Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 80 (Patreon)

Chapter 80: Promise

Half a month ago, Kenda's first impression of Luo was arrogance, but now, ignoring his injured arms, he knelt on the rain-soaked ground, begging Luo for help.

This drastic change in impression, perhaps, is the demeanor one adopts in times of downfall, but it also shows enough sincerity.

However, Kenda didn't need to go to such lengths; a mere mention would have been enough for Luo to help out willingly. But for Kenda to request help in such a manner, he must have been truly desperate.

Luo sensed there was more to the situation but saw no reason to refuse. Whatever Kenda needed help with, Luo considered it repayment for the 128 collectibles.

Moreover, Kenda's exaggerated reaction made him think of Elly's potential plight, giving him even less reason to refuse.

A drop of water in need, a fountain in return, has always been Luo's principle, whether the favor was done in the open or in secret.

"I'm curious what trouble has driven you to kneel and beg for help, but I'll assist, not for you, but for Elly," Luo said, looking at Kenda kneeling before him, without making any move to help him up.

Upon hearing Luo's agreement, Kenda looked up, ecstatic.

"Let me be clear, if you're looking to use my strength to maintain your drug business, then, I'm sorry, you've got the wrong person," Luo stated coldly.

Drugs are despised and a cause of countless family breakdowns. Considering Barney's identity, if Kenda's request was rooted in this, Luo would not be courteous.

"No, you've misunderstood," Kenda quickly shook his head, even using honorifics after Luo agreed.

"To me, the lady's safety is of utmost importance."

Listening to Kenda's serious tone, Luo fell silent. After Barney's death, such words lacked credibility, but he chose to believe them for now.

"Get on the boat, let's treat your wounds first and then discuss the details," Luo, taking charge, stepped onto the boarding stairs.

Although he appeared to be twelve or thirteen years old, his psychological age was twenty-one, and his behavior was not that of a typical youth, making it easy to forget his actual age.

Tonight's events made it impossible for Kenda to see Luo as just a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, and using honorifics didn't seem odd.

Suppressing his joy, Kenda stood up and followed Luo onto the boarding stairs.

This was their first collaboration with Meteor Street, but they were not strangers to it. Rather, they knew it well, which is why they felt confident collaborating, not anticipating it would go awry.

Knowing about Meteor Street, Kenda thought Luo was an anomaly within it, not just because of his performance on the test flight or his compensatory actions for destroying a residential house, which contradicted his understanding of Meteor Street.

Kenda didn't know Luo wasn't originally from Meteor Street, but given Luo's care for Elly, he was willing to gamble his remaining chance on Luo.

Ultimately, it was Luo's displayed strength that mattered. Regardless of opinions, strength was the primary factor considered.

After boarding, the aircraft took off in the rain.

Kenda went for treatment immediately, while Luo took a hot shower and changed clothes before visiting Elly.

The private aircraft's medical room and ward had a high resemblance to a hospital's environment, sparing no expense in terms of space utilization.

Elly lay on a comfortable hospital bed, receiving an IV drip due to a persistent high fever.

Luo sat beside the bed, quietly watching Elly.

Her pale face and occasional shivers, along with her deeply furrowed brow, were heart-wrenching.

"Although I sent Wogret back with the collectibles to report to the Elder Council, the order given to Kuli and Wogret was to leave no survivors, sparing neither me nor anyone else."

"The news of Barney's death might alleviate the Elder Council's suspicions, but since Elly isn't dead, it'll be hard to hide upon returning. Moreover, staying by Elly's side means my exposure is only a matter of time."

"If the Elder Council learns of this, they'll realize Wogret lied..." Luo pondered the flaws in the feigned death plan.

He was unaware that the Elder Council's primary directive was to secure all collectibles and then eliminate Barney and his team, mistaking Kuli and Wogret's actions as the Council's orders.

Luo was unclear about the relationship between the mafia and Meteor Street, including how information was exchanged, so he needed to discuss this with Kenda, considering the reality that neither he nor Elly were dead might provoke the Elder Council.

To Luo, only the safety of Machi and the others mattered. If not for fear of the Elder Council targeting them, he wouldn't have handed over a single collectible to the Council.

Machi and the others are rapidly growing in strength. Given a few more months, even the Elder Council won't be able to threaten them, but they are not yet in a position to claim that right.

The more Luo thought about it, the more headaches he got. If his strength were sufficient, there would be no need to worry about so many things; he could simply return to Meteor Street, confident that the Elder Council wouldn't dare to do anything.

In reality, the Elder Council was only interested in the collectibles. Whether Luo lived or died was irrelevant. Even if Elly survived, she wouldn't be of importance to them since Barney was dead.

With Barney gone, no one left to keep them in check, the gang members within his territory would turn into a pack of wolves, frantically dividing up his domain. Nobody would be willing to seek revenge for Barney.

More critically, before heading to Yorknew, Barney had been attacked by a coalition of enemies, and his core members had unfortunately died. How could there be any power left for revenge? That's why Kenda sought Luo's help.

Due to insufficient information, Luo's initial focus was misplaced. Thinking about all these aspects was just creating unnecessary trouble for himself.

He even considered asking Kenda if he had something like a human skin mask, given the prevalence of assassins; having such a disguise wouldn't be surprising.

Just as Luo was lost in his thoughts, Elly woke up, looking at him with her head tilted, her eyes slowly welling up with tears.

Feeling Elly's gaze, Luo snapped out of his musings to meet her pitiful look.

"Luo, would it be better if I were dead? That way, no more people would have to die because of me," Elly's voice was tinged with a sob.

Hearing this, Luo's face darkened, puzzled why Elly would say such a thing, and flicked her forehead hard.

Elly yelped in pain, tears unable to be held back any longer.

"Say that again, and I won't be so kind," Luo withdrew his hand, displeased.

"But..."

Elly, holding her forehead with her left hand, big teardrops continuously slid from her eyes.

"Mom, Kenda, Barney... they all..."

Luo sighed internally, about to tell Elly that Kenda wasn't dead when the door opened.

Kenda, nearly wrapped up like a mummy, came in, looking at Elly on the bed and said, "Miss, I'm still here."

Elly stared at Kenda, then burst into loud sobs.

As more and more treasured things disappear, what remains becomes all the more precious, making the feeling of regaining them indescribable.

From the moment of birth, there is no fairness to speak of, and in this world, it is even more so.

-------

Table of content - Next Chapter >>>

• Your invaluable feedback and ratings mean the world to me. Please take a moment to rate this novel at Novelupdate.

• You can also check out the other Novels I'm currently translating by clicking HERE.