Chapter 59

Without hesitation, Lennok brushed off the talisman and chose an entrance to step inside. A person leaning against the door, fanning incense, quickly turned his head.

A boy who looked to be in his mid-teens. His youthful appearance belied the fact that he was working in such a place. His expression was very calm.

Lennok looked at the boy with curious eyes, as this was the first time he had encountered such a young co-worker in this line of work.

Likewise, the boy openly scanned Lennok from head to toe before nonchalantly uttering a word.

"I never said I was open for business."

"If the entrance is open, isn't it open for customers?"

"........"

With an inexplicably sullen gaze fixed on Lennok, the boy reluctantly nodded.

"....Sit."Vissit novelbin(.)c.om for updates

As Lennok settled down in the small room designed for sitting on the floor, he presented the collected blood.

"I'm searching for someone. I want to know whose blood this is."

The place Lennok had visited, carrying a bloodstain that had disrupted his tracking spell, was indeed a den of blood mages.

While he could have left the blood at a research facility for component analysis to track its origin, he believed it would be more efficient to seek the assistance of those specialized in blood rituals, even if it meant incurring additional costs.

He had considered seeking help from blood mages in the past when chasing Taylor Evans, but Jenny had advised against it due to the substantial labor costs.

However, no one surpassed blood mages when it came to extracting and dealing with information related to blood on a professional level.

The boy retorted grumpily.

"Three million cells, upfront. Additional costs will apply for any extra work."

When Lennok silently placed a stack of cash next to the blood, the boy immediately picked up the money and the bloodstain.

Carefully, the boy positioned the blood sample on an old table and brought his index finger closer.

The vibrant red glow extracted from the blood seeped into the boy's finger, and before long, he began to speak.

"There's a mixture of blood from three people."

"Three?"

"One man in his 40s, and a man and woman in their 20s."

Madison and the robbers, two people, perhaps.

While lost in thought, Lennok listened intently as the boy continued to speak without hesitation.

"The man in his 40s doesn't exhibit signs of mana mastery, while the other two have a high concentration of mana. All three individuals have injuries on the tips of their fingers. From the distinct scent of iron, it appears they intentionally cut themselves with a blade."

"......What?"

"The blood has been exposed to the open air for approximately 30 hours. The two in their 20s are mana users, so I will need to employ magic once again... However, I can provide the location of the man in his 40s right now."

".........."

Lennok found it surprisingly helpful to extract such detailed information from just a few drops of blood.

While it wouldn't be enough to identify the blood's owner on its own, when combined with various underworld intelligence and the circumstances of the case, it could significantly narrow down the list of suspects.

This was precisely why blood mages were consistently in demand, despite the fatal drawback of paying with their own life force. They always had a steady stream of work.

According to Jenny, even the city government's investigative agencies frequented this area. The utility they offered, assuming blood as a medium, was not something that could be summarized in a single word.

Of course, all these advantages only applied to those without strong targeting resistance like Lennok, or those lacking significant abilities.

Considering the number of deaths in this vast city every day, not much had changed.

The boy, who had been speaking up until now, suddenly fell silent and looked up at Lennok.

"From this point forward, there will be additional costs."

"Additional costs?"

"To locate the man and woman in their twenties, it will cost 12 million cells. And for the man in his forties, it will be four million cells."

As expected, the cost was burdensome.

No, it was significantly higher than what Jenny had mentioned.

Rather than responding directly, Lennok posed a question to the boy.

"How much does it cost to classify each mixed bloodstain?"

"What?"

Ignoring the boy's puzzled response, Lennok pulled out more cash from his pocket.

Thunk!

Five million cells in cash, withdrawn directly from the bank on his way to the den.

Lennok placed the deposit and all the remaining money on the old table, then spoke.

"Five million cells, including the cost of classifying the mixed blood belonging to exactly three people..."

If the blood wasn't mixed, it was possible to specify the direction to some extent using bloody chase.

Although it was not as efficient as pinpointing a location with blood magic, there was no need to spend money needlessly.

Lennok took a firm stance, and the boy slowly nodded.

"It's a bit short."

"........"

"I'm not haggling because I enjoy money. If it's not money, propose a suitable form of compensation."

The boy's tone was surprisingly relaxed.

After all, as soon as the police start their crackdown in earnest, the information will quickly lose its value.

The boy may think there's a surplus, but to Lennok, it's merely adding certainty to a rumor that will soon be spreading.

Rather than wasting time on this occasion to save Sebastian's money, it's more efficient to show a bit of goodwill and maintain a somewhat positive relationship with the blood mage.

However, the boy clenched his teeth and stepped closer, extending the money.

"If you're a professional, calculate it correctly. Take it."

".......Alright."

Lennok, who had been observing the situation with an indifferent expression, accepted the money offered by the boy with a small chuckle.

It wasn't just the precise calculation of the money that impressed him; it was also the boy's unwavering pride.

Running a business alone at such a young age, the boy was not an ordinary novice.

"My name is Ryan Aiter. Remember that."

"Why should I?"

"So you can find me when you need a Blood Mage again."

The boy forced a smirk as he spoke.

"I'm not bragging, but I'm a genius who mastered blood magic at the age of 15. There's no one in this field who can handle blood better than me. Don't waste your time looking for someone else, come to me from now on."

"........."

Is he saying this to verify Lennok's ability and build a continuous relationship with him?

Even though his approach isn't refined, it seems like he roughly understands what's important in this field.

Just like his slightly off-kilter attitude when he first met, he's a boy who seems naive, yet somehow keen.

As if watching someone who had just stumbled onto this street for the first time.

Unconsciously, the corners of Lennok's mouth curled up, but he didn't respond.

Instead, he moved on and soon left District 44.

If circumstances allowed, they might meet again somewhere other than this place.

Lennok couldn't guarantee even such chance encounters with the boy.

He had no leisure to make promises for the future.

All he could ensure was his unwavering determination and the success of the task he had undertaken.

As soon as he left Area 44, he activated the magic [Bloody Chase] on the blood classified as belonging to a man in his twenties.

As expected, the red thread of magic completed without interruption this time.

The thread glanced at Lennok once, coiling around his hair, before immediately slithering between his legs and beginning to move.

Lennok followed the thread slowly.

‘It reminds me of a few months ago.'

Even when he first used this magic, he was so short on mana that he was nervous about not heading toward the undeveloped district while chasing the offender.

It was still difficult to say that he had enough mana, but at least he was confident enough to keep the thread crawling in front of him from breaking.

He could speed up the thread, but then it would be harder for Lennok to follow.

In order to follow the [Bloody Chase] that suddenly veers off the road, he needed to slow down a bit.

‘......No, it wasn't veering off the road.'

It was just that the head of the thread was leading him to a place that was becoming less and less like a typical neighborhood.

Soon, walls surrounding him on all sides were filled with filthy garbage and graffiti, and the thick smoke of cigarettes stung his nose.

The foul smell of rancid oil seemed to waft right up to him, and the air was heavy with a sense of dirtiness.

It looked like an old junk ship had been hauled up and placed on the ground.

From the rowdy laughter emanating from inside, it seemed to be an active bar in the vicinity.

To Lennok, who often frequented Jenny's peaceful bar, such a boisterous place felt refreshing in its own way.

Following the thread and surveying the surroundings, it was truly a sight to behold.

A bald man smoking a cigarette on the bare ground with a flushed face, a couple having a barbecue party on an old jeep, a motorcycle roaring in the distance.

This was probably not a place that law-abiding citizens dutifully paying their taxes would appreciate.

And as Lennok nodded, confirming that the head of the thread was directly leading him to that bar,

The [Bloody Chase] he had manifested suddenly broke off.

".........."

Was it a coincidence that the magic abruptly ended upon reaching this point?

Unlikely.

Considering that the Bloody Chase was particularly vulnerable to disruption magic, it was more plausible to assume that the criminals, noticing Lennok's pursuit, had belatedly attempted to erase their trail.

And if the criminals had truly noticed...

‘They would be trying to leave the bar right now.'

(TO BE CONTINUED)

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