Collapse Iron: What does it mean to broaden the fate of four people in one sentence?

Scott remained silent for a long time.

He stared at the portrait on the wall, lost in thought.

The room was so quiet that you could hear the noise from the spectators outside the wall.

"Luka".

He finally spoke, his voice hoarse.

"You are my cash cow. I will try my best to meet any request you have."

He paused for a moment.

“But I don’t care if the upper and lower levels are blocked off. I only care about money.”

His gaze shifted from the portrait to Luca's face.

"Helping that so-called next High Protector is a thankless and exhausting task. Have you Earthfire forgotten how the current High Protector tricked us?"

Luca frowned.

“Boss Scott, Miss Bronya is different. She…”

"Isn't she different?"

Scott chuckled, interrupting him.

"Which High Protector is different?"

Luca opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Scott waved his hand, his tone impatient.

"I can only assign you three people at most. The others will have to continue playing matches for me. If the matches stop, I won't be able to make any money."

“Boss Scott,”

"Luka".

Scott's voice suddenly turned cold, and a glint of cold light flashed in his murky eyes.

"I welcome you to come and box. But if it affects my business, I'm not afraid of your wrath."

He tilted his head slightly.

"Dr. Juju, please deliver Luca to me."

Footsteps sounded at the door. Dr. Digger was already standing there, a professional smile on his face, gesturing for people to enter.

Luca wanted to say something, but looking at Scott's face, which was full of "no room for negotiation," he could only sigh in the end.

"Excuse me."

He turned and walked out of the room.

After Dr. Digger saw Luca off, he returned to his room and looked at Scott.

"Boss, it's rare for Di Huo to come to us asking for a favor, are we just going to refuse him like this?"

Scott did not answer.

He sat in the chair, his gaze fixed on the portrait on the wall, and stared at it for a long time.

The woman in the painting smiles gently, and the little girl in her arms has two braids and holds a small sword made of scrap metal.

Those were his wife and daughters, Alexia and Beatrice.

That happened many years ago.

So long that he could barely remember their voices anymore.

"They are all a bunch of crazy people who can't see reality."

His voice was low, as if he were talking to himself.

“I’m different. I only care about money.”

Dr. Juejue shrugged and left the room.

The door had just closed when it was slammed open again.

A small figure burst in without warning, its eyes shining like two stars.

"Uncle Scott!"

Hooker's voice was crisp and bright, and it sounded particularly jarring in the quiet room.

"Do you have any smaller boxing gloves? Hook wants to practice boxing with Julian! I want to be as strong as Luca as soon as possible!"

Scott's lips twitched.

He looked at the dirty little girl, remained silent for two seconds, then stood up with his cane, walked to the password box next to him, and entered the password: 0213.

This is his daughter's birthday.

He pulled out a few pairs of small gloves and handed them over.

"Little troublemaker, be careful, don't fall."

Hook chuckled, took the gloves, and hugged them to his chest.

"Thank you, Uncle Scott!"

She turned to run away, but then suddenly stopped and turned back.

"Uncle Scott, aren't you happy?"

Scott was taken aback.

"no."

“You’re lying,” Hook tilted his head and looked at him. “Whenever you’re unhappy, you stare at your aunt and sister’s paintings.”

Scott remained silent.

Hook, holding his gloves, stood there, looking up at him with his little face.

Hook thought for a moment, then suddenly ran back, pulled the smallest one out of his glove, and stuffed it into Scott's hand.

"This is for Uncle! When Uncle is unhappy, he can box! Brother Luka said that when you box, you shouldn't think about anything, and you'll feel happy afterward!"

Scott looked down at the small boxing glove in his hand for a long time.

Hook has already run away.

The door was open, and her cheerful footsteps and chattering voices could be heard in the hallway.

"Julian! Look! Hook has borrowed the gloves!"

"Wow! As expected of the jet-black Hook! But it's so small! Can it really be used?"

"Of course it can be used! Hook wants to become a strongman like Luka! Let's go! Let's practice boxing!"

"it is good!"

The sound grew farther and farther away.

Scott stood at the doorway, looking down the corridor.

The boxing gloves in his hands were so light and small that he could hold them completely in one hand.

He looked down at it, then looked up at the portrait on the wall.

Silent for a long time.

Then he turned back to the table, picked up the communicator on the table, and pressed a button.

"Dr. Digging".

"Here I am, boss."

"Call Luka back."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communicator.

"okay."

Scott put down the communicator, sat back in his chair, and placed his gloves on the corner of the table.

He glanced at the portrait on the wall again.

The little girl in the painting is holding up a small sword made of scrap metal, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

"You're right."

His voice was very soft, as if he were talking to someone.

"A madman who can't see reality."

He chuckled and shook his head.

Not long after, Luca pushed the door open and came in.

"Boss Scott?"

Scott didn't look at him; he was still looking at the portrait on the wall.

How many people do you need?

Luca paused for a moment.

"Boss?"

"I'm asking you how many people you need."

Scott's voice sounded somewhat impatient.

Luka paused for a second, then smiled.

"The more the better."

Scott finally turned around and glanced at him.

"I have 123 people here, but less than 40 of them are good fighters."

He paused for a moment.

"It's all yours."

Luca was stunned.

"Boss?"

"Don't call me boss anymore."

Scott stood up, leaned on his cane, and walked to the door, his back to Luca.

"My old wife once said something before she passed away: 'You're a good person in every way, except you're too shrewd. In the end, you have nothing left.'"

He remained silent for a moment.

"I think she's right."

He turned around and looked at Luca.

"So this time, I'll also play the role of a madman who can't see reality clearly."

Luca looked at him, at this shrewd old man who had been clever for half his life, and at this moment there was a light in his eyes that Luca had never seen before.

"Thank you, boss."

"Don't thank me,"

Scott waved his hand.

"I trust your judgment to get all of you from Earthfire to support her, but if that Miss Bronya is unreliable, Earthfire will have to pay our wages."

"I only have one request."

Luka was taken aback.

"What are your requirements? Please tell me."

"Let the children in the lower-class areas see the sky over Belleburg again!"

Chapter 54: Just One Step Away from the Truth?