Chapter 31: Lannis’s Explosive Life
Although Lannis was reluctant to divulge her past exploits, Rebecca eventually coaxed the story out of her.
After Rebecca’s death, Lannis had arranged her funeral according to her will. There was no ceremony. Once the World Conduit was stolen by the gangsters, Lannis had spiraled into grief, drowning her sorrows in alcohol and cigarettes, becoming a recluse.
But her self-destruction didn’t last long. She soon found a new outlet for her grief and anger—explosives.
Rebecca’s sworn enemies were the gangsters of Lavoisier City. They had taken advantage of her death to seize control, their rivalry reaching a boiling point. As Rebecca’s best friend, Lannis’s enemies were obvious.
The gangsters, emboldened by their noble patrons, had become the city’s rulers. They carved up Lavoisier City, their turf wars and their struggle for control of the potion market creating chaos and driving away legitimate businesses.
Lannis saw an opportunity for revenge. She returned to her roots, offering her services for a hefty fee, this time targeting gangsters instead of rats.
She accepted contracts from various gangs, bombing their rivals. Initially, they had scoffed at the eccentric halfling, but after her first successful mission, she caught everyone’s attention.
She was ruthless and efficient, her explosives far more advanced than anything they had seen before. Her first target, a rival gang’s potion factory, was reduced to rubble within minutes. The building, the machinery, the warehouse—everything was destroyed. The victims couldn’t salvage a single usable component.
Lannis became a legend, her reputation spreading to nearby cities. Even the Tami Kingdom blacklisted her, fearing her destructive capabilities. A small nation like theirs couldn’t withstand her explosive wrath.
She became a valuable asset in gang wars, a decisive factor in determining victory. Bombing factories, warehouses, cargo trucks, even people—Lannis accepted any job, but she adhered to her own rules: no harming civilians, no harming animals, no consecutive contracts for the same gang.
Gangs competed for her services, offering exorbitant fees to cripple their rivals, making her highly sought-after. Some tried to eliminate her, but they quickly learned the hard way—Lannis not only used explosives for defense but also for revenge.
Her relentless bombings weakened the gangs, draining their resources, leaving them vulnerable. By the time they realized the extent of the damage, it was too late.
Lannis, through this divide-and-conquer strategy, had single-handedly crippled Lavoisier City’s gangs. Gangs without profits were worthless. Their noble patrons, realizing this, withdrew their support. The gangs disbanded, their leaders fleeing in disgrace. Lannis was the sole victor.
With the gangs gone, legitimate businesses returned, and Lavoisier City’s economy began to recover. The new gangs that emerged learned from their predecessors’ mistakes, minimizing their conflicts and agreeing to limit the scale of their contracts with Lannis. This allowed them to survive.
Lannis had amassed a fortune, but no amount of money could replace her beloved friend and partner. She was exhausted. As she prepared to escape this chaotic city and live out her days in the Western Empire, she received news about the World Conduit. And the rest, as they say, was history.
“I finally found you, Rebecca. I… I have nothing else to wish for… Seeing you here, safe and sound, makes all those years of hardship worthwhile,” Lannis said, wiping away her tears. “I don’t care if you’re undead or alive. All that matters is that I see you again.”
“I can continue my research now,” Rebecca said, taking Lannis’s hand. “Just like before.”
“But you have a new partner now,” Lannis said, looking at Abyss, who was standing behind them. “He might be as compatible with you as I was. Perhaps it’s time for me to retire.”
“You don’t want to be an alchemist anymore?”
“Of course I love alchemy. But Abyss will surely take you on adventures. I prefer staying in my laboratory—and I’m done with those gangsters,” Lannis said, spreading her hands. “I’ve saved enough money. I have a manor in the Western Empire. I’m planning to settle there. Who says all halflings love to travel? I hate it!”
Rebecca laughed. “Your devotion to your laboratory is truly admirable.”
“Abyss, you’ve done something incredibly meaningful for me. I owe you a great debt,” Lannis said, turning to Abyss, who was smiling. “I’ll give you the address of my manor in the Western Empire. You and Rebecca are welcome to visit anytime. I’ll assist you in any way I can.”
“Thank you,” Abyss said, nodding.
“You’ll take care of Rebecca, right? Like you care for that Gray Elf?” Lannis asked.
Leona, listening intently, perked up.
“Of course. As long as I live… Or even after death, I won’t allow anyone to harm Rebecca.”
“He’ll not only take care of me, but he’ll also fall in love with me and marry me,” Rebecca said, stepping back and taking Abyss’s hand, who simply smiled obliviously.
“Ah… He’s immune to your poison?” Lannis asked, noticing Abyss’s unusual resistance. She raised an eyebrow. “Then you two truly are a match made in heaven.”
“Hehe, although we haven’t sparked any romantic flames yet, I’ll work hard to ignite them,” Rebecca said, giggling, hugging Abyss’s arm. Flora, observing them, exchanged a knowing glance with Abyss, while Leona felt a surge of jealousy. If she were a cat, her fur would be standing on end.
“How will you ignite them?” Abyss asked, his voice serious.
“Hey! Brat, don’t tease my friend in front of me!” Lannis warned.
“I wasn’t teasing…” Abyss said, scratching his head, confused.
“Setting aside your teasing, we have another task to complete,” Lannis said. “Rebecca, the assets I hid for you are still safe. I can take you to retrieve them now. You’ll need them on your journey.”
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