Su Wan’s gaze swept over them, a cold sneer playing on her lips.
“Don’t forget the contract you signed...”
“Do you really think it was just a simple rental contract?”
She raised her hand, her fingertip lightly tapping her temple.
“That contract is bound to your very souls.”
“No matter where you are, even if you are thousands of miles away, I will sense it the moment a thought of betrayal crosses your mind.”
She paused, her voice suddenly turning bone-chillingly cold.
“And once I sense your betrayal... well, do you think I would let you live to see the next second?”
The scarred-face man’s legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees!
“Mercy, my lady! I wouldn’t dare! I truly wouldn’t dare!”
The others also fell to their knees with heavy thuds, their bodies trembling like leaves in the wind!
In their hearts, Su Wan had already become a being of unfathomable, god-like power.
She could freeze them in place, make a Level 3 expert explode where he stood, and read their innermost thoughts...
If such a person said she could kill from thousands of miles away, they believed her without question!
Seeing their terrified expressions, Su Wan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
To be honest, her claim of being able to kill them at any time was a complete bluff.
The Absolute Control authority was only effective within the range of the Terminal Station building. Once they left, she could at most sense the Malice Level of the contractors, but she couldn’t actually do anything to them.
But Scarface and the others didn’t know that.
In their eyes, Su Wan was an unfathomably terrifying existence.
Since that was the case, she would let them continue believing it.
“Stand up,” Su Wan said flatly. “As long as you serve me loyally, I will not mistreat you.”
“The three million bounty is yours, to be distributed by Lei Lie.”
“From now on, you will also receive an additional monthly intelligence stipend. But if anyone dares to have second thoughts—”
She didn’t finish her sentence, merely raising her hand slightly.
Scarface and the others instantly felt their necks tighten, as if an invisible hand were strangling them!
Three seconds later, the force released. They slumped to the ground, gasping for air, their eyes filled with pure dread.
“Understood... Understood...” Scarface rasped. “We will serve you with absolute loyalty! We would never dare betray you!”
Su Wan nodded in satisfaction and turned her gaze to Liu Sen.
Liu Sen was already pale with fright. Seeing Su Wan look at him, he quickly declared his stance.
“Rest assured, my lady! I will do everything in my power to cooperate with them as an informant! I will do whatever you command!”
“It’s just...” Liu Sen’s tone shifted, and his face fell.
“What is it?” Su Wan asked, slightly puzzled.
“It’s just, my lady, I might not be able to get six people inside...” Liu Sen spoke with difficulty. “Getting people into the Inner City is truly... very difficult.”
Su Wan narrowed her eyes. “Explain in detail.”
Liu Sen took a deep breath and began to explain.
“Panshi City is divided into three layers: the Ruin Zone, the Outer City, and the Inner City. For someone from the Outer City to enter the Inner City, they must meet one of three conditions—”
“First, they must be guaranteed by a formal resident with Inner City residency, and the guarantor must have a certain level of status. An average resident family can only guarantee one person for a three-year period. If anything happens to the guaranteed person during that time, the guarantor faces joint liability.”
“Second, they must have proof of employment from an Inner City power. For example, the City Defense Force, the Research Institute, or any of the major corporations can hire people from the Outer City to work inside.”
“But this kind of employment is usually short-term, lasting no more than three months at most, and the employer must pay a high security deposit.”
“Third, they can buy a ‘Temporary Entry Permit.’ One permit is valid for seven days and costs... one hundred thousand Star Coins. Furthermore, they are issued in limited quantities every year. Ordinary people can’t get their hands on them at all.”
Liu Sen said with a bitter face, “I’m a Lieutenant in the City Defense Force, so I have a little bit of power. Providing a short-term employment certificate for one or two people is manageable. But bringing six people in at once... that’s...”
“Even if I put everything on the line, I can only guarantee two at most. The remaining four would have to go the route of the Temporary Entry Permits. Four permits would cost four hundred thousand Star Coins.”
“Adding in the costs to grease the right palms, it would be at least five hundred thousand...”
“And that five hundred thousand only buys those four people a seven-day stay in the city...”
After Liu Sen finished, he looked at Su Wan expectantly.
Su Wan fell silent.
Five hundred thousand Star Coins.
And that was just the cost of getting four people in for seven days.
But thinking about it, it made sense—the Inner City and the Outer City were essentially two different worlds.
How could those high-and-mighty figures allow the “pariahs” from the bottom to enter as they pleased?
Su Wan’s voice carried a hint of coldness. “And after seven days? You spend another hundred thousand to renew?”
Liu Sen nodded miserably. “Yes... you are wise, my lady. And since they’re issued in limited quantities, you might not even be able to get one even if you have the money.”
Su Wan pondered for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the men before her—Lei Lie, Scarface, and the other four members of Night Owl.
Stuffing all six of them into the Inner City was indeed unrealistic.
In a place like the Inner City, six new faces appearing all at once would easily attract the attention of various factions.
“Very well,” Su Wan said. “Lei Lie and Scarface, the two of you will be enough for the Inner City.”
“Lei Lie is Level 3, so he has enough strength to handle whatever comes his way. Scarface is sharp and has seen much of the world, making him perfect for gathering intel.”
She paused and continued, “As for the four of you—”
She looked at the four Night Owl members, who immediately grew tense.
“You will remain in the Outer City,” Su Wan said flatly.
The four of them were stunned.
“While the Outer City isn’t as good as the Inner City, it has the advantage of being a melting pot where information flows freely. The four of you will establish yourselves in the Outer City. Re-establish the Night Owl mercenary team, recruit more people, and expand your influence.”
Su Wan’s voice carried an unquestionable certainty. “Remember, you are no longer an ordinary mercenary team. You are Su Wan’s people.”
“Every movement in the Outer City, the internal strife between factions, any intelligence worth noting—I want to know it all.”
The four men exchanged glances, a hint of irrepressible joy flashing in their eyes.
Stay in the Outer City? Continue their old trade as mercenaries? Even recruit more people?
This wasn’t a punishment; this was a massive opportunity!
“As for the bounty—” Su Wan’s lips curled up slightly.
“Give Liu Sen four hundred thousand for the necessary arrangements. Of the remaining two million six hundred thousand—”
“Lei Lie and Scarface will receive four hundred thousand each. The three of you will receive three hundred thousand each. The remaining eight hundred thousand will serve as the startup capital for the Night Owl mercenary team, kept in the team fund to recruit members and expand your power.”
“Remember, that eight hundred thousand isn’t for you personally; it’s for ‘Night Owl.’ If anyone dares to embezzle it—”
She didn’t finish, merely casting a glance at the four men.
The four of them shuddered and nodded repeatedly. “We wouldn’t dare! Rest assured, my lady! We will definitely make Night Owl bigger and stronger!”
Su Wan nodded in satisfaction.
Four hundred thousand per person was not an astronomical sum for Level 3 and peak Level 2 Ability Users, but it was certainly a massive fortune.
Rate on N.U.
