Dissatisfaction within the gang had been steadily mounting, and many people had begun to question his leadership.
After weighing the pros and cons, Mr. Frakt made a difficult decision.
He chose to align himself with the city's mayor and become an executor of the mayor's will—a so-called "Black Hand."
Under the mayor's protection, Mr. Frakt not only secured his position but also successfully brought the gang back from the brink.
But everything came at a price.
Now that he had become the mayor's Black Hand, there were many matters in which Mr. Frakt could no longer act of his own accord.
This time was no exception.
The gang led by Mr. Frakt had transported some special experimental equipment to a designated location, following the mayor's orders.
But when they reached the scheduled handover point, the gang lackeys transporting the equipment discovered that everyone who was supposed to receive the goods had become corpses.
Seeing this, the captain leading the gang lackeys made a snap decision and ordered them to retreat.
Unfortunately, by then it was already too late.
The roar of helicopters echoed through the sky as dense machine-gun fire rained down, tearing most of the gang lackeys to pieces.
Those lackeys who had somehow survived the first wave of airborne machine-gun fire were utterly unable to fight back against the special forces that appeared afterward, and were ultimately slaughtered without mercy.
After learning of the incident at the exchange site through a specially made radio, Mr. Frakt knew something terrible was about to happen.
Sure enough, when he reported the matter to his patron—the mayor of this small city—the mayor decisively hung up on him.
Not long afterward, the mayor's personal guards knocked on the door to his office.
Knowing full well that he had no power to resist, Mr. Frakt silently accepted his fate and surrendered without a struggle.
He was then brought before the mayor.
During a suffocating conversation, Mr. Frakt gradually came to understand the mayor's intentions.
The mayor demanded that he take responsibility for illegally trafficking Collapse Energy experimental equipment and become the scapegoat for the entire incident.
Only then did Mr. Frakt learn what he had actually been transporting.
The demand struck Mr. Frakt like a bolt from the blue, but he knew he could not contend with the mayor's power.
He could only silently accept this cruel reality, prepared to trade his own sacrifice for his family's safety and a prosperous future.
But even that request was flatly refused by the mayor.
The arrogant bureaucrat coldly rejected his plea and even stated outright that, to ensure all leads were completely cut off, both he and his wife had to die.
Hearing this, endless grief and fury surged through Mr. Frakt's heart.
Just as he was about to firmly reject the mayor's unreasonable demand, the mayor continued in an even more vicious tone.
"Think carefully, for your child's sake. If I remember correctly, his name is Moros—a clever little fellow..."
Those words twisted Mr. Frakt's heart like a knife, but there was nothing he could do.
In the end, after receiving a promise that Moros would be allowed to leave the city with a considerable sum of money, Mr. Frakt compromised.
"I'm sorry, Emma. I'm so sorry..."
Seeing her husband crying bitterly before her, Emma did not blame him. She merely wrapped him in a gentle embrace, trying to offer him what comfort she could.
"Are you sure the mayor will let little Moros leave?"
After the emotionally shattered Mr. Frakt recovered a little,
Emma immediately asked the question that concerned her most.
"I kept a copy of the information. If little Moros fails to reach the safe house I arranged in Changkong City, that information will appear before the task force investigating the Collapse Energy experimental equipment smuggling case. To protect himself, the mayor will keep his promise."
"Then that's good. As long as little Moros can escape alive, our sacrifice won't have been in vain."
Emma's words made Mr. Frakt's eyes redden once more.
He looked at his wife before him, his heart filled with guilt.
Behind the Scenes and First Meeting Elysia
While Mr. Frakt was recounting his past to Emma, a transaction had quietly been completed in the mayor's office of this small city, whose name had not even been recorded in this post-civilization era.
"...Yes, I understand... Rest assured, I won't disappoint you..."
After hanging up, the mayor leaned wearily back in his broad office chair and let out a long breath.
After communicating with the power backing him, he had finally removed himself from this incident.
This was not an era after the Third Collapse. In an age when even the First Great Collapse had yet to occur, any research involving Collapse Energy was exceedingly advanced.
Yang was ultimately just a politician serving as mayor in this remote little city. How could he possibly have the ability to touch such high-end research?
Precisely because he was taking the blame for someone else now, the forces behind Yang were willing to step in and protect him.
Whether in the current civilization or the Pre-Collapse Civilization, the principle that a scattered people made for an unmanageable team remained the same.
He opened a drawer, took out a notebook, and began sorting through the details of the transaction and the follow-up plans.
Amid the scratch of pen on paper, Yang's thoughts gradually became clearer.
As he wrote, he began considering how to deal with the investigation team.
After pausing for a moment, Yang wrote in the notebook.
As for the investigation team...
He pondered for a moment before continuing to write.
As long as Frakt takes the fall, this matter will be over...
After turning two or three pages, Yang's brows gradually relaxed, and his initial anxiety and worry vanished.
Carefully putting the notebook away in the drawer, Yang slowly rose to his feet.
He walked toward the office's huge floor-to-ceiling window and gazed deeply out at the city's nightscape.
Night had fallen, and the city lights gradually came on, adorning this once-peaceful little city.
Over the past ten years, as mayor, he had devoted himself to diligent governance and poured enormous effort into the city's prosperity and progress.
Yet he knew full well that if he had not connected with the powerful forces behind him and gained their support, his path to promotion would never have been so smooth.
Once this incident is over, should I step down...
Escaping this storm would not be easy. Even with the backing of those forces behind him, Yang's political future could be considered all but finished.
But he was truly unwilling to accept it!
After a long while, Yang turned back to his desk and picked up another phone.
"Hello, it's me... Make the arrangements on the ship... During the voyage... solve the problem..."
Yang was a seasoned politician who had been in government for many years. How could he not understand the importance of eliminating the roots?
In the lofty mayor's eyes, a mere gang leader, even the leader of the largest gang in the city, was nothing more than a dog.
When its master required it, a dog should naturally offer up everything it had without hesitation.
If the dog hesitated at any point in the process, that was betrayal.
And traitors were clearly not worth pitying.
Thus, he gave the order to his subordinates without hesitation, demanding that they eliminate the roots and leave no future trouble behind.
In fact, if not for the need to prevent unforeseen complications, Yang would never have allowed that lowly man's child to leave the city.
Moros remained utterly unaware of the approaching storm.
Although he had already become an Exemplar Tier being, Moros had never been involved in politics. Without sufficient information, he could not possibly know the fate that awaited Emma and Mr. Frakt.
Seeing him off, the butler watched as Moros boarded a passenger ship bound for Twilight Harbor.
The small city where he lived was not on the coast. To reach Changkong City in the Far East Isles, Moros first had to take a river passenger ship to Twilight Harbor, then transfer to an ocean liner bound for Changkong City.
The passenger ship slowly sailed along the river, while the scenery on both banks gradually receded.
Moros leaned against the railing, staring at the sparkling river beneath the night sky, his thoughts in turmoil.
Even as a transmigrator, facing such a sudden change in circumstances—having to leave his parents and travel under the escort of bodyguards to study in a city he had only heard about in the news—he could not help feeling lost and uneasy.
Just then, soft music drifted over like a breeze, cutting through the surrounding noise and reaching Moros's ears.
It was a melodious piece, beautiful in tune, as if it possessed some kind of magic that gradually calmed Moros's heart.
The ship has entertainment like this?
Curious, Moros decided to investigate.
Accompanied by his two bodyguards, he followed the music to the passenger ship's deck.
Street performance...
Looking at the crowd gathered in a circle, Moros formed a rough guess.
Since his curiosity had already been satisfied, he had no intention of squeezing into the crowd to see who was performing.
He leaned against the railing and enjoyed the wonderful violin melody, allowing his soul to sink into the tranquil atmosphere.
Amid the flowing music, Moros closed his eyes and let the notes stream past his ears, cleansing his spirit.
He stopped thinking about the confusion and uncertainty of the future, simply enjoying the peace and beauty of this moment.
When the piece ended, Moros opened his eyes again.
"Ah, thank you all so much for your support..."
Accompanied by the clinking of coins, a crisp and pleasant voice rang out from within the crowd.
That tone? That voice?!
As though he had suddenly realized something, Moros abruptly straightened up.
"Young master?"
Hearing the bodyguard's question, Moros said nothing. He simply waved a hand to signal the two men to follow, then made his way to the back of the crowd.
His gaze passed through the crowd and settled on a pink-haired little girl wearing a black cloak.
Before her lay a hat on the ground, already piled high with coins and banknotes.
Clearly, that performance had brought the adorable little girl quite a harvest.
It really is you, Elysia!
Moros quietly watched the little girl in the distance as she bade farewell to her audience, a complicated feeling rising in his heart.
In his previous life, he had been an old Captain. How could he possibly fail to recognize the incredibly charming Elysia?
So the Vostok 51 Incident has already ended...
Thinking about such random matters, Moros stepped forward.
He took out his wallet, pulled out a large-denomination Mu Continent banknote, and placed it into the hat before Elysia.
His action did not cause much of a stir.
After all, Elysia's performance had truly been praiseworthy, and Moros was far from the only one who had offered her money.
"All right, that's enough..."
Waving repeatedly to indicate that the audience did not need to spend any more, Elysia crouched down and began packing up her performance equipment.
Clearly, her performance was over.
Seeing this, the people who had been drawn in by the performance of this fairy-like, adorable girl began to disperse.
Encounter and Assassin
Soon, the surrounding crowd dispersed like a receding tide, leaving only Elysia, Moros, and the two bodyguards behind him.
"Does this audience member need something else?"
Looking at the little boy before her with some confusion, Elysia asked with a radiant smile.
"Nothing. I just thought the piece you played was very beautiful, so I wanted to get to know you."
Meeting her gaze, Moros replied with a smile, doing his best to make his tone sound natural.
Before you continue