Chapter 139

Eli’s abode was located in the deepest underground part of the North District, quite the opposite of Serian and the other district rulers who preferred high places.

Before Eli, someone was kneeling on one knee.

It was Mariel, the captain of the Thorn Attack Squad.

Eli asked with a serious expression.

“So you’re saying it’s the Crown of the Spirit King?”

“Yes! I clearly heard them muttering that.”

“The Spirit King, the Spirit King…”

Eli’s expression turned grave.

The Thorn Attack Squad had accompanied Borin’s Blue Leaf Task Force to the White Bear Caravan.

Officially, they were there to assist, but their real mission was to gather information and report back to Eli.

Eli was the second-in-command of the North District.

She effectively managed the district on behalf of Serian.

But no matter how well she managed, the glory always went to Serian.

After a hundred years of this, she harbored a deep inferiority complex toward Serian.

This inferiority complex made her more gloomy and drove her underground.

“How did Borin react?”

“It was the first time I’ve seen her so serious. She even said, ‘There might be the real Spirit King sealed inside that crown.’”

“There might be the real Spirit King sealed inside? The Spirit King…”

Even a low-ranking spirit would be a blessing, but if they could summon the real Spirit King, it could change the world, not just Neo Seoul.

A glimmer of greed appeared on Eli’s face.

“They’re auctioning off the Crown of the Spirit King?”

“Yes.”

“If Serian gets her hands on that crown, I’ll never be able to surpass her.”

Even now, the gap in power was vast. No matter how much Eli strengthened her influence in the shadows, the inherent difference in their powers couldn’t be closed.

Serian had the grace and power of a true queen.

Eli was an exceptional Awakened, but she couldn’t match Serian.

That was why she remained second-in-command.

Mariel asked cautiously.

“What will you do?”

“I need to get the Crown of the Spirit King before Serian does.”

“And then?”

“Leak the information to the Scavengers. Tell them there’s a treasure in the caravan that can change the world. They’ll definitely move. We’ll seize the crown in the chaos.”

“Understood.”

Mariel replied with a firm expression.

* * *

After leaving the White Bear Caravan, Zeon, Levin, and Brielle headed to Old Man Klexi’s shop.

“Give us some food.”

“Ah! I’m starving.”

Levin and Brielle were clamoring for food even before sitting down.

“Didn’t they feed you at the caravan?”

“Did you know about it?”

“How could I not know when you made such a fuss going there?”

Klexi chuckled as he answered Zeon’s question while preparing food.

“How were the items auctioned by the White Bear Caravan?”

“They all seemed quite useful.”

“I’ve heard they were more than that.”

“I didn’t win any bids myself.”

“Indeed, the true value of an item can only be known by its user.”

“Still, some items looked like they could be very useful.”

“Is that so? Then it’s no coincidence that those folks are on the move.”

Suddenly, Old Man Klexi frowned.

Zeon looked at him curiously.

“Which folks?”

“The Scavengers. We’ve detected unusual activity from them.”

“What do you mean by unusual?”

“They’ve suddenly become very active, as if following someone’s orders.”

Old Man Klexi frowned deeply.

Since the White Bear Caravan arrived, there had been a rapid increase in activity across Neo Seoul.

Klexi didn’t welcome these changes.

As people age, they tend to prefer stability.

The adventurous spirit and dynamism of youth fade away.

Klexi was the same.

Although he didn’t particularly like Neo Seoul or the slums, he didn’t want them to change drastically in a short time either.

Zeon asked.

“You think they’re following someone’s orders?”

“They’re moving too systematically. Usually, Scavengers are chaotic and unpredictable, but not this time.”

“So you believe someone is controlling them.”

“That’s the only explanation. The problem is we don’t know who’s giving them orders.”

“Even with Argos’s Eye, you can’t find out?”

“Argos’s Eye is effective mainly in the slums. It’s difficult for us to fully grasp what’s happening inside Neo Seoul.”

Old Man Klexi honestly acknowledged his limits.

The separation between Neo Seoul and the slums wasn’t just about social status. It also meant a divide in information.

In some ways, they were entirely different worlds.

Thud!

“Here it is.”

Old Man Klexi had already finished preparing the meal and brought it out.

It was a rice bowl topped with a meat dish.

“Looks delicious.”

“Thank you for the meal.”

Levin and Brielle eagerly picked up their utensils.

Zeon also grabbed his chopsticks and started eating.

Old Man Klexi watched the three with a smile on his face.

‘Seeing them so often has made me grow fond of them.’

When Zeon first returned, he just thought of him as a mysterious bastard.

Klexi didn’t know what Zeon had gone through in the eight years he had been away, but he had come back a sly old fox. Klexi had tried to uncover Zeon’s background but found nothing.

At first, he was cautious, but over time, he had grown fond of Zeon.

The same went for Brielle and Levin.

Seeing them frequently had made them feel like real grandchildren to him.

Though he had a real granddaughter elsewhere.

After finishing their meal, the three of them walked home.

When they reached a deserted street, Brielle spoke up.

“Zeon!”

“Yes?”

“You know, about that thing.”

“What? The Crown of the Spirit King?”

“Yeah!”

“What about it?”

“Do you really think the Spirit King is sealed inside?”

“I don’t know. Why?”

“I just had a bad feeling about it…”

Brielle trailed off, her expression growing dark.

“You had a bad feeling?”

“Yes!”

“What kind of feeling?”

“It sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t even breathe…”

“I see.”

Zeon nodded.

Brielle was a High Elf. Even though her senses had dulled from drug use, she was still far superior to regular elves.

If she got chills, there was undoubtedly a good reason for it.

Levin spoke cautiously.

“Aren’t you being too sensitive?”

“No, you’re just dense.”

“Me?”

“Yes! You dummy!”

“Damn! To be called dumb by an elf.”

Levin grumbled, but he didn’t look too upset. This kind of banter was typical for them.

Watching them argue, Zeon fell into thought.

‘If Brielle felt chills, then I wasn’t mistaken.’

Zeon had felt a similar sensation. It had been a long time since he experienced something like that.

Zeon glanced back toward the direction of the White Bear Caravan’s fortress.

The sky, entirely dyed in a red sunset, felt particularly eerie with the fortress standing tall under the blood-red sky.

* * *

During the day, the desert sand was hot enough to roast all living creatures, but at night, it cooled rapidly, as if to freeze everything in its path.

With temperatures fluctuating by dozens of degrees between day and night, anyone venturing into the desert without proper preparation was bound to freeze or burn to death.

Thus, those venturing into the desert had to be well-prepared.

The people who had left Neo Seoul were no exception.

Their preparation, however, seemed excessive.

They wore camouflage clothing that blended with the desert sand and were heavily armed with various weapons.

These individuals, with their faces hidden by masks or scarves, were not normal.

They were Scavengers.

The Scavengers moved stealthily, concealing their presence as they headed toward the White Bear Caravan’s fortress.

Greed filled their eyes peeking through their masks.

‘The Crown of the Spirit King.’

‘Shit! This is a chance to change my fate.’

‘If I get it, I can live in luxury for the rest of my life.’

Treasure blinds people.

The Crown of the Spirit King was valuable enough to do just that.

The information about the Crown of the Spirit King in the White Bear Caravan spread rapidly among the Scavengers.

Who started the rumor or provided the information didn’t matter.

What mattered was that obtaining the Crown of the Spirit King could change their fate.

Scavengers acted immediately upon receiving the information.

They knew the longer they hesitated, the further away the opportunity would slip.

In the distance, they saw the fortress standing tall in the middle of the desert.

They could see the Awakeneds standing guard on the fortress walls.

Without any particular order, some Scavengers stepped forward.

They were all long-range snipers.

“Hehe!”

“Let’s start.”

Some wielded large sniper rifles, while others readied their bows.

They simultaneously aimed and fired at the Awakeneds on guard.

The Scavengers were certain their targets would fall. However, the next moment, something unexpected happened.

Zing!

A blue barrier formed in front of the Awakeneds, deflecting the bullets and arrows.

The Scavengers recognized the blue barrier immediately.

“It’s a barrier.”

“Shit! No wonder their guard seemed lax.”

The Scavengers exchanged glances.

Normally, they would have retreated at this point.

Attacking already prepared guards would only increase their own casualties. But Scavengers were not known for their rationality.

“The barrier can’t be maintained indefinitely. It’ll disappear soon.”

“If we launch a full attack, we can break the barrier quickly. Attack!”

A few Scavengers incited the others, who quickly followed suit.

“Attack!”

“Charge!”

The Scavengers surged forward like wild dogs, racing to be the first.

More than a hundred Scavengers revealed themselves.

“It’s an attack!”

“The Scavengers are attacking.”

Thanks to the barrier, the Awakeneds of the White Bear Caravan survived and shouted out.

“Prepare for battle!”

“Get ready!”

Inside the fortress, the Awakeneds were fully prepared to face the Scavengers.

Alexandro and Damien watched the scene unfold.

“Just as you said, they attacked immediately.”

“Scavengers are the same everywhere. I knew they’d move as soon as they got the information.”

“I didn’t expect such a sudden assault. It means someone’s controlling them.”

“Probably.”

“It’s going to be a long night.”

“Yes, a tough night. I’m sorry, Captain, for dragging you into this.”

“Nonsense. Thanks to you, Yakutsk has come alive. Even if it were something worse, we wouldn’t blame you.”

“Then we’ll make sure to burn them thoroughly so no one has any regrets.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

At that moment, the Scavengers reached the fortress entrance.

Damien gave the order.

“Kill them all.”