The Vixen's Gambit: Tonight We Hunt

Lee imagined Twilight Street, a lawless zone, as a slum or refugee camp, full of tattooed thugs and child soldiers, with constant gunfire and screams.

But when she and Kalpas arrived, it… wasn't that bad.

The streets were relatively clean, the buildings modern. No bodies lying around, not many ramshackle huts… It looked like a poor, but normal, small city.

Lee and Kalpas, as outsiders, attracted attention. The locals seemed curious, but not hostile. Lee smiled and nodded at them.

"Let's see… they should have given me a place to stay." Lee checked her phone. Fire Moth owned a property here. The previous agent had disappeared years ago, but legally, it was still theirs—though the locals might not agree.

"Let's check it out."

"Whatever." Kalpas clearly didn't care.

Traveling with Kalpas was easy; he had no demands. If it were Mobius, she'd need a five-star hotel.

Lee wasn't picky either. She was prepared for the place to be a ruin, ready to rebuild from scratch.

But the reality was even more surprising. The Fire Moth property wasn't a ruin; it was bustling.

"So many kids…"

The courtyard was well-maintained. Children played inside; elderly people relaxed in the sun. It was a peaceful scene.

"Who are you? Are you looking for Mama Aponia?"

Kalpas's Ultraman mask caught the children's attention. They crowded around the fence, staring curiously.

"Aponia?" The name rang a bell. Lee had seen it on the forums.

If she was on the forums, she was important to the main story, someone who survived to the next era.

Which meant—new target acquired!

"Excuse me, little ones, could you get Mama Aponia for me?" Lee crouched down, smiling gently. "I need to talk to her."

Fire Moth wouldn't give her a fake address. The deed clearly stated this location. Lee was sure she hadn't made a mistake.

That meant only one thing: Mama Aponia had turned Fire Moth's property into… some kind of care facility.

Before, Fire Moth couldn't touch Twilight Street. The locals were hostile to official organizations. No one would care about someone squatting on Fire Moth's property.

But now Lee was here. Things were about to change.

A quick glance revealed a lot. The kids were clean and polite, but thin, their clothes patched and clearly hand-me-downs. Their toys and the elderly people's chairs were cheap and homemade.

This place was struggling financially. Probably a charity-run care facility.

But even charities couldn't just steal Fire Moth's property… Was she here to collect a debt?

A big corporation sends thugs to a sweet lady's charity-run orphanage, demanding everyone leave…

That's a classic villain move. And I'm the villain.

I have no experience with this. I can't just say, "You wouldn't want these kids to be homeless, would you?"

This feels like a job for Kalpas. He just needs a scarier mask, and people would be handing over protection money…

But I need to raise his goodwill first. If I acted like a debt collector, I could probably farm a ton of energy from Aponia.

The kids, of course, had no idea the nice lady was plotting against their Mama Aponia. They just thought she had a nice voice and eagerly offered to get her.

"Miss, why is that mister wearing a mask?"

"Hmm, it's probably a custom where he's from."

"What is that mask? It looks funny!"

"It's Ultraman! A great hero! I made it myself. Isn't it cool?"

Lee chatted with the kids, learning that most were orphans or had been taken in by Aponia after getting sick. They had few forms of entertainment.

Ultraman was a famous character, but these kids had never heard of him.

Besides their lack of entertainment, Lee noticed something more concerning. The kids said many children were sick, but everyone in the courtyard looked healthy.

This, of course, piqued Lee's interest. Aponia had told the kids not to talk to outsiders, but under the influence of Charm, they spilled everything.

The sick children weren't allowed to interact with others or leave the orphanage. Some kids had snuck into their rooms and found—

"Hello, I'm Aponia." A gentle voice interrupted the kids. "Can I help you?"

The moment Lee heard that voice, a thought crossed her mind.

Oh no. She's the same type of talker as me!

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