Next, Henry used 100 grey pearls, 50 white, and 5 green to generate the 400 pearls' worth of energy needed to upgrade his Agility talent.
After another two minutes spent in that warm, primal state, he emerged with Agility LV 2. His speed and reflexes were now enhanced by forty percent. The upgrade to LV 3 would cost four thousand grey pearls. The percentage-based talents, he realized, had limitless potential.
His upgrades were complete for now. He was left with a healthy reserve of pearls and husks, more than enough for the next battle.
He had moved against the black market so quickly for one reason: to cut off the source of the bounty on his head. There were two sources: Brendan McKinley and the black market itself. Destroying the second was the most direct and effective solution.
With the entire institution for posting and paying out the bounty gone, what motivation would the endless stream of assassins and desperados have to risk their lives coming after him?
His second reason was that he intended to make Denver the first city he controlled. He could not allow such a powerful and hostile intelligence agency to operate in his territory. And by seizing their archives, he had gained an invaluable tool for his future plans.
S-rank, A-rank, B-rank clearance… he thought with a sneer. The highest form of intelligence gathering was simply to take all the intelligence for yourself. In the lawless West, this was the price you paid for making an enemy of the wrong man.
He had tested the red-haired clerk to see if the organization had any lines they wouldn't cross. He'd found they had none. They had sold his location within half an hour of his arrival in the city. Since they were so ruthlessly efficient, he had to be as well.
That was why he had blown up the villa. It was a public announcement to the entire underworld: the Denver black market is closed. Permanently.
His next target was the leadership at the McKinley manor.
In Frisco, he was the law. If he sensed danger, he could draw and fire, and even if he killed the wrong man, there would be no consequences. Sheriff Henry thinks you're a threat, therefore you are a threat.
But outside of his jurisdiction, he was just a man with a gun. If he acted the same way here, he'd quickly become a wanted man himself, just like Billy the Kid. The McKinleys could easily frame him, using their own hired guns or a corrupt lawman. He would not allow himself to be put in that position.
Therefore, the McKinley leadership in Denver had to die. It was a silent vow he had made to himself, for Linda's sake. He couldn't let Sean wait too long for his boss in the afterlife.
It was still early. He began to take a full inventory of his other gains. He now had so many guns and so much ammunition that he didn't bother with a precise count. It was enough to fight several major battles.
The cash, however, was a different story. He had gained another $64,875.80, the majority of it from the black market's treasury and Daisler's safe. His total liquid assets now stood at around $128,000.
He celebrated with four steaks and three pounds of bread, washed down with milk.
At the McKinley manor, the lavish dinner party had ended. Brendan invited Richard to his study for cigars.
"Richard," Brendan began, exhaling a cloud of rich smoke, "I must apologize for the immense danger you were put in. I never imagined that thirty-seven of our best men would not be enough to ensure your safety."
Richard took a long drag from his own cigar, his face momentarily hidden by the smoke. "It was, indeed, unexpected. The situation was dire. We were fortunate that Sheriff Henry arrived when he did."
"I know this may bring back unpleasant memories, but it is vital for our future plans. Could you tell me exactly what happened?"
"Of course," Richard said, and he began to recount the tale of the ambush in Dead Man's Gulch.
When he had finished, Brendan repeated the key points, his voice strained with disbelief. "So, the Dodge Gang ambushed you while they were waiting for Henry. And there was another gang of seventy men waiting at The Gallows. And Henry killed all of them, by himself?"
"I only personally witnessed him kill the six who were guarding us, and the twenty-two wolves," Richard said. "The rest is what he told me. But I believe him."
"If you had seen what he did to those wolves, you would believe him too."
"And when we passed back through the gulch, the sixty or so members of the Dodge Gang who had revealed themselves during the ambush… they were all gone."
Richard took another deep drag from his cigar, as if trying to exhale the traumatic memories of the past two days.
"After this incident, I have realized that I am not yet prepared to expand my operations into Colorado. I will be returning to Pittsburgh in the next day or two. I'm sorry, but I will not be able to act as your intermediary with Mayor William."
"I understand," Brendan said, his mind reeling. "I am deeply sorry for the danger this has caused you and your wife. I will, of course, compensate you. Do you require an escort back to Pittsburgh?"
"Thank you, but no. We will be traveling with Henry."
"Very well," Brendan said, his voice hollow. "Again, my deepest apologies."
Richard extinguished his cigar and stood. "It was an accident. Think nothing of it. Good night."
Brendan stood as well and escorted Richard and Madeline to the main gate of the manor.