"So… our grand, noble goal is to save humanity, and our first task is… robbery?"
Morning breeze swept through as dawn brightened, the autumn air carrying a chill.
Samuel strolled along the road, taking in Fuyuki City.
Justeaze floated behind him, her otherworldly beauty like a fairy's, though only Samuel could see her.
"My former ally has fallen into monstrosity. To succeed, we must eliminate him and seize his stronghold."
Her ethereal, detached voice came from behind.
"Why wait? Why not storm his lair and end him now?"
"His true body isn't there. His magecraft grants him strong survival capabilities. Failing to kill him outright would be troublesome."
"Tch. Where is he now?"
"One mile behind us."
"Heh."
Samuel flashed a sly grin.
…
"Jie jie jie! Sakura, we're almost at our new home."
Matou Zouken spoke to the girl beside him—Tohsaka… no, Matou… let's call her Sakura. His smile was unsettling.
Bang!
Skreee!
"What happened?"
Zouken steadied Sakura as the car lurched from a sudden brake, frowning at the driver, his nominal son, Matou Kariya.
"Father, I think we hit someone."
"What? How do you drive? Handle it."
Zouken's expression shifted slightly, intensifying Kariya's panic. But Zouken didn't press further—perhaps in a good mood.
Click.
Kariya stepped out nervously, approaching the front of the car. A boy, about fifteen, lay on the ground, unscathed, eyes open, staring at him.
Kariya didn't know what to say about the performance. Even a fool could tell it was staged.
"This is called a staged accident, right? But… you're not even trying to make it convincing."
"Arghhh!"
"Holy—!"
Samuel's sudden scream startled Kariya, his act shifting from casual to a writhing, pained victim.
"Are… are you okay?"
Kariya began to doubt his initial judgment. Could the boy have internal injuries, just delayed?
"This isn't over! We're not done here!"
Samuel rolled on the ground, mussing himself up, clutching the car's hood to block them.
"…"
Kariya started questioning his own eyes.
"Kariya, if you can't handle this, I'll step in."
Zouken's sinister voice came from the car, sending a shiver through Kariya.
"How much do you want? Name it, I'll pay. Just go!"
Kariya's face showed reluctance—not for himself, but for Samuel. The last person who caused a scene became fodder for his "father." An older man, Kariya might've ignored, but a boy like Samuel stirred pity, even if he was faking.
"!!!"
Samuel froze, surprised by Kariya's reaction. He'd assumed anyone close to Zouken would be rotten, but maybe not.
Still…
"Hmph!"
Samuel sneered, brushing off dirt as he stood, peering through the windshield at Zouken in the back seat.
"Yo! So you're the one I'm dealing with? Old geezer, what're you supposed to be? You look half-dead already!"
"…"
Zouken didn't reply, but his trembling pupils betrayed his fury—not at Samuel's attitude, but at the jab about his mortality. His sacrifices to cling to life fueled his rage.
"Yo, what's that? Not happy, old man? Know who I am? I'm a local! I, Ye Liangchen, have a hundred ways to make sure you can't survive here!"
"You're not Samuel? And you've been here less than a day. He's lived in this city for nearly two centuries."
Justeaze turned into a ruthless critic.
"You don't get it! Don't ruin my act!"
"Come on, kid. Get in. I'll take you to the hospital."
Zouken's vile smile twisted his wrinkled face into something repulsive.
"…"
Kariya stayed silent. He'd done what he could by offering a payout. This "Ye Liangchen" was greedy and reckless—whatever happened next was beyond his control.
Click.
Samuel flung open the back door, smirking arrogantly at Zouken. "Move it, old man. I'm sitting back here!"
"…"
Zouken's eyes glinted strangely as he slowly exited the car.
Samuel slid into the back beside a black-haired little girl—Sakura.
"Hey there, what's your name, kid?"
"I'm Toh… Matou… Sakura…"
Sakura started to say something but trembled and corrected herself.
"Sakura-chan, I'm Samuel. Call me Big Bro Sam."
"Aren't you Ye Liangchen?"
"…"
"Father…"
Kariya hurriedly opened the passenger door.
Zouken settled into the front seat, his disgusting smile unchanged. As he turned away from Samuel, his face briefly writhed with cockroach-like worms, a fleeting sight noticed by everyone in the car except Sakura.
"Father…"
"Drive. My old bones aren't what they used to be. Let's head to our… private hospital."
"Yes!"
"Makiri Zolgen, you've truly become… revolting."
Justeaze floated outside the car, her usually impassive face flickering with disgust and disdain, unnoticed even by Samuel.
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL