Chapter 303

"Um!"

As they talked, the two got out of the car. Looking at the densely packed fifteen-story buildings in front of them, which seemed to be a complete challenge to the Lungmen Fire Department Law, Nana quickly pulled on the Rope.

Because she wasn't quite sure where to start, Nana touched the soft hat that was pressing down on her head, which made her feel a little uncomfortable, and finally looked at the Little Bunny who was looking around:

"Well, generally speaking, if I want to investigate public facilities, I would definitely start by contacting places like the police station... but here, it seems like there's nothing like that?"

"Well, it's different from the Central Park area of the old city, which is closer to the new city and controlled by 'Lin'. Here, because it's close to the port, there's a port union, and a large number of the Infected workers have also formed their own unions based on their residences and workplaces... Even so, those unions don't accept the management of the Guard Bureau... Compared to the Lungmen Government, they have more dealings with 'Lin'."

"So, does Rope have anyone here who can speak for him?"

Hearing Nana's question, the Little Bunny, who had always maintained a calm demeanor regardless of the topic, revealed a slightly troubled look for the first time. However, as if unwilling to let Nana feel that she was useless, she gripped Nana's hand tightly.

"... Yes... but I'm not sure if he can be of any help... those people aren't easy to deal with."

"It's alright, my job is to deal with all sorts of difficult people... Speaking of which, you're carrying protective gear too, right?"

Hearing Nana's question, Rope slightly lifted the corner of his clothes, revealing the Rhodes Island equipment bag containing the positive pressure breathing mask. After Nana confirmed that the protective suit under the Little Bunny's secondhand clothes was indeed properly worn, she and Rope went to find the person codenamed 'Crow'.

Because Kowloon Walled City is a small place, and because Nana and her companion were driving a shiny new car that attracted a lot of attention, the man known as "Crow" by Rope quickly arrived with four henchmen, shouting, "Rope? Who is Rope?!"

Upon seeing the other person's loose shirt and the way they were walking towards her, shouting and yelling, Rope first unconsciously took a step back, then stood firmly in place. After that, Nana took the initiative to step forward.

Before Rhodes Island's black cat could speak, the Crow, wearing small sunglasses and looking unexpectedly fierce, squinted and ignored Nana, staring directly at Rope:

"Hey... Rope? The name sounds unfamiliar to me... but I do know who this runaway pickpocket is... What? Couldn't make it in Gray Lin anymore? I heard you were hanging out with the Guard Bureau? You managed to beg for food in this area with the cops? So, you've been sent back?"

Before Nana could even speak, the four men, each with a short steel pipe dagger tucked in their belts, instantly blocked their path. Crow clicked his tongue in amazement as he looked at Rope and the Rhodes Island bus behind her before finally fixing his gaze on Nana.

"And what kind of person are you? What does it say on this car... Luo... Mule... what island?"

"Rhodes Island, we are dedicated to treating Oripathy..."

"Oh, the medicine seller."

Interrupting Nana's self-introduction again, Crow walked around the two and tried to open the car door. Since Nana habitually locked the car, he obviously couldn't open it. So the roguish man turned to look at Nana:

"Let's go, let's find a more suitable place to talk business... Give me the car keys."

Even someone as good-natured as Nana was starting to get a blood pressure spike after being ignored repeatedly... And coincidentally, Nana was also curious to see where this person would take her, so the assassin simply smiled and handed him the key. However, this quick action made Crow's expression turn serious:

"Wow... you're really here to discuss business? Good Guy... Alright, everyone, be polite, get in the car."

Although Rope subconsciously tightened his grip, slightly resisting their closeness, Nana showed no sign of backing down, so Rope persisted.

As the two men were sandwiched between the gang members in the back seat, one of them pulled out a hood and cable ties and looked at Crow was excitedly wiggling his rear in the driver's seat:

"Crow, how polite are you?"

"They're being so polite, a handcuff and a thumb strap would suffice... This company... Miss Cat seems to genuinely want to discuss business with us, so the hood is unnecessary. After all, the pickpocket is now on her side, and the location of his hideout is unknown, which means it's something she hasn't said yet."

Without offering much resistance, he allowed the other party to roughly tie him up. Then, as the other party tightened the Rope, a barely perceptible blue magical light flashed across the Rope.

Nana used the Survivor's Protocol to make her Little Bunny feel a bit better.

Because of uncertainty about Crow's position within the gang, and perhaps also because he was somewhat angry, Nana Road remained remarkably quiet... In other words, aside from handcuffing and zip ties, the other party did nothing else; otherwise, Nana Heights would have shown these people why flowers are so red.

Crow drove Nana and the other person not far. After the car twisted and turned and entered an underground parking lot in Kowloon, and the two were half-pushed and half-dragged into a stairwell that required a key to unlock, Nana finally asked:

"So... what are the names of your respective gangs?"

"Ah, finally couldn't hold it in anymore? Also, although we have a name like 'Nimble Labor Agency Co., Ltd..,' everyone usually calls us 'Light Gang'... That little brat next to you who's been glaring at me like she's got her from Light Gang... See those ear piercings? She's a high-level pickpocket with two piercings."

"If there had been no problem, she should have been able to join the team. I just didn't expect that she would be arrested by the Guard Bureau... Not only was she arrested, but she was also placed in the territory of 'Gray Lin' and couldn't be taken back. I thought she was gone forever."

They ushered the two men, whose wrists were bound, into the room behind the elevator doors, which was presumably the office of the so-called 'labor agency'.

The bamboo blinds, tinged with yellowish hues, were half-open, casting a dim light. The linen wallpaper, when the lights were on, appeared a yellowish hue, somewhere between white and not quite yellow. After Crow unceremoniously sat down in the main chair, a dirty suit jacket still hanging on the back, the others casually stuck steel pipes and other items into the bamboo basket by the door, placed short knives on the tea table, and turned on the tea maker.

Twirling the car key with his finger, Crow looked at Nana with a playful expression:

"It's a really good car, and it's quite fun to drive... So, let's hear what you have to say about Rhodes Island?"

"Before that, could you tell me what your position is in your gang?"

As soon as Nana finished speaking, Crow's face darkened, and then he sighed, revealing a pained expression:

"Here we go again... You corporate dogs, you really have no manners at all... Now you're asking what my status is in the gang, is your next sentence going to be 'Call your leader over here'?"

"Can't we be a little more pragmatic? When serious people talk business, two salespeople talk first, and then the superior gives orders to follow up!"

"Even if we take a step back and say that this is a good thing or a bad thing, if you just let me speak directly to my superiors, what chance do I have? I don't need credit, but don't my subordinates need to eat?!"

As they spoke, a paper cup was placed in front of Nana, while her henchman behind her, carrying a kettle full of boiling water and teaware, looked on with an unfriendly expression.

"In short, the good impression you made on me at the beginning is pretty much gone now... How you speak from here on out will determine whether that hot water is poured into the cup or poured over your head. Please continue. What are you doing here with that brat?"

After a moment of silence, Nana spoke expressionlessly:

"I need to inspect the buildings controlled by your gang, as well as the physical condition of your men..."

"... Then what?"

That's all. That was my purpose.

Seeing Nana's simple "that's true" expression, Crow's face twisted again:

"So... you just wanted to scam money from a medical checkup?"

"... No, it's not a scam..."

"Oh, so it's free... So that's just a way to scam money for follow-up treatment medication, right? It's a pharmaceutical company, I understand."

"No, if a problem is indeed detected, I will send members with low infection rates to the city center to establish specialized medical facilities for detailed follow-up treatment, free of charge. This entire process is also free; the Lungmen Government has already paid for it."

After a moment of silence, the Crow tilted its head with a complicated expression:

"Are you kidding me? Or is this some new tactic the Guard Bureau uses to arrest people? Can you be more specific? While I still have some patience..."

Seeing that the Crow seemed genuinely confused, Nana summarized what she could say:

"Simply put, Rhodes Island, commissioned by the Lungmen Government, has begun investigating a certain parasitic disease... and Kowloon Walled City has a considerable chance of becoming a high-risk area... Out of concern for the safety of the residents and the health of all Lungmen personnel, I commissioned Rope, and found you, who has some connections and can 'speak'."

Hearing Nana's long string of words, Crow and his henchmen were stunned for a while. Then, Crow, still looking bewildered, gestured to his henchmen, who only belatedly refilled the paper cups in front of Nana and Rope after seeing Crow give them two signals.

"... Parasitic diseases... and they don't charge... they even treat it for free... when did Lungmen become a charity?"

The Crow's joking remark drew a burst of laughter from his underlings, then his expression returned to one of seemingly overloaded pig brains, and he asked somewhat awkwardly:

"Let me ask... what happens if it's a severe case of parasites?"

"You'll die."

Nana's straightforward explanation shattered the atmosphere that Crow had managed to liven up, sending it plummeting to freezing point once more. And when Crow finally scratched his head and asked about the treatment, Nana chose to tell him everything without reservation:

"There are no treatments... I'm just here to check the infection status. If someone is infected, I'll take them for treatment and isolate the source of infection... That's all."

"... You don't even have deworming medicine?! You're a pharmaceutical company, aren't you?!"

Responding to the Crow's frantic questioning in silence, after all, if forced to speak, Nana could only heal with ammunition.

"So, that's all I ask... If you cooperate, I can save myself a lot of trouble."

"Usually, this kind of sentence should be followed by 'if you don't comply'... Just say it directly, is it that if you don't comply, the Guard Bureau will come and kill you?"

"It's not that bad..."

After all, the Guard Bureau is probably too busy to deal with these shantytown gangs causing trouble right now.

However, if the local gangs completely disregard the investigation or even obstruct it... then it's hard to say whether they'll send out Assassin Number Seventy-Seven or the Starlight Heavy Weapons Squad.

Wearing handcuffs, Nana picked up a paper cup, sipped some hot water, and waited for the Crow's response.

As for Nana's medical attire, the gang members didn't completely disregard her... After all, after whispering with his underlings for a while, Crow still chose to pick up the office phone.

"Hey... Boss, I have something to tell you."

PS: Waaaaaaah!

Shark eats bird↑

PSS: I'm clearly writing this based on Hong Kong and Taiwanese gangster movies, but why all I can think of are GIFs of "Ya Xi La Liang Feifan"...

9th Lungmen Seafood: 348 Annihilation Firepower Permission Countdown

Nana has dealt with various gangs in this region.

Although their initial intentions, purposes, methods of daily conduct, and even their final fates differed, gangs are ultimately composed of individuals.

Compared to the star-studded human world and the anthropomorphic sewers, the 'organizations' of gangs, while impossible to generalize, tend to perform at a more average level overall.

So even though Crow trains children to pickpocket and collects their stolen money as protection money, he's considered one of the most despicable types of gang members... Before she has more important work to confirm, Nana can still grit her teeth and communicate with them.

While Crow was busy making phone calls, Nana took a look at the office decor.

The flyers scattered on their coffee table also mentioned that their main business was dispatching labor to factories... This indicates that their main workforce should consist of the Infected workers, which matches the intelligence provided by Rope.

Because the workers frequently travel to the support layer of the Mobile City, they pass through pipes suitable for Seaborn to hide in on their way to and from work... Nana was very worried that someone might have already become Seaborn's food because she thought that the circulation system of those pipes was directly connected to the building she destroyed yesterday.

"... Okay, I understand. I'll take this doctor to see him right away."

After putting down the microphone, Crow tossed a keychain to his underlings. As the group quickly unlocked Nana and Rope's handcuffs and cable ties, Crow put on the suit jacket that had been hanging on the back of the chair. He looked less roguish and more serious.

"I apologize for the previous offense. It seems the boss has also gathered information from others. Although I don't know if it's the parasite you mentioned, yesterday's commotion and today's Guard Bureau's outburst are both related to this, right...? Tell me how you plan to investigate. As for me... well, I'll try my best to cooperate."

"Take us directly to the area where you have influence, starting with the main water supply pipes and then investigating downwards level by level."

"As for personnel, I'm currently busy. You can keep an eye out for anyone who suddenly exhibits unusual behavior... like strange things growing on their bodies or something."

Seeing that Nana was about to get up as she spoke, Crow became hesitant:

"That's too broad a statement. Why don't you just tell me how we can tell if we have a disease?"

"The simplest thing is to get a medical check-up. Rhodes Island has a specialized hospital in the city, which is the same as Lungmen's. You can just go and ask around... So, aren't you going yet?"

Although no one knew what Crow was dawdling about, under Nana's repeated urging, Crow, wearing his suit askew and loosely, reluctantly dialed a few numbers, gave a few instructions to find a 'plumber,' and then led Nana deeper into the building.

Leaving the office, which had a very tacky, bureaucratic feel, and walking through a corridor with peeling paint and cobwebs and mold, Crow and his henchmen caused a commotion wherever they went. Whether he was enjoying the attention or simply didn't care, Crow and his gang met the 'plumber' in the water supply room, their ostentatious strides revealing a stark contrast to the surrounding environment.

He was an elderly Perro man with white hair and beard. His original blue work clothes had faded to white, and his eyes looked slightly dull, but the tools in his tool bag at his waist were neatly arranged from tallest to shortest.

When the Crow saw the old man, it squinted its eyes, approached him, put its arm around his shoulder, and rubbed its fingers together. The old man's expression immediately turned disgusted, and he reluctantly took out a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket and handed it to him.

The Crow, however, didn't seem to mind at all, grinning as it took advantage of the old man, and then began to introduce the items to Nana:

"This is Old Qi, the pipe repairman here... He's in charge of all the water pipes and stuff you mentioned."

"... So, this is the main water inlet of Kowloon Walled City?"

"No, this is just the water room that manages this building."

Listening to the old man's weak and listless words, Nana looked at the Crow expressionlessly... This was clearly a waste of her time.

But the Crow, still with its usual grinning face, puffed out smoke and began to defend itself:

"Hey, don't make that face. Your plan is to check from the main switch to the branch switches... Let's check if our own system is working properly first~"

'Who says you're family...'

Nana heard Rope's mutterings very clearly. Logically speaking, Liberi's hearing shouldn't be too bad, but Crow's shameless attitude, which didn't even flinch, left Nana speechless.

Obviously, without putting this guy in line first, there's no way to start the subsequent work. Thinking this, Nana took out her phone to check the engineering drawings on the Lungmen side again. Then, she discovered that the water room was actually located in a relatively central location in Kowloon, making it a good area for detecting and sampling Seaborn concentrations.

"Let's check the situation here first... Rope, go to the main valve's inlet and take a sample, fill a jug and bring it to me... And Master Qi, I need to use a spellcasting unit to perform a magical probe on the sewage system, could you please shut down the sewage system first?"

"Um... now? Now is the time when everyone takes turns washing up and cooking..."

"There's no need to shut them all down at once. We can shut down the pipes by area, and then test one section at a time... This makes it easier to assess the situation."

Watching Nana quickly take the tap water from Rope, scan it for a while with a pair of red goggles, and then try to inject some kind of spell into the water pipe with the spell unit on her shoulder... Listening to the sound of the pipe vibrating like a water hammer effect, Master Qi, who had just shut off one of the pipes, hesitated, but finally asked:

"This... is a sound wave detection spell? You'd better be careful with this... otherwise, sewage will back up, and the whole city will come and tear you apart."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

Watching Nana chat with the plumber, the Crow, who had been waiting for a long time, cleared its throat:

"Ahem... Um, doctor... So, what's the deal with my neighborhood?"

Glancing at the impatient gang members, Nana pulled up the engineering blueprints and drew an X on her location:

"So far, there haven't been any abnormalities found in the domestic water supply, after all, the water plant is quite well-guarded. This also means that there haven't been any problems with the pipelines from the water plant to here... However..."

"But?"

Looking at the life reactions flashing in the pipe diagram of the third spell scan, Nana knew very well that the spell feedback, which was the size of a rat but emitted life waves similar to those of a large dog, must represent the 'abnormality' itself.