Chapter 79

Before and after the possession, I’ve come to realize something through two different lives. It’s easy to do anything, but cleaning up the mess is several times more difficult.

While Clone One Hundred Tenth began interviews with the brokers, the Violets had already pulled the car outside Circle Cliff City and were interrogating the prisoner. It was the warehouse between the western area where Yurik was previously captured and the central district.

Since it’s a secluded place where the owner doesn’t care, it was used again.

In the vinyl-floored warehouse, the gang boss tied to a chair spat. He didn’t open his mouth during our interrogation either.

“Do you think I’m going to talk?”

“That’s right, you don’t seem like the type to talk.”

Clone Ninety-Six and Clone Eighty-Five immediately dragged Rose Baldy in with his chair.

“I told you what I know! You’re letting me go now, right? Hehe…”

“Shut up.”

I explained to the clueless gang boss.

“I zapped your thigh with the electric shock weapon a couple of times, and you lit up.”

The gang boss’s expression darkened.

“It’s all over now, it’s all over…”

Despite the boss’s attitude, Rose Baldy chuckled and babbled away.

“Haha… so! You’re letting me go, right? Right?”

“Nonsense, can’t you grasp the situation? There’s no way you’re getting out of here.”

A moment later, the Violets entered, armed with guns. The gang boss resignedly closed his eyes slowly, while Rose Baldy’s eyes widened. He shook his tied chair and rebelled fiercely.

“Wait! I told you everything!”

“I never said I would spare you.”

“You bastards! Our Calamity Gang will never let you off!”

As Baldy struggled, the previously quiet boss finally spoke up.

“Fool, do you think they’d ask for something like a safe’s password? Our main base was hit long ago.”

“That’s right. We asked because there are more survivors besides you. We quickly figured out your address.”

“…Crazy bastards.”

This gang boss named Bronson murmured slowly, as if bitter.

“I gather you guys aren’t hired by the brokers; we’ve never seen you before. What’s the reason for going this far? Even this hellhole has its rules!”

I shrugged.

“We have no personal feelings. If that Rose Baldy had let us go easily, we wouldn’t have gone this far.”

“What did you say?”

I briefly explained what happened just before the fight. Only then did Baldy realize what he had done and turned pale. The boss glared at Baldy, grinding his teeth.

“You! You horny bastard! I said if you were here for a deal, don’t mess with me, just send me back!”

“No! Boss! I didn’t know it would end up like this!”

Honestly, there were no personal feelings involved. However, thinking of my friend getting seriously hurt, I couldn’t leave behind any hidden troubles. Everything problematic had to be eliminated.

Now it was time to finish it. The Violets aimed the seized rifle at Baldy’s head.

Feeling the chill, Baldy cried out and resisted, while the boss lifted his head with a resigned expression.

“Spare me! I told you everything! I helped you! I’ll do whatever you say! Please!”

“Hey, shut up. Let’s make this quick and clean. Hey, got any cigarettes? At least some booze…”

“I don’t smoke. But here…”

I opened the metal flask cap I picked up from a gang corpse and poured it into his mouth.

“Please! You need a client, right? I know a lot, please spare me! Aaaah!”

“Ugh, make it quick. I can’t stand that guy whining anymore.”

Clone Seventy left the room, and after two gunshots, the warehouse fell silent.

*

While the Violets were excitedly looting the gang’s safe and securing various items, Clone One Hundred Tenth spoke to the brokers who were regaining consciousness.

“What? Excuse me, who are you? Why are you here…”

“Isn’t it this? A glass of whiskey mixed with butter, hold the ice…”

The brown-haired bartender woman cast a cautious glance around and hushed them with a finger to her lips.

“Did the rendezvous code go wrong?”

“That’s not it.”

“Um, did you come for a deal? Thanks for your help, but could you wait until our manager wakes up? This isn’t something to discuss here…”

“Okay, I got it.”

Soon after, one by one, the others we brought began to regain consciousness on the hospital beds.

“Oh…! What’s going on? Why are we here?”

“I thought it was a dream, but it was real. I’m alive!”

As two people stood up, a casually dressed middle-aged man in a suit finally got up, looked around, and locked eyes with me.

The man’s previously blurry eyes quickly brightened.

“Hmm… can you move?”

“It hurts a little, but I can walk. The doctor here is pretty good.”

“What about the manager?”

“I’m fine, Mark. Let’s get moving. Kashian, you too, hurry up!”

The man referred to as the manager conversed briefly with the other brokers.

“I apologize, but this isn’t a suitable place for communication. I would prefer to move to a safe location and talk more comfortably.”

“Will you be okay in your condition?”

“Fine or not doesn’t matter. This isn’t exactly a safe place either. One moment…”

The manager took out four or five cell phones from his pocket and inspected them, muttering that these were useless before tossing two into the trash.

I hurriedly led the limping people out of the hospital. We jumped into a car driven by another Violet.

“Is this where we go?”

“Yes, just turn right twice and go straight.”

Guided by the manager, we crossed Sturgeon Lane, basked in the morning sunlight.

Just two blocks away, the aftermath from last night was visible. Several vehicles were still emitting smoke, and corpses were being collected and transported away. Guards wearing insignias from small clans were squabbling with late-arriving police.

“What in the world… look at our office!”

“That’s the Calamity gang’s car!”

While the other brokers in the passenger seat were making a fuss looking out the window, the manager remained calm.

He kept glancing at the smartphone screen while eyeing me.

Soon we arrived at a safe house. Once we stepped into the living room, the manager’s demeanor suddenly shifted.

“I don’t know who you are, but thank you! Resolver! So please, spare us!”

“Huh?”

“I received word from my acquaintances that less than a day later, the Calamity gang and the Aramis crew completely vanished. I heard their main base was burned to the ground.”

The three people behind me, who had been bewildered by their superior’s actions, finally caught on and kneeled late. I was dumbfounded and lost for words.

“It was all thanks to you, Resolver. Right? You’re incredible!”

“Yeah, that’s right. I did it. So, um… a whiskey mixed with butter…”

“You don’t need to use that code. You need magical equipment, right? If you give me some time, I’ll get it for you right away.”

The Violets watching this exchanged glances.

“I don’t get why he’s acting that way, but should I ask for something for free?”

“Sure. They’d probably grant me something like this.”

Interrupting the manager, I threw out my demands, making him look as happy as one drowning clutching a lifeline.

“Ah, of course! I’ll provide whatever I can for free, so can you do us a favor?”

“What favor?”

“Please protect us!”

*

These people had quite a troublesome situation.

I heard this broker had extensive connections and skills. Relying on their network and capabilities, they had somehow survived among various gangs and sinister groups.

Unfortunately, their delicate balance hit a crisis at some point. Dangerous transactions involving drugs were being forced in the surroundings.

“We have a principle of never dealing with drugs, among other things. Haha.”

“Then how do you make your sales? Magical items?”

“That’s just pocket change. Our real business is selling information and introducing people.”

While suffering complaints from irate clients, the broker’s office faced another crisis. Recently, the conflict over interests between organizations intensified. They were on the verge of getting crushed in a whale fight.

“We thought of moving to another town to take a break from this work for a while. Our network in Rustroom isn’t going anywhere. But going on a day that’s supposed to be peaceful…”

Unfortunately for them, just as they were about to leave after a few more orders, they were hit by a gang that had grievances against them.

“Thanks to you, Resolver, we’ve escaped that guy’s dangers, but it got way too big. We are thinking of leaving this city right now.”

“Will it be safer in another town?”

“That’s the problem. There’ll be many people hunting for the information in my head, or those who’d hope to bash my head in for a while. They’ll follow us to the end.”

Deep lines sank into the middle-aged man’s face.

“I tried hard to create cordial relationships while walking the tightrope among gangs, but the saying ‘a friend to all is a friend to none’ couldn’t be more accurate.”

With a sigh, the manager once again clung to me.

“Your abilities are remarkable. You wiped out two gangs without any losses. I see you’ve come to us for a deal? Do you need anything? People? No, do you need money? I can provide it. Any service, I’ll offer it for free. So please, protect us!”

“Can you find weapons?”

“Weapons… Well, I don’t deal directly, but I can connect you with good friends. You can get them cheaply and in bulk. What are you looking for?”

Seeing him talk, this person might be capable.

I couldn’t hide my excitement and started listing the things I had been thinking about.

“I need military-grade rifles, sniper rifles, top-notch crossbows, and monster-killing ammunition, as well as magical weapons that the four major clans would use.”

“That’s no problem at all.”

“And I need rocket launchers, recoilless guns, anti-tank missiles! The guidance system should be wire-guided. No radio or laser! If it has a forget-after-launch function, make sure it’s durable! It needs to work well in dungeons and erosion zones.”

“Ah, that…”

“A machine gun mountable on a vehicle, a rapid-fire grenade launcher, oh! We need mortars too. An armored vehicle is out of the question? I need an aircraft!”

“That’s a bit too much…”

He trailed off in embarrassment. Seeing my disappointment, the manager quickly changed his tune.

“No! We can do it. It might take some time, but it’s not impossible! Client, no, Resolver! We don’t have anyone who can help in this town right now. It’ll take time to call someone from afar. Please help us! I’ll do anything!”

We briefly discussed it.

“Anything he says… what should I ask for?”

“Hold on! I have a good idea.”

I called the manager.

“What’s the period you want protection for?”

“A bit long. About six months to a year. I’ll pay any price.”

“No. It seems you’re under a misconception that I’m a resolver.”

“Wait? Then…”

I added on.

“I don’t know much about resolver contracts; I’ll just keep you safe until the end of the term. Instead, you’ll work under me. That’s my requirement.”

“Work?”

“I need someone from your industry. I’ll even pay you a small salary. I’ll provide food and shelter. Top level! If you want to quit, you can leave anytime; I won’t ask for unreasonable demands. Got it?”

I held out my hand abruptly. The manager hesitated.

“I really don’t deal with drugs or other risky matters…”

“I wouldn’t ask for that! I’m not a druggy. What will you do?”

After some contemplation, the manager took my hand.

“Yes, if you entrust it to me, I will do my best!”

I pondered what I could do as a broker in the gray area. There was much to do besides weapons and potion trafficking.

“Let’s gather information! There’s a lot to investigate.”

“Would they know about trafficking stolen goods?”

Doing it solo had its limits. Such matters should be left to the experts.

As I imagined how to make use of those brokers, I smiled mischievously. The manager and his staff looked on, dazedly smiling too.