Su Mo accepted the contract and walked towards the door.
The crowd automatically parted to make way.
As he passed by Ghost Hand, Su Mo poked his belly button and said with a smile, "What's up, Inner City guy, leaving such a good contract for a dog tag wearer like me?"
Ghost Hand's face darkened, and he stared coldly at Su Mo's departing figure.
Sam asked, "Boss, should we keep looking at the contract or...?"
Ghost Hand lowered his voice and said, "Wake up a few in the den and secretly follow that dog tag wearer."
Sam was taken aback, "That guy's heading to his death. Why follow him?"
Ghost Hand knocked him on the head, "How can you be this dumb, like a pig? That guy handed over the deposit without hesitation, he's definitely not bluffing."
Ghost Hand looked in the direction Su Mo had left, a grim smile on his face, "We'll follow him secretly. With some luck, we might score something."
...
Su Mo found a bench by the roadside and sat down, reviewing the contract details sent to his phone.
According to the intelligence provided by the Public Security Bureau, the wanted target "Park Yong-joon" is suspected of kidnapping, theft, and three first-degree murder cases.
The target had a confrontation with security forces in the Rust Wall District, injuring two sheriffs, and escaped to the Border District through the sewers, with his whereabouts still unknown.
The target has multiple prosthetic implants, exceeding ordinary human athletic ability, has rich counter-surveillance experience, and excellent marksmanship. According to an internal evaluation by the Public Security Bureau, he is classified as a New Moon City Grade C wanted criminal.
The prosthetics are enhanced human technologies proprietary to the Iron Blood Alliance, benchmarked against the Hegemony Company's Blood Code.
Prosthetic levels from low to high are divided into Ordinary Management Level, Stringently Managed Level, Military Level, Fearless Level, Vanguard Level, High Risk Level, Apocalypse Level.
Each major level is further subdivided into Levels 3, 2, and 1, from weak to strong.
Although both prosthetics and Blood Code are human enhancement technologies, there is a significant difference in essence.
The Blood Code is a genetic reinforcement, with effects varying from person to person.
The same Blood Code can manifest completely differently in different bodies.
Some people can train their Blood Code to "Black King Level" in just a few years, while others remain "Awakening Level" their whole life.
Prosthetics are different; they are enhancement components implanted through surgical procedures.
Prosthetic Implanters can strengthen themselves by directly buying and replacing higher-level components, unlike Blood Code Carriers who have to train rigorously.
For example, if an implanter's arm currently has the most basic Ordinary Management Level 3 prosthetic, they can skip levels and replace it with the most formidable Apocalypse Level 1 prosthetic, instantly becoming thousands of times stronger.
Of course, there are two prerequisites for such a brute force upgrade.
One is that their body's tolerance must withstand it.
Different bodies have different tolerances for prosthetics; higher-level prosthetics can't just be swapped in either.
The second is having enough money.
Prosthetics, though great, are very expensive to swap in and out.
It's fair to say that the Blood Code is like a "martial arts manual," regardless of whether the learner is a noble or a commoner, everyone starts on equal footing. Their martial prowess depends on personal talent and effort.
Conversely, prosthetics are akin to "pay-to-win equipment." The expensive ones are always better than the cheap ones. Want to get stronger? Just pay. Wealthy big spenders will undoubtedly crush the minor spenders.
According to the Public Security Bureau's intelligence, Park Yong-joon has three or four prosthetics, all Ordinary Management Level 3.
In Su Mo's eyes, this qualifies as a "semi-disabled" extraordinary being criminal.
Because comparing prosthetics to the Blood Code assumes a "full-body prosthetic replacement."
For instance, a person would need to install an Ordinary Management Level 3 prosthetic in every body part, from head to toe, to have the capital to compare with a Low Tier of Awakening Blood Code Carrier.
With Park Yong-joon partially modifying three or four places, he's hardly a complete prosthetic implanter.
Bullying ordinary people is easy.
With Su Mo's double Blood Code of the Low Tier of Awakening, taking down such a person is no problem.
But this is also what Su Mo finds concerning.
Such a mere Grade C bounty surprisingly wiped out three groups of mercenaries, resulting in over twenty deaths.
This is not the strength of a Grade C wanted criminal.
Even if those mercenaries were all ordinary people, no extraordinary power, armed with just a gun, should have made Park Yong-joon into a beehive.
There are two possibilities for this situation.
Either the Public Security Bureau's assessment is wrong, significantly underestimating Park Yong-joon's strength.
But this is less likely.
Because Park Yong-joon once engaged in a firefight with security forces, the result was merely "injuring" two sheriffs followed by an embarrassingly hurried escape through the sewers.
The Public Security Bureau must have analyzed Park Yong-joon's strength through the battle situation before rating him as C-level, so there shouldn't be much deviation.
Then there's another possibility.
This Park Yong-joon was indeed at the C-level originally.
But after escaping to the Border District, he acquired "something."
Maybe he implanted a new prosthetic, or maybe he got his hands on some powerful weapon.
In any case, that thing greatly enhanced his strength, so much so that three groups of mercenaries couldn't defeat him.
Su Mo took on this commission not just to attract the attention of the middleman, but also with this in mind.
This bounty is actually a "fortuitous encounter"!
From Park Yong-joon, perhaps there's some good loot to be had.
Thinking of this, Su Mo showed an expectant smile.
...
That night, Su Mo rushed back to the Border District to find Haywood.
Considering that Park Yong-joon might have something that enhances his strength, Su Mo also planned to get some equipment for security.
It's always prudent to be a bit cautious.
Haywood, having been in the Border District for so many years, had plenty of good equipment in his hands.
As soon as Su Mo entered the room, Haywood looked at him playfully: "You kid, you made such a big commotion on your first city visit. Your business at the public commission center reached my ears."
Su Mo retorted jokingly: "Your hearing is sharp, crossing walls, you heard it so fast."
Haywood proactively made Su Mo a cup of tea: "Need any help from me?"
Su Mo chuckled: "Oh, yesterday you were kicking me out, today you're so proactive?"
Haywood grinned, revealing those yellowed teeth: "I have a feeling, you were right yesterday, befriending you isn't a loss."
He pointed to Tank beside him and said, "Let Tank go hammer that Park fellow with you?"
Su Mo shook his head: "That won't be necessary. This commission will probably have several middleman spies following me, they will observe my combat performance."
"If they discover I'm getting help in battle, they might think my strength is exaggerated, and the middleman's evaluation of me could drop. I need to handle this myself."
Haywood grunted: "So, why are you looking for me?"
Su Mo raised two fingers: "Two things. I'll pay you, lend me a set of good-use equipment."
"That Park guy took out three batches of mercenaries, I suspect he has some formidable gear on him, I don't want to be the fourth unfortunate bastard killed."
Haywood directly said to Tank: "Get him a set of 'Anti-Violence Fourth Section' gear."
Tank brought out a military-grade case from the back room, made entirely of lightweight special metal, its black exterior gleaming with a metallic luster, with crimson etched patterns forming a grim skull emblem.
Haywood opened the case, revealing a brand new rifle lying horizontally in a compartment, surrounded by neatly arranged ammunition, a bulletproof vest, a bulletproof helmet, and various tactical gear, all exuding a violent beauty.
Haywood picked up the rugged-looking rifle and slowly introduced: "Anti-Violence Fourth Section 'Tsunami Series Assault Rifle', equipped with a holographic thermal vision scope, recoil compensation module, dual-base high-energy armor-piercing rounds that can penetrate 50mm thick homogeneous steel plates, shooting through walls is a piece of cake."
"The full protective gear is also inside, including a heavy titanium alloy bulletproof vest, joint protectors, dragon steel tactical helmet, etc. Unless Park is driving an armored vehicle, this should suffice."
Seeing these things, Su Mo's expression changed drastically: "Haywood, aren't you afraid for your life? Daring to snatch stuff from the Anti-Violence Fourth Section? Aren't you afraid those tough guys will come after you?"
Haywood replied helplessly: "I don't have the guts to provoke the Anti-Violence Fourth Section, they cause disasters every time they come to the Border. These were sent by some acquaintances in the Public Security Bureau."
"Just kidding, thanks a lot." Su Mo laughed excitedly, clearly, this set of equipment exceeded his expectations.
The Anti-Violence Fourth Section is the elite force of the Public Security Bureau, responsible for dealing with the most ferocious criminals, their equipment is naturally far superior to ordinary public security forces.
Even a regular person with no military training could take down ten experienced sheriffs with this gear.
Su Mo continued: "Also, there's one more thing I need your help with. You're well-informed about the Border, help me find where that guy is, will you?"
To Su Mo's surprise, Haywood directly flipped a map out from under the table: "Already checked for you, someone saw him near Liuhexi Street a few days ago."
"But that Park guy is very cautious, always goes to uninhabited places, my people didn't dare get too close, they could only pin down the general area."
He pointed to the circled spot on the map: "That's the best I can do."
Having even prepared the intel beforehand, this level of treatment left Su Mo somewhat surprised, he was stunned for a while before saying: "The equipment, and the intel, name your price."
Haywood waved his hand: "In the future, if you need help with anything, just remember I helped you."
Su Mo didn't say much.
Using favors to exchange favors, this is the art of transactions, something the grassroots people are especially good at.
"Thanks, I'll keep it in mind." Su Mo put away the map, took the equipment, and left.