For the past few weeks, he had been unable to sleep peacefully because the police always caught wind of him somehow. He had been unable to figure out how they did it but every time he tried to get some shut eye, the despicable police always found him and chased him until he somehow shook them off.
He had been staying in the forest previously where he could go as wild as possible without causing a commotion and could escape easily when needed. But the caves and the trees couldn't keep him hidden for long.
After several hide and seek sessions with the police, Jack finally decided to hide in the dark underneath the light. He chose the most inconspicuous place in the city and dirtied his clothing in mud so as to avoid suspicion from the police. This way, he had managed to secure a period of peace for himself.
The more miserably he lived, the more he cursed the Hunter family in his heart for treating him in such a manner.
He had approached Nelson on countless occasions to get him to fulfill his end of the bargain, but Nelson had rejected him every single time with a sneer on his lecherous face because he knew that Jack wouldn't dare to do anything to him.
The hatred festered in his heart and turned into an unresolvable grudge, but he didn't have it in him to face a powerful family like the Hunter family by himself.
Truthfully, even if he had the strength to do it, he lacked the courage to go against the tide.
Being a criminal, he had no other choice but to endure. He had to take what he could get and be happy because there were worse fates for people like him. At least he was out of the prison and could move around freely.
And now that he had been dubbed an escapee from the prison, there was a chance that the police would execute him on the spot instead of imprisoning him once again. Therefore, to him, just being able to take a few extra breaths of fresh air was a luxury that was more precious than any kind of wealth.
Still, the peace he had barely earned for himself by sacrificing his dignity was broken when he was discovered once again by the police. This time he had to put in a lot of effort to escape because the police force had brought along several mages skilled in counteracting wind element magic making it almost impossible for him to launch a skill. The cost of casting a magic skill was increased by more than two times due to the interference of the mages.
As a result, he had to expend a lot more magic power in an attempt to escape, which not only consumed all the mana in his body, but also his physical strength before he finally evaded their harassing pursuit.
The back alley he was hiding in currently was the place he had chosen to take a rest until the police stopped their relentless search for his trail. They no doubt didn't want to let him get away this time, but Jack was sure that the police wouldn't be able to find him after he had covered his tracks so well. They would have to scour the entire area inch by inch before they could even think of finding him again.
Exhausted from the excessive expense of mana, Jack breathed heavily as he leaned with his back against the wall behind him. Low mana reserves forced him to the ground as his back rubbed against the wall before his seat touched the ground and he finally felt some relief. The staggered breathing solidified after a while as he began to recover his mana from the atmosphere.
Just when he thought that he was safe, something jarred his senses into action and goosebumps traveled across his skin.
He jolted to his feet and abruptly turned towards his back, only to find a beautiful woman blocking the path of the alley he was in. The beauty looked extremely imposing with the almost suffocating amount of mana hidden inside her seductive body. She was brimming with strength and was at the very least an A level mage and was probably not far from becoming an S rank mage.
The sight of her caused his spirits to plummet even though she was beautiful enough to have a calming effect on weary eyes. This woman was someone he was extremely familiar with. His missing arm remembered her quite thoroughly. She was one of the culprits responsible for his missing limb.
Although she had caused him such harm, he had admiration for her in his heart. Given the young age of the woman, it was obvious how great of a talent she was as a mage. He couldn't help but admire the perfect woman in front of him who was not only a peerless beauty but also the greatest talent he had ever come across.
Remembering the conflict between him and the girl, he believed that this would be the end of his pathetic life that was worse than that of a worm. Because even a measly worm had more freedom than he did. That was no way to live.
There was no way that the girl would spare him this time. He had already been very lucky to escape the last time.
A bitter smile slowly curved the corners of his lips, revealing a complex mixture of emotions etched across his features. In the depths of his contemplation, he grappled with the decision whether to succumb to the inevitable and terminate the relentless suffering that seemed indelibly linked to his existence.
The conflict within him was palpable, as his countenance became a canvas depicting the interplay of inner turmoil and resignation. The notion of embracing death loomed large, a potential escape from the perpetual torment that had shadowed his days.
Amidst the struggle, his eyes held a glimmer of weariness mingled with a yearning for the peace that remained stubbornly elusive throughout his journey.
However, Christina's next words swiftly dismantled his preconceived notions. In stark contrast to her previous recklessness when she had pounced on him, Christina displayed an unexpected restraint. Not a single step did she advance; her demeanor bore no trace of aggression. It was as if the very idea of launching an attack hadn't even crossed her mind.
"Don't be alarmed, I've come not to engage in combat with you. Rather, I'm here to extend an invitation, an opportunity for you to stand alongside us in our struggle against the Hunter family. I believe you might harbor your own grievances against them. So, why not consider joining forces with us?" Christina proposed with a tone of earnestness and camaraderie.
Jack looked around in panic as if he expected to be ambushed from all directions. He put up his guard and cautiously stared at Christina who seemed to be talking rubbish. This wasn't the direction he had assumed the conversation between them would take.
"YOU..." Jack's finger trembled as it pointed towards Christina in disbelief.
"...want ME..." He directed his thumb towards himself, incredulity etched across his face. "To assist you in taking on the Hunter family. Are you genuinely serious, or is this some sort of cruel jest? Why indulge in such games? Is it entertaining to mock a man who's seemingly at the brink of his existence?" His words held a mix of surprise, skepticism, and a touch of resignation.
Jack ranted several questions in a row because he was unable to believe that Christina was asking him to join her team instead of killing him in cold blood like she wanted to when they last fought each other.
In Jack's perspective, it seemed likely that Christina was attempting to stall, perhaps awaiting the arrival of her partner, the individual who had assaulted him alongside her during their prior encounter.
Jack mobilized some of the mana in his body to gather the wind element around him to scout the area. Since the woman was here, Jack believed that the man wouldn't be very far either.
But the reality proved otherwise. He was unable to find Zach anywhere, which meant that he would be safe for a short time period of time at the very least.
"I am serious. We need your help. Of course, we will pay you for your services." Christina reiterated her resolve to hire him, but Jack couldn't help but be suspicious.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦