Chapter 291 |
"Data collection, huh..."
Renok muttered as he lightly tapped the cigarette in his hand.
The rebellion of the Defense Force that guarded the outer frontlines of the megacity was not all that surprising.
The wayward actions of former soldiers were nothing new. Veterans who could not find their place had been trickling into the shadow sector for more than a day or two.
The Scavenger's branch chief, a discharged soldier; special forces operatives who flowed into the shadows; and the frontlines' traces that slowly ground to a halt and began to rust.
It was just one of the countless instabilities and cracks rooted in this city that finally showed its face.
The problem was that the malice at the end of that crack might then openly target Renok.
It was not something he could just let slide.
"There's a high chance someone will reach out to you, Ban. Probably one of the city councilors."
"Among the powerhouses in the shadow sector, there aren't many who aren't tied to some specific organization or affiliation. And even among that minority, most are mentally unstable types who have no concept of cooperation. It's only natural that they'd take notice of you, someone who's proven both skill and reliability through freelance work."
"..."
"Before the Restrictive Edict is lifted, if the city government wants to hand over operational authority to the powerhouses in the legitimate sector, they'll have to make a lot of sacrifices. They'd probably prefer to borrow the hands of outlaws operating in the outer districts instead."
The Restrictive Edict, which restricted the operational authority of legitimate sector powerhouses in exchange for granting them equivalent privileges, was one of the biggest controversies in the city.
As the Ibon Family Head had mentioned, rumors had lately circulated that the edict might be lifted, but nothing was set in stone yet.
The edict was not just a simple system but a restraint mixed with geas, so they would likely seek alternatives rather than hastily tamper with it.
"I get the gist."
Renok nodded slowly as he listened to Nicole's words.
"But I haven't heard the most important part. Why are you telling me all this?"
He understood what she was getting at.
The ambush that had just targeted him was not a one-off incident but something entangled in the massive web of interests surrounding the megacity's Defense Force.
It was a plausible story, but Renok was not about to believe everything Nicole said anyway.
He could cross-verify the specifics later through the operatives he had captured.
But what was her true intention in showing up and volunteering this information?
Her actions practically confirmed suspicions that the Platon Mercenary Agency was closely tied to the city government.
If she had come despite knowing that, then Nicole must have had her own objectives.
Before he figured it all out with his own eyes and made a judgment, Renok wanted to hear her answer first.
Nicole gave a wry smile.
"Well... if I had to say, consider it a token of gratitude."
"What?"
"I heard about the proxy battle at the citadel. You spared Adam's life when you faced him."
"..."
"This is me paying the price for my nephew's life... Would that be reason enough?"
With that, Nicole turned and leisurely walked away into the alley.
Her relaxed demeanor suggested she did not expect Renok to try anything.
If anything, it was as if she signaled just how much she trusted him.
Renok watched her retreating figure in silence, lost in thought.
He weighed the pros and cons of capturing her and forcing out all her known information, his ties to the Platon agency, and the consistently friendly attitude she had shown so far.
He did not like how she had hidden and watched the situation unfold, but there was no need to turn hostile toward someone who had handed over information as a gesture of thanks.
Given how much was known about Nicole's background, he could deal with any issues that arose later.
In the end, Renok decided to let her go. He turned and pulled out his cell phone from his pocket.
"Should I contact Antares..."
With Evelyn on extended leave and unresponsive to the mobilization order, Antares was about the only collaborator he could consult on something like this right then.
Plus, there was Dray, a former soldier then affiliated with Renok's company—that was all.
For now, he would have to reach out to contacts who might have useful information.
[Baaan-!]
Renok grimaced at Manson's shout from nearby and began tapping on his phone.
*
"Ban!"
Renok chuckled at the sight of the masked figure waving from afar as he approached.
Dylan casually tossed one of the drinks in his hand toward Renok.
Instead of catching it with his hand, Renok smoothly snagged it with a mana thread and gripped it.
Thanks to the citadel incident, not only had his mana thread manipulation skills improved, but their efficiency had surged as well.
In terms of pure technique, it had been the fastest-growing among the incantations in his lineage.
It was probably because his proficiency in other lineages supported it, but even by Renok's standards, the rapid progress was nothing to complain about.
"Hey, I said I just wanted tea. Why'd you get this crap?"
Mira, walking behind Dylan, grumbled while shaking her mint-flavored carbonated drink.
Dylan grinned through his mask.
"I'm sorry your taste buds can't appreciate mint, so I personally picked it out. Be grateful."
"Keep talking shit?"
"Want to swap? It's a barley-flavored soda—pretty decent."
"You wanna die?"
The two bickered as they naturally took seats opposite Renok on the bench.
"Why pick a place like this for the meetup?"
An abandoned park. The stairs of a rundown shopping district overlooked a dusty playground.
No sunlight pierced the overcast sky; only the faint glow from faded shop signs lit the area.
The air hung heavy, as if rain could start any moment.
But Renok sat unfazed on the bench between the stairs, cracking open his coffee can.
"By the way, Ban, I heard you went and played around with those cultists at the Eightfold Star Citadel?"
Mira, who sipped her mint soda across from him, suddenly recalled.
"I heard the city government is launching a full investigation into the citadel over it. You know anything? Without the Shadow Bow around, it's just gonna be a hassle."
"..."
Dylan's shoulders twitched as he listened quietly.
Renok caught the movement and turned his gaze.
Come to think of it, Dylan, who lit up at any cult-related news, would not have been in the dark about this.
Given that Nicole from Platon knew about citadel affairs, Antares's mercenaries had likely picked up the basics of what Renok had done.
Mira, oblivious to Dylan's situation, had no reason to bring it up then.
"There were some issues with that proselytizer... I'll fill you in later."
Renok smoothly changed the subject.
"More importantly, this takes priority. If you read the message, you should have a rough idea."
He had messaged Antares first, but there was no sign it had even been read.
He could not even tell if Antares was still in the city.
That was why Renok had called in familiar mercenaries to gauge Antares's intentions or any messages he had left.
That man was undoubtedly one of the superhumans closest to this world's truths.
Antares's chosen path, and whether he was aware of the current situation, were more crucial than they seemed.
"Hmm, the Defense Force command, huh."
Dylan muttered, shaking his mint chocolate beer.
"Honestly, our boss has been so busy I haven't had a proper talk with him in a while."
"..."
"He's probably off doing all sorts of things somewhere other than the megacity. Might be tough to track him down."
Mira chimed in with a bored expression.
"If those soldier boys really aim to flip this city, they wouldn't bother with someone who's already left."
"Not wrong. Then how about this?"
Renok briefly explained Nicole's appearance and what she had said.
Mentioning the Platon Mercenary Agency and the city government made their attitudes more serious.
"Platon, huh..."
"Now that you mention it, it's been ages since I saw that old guy's face. How'd we miss this?"
"..."
Renok sighed at Dylan's finger-scratching remark.
It was not just indifference; they seemed utterly unconcerned.
Mira, listening in, snapped her fingers as if recalling something.
"Come to think of it, that Nicole woman has all sorts of weird rumors."
"Like what?"
"Overheard it while working with some Platon mercs—they said she's not originally from the shadow sector."
"..."
"Used to be some nameless bureaucrat in a department somewhere."
"A bureaucrat."
"There's talk she wasn't even born in this city. She's got a good rep inside the agency, but keeps her personal life locked down tight."
"Hmm, that sounds a lot like a certain wizard I know."
"They're twins when it comes to hiding their true intentions."
Renok tuned out Dylan and Mira's banter, deep in thought.
For starters, it was clear the Platon Mercenary Agency had some connection to the city government.
That made Nicole's claim about a city councilor reaching out to him directly seem plausible.
'What to do...'
If the outer Defense Force had truly cut ties with the megacity and gone rogue, Renok could not ignore it.
With their arsenal of firepower and manpower, their guns would point straight at the megacity's outskirts first.
It was obvious that Jenny's supply network would crumble, disrupting business.
Renok had no interest in Balkan's safety or the shadow sector's order, but he did not want his hard-built enterprise ruined like this.
Still, stepping back to observe clashed with the upcoming Blue Eye mobilization order.
Since Evelyn had left first after receiving contact, Beacon Keeper Lapis would not take long to approach Renok.
If it was just a social gathering, he could blow it off, but with Lapis rapidly expanding her domain after leaving the autonomous region, ignoring her call would be tough.
With the cult matters too, showing up to gather intel made sense.
Best to resolve the Defense Force issue quickly and respond to the mobilization...
"Ban?"
As Renok pondered, Mira asked with a slight frown.
"What are you doing right now?"
"Hm?"
Looking down at his hands, Renok gave an awkward smile.
At some point, mana threads from his fingers had snagged the empty coffee can, idly crocheting it in midair.
He had not realized the habit from practicing at the citadel lingered.
The two mercenaries stared at him as he pulled back his hands, their expressions odd.
"Mages are such incomprehensible folks."
"To pull off something like that without even thinking... The world of incantations feels forever out of reach."
"Anyway, I get what you're saying."
Renok stood, organizing his thoughts quickly.
"With Evelyn and Antares both away... If the Defense Force timed this knowing that, then like Nicole said, it's no joke."
"Need help?"
"No need—we'll cross paths again soon. If a city councilor really contacts me, they'll naturally-"
Beeeep! Beeeep! Beeeep!!
Before Renok could finish, his phone rang loudly.
The three pulled out their devices with puzzled looks and exchanged glances.
All three screens displayed the same incoming caller's name, as if on cue.
Renok glanced at his screen and continued.
"-try to recruit reputable talent."
But even so, he had not expected a call from this person again.
Renok truly had not imagined a connection starting from one job would twist this far.
[Call: Ward Councilor John Meyer]
What did it mean that the contact from the ward councilor—whom he had met through pharmaceutical dealings—came at this exact moment?
The greedy old man, coveted even by Renok just starting freelance work, had shed his ward councilor title for a higher position.
*
"Councilor. Are you really thinking of requesting cooperation from that man?"
"Why? Don't trust my judgment?"
"No, sir."
The woman with a sharp voice replied.
"But 'Firm Thunder's' recent activities look quite dangerous. Even by somewhat outdated standards, he's undeniably anomalous."
"..."
"He acts like he has no interest in the power struggles behind this city, yet steadily builds profits from the outcomes. It's especially clear from how he handled the cartel and the Eightfold Star Citadel lately."
He had taken a hard line against the cartel, but in the citadel's proxy battle, he slipped between the factions and turned both toward a friendly stance.
Her own grasp of how far his foresight into long-term inter-organizational conflicts extended was impossible.
"You'll see in the analysis report pulled from the Security Bureau database."
With that, she naturally placed a thick stack of papers before the old man.
Thud!!
A hefty report, dozens of pages thick.
A dossier compiled solely to uncover one man's background, abilities, actions, and trends.
Atop the pages was a somewhat blurry photo of a young man with a particularly sharp impression.
What did it mean for the photo quality in an analysis report authorized by a high-ranking city government official to be this poor?
It was proof that capturing the mage known as Ban in photographic data was limited to this at best.
"No past records can be found, despite all the major incidents he's been involved in and pulled off. It's beyond mere caution—it's obsessive. He hides and alters his identity with near-perfectionist thoroughness."
The woman said.
"Isn't that the kind of behavior you only see from someone with significant circumstances and secrets?"
"..."
"Abnormally rapid growth. Networks and connections scaling accordingly. Clean tracks without a single loose end. There's undoubtedly a powerful motive we haven't grasped."
The woman concluded, looking down at the leisurely smiling old man.
"And whether Firm Thunder's goals align with helping you, sir—no one can predict that."
As if answering her, the jet-black nameplate before the old man gleamed neatly.
[City Government Central Council Lower House Councilor]
[John Meyer]