Side Effects

Lu Yuan led the two thugs to a deserted alley.

The corners of the alley were filled with black garbage bags, and deeper in, there was more garbage dumped on the ground, with flies hovering over it, emitting a foul odor.

Several stray cats and dogs were scavenging on the garbage heap. When they saw Lu Yuan and the others approaching, they turned their heads, arched their backs, and whimpered a few times.

They probably thought Lu Yuan and his companions were enemies coming to steal their food.

Lu Yuan glanced at the stray cats and dogs, not paying them any mind.

The smell inside was too strong, and Lu Yuan didn't dare take the two thugs any further in, fearing they would throw up.

He stayed on the outer edge of the alley, turning to look at the two thugs.

At this moment, the two thugs were clutching their broken arms, their faces pale and covered in sweat.

Lu Yuan smiled:

"Does it hurt a lot?"

The Red-Haired Thug cried out:

"Boss, please just let us go! Our arms are going to be useless!"

Lu Yuan had been even more ruthless with him, and his arm was now a purplish-black, the stagnant blood unable to dissipate.

Lu Yuan smiled:

"You dared to pull out a knife earlier, why are you so cowardly now? If your hand is broken, just get a mechanical prosthetic, don't be afraid."

The two thugs: "..."

Lu Yuan smiled:

"I'm quite interested in the ghost story you mentioned earlier. If you tell me the details, I might let you go."

Hearing Lu Yuan's words, the two thugs perked up.

"The ghost... Boss, are you talking about Old Dao that we mentioned earlier..."

"Yes, it's about him."

"Boss, ask away, please ask quickly!"

The Red-Haired Thug couldn't wait to speak.

Lu Yuan smiled and said, "Did you see how Old Dao died? Think carefully before you answer. If I find out you're lying to me... you can imagine the consequences."

The two looked at each other, and the Green-Haired Thug said with a bit of trembling:

"W-we didn't see it with our own eyes... N-no! We heard it from others! We heard it! What they said must be true, there's no reason for them to lie to us!"

"Oh? What did they say?"

"They said that Old Dao was going to shake down some people with a few others, and when they were passing through an alley, a strange shadow rushed out from the darkness. The shadow rushed into Old Dao's chest, and then Old Dao clutched his chest, his face turned green, and then he died."

While saying this, the Red-Haired Thug's face also turned a bit green.

On one hand, he was scared, and on the other hand, his hand was completely numb, and he felt like he was going to lose it.

Lu Yuan listened to the Red-Haired Thug's words, his eyes gradually narrowing.

It was confirmed.

This was almost exactly the same situation as the ghost thing he had encountered before.

He thought of something and asked:

"What time was it approximately?"

The Green-Haired Thug said, "S-seems like it was around twelve o'clock at night."

Lu Yuan's pupils constricted slightly.

When he was attacked yesterday, he had also checked the time, and it was also twelve o'clock.

Same time, two attacks, were there more than one of those ghost things?

Or did it have clones?

Lu Yuan was a little confused about the situation.

In any case, it wasn't a good thing.

"After that Old Dao died, were there any other unusual occurrences?"

"After Old Dao died, everyone else ran away in fear, and then they notified their boss. When their boss arrived, Old Dao's body was still there, with nothing unusual."

Lu Yuan nodded.

"Did this Old Dao offend anyone? Had he encountered any Mutation Events or anything like that before?"

"Offended anyone... B-boss, the way you ask that question... Those of us in this line of work, who knows how many people we've offended... Our heads are always hanging by a thread. As for mutations... I don't think so, right? If he had, would he have survived?"

Lu Yuan frowned slightly.

That was true, he was a bit hasty.

Those in the gangster business, how could they not offend people?

Dying at any time was a normal occurrence.

Asking that question was meaningless.

Then, for Lu Yuan, this person didn't seem to have any reference value.

He felt a bit of a headache coming on.

At this moment, Lu Yuan heard the two thugs' low moans.

He glanced at them, seeing that both thugs' faces were a bit green, and waved his hand:

"Get lost, don't let me see you again."

The two thugs were stunned for a moment upon hearing this, a little unable to react.

Then, they repeatedly nodded and bowed, shouting with tearful voices:

"Thank you, boss! Thank you, boss! We'll get lost right away!"

They jogged away from the alley.

Watching the two thugs leave, Lu Yuan pondered the earlier question.

There was probably more than one of those shadows, and perhaps Old Dao wasn't the only one who had died.

At the very least, his predecessor had died.

In a place like the slums, some people could die without anyone even knowing.

No one cared about such things.

But what exactly did that thing want to do?

Lu Yuan thought for a long time, but couldn't figure out the reason.

He shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

After leaving the alley, Lu Yuan took out the steamed bun he had and started munching on it.

Hmm, not bad.

West Li City, North District, Nine Lakes Business District.

This was a business district near the Gene Warrior Association branch, full of high-rise buildings, with air cars taking off and landing on the building platforms, very prosperous.

Lu Yuan walked down the street, looking at the well-dressed elites and the various gorgeously dressed ladies, feeling like he had entered another world.

The gap between here and the slums was like heaven and hell.

Even though the two districts were only a few streets apart.

Lu Yuan's purpose in coming here was naturally to sell the Graystone Beetle shells he had obtained earlier.

He quickly found a small storefront on the side of the street.

The neon lights in front of the store read Mad Wolf Materials Shop, and there was a wolf's head roaring upwards on the sign.

Lu Yuan pushed the door open and walked in.

The inside of the store was not large, with counters all around, displaying various materials, most of which Lu Yuan did not recognize.

But at a glance, they were all products of the Origin Land.

Inside the store, a thin young man wearing a floral shirt and beach pants, with a cockscomb hairstyle, was sitting in a chair, looking down and playing with his phone.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, he looked up and glanced at Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan noticed that even though the light inside the room was a bit dim, he was still wearing sunglasses.

Can he even see?

Lu Yuan couldn't help but complain in his heart.

The young man glanced at Lu Yuan, then quickly lowered his head and continued playing the game.

"What's a little brat doing here? Go play somewhere else!"

Lu Yuan: "..."

He walked to the counter and tapped his finger on the surface:

"I'm here to sell materials."

The young man paused, looked up again, and sized up Lu Yuan with a bit of seriousness, putting away his phone.

"You're a Gene Warrior?"

Lu Yuan nodded: "Yeah, do you buy materials?"

"Whoa~ Not bad, what are you selling?"

Lu Yuan took out a pile of Graystone Carapaces.

Clatter clatter...

The Graystone Carapaces were thrown on the counter, clattering loudly, the counter creaking under the weight.

"Damn it... can you put them on the floor! This counter is very fragile!"

The young man quickly stood up and threw all the Graystone Carapaces on the ground.

Then he looked at them: "Graystone Carapaces? Materials from Graystone Beetles, low-level materials of ordinary quality, one for 150, the price is absolutely fair. No bargaining!"

Lu Yuan had already checked the prices on Battle Net before coming.

A price of 150 was indeed quite fair.

He nodded: "Not bad, you count how many there are, I'll sell them all."

"Awoo awoo~ Woof woof~!!"

Lu Yuan: "?"

He looked at the young man who suddenly made a sound that was neither a wolf's howl nor a dog's bark, his mind full of question marks.

Was this person a bit crazy?

The young man also froze.

Lu Yuan and the young man looked at each other through sunglasses, the atmosphere suddenly becoming a bit awkward.

After a moment of silence, the young man coughed dryly, pretending that nothing had happened:

"Cough, let me count how many there are, woof woof~!!"

Lu Yuan: "..."

He considered his tone and reminded him euphemistically: "...Brother, do you want to go to the hospital to see a doctor?"

The young man was silent for a moment, then said: "This is a side effect of engraving genes, an old problem, it's okay, it's okay."

Sensing the bitterness in the young man's tone, Lu Yuan fell silent.

He suddenly understood.

So that was it, if the engraving of a gene wasn't completed, there would indeed be side effects with the characteristics of an Extraordinary Creature.

Lu Yuan felt ashamed for the young man just thinking about him suddenly barking like a dog while talking to people.

It even made him feel a little sympathetic towards the young man.

He was curious about the quality of the Extraordinary Gene this person had engraved.

It sounded like both a dog and a wolf when he barked.

However, he didn't ask.

Gene Warriors generally don't reveal what genes they've engraved to people they aren't familiar with.

Not letting others know one's combat skills is one of the trump cards.

The two didn't continue to dwell on this topic, and the young man quickly counted the number:

"A total of 102 pieces, I'll give you a discount and count it as 100 pieces, making it fifteen thousand in total."

Lu Yuan: "...Are you breaking my bones with that discount? Rounding it up, it's twenty thousand."

The young man pushed up his sunglasses, smiling kindly: "Cough... it's just a small change, let's just wipe it out. Anyway, you can continue to hunt."

Lu Yuan also showed a kind smile: "Get lost."

Could this person's dog-like behavior be related to his Extraordinary Gene?

The young man sighed: "Alright then, fifteen thousand three hundred."

"Give me the money."

The young man transferred the money to Lu Yuan.

Looking at the fifteen thousand three hundred that had arrived, Lu Yuan suddenly felt a little moved again.

Mom and Dad, your son has made something of himself, and finally has money!