Only a few scattered Beastmen were on the street. Kloer didn’t look at the thin, small figure.

His gaze swept the surroundings.

’That’s strange. I just looked down to send a message. How did the little Mixed Breed disappear?’

’Did he run back already?’

’No, that can’t be right. It’s still a ways from here to his place.’

Kloer sniffed the air. The little Mixed Breed’s scent was still present.

Kloer stood in place and looked around before following the scent in the air.

"MMPH! MMPH! MMPH!!!"

Gu Ning kicked hard at the Beastman holding him from behind, his hands clawing and pounding at the hand covering his mouth.

"Stay still! Or I’ll break your arms!" a coarse voice boomed from above Gu Ning’s head.

The Beastman behind him covered his mouth with one large palm while his other arm wrapped around his waist, dragging him toward a dark alley.

After a moment of panic, Gu Ning let go of the Beastman’s wrist, reached into his pockets, and grabbed the Anti-Beast Spray and the electric shock gun.

He didn’t use them right away, continuing to struggle slightly so the Beastman holding him wouldn’t notice anything unusual.

He quickly scanned his surroundings.

There wasn’t just one Beastman attacking him; two more were following behind.

’They might be the same group that tried to grab me the other day.’

Gu Ning’s mind raced, searching for a plan, his hands gripping the Anti-Beast Spray and electric shock gun sweating profusely.

’No, I can’t use the electric shock gun. We’re pressed too close together. It’ll shock me too.’

’If I’m incapacitated, it’s all over.’

Gu Ning let go of the electric shock gun and had just touched the knife in his pocket when the dull thud of a bullet hitting flesh sounded by his ear. The Beastman holding him cried out in pain and let go.

Two more dull thuds, and the other two Beastmen who had been following them also collapsed.

Gu Ning fell to the ground. Before he even got back to his feet, he whipped out the Anti-Beast Spray and sprayed it wildly, then pulled out the electric shock gun and zapped the Beastman howling and writhing on the ground.

A powerful blue current lit up the alley, and the Beastman’s body instantly went rigid.

After finishing with that one, Gu Ning went to zap the other two.

Not far away, hidden behind a pile of junk, Wanai saw the flashing blue current in the dark alley. He raised an eyebrow and shifted his rifle.

’This guy is pretty well-equipped.’

Wanai had expected to see the little Mixed Breed tear into the three of them, not pull out an electric shock gun.

Just then, he heard footsteps from outside the alley. His ears twitched, and he moved the rifle back into position.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH! GAG..."

Only after he had shocked the three Beastmen until they stopped moving did Gu Ning stumble out of the alley.

The Anti-Beast Spray was too potent; the fumes made his head spin, and he felt like throwing up.

Even Wanai, who was some distance away, frowned at the smell.

"Cook, there you are!"

Wanai saw the figure appear at the alley’s entrance. He placed his index finger on the trigger and aimed carefully.

"What is that smell?" Kloer covered his nose and mouth.

Gu Ning, leaning against the wall, saw the tall figure in front of him and, without a second thought, zapped him with the electric shock gun.

"Ugh!"

Kloer’s body went rigid and collapsed to the ground with a THUD!

The moment he fell, a bullet whizzed past where he had been standing.

Wanai narrowed his eyes and moved the rifle’s muzzle.

In the light of the electric current, Gu Ning made out the Beastman’s blue work uniform, and then his face.

"..."

’How is it Kloer?!’

Gu Ning quickly knelt and slapped Kloer’s face.

Kloer didn’t react.

Gu Ning started to panic. ’Don’t tell me I killed him?’

He slapped Kloer’s face harder, then forcefully pinched the philtrum under his nose.

After a moment of this, Kloer let out a pained groan. "What the hell did you hit me with..."

Ten minutes later—

"Are you hurt?"

Alex, who had rushed over, grabbed Gu Ning’s arm and examined him with a slight frown.

Gu Ning shook his head and worriedly pointed at Kloer, who was still lying on the ground.

Alex checked on Kloer’s condition and said, "He’s fine. I’ll take him back later. Where do you live?"

Gu Ning pointed to an alley entrance up ahead.

Alex caught the smell of blood coming from the nearby alley. He pulled a flashlight from his pocket and shone it inside.

"..."

Another five minutes passed, and a police car pulled up in front of Gu Ning.

Three sturdy Beastman patrolmen got out of the car.

A moment later, two of the patrolmen carried the three shot Beastmen out of the alley one by one and tossed them into the back of the car.

The lead Beastman patrolman checked their condition.

Alex stepped forward and said, "They’re not dead. Just shot in the leg and passed out. No idea who did it."

Hearing this, Gu Ning tightened his grip on the electric shock gun in his pocket.

The patrolman had a routine expression on his face, and seeing Alex’s work uniform, he had no reason to doubt his words.

He glanced at the little Mixed Breed huddled in the corner like a frightened quail and asked Alex, "Your Mixed Breed?"

Alex looked back at Gu Ning and said, "Yeah."

The patrolman jotted down a few notes. "Best not to let him run around outside for a while. The gangs are grabbing Mixed Breeds all over the place."

Alex asked, "What are they grabbing so many Mixed Breeds for?"

The patrolman glanced up at him. "New to Zone 19? Mixed Breeds have plenty of uses. They do dirty work, fight in beast pits, and if it’s a Mimic Mixed Species, it can even fetch a good price."

Gu Ning hunched his shoulders.

"All right," the patrolman said after taking a few pictures of the scene. "The guardian needs to come to the station to give a statement. He doesn’t have to."

Alex asked, "You don’t get involved with the Mixed Breeds?"

"This is Zone 19. We understand Mixed Breeds better here," the patrolman said. "As long as they don’t hurt anyone, we don’t bring them into the station. Catching these bastards does more to keep Zone 19 stable."

With that, the patrolman paused and looked the little Mixed Breed over again. "Is he easy to handle?"

It took Alex a moment to process the question. "Very easy," he replied. "He’s well-behaved."

The patrolman asked no more questions. After getting Alex’s personal contact code, he drove away in the police car.

Alex walked over to Gu Ning. "Come on, I’ll take you home."

Gu Ning looked at Kloer, still lying on the ground. ’Are we just going to leave him here?’

Alex pulled him up from the ground. "Don’t worry about him. The only person he’s ever lost to is you."

Gu Ning: "..."

*

"This is the place?"

Alex looked up at the apartment building, then glanced at the little Mixed Breed beside him. "It doesn’t seem very safe. You live alone?"

Gu Ning nodded and handed him a slip of paper.

Alex took it and read: *Thank you, Alex*.

Alex was surprised to see his name spelled correctly on the note. He hadn’t taught Cook how to write it yet.

He folded the note, put it in his pocket, and said to Gu Ning, "If you want to move, let me know. I can help you find a safer place."

Gu Ning hesitated for a moment, then gave a slight nod.

’I really should consider moving.’

"Should I walk you up?" Alex asked.

Gu Ning shook his head and pressed the elevator button.

Alex watched him get into the elevator. "Contact me anytime if you need anything," he said.

Gu Ning waved to him in farewell.

As the elevator doors closed, Gu Ning slid down against the corner, completely drained.

On a third-floor balcony, Wanai watched the Beastman in the blue work uniform walk away below, then lowered his rifle.