Ever since Altair brought firearms to the club the day before yesterday, invitation letters have been arriving one after another, either inviting cooperation or making threats.
It wasn't until today, after applying pressure to all parties in Owen Donovan's name, that things finally quieted down... During these two days, Altair hadn't been idle either; he had already had Hahn thoroughly investigate the gangs in every district of Backlund.
I don't consider myself a good person, but there's no need to kill ordinary people. Deliberate slaughter is just being a 'murderer' and is completely out of tune with acting as an 'Assassin'.
People's definitions of an 'Assassin' are nothing more than a few types: political assassination, personal revenge, or hire for money... Since he didn't need money, he could only choose to be a vigilante fighting against oppression.
In the evening, after disguising himself at home, Altair left Empress Borough alone with the information Hahn had gathered.
He arrived at the Backlund Docks District. This is an important part of Backlund, where one can travel to inland places like Sea County and Ahowa County via the River Tasock, or head directly to the sea.
Because this river runs through most of Loen, many cargo ships dock or set sail every day, and most people earn a hard living by helping to load and unload goods.
The population here is nearly one million, accounting for about one-fifth of Backlund's total population. This district is not only one of the poorest in Backlund but also a major disaster area for public security.
Perhaps due to the massive population, or for other reasons, dozens of large gangs and nearly a hundred small ones are entrenched here. Each gang occupies an area and monopolizes job opportunities through the docks they control.
If workers want a job, they have to accept wages far below the market rate, and even pay 'protection fees' after finishing work to ensure their safety... Since arriving in the Docks District, Altair had discovered a world of difference between the two districts. In Empress Borough, you would never see children in rags; their arms and legs were as thin as hemp stalks—nothing but skin and bones. It felt as if they would snap with just a gentle bend of the hand.
Altair looked at the abandoned wooden building before him and compared it with the photo in the files. After confirming he hadn't made a mistake, he began to observe his surroundings to plan an escape route... Once the route was set, he entered the building and climbed to the top floor.
He took the gun out of the case and attached the'silencer'.
This'silencer' was crafted through a special secret method. The casing was forged from Deep-sea Dark Iron, the interior filled with fibers soaked in Silence Charms, and it was further inlaid with a'Serenity' Charm.
This was a special item manufactured urgently through special channels. It worked well, but the price was truly high. It cost nearly 85 pounds, while by Altair's calculations, the cost price was at most less than 30 pounds. There was no helping it; he was in a hurry to use it and lacked the technology to manufacture it himself.
The target this time was the second-in-command of the 'Blood Snake Gang', 'Jesse Harrington'. According to the investigation files, this man had stepped over the corpses of others to get where he was.
Since joining the 'Blood Snake Gang', he had been ruthless toward his enemies and didn't even spare his own people. He instigated infighting among the gang's upper management to profit for himself, personally murdered entire families, committed rape and murder, and broke children's limbs to send them out to beg... Basically, he had done every evil deed imaginable. Now that he had crossed paths with Altair, who else should die if not him?
After waiting for nearly an hour, Altair finally saw 'Jesse Harrington' and his lackeys walk out of the gang headquarters, preparing to leave.
Because of the 'Assassin' Pathway's innate abilities, 'Eagle Vision' and 'Darkvision', Altair didn't have to worry at all about being unable to see clearly at night like ordinary people.
He picked up the rifle and aimed, taking a standard shooting stance to fire.
There was no sound. After five flashes appeared at the muzzle, Altair began to disassemble the firearm's accessories. Once finished, he slowly jumped down along the window ledge of the building and walked straight into the Darkness without looking back.
The night was entirely the Assassin's home ground. No matter how many people were searching behind him, they couldn't find Altair's tracks.
As he neared the entrance of his home, he saw Hahn standing at the manor gate waiting for him.
When Hahn saw Altair return, he hurried forward to greet him and asked, "Count Altair, did everything go smoothly? Are you injured?"
Seeing Hahn's anxiousness out of concern, Altair patted his chest and said directly, "Hahn, I'm fine. Those people were just ordinary folk, not a single Beyonder among them. How could they possibly catch me?"
...The next morning, after Altair woke up, Hahn reported the news from the Docks District during breakfast: "Five people, led by Jesse Harrington, were shot dead at the gang's entrance last night. All five died on the spot."
"Because of the unique nature of that area, the incident was directly classified as gang infighting by the Police Department, without any further investigation."
When Altair heard that the aftermath of the matter had ended so cursorily, he smiled helplessly. "He was a gang member who had committed many evils; such an end is the best possible outcome."
He might have had value while alive, but after death, that value dissipated. If someone were to investigate using this incident as a reason, there would only be two possibilities: either they had a significant stake in the matter, or they were a purely foolish 'righteous person'... Over the next few days, Altair continued his previous operations, 'calling the names' of certain gang members for disposal. During this time, no fewer than 20 heinous individuals died at his hands.
This also aroused the vigilance of the gangs in the Docks District. It was understandable for a high-ranking gang member to be killed, as there were always people fighting for power within gangs, but it was abnormal for gang members to meet with accidents one after another.
Now, the Docks District had been cordoned off by these gangs in a joint effort, and they were preparing to catch him. He had no need to fight them to the death.
Altair had also been exhausted lately. Because he had to hide his identity, he didn't have anyone drive him, nor could he take a public carriage, so he returned very late every night.
After returning, he still had to share his longing with Vivian, and in the morning, he would be forcibly'started up' for lessons by the maid. He simply decided to rest for a few days and give himself a break.
His fusion of the 'Beyonder characteristic' only required him to act as an 'Assassin'; no additional acting was needed.
It's just that the 'time' required for acting is three times that of others. If someone else had used his method, they would have been able to drink a new Potion long ago, whereas he had only digested a little over half. He would only need a few more such activities to be ready for advancement.
I remember that, according to the setting, assassinating 'Beyonders' would be much faster than what I'm doing now. But where are there so many Beyonders in this world? I can only think about it. It's too dangerous; I am, after all, a successor of the'Steady' Way.