Mechanical Alchemist Chapter 17: Iron Cross
On the city wall, stood a group of armed men in punk style or black suits and windbreakers.
They all have the obvious "Iron Cross" mark on their clothes, which is the gang symbol of the "Iron Cross".
Every day in Old Town there are people who want to join gangs for various reasons, desperate criminals and murderers, people who want to get rich overnight, people who want to obtain extraordinary resources...
On the high wall, combatants who go hunting outside the city can often be recruited.
The gang leaders like to come here to recruit new members.
"I said Kai, can you put away your [Blade] implant? You keep showing off like this, aren't you making people laugh at us 'Cross Society' professionals who have never seen the world? We are all captains. Now that I am a human being, can I keep my focus..."
"Hey, Boss Smoker, isn't this just a successful integration of the equipment, I'm a little excited."
"The gang leaders have assigned you to take care of the three blocks on Green Street. Be careful in the future. There are many gambling stalls and flower shops there. Although there is heavy oil and water, the old people in the gang have avoided it. You know Why did you let me take advantage of you?"
“Don’t those guys from the ‘Steam Party’ like to make trouble lately? It’s okay... If they dare to cross the line, I promise to chop off their heads, haha.”
"It's good that you know what's going on. It's not just the 'Steam Party' that's causing trouble, there have been more aberrations in the city recently. You'd better pay more attention. If you need help, let me know. Among the new recruits recruited today, you first pick a few that you like..."
"Thank you, Boss Smoker. Hehe, I hope I can receive a few today that can fight..."
"..."
The speaker was a middle-aged man with dark eyes. He was smoking a cigar and lying lazily on a chair.
Beside him stood a young man whose hands and feet were like "blade blades" exuding sharp metallic light.
Su Lun looked up and saw the two of them. Without much hesitation, he walked into the simple iron mesh hanging box and climbed onto the city wall.
.......
"New here? Want to join our 'Cross Society'?"
"Yeah."
"What's your name?"
"Suellen."
"What talent is awakened?"
"[D-016-Eagle Eye]."
"Oh? So your marksmanship is not bad?"
"Not bad."
"Okay, just follow me. You can call me Captain Kai."
"Okay."
The process of joining a gang is incredibly simple.
Su Lun was asked a few simple questions and officially became a member of the "Brotherhood of Steel".
As expected, as the information from the previous interrogation showed, the gang will not care about your origin. After all, most people who join gangs have dirty backgrounds.
As long as you work hard for the gang, no one will care about your past.
In exchange for working hard, the gang can also provide you with shelter.
No one searched, no one asked too much, no one was too nosy...
Su Lun also breathed a sigh of relief, as the storage ring on his body was saved. And some of the preparations made before to prevent accidents were of no use. This was a good start.
.......
Captain Kai looks to be a few years older than Su Lun, but he seems to be an old man who has been in the gang for many years.
Those who can survive for many years in the gang are all capable people.
This Gekai is also an official "professional". At this moment, the agility system is integrated with the extremely offensive alchemy plant equipment - [Blade].
Su Lun watched everything silently, his eyes shining with anticipation and curiosity about this new world.
After waiting for a long time, the day's recruitment was coming to an end.
Besides Su Lun, there were three other people selected by Kai.
One awakened is [D-082-Defense], one is [D-071-Stoneskin], and the other is [D-031-Enhanced Smell], all of which are more or less talents that can enhance combat. .
"Let's go, boss smoker. I'll take the newcomers to the patrol area to show their faces..."
"Yeah."
Kayi led Su Lun and the others to greet the middle-aged man who never stopped smoking, and then descended from the city wall.
Su Lun remained silent the whole time, following behind him, quietly being a little transparent.
This young man named Kai is very talkative, and he seems to be very satisfied with his newly recruited subordinates.
As he walked, he distributed one or two stacks of banknotes to several people, and explained: "The welfare in the gang is 20,000 liso per month. If there are tasks, we will pay according to the situation. Because we are newly formed. Team, you don’t have to go out of the city to hunt wilderness in the past three months, so you can enjoy it..."
Several newcomers got their first generous "salary" so easily.
Twenty thousand liso is already worth more than half a year's salary of an ordinary factory worker in the city.
Su Lun was a little surprised, he didn't know this detail yet. But looking at the faintly excited expressions of the three people on the side, they didn't seem surprised.
Get paid first and work later. Compared to my previous life, this was considered an excellent treatment.
Is this still a gangster?
Su Lun understood it after thinking about it carefully.
In the gang, no gang member can guarantee that he will survive until the next month.
Paying money first means having fun first.
If something really happens, it's not a bad idea to die.
Moreover, there are no restrictions after joining a gang, no detention control, or even no restrictions on freedom at all.
Su Lun can even get the money and run away immediately...
But no one does that.
Because he is wanted by the authorities, there is still a way to survive by joining a gang. If the three major gangs were wanted, Old Lingdun would no longer have any foothold.
There is only a dead end.
So, for most people, once they join a gang, there is only one way to go to hell.
But for Suellen, a high casualty rate?
Tsk, it doesn’t matter...
Compared to facing death, the ordinary world would make him feel more boring.
If his awakened [Reaper] talent wants to become stronger, he is destined to deal with death.
In order to avoid risks, become an ordinary person?
No, coming to such a wonderful and wonderful world and still being timid is really boring.
Su Lun looked at his slightly trembling pulse and knew that "he" also liked this world very much.
......
Su Lun and several newcomers followed captain Kai down the city wall and entered the city.
The city is full of dense shantytowns. From a distance, it looks like a "Syrian post-war style".
Like high walls, the reinforced concrete buildings in the city are products of ancient times. The great war thousands of years ago seemed to have captured this city, and there were dilapidated buildings everywhere.
On top of these ruins, the towering steam chimneys and steel container shanties are the "new buildings."
As for the inner city, it is at the end of the field of vision. There was another high wall separating it and brightly lit. In the center of the inner city, there is a "black tower" of unknown height.
The city is very large. Take an open-top steam locomotive and drive all the way into the city.
On the motorcycle, Su Lun remained calm and observed everything in the city.
As a time traveler, he didn't dare to talk nonsense at all, for fear of letting people see that he was completely unfamiliar with this city.
But this is probably because Su Lun said that he awakened the [Eagle Eye] talent, which is also one of the most practical combat abilities among D-level talents. Captain Kai seemed to take a fancy to him, and said with special concern: "With your talent, you are quite suitable for the gunner sequence profession. I will help you pay attention to the relevant 'job materials' when the time comes. Just meditate more when the time comes. When the dark spirit power is full, change jobs. Try to have two 'professionals' in our team..."
Su Lun responded: "Yeah."
Kayi didn't say much, and waved his hand: "Let's take everyone to visit our team's patrol area. If nothing else, beautiful women are absolutely indispensable!"
After saying this, the faces of the people in the car showed knowing smiles of men.
.......
Green Street is at the junction of Wellington District in the East City and Quinson District in the South City. It is home to one of the three most famous "entertainment districts" in Old Town.
Because there is a lot of oil and water, it is also a place where the two gangs of the "Cross Society" and the "Steam Party" frequently have conflicts and disputes.
There are also various gamblers, hunters, and desperadoes mixed in the casino here...
The order here is chaotic, gunfights and fights are commonplace, and unlucky people are found dead on the streets almost every day.
Su Lun and the others stopped at a place that looked like an old steel factory.
Get off the bus.
The leather boots stepped on the ground where sewage flowed across.
Su Lun also looked at the dark side of the city with a little curiosity.
Although there is no electricity in this world, there is no shortage of various luminous alchemical products. Not far away there was a feasting scene, and various neon lights exuding ambiguous colors lit up the streets.
This is a gang meeting point, and a group of people have been waiting on the street for a long time. He wears leather clothes and pants with iron nails, colorful hair, and a gun that he carries like a lighter.
Su Lun felt that his bald punk look blended in among these people, and he instantly fit in with the group.
"Hey, Captain Kai, you're back."
"Hey, these new people look good."
"Haha, why didn't the captain choose a female team member to come back..."
"..."
Kayi greeted those people and then briefly introduced Suellen: "This is Suellen, Jige, Sapa, Andrew... From now on, we will all be brothers."
The gang members were not so polite. They bumped fists and they were considered acquaintances.
You go straight to work on the first day you join. This is the efficiency of the gang.
Kayi led Su Lun, four newcomers and a few old people, a total of more than ten people, and began to patrol the streets.
It’s no different from the gangsters in the previous life. Go wander around the place covered by them and show your face.
"From now on, our task is to go out and walk around the three blocks near Green Street every night. If you have something to do, go wherever you need to go..."
Kayi explained the "work content" to the newcomers in Surunji.
Then, he sent out an alchemy gadget with a walkie-talkie function, and said: "Keep this 'communicator' with you at all times. I will call everyone when there is an emergency. Remember to rush over as soon as possible, otherwise Gang rules are merciless."
After a pause, he turned to the side and said to a strong man carrying a shotgun: "Sam, please explain the gang rules to the newcomers. In case they don't understand the rules and cause trouble."
That Sam smiled and said: "Okay."
Su Lun also understood that the job content was very simple, just patrolling the streets like now.
Gather at 7pm, about half an hour of "working time" every day. Then the rest of the time is up to you. Whether it's gambling or going to a pub, as long as people stay within the confines of this street.
Looks easy.
.......
"Hey, Boss Clive, business is booming..."
"Boss Milton, I recently heard that you have a batch of good goods coming. Remember to save some beautiful ones for me and my brothers tonight."
"..."
The Cross controlled nearly all the casinos on Green Street.
Kayi and his gang were very familiar with each other on this street, and the madams and girls of the nightclubs they passed by greeted them warmly.
Su Lun was also surprised that this seemingly decadent industrial city actually had such a lively side. The liveliness of these flower gardens is not at all inferior to the large bars in previous lives, with huge crowds of people.
Groups of girls with heavy makeup stand on the street to attract customers. Their clothes are scantily clad, their long white legs and proud **** are dazzling.
On the street, there is a strong smell of astringency.
Bunny girls, cat lady outfits, cheongsam girls with leg splits, motorcycle leather girls, maid outfits, **** slave style, aristocratic lady style...
Su Lun also didn't expect that Old Lingdun's clothing styles were so rich. Almost any **** outfit that can stimulate men's hormone secretion can be seen here.
The girls are bold and sexy, and they don't hesitate to show off their delicate figures. They don't care at all about men's dirty hands on their bodies. On the contrary, when I put my hand into a high place, I will still laugh coquettishly.
"Hey, Elena, you seem to have gained weight. No, no, no, I don't mean to dislike it, I just mean that your **** feels better~"
"Oh, Lisa, why haven't I seen you here recently? Are you hanging out with some man~"
"mua~Captain Kai, do you want to come and play tonight?"
"..."
Kayi and a group of old people seemed to be familiar with the road, and they were joking among the flowers.
They are not only local snakes, but also regular customers here.
The survival rules of Old Lingdun are very cruel, and civilians who cannot engage in combat occupations are very cheap. Here, for a few hundred liso you can find a pretty girl and have a night of fun.
So, the gang's monthly salary of 20,000 liso can even allow people to hang around in Wenrou Township until they are drained out.
Su Lun and a few newcomers became familiar with each other.
.......
There are three main streets in Green Street.
Every corner here is full of violence, passion and illegal transactions...
I patrolled the purely romantic street, and then the tavern street. Various colorful neon signs illuminate a world of bliss...
This street is mostly filled with pubs with a strong industrial style, and steel elements are in every corner of the pubs.
Su Lunzheng felt that patrolling the streets was a bit boring, but something happened unexpectedly.
Passing by a place called the "Elephant Tavern", a middle-aged man with a brown beard stopped Kai.
"Hey, Captain Kai, you came just in time. There is some trouble in my store and I need you to come and take a look."
The tavern owner led them to the back alley with a sullen expression, then pointed at the half-bloody corpse on the ground and said, "It must have been last night that an unlucky guy got drunk and slept in the back alley. Now you I also saw that half of his body was bitten off by an unknown monster..."
This is the back alley of the tavern, filled with all kinds of empty wine bottles. Different from the glamor on the card, this place is full of filth, darkness and stench...
Su Lun's eyesight allowed him to see the half of the body clearly. There were jagged bite marks on the corpse, and it looked like it had been eaten by some rather large monster.
At the corner of the street, there are several dark sewer openings, and that turbid stench is coming from there.
The boss seemed to be used to it, and continued to mutter: "Captain Kai, some monster seems to have appeared in the sewer... I have been hearing that homeless people have disappeared recently. It seems that they were attacked by some man-eating monster. It was taken away, which made people panic... I'm afraid that if it continues like this, it will affect the business of our tavern."
"Oh, I understand the situation."
Kayi looked at it and kicked the body into a trash can not far away.
The corpse will probably be eaten clean by rats soon, and no one will care who dies.
The leather boots scraped against the ground, and Kai said again: "Boss Chuckman, don't worry, I will send someone to investigate."
With that said, he led Su Lun and his party out of the "Elephant Tavern" without staying any longer.
After leaving the tavern and walking on the street, a newcomer asked: "Captain, are we coming to investigate later?"
This is also Su Lun's doubt. He thinks this is their job scope.
Unexpectedly, Kai smiled disapprovingly and responded: "Haha, investigation? The sewers in Old London are a thousand-year-old antique. The underground structure is ten times more complicated than the surface roads, and no one can figure it out. Clear the underground structure. It is a paradise for all kinds of deformed monsters. Who the **** wants to go to that stinking place..."
After a pause, he looked at the newcomers and said: "As long as those monsters don't come to the ground, we don't need to worry about it. We have this free time to investigate, so we might as well enjoy it..."
"Got it, Captain."
Obviously, this is what everyone wants, and no one is willing to take the risk.
.......
Fengyuechang, tavern, and then gambling stalls.
The group of people walked around the place on Green Street, like a dog peeing and announcing its territory, all showing their faces.
Not long after, they patrolled the gambling stall where underground black boxing was taking place.
When Su Lun saw a "grey mist" emerging from the body of the dead gladiator in the ring, his eyes lit up.
Finally not so boring anymore...
He knows that he will probably have something to do for a long time to come.