Imperial Capital, Lower District.
Towering chimneys stretched into the sky, billowing black smoke without end. If one were to look down from above, this entire area would look like a black scab on the body of the Imperial Capital.
Countless cheap factories and destitute commoners gathered here, and drawn along as well were all manner of gray-market operators and gangs.
This was the true gray zone of the Imperial Capital—an absolute forbidden district shunned by nobles. Likewise, the people here were almost entirely cut off from those living in the upper districts of the city.
Other than factory deliveries and the odd black-market exchange of goods, it was as if they lived in two separate cities.
No—more accurately, two different countries, two different worlds.
And within this underworld kingdom of the capital, inside the underground casino, sat a burly, muscular middle-aged man, dressed in extravagant clothes and wearing sunglasses, leisurely puffing on a cigar.
Each of his ten fingers bore a different golden, jeweled, or diamond ring, the glittering hands shamelessly groping the two bunny girls at his side.
Amidst the girls’ coquettish moans, Albert smiled with satisfaction. As the head of the Dick Gang—the largest underground organization in the Imperial Capital—he lived a life that countless people envied.
Just as he was enjoying this rare moment of peace, savoring his cigar, fine wine, and women, suddenly… an abrupt, discordant sound reached his ear.
A lackey dashed in, panic written all over his face, and hurriedly reported:
“Boss, there’s a young guy who showed up in the casino. He came straight in asking to see you, says he knows you really well, and told me to come let you know…”
“Hah?” Hearing the lackey’s report, Albert let out a cold laugh on the spot.
“There are plenty of people in the Imperial Capital who claim to know me. Who does he think he is? How tactless.”
“Can’t he see I’m busy with women? Tell him to wait! Heh… I don’t bother about anyone anymore. Even if the emperor himself came today, I wouldn’t see him! I’m not in the mood…”
With that, Albert comfortably shut his eyes, leaned back, and roughly caressed the bunny girl’s thigh beside him. The lackey, watching, was stunned speechless. After a long moment, he finally realized:
“Y-yes, I was wrong. I’ll make that guy get lost right away!”
“Hey, wait a minute… Did he give his name?”
Seeing that the lackey was about to ride off his boss’s momentum and go intimidate the guest, Albert suddenly grew a bit uneasy and asked.
If the man hadn’t given his name, then sure, kick him out. But if he had… cough cough…
…Not that he was afraid of anything, heh.
In the Imperial Capital, he owed respect to no one!
“H-he did. I think his name was… Lynn or something?”
“W-what?! L-Lynn?!”
Albert sucked in a breath of cold air, his earlier tough words instantly forgotten. Hearing that fearsome name, even the gangster boss himself was left trembling.
The bunny girls beside him could feel the pig-like hands on their thighs shaking uncontrollably.
But… that wasn’t even the end of it. Before Albert could say, “Quick, go invite Lynn in,” a noisy commotion erupted at the door.
Turning his head, Albert’s face went slack with shock as he saw Lynn already standing just outside his room, wearing a cold sneer as he looked in.
Behind Lynn, several of Albert’s doormen lay sprawled on the ground. In fact, faintly, he could hear a chorus of pained screams echoing down the entire hallway…
Albert could already imagine the pathetic sight outside: all his lackeys felled in a line. At this point, the boss’s previous arrogance vanished without a trace.
Of course—it wasn’t about not respecting anyone! The problem was, Lynn wasn’t just “anyone,” he was basically a living god, for heaven’s sake.
“Yo, it’s me, Albert~ Long time no see. What’s this, your security’s pretty tight these days. Planning not to see me?”
Seeing Albert scramble to his feet, Lynn let out a cold laugh. Without waiting for any invitation, he strode straight into the room.
Albert hurried over, ingratiating smile plastered across his face, then bowed, stretched out his hand, and shook Lynn’s hand, all the while laughing obsequiously:
“No, no, I was just about to come out and greet you, see! Lynn, sir, why did you have to come here in person? If you’d just sent a word through your adjutant, I’d have come running at once!”
“Heh, I couldn’t wait. I have some very important questions for you, so… don’t mind those fools out front who didn’t know better…”
“Hahaha… No, no, my men are all ignorant bugs, not worth dirtying your hands. Please, have a seat, please… uh…”
Albert hurried to seat Lynn, then quickly gestured to the two bunny girls beside him:
“You two, hurry and serve Sir Lynn well! Hehe… Lynn, let me pour you a drink personally.”
“No need…”
Seeing the bunny girls about to press their chests and thighs all over him without hesitation, Lynn’s face twisted in disgust.
“They reek. I’m not interested in having women who were just making out with you by my side, Albert. Let’s get straight to the point…”
“Uh…”
Faced with Lynn’s blunt humiliation, Albert didn’t dare show even the slightest trace of anger. On the contrary, he was extremely nervous.
The real issue was that this underworld boss couldn’t figure out what the powerful man before him was after.
In his experience, whenever someone like this came looking for him, it was never for anything good.
Sure enough, soon Lynn pulled out two photos from his pocket—the very same ones from the blackmail letter that Keti had received. Staring coldly at Albert, he said:
“Look. Two of my students were kidnapped, and the exchange location is your territory, Albert. What’s the meaning of this? Was it your people?”
“Hiss—”
Hearing this, Albert’s heart sank halfway to his boots. At this moment, the crime boss felt his breathing growing uneven.
After a while, he picked up the two photos with trembling hands, examining them closely.
This…
This…
He couldn’t be that unlucky, could he? He honestly didn’t know a thing about this, but… what he was really afraid of was that some dim-witted lackey of his might be behind it.
Not just his direct subordinates—if the real culprit was a lackey of a lackey, or even just someone from a small gang that depended on his, this guy in front of him would absolutely lay the blame at his feet.
In an instant, Albert broke out in a cold sweat.
He could only wipe his forehead, then took a deep breath and said, “I… I’m not sure. I’d never dare to do something like this, Sir Lynn, but… I’ll have to ask around below for details…”