Chapter 17: The Steel Cross Society

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Atop the city walls, a group of armed militants stood, their styles ranging from punk to black suit trench coats.

They all bore the distinct "Iron Cross Star" on their clothing, the gang insignia of the "Steel Cross Society."

Every day in Old Lington, there were people for various reasons wanting to join a gang, from desperadoes and murderers with nowhere to turn to those seeking to get rich quick or acquire extraordinary resources...

It was often on these high walls that combatants willing to venture outside the city to scavenge were recruited.

The gang leaders liked to wait here, scouting for new recruits.

"Look here, Kai, can't you put away your 'Blade' prosthesis? Flaunting it like this just makes people laugh at 'The Cross' professionals for not being worldly. We're both captains, can you act a bit more dignified..."

"Heh, big boss Smoker, I just successfully fused with the prosthesis, so I'm a bit excited."

"The higher-ups in the gang entrusted you with managing the three blocks on Green Street. Be careful from now on. There are many gambling dens and brothels there which might be lucrative, but the old timers in the gang have all avoided it. Do you know why you were allowed to scoop up this opportunity?"

"Isn't it because those 'Steam Party' guys have been causing trouble lately? No big deal... If they dare cross the line, I'll make sure to cut their heads off, haha."

"As long as you're aware. It's not just the 'Steam Party' causing issues, aberrant incidents in the city have also been on the rise. You'd better stay vigilant. If you need help, just let me know. For today's recruitment, pick a few that catch your eye..."

"Thanks, big boss Smoker. Heh, I just hope to snag a few good fighters today..."

"..."

The man speaking was a middle-aged man with an ominous glint in his eyes, lazily lying in his chair and smoking a cigar.

Beside him stood a young man whose hands and feet resembled "blades," faintly shimmering with a metallic gleam.

Su Lun looked up at the two men without much hesitation, stepped into the rickety chain-link elevator, and ascended the city wall.

....

"New here? Want to join our 'Cross'?"

"Yeah."

"What's your name?"

"Su Lun."

"What talent did you awaken?"

"'D-016-Hawkeye.'

"Oh? So your shooting must be pretty good, huh?"

"Not bad."

"Alright, follow me. You can call me Captain Kai."

"Okay."

The process of joining the gang was so simple it was hard to believe.

After a few straightforward questions, Su Lun officially became a member of the "Steel Cross Society."

Just as the intelligence before the interrogation suggested, the gang didn't care about your past. After all, the majority of those who join the gang don't have a clean history.

As long as you work for the gang, no one cares about your past.

And in return for your service, the gang would provide you with protection.

No one searched him, no one asked too many questions, no one pried...

Su Lun let out a sigh of relief, his storage ring was safe. The preparations he had made beforehand to prevent any accidents were not needed after all, which was a good start.

....

Captain Kai seemed to be only a few years older than Su Lun, but he appeared to have already mixed in with the gang for many years.

To live for many years in a gang, one needs to have certain abilities.

This Kai was a formal "professional," an agile assassin who had merged with a highly offensive alchemical prosthesis — the "Blade."

Su Lun silently observed everything, his eyes sparkling with anticipation and curiosity for this strange new world.

After waiting for nearly half a day, the day's recruitment finally neared its end.

Apart from Su Lun, Captain Kai had selected three other people.

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One awakened with the ability of "D-082-Super Strength," another with "D-071-Stone Skin," and another with "D-031-Enhanced Smell," all of which were talents that could enhance combat capabilities to some extent.

"Let's go, boss Smoke-addict. I'll take the new guys for a patrol to show their faces..."

"Mhm."

Kai led Su Lun and the others away from the middle-aged man who hadn't stopped smoking, and they descended from the city wall.

Su Lun was silent throughout the journey, quietly following behind, nearly invisible.

This young man named Kai was quite talkative and seemed very pleased with the new recruits.

As they walked, he handed them each a stack or two of banknotes and explained, "In the gang, welfare is twenty thousand riyals a month, with extra money for missions depending on the situation. Since we're a newly formed squad, there's no need to go out hunting in the wilderness for the next three months, so you guys can enjoy yourselves..."

The new recruits easily received their first substantial "salary."

Twenty thousand riyals, which was already equivalent to more than half a year's salary for an ordinary factory worker in the city.

Su Lun was slightly surprised; he was unaware of this detail. But seeing the faint excitement on the faces of the three beside him, they didn't seem to find it strange.

Paying the salary before the work, in his previous life, that would have also been considered excellent treatment.

Is this still a gang?

Su Lun thought it through and understood.

In a gang, no member could be sure they would live to see the next month.

Getting paid first meant enjoying life first.

If anything happened, at least they wouldn't die in vain.

Moreover, after joining the gang, there wasn't any confinement or control, and freedom wasn't restricted at all.

Su Lun could even take the money and run away right then...

But nobody would do that.

Being wanted by the authorities and still being able to join a gang offered a way to live. If you're hunted by one of the three major gangs, there would be no place for you in Old Lington.

Only death awaited.

So, for most people, once they joined a gang, they could only follow that path to the end.

But for Su Lun, a high mortality rate?

Tsk tsk, it didn't matter...

Compared to facing death, it was a mundane world that would seem more boring to him.

His awakened "Reaper" talent was destined to deal with death if he wanted to become stronger.

Avoid risks to be a common person?

No, coming to such a fascinating and wonderful world and still being timid would truly be boring.

Su Lun looked at his slightly trembling pulse; he knew "he" also liked this world a lot.

...

Su Lun and the new recruits followed Captain Kai down from the city wall and into the city.

The city was filled with densely packed shanty towns, resembling a "post-war Syrian style" from a distance.

Like gigantic walls, the steel-reinforced concrete buildings in the city were relics of antiquity. The great war from a thousand years ago seemed to have breached the city, leaving dilapidated buildings everywhere.

Above these ruins rose towering steam chimneys and steel container shanty towns; these were the "new buildings."

As for the inner city, it was separated by another high wall at the end of their vision, bright with lights. They could vaguely make out a "black tower" of unknown height at the center of the inner city.

The city was vast, and they rode an open-top steam motorcycle, speeding into the city.

Aboard the bike, Su Lun was quietly observing everything in the city.

As a transmigrator, he didn't dare to speak recklessly, afraid to reveal his complete unfamiliarity with the city.

But probably because Su Lun said he had awakened the "Hawkeye" talent, which was one of the most practical combat abilities among D-rank talents, Captain Kai seemed to think highly of him and even took special care to say, "With your talent, you're quite suitable for the gunman career path. I'll help you look out for related 'induction materials.' Meditate more when you have time, and once your dark spiritual power is full, transfer careers. Let's aim to have two 'professionals' in our squad..."

Su Lun replied, "Mhm."

Kai didn't say much else, and with a big wave of his hand, said, "Let's go, I'll take everyone for a tour around our patrol area. Say no more, there definitely won't be a shortage of beautiful women!"

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This remark brought knowing smiles to the faces of all the men in the car.

....

Green Street lay at the junction of Wellington District in East City and Kunsen District in South City, home to one of the three most famous "entertainment districts" in all of Old Lington.

Since the pickings were rich here, it was a place where frequent conflicts and disputes arose between the "Cross Society" and the "Steam Party".

This entertainment venue also teemed with all manner of gamblers, Scavengers, and desperadoes...

The order here was chaotic, with gunfights and brawls as commonplace as a family dinner, and nearly every day a hapless soul would end up dead in the street.

Su Lun and his group stopped at a spot that looked like an old steel factory.

Get out.

Leather boots stepped onto the ground, slick with filthy water.

Su Lun also looked around this dark side of the city with slight curiosity.

Although this world lacked electricity, it was not short on various glowing alchemical products. Not far away there was a dazzle of red lights and green wines, various neons emitting ambiguous hues brightening the streets.

This was a gang's gathering point, with a crowd of people already waiting by the street. Leather jackets, studded pants, hair of various colors, and firearms that were handled as casually as lighters.

Su Lun felt that his bald punk look instantly blended in with these people.

"Hey, Captain Kai, you're back."

"Yo, these new guys seem pretty good."

"Haha, Captain, why didn't you pick a female member to bring back..."

"..."

Kai greeted those people and then introduced Su Lun briefly, "This is Su Lun, Kig, Sapa, Andrew... From now on, we're all brothers."

Gang members didn't stand on ceremony; a fist bump was enough to acknowledge each other.

To be put straight to work on the first day of joining was just how efficient the gang was.

Captain Kai led Su Lun, the four newcomers, and a few veterans — a group of over ten in total — to begin patrolling the streets.

It was no different from the gangs of his previous life, making a round at the establishments under their control to show their faces.

"Our task from now on is just to take a stroll around three blocks near Green Street every evening. Do something if there's work, or go wherever you want if there's none..."

Captain Kai explained the "job description" to Su Lun and the new guys.

Then, he handed out a little alchemical gadget with walkie-talkie functionality and added, "Keep this 'communicator' on you at all times. I'll call everyone together if there's an emergency. Make sure you arrive at once, as the gang rules are ruthless."

After a pause, he turned to a burly man with a shotgun and said, "Sam, explain the gang rules to the newcomers. We don't want them causing trouble because they're ignorant."

Sam smiled and said, "Sure thing."

Su Lun understood that the job was simple; patrolling the streets just like they were now.

Gather at seven in the evening, with about half an hour of "work time" each day. Then, the rest of the time was up to them. Whether it was gambling or hanging out at bars, as long as they stayed within this stretch of street.

It seemed quite relaxed.

....

"Hey, Boss Clive, business is booming, huh..."

"Boss Milton, I heard you've got some good merchandise recently. Be sure to keep a few pretty ones for me and the brothers tonight."

"..."

The "Cross Society" controlled nearly all of the entertainment venues on Green Street.

Kai and his crew were well-acquainted with this street; the madams and the girls from the nightclubs greeted them enthusiastically.

Su Lun was surprised too; this seemingly decadent industrial city had such a bustling side. The liveliness of these salons was on par with the mega-bars of his previous world, with crowds ceaselessly streaming in and out.

Groups of heavily made-up women stood at the curb soliciting customers, wearing revealing clothes, long white legs, and proud bosoms leaving little to the imagination.

The street was permeated with a strong scent of lust.

Su Lun hadn't expected the clothing style of Old Lington to be so diverse, every kind of outfit that could stimulate a man's hormones, all visible here.

The ladies were bold and sexy, generously flaunting their delicate figures and not minding the wandering hands of the men at all. Instead, they would tease with a cooing laughter.

"Hey, Elena, you seem to have gained weight. No no no, I'm not complaining, I mean your touch feels even better~"

"Oh, Lisa, where have you been lately? Off fooling around with some man~"

"mua~ Captain Kai, are you coming to play tonight?"

"..."

It seemed that Captain Kai and a bunch of old-timers were well-acquainted with these haunts, joking and bantering their way through.

Not only were they local snakes, but they were also regulars here.

The rules of survival in Old Lington were brutal: civilians who couldn't take on fighting jobs were cheap. Here, a few hundred Lison could buy you a night with a pretty girl.

Therefore, the monthly salary of twenty thousand Lison from the gang could even keep a man forever in the company of women.

Su Lun and a few rookies mixed in to get familiarized.

....

Green Street was made up of three main streets.

Each corner here brimmed with violence, sex, and illegal trades...

After patrolling a purely pleasure-seeking street, they reached the tavern street. Various neon signs cast a picture of a world lost in inebriation...

The taverns on this street had a strong industrial vibe, with steel elements in every corner.

Su Lun was finding the street patrol a bit dull, but little did he expect to run into trouble.

As they passed a place called "The Elephant Tavern," a middle-aged man with a tea-colored big beard called out to Captain Kai.

"Hey, Captain Kai, you've come at the right time. There's been some trouble in my bar, I need you to take a look."

The tavern owner, with a worried frown, led them to the back alley and pointed to a half-eaten, bloody corpse on the ground, saying, "It must have been last night. Some unlucky drunk fell asleep back here. As you can see now, his body has been bitten in half by something..."

This was the tavern's back alley, filled with empty bottles. Unliked the facade's brightness, the place was filthy, dark, and stank...

Su Lun's sharp eyesight allowed him to clearly see the half-eaten body. The body had saw-like bite marks and looked as though it was gnawed on by some fairly large creature.

And at the street corner, there were several dark sewer entrances, from which a murky stench wafted.

The owner seemed to be no stranger to such sights, muttering, "Captain Kai, there seems to be some kind of monster in the sewers... There have been frequent reports of vagrants going missing lately. Seems like some man-eating creature is snatching them away, making everyone scared... I'm worried that if this continues, it will affect the business of our tavern."

"Oh, I understand the situation."

Having taken a look, Captain Kai kicked the corpse into a nearby trash can without much thought.

The body would probably be cleaned up by rats soon enough, and no one would care who the deceased was.

Scuffing his boot on the ground, Captain Kai added, "Don't worry, Chuckman, I'll have someone investigate it thoroughly."

With that, he didn't linger and led Su Lun and his group away from "The Elephant Tavern."

When they left the tavern and walked on the main street, a rookie asked, "Captain, are we going to come back and investigate later?"

This was also Su Lun's doubt since he thought this fell within their job scope.

However, to his surprise, Captain Kai chuckled dismissively and responded, "Heh, investigate? The sewers of Old Lington are a thousand-year-old antique. The structure underground is ten times more complicated than the surface roads, and no one can make heads or tails of it. It's a haven for all sorts of freakish monsters, who the hell wants to go to that stinking place..."

Pausing, he looked at the rookies and continued, "As long as those creatures don't come up to the surface, we don't have to bother. Instead of wasting time investigating, we might as well go and enjoy ourselves..."

"Got it, captain."

Clearly, this was to everyone's liking; nobody wanted to take the risk.

....

Pleasure quarters, taverns, and then the gambling houses.

The group wandered past all the venues on Green Street, marking their territory like dogs, showing their faces.

Before long, they patrolled the underground boxing gambling houses.

And when Su Lun saw a wisp of "gray mist" rising from the corpse of a gladiator who had been beaten to death in the ring, his eyes lit up.

Finally, things were getting interesting...

He knew he'd probably have something to do for quite a long time to come.