American homeless people, surviving in the city

Upon hearing Lynch suddenly bring up the missing persons case on the street, Sanjar's smile vanished abruptly.

He frowned slightly, pondered briefly, then shook his head, not answering Lin Qi's question, but instead asking:

Why are you suddenly asking this?

Lin Qi hadn't decided whether to bring up the cult issue with the Razor Claws, so he first tried to probe indirectly:

"Um... I'm just a little uneasy. After all, you know I live on the streets, and these recent spate of disappearances could really threaten my personal safety, right?"

Sanjar stroked his chin, then looked up and began to look around.

Seeing the crowd and the noise around them, he grabbed Lin Qi's hand and pulled him to a relatively quiet corner at the edge of the factory before answering:

"Although you're not one of us from the Razor Clan, since you just won a match for us, I can't hide anything from you."

"But to be honest, I don't know that much information either."

"What I understand is that these disappearances are not directly related to the major gangs on the streets of Seattle. Sure, we occasionally do some 'gray market' stuff, and those bastards from the Stallion Gang often coerce people into selling drugs, but this kind of large-scale disappearance is definitely not the work of gangs."

"Not only that, even several of our Razor Gang members went missing a few days ago."

"Even the Razor Gang members have disappeared?"

Lin Qi feigned surprise, but remained inwardly calm. What a joke! In those photos, he had already seen so many well-dressed, important figures become targets of cults; these mere Razor Claw gang underlings certainly weren't any big shots.

Sanjar nodded solemnly: "Yes, that's why I specifically pulled you aside to talk in this secluded spot. Otherwise, if the brothers in the gang overheard, they would panic again."

"The boss has recently started investigating this matter, but the informants he's sent out haven't found any crucial clues yet. So, that's all I know."

"However, I have a rumor, something I've only heard, and I don't know if you'd like to hear it..."

"Go ahead," Lin Qi said expressionlessly.

Sanjar hesitated for a few seconds before slowly speaking, "...I heard that this matter is related to the Seattle Police Department."

...It seems the gang knows about the same amount of information as I do.

Hearing Sanjar hesitate mysteriously for a long time before finally revealing only this information, Lin Qi sighed helplessly in his heart.

However, even the mob seems to have noticed this, which may further prove that the Seattle police may indeed be involved with cults.

From the attitude towards the murder case in the villa area, to the hasty closure of the case, and then to the scene Lucas witnessed of plainclothes police officers and cult members coexisting...

Lin Qi couldn't help but feel a little tired.

Meanwhile, seeing that Lin Qi remained expressionless and didn't say a word, Sanjar assumed he was too nervous to speak and quickly offered words of comfort:

"Hey, kid Lin Qi, don't be afraid. To be honest, with your fighting skills, I don't think many people can make you disappear from the street without a trace."

Then, without hesitation, he spoke in a deep voice:

"If you're really worried... the Razor Gang has quite a few vacant rooms. You can go and stay there; it's safer than living on the street."

Hearing Sanjar's forthright response, Lynch was speechless for a moment.

On the one hand, he still didn't want to get too entangled with the gang. He had mentioned in his agreement with Vesalio that he couldn't ask the Razor Gang for anything beyond the rewards he earned from the matches. Otherwise, it would be "another price."

On the other hand, Lynch initially did not want to get too entangled with the gang because he hoped to live a peaceful life and did not want to associate with such disruptors of social order.

But now it seems that the Razor Shields have been actively helping him. Ironically, the Seattle police, along with the cult, have become rule-breakers.

This contrast made Lin Qi feel somewhat absurd for a moment.

But after much hesitation, Lynch decided to reject Sanjar's offer.

Although the shadow of the cult was drawing ever closer, Lynch felt that they probably wouldn't be able to find him anytime soon. After all, he usually lived in a greenbelt camp some blocks away from Third Avenue, with plenty of bushes for cover.

There may not be any need to get closer to the Razor Gang just because of housing issues.

So he finally made a decision: "Hmm... thanks. I think I understand... Even so, I think what you said makes some sense. With my abilities, I shouldn't need to rush to find a place to live for the time being."

"If things get urgent later, I'll come back to you and Boss Vesalio."

Sanjar nodded, not insisting:

"Okay, we'll do it your way. Just let us know if you need anything."

"Both I and the Razor Gang owe you a favor."

Lin Qi smiled slightly and didn't say anything more about the topic.

The two then returned to the Razor Gang's territory, chatted with the gang members for a while, and then the evening's boxing match finally came to an end.

The gang members dispersed in batches. Before leaving, Sanjar asked if he wanted to give Lynch a ride back to the city, but Lynch refused.

The Black Hand gang members also left at this time, carrying large bags and small packages, and lifting up the fighters who were injured in the matches—they had lost all their matches to Lynch that night.

As he was leaving, Lin Qi noticed that the other party's leader, Jenkins, glared at him fiercely, but there seemed to be no hostility in his eyes; he was simply venting his anger, which made Lin Qi smile wryly.

After everyone had left, Lin Qi also walked out of the factory, which reeked of sweat, alcohol, and blood, and got into his beat-up car.

He leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh of relief.

Although tonight's battle was thrilling, the gains far exceeded his expectations.

Overall, he himself did not suffer any obvious injuries. On the contrary, he fully proved his worth in front of the Razor Gang, not only earning a bonus and a car, but also making Sanjar and others owe him a favor.

By any measure, tonight is going to be a huge profit.

Although such opportunities are certainly rare, having a few more nights like this would visibly improve my life in the future.

Thinking about it this way, Lin Qi felt quite satisfied.

...I must become stronger!

Thinking this, Lin Qi inserted the car key, started the car, and the engine emitted a low roar.

But before leaving the underground arena, there was one last thing he had to do.

That is, to claim the most valuable reward of the night.

With a thought, the system appeared in Lin Qi's field of vision:

[Ding~ Congratulations player, you have successfully completed the daily quest: Rest assured!]

[The mission is complete. Please choose one of the following rewards to receive:]

[A. Your willpower cap increased by 1. (Staying calm is key to survival.)]

[B. Medical sedative and analgesic * 3 (bottles) (Possession of this drug is legal in most countries, but the purity of its sedative components is close to the theoretical limit for medicinal use.)]

[C. Wilderness Chef: Passive Skill. You will be exceptionally skilled at cooking simple dishes like roasted meats, smoked meats, and stews using the simplest ingredients, and your food can stabilize the mental state of those who eat it. (Food is the easiest way for humans to obtain dopamine.)]