Yandere Levelling in Her World-Chapter 171 - 172: Familiar Woman

Ren stepped out from the shadowed confines of the filthy alleyway, his boots crunching on shattered glass and discarded wrappers. The narrow passage had been a maze of overflowing dumpsters, rats scurrying in the dim light, and the stench of decay that clung to his clothes like a second skin.

He paused at the edge, shielding his eyes from the sudden burst of harsh sunlight. And then, the big reveal hit him like a slap in the face.

Before him sprawled the main road of New Norbata City, a chaotic sprawl that screamed desperation and survival. It looked nothing like the old Norbata. Instead, it reminded him of a lawless frontier where the weak got trampled and the strong barely hung on.

Crumbling buildings lined the street. Metal signs decorated the road, advertising long-gone luxuries like "Fresh Water Here" or "Public Bathroom." The air buzzed with the distant hum of generators and the sharp crack of gunfire echoing from side streets.

Homeless people were everywhere, huddled in makeshift camps under tattered awnings or sprawled against walls, their eyes hollow with hunger. A group of ragged men begged for scraps, while women in military surplus gear patrolled the crowds with rifles slung over their shoulders, the New Norbata Army, enforcing order in this madhouse.

One patrol squad marched by, their boots thudding in unison, barking orders at a cluster of loiterers. "Move along, scum! No blocking the supply lines!"

In the midst of it all, chaos reigned. A robbery unfolded right in front of Ren: two burly women cornered a scrawny man against a barricade, one pinning his arms while the other rifled through his pockets. "Hand over the rations, pretty boy, or we'll make this hurt," the leader snarled, her voice dripping with menace.

The man whimpered, "Please, I got kids... wait, no!" But they laughed, shoving him to the ground and dashing off with his bag.

Further down, something darker caught Ren's eye, a group of women surrounding a lone man in a shadowed alcove. He was struggling, his shirt torn, as they pushed him against the wall. "Come on, handsome, don't fight it," one cooed mockingly, her hands roaming aggressively. "What fine piece of dick we got here." The man cried out,

"Stop! I'll call the guards!" But the women just giggled, their actions getting even more intense.

Ren averted his gaze, as he soon hear the noises of a man growling and women laughing while muttering vulgar things.

He clutched his abdomen, muttering under his breath, "I'm hungry... so damn hungry." The pain was sharp, a reminder that he hadn't eaten since slipping into the city under cover of night.

Shaking off the alley's grime, Ren started walking down the main road, weaving through the throng. The street was alive with activity: vendors hawking black-market goods from rickety stalls, kids picking pockets in the crowds, and army trucks rumbling by, their sirens blaring warnings.

As he moved, the catcalls started. A group of women leaning against a burned-out vehicle whistled at him. "Hey, cutie! Looking for some company? I could show you a good time in this dump!" one shouted, her eyes raking over him appreciatively.

Another, with tattoos snaking up her arms, called out, "Ooh, fresh meat! Come here, boy, let Mama take care of you. You look like you need a strong woman to handle things!"

Ren kept his head down, ignoring the leers and propositions. A third woman, perched on a crate, laughed. "Aw, don't be shy, handsome. In New Norbata, we women know how to treat a man right or wrong, if that's your thing!" Her friends erupted in cackles.

He muttered again, gripping his stomach tighter, "Fuck I don't have energy to deal with them." The hunger drowned out everything else, making the chaos blur into background noise.

Ren scanned the surroundings for a restaurant, a diner, anything resembling the bustling eateries from the old Norbata. But there were none. No cozy cafes with steaming bowls, no street food vendors flipping skewers.

Instead, the city felt like a war zone, where survival was rationed out by the barrel of a gun. Military checkpoints dotted the road, soldiers doling out supplies from armored vehicles. "Line up! One per person, no shoving!" a female officer barked at a queue of desperate civilians.

His eyes landed on a nearby truck, its back open and surrounded by a swarm of people. Soldiers were distributing loaves of hard bread and some watery stew in dented tins, a side dish that looked more like slop than food. "This is all you get today, folks. Make it last," a burly sergeant announced, handing out portions with mechanical efficiency.

Ren joined the line, his mouth watering at the sight. When his turn came, he grabbed the bread, a stale, fist-sized loaf and a tin of the side. "Thanks," he mumbled, but the soldier just grunted, "Next!"

He tore into the bread immediately, the dry crumbs sticking to his throat as he chewed. Around him, people milled about, some eating on the spot, others gossiping in hushed tones. That's when the rumors started filtering in, like whispers carried on the wind.

"Did you hear? There's a huge incident going down in the Safe Zone right now," a wiry man said to his companion, a woman with a scarred face. They were leaning against the truck, sharing a eating the watery food.

The woman nodded, eyes wide. "Yeah, I overheard the patrols talking. Something big people are freaking out. What the hell is it? A raid? An uprising?"

A cluster of homeless folks nearby chimed in. "I bet it's those damn politicians again," an old man grumbled, his voice raspy from years on the streets. "Always scheming in their fancy bunkers while we starve out here."

Another woman, bundled in rags, spat on the ground. "Purge, that's what I heard. A huge purge of the higher-ups. About time someone cleaned house. Those fat cats in power have been sucking the city dry."

Ren edged closer, pretending to focus on his bread but listening intently. A young woman with dirt-streaked cheeks joined the group, her voice trembling with excitement. "I was inside the Safe Zone this morning assigned as a gardener, you know? Tending those hydroponic farms they keep secret. And let me tell you, it's chaos in there. Guards everywhere, dragging people out of offices. Screams, arrests... looked like a full-on purge of politicians."

The wiry man leaned in. "No kidding? Who're they targeting? The corrupt ones, or just anyone who steps out of line?"

The gardener woman shrugged. "All of 'em, from what I saw. Big names getting hauled away. People were whispering about betrayals, spies... the whole place is on chaos now."

Disdain rippled through the crowd like a wave. "Good riddance!" the old man snarled. "Those bastards in power think they're gods, hoarding resources while we fight for scraps. Let 'em rot in their own mess."

"Yeah," the scarred woman agreed, her fist clenched. "They promise a new world, but look at this shithole. Army patrols treating us like animals, no real food, just this military slop. If there's a purge, I hope it takes 'em all down."

A burly man nearby nodded vigorously. "Heard one of the bigwigs tried to flee got shot on the spot. Serves 'em right for screwing over the little people."

Ren froze mid-bite as a name cut through the chatter. The gardener woman lowered her voice, but it carried. "And get this, Judith Harrington's involved. You know, the one they call the Woman with Goddess Eyes? She's right in the thick of it, leading this purge. That lady's got power, real power. Eyes that see through lies, they say."

The old man whistled. "Harrington? The one who knows everyone's secrets? If she's purging, it's gotta be legit. But damn, she's untouchable. Goddess Eyes... wonder what dirt she's digging up."

Ren's heart skipped. Judith Harrington, the woman who knew about his hidden ability, the one he needed to seduce to claim her power. She was one of his targets, a key piece in his twisted game. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

She was a force, her "Goddess Eyes" granting her insight that could unravel him if he wasn't careful.

The gossip continued. "I hate those in power," the scarred woman muttered. "Harrington or not, they are all same. Parasites. They promise to make the country back to it's normal state but they just keep filling their pockets while we starve."

"Exactly," the young woman added. "I saw bodies being carted out politicians who thought they were safe. People are confused, though. Is this a coup? Or just cleaning house?"

Ren slipped away slowly, melting into the crowd before anyone noticed his interest. He finished the last of his bread, the tin of slop tucked under his arm. The Safe Zone loomed in the distance, its massive gates a fortress of steel and concrete, heavily guarded by army squads. Spotlights swept the approach, snipers perched on towers, and barriers funneled any entrants through checkpoints. It was far maybe a mile down the ruined boulevard but reachable if he played it smart.

He muttered to himself, staring at the gates, "It seems there's at least her I know in this city... might as well meet her." A plan formed in his mind, hunger sated for now, replaced by a predatory gleam. In this war-torn mockery of a city, Judith Harrington was his next move.