Chương 24: Chapter 23

Nina finally made her way outside for the first time in a long while. However, she quickly realized she had forgotten one very important detail. She did not know how to get back to the port. In other words, she was lost again. Unfortunately for her, there was no one nearby who could help her this time. She had already made it much farther than before, but when she attempted to follow the same shortcut she had taken previously, it only led her deeper into unfamiliar and darker areas.

After staring at the surroundings for a while, Nina finally gave up. She turned her attention inward and called out.

"System?" After a brief pause, the system reluctantly appeared.

"Host. Is there a problem?"

"I am lost. Can you help me find the port I went to last time?" The system looked over the information it had available before responding.

"I do not know where the port is. If you had requested system assistance beforehand, I could have added it to the map locations and guided you there. However, since you did not, that option is no longer available."

"Is there any way you can at least record the area while we walk?" The system paused.

"I was already doing that." Nina blinked.

"You were?"

"I have already marked several locations and recorded possible purposes for those areas. You can view the information yourself." Nina looked at the information displayed before her.

"That's actually really cool."

"If we continue exploring, we will eventually have enough information to map the surrounding area. Even if you cannot find your original destination, you should at least become less likely to get lost."

"Right." With that, Nina continued walking. Unfortunately, despite the system's assistance, she somehow became even more lost.

"... Damn. I really don't know where I am." As she continued through the unfamiliar area, Nina suddenly stumbled into something. Or rather, someone. Both of them fell to the ground. Nina immediately recovered and reached out to help the person up. As she did so, she picked up the cane that had fallen beside him. The moment she looked at it, it seemed strangely familiar.

"Hey, young lady. Could you pass me that?" Nina looked up. The old man froze when their eyes met.

"Aren't you the young lad from last time?" He stared at her in confusion.

"What are you doing here? More importantly, how did you even get here?"

"I just..." Nina looked away awkwardly.

"I got lost again." The old man stared.

"Again?"

"Yes. I didn't memorize the route last time, so I kind of ended up lost." She hesitated before asking,"Could you possibly show me where the port is?" Before she could finish, the old man suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her toward a hidden area between the surrounding structures.

"Quiet." Nina followed his gaze. In the distance, shadows moved quickly through the area. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. A woman was running.

"That old lady..." The old man's expression became serious.

"I believe she is being pursued by people from an assassin organization."

"An assassin organization?"

"A dangerous group. Not exactly the type of people you want chasing you." He looked back toward Nina.

"Stay here." The old man moved, gesturing for her to remain quiet. But Nina had no intention of staying still and watching an old lady get surrounded by dangerous people.

"Wait, you're going to help her?"

"Don't even think about it." The old man immediately stopped her.

"With your body, you would only get yourself hurt." Nina shook off his hand.

"Get back here." But she was already moving. As she ran, her appearance slowly changed. The figure of Nina disappeared. In her place stood Damian Blackmore. Damian paused for a moment, adjusting to the change. Then, using his investigation skills and the information available around him, he quickly determined their location and the most efficient route. His expression sharpened. Then he moved. The old man watched as the young man suddenly disappeared into the distance. He shook his head.

"Am I seeing things?" But before he could continue questioning it, he noticed something strange. The person's body structure had changed. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. In the next moment, the figure flew forward like a comet. The old man simply stared.

"... I really am getting old." He picked up his cane and continued walking. Meanwhile, Damian rapidly closed the distance between himself and the fleeing woman. Only when he reached her did he slow down.

"Excuse me." Before the woman could react, Damian grabbed her and continued running. The old woman was shocked. The assassins chasing her were equally stunned. They had not been treating the woman as an immediate threat. Their plan was to allow her to move deeper into the area before acting. However, this sudden interference changed everything. They became serious. As Damian ran, he called out internally.

"System. What's the fastest way to get rid of these people?" The system, which had been focused on mapping the surrounding area, was not close to the host. It only received the request afterward.

"Help request received." The system immediately moved toward Damian's location. When it arrived and saw the situation, it froze.

"What is happening?" Damian had no time to explain.

"Please show me the fastest way to lose them." The system analyzed the area.

"Understood." A route appeared.

"Can you track their locations as well?" The system paused. Then markers appeared.

"Enemy positions have been identified." With the system's assistance, Damian moved through the area with precision. Every turn, every change in direction, and every chosen route was calculated to make pursuit more difficult. Slowly, the pursuers began losing track of them. Eventually, Damian returned to the narrow pathways between the buildings. He looked back. The assassins were gone. However, the location was not safe.

"They cannot stay here for long. If they search thoroughly enough, they may find this place." Damian thought for a moment before making a decision. He removed his outer clothing and handed it to the old woman.

"Give me your clothes. Change into them." The old woman stared at him. She did not know whether she should feel offended, angry, or grateful. After all, this man had just saved her life.

"Hurry. Unless you want to die." Seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she reluctantly handed over her clothes and turned away. When she finished changing and turned back... The tall young man was gone. Standing before her was someone who looked exactly like her. The same long, slightly messy hair. The same red eyes. The same pale complexion. Even her height had been perfectly replicated. It was as if she was looking into a mirror. The voice, however, remained the same.

"Stay here for a while. I will draw their attention away. After that, find someone who can help you." The disguised old woman stared at him. Then Damian disappeared into the crowd. With the system's assistance, he redirected the attention of the remaining pursuers away from the woman's location. After confirming through the system that the old woman was safe, Damian entered a crowded area. He quickly changed his clothing.

The body created by the system allowed him to switch appearances, but he could not allow anyone to discover that ability. So he needed to become someone completely different. And what better disguise than a child? A small figure appeared. A cute dress. A harmless appearance. A child walking through the street. After confirming that the attackers had fully dispersed, Damian continued forward. Then he accidentally crossed paths with one of them. The person looked down. A lollipop had fallen onto the ground.

"No, my lollipop." The child quickly picked it up before happily walking away. The attacker could only stare. Never suspecting that the person who had caused them so much trouble had just passed by them in the form of a small child.