The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1886 1886: Secure Kill Zone

Rex had already foreseen this turn of events.

To be quite honest, even though he wasn't harboring high expectations, Bellana managed to maintain her composure far better than he had anticipated.

Her expression remained placid, her stance relaxed, that is, until an impolite hand reached out and fiddled with the end of her braid. That touch shattered her carefully constructed composure. This locale was, essentially, the slums, a cesspool where unsavory individuals festered in filth and barbarity, a place where any glimmer of brightness was inevitably tarnished black.

Bellana, however, was radiant. Untainted.

Her appearance suggested a doll, someone utterly out of place in these surroundings.

Rex, conversely, blended right in, while she stood out conspicuously.

Merely from this observation, he knew avoiding a confrontation with these ruffians was impossible.

"I was under the impression that renting a vault in this deplorable establishment implied a certain discretion, a lack of intrusive questions," Rex stated, locking eyes with the man. His gaze held no trace of fear. "Direct me to the portal, unless you wish for my affairs to become entangled with your own."

Every individual who secured a vault within this place was, in their own way, quite dubious.

And these denizens of the mire understood how perilous it could be to delve into another's hidden affairs.

This should have been a sufficient deterrent.

"He's not someone to be trifled with," the man mused internally, sensing that Rex was accustomed to such predicaments. Not a single flicker of doubt crossed Rex's features. "So, how is it that he is accompanied by someone so pristine? And it appeared she came of her own accord."

At that very moment, the man swiftly shook his head.

Contemplating such matters meant meddling in Rex's business, and that was hardly advisable.

He had been involved in this particular trade for an extended period, recognizing precisely when to disengage.

"Open the gate," he commanded, signaling for his two accompanying thugs to cease their harassment of Bellana. He then redirected his attention to Rex. "I shall escort you to the portal."

Both thugs grumbled in dissatisfaction.

Someone as vibrant and radiant as Bellana was a rare sight, and it was a pity they couldn't lay their hands on her to taint her purity. However, they had heard their superior's directive and knew better than to defy it.

"What the hell do you want?" one of them stopped and questioned when Rex seized his wrist.

Crack—!

"Raaargghkk!!"

Almost instantaneously, the thug collapsed to the ground following the sickening sound of a wet fracture. Rex's formidable fingers had enveloped the thug's wrist, and the bones within yielded without resistance, much like brittle twigs snapping underfoot.

The entire event transpired in a mere second.

Rex released his grip, allowing the thug to fall; his expression remained utterly impassive.

"Keep your hands to yourself," his voice was as frigid as the winter wind. He then glanced past the incapacitated thug towards the man, who watched with evident astonishment. "Instruct your subordinates more effectively. You've perhaps been too lenient, forgetting the necessity of discipline."

Bellana tugged at Rex's shirt from behind, taken aback by his forceful actions.

They were presently in unfamiliar territory, surrounded by unsavory characters.

Such an outburst could only invite further trouble. Bellana braced herself, certain that Rex's display of force would provoke the thugs into a violent frenzy. Yet, what unfolded next defied her expectations. The man simply inclined his head. "I shall take that advice to heart. I trust you will overlook this incident." He gestured towards the now-open gate. "Now, if you would be so kind as to follow me?"

Rex and Bellana complied, following the man.

The interior of the abandoned warehouse was surprisingly cleaner and more capacious than its exterior suggested.

It was laid out in a rectangular fashion, with zinc partitions lining the sides, dividing the vast space into numerous smaller compartments, each presumably housing a portal. Curtains, strangely drab and grey, were suspended across every opening, serving the dual purpose of ensuring privacy and muffling the palpable energy emanating from within.

Even Rex would have been unaware of what lay concealed behind these coverings had he not known the nature of this establishment, a place for vaults.

However, through the System's analytical capabilities, he could discern each portal behind the concealing fabrics.

"This is yours," the man announced, halting before a curtain situated at the far end of the warehouse, a considerable distance from the main entrance. "Present the permit on the pedestal adjacent to the portal, and the barrier concealing it will retract. Additionally, do not forget to engage the activation switch prior to utilizing the permit."

He returned the permit and departed.

Rex drew back the curtain, revealing a portal suspended above a platform.

Its distinct, prickling energy seemed to make no sound, a consequence, no doubt, of the dense, wax-like barrier completely encasing it. This barrier could only be breached by the specific permit associated with the vault, akin to the one he had obtained from Aaran.

Fortunately, Aaran's prominent family possessed their own personal pocket dimension.

This circumstance saved Rex the inconvenience of waiting for Aaran to retrieve it from his residence or wherever he had secured it.

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 something 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 immediately 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 time 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 same exact portal like the ones in official establishments. Even the necessary containment process is the same. In fact, the official vaults were even more secure than this. Why would anyone use their services?"

"Documentation," Rex replied without hesitation. "Official channels required detailed documentation, 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 customers wouldn't be treated like that.

Rex poked his hand into the portal, and when it seemed 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-themed 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 me.

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 name, 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 something 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. Come on. Go on and earn my friendship. Don't go back here until I come 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 time. 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?"

<Scanning…>

<Notice: Seventy-five individuals occupied the area. The strongest among them was the man who had led the user to the portal. He's a one-star Awakened Demigod. He also had fully mastered the Five Sword Air-cutting Hurricane, a divine-rank technique comprised of two distinct forms.>

"Seventy-five? That many? I don't see them," Rex asked as his King Mark manifested on his forehead.

He was confused.

Along the way, he hadn't noticed that many people.

Rex thought that at most, there were two dozen thugs, but that's more than he anticipated.

"Are all of them combatants?" He asked.

<Negative. Fifty-two of them are non-combatants, chained underground.>

Rex looked down and only then realized there were many status windows underground. Most of them are around two-star to three-star Demigods—quite weak. Possible new Demigods. And from the status section, he found that most of them were blanks.

It's odd.

He had never seen anyone who felt nothing before.

But when he asked the System to focus on one and show him what was going on underground, he came to realize that they were the unfortunate ones. Slaves who were used for the thugs' pleasure. Their entire purpose in life is to be entertainment.

"Perfect," Rex smiled inwardly. "That'll be my reasoning. That is, if I'm caught."

Just earlier, when he was about to enter the portal, he remembered something.

The Sudden Quest mandated the consumption of ten inhabitants from the God Realm. Devouring ten such individuals proved challenging when Rex was confined to the Cavity, where every soul encountered was a Pale Defender. However, the situation had drastically changed.

Within this sector of the city, unrestrained action was permissible.

This freedom was not due to lax security in Larta City; on the contrary, the city's defenses were exceptionally robust.

Even from his vantage point, Rex observed law enforcement officers stationed at regular intervals, with discreet patrols operating covertly. As Vadyn had stated, engaging in nefarious activities within Larta City was exceptionally difficult, especially for an outsider like himself.

The reason for his capability was the location's absolute security.

Rex would not need to establish a protected killing ground.

He could readily utilize a pre-existing one.

Upon entering the warehouse vicinity, Rex discerned that it existed in a spatial dimension distinct from the external world. Given the organized appearance of the thugs present, it was probable that a more formidable and experienced individual was providing support. The creation of a separate dimensional space was entirely feasible.

Regardless of how stringent and secure a location might be, a vulnerability will invariably exist.

Someone was bound to discover it, and the associate of these thugs had indeed found it.

Rex's fangs extended, and his fingernails transformed into sharp, black steel claws, poised to tear flesh.

"I only need to eliminate a handful of them," he declared, raking his fingers through his hair and tugging at the roots to enhance his concentration. "I will store their remains in my inventory for later consumption." He contemplated the thugs positioned beyond the perimeter walls. "I doubt any of them possess skills or passive abilities worth acquiring. However," A subtle smile graced his lips. "Considering this is the God Realm, are there even any detrimental abilities to be found?"

He exited the private chamber and stepped into the open.

"More importantly, I cannot afford to be selective. Zev might not fulfill his end of the bargain, and I must complete this sudden quest promptly."

A series of faint clinking sounds echoed from the corrugated zinc rooftop.

Rex's gaze shifted upward as the noise intensified and became more widespread, indicating an approaching rain shower.

"Oh…?" A smile spread across his face. "Could this night possibly be any more perfect? System, summon Shadow."