NFBE Chapter 303 [Empire] "Let's go."
Chapter 303 [Empire] "Let's go."
"Why am I here?" I muttered to myself, feeling a strong sense of anxiety coming over me.
At that moment, the door to the room creaked softly. I quickly turned and looked towards the iron door. I heard several footsteps outside, and my heartbeat quickened, a sense of alarm building. Who could be here? I had no idea where this place was, or what was going to happen next. But one thing was certain: this place wasn't safe.
I quickly hid in the shadows beside the bed, holding my breath as hard as I could, waiting for the footsteps to approach. I could feel my heart pounding, as if every second was stretched out into a string.
"Awake? If you're awake, come out." It was a young man's voice. He seemed to be tinkering with some machine. He wasn't wary of me, nor did he seem to care much about me.
The boy asked me jokingly: "Are you hungry? There's food over there, 20 points each."
I was stunned by the price. After appreciating my expression, he added casually, "The first one is free."
I stood up from the bed and tried to approach the door without appearing too flustered. The boy didn't notice my movements, concentrating intently on the mechanical tools in his hands. When he looked down, I could see a faint glint in his eyes, as if he was adjusting some complex mechanism. The air around us was filled with the smell of charcoal and the sound of metal clashing, indicating that this was not a peaceful place.
20 points for a serving of food? Even in the most expensive tavern on Mercenary Street, the price wouldn't be that outrageous.
The boy seemed to notice my reaction and looked up, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. "It depends on whether you can afford it. The food here is pretty good, especially since it's free for your first time. It might be worth a try," he said, waving his hand, motioning me towards the shelf filled with food next to the table.
His words made me feel confused and helpless.
I walked closer to the food shelf and found that the so-called "food" was mostly some simple canned and packaged foods, which really didn't look worth the price at all, but I had no other choice.
"Eat it, it's free." The boy didn't seem to intend to pay much attention to me. He continued to concentrate on repairing his machine with a frivolous smile on his lips. It seemed that he didn't regard me as a threat.
I took the food and sat back on the bed. I opened the package, revealing ordinary-looking bread and shrunken vegetables. The flavor was bland, nothing special. However, as I chewed, my energy gradually returned, and my hunger slowly subsided.
"How did you know I was here?" I couldn't help but ask, finally breaking the silence.
The boy paused, his eyes flickering between the machine and me, seemingly unconcerned. "That's the signal coming from that machine," he pointed at the device he was repairing. "We've never seen anything like you. Weren't you sent in here?"
I was stunned for a moment, feeling a wave of unease. His answer didn't sound complicated, yet I couldn't figure it out. This place was truly something I had never imagined.
"Sent in?" I repeated the word, my tone full of confusion. "Do you know who I am?"
"Who is it?" The boy's eyes were still immersed in the world of machines, and he didn't look at me. "We only have missions here, we don't care about names."
His words made my heart tighten. Mission?
"What does mission... mean?" I asked again.
The young man finally put down the tools in his hands, stood up, turned around and looked at me, still with a teasing smile on his face, "Just like you, who broke in, you have to do something. There are many 'special' people in this place, and everyone has their own responsibilities and goals. And you, don't look like an ordinary person on a mission." His eyes lingered on me, as if gauging my reaction.
I could almost feel his gaze like a sharp knife. My heartbeat quickened.
"However," the young man suddenly chuckled, "anyway, your first meal is free. It's my welcome gift to you." He patted my shoulder and turned around to continue repairing his machine.
Nightingale's appearance startled me. His usual lackadaisical demeanor and casual posture left me speechless. Smoke slowly dissipated from his lips, but his gaze never left the young man repairing the machine. The young man, still buried in his work, seemed unimpressed by Nightingale's presence, even a hint of impatience.
"Hey, this guy is my guest, kid." Nightingale's voice sounded very casual, as if he didn't care about his relationship with the boy, but was more declaring his "status" here.
The young man raised his eyelids and casually glanced at Nightingale, a hint of indifference flashing in his eyes. "He's your man?" His tone was not filled with awe, but rather with a hint of disdain. Then, he lowered his head and continued to operate his machine, as if he didn't want to have any more unnecessary communication with Nightingale.
"Yes, for now." Nightingale was not affected by the boy's attitude. With a barely perceptible smile on her lips, she walked leisurely to my side and whispered, "Do you still want to stay here? This is not a safe place."
I glanced at Nightingale, then back at the boy still buried in repairing machinery. This place clearly had more to it than just a mission site; even Nightingale had warned me otherwise.
The boy's attitude towards Nightingale made me suspicious. He didn't seem to care about Nightingale and was even too lazy to communicate with him.
Could it be that Nightingale's position here is not what he appears to be?
"What do you mean by 'unsafe'?" I asked Nightingale, feeling vaguely that something was still unclear.
Nightingale glanced at the boy, seemingly indifferent. Then, turning back, she said to me in a relaxed tone, "This is the edge of Mercenary Street. It's not as peaceful as you imagine. Is this your first time here? There's a bit of a 'dark side' behind the mission point. Think it through before you make a decision."
"Dark side?" I repeated the word, my heart skipping a beat. What did the dark side even mean? Clearly, Nightingale wasn't going to explain it too clearly. He turned and walked towards the door, saying, "Anyway, since I brought you here, remember to follow me. Otherwise, don't blame me for not reminding you."
I didn't get up immediately, but stood there for a moment, thinking. Although Nightingale's words were casual, they should not be underestimated.
"Are you leaving or not?" Nightingale turned around from the door with a slightly provocative smile on her lips. "The rules of this place don't suit you."
I took a deep breath and walked towards Nightingale.
"Let's go." Since Nightingale said so, at least it's time to leave now.