The bustling streets of the city were a stark contrast to the sour mood Spark carried as he walked through them.
The night's events still weighed heavily on him, and the posters calling them "The Three Ugly Demons" only added to his irritation.
As he glanced at the posters with dark, brooding eyes, his dissatisfaction was palpable.
Yuna, walking beside him, couldn't resist teasing him gently.
"I think you're more upset about the 'ugly' part than the bounty," she said, her eyes dancing with amusement.
Spark shot her a look of genuine affront. "Of course, I am! What angle could I possibly look ugly from?"
His frustration was clear as he imagined William's smug face plastered on those posters, a thought that made his blood boil. If William were present, Spark would have relished the chance to bash his face into one of those posters.
Yuna chuckled, shaking her head in amusement.
"You're right. How could anyone miss your dazzling good looks?" she said, trying to lighten the mood.
As they continued their walk, Spark shifted the conversation. "Any news from Kieran's side?"
"None," Yuna replied.
"It's strange," Spark mused. "With his temper, I expected him to act by now."
Yuna nodded in agreement. "That is odd. He's not one to sit quietly."
Their conversation was interrupted by the approach of a shabby man, a pitiful figure in tattered clothes that clung to his emaciated frame.
His eyes were hollow, and his voice trembled as he spoke. "Young lord, I have a sick wife to feed. Please, spare some change."
The bustling atmosphere around him was a stark contrast to his solitude.
As Spark's butler and cook, Zhao Shi had to finish preparing dinner before their return. He moved from shop to shop, selecting fresh vegetables, aromatic spices, and rare, expensive items with enthusiasm for the culinary possibilities they presented.
On his way back, Zhao Shi noticed the shabby man from earlier.
The man looked just as destitute as before, but now there was an urgency in his movements.
He hurried through the alleyways, frequently glancing over his shoulder as if fearing pursuit.
Intrigued and concerned, Zhao Shi decided to follow him. There was still time before he needed to start preparing dinner, and the man's behavior seemed off.
Zhao Shi trailed the man through winding alleys into the less savory parts of the city, where the buildings grew more dilapidated and shadows more oppressive.
The man finally stopped in front of a rundown building on the edge of the slums.
Zhao Shi watched from a distance as the man knocked on the door, which opened slightly. The man slipped inside, and the door shut quickly behind him.
'Maybe this is where he lives,' Zhao Shi thought.
As he turned to leave, a burst of harsh, mocking laughter caught his attention. It was not the joyful noise of a reunion but something sinister.
Curiosity turned to concern as Zhao Shi crept closer, crouching low as he approached the building. He found a hole in the crumbling wall and peered inside.
What he saw made his eyes frown deep.
The room was filled with people in similarly shabby clothes, their faces etched with fear and despair.
They huddled together on the floor while a few robust men, clearly in charge, sat on chairs, their faces twisted into cruel, mocking smiles.