A Risky Meeting at the Docks
The air at the old docks was thick with mist.
Rei and his party moved cautiously.
Nadia checked her surroundings, hands on her alchemy pouch.
Ayu's dagger gleamed in the dim light.
Faris kept watch from a rooftop.
Then, a figure stepped out of the shadows.
Dressed in a long coat, face hidden under a hood.
> "Rei, the Salvager… You've caused quite the storm."
Rei's fingers twitched near his sword.
"Depends. Are you here to kill me?"
The figure chuckled.
> "No. I'm here to offer you a deal."
The stranger revealed their identity—Zul "Phantom" Rahman.
A name that wasn't on any ranking board.
Because he wasn't a fighter.
He was a broker of information and black-market deals.
> "Iron Order has eyes everywhere. But me? I have eyes where they don't."
Rei raised an eyebrow.
"So why help me?"
Zul smirked.
> "Because I don't trust monopolies."
Pasar Gelap—the hidden underworld of Hustle Online.
Zul had control over smuggling routes, hidden shops, and secret questlines.
And he wanted to partner with Rei.
But trust wasn't free.
> "Before I share anything about Azimat Shrine… You have to prove you're worth betting on."
A system notification popped up.
> [Hidden Quest: Trial of the Phantom]
Defeat Zul Rahman in a duel.
No system assists. No second chances.
Faris laughed.
"You just got a bounty, and now you're picking another fight?"
Rei just cracked his knuckles.
> "If that's the price for answers… then bring it on."