Lohan Hayes walked past the marble and glass facade of Skyline Heaven, feeling the weight of every suspicious glance from the reception staff.
Dressed in a worn-out hoodie and cargo pants made from recycled fabric from the Lower Zone, he looked like an oil stain on a silk rug, something everyone stared at and felt uncomfortable seeing.
His clothes, made from the cheapest materials and recycled synthetic fibers, had a rough texture that made his skin itch incessantly under the heat of the building’s purification system.
In the Lower Zone, prolonged use of these garments, combined with the fabric’s poor breathability and the inability to bathe frequently due to the costs involved, made skin diseases a hallmark and extremely common among the population.
Obviously, although this was a major problem for everyone, Lohan felt only a slight irritation beginning to burn, but the constant flow of Mana and biomass was already working internally to neutralize the toxins and soothe his body’s tissues, having no effect whatsoever.
As he stepped into the private elevator and finally locked the door to the penthouse on the top floor, Lohan let out a sigh of relief.
He stripped off the abrasive layers of thick clothing, tossing them into a basket in the corner, and walked to the closet to put on a midnight-blue silk ensemble, a material so soft it seemed to melt into his skin.
As he settled into the minimalist sofa, the Syn interface projected a message from Lisa.
[Lisa: Halon, my curiosity is killing me. What were you talking about with that college guy? It looked like you two were discussing something serious... 🫣]
Lohan gave a wry smile and began typing.
[Hayes: His name is Devon Baker. He’s part of a group from the Lower Zone that’s facing a serious problem in Elysium: the guild that controls their city is charging an exorbitant circulation fee of 5 copper coins a day. But his group has valuable Players, with some rare and unusual bases, and their leader possesses an Epic Race.]
Lisa’s reply came almost instantly, showing far more interest than Lohan had imagined.
[Lisa: An Epic Race?! Halon, are you sure about that? Tell me everything. How do they play? How big is the group in the Open World? What total potential have you seen in them? Are their personalities hard to deal with?]
Lohan explained that, at the moment, there were only four members in the Open World, but that the group of seven people in the real world was extremely loyal and disciplined among themselves, though their attitude toward others still needed to be tested, and that they shared a single helmet to keep up the grind in the game.
[Lisa: Hmm. You need to understand that, in my brothers’ guilds, Ivan and Isaac, they’ve managed to recruit at most one or two other Epic-tier Players so far, and those people immediately became the central core of power within their organizations. If the two of us, with a Legendary and a Mythic Base, manage to integrate an Epic Base Player like this leader, the combat potential we could demonstrate together would be even more insane than that of our opponents, even if they managed to recruit even more Players in the future.]
Lohan read her analysis and realized it made perfect sense.
Currently, he and Lisa operated as an almost inseparable duo, but during full guild gatherings or large-scale raids, having another powerful Player would allow them to "let loose" more on the battlefield, with the assurance that there would be another anchor of strength to hold the group together.[Hayes: Tbh, I agree.
They’d be the reinforcement Astralis needs so we don’t have to rely solely on the two of us. Right now, we’re waiting for their response. If Devon’s group accepts the initial terms, I plan to head to their base in the Lower Zone again to formalize the alliance.]
Upon reading that Lohan intended to return to the Lower Zone, Lisa seemed to "freeze" on the other end of the line. Her concern for his safety was evident, considering how vital he was to the guild and, on a less professional note, to her personally.
[Lisa: Going back to the Lower Zone alone? Absolutely not, Halon. It’s way too dangerous. I’m coming with you to help make sure nothing goes wrong.]
Lohan refused without a second thought.
[Hayes: No way, Lisa. Your appearance and your aura as a Vance heiress among people in the Lower Zone who already have a massive bias against corporations would be more of a hindrance than a help. They’d see you as a Trojan horse for the Vance Group trying to absorb them. I know the terrain; I’ll go alone.]
There was a prolonged silence in the Syn. Reluctantly, and realizing the logic of his argument, Lisa finally accepted the decision, but with one non-negotiable condition.[Lisa: Okay, you win... but I won’t let you put yourself at risk by taking a crowded, vulnerable bus to cross the polluted sectors under the watchful eyes of so many dangerous people.
If they agree to the meeting, I’ll lend you one of my cars to get you there. It’s armored, has passive energy shields, and security protocols that can repel any street gang.]
Lohan hesitated for a moment.
He knew how "crazy" things were getting in the Lower Zone with the awakening of the Rare Bases, with corporate people scouting for potential Players there, and a protected vehicle would indeed be a valuable aid to his safety.
However, he didn’t want to attract unwanted attention.
[Hayes: I accept, but with one condition: it has to be a simple, unassuming car. I don’t want to look like I’ve sold out to the elite either.]
[Lisa: Simple and unassuming? I get it. Don’t worry, Hayes. I’ll arrange for you to use the simplest, most ’basic’ car in my private garage. It’s practically invisible by Upper Zone standards.]
Lohan leaned back on the couch, feeling a chill.
He knew Isabella Vance well enough to realize that her idea of a "simple car" probably still cost the equivalent of the annual budget of a small sector in the Lower Zone, but given the Ice Queen’s insistence, that was the best concession he could get.
Fortunately, considering that this meeting wouldn’t be scheduled until next week, he’d still have a few days to talk more with Devon at college and to share some of the perks he’d received for joining the guild if he sensed their interest.