"Brother, are we… really not going all out today?"
"Hmm, didn't I say so yesterday?"
"Oh… Then, are we not even going to check on Rabbit Town?" Thalia asked, her brow furrowed with unconcealed worry.
"No, I'll just go inquire about the news later," Vincent replied. They were eating their breakfast of leftover rabbit meat. He looked up, smiled, and gently ruffled his sister's hair. "Alright, don't look so worried. Just do what you need to do; the sky won't fall. We're safe. Didn't you say you were going to the orphanage today? Give my regards to Auntie Director."
Hearing Vincent's firm, reassuring tone, Thalia let out a small, relieved breath. "Okay."
Soon after, she tidied up and stood by the door. "Brother, I'm heading out then."
"Go ahead, be careful. If anything feels wrong, just come straight back."
"I will."
After Thalia left, Vincent quickly prepared and followed her out. He needed information. He bypassed the shantytown and headed directly for the Iron Fang City Hall. The building was surprisingly quiet, but a steady stream of people moved in and out, their expressions uniformly grim. Vincent relaxed slightly when he spotted familiar faces—some of the human Professionals who had fought the Centaur Clan yesterday. The war, for the moment, was over. He turned, his new destination the local bus station.
Vincent quickly located the bus that ran to Rabbit Town. A sign on the windshield read 'Service Suspended,' confirming his suspicion that the aftermath of the battle was still volatile.
Just then, a loud voice drifted from a nearby bus destined for Undead Mountain, another Rank 0 Instance location.
"…I personally saw those two make their move! It was terrifying; they were only Rank 0, but they instantly killed at least forty to fifty Centaur Clan Professionals of Rank 2 to 3!… We thought they were high-ranking Professionals, but later everyone started saying they were those two from the Paradise enterprise!"
Vincent froze. His cover was blown—not just among the official ranks, but among the general public.
"Epic Professionals… I never thought two would appear in Iron Fang City at once. And both are Epic Assassins?" another voice exclaimed.
"Then what about the Rabbit Instance now? How long will it be sealed off?"
"I don't know. It was chaos. Fortunately, the official Professionals from 'Lingtai City' arrived at the critical moment and stopped those Centaur Clan warriors. Several hundred people came, alerted by our city officials to guard against trouble." The speaker's voice was laced with lingering fear.
"So the fighting continued in Rabbit Town for a long time? Even with reinforcements from another city?"
"Yes. The Centaur Clan kept sending in more troops in the middle of the night, but we outnumbered them. They finally retreated, but not before they warned us they wouldn't let this go…"
A girl's voice followed, sounding dazed. "No wonder the officials issued a notice today, telling teachers to advise us to try to avoid conflict with the Centaur Clan recently…"
Vincent quietly slipped away. The sheer scale of the fallout was greater than he had anticipated; two cities' officials had been mobilized. This confirmed the extraordinary importance of Epic Professionals. More importantly, the news that Rank 0 Professionals already knew his identity and the name Paradise was deeply troubling.
Vincent realized he had vastly underestimated the political and military importance of Epic Professionals. While he appreciated the swift intervention from both Iron Fang City and Lingtai City—an action that confirmed humanity valued his existence—the rapid spread of specific information was the most concerning element.
The bus conversation proved that Rank 0 students already knew he and Thalia were the ones who fought. He had only confided in a select few official Professionals, like Yuna. The information's leak was too swift and too precise.
His eyes narrowed. It was highly improbable that Yuna or Silas had deliberately broadcast the information. That meant the compromise was further up or down the chain of command, confirming their stern warning: Do not trust anyone, even the officials. The official waters were, indeed, murkier than he had imagined, tangled with hidden factions or the pervasive influence of the God Advent Sect.
For now, they were safe. The collective display of power from two cities had temporarily deterred the Centaur Clan. But safety was fragile.
Vincent let out a long, heavy breath, his resolve hardening. The temporary peace was a grace period he wouldn't waste. The only true defense was insurmountable power.
As a Rank 0, I must be cautious. But in the future... they will fear me.
He changed direction, heading deep into the city.
Half an hour later, Vincent stood before a towering residential block: No. 79 Mount Road, Star Luck Building. This was the residence of his potential second employee, Lyra, Unit 1, Room 1002.
Lyra had been caught in the crossfire yesterday, and he still didn't know her fate. The Centaur Clan's pursuit had been deadly. I hope she is alright, he thought.
His next action was simple: confirm her presence. The difficulty wasn't the confirmation; it was maintaining secrecy. Everything that happened yesterday only reinforced his need to remain hidden. Lyra's profile looked clean, but he could trust no one except Thalia.
He wouldn't risk knocking on the door or using a flimsy disguise. He didn't need to. He had the Interview Invitation Letter. All he needed was an opportunity to slip the letter to her.
Vincent turned and left, his mind already formulating a precise, untraceable plan to get the letter to his target.