Chapter 889 - This Game Is Too Realistic

Chapter 889: A Misguided Plot In a hotel not far from the Cartonord Prison, Shamo Zhidiao jolted awake as he lay flat on the bed. "Holy crap." His sudden outburst startled Xiaojian, who was operating a drone. In a rush, he switched the drone's camera view. "What are you yelling for—?" "I told you to keep an eye on them, what the hell are you watching?" Shamo jumped out of bed, giving the back of Xiaojian's head a firm smack before snatching the tablet from his hands. The screen showed an aerial view of the prison with nothing amiss, yet Xiaojian's expression of guilt seemed to reveal everything. Seeing Shamo so agitated, Xiaojian coughed and nervously whispered, "…What happened?" Shamo's face was grim as he spoke. "You lost track of the target! Talan just posted on the forum, saying he's already visited an Enlightenment Society base." Xiaojian's eyes widened in disbelief. "Holy crap?! That fast?" Shamo smacked the back of his head again, frustrated at his incompetence. "Stop with the holy crap. We need to move locations." Xiaojian rubbed the back of his head, looking bewildered. "Where to?" Shamo grumbled irritably, "To the Marshal's armory! The Enlightenment Society's outpost at Evernight Port! Luckily, that idiot left the address on the forum. Otherwise, we would've been waiting here for nothing." Feeling a wave of relief upon hearing that, Xiaojian then perked up energetically, "So what now? Do we just storm in and take them all out at once?" Taking on the Enlightenment Society's base seemed daunting, yet not entirely impossible. With the right preparation, it was worth a shot! Shamo squinted his eyes. "Are you stupid? We need to trace the clues to bigger leads, not cut off the only lead we've found! We still haven't uncovered the likes of Martin or that substance called 'Death Elixir.'" Xiaojian, still puzzled, asked, "So… What do we do next?" Packing up their gear into a travel bag, Shamo concisely replied, "Move to another spot and continue our stakeout." Now that they had the base's location, the next steps were straightforward. They just had to keep a constant watch, and sooner or later, Martin would surface. Truth be told, the performance of that [Talan Raider] was somewhat unexpected for Shamo. He initially regarded the guy as just a stepping stone, but it turned out this stone hit a nuclear submarine on the opposite side. It was hard not to suspect this guy had some kind of insider knowledge… --- On the official forum of "Wasteland OL," Talan Raider/Commander of Springs' private message inbox: Talan Raider: "Help me, please! QAQ" Commander of Springs: "…Who are you?" Talan Raider: "Big brother, do you remember the Head-hunting Operation in Luo Xia Province? I used to throw matches for your brother Battlefield Guy!" Commander of Springs: "Uh, that was ages ago… What trouble are you in? Just letting you know, no loans. Earn your own through missions. (sweat)" Talan Raider: "Not asking for money. I just need advice. A few days ago, I picked up a hidden mission to investigate information about the Enlightenment Society and Death Elixir. Now, I've infiltrated the Enlightenment Society and become an acolyte…" Commander of Springs: "That's not bad at all, huh? You're doing way better than Battlefield Guy. We spent so much effort yet couldn't push him forward." Infiltrating the Enlightenment Society within just a few days—this guy was quite talented. Commander of Springs was quietly impressed, realizing newcomers from the past had truly grown. Talan Raider: "Ah, well, you see, perhaps I infiltrated too quickly. The guy who inducted me, an elder, clearly doesn't trust me yet and threw me a drug investigation task as a test… But I just arrived at Evernight Port with no knowledge of the place. How am I supposed to look into that stuff?" Commander of Springs: "Emmm… I'm not much help. I've never been that far, and I'm not cut out for undercover work. But logically, the game won't give you an unsolvable task. Rethink every clue you've encountered along the mission chain and see if there's something or someone you can use." Sitting in front of his computer, Talan Raider paused, mulling over the words from Commander of Springs. "Someone to use…" Two names sprang to his mind: Arman and the mercenary Arman introduced, Knock. The former was a legitimate businessman, unlikely knowledgeable about drugs, hence unhelpful. But Knock, being a mercenary, might just come in handy. Then again, who knew if that guy was even still alive… Wait a minute. A name popped into Talan's head: "Mors," the one who tailed him across several streets! Working alone in an unfamiliar Evernight Port to crack such a significant case was a pipedream. However, leveraging local gangs' power… might just be feasible! As his thoughts clicked into place, Talan excitedly clenched his fist beside the keyboard, ideas swirling in his mind rapidly. Noticing Talan's prolonged silence, Commander of Springs uncertainly typed another line. "Got a plan in mind?" Talan's ideas finally crystallized as he responded, "Thanks!" Looking at the message onscreen, Commander of Springs, with an amused sigh, typed back. "You're welcome… though I doubt I helped much." --- Donning his helmet, Talan logged back in. Lying on the single bed, his eyes snapped open again, and he quickly sat up, heading to the entryway to open the door. This was the northern district of Evernight Port, in a hotel close to the "Marshal's Armory." The guide, Daniel, had assigned an assistant to Talan, stationed at his room's door. This man was named Cantor, allegedly a veteran from the 30th Man Regiment who fought gray mutants in the desert before enlisting in the garrison force, meanwhile joining the Enlightenment Society as a prestigious "acolyte." But in reality, he was a covert operator for the garrison's intelligence department. Daniel tasked Cantor to assist Talan with routine missions while also gathering evidence of any secret contacts he had with the Alliance. The "snake oil" smuggling case had murky connections to Alliance-backed forces. Daniel suspected an Alliance spy, trying to win their trust, might betray some of these proxy forces' interests to them. At some point, the "Hornet" encased in their "cocoon" would surely attempt to contact the Alliance's intelligence agents. Seeing Talan emerge from his room, looking revitalized, Cantor extinguished his cigarette and gave an inquiring glance. "Rested well?" Talan nodded, cheerfully replying, "All set, come with me for an outing." Cantor's eyebrows lifted slightly as he assessed the man before him, a trace of surprise on his face. "…Seems like you have a plan." "Absolutely!" "Mind sharing?" Without responding, Talan simply offered a confident look and enthusiastically said, "Just follow me." Watching Talan stride purposefully towards the stairs, Cantor felt puzzled. He was certain this guy had never left his sight. Even while he was resting behind closed doors, a radio team in the vicinity was monitoring him, ready to report any anomalies. At what point did he make contact with the Alliance? Or had he already realized his situation? Cantor was momentarily unsure. But to avoid revealing anything, he composed himself and followed Talan, intending to observe his actions first. Meanwhile, on the fourth and a half floor of the "Marshal's Armory" hotel, Daniel, who was overseeing the entire operation, furrowed his brows. Watching the surveillance footage of the duo's departure, he turned to an intelligence officer nearby and ordered in a grave tone, "…Search the target's room, but be careful not to leave any traces." The officer promptly nodded and obeyed. "Yes, sir!" --- Shortly after Talan and his partner left their hotel lodging, a group of intelligence agents swiftly entered his room and conducted a thorough search. Yet the outcome of their search was unexpected—they found no suspicious leads at all. Daniel smoked three cigarettes in a row and still couldn't figure out where the problem lay. He was convinced that the big fish on the hook had definitely made contact with the Alliance, yet he couldn't find any clues to support his theory. Even in an age where gravitons could be manipulated, the transmission of information still required a medium. Surely they weren't communicating through telepathy, right? While the Garrison in Evernight Port was scratching their heads over the lack of evidence, the [Talan Raider] had already entered Blackwater Alley with his companion. The two of them turned a corner next to the Horseshoe Tavern and marched straight towards Knock's residence. Meanwhile, inside Knock's house, the leader of the Hyena Gang, Mors, was casually sitting with his legs crossed, flipping through intel extracted from a junkie's mouth by his subordinates. Across from him sat his top enforcer, York "Doc," sporting a hesitant look, eager to speak yet holding back. Unlike his optimistic boss, York felt uneasy about getting involved in the entanglements between the Alliance and Legion. Sensing his subordinate's doubts, Mors spoke in a relaxed tone. "York, do you know the biggest difference between us and the Iron Hand Gang?" York was taken aback and instinctively replied, "…Because they run the largest nightclub and casino in Blackwater Alley?" Mors chuckled and flipped a page in his notebook, shaking his head gently. "You're wrong. It's because they have backing." York frowned. "…Backers? You mean Tony's boss?" There were rumors in Blackwater Alley that the Iron Hand Gang was backed by a big shot from Velante. However, York believed it was likely just a rumor, possibly spread by Tony to bluff. After all, no one had ever seen this big shot, and York doubted any powerful figure would care about the interests of Blackwater Alley. His boss, however, clearly had a different opinion. Observing York's skepticism, Mors continued slowly. "Tony's boss has connections within the military, allowing him to run the largest nightclub and casino, while simultaneously siphoning money from both the locals and the Velante people…especially the latter, that's the real gold mine. Without approval from the Velante people, we wouldn't stand a chance." "Though we have many capable fighters, just being able to fight isn't enough. We're left scraping for scraps the big shots overlook in Blackwater Alley. Have you seen their submachine guns? If each of our men were equipped the same, we wouldn't lose to them. But some things can't be bought with money, and even if they could, we couldn't flaunt them like they do." "If we had backing too, we'd be no worse off." Ninety-nine percent of Evernight Port's wealth was in the hands of the Velante people. Yet, Blackwater Alley covered a third of the entire settlement and owned barely one percent of that wealth. The advent of the Enlightenment Society presented a chance for ascension. Despite living locally for years, Mors had never heard of this organization, but they had silently infiltrated the Southern Legion! This was formidable backing! Of course, knowing what shouldn't be known was not without risk. He might end up silenced, dead in some deserted alley. But if successful, if he could demonstrate his capabilities and worth to that shadowy organization, he and his men could become legends in Blackwater Alley! Legends that would outshine even the Iron Hand Gang! Just as he was deep in these thoughts, a soft knock came from the door. York, seated across, reached for the short-barreled shotgun on the table, but Mors gestured with a finger on his lips to stop him. "The person I've been waiting for is here." With that said, he rose from his chair with a smile and went to open the door. Sure enough, standing there was none other than the guy he had chased through several streets just days ago. "Mr. Talan, pleased to meet again." His ability to escape the infamous Cartonord Prison was a testament to the Enlightenment Society's influence. As he spoke, Mors scrutinized the man standing behind Talan. There was an unpleasant aura about him, reminiscent of a certain type of people Mors often dealt with. Considering there were Enlightenment Society members even inside Cartonord Prison, he surmised this guy might be one of the Garrison's officers. Facing the NPC who once set him up, Talan forced a smile, though devoid of genuine friendliness. This guy was indeed still here. Though he had come looking for Mors, he didn’t spare him any pleasantries. It was a negotiation tactic he had learned online. Before presenting the carrot, you had to give the stick a good swing. "I can see you’re genuinely pleased. I half expected you to greet me with a 7mm bullet." Mors coughed lightly. "A pure misunderstanding. I merely act on behalf of the Garrison. They issued a warrant, and we settled it for them. I hope you understand… Besides, you seem unharmed, don’t you?" Cantor frowned. The cooperation between the Garrison and gangs was an unspoken rule within Evernight Port. He wished this guy would stop blatantly revealing it to outsiders. Though Talan wasn't surprised by Mors’ explanation, he glanced into the room. No surprises there—the Hyena Gang members were all present, including the bald one with the prominent chest feature. "Where is Knock?" At the mention of the unfamiliar name, Cantor tensed up, whereas Mors simply smirked. "That junkie borrowed money he shouldn’t have and is no longer around… You sure you want to see him?" Talan clicked his tongue, internally acknowledging that this was indeed the case. Meanwhile, Cantor, frustrated at the missed opportunity, spoke in a hushed voice. "Aren't you guys… showing a bit too much disregard for the Garrison?" Having already guessed the officer's identity, Mors remained unfazed and replied with a smile. "Is it me disregarding you, or is it you disregarding us? Do I really need to explain?" Before Cantor could respond, Mors dropped the smile and got straight to the point. "Let’s speak openly—I know you’re with the Enlightenment Society. You need work done, and my men need work to do. Why not collaborate? I’m much more capable than a junkie." Silence fell over the room. Cantor's eyes slightly widened, then narrowed into slits, fixed on Mors like a hawk eyeing prey. Yet, it wasn't long before the sharpness in his gaze turned into confusion. Is this guy a part of the Wasp Plan too? No… If that were the case, Daniel would've informed him in advance. But hold on! If this guy isn't privy to the Wasp Plan, how does he know my identity?! If he's with the Enlightenment Society, he'd know my identity is fake. And if he's neither with the Enlightenment Society nor aware of the Wasp Plan, then he shouldn’t be aware of the Society at all… unless he is with the Enlightenment Society. Two conflicting conclusions created a loop, momentarily stalling Cantor’s brain. For Talan, this outcome wasn’t unexpected. In his understanding, the infiltration of the Enlightenment Society into the Southern Legion was extensive enough to be an open secret. From the moment he entered the prison, he stepped into the Southern Legion's information cocoon. Mors’ reaction seemed perfectly normal to him, perhaps even overly direct. “You want to cooperate with us?” Eyeing the cunning hyena, Talan raised an intrigued eyebrow. Mors smirked, "Who wouldn’t? Joining you lot can make even the wildest dreams come true." "Hmm… indeed," Talan remarked, quietly amazed at the Society’s prowess, "Tell me, what's your wish?" Cantor was equally astounded. Even as an intelligence officer within the Garrison, he hadn't realized Evernight Port concealed such an influential organization. If this wasn’t just a baseless rumor, it was certainly a lead worth pursuing. Mors didn’t hesitate to lean into Talan’s apparent interest. “My wish? To become a legend in Blackwater Alley… should be simple enough for you, right? Just let me take over other gangs’ businesses.” Cantor sneered. "Do you really think that's possible?" Cantor sneer, but Mors just laughed it off. "Why not? We don't need you to do anything, just allow certain things to happen. Isn’t that how it’s always been? Even if no one does the dirty work, the filth doesn't disappear on its own. By letting us handle the tasks you find inconvenient, we actually help maintain Evernight Port's stability." Before Cantor could make another remark, Talan quickly placed a firm hand on his shoulder, signaling him to hold back. They were not here to debate the future of Blackwater Alley, but to solve the issue of "snake oil." "Alright, there's no point in arguing over this... I think Mors is right. Even if we clear out all the scum in Evernight Port, new ones will just fly in from elsewhere. Mr. Mors, I have only one request for you: no kidnapping of Velante people, no selling addictive substances to Velante people. Can you manage that?" At this stern warning, a broad smile spread across Mors' face. "No problem. I can keep my men in line; I can even help maintain public order and find lost Velante visitors. I can promise you that Blackwater Alley will become a playground for the Velante people, instead of a stinking ditch avoided by all but rats... right now, it's worse than a sewer due to the lack of management." Cantor couldn't restrain a sarcastic laugh, but Talan's timely cough interrupted Mors' dream-painting. "Whatever plans you have are your business, and I don't need you to embellish them for me. I’m not interested in Blackwater Alley’s future. For now, I need you to prove your worth. Understand what I mean? You messed with our informant. We don't care about that junkie Knock’s fate, but you’d better finish his task, or we'll all be unhappy." Mors showed no surprise at Talan's words. He had long suspected Knock was an informant for the Enlightenment Society, something the latter confessed to under pressure. Unfortunately, his timing was poor. He reached Knock before the junkie could make a rendezvous with the Society, unable to extract what they wanted. Suppressing his excitement, he lowered himself like a dutiful servant, nodding respectfully. "…Understood. Consider it compensation. If I handle things well, I hope we can erase any past unpleasantness." "No problem." Talan quickly ensured his agreement, giving his assistant a knowing glance before heading inside. As he passed a room, he noticed someone lying lifeless in a pool of blood. The emaciated body resembled that of a dried-out mummy. Even if this guy were alive, he’d probably be clinging to life by a thread. Tsking softly, Talan ignored the unfortunate junkie and directed a concise statement to Mors, who had paused. "Recently, a substance called snake oil has appeared in Evernight Port. Our intel indicates the Alliance is behind it." "They’re using this malicious hallucinogen to drain retirement funds from Velante veterans, stirring internal conflict against us." Mors furrowed his brow. "…What does this have to do with your Enlightenment Society?" "The Southern Legion is our ally. We can't just watch them being undermined by our enemies… especially with such vile tactics." Talan paraphrased what Daniel had told him, then continued addressing the gang leader. "What I need you to do is simple: find the source of the snake oil and any evidence of the Alliance's involvement. That should be easy for the future underground emperor of Blackwater Alley, right?" Mors initially hesitated, but hearing the latter part, his face broke into a pleased grin. "Easy? You're underestimating me… Snake oil, hm. Let me think… yes, I happen to know someone involved in that business, and it's quite extensive." Talan was overjoyed internally, though his expression remained composed, watching Mors approvingly. "Who?" Unlike the restrained Talan, Mors' grin broadened when talking about his rival. "The infamous Tony, head of the Iron Hand Gang. He’s been raking in Velante veterans' pension money through ‘snake oil’… As for any ties to the Alliance, I’m not certain, but I hear his boss is quite powerful." "Of course, I dare say his boss can’t hold a candle to you real big shots. Otherwise, they wouldn't be consorting with traitors and the Alliance." "If you're interested in his dealings, I can not only lead you to him but also to the place where he conducts business..." To be continued.