Terra Tinkers Construct is fine.

It was probably with this in mind that he accepted the mask of the Reunion Movement.

However, his years of experience in gangs still made him somewhat uneasy. Geor said, "To be honest, Broken Bones, I don't recommend that we get involved. After all, it's just the daily routine of gangs fighting for territory, and it has nothing to do with us..."

"Territory grabbing?"

Shattered Bones suddenly turned around, and even through the mask, Geor could feel the sharp gaze behind him.

"How naive! Look at the changes this city has undergone recently!"

"The mobilization of the military and police is becoming increasingly bizarre. Those high-ranking nobles seem to have collectively gone blind, turning a blind eye to the growing friction among the infected—do you really think this is just an ordinary gang fight?"

"This is the prelude to change! The commotion before the start of a great operation! Sister Talulah's plan is progressing steadily, and Chernobog is about to be reborn! Any unplanned forces that emerge at this time could be obstacles."

"They are all enemies!" (First published on U705.COM)

His voice rose, carrying a fanatical certainty; then, after a slight pause, it turned into icy hostility: "Especially from your description, these guys have standardized equipment and a precise division of labor; this doesn't seem like an ordinary gang."

Georg: Is it possible that our Reunion Movement is also "an external force with standardized equipment and a precise division of labor"?

—It's so annoying.

With the mask concealing his face, Broken Bones' expression wasn't very clear, but anxiety was growing in his heart: Talulah's plan was paramount, and Chernobog had to be successfully seized; controlling the underground order and ensuring the smooth flow of infiltration routes and supplies were part of the plan.

【Red Scar】This local infected gang is one of their choices. Although it is weak and not pure enough, it is at least easy to control.

Moreover, there's no need to control them in this way for long; soon, just a short while longer...

"Aren't they going to have a meeting? Okay."

For some unknown reason, Broken Bone suddenly said, "We should attend this meeting; it would be a good opportunity for us."

"Opportunity? You mean..."

Geor was puzzled, while Broken Bones sneered: "Since these newcomers can set rules, then we can set rules too—spread the word, our people are ready to stand up and challenge them at the meeting in the name of Red Scar."

"Don't worry, my men will take care of it."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear: the power of the Reunion Movement would use "Red Scar" to swiftly destroy "Canned Food's" attempt to establish its authority at the rally, thereby intimidating the other gangs present and seizing actual control of the land, clearing the way for subsequent large-scale operations.

Although it was different from his previous plan, the appearance of canned goods had obviously disrupted his steps, prompting him to adopt a more radical and violent approach—but coincidentally, he preferred this approach as well.

"But, broken bones."

Geor felt a chill run down his spine. He hadn't been in contact with the Bone Shatterer for long, but he could sense that the boy wasn't particularly cunning. However, his intense hostility towards non-infected individuals was strikingly obvious. If his plan were to proceed, the gathering would inevitably turn into a bloodbath.

Is this also part of the integrated movement plan?

Isn't the Reunion Movement's plan to control this city?

We can't really rely on the infected for everything, even professional skills like manufacturing and maintenance... Are the infected in the Reunion Movement really that qualified? Or do they simply not care about the majority of ordinary people in the city?

"With so many other gangs attending, are you going to adopt a hostile stance towards them all?"

"so what?"

Broken Bones interrupted him: "In this city, everyone who enjoys a normal life brought about by oppression is an accomplice! Every breath they take is tainted with the blood of our compatriots! If they refuse to give up their place and refuse to acknowledge our rights, then..."

"Just get rid of them. The necessary sacrifices are worthwhile for a brighter future for those infected."

—Was this also the idea of ​​that Reunion Movement leader?

As an infected person living in this city, and someone who had also been a non-infected person before, Geor opened his mouth: he seemed to see the new world they described, but it seemed to be filled with countless corpses... However, as an infected person, he and his gang had no way back now.

They yearn for change, yearn for respect, and the Reunion Movement and the Bone Shatterers are their only hope, the only ones extending a helping hand to them—even if that helping hand is scalding and sharp, just like the skilled fighters under the Bone Shatterers.

So he finally lowered his head and said, "Okay, I understand."

"Red Scar will proceed according to plan. I hope the experts of the Reunion Movement will not disappoint me."

"Don't worry, they're just a bunch of non-infected people, weak and powerless."

Broken Bones said, "Go and prepare. Let everyone see that it is time for us to write the rules of this city!"

Chapter 74 Provocation

The middle layer is the junction zone between the surface residential layer and the underground dynamic layer.

Unlike the lower levels, which are filled with the ceaseless roar of giant equipment, or the upper levels, which are orderly and well-organized, this place is characterized by massive, redundant components that have been disassembled and replaced in various eras, abandoned material warehouses, and overly tall passageways built to accommodate equipment.

This is the most commonly used meeting place in the black market, and also the tacit negotiation place for various underground forces; today, in addition to rust and dust, the air here is mixed with a more distinct and restless tobacco smell, which has diluted the cold and rough feeling of the place a little.

A lot of people have already gathered here.

Not all gangs sent their leaders, but regardless of what they said in private, they all sent representatives and their guards to the scene. It wasn't the time announced yet, and these gang members, who were not usually seen together, gathered in small groups, cautiously and subtly observing and exchanging glances, which gave them a strange air of civilization.

The hypocrisy of civilization.

Regardless of how they spoke in hushed tones, their gazes and attention remained focused on the territory that should have belonged to "Cracked Teeth": there, a dozen white-armored guards stood in formation, their white armor gleaming unsettlingly under the lamplight, the marks on it indicating the traces of previous battles.

The expressions on the faces of the people from different gangs were all different, a mixture of wariness, suspicion, and greed; and as the time came, Alexei stepped out from among the guards. He was not wearing a helmet, revealing a face unfamiliar to everyone present, and calmly scanned the various faces.

"First of all, thank you to everyone who came to this event for giving [Canned Food] the honor."

Stepping onto the pre-prepared steps, slightly higher than the others, Alexei didn't waste any words, but went straight to the point: "Now that everyone's time is precious, let's be frank—the rules in the city may be different from those in the wilderness, but in the end, fists do the talking; when a fang stretches out its claws and bumps into the wrong person, that's the result."

Okay, at least this answers one of everyone's questions: how did the cracked tooth disappear?

If the fugitive leader of the Rending Tooth gang could hear this, he might even be tempted to recite the few remaining Ursus swear words over and over again; unfortunately, he didn't know this, so Alexei comfortably shifted the blame onto him first—unsurprisingly, whispers arose among the various gang members present, causing the entire hall to buzz.

Whether or not Rifttooth actually struck first is not important, since no one present was thinking about avenging Rifttooth... but Alexei's statement at least illustrates one point.

This gang, which calls itself by the ridiculous name "Canned Food," dares to openly talk about "breaking the teeth," which at least proves that "they probably really do have the ability to break the teeth."

That's the crux of the problem.

"Everyone."

Let the others stir for a while to accept the reality, Alexei paused before continuing, "The Cracktooth is history. From now on, the Cracktooth's territory and business will be entirely taken over by [Canned Food]."

“We come from the wild, and from the beginning we were just looking for resources to survive and a safe way to live, not here to kill anyone.”

"Chernobyl is a good place. We have no interest in breaking the existing framework. We share food and money. How we dealt with Cracktooth before is how we will deal with it in the future."

“You’ll understand, we’ll be even more reasonable than Cracktooth—provided that you yourselves follow the rules first.”

Alexei's speech ended at just the right moment, and as he expected, a suppressed murmur of discussion arose from the audience.

These words were prepared in advance: they contained both compromises to maintain the existing power structure and emphasized bottom lines and strong hints; after a period of commotion, the other gangs quickly came to their conclusions—or rather, they should have made plans based on various circumstances before they even arrived here.

Undoubtedly, Alexei's statement on behalf of [Canned Goods] represents the type of product they plan to include that is "not the worst."

—Organized crime is still a society.

The reason they exist is because they are in places where clear laws cannot reach them. They are the product of people spontaneously filling the power vacuum in the gap between authority and law. Unlike real political parties, gangs often have a similar nature to capital, but are more short-sighted, greedy, and weak in their pursuit of profit, as well as a tendency to compromise.

Weighing the pros and cons is the top priority for a gang's survival.

A force capable of rapidly producing Razortooths—and precisely because this rapidity is so incredibly rapid—is particularly feared by others: as long as the division of interests isn't excessive, temporary compromises will be the preferred choice for most people.

After all, to them, the outsider "Canned Food" was still shrouded in mystery, its full form obscured. Only after a period of adjustment and interaction, and once they understood that this "outsider" had transformed into one of their own "gangs"—when they could grasp the ins and outs of Canned Food and apply their own familiar rules to it—would they truly be able to do something.

That's how it should normally be.

After all, normally, few people would think such an absurd question as "this group of people will probably run away by the end of the month."

—Just as expected.

As the various factions below the stage gradually reached a conclusion in their discussions, and their attitudes became clearer in their words and actions—even though he had long been prepared to die on the battlefield in the worst-case scenario, Alexei still felt a cold sweat break out on his back beneath his armor.

Back when he was still in a high position, he had experience speaking to so many people, or even more—at that time, he was an assistant to a government official, and the tax official, whom farmers in ordinary villages feared like a snake, did not even have the right to sit at the table in front of him.

But times have changed—Alexei never even imagined that he would have the opportunity to stand on a stage like this again and speak to so many people.

This is too outrageous.

"..."

There was a brief silence.

Representatives from several smaller gangs were the first to express their opinions—they were cautious in their words and had no stance whatsoever. As far as they were concerned, life would continue as usual unless they were driven to extinction.

After the small gangs, which already had limited influence, set an example, the larger ones, after observing for a while, also gradually expressed their acquiescence. After intimidation and appeasement, the atmosphere on the field seemed to be developing in the direction that Milan and Alexei had previously anticipated. With one gang currently able to hold the fort, even the other gangs seemed to have spontaneously started communicating with each other.

Even between gangs, the atmosphere of communication became much more civilized for a while.

However, just as Alexei was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a distorted but menacing voice suddenly rang out, shattering the fragile balance that had just begun to form.

"rule?"

"You bunch of bastards who crawled out of who-knows-where, do you think you're qualified to set rules here?"

All eyes immediately turned to that direction.

The sound came from the direction of a small gang called "Red Scars." The leader of Red Scars, Geor, was a strong Ursus man who was said to have spontaneously awakened Originium Arts. In the past, he would probably have been a high-ranking officer in the Cracktooth Gang, a fact that everyone was familiar with.

They're all from the same area; how could someone who's made a name for themselves be a complete stranger?

But he never gave off a radical vibe; he seemed more like someone who just wanted to guard the smuggling window on their territory. Aside from the fact that Red Scar's henchmen were quite famous for their desperate fighting when it came to actually taking action, their only other reputation came from their leader.

If we could find a cadre elsewhere, it would be much more comfortable than having them dragging along a bunch of burdens.

—But… it’s understandable that someone would voice their dissatisfaction, but why him?

For a moment, everyone present felt puzzled—and even more puzzled was that the people standing next to Geor were dressed differently, but none of them were the ones they remembered.

Moreover, the one speaking at this moment was not the leader, but another person beside him, a particularly short figure shrouded in a black cloak.

"...You're not convinced?"

Recalling Milan's "tough" attitude, Alexei's gaze sharpened, and his voice turned cold.

"Of course I disagree! I have a huge problem with this!"

Geor stepped forward, his face twitching, trying to suppress his nervousness as he played the role required by the Reunion Movement: "You said you killed Rifttooth? We still don't have any definite answer, who knows what really happened!"

"Do you think you few can defeat Rifttooth? Do you think Rifttooth's four officers are so easy to deal with? Don't try to fool us!"

"And to take over all of Cracktooth's assets right away, isn't that just putting us all on our backs again!"

He seemed reckless, but his words were quite thoughtful. He brought up the familiar Cracktooth cadres to question their strength, and even brought up the status and niche of the land gang to link with others. Alexei raised an eyebrow, finding the man's words rather interesting.

As everyone knows, Ussau is a breeding ground for brutes. People like "China's Number One Swordsman! Follow me on your sword!" are everywhere. Those who are born with brains are actually a rare breed.

And right behind Georg, the short figure uttered an undisguised sarcastic voice:

"Who knows if it's just a trick by those black dogs above, changing their skin and coming here to squeeze money out of us? The Cracktooth gang is so big, it just disappeared like that. Who knows if it was some crooked nobleman who came here with crooked ideas?"

Georg: ? (（;二）咎VII陸（九）衣5叄扒轳峮

Alexei: ?

Everyone: ...?

The hostility that had been stirred up by a single sentence in response to the unexpected situation suddenly turned into an awkward situation.

"This... gentleman? And, Geor of the Red Scar?"

Hearing a few words whispered between one of his own men, Alexei nodded, then turned to look at them with a subtle expression: "Are you serious about what you're saying?"

For a moment, the rest of the gangs fell silent, the atmosphere becoming eerie and comical; the man in the black cloak, still not understanding what was going on, subconsciously looked at Geor…

Geor only had one thought in his mind: My little darling, you can pretend to be an expert even if you don't say anything!

What did you say?! Is that something you should say out loud?!

"We used to work in the field of canned goods, so we probably don't really understand what the business style is like in the city..."

Georg was in an awkward position and didn't know how to answer; but Alexei provided the answer first—his eyes were strange, and he barely managed to keep his expression from laughing out loud, saying in such a subtle way:

"A gang that makes a living in a mobile city... it would be truly rare if they didn't have some powerful backer or connections."

"If you want to question this, you should look at reality. The reality is that the Cracked Tooth is gone, and we're standing here... Or is it that the Red Scar has been cleaned up to the point where we can point our fingers at everyone and say this?"

—Where did this hothead come from?

Alexei almost burst out laughing.

He didn't finish his sentence, leaving room for interpretation and prompting many who had been doubting to reveal expressions of understanding or contemplation. Georg was speechless because he had left those words on the ground and couldn't truly pick them up.

But the short figure beside him wouldn't let it go.

"*Ursus profanity*!"

The small figure said irritably, "Even if you really have connections, gangs have their own rules! You can't just act like big shots just because you occupy a territory! If you want to be a leader, you have to show some real skills to earn the respect of the brothers!"

"Otherwise, with your turtle shells, you dare to say you want to be the new boss after bullying those trash like Cracktooth!"

This is a blatant and complete provocation.