Chapter 819 The headquarters (2)
Erik hovered as the elevator doors parted, revealing an underground expanse that defied his expectations.
The chamber that lay before him was vast and windowless, a hidden world beneath the unassuming facade of the building above.
Its size alone was a marvel. Erik couldn't believe his eyes when he discovered that a massive space was tucked away under a building that seemed way smaller than this room.
The inside was dark, but full of action and had everything you'd expect, ranging from a bar to even some shops, just for a different kind of crowd.
The room sprawled out, filled with a mix of stools, tables, and chairs, all arranged haphazardly around barrels full of who knew what.
The bar had a massive counter and a signboard having the words "Coffee House" written on it, which was totally misleading since they likely didn't serve coffee.
Erik couldn't help but notice the irony of the sign - the place was practically a black market for booze, drugs, and weapons.
To the far right, a grand board caught Erik's attention. The nicknames of the gang members were there, each with a number that Erik guessed was their rank.
The scoreboard showed how competitive the gang was, with members trying to outdo each other by completing all sorts of assignments.
The points system probably determined how important gang members were and affected their access to resources and missions.
At least based on the quest board he saw below. Some missions could be accessed only if a certain amount of points had been earned.
However, the board itself didn't have many quests right now, and most missions were about helping the police.
There weren't many people in New Alexandria now, so theft and murder quests were very few.
At the apex of this list was a name represented by the initials N.H. Erik didn't know who this guy was, nor he heard about these initials. However, it was clear this guy must have been very good at his job to be at the top of the list.
Below, Erik spotted another name. This time, he knew who it referred to. Death. The guy was tenth on the list.
<There are 9 people stronger than him in this shithole? >
When Erik saw what was going on below the streets of New Alexandria, he was totally amazed and slightly disturbed.
The Crystal Cross Gang had carved out a vast, well-organized stronghold in the city's underbelly, which underscored the severity of the threat they posed.
It also made it clear the gang was backed by the Blackguards. A place like this needed a lot of funds to be maintained.
Here, in the shadows, the gang thrived, untouched by law and beyond the reach of those who sought to dismantle their network.
<Now, I need to take on someone's identity. I need to ask questions. >
For this reason, Erik searched for bathrooms or stuff like that.
The Crystal Cross Gang members were in huge numbers. Erik surmised there were at least 5000 members in this place alone.
<These mother fuckers holed up here when the parasites attacked, uh? >
That was the only plausible reason for this many number of people.
That or originally, their numbers were much higher than now.
Regardless, this was basically an army, but judging by the people Erik analyzed, they weren't that strong.
<Ok. The bathrooms, where are the bathrooms? Someone must get up to puke or take a shit, right? It's impossible they won't with so many people here. >
After searching for a while, Erik arrived at his destination.
He hovered over the stalls, and then he found two people taking a piss.
The smell inside that bathroom made him revolt. He couldn't even understand how they could use those stalls.
The stench of urine and feces was so bad Erik almost puked.
The Nexthorn Vanguard guild leader waited for one of the two members getting out.
As soon as the man did, Erik morphed and knocked out the other.
He then brought him inside the stall and stripped him from his clothes, of course, not putting on the man's underwear.
Then Erik decapitated him and sliced off his face.
[HUMAN KILLED: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
[0%...1%....5%...30%...70%...100%]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
[3...2...1...0]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 1000 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
In order to prevent any blood from staining the surroundings, he placed the body inside the toilet to allow the blood to flow inside.
After ripping the face apart, he threw the fragmented pieces into the toilet, and without hesitation, he pressed the flush button.
In order to carry out his plan of stealing the man's identity, he couldn't allow him to wake up.
He went as far as disfiguring him to ensure that the criminals would not be able to identify him. After everything was ready, Erik got out of the stall.
<Now, let's blend in for a little. Let's see if this place has something good to eat. >
Erik made his way through the dimly lit chamber to the 'Coffee House,' taking a seat on one of the stools at the counter.
The man behind it, burly and imposing, bore a massive scar that stretched across his face.
"Orange juice," Erik said. He was trying to maintain a low profile among the denizens of this underground world.
The man behind the counter raised an eyebrow, the scar stretching with the movement.
"We only serve alcohol here, and some food," His voice was rough like gravel.
There was a hint of amusement in his tone, as if the request for something as innocuous as orange juice was out of place in a setting like this.
Erik grimaced at the response. He wasn't here to draw attention or to get drunk.
"Fine, give me a beer then," he said in a resigned tone, placing some coins on the counter.
The bartender nodded, turning away to grab a bottle from the shelves behind him.
He poured the beer into a mug with a practiced hand, sliding it across the counter to Erik.
Erik took the mug, his gaze wandering over the 'Coffee House' that only served alcohol.
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