Chapter 151
Chapter 151
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: A Bigger One (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Splash. Splash. Splash.
In the sewer of the sewage treatment plant, thick with a foul stench.
Oliver walked forward, carrying Hewitt, Alistair, and the monstrous spider Parker they had been handling.
The way back had been blocked by a collapsed tunnel from the bomb, but fortunately, the sewers sprawled like a maze with multiple paths, allowing them to take a detour.
Finding his way wasn't his specialty, but by focusing his senses on Joseph's group as a marker, he managed to navigate back to familiar territory.
'But what the hell happened?'
Seeing Joseph's exhausted crew and the sudden appearance of over a dozen new presences, Oliver wondered.
Joseph had been wary of them, but the newcomers hadn't shown any outright hostility.
For now, at least, they didn't seem like enemies.
'More importantly, there's one familiar face among them.'
That didn't mean he could let his guard down completely.
Oliver hurried along, carrying the spoils without overexerting himself.
His footsteps echoed through the dark, damp sewers until he finally returned to where Joseph's group was.
"Well... what happened here?"
Oliver asked, surveying the sewer interior littered with traces of fierce combat.
Joseph, whose stamina had not just hit rock bottom but burrowed underground, lit up with relief and joy at the sight of Oliver and promptly collapsed.
The corpse puppet—black mage caught him just before he faceplanted, with a grotesque wail.
"Krrgh. Krrgh. Krrgh."
Oliver set down Hewitt, Alistair, and the others he was carrying, then approached Joseph.
"What happened?"
"Haa... it's a long story. A lot happened."
At that moment, a familiar third voice cut in.
"This is real, huh? Well, I guess it makes sense... Still, didn't expect you'd team up with these guys. Impressive skills."
A burly man emerged from the group of unidentified armed figures.
Both arms fitted with intricate golem prosthetics... It was Arthur. Iron Fist Arthur.
The one he'd first met in the contaminated zone, fought alongside, then met again over the Murphy incident and fought together once more.
He'd suspected as much, and there he was.
"Arthur. Good to see you."
Arthur swept back his messy hair with his upgraded golem prosthetics and replied.
"Good to see you too. But running into you here is surprising in a way... though I guess not for you."
"No, I was surprised too. But I spotted you from farther away."
"Spotted me? Ah... right, you're a black mage. Sharp senses, huh."
"Seems like it."
Arthur laughed nonchalantly, but inwardly, a wave of relief shone through.
It felt like the emotion of narrowly avoiding a massive mistake.
Joseph, sprawled half-dead and panting, explained the reason.
"If I hadn't mentioned right away that we were working with you, that guy would've killed me, Sam, and Owen, then stolen our catches."
Arthur flatly denied it.
"Hey now, that's a bit harsh..."
"Then why'd you show up with guns drawn after we took that guy down?"
Joseph pointed at Damon behind him, whose face was completely smashed in.
Arthur grinned cheekily.
"Didn't you tell us to come out?"
Joseph snorted in disbelief, his skepticism born from experience—it seemed like this happened often.
Well, Kant had warned about that. Be cautious of fellow fixers and brokers.
Arthur extended a hand to Oliver.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't suspect me. We've worked together twice now."
Oliver shook it firmly.
"No suspicions here. Even if you did, you'd have your reasons... I just act accordingly, no hard feelings."
It was meant to convey he harbored no particular emotions toward Arthur, but Arthur's expression stiffened for a moment.
A flicker of displeasure, fear, and relief passed through his emotions.
"...That's just like you."
Oliver wondered if he'd said something wrong and quickly changed the subject.
"So, how'd you end up here?"
"Same job as you."
"The Kell Free Independence Army?"
"Free Independence Army... fancy name. Nah, just idiot rebels and their spawn. We were gonna wipe out the cockroaches trying to link up with them via the info broker, and grab these guys while we were at it. One step too late."
Oliver glanced back at the captured Kell Free Independence Army members.
Whatever happened, Damon's face was obliterated, and he was dead.
'Well, blood magic or whatever can confirm identities, so no big loss besides the bounty cut.'
Oliver looked at Arthur and replied.
"Yeah, we got lucky and beat you by a step."
Arthur nodded in acknowledgment.
"...Half our numbers, and you hit the jackpot. Damon, Alistair, and magic hacker Hewitt on top. Combined value's insane."
"Just those three total 560 million Landa. With the rest, we might scrape 600 million... though Damon's death might complicate it."
At Oliver's innocent calculation, a fleeting glint of greed stirred in some of Arthur's crew behind him.
No wonder—in Landa, where people died without seeing even 100 million, 600 million was enormous.
Joseph, sensing it too despite his exhaustion, forced himself up into a fighting stance. The corpse puppet—black mage and sniper followed suit.
In response, Arthur's group tightened their grips on their weapons.
Arthur quickly calmed his comrades.
"Whoa, easy now. Easy. Anyone'd think we came here to rob you. Weapons down, all of you."
Whether he truly controlled them or not, they lowered their arms, and tension eased.
Looking closer, some faces were familiar.
The female sniper in the silk hat, the man with mechanical arms and goggles, the one armored in exoskeletal gloves, and so on.
People from the contaminated zone encounter.
But their weapons and combat gear were markedly better than before.
The mana flows indicated they were no ordinary equipment.
"Everyone's geared up better than last time. Business must be good."
"Hm? Ah... well, fixers don't upgrade on their own dime easily."
"Is that so?"
"Sure, the job pays decent sometimes, but not always, and good gear's pricey. Saving up steadily to upgrade ain't easy talk."
"So how'd you manage it?"
"Gotta find a good patron."
"A patron?"
"On that note, mind if I make a proposal? Wanna do a big score together?"
Arthur grinned meaningfully as he suggested it.
[Is it real?]
Out of the sewage plant, Oliver spoke into his communicator.
"Yes, sir. Forest. Captured disease black mage Damon, contaminated creature tamer Alistair, magic hacker Hewitt. Damon's dead—his face got completely smashed during the struggle."
[No issue there. The other two?]
"Just knocked out. But..."
Uncharacteristically, Oliver trailed off mid-question.
[Something up?]
"...No, nothing."
Forest's bewilderment was palpable even through the device at Oliver's odd demeanor.
But he couldn't pry. Forest shifted back to business.
[Anyway, good. Who else?]
"Five modified humans from the wanted list, plus about twenty regular soldiers with them. Any bounties on the grunts?"
[Bounties are officially only for wanted targets, but I'll convince the city to pay. 500k to 1 mil Landa each at best.]
Forest downplayed it, but Oliver was thrilled.
1 mil per grunt times twenty was 20 mil; he'd net about 15 mil after splits.
"Even that much is appreciated."
[No need to thank me. The city knows how to use you when needed. Especially after bagging three execs. So... twenty-nine captures total.]
"Yes, a few died, but that's it. Can't haul them all ourselves—any chance of help?"
[Of course. Bringing them here's the issue anyway... Can you wait 30 minutes? I'll call the broker guild to send handover crew for the city.]
"Yes, no problem. Such outfits exist?"
[Not exclusively, but merc bands with solid broker guild ties. We pay a cut as fee, but handy in situations like this. Anything else to report?]
"One more thing."
[Yeah? What?]
"Bit long story, but do you know Arthur? Iron Fist Arthur."
[Yeah. Fixer contracted to N-District broker En. Ex-military, strong solo but shines leading fellow vets. Why?]
"Ran into him in the sewers. Said they were hunting Kell Free Independence Army remnants too."
[Not surprising. He'd have city jobs too. Overlapping paths happen... They try anything?]
Forest asked with measured caution.
Landa's sewers were a world apart from the surface—perfect for foul play.
"No. He even reined in his crew; went smoothly."
[So he wants something.]
"Yes. Specifically, a big score with me."
[Big score? Means targeting a heavy hitter. Willeth, maybe?]
Willeth. A name he recalled.
One of the Kell Free Independence Army's top leaders. Infiltrated the Elementalist School under a false identity, learned magic, could've risen high there, but left to volunteer for the army.
With magic prowess plus Northman physical might and melee skills, he'd rampaged from day one.
The kingdom had dispatched a massive force and five combat mages just for him.
Inflicted heavy damage but let him slip; three mages died too.
Impressive in every sense.
"Bounty's 1.2 billion, right?"
[Yep. Sounds huge, but not quite. Even Elementalist School backed him—knows more than fighting; draws the big picture. Real threat.]
"Big picture?"
[Reads politics and trends. More dangerous than brute strength. Battle prowess shines, but timing for hiding power and biding chances? Exceptional.]
"You know him well."
[Kingdom man myself. Intriguing. Thought Willeth skipped Landa... What'd you tell Arthur?]
"I'd reply after talking to you. He accepted."
[Huh. Must really want your help. Doesn't seem just for cash.]
Then Oliver recalled something and spoke up. Instinct said it was a clue.
"Not sure if it helps, but Arthur and his crew have top-tier new gear. His prosthetics especially upgraded big time."
[That much?]
"Mana flows don't lie."
[Fascinating. Good gear's every fixer's dream and necessity, but not easy come by.]
"And he said, 'Gotta find a good patron.'"
[.........]
Forest fell silent. Not confusion or ignorance—realization.
Moments later, he spoke.
[Backed by the city.]