Chapter 31: The Mechanic
Asker opened his eyes, his whole body aching.
So brutal, to actually encounter a higher-sequence opponent… he thought self-deprecatingly.
A higher-sequence opponent referred to an enemy whose Sequence abilities were similar to yours, but whose level or rank was higher.
In other words, they had all the supernatural abilities you had, you couldn’t outsmart them, and you couldn’t beat them in a head-on fight, which was naturally very frustrating.
Assassins were one of the few professions that could be considered similar to the Weapon Master Sequence. Although he could still fight with the Celestial Ninefold Strike, the price he paid wasn’t small.
Even the narrow victory of finally counter-killing the opponent was achieved by relying on the environment, as well as his awareness and cāozuò (techniques, micro-management, referring to precise control and execution in gaming) as a professional player, and exchanging blows with the opponent until one of them fell.
“You’re still very weak.” The boy walked in with a medical kit. “Don’t move, you might get an infection.”
“Is this your room?” Asker looked around.
The walls were covered with various mechanical manuscripts, including three-view drawings of hydraulic components and circuit diagrams with various symbols. There was a computer on the table, the kind with a bulky box monitor, and a thick stack of manuscripts next to it.
“This is the subway maintenance room.” The boy said, “But I’m currently the only maintenance worker, so it’s fine to call it my bedroom.”
“What about that White-Clad Assassin?” Asker asked.
“He was dragged away by the people sent from above.” The boy said, “A fusion battery explosion, that kind of accident can’t be hidden from anyone. If you hadn’t killed him quickly, we might have been exposed.”
“We weren’t discovered?” Asker said.
“My powered armor was discovered!” The boy gritted his teeth.
“Why did you have a set of powered armor in the warehouse?” Asker asked.
“Because my lifelong dream is to build the strongest powered armor in the world! But powered armor is military equipment, I could only get it through smuggling.” The boy cried, “I waited six years to secretly get one, and now it’s been destroyed by you!”
“You can go to the Holy Solomon Empire to buy it.” Asker suggested. “It’s legal to buy and sell powered armor there, it only costs about 200 pounds.”
“Where would I get 200 pounds!” The boy said tearfully. “My current annual salary is only 10 pounds!”
“Well, it seems you’re of the Mechanic bloodline, right?” Asker asked. “Why not make transcendental items for others to earn money?”
“How did you know?” The boy asked curiously.
“You have the Mechanic I formula posted on the wall.” Asker said.
“Ahem.” The boy covered his face in embarrassment. “Olympia has a Craftsmen’s Association, and big clients would rather choose formal craftsmen. Clients worry about production failures or embezzlement of materials with independent craftsmen like me.”
“Are the entry requirements for the Craftsmen’s Association very high?” Asker asked.
“No, the Craftsmen’s Association only recruits adults…” the boy said.
“Have you considered becoming a mercenary?” Asker asked casually. “Mercenaries make money faster.”
“Am I crazy? I’m a perfectly good mechanic, why would I become a mercenary?” The boy said disdainfully, then seemed to realize something. “Wait, you mean, you’re a mercenary?”
“I’m the leader of a mercenary group.” Asker said.
“Then you must have the money to compensate me for the powered armor!” The boy clenched his fists excitedly.
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t compensate you.” Asker said, “I just have a suggestion, after all, it’s not a solution for you to save money like this. We have a military nun in our group, but she’s currently our main healer, and mechanical repair is just a side job for her.”
“I think we can offer a mechanic position… Wait, you’re a man, right?”
“Which eye of yours sees me as a girl? Do you need to go to the hospital and see an ophthalmologist?” The boy said scornfully.
“That’s great.” Asker sighed, recalling his painful experience of mistaking Sidlipha’s gender.
Although she eventually proved to be a qualified armor-piercing DPS.
“What’s so great about being a man…” The boy subconsciously said, then seemed to realize something, and the look in his eyes changed.
“Two pounds a month, including room and board, travel with the group, how about that?” Asker invited him. “If there are any gains, there will also be a commission. I estimate that in four or five years at most, you’ll be able to save enough money to buy a powered armor.”
“Although the price is high, I can’t sell my ass.” The boy shook his head resolutely.
Asker looked at him strangely and said with a smile:
“Don’t misunderstand, my sexual orientation is normal… It’s just that there are more girls in our group, so I’m confirming your gender first.”
“More girls?” The boy was a little surprised. “Aren’t you running a mercenary group? Shouldn’t mercenary groups be full of burly men?”
“Sigh.” Asker felt a little embarrassed. “That’s all an accident, let’s not talk about it.”
“How many people are in your team? How many women are there?” The boy asked.
“Currently, including me, there are about nine people. As for women, excluding me, there are about eight.” Asker said euphemistically.
The boy was stunned for a moment, then looked at him with admiration:
“You’re amazing!” He exclaimed sincerely. “Hanging out with eight women, those who know you call you Captain, those who don’t know you might as well call you President.”
“President?”
“The boss of an entertainment company!” The boy said, “Which mercenary group would recruit so many women!”
Asker: …
“Stop talking nonsense.” He said impatiently. “Are you going to join or not?”
“No.” The boy said, “Who wants to be a mercenary? It’s not as comfortable as being my subway maintenance worker.”
“I’m afraid you can’t do this job anymore.” Asker said leisurely.
Before the boy could understand, the door was pushed open, and a large group of people crowded into the room.
“Mr. Asker.” Quintus, the noble officer who came in last, confirmed his appearance and smiled. “We’ve been looking for you.”
“No way, I was unconscious for a while after the battle and was saved by this kid.” Asker pointed to the boy.
The boy: ???
He looked at Asker, then at Quintus, stunned and speechless.
“Thank you for killing that Ilanian White-Clad Assassin.” Quintus said with a smile. “Otherwise, the dignitaries in the city would be on edge again.”
“I see.” Asker nodded.
“Anyway, since I’ve found you, I can go back and reply to the Spartans.” Quintus waved his hand, his gaze falling on the boy. “You saved him?”
“Yes, sir!” The boy immediately became excited. He recognized this man as Quintus, the chief of security of Olympia, the city lord’s son, a very rich man.
Was he going to reward him? Could he ask for a powered armor?
“You acted bravely to save someone, and you should be rewarded.” Quintus said slowly, “But you privately purchased smuggled military powered armor, violating the ‘Olympia City Security Law,’ so your merits and demerits cancel each other out, and you won’t be punished.”
The boy’s excited face immediately fell.
“Who’s in charge of this subway line? Manager Turin?” Quintus turned and asked.
“I’m here, sir!” A fat man squeezed out of the crowd, nodding and smiling obsequiously.
“There’s a set of powered armor in the subway maintenance warehouse, and you didn’t know? If it wasn’t powered armor, but high-quality explosives, would you have to wait until the subway was blown up before your people discovered the problem?”
“Sir, this was my mistake…” The fat man hurriedly pressed his hand to his chest, lowered his head humbly, and said nothing.
Quintus waved his hand again. Punishing a small figure like the subway manager didn’t require his personal involvement, the people below would naturally handle it.
He looked at Asker again, suddenly losing interest.
“Then that’s it.” Quintus turned around and said, “Mr. Asker, your companions are looking for you, I’ve already asked them to come over.”
“Thank you.” Asker said.
The group left in a flurry, the fat manager bowing and scraping behind them, not even glancing at the boy.
The latter was dejected and pale – he knew that his job was definitely gone.
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