Chapter 34: The Dwarf Orphanage

After arriving in the slum, Mike finally felt like he was back in his old stomping ground. He could smell the rotting vegetable scent in the air, the discarded fish innards scattered on the street next to the open drains, and the pungent meat scraps that wafted by.

The hawking cries of the street vendors, the curses and shoving as they fought over stalls - this was the true essence of life.

"This is the outer edge of the 4th ring, the furthest reaches of the 3rd ring. Most of the people living here are the inferior ones who were granted business rights, but they aren't true outlaws yet. The ones running underground casinos, underground fighting rings, and illegal trades, they're the ones playing for keeps," Rose explained casually.

"They don't have any legal business rights, all under-the-table dealings. That's why they have no protection and can get caught up in black-on-black crime with no recourse," she continued.

Mike understood. This was the situation David had found himself in.

After arriving at the market, it was clear they were attracting a lot of attention. There were even some thugs who spotted the pretty woman and were preparing to grope her until Mike knocked them all down.

They made their way to the far end of the market, where an old elevator descended 100 meters underground to the black market.

As the shaky, flickering-lit elevator descended, Mike took in the full scope of the underground district when the doors opened.

Dilapidated steel domes overhead, tangled webs of old-world electrical wiring hanging in the dim light of ancient kerosene lamps, houses stacked haphazardly like Tetris blocks, chaotic streets, mountains of refuse in the corners, and crowds of people bustling about.

"It's just like seeing the slums of Rio de Janeiro or New Delhi," Mike murmured.

"Close, but this place isn't just the impoverished masses. There are even some high-ability types around, like those deserters who fled the front lines and snuck back in through illegal means to live as outlaws," Rose shrugged.

"The High Federation doesn't want to manage this place - the population is too large and the power structures too entrenched. Plus, this place can digest its internal conflicts, and it's convenient for certain bigwigs. And even if they cleared it out, there'd always be those desperate enough to take the risk for profit, either rioting or regrouping."

Mike nodded somberly. "I understand, that when people can't survive, their hidden potentials can manifest in astounding ways that the comfortable living can never imagine."

"The problem now is, this place is so big, where do we even find this Baron?" Rose fretted, cradling the red-eyed skink.

Mike eyed her skeptically. "Are you an Arbiter?"

Rose glared. "I just finished my internship, what of it?"

"No wonder, you have no experience." Mike spread his hands. "In a place like this, with so many different elements, you can't just charge in blindly. You need to find a reliable informant."

"How do I do that?" Rose was taken aback.

"Did you pass the Arbiter exam?" Mike glanced at her.

Before she could get angry, he located a shop and pulled out an energy bar from his pocket, smiling as he handed it to the middle-aged shopkeeper. "Brother, I'm looking for someone - a worker under the Morgan Guild, got beat up here yesterday. Zhang Yiheng, an average-ability type."

The shopkeeper blinked, quickly pocketing the energy bar. "Well, you've come to the right place! I saw him getting beat up just yesterday. Go down that way, take a right at the end, he's arguing with someone right now."

Mike grinned, then turned to Rose with a meaningful look before sauntering off.

Rose frowned, realizing that since arriving in this district, the young man had taken on a distinctly roguish air, blending in seamlessly.

"Commander, he's looking good," Rose spoke into her micro-earpiece.

Damon's voice came through, Williams responding in a detached tone, "Children who grow up too fast often turn out that way. I was much the same in my youth."

Under the flickering kerosene lamps, two groups confronted each other at a stall.

"No way, you have to pay back the rest of those merit points today. Do you know whose money you're holding onto? I'm just the middleman, but I've pissed off some army bigwigs - a small-time smuggler like you would be dead before you even knew what hit you!" David, bruised and battered, sat in a chair, flanked by a group of young thugs armed with steel pipes that he had hired.

Facing them was a bald, heavily scarred man known as "Fat Snake", surrounded by his tattooed goons, cracking their knuckles.

"What merit points? That was the agreed price, wasn't it? I gave you the goods you wanted, the rest is just my cut - we're all risking our necks here, it's not easy," Fat Snake sneered.

"Are you looking to get your ass kicked? Don't expect your army buddies to come to save you, they're all stuck at the front, and can't even come for you! Go ahead, call them over, I'll shove my head up my ass if they show up!"

"What did you say?"

David also got angry and stood up to confront him.

"Pay back the money!"

"What money? I don't know."

"You have to pay it back today!"

"Fuck, did I give you face or what?"

He spat a thick phlegm right onto David's face.

David was furious but didn't dare order his subordinates to rush over.

Because the money he gave was just to maintain appearances.

If it came to a fight, that would be a different price.

The Big Boss could see this person was all talk and no action, so he grabbed his collar and sneered, "Dare to cause trouble here? I guess I didn't teach you a lesson last time!"

With a command, his subordinates rushed forward.

When David saw the fist the size of a wok about to come down, he got scared and quickly closed his eyes. Suddenly, there was a sound from beside his ear.

Slap! The Big Boss's fist was caught.

"David."

Mike smiled, "Good afternoon."

David opened his eyes, clearly stunned.

With a sudden force from Mike's right hand, a pig-like squeal rang out.

The Big Boss was no slouch either - although he didn't master the sacred rhythm, he was still considered a very formidable fighter among ordinary people. But at that moment, his fist was crushed!

He dropped to his knees with a thud, and his subordinates quickly grabbed weapons to attack.

However, the Big Boss roared, "Insolence!"

The subordinates immediately stopped and looked at each other in bewilderment.

The Big Boss was no fool - the other side was an Evolver and a very powerful one at that.

Most importantly, while crushing his fist, Mike had also pulled out a revolver from his pocket, giving the chamber a light spin and pressing the muzzle to the Big Boss's forehead.

The Big Boss was a perceptive man and recognized it as a military-grade weapon.

Only one type of person would dare to use military equipment so brazenly in public.

"Military sir! Military sir! It's all a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding!"

The Big Boss was drenched in sweat. "You said you wouldn't come, but you came."

Mike directly pulled up a chair and sat down, smiling, "So, how about putting on a show - stick your head up your ass, I'm waiting to see."

Rose chuckled, and the subordinates who had never seen a woman were dumbstruck.

This was the privilege of being a high-level Evolver - not only was there a gap in strength, but also a natural suppression of status. He represented the military, even the church, and the federation.

To these hoodlums, he was like a living god.

Of course, if the Big Boss knew there was also an interrogator standing next to him, he might just piss his pants off.

The Big Boss turned green, hurriedly saying, "Military sir, don't tease me. If I did that performance, wouldn't you and your lady friend be disgusted and vomit? Mino! What are you all standing around for? Quickly, bring the money! Bring a lot, to compensate this military sir!"

He trembled as he said, "When the military sir just touched me, don't I have to wash my hands? Hurry up and bring the hand-washing fee! And the medical expenses, the compensation for mental anguish, quickly, quickly, quickly!"

He almost roared it out.

As someone in the underground black market, he was too slick.

When the military sir came, he had no way to fight back.

The only way is to amputate and fight for survival. Just pay the money and it will be over.

Otherwise, with all the illegal activities he's done, being executed on the spot would be light punishment.

David was shocked this time. He knew the high-level officials had privileges, but he didn't expect it to be to this extent. Those subordinates almost took out all the merit points from the safe.

With a total of 3,400 merit points, it's safe to say their line of work has a lot of perks.

"Mike, what are you doing here?"

David took the stack of merit points and without a second thought, handed them to him.

Mike just took out a 500-point merit ticket, returning the rest, "Oh, nothing much, just came to accompany my daughter to check on something, and happened to come see you. You keep this money. In the future, when you get the operating rights, do some business, I have great faith in you."

Rose was furiously angry, "You little brat, what are you saying?"

David clearly showed a touched expression. When they parted ways at the temple, he thought he would never cross paths with this young man again.

But unexpectedly, the other party had been thinking of him all this time.

Mike's action wasn't without reason.

First, when David was in the ruined church, he had helped him.

Secondly, David himself is a talented person, who can make money from money.

Future promotion requires a large amount of resources.

David might be able to help him solve part of this problem.

It's also a kind of investment.

The fat snake was clutching his crushed fist, in so much pain that he was almost rolling his eyes. His subordinates hurriedly came to help him but ended up causing more trouble since they didn't know what to do.

Now he just hopes the general will leave, and the farther the better.

Never come back.

Treat him like a fart, just let him go.

"Do you recognize this person?"

Mike took out a photo.

The photo clearly showed Baron's old photo.

"This person should be in the underground district."

Rose crossed her arms, "Provide clues, there will be merit rewards."

David and the people he brought all shook their heads.

Mike and Rose exchanged a glance, looks like they still need to keep searching.

At this time, the fat snake also saw the photo, thought for a moment, and his expression changed drastically, "General! General! I know him, I don't remember his name, but he came here looking for a job half a month ago, and now he's working as a janitor in an orphanage!"

Mike was taken aback.

With a whoosh, Rose stepped forward and stepped on this guy's shoulder.

"Are you sure?"

The fat snake trembled in pain, but gritted his teeth and said, "I'm sure, absolutely no mistake, because this guy was with a few children at the time, which left a deep impression!"

Rose turned her head.

Mike nodded slightly.

A voice sounded in their earphones.

"Prepare, surround."

The orphanage in the underground district was more like a shelter.

The dilapidated and desolate small courtyard was surrounded by iron railings, with garbage and scrap everywhere, and the wooden row houses were also very old, with many holes in the roof, but since they didn't have to worry about rain, they could still live in it.

The skinny children were sorting through the garbage, silent.

A young man in a gray robe came out of the house and distributed bread to each child.

The atmosphere here was silent and oppressive.

Despair permeated everywhere.

Snap.

Something seemed to have fallen from the roof.

The young man had just turned around to check when he was held at gunpoint.

"Baron Moor?"

Rose aimed her revolver at the back of his head.

Baron, with his back to her, silently raised his hands.

"So I've been found after all?"

He seemed to have expected it and sighed wearily.

On the roof, Mike quietly stood up, surveying this so-called orphanage.

The children eating the bread also looked up at him.

When Mike saw their gaze, he was taken aback.

Because that kind of gaze was too dark, nothing like what a child should have.

"Looks like you knew someone would come looking for you."

Rose said coldly, "And you know what your foster father has done."

Baron maintained his hands-up posture and said softly, "My foster father went insane, but it has nothing to do with us. When his lifespan was about to reach its limit, he somehow got influenced by someone and turned to that terrible religion, becoming completely unrecognizable. Ever since he became that way, he's been insane. My brothers, they were all killed by him."

"Ever since the East City human sculpture murder case, I knew something was amiss. Someone is hunting down my foster father, and they will surely come after me as well. I won't last long."

He paused, "Can I only escape with the children?"

Rose frowned and glanced at the little kids, "Children?"

Baron said earnestly, "The batch of children my foster father was planning to adopt - I realized he was up to no good, so I decided to secretly move the kids away to keep them safe."

Rose spoke in a cold voice, "Do you know that your brother Sasha is already dead?"

Baron was taken aback.

Rose looked at the dilapidated courtyard and the innocent children, and perhaps feeling there was no more danger, she put away her gun.

Baron was not a dangerous individual. He was just afraid of being silenced, so he was hiding with the children here. It seemed their life was a difficult one.

"Sister, would you like some bread?" The children came up and asked politely.

Rose softened, reaching out to pat their heads.

However, at that moment, Mike suddenly shouted, "Be careful, they're not children!"

As the children extended their hands, Mike noticed their calloused fingers. Fingers like those of hardworking laborers for decades. Children couldn't possibly have such thick calluses. And their eyes were too jaded - the eyes of adults.

Rose was startled when the foremost "child" suddenly looked up, their expression turning ferocious, and they punched her soft belly, sending her flying. The remaining "children" rushed forward, drawing knives from their sleeves. These were not children - they were dwarves!

Baron also turned around and pounced on the woman like a fierce tiger. In the fleeting moment, Mike's palm twitched. He sensed the scent of Dark Matter!