Making sure he wasn't too far but also not too close—since Xuan didn't exactly know the location of the Rare God Gene—he was following one of the Autumn Guild members from behind.
Although he would get distracted a few times, his left eye never lost track of them.
Then the guild members stopped. As they were about to turn and look behind them, Xuan quickly squatted as if adjusting his shoelaces.
But as he turned his head back up, he lost track of them completely.
"Shit, lost them. Still need to locate that gene somehow. Everyone's after it—I should be too," Xuan muttered to himself.
"Since China's White Delta Guild hasn't arrived, I'll just represent my—"
He stopped talking. He heard a growl coming from his left. The dark alleyway wasn't the type he could see through from that distance.
So Xuan took cautious steps forward, maintaining a position ready for sprinting. Then, the growling beast came into view.
It was a beautiful, snow-furred kitsune. It looked at Xuan with eyes that seemed as if it would die soon. Then Xuan noticed the beautiful creature had two claws embedded in its chest.
"You're hurt, damn... If I can help it, maybe it could track what I want. Okay, buddy, slow down, puppy, I'm not gonna hurt ya."
It wasn't a growl that Xuan had heard earlier—it was the whining sound of the fox. He stepped forward, lowering his body and bringing his hand forward as if wanting to pat its head.
The wounded fox lay on the floor. Xuan admired its beautiful fur and pink eyes for a while before slowly touching its body, making his way toward the claws.
"Awooooo!" The fox howled loudly as Xuan took out the first claw. It had really gained everyone's attention in the area.
"Huh? That's her. She's close."
And as Xuan took out the last claw, she didn't howl. She whimpered, and a white smoke accompanied the poof sound Xuan heard.
"What the fuck!" Xuan yelled.
What was once a fox was no longer a fox. His hands were now placed on the soft chest of a beautiful girl. Xuan attempted to remove his hands immediately, but she didn't want that.
"Are... are... are you—"
"What the hell?! Hey, you pervert bastard!" yelled a man.
He effortlessly picked up Xuan and slammed him against the wall. The pain brought him back to reality, and Xuan now noticed that a bunch of hunters had gathered.
"Damn you! No one has ever dared look at Goddess Soo-Jin for more than a second!"
"Not even touching her ankle, and you, bastard, dare hold Soo-Jin's pearl?! Burn him alive!"
"B-Burn me?" Xuan didn't know when he started stammering. Everyone around him was actually shouting to burn him.
"No, he was helping me," Soo-Jin finally spoke up for Xuan, who was a bit relieved.
"Goddess Soo-Jin is still pitying him. We're so blessed to have such a creature, but don't worry—you won't get your hands stained. We'll burn him ourselves!"
"Yeah, he dared to try milk Goddess Soo-Jin! Burn him alive!"
Xuan didn't have the slightest idea that Soo jin was this popular and liked by so many people.
"Yeah! Burn him alive!"
"Burn him alive!"
The hunters began shouting. That was when Xuan saw a human actually capable of setting his palm on fire.
"Jesus, these people are crazy. Are they mad or what?" Xuan couldn't really keep his lines straight—he was stammering again, like this:
"Je... Je... Jesus, these... these pe... people are crazy. Are... are... are they mad or what?" said Xuan.
The man who had pinned Xuan against the wall looked down and saw two claws covered in blood. As of now, the claws were glowing blue.
"Were you really helping her?" he asked Xuan.
"Yes, I was. There were claws in her chest—I didn't know that part was the breast. I didn't even know humans could evolve fully into beasts!"
"That's enough. Seems there has been a misunderstanding. This man here saved your goddess, so you should be thankful," the man said as he let go of Xuan's collar.
"Tsk. That doesn't change the fact he tried milking her. I'm burning him myself," the one with the flame ability grinned and launched his flaming hand forward.
However, the spiky-haired man who had spoken for Xuan stopped him by interlocking their fingers and effortlessly breaking the man's finger bones.
The man fell to the floor, crying in pain. His quick defeat was enough to make the others back out one by one.
Even the whimpering man that had been humbled also left the scene, but not without cursing at Xuan, saying he had courted death with him in tears.
He even called Xuan a milker. "This isn't over, milker"
"Thank you, Ji Woo," Soo-Jin said.
Xuan had made sure his presence wasn't known. He had kept quiet where he sat on the floor, hoping Soo-Jin and Ji Woo would just leave without him so he could go back to minding his business and looking for the gene.
Then, two more men adorned in black suits stood at the entrance of the alleyway.
"Come on, you two. We're way behind schedule."
Xuan was relieved knowing they were now leaving, but Soo-Jin unexpectedly fell to her knees and coughed out blood while holding her chest.
"Kweuk!" Soo-Jin coughed again.
"It's the Ant King's claw. She's poisoned," said one of the hunters who had arrived.
"You can't come with us in that condition."
"I'm fine, Ji Woo."
The poison proved her a liar as glowing purple veins could be seen at the surface of her breast.
"This is shit. The Devil Tiger Guild, having problems with mere guilds. Why didn't we even bring a healer?" the silent one of the two finally said, gritting his teeth.
This was when Xuan realized he didn't need to look far anymore. One of Korea's top guilds was here, so he just needed to follow them instead.
"Lemme give you a hand," said Xuan, finally standing up and squatting in front of the girl.
A flushed cheek appeared on Soo-Jin's face for a moment because the blue-eyed male was really cute. She did just that and entered Xuan's back.
"Where do you think we're headed?"
"You're looking for the Rare God Gene, aren't you? So am I."
"What guild are you from?" asked Ji Woo, his eyes looking at where Xuan had carried Soo-Jin.
"Phantom Hive," Xuan uttered the words with a strong boost of confidence. They believed him—he didn't even know if such a guild existed.
"No time for this, Ji Woo. Let's move out."
With that said, the Devil Tiger Guild began leaving the alleyway.
Xuan, who didn't want to take advantage of Soo-Jin, placed his hands behind her knees, but Soo-Jin complained about not being comfortable with that and said she needed his hand under her smooth butt.
And Xuan gladly did that with a grin.