The original plan for these guys was to drive off with the van directly, but John obviously wouldn’t agree, because the trunk was still stuffed with spoils.
"Buddy, you want to carry it by hand?"
The henchn of the tie clip were speechless.
"Hey, John, you do big business with the boss, so why do you always ss up the transactions?"
"If you can trade sothing using muscle on the streets, then don’t use money... I’m a pragmatist, not so poser who can live off air."
John shrugged.
The henchn looked at each other, shrugged, and started making calls to the higher-ups, and then...
Beep, beep, beep.
The tie clip has strong connections.
The henchn ca prepared.
A Jingke Heavy Industry tow truck pulled up, with a crane arm lifting the fish tank into the transport compartnt.
This little darling still needs to be inspected and cleaned before being delivered to the client.
John silently watched all of this, pressing his cigarette butt onto the moss at the edge of the canal.
[Contact - Tie Clip [Call Request]]
[I can finally report to the client...]
"Just say it directly, do I have to keep working for you to get what I want?"
John predicted his usual sche.
The voice on the phone chuckled a few tis without denying it.
[Hehe, okay, I know you don’t care about my life... but be patient, John, have I ever treated you badly?]
"But you’re always scheming. Every ti I work with you, every step feels like watching my feet for traps... It’s too unsettling. If you’re dangling the list to keep hanging, then I’ll just cut the fishing line myself."
[Don’t rush to sever ties, tsk, I do things to mutually benefit each other. This client can get you what you want, which is why I went through so much trouble to reconnect the dropped business.]
"Then show so sincerity, otherwise I won’t work for you anymore."
John wasn’t so naive rookie out in society anymore, nor was he in dire straits like before; there are many places to take jobs now, no need to waste ti on a scheming middleman.
The tie clip was silent for a mont, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
John reminded him: "You said after the delivery you’d talk to about sothing."
[Hmm... Tiebang Logistics is investigating a case of equipnt theft, model B-24 six-rotor heavy drone, let see... the accident report indicates illegal interception and failure to initiate ergency procedures in ti, and the signal disappeared at Dan Street Apartnt...]
John listened quietly.
[The final courier recipient was nad John. Ah, even a kid watching porn chips for the first ti knows not to use their real na... What were you thinking?]
John didn’t answer him, but asked back:
"You didn’t even investigate, and the accident report landed right on your desk. How co when it’s about a company list, you drag your feet?"
The tie clip sighed, assuming John didn’t understand the stakes.
[The company equipnt managent protection law stipulates rights to use violent ans against malicious interception and damage of company assets. If I don’t help you, there will be hovercars with company soldiers kicking in your apartnt door...]
John chuckled silently.
He was from Tiebang Logistics himself, how could he be fooled? Also consider where all the company equipnt in Eden City’s black market cos from?
The transport team knows the property protection law backwards, they’ve stacked accident report forms to knee height from making extra cash illegally by stealing spare parts.
John knew the company wouldn’t settle quietly, and was familiar with the equipnt investigation processes.
This high-profile robbery was just to see the company’s reaction. If they followed regular procedures, using intimidation, warnings, fines, and coercion...
It indicates he hasn’t been under significant scrutiny from the company.
If the investigators seem off, even conducting very low-profile investigations, it hints at trouble; it also indirectly suggests issues with his last delivery mission.
If that’s the case, John would imdiately hide at Damascus Camp or Harbor Company.
Once the situation becos clear, he’ll start a reverse investigation following the clues.
John chuckled lightly:
"I still don’t want to thank you."
[Didn’t aim for credit, just providing clarity to avoid you thinking—when you and Kunbu were risking lives, I did nothing.]
"Did you handle Tiebang Logistics?"
[Later, two muscle-bound guys will knock on your door, just routine, don’t give them trouble, and no shooting. Equipnt theft and intentional murder are two different things...]
The sigh on the other end.
[The little darling’s commission will be wired to your account shortly, one thing at a ti, look on the bright side, working with isn’t all bad.]
John was noncommittal.
The call was disconnected.
[Task: Little Darling (Completed)]
[Reward: Fee]
John sat in the driver’s seat of the van, reaching to adjust the radio, only to find two bullet holes on the dashboard.
"F*ck,"
he cursed softly and started the engine.
The tie clip’s transfer was received—although this guy is cunning, the money for each task matches its difficulty.
The rickety van didn’t head to the West District, instead it turned towards Barrel Street.
It was still early, plus the route was pretty smooth, just right to go to Black Engine Restaurant for a al.
[Food: Synthetic at Sauce Spaghetti]
Genius placed a big plate in front of John and then thumped a glass of draft beer beside it, pointing at the parking lot outside the restaurant:
"Tut-tut, have you fallen on hard tis? Driving a Calorn now? I thought you were thriving in the West District."
"Hope for the best."
John gobbled down his food. Honestly, he was tired of Dan Street’s takeouts, nothing beats Genius’s cooking.
He definitely installed a cooking chip up his arm.
"You better carve out a na for yourself."
Genius rolled up his sleeves, his tal prosthetic was an old model but well-kept, just like the Black Engine Restaurant. "The dormitory already has girls, even if you co groveling back to wash dishes, there’s no room for you."
"Huh?"
John sipped his beer, finally noticing the new faces in the shop.
It’s peak hour now, besides the bartender at the counter, there are two European girls shuttling between tables, serving dishes and pouring drinks.
"Thriving, huh, burp, call if there’s anything."
"Yo, talking big, are you?"
With arms crossed, Genius pursed his lips and sneered at him. "Eden City is a deep water, don’t think that after a full al, snatching a few things, hearing so sweet words, you can beco soone. That attitude leads to a quick death."
"Damn, you truly wish well, don’t you... alright?"
John shrugged helplessly, skillfully paid and left.
He waited until dusk, drove the rickety van to the underpass, parked on the closest spot beside the river path to the cabinet.
Several barrels quietly burned in the night.
The vagrants and criminals cast occasional glances at him.
John took a fully loaded magazine and fitted it into the well-equipped alligator pistol, the unusual agitation around subsided quite a bit, even the natives’ gazes softened.
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