Duo Leveling LITRPG | Post Apocalyptic | SYSTEM-Chapter 56 - A Shortcut and a Dangerous Guard

Chapter 56 - A Shortcut and a Dangerous Guard

As Jhin marveled at the wickedness of a mere child, Millie turned to Neon— no, Pete — and said,

«Stop grinning like that. You’re making me feel stupid.»

«But I can’t help it! I met Kyle and Clarke today!

This is the best Neon pot day of my life!»

«Haaah...»

«And besides, you said you’d forgive all my past mistakes!»

Pete added quickly,

«This is embarrassing to say, but... Clarke — no, Millie — actually, I’ve been a fan of yours for a long time. Hehe. I was part of the first wave of your fan club. I even have a signed CD at home!

I used to go to your fan meets all the time... do you remember me?»

Reluctantly, Millie nodded.

At first, she’d been too overwhelmed to recognize him, but after taking a closer look, memories started coming back.

«I remember... but who would have thought that innocent little kid would turn out to be Neon.»

«You’re not one to talk, Millie.

I thought Clarke was some pot-bellied chain-smoker uncle!»

«You wanna die?»

«Sorry!»

Jhin sighed and stepped between them.

Regardless of whether he was a middle schooler or Millie’s fan, the important thing was that he was Neon.

If he was the same merchant Jhin knew, then he should have valuable information.

«So what’s this about an impersonator?» Jhin asked.

«Just what it sounds like,» Pete replied.

«Someone’s daring to use my nickname without permission. Tsk. They’re going to get in serious trouble one day.»

«Why?»

«Because if another ranker catches them... they’re dead.

I mean, I didn’t just scam one or two people, you know?»

«...»

So he had swindled most of the top rankers, then.

Not surprising, given that he had even betrayed Kyle, who had been the number one ranked player.

Jhin clicked his tongue and said,

«It’s okay, Pete. I mean, who’s really going to seek revenge in real life over a game?»

«I... broke their weapons.»

«...What?»

«Some of them probably realized it by now.

That the enhancement materials I sold them were... tainted.»

At that, Millie turned her head toward Pete, her expression as if she’d been struck in the face.

Realizing his mistake, Pete quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.

«Wait, you mean... that enhancement material... back then... that was you?!»

«Millie!!! freewēbnoveℓ.com

You said you’d forgive me!»

«That was after the server shutdown, you little—!

Spill it! How many people did you scam?!»

As Pete tried to escape Millie’s wrath, Jhin caught him by the scruff of the neck and brought him back.

«Focus, Pete. Just tell us the important information. Short and simple.»

«Got it! But please, please keep Millie away from me!»

Jhin glanced at Millie.

Blushing faintly, she scratched her head awkwardly and stepped back.

«I only heard about the impersonator recently,» Pete began.

Apparently, he had been wandering around New Capital without a clear destination for quite a while.

Even though he had a special item that could track Kyle’s location,

it had been useless while Kyle was trapped inside the "Trial nexus."

«And, you know, I’m a merchant. Fighting’s not really my strong suit.

So I mostly just wandered around, selling basic supplies and grinding out experience points—»

«Pete. Focus.»

«Right, right! Anyway, as soon as the GPS lit up, I hurried over here.

And that’s when these bastards approached me.»

The black-market traders, in a move as bold as it was stupid, had lured Pete in with food and tried to trap him into signing a contract.

But thanks to the Angel’s Earring, none of the hidden poison clauses could affect him.

Rather than running away, Pete had seen it as an opportunity.

«I could smell the money.»

And besides, he’d been hearing rumors about the impersonator too.

In such a convenient situation, Pete had decided to "infiltrate" them.

Now, Pete began listing the information he had gathered.

«Jerry— that jerk — he was trying to get into the auction happening here.»

«Auction?» Millie asked, narrowing her eyes.

«Yeah. There’s a black market in the newly opened D-5 sector.

They were getting all excited about how rare items were going to be up for sale.»

Millie’s eyes grew even sharper.

«And the kids?»

«Yeah. They were planning to sell them too.

They handled them carefully so they wouldn’t get damaged. That’s what they said.»

Pete’s story continued —

stories of the black-market traders’ cruelty, their disgusting actions.

Caleb looked like he might explode with anger, but Jhin forced himself to stay calm and listen carefully.

Eventually, though, the information ran dry.

«...That’s it?» Jhin asked.

«Pretty much. I think I told you everything you asked.»

«Nothing about the prisoners’ souls?

Nothing about the underground contracts?»

Pete frowned, thinking hard.

«Unfortunately... no.

I couldn’t dig up anything that detailed.

Even the merchants here probably didn’t know much.

The one who really knows everything... is that impersonator.»

That guy...

The one pretending to be Neon.

Someone daring enough to steal the name of a Sky Beyond Sky ranker —

someone running scams on this level.

Jhin tried to imagine who it could be, but no one obvious came to mind.

Pete shrugged.

«Honestly, that’s why I infiltrated them too.

I’m dying to find out who’s gutsy enough to impersonate me.»

Jhin and Millie exchanged looks.

Pete’s information wasn’t worthless —

but it wasn’t what they really needed.

At this rate, finding a way to recover the stolen souls seemed almost hopeless.

Jhin sighed and said,

«For now, let’s move forward.

We’ll find more information as we clear the dungeon.»

«Right. Next up is the E-zone, right?» Pete asked.

«Let’s move quickly.»

At that moment, Pete clapped his hands together excitedly.

«Oh! I know a shortcut!»

«What?»

«There’s a secret passage that only the merchants use.»

«A secret passage?»

Inside the long, linear train... was there really another hidden way forward?

If it existed, it would be invaluable —

especially with how pressed for time they were.

’Maybe even a portal...’

Jhin asked,

«Where is it?»

But Pete raised a finger and said,

«Hold on — there’s a catch.

If we want to use the shortcut, we’ll have to deal with something first.»

«What?»

«An elite monster.

Sort of like a floor boss.

Word is, it’s actually player-controlled.

What was the name again... Draa D... Draco?»

«Station Master.» Jhin corrected him dryly.

«Yeah! That!

Apparently, it’s guarding the place.»

Pete asked hesitantly,

«He’s supposed to be really strong...

Are you sure we can handle it?»

Jhin casually shrugged.

«...What can’t we handle?»

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