Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert Chapter 612

The leader stood frozen in disbelief, his gaze fixed on the scene before him.

Everything had been reduced to utter blackness.

The queen spike mole, which had been in the midst of giving birth, its newborn pups, and even his own subordinates were all gone.

The colossal lightning bolt that had descended upon the canyon had incinerated everything in its path.

Trembling uncontrollably!

The leader's body shook like a leaf in a storm.

He understood the reason for his survival.

It wasn't due to any personal strength or ability.

Had Levin not deliberately restricted the range of Giga Lightning to spare him, he too would have perished alongside his men.

In a single, devastating strike, everything they had diligently built over time had turned to ash.

The leader struggled to accept the grim reality that had befallen him.

“Y-you… Who exactly are you? Do you even comprehend the magnitude of the chaos you’ve unleashed?”

“The truly insane ones are you. Cultivating monsters for drug production? Do you believe you’ll remain unscathed if City Hall discovers this?”

“Who would even bother to care about such a matter?”

“What did you say?”

“Out of twenty million people, only a small fraction become addicted, correct? Those who indulge find happiness in their affliction, and we profit from their dependency. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

The leader retorted defiantly, as if his actions were entirely justified.

Levin responded with an expression of utter disbelief.

“What is so wonderful about becoming addicted to drugs?”

“Was anyone coerced into taking them? They sought them out willingly because they found pleasure in them.”

“So, you maintain that you’ve committed no wrongdoing?”

“It is merely the law of nature. The strong prey upon and exploit the weak.”

To his very last breath, the leader clung to the conviction that his actions were blameless.

Flash!

Levin discharged a bolt of Purple Lightning at the man.

“Gahhh!”

A searing scream erupted from the leader as he was wracked by the high-voltage electrocution.

He was, after all, a B-rank Tamer.

While he possessed the skill to subdue and control monsters weaker than himself, he lacked any significant combat prowess.

This deficiency left him utterly vulnerable to Levin’s assault.

Levin approached the man, now slumped weakly on the ground.

“If you wish to depart this world without further suffering, reveal to me everyone you are associated with.”

“Damn it! Can you even handle it?”

“Handle what?”

“Do you imagine this operation involves merely one or two individuals? Powers far beyond your comprehension are implicated. If you pursue this further, not only you, but your entire family will vanish without a trace.”

“Do you even recognize whose family you are threatening to bring such a declaration?”

“What do you mean?”

“Sand Mage Zeon. He is my elder brother. Can you truly stand against him? Do you possess the audacity to confront him?”

“Damn you! Stop spewing lies.”

“Why would I deceive someone of your caliber?”

Faced with Levin’s condescending stare and frigid tone, the leader’s mind was jolted back to clarity.

An instinctual recognition told him that Levin was speaking the truth.

‘Sand Mage Zeon…’

Cold dread coursed down his spine.

Among the twenty million inhabitants of Neo Seoul, there existed a select few individuals who were absolutely forbidden to cross.

Regardless of the circumstances, even inadvertently, encountering these beings was to be avoided at all costs.

Jin Geum-ho, the supreme ruler of Neo Seoul, the various district governors, and the formidable Sand Mage Zeon.

Of this elite group, Zeon stood out as a being of extraordinary and unique power.

He was a master who commanded all the desert sands as his personal arsenal.

It was widely believed that as long as sand persisted, Zeon was effectively invincible.

Levin addressed the trembling leader.

“Go on. Attempt to threaten me once more.”

“Damn it…”

“If you have no further threats to make, then disclose everything with utmost honesty. Detail the extent of the involvement and the scope of their operations.”

Crackle!

Flashes of white sparks erupted from Levin’s hand.

The leader flinched involuntarily, his body reacting before his mind could even process the threat.

He realized that Levin was not someone who could be intimidated by threats, nor could he be subdued by brute force.

His options had dwindled to nothing.

Finally, with great difficulty, the leader spoke.

“There is only one piece of information I possess. Illusion!”

“Illusion? An organization named Illusion?”

“Indeed! An organization operating under the name Illusion is orchestrating all of this.”

“And its members?”

“They are a diverse group. Scavengers, Awakened individuals from various districts, and members of the Lion Gate… Gahhh! This accursed curse user!”

Abruptly, the leader cried out in agony.

The skin on his face began to liquefy, resembling melting dough.

“What the—?”

Levin recoiled in shock, stunned by the horrific transformation.

There was no time to intervene.

The leader dissolved into nothingness within moments, his final moments punctuated by a ghastly scream.

Even Levin, known for his hardened resolve, was left speechless by the gruesome spectacle.

“What? A Curse User?”

Levin’s brow furrowed deeply in concern.

The existence of Curse Users was not officially recognized within Neo Seoul.

As far as Levin was aware, no such individuals were registered in the city. However, it was entirely possible for them to exist in the shadows, their numbers unknown.

Given the extreme stigma associated with their class, it was only natural that they would remain hidden, their presence undetected.

Furthermore, the victim himself had mentioned a Curse User.

It was now evident that a Curse User was indeed involved in this clandestine affair.

“It appears to be a form of curse that triggers upon the utterance of a specific word. Ugh… I cannot remain in this place any longer.”

Levin turned away, his resolve to linger gone.

The sight of a person melting away like ice cream was profoundly disturbing, almost nauseating.

Despite his strong constitution, the urge to leave this grim location immediately was overwhelming.

With a decisive movement, Levin unleashed Giga Lightning at its maximum power into the canyon.

Boom!

With a thunderous roar, the canyon collapsed.

After confirming that the leader and the corpses of the monsters were all buried under a massive pile of dirt, Levin departed from the canyon.

---

Brielle welcomed Levin back, his form coated in dust.

“Are you alright?”

The Thirteenth Slaughterhouse had detonated not long after Levin entered. While she doubted anyone with Levin’s unique ghostification ability could perish from an explosion, a flicker of worry had still crossed her mind.

Levin nodded.

“I’m perfectly fine! As you can see, not a single scratch. It’s all thanks to the potion you provided.”

“Truly?”

“I ingested some powder containing the drug's components, but it was instantly detoxified. Thank you.”

“I’m relieved it proved effective.”

“Whew! Honestly, without your potion, the situation could have become quite dire.”

“Were you able to identify them?”

“It appears a considerable number of individuals are involved. This isn’t something the two of us can handle alone.”

“So, what’s the plan?”

“We inform hyung and request assistance. Let’s return to Neo Seoul without delay.”

“Agreed!”

Brielle gave a nod of confirmation.

The duo promptly utilized the portal to return to Neo Seoul.

Upon arriving at the solver’s office, they found Zeon awaiting them.

“You’ve returned. Is everyone safe?”

“Yes! But more importantly, hyung…”

Levin recounted in detail the events he experienced at the magic stone mine.

From the capture of the queen spike mole and compelling it to repeatedly breed, to the accelerated growth of its offspring using growth accelerants, and finally, the extraction of drug materials at the Thirteenth Slaughterhouse—he narrated the entire sequence without omitting any crucial details.

After absorbing all the information, Zeon began to share his own experiences.

“Those lunatics! Peddling drugs in a South District establishment? Is such a thing even feasible without certain parties turning a blind eye?”

“And what about the slaughterhouse? It’s a facility belonging to the East District. High-ranking officials from the East District are undeniably implicated.”

The sheer magnitude of the drug operation, far exceeding any initial estimations, caused both Levin and Brielle to shake their heads in disbelief.

Zeon directed a question to Levin,

“You mentioned a curse user might be involved?”

“Indeed! Just before he met his end, he uttered something about a curse user.”

“It seems the tamer and the curse user were the linchpins.”

“However, with the tamer now deceased and the monster farm in ruins, their capacity to produce more drugs will be severely hampered.”

“The critical concern is the quantity they have managed to stockpile.”

Precisely as Zeon tapped his finger on the table—

“Levin!”

Aaron and Dominic burst into the office without warning.

“What is it?”

“We’ve located him! The individual bearing the scorpion ring.”

“Seriously?”

“Absolutely!”

At their affirmative response, Levin sprang to his feet.

“Where?”

“Beggar’s Den.”

“Guro?”

“That’s correct! The leader of those scoundrels is sporting the scorpion ring.”

“Those despicable individuals…”

“Habin and Kaden are undoubtedly being held captive in their stronghold as well.”

Crunch!

Levin gritted his teeth.

The Beggar’s Den was a notorious criminal syndicate operating within Guro.

Unlike Sinchon, which had been consolidated under Eaton’s dominion thanks to Zeon, Guro remained a disarray of numerous rampant criminal factions.

The Beggar’s Den stood as one prominent example among them.

It was an organization forged by the forsaken children of Guro.

They engaged in acts such as pickpocketing, human trafficking, theft, robbery, and murder with unhesitating brutality.

Residing at the absolute lowest rung of society, they operated without regard for consequences, clinging with the ferocity of starving beasts.

Consequently, even other criminal organizations within Guro would often sigh and concede ground when dealing with the Beggar’s Den.

But to Levin, whose eyes now blazed with fury, such considerations were utterly irrelevant.

“Assemble the others!”

“They have already been gathered.”

“Let’s move out!”

Without a second’s hesitation, Levin strode out of the office.

Brielle whispered to Zeon,

“You’re not going to intervene?”

“Would he heed such counsel if I offered it?”

“That’s true. His eyes already seemed consumed.”

“It’s unlikely Levin would be defeated by mere slum dwellers. We should permit him to handle this.”

“Then you intend to remain uninvolved?”

“As if.”

Zeon offered a smile, rising to his feet.

At the sight of that chilling smile, Brielle shivered slightly.

Something significant invariably transpired whenever Zeon adopted that particular expression.

However, she had no desire to remain behind alone.

She followed Zeon out.

The destination for Zeon and Brielle was City Hall.

Utilizing a complimentary pass, they ascended to the mayor’s office, where Jin Geum-ho was situated.

Jin Geum-ho, who had been engrossed in his work, regarded Zeon with a perplexed expression.

“What brings you here without prior notice?”

“There is a matter requiring discussion.”

“Discussion? It must be of significant importance.”

“Indeed.”

“Shall I summon Taeran as well?”

“Yes, please.”

Jin Geum-ho promptly contacted Seo Taeran.

Observing Zeon’s stern demeanor, she took a seat beside Jin Geum-ho in silence.

Zeon proceeded to apprise them of all the preceding events.

Upon hearing the complete account, Jin Geum-ho’s outward expression remained utterly composed. Yet, Zeon understood the immense anger simmering beneath the surface. That was the nature of Jin Geum-ho; the greater his fury, the more placid he became.

Conversely, raw, cold wrath radiated openly from Seo Taeran’s countenance. Were it not for Jin Geum-ho’s presence beside her, she appeared poised to erupt at any moment. She too recognized that Jin Geum-ho was genuinely enraged, and thus, she restrained herself.

Jin Geum-ho murmured,

“It’s not entirely surprising. Even when humanity teeters on the brink of extinction, there will always be vile individuals driven solely by their own avarice.”

In the nascent years of Neo Seoul, a period of even greater pandemonium had unfolded.

At that time, the scarcity of sustenance was so severe that cannibalism became a grim reality.

It was an era bereft of law and order, a true descent into chaos.

During that tumultuous period, Jin Geum-ho, alongside Deion, ruthlessly eliminated anyone who dared to oppose them.

Their retribution was brutal and absolute, leaving no one spared.

The streets of Neo Seoul ran red with the blood of tens of thousands, littered with their fallen forms.

Those who bore witness to that horrifying epoch still shudder at the mere mention of Jin Geum-ho’s name.

However, with the passage of many years, the chilling grip of that fear had loosened its hold on the populace.

“That audacity, that utter absurdity, is precisely why they dared to act. And to tamper with the portal I hold most dear.”

It had been an age since he had encountered such profound revulsion.

He had presumed that after reigning over Neo Seoul for over a century, his emotions would have become calloused—but it appeared that assumption was mistaken.

A fiery indignation surged from the depths of his being.

Despite the tempest within, Jin Geum-ho’s lips curved into a smile.

With a placid smile, he addressed Zeon,

“Entrust this affair to my care.”

“That is precisely why I sought you out.”

“As anticipated, your wisdom is impeccable. You possess an innate understanding of wielding power with maximum efficacy.”

“Each individual excels in their own distinct sphere of expertise.”

“Indeed. Predicaments such as this fall squarely within my purview. Taeran.”

Jin Geum-ho’s gaze subsequently shifted towards Seo Taeran.

“Yes, Mayor.”

“Did you hear his directive?”

“Affirmative.”

“Deploy the Numbers.”

“It appears their influence spans across various districts. To what extent should this extensive purge proceed?”

After a moment of deliberate contemplation, Jin Geum-ho’s voice remained resolute,

“Not a single soul shall be spared. Eradicate every last one of them without exception.”