Theo yanked the collar of the man's shirt. His fists clenched, and in one final assault, Dante finally crumpled unconscious. The man ended up knocked out after being relentlessly attacked by Theo with all his might.
Theo fell silent, trying to regulate his uneven breath. His eyes stared intensely at the now unconscious Dante. Theo rose from his position, standing tall beside Alessio, who had been watching Theo attack Dante with an unexpected fierceness.
Their attention shifted when all the members of the Bloodhound Cartel, just realizing the situation, staggered to their feet. They hurriedly approached Dante, carrying him away. The Bloodhound Cartel could only gaze at Theo, without daring to confront him again. They all eventually left the place with the unconscious Dante.
Theo remained silent, observing their departure. He had no intention of stopping them, because he was too exhausted. For Theo, the most important thing now was that he had successfully defeated them all.
"Echoes of vengeance in the silence of the night, Puzzles unravel, retribution takes flight. Their deeds countered in a similar play, Heaven and earth bear witness, a meaningful battle underway." Category: Sub Difficulty Level: A Completion Requirements: Settle your issues with the Bloodhound Cartel, and retaliate against every action of theirs until vengeance is achieved! Time Limit: - Reward: You will receive special coins as a reward once this quest is successfully completed!> You've just acquired Martial Arts Ability Lv. 5! Check here to see updates on your Basic Information!> Theo took a long sigh. The recent fight had almost cost him his life. If he had been a bit careless, he would have ended up killed in their hands. Strangely, when Theo was on the brink of losing his life at the hands of the Bloodhound Cartel, the mysterious man he had encountered before indirectly saved his life for the second time. "Are you okay?" Alessio's question quickly diverted Theo's attention from the system screen in front of him. Theo just remembered that Alessio had been standing beside him, observing the Bloodhound Cartel. "I'm fine. How about you?" "I'm a gang leader; my condition is stronger than an ordinary person." Alessio grinned. I shouldn't have asked him that. Theo pouted in response to his words. "You're really something! I was genuinely surprised to see your martial skills, which turned out to be even better than I thought. You managed to defeat them single-handedly. Earlier, there were about twenty members of the Bloodhound Cartel," Alessio praised. "I didn't expect to face them either," mumbled Theo, still somewhat stunned. Not only Alessio, but Theo himself couldn't believe he had confronted them all. What had just happened was truly unexpected. "I told you, you've got talent! It's a shame if you waste your martial arts skills! If you join the Infero Ravens, you can further hone your abilities!" Alessio enthusiastically draped his arm around Theo's shoulder. Theo could only sigh deeply as those words escaped Alessio's mouth. Alessio, realizing Theo's reaction, quickly shifted the conversation to something else. "By the way, tonight's fight has made me hungry. How about we grab a meal? I know a restaurant nearby that's open twenty-four hours. They serve delicious dishes!" Alessio walked, pulling Theo, who was still in his embrace. "Do you want to eat at this hour? It's almost midnight!" Theo exclaimed. "It's fine. The best food is enjoyed late at night! Besides, tonight is so calm! Anyway, let's eat! You're treating." "Wait, what?" Theo glanced at Alessio, taken aback. The man just chuckled in response to Theo's surprised reaction. "Hahaha..., I was just kidding. I'll treat you!" * Theo fell silent, observing Alessio, who was now busy enjoying the freshly served meal. As Alessio had mentioned, the man had invited him to visit a restaurant that operated twenty-four hours. Despite the late hour, the restaurant they visited was still bustling with customers. Theo now understood why this restaurant managed to stay open around the clock. "What do you think? The food is delicious, right?" Alessio asked for Theo's opinion. Theo snapped out of his thoughts. "Yes. It's good," he muttered quietly. "I knew you'd like it! This is the best restaurant around. The prices are affordable, and the food is delicious. Plus, it operates twenty-four hours every day without a day off." Alessio continued devouring his meal. "Do you know why this restaurant can operate twenty-four hours every day?" That question suddenly made Theo pause. He didn't understand why Alessio suddenly asked him such a question. "This restaurant is owned by a famous chef who used to be a poor man living in poverty, but as he grew up, he was determined to become successful, and opened a restaurant so that he could help people in need. Eventually, what he dreamed of came true. He managed to become a successful chef, and he was able to open a restaurant like this. He deliberately kept the prices low so that people living in poverty could eat, and in addition, he set up twenty-four hours of operation so that street children and the homeless could eat here. Especially for street children and homeless people, he gives them free meals. That's why this place is always crowded with visitors." Alessio told him everything without waiting for a response from Theo. While telling the story, the man smiled. Theo, who heard the story, then fell silent while looking around. After hearing Alessio's words just now, Theo realized that most of the people there were street children with a shabby appearance. There were also some homeless people. They were all served so well, the waiters treated them like any other paying customers. "Looks like you know the owner of this restaurant very well," Theo commented. "Of course. The Infero Ravens once helped him build a successful business like this. In the past, this place used to be frequented by troublemakers who always caused chaos. There was a time when those troublemakers destroyed things here, causing the owner a huge loss. As a result, the restaurant was on the brink of bankruptcy. It also led to street kids and homeless people who used to come here for meals going hungry. They even had to endure through winter and snowstorms." "What did you do to help the owner survive?" "Our boss assigned me and all Infero Ravens members to drive those troublemakers away. We helped because our boss really liked this place, and besides, the restaurant owner is incredibly kind. That's why he wanted to assist by assigning Infero Ravens to get rid of those troublemakers." "Ah, I see..." "Thanks to that, this place could be rebuilt, even becoming more successful than before," Alessio proudly smiled. Remembering the events from a few years ago, he felt a sense of joy. Shortly after, Alessio refocused on the meal in front of him. "By the way, what's your actual motive for inviting me to join the Infero Ravens? Don't get me wrong. I'm asking not because I'm interested in joining Infero Ravens. I mean, I just want to know the exact reason why you want me to join you. Furthermore, I'm sure you have another reason besides my martial arts skills, right?" Theo asked with a curious expression. Alessio, upon hearing his words, fell silent while looking at him. "Of course, it's not just because of your martial arts skills. Another reason I want you to join Infero Ravens is because we have a common enemy. The Bloodhound Cartel. That's why I want us to work together to destroy them." "How can you think that I want to destroy the Bloodhound Cartel so badly?" "I can see it clearly from your expression since the first time you encountered them. That's why I want to invite you to join Infero Ravens. Even though I don't know what your issue is with them, at least by joining Infero Ravens, you'll have a friend to help you achieve your goals." Once again, Theo could only remain silent. Alessio's recent words were entirely accurate because that was precisely what Theo desired – to destroy the Bloodhound Cartel. "Besides, if you keep fighting alone like this, it could endanger your life. You don't know how dangerous they are, right? Because it seems like you've only recently issues with them. At least, by working with us, you can gather useful information to help you bring them down. As you know, Infero Ravens and Bloodhound Cartel have a long history. We've been enemies for a long time, so it's no wonder that Infero Ravens know a lot about them." "What actually caused the hostility between Infero Ravens and Bloodhound Cartel?" "Our enmity stems from the fact that we've had different principles from the beginning. The Bloodhound Cartel is a mafia that enjoys causing chaos, while Infero Ravens, even though we're known as gangsters, our tasks are the opposite of theirs. Our animosity began when the Bloodhound Cartel created chaos that caused our boss to lose a lot. And since then, the long history of our hostility began." Theo listened attentively, but once Alessio finished explaining, he could only stay silent without giving any response. More questions surfaced in Theo's mind about the Infero Ravens. He became even more curious about the Infero Ravens, but all those questions remained stuck in his head without being vocalized. Theo still felt hesitant to accept Alessio's offer to join the Infero Ravens, and if he asked more questions, Alessio might misunderstand, thinking he was interested in joining them. Alessio shifted his focus back to finishing the food in front of him until nothing was left. He paused for a moment, observing Theo, who no longer said anything. Eventually, their meal session continued in silence. Not a word was uttered until both of them finished eating. Once done, they decided to head home. "Let me treat you!" Theo interjected as Alessio was about to pay. Without hesitation, Theo handed over a few bills, precisely covering the cost of the meal they had just enjoyed. Alessio could only give a thin smile at Theo's actions. Once outside the restaurant, Theo and Alessio parted ways on the street. Theo waited for a taxi to take him home, while Alessio bid his farewell. Throughout the journey home, Theo remained silent, pondering about the Infero Ravens. He couldn't shake off various questions that arose in his mind about them. I can't deny it. What he said is true. Infero Ravens have the information I need, and if I cooperate with them, I'll have an easier time reaching my goals. What should I do? Should I accept his offer? ***