Chapter 109: The 'King' of District 12 [Monthly Ticket Update]

“Guys, this is the spot—the last known location of those smugglers,” Beltran whispered, his voice trembling as he pointed a shaking finger toward the abandoned factory ahead, its steel frame half-devoured by rust.

His tone dripped with ingratiating eagerness toward Chen Kong and Vivian.

No wonder he was so submissive. After all, Beltran was a man caught between two ruthless forces—Gray Rat Gang and Gear Church—both hunting him like prey. In this hellish wasteland of Rust Iron Hell, he knew only one way out: clinging to the coattails of the two most powerful figures before him.

So what did a little dignity matter when survival was at stake?

In Rust Iron Hell, face was the cheapest currency there was.

Vivian, upon hearing this, immediately drew her Second-Hand Dagger from her belt. Her brown hair fluttered in the cold, acidic wind, while her pale golden eyes burned with battle lust.

Clearly, she was ready to storm straight into Gray Rat Gang’s Zone 5 stronghold.

But before she could take two steps, Chen Kong suddenly called out.

“Wait.”

Vivian paused, turning to him with a questioning frown.

Chen Kong explained, “If you just barge in like that, you’ll just trigger their instinct to scatter at the first sign of trouble.”

“You won’t find what you’re looking for. Worse, you’ll alert them—making it impossible to track down the rest.”

Vivian paused, considering. Then she nodded. “So what should I do?”

“Hand me your hand.”

“…Huh?”

Staring at her with a blank expression, Vivian blinked.

Chen Kong didn’t explain further. He simply reached out and grabbed her right hand.

The moment he touched her, Vivian reacted instantly—her dagger flashed like a bolt of lightning, its blade now pressed against Chen Kong’s throat, sending a chill down his spine.

“You’d better have a damn good reason,” she said, her voice colder than the blade.

The screen froze for a beat—on Vivian’s cold, impassive face.

Then it shifted—on Chen Kong’s sweating, tense expression.

And then, the Dimensional Audience erupted in laughter as Chen Kong’s inner monologue broke through.

That blade was just 0.01 centimeters from my throat… but in fifteen seconds, its owner will trust me completely.

Because I’ve decided to tell a lie that’s not quite a lie.

True, I’ve lied more times than I can count. But this one? This one is perfection.

“Calm down, Knight Lady,” Chen Kong said, voice steady. “This isn’t what you think. It’s tied to my Stellar Source ability.”

Vivian stared, half-believing, half-suspicious.

But she remembered her mission. And she remembered—Chen Kong was the local expert in this nightmare zone.

With a reluctant sigh, she lowered her blade.

“You’d better prove you’re telling the truth,” she warned. “Or—”

“Or I’ll cut off my own hand and hand it to you. Happy now?”

Before she could finish, Chen Kong had already answered—sharp, bold, almost mocking.

That sealed it.

She believed him.

Trust was restored.

Chen Kong turned to Beltran. “You go hide somewhere. We’ll come get you once we’re done.”

“Got it.”

Once Beltran disappeared into the shadows, Chen Kong gently took Vivian’s hand again.

“Don’t resist. This is just how my Stellar Source activates.”

“Fine.”

A moment passed.

Chen Kong opened his eyes.

“Let’s go. Follow me.”

The Dimensional Audience, still reeling from the scene, stared in disbelief.

Wait—no way. That’s still the same Kong? The shy kid from Season 1?

My god… Kong, where did you learn to flirt like that?!

Who are you?! Get out of his body this instant!

Learned it! Tomorrow I’m using this move on my dream girl!

Hey, slow down—you’re gonna get yourself dragged to the police station if you pull that on someone real.

Meanwhile, atop the factory roof, Tian Dao watched the entire exchange—eyes sharp, expression unreadable.

“Using ‘help’ as an excuse… quietly copying someone else’s Stellar Source, huh?”

Kong… what the hell have you been through these past years? You’ve gotten so damn sneaky.

He tossed a handful of chips into his mouth, crunching them with a satisfied sigh.

Beside him, Dannika didn’t care about any of it.

She was too busy devouring a bag of chips nearly as big as her small body, her face smeared with grease and crumbs, eyes sparkling with pure joy.

Tian Dao glanced at her, his cerulean eyes flickering with a faint, star-like glow.

Then he reached into the space beside him.

A jagged, otherworldly rift split open in the air.

Without hesitation, he reached through and pulled out a small pack of wet wipes and two bottles of glowing, soda-like drinks from the Stellar World.

“Wipe your face. You’re a greasy mess.”

“Oh… okay.”

Dannika obediently pulled her hands from the bag, reaching for the offered items.

But upon seeing the oily sheen on her fingers, she paused—then grabbed her shirt, ready to wipe them.

Tian Dao groaned.

He yanked a wipe from the pack and wiped her face himself, not even waiting for permission.

“Done. Next time, grab the chips with your fingers—not your whole hand. It’s messy.”

“Okay, Tian Dao Sir. Dannika learned.”

Seeing her so compliant, Tian Dao paused.

Maybe he’d overdone it.

He changed his mind mid-sentence.

“…Never mind. Do whatever you want. Just don’t smear oil on your clothes.”

“…Huh?”

Dannika blinked, her amber eyes wide with confusion.

She didn’t understand why he’d suddenly changed his mind.

And that look—innocent, curious—made Tian Dao instantly uncomfortable.

He quickly turned his gaze back to the scene below, pretending to be engrossed.

After all, he couldn’t admit—he’d just backed down because he didn’t want to be too harsh on a five-year-old kid.

That would be… embarrassing.

He was Tian Dao, after all. He couldn’t afford to lose face.

But Dannika, though new to the world beyond the church, had a child’s sharp intuition.

She sensed no malice.

So after a moment’s thought, she decided to follow his original advice.

After all, among all the people she’d met, Tian Dao was the one she felt closest to—the only one who felt like home.

So doing as he said? That was the right thing.

And so, while Tian Dao and Dannika lounged on the roof, munching chips and sipping glowing soda, watching the chaos unfold below…

Chen Kong had already led Vivian to the edge of the abandoned factory.

As Gray Rat Gang members walked past them—completely ignoring their presence—Vivian finally understood.

“Earlier, that Beltran guy mentioned something on the way here,” she said, realization dawning.

“District 12 is one of the few safe zones in Rust Iron Hell.”

“It’s not just because your bar owner, Jack, has ties with other gangs.”

“It’s also because there’s someone here known as the ‘Shadowless King.’”

“The first keeps outsiders from attacking. The second… makes sure anyone who dares come in never leaves.”

She turned to Chen Kong, dead serious.

“So the ‘Shadowless King’ of District 12… must be you, Chen Kong.”

Chen Kong didn’t react with pride or triumph.

Instead, he simply shook his head.

“There’s no such thing as a Shadowless King. I’m just an ordinary man.”

“Ordinary men don’t make entire gangs vanish like ghosts,” Vivian countered.

Chen Kong exhaled, then stopped in front of a rusted iron door inside the factory—its faded sign reading Manager’s Office.

“Knight Lady,” he said, voice low, “you just haven’t seen the real monsters.”

“Once you do… you’ll understand why I say this.”

“Because compared to them, I’m nothing. Just a man.”

Vivian’s expression remained skeptical.

But Chen Kong’s eyes flickered with memory—his voice thick with emotion.

“There is someone like that. He saved me more than once. Taught me how to survive.”

“If it weren’t for him, I’d be dead long ago.”

“But… he lied to us all. After all these years, I’ve found proof—enough reason to suspect…”

He paused.

“Never mind. It’s not your business. It’s mine.”

Though he didn’t finish, Vivian was already hooked.

In a place like Rust Iron Hell, turning a district into a true safe zone wasn’t just about strength.

It took cunning, influence, and control.

And Chen Kong—this quiet, mysterious man—was clearly not ordinary.

Yet here he stood, speaking of someone else with reverence.

That meant the man he spoke of… was beyond imagination.

And from the tone of his words—this person was roughly his age.

Vivian couldn’t help but wonder.

Who are you, Chen Kong? And who is this ‘Shadowless King’?

“Enough,” Chen Kong said, breaking her thoughts. “Don’t dwell on that.”

“I can feel it. There’s someone powerful inside.”

“If we catch him… you’ll get the answers you need.”

“And I’ll get the reward you promised.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end