Eleven people gathered in the living room of a mansion near the Empire State Building on Middle Earth.

“It’s been a while since we’ve come together,” said a calm man in glasses and long hair tied back as he faced the remaining ten people.

“Why did you call us here, Rat? Don’t you know we’re busy?” asked a short man with massive arms. Beside him was an old tiger licking its lips.

A horse-faced man with brown hair said, “You’re busy? What a load of bullshit, Tiger. Snake, Goat, Monkey, Dog, Pig, and I are much busier.”

“Keh! Stop whining, Horse. What’s so hard about hunting foxes? Besides, there are six of you on the task. That’s half of the Earthly Branches. How are we still a hundred behind? Are you slacking off, or what?”

A short Southeast Asian man with a monkey on his shoulder snorted and replied, “Kek! Yeah, I suppose it’s easier than your job: bootlicking Clan Dragon’s Teeth.”

“Wanna go, you fucking monkey?”

Grrr!

Ah-ah!

Tiger and Monkey were about to go at each other when Kim Seo-Gyeong, the leader of Clan Earthly Branches, said, “I brought you all here today because our chance has arrived with the recent Lost-All!”

A fragrant scent that calmed the mind spread throughout the living room as he spoke. Tiger and Monkey stopped bickering and stared at Seo-Gyeong.

“Are we going to take a city as well?”

“Yes. Our destination is Reykjavik, an unclaimed city north of the third zone.”

“Reykjavik? Isn’t that the capital of Iceland?”

“For real? I hate the cold...”

Seo-Gyeong smiled faintly as his clansmen continued talking among themselves.

He said, “The fourth zone reclamation is about to take off. Reykjavik can act as an outpost. On top of that, it will help in expanding our territory.”

“How so?”

“The further you are from the Capital, the smaller the Union’s influence. There’s nowhere better to build our forces.”

Seo-Gyeong’s eyes shone from behind his glasses. His all-black eyes with no whites looked evil.

“Kekekek!”

“Fufufu!”

The ten clansmen looking at him also had the same eyes.

“With that said, we will begin slowly transferring out all our infrastructure in the Capital. The fox hunts and the Cintamani acquisition are postponed until further notice,” Seo-Gyeong said.

“What? Does that mean we have to move all the foxes we stuffed in the fox traps?” asked Pig, a fat white man with a penta-chin, irritatedly. “Why don’t we just feed them to her?”

Seo-Gyeong shook his head and replied, “Not only have we not gathered a thousand yet, but Seo-Yeon isn’t ready.”

“Hah! Isn’t her growth speed way too slow despite getting a mythical beast D Weapon by luck?” said Snake, a cold-looking black woman with a black snake around her neck. “Your little sister hasn’t even gone through the entry ceremony yet. Could she have broken free from your control?”

Seo-Gyeong’s expression hardened. He said with certainty, “Not at all. I can control Seo-Yeon. A little more... Just a little longer, and Clan Earthly Branches will obtain the almighty mythical beast, the Millennium Nine-Tailed Fox!”

Snake shrugged without answering.

Tiger remarked, “It won’t be long until we obtain the Cintamani. Those damn earthborn bastards... They’re very cautious despite their bottomless greed.”

“Pig isn’t done yet either, so you can take your time. However, we must take precautions.”

“Precautions?”

Seo-Gyeong looked at his clansmen and explained, “Fox beastfolk were witnessed on Broadway.”

“What?!” Horse shouted as he frowned. “Did they track us down? Dammit, what the hell are those Heavenly Stems bastards doing?!”

Heavenly Stems was an affiliate clan of Earthly Branches that dealt with trivial matters for them.

“I have already warned Heavenly Stems, so I’m just asking you to take note. I’m sure you all can guess what might happen if things get too big to handle when there are rumors that Lee Kang-San may return to the Capital soon.”

The others did not need to be told that only death awaited those who got on the Tortoise Emperor’s bad side.

***

Several Lambs were having meals or tea in the large coffee shop on one side of the lobby of the Fence Hotel’s main branch in Beverly Hills.

“Huuu... Have you found some work?”

“No, there’s too much competition.”

“At this rate, I won’t have enough to pay the survival tax... Urgh. That means I’d become an escaper, right? I saw a Body yesterday. They’re disgusting!”

“I heard there is tons of work outside the Capital. Should we try for those?”

“Yeah, and the Union prioritizes renting items to those traveling outside the Capital.”

“But... Could we even defeat those Chaos monsters by ourselves?”

As the Lambs vented their frustrations, an odd encounter took place at the cafe terrace with a sign labeled Restricted Access outside.

“Friend Jurie! Ta-dah! Say hello to my fox friends!” Thumper, his eyes sparkling, introduced Jurie to the robed individuals.

After the fox beastfolk requested help, Thumper brought them all to his new, highly competent friend, Jurie.

“Mmm.” Jurie forced a smile as she stared at the fox beastfolk filling the cafe terrace.

“Is this a human?”

“Yowl! A female human.”

“She looks weak.”

Jurie looked down at their tails wagging under their robes and asked, “Thumper... What is going on here?”

“Hehe. My fox friends are in a predicament, so I brought them to you. A friend of a friend is a friend, right?”

“Pfft!” Gerard snickered from behind, but quickly regained his composure once Jurie glared at him. “Ahem! I didn’t say anything, my lady.”

The conflicted Jurie introduced herself to the robed fox beastfolk, “M-my name is Jurie. I’m a human, and... umm... Are you beastfolk?”

The leader of the fox beastfolk answered, “That’s right. I am the fox beastfolk, Stroppa, the chief guard of Fox Village.”

“Fox Village? Stroppa?” Jurie asked as she quickly searched the Network with her smartphone. Her eyes widened as she mumbled, “Fox Village, the northern metropolis of the fox beastfolk... Ranker Stroppa, 91st in the beastfolk ranking?”

All beastfolk used Beast Force, the secondary force of the beastfolk, but were categorized into cat, rabbit, tiger, and other beastfolk. They were collectively acknowledged as an intermediate race because the countless beastfolk possessed various unique and powerful abilities. Being 91st among such beastfolk meant he was equivalent to a human Ranker in the twenties or thirties in rank.

What is such an individual doing in the Capital? Has he visited after making an official request to the Union? Or is this an unofficial visit? Jurie wondered.

Stroppa’s thoughts were just as jumbled as Jurie’s. He continued to sniff with his black nose, and his eyes were fixed on the old man behind Jurie.

What a thick scent of blood. He is at least on par with me! Stroppa thought.

The place where the rabbit beastfolk, whom he had coincidentally met, brought him reeked with the scent of humans. Most were so weak that he could ignore them, but the old man before him was not one of them.

Is he a human High Ranker? No... Is he even human? This scent belongs to—

Stroppa’s thought was interrupted as Thumper returned from the coffee shop with vanilla ice cream scoops in each hand and said, “Huh? What are you doing, Stroppa? Jurie is a kind human. She always gives me yummy food! Hurry up and tell her what’s on your mind!”

“Hmmm.” Stroppa remained hesitant.

He said inwardly, We started the search without officially informing the Union. It would be better for us to receive help from a human on the scene.

Although he doubted that the weak female human would be of much help, he decided to trust the recommendation of the rabbit beastfolk who addressed the High Ranker, Killer Rabbit Pippin, as Mr. Pippin.

“It all started about six months ago,” Stroppa began.

***

Fox Village was a peaceful city. As its name suggested, it was inhabited by fox beastfolk, but it was also the home of various races because they did not reject anyone. Of course, the fox beastfolk made up the vast majority of the population.

The fox beastfolk were one of the strongest beastfolk and had a good reputation because they always looked like they were smiling. They loved to play pranks and tease, but always bestowed kindness on others. However, the recurrent disappearances of fox beastfolk shook Fox Village to the core.

Initially, it was the young beastfolk, innocently roaming throughout the city, but recently, even adult beastfolk began to disappear.

“We of the guard squad searched every nook and cranny of the city, but couldn’t find a trace,” Stroppa said with a hardened expression.

Fox beastfolk were usually kind, but they possessed powerful Beast Force. It took only an instant for the atmosphere in Fox Village to turn stormy. They began to act hostile to the other races with whom they used to be amicable, and they always subdued first and asked questions later whenever they encountered anyone suspicious. However, despite all that, the disappearances did not stop.

“But we finally found a lead two days ago,” Stroppa remarked as he turned to his subordinates.

Two fox beastfolk stepped forward, dragging a human man whose arms were restrained. He was a South American man with dreads and piercings all over his face.

“A human! We excluded them from the investigations because they were the weakest of the inferior races, but it turned out they were the culprits!” Stroppa shouted, exuding mana mixed with red Beast Force. “We discovered traces of repeated warp gate uses, and we are certain he owns the mana we smelled in Fox Village!”

“Mana tracing,” Jurie mumbled.

She heard that beastfolk rarely possessed abilities that allowed them to track the mana used to activate skills. From what Stroppa had told her, she gathered that the man was a warp gate user, and the fox beastfolk tracked down his mana to the Capital.

“Have you requested cooperation from the Union?” Jurie asked.

“No, we didn’t because we don’t have physical proof that it was him, but he was undoubtedly involved.”

“Hmmm...” Jurie fell into thought as she crossed her arms.

Disappearances, huh? If humans truly kidnapped fox beastfolk... This is bound to become a huge problem.

Humanity had its hands full dealing with the Lost-All phenomenon. Things would become even harder if they gained the beastfolk’s animosity. According to her father, Remy Martin, an executive of the pioneering faction, Lee Kang-San had to negotiate with Gula because of an issue similar to this. Humanity was in its transition period. They were crouched, about to take off to great heights.

If they are mistaken, I have to resolve their misunderstanding, and if it’s true, even more reason for me to help them. Humans shouldn’t all be put in the same basket, Jurie said inwardly as she thought about her father struggling on the front lines. I’ll do my part in the Capital to lessen his load.

She answered, “Alright, I’ll help you. If there are such filthy humans, I don’t think of them as my kind.”

“Yeah, they’re bad humans! Kidnapping is a terrible crime!” Thumper agreed in rage as someone who had been imprisoned before.

Jurie approached the man captured by the fox beastfolk and took a picture of his face with her smartphone.

“Hm? What did you just do? Have you trapped his soul in that tiny box?” Stroppa asked wide-eyed as he saw the man’s picture on Jurie’s smartphone.

I thought she was nothing special, but to think she was an incredible mage who could manipulate souls!

“Hahaha! Trapped his soul? Well... You could say that. After all, countless humans on Earth have sold their souls to social media,” Jurie giggled as she searched the Network for information about the man using his picture.

If he is a warp gate user, he must have clients. I have to find them first. I should ask Clan Taxi about him as well. If it comes to it, I’ll just expose his face to the entire Network.

Jurie rapidly tapped her smartphone and said excitedly, “Come out, come out, wherever you are. I’ll tell on you to my dad!”

She had been bored because Seong-Hwi set out on a pioneering spree, and Lina never left her lab, but she had finally gained something she could do for humanity.

The fox beastfolk narrowed their already narrow eyes and mumbled to each other as they stared at Jurie.

“Yowl! Is she creating a terrifying incantation? I can’t see her fingers!”

“That woman must be an incredible black mage.”

“I can’t believe she manipulates souls. Could her father be a demon?”

Gerard smiled satisfyingly as he stared at Jurie and nodded. “You are as kind as always, my lady.”

***

A creak from an opening door sounded from an alley on South Earth. The individual who cautiously walked outside was covered with a black raincoat, but her womanly curves gave away her gender.

“Be careful, Xin,” a man said from the other side of the door.

The woman in the raincoat scoffed and replied, “Shut up, Geng. Why tell me to be careful when you guys were the ones who fucked up?”

“What did you say? You’ve gotten cocky just because you have their favor—”

“Hmph!”

The woman in the raincoat slammed the door shut and quickly walked out of the alley. Moments later, a white fox jumped up to a building and looked around.

Yip!

The fox signaled someone, and a woman appeared from the opposite side of the alley from where the woman in the raincoat had disappeared. She was Kim Seo-Yeon, a short-haired Asian woman with an unfriendly expression.

She glared in the direction where the woman in the raincoat disappeared and mumbled, “You’ve been deceiving me all this time, Lalisa Braga!”