Chapter 1 The Fulfilling Days

The following days became fulfilling for Suren.

After successfully integrating the Eight-Armed Spider Spear bio-implant, he needed a lot of time to practice multi-tasking to control the puppets, as well as climbing, moving, and combat...

Moreover, in order not to waste the two super-strength body training potions he had bought at great expense, he also needed to spend several hours a day on physical training.

Fortunately, the gang's work schedule was very relaxed. Apart from the street patrol at 7:00 every evening, he could arrange his time freely if there were no emergencies.

Recently, Suren had also found that harvesting ordinary corpses gave him less and less experience, so he simply didn't waste time in the casino in the first half of the night. Only when there were professional deathmatches in the second half of the night would he watch the final few matches.

In this way, time passed quickly, and more than a month flew by in a stable and fulfilling manner.

........

On this day, Suren was tinkering with mechanical modifications in the basement.

This dilapidated basement was very different from when he first moved in a month ago. During this time, Suren had moved a large number of mechanical equipment and parts in, one after another, like an ant moving house. There was even a small steam engine lathe.

The surrounding walls were covered with various mechanical tools, which he bought from various shops, as well as good goods from the inner city that he had found in the black market.

He had transformed this place into his own mechanical workshop.

At this moment, Suren was wearing oil-stained overalls, goggles, and two externally attached "PT3 single-cylinder steam-powered arms" on his hands, tinkering with something.

The steam boiler provided the mechanical arms with super-strong power, allowing him to bend the steel material in his hands into the shape he wanted without a machine tool.

He was making ammunition belts and ammunition boxes for his gun, [Azure Fiend].

This famous gun had an extremely high rate of fire. If it was only used as a pistol, its firepower advantage could not be fully utilized.

But if it was fired continuously, even with an extended magazine, it would run out in a few seconds.

Therefore, he thought of the ammunition belt and external high-capacity ammunition box used in heavy machine guns. When he really needed to suppress firepower, he could hang the ammunition box on his body and connect it with the ammunition belt, and the pistol could immediately become a heavy machine gun that went "rat-tat-tat."

While his hands were busy, the eight spider arms behind him were not idle either.

Because he had mechanical arms for work, it was not convenient to take other things. When he was thirsty, one of the spider arms would bring a glass of tea from the table a few meters away and feed him a sip of water.

The eight spider arms saved him a lot of time and completed some simple but time-consuming tasks.

For example, pressing bullets into the ammunition chain.

Without needing too precise control, several spider arms cooperated with each other, easily pouring the bullets in the box onto the special bullet press, and then pressing the handle. With the rhythmic metallic crisp sound of "ka", "ka", "ka", the bullets were neatly loaded onto the ammunition chain.

Before long, the last two ammunition boxes he had found on the black market were modified, and Suren breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked at his work, seemed satisfied, and muttered, "Finally done. Ten ammunition boxes should be enough."

These ammunition boxes were not only suitable for Suren's [Azure Fiend], but also for another thing in this room: a mechanical power armor.

Suren took the ammunition box and walked to the mech that was hanging on the wall. He tried the slot and it fit perfectly.

This mech was just an experimental product that Suren had put together. It was very crude, but basically formed.

Suren named this metal lump "Iron Man Mark I."

There was nothing extra on it, not even an outer shell.

The mottled body frame was a rough product modified from the "Wasteland Hunter Generation 8 external mechanical skeleton"; the core was a "PT9 four-cylinder steam boiler" he had found in the used goods market, which could provide power for this metal lump; the arms were simply and brutally two six-barreled fire guns, connected to ammunition belts and bulletproof plates. And some hydraulic transmission devices, high-pressure air valves, etc. were all accessories removed from various used goods...

Although there was not much technical content, this thing was Suren's attempt.

He tried to control this kind of mech as a puppet with steel wires.

But because the technology was far from enough and the machinery was too bulky, he couldn't even solve the problem of falling easily when running.

Now the only use was as a semi-fixed turret. Suren remotely controlled it to fire and make some simple movements and aiming.

It could be regarded as a small step in his mechanical puppeteer idea.

.......

It was midnight now, and Suren originally had several hours to freely arrange in the workshop.

After finishing his mechanical manufacturing tasks for today, he thought about practicing the production of "Rune Golems."

But unexpectedly, at this time, the communicator suddenly transmitted Kai's urgent call: "Everyone, bring your weapons, gather at the Elephant Tavern quickly!"

Suren frowned when he heard this.

The communicator was a tool used by the members of the Cross Society to gather manpower in the event of very important emergencies. Usually, for some minor skirmishes, a few shouts would gather twenty or thirty people in Green Street, and there was no need for a communicator at all.

He had joined for so long, and it had only been used once when the Cross Society headquarters was attacked on the first day. Now he heard it again?

Listening to Kai's tone, it seemed that the matter was not small.

"Could it be that the Steam Party guys are here to cause trouble?"

Suren guessed. Green Street and the Steam Party's territory were connected, and conflicts often occurred. If there was a big commotion, it was probably those guys.

He didn't delay and changed out of his work clothes.

Because the combat equipment was always stored in the storage ring, there was nothing to pack. Suren left the basement, and then drove the motorcycle all the way, arriving at the Elephant Tavern in less than two minutes.

.......

When Suren arrived, two groups of people were already facing off on the street outside the tavern.

The street was empty of ordinary drinkers, and two gangs of two or three hundred people were confronting each other with long guns and short cannons right at the entrance of the tavern. The number of people was still increasing.

Suren glanced at it. The Cross Society's side was not only the dozens of people from Green Street, but also captains and gang members from other districts.

It seemed that they were going to have a big fight tonight.

The elimination rate of lower-level gang members was very high, and Suren was now considered an old man in Green Street.

Because his relationship with Kai was very close, although he had not been formally appointed, the gang members also regarded him as a "vice-captain." Especially the newcomers, when they saw his motorcycle coming, they waved and greeted him.

A newcomer who was fairly familiar came over and greeted Suren, "Vice-Captain, you're here..."

Suren didn't see Kai, and seeing the exaggerated scene tonight, he asked, "What happened?"

The man said in a low voice, "The Steam Party people suddenly gathered their manpower to Green Street. The executives are negotiating inside the tavern..."

"Negotiating?"

Suren frowned when he heard this.

He looked at the arrogant motorcycle gang members of the Steam Party not far away and realized that something was abnormal.

Such a large-scale invasion would have led to a direct war in the past.

But they were sitting down to negotiate?

But looking at the scene in front of him, he knew that he couldn't fight for the time being.

Since there were executives negotiating, at least before there was any movement in the tavern, no matter how much the people outside clamored and provoked, they couldn't do anything.

......

Suren roughly understood the reason for the gathering, and didn't plan to mingle with the crowd. He walked to the curb in the corner and squatted near the alley.

In case a fight really broke out, the places where people were clustered were definitely the key targets for grenades.

After squatting for a while, he saw Kai walking out of the tavern.

Kai also saw Suren and signaled him to go to a remote corner, probably because he had something to say.

The two met at the corner of the side wall of the tavern.

Suren had never seen such an ugly expression on Kai's face before, so he asked, "What happened?"

Kai motioned him to look inside the tavern.

Suren glanced through the window. There were no more drinkers in the tavern, only a group of strong men in black leather clothes with guns.

Two executives from the Cross Society had come, "Red Devil" Goron and "Smoker" Sambu.

Suren also recognized the scarred face man from the Steam Party across the negotiating table. He was the second-tier executive, "Mad Dog" Hogg Weisner, whose talent was the beastification type [C-003-Werewolf]. He was very powerful and a veteran powerhouse of the Steam Party.

At this time, Kai said, "There's a big situation in the inner city. We may be in trouble..."

Suren's expression didn't change much when he heard this.

If there was a situation, there was a situation. Anyway, the affairs of the inner city would not affect the eating and sleeping of their lower-level gang members...

Kai was concise and to the point, and said, "I just got the news that the top consortium in the inner city, the 'Reis Family,' has split into seven. The industries in this area of Green Street now fall into the hands of the third branch. Today, the young master of the third branch, Martin Reis, is also here. He's upstairs."

"Reis Family?"

When Suren heard this, he felt that good things seemed to have something to do with him again.

Wasn't this Reina the rich woman's family?

Their Cross Society's financial backer, Madam Fino, also had very close ties with the Reis family...

What exactly happened in just one month?

Could it be that Reina didn't stabilize the situation when she went back, and her uncles and cousins split up the family?

Kai continued, "I don't know the specific situation. But I heard that the Black Tower executives put pressure on them, and the major families in the inner city didn't want to see the Reis family dominate, so the Reis family head was forced to agree to split the consortium."

"..."

Hearing this familiar routine, Suren immediately understood.

The "Reis Consortium" almost monopolized the residents' water and mining industries in Old London, a proper oligarchy.

But the ending of the "oligarchy" was usually doomed.

Either they could have power and influence to control the government.

If they couldn't control the government, the final result would be to be beaten.

This was nothing new in his previous life, just like the Russian seven oligarchs. How glorious they were at their peak, but in the end, they were beaten until they had no temper...

Old London was a private lord system. In theory, everything in the city was the private property of the lord "Archduke Raphael." As long as the Black Tower, the highest power institution above the inner city, existed, no matter how big the "oligarchy" was, it had to lie down.

But...

What did the split of the Reis family have to do with their Green Street?

Suren looked at the Steam Party, who was the other party in the negotiation, and seemed to guess something.

At this time, Kai finally said his worries: "The entertainment industry in Green Street is mostly the property of the Reis family. Now that the Reis family has split, most of the taverns and casinos have fallen into the hands of the third branch. And those Steam Party guys don't know when they hooked up with that young master Martin. Now they mean that they want our Cross Society to withdraw from Green Street and be taken over by the Steam Party..."

Suren immediately understood when he heard this.

.......

Suren felt that this kind of negotiation would probably collapse.

Sure enough, after a few words, people suddenly started slamming the table and arguing in the tavern.

The sound was loud and reached the street.

"Mad Dog" Hogg's attitude was very tough, and he aggressively said, "Within three days, your Cross Society will withdraw from Green Street, otherwise..."

Gangs did rely on financial backers to eat, but not entirely.

To give up the territory that had been fought for by life was not something the Cross Society would do.

"Impossible!"

"Smoker" Sambu directly slammed the table and interrupted the conversation.

His face was gloomy, and his speech was not fast, but his words were like nails: "Green Street has always been our Cross Society's territory. Hogg, don't come here with these empty words. If you Steam Party want territory, then come and fight openly!"

The Cross Society's financial backer was Madam Fino. As long as she didn't speak, no one could do anything.

As soon as these words were spoken, it meant that the negotiation had completely broken down.

As soon as the words "come and fight" fell, it irritated the nerves of both sides. Everyone in the tavern raised their guns and aimed at each other at the same time.

Suren and Kai's reaction was not slow either. They drew their guns and aimed at the Steam Party members in the room at the first time.

This gun raising was like a chain reaction. The gang members outside also became nervous instantly, and they heard the sound of "click" "click" of bullets being loaded.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, like a powder keg that had been lit, and any slight disturbance would immediately lead to a fierce conflict.

For a time, the huge Elephant Tavern was silent.

No one dared to fire the first shot.

If they really fought now, it would definitely be the fuse for a full-scale war between the two gangs!

.......

Gang negotiations were just a matter of showing momentum, and table slamming often happened, but the possibility of fighting at the negotiating table was low.

Originally, in this situation, a third party would come out to mediate, let both sides calm down, and sit down to negotiate again...

But unexpectedly, something unexpected happened.

At this time, a wine bottle suddenly fell from the sky and smashed on the negotiating table.

It smashed into pieces with a "crash," and the wine stains splashed all over everyone.

Everyone was stunned. This move was a complete provocation and didn't take the two major gangs seriously at all.

Everyone looked at the second floor of the tavern, but after seeing who was coming, they swallowed their anger one by one.

A young man in a silver suit leaned on the railing, looked down at everyone, and said with contempt, "Humph! A bunch of ungrateful guys, you were given a little bit of sweetness, and you really think you're something?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the Cross Society members became very ugly.

These words were naturally directed at them.

Suren didn't recognize the young man, but seeing his suit made of luxurious fabric, he guessed that he must be a big shot from the inner city.

Obviously, this was the protagonist of today, the young master of the Reis family's third branch, Martin Reis.

ps. Asking for votes on Monday~