C8 CHAPTER8

The Black Vultures gang.

With a cold gaze, Felipe Ventura, third in command, listened to the man before him, who had left a trail of blood from the entrance to his office.

"So, they cut off your arm and the others with you, and instead of dying in a dark alley like a loyal dog, you come here to stain my floor," Felipe said, his icy eyes fixed on Scarface Jack's bleeding stump.

Though this was a setback for the gang because someone had dared to oppose them, there was no need for this invalid to deliver the news—they would have found out anyway.

"Boss, that store has incredible merchandise. They have pills that make you stronger, faster, even help you level up, and..."

"Are you stupid, or did the blood loss fry your brains? Do you hear yourself? A rundown district store selling what even the big city shops don't?"

"I... I checked the pills myself, boss. They're real. I wanted to bring them to help you level up right away..."

"..."

"But the owner has a powerful battle pet... please, believe me. If I'm lying, I'll take my own life. But if they're real, you must avenge me and my brothers."

The idea of breaking the ten-star Awakened barrier and becoming an Evolved was something Felipe had long desired. His position as the gang's third leader depended on it. Despite the absurdity of what he heard, there was a slim chance the story was true.

"A medicinal pill to level up."

"Boss, after taking over the store, we could control the supply and strengthen our gang," Scarface Jack continued. "Maybe this is the time to be the only one..."

Before he could finish, Felipe's cold gaze gave him goosebumps, silencing him. Someone like Felipe wasn't easy to manipulate.

After hearing the whole story and with the constant thought of leveling up, Felipe decided to check the truth of this tale. If it turned out false, he could vent his anger by burning down the store with Scarface inside.

"That's the store, Boss," Scarface pointed with his intact arm. Though he hadn't recovered yet, he was eager for revenge and ready to end the life of that store's owner with his remaining hand.

Upon the gang's return, the other store owners watched with a mix of satisfaction and curiosity. None of them liked seeing someone else act superior. Although Sam had never wronged them, they couldn't shake their envy over his growing customer base and the power he seemed to wield.

"Hey, kid, get ready. The Black Vulture gang's here to give you a 'makeover,'" Scarface shouted. Sam looked up from his work, recognizing the visitor immediately. Just hours ago, he had dealt with him, leaving a mark.

Beside Scarface stood a serious, composed man, clearly assessing both Sam and his shop. "Sigh," muttered one of the store owners who had gathered to watch the unfolding drama. "The guy next to Scarface Jack is Felipe Ventura, the third leader of the Black Vultures. They say he's cold and ruthless, never giving his enemies a chance to strike back."

"I never thought someone of his caliber would bother with a small store owner like this. Let's step back a bit; we don't want to get caught in the crossfire." They all nodded, retreating to a safer distance.

"Welcome, dear customers. How can I help you?" Sam greeted them.

"Still pretending you don't know me?" Scarface sneered, pointing his stump at Sam.

"Honestly, it's hard to tell one stump from another. We did cut a few arms this morning, so forgive my oversight," Sam replied, unfazed.

"Son of a—" Scarface began, but a sharp slap from Felipe silenced him.

"Everyone waits outside, quietly," Felipe ordered.

Stunned by their leader's sudden command, Scarface and the others left the store.

"A ten-star Lion, huh? That guy wasn't lying about a powerful battle pet being here," Felipe remarked, eyeing the Little Lion resting at Sam's feet. Raising a pet to that level was no easy feat, and Felipe realized his subordinate had been blind to miss it.

"How did he not see that this store owner was no ordinary guy?" Felipe wondered, unable to fully gauge Sam himself.

"Uh, can I help you with anything, dear customer?" Sam asked, intrigued by this gang member who seemed more like a savvy businessman than a thug.

"What merchandise do you offer?" Felipe asked, trying to keep his tone neutral despite his curiosity.

"If you're looking to level up, we have the experience pill. It's a level-2 pill and costs only 10,000 coins," Sam replied.

"For those interested in enhancing their genetic level, we offer this level-3 natural product for just 100,000 coins," Sam continued, gesturing toward a walnut-like item.

"On the shelf over there, you'll find battle pet summoning cards..."

Felipe was taken aback. Even after hearing about everything the store offered, he was still in shock. Leveling up? Enhancing genetic levels? Battle pets? These were luxuries typically reserved for the elite, yet here they were, right in front of him. Despite being third in command of his gang, his status was too low to normally access such items. But as someone who had been a ten-star awakened for quite some time, he couldn't let this chance slip by.