Chapter 267: Palgung Fortress (2)

Only then did Lennok understand what Evelyn meant by the timing not being good.

If the atmosphere inside the fortress were peaceful, becoming the proxy for one of the eight families would be no problem at all.

He could simply finish the auction and leave the fortress.

But now, with a fierce power struggle erupting among the families, what did it mean to become the proxy for one of them?

Evelyn had been warning him that he could get caught up in the internal conflict within the fortress if he wasn’t careful.

“Not bad.”

“What?”

After hearing that much, Lennok instead made up his mind.

Chasing the cult’s traces. Entering the auction house to learn about the ruins and time magic.

If both of these goals were related to the internal struggle within the fortress, then avoiding the conflict would, paradoxically, be the worst course of action.

It would be more efficient to actively dive into it.

“No matter what happens, taking care of myself isn’t difficult.”

Lennok said, tucking the ticket into his pocket.

“If push comes to shove, I can always use my position as an outside director of the Cartel as a shield to escape. With so many escape routes prepared, there’s no reason not to step in.”

“…….I doubt the board of directors would be very happy with that decision.”

Evelyn shook her head, seeing Lennok’s slight smile.

“If you’re still going after hearing all that, I won’t stop you. It’s not like you’ve only worked in this city for a day or two…”

“Good.”

“However, I don’t know exactly how the power struggle within the fortress is currently unfolding. Information about Palgung Fortress is hard to come by, and there’s no real use for it, so people generally don’t bother unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“Jenny said the same thing. I understand.”

Indeed, when he expressed his intention to visit Palgung Fortress and sought the necessary information, even the deep web hadn’t immediately provided answers.

It would take at least a week to get the necessary information or updates, so it was almost better for Lennok to go in person and gather it himself.

Since he’d heard about the ticket, it would be best to confirm which family issued it and then participate in the auction.

As Lennok thought that and mentally organized his next steps, a thick voice suddenly came from behind him.

“Team Leader Marcia!”

A well-built middle-aged man strode over and boldly extended his hand to Evelyn for a handshake.

Just by looking at the various ornaments and artifacts he wore, one could guess the thickness of the man’s wallet.

Evelyn immediately recognized the man and gave a slightly troubled smile.

“Mr. Tucker. It’s been a while.”

“It really has! Team Leader, what brings you all the way here? Do you have business in the fortress?”

The man called Tucker shook hands with Evelyn and immediately began to babble without waiting for an answer.

“…Looking back, that was truly a big deal. If you hadn’t helped us, we would have been food for the contaminants out in the desert beyond the city.”

“Ah, yes.”

“But after overcoming that crisis and delivering the goods to our clients, things went well, and now we’re even supplying materials to Palgung Fortress! It’s all thanks to you, Team Leader.”

Marcia gave an awkward smile as Tucker chuckled, patting his protruding belly.

Even Lennok, watching from the side, was fed up with how talkative the man was. Was it because he was so energetic that he could supply materials to all sorts of places and build client networks?

“And this person is…?”

After a long time, Tucker’s gaze fell on Lennok, who was standing behind Evelyn.

Evelyn then introduced Lennok to Tucker.

“This is Van. He’s a wizard who also works as an external consultant for the Agents.”

“Ah, Van…! I’ve heard that name too!”

Tucker made a fuss, eagerly extending his hand for a polite handshake.

“There’s no one who doesn’t know about the Adamant Thunder of District 49. You’re famous for having so much work you’re practically buried in it, but I never thought I’d see you in person here.”

“…?”

Adamant Thunder. Lennok had never heard that title.

He subtly turned his head to look at Evelyn, who nodded with a wry expression.

It seemed she had a rough idea of how Lennok was referred to in this particular circuit.

“To meet both of you here, in front of the passage to the fortress… Do you have business in Palgung Fortress?”

“Ah, it’s Van’s business, not mine.”

As Evelyn took a step back, Tucker approached even more eagerly.

“I see! If Mr. Van is having trouble getting into the fortress, I think I might be able to help…”

“…”

Instead of answering, Lennok silently gazed into Tucker’s eyes.

His round, jovial face was unmistakably that of a good-natured person, but Lennok could read something different beneath his words and demeanor.

‘He knew who I was from the start.’

Although he had been chatting with Evelyn for a long time, this was probably Tucker’s real point.

At first glance, it seemed like Tucker was offering Lennok a favor, but the reality was different.

If Lennok were to be accompanied by Tucker, the people inside Palgung Fortress would perceive Tucker and Van as being part of the same group.

Naturally, Tucker would find it easier to ensure his safety and receive favorable treatment inside the fortress.

Tucker had decided that if he could ‘borrow’ a freelancer from District 49, who would normally be impossible to hire even with money, it would be a profitable deal.

‘I don’t need help, but…’

Getting into Palgung Fortress required a very strict procedure and verification, but with the ticket Evelyn had given him, getting into the fortress itself wouldn’t be too difficult.

This ticket, directly issued by one of the eight families, was proof that the holder was the family’s proxy.

Simply showing it and displaying a bit of authority would make passing the fortress’s strict inspection a piece of cake.

However, Lennok, knowing this full well, smiled and nodded.

“I was just having some difficulty, so thank you. Would it be alright if I accompanied you?”

“O-Of course! I’ll bring my companions and luggage right away!”

Evelyn frowned, watching Tucker run off with a bright face.

“I met him on a business trip last month, but despite appearances, he’s not such a good person. Are you sure about this?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Lennok replied with a relaxed expression.

“He seems to want to use my name as a shield… If I can hide the ticket when entering the fortress, it’ll be to my advantage too.”

The ticket Lennok possessed proved he was a proxy for the Oryun Family.

Conversely, presenting this ticket as a pass at the fortress entrance would be tantamount to informing the fortress’s high-ranking officials that Lennok was the Oryun Family’s proxy.

He preferred to pretend to be Tucker’s companion, keeping his affiliation with any specific family unknown.

Of course, this information would quickly be discovered once Lennok began his activities in earnest, but it was up to Lennok to exploit the temporary information asymmetry.

“And going with me won’t necessarily mean it’s safe.”

Evelyn shook her head, looking at Lennok’s smiling face.

Thus, Lennok briefly exchanged greetings with Evelyn and immediately followed Tucker into the fortress.

Tucker maintained a respectful attitude towards Van even after Evelyn left.

“Haha, this isn’t my first time supplying materials inside the fortress, you see. Even if Mr. Van accompanies us, passing through shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. Actually, I shouldn’t be saying this here, but…”

Tucker glanced around subtly and whispered into Lennok’s ear.

“Most people in the fortress aren’t very interested in outside affairs. With all due respect, they might not even know who Mr. Van is.”

As he expected, the fortress’s transit officer carefully observed the newly added companion but didn’t recognize Lennok.

Perhaps by appropriately concealing his mana, they mistook him for an ordinary wizard.

If he had shown the ticket, the reaction would have been much more intense.

Deciding to accompany Tucker was a much better decision than expected.

After passing through cement walls over ten meters high, a wide-open street came into view as they entered the fortress.

The most striking feature was the architecture, completely different from the typical styles of the megacity.

Thick wooden pillars, spacious wooden floors, and houses and buildings with impressive curved tile roofs filled the area.

Even the clothing of the people walking the streets gave a slightly different impression from the modern attire of the megacity.

Add to that the gazes that poured out whenever Tucker’s large truck sped down the road.

It was certainly a peculiar place, with such a drastic change in atmosphere across a single thick cement wall.

“It seems like they’re quite interested in outsiders here, though.”

“Even though so many people queue outside the fortress, only a limited number can actually get inside.”

Tucker replied with a somewhat proud expression.

Indeed, if he could establish and maintain a business network even within the fortress, his business acumen must be considerable.

Tucker, sitting next to the employee driving, started babbling happily about how he managed to establish trade with the fortress and how well he packaged and delivered his goods.

Lennok had thought he was deliberately talking so much just to draw him in, but it seemed being talkative was simply his nature.

Judging by the familiar expressions of the other employees in the truck, this wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened.

Lennok subtly turned his head, focusing on analyzing the structure of the barrier set up in this area.

Even for Lennok, who had gained some knowledge of barrier magic through Liberation Sorcery and Principle Barrier Runes, the structure was too intricate to immediately grasp.

Perhaps the fortress itself was taken as a single concept, and the barrier was maintained through various conditions and restrictions.

If he could understand the extent of those conditions and restrictions, Lennok’s barrier magic could advance even further.

While he was lost in thought, Tucker spoke to Lennok again.

“Just accompany us to the client’s place, and that will be enough. After that, Mr. Van can go to your desired destination.”

Since he had entered with Tucker’s help, he would have to follow him to his desired location.

After parting with Tucker, he planned to change his face and gather information about the eight families in the vicinity.

Especially important information would be the Oryun Family’s position in the fortress’s power struggle and how helpful they might be to Lennok.

Just as Lennok was about to nod, thinking this, a rapidly approaching presence was suddenly felt beyond his sensory range.

“…”

Mana users. More than ten of them, approaching Tucker’s truck from all directions.

Popopopopopop!

Swift presences running across the tiled roofs from all sides.

At that moment, Lennok frowned, feeling a faint sense of déjà vu.

Kwooong!

Over a dozen dark figures instantly surrounded the truck in the middle of the road.

A sharp flash glinted from their arms, and blades instantly pierced through the truck’s windows.

Crash!

There was no time to ask questions.

Lennok used mana threads to grab and twist all the incoming attacks, then unleashed a shock magic spell to force the figures back.

“Aaaah!!”

The employee, whose face had turned pale, drove the truck forward frantically.

He seemed to be holding the steering wheel haphazardly, as the truck suddenly swerved off the main road and headed into a secluded alleyway.

A narrow, cramped alley where only one car could barely pass. It was fortunate, perhaps, that there were no people nearby.

Lennok mumbled, looking out the window.

“It would have been better to stay on the main road.”

“Huh? Yes?”

“This will only give the pursuers an excuse.”

These were people who had tried to kill them without hesitation, even in the midst of a large crowd.

It wouldn’t be strange for them to act even more aggressively in an alley where there were no onlookers.

Although he hadn’t expected to encounter something like this as soon as he entered the fortress, Lennok wasn’t particularly surprised.

He had considered that someone might pick a fight, given that he had entered the fortress without bothering to hide Van’s face.

“W-What is this?! Why is this suddenly happening to us?!”

Tucker yelled, his jaw trembling.

Instead of answering, Lennok immediately shook his head at the presences running from behind.

They were running along the walls between the alleyways without difficulty, pursuing the truck.

Dadadada!

Unlike the truck, which could only move along this narrow path, the pursuers, moving three-dimensionally, quickly closed the distance.

At this rate, everyone except Lennok would be slaughtered on the spot.

If he wasn’t going to let the pursuers escape alive, it would be better to help these people here and collect a price for it.

“I’ll intercept. Keep driving.”

Lennok, who had quickly completed his calculations, reached for his left sleeve.

Click!

A revolver popped out as the shrinking magic released.

However, its appearance was quite different from the ones Lennok had used so far.

A pure white barrel and a sleek cylinder glowing faintly with a bright blue magical light.

His new equipment, custom-ordered from Palmer with a massive reward, had finally arrived in Lennok’s hands.

Holding the white-flashing revolver and gripping the truck’s window frame, Lennok looked back at Tucker.

While feigning goodwill, Tucker’s aim of ensuring his safety by using Van’s name was not entirely wholesome.

If he were to save his life, it would be acceptable to demand a little more than he had initially planned.

Lennok smiled faintly and asked Tucker.

“I’ll need an incentive. Is that alright?”