80. Ready (2)
murmur murmur.
When I entered the building, I saw a lot of people.
There seemed to be more than a hundred people, but they all seemed to be solvers.
As evidence of that, these gathered here were each armed with large and small weapons, and there were various types.
Some were simply armed with firearms, others armed with modified firearms, armor, swords and iron coats, and even modified humans like Murphy.
Compared to the gang in Zone X and the members of the Kimbell family, he’s definitely unique.
But even among them, there were some that stood out. chamberlain····.
“Yeah, you have eyes to see.”
A voice suddenly interrupted.
Oliver turned and looked to the side.
There he had a wide forehead and a slender chin. There stood a shabby man with a wart on his nose.
“Did you see that friend?”
The shabby man pointed to a sloppy man.
It was the man Oliver looked at, and his hands were made of stones.
It wasn’t a joke or a metaphor, it was literally a stone, and even each stone had magical powers flowing through it.
“Yes····. What’s that on your arm?”
“hahaha. See you for the first time? That’s a golem prosthetic arm.”
“A golem prosthetic?”
“Yes, golem prosthetic! It’s a new product made by the Golem Guild, but it’s currently threatening the will of the mainspring factory! ····Well, I talked too much without introducing myself. nice to meet you It’s called Shabby. Warlock.”
The self-proclaimed warlock who was shameless because he didn’t have good naughtiness, had a flattering smile characteristic of those who live on laughter.
It was almost as if he was doing it on purpose to make him look funny.
Oliver looked at the man for a moment and then greeted him politely.
“nice to see you. Shabby Mr. My name is Dave.”
“know. That’s why I spoke.”
“…? Do you know me?”
“of course! Aren’t you a dark horse just getting famous? A new hope for the semi-retired Forrest in District T.”
Half retired? new hope?
For Oliver, information from Forrest that he had read while on a net sailing flashed through his head.
I’m sure I’ve seen something similar before. What was it?
“…a new hope, what do you mean?”
The man who introduced himself as Chevy wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a helpless smile hahaha. It was pretty natural.
“Are you humble? Or are you thinking about my intelligence? Aren’t you one of the young dark horses that’s been active lately? And the dark horse is the great fortune of brokers…. Just like my friend.”
Chevy pointed to another man this time.
It was far away, but it stood out so clearly that it could still be seen.
He was over two meters tall, and uniquely dyed his hair green, as well as a tattoo on his face.
Chevy immediately explained whether he had read Oliver’s gaze.
“David of the Druid. The most conspicuous dark horse in Area H. They are called cults or heirs, but they claim to only follow the Druid’s new sect, the Joyment.”
“Enjoyment?”
“Oh, you don’t know? Is it a new sect that was created during the battle between the old and new druid sects? An open sect that seeks to use the power of druids to fulfill their desires. Of course, that’s why I’m treated like a pseudonym.”
Oliver didn’t know anything about the existence of a druid, so he could only nod his head.
Still, I was quite interested, and thanks to that, I was even more interested in the man in front of me.
“You know.”
The man smiled flatteringly again.
“hahaha···. Well, it’s special Thanks for the compliment.”
“Do you know anyone else?”
“The others?”
“Yes.”
To Oliver’s question, Chevy hesitated for a moment before answering.
“Besides that, there are other dark horses. Do you remember the man who had a golem prosthesis earlier? I am there.”
“Yes, I see.”
“This is Arthur, a veteran. It is said that he was a veteran soldier who also received medals, but his arms were blown off during the war and he was retired and lived on a pension like a rat’s tail. Then I got that golem prosthetic implanted and I live a second life as a solver. It’s now called Stonefist Arthur, and he’s making a name for himself in Sector N. He wiped out a gang by himself in one night.”
Oliver saw a man named Arthur. Around him, there were a dozen solvers who seemed to come from the same soldiers.
I saw a lot of veterans in Murphy’s warehouse, so I could tell a little bit, but Oliver asked again.
“Then who is the dark horse in Area B?”
“Oh, did you know that Area B participated?”
“Yes, I heard that four districts, B, H, N and T, are participating in the cleaning. Druids from Area H, veterans from Area N… Do you know anything about celebrities in Area B?”
“Of course, that’s him.”
A man named Chevy pointed to a man sitting alone in a distant corner.
The man was wearing a thick cloak with a hood.
“That’s the dark horse from Area B. Colin-sama, who belongs to the tower!”
“Are you affiliated with the tower? Aren’t you from Matop?”
“Yeah, it’s not from Matop, it’s from the affiliation. still belong to I’m just stepping out for a while to practice the school’s teachings and build discipline. They are fundamentally different from us.”
A man named Chevy was blatantly flattering.
“That’s what I’m saying, why don’t you join him with me? If I introduce you, you will accept it.”
“Yes?”
“no····. Do not misunderstand. Contaminated areas are dangerous. I don’t know if you know, but it’s not just zombies or polluting creatures. There are a lot of looters targeting good workers like us. Pillagers aiming for items or organs provided by the city…. So, isn’t it better to stick together?”
Oliver looked at Chevy silently.
It was not easy to read emotions compared to others, but I was able to read the intentions and cunning, even if it was blurry.
He smiled again and said.
“hahaha····. Don’t stare at the invisible warlock. Are you serious? The druids have already agreed to cooperate with the wizard. It’s efficient and safe. How about you join us?”
“May I ask a question before answering?”
“Questions?”
“Yes, Mr. Chevy, how did you get to work with such people?”
“Oh ho ho…. That’s a sharp question. It may sound a little questionable, but I know a little bit out there. It’s a polluted area.”
“········.”
“I have already participated in this cleaning more than ten times. So I’m a little bit squeamish about the inside over there. A safe road and a place to rest. You even know where the zombies are. I joined there in exchange for providing this information. So you join in too. You will be able to work much more comfortably and efficiently.”
Oliver pretended to be concerned.
“Well···. sorry. I’m grateful for the words, but it’s difficult to go on a mission with people I don’t know.”
“hahaha. What’s difficult? It’s about joining forces with strong people. What do I mean? yeah actually there isn’t. Trying to build a good relationship with the Dark Horse in Area T. I’m not proud of it, but there’s nothing wrong with being friends with me. Even though I’m not very good at it, I’m pretty nimble on this floor.”
“sorry. I was taught to think a lot when collaborating with people I don’t know.”
“You have to speak like a child.”
A third voice intervened.
He was a wizard from Area B who came all the way to his nose.
He spewed magical energy from his body, which was purer and vaster than the wizard he met during Murphy’s mission.
The air became heavy, and perhaps other people felt it too, the solvers who had been fighting a strange spirit before, faltered and retreated in an unusual atmosphere.
Either way, the magician belonging to the tower looked at Oliver.
“Hey, fake wizard…. Do you think something happened to you?”
“Yes?”
“No, the fake had an opportunity to work with the real one, but I was wondering if he didn’t know the fraction because he refused.”
The wizard’s words were sincere. Just like the wizards he had seen in the past, he showed great confidence.
“No, I don’t look down on it. You just do what you learn.”
“okay?”
The wizard came closer to Oliver and made eye contact.
He could see blue-gray eyes, and if he could, he had the momentum to take a picture of Oliver and press it.
He asked in a voice full of magic.
“Don’t ask me a question. Did you really defeat 4 wizards from the tower?”
Everyone’s eyes turned to Oliver.
“Well·····. I do not know. It’s about a mission, so I don’t know if I should talk about it my way.”
“I think you know how to let me know…….”
At that moment, the movement of magical power was detected. I wondered if there was going to be a quarrel here, but then I heard the sound of trudging and weary footsteps.
“Gosh·····. Everyone is in good spirits.”
A calm, but different voice from the solvers.
When he turned his head, a city official in a suit was coming in with a soldier armed with exoskeleton armor.
He climbed up on the pedestal with a tired tee and opened his mouth with a voice that said everything in the world was annoying.
“Come on, let’s hurry up. Solver guys.”
***
The wizard thought for a moment at the appearance of the official, and then returned to his place.
The warlock Shabby also laughed and followed the wizard, and some of the solvers lit up emotions such as jealousy, envy, and disgust.
It seemed that the warlock, who had become one with the wizard, was unsightly and displeased.
A buzzing atmosphere again.
Either way, the civil servants did their job step by step.
Although there were voices, emotions, and nuisances, he explained everything about the amount of work that the solvers had to do, compensation for it, and compensation for damage in case of a contingency, even if it was formal.
“······· This is the end. Do you have any questions?”
As if they had promised, the solvers were silent without saying anything.
As if he already knew how it was going, he was just hoping that this formal procedure would be over.
Of course, there are those who are bored, and those with a bit of tension and fear are divided.
When the solvers asked no questions, the city official tried to get off the podium.
Then, someone raised a hand.
As a solver with a large scar on his face, he was a man of malice befitting his appearance.
“What?”
“me? I call it a chip from Area H.”
chip. People muttered at the word.
There were also some vigilantes, but as I listened to the roar, I could hear nicknames.
Demolisher Chip, Plunderer Chip.
I laughed out loud as if enjoying that nickname myself.
“I heard that there are people hiding in the polluted area, but what happens if you damage them while slaying polluting creatures and zombies? A civil servant.”
More of a confirmation rather than a question.
The city official looked bored and answered.
“First, let me tell you one thing for sure. The contaminated area is uninhabited. Officially… Because the city is in strict lockdown.”
“·················ogue.”
“So, you just need to focus on cleaning. There are no people living there, so no one will get hurt.”
“·················ogue.”
“However, even if even one person is injured, it is difficult to investigate the contaminated area because it is a closed area. Moreover, the investigation itself is more difficult because you have not officially entered there. So you too have to be careful inside me. Even if you get hurt or die, the compensation is rather salty… Any more questions?”
This time, everyone answered in silence.
After hearing the answer, the official ordered the soldiers in a calm tone.
“Then, please check the number of people and sign the informal employment contract.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The soldiers nodded and skillfully began to get autographs from the solvers.
Many of the troubleshooters also lined up accustomed to it.
Oliver lined up, signed the paperwork, grabbed the magic bag provided by the city, and entered the contaminated area.
As we went inside, the destroyed version of Area F we saw as we came was unfolding in front of our eyes.