People in the Alliance, Time Management Master

The latter term is somewhat ambiguous. Some say "howling" refers to his angry roar, while others say it refers to the wails of the victims.

But regardless, everyone who saw him and survived shared a consensus—don't bleed in front of Warwick, not even a drop.

"The air here... is so pungent..."

Warwick shook his head, stood up, and walked step by step out of the alley. Green saliva dripped down his teeth, down his deformed, wolf-like face, and finally fell to the ground with a dripping sound.

I shouldn't be here... he thought, it's all that wretched woman who's half human and half machine's fault.

Ah... don't let me catch you alone...

What I smell on you is not just the stench of rust, but also the bloody stench of sin...

Hmm... the taste of fresh blood...

Warwick shook his head a few more times, trying to banish the memory of the woman with the knife-like legs from his mind. He had more important things to do now, and he couldn't let those things affect his already chaotic consciousness.

He huddled in the shadows, his eyes, gleaming with a fierce light, fixed on the distance.

There were four gang members and a crying girl.

“I know you, baby,” said one of the Gray Nail gang members. His ears were pierced with numerous earrings. “You’re Bergen’s errand boy, aren’t you? What did that pervert say to you?”

"I...I don't know...Please, don't..."

Clutching her means of survival—a communication tube given to her by a gang—the girl sobbed softly as she peered into the dark corner behind the other person, looking for an opportunity to escape.

"You don't know? Heh, I don't know either." The Gray Nail Gang member grinned lewdly, tapping the communication tube in the girl's arms with his dagger, making no attempt to hide his two purposes:

"We want to have some fun, honey."

The gang of thugs were completely unaware that a pair of eyes were watching them from a distance.

Warwick wasn't in a hurry to leave, even though his claws, yearning for flesh and blood, were reaching outwards, and the alchemical jar was injecting tangible anger and desire into his blood.

He saw the ringleader knock the communication tube from the girl's hand. That message was likely worth more than their lives.

Those were tickets that allowed them to leave this tragic abyss and go to another abyss that was slightly less tragic.

The Gray Nail Gang members grabbed the girl. She screamed helplessly, accompanied by waves of alluring struggle.

Immediately afterwards, a flash of light appeared, and the rusty dagger in the girl's hand slashed a shallow cut on a gang member's face.

Then... the smell of blood filled the air.

The smell ignited a nameless fire within Warwick.

The liquid storage tank behind him started pumping drugs, and he completely lost control.

A terrifying roar interrupted the Gray Nail Gang members.

"It's it! The Howling Ghost!" The leader was the first to react, abandoning the disheveled girl and running away as fast as he could.

But how can a human outrun a wolf?

Warwick's shadow was faster than a flash of light, and in the blink of an eye, he pounced on him, and red mist immediately splattered from the walls of the alley.

The person turned into pieces, scattered on the abandoned gravel road.

"Damn it! Split up! Split up!" someone shouted again. They were terrified the moment they saw the claws, and couldn't muster the slightest thought of resisting.

Fleeing might mean survival; fighting will surely lead to death.

They don't want to become the Howler's pre-meal exercise tool.

"The hunt... has begun..."

Warwick grinned, his jaws bulging, and shook himself excitedly. The machine pumped the medication again, and his limbs surged with power.

"Cat and mouse game..."

Amid the chaos, the screams grew louder and louder. The girl from before had vanished without a trace, and the communication tube was left abandoned on the ground, its seal broken.

A red mist churned in Warwick's mind. Everything became blurry, everything was forgotten.

Everything was covered in blood.

The fighting lasted a long time until night returned to its silent embrace.

Warwick spat out a leg bone, surrounded by severed limbs and blood.

He didn't know if he had saved the girl or if he had torn her to pieces in his bloodlust.

In short, it's quiet now...

..............................

The nights in the underground area are much quieter and darker than in the middle-level plaza.

Mu Bai, using a rather flimsy flashlight, carefully descended the shrill elevator. The operator sniffed, then impatiently pressed the button and slid up.

"It stinks..." Mu Bai tried his best to pinch his nose, but the air mixed with industrial waste still managed to get into his alveoli, making his chest feel stuffy.

A faint bluish-green light suddenly appeared in the shadows ahead of the road.

Then came the sound of a sharp blade scraping against the ground.

"Welcome, the newest spy of the Philos family," said the eternally youthful woman.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Ubiquitous Rampaging Lolita

The unchecked development of unstable technologies and reckless industries has polluted large areas of Zaun, making living conditions increasingly dangerous.

Highly toxic wastewater accumulates in the downstream areas of the city, and endless industrial emissions bring smog that burns the lungs of every pedestrian. The air is filled with the smell of chemicals, as if a deep breath could singe your nose hairs.

Many unemployed gamblers and victims of alchemical technology huddled in the shadows, their greedy eyes scrutinizing all the "upper class" descending from the screaming elevators, trying to find a suitable target for robbery.

"Don't make eye contact with them, just keep walking."

Camille, draped in burlap, offered a soft reminder. She had been to the Ditch District many times and had seen many crazed criminals; she knew exactly how to deal with them.

"They can't do anything to you, but their harassment will show you what disgusting is."

"Understood, Miss Camille." Mu Bai nodded, pulling his hat brim down slightly to cover half of his face.

"You should change how you address me."

"Ok?"

“Madam, or Inspector. That’s what the Philos family calls me… Besides, do you think it’s appropriate to call me Miss?”

Mu Bai looked at the woman's mocking gaze and shook his head helplessly. Indeed, it wasn't appropriate to call an eighty-year-old woman "Miss."

As for "Madam"? Hmm... she looks too old, and it doesn't sound good either.

"You'll stay young forever, Inspector Camille."

“Thanks to Hextech.” Camille pressed a slender finger to her chest, beneath which lay a crystal that granted her eternal youth and immunity to disease. “Praise be to the Feros family.”

“Praise Firos,” Mu Bai echoed.

After a few slogan-like praises, the two walked along the dark alley and soon arrived at the safe house of the Philos family's secret agents in the Zaun Ditch area.

A dilapidated bungalow with a decent interior.

The house is a single-story building with a small attic, two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a separate bathroom. The area is not very large.

But for a small spy outpost, it was already quite good.

“This house is yours from now on.” The brass key twirled a few times on Camille’s fingertip before landing steadily on the table. “You can do whatever you want here, just don’t expose yourself.”

"Give me alone?" Mu Bai was taken aback. At first, he thought the room would be crammed with at least four or five strong men.

It's not easy to establish a base in the trenches without arousing suspicion... No wonder it's the Philos family; they're not just rich and powerful.

"Otherwise what? You don't necessarily want to live with me, do you?" Camille smiled. "The more people there are, the greater the risk of exposure, understand?"

Mu Bai gave an awkward smile and stopped worrying about it.

"Although you are very capable, there is still much to learn about being a secret agent. For example, tracking, counter-tracking, investigation, and so on."

Camille sat leisurely on the sofa, with tea set and kettle on the cabinet beside her—these were essential items wherever she might stay for an extended period.

She placed a glass pot on the almost invisible flame of the chemical torch, and soon the faint sound of liquid sloshing around could be heard.

"I'll give you an adjustment period, about three days to a week. You need to use this time to get familiar with your surroundings, understand?"

"Received." Mu Bai bowed and replied.

Camille nodded in satisfaction, and continued as she poured tea:

"Let me tell you more about the mission... We need to capture an alchemical monster that suddenly appeared in Zaun. Its name is Warwick, or howling monster."

"Four days ago, we conducted a raid on it. But unfortunately, it escaped, and during the operation, it killed two respectable detectives."

"The good news is that we successfully cornered it in the trench area, and it's now lurking in some dark corner..."

"Now, your task is to familiarize yourself with the surroundings as quickly as possible, await my instructions, and be ready to participate in the next operation, understand?"

"Understood." Mu Bai took the teacup handed to him, secretly thinking: This woman really likes to end with "Do you understand?"

"That's all for now." Camille put down her half-full cup of hot tea, stood up, and left behind a heavy cloth bag before leaving.

Judging from the clinking sound, it must have been a large bag full of silver wheels.

"Take care of your own meals. Also, there's a detailed map of the drainage area in the closet in the master bedroom; you can take it out and memorize it when you have time. That's all, see you later."

"See you."

The sound of metal scraping against the floor gradually faded away, followed by a slight rustling sound of rope.

Once Camille's figure had completely disappeared into the night, Mu Bai stretched lazily and then strolled around the house, taking in the sights.

The room was clean; while not spotless, it was clear that someone had cleaned it.

The master bedroom is somewhat empty, with only a large bed and a cabinet. The windows are not fitted with safety nets, so in case of an emergency, one can simply jump out of the window to escape or pursue the enemy.

Besides a map, the cabinet also contained a number of sharp weapons, presumably to make it convenient for the agents to access them anytime, anywhere.

"Not bad." After looking around, Mu Bai sat down on the bedside. The soft down reminded him of the Simmons mattress he used to sleep on.

Compared to the miserable undercover agents in TV dramas, this kind of agent life is simply paradise.

That's great.

Speaking of which... dealing with Camille's attempt to capture Warwick is no easy task.