Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 78 (Patreon)

Chapter 78: The Aftermath

Being recognized wasn't something that necessitated concern; the real issue was the lack of confidence in defeating Luo, a task that seemed to fall squarely in the category of a fool’s errand.

Whether the aura was a façade crafted by Luo or not, once Luo posed a sufficient threat, Illumi wouldn't make a move without an assignment.

Had the task been to take Elly Geffel's life, the situation would have warranted a different discussion.

"Goodbye."

With that, Illumi stepped back, blending into the shadows and decisively making his exit without any hesitation.

It appeared as though he was driven off by Luo, but that was only one factor.

From what Luo had shown, Illumi was curious, but without a direct connection to the assignment, there was no need to delve into danger.

Luo watched Illumi leave, his vigilance unyielding, as he quickly approached Elly.

"Elly."

Gazing at the distraught Elly, Luo felt a pang of heartache.

After several unheeded calls, Luo glanced at Barney's corpse on the ground, sighed softly, and lifted Elly, only to find she had fainted.

Standing in the rain had chilled her to the bone, compounded by the shock of witnessing her father’s death. It was natural for her to collapse under such circumstances.

The attack had been carried out by Illumi of the Phantom Troupe. Even without the unforeseen events involving Kuli and Wogret, as long as Illumi didn’t target Elly, Luo wouldn't risk his life to protect a drug lord.

In other words, Barney's death was inevitable, regardless of the process.

To Luo, every member of the Phantom Troupe posed a significant danger. Had Illumi chosen to act, saving Elly would have been impossible.

"It's a stroke of luck, then."

Luo looked down at Elly, her eyes closed, her complexion exceedingly pale, then walked past Wogret, who was too terrified to make any sudden moves.

"Stay put, or face the consequences."

As Luo passed by, he glanced at Wogret, who shuddered and lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Life hung by a thread, leaving no room for resistance.

Barney and Martin were dead, but Kenda might still be alive.

Holding Elly, Luo went to search for Kenda, who had been kicked into a house. Lifting a shattered tile, he uncovered Kenda, still breathing.

By then, the gunfire on the streets had subsided, replaced by the piercing sound of sirens.

Unfamiliar with the dynamics between the mafia and Yorknew's police, and lacking the means to deal with the aftermath, Luo urgently needed Kenda to take charge.

"If you're not dead, wake up."

Luo, cradling Elly in one arm, slapped Kenda's face with the other.

After about a dozen slaps, Kenda slowly came to, his first sight being Elly, unconscious, which made him panic and try to rise, aggravating his injuries and nearly collapsing in a heap.

"What happened to Elly?" Kenda asked through his pain.

Luo placed a hand on Elly's forehead and said solemnly, "Barney is dead. Elly was shocked and has been in the rain for too long. She's now feverish."

"The lord is dead?"

Kenda's complexion shifted, struggling to stand despite his injuries.

"If you can move, start cleaning up this mess. I need your cooperation with something. First, check if there's any emergency medicine in this house." Holding Elly, Luo headed straight to the second floor of the house.

It was a civilian home, possibly stocked with emergency medical supplies. The "mess" Luo referred to was naturally the street gunfight.

If they escaped the assassins only to be caught by the police, that would indeed be ironic.

Kenda, though troubled, didn't panic and forced himself to calm down, following Luo upstairs.

His injuries were severe, but he knew he couldn't afford to fall now, relying on sheer willpower to keep going.

Luo found a terrified resident under the bed. After some questioning, he obtained medicine and fever-reducing patches, then had Kenda leave his severely scratched gold watch as payment. After applying a patch and administering some medicine to Elly, they left the residence.

In the meantime, Kenda tried to gauge the situation on the streets through his earpiece and phone, but to no avail—all his men seemed to have been wiped out.

He relayed his grim forecast to Luo, who remained silent.

The trio returned to where Wogret was, and Luo, looking at Kenda, asked, "Can you ensure our smooth departure from Yorknew, this place of trouble? Are you well-connected enough with the police?"

Kenda nodded. In Yorknew, the police functioned more like security guards, with the mafia holding a higher status. As long as one's background was clear, the police would cooperate.

"That's reassuring."

Luo withdrew his gaze, turning it towards Wogret, who was still huddled in the corner. Still holding Elly, Luo materialized a book with the ability of God's Hand, his thoughts momentarily pausing.

It was then he noticed a new number, 102, in white on the cover of the book.

Seeing this number, Luo immediately connected it to the number of pages in the book.

With this thought, he flipped to the last page, indeed finding it had expanded to 102 pages, adding two more pages to the book.

Luo glanced at Elly, her breathing slightly erratic, then at Kenda, before retracting his gaze.

"So, that's how it is…"

Without further contemplation, he removed Wogret's heart, simultaneously dispelling the book.

"I dislike complications. If they arise, I seek to resolve them quickly. Thus, I offer you a chance to live without dying," Luo said, holding the pulsating heart, his gaze coldly fixed on Wogret.

The act of holding the heart in hand was profoundly impactful.

Luo's words effectively granted Wogret a chance, who immediately realized that Luo had no intention of killing him but wanted him to do something.

"What do you want me to do?" Wogret, grasping at straws like a drowning man, wouldn't let go, regardless of whether it could save him.

"It's simple. Take the artifacts back to Meteor City and report back to the elders, telling them everyone else is dead, except for you," Luo stated his demand.

"Including you?" Wogret's eyes narrowed.

"Of course."

"Feign death?!" Wogret blurted out.

Luo's gaze turned icy, causing Wogret to fall silent immediately.

"Can you assure me... you won't tamper with my heart?" After a moment, Wogret mustered the courage to ask.

Even if he followed Luo's orders, as long as his heart was in Luo's possession, his life wasn't his to control. If Luo decided on a whim to end him, wouldn't his death be in vain?

"You have no choice."

Luo resealed the heart back into the book.

Wogret, realizing his predicament, fell silent, understanding this was his sole chance at survival.

"Alright, I agree!"

Even if clinging to a straw, Wogret was determined to hold on tight. It might not change the outcome of drowning but could prevent it from being the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"Remember, don't do anything unnecessary. Even if it's an act, make it believable," Luo coldly instructed.

His plan was for Wogret to take the artifacts back to Meteor City and report his own death to the elders. This meant he wouldn't be returning to Meteor City for the time being.

After the elders received what they wanted and believed him dead, they likely wouldn't bother Machi and the others.

To avoid unnecessary complications, Luo didn't plan on letting Wogret inform Machi and the rest about his survival, to prevent any unexpected developments.

After all, he intended to return to Meteor City, but only when he became stronger. Then, he would take back the true master from the elders.

Resigned, Wogret accepted the request.

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