Chapter 32: No More Hard Times
As Abyss and his companions, guided by Lannis, emerged from her house and stepped onto the street, the gang war in Lavoisier City seemed to have ended. The streets were no longer filled with armed thugs, only a few injured men groaning on the ground. People cautiously peeked out from their homes, and a few brave merchants opened their shops, ready to resume business. The city guard, arriving fashionably late, hadn’t done much to protect the city, but they were efficient in cleaning up the aftermath and carrying away the wounded.
“It seems Titus has accomplished his goal,” Abyss said, observing the scene, addressing the girls and Lannis. “He told me he had been planning to take down the Goat Eyes Gang for a while.”
“What kind of man is this Titus?” Rebecca asked, her interest piqued. She had a history of conflict with the gangs of Lavoisier City. She despised their ruthlessness, and they resented her interference. They were sworn enemies.
“If he doesn’t become corrupted by power, he might actually be a decent gang leader,” Lannis replied. “He’s ambitious, but he has principles. He doesn’t allow his men to harass ordinary citizens or extort legitimate businesses. The main difference between him and a regular merchant is probably his willingness to sell illegal potions. But even then, he thoroughly investigates his buyers, ensuring they won’t use his potions to harm innocents.”
“That’s… surprising. But why does he do that?” Rebecca asked, puzzled. In her experience, gangsters exploited their power for personal gain. Why would anyone willingly limit their profits?
“I don’t know. I only know that since he took over the Black Hats, eliminating their previous leader, Lavoisier City has become more peaceful,” Lannis said, nodding. “I did bomb his gang a few times, but that was because Eugene, the Goat Eyes Gang leader, was stingy with his payments. And I didn’t really dislike that carefree but disciplined boy. I always held back, and I never permanently injured any of his men. Just a few months of bed rest at most.”
“Hmm… A gang leader with a conscience? I’m intrigued,” Rebecca said, her curiosity piqued.
“If you want to meet him, I can arrange it,” Abyss offered. “He promised to tell me his story. He might satisfy your curiosity.”
Rebecca nodded. Her apprehension towards gangsters and her intrigue about this unconventional leader made her eager to learn more. Although Abyss hadn’t discussed their plans yet, she sensed they would be leaving Lavoisier City soon to embark on a grand adventure. Titus’s character would determine whether she could leave with a clear conscience.
This city was her home. She had grown up here. Despite its descent into chaos due to the gangs and its incompetent lord, she still cared about it. She couldn’t abandon it, leaving it to its fate.
Lannis led them out of the city. It seemed Rebecca’s hidden assets weren’t located within city limits. They walked for almost an hour, finally stopping before a small hill.
“We’re here,” Lannis said, gesturing towards the hill. “I exchanged Rebecca’s assets for gold and stored it here. It’s completely safe. No one can steal it.”
“I’m curious, how did you transport so much gold here? And how much is there?”
“One hundred million imperial coins worth of gold!” Lannis said, grinning proudly. “Transporting it wasn’t a problem. Exchanging all those assets for gold was the real challenge. I had to hustle to complete the task quickly.”
“Thank you for your hard work,” Rebecca said, smiling apologetically. “I earned too much money. Even a fraction of it was difficult to convert.”
“Who apologizes for making too much money?” Lannis said, waving her hand dismissively, as they approached the hill. “Besides, you shared a portion of your inheritance with me, allowing me to fund my experiments. Although I earned most of it back from those gangsters.”
Abyss could sense an empty space beneath the hill. As he waited for Lannis to activate some hidden mechanism, revealing a secret entrance, she retrieved a metal canister filled with liquid. He hadn’t noticed her carrying it.
She searched the ground for a moment, then moved a few rocks, revealing a small hole, like a rat’s burrow. She poured the liquid into the hole.
“If you don’t want to be buried in dirt, I suggest you step back,” she said, looking up and grinning. “This is going to be spectacular.”
The three girls quickly retreated. Flora even pulled Abyss back, who was completely unconcerned, seemingly eager to witness the explosion.
Lannis, after ensuring they were at a safe distance, retrieved a small bottle from her belt and poured its contents into the hole.
Rumble…
A faint tremor shook the ground beneath their feet.
Lannis didn’t hesitate. She turned and ran, her smile widening, anticipating the impending chaos.
Boom!
A massive explosion erupted from beneath the hill, sending the entire structure, over ten meters tall, flying into the air! A shockwave of hot gas and debris, including uprooted trees and plants, rose dozens of meters into the sky. The powerful tremor knocked Lannis off her feet, but she simply lay there, laughing hysterically.
“Wait, wait! There’s another explosion coming!” she shouted, pointing towards the crater where the hill once stood.
Clang!
A deafening metallic clang echoed through the air as a thick metal plate, at least twenty or thirty centimeters thick, flew from the crater! The heavy plate, propelled by the blast, soared through the air for dozens of meters, then crashed to the ground with a resounding boom, creating a cloud of dust as it embedded itself in the earth.
“The vault is here! No one, no petty thief, can dig through a vault this thick! Only my explosives can! Look! It’s made of pure gold!” Lannis exclaimed, clapping her hands, her excitement fueled by the recent explosions.
Dust and debris rained down from the sky, but Abyss casually conjured a wind barrier, shielding himself and the girls. They rushed towards the flattened hill, peering into the deep crater.
The crater revealed a box made of thick metal plates, a gold cube gleaming at its center, its surface shimmering in the sunlight.
The cube wasn’t large, but anyone familiar with gold could tell how heavy it was. Lannis’s claim of one hundred million imperial coins worth of gold might have been an understatement!
Leona, overwhelmed with excitement, buried her face in Flora’s chest. Their days of poverty were finally over!
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