Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert-Chapter 312

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 312

Zeon sat in a chair, his gaze fixed on the woman seated across from him.

She had skin as white as snow, with platinum blonde hair and eyebrows, making her look almost like an ethereal fairy.

To an outsider, she would appear to be in her late thirties or early forties. But in reality, she was Serian Oliana, the ruler of the northern district.

Serian observed Zeon with a deep, contemplative gaze.

She was over three hundred years old.

While that age would make her an ancestor among humans, in elven society, she was merely in her prime.

At a young age, she had chosen a life of hardship to protect the elves left behind in the human world. Because of that, she had matured far beyond her peers and developed an exceptional sense of judgment.

To her, Zeon was nothing short of a fascinating enigma.

Three hundred years of experience was no small thing.

Her deep gaze carried a weight that could easily overwhelm others.

Most people, upon meeting her eyes, would feel a natural sense of awe, regardless of their age or whether they were Awakened or ordinary.

But the man before her was different.

He showed no signs of intimidation, nor even the slightest hint of fear.

Even if she weren’t an elf, even if she were just an ordinary woman, she doubted he would look at her any differently.

Zeon was the first to break the silence.

"It’s been a while, Lady Serian."

"It’s unfortunate that we don’t meet more often, Lord Zeon."

"That’s a good thing, isn’t it?"

"Is that so?"

"Humans and elves meeting too often… There’s nothing good that can come of that, generally speaking."

"Generally speaking, yes."

Serian let out a bitter smile.

Zeon’s words captured the essence of human-elf relations in a single sentence.

Even after a hundred years of coexistence, a vast, insurmountable wall remained between the two races.

Elves could never fully understand the short, intense lives of humans, and humans resented the elves for the state of the world.

The elves who remained in Neo Seoul were not directly responsible for Earth’s devastation, but their race bore the burden of that original sin.

Serian understood this all too well, which was why she had done everything in her power to avoid conflict with humans. But despite her efforts, elves and humans remained fundamentally divided.

It was a frustrating reality.

Still, she believed that one day, true harmony between the two would be possible.

Hiding her inner thoughts, Serian spoke.

"I hear you’ve come regarding Eli."

"That’s right."

"Haah..."

Serian sighed.

Even just mentioning Eli made her head throb.

"Because of her, lunatics have infiltrated Neo Seoul and the slums."

"I’m aware."

"Then you should be taking action, shouldn’t you?"

"And what action would that be?"

"Capture those lunatics and hold her accountable as well."

"It’s not that simple."

"What isn’t simple about it?"

Zeon’s voice dropped to a low, chilling tone.

Serian felt goosebumps rise on her smooth skin.

It felt as if the temperature in the room had suddenly plummeted.

Forcing herself to maintain a composed expression, she replied.

"Eli and I have ruled the northern district together for the past hundred years. Many people here trust her. If we act carelessly, the district could fall into chaos."

"So you’re just going to let her be?"

"I’m not saying we should ignore her. I’m saying we need to be cautious."

"And how much longer do you intend to wait? The evidence and witnesses are already in our hands."

"That…"

Serian hesitated.

Her expression said everything.

'She’s wavering.'

Zeon understood her hesitation.

Even if Eli had now turned against her, she had once been Serian’s right hand.

It was only because of their combined efforts that the northern district had been able to secure so much territory for the non-human races in Neo Seoul.

If it weren’t for Eli’s cooperation, Serian—stubborn as she was—would never have been able to grow the northern district to this extent.

Even now, she still needed Eli.

That was why she couldn’t bring herself to make a decision.

"I need time."

"How much?"

"That’s…"

"Even as we speak, more victims are being taken. For now, they're using humans as food, but once they run out, they’ll move on to elves, beastkin, and dwarves."

"You believe there are more Gu?"

"I do."

"Isn’t that a bit of a stretch?"

Serian cautiously countered his argument.

At that moment, Zeon stood up.

He had realized that continuing this conversation would lead nowhere.

"Lord Zeon?"

Startled by his sudden action, Serian called out to him. But Zeon’s response was cold.

"From now on, I’ll act on my own."

"Are you saying you’ll do as you please in the northern district?"

"Yes."

"I can’t allow that. This is the northern district. If you act recklessly, the order we’ve worked so hard to maintain will collapse."

"Then when will you act? Eli is already making her moves in the shadows."

"That’s..."

"Every moment you hesitate, more people die."

Zeon’s sharp rebuke made Serian bite her lip hard enough to draw blood.

At that moment, Borin, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

"You must decide, Your Majesty."

"Borin?"

"I saw it with my own eyes—humans hanging like slabs of meat, being devoured by that grotesque monster called a Gu. Who’s to say there aren’t more factories breeding them in our district?"

"Haa..."

"If those creatures are unleashed in Neo Seoul, our relationship with humans will reach its breaking point. And if that happens, the northern district will no longer be a safe haven for our people."

Serian closed her eyes.

Zeon and Borin watched her in silence.

For Serian, this was like cutting off her own right hand.

Though the situation was urgent, they had pushed her to a decision. But they would give her this final moment to collect her thoughts.

'If she still refuses to act, then I’ll move alone.'

Zeon knew the consequences wouldn’t be light.

By acting alone, he risked turning every non-human in the northern district against him.

But it had to be done.

The Gu were like a plague. Left unchecked, they would multiply endlessly—so long as they had a steady supply of food.

And Neo Seoul had no shortage of prey.

To the surviving member of the Five Venoms Clan, this city must have seemed like nothing more than a breeding ground for their monsters.

That was why they had allied with Eli and infiltrated the northern district.

"Haa..."

Serian finally let out a deep sigh and opened her eyes.

Gone was the uncertainty—her gaze was now firm and resolute.

She spoke.

"Borin."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"I’m entrusting this mission to you. Assist Lord Zeon in bringing Eli down."

"Are you ordering her capture?"

"Yes."

"Then I’ll need more forces."

"I’ll assign you two of the Punishers."

"The… Punishers?"

Borin’s eyes widened.

If Jin Geumho had his execution unit, the Numbers, then Serian had the Punishers.

A secret force composed of elite elves and beastkin Awakened, they had remained dormant for decades.

Reviving them now meant Serian had made a truly momentous decision.

Borin bowed her head.

"Thank you for your wise decision."

"I’m sorry, Borin. I’ve placed a heavy burden on you."

"Not at all. I am prepared to do whatever it takes for you and the northern district, Your Majesty."

"Thank you… for always believing in me, despite my shortcomings."

Serian gently took Borin’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

It was a gesture of trust.

Zeon smirked.

"Good. Then let’s get started, shall we?"

"You mean right now?"

"The more time we give Eli, the better prepared she’ll be. We have to act before she erases all the evidence."

"Understood, Lord Zeon. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask Borin."

"Got it."

Zeon gave a slight nod and turned to leave.

Serian watched him in silence as he walked away.

Her face betrayed her inner turmoil.

As Borin followed after Zeon, she turned to Serian and spoke.

"Everything will be fine. Don’t worry, Your Majesty."

"Worrying is my job, Borin. Just focus on handling this properly."

Serian forced a smile.

* * *

Once outside, Borin turned to Zeon.

"What’s the plan now?"

"We split up."

"How?"

"You handle Eli. I’ll deal with the Helbrin Mercenaries and the Five Venoms Clan."

"And how do you plan to find them? You don’t have any contacts in the northern district."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. I have my ways. Just leave them to me."

"Alright. If anything goes wrong, contact me immediately."

"Of course."

Zeon nodded and set off.

Taking down Eli was important, but the more urgent matter was eliminating the last survivor of the Five Venoms Clan.

The longer he waited, the more the Gu would multiply.

And no one understood their nature better than Zeon.

He didn’t know the survivor’s face.

He didn’t know their name.

He had no leads—nothing but a hopeless situation.

And yet, Zeon wasn’t discouraged.

Because he had a way to find them.

Reaching into his subspace, Zeon pulled out a black gemstone.

It was a gift from Urtian, the new master of the Iron Fortress.

Back when Urtian had been a scavenger, he and his crew had used these black gemstones as a means of communication.

‘If I infuse it with mana, it should reveal the scavengers’ nests.’

Zeon knew that the scavengers had secret hideouts scattered throughout Neo Seoul and the slums.

If Hassim and his men had escaped through the sewers, the only logical place for them to seek refuge was in one of those hidden nests.

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As Zeon channeled mana into the gemstone, it turned a deep, glowing blue.

Bringing it up to his eye, he peered through it like a lens.

‘If this works, I should be able to see their markings.’

Zeon wandered through the northern district, scanning every alley and corner through the gemstone.

Through its lens, the world appeared entirely blue—like he was looking through tinted glasses.

He walked for some time, carefully inspecting his surroundings.

Then, at the mouth of a dark alley, he stopped.

"Found it."

At the very end of the alley, on the door of an old building, was a faint image—a symbol resembling a bird’s nest.

Lowering the gemstone, Zeon could no longer see it.

The mark was only visible through the mana-infused gemstone.

This was definitely a scavenger hideout.

BANG!

Zeon kicked the door open and stepped inside.

Startled, several figures jolted upright.

Scavengers who had been resting inside.

"What the hell?"

"Who the fuck are you?"

Their eyes turned sharp, full of hostility as they glared at the intruder.

Zeon glanced around the interior of the hideout and muttered.

"Looks like this is a good place to start."

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]