The Hero Patrol Officer Falls for Su Yi's Pitch

When Su Yi came out of the blue rowhouse carrying two bags, Alton, who had been waiting outside, hurried over to help.

"Let's go," Su Yi said without betraying anything.

There were bound to be Wolf Fang Gang lookouts nearby, and perhaps patrol officers keeping watch too.

Alton had no idea what had happened, but he trusted Su Yi without question.

Just as they came out onto the street and were about to turn the corner, two patrol officers in exoskeletons rushed out from a side street, Kedi Stars in hand.

Without a word, they grabbed Su Yi and Alton and dragged them into a nearby alley.

"Put the bags on the ground! Now! Hands on your heads!"

Su Yi remained perfectly calm. He set the bags down first, then raised his hands.

With his current abilities, killing these two officers would be easy.

But that would also make it impossible for him to stay here.

The bearded officer on the left strode forward, slammed Su Yi against the wall, and barked, "Don't move!"

"Who told you to come here? What's in the bags?"

Su Yi turned his head slightly and smiled. "Officer, this is a misunderstanding. I'm just following my superior's orders."

As if by magic, he slipped a fifty-denomination Void Abyss Coin into the officer's hand.

The bearded officer's eyes turned cold. "Don't try that with me!"

The younger, long-faced officer opened Su Yi's bag, exposing the neatly folded Casey 191 firearms inside.

The officers exchanged a look. The bearded one pressed his gun to Su Yi's head. "Who's your superior?"

Su Yi looked at the bearded officer.

[Name: Colt Arthur.]

[Faction: Rootvine District Patrol]

[Rank: Senior Investigator]

[Void Abyss Projection: Not activated]

[Level: 7]

[Health: 1,300]

(A former hero patrol officer who, furious at his failure to earn a promotion, now grabs money wherever he can.)

The description at the bottom gave Su Yi an idea.

"Officer, my ID is in my pocket," he said.

Colt snorted. "Gangs have gotten bold these days. You even carry ID?"

He reached into Su Yi's pocket and pulled out his work ID. One look stopped him cold.

"You're with the Black Sun Group!?"

Su Yi's identity was far beyond anything Colt had expected.

When the Wolf Fang Gang had spoken to him, they had said it was another small gang. They had never mentioned anyone from the company!

Colt fell silent. After a few seconds, he slowly released Su Yi.

"Mike, go outside and check the area."

The younger officer knew the drill. He asked no questions and left.

Su Yi turned to Alton. "Go to the other end and keep watch."

Alton grunted his assent and walked away.

Colt studied Su Yi. "Are you really with the company?"

Su Yi smiled and pressed the money into Colt's hand. "The real thing. You can check if you don't believe me."

Colt slipped the money into his pocket without a flicker of expression. "What's a company man doing mixed up in this mess?"

Su Yi offered him a cigarette. "Officer, the company has something big in the works, but our budget down here is tight. Naturally, we have to make a little on the side."

Colt took the cigarette. Su Yi extended a tiny wisp of Thornfire and lit it for him.

"A gifted!?" Colt, who had been looking thoroughly pleased with himself, promptly choked on the smoke.

"Cough, cough! Mr. Gheros... A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"

Still coughing, Colt took out a cigarette and lit it for Su Yi.

Gifted people weren't rare on Rhode Star. Low-level gifted weren't particularly remarkable in themselves. What mattered was the one-thousand-Void-Abyss-Coin price of entry.

Anyone who could afford a thousand Void Abyss Coins to become gifted had to have serious backing.

In his twenty-two years since graduation, Colt had cracked all kinds of major cases, yet he had never managed to save the thousand Void Abyss Coins needed to become gifted.

Now he didn't even have a chance of becoming Chief Inspector.

Su Yi dropped his earlier ingratiating manner. A confident, knowing smile appeared on his face.

He took a drag on his cigarette and said slowly, "Colt Arthur. I know who you are."

Colt froze. "You know me?"

Su Yi kept it vague. "Years on the force, plenty of major cases solved, yet never a chance at promotion."

"I never thought a decorated hero investigator would end up working with the Wolf Fang Gang."

Colt's face darkened, but he did not dare lash out.

The man worked for the company and was gifted. Colt had heard that anyone in the company who became gifted was at least L8!

Either one alone made him someone Colt could not afford to cross.

Then Su Yi changed tack. "But you have an opportunity now, my friend."

"An opportunity!?" Colt's head shot up.

"As I said, the company has something big in the works," Su Yi said.

"The Wolf Fang Gang won't last much longer. Neither will Weber Nigel, the man pulling strings above them."

Su Yi paused, then lowered his voice. "Opportunities favor those who are prepared, my friend."

"Mr. Arthur, you have the experience, the ability, and the respect of the people. All you lack are connections."

He paused again and pressed his bluff.

"Why do you think I openly brought these goods out when I knew the Wolf Fang Gang had attacked this place?"

"And why did I come this way, right where I'd run into you?"

Colt stared. "You did it on purpose!?"

Of course Su Yi hadn't. But now that they had met, he figured Colt was an officer he could draw in.

"Look in the bags," Su Yi said quietly. "These are all company goods."

"Could an ordinary gang get hold of this much company merchandise?"

Colt's eyes widened as a startling possibility took shape in his mind.

"Weber Nigel has his brother-in-law, the mayor, behind him," Su Yi continued. "But lately, the mayor hasn't been very cooperative."

"The company isn't pleased."

"You're a perceptive man. I'm sure you know what I mean."

Colt felt his heart race. After years of fighting his way through the lower ranks, he knew exactly what Su Yi was implying.

He had heard rumors of friction between the mayor and the company over business matters.

He had never expected to hear them confirmed like this.

If the Black Sun Group is looking to reshuffle the deck... this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!

Excitement rose in Colt.

He remembered years of humiliation and anger under Weber Nigel's thumb. When he looked at Su Yi again, his expression had changed.

"Mr. Gheros, let's speak plainly."

"I want a promotion more than anything!"

"I believe I can carry out the company's plan perfectly."

Su Yi smiled and held out his hand. "My friend—no, future Commissioner Arthur—would you like to hear my plan?"

Colt clasped Su Yi's hand in both of his and smiled. "Of course, Mr. Gheros."

"My people and I need to move a large quantity of goods," Su Yi said. "But we won't be moving them here. We'll move them across the way."

Colt blinked. "The Alliance?"

Su Yi nodded. "Yes. The company has plenty of ways to get goods across the border."

"We need you to help us here on the streets of Rootvine District."

"Don't let the other patrol officers or the Wolf Fang Gang give us trouble."

Colt considered it. "That could be difficult."

Su Yi smiled and patted a bag. "Not at all. We're conducting legitimate business."

"Soon, these goods will bear the company's label."

"And of course, we can't ask the boys to work for nothing."

"Twenty Void Abyss Coins each time they help us."

At that figure, Colt smiled.

"Mr. Gheros, I can tell."

"You are a truly law-abiding businessman!"