? ? ? ? ?
Wait, what's going on here?
Hayden was completely bewildered. He instinctively took the box from the other person, checked it to make sure there were no bombs or other traps, and then opened it. What he found inside shocked him even more.
Because it is a heart.
It was a clockwork mechanical structure, like a music box, combining various metals such as gold and mithril with nanometer precision that was indistinguishable to the naked eye, a golden heart with seven layers of structural deformation.
“My family used to run a private factory that manufactured products for Wotan Mystery Technology Company, but it went bankrupt three months ago because of changes in the investment plans of a large company.”
Eric lowered his head and said in a deep voice,
"This is a Valkyrie heart component that my family used to manufacture for the Wotan Corporation, but I stole it three months ago and it wasn't recovered by the company. As everyone knows, the Wotan Corporation's Valkyrie warriors are all fully-equipped constructs, just like your wife. Wotan Corporation's mechanical modification technology is the best in the world. I just met your wife, and this gift will surely be of great benefit to her."
No no no no no no no
The problem isn't there at all.
Although the generous gift the young man offered made Hayden almost tremble, that wasn't the main point right now.
Six months ago? He retired from the life of crime? He went into seclusion with his cyborg wife?
These misunderstandings are indeed quite possible. Hayden hasn't taken on any urban mercenary jobs since the [Bo Xun] incident, but his life has become even more comfortable and leisurely, which could easily lead to misunderstandings among his peers. As for Angela, this isn't the first time she's been mistaken for a fully modified construct.
The so-called complete construct modification, also known as "full-body cybernetic transformation," refers to replacing the entire body, including the brain, while transferring only the original memories, personality, and soul to the new mechanical body. Strictly speaking, Angela could indeed be considered a fully constructed human in a broader sense. However, that's not the focus right now.
"...When did I become the pinnacle of urban mercenaries?"
This is what Hayden couldn't help but complain about.
Young Eric found Hayden's words strange: "The Shadow Forum says that before you retired, you slaughtered more than a dozen of New Seattle's top mercenaries in one go, and that you and your husband wiped out an entire mercenary group from Central America."
...This is indeed not a lie.
Although Angela did most of the work, since she could wipe out an entire group of civilian mercenaries, it's normal for people in the industry to attribute it to Hayden.
"Besides, although you yourself have retired, many people say that your cyborg wife is the mastermind behind the recently booming 'Retribution Military Employment Agency'. For an urban mercenary to live to retirement and become a middleman is something that only the top figures in the industry can achieve, let alone the fact that you have achieved such an amazing feat at the age of thirty!"
Wait, what is this thing?!
Hayden was truly bewildered this time. He'd never even heard of this "Retribution Military Employment Agency." And why was Angela involved?!
Did that AI-powered person do something behind his back? When did she become some kind of behind-the-scenes boss?!
Fortunately, no matter how many curses were running through Hayden's mind, he didn't show it in front of this young man. At least on his face, Hayden looked calm, even indifferent.
"This is quite a gift. Just tell me what you want."
Since Eric heard Hayden say that, he decided to speak frankly.
“Before graduating from university, when my family business was still thriving, I was engaged to my childhood sweetheart. However, after the bankruptcy three months ago, her elders quickly came to break off the engagement.”
The young man said coldly,
"To put it simply, my fiancée broke off our engagement after my family's fortunes declined."
草
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, never underestimate a young man's potential! — Even so, in the entire vast New Asia, there is no one else who, with no background and only working as a lone wolf mercenary, could climb to a position above mortals and below gods in just seven years, except for the famous 'Wizard'."
Eric finished speaking with a cold, stern smile.
“I have no social skills. If I want to climb back up on my own after my family fell on hard times, the only thing I can rely on is this enhanced combat power—so I can only offer this [Valkyrie] heart component as a gift.”
He bowed his head respectfully to Hayden once again.
"I earnestly hope that you, senior, can offer some guidance so that I may one day be able to turn my life around!"
Damn it!
Hayden felt that his forced poker face was about to give way.
Even a fool could see by now that Eric Larson was the ex-boyfriend and fiancé of the current witch's daughter from "Majina's Magic House" during her university days. Hayden was investigating them, and this guy just happened to show up today—the coincidence was absurd enough.
What's even more absurd is that Hayden has been staying home doing research for the past six months, not causing trouble on the streets, so why has his legend spread so much?
Damn, these rumors have gone completely awful. Was Hayden actually the Valley Hero?
So what exactly is this "retribution military employment agency"?
……retribution?
Suddenly, Hayden seemed to wake up and realize something.
Has anyone or anything related to Angela recently come into his life that is also associated with the word "retribution"?
Actually, there really is.
The name "Alastor" in ancient Greek means "the avenger," and it doesn't inherently possess any special aura or significance. However, if one wishes to elevate or sanctify it, calling it "retribution" is not unreasonable.
So, who in New Yatu would help Alastor create such a sanctification?
Of course, it was led by Yolanda, and the rest of Mara's... bunch of brats. In the minds of those former fanatical followers, now fanatics, Alastor was a god who had risen from hatred to righteous retribution.
Six months ago, Angela did tell Hayden that she hoped to use those people to do something that could make money...
...Gan.
Hayden had already figured it out.
What exactly did Angela do?!
063: You are the famous one.
Just to be on the safe side, Hayden decided to let the guy named Eric stay aside for a while; he had a few things to confirm first.
The young man didn't say anything, and just stood there. Hayden was observing him, and he was naturally observing Hayden as well.
Then Hayden went over to the still-shaken burger shop employees, bought a meringue chocolate milkshake, and handed it to the little beggar girl who had just been rescued by Eric.
Incidentally, all the other guests had already fled by then.
"Little girl,"
Hayden handed the milkshake to the little girl, showing her that it was still unopened.
Why are you wandering the streets?
Why did he ask that question? Is it unusual to see a little beggar girl on the street?
Actually, it’s true.
Hayden had carefully examined the little girl's appearance. Although she was filthy, her clothes hadn't been changed in a long time, and she looked like she'd rolled around in a pile of ashes, Hayden thought she hadn't completely given up on lying down. Her head was tilted back at a slightly higher angle than usual.
Secondly, the robbery that just happened was actually quite strange.
While it's commonplace for ordinary shopkeepers in low-security neighborhoods to be robbed by criminals in these deplorable times, the extent of the situation today still seems abnormal to Hayden—because, ironically, in these low-security areas, those maintaining regular order are often not commercialized police, but organized crime. To put it more bluntly, they are "gangs." Some of the more professional ones are called the "Mafia," but in essence, there's not much difference.
In areas where corporate police don't want to expend their energy, these criminal organizations actually maintain a relative level of order. They do things like selling drugs Hayden dislikes or other addictive substances, collecting protection money, running casinos, brothels, loan sharking, and engaging in extortion, threats, and intimidation...
But they wouldn't be foolish enough to let street thugs rob a burger shop with knives and guns. That wouldn't be good for business.
So this is very strange.
Moreover, Hayden had just secretly observed that the little beggar girl was unusually brave, almost abnormally so, in dealing with those thugs. So, wouldn't it be perfectly normal for Hayden to ask her about the situation?
Sure enough, after seeing the milkshake, the little girl hesitated for a while, but then took the plastic cup and quickly swallowed half of it. While drinking, she kept one eye on Hayden, very wary.
It seems Hayden isn't popular with children.
He could actually have Angela do it, given her striking appearance. However, Hayden suddenly had an idea and winked at Eric, who was standing beside him. The young man was taken aback at first, but immediately understood.
Eric, who protected the little girl in the face of danger, was clearly easier for her to trust than Hayden, who suddenly appeared afterward. Besides, Eric was a handsome man with good looks.
In just a few minutes, the young man got some information out of the little girl.
This little girl originally lived with her father and brother in Golden Bear State in the south. Six months ago, her brother left home to come and work in New Jersey after hearing that there were more job opportunities there. However, two months later, due to industrial relocation, her father, who used to be a long-distance truck driver, lost his job and had to bring her to New Jersey as well.
As a result, before she could find her brother, her father was murdered after getting involved in a dispute with a gang over smuggling.
The little girl has been wandering around New Jersey for over a month now, searching for her brother, but without any leads.
"I don't know much either."
The little girl didn't cry. While talking to Eric, she licked the milkshake off her lips, because wiping it clean with her hands would waste food.
“But I heard that the gangs in the area have stopped caring about street order lately and are busy trying to seize smuggling routes outside the city. Many people know about this.”
Hearing this, Hayden, who was standing nearby, frowned.
Who would have thought that this was the real story!
Mitra Corporation's corporate police had previously been too lazy to manage the lower-class residential areas. However, now that the abandoned industrial zone next to the Bay Area was being redeveloped, the company's need for order had changed. Once the large corporation decided to manage the security of the Bay Area, all the gangs would be slaughtered and devoured by the corporations, just like the loan sharks who had taken advantage of the chaos six months ago.
Of course, such social changes won't happen so quickly. Corporate cops won't immediately become (or disguise themselves as) model police officers. But some more astute gangs and the Mafia may have already sensed this shift. They worry that they'll be like cicadas in autumn, their time limited.
Therefore, they no longer waste manpower managing the street territories where they used to collect protection money. Consequently, street thugs cause more trouble.
These gangs...maybe they're looking to transform themselves?
Hayden was so engrossed in his studies and research that he neglected the affairs of these organized criminals in his neighborhood for six months. Now, he probably needs to pay attention to them again.
"My name is Hayden, and I'm an urban mercenary who lives across the street."
So he walked up, projected his business card into the air, and pointed to the house across the street.
"If you hear anything else about these gangs, or about the smuggling routes outside the city, or any other interesting news, just tell me, okay? As long as you tell me any information that might be useful, I'll help you find your brother."
The little girl was taken aback, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.
So before leaving, Hayden bought the little girl a three-tiered deluxe krill burger meal. He said it was a deposit.
"Everyone says that the famous 'wizard' is a trustworthy and courageous hero. Indeed, seeing is believing. He is also so compassionate and kind."
After everyone had left the burger shop, Eric suddenly said something like that.
"Compassion and benevolence?"
Hayden shrugged.
"A milkshake and a burger combo, totaling less than fifteen yuan. Is this what you call compassion?"
Eric nodded: "Just look at the sheer size of this New Seattle metropolis; there are countless street orphans like these. Even though you've retired and are now living a leisurely life, how many people could you feed even if you gave away all your wealth? Giving people a few coins is hardly an act of compassion."
Upon hearing this, Hayden raised an eyebrow—regardless of whether he was right or wrong, this man's words were quite interesting.
"So you don't give money to beggars, because it's useless."
He asked back,
"But if you see her being robbed by thugs, would you step forward and save her life?"
Eric lowered his head, but his words remained firm: "This is just like how you didn't directly give that little girl money, nor did you directly help her find her family. Instead, you made her exchange street gossip for it. In reality, what kind of information is valuable, and what kind of information can help you find her relatives, is entirely up to you. You will definitely help her find her lost brother later, because that is the proper way to save her life."
Ok……
Although what he said wasn't entirely wrong,
But Hayden couldn't help feeling that Eric's image of him was... a little strange.
So while leaving Eric outside the door, he quickly pulled Angela home to find out what was going on: "What exactly is this so-called 'retribution military employment agency'?"
“Five months ago, didn’t the master say that he would hand over Yolanda’s group of people to me to manage?” Angela tilted her head, looking completely matter-of-fact. “I did some research on how to make money and felt that the master’s connections could be used effectively, so I started a company based on those twenty-two people.”
Grass!?
Although this was roughly the same as Hayden's prediction, Hayden still felt like vomiting blood: "Six months ago, you didn't even know what capital, credit cards, or the secondary market were, and now you can start a company?!"
"Master, I can learn too."
Angela could only look at him helplessly.
"In order to bring you happiness, I can't keep up with my old-fashioned financial concepts forever."
草
Hayden never expected Angela to say something like that, but strictly speaking, she wasn't wrong. Just as Hayden had been constantly researching and studying for the past six months, trying to improve himself, Angela could and should also improve herself. If Hayden wanted to take on all the responsibility of strengthening Angela himself, he would be going astray.
But one thing at a time, there's one thing Hayden is still very unhappy about.
"I know this sounds childish, I know it's just obsessive-compulsive disorder, but I really hate the company."
Hayden frowned.
“I know you'll be using all the money you earn for me. But to put it bluntly, you're exploiting those former students who have no other options, taking advantage of them to make money for me. I've seen too many people who criticize capitalists but end up becoming exploiters themselves. I'd rather die than do that. Go and do it now—”