Black Bear's crushing defeat spread like a hurricane through the outer city of Steel Bastion. The members of the Black Wolf Gang discovered, to their horror, that their leader, a D-grade peak powerhouse, had been defeated by an unknown young man with a single punch. This sent the Black Wolf Gang's prestige plummeting and, for the first time, made Lin Fan's name a sensation in the outer city.
Lin Fan paid no mind to the rumors. He knew that deterrence was just the first step; the real challenge was only beginning. He returned to the shack, where Emily had already prepared simple food and water for him. Her eyes, as she looked at Lin Fan, were filled with both curiosity and concern.
"Lin Fan, you… you beat Black Bear so badly. The Black Wolf Gang won't let this go," Emily said softly, her knowledge of the outer city's power dynamics extensive.
Lin Fan took a sip of water, stating calmly, "I know. But some troubles cannot be avoided." He looked at the "System's Initial Trial" quest on the system interface, his eyes gleaming. Establishing his own faction—this was exactly what he needed.
[System's Initial Trial: Establish your own faction and gain control of at least one area.]
"Emily, you're familiar with the outer city. Is there any way to quickly establish my own faction?" Lin Fan asked.
Emily thought for a moment, then replied, "The outer city's factions are complex. Besides the Black Wolf Gang, there are several other major gangs like the Red Scorpion Gang and the Vulture Gang. They each occupy a territory and constantly clash. If you want to establish a faction, the fastest way is to absorb an existing gang or seize territory from them."
"Absorb or seize…" Lin Fan mused. Although he was powerful now, he was still just one person. To contend with an entire gang, he would need some strategy.
"However, there's one place in the outer city that no gang dares to easily touch," Emily suddenly added. "That's the scrap yard. Although it's dirty and chaotic, it's one of the main sources of supplies for the entire Steel Bastion. And there's an old man there, Old Jack. Though he has no powers, he commands great respect in the outer city, and many wasteland wanderers listen to him."
Lin Fan's eyes lit up. A scrap yard, a source of supplies, a respected old man… This seemed like a promising entry point. He decided to visit the scrap yard first.
Early the next morning, Lin Fan and Emily arrived at the scrap yard. It was indeed as Emily described, piled high with various discarded metals, plastics, and electronic components. The air was thick with a pungent, corrosive smell. Many shabbily dressed wanderers were rummaging through it for useful items.
They soon found Old Jack. He was a small, wrinkled old man, sitting on a dilapidated chair, smoking a homemade pipe. His eyes, though cloudy, held a shrewd glint.
Lin Fan cut straight to the chase, explaining his intentions. He stated his desire to establish a force in the outer city and hoped for Old Jack's help.
Old Jack listened to Lin Fan, took a deep drag from his pipe, then slowly exhaled, his cloudy gaze scrutinizing Lin Fan. He could feel the powerful aura emanating from Lin Fan, but he also knew that the outer city was a deep pool, and brute force alone wouldn't secure a foothold.
"Young man, the outer city isn't as simple as you imagine. The Black Wolf Gang, the Red Scorpion Gang—they're not to be trifled with," Old Jack said hoarsely. "Even though you defeated Black Bear, he was just a minor leader of the Black Wolf Gang. Their boss is a D-grade peak ability user."
"I know," Lin Fan replied calmly. "But I have my methods. I need a base of operations and some people willing to follow me."
Old Jack was silent for a moment, then pointed to a corner of the scrap yard, where discarded mechanical parts were piled high. "If you can turn these scraps into something useful, and show those wanderers hope, perhaps they will follow you."
Lin Fan followed Old Jack's gaze, a glint flashing in his eyes. He knew Old Jack was testing him. And this was precisely the moment for his Tech Analysis module to shine.
[Quest Issued: Scrap Utilization]
[Quest Objective: Utilize materials from the scrap yard to create at least three useful technological products.]
[Quest Reward: Origin Energy points +100, Tech Analysis module upgrade.]
Lin Fan smiled faintly. He knew his opportunity had arrived.