Chapter 234

Finally, the waiter, who was a bit busy in the morning, maintained a smile and, seemingly used to dealing with many similar requests from children, proactively suggested to Nana:

"For younger children, I suggest eating more meat... How about a fried sausage platter? The main dish is sweet jam with tortillas, and Cautus's kids would probably like carrots... I can chop some carrots and add them to the rice porridge. The color will be very appealing when combined with the corn kernels already there, and the kids will love it."

"... I'm not a child anymore..."

Seeing Amiya's feeble rebuttal, Nana smiled and ruffled the bunny's hair. Then, she took out some money from her pocket to pay the bill. While waiting for her change, Nana casually asked:

"Prices have gone back down now. Before, a hamburger cost more than three times as much, and it was a little hard to keep up."

"Yes, but at least the train that was supposed to be out of service is finally back on track... Although flour, yeast, and other ingredients are a little more expensive than before... the boss said it's normal for costs to rise occasionally, and our shop is maintaining our previous normal prices."

"You can tell, business is booming."

As she spoke, Nana glanced at the people hurrying away, each carrying bundles of large loaves of bread, and her tone became slightly puzzled:

"Speaking of which, were there a lot of housekeeping company trucks running around today?"

"... Oh, you mean all that... It's because the government said there was some kind of Pollution leak in Chernobog, and they're encouraging everyone to clean and tidy up more. If it's just your own house, you can just clean the inside, but the exterior of the building is the main focus of cleaning."

"Right now, all the business owners in Chernobog are urgently placing orders for Cleaners staff to clean their buildings, including those in the government housing area..."

"Eh..."

Just as Nana was about to start a conversation about other things, another girl in a waitress uniform brought over a plate in a slightly hoarse voice:

"Here you are! Your meal is ready!"

"Welcome!"

Seeing that the sales assistant at the counter had returned to the counter, Nana sat back down in her seat. In terms of intelligence gathering, which is usually a futile activity, these few words brought Nana a lot of unexpected joy.

However, seeing the Little Bunny and Jessica staring at her expectantly, as if they were waiting for her, Nana helplessly gestured to them that they could start eating immediately and didn't need to wait for her.

"Well, let's eat first anyway."

After finishing breakfast, I packed some more food from the bakery and returned to the safe house, only to find Liskarm and Franka already waiting for me.

"We've been underground for quite a while now, so coming out earlier means we can get some exercise. Speaking of breakfast..."

"These are for you guys. The rest will probably get cold if you take them back, but fresh food is always better for boosting morale than the Exploration Vehicle's freezer."

"Oh, okay! Then I won't be polite~"

Just as Franka unceremoniously chose to attack the most expensive sausage platter, Liskarm also glared at Franka without hesitation... but to no avail.

With a slight sigh, Liskarm, his face slightly flushed, accepted the jam and sweet tea that Jessica had so strongly recommended, and then looked at Nana:

"Our mission is simply to bring Amiya and the supplies back... Is there anything else we need to do?"

Seeing Liskarm's unusually positive performance, Nana activated the spell Terminal again, projecting a 3D map:

"There's actually a lot to do... but these foods have different priorities. Right now, Weedy's modification project is undoubtedly the highest priority... because it can reduce the Sarcophagus's consumption of Originium... but if Weedy doesn't need that many people, then Amiya does have something else to do, provided that at least two people accompany her."

Suddenly hearing its own name, the Little Bunny, who was quite full and even a little sleepy, perked up its ears:

"What... is it?"

"Here--"

Following the industrial raw material transfer station where everyone was located, extending upwards, Nana pointed to the area centered around Chernobog Public Middle School:

"For our future operations, while Safehouse One is well-hidden, it's just too far away. Walking there would take two hours and involve passing through third-party areas like Scar Market, which is really unsettling... We need a safe house closer to the Exploration Vehicle headquarters to serve as a transit point for our urban operations."

"So, you mean... renting a place near this middle school? But the reason... ah?!"

Seeing everyone suddenly turn to look at Amiya, the Little Bunny had a bad feeling, while Nana nodded matter-of-factly.

"Just tell Amiya you're looking for a convenient place for the kids to go to school... The best environment is a detached house close to the ground, or even a house with a basement... Blacksteel should be very experienced in choosing suitable locations."

"Understood. In other words, if Weedy doesn't need our help, we'll take care of this."

Nodding, Nana looked at Jessica:

"Jessica and I then set about officially powering up the nearest industrial area for the Exploration Vehicle... Luckily, I already know how to access the power supply system."

"Um... do we have to wait until tonight... to pick the lock?"

"It doesn't need to be that complicated... Didn't Jessica see those housekeeping vans coming and going during breakfast?"

Before Jessica could react, Franka, who had just swallowed the sausage in her mouth, tapped her palm:

"Ah! That's the method, right? It's said to be a magic way to get in and out of any place as long as you wear work clothes, drive a cleaning company's truck, and bring a ladder!"

"... It's not all-powerful, at least for now. It's true that Chernobog is currently conducting a massive cleanup due to concerns about 'Pollution,' so there's a possibility of infiltrating as cleaning personnel... But before we begin a formal investigation, we first need a real cleaning vehicle."

After speaking, seeing everyone's expectant gazes, Nana suddenly remembered that this wasn't Columbia, and this wasn't a convenient time where she could simply make a phone call to her agent and handle all the preparations.

With a sigh, Nana beckoned to Jessica: u

"Let's go, we've already had breakfast, let's get to work."

"Ah... oh!" Qi

... strip

From 8 a. m. to noon, for several hours, Jessica, under Nana's direction, wandered aimlessly through various art supplies and craft shops in the Core City Chernobog, buying loads of things.

Nana's final task for Jessica was to rent a detached shop in a mixed-use commercial and residential building not far from the target location, which had been forced to close due to soaring prices in the previous months... Nana specifically requested that it be a shop with enough space to park a car.

In order for Jessica's operation to proceed smoothly, Nana had no choice but to reuse the false identity she had previously created.

They removed the covers from the passports and stuffed in newly filled-out fake identities... Although the registration process was a bit difficult for Jessica, the landlord didn't seem to suspect the passport with Nana's handwritten note or Jessica's Blacksteel uniform.

After all, PMC doing favors for the wealthy is not uncommon in Chernobog, a city recently embroiled in inflation and plagued by numerous bankruptcies. (Qi)

As long as the reclaimed storefront didn't become a burden, that's fine. For those salespeople, this kind of thinking isn't hard to understand.

As the days dragged on endlessly, Jessica finally saw Nana had been out alone that morning.

Although Jessica always felt embarrassed and wanted to roll around on the floor when they were alone, thinking about her embarrassing fainting spell the day before, Jessica still blushed slightly and stepped forward to press the switch to open the roller shutter when Nana's calm voice said, "Open the door, I'm back." (Yo!)

Jessica even mentally donned an empty apron based on this conversation, imagining herself officially separating from her family and living under the same roof as Nana:

"Huanhuan... welcome back!"

Faced with Jessica's inexplicable renewed excitement, Nana, sensing Jessica's thoughts through Empathy, silently drove the car into the house and then closed the roller shutter door... Nana thought for a moment, but still didn't comment on Jessica's somewhat outrageous fantasy.

I have this feeling that if I were to remind Jessica now that she can actually Empathy with the people she's radiating Halo to, she'd probably faint again.

With a sigh, Nana tossed the car keys to Jessica.

"Anyway, this is the car we'll be using... It's a building cleaning company with 43 branches in Chernobog, offering everything from pest control to hard renovations... Because there aren't many professionals in this field, and their prices aren't high, it's no surprise that they won the government's building cleaning business. But because of this, their business has exploded recently... They probably won't even have time to deal with a stolen car. By the time the investigation starts, we'll be done."

"Ah... um... but, it's so fast... Nana, did you buy this car from the salesperson?"

Seeing Jessica's curious gaze, Nana gave a thumbs up:

"No, I saw them park the car on the side of the road and go about their work. Nobody wanted the car, so I just drove it back."

Without a doubt, a real assassin doesn't need a particularly complicated plan; Nana even considered taking care of the plan to infiltrate the power company that afternoon.

They pulled out a cleaning plan from the passenger seat of the vehicle. This company naturally had cleaning orders for the power company's buildings... However, this order wasn't for this particular vehicle, and the cleaning company seemed to be short-staffed, so they wouldn't be handling the power company's business until next week.

"So, let's go and do something helpful this afternoon."

Seeing Nana's mischievous grin, Jessica tilted her head:

"However, the employee whose car was stolen will at least report it to the police after finishing the job... Although Chernobog doesn't have cameras at key traffic locations like Columbia, this license plate number will definitely be investigated by the traffic police..."

"That's why I asked you to buy drawing paints and brushes."

As she spoke, Nana opened the trunk of the van and took out the toolbox that every vehicle has:

"Anyway, let's modify the license plate first."

PS: Waaaaaaah!

P. S.: Every time I start a new volume, I always have this feeling that I have so much to write but don't know where to begin...

7th Chernobog's Blood Money: 260 Jessica Solo Mission

In fact, in terms of difficulty, it is obviously more difficult to forge an existing license plate than to create a new one.

But Nana is in a hurry right now, and the essence of the so-called 'blitzkrieg' is to get everything done before anyone can react.

Losing a car in the morning, I drove a modified vehicle to the target area in the afternoon... As long as I'm fast enough, I can achieve my goal even when facing national-level facilities, without the other side being able to figure me out.

'Surprise attack'—that's one of the three key strategies behind Assassin Number Seventy-Seven's exceptional mission completion rate... But what Nana wants to teach Jessica is far more than just that.

With just a few strokes of the pen, the entire style of the car was changed, resulting in a cleaning company having an unregistered vehicle. Nana and Jessica changed into the company's uniforms, gray overalls with their hair tucked into hats.

"With such a minimalist style of dress, "Nana said to Jessica while driving.

"Speaking of which, Jessica, why didn't you fire your gun before?"

"... shot?"

After a moment's thought, a memory flashed through Jessica's mind: in the Scar Market, facing the provocateur, she held a gun but hadn't even put her finger on the trigger. Her mood, which had been cheerful about being alone with Nana, suddenly plummeted.

"In that situation... I actually felt... there was no need to fire..."

"Why would I think that? I feel their hostility is already quite obvious."

"... Because, back in Blacksteel... although I've seen similar provocateurs before, but..."

Watching Jessica chatter on and on, head down, fiddling with her fingers, Nana slowed down at the red light. She glanced at the girl beside Feline, who seemed to be reflecting on her actions, and remained silent until the light changed before gently pressing the accelerator and speaking:

"But, when Liskarm and the others confront each other, they can intimidate the other side... right?"

Seeing Jessica nod, Nana sighed:

"No wonder, Jessica, you got it wrong from the start... A standoff is a process of deliberating whether or not to take action; it's like both sides holding a gun to each other's heads as a warning not to make any rash moves... But if you start with the idea of 'trying not to pull the trigger,' then something like that will definitely happen again..."

As the mission objective drew ever closer, Nana touched Jessica, whose head was drooping and even the cat ears inside her hat were so droopy they were no longer visible.

"I remember we talked about this when we first met... As Firearms Operator, if you're not prepared to kill the enemy, then there's no need to raise your gun... This principle also applies to your mistake this time."

"But..."

Seeing that Jessica still seemed troubled, Nana tilted her head and began to park the car as instructed by the power company security guard, thus temporarily bringing this reflection meeting to a close.

"If you feel you lack the ability to accurately judge the other party's intentions and are therefore hesitant to make a decision, then I have a way to simplify things... although it may seem somewhat irresponsible... but it is a solution for that situation."

Withdrawing her hand from stroking the cat's head, Nana tried to put on a relaxed smile and turned off the car's engine.

"Next time you encounter a similar situation, don't worry about whether the other party will attack, don't worry about how things will develop after you fire... If someone shows hostility, fire a warning shot. If the warning is ineffective, empty the magazine. This land doesn't give you that much time to hesitate. And no matter what the mission is, your own safety is more important than those strangers."

"So even if it's for my sake, I'd rather the other person die than get hurt myself. Don't squander your kindness on strangers. If you get hurt in a similar situation next time... I won't talk about others, but I'll be very sad."

Although Jessica's eyes still held a hint of confusion, seeing that the girl in the Feline had at least given her a firm nod in response, Nana smiled and then opened the car door:

"So, let's start with Ren Yiling's artistic work. Watch how I do it. Next time there's a similar job, I'll try to let you take the lead... Good luck!"

"Oh oh!"

The security guard, already somewhat impatient, waved the registration book in his hand as he watched the two Feline dawdle inside the car for more than ten seconds before finally getting out.

"Excuse me, I know that companies nowadays often have the habit of giving employees a pep talk before starting work, but could you please register me first?"

"Sorry, sorry~ I'm training a new employee... Is it okay to just write the company name when registering?"

"And personal names and contact information... Hmm, building cleaning... Wait a moment, let me confirm."

After watching the security guard collect the registration book, he walked to the security booth and picked up the phone. Jessica, standing beside him, was trembling like she had Parkinson's and frantically tugging at Nana's sleeve.

"Senior! Senior! He... he... he... he..."

"Well, they'll verify your workplace upon entry; it's a very common and simple security procedure... Don't panic, things are still under control."

Despite saying that, seeing the security guard's increasingly furrowed brow, Nana also stepped forward with Jessica and then naturally accepted the questioning:

"Hey! Our Logistics Department is asking you guys, you said you wouldn't arrive until next week, why are you so early? And... and it's two girls doing this heavy physical labor?"

Seeing the security guard's suspicious look, Jessica froze. Nana didn't expect Jessica to have any improvisation skills, so she'd have to take charge of the nonsense herself.

"Because there are only so many truly skilled workers, and there is a lot of preparation work before the actual cleaning begins, such as the installation of the crane and the planning of the cleaning procedure. Whether to send one or two teams next week, and whether to send light or heavy-duty tool vehicles, all of this can only be determined after an on-site inspection."

"Moreover, the Sarcophagus incident has caused widespread panic. As you know, the whole city is currently engaged in a major cleanup... Orders that used to come only occasionally are now piling up until next week."

"But government orders and suburban orders are different after all. If we take the lead, we are already involved in the work of this order in terms of subsequent work status... In this way, we don't have to travel long distances, and because you have made preparations in advance, your official staff can arrive earlier. It's a win-win situation."

The security guard blinked at Nana's somewhat far-fetched explanation, then picked up the phone anyway.

"They said that... um... um... me? Oh... okay."