082 Long Road Ahead

We switched vehicles often, making sure to never leave a predictable trail. One moment we were in a beat-up sedan, the next, we hopped onto a commuter bus, blending in with the crowd. At train stations, we would buy tickets to multiple destinations before choosing a completely different route at the last second. It was a game of misdirection, a dance of fake trails.

Leora leaned back in her seat, watching the city blur past through the train window. “So how long do you think this mission will run?”

I exhaled, calculating the moving pieces. “Three months?”

Leora gave me a skeptical look, resting her chin on her knuckles. “Hmmm… Your sense of time is wack, though.”

I scoffed. “Um… no? It isn’t my fault mission parameters can drastically change.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s exactly my point. You always think things will go according to plan, then something blows up, and suddenly, we’re dealing with an entirely different mess.”

I couldn’t deny that. Plans always changed. That was the nature of this world—especially with the World Order involved.

After days of constant movement—changing vehicles, switching trains, and throwing off any possible pursuers—we finally arrived at the World Wall. Specifically, the Eastern Wall.

The World Wall was as imposing as ever, a massive structure of reinforced stone and layered defenses stretching beyond the horizon. It wasn’t just a border; it was a statement. This was what protected and ensured the Claimed Lands wouldn’t fragment. Without it, the territories outside would bleed into the controlled zones, bringing chaos and destruction.

We approached the main gate, where intense security measures were in place. Towers loomed above, armed guards patrolled with a watchful gaze, and advanced detection systems scanned every individual that passed through. The entire area was built for efficiency and intimidation, discouraging anyone from trying anything foolish.

Leora and I walked forward without hesitation, producing our Hunter IDs. The officers barely gave us a second glance before waving us through. Hunters were allowed entry here, though we were still under scrutiny. It would take some time before information about our arrival circulated through the system, so we had to move fast.

Once inside, the city unfolded before us—Eastern Wall City.

The World Wall itself wasn’t just a barrier; it housed an entire city divided into four sectors, each corresponding to one of the great walls. It was a fortress, an independent ecosystem built to sustain those who lived and worked here. It had everything: trade, industry, military outposts, even entertainment districts. But beneath all of that was the ever-present weight of control. Every step here was monitored, every movement cataloged.

Leora adjusted her coat and glanced at me. “Plan’s pretty simple. We go to the Forbidden Region, find the World Order’s mobile headquarters, and then we punch them. As expected from my very knowledgeable husband.”

I caught the sarcasm in her tone.

“Correction,” I replied. “We talk to them. If they don’t like to talk, we then punch them. And then we talk again.”

Leora sighed. “Very funny.”

We walked through the streets of Eastern Wall City, blending in with the steady stream of people going about their daily lives. The city itself was surprisingly normal for a place built into a giant war fortress. If someone saw us now, they’d probably think we were just another couple out shopping, enjoying each other’s company.

I made jokes. Leora laughed. She made jokes. I laughed.

For a while, we were just two people, not fugitives, not Hunters on a mission—just us. It was nice.

We found a shop selling potions, tucked away between an armory and a general supply store. The potions here were expensive, but that was expected. Everything inside the World Wall had a huge markup. Still, we needed them. I grabbed a few stamina and healing potions, while Leora picked out an antidote set.

After securing them in our duffel bag, we shopped around some more, looking for gear.

"Selena taught me how to use a gun and a drone," I said, inspecting one of the hovering models on display.

"She teaches you one thing, and now you think you’re a pro?" Leora smirked.

"I never said that. But I can at least get them to work without blowing myself up."

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Leora sighed. "We should’ve bought drones outside. The ones here are overpriced as hell."

"Convenience tax," I replied.

"Scam tax," she muttered but still picked out a couple of models.

We continued our shopping spree, securing a buggy, a tent, and other necessities for the journey ahead. Every purchase was carefully considered—not just for survival, but for staying mobile.

Once everything was packed, we were ready.

Leora adjusted her katana at her waist. "Alright. Time to go punch some secret overlords."

"Correction—talk first, punch second."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Let’s go."

With that, we proceeded with our adventure.

Leora was on driving duty, which made sense—her reflexes were way sharper than mine. But that also meant I had to put up with her driving style.

The second she hit the accelerator, I knew I was in for a ride. The buggy shot forward, kicking up dust as she maneuvered through the winding roads leading out of Eastern Wall City.

Leora let out a loud, cackling laugh, gripping the steering wheel like some kind of lunatic.

“Hahahaha! This thing’s got some real kick! Maybe I should drive like this all the time!”

“Leora, for the love of everything, at least pretend you care about traffic laws!” I shouted, gripping my seat for dear life.

“What traffic laws? We’re in a fortress city at the edge of civilization! The only rule here is don't die!”

“Exactly! And you’re doing a great job making that difficult!”

She swerved sharply around a slower vehicle, narrowly missing it. The driver honked in protest, but Leora only grinned.

“I should get into racing. I think I’d be amazing at it.”

“You’d be banned from it. Immediately.”

She cackled again, shifting gears and picking up even more speed.

The buggy bounced over the uneven terrain as we left the city outskirts.

I was seriously considering switching to the driver’s seat the next time we stopped. But for now, I just held on and hoped we’d survive this joyride.

The ruined highways vanished rather quickly, giving way to a rough, beaten path through the dense forest. The canopy overhead blocked out much of the sunlight, casting long shadows across the dirt road. It was eerily quiet—no other vehicles in sight.

Leora, for once, was keeping to a reasonable speed limit. No reckless driving here. It wasn’t because she’d suddenly gained a sense of caution, though—it was because this was cryptid territory. If something decided to pounce on us, she wanted to have enough reaction time to either dodge or fight back.

I, on the other hand, was focused on my smartphone, trying to get a signal. The connection flickered in and out as we moved, but eventually, I got through. The screen lit up with an incoming video call. I tapped the button.

Selena’s face appeared on the screen, dimly lit by whatever light source she had nearby. It was dark on her side.

"Reynard," she greeted, tilting her head. "Took you long enough to call. I was starting to think you got yourselves killed."

"Still alive. We made it past Eastern Wall City and into the Forbidden Region," I said. "Things got complicated back at Temon. It was the World Order after all."

Selena let out a sharp breath. "Figured. What’s your plan now?"

I glanced at Leora, who was keeping her eyes on the road but was clearly listening. "We’re heading deeper in. If they wanted to kill me, they wouldn’t have sent that much firepower. They want something. We’re going to find out what."

"Good luck with that." Selena sighed. "You sure you two don’t want backup?"

Leora cut in. "How’s Leon?"

Selena turned her camera around for a second, showing Leon curled up under a thick blanket. He was fast asleep.

"He’s fine," she said. "Still a little ball of energy during the day, but he crashes hard at night. Kid’s a menace."

Leora chuckled. "Yeah… sounds like him."

Selena turned the camera back to herself. "So, what else is up?"

"Not much," I said. "Just trying not to die. You?"

"Enjoying my vacation."

"Since when is running away from secret organizations and taking care of a kid considered a vacation?"

"Since I get to do whatever I want while doing it," she said with a smirk.

Leora snorted. "Sounds about right."

We talked for a bit longer—mostly about mundane things. It was nice, a temporary distraction from everything. But eventually, we had to end the call and refocus.

The road ahead was only going to get more dangerous.

We had been cruising through the dense forest for a while when I spotted something up ahead. A massive figure stood in the middle of the road, holding what looked like a tree trunk.

"Is that a troll?" I asked.

"Fuck him," Leora said, completely unfazed.

Trolls were bad news. They weren’t just big—they were terrifyingly strong, and their healing factor made them even worse. Some pharmaceutical companies even used troll blood for making high-grade potions, which was why hunting them was both lucrative and incredibly risky.

Leora punched the gas.

The troll let out a guttural roar, lifting the tree trunk over its head, ready to bring it down on us. I scrambled to the back of the buggy, grabbing the anti-materiel rifle we had bought earlier. I didn’t get many chances to use one of these, but if there was ever a time—

Before I could even fire, Leora vanished from the driver’s seat.

Oh shit—

A blur of motion, and in the next instant, the troll was bisected at the waist. A fine mist of blood sprayed through the air as Leora landed gracefully from her mid-air strike. The top half of the troll hit the ground with a dull thud, its lifeless fingers still clutching the tree trunk.

Meanwhile, the buggy—still accelerating—raced forward, about to crash into the remains.

And then, as if she had planned for this, Leora flipped through the air, landed back on the buggy’s frame, and slithered seamlessly into the driver’s seat, taking control before we crashed.

I slowly lowered the rifle, still lying across the buggy’s back.

"...Show-off," I muttered.

Leora grinned, not even out of breath. "You love it."

I huffed, shaking my head, and returned to my seat. The buggy sped on, leaving the troll’s corpse behind us. Leora kept her grip firm on the wheel as the buggy sped down the rough dirt path, leaving the bisected troll behind us. The scent of blood still lingered in the air, but she didn’t seem to care.

"Don’t waste bullets if we can deal with it up close," she said, giving me a smug side glance.

"You are so hot," I muttered, still slightly in awe.

Leora smirked. "Damn right I am."

She revved the engine, kicking up dust as we continued deeper into the wilderness.