NOVEL NEXT Chapter 373: Plans To Delve
"That's enough."
The gang froze, unable to believe their ears. Was someone trying to... stand up to them?
Petry turned slowly, his amusement cooling into a smirk as he faced Ren.
"Well now," he said, "the herbalist speaks."
Ren's eyes didn't leave his.
Gerran looked up, eyes wide, shaking his head slightly in warning. Ren ignored it.
He stepped further into the alley, his cloak catching in the breeze.
"I said," Ren repeated, his voice low, "that's enough."
The whole alley went quiet. Everybody was staring at Ren, who stood before the gang.
They all thought he was normal. Just like them. Just like the rest of the gang. After all, why would a powerful man be selling herbs in a corner shop?
There was only one way for this to end. With Ren getting his ass beat.
As if the thought just occurred to him too, Ren's expression shifted in an instant.
He replaced the tight-lipped stare with a disarming smile, stepping forward with a casual shrug.
"Look, Petry, no need to wreck the place. I'll cover him this time."
Petry turned fully toward him, narrowing his eyes. The rest of the gang blinked in confusion at the change in attitude.
"Will you now?" Petry finally asked, his voice dry with amusement. "Well, well, well. Looks like our young friend has a heart."
He stepped closer until there was barely a breath of space between them. His smile had vanished.
"But you know," he added, voice lower, "this little act of yours? Gonna cost you double. One for the old man, one for your mouth."
Ren sighed, reaching into his pouch. "Fine. But that's the last of it."
He handed over the coins with an irritated scowl, but his smile returned the moment Petry turned to leave.
Petry jangled the coins in his hand and looked back at Gerran. "Won't be so merciful next time, old man. Remember that."
And with that, he and his gang moved on to the next shop.
Gerran let out a long breath, bending down to collect the boot Petry had stomped. His hand trembled slightly.
"You didn't have to do that," he muttered.
Ren waved the thanks off. "Don't worry about it. I was tired of hearing his laugh anyway."
Before Gerran could reply, soft footsteps echoed behind them.
Lilith appeared from the direction of their home, her snow white hair pulled into a loose braid, eyes curious as they scanned the street.
Her gaze immediately found the half-wrecked shoe shop.
"What happened here?"
Gerran straightened quickly, attempting a smile. "Nothing to worry about, miss. Your husband already handled it."
Lilith turned to Ren, blinking once before her expression melted into a warm smile.
"Did he now?"
She walked over and hugged him, resting her cheek against his shoulder for a second.
"Why didn't you wake me before you left?"
Ren pulled back with a grin, winking at her. "I figured you deserved the rest. Especially after last night."
Lilith's face flushed a bright pink as she pulled back, swatting him lightly on the arm.
"Idiot," she muttered, though the smile never left her lips.
She reached into the bag slung over her shoulder and handed him a lunch box.
"Here. Lunch. You burn too much energy playing hero."
Ren accepted the box with a grateful nod. "Perfect timing, as always."
Beside them, Gerran chuckled softly before returning to his workbench, the weight on his shoulders just a bit lighter.
With his good deed of the day done, Ren nodded to Lilith. "Let's go inside."
Walking into the shop, he shut the door behind them, turning the wooden sign to read Closed before drawing the curtain over the shop's front window.
The sound of the street dimmed behind the thick wood and cloth, and silence settled over the space, broken only by the quiet click of the lunch box latch.
Lilith opened it gently, the warm smell of cooked vegetables and seared meat wafting into the small shop.
She sat across from Ren at the low table, her expression calm, but her eyes alert. There was always something lurking beneath her softness, but right now, it was the calm of planning.
"Did Thorn find anything?" Ren asked in a hushed voice as he sat down.
Lilith nodded. "He did. Today's the day they gather the funds. Each branch of the gang's sending their money to the central vault. Thorn thinks the handover starts this afternoon."
Ren's grin was quick, the amusement reaching his eyes.
"Perfect," he said, reaching for a pair of chopsticks. "Then it's time."
He leaned back as he lifted a mouthful of food to his lips, chewing thoughtfully before continuing.
"I've been paying Petry with teleportation coins." He chuckled. "He thinks he's draining me dry by raising protection fees or threatening others."
Lilith tilted her head, smiling faintly. "So when they dump the money into the main vault…"
"We teleport in." Ren said, tapping his temple. "Rob them blind and vanish. Should be enough to get us access to the lower layers, especially if we're willing to pay for escort approval."
He swallowed another bite, then paused mid-chew, his eyes widening slightly.
"Gods," he muttered, "this is incredible. Did you put that pepper oil I like in here?"
Lilith blushed slightly, averting her gaze. "Just a few drops."
He grinned. "Perfect. You're perfect."
"Flatterer," she said, but her smile showed no sign of dimming.
They shared a quiet moment, eating in silence, the warmth of the shop sheltering them from the cold, stone city outside.
Then Ren reached into his pocket, pulling out a small folded note and passing it to Lilith.
"Give this to Thorn," he said. "Tell him to pull out of the gang. If he stays now, he'll just get caught up in the aftermath."
Lilith accepted the note with a single nod.
"With that note delivered, he'll meet us at the rendezvous. We're not coming back to this layer anytime soon."
She looked at him for a moment, her fingers closing around the message. "You're sure about this?"
Ren finished his bite and leaned back, folding his arms behind his head.
"As sure as I've ever been."
He grinned at his wife.
"It's time for us to begin the delve."