"You want us to be the vanguard, but you keep all the loot? Who would agree to such a deal?"
"Sounds like a laboratory's trick to lure talent."
Bomer, wearing an orange knit cap, warily scrutinized Putato and his three companions. He recognized them as the recently infamous Brotherhood of Iron, rumored to have wiped out an Office.
This was precisely why these Rats were willing to listen to Putato's nonsense.
In The City, you can't take a single step without money.
And without a reputation, even the Trash Elders would dare to rob you.
"Hey, get this straight. If you don't do it, plenty of other Rats will. Don't try to bargain with me!"
Putato remained unfazed. He sneered and activated his Hematic Pump. In the blink of an eye, he snatched Bomer's hat right off his head.
His incredible speed immediately silenced the rowdy group of Rats.
"I'm in!"
"Me too!"
In barely half a day, Putato had gathered a massive group of free laborers.
He had already witnessed how Rats performed at Yun's Office.
They are the first to rob.
They are the first to run.
The slightest change in the wind would likely cause them to scatter.
But Putato wasn't relying on them for success. They were merely meant to create a commotion for the raid on the Stray Dogs' stronghold. Besides, no one was better at trashing a home than Rats.
He simply wanted to thoroughly infuriate Gyeong-mi, forcing the man to recklessly pursue the Brotherhood of Iron.
"Hmm? Where did that cat come from?"
Led by the Trash Elders, Putato's group swaggered through the alleyways. No one dared to approach them, yet a cat stood on a rooftop, watching them.
"Mo, what kind of things are you people raising?"
Putato looked at the calico cat. Its eyes met his, staring back with an eerie focus.
There was something very wrong with this cat. Wasn't it already dead?
Was this the same one that led the Stray Dogs earlier?
"It's... it's just a cat. If it were anything special, I would have sold it long ago."
That made sense. Someone like Mo, who only saw dollar signs, wouldn't have overlooked a valuable find.
The City was simply more bizarre than a dreamscape. Failing to grasp its mysteries often led to lethal encounters with monsters, but this didn't stop Putato.
"Isn't that a factory?" Putato asked, looking at the bustling facility in the distance, feeling slightly confused.
The guiding Trash Elder hastily replied, "I don't know. They say it's a ruin left by a Broken Wing. Now we call it the All-Mart Hub."
As they approached the factory, Putato instinctively took a step back. He saw chlorine gas cylinders on the shelves and white phosphorus stored in refrigerators. Further ahead, a shopkeeper even displayed a flamethrower right next to a gasoline barrel.
On a stall near his feet, there were even canisters of laughing gas.
All-Mart Hub? I'd call it a self-destructing tomb!
Do the Stray Dogs not go to school? Piling so many dangerous items at their stronghold was insane. One day, they might just go to sleep and never wake up!
The guiding Trash Elder had already vanished. They didn't dare enter Syndicate territory.
Putato wasn't sure if they feared the Stray Dogs or the All-Mart Hub, but clearly, someone had noticed the unusual crowd he brought.
"What do you think you're doing?! Do you have any idea where you are?!"
A tattooed man with a spiked collar aggressively approached, showing no sign of backing down despite Putato's superior numbers.
He reached out to shove Putato's chest but was firmly caught by a mechanical hand.
"My name is Putato. I need to see Gyeong-mi regarding a matter. Take me inside."
"Who the hell do you think you are?!"
Hearing the man's insolence, Mo twisted and broke the man's arm before knocking him to the ground. Instantly, the surrounding tattooed thugs charged. Many shopkeepers quickly retreated, clutching their precious goods.
Within thirty seconds, most of the market had cleared out.
"How dare you! I'm here for a transaction with Gyeong-mi. Can you take responsibility for ruining it?!"
Putato adopted an arrogant stance. He realized that news of him being pursued hadn't reached this place yet, which gave him an opening.
Sure enough, the mention of a deal with Gyeong-mi made them hesitate.
Their boss's word was law, and his authority was absolute. No one believed Putato would be suicidal enough to use Gyeong-mi's name in a bluff.
"You... you stay here! And tell these guys to get lost! Do you want to start a war with the Stray Dogs?!"
Even with a broken arm, the man in the collar didn't act impulsively. He gritted his teeth, warning his subordinates not to move.
"And you expect me to just stand here and wait? Hmph, not an ounce of etiquette. Very un-Thumb-like." Putato's posture was defiant. He leaned into the act, showing no hint of guilt.
"Just tell Gyeong-mi that the deal is off. We're leaving!"
Giving them no time to think, Putato turned to walk away.
The three Iron-men and the Rats froze. What kind of game was this? They had just arrived, and now they were leaving?
"Wait!"
While splinting his own arm, the man in the collar signaled his subordinate to move a shelf, revealing a hidden passage.
"Only you go in. I'll inform the boss now."
With that, he reached for his walkie-talkie.
"Wait!" This time, it was Putato who spoke.
"I'm warning you, don't push me!"
The man in the collar glared with eyes that seemed to spit fire, looking as if he wanted to devour Putato.
"Hey, we're all brothers here. I was just joking with you." Putato's casual remark made the man's jaw drop, ready to curse.
Putato immediately activated his Hematic Pump. He saw the man's shoulder tensing and his expression souring by the second.
Bang!
A blur flashed by. Putato struck the man's temple with a violent elbow, sending him to the ground with a cry.
Putato frowned at the startled Stray Dogs and the confused Rats, shaking his trembling right arm.
"What are you waiting for? Do you really think I'm here as a guest? I told you, it was all a joke."
"Quick, raid them!"
Wham!
The entire factory instantly descended into chaos.
Hiss, hiss, hiss.
The sound of leaking gas made Putato's skin crawl. Only God knew if it was addictive gas or lethal poison.
"Come on, let's go!"
Putato led the Iron-men and charged into the hidden passage, swinging a crowbar to clear the Stray Dogs blocking their path.
The Hematic Pump made him feel like a mini Superman, even if using it left him breathing heavily.
"What the hell is going on?! Who are you?!" A Stray Dogs member shouted as he spotted the intruder.
Advancing straight through the passage, Putato arrived at what appeared to be the employee dormitory area. To his left and right were six neat levels of dormitories, and ahead lay a plastic runway.
Stray Dogs members playing cards at the ends of the stairs spotted the intruders and immediately scrambled upstairs.
Putato initially thought they were trying to escape like cowards, but his expression soured when he discovered two large, fixed crossbows mounted on every floor of the dormitory.
In The City, firearms existed, but they were incredibly expensive, and their caliber and power were strictly limited by regulations.
Few Workshops held licenses to manufacture guns, and a single magazine of ammunition could cost more than the weapon itself. Even the Thumb, a Star of the City, prioritized bludgeoning people with gun butts to save costs.
In this world, a gunshot ringing out truly signified a fortune in gold being spent.
"Mo, with me! You two, take the right!"
Putato took several long strides and cleared the stairs, heading for the second floor on the left.
The dormitory area was too exposed. If they simply charged through, they would be riddled with crossbow bolts from both sides like a sieve.
Whoosh!
Quick-witted, Putato pulled Mo in front of him to shield against an incoming bolt, then suddenly sprang forward like a hunting leopard.
"Pu—Putato, you bastard!"
Crack!
Firmly gripping his enemy's chin, Putato twisted with all his might, instantly snapping the man's neck.
Putato then commandeered the fixed crossbow and used it to gun down the remaining two guards.
With the path clear, they advanced at top speed, finally reaching the manager's office.
The floor was littered with cigarette butts, and the desk was covered in various precious decorations, many still stained with fresh blood.
Consta and Arnold immediately opened the corpse bags they had brought and began frantically stuffing them with loot.
Putato, guarding the entrance, noticed a flyer on the floor—a guide to cooking human meat, an advertisement for some local restaurant.
"What kind of garbage is this? They even advertise for this stuff!"
Putato crumpled the flyer into a ball and swallowed it.
[Work Talent: Trash King]
[Description: A true king of trash can even digest plastic.]
[Effect: Your digestive and immune systems are greatly enhanced.]
This talent, gained from joining the Trash Elders, didn't actually allow him to eat raw plastic, but swallowing a paper ball was effortless.
It was a shame that Trash Elders essentially had no hierarchy, leaving no room for a Work Emperor like him to truly display his leadership abilities.
Mo impatiently smashed the lock on the desk cabinet. Upon opening it, he found it overflowing with gold and banknotes.
"We—We're rich!"
"Give me the money," Putato commanded.
"You—what do you plan to do?"
"I'm going to give the Stray Dogs some more trouble. Otherwise, they'll track us down by tonight."
Mo reluctantly counted out all the cash for Putato. The other two were still preoccupied with inspecting their spoils.
After their successful haul, they completely abandoned the Rats and ran straight back to the Prosthetic Clinic.
"I'm the boss, so I manage the funds. You guys wait here patiently."
Putato observed the entrance for a moment to ensure they weren't followed, then left without delay.
He had already made arrangements with the Trash Elders, ensuring that none of them would wander near his location or the Stray Dogs' territory for at least a week.
Now, it was time for the next phase of his plan.
"Finn, what a coincidence."
Putato marveled at how useful the Trash Elders' network was in this district. As soon as he arrived at the designated spot, Finn, who was waiting for work, was already there.
"You scoundrel! Last time, you got me scolded by Yun until I was miserable! I had to work overtime on those pathetic commissions, and most of the clients refused to pay the moment they heard I wasn't from a Good Office!"
Putato watched the fuming Finn continue to argue. He felt that the boy's sense of "looseness" in The City was far too strong.
If this were Gyeong-mi or Mo, they would have already resorted to lethal violence.
Truly a high-quality sprout. I'll definitely come back for you next time!
"You're mistaken. Let me ask you, are you going to finish those commissions or not?"
"Yun said those trash commissions are meaningless, even if you do a thousand of them!"
"That's why he's stuck as a Grade 8 Fixer. He has no vision!"
Finn suddenly looked at Putato with suspicion.
"Are you a Grade 7 Fixer then?"
Putato offered a mysterious smile, knowing the kid had taken the bait again.
"Ever heard of Red Mist? The Color Fixer from Backstreet 23?"
"You're not going to try and tell me you're the Red Mist, are you?"
Finn's eyelids twitched. He felt Putato was treating him like an absolute idiot.
"Haven't you noticed the similarities between her and me? I'm also from Backstreet 23."
"You were neighbors?"
"Uh, her neighbors were all killed by her. I lived across the street."
Hearing that, Finn laughed in pure exasperation, finally realizing he was wasting his time with a professional con artist.
Putato watched Finn turn to leave but didn't follow immediately.
"Hey, let me tell you a story about the Red Mist when she first started as a Fixer. It's a guaranteed true story!"
"It's the secret to how she earned her Color designation."
Finn hesitated, retreating a few steps while remaining half-skeptical. "You actually know her?"
"Don't talk nonsense. I've known her since she was seven."
"Kali became a Fixer at twenty. She went out of her way to give money to the neighbors who had looked after her."
Finn's eyes lit up, looking as if he were staring at an idol. "You even know her name? But I heard the Red Mist was a good person. Why would she kill those neighbors then?"
"It was nothing personal. Those neighbors just tried to kidnap and rob her while she was sleeping."
"You didn't help them, did you? Don't tell me you were the one who saved her."
"Brother, use your head. She didn't share a dime with me. Besides, she could have broken free and gone on a rampage whenever she wanted. She just couldn't accept the betrayal at the time."
"That betrayal taught Kali never to trust others so easily again."
Finn fell into a long silence. This story fit the brutal reality of The City perfectly.
"So... you're saying I shouldn't trust people easily either?" he asked with some difficulty.
"Wrong again. The Red Mist later put her trust in a certain speaker and followed her to establish what is now Lobotomy Corporation."
"You just need to check with the Association, and you'll find out the Red Mist is currently employed at Lobotomy Corporation."
"Hiss."
Finn stared at Putato in disbelief, wondering how this man could possibly possess so many secrets.
"My point is, investment is an art," Putato continued smoothly. "Those neighbors were pure bottom-tier stocks. Making a mistake in an investment is unavoidable."
"The trash commissions I gave you were just the first round of my investment screening."
"You were lying to me! Those commissions weren't worth anything!"
Swish!
Putato pulled out a thick wad of banknotes, instantly capturing Finn's undivided attention.
"Now, your real investment begins. I want to assign you a personal commission."
"But all the work we take needs the representative's approval."
"Then don't sign a contract. If you're going to dilly-dally over such a trivial matter, you can leave right now."
"What—what is the priority? A sum of money this large won't cost me my life, will it?"
Satisfied, Putato counted out a portion of the cash and tucked it into Finn's hand, whispering the details at the street corner.
The commission was simple: go to the Association and cause some trouble for the Stray Dogs.
Ideally, Finn would leave them half-crippled while preserving enough strength so that Putato—a high-quality talent—could conveniently nominate himself for a position later. Putato was entirely unfamiliar with the Association, and his Syndicate background made him a liability. Finn's involvement was a much more reliable approach.
"Alright!"
Finn was excited beyond words by such a lucrative, straightforward job. "Don't worry! Your investment won't go wrong. I promise you, I will definitely become a Color Fixer!"
Bro, you're way too confident.
"Of course, Finn. From the moment we met, I knew you had potential!"
Finn happily set off to fulfill his task. Putato planned to head to the next place immediately, but a blonde man emerging from the shadows of the alley blocked his path.
Hmph.
Yun removed the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled a puff of smoke toward Putato. "When did the Brotherhood of Iron recruit a character like you?"
"Excuse me, I need to find a restroom first."
Putato tried to sidestep, but Yun's outstretched hand blocked him again.
"You sold him a list from a Good Office, and Goodman's Office was wiped out by the Brotherhood just a few days earlier. Why are you seeking him out again?"
Yun looked straight ahead, speaking slowly but exuding a heavy, invisible pressure.
Playing mind games with me, huh?
Hematic Pump!
Whoosh!
A flash of a blade followed. Yun instinctively retreated, only to realize Putato's target wasn't him—it was his cigarette. The tiny spark of ash was scraped away by a small knife, and the cigarette was now firmly clamped in Putato's hand.
"I had a brother who died of lung cancer from smoking. I can't help but want to help people quit. You won't hold it against me, will you?"
"What exactly is your game?!"
The atmosphere had shifted; Yun no longer bothered to hide his interrogation.
"I want to be a good person," Putato replied. "After witnessing Kali's story, I chose to leave the nightmare of Backstreet 23, only to find the other Backstreets weren't much better."
"So I went to school, but unfortunately, three years of hard work were ruined by a Syndicate, shattering my dreams of a corporate life. In my distress, I intended to join a Good Office and climb the ranks, but somehow, I ended up in the Brotherhood of Iron."
"If I had the choice, why wouldn't I want to be a Fixer? At least there's a chance to join the Association or the Wings of the World instead of living by the blade here."
Yun merely sneered. "You might be able to get out, but this is a Syndicate. Once you're in, you don't belong to yourself anymore."
"Perhaps we can make a deal."
"Oh? You think I'm as gullible as Finn?"
Putato ignored the sarcasm and spoke excitedly about his plan.
"Your Office, Yun's Office, grants me Fixer status, and I'll act as your inside agent within the Stray Dogs."
"Right now, I'm hiring the Association to deal with them. A heavily damaged Syndicate is the perfect stepping stone for an Office to gain fame and profit. The Thumb won't care about a subordinate who isn't even qualified to attend meetings. You can use them to advance yourself and your Office."
"Haha, and what would I have to pay?"
"Just my identity as a Fixer for Yun's Office. In exchange, I will provide constant intelligence on the Stray Dogs and cooperate with you when it matters most."
"Even if you don't have the nerve to destroy them, having a Beholder inside such a dangerous Syndicate is a valuable connection for an Office. How about it?"
Yun fell into thought, recalling Putato's previous move. At that speed, he likely couldn't catch him alone. If Putato joined the Stray Dogs, his strength would be more than adequate. Agreeing to the deal seemed to have no downside.
"You truly want Fixer status?"
Even a dim-witted Syndicate leader would suspect an Office Fixer working below them.