Rex had already anticipated this.
Frankly, though he wasn't expecting much, Bellana kept her cool better than he thought she would.
She kept her face still, her posture relaxed, that is, until a rough hand reached out and fingered the end of her braid. The contact broke her strong façade. This place was basically the slums, a sump where bad people marinated in gri and cruelty, where everything bright eventually got smudged black.
And Bellana was bright. Untouched.
Her color made her look like a Barbie. Soone who doesn't belong here at all.
Rex fit right in, while she stood out like a sore thumb.
Just from that alone, he knew there was no avoiding being tested by these thugs.
"I thought renting a vault in this garbage of a place had sothing to do with not asking questions," Rex said—staring at the man straight in the eyes. No fear in his eyes. "Show the portal unless you want my business to also be your… business."
Every single person who rented a vault in this place is also shady in their own right.
And these people who had dwelled in the mud knew how sticky it can be to pry into another's shade.
It should be more than enough as a threat.
'He's not soone you ss with,' The man thought inside—sensing that Rex was used to this kind of situation. Not even a crack surfaced on his face. 'So, how co he's with soone as clean as her? It looked like she ca out of her own volition, too.'
Just then, the man quickly shook his head.
Thinking about it ant prying into Rex's business, and that's not sothing good.
He had been in this business for so long that he knew when to back off.
"Open the gate," He instructed, gesturing for the two thugs to knock it off harassing Bellana. Then, he focused back on Rex, "I'll bring you to the portal."
Both clicked their tongues.
Soone bubbly—and bright like Bellana is not sothing they saw every day, and it was a sha that they couldn't get their hands on her and sared their blackness onto her. But they heard what the man said, and there's no going against it.
"Fuck do you want?" One of them stopped and looked when Rex caught his wrist.
Crack—!
"Raaargghkk!!"
Almost instantly, the thug crumpled to the ground after the sound of a wet crack. Rex's strong fingers had closed around the thug's wrist, and the bones in it had surrendered without resistance like dry twigs under a boot heel.
It happened in a second.
Rex released him and let him drop; his expression utterly unchanged.
"Keep your hands to yourself," His voice was winter cold. Then, he looked past the crumpled thug to the man who looked stunned at what he was seeing. "Teach your dogs better manners. You've given too much carrot and forgot the whip."
Bellana pulled on Rex's shirt from behind, surprised at what he had done.
Right now, they were in a foreign place and surrounded by the thugs.
Acting out like this was only going to bring trouble. Bellana braced herself, certain that Rex's brutality would send the thugs into a frenzy. But what happened next was nothing like she had imagined. The man simply nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. I hope you'll let this one pass." He gestured toward the open gate. "Now, would you mind following ?"
Rex and Bellana followed the man.
Inside the abandoned warehouse was cleaner and more spacious than expected.
It was rectangular in shape, and on either side, there were zinc partitions that divided the large warehouse into smaller chambers, which Rex assud each housed a portal. There's also an odd, dirty grey curtain that was hung across every opening, providing privacy while also dampening the energy that bled from within.
Even Rex wouldn't know what was behind the curtains had he not known this was a vault.
But through the System's scan, he could see each portal behind the curtains.
"Here's yours," the man stopped in front of a curtain on the other end of the warehouse—quite far away from the main gate. "Place the permit on the box to the portal's right, and the barrier blocking it would open. Also, don't forget to activate the switch before using the permit."
He handed the permit back and left.
Rex opened the curtain and was greeted by a portal hovering on top of a platform.
Its prickling energy didn't even make any sound, which should be because of the sticky wax-like barrier covering it completely. One that only the permit to the vault would be able to open, like the one he got from Aaran.
Fortunately, Aaran's family was high enough to have a small dinsional pocket.
Save Rex the trouble of waiting for him to take it from his ho or wherever he stored it if not for that.
Beside the entrance stood a lever, its handle scarred with marks from years of use. Rex pulled it. Almost instantly, the curtain swept shut and began to glow. He watched as a wax-like barrier oozed across the entire chamber, sealing it with a wet, sticky sound like sothing alive clawing its way into existence.
And then he put the permit inside a small box right beside the portal.
He watched the barrier covering the portal crumble with the sound of glass breaking.
Once it was fully down, the energy from the portal imdiately oozed out, enveloping the chamber.
Rex now gained access back to the Cavity.
As he was doing that, Bellana was near the curtain, placing a hand against her chest.
She was steadying her breath, as what she went through earlier was nerve-wracking.
It was her first ti being in this kind of situation, and if she were to be honest, it was quite exciting.
"I don't get it." Bellana approached the portal and inspected it. "It's the sa exact portal like the ones in official establishnts. Even the necessary containnt process is the sa. In fact, the official vaults were even more secure than this. Why would anyone use their services?"
"Docuntation," Rex replied without hesitation. "Official channels required detailed docuntation, and there are probably limitations as to where the portal could lead. This place is perfect to stay utterly anonymous. Besides, the risks were all on those thugs' hands, as if this place was caught, they'll be on trial, not the ones who used their services."
Even Rex found this place quite appealing.
Though it was Aaran's portal, he could easily enter as long as he got the permit.
That trouble earlier only happened because there was a bright flower like Bellana.
Normal custors wouldn't be treated like that.
Rex poked his hand into the portal, and when it seed fine, he poked his head inside to see.
He saw a spacious room complete with a bedroom, living room, and study room in one place.
Considering the town Rex had been in before Vadyn picked him up, he doubted this room was anywhere within the Cavity. It had the sleek, minimalist-thed aesthetic of a modern interior. Even the floor was covered in soft carpet, not rough wooden planks.
I'll be lost if Bellana is not with .
Rex pulled his head out and turned to her, "I want you to find out where that place is and find a way to a regular town in the middle of the flower field. I forgot the na, but it should be near the southern part of the Cavity."
"Ermm, what about you?" She stopped by the portal as Rex pushed her towards it. "Aren't you coming to the Cavity, too?"
"I forgot sothing in the car. It'll not take long," He took the key and pushed her again.
"In the car? You didn't bring anything with y—"
"Just do as I told. Co on. Go on and earn my friendship. Don't go back here until I co back."
Before she could utter a single protest, Rex already pushed her into the portal.
Now, he was alone again.
"System," Rex went to a clean table to the side, opened the leather glove he was wearing, and placed it there. He took it off slowly, taking his ti. No need for him to use it anymore, as he was already far enough from the spies. "How many people are in the area? And who's the strongest?"
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