I Became the King of Villains in the Game

"The people in those two warehouses outside are all craftsmen you kidnapped, aren't they?"

Chen Lun spoke lightly, as though discussing something perfectly ordinary. But to Gary, his words were deafening.

"You...!"

Gary quickly reined in his emotions and took a deep breath.

"So you already knew."

Chen Lun nodded and casually tossed a pair of Mad Hands and a Blunderbuss onto the desk with two clanks.

"You kidnapped all those craftsmen just to make these two things?"

The Seashell Necklace on Chen Lun's chest gave off a faint glow. A look of struggle flashed through Gary's eyes before he sighed, his expression turning resigned.

"You lot, come here!"

He beckoned without looking back.

"Boss."

The remaining Iron Fist Gang members exchanged glances and hurried over.

But the moment they reached their boss's side, Gary suddenly attacked.

He sprang to his feet, smashed one man's throat with a punch, spun around and crushed another's temple with his elbow, then seized the last man by the neck.

The man's face flushed red as he stared at his boss in disbelief.

Gary's face twisted viciously.

"Sorry, but word of what happened tonight can't get out.

And you can't be allowed to hear what I'm about to say."

With that, he tightened his grip and snapped his subordinate's neck.

Thud!

The body fell.

Chen Lun watched with interest, gaining a deeper understanding of just how ruthless the Iron Fist Gang's leader was.

Only then did Gary turn back to Chen Lun and speak respectfully:

"Sir, capturing the craftsmen wasn't my idea. Those were orders from Butler Feldman..."

Chen Lun's interest was piqued.

"Butler Feldman?"

"He's the butler of Councilor Daniel, a member of Amber City's council."

Gary spoke in a low voice.

"Butler Feldman approached me a long time ago, back when I was just a nobody scraping by in Sewage Flats.

He had me establish the Iron Fist Gang and gave me a great deal of help...

Then, one day, he gave me a blueprint and ordered me to capture craftsmen to manufacture what was on it. But the results were never satisfactory..."

Chen Lun frowned slightly.

He hadn't expected the Iron Fist Gang to be involved with that councilor. Could this have anything to do with the future "Glutton," Dolly?

"Do you still have that blueprint?"

Chen Lun asked.

Gary shook his head slightly.

"The original has already been taken back. All I have now is a reproduction...

There's a hidden compartment beneath the second drawer from the bottom, on your right."

Following Gary's instructions, Chen Lun opened the drawer's hidden compartment and retrieved the copy of the blueprint.

But after one look, he shook his head in disappointment.

[Mad Hands Prototype Blueprint-Fireworks in the Palm (Copy)]

Item description: a structural breakdown and manufacturing blueprint for a mechanical glove.

A severely distorted copy with significant deviations from the original blueprint...

No wonder those Iron Gauntlets were such garbage. It wasn't entirely the craftsmen's fault.

Chen Lun grumbled inwardly.

He recalled the quest he had received before coming here. One of its rewards was the original blueprint. Looking again at the utterly useless copy in his hand, he immediately lost interest.

"Lately, Butler Feldman has been pressing me harder and harder. He also takes more than half of the Iron Fist Gang's monthly income."

Gary continued.

"Do you know why he's doing all this?"

Chen Lun asked.

Gary shook his head and said:

"I don't know, sir."

Chen Lun pondered.

His intuition told him Councilor Daniel was the one behind all of this.

What exactly was he trying to do?

An ordinary politician gathering funds and weapons-was he planning a rebellion?

Chen Lun couldn't help being amused by his own speculation.

With the Sun Church and the Containment Bureau looming like two great mountains, no person or organization could claim they were capable of overthrowing the Trisoul Empire.

Not even the Red Apple Church!

In his previous life, they had ravaged the empire, only to meet their destruction in the end.

If Councilor Daniel really was that naive, he hardly deserved to have maneuvered through the upper echelons of power for so many years.

Only the mystical could combat the mystical. Only the supernatural could kill the supernatural!

That was an unwritten rule of the mystical world.

The low Sequences were an exception, of course.

Chen Lun fell silent.

"How much liquid cash does the Iron Fist Gang have left?"

He asked a question that interested him more.

Gary hesitated before answering slowly:

"Butler Feldman took this month's income yesterday... The gang only has seven Gold Pounds and forty-odd Silver Crowns left."

He looked rather embarrassed.

He raised his head and cautiously glanced at Chen Lun. Seeing the black-haired young man's polite yet unsettling smile, his heart skipped a beat.

He hurriedly added:

"I also have some money stashed away personally, about forty Gold Pounds."

He had intended to use that money to buy his life anyway. Now it seemed he wouldn't be keeping it after all.

Chen Lun nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Bring me forty-five Gold Pounds, then have your craftsmen make me a batch of Lead Bullets."

After a word of praise, he gave his orders outright.

At the same time, he used [Siren's Song] again to put Gary under deeper hypnosis.

This was to prevent Gary from turning against him after he left.

Gary's eyes grew unfocused for a moment, then returned to normal. But his expression became even more respectful, almost fawning.

"As you command, sir."

He placed his left hand over the right side of his chest and bowed.

Then he turned and went upstairs. Before long, he returned to Chen Lun and gently placed an exquisitely carved wooden box on the desk.

Chen Lun opened the box. The gleaming gold coins inside put him in a fine mood.

Using the lid to block the view, he discreetly slipped a finger into the box, touched the gold coins, and transferred them all into his panel.

Snap!

The lid closed.

"Next, I have two things for you to do. You must treat them as your highest priorities."

Chen Lun said gravely.

"Please tell me, sir. I'll spare no effort!"

Gary looked a little excited, as though he was ready to die carrying out his orders. Fulfilling Chen Lun's wishes seemed to be an immense honor to him.

Chen Lun marveled inwardly at the astonishing effects of [Siren's Song].

It had practically turned an enemy into his fanatical devotee, on par with brainwashing.

But its limitations were considerable too. It had little effect on strong-willed targets.

Many [Mysterious Objects] that provided mental protection could also counter it. The Golden Apple Necklace Father Carter had worn was a prime example.

"Look into any recent news about Viscount Pompey for me, and get me his exact home address while you're at it.

Also, keep an eye out for someone named 'Dolly.' Report any information about him to me immediately."

"Yes, sir."

[You killed numerous Iron Fist Gang members and successfully enslaved their leader, Gary. C-rank quest completed: King of Sewage Flats!]

[Quest rewards received: 1,000 EXP, 1 Gold Pound, and [Mad Hands Prototype Blueprint-Fireworks in the Palm] ×1]