The Dark King

by Steffen Schmidt

  Scott laughed.

  ...

  ...

  At the same time, in a secret caste in the commercial district.

  A black crow flew into the castle through the window on the second floor. There was an envelope attached to its claw.

  The room was very luxurious and spacious. Long carpet covered the floor. There was a large red wooden desk in the middle of the room. Fat, middle-aged man leaned against the chair behind the desk. He was playing around with pencil when the envelope fell onto the table.

  He frowned slightly. He tore apart the envelope and took the letter. Faint but dense aroma struck his nose as he read the letter. As he reached the last paragraph of the letter he face changed: "Brian did not come back? How is that possible? He was meant to be a supporting character on the battlefield! How the hell he didn't come back?"

  He stared at the stationery as there was uncertainty in his face.

  The consortium sets time to hunters and scavengers that they tasks. The consequences of the violation is extremely serious. If they don't come back on time then there is 70% probability that they are dead. The remaining 30% is likely that they are at the edge of death, trapped or have encountered with a temporary crisis and failed to return in time.

  However, Brian's situation was different.

  Because he was not meant to be hunting in the gray area. He was responsible for finishing work at the border. It was a low risk factor task. If he didn't come back on time then the possibility of the death was high!

  His hands were trembling as he held the letter while there was anger in his heart. He was responsible for Brian as a hunter. If Brian was dead then his position in the consortium will also be impacted. His earning would fall a lot too.

  "If you haven't followed the directions and entered the gray area, then no wonder that you have come back. I won't be able to bear the responsibility!" He murmured. "However, if Brian's body is found in area no 8. It would mean that he was killed by the hunters of other consortia who had sneaked into our territory. That would be our consortium's intelligence problem!"

  He immediately raised the quill pen and rapidly began to write the command to be passed out. The matter have to be investigated thoroughly!

  After all, even though Mellon consortium was big enough to bear loss of a hunter, but it was not a trivial matter. Such a strange loss may be related to intelligence loopholes or a spy had infiltrated their consortium!

  ...

  ...

  Commercial district. Mellon Foundation Scavengers Headquarters.

  Two pieces of information quickly were passed.

  The first floor of the headquarters building was responsible for receiving and processing basic information. The second floor was meant for the administration and management dealing with important things related to scavengers. At the moment, two pieces of information were sent to a spacious office in the second floor.

  "Information from the Hunter headquarters?" Bearded, 40 years old middle-aged man dressed in a suit whispered as he the information on his desk. Once upon a time he was a housekeeper of Mel family. But as he earned Mel family head's respect and love he was deployed here to manage scavengers. However, the identity of the man was more greater right now.: "A hunter didn't come back from the area no 8? Strange, wasn't the area no 8 cleaned? Only a few undeads would be roaming around. How could a hunter can't come back?!"

  Middle-aged man stared at the stationery and then frowned, "It seems these pricks want to blame us and use as a scapegoat! "

  He had operated scavenger's headquarters for more than ten years. He immediately figured out the meaning behind the words. His face was a bit gloomy. If a spy was detected within scavengers then the scavenger headquarters' staff would suffer a backlash or even punished badly. There was no indispensable man.

  He also felt helpless, as loss of a hunter couldn't be compared to hundreds of scavengers who couldn't make up to come back on time.

  The middle-aged man sighed and put the letter aside. He open the second the second envelope. There was not much written and the content was very briefly descripted everything. He was startled: "Someone turned over 'cold crystals'. Dean...Dean...This name... Isn't he the seed of the scavenger training camp?"

  Suddenly he laughed out loud: "This little guy. Quite smart! He is really the seed of the special training! It is worth for consortium to invest vigorous capital to cultivate him."

  His previous depressed mood instantly changed. Originally, recruiting Dudian was a happy event for Scavenger Headquarters. Because they had gone through Dudian's resume. His body radiation level was very low. Although not a "light physique" but there was a glimmer of hope for him to become a hunter. Only, they were not willing to invest capital into his training. After this, they would!

  If Dudian becomes a hunter in the future, it would be a feat written under his name too!

  He put the letter on top of the previous one. If the cold crystals were picked up by consortium scavengers then he would associate it with the death of hunter. Maybe they would even go for a deep investigation. But now the object was Dudian so he dismissed the idea.

  First reason he did so because Dudian graduated from the regular scavenger training, but also he was the seed object. No consortim would be stupid enough to send a person with such a potential to become a spy! Secondly, from the beginning, all consortiums and military were prohobited from contacting scavengers while in special training.

  Therefore, after the graduation the consortiums could only tempt the graduates by coming up with benefits. But they couldn't contact them privately. No consortium would break the rules!

  Therefore, the only possible group where spies lurked could be the scavengers cultivated by the consortium. The rules were more slack while the consortium itself trained them.

  ...

  Chapter 75: Magic marks

  Dudian and the rest had already cleaned themselves and put on new clothes. He was sitting on the bed and chatting with Mason.

  The basement's door was pushed open as a team of people came in. There were six people. Four guards from the church were escorting two people who were wearing white gowns. They had white masks on their face and were carrying their own medical boxes.

  "Everyone is ready to be examined?! Strip your clothes!" One of the guards shouted.

  Scott has repeatedly experienced this beforehand. So he took them off as they were ordered. Mason and Dudian who saw Scott followed him by taking off their clothes one by one. Fortunately, both of the doctors were men. Or else they would be shy and embarrassed by being naked in front of the opposite sex.

  "Turn to sides."

  "Well, turn around."

  Doctors stood outside the iron cage and inspected them one by one.

  Dudian and others followed their orders and turned their bodies according to doctor's orders.

  "What is this injury?" The doctor asked as he pointed to the scar on Mason's back.

  Mason quickly answered: "It is a scratch that happened because of friction when moving things. Its been there for a long time!"

  The doctor nodded as he carefully looked at the scar. Later he made a record in the book on his hand: "Scar at the back. Injury time, speculated to be more than four years. Determined that there is no infection. "

  Finished, continue to look at the next one.

  "Huh!" Suddenly, another doctor shouted in fear while staring at blood-like red marks at Dudian's chest. He leaned to the iron pillor to look carefully. He was surprised as he said: "Magic marks?"

  The other doctor who heard his words also froze for a moment and immediately turned to check.

  Dudian's heart moved. "Magic marks? Do they know about this?"

  Scott who was next to Dudian was stunned as he said: "Magic marks? Dean has magic marks?"

  Dudian didn't think that Scott knew this thing. Looking at his appearance Scott didn't seem to recognize the red marks on his chest. Most probably he had heard about 'magic marks' thing but never saw any
.

  Both doctors were staring at Dudian in amazement: "How could you?! You are a scavenger. How will you have magic marks?"

  Dudian was also puzzled: "What is the magic marks?

  Scott had already noticed the strange looks from both doctors. He heard Dudian's question and immediately said: "Dean, " magic marks" appear on hunters. It is the root cause why hunter's are far stronger than scavengers. Magic marks grant exclusive powers to hunters. It is said that the variety of amazing abilities come with different magic marks. Some hunters can make metal corrode, while other's can percieve everything in their perspective... All these capabilities are the result of magic marks! "

  He looked at Dudian's chest and saw the blood-red tissues that were above it: "I did not expect that magic marks looks like this. Dean, you were born with magic marks so no wonder your strength was so strong. You are a hunter! "

  He looked at Dudian with full of envy but he was not jealous. Because he knew that not everyone was blessed with magic marks.

  Dudian was stunned.

  Scars that form after the worm drills into the body is called magic marks?

  Every hunter has them?

  So, isn't he considered a true hunter now?

  Both doctors deeply looked at Dudian. One of them said: "Even though we don't know how the magic marks had appeared on your chest, but it should be related to your body. Is it alright if we test your body?"

  Dudian has long been worried about the hidden dangers of the worm so he immediately agreed.: "I'll be troubling you two."

  "Do not bother! If the test result are as we expected and confirm you as a hunter then you don't have to be polite with us." The attitude of the doctors were modest and there were smiles on their faces.

  Dudian suddenly realized the gap between hunters and scavengers. His heart was relieved too. Since the other hunters have magic marks too, then he would not stand out. As a result there should not be any hidden dangers.

  Dudian put his arm out from the gap of the iron pillars to make it easier for doctors to do the check up. One of the doctors pulled out a small glass from the medical box. It was the radiometer.

  Dudian understood that they want to test his body's radiation leve. So he speculated that the hunters who had magic marks on them had radiation value lower than normal people was because of them. After all, the biggest difference between hunters and scavengers was their radiation value not strength!

  Soon, the doctor extracted blood from Dudian's fingers and dropped onto radiometer for measurement.

  Dudian's vision was completely different from his original condition. He saw a small red line that slowly crawled up a bit but then softly slide down. This time he clearly saw that this red line was a hair-like worm!

  So each radiometer has such a worm inside?

  No wonder, in this era where technology was so behind, to measure the radiation content of human body they were using such mysterious small worms. Most of these worms, even the one that was used to check him in the hunter castle, could induce the radiation levels.

  "Soo low!" Both doctors responded at the same time because of radiometer's results. Both were surprised as they dawn over to see the exactly value of the radiation content. "No wonder, there was a magic mark in his body." They secretly thought.

  However, they couldn't understand how come Dudian was allocated to scavengers group? Was it the error of the consortium?

  They didn't dare to think about the reasons. After all, this matter is decided on top and had nothing to do with them. As long as they did their job, they wouldn't be concerned with anything else.

  "Well, we'll submit the results!" one of the doctors told Dudian politely: "You have a hunter 's body. I believe in short time you will be promoted by the consortium. I would like to congratulate you in advance!"

  Dudian saw the change in their attitudes. He was not used to something like that when people sucked up to him. But he thought that this is how the world worker so he didn't think it was hypocritical. He frankly answered: "Thank you two."

  Both of the doctors smiled then turned to check the rest. After the recorded the details of the check up they left the basement with four guards.

  "Dean you have became a hunter!" Scott said to Dudian as the doctors and guards left. There was pleasant surprise reflected in his eyes. Moreover it was a heaven-sent opportunity to be in close contact with a hunter. If he could get close to Dudian, then his future will be better than many. Moreover as long as Dudian backed him up a bit in the future his scavenging results would improve a lot!

  It was reality. It was the hunter's influence!

  Mason, Zach and Sham were equally surprised to find out that Dudian was hunter. They were envious and happy for him.

  "We have a patron!... haha... " Mason laughed out loud.

  Zach said: "Did not expect that Dean would mysteriously become a hunter. I suspect that it was because of the coma!"

  Sham added: "Dean has long been known as a seed of the training group. As long as he had good performance sooner or later he would have the opportunity to become a hunter. I didn't think that he would become one know. Still so young, I don't know what kind of reward the consortium will give to Dean."

  They were excited.

  Dudian looked at their happy faces. He touched his chest. It seems that the hunter tried to ambush the beast mostly for the worms. However if that hunter had magic marks, then why would he be after it? Could it be that even if you have magic marks, you can use others to enhance or increase your abilities?

  Speaking of ability, he thought of his super smell.

  This should be his magic mark exclusive ability.

  Dudian thought of Scott 's words and asked him, "Do you know what the hunter' s magic marks are? What are their general ability? Would it be threat to me?"

  Scott scratched his head in ignorance: "I only know few things. I heard that there are a wide variety of abilities. It shouldn't be a threat to you... To tell the truth I don't know much. After you are promoted to a hunter status by the consortium, someone will inform you about specifics."

  Dudian thought the same way...

  ...

  ...

  Chapter 76: Investigations

  Outside the giant wall of Silva. Area no 8 belonging to Mellon consortium

  Red flag of Mellon consortium was inserted on area no 8's edge marking that it belonged to them. Three figures rapidly passed by the flag. A breeze occurred because of their speed which made the flag wave in air.

  They were extremely fast, as if they were not humans but three black cheetahs. They jumped through the broken ruins of the street flexiblely. Occasionally large walls of buildings would block their movement, but they would gently step on rocks and climb over as if no terrain or barrier could block them.

  Soon, they meet two aimlessly wandering undeads. Their clothes were tattered into fragments which hang over. Their gray skin was revealed.

  "Hm!" Delicate woman with a scarlet red hair was leading the group of three. She didn't reduce her speed at all because of the undeads. Instead her speed rapidly increased. Before undeads could react, she was already in front of them.

  The next moment, she was standing in the middle of two undeads.

  Thump! Thump! Heads of undeads fall to the ground, rolled out as they came to stop.

  Two figures who were following the woman followed her. The wind created by their speed blew over the heads of undeads.

  "There are still undeads in here. Area no 8 was really upturned!" Youth on the left looked back as his face slightly changed.

  The youth on the right had a worried expression as he looked at woman in front. He sighed and said: "I wish to have fun..."

  "Do not distract!" The woman with the scarlet red hair yelled: "Gale, do you smell my brother? "

  The youth on the left replied: "No ... Hey!" Suddenly he stopped and looked at the right side of the street as if he was scared of something. He spoke in an alarming tone: "This smell... Is it a beast?"
r />   Woman suddenly stopped, looking back at him.

  Gale's eyes flashed for a moment as he said: "Come with me. Maybe you brother is here. " He run along the street.

  Soon, all three of them came to the front of a collapsed building. Gale concentrated for sometime and then went towards a hole. The woman and the other youth followed him into the hole and passed through a passage.

  Gale stopped inside the passage and looked towards the source of buzzing sound which he heard. There was a slight voice coming from the darkness. He raised his hand an lit a wax. Dark corridor was illuminated.

  Their faces changed at the sight.

  "It really is a level 9 beast! "Gale breathed lightly as if scared.

  The other youth mysteriously spoke: "A rare monster such as this would appear in area no 8 and actually died in here?"

  Woman carefully looked into his eyes and spoke in a cold tone: "It was burned alive... Hum... Useless death!"

  Gale regained his consciousness (he was afraid as he saw the beast) as he suddenly said: "You see, only its head was cut open. We all know that their brains are useless. Moreover, those special body parts were not removed. It seems whoever killed the beast was likely a novice hunter!"

  "There are no new hunters who had joined our consortium." The other youth said.

  Woman sneered: "It shows that the hunters from another consortium broke the rules and entered our region. Moreover, they have caused quite a chaos."

  Gale slightly nodded, suddenly he twitched his nose as he said: "I seem to sense the smell of your brother."

  "Ah?" Woman's eyebrows lifted the same moment.

  Gale's face became a bit ugly: "Its emitted from the beasts body... I hope... "

  Woman's tone instantly changed: "Stop blabbering nonsense!"

  Gale, holding the flame, went towards the burned body of the beast. The smell was coming from the gap of its claw where a finger thick piece of uniform was stuck.

  "This ... " Gale took out the fragment of the uniform: "This is your brother's."

  Woman's face changed as her dark pupils gently contracted. Color of her pupils somewhat changed to blood red. She was trembling as she slowly came to the front of Gale. She got stunned while looking at the soft fragment of the uniform in Gale's hand. She was aware the Gale's tracking ability by smell was never wrong. Moreover, she also understood that if her brother was caught in the beast's reach there was no way for him to survive. She knew how everything would end.