Master Assassin, the Impatient Hound Gang

While Aolong went to get the money, Su Yi prepared clothes and masks for the three of them to wear that night.

Su Yi's mask was a stern mechanical face, Sefni's was a bear, and Emma's was a rabbit.

Aolong was quick. He came running back just over ten minutes later and pressed seven hundred-dollar bills into Su Yi's hand.

Then he clapped Su Yi on the shoulder. "I don't know the rules of the underworld or how its business works. Thanks for handling it."

"If you run into trouble with the authorities, come to me anytime."

Su Yi nodded. He could tell Aolong was a little nervous.

Aolong was afraid Su Yi would cast him aside for being useless.

Before the man could start tormenting himself with doubts, Su Yi thought it over and realized there was a job that suited him.

"You've reminded me of something."

"We're planning to invest in a hospital and a school. We'll need to go through the application process."

"Remember, the hospital and school should be established in the young lady's name as charitable projects wherever possible."

"We also need at least ten shell companies to move funds through."

Aolong thumped his chest, visibly relieved. "All right. Leave it to me."

After saying goodbye to Aolong, Su Yi picked up the phone and called Iron Beetle.

"I need a large shipment, around four thousand Void Abyss Coins' worth."

"The Wolf Fang Gang and patrol officers are watching the building from all sides. Send someone reliable to pick me up."

Iron Beetle replied at once. "All right. Give me ten minutes."

Su Yi rubbed his chin. "They don't have many reliable people available right now. It's probably Pumpkin."

Ten minutes later, a blond man with a bowl cut came over with a lollipop in his mouth.

He wore a yellowish-brown shirt and bell-bottoms. It was quite a look.

The moment Su Yi saw him, he smiled. "There you are."

[Name: Pumpkin]

[Faction: Mantis Trading Company]

[Rank: Professional Killer]

[Void Abyss Projection: Will-o'-Wisp Pumpkin Lantern LV2]

[Level: 15]

[Health: 2100]

[Skills: ???]

(Mantis Maguire's trusted aide, a cheerful young man whose mind isn't quite right)

Pumpkin. Mantis's top killer. A follower of the Gray Shadow Venerable, exceptionally skilled at stealth and assassination.

He had been fairly famous even during the public beta. By then, Pumpkin had reached level 21 and was known as a master assassin on the frontier.

The Gray Shadow Venerable he followed was the same deity worshiped by Deceptive Agents, one of the ten player classes.

After leaving the beginner stage, many Agent players, led by Agile Dog in the Mountains, had learned advanced assassination techniques from him.

And because Pumpkin had no interest in money and liked all kinds of candy, learning from him cost next to nothing.

He was practically the interstellar version of G.S.D.

After level 20, the Deceptive Agent class could also use its talent skill to change appearances. It was an important force Su Yi intended to bring under his control.

By controlling this beginner-level mentor, he could draw in large numbers of new Agents to work for him.

Pumpkin pointed at the sky with a radiant smile. "Friend, what does the sky look like to you?"

"A piece of apple candy," Su Yi said casually.

"!!"

Pumpkin's eyes lit up. He laughed. "Friend, I like you!"

Years of dinners with colleagues and workplace experience had taught Su Yi how to win people over with precise compliments that cost him nothing.

After a brief chat, the two set off.

Pumpkin led Su Yi along a winding route, then through a surprisingly clean sewer. They emerged at the warehouse where Iron Beetle had given Su Yi a gift last time.

Iron Beetle pulled Su Yi into a hug and laughed. "I didn't expect you to seize the opportunity and win Miss Barrett's favor."

Rootvine District had not reported it, but with Iron Beetle's sources, finding out was easy.

Su Yi chuckled. "Just luck."

With that, he took out 3,900 Void Abyss Coins and handed over his list of requirements.

Iron Beetle looked it over and said without hesitation, "Spend a thousand, get thirty off."

"Want to add anything else?"

As if Su Yi would fall for a trick like that. "No. I'm out of money."

Iron Beetle said no more and had his people prepare the order.

Everything was ready in less than twenty minutes.

Forty-four Casey 191s went into one bag, while the two types of ammunition filled a large bag each.

Su Yi hefted the bags onto his back. The weight was manageable, around 110 kilograms.

He had put on an exoskeleton beneath his clothes before coming out, so that much weight was no concern.

He left the four extra guns from the buy-ten-get-one-free offer there for safekeeping, then departed quickly.

Twenty minutes later, Sefni and Emma arrived as Su Yi had instructed.

Su Yi did not know how their talk had gone. Both their eyes were red when they arrived, as though they had been crying.

But judging by the mood between them, they had not argued. It seemed they had finally opened up to each other and been moved to tears.

Sefni stared at the large shipment. "How are we supposed to get all this across the city?"

Su Yi smiled. "Just wait."

Then he handed them the clothes and masks. "We might have a hard fight tonight."

"Get dressed and put on your masks."

The two women tensed and quickly geared up.

The three of them waited there until eight that evening.

Su Yi easily shouldered the heaviest bag of guns and ammunition. "Let's go."

As they moved through the night, the two women realized Su Yi knew the area extremely well.

He guided them this way and that, using the darkness to avoid almost everyone.

When they reached Kane Street and spotted the patrol officers, Sefni whispered, "Should I knock them out?"

Su Yi shook his head. To their astonishment, he strode straight toward a middle-aged patrol officer with the bag on his back.

After the two greeted each other warmly, Su Yi beckoned to the women.

With the officer's cover, all three passed through without trouble and disappeared into the night again.

Emma stared at him. "You... you even know a patrol officer!?"

"It's nothing," Su Yi said.

Emma looked at Sefni and found her aunt just as stunned.

Both women realized they had underestimated Su Yi's connections.

With Su Yi leading the way, they climbed through pipes, skirted a dump on the edge of the city, and crossed stretches of ruined warships.

Fortunately, both women were Gifted above level 20. Their stamina was more than enough.

When the Nomadic Market came into view, Sefni stared in disbelief. "How did you find this route?"

Su Yi smiled. "Secret. Try not to talk once we're inside, and keep your auras hidden."

Both women nodded at once.

At his stall, Cole was growing anxious.

This arms deal was too important.

Lal City had few Gifted. Most of its people were wasteland wanderers and raiders.

That meant the size of a faction came down to how many people and guns it had.

The Hound Gang had plenty of both, but the quality of its guns was terrible.

Several hundred people had already died because their guns exploded or jammed.

The previous gang leader had even been killed when his gun jammed during a standoff.

They desperately needed a reliable shipment of weapons.

Just as Cole was getting so impatient he could hardly sit still, he saw three people approaching with bags of all sizes.

He recognized Su Yi's robot mask at a glance.

"Friend, you're finally here!" Cole's voice shook with excitement.

If Su Yi had stood him up, Cole would have had no way to answer for it.

Right then, Cole looked at Su Yi with more affection than he had ever shown his own father.