Hyena!

"What on earth are you trying to do, you scumbag!?" Laura growled, her voice shaking with fury as she glared at Harvey.

Harvey's lips curled into a sneer, his fingers playing with the black sphere in his hand. "What am I trying to do? Oh, my dear lady, isn't it obvious? We're here to rob you." His voice dripped with mockery as he continued, "Do you recognize this? A third-generation fire bomb; specially designed for taking out F-class aliens."

Laura's eyes narrowed, her lips trembling in barely contained rage. "You really think that pathetic toy can touch me?" Without waiting for a response, she bit her lip and, with lightning speed, drew her Nepal knife. Her movements were fluid as she lunged toward Harvey, aiming the sharp blade straight for his exposed neck.

But just as her weapon was about to connect, a dagger clashed against it with a metallic *clang*, halting her attack.

"What?!" Laura's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected Hailey; the shy, timid girl who never seemed a threat; could block her strike so effortlessly.

Hailey pushed forward with surprising strength, forcing Laura back and countering with a swift slash aimed at her abdomen. Laura leapt back, narrowly avoiding the attack, landing next to James.

"Oh my, Miss Luo, such a fiery temper," Harvey taunted, though a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. His bravado faltered for a moment as he realized how close he had come to serious injury. "I didn't think you could actually kill the scorpion. But don't move, if my hand slips, we're all going up in flames." He wiped the sweat away, his grip tightening on the bomb.

Laura's eyes flicked toward Hailey, the girl who now stood between them, dagger still in hand. But it wasn't just Hailey's newfound aggression that troubled her; it was the erratic, almost unhinged energy radiating from her.

"Is this really worth it? Robbing us at the cost of your sister's health?" Laura's voice softened, a wry smile pulling at her lips. She could see it now; the chaos in Hailey's aura, the telltale signs that she had taken a drug to enhance her abilities. It was a dangerous gamble. These performance-enhancing substances could push a person beyond their limits, but the side effects were devastating, especially for someone who hadn't yet reached F-level strength. The damage might not kill her, but it would leave scars, perhaps irreversible ones.

Hailey's eyes lowered. "Whether it's worth it or not doesn't matter. He's my brother. That's all that matters. If he wants this, I'll do it." Her voice was steady, but beneath it lay a heavy weight.

Harvey's smirk widened. "You really are the best sister, aren't you?" he said, patting her head with faux affection, his eyes gleaming with selfish pride. But in that moment, James noticed something; a fleeting look in Hailey's eyes. A complicated mix of emotions, maybe regret, maybe pain, flickered across her face as her brother touched her.

Laura's expression faltered. For a moment, she just stared at the younger girl, conflicted. She could sense something deeper beneath Hailey's dutiful exterior, but now wasn't the time for sympathy.

James, standing quietly beside her, glanced at Laura, who seemed lost in thought. Shaking his head, he opened his personal panel, his eyes locking onto his experience bar; just 52 growth points away from advancing. The sight filled him with a rare flicker of excitement. The giant scorpion was nearly dead, its life force dwindling with every passing second. *How much more could I gain from its remains?* he wondered as he saw his skill, *Life Harvest*, beginning to glow, ready to be activated.

Suddenly, Laura let out a long, frustrated sigh. Her decision had been made. Without a word, she twirled her Nepal knife and, with a sharp slash, cut the strap of the storage bag at her waist. The bag fell to the ground with a dull thud, and she kicked it toward Harvey and Hailey.

"Take it," she spat, her voice laced with disgust. "If this is what you're after, for the sake of your sister, take it and go. Get out of here, and never show your face in front of me again!"

Her words hung heavy in the air, a clear dismissal. The tension in the cave thickened as everyone awaited Harvey's next move, but Laura's blazing eyes made it clear—there would be no second chances.

"This…" Hailey hesitated, her eyes darting between Laura, who had turned her head away, and her brother, Harvey. For a moment, she was at a loss. Her heart wavered, unsure of how to feel.

"Heh…" Harvey's sneer broke the silence as he bent down and snatched up the storage bag, inspecting it with greedy satisfaction. "As expected from a old money family… heh, let's get out of here, right now. Heh heh." His smile was wide, but it carried a sense of twisted victory.

Without waiting for a response, Harvey grabbed Hailey by the arm, pulling her along as they retreated, nodding and bowing in mock courtesy. But as they moved away, Hailey cast one last glance at Laura, her expression conflicted. In a gesture that felt more like an apology than gratitude, she bowed deeply before allowing Harvey to drag her out of the passage.

She knew the truth all too well. The girl standing there with her head turned aside was far stronger than she was. Even with the drugs surging through her veins, stimulating her potential, she wouldn't have stood a chance in a real fight. And yet, Laura had thrown the valuable storage bag at her, as if offering mercy.

But just as they reached the exit, Harvey's twisted voice cut through the air again.

"Ha! I don't want your charity, you arrogant bitch!" He spun around, fury in his eyes, and activated the fire bomb in his hand, hurling it back toward the cave. "Go to hell! All of you, go to hell!"

Harvey's laughter echoed as he dragged Hailey toward the exit, forcing her to run. "Hahaha, burn in hell!" he shouted, eyes wild with glee.

"You…!" Laura barely had time to react as the fire bomb lit up the cave, its deadly light growing brighter by the second. Just as it was about to explode in front of her, a hand made of straw shot out, wrapping around her and pulling her to safety beneath its protective covering.

*Boom!*

The cave shook violently as a massive explosion erupted, sending fire and debris shooting out of the entrance. The force of the blast knocked Harvey and Hailey to the ground, tumbling them across the dirt.

Harvey scrambled to his feet, staring at the cave's entrance, now blocked by fallen rubble from the blast. His eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction, his lips stretching into a wide grin. "Hahaha! So what if you're from a noble family? So what if you're strong? Didn't you still die at my hands? Hahahaha!"

Hailey, however, remained on the ground, staring blankly at the collapsed cave. Her hands trembled as she reached out, clutching the corner of Harvey's clothes. "Brother… why?"

Harvey looked down at her with a cold, dismissive expression. "Hmm? What is it now?"

"She… they gave us their things. Why couldn't you let them go?" Her voice quivered as she slowly hugged herself, as if trying to shield her heart from the truth.

"My silly sister." Harvey knelt down, placing his hands on her shoulders, his voice dropping to a patronizing tone. "Do you really think someone like her would just walk away quietly? That girl didn't even care about the storage bag. Think about it; how powerful do you think her background must be for her to act like that? And that guy in straw; do you really believe someone who can control such strange powers comes from nowhere? If we let them go, do you honestly think they'd leave us alone? Even if they did, what about the forces behind them? They'd come for us, Hailey. And I won't risk that; not for you."

He leaned closer, his eyes locking onto hers, his voice soft but deadly serious. "I can't let you take that chance, not with me. I have to protect you. That's why I had to kill them, do you understand?"

Hailey's eyes shifted away, refusing to meet his gaze. Her body felt cold, her mind conflicted, but after a moment, she nodded slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. "…I understand."

Seeing her compliance, a flicker of something darker passed through Harvey's eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He smiled, brushing a hand through her hair in an affectionate gesture. "Good girl, my dear sister."

Standing up, he hefted the storage bag with a self-satisfied smirk. "Now, let's get back to camp. I can't wait to show everyone what treasures my little hyena has brought back this time, hehe."