Walking into the bar, Lennok could feel the sharp gaze that pricked his face.
Lately, he had noticed an increase in the number of people recognizing him. Over time, he had successfully completed numerous requests, but after the railway station operation, he could distinctly feel a change in the way people looked at him.
It all started when rumors began spreading that he himself had killed Beck Clinton. As a wizard, he had faced his opponent and emerged victorious, sparking wild speculations about his abilities.
There was now an odd mix of friendliness and hostility in the air, creating a strange boundary. Lennok couldn't help but feel a strange sense of unease, knowing that he might come face-to-face with these people somewhere in the future, especially within the tense atmosphere of the bar.
While the stares could be slightly annoying, Lennok didn't necessarily find them burdensome. After all, wasn't it his decision to join forces with Dyke and quickly establish such a reputation?
Although the outcome of that decision hadn't unfolded exactly as he had intended, he had gained a lot from dealing with a powerful gang like the Cigar Bang, which had a firm grip on the region. He could sense it in Jenny's reaction alone.
"Your Deep web profile view count has crossed four digits."
"What?"
"It's evidence that your potential clients have significantly increased. With your track record and the addition of Beck Clinton's name, you can afford to be selective with your requests."
"You were acquainted with Beck, right? You seem quite calm about all this."
"He was just an old geezer obsessed with hollow prestige. He made a fuss trying to establish himself in the 49th district. Frankly, I'm relieved that such an outdated thug is gone."
Jenny's response was clear and lacked any hesitation.
"Did you see the message from Panua?"
"Yes, I did. They said the gang boss reached out directly."
Lennok replied, grimacing at the news.
A suicide bomb attack—an extreme method that carried a hint of wanting to open a dialogue. Or perhaps the message was merely a pretext, and all they wanted was to unleash their anger.
"It's a tricky situation. It's too late to handle it and a bit early to surrender," Jenny mumbled, to which Lennok responded.
"It feels like a calculated move."
"I think so too, especially since they didn't take action immediately after Beck Clinton's death."
The gang boss had remained silent until now, but behind the scenes, they had sent reinforcements to the Scavenger 48 branch.
From Lennok's perspective, this was a cause for concern, especially considering the volatile nature of the person on the other side who would even launch an attack on a company headquarters.
"Do you think it's a coincidence that the attack happened just after Panua implicitly gained permission from the city government? He violated the unwritten rules of the underworld, but given the circumstances, he might have believed that breaking the flow, even at the cost of breaking the rules, was necessary."
Jenny seemed more interested in deciphering the gang boss's motives rather than focusing solely on the current situation.
"You seem very interested," Lennok remarked.
"I have to be. A wizard who appeared out of nowhere in this city, rising to become a gang boss—it's a tale not commonly found in this underworld," Jenny replied, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "If they're associated with those war profiteers, it's natural that they would promote the weapons business with the soldiers. It's all they know and have learned, isn't it?"
Lennok remembered how Jenny initially mistook him for a wizard from the Thorben Tower when they first met. Now, having witnessed his fighting skills, she probably knows that he doesn't rely solely on lightning-type magic. However, in this world, when someone mentions lightning magic, Thorben comes to mind.
The Thorben Tower—a sanctuary for lightning wizards located in a remote desert in the southwestern part of the continent. They are renowned as the most skilled and well-known lightning wizards, but they are also known for their obsession with wealth and business.
They actively involve themselves in wars and use such opportunities to expand their external influence. Their movements are driven by their skills and achievements, ruthlessly discarding those who fall behind in talent. So when someone claims to be from the Thorben school, it usually refers to those who couldn't survive the fierce competition in the Tower.
"I've collaborated with those guys before."
As Lennok and Jenny silently absorbed the conversation, they heard a voice coming from the side. Dylan, who was casually munching on a sandwich in the corner of the bar, waved his hand lightly.
"Damn, when did you sneak in again?" Jenny sighed, wearing an expression of fatigue. Dylan, unfazed, winked at Lennok.
"Partner, it's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Who's your partner?" Lennok responded grumpily.
Dylan shrugged theatrically. "I'm disappointed you've already forgotten. What happened to our strong bond when we fought against the crocodile?"
"You were the one who backed down against Croken. You sure do talk a lot."
Wasn't it Lennok who managed to buy them time when they faced Croken? If Evelyn had been even a little late in finding them, it wouldn't have been surprising if they were discovered as lifeless bodies.
Dylan licked his lips under his mask, feigning a sense of injustice. "No, even if my boss was there, it would've been an impossible problem to solve. Who can deal with a monster worth billions of cells?"
That was true. It was absurd to confront such a formidable opponent on their first assignment, and after working in this field for some time, Lennok didn't attach much significance to it anymore.
"Anyway, I've also worked with wizards from the Thorben school."
"Yeah, yeah, go ahead and babble," Jenny replied dismissively, prompting Dylan to enthusiastically dive into his story.
They coincidentally crossed paths during a task involving the transportation of supplies to an unnamed front line. They were all incredibly arrogant and carried strong pride, not even treating others as human beings.
Amidst Dylan's monologue, filled with blatant self-praise, Lennok, who was half-engaged in the conversation, interrupted with a question.
"So, what's your point?"
Although Lennok had only worked with Dylan once, they had spent a fair amount of time chatting at the bar. Lennok didn't know much about Dylan O'Casey, but he had a general sense of his seasoned warrior nature. Dylan wasn't the type to randomly engage in conversations and boast about his past experiences out of boredom. There had to be another motive behind his words.
With the last remnants of the sandwich stuffed into his mouth, Dylan cleared his throat and began.
"Man, the cost of living these days… it's just not enough," Dylan grumbled.
"I'm going crazy," muttered Jenny, her expression devoid of any emotion. "Antares provides a basic wage even if you weren't working. What foolishness have you been up to that you're struggling with living expenses, you idiot?"
"Recently, I've been, well… never mind. Anyway, I need a client who can hire me off the books," Dylan responded, sneaking a glance at Lennok.
"So, this madman has finally turned to gambling as well. Can't you just contact Antares?"
"Ah, I'll only recover the principal and then make a run for it!" Dylan exclaimed.
Lennok sighed softly, observing Dylan's childish behavior. He was an unpredictable person, making it difficult to discern whether he was joyous or innocent. However, one thing was certain—he was a dependable colleague when it came to work.
"2 million," Lennok stated firmly.
The unexpected response left both Dylan and Jenny surprised, but Dylan swiftly regained his composure.
"4 million. In return, I'll assist until we take down the gang boss," Dylan proposed.
"You've been paying attention all this time?" Lennok smirked, watching Dylan engage in a heated debate with Jenny.
"With rumors floating around in this field, how could I not be aware?" Dylan replied confidently.
Lennok smirked as he watched Dylan bickering with Jenny.
"You're just beating around the bush to say you want 3 million."
"Deal."
If he could secure a dependable vanguard for 3 million cells, Lennok couldn't ask for more. The cost would be billed to Dyke, and Panua would claim it on her own. Normally, there wouldn't even be a need for negotiation.
Jenny, observing the handshake between the two men, as if they had sealed a promise, shook her head in disbelief.
"Van, you're starting to sound like Dylan the more you hang out with him."
“Be careful what you say.”
As she stuck her tongue out in her bewildered face, she suddenly slammed her head into the laptop underneath her bar.
"Panua contacted us. They want to discuss the last assignment," she continued, lifting her head.
A faint smile formed on Lennok's lips upon hearing this news. Finally, the arduous collaboration with Dyke was nearing its end.
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
"There will be no room for negotiation," Panua declared as she entered the meeting room.
"If this request had come before we initiated the operation, we might have considered it. But now, there's no reason to fall for such a ploy."
Lennok leaned forward, intrigued. "What's the detailed plan?"
"In 48 hours, we will swiftly reclaim the Cigar Bang's main base," Panua explained.
"Oh…?" Dylan's voice, who had followed Lennok to the meeting room, filled with surprise.
"She's quite the assertive woman," Dylan whispered softly.
Ignoring Dylan's remark, Lennok pressed for more information. "Can you elaborate on the available forces?"
"We have about 100 newly recruited freelancers from the company's side gathered here. Additionally, we plan to mobilize all the available forces our project team can provide," Panua replied.
Lennok's gaze instinctively shifted toward Killian. "If there are other forces within the project that haven't participated in the previous operations, we should have more resources."
Noticing Lennok's gaze, Killian nodded. "Most likely, this will be the final operation. The council's approval must have been granted, so there shouldn't be any issues with our advancement."
"The real challenge lies in the tricks the gang boss might have up his sleeve. That's the key point," Panua interjected.
"Considering the various business collaborations the gang has been attempting recently, it's evident they don't plan on going down without a fight."
Lennok thought about the gang's deals with retired soldiers, investments from drug dealers like Paul Ackerman, mercenary offices, and their cooperation with scavengers. It was only natural to expect the gang to have some tricks up their sleeves.
"Thirty-six hours from now, we will surround the main base of Cigar Bang. If no unusual signs are detected, we will proceed with the penetration 12 hours later," Panua outlined the plan, describing the route into the base, the dispersion, and assembly points for each force in detail.
The others in the meeting room listened attentively as Panua laid out the strategy.
"Do any of you have any questions?" Panua asked, breaking the silence that had settled in the meeting room.
There was no immediate response. The air was thick with anticipation, and everyone present felt that success was within reach.
The recent victories in the railway station operation and the assassination of Beck Clinton had greatly shifted the odds in their favor. The success of this operation seemed almost certain, and it wouldn't have been possible without Lennok's remarkable abilities.
All eyes turned towards the young wizard sitting in the corner, recognizing his crucial role in their success.
Lennok, momentarily lost in thought, snapped back to the present and spoke up.
"Let's begin right away."
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
Cigar Bang's headquarters was situated in a sprawling power station on the outskirts of District 48.
The headquarters, once an abandoned power plant, had been converted into a heavily fortified facility. The surrounding area was enclosed by wire fences, and the windows of the power plant were blocked to deter intruders. Machine guns and rocket launchers were strategically placed on the rooftop.
At first glance, the gang's headquarters appeared formidable and difficult to attack, with the hundreds of scattered vehicles in the parking lot serving as cover.
"So, you haven't managed to breach the main gate yet," Lennok remarked, a hint of disbelief on his face as he arrived at the scene after making a stop at Jenny's bar.
Killian, who had arrived earlier and was leading the other freelancers in the assault on the power station, responded wearily.
"The resistance is substantial. It seems they have enlisted some formidable allies."
"Allies?" Lennok inquired.
"There are individuals with a distinct aura, different from the gang members. They are pushing our forces back. I suspect they've brought in the retired soldiers they had connections with," Killian explained.
Lennok had thought that they had severed the gang's ties with the soldiers during the railway station operation, but it appeared they had requested reinforcements once again.
The boss on the other side seemed to possess remarkable influence and resources.
Pushing Killian aside, Lennok advanced forward, extending his mana and spreading his senses in all directions. His wide sensory range, covering several kilometers, spread out and instantly captured the life reactions around the power plant.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
