Nick scratched his chin for a bit.
The rat looked with interest at Nick.
"Not interested," Nick said after a bit.
"Oh, co on," the rat shouted, but it still didn't dare to leave its little hole. "It's just five bodies! You don't even need to kill them yourself!"
"No, killing is forbidden," Nick answered.
"So?" the rat asked. "Who cares?"
"I do," Nick said. "I am a real Zephyx Extractor now. I can't do such shady stuff."
The rat blinked very slowly.
"What?" it asked in a disbelieving and deadpan voice. "Extractors kill the most people. They can basically kill whoever they want. They just need to pay a fine for it."
Nick scratched the back of his head. "I an, I get it, but I don't like it."
"It feels dirty."
The rat looked like it couldn't believe what Nick was saying.
"What are you talking about? I literally saw you kill that guy from the Insurance Gang and dump his body in the ruins!" the rat shouted.
"Ruins?" Nick asked.
"The sewers! The stuff below the grates you're walking on!" the rat shouted with annoyance.
"Oh, that," Nick said. "Yeah, I killed him, but that was because he was trying to collect information on . It was self-defense."
"Self-defense? The guy was just looking at your house! You punched his face in before he could even do anything!"
"Yeah, like I said, self-defense!" Nick answered with annoyance. "He went against , and I answered in kind."
The rat scratched on the grate below it with annoyance. "Okay, fine! It was self-defense! Then, go out and make so enemies and self-defend yourself into five corpses!"
"No," Nick answered.
Silence.
"Why?" the rat asked.
"I don't want to kill people that haven't done anything to ."
"I have morals, you know!" Nick shouted with a serious tone.
"Morals," the rat repeated with annoyance.
"Yes, morals," Nick answered.
"Okay," the rat said. "Then go purchase five corpses or sothing. Your employer looks like he has money."
"Can't," Nick answered. "We are not allowed to keep the corpses."
"Also, I heard that the entire city is basically looking for you, and if anyone found out that I purchased so corpses to hand them to you, the city would probably kill ."
The rat took a deep breath.
"Okay, okay," it said. "Anyway, my offer still stands. If you are ever interested in so information, just give so corpses. I don't care where they co from. As long as they are human and have not been killed by Nurse Alice, I am fine with any."
"Anyway, good luck finding a Specter without ," the rat said with a snort before it vanished back into its hole.
When Nick heard that, he furrowed his brows again and scratched the back of his head.
He really didn't like his current situation.
Just now, the Parasite had given him a chance to find a Specter, but he had declined.
In the end, Nick could only sigh and accept his circumstances.
Of course, as soone who had lived in the Dregs for his entire life, Nick was a very practical person.
Naturally, he had considered the Parasite's offer seriously.
However, no matter how he reasoned with himself, Nick just couldn't accept helping the Parasite.
The Parasite was a Specter that killed a great number of humans.
Essentially, it was preying on the weak.
Over the years, Nick had looked at the huge pyramid that symbolized the Inner City countless tis, and whenever he saw the difference between it and the Dregs, he felt very similar.
Just based on how the tax system worked, Nick could tell that the rich Zephyx Manufacturers in the Inner City were preying on the weak and poor people of the Dregs.
This created a certain hatred for people who preyed on weaker ones.
If everyone could just give a little of their belongings, there wouldn't be so many dying people in the Dregs.
Naturally, Nick knew that this was a very na?ve ideology. Sothing like this would never happen.
Yet, even if the ideology was na?ve, it was still what Nick wished for.
Nick couldn't change the world, but he could live his own life after his own standards, at least.
And Nick wouldn't take advantage of the weak people.
Taking advantage of the ones in power, like the Gangs, sure, but not of the weak ones.
Would it be easier to just accept how the world was and go with the flow?
Of course.
'But I don't need things to be easy,' Nick thought. 'I'm strong enough to have morals.'
Nevertheless, Nick threw one last glance at the hole where the rat had just been.
He felt a bit of regret.
Soone with Nick's knowledge and strength could probably find five corpses without being found.
But in the end, Nick just couldn't do it.
So, Nick just continued walking through the alleyways.
Eventually, the tal below Nick's feet beca so unstable that he had to stop.
By now, Nick was pretty close to the huge wall around the city.
Rows upon rows of silver caras lined the top of the walls, and they were looking in and out of the city.
Naturally, several caras were also pointing at Nick at the mont.
However, that wasn't anything unusual.
After a bit, Nick just turned around and left this part of the Dregs again.
Nick looked for a different abandoned part and continued his search there.
Hours passed.
Still nothing.
Nick returned ho, ate sothing, and went to bed.
The next day, he continued searching.
Nothing.
The next day, he went and talked to different people all day.
Nobody had anything of value to say.
Nick also t an Investigator that day, who only laughed at Nick.
The Investigators had already found out that Nick was searching for Specters, and apparently, Nick had beco a joke within their ranks.
They found it quite hilarious that so unknown guy from the Dregs was searching for Specters while he was up against several huge companies with hundreds of employees.
Nick didn't talk to the Investigator.
Another day passed.
Another day passed.
Another day passed.
Nothing.
Nick found absolutely nothing.
Yet, Nick didn't give up.
He still continued searching.
There had to be sothing, sowhere!
If Nick didn't find sothing, his future would beco grey and empty again!
Nick wanted to make sothing of his life, and for that to happen, he needed to find sothing.
He wouldn't give up!
No matter how long it took!
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