Chapter 21: Side Effects
Translator: Lordbluefire
Lu Yuan brought the two gangsters with him and headed to an isolated alleyway.
Many black-colored plastic bags used for storing trash could be seen everywhere here. In the depths of the alley were even more overturned trash bags, and bugs were flying above them as they emitted a nasty smell.
A few wild cats and wild dogs were rummaging through the trash bags for food. When they saw Lu Yuan and the others coming over, they turned and glared at them as their bodies arched. They started barking and meowing.
Most probably, the animals treated the three of them as enemies who were here to snatch their food.
Lu Yuan glanced at the wild animals and didn’t care about them.
The stench here was too heavy. Hence, Lu Yuan didn’t dare to lead the two gangsters too deep inside the alley as he was afraid he might puke.
He stayed at the outer parts of the alley and turned to look at the two gangsters.
At this moment, the two gangsters were holding their broken arms. Their faces were pale and their perspiration was like rain.
Lu Yuan smiled. “Is it very painful?”
The red-haired gangster cried and spoke.
“Boss, please treat us like farts and let us go. Our hands are going to be crippled!”
Lu Yuan’s attack was heavier when he targeted this gangster. Right now, the arm of the red-haired gangster was already purplish-black. He couldn’t even bleed out the extravasated blood.
Lu Yuan laughed.
“You dared to directly attack with your weapons earlier. Why are you afraid now? If your arms are broken, just go get yourselves equipped with a mechanical arm. There’s no need to be afraid.”
The two gangsters: “…”
Lu Yuan continued.
“I’m pretty interested in the haunting incident you guys mentioned before. If you can tell me the detailed information, I can spare you two.”
Upon hearing Lu Yuan’s words, the two gangsters were startled.
“Haunting…boss are you talking about the Old Blade guy we were speaking about earlier…?”
“Yes.”
“Boss, please ask, quickly ask!”
The red-haired gangster impatiently spoke.
Lu Yuan smiled. “Did you guys see how Old Blade died? Think carefully before you answer. If I learn that you guys are lying to me…you guys should just think about the consequences of doing so.”
The two of them exchanged a mutual glance. The green-haired gangster trembled a little and spoke.
“W…we didn’t see it personally…b…but! We heard others talking about it! We really heard! What they said is definitely real because they have no reason to lie to us!”
“En? What did they say?”
“We heard that back then, Old Blade and a few others went to extort and blackmail someone wealthy. But when they passed by an alley, a strange dark shadow charged out from the darkness. At that time, the shadow rushed toward Old Blade’s chest, and…Old Blade simply clutched his chest as his face turned green. Then he died.”
The red-haired gangster answered and his face also turned a little green.
Firstly, they were badly frightened. Secondly, the red-haired gangster’s broken hand was already completely numb. He couldn’t feel it anymore.
Lu Yuan gradually narrowed his eyes as he listened to the red-haired gangster’s words.
It was certain now.
It was similar to when he met that apparition-like thingy back then.
Lu Yuan then thought of something and he asked.
“What time was it roughly back then?”
The green-haired gangster answered, “I…I think it was roughly midnight.”
Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes.
After he was sneak attacked yesterday, he checked the time. It was also midnight.
Two attacks at the same time? Could there be more than one of such creatures?
Or could there be a clone?
Lu Yuan was a little confused now.
Anyway, this wasn’t something good.
“After Old Blade died, are there any strange circumstances?”
“After Old Blade died, the others all quickly ran away due to fear. After that, they went to inform the bosses. When the bosses rushed there, Old Blade’s body was still there. There was nothing strange.”
Lu Yuan nodded.
“As for Old Blade…has he offended anyone before? Did he encounter any mutation incidents before?”
“He did offend someone before…B…boss, this question of yours really is…in our line of job. We definitely have offended many people before…Our heads can roll anytime. As for mutation…I don’t think so? If there was, how could he have survived?”
Lu Yuan frowned.
That was right, his question was a little too careless.
For gangsters, how would they not have offended people?
It was normal no matter when they died.
Asking this question was basically meaningless.
In that case, this person didn’t have any reference value to Lu Yuan. He felt a little headache.
But at this moment, Lu Yuan could hear some groans from the two gangsters
He glanced at them and saw their faces turning green. Hence, he removed his grasp on their arms.
“Scram, don’t let me see you guys again in the future.”
Upon hearing this, the two gangsters started. It seemed that they were still in a daze.
After that, they hurriedly bowed and nodded. A sobbing tone could be heard in their voices.
“Thank you, boss! Thank you, boss! We are scramming now!”
They immediately left the alley by running away.
As Lu Yuan watched the gangsters leave, he pondered over the incidents.
There might be more than one dark shadow, and most probably Old Blade wasn’t the only one who died.
At the very least, the original owner of this body also died.
In a place like the slums, no one would know even if some people died.
No one would care about this.
However, what exactly did the ghost-like thingy want?
Lu Yuan pondered for half a day but still couldn’t think of a good reason.
Hence, he shook his head and decided not to think anymore.
Only after leaving the alley did Lu Yuan take out the bun he had bought earlier.
(Mn, the taste is passable.)
…
Xili City’s Western Area, Nine Lakes Business District.
This was a business district near the Gene Fighter Association. High-rise buildings could be seen everywhere, and levitating vehicles floated up and off the platforms of these buildings. This place was extremely prosperous.
Lu Yuan walked on the street. When he looked at the elitists wearing western suits and rich women wearing gorgeous dresses, he felt like he had entered another world.
The difference between this place and the slum was like the difference between heaven and hell.
However, the distance between the two areas was clearly just a few streets apart.
The reason Lu Yuan came here was to sell all his graystone armor shells, and he soon found a shop whose main door wasn’t that large.
The neon signboard before the door had the words ‘Kuang Lang Materials Shop’* and an imprint of a howling wolf head.
After looking at it, Lu Yuan pushed the door open and entered.
The shop wasn’t large, but there were counters with various materials everywhere. Of course, Lu Yuan didn’t recognize the majority of them.
However, he could tell that these items were all from the Land of Origins.
In the interior of the shop, a skinny youth with a mohawk hairstyle, clad in a flowery shirt and beach shorts, was currently seated on a chair and engrossed in his mobile game.
When he heard the sound of the door being opened, he lifted his head and glanced at Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan discovered that the light in the shop was pretty dim, but this youth was actually wearing shades.
How could he see anything then?
Lu Yuan couldn’t help but ridicule in his heart.
The youth took a glance at Lu Yuan before he swiftly lowered his head and continued playing his game.
The youth said, “What’s a little brat like you doing here? If you have nothing to do, go away and play elsewhere!”
Lu Yuan was speechless, but he still walked to the front desk and rapped the desk with his fingers.
“I’m here to sell ingredients.”
The youth’s movements paused. He lifted his head once more and seriously surveyed Lu Yuan as he kept his phone.
“You are a gene fighter?”
Lu Yuan nodded. “Mn, are you guys buying materials?”
“Oh~ Sure. Just say it, what are you selling?”
Lu Yuan took out a bunch of graystone armor shells.
Hualala~
The graystone armor shells were tossed onto the table and created a banging sound as they landed.
“F***…Can’t you place them on the floor? My table is already on the verge of breaking!”
The youth quickly stood up and swept the graystone armor shells onto the ground.
After that, he took a look. “Graystone armor shells? A material from graystone beetles, low-grade common-quality ingredients. $150 for one, this price is definitely fair and we accept no negotiations!”
Lu Yuan knew about the price. He had checked it up on the battleweb before he came here.
$150 per material was truly a fair price.
He nodded. “It’s okay. You can count how many there are. I’m selling them all.”
“Awoooooo~Woof woof woof!!”
Lu Yuan: “?”
He stared at the youth who would occasionally let out wolf howls and dog barks, and question marks filled his head.
Was this person crazy?
However, the youth was stunned as well.
Lu Yuan and the youth then stared at each other, causing the atmosphere to be a little awkward.
After a period of silence, the youth coughed and pretended that nothing had happened.
“Cough, let me calculate the value for you, wuuu woof woof~!”
Lu Yuan: “…”
He deliberated and adjusted his tone before tactfully reminding, “…Bro, do you want to go to the hospital for a checkup?”
The youth fell silent for a moment before he spoke, “This is a side effect of the gene I engraved and recorded. Just an old problem, I’m fine, I’m fine.”
Lu Yuan fell silent upon hearing the sourness in the youth’s tone.
He was somewhat enlightened.
So this was the case. If one failed to complete the process of engraving and recording genes, there would definitely be side effects that matched the characteristics of the genes’ creatures.
When Lu Yuan thought of how the youth barked like a dog when conversing with humans, he felt a degree of shame for him.
This made him feel a little sympathy for the youth too.
Moreover, he was very curious about the grade of extraordinary gene this guy had recorded and engraved. His outburst seemed like a dog and wolf.
However, Lu Yuan didn’t ask.
When dealing with unfamiliar gene fighters, one usually wouldn’t reveal what genes they had recorded and engraved.
If not, if they let others learn of their battle techniques, they would lose the advantage of possessing an unknown trump card.
The two of them didn’t continue on with this topic. The youth soon tabulated the full amount.
“There are a total of 102 pieces. I will give you a discount and count them as 100 pieces. A total of $15,000.”
Lu Yuan, “…A discount? You mean breaking my bones, right? Let’s round it up and make it $20,000.”
The youth pushed his shades higher up his nose and smiled amicably. “Cough…it’s just a little difference, so we might as well not round it up. In any case, you can always hunt for more.”
Lu Yuan also showed his most amiable smile. “Scram.”
Could the reason why this person was so excessively ridiculous have something to do with his extraordinary gene?
The youth sighed. “Alright then, $15,300.”
“Give me the money.”
The youth then transferred the money to Lu Yuan’s bank account.
After seeing the money in his bank account surging by $15,300, Lu Yuan suddenly felt a little moved.
(Dad, Mum, your son is capable now. I finally can be considered as having money!)
[1] Kuang Lang can be translated to Brazen/Wild/Crazy Wolf