Joshua returned to the group and reported everything he had seen and heard.
Levi frowned.
“So she refused to sell it to you?”
Joshua nodded.
“She said she would only sell it to the person who controls the Vanguard.”
Levi lowered his head and thought for a moment.
She knows about the Vanguard…
How?
Is she connected to the System?
Or is she something else entirely?
There was only one way to find out.
“We’ll all go together.”
The group followed Joshua through the forest until they reached the clearing.
The elderly woman hadn’t moved.
She stood exactly where Joshua had left her, leaning on her cane as though she had been waiting for them the entire time.
When Carter stepped forward, she smiled.
“Would you like to buy my land?” she asked politely.
“I’ll sell it to you for a fair price.”
“How much?” Carter asked.
“Five thousand credits.”
Silence fell over the group.
Five thousand credits.
To ordinary people it might not have sounded impossible.
But to a group of young orphans…
It may as well have been a fortune.
None of them even had identification.
Without identification, they couldn’t open a personal bank account.
Without a bank account…
Credits were nearly useless.
There were only two legal ways to obtain identification.
The first was to purchase it directly through the System.
The second was to be sponsored by someone who already possessed legal status.
Identification was more than proof of who you were.
It allowed you to own land.
Open a bank account.
Purchase noble titles.
Create organizations.
Even buy information from the System itself.
Depending on the rank and status you wanted, identification could cost anywhere from ten thousand to over one hundred thousand credits.
It was a luxury none of them could afford.
Instead, they survived by selling monster parts and rare materials to black-market money dealers, who exchanged them for credits at terrible rates.
It was unfair…
But it was the only way they knew to survive.
Everyone’s expressions darkened.
Every time they thought they were getting closer to their goal…
Something blocked their path.
Logan finally stepped forward.
“I’ll buy it.”
Everyone turned toward him.
Logan reached into his pocket and pulled out a credit card.
“I’ve been saving this money to buy a new truck someday.”
He smiled.
“But a home is more important.”
He handed the card to Carter.
Before Carter could accept it, the old woman shook her head.
“I’m afraid I cannot.”
Everyone stared at her.
“I cannot accept payment from a third party.”
“The owner of the Vanguard…”
She paused.
“…or one of his officials must make the purchase.”
Carter frowned.
“What difference does it make who pays?”
The old woman simply smiled.
“I cannot answer that.”
Carter let out a frustrated sigh.
He was already beginning to lose his patience.
Meanwhile…
Levi remained completely silent.
His eyes narrowed.
Official…
Why did she emphasize that word?
He stepped forward.
“How do you appoint an official?”
For the first time…
The old woman looked directly into Levi’s eyes.
For a brief moment…
It almost seemed as though she wanted to answer.
Instead, she calmly replied,
“I will not answer questions asked by anyone who is not the owner of the Vanguard or one of its officials.”
Carter groaned in frustration.
He rubbed his forehead before turning toward Levi.
“What now?”
Levi didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he smiled.
“I have an idea.”
Carter blinked.
“What?”
“Ask her the question.”
“What question?”
“The one I just asked.”
Although confused, Carter turned back toward the old woman.
“How do I appoint an official?”
The woman answered without hesitation.
“You may access everything you need through the Official Menu.”
“Hold the Vanguard and say the word ‘Official.'”
“It will explain every role, title, responsibility, and privilege available to you.”
A transparent blue screen appeared before Carter once again.
As he scrolled through the information…
His excitement slowly disappeared.
The more he read…
The tighter his grip became.
The Vanguard contained dozens of official positions.
Scouts.
Builders.
Quartermasters.
Captains.
Merchants.
Guard Commanders.
Engineers.
Each title granted different permissions.
Most of them seemed harmless.
Until he reached one.
Vice Commander.
The description made his heart race.
The Vice Commander possessed enough authority to challenge the Commander under certain conditions.
If successful…
Ownership of the Vanguard could change hands.
Carter quickly closed the screen before anyone noticed.
His expression remained calm.
But inside…
Fear had already begun to grow.
He decided then and there…
There were parts of the Vanguard no one else needed to know.
Especially Levi.
From the corner of his eye, Levi noticed Carter’s brief hesitation.
Something felt…
Off.
But without evidence, there was nothing he could do.
For now…
He chose to remain silent.