CHAPTER 12: The Warehouse
"There is," the old man replied. "And it only costs 100 rands for a night."
Osa's eyes widened. "That's incredibly cheap."
"Yes. My pavilion offers lodging at a lower cost than anywhere else in the southern district—or anywhere near this bus station."
"Alright, sir. Here's the money."
Osa handed over the payment.
The old man collected it, stood up slowly, and said, "Follow me. Let me show you to your room."
Osa trailed behind the elderly man, studying him carefully.
At first glance, the man appeared to be an ordinary old man—frail, weak, perhaps in his sixties. But upon closer inspection, hr something felt off. His face didn't look sixty. It looked forty. And despite his thin frame, there was something about him—a presence—that suggested he could destroy the entire city with a single blow if he chose to.
Osa couldn't help but be stunned.
"Is it really necessary to be this shocked after seeing a Lord-level hybrid?" Dean asked with disgust.
"You should know that even mid-level hybrids are rare in Blue Fur City," Osa shot back. "So seeing a Lord-level hybrid isn't exactly normal, is it?"
"Fine. Look as much as you want. Be shocked however you want," Dean grumbled. "Hmph. You have a Transcendent Realm Blood Vampire with you, and you're fawning over some common Lord-level hybrid."
"We're here," the old man said.
Osa looked around—and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
They were standing in what looked like an abandoned warehouse.
"This... this is—"
"This is the room you rented for yourself," the old man said calmly.
Osa stared at him, helpless. "Come on, old man. When I said I needed a place to stay, I didn't mean I wanted to sleep in a warehouse."
The old man's expression shifted slightly. "Now tell me, kid—what's your real purpose for coming to this district?"
His tone was casual, but his eyes were sharp.
"Based on your expression when you entered my pavilion, you didn't look like someone who just wanted to rent a room for the night. You looked like someone searching for a place to hide."
Osa narrowed his eyes. "Old man, did you bring me here just to question me?"
The old man chuckled wearily. "Kid, I know you're here to kill someone. Nothing in this city can evade my detection. And when I say this city, I mean both the northern and southern districts."
Osa was surprised—but his expression didn't change. Instead, anger and indignation flared inside him.
"So this is what your 'inn' is really about," Osa said coldly. "It was a mistake coming to your pavilion."
He turned to leave.
"Hey, young one," the old man called out softly. "I was speculating before. But now I'm certain—you're here to murder someone."
Osa stopped mid-step.
"Why don't you just admit it?" the old man said helplessly. "Then I can tell you how I figured it out."
Osa stood at the threshold of the reception hall, frozen. Something felt off.
"Just tell him," Dean said suddenly. "Don't worry. With me here, escaping from him if things go bad is very easy."
"Okay, but why didn't you say so earlier? Here I was, worrying about our safety."
Osa sighed and turned back.
"Fine. I'm here to kill someone. So how did you notice?"
"Very simple," the old man said. "But first—who are you planning to kill?"
"I'm here to destroy a human-shaped beast," Osa said flatly.
The old man studied him for a moment. "Through your killing intent. I might be wrong, but it looks like the beast you're bonded to is a murderous type—a killer's beast."
Osa knew the old man was subtly probing him, so he stayed silent, keeping his expression neutral.
"That's correct. I appreciate you letting me know. Goodbye."
Osa turned toward the reception hall again, unwilling to stay any longer.
"Hey, kid, wait!" the old man called out. "I can cut the price in half for you. What do you think? Alright, you're still leaving? Fine—I'll let you stay for free."
Osa stopped just before leaving the building. He turned back and nodded.
"If it's free, no problem. I'll stay."
"Then get your things inside."
Once the old man left, Osa spoke telepathically to Dean.
"You knew about my killing intent, but you didn't say anything?"
"Yes. I thought you knew," Dean replied. "Didn't you notice the people sitting near you on the bus? They were sweating profusely. Some of them even looked terrified."
Osa paused. "Yes, I saw that. But I didn't really think much of it."
He frowned. "Wait—are you saying I was the reason behind it?"
"Yes, you were the reason. It's also likely that the previous hotels raised their prices on purpose to drive you away—because of the impression you gave them and their patrons."
Osa became speechless.
So that's how it is.
"How do I control my killing intent?" Osa asked.
"Simple. Through meditation."
"You mean just sitting down cross-legged? Like those old monks?"
"Nearly, but not exactly the same."
During their brief conversation, they'd unintentionally made their way back into the warehouse.
Osa looked around. The place was covered in dust and cobwebs. It looked like it had been abandoned for years.
Did that old man give me this warehouse for free just so I could clean it?
He sighed. Good thing I'm a Blood Vampire. Cleaning this shouldn't be a problem.
Three hours later, Osa sat on the floor, surrounded by trash buckets filled with dirty water and cleaning supplies. The entire warehouse was spotless.
He glanced at his wristwatch.
Whoa. It's almost nine o'clock.
He stood up and began changing into his gear.
I better get going before he escapes.
Thinking about something, Osa asked, "Dean, what that old man said—is it true?"
"What?" Dean replied.
"About being able to see everything in Blue Fur City without leaving this place."
"It's true, of course. And not just Blue Fur City—even the neighboring cities can't evade his notice."
Osa frowned. "I mean, being able to see so many places at once... isn't that overwhelming? Is he a god?"
"What's surprising about that?" Dean said dismissively. "At my peak, I could see everywhere in your tiny universe. And there are others who can scan entire planets if they choose to. So don't be alarmed, little one."