Enforcer Manual
Chapter 254: Shadow Guards_1

Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Shadow Guards_1

"For a long time, generations of Cyber fanatics have chosen the path of the dark cathedral..."

As a commander, Song Lan couldn’t help but be deeply moved upon hearing the vagrant say, "Sammuen, at your service." The thermocutting blade shining on the latter’s arm represented a leap from nonexistence to existence for the resource-limited 17th District Law Enforcers.

This was a moment of historical significance because until the Parasitic worm burrowed into Sammuen’s body, he was uncertain whether his theory, which was purely speculative, could actually succeed.

After all, this time, the Devourer did not need to communicate with a human consciousness, but with a mechanical creation devoid of thought and emotion.

"The fusion of cybernetic bodies and genetics."

Medea clenched her fists tight. Although she didn’t understand at all what the path of the dark cathedral meant, as a researcher, she realized that just now, mankind had taken a significant step forward in the study of Cyber fanatics—in integrating with the consciousness of the Devourer, they had achieved the research the great corporations had long dreamed of completing.

Transforming Cyber fanatics into soldiers absolutely loyal to the corporation.

What those large corporations never considered was that the answer they so desperately sought had always been hidden on an entirely different path.

At this moment, she gained a profound understanding of Song Lan’s theory.

And as a researcher, she perhaps should have realized this point long ago—the very existence of the Devourer is a process of constant integration and assimilation with the surrounding environment. In theory, no matter how much matter it devours and what changes it brings about to itself, it should never fall into madness.

"From today forwards, you are the first member of the Shadow Guards."

Song Lan patted Sammuen on the shoulder as he spoke.

Although still far from becoming a high-level rescuer in the short term, this opened up a new path for him, and members of the Shadow Guards still had room to grow.

The 17th District has always needed higher-level troops.

Although they do not produce Cyber fanatics, they can become the movers of Cyber fanatics.

Why should they only work for those large corporations?

Now, it’s time for those corporations to give back to society.

............

Meanwhile, at Gold Diggers’ Bar.

"Director Lu, what a rare visitor."

Ophir greeted Lu Xiang with a smile, but her mood wasn’t nearly as relaxed as she appeared, for every time he visited, it was due to some thorny, significant problem.

With the retreat of the Foster Family and the downfall of various large crime syndicates, the situation in the 17th District had changed. No one was more acutely aware of this shift than the information traffickers.

After wiping out all their competition, the Law Enforcers had become the dominant force in the city, with even the large corporations unwilling to provoke them on a normal day.

Big corporations bowing to local Law Enforcers?

In other cities, this would be unimaginable, but it was gradually becoming a reality in the 17th District.

However, this was not good news for the information traffickers. The more chaotic the place, the wider their living space. Since the criminal group led by "The Rat" marched towards its downfall, the business at Gold Diggers’ Bar had become increasingly bleak.

"Lador—he should be your middleman here. Get me in touch with him."

Lu Xiang skipped the pleasantries and went straight to his purpose.

Time was running out for her, and she needed to find Lador before the company could silence him.

"Lador, I’ve heard of him, though he’s not a regular around here."

Ophir pondered before speaking, "The commissions he offers are quite special, usually large orders tied to corporate jobs. These orders indeed pay well, but the prerequisite is that the people taking them must not be curious."

The company that could hire you to work for them today might just hire an assassin to sink you to the bottom of the lake tomorrow.

Unfortunately, many who consider themselves clever fail to understand the pros and cons, and soon after accepting the orders, they vanish without a trace. Lador, too, is such an elusive middleman, there have been several occasions when she thought that the company had taken him out.

"The last time he visited the Gold Diggers’ Bar was a few weeks ago when the situation wasn’t as...complicated as it is now."

What Ophir was referring to, of course, was Aureliano becoming the mayor, breaking the longstanding tradition of District Seventeen. Under the watchful eyes of the major corporations, someone opposed to them had managed to take the mayor’s seat.

One wonders what kind of expressions those corporate executives who saw Aureliano as a clown and a fool years ago have now.

After the new mayor took office, it was no surprise that he imposed sanctions of varying degrees on the corporations, reclaimed the border trade lines, and increased their taxes. It was clear he intended to take back the slice of cake that the big corporations held in their hands.

Even if such a person managed to become mayor, they would likely die in an ’accident’ within a few days. Yet, Aureliano has somehow continued to hop around alive to this day, which has made Ophir somewhat baffled by this city.

"The company is overwhelmed with recent work and doesn’t have time to assign tasks to Lador, or perhaps they feel Lador knows too much and has already been taken out."

"I need a way to contact him."

Lu Xiang emphasized, "This matter is extremely urgent."

"I understand."

Although Ophir wanted to extract more information, since Lu Xiang had made her position clear, she could only take out a chip, "This is his past personal information. As to whether he’s still there now, I can’t guarantee it."

"Thanks, Ophir, I’ll contact you later."

Lu Xiang took the chip and didn’t linger in the Gold Diggers’ Bar, heading straight for the hovering car parked at the entrance.

Seeing her anxious demeanor, Ophir guessed some of the inside story.

Cyber maniac attacks.

Recently, the remnants of the "Hyenas" were often seen in the bar, inquiring about information related to the cyber maniacs. Now it seemed that the cyber maniac was just a ruse, and the true problem lay with the corporation; Lador was probably inextricably involved.

...

Within five minutes, the hover car landed at the location recorded on the chip.

It was an ordinary apartment in the South District of Seventeen, which from the outside looked somewhat dilapidated. It was hard to imagine that a middleman who worked for a corporation would live in such a place.

Lu Xiang made straight for the floor Lador lived on, but the empty and echoing apartment confirmed her ominous premonition.

The apartment was a mess, with signs of someone having searched through everything.

It appeared that the owner had left in a hurry; the coffee on the table was half-drunk, the surface by now covered in a layer of dust, which meant Lador had been gone for at least several days.

She carefully checked every room, not overlooking even the hidden nooks such as drawers, cabinets, and beneath the bed.

The silver lining, if it could be called that, was that she didn’t find Lador’s body or a plastic bag containing parts of his corpse in some forgotten corner.

At least, Lador might still be alive.