Andrew, who had just stood up, stretched languidly. Just as he was about to pick up the Blazing Light Tachi to give it another once-over, the tablet on his workbench lit up. It was a message from Twentie.
"Mhm, mhm! (We've got a special visitor!)"
One look at Twentie's message and a quick mental calculation was all it took for Andrew to know who had arrived. He went downstairs to his workshop and saw a pink-haired girl, making herself right at home, rummaging through a pile of Ethereal materials. Andrew smiled and asked:
"Nicole, did you waste all the ether bullets I sold you again?"
Hearing this, the girl who had been squatting on the floor shot to her feet, flustered.
Strands of pink hair danced with her movement. Her hair was so thick that even tied into two pigtails, the remaining locks cascaded over her shoulders like a full head of long hair. Messy tips of her bangs stuck out stubbornly, accentuating her captivating, cat-like green eyes.
But they didn't hold the gentleness of a housecat; instead, they glinted with the sharp wariness and cunning of a stray.
The lines of her face held a contradictory mix of childishness and worldly wisdom. The curve of her cheeks still had a touch of roundness, the face of someone not yet fully grown, but the smirk playing on her lips was already tinged with the seasoned maturity of someone who had fought their way up on the streets.
Glancing down, her chest, though not yet fully developed, was already quite impressive, accentuated by her tight top. Once she was fully grown, she'd probably rival Zhu Yuan. But what truly drew the eye were her long legs, wrapped in ripped black stockings.
The perfect shape of her legs was clearly defined by the stockings, with a few irregular, frayed tears above the knee revealing the firm, supple, snow-white skin beneath.
And the briefcase in her hand, with its heavily worn paint and deeply scratched edges, was anything but ordinary, despite its unassuming appearance.
Especially not after Andrew's modifications, which had boosted its power significantly beyond the original specs.
"What do you mean, waste?! For a Hollow Raider, can you even call it waste?!"
Then came the usual tirade: "A Hollow Raider's 'waste' is just called normal wear and tear!" "If it weren't for that old geezer's inhuman plan, this young lady wouldn't have just grabbed the goods and bailed without getting the final payment!" and so on and so forth.
Listening to Nicole's complaints, Andrew started organizing her ammo supply and asked curiously:
"So after all that, you still used it all up. What happened? You didn't get the final payment? Didn't you say this was supposed to be Ann easy gig?"
At his words, it was like he'd picked at a fresh scab. Nicole looked crestfallen for a moment, but the thought of her client made her flare up in anger again.
"This time, it absolutely wasn't my fault! It's all because that old man's plan was completely inhuman! He sent me into the Hollows to find Ann official seal, but his real goal was to forge documents to steal a house from Ann 11-year-old girl—the one her parents left her! I was so pissed I gave him a faceful from my case, grabbed the seal, and bolted. On my way here, I smashed its container to smithereens. Let that old bastard try to piece it together from the fragments!"
"Ann 11-year-old girl? Doesn't she have any other guardians?"
At this question, Nicole's expression turned bitter.
"They're all dead. Died in that disaster seven years ago. After that, it was just her and her grandpa, but he passed away a week ago too. That's exactly why that old creep thought he had Ann opening, trying to pull a fast one while she's just a kid who doesn't know any better."
Hearing this, Andrew's expression soured.
"In that case, I'd say you did the right thing. I can't blame you. You should've landed one for me, too; just hearing about it makes me want to go punch him myself. But what happens to the little girl now? She's all alone."
Nicole's face lit up at Andrew's words.
"See? See?! You think I was right, too! Don't worry, with my punch, that old geezer won't be getting out of a hospital bed for at least half a month! As for the little girl, I took her to Ann orphanage."
As she spoke, Nicole seemed to recall a pleasant memory and said with a smile:
"I know the director of the orphanage. She's really reliable, so I know she's in good hands. So don't look so glum~"
Even if it was a last resort, at least the little girl had a place to go. Reassured, Andrew let out a sigh of relief.
"For guys like that, I have a suggestion. Next time, you could trick them into paying you the final payment first, and then run for it."
Hearing this, Nicole's eyes instantly lit up.
"That makes so much sense, Andrew! You're a genius! From now on, whenever I run into scum like that, that's exactly what I'll do. And if they don't leave a good review, I'll just expose their dirty deeds! That way, I get the money, I get the good review, and voilà! A world where nobody gets hurt... except for the scumbags!"
Listening to Nicole instantly flesh out a complete methodology from his suggestion, Andrew couldn't help but offer a three-second moment of silence for the future scumbags who would cross paths with this girl, whose mind spun at lightspeed whenever Dennies were involved.
"With that kind of method, I'm afraid your newly established 'Cunning Hares' is going to earn a different kind of reputation."
"Tch, a name change isn't something other people get to decide. Besides, my name is great! It sounds so warm and cozy. I'm sure it gives my clients a real homey feeling."
With that, Nicole lifted her chin proudly, expressing immense satisfaction with her own naming sense.
"Cunning Hares? Name aside, with your fees being a cut above everyone else's and you literally just plotting how to screw over your clients, can it really be called 'cozy'?"
"How can you call it screwing them over?! That's called 'serving the public by eliminating a pest!' Besides, you're the one who suggested it, so if a situation like that actually happens, you'll have to take responsibility. I'm not greedy—just give me a discount the next time I buy ammo."
Looking at Nicole's cunning smile, Andrew got the feeling she'd already had similar ideas for these situations and was just seizing the opportunity he'd given her.
Slamming the organized ammo onto the table with a thud, Andrew said resignedly:
"These special-issue Ether Grenades have thirty percent more power, and they're still only seventy percent of the price you'd pay at the Association. I used the emission glands from Ann Arlaune for the explosives this time."
He tapped the briefcase Nicole had placed on the counter and continued,
"On top of that, I reinforced your 'Demara's Bespoke' by integrating the structure of a Quantum Body: Nassellaria and the firing mechanism of a Beholder Engine. It's designed to create a one-plus-one-is-greater-than-two effect with my custom ammo. And you still want a discount on this gear? Maybe you should try your luck somewhere else."
The moment Andrew even hinted at not selling, Nicole's cunning grin instantly turned sycophantic. She rubbed her hands together and said:
"Hey now, I was just kidding! Your skills are one-of-a-kind in all of New Eridu. What would I do with my signature move without your ammo?"
Completely shameless, as if the talk about a discount had never happened, Nicole changed the subject and continued:
"But, you know, Andrew, I only got the deposit for this job... so maybe I'll just take two of the most powerful special-issue Ether Grenades this time?"
-
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