Alexandria, who was holding her hand up above, had suddenly been punctured right in the middle of her body with a giant chain lodged at her heart.
Her face was perplexed at the same time, seething.
Impressively, she was still standing and able to keep talking, but soon that, too, was taken away.
—Splurt!
As Ardith, who wielded the chain, then proceeded to yank it out, blood came gushing out from Alexandria's exposed innards.
Alexandria's corpse proceeded to plunge onto the ground while The Middle stood silently.
There wasn't any pity or malice, just a single disposal of a commodity they had expected to be filtered out a long time ago.
“You… What are you guys—”
“The offer which she gave, it is still up for your keeping, Lafitte.”
Ardith coldly stated.
“Huh?”
“Seek out the ruins outside the city, if you reject it. We'll make sure to wipe your face off these streets.”
“...”
Faced with an absurd choice, Lafitte was given a dilemma he practically hated.
Just minutes ago, he was fighting for his life on the line…
And now, he was forced to surrender, beckoning for his fleet to lower their feet for somebody.
Something his pride wouldn't let him succumb to, but…
Without a moment to ponder, he inevitably made his decision.
“Fine, we'll accept.”
“Good, any questions?”
Ardith spoke with a face devoid of emotion.
“Then… Why kill Alexandria? Wouldn't it have benefited you to dispose of us rather than her?”
“Does a dog that munches on the hand that feeds them deserve to live?”
“...I see.”
Like worker bees who deem their queen as unsuitable, they will then turn on them.
Lafitte knows the ins and outs of the syndicates. He knew how lawless and unguided some of them were.
But, even then.
The same logic that applies to every person in the city is still apparent to these criminals.
That no being in The City can function as an individual for long.
One day, the very impression you segmented to other people will one day come back to bite you.
That's why syndicates and associations exist.
To prevent an individual from being killed by a group.
They too must join a group or a team.
Or… in some cases, just to fill the gap of their helplessness and lean towards something even ‘bigger’.
Ardith then gave a light-hearted smile.
“Besides, an entire crew composed of hard-fledged syndicates is better than one uncontrollable mutt. Wouldn't it?”
Lafitte was uncomfortable with her manner of talking, but having nothing else to say for the current predicament, he meekly replied.
“Sure, let's go with that. So how did you deter the patrol boats of the U Corp?”
“Ah, about that. Don't worry too much, we have done our best to dispose of them. Any more inquiries?”
Lafitte closed his mouth before a thought came to him.
“...So, how will you accommodate us?”
“Don't worry about the various necessities and fees for transportation. A sponsor has come to give you anything that is necessary for the mission. All you have to do is sign this.”
“...How long did y'all plan this?”
“Just now. Most of the work was done by this one… though I'd hate to say it, she really gave us an easy ticket.”
She kicked off Alexandria's corpse as if dispelling her residual hatred.
After that, Ardith then gave a parchment, a letter of approval with terms and conditions to be found.
Lafitte took a peek at it before his eyebrows formed a knot.
To which Ardith gave a response.
“So, are you willing to die now… or would you die later on?”
…
—Whoosh
—Whish
Cold wind flows everywhere as the climate in the northern regions of the city is barren and wasted.
The buildings outside were clearly detached from any known civilization, as each shelter had centuries' worth of information embedded within it.
However, no one dared to approach it.
Because the place that they were in was known by many as, “The Outskirts.”
Two months after the contract was accepted by Lafitte.
He and his fellows soon arrived at the north side of The City's Outskirts.
They were accompanied by Ardith and several members of The Middle, but soon left halfway as they emerged at their destination.
They left some supplies compacted into small dimensional pouches before they parted, but due to the absurd amount, Lafitte was skeptical.
As they confronted the world outside their norm.
Most of the Campeche had two notable faces, one with fear and surprise. The other with a calm and endearing expression.
They were tasked here, sentenced to death.
Yet, Lafitte, who was upfront, came forward and smiled at his crew.
“Well, don't y'all wish for an adventure sometimes? Take this experience for those dreams of yours to blossom through!”
He tried to keep morale up high as the captain of his crew.
“But… Mr. Lafitte, I've heard that… people on the outskirts are quite abominable.”
“I’ve also heard rumours about ‘sweepers’ also roaming around here freely."
“I’m fairly certain that dregs of abandoned corporations may nest in here. Encountering those wielding fallen singularities may create an unfavorable situation.”
Unfortunately, the fear and terror about the outskirts were clearly embedded in most of them.
—Thump!
But then, the sound of a spear hitting the concrete on the ground resonated with everyone.
“You guys!? How dare all of you be scared because of rumours? D–Don't you think you are overreacting? Haven't you guys hunted ‘mermaids’ for y–years yet… afraid of such delusions?”
Trey shouted as she fidgetily held her spear.
Despite her strong words, her actions were contradictory, which made the rest even more terrified.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
—Growl…
Then, from a distance, the sound of a horde echoes.
Lafitte and the others heard the commotion and armed themselves with their weapons.
As the noises began creeping in, step by step, closer.
It would take only a while for the intruders to show up.
—Awooooahh!
From the alleyways of the building, dozens of canine-like entities emerged.
“What are those?”
“Wolves? No, dogs?”
“Whatever it is, be prepared.”
Then one of the creatures jumped right at one of the crew as they bared their teeth.
As the two forces clashed, Lafitte quickly zipped on the battlefield and lacerated the entities in one fell swoop.
His rapier, stained in a bizarre blue blood, noticed something strange.
“Acid?”
His shimmering blade lost its luster instead. Corrosion of an unimaginable degree transpired.
“Shit, they melt steel? Everyone! Avoid clashing—”
However, as he shouted. Some of his crew have already fallen through the fangs of the canines.
“Damn it, everyone, retreat!”
Screaming on top of his lungs, Lafitte and the others fled from the creatures as the entities stopped by their tracks and feasted on the remains of those who had died.
Before they left, Lafitte took one last look at the creatures.
Then he saw it, those malicious eyes that have the scent of ‘Sentience’ embedded.
The creatures smiled simultaneously as they consumed each part of the corpses lavishly.
A horrid, malevolent grin that popped a vein out of Lafitte.
A despicable act, which he wanted to punish, but had no choice but to follow through with their mission.
As they bolted out of the combat, Lafitte began thinking about something.
If there was a mistake he had made, it was underestimating the outskirts.
He observed it on his own, and as he expected.
It wasn’t the abandoned, barren wasteland the occupants of the city were told.
Instead, he finally understood why the city informs its citizens of the dangers the outside holds.
It was a junkyard of amalgamation to which The City never wishes to touch.
To compare it to the backstreets of U Corp. The Whales were just a mere figment.
It was an unknown land whose only goal was to prune those who were vulnerable to its ecosystem.
Knowing that they were foreigners of this wasteland, Lafitte finally understood the reason why there was a large amount of resources was allocated to them.
The ‘Ruins’ that they track must have something worthy in exchange for the absurd request.
—Thud
—Thud
As they got out of the malicious abandoned city filled with hostiles in every perimeter.
Lafitte and his crew arrived on a sand-drenched field with a seemingly endless downfall of snow covering the atmosphere.
A strange phenomenon that allows two contrasting events to happen at once.
Nobody in their crew knew what it was, but at the very least, it gave them the leeway to take a short breather.
“Trey… How many of us are still alive?”
“...About fifty or so, I don't have any knowledge of the situation with the rest, as it seems like some got lost while running away from those ‘things’.”
Trey gnashed her teeth; she was pissed, not because of the death of her comrades. But by something far more precious than that.
“Those vile shitheads are worse than the mermaids… They ruined one of my ‘babies’, whom I just had one of the underground workshops properly cleaned off!”
She turned towards her spear, having changed from a newly refurbished trident-like weapon back to being a single-point spear.
Lafitte simply shot a tired look at her as he began making a roll call.
“For those who are still present, come to me with your name and state your role and injuries.”
And so, their first skirmish ended with a dreadful greeting from a world outside the Lake.
…
“51 individuals, 20 injured, based on our initial numbers. We had almost 84 when we left, but now… only a handful remains.”
Lafitte confronted the crew about the current situation as we withstood the harshness of the weather using a singularity that made a temporary shelter.
As I heard the conclusion of the report, it dawned on me.
‘This… is too much.’
As much as I wanted to say something. I highly doubt it would matter.
After all, a ‘demoted’ personnel such as I no longer has the prestige to open my own statement.
It's been two months since the last time we fought with the Middle.
Although we were beaten to a pulp, it was fortunate that we were still alive after the encounter.
Several of us were captured and detained. While some converted to the Middle and others… Well, executed.
For us, the remaining who stood by Lafitte. We were all sentenced to do a grand expedition towards the Outskirts.
A once-famed syndicate that plagued the Great Lakes was reduced to nothing more than another lackey of the five fingers.
Well, ain't that just great?
In the meantime, something peculiar happened on my side.
As I was scolded for creating chaos during the fight, I was demoted by Lafitte from being his left-hand man to a mere lackey of the crew once more.
I grew resentment out of that decision, which made me try to hit him out of spite.
At first, I pondered what excuse I should make.
‘All I did was make the best decision there is.’
‘It was for the betterment of everyone.’
‘I had no choice?’
Though I merely dusted those thoughts as I just lamented.
‘That's then, focus on the now.’
I disregarded my mistake and only waited for tomorrow if I ever made it.
Days later, after I spoke to Lafitte about it one-to-one, he finally revealed to me the reason.
‘Glass, did you think that punishment was hard enough?’
It wasn't me who questioned him, but he who asked me back.
‘What do you mean?’
‘When you shot the flare, knowing the repercussions of disobeying my order. Did you think I would be dumb not to realise what you've thought during that moment?’
‘I don't understand—’
‘You wanted the fight to end, weren't you? So that the fighting can no longer ensue.’
‘Yeah, of course I would. If it continued, I'd waste a lot of ammunition. Have you forgotten? This thing costs more Ahn to fire compared to fixing dozens of other workshop weaponry.’
‘Sure, sure. Give more of those petty excuses, and I'll slice your head clean.’
‘I haven't made an excuse though?’
‘Really~? Then, doing this should be none of your business.’
Then, as he aimed his blade at me, he quickly pointed it towards his right as my eyes followed.
‘-Hiek!?’
A familiar figure opened the door and was greeted by a nasty surprise.
—Swoosh!
—Splurt!
Instinctively, I blocked Lafitte's blade as my hand bled in agony.
‘Urgh…’
Bastard… how dare he strike suddenly?
‘Eek!? Mr. Glass, are you alright?’
Quickly, Hans came before me as he rushed to find a nearby bandage.
However, before he could even do that, something behind him gave him an uncomfortable feeling.
The wielder of the blade that almost pierced him, Lafitte, stood coldly as he uttered one command.
‘Get out.’
Hans felt sweat dripping down his face as he was forced to comply.
As he left through the door, Lafitte continued his lecture.
‘Now, why did you do that?’
‘...What do you mean?’
‘To act ignorant now would be a waste of time, Glass. Why did you protect that young man?’
I stood quietly; I wasn't trying to protect him.
But… My body moved faster before I could even think.
‘So, do you still not get it?’
‘...What do you want—No, what do you mean?’
‘That action right there, and when you shot that ‘flare’ back then. Do you see the similarities?’
‘No?’
‘Tch, and here I am thinking you're oblivious. In reality, you already knew it. You're just pretending, trying to reject your true ‘humane’ self.’
‘Are you trying to imply something?’
I felt my heart boiling as Lafitte holstered his rapier and told me something I wanted to forget.
‘You've once lived in a ‘nest’, didn't you? To hesitate during a turbulent battle. Tch, I wouldn't dare look into your past since you didn't bother poking into mine. Though in this journey, I want you to stop having those lukewarm thoughts.’
Even though I wanted to deny it.
There was a profound truth in the words that left Lafitte.
‘I wasn't aware of it since we were mostly taking care of ‘mermaids’ and just captured people on the get-go. But that time, you hesitated to shoot people and only focused on incapacitating them. Those actions are things people born of The Backstreets would never do.’
The Backstreets weren't just a zone where people kill and steal from one another.
It was also the place where inhumane acts were done as a way of survival.
Meanwhile, people living within the ‘Nest’ of a district live a life free from violence as they follow the law of their district.
But even then, their ‘desires’ weren't pure either.
In some parts of a nest, there are illegal dens where people watch the Backstreet citizens brawl out for money.
People would lavishly spend their savings, driven by their insatiable greed to fulfill their grueling reality.
And I was one of those who witnessed at first hand how disgusting those people are.
But I wasn't one of those watching for entertainment, nor was I a participant in that violent trend.
However, I was a victim of something even more horrifying.
I was,
A bird that hatched from it.
…
—Whoosh
The cold winds still circulated the environment. Yet a warmth emanating from the sky above was also present.
The Campeche, who were unfamiliar with the climate, were all struggling to traverse the ambiguous land.
However, thanks to their supplies and a compass that had a unique point of marking down locations. Most of them were able to keep their pace up as well as find their way to push forward.
“Hoo… Ho… This place is hot, yet sometimes cold. At this rate, we'll catch a disease if we don't hurry up.”
“Captain, I believe the compass is picking up a signal… That way.”
Trey pointed her finger at a faraway distance as silhouettes of buildings were visible.
“Are those… settlements?”
“How strange, I’ve heard the outskirts possess some civilization and all those sorts. But, how can we be sure that the people in it are humans?”
“...Well, we have no other choice. But since the compass leads us that way. Might as well take it as a good sign?”
Lafitte uttered with doubt, but no one was there to rebuke his questions as they headed through the distant town.
[Welcome to Inn's mouth]
When they arrived, they were greeted by a sign that gave a warm welcome.
Though for the Campeche, it was nothing short of a warning.
As they went through the borders of the gate, the seemingly endless hail stopped as they were greeted by an unnatural town, livid with human beings, and a port with a lot of ships.
The sidewalks and buildings were vintage and lively.
Establishments were only four to five rooms tall, which was uncommon in the urban sector of the city.
Grass, trees, and a semblance of nature that is incredibly rare to be seen in The City without artificial oddity were present.
To the eyes of the Campeche, what was happening in front of them was a foreign and strange phenomenon, similar to a Singularity yet lacking the logic behind it.
Convinced of its danger.
Immediately, all of them were quick to draw their weapons as the citizens turned towards them, and surprisingly, were composed.
“Hmm? A visitor hasn't had something like that for weeks. Are you from ‘The City’ or one of those beastfolks from the other side?”
Then, what greeted them was an elderly drunk. He had a look of haggardness and frailness; one can mistake him for a walking corpse.
However, he still functioned properly as he trudged his steps over to Lafitte.
“Judging from your outfit… Explorers? Merchants? Ah, sailors.”
“...How keen of you, old man, to know not just our language but also our occupation. What are you?”
“My name is Allen Zadok. People refer to me as the great elder of Inn's mouth. We soothe travellers who come by from the horrifying phenomenon outside our town.”
Lafitte took out his gun and pointed it at the elderly man.
The townsfolk quickly panicked as their composure from earlier disappeared, and they ran off to their homes.
“What makes you different from those ‘things’?”
“Mhm… Maybe because ‘we’ are human settlers? One far from the Bureaucratic nature of the City dwellers, such as you. If you think about it carefully, what is the difference between you and us?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“We eat, sleep, drink. We form our own sense of individuality. The only thing being different is that we are outside the control of your magistrate.”
“Ho? Are you trying to compare us with you, if you do so. I'm afraid you'll have a nasty misconception about who we really are. After all, we are just a bunch of ragtag criminals sentenced here.”
“Criminals? Hmm… I suppose those crude weapons of yours do tell a tale. Anyways, you're free to stay in our domain as long as you follow three rules.”
Then Allen directed them to a statue of a sailor with a scripture written under it.
- Do not go out at midnight during the time of 23:00 until 4:00 in the morning.
- If you ever see someone or something possessing inhumane characteristics, notify the elder of the town immediately
- After three days of staying, you are to leave the port by signing a contract. Failure to do so would lead to a permanent ban from the town.
- There is no Rule 3.
As they watched the rules carefully, Glass hastily took note as he began to ask.
“Wait— Why is there a fourth rule?”
However, as he spoke. The elderly man was nowhere to be found.
“What the hell?”
“Mr. Glass, is it me or did the town suddenly become quiet?”
Hans spoke behind him as he glanced around our surroundings.
Only to be greeted by an eerily silent town.
The blossoming city from earlier was nowhere to be found.
Instead, hundreds of gazes from the buildings surrounded them.
Each eye was wary and hesitant, as if the crew's presence were unwelcome.
Lafitte became mindful of the atmosphere as he called off his crew to follow him.
Then, some time later, they arrived at a bar.
Due to the sudden influx and the number of people in the crew, the owners of the inn politely asked Lafitte to find them another establishment.
Which prompted him to command his crew.
“Trey, you take 15 of us to another inn. Glass… Although you're in no position, I ask you to attend the young ‘rookies’ and 4 more personnel with you. Go find another inn. Make sure to document your encounters in the book handed to us.”
Allocating their numbers with their own designation, Lafitte told them one last thing as they prepared to go their different ways.
“Through any means necessary, go and extract all information regarding the ruins. We can talk to each other using the transponder given to us from the supplies. Remember, if anything happens to any of you. Your lives and burden are only yours to keep.”
With daunting advice, the crew separated as they started to find information regarding the unknown ‘Ruins’.