Chapter 80

<80. Preparation (2)>

Murmurs.

As they entered the building, numerous people came into view.

There seemed to be well over a hundred, all of whom appeared to be problem solvers.

Evidence of this was the various weapons, large and small, that the gathered individuals were armed with, and the variety of types.

Some were armed with firearms, while others had modified weapons, protective gear, knives, and iron coats, and even a modified human like Murphy could be seen.

Compared to the gangsters of X District or the Kimbel Family employees, they were definitely more distinctive.

However, even among them, there were particularly noticeable individuals. For example...

"Sure enough, you have a good eye."

A sudden voice interjected.

Oliver turned his head to look to the side.

There stood a shabby man with a broad forehead, a pointed chin, and a wart on his nose.

"You were looking at that guy, right?"

The shabby man pointed at a man without any preamble.

It was the man Oliver had been looking at, whose hands were made of stone.

Not a metaphor or a joke, but literal stone, with intricate magic flowing through each stone.

"Yes... What's on his arms?"

"Haha, seeing it for the first time, huh? That's a golem prosthetic."

"A golem prosthetic?"

"Yep, a golem prosthetic! It's a new product from the Golem Guild that's currently threatening the market for mechanical prosthetics in the Clockwork Factory! ...Sorry, I've been talking too much without introducing myself. Nice to meet you. I'm Shabby, a necromancer."

The self-proclaimed necromancer, who was more shameless than friendly, smiled in a way that seemed to be deliberately trying to make himself look ridiculous.

Oliver looked at the man for a moment before politely greeted him.

"Nice to meet you, Shabby. I'm Dave."

"I know. That's why I spoke to you."

"...? Do you know me?"

"Of course! You're a rising dark horse, aren't you? The new hope of the semi-retired Forest in T District."

Semi-retired? New hope?

Oliver recalled the information about Forest he had read during his net surfing in the past.

It did seem familiar. What was it?

"...What do you mean by 'new hope'?"

The man who introduced himself as Shabby laughed weakly and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. It was quite natural.

"Are you being modest? Or are you testing my information-gathering skills? You're one of the young dark horses who have been active recently, right? And dark horses are a great asset to brokers... just like that guy."

Shabby pointed to another man this time.

He was far away, but still stood out clearly.

He was over two meters tall, with a unique green-dyed head and tattoos on his face.

Reading Oliver's gaze, Shabby immediately explained.

"David the Druid. He's the most prominent dark horse in H District. He's called a cultist or a breaker, but he claims to follow the new sect of Druidism called Enjoyment."

"Enjoyment?"

"Ah, don't know? It's a new sect that emerged during the conflict between the old and new Druid sects. It's an open sect that advocates using Druid powers to fulfill one's desires. Of course, it's often treated as a cult because of this."

With no knowledge of Druids, Oliver could only nod.

Still, he found it quite interesting, which made him even more curious about the man in front of him.

"You know a lot."

The man smiled ingratiatingly again.

"Haha... It's my specialty. Thanks for the compliment."

"Do you know about others as well?"

"Others?"

"Yes."

In response to Oliver's question, Shabby hesitated for a moment before answering.

"There are other dark horses. Remember the man with the golem prosthetic? He's over there."

"Yes, I see him."

"He's Arthur, a retired soldier. A decorated veteran who lost both arms in war and retired, living on a meager pension. He received the golem prosthetic and is now living a second life as a problem solver. He's known as Stone Fist Arthur and has made a name for himself in N District. He reportedly wiped out an entire gang in one night."

Oliver saw the man named Arthur. Around him were about a dozen other problem solvers who looked like former soldiers.

Having seen many retired soldiers at Murphy's warehouse, Oliver could distinguish them to some extent. Then, Oliver asked again.

"...So, who is the dark horse from B District?"

"Oh, you know B District is participating?"

"Yes, I heard that B, H, N, and T Districts are participating in the cleanup. The Druid from H District, the retired soldier from N District... Do you know anything about the famous people from B District?"

"Of course, that's him."

Shabby pointed to a man sitting alone in a corner.

The man was wearing a thick cloak with a hood.

"That's the dark horse from B District. He's Colin, affiliated with the Magic Tower!"

"Affiliated with the Magic Tower? ...Not a graduate?"

"Yes, affiliated, not a graduate. He's still affiliated. He's just out here for a while to cultivate his skills and follow the teachings of his school. He's fundamentally different from us."

Shabby flattered openly.

"So, how about joining him with me? I can introduce you, and he'll accept you."

"Really?"

"No... Don't misunderstand. The Contaminated Zone is dangerous. You might not know, but it's not just zombies and contaminated creatures. There are many raiders who target us, the good workers. They go after the items and organs we receive from the city. So, it's better to stick together, isn't it?"

Oliver looked at Shabby quietly.

It was hard to read emotions compared to others, but he could vaguely sense the man's intentions and cunning.

He smiled again, this time more openly.

"Haha... Don't stare at this useless necromancer. I'm serious. The Druids are already cooperating with the mages. It's efficient and safe. How about joining us?"

"...Can I ask a question before answering?"

"Question?"

"Yes, how did you come to work with such people, Shabby?"

"Ohoho... Sharp question. It might sound suspicious, but I know the Contaminated Zone well."

"......"

"I've participated in this cleanup more than ten times. So, I know a lot about the inside. Safe routes, resting spots, even where the zombies gather. I joined them in exchange for this information. So, how about joining us? It will be much more convenient and efficient."

Oliver pretended to think.

"Hmm... I appreciate your offer, but it's difficult for me to go on a mission with people I don't know."

"Haha. What's difficult about it? We're just combining our strengths. Do I seem like I have some ulterior motive? Well, I do. I want to build a good relationship with the dark horse from T District. It won't hurt to be friends with me, even if I'm not very skilled. I know this field quite well."

"I'm sorry. I was taught to think a lot before collaborating with someone I don't know."

"You sound like a kid."

A third voice interjected.

The B District mage had approached without Oliver noticing.

He emitted a hum of magic, more pure and vast than the mages Oliver had encountered on Murphy's missions.

The air grew heavy, and the other problem solvers, who had been engaged in a subtle power struggle, stepped back, sensing the tension.

The mage from the Magic Tower stared at Oliver intently.

"Hey, fake mage... Do you think you're someone special?"

"Excuse me?"

"No, I just thought you might not know your place, rejecting an opportunity to work with real mages."

The mage was sincere. Like the mages he had seen before, he exuded immense confidence.

"No, I don't think I'm special. I'm just following what I was taught."

"Is that so?"

The mage stepped closer to Oliver, making eye contact.

His steel-gray eyes seemed ready to crush Oliver at any moment.

He asked in a voice tinged with magic.

"Let me ask you something. Did you really take down four mages from the Magic Tower?"

Everyone's attention turned to Oliver.

"I... Well, it's a story from a mission, so I'm not sure if I should share it."

"I have a way to find out..."

At that moment, a movement of magic was detected. Oliver thought a fight might break out, but then he heard the sound of tired footsteps.

"Oh... Everyone seems to be in high spirits."

A calm but different voice from the problem solvers.

Turning his head, Oliver saw a city official in a suit leading an exoskeleton-gloved soldier into the room.

He climbed onto a simple podium, looking exhausted, and spoke in a voice that conveyed his annoyance.

"Alright, let's get this over with, problem solvers."

***

The mage hesitated for a moment at the appearance of the official before returning to his place.

Shabby, the necromancer, followed the mage with a shameless smile, and some problem solvers showed envy, admiration, and disgust.

It seemed they found it distasteful and annoying that the necromancer had flattered his way into the mage's team.

The atmosphere remained murmuring.

The official, however, methodically did his job.

Though his voice and demeanor clearly showed his annoyance, he explained the workload, compensation, and potential risks for the problem solvers in detail.

"...That's all. Any questions?"

As if by agreement, the problem solvers remained silent.

They seemed to know how things would go and just wanted this formal procedure to end.

Of course, some were bored, while others were a bit nervous and fearful.

Seeing no one ask questions, the city official was about to step down from the podium.

Then, someone raised their hand.

A problem solver with a large scar on his face, exuding a fitting malevolence.

"What is it?"

"Me? I'm Chip from H District."

The word "Chip" caused a murmur among the crowd.

Some were wary, and listening to the murmurs, Oliver heard nicknames.

Demolition Chip, Raider Chip.

He seemed to enjoy these nicknames, grinning.

"I heard there are people living in the Contaminated Zone. What happens if we cause them harm while clearing out the contaminated creatures and zombies? Mr. Official."

It was more of a confirmation than a question.

The city official, looking bored, answered.

"First, let me make one thing clear. There are no people living in the Contaminated Zone, officially... because the city has sealed it off thoroughly."

"......"

"Therefore, you only need to focus on the cleanup. No one will be hurt because no one lives there."

"......"

"However, if someone does get hurt, the Contaminated Zone is a closed area, making investigations difficult. Moreover, you are not officially entering, so investigations are even harder. So, you need to be careful inside. The city's compensation is tight if you get injured or killed... Any more questions?"

Again, everyone remained silent.

The official, hearing no response, calmly instructed the soldiers.

"Then, please verify the number of people and get signatures on the informal employment contracts."

"Understood."

The soldiers nodded and began collecting signatures from the problem solvers, who lined up familiarly, indicating they were regulars.

Oliver joined the line, signed the documents, and collected the magic bag provided by the city before entering the Contaminated Zone.

Inside, he saw a devastated version of F District, just as he had seen on the way.