Chapter 68: Chapter68-I really regret my earlier decision to come here!

"But" Eoin tried to interject. "Imagine if he complains to his father, who happens to lead one of the most influential families. With so many witnesses here, you know whose side the government would take, r-i-g-h-t?," Marcus said slowly and firmly. Eoin hesitated, his fierce demeanor wavering under Marcus's reasoning. He knew Marcus was rightthe consequences of Solos' actions could escalate quickly if taken to the authorities. The crowd's murmurs grew louder, sensing the tension and awaiting the outcome. "Fine," Eoin finally said through gritted teeth, stepping back but keeping a wary eye on me. "But this isn't over." Marcus turned to me, a calm yet stern expression on his face. "You too, calm down. No need to escalate things further." I took a deep breath, my anger subsiding slightly. I knew Marcus was right as well. Continuing this fight would only make things worse, and I had already made my point clear. "Alright," I said, releasing my grip on Solos completely. "But let him know, next time he won't be so lucky." Marcus nodded, stepping aside as I walked away. Solos' cronies quickly rushed to his side and took him to the medical wing. I think so... Given the way I beat him, he's definitely going to be there for a day or two. Jack and his brothers caught up with me, their expressions a mix of concern and approval. "You handled that well," Jack said, clapping me on the back. "But be careful. Solos won't forget this." "I know," I replied, my voice steady. "But for now, let's get out of here." As we walked away, I felt the eyes of the crowd on my back, some filled with respect, others with curiosity. I also heard a few murmurs, like: **Guest 1:** "Did you see how fast he moved? I didn't know he could do that!" **Guest 2:** "Who would've thought an Iron ranker could beat a Gold ranker like that?" **Guest 3:** "Solos really went too far this time. He totally deserved it." **Guest 4:** "I heard Michael's dad is important in the government. Solos is in big trouble." **Guest 5:** "Maybe, but Solos' dad is a respected businessman. I think Solos might still get punished since his dad is really strict." *** Most people were supporting me because of what Solos did, but I still saw some unhappy faces in the crowd. I also saw James returning, but Mira didn't come back. I didn't know where she was, but I didn't care since I was too busy thinking about other things. When I looked at the crowd, James and I made eye contact for a few seconds. He smirked a little before going back to his usual expression. I didn't mind, though. From his smile, I could tell he had some idea about my skill or was planning something. We're neither friends nor enemies, so it's hard to guess if he's plotting against me or Solos. I also didn't use my appraisal skill because I'd need to stare at him for a second or two, and I can't do that right now. If I did, he might get suspicious or take it as a provocation. Since I just came out of a fight a few minutes ago, provoking someone strong like him would be a bad idea and might change the opinions of the people around us about me. So, I went with the flow and left the area. It didn't take long before I got to my room's entrance. Allen and Sam were busy with Marcus's call right after the fight, so Jack was the only one who came along for safety. After saying goodbye to Jack, I went into my room and locked the door. Then, I sat on the edge of my bed, lost in my thoughts. Solos... That guy will definitely seek revenge for what I did to him today. His attitude reminds me of those arrogant young masters in cultivation novels. I'm sure he'll try to send some lackeys or criminals after me. So, I need to be prepared for anything and grind as fast as I can. The quest is also coming to an end, and Solos's lackeys will probably be at least Gold rank. I can't rely solely on my skill to protect myself all the time. So, I need to level up, and I have a perfect plan for it. But I'll have to wait until tomorrow when I meet with my group. *** Tomorrow came quickly. I woke up, took a shower, and put on some regular clothes I had stashed away in a corner of the shopping mall. After dressing, I headed out to meet my group. Yesterday, Jack told me that each group has its designated meeting spot in the mall. Group 1 meets at the entertainment venues inside the mall, Group 3 at Anchor shop, and Group 5 at one of the specialty rooms. So, everyone has their own meeting place, including my group. As I walked, I noticed many people glancing in my direction. I could understand whythey must have heard about me or seen me defeating a Gold ranker effortlessly. Ignoring the glances, I headed towards our meeting spot. After walking for a few minutes, I arrived at the spot which turned out to be a food court or restaurant. There were many people bustling aroundsome eating, some chatting, and others looking for seats. The atmosphere felt strangely normal and surreal at the same time, considering we were far from our own world. I noticed a large table meant for groups or families amidst the other seats. It stood untouched, with eight empty chairs. I headed straight for it, knowing this was where my group was supposed to meet. It was odd to see so many people crowded around, though. Marcus had instructed that our group meeting place should be clear of others. Was I in the wrong place? Jack had clearly told me that the only large table in the middle of the restaurant was where our group would gather, with no one else around. I sighed in frustration. Whatever the case, I decided to sit there and wait for the others to arrive. I didn't care whether people stayed or leftI would just be focusing on my own task ahead. I took a seat at one of the eight chairs, waiting for the others to arrive. I arrived early, considering the team meeting starts at 9:05 a.m., and it was only 8:30 a.m., now. So, I waited for about 10 minutes until something unusual started happening around me. People who had been sitting and eating breakfast began to stand up and leave one by one. At first, I didn't pay much attention as it was happening slowly, but by 8:50 a.m., a large number of them got up and left, which startled me a little. However, I swiftly regained my usual calm demeanor, speculating that they might be leaving because the meeting was about to start soon. That appeared to be the most plausible explanation. I sat there for a few minutes, waiting patiently at the large table designated as our group's meeting spot in the once bustling food court. As people gradually began to leave, creating an unusual quiet around me, a hand suddenly patted my shoulder. Startled, I turned to see who it was. It was a fairly average-looking guy with black hair and ordinary eye color. He offered a friendly smile and said, "Hello, lieutenant." I furrowed my brows slightly, not immediately recognizing him. "Hmm, do I know you?" He chuckled lightly. "Ah, my apologies for not introducing myself sooner. I'm Aeron, one of the members of our group." "Aeron," I repeated his name, trying to remember if I've heard of him before in Michael's memories. "Nice to meet you, Aeron." He nodded enthusiastically. "Likewise, sir." When he addressed me as "sir," I stopped wondering about his identity... He must be one of the sons from a wealthy family, since only those guys call me "Sir." Raising an eyebrow at being called "sir," I said, "You can just call me Michael." I didn't care whether he called me Sir or Michael, as I wasn't concerned about anyone's status. Aeron seemed a bit taken aback but promptly nodded. "Thanks, siruh, I mean, Michael." "It's fine," I replied. At that moment, I thought our conversation might end there, but Aeron had other ideas in mind. "Michael, I must say, that was quite the display yesterday with Solos. Taking down a Gold ranker like that... impressive." I shrugged modestly. "It had to be done. He crossed a line." "Yeah, well, a lot of us were impressed," Aeron went on, motioning to the emptying food court. "Looks like people are clearing out..." I glanced around, noting the dwindling crowd. "Seems like it. What about the rest of the team? Have they arrived?" Aeron's expression faltered slightly. "Ah, about that... Seems like everyone's running a bit late today. You're actually the first one here." I nodded in understanding. "Alright. No worries. They'll show up eventually." After Aeron kept asking me about how I defeated him, what it felt like to beat a Gold ranker, what skills I have, if I'm overpowered, and whether I should have gone easier on him or not, he really got on my nerves. He wouldn't stop talking, and it started to give me a headache. Now I deeply regret coming here... I also checked his status, and even the system's opinion of him matched mine. **Name:** Aeron Hidia **Height:** 5 feet 7 inches **Weight:** 165 pounds **Personality:** Chatterbox, friendly, and very good at making friends. **Evaluation:** Iron-Rank Hunter **Probability:** There's a 20% chance of reaching Platinum rank by the age of 50. Shit, he really is a chatterbox... I also see why he can easily make friends. Before I could planned to cut him off, the rest of our group arrivedfour others besides Aeron. I appraised them to learn about them before they introduced themselves. They were all Iron-ranked like me. There was Natalie, a petite girl with a serious demeanor; David, a tall, lanky guy who seemed lost in his thoughts; Emily, a cheerful girl with a ready smile; and finally, Liam, a stoic guy with a strong presence. They took their seats around the table, glancing at me with a mixture of curiosity and respect. It was clear my altercation with Solos had made an impression. After everyone had taken their seats around the table, a silence fell over us. It was palpable, awkward even. I could tell from their expressions that they were unsure how to interact with me now, especially after the recent events involving Solos and my true identity. Natalie was the first to break the silence, her voice serious yet measured. "Hey, I'm Natalie," she said, offering a nod in my direction. David followed suit, his gaze distant as if he was lost in thought. "David," he muttered quietly. Emily smiled warmly, trying to ease the tension. "I'm Emily! Nice to meet you," she chirped. Liam nodded curtly, his stoic demeanor unchanged. "Liam," he stated simply. Each introduction was not much brief, hesitant almost, as if they were gauging my reaction. Aeron, ever the chatterbox, couldn't resist jumping in. "And I'm Aeron, as you already know!" He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. I nodded politely, acknowledging each of them in turn. "Good to meet you all," I replied evenly, though my mind was already on the next order of business. "So, where's the leader?" I asked, glancing around the table. "And are there any other members?" Aeron scratched his head sheepishly. "Well, about that... He might be running late again. He said something about sorting out some issues from yesterday." Natalie crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "Typical," she muttered under her breath, clearly not pleased. Emily leaned forward, concern flickering in her eyes. "Do you think he's okay? He doesn't usually miss meetings." Liam shrugged slightly, breaking his silence. "He'll show up when he's ready," he stated calmly, his confidence unwavering. "I'm okay with him being late, and now for my second question," I said. Emily finally spoke, her voice gentle. "Um, sir, there's no eighth member in our group. It's just us six." "Oh, I get it..." I replied. But then, a moment later, a realization struck me. Hold on! What? Only seven members?