The Guardian

Chapter 35: Information Network

Aurora walked through some empty and lonely alleys of Atlantis City.

She was in the middle of tall buildings, in the back alleys where no one would go for fear that something bad would happen.

She had a clear objective and a guide telling her where to go.

“It’s in that door,” Liam said through her headphones.

Aurora hesitated for a moment, but since she had no other choice, she knocked on the door, following the rhythm Liam had mentioned to her.

Three long knocks and two quick knocks.

“Password?”

Eyes relieved at the small hatch in the door, and a thick voice sounded from the other side.

“Kittens are cute...” Aurora said with trembling lips.

The door opened immediately.

“Is this a joke?” Aurora asked before walking in.

That password was... ‘Different.’

“No,” Liam replied, and seeing that Aurora still didn’t come in, he muttered. “Who would think this is the right password to talk to the leaders of an information network?”

Aurora was speechless.

He was right... She had visited different local information networks, and each had strange methods of contacting them, but this was the one that surpassed all imagination.

Entering the building, the first thing she saw was a big man with firm muscles that made it clear to all who looked at him that he was a powerful fighter.

Specifically, an A-Rank fighter who served as only a guard for the information network.

The password discrepancy with a strong ‘gorilla’ guarding the entrance was huge.

“Follow me,” ordered the bouncer.

Aurora obeyed with a sigh.

“Don’t worry, these guys are reliable,” Liam commented confidently.

Following the bouncer, who continued down different corridors and then descended into the basement, Aurora froze when she reached the room where they were to meet.

It was a game room where men and women were playing computer games... Specifically, a shooting game.

They were so into the game that no one noticed Aurora’s presence... Or would it be better to say they ignored her?

“Boss has a visitor,” said the bouncer, approaching a woman.

The woman ignored the bouncer, but the next moment Aurora saw the character the woman was leading die... Knifed to death by an enemy coming from ahead, running straight at her.

She was terrible, and awful, but...

“Damn it, you got me killed!” Grumbled the woman getting up and throwing her headphones on the desk.

The bouncer just shrugged and walked away while everyone else continued to play, giving amused giggles.

“Liam, if this is a joke, I’ll tell Alice to beat the crap out of you,” Aurora whispered faintly.

What kind of information network was this?

She had known information networks that invited her to a quiet place to chat, but here they were all playing games...

“Aurora Campbell. Leader of the ‘Protectors of Zerzura’, welcome,” the woman said, and with a smile, introduced herself. “I am Serena Dolloway and I already have the information you requested.”

Aurora’s lips quivered as she heard the unofficial name of her group, which other people established without her noticing.

“Now you get it, boss. As bad as she is at playing games, she’s someone fit,” Liam commented in a serious tone.

That name was only known locally in and around Zerzura; it didn’t even appear in the mercenary guild’s report... Well, the one they officially disclosed to everyone who didn’t have enough authority.

“Shut up Liam! I’m not bad. It was that guy who interrupted me,” scolded Serena with a murderous expression looking down her neck.

Aurora’s lips quivered, but she recognized the woman’s ability.

She was wearing small earpieces that were practically not visible and had security measures so that ordinary individuals and some ability users with acute senses couldn’t hear her conversation.

But the woman did something different; she had just tapped into his communication network and was listening to it herself, using a strange talent.

Besides, Liam was watching through the camera on her neck that was practically invisible... That same camera Serena was watching.

With a dry cough, Serena passed some documents to Aurora and then explained. “The only people interested in the temporary dungeon that will open in a few days are mercenary groups and small adventurer guilds of Rank B or maybe A. But when they found out that the academy will take over the cleanup, they withdrew.”

Hearing those words, Aurora frowned and asked. “Anything else?”

She had asked Liam to get her the address of a good information network in Atlantis City; that was because the dungeon they had to clean up appeared here.

It was her job to be prepared for any situation, and in case the situation got more complicated than expected.

The information they would provide would make her realize if anything unusual happened, and if it did, it would give her time to prepare beforehand.

“Yes, a gang sought information about the dungeon. According to our source of information their leader thought they could take it for themselves if they moved the right contacts, however, they haven’t asked for any more information and haven’t made any moves since they found out the academy would be keeping it,” Serena replied with a calm expression.

“You have no information on demons? Illegal mercenaries or anything of relevance?” Aurora asked, interested.

That information wasn’t flashy at all, and while the ‘gang’ might get attention, there were so many insignificant gangs that it was hard to care about them.

Serena frowned slightly at that odd question but shook her head in the end.

“No, nothing remarkable has happened in the city,” Serena answered professionally, and before Aurora asked another strange question, she added. “And even if a demon deigned to perform something, it would be basically suicide to do it in this city.”

Aurora nodded, understanding her perspective a little.

To act illegally in this city and conspicuously would be practically suicide because of the top security of the city.

“Any situation, I’ll keep you informed. No need to worry,” Serena added with a soft smile.

“Thank you,” Aurora replied gratefully for the excellent service.

Liam had already made the payment, so there was nothing to worry about.

As she was leaving the building, she noticed the bouncer standing in the doorway playing; he seemed to be just like the others in that respect.

Shaking her head gently, she left the building and then followed the alleys down which she had come.

As she approached the main street, she noticed Alice waiting for her with a bag of chips in her hand.

“How was it?” Alice asked curiously.

“No relevant information,” Aurora replied, shaking her head.

Truth be told, she hadn’t expected the dungeon Professor Miller selected to be one that appeared in Atlantis City... Or would it be better to say it appeared on Atlantis Island.

Still, Aurora decided to investigate to see if there was any trace of the people she might attack or about anyone preparing something ‘dirty.’

For her, it was too risky to attack a place in Atlantis city because of the security portals that could move the authorities anywhere on the island.

“I guess they’ll attack the second group,” Aurora mused with disinterest.

Leslie and Andrés led the second group; this particular group was the other target most likely to be attacked.

The third group was Alice’s group, and this was the one with the least chance.

After all, there was an A-Rank as a member of the group, and worse yet, this member was strong enough to take on other A Ranks, that was showed in Greece.

Logically, several A-Ranks or a single S-Rank could defeat her, but someone with that strength would not risk such a plan.

So there were only two options left, and since this was the first option, Aurora had sought information, to be sure.

“Don’t underestimate the demons and the players,” Alice warned in a solemn tone, and when Aurora looked at her, she added. “They are insane and are likely to do as they wish regardless of the consequences.”

The ‘players’ were just the lunatics who did atrocities in Terra nova, and when they found out it was real, their mind was so affected that sometime later they still thought the same way.

Create a kingdom, become gods, conquer the world... The last such lunatic erased all of Jerusalem and started a great war to which he attracted tens of thousands of demons.

Aurora nodded at that reminder.

“Well, ‘beating’ an SS Rank and kidnapping the heroes of the academy would certainly raise any demon’s fame, allowing him to be recruited into any demon sect,” Alice added with a simple tone.

How much fame would a demon have when it abducted students from the prestigious hero academy after having carried out an attack on Atlantis city and getting away with it?

It was certainly possible that the demons would do something for that option... After all, once they entered a cult, they could receive whatever they ‘wished’ to the point that they could receive the blessing of the demon god that the cult worshipped.

Well, that’s what the recruiters were saying.

There were so many sects serving and worshipping all kinds of evil or demonic gods that it was hard to say whether any of them actually received a response from the existence they worshipped.

After all, in order to receive a response from higher existences, it was known that believers had to perform ‘sacrifices.’

Still, all such sects were dangerous, even if it was not full of lunatics.

“No matter what happens, I just have to take part,” Aurora said in a simple tone.

What mattered wasn’t whether or not it was going to happen; what mattered was that she was prepared... And she was.

 

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