Chapter 125: Criminal Rampage

He sat back and studied the information one last time, weighing the possibilities. A storage facility containing valuable dungeon materials would be an attractive target for criminals, particularly those hoping to sell stolen goods through underground networks.

If the report was accurate, the people responsible might still be inside or somewhere nearby.

That did not mean he could assume the situation would be easy.

He had no idea how many criminals were involved, whether any of them possessed powerful summons, or whether the facility contained security measures he had not anticipated. Nevertheless, the report appeared to offer a potential opportunity, and he was willing to investigate.

Mark closed several unnecessary tabs and began preparing for the night.

He changed into practical clothing and reached for his familiar green hoodie. It had become a convenient choice whenever he wanted to avoid drawing attention to himself, although he knew that a hood alone would not guarantee anonymity. He would still need to remain careful about revealing his face, his school identity, or any information that could connect his activities to his ordinary life.

He checked his belongings and made sure he had what he needed before moving toward the door.

The thought of going out at night without informing anyone was not entirely comfortable. However, he had already spent enough time considering the risks to understand that hesitation would not help him make a decision.

He would investigate the situation, assess what was happening, and decide what to do based on what he found.

That was the plan.

Before leaving, Mark glanced toward the other side of the room.

Derek was asleep.

His roommate lay comfortably in bed, apparently undisturbed by the light from Mark’s desk or the quiet sounds of movement around the room. His breathing was steady, and he showed no sign of waking as Mark carefully gathered his remaining belongings.

Mark paused to make sure he had not disturbed him.

"Keep sleeping," he whispered. "I’ll be back before you notice I’m gone."

He knew that Derek might question him if he discovered the plan, particularly if he learned that Mark intended to investigate a criminal incident alone. Derek was practical enough to understand the risks, and he would probably insist on hearing the details before allowing Mark to proceed.

That was precisely why Mark had decided not to wake him.

He did not want an argument in the middle of the night, nor did he want to spend the next several minutes explaining a plan that he had not yet tested. For the moment, he preferred to handle the investigation himself.

With one final glance at his sleeping roommate, Mark quietly slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him.

The corridor outside was dim and silent.

He made his way through the building without attracting attention, his mind already focused on the facility and the possible encounter waiting for him. Once he reached the exit, the cool night air greeted him, carrying the distant sounds of traffic and the faint hum of the city.

Mark adjusted his green hood and started toward the streets.

He was about to discover whether his first attempt at becoming an unofficial vigilante would be worth the trouble.

---

At the facility building, the situation was already well underway.

The structure stood within a secured commercial compound, surrounded by a high fence and a series of security lights that illuminated the entrance and nearby loading areas. Its plain exterior did little to reveal the value of what was stored inside. To an ordinary passerby, it might have appeared to be nothing more than another warehouse used by a company dealing in specialized equipment.

However, the building held materials recovered from dungeons, including cores, rare components, and other items that could attract the attention of collectors, researchers, guild representatives, and anyone willing to pay a substantial amount for them.

That value had made it a target.

A group of three criminals had managed to breach the facility’s security and force their way inside. By the time they reached the storage area, the workers had been overcome, and several containers had already been opened. Items had been removed from their designated places, packaging had been torn apart, and scattered equipment lay across the floor.

The three intruders had succeeded in getting what they came for.

At least, that was how they saw it.

One of them was a lean woman named Rita. She had pointed catlike ears, clawed hands, and an alert expression that suggested she was accustomed to relying on speed and agility. Her tight black outfit allowed her to move freely without the loose fabric of ordinary clothing getting in her way. Even while standing still, she carried herself with the confidence of someone who expected to escape danger before it could catch up with her.

At that moment, she was far more interested in the loot than in the possibility of being caught.

Rita held a ring between her fingers, turning it slowly beneath the facility’s overhead lights. A small crystal had been set into the ring, its surface reflecting a faint glimmer that made the object appear more valuable than its modest size suggested.

She examined it from different angles, her eyes brightening with satisfaction.

"Hmm. Now, this is interesting."

She slipped the ring onto one finger and admired the way it looked.

"I think I’ll keep this one for myself."

The burly man standing beside her immediately turned his head.

His name was Bronx, and his broad frame made him appear considerably more imposing than Rita. His shoulders were thick, his arms muscular, and his expression carried the weary frustration of someone who had already endured enough trouble for one night.

He looked at the ring, then at Rita.

"Are you serious?"

Rita continued admiring the crystal.

"Do I look like I’m joking?"

"Rita, I don’t think our boss will appreciate you helping yourself to the loot before we’ve even reported back."

She finally glanced at him.

"Our boss can appreciate whatever he wants. I found it, and I like it."

"That’s not how this works."

"Then perhaps you should explain the rules to someone who actually cares."

Bronx shook his head.

"Listen, we’re here to collect what we came for. The boss gave us a job, and we agreed to do it. If we start taking things for ourselves, he’s going to ask questions."

Rita’s pointed ears twitched as she let out a dismissive laugh.

"Speak for yourself, brat. I’m not some errand girl who has to wait for a lazy man’s approval before receiving her own share."

"Nobody said you wouldn’t get a share."

"Then why are you complaining?"

"Because you’re trying to take something before we know what it’s worth or whether it’s even part of our agreed share!"

Rita rolled her eyes.

"You’re making a big deal out of a little ring."

"That ring has a dungeon crystal set into it. We don’t know what it does, and we don’t know how much it’s worth. You can’t just decide it’s yours because you like how it looks."

She held the ring up toward him.

"Well, I do like how it looks."

Bronx stared at her for a moment, apparently struggling to find a response that would not lead to another argument.

"You really don’t listen, do you?"

"Only when someone has something worth saying."

Before Bronx could answer, the third member of their group turned toward them with an irritated expression.

Unlike the broad-shouldered Bronx, the man was short and stocky, with a compact build and a rounder face. He had spent much of the break-in moving between the storage shelves and collecting items while the other two argued or examined their finds. Now he stood beside a collection of bags and containers, glancing repeatedly toward the entrance.

He was growing increasingly impatient.

"Can the two of you stop arguing for five minutes?"

Rita barely looked at him.

"Tell him that."

The short man threw his hands up.

"I don’t care who started it! We don’t have time for this."

He turned toward the exit, listening for sounds from outside.

The facility was too quiet for his liking.

The workers had already been dealt with, and the security system had been compromised, but that did not mean they were safe. Someone might have managed to send an alert before they reached the storage area. Even if no alarm had been triggered, a missing security check or a delayed report could eventually draw attention to the building.

The longer they stayed, the greater the risk became.

"We need to leave," he insisted. "The authorities could show up at any moment, and they won’t come alone if they know this place has valuable dungeon materials."

Bronx glanced toward the scattered loot.

"How much have we collected?"

"Enough to make the trip worthwhile," the short man replied. "And more than enough to get us into trouble if we don’t move."

Rita held the ring up again.

"Then we’re leaving. What’s the problem?"

"The problem is that you’re still standing there admiring jewelry instead of packing!"

She gave him an offended look.

"Watch your mouth."

"Watch the entrance!"

The short man pointed toward the corridor leading back to the main loading area.

"We came here for a reason, and we got what we wanted. We don’t need to turn this into a disaster because someone decided to start collecting souvenirs."

Rita’s smile faded slightly.

For all her confidence, she understood the point he was making. Their objective had been to steal valuable materials, not to remain inside the facility until an enforcement team arrived. If they were caught with the stolen goods, their chances of escaping punishment would become considerably worse.

Still, she was reluctant to surrender the ring.

She turned it around her finger once more before looking at Bronx.

"Fine. I’ll keep it safe until we get back."

Bronx frowned.

"That’s exactly what I’m worried about."

Rita gave him a sharp look.

"Do you want me to put it back?"

"Yes!"

She paused, then smiled.

"No."

"Rita!"

"What? You said we should leave. I’m leaving."

The short man let out a long, frustrated sigh.

"Both of you, enough! Pack the rest of the items, and make sure nothing gets left behind that could lead directly back to us. We need to be out of here before anyone arrives."

Bronx turned toward the remaining containers and began gathering the items they had collected. Rita reluctantly shifted her attention away from the ring and helped secure some of the smaller objects, although she kept glancing at the crystal as though she had already decided it belonged to her.

The short man checked the bags and counted the containers.

"We’re taking the cores first. Anything that isn’t worth carrying can stay."

Bronx nodded.

"Understood."

Rita lifted a small case and peered inside.

"What about these?"

"Leave them."

"But they look valuable."

"They also look heavy. We aren’t here to carry the entire building away."

She clicked her tongue.

"You’re no fun."

"And you’re going to get us arrested if you keep trying to take everything that shines."

Rita laughed softly.

"Relax. I know how to take care of myself."

The short man gave her a doubtful look.

"That confidence won’t help if the enforcers surround the building."

For a moment, none of them spoke.

Beyond the storage area, a faint sound seemed to come from somewhere outside the facility. It was distant and difficult to identify, perhaps the passing of a vehicle or the movement of something against the outer fence.

All three criminals paused.

Bronx straightened, his broad shoulders becoming tense.

"Did you hear that?"

The short man turned toward the corridor.

"Hear what?"

"Something outside."

Rita’s ears tilted toward the sound. She remained still for several seconds, listening carefully, but the noise did not repeat itself.

"It could be nothing," she said at last.

"Or it could be someone coming," Bronx replied.

The short man immediately reached for one of the bags.

"Then we stop wasting time. Move."

Rita gave the ring one final look before closing her hand around it.

"Fine. Let’s go."

She stepped away from the shelves, her expression returning to its usual confidence. Bronx gathered the remaining loot, while the short man checked the route ahead and prepared to lead them out.

They had already broken through the security, taken the materials they wanted, and escaped the workers who had been present. As far as they were concerned, the difficult part was over.

They only needed to get away.

None of them knew that someone had already discovered the report about the break-in and was making his way toward the facility.

And none of them knew that their night might not end as easily as they expected