A detachment of the Republic of Padokea's elite army was stationed aboard the airship.
That was a whole different concept from the mafia.
No matter how powerful the Ten Dons were, they were still the "emperors of the underworld."
But the Republic of Padokea was a genuine country.
Plus, news of the Republic of Padokea's recent establishment of diplomatic relations with the Kakin Empire had only just emerged not long ago.
For the Troupe, maybe they could ignore the Ten Dons' authority, but they could not provoke a true national‐level military strength.
This was also the perpetual "nightmare" looming over Meteor City.
Unless it were some exceptionally weak small country, but—
Meteor City served as the world's dumping ground for garbage; countries from around the world would often dispatch waste ships to drop huge amounts of industrial waste, toxic materials, hazardous contagions, and all sorts of pollutants onto Meteor City's surface.
And Meteor City dared not resist. They simply did not have the qualifications to resist.
Any moderately strong country could wipe Meteor City off the map.
This was no joke.
In the eyes of the official world, the people of Meteor City were sewer rats—nobody cared about their lives.
Those nations possessed formidable firearms and technology. They only needed to dispatch wave after wave of aerial bombers for indiscriminate strikes, and Meteor City's human communities could be completely obliterated.
After all, no one cared about their fates.
Such a level of warfare was beyond the scope of what mere individuals could intervene in.
So far, no country has bothered to regard Meteor City as a threat. For them, that place was too worthless to devote the resources.
Besides small scattered mafia factions that occasionally cooperated with Meteor City (because the city provided them with "fresh blood"), basically nobody cared to lend it a hand.
If it was worth destroying, a country's top brass could do so at any moment with a single order.
Thus, when Franklin observed the soldiers on board the airship saluting Xiang Nan, he immediately understood what Xiang Nan meant by "the Phantom Troupe owes me a favor."
A forced favor!
The Phantom Troupe had to owe it.
Because… This man possessed the power to decide Meteor City's fate!
…
"Once this ransom is delivered to Meteor City, I'd guess the rest of the Troupe will be waiting for us there… You Phantom Troupe guys aren't planning to pay us a single dime to hire us, so we won't receive any compensation at all. According to your plan, once the job's done, you'd kill us.
"But you never expected that the ones taking the job were from the so‐called 'Nameless Town.'"
Inside the airship cabin, Xiang Nan lit a cigarette, gazing out at the clouded skyline. Sitting opposite him was Franklin.
As for the other three players, Xiang Nan had them go elsewhere.
He spoke straightforwardly.
Franklin remained silent.
Realizing Xiang Nan's status was extremely lofty, he had to be cautious in his words and actions.
Because trying to toy with an influential figure was foolish. If the other party became displeased, the consequences…would be grim.
The only part Franklin couldn't quite grasp was why someone like Xiang Nan had actually accepted their job.
"So, who is it that's waiting for us in Meteor City? Chrollo?"
Xiang Nan gave a slight smile.
"It seems you have quite the misconception about us."
Franklin lifted his gaze, expression composed, still wanting to cover things up.
"Oh?"
Xiang Nan raised his eyebrows.
"I hold all the data and intel on your Phantom Troupe. You think my conclusion is incorrect?"
"…"
Franklin had no retort.
"So, what are you trying to do?" he questioned.
At this point, events had escalated beyond the Troupe's capacity to deal with them in the usual manner—The nature of the situation had changed.
Certainly, the ransom would be delivered safely to Meteor City. But why Xiang Nan, with such a high position, had posed as an underground security detail, and why he knew so much about the Phantom Troupe, led Franklin to suspect the Troupe was being targeted.
Yet from the Troupe's perspective, they had never threatened the Republic of Padokea's interests. They understood angering a major power was different from harassing the mafia: one spelled destruction, the other was just an opportunity to grow.
"Meteor City's elders… including your group's appearance… is actually a stroke of luck for Meteor City. Its environment naturally fosters a survival‐of‐the‐fittest approach, forging strong bodies as well as strong minds.
Xiang Nan paid no heed to the question, inhaling a mouthful of smoke as he spoke calmly.
In Meteor City, the scheming and strife was assuredly no less intense than the mafia's. Probably even more brutal.
Those elders each had their own factions. Though they all lived in the same place, the savage environment and customs meant they'd never unite wholeheartedly. Meteor City's baseline was darkness, difficult to change.
But the Phantom Troupe's deeds, or at least the direction Chrollo wanted, was in some ways 'grand.'
The Troupe wouldn't try to reform the city; they'd adapt and use it. Over these years, the frequency and scope of cooperation between Meteor City and the mafia had increased.
From the start, the elders just infiltrated smaller families, gradually broadening the network and earning the bigger families' regard. On one hand, it let them get outside resources, while on the other, Meteor City used stealthy means to expand its own influence.
No one wanted to spend an entire lifetime in squalor, hidden in a stench‐ridden sewer. That was just human nature.
But systematically going out the normal ways was impossible—like rats, they simply couldn't show themselves in the open. The Phantom Troupe, with its destructive nature, gave Meteor City an alternative path.
Although they currently couldn't challenge the Ten Dons, eventually… the Ten Dons would notice Meteor City's maneuvers. So it was only a matter of time before the Troupe and the Ten Dons clashed.
Hence, one day… the Ten Dons would be eliminated.
The underworld had been stagnant for too long. If Meteor City wanted to rely on that underworld soil to nourish itself, to break free of adversity, then it had to break the Ten Dons' dominion.
That might explain the storyline at Yorknew's auction in the original series: perhaps it wasn't purely for the money or the destructive spree.
Of course, that was only Xiang Nan's speculation as a transmigrator, combining the info he had. He wasn't absolutely sure if it was Chrollo's plan.
At the very least, regarding other Troupe members like Franklin, they didn't seem to hold such grand ambitions… they merely indulged themselves, committing wrongdoing for the sake of freedom and desire. They'd targeted the mafia probably also because they held a grudge from their childhood friend Sarasa's tragedy. That was the "shadow" on which the original Troupe members formed.
"My aim has already been stated: you owe me a favor."
Xiang Nan exhaled a puff of smoke, meeting Franklin's gaze.
A 'favor' the Troupe must owe. Right from the start, Xiang Nan had planned it. He intended simply to use his identity openly to expedite the mission and avoid the Troupe's plan to kill them afterwards.
He'd never intended to unlock a 'story arc' with the Troupe because they were too unpredictable, unlike the Kakin Empire. That didn't mean they lacked value to him, though.
Based on the intelligence gleaned from that other "Kengan Ashura" player about the "Reincarnation Dimension," it was plausible that before long, the Phantom Troupe could come in handy. Xiang Nan's authority was only a kind of deterrent, not truly enough to rein them in. The Troupe, after all, might not fear Meteor City's destruction if they decided to hide in the shadows.
But so long as Meteor City could avoid annihilation, it was best.
Deterrence alone was enough for this mission. 'Favor' was merely a reason.
"In the eyes of an actually powerful nation, Meteor City… the Troupe… is far too insignificant. Not any real threat."
"But I appreciate you all, and I'm willing to give you a chance."
"Tell Chrollo to wait for me in Meteor City." he said to Franklin.
Then Xiang Nan snuffed out his cigarette, stood up, and left.
Franklin sat alone for a while. After pondering briefly, he pulled out his phone.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 120 Chapters Ahead of Others!
Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and share this fanfic if possible!