Once Lennok accepted the job, things rapidly gained momentum. It appeared as if Panua had been eagerly waiting, wasting no time in sending Lennok details about their first target.
Jenny entered the office and commenced the briefing, while Lennok calmly took a drag from his cigarette.
"Our initial target is a drug dealer named Paul Ackerman, predominantly operating in District 48," Jenny informed.
A photo promptly appeared on the prepared screen, displaying a middle-aged man with a sturdy physique, red hair, freckles, and a full beard.
"Ackerman began his operations two years ago and swiftly established a profitable sales network, expanding his business rapidly. Rumors abound regarding his mysterious source of capital, one of which suggests he may have ties to JuiceMaster, a notorious drug lord. If that's true, caution will be essential."
Dominic Cabaro, also known as JuiceMaster, headed a prominent cartel that directly controlled the city's drug trade and even supplied drugs to the defense forces. Recently rumors surfaced that he entered Pandemonium, sparking wild speculation about whether he had brought his cartel into Pandemonium.
"That's why Ackerman has a formidable personal escort. It appears he employs a mercenary who used to be highly regarded in the lower ranks. His name is Jude Russel, and he is quite renowned among mercenaries for his skills."
On the adjacent screen, the face of a youthful-looking black man materialized. He possessed a rugged yet sharp appearance, exuding a certain handsomeness, and carried a large knife strapped to his back.
"According to the information provided by Dyke, Paul Ackerman is scheduled to hold a meeting with distributors at the port area of District 48 in three days."
"Can we trust this information?"
"We've cross-checked it, and it seems access to a specific port has been restricted, lending credibility to the intel."
"Hmm…"
Lennok quietly reviewed the mission summary sent by Dyke before breaking the silence.
"I'm curious why they want me to eliminate a drug dealer while targeting the weapons industry."
"It seems that he's consistently investing the money he made from selling drugs into illegal arms dealing. He’s quite a big investor over there. They probably want to cut off an easy source of money first. Not a bad plan."
"What about the others?"
"There are five people participating in this mission. They probably selected people who are evaluated similarly to you. They’ve informed us of the time and place to meet. Everyone will gather then."
It made sense. They couldn't expect success with just Lennok alone.
They probably intended to recruit others in similar circumstances or receiving comparable treatment to effect a collective change.
"The top priority is Paul Ackerman himself. They've notified us that if we kill Jude Russel as well, an extra reward will be given. A down payment of 20 million cells, a success fee of 20 million, and an additional 10 million cells will be given to the team member who kills Jude Russel."
"Why do they want us to kill Russel?"
Even if they aimed to eliminate Paul Ackerman, they would inevitably come face-to-face with Russel. So why explicitly highlight the request for his removal?
Jenny shrugged her shoulders, indicating she didn't have the answer either.
"Anyway, this is all the information passed on from Dyke's side. Honestly, being a company primarily focused on industrial equipment, their intel quality isn't the best. It's certainly different from Baritz."
Considering that Baritz provided detailed scenarios even for orders without specific clients, the disparity was evident.
However, Lennok simply nodded, content with what he had.
After all, with his limited mobility, he had a set strategy to follow.
It would be more advantageous for Lennok to devise his own approach and enter the operation rather than attempting to paint the big picture.
"Are you leaving?"
"If it's 3 days from now, I need to start preparing little by little. Especially if the opponent is a mercenary, we can't take it lightly."
While there wouldn't be any monstrous beings like Croken, if Jude Russel's skills were on par with Dylan's, he posed a significant threat to Lennok.
Thus far, Lennok had been cautious, meticulously assessing potential risks, but it seemed necessary to carry more equipment than usual.
"Okay. If it were you, you would do well on your own.”
Jenny lit a cigarette and grinned.
"Return alive, Wizard."
"Of course."
Lennok promptly left the bar.
He had to hurry and purchase the items he had already planned in advance.
? ? ? ? ? ?
Three days later.
The first rays of dawn pierced through the cold night air, tickling the tip of Lennok's nose.
Beneath the unusually radiant night sky, Lennok strode purposefully toward District 48, releasing a trail of cool smoke from his mouth.
A long leather bag rested on his back, and a cigarette dangled from his lips.
Due to the weight of the bag, he needed to alleviate the fatigue as he smoked along the way.
"Hoo…."
Arriving at the port, Lennok couldn't help but feel a sense of tension as he inhaled the frigid air.
Especially considering the tasks that lay ahead of him.
Lennok, who lightly patted both cheeks, sent a message to Jenny that he was starting and headed straight for the promised place.
"You're here. You're the last one."
The four individuals who had gathered earlier and had their heads lowered slowly turned to face Lennok.
Among them was a slender woman, a man with a rugged appearance akin to a bandit, and two figures sporting blue iron masks.
The masked pair was draped in thick cloth, making it difficult to discern their gender or body shape.
‘These are truly the crème de la crème…'
As Lennok approached without uttering a word, the four individuals cautiously took a step back.
They seemed to be filled with caution.
The team members' discipline and focus were apparent, indicating their readiness for the operation.
The masked individual on the far right was the first to speak, his voice resonating with authority, undoubtedly that of a man.
He appeared to hold the most influence among the group.
"Since everyone is familiar with the general details, let's quickly organize the specifics and proceed."
With those words, he activated a device strapped to his left wrist, projecting a simple hologram in the center of the group—a technology reminiscent of what Dray Krimgal had showcased before the mercenaries.
"Currently, Dock 48, which is heavily guarded by Paul Ackerman's private soldiers, has seven entrances. Excluding the dedicated entrances for boatmen and cargo carriers, we have clean five entrances. Each of us will take one entrance, neutralize the guards, and wait."
The mindset was clear—each person had to flawlessly execute their assigned task. Not a bad approach.
Though his tone was somewhat domineering, everyone nodded in agreement without complaint.
"The distributors and Ackerman will follow different routes to the meeting point. As soon as the meeting place is confirmed, the first person to verify it will initiate the operation, and the rest of us will join immediately."
The masked man produced five small earsets from his coat, distributing one to each of the team members.
"These are disposable communicators, usable only once. They are designed to deactivate after one day, so don't hold onto them for long. Let's begin now."
From the way he spoke, it was evident that the masked man didn't hold high expectations for the other team members.
His demeanor suggested that they should fight competently and buy time.
To some extent, Lennok could understand his perspective.
After all, it would be unusual to place complete trust in a group of five strangers for such an operation.
Instead, this streamlined operation allowed individual skills to shine, which wasn't necessarily a disadvantage.
"But you all seem rather careless."
Just as everyone seemed to grasp the plan and began dispersing, another masked individual standing beside the masked man spoke up.
"Aren't you even considering concealing your faces in a place like this? Dyke might have plenty of money, but they won't take responsibility for your safety."
Her tone was leisurely yet sharp. This one was a woman.
Had they taken on this assignment as a male-female duo? It was an intriguing combination.
At the woman's remark, Lennok and the other three exchanged silent glances before breaking into soft laughter.
The slender woman responded with a peculiar expression on her face, almost as if she were mocking them.
"You guys aren't from around here, are you?"
"…What do you mean?"
"In this line of work, if you want to increase your value, you have to reveal your face and name, whether you like it or not. Do you think we would worry about something like our faces being exposed unless there's a special circumstance?"
A special circumstance… Lennok wondered if there was such a circumstance beyond Dylan's grotesque mask.
For a brief moment, he reminisced about his early days when he took on the task of demolishing the factory, lost in nostalgic memories.
The masked woman seemed momentarily taken aback by the slender woman's words, but quickly composed herself and turned away.
"Heh, as long as you do your job well, I don't care. Just don't hold us back."
‘From their attitude, they really don't seem to be from around here.'
As Lennok watched the masked individuals disappear into their respective groups, he briefly pondered whom Dyke might have considered suitable for recruitment.
Mercenaries, gang members, freelancers, soldiers… It wouldn't be surprising if they even enlisted corporate-affiliated armed personnel or outright criminals.
Meanwhile, the man with the bandit-like appearance patted the slender woman's shoulder.
"Hey, which way are you going?"
"…I don't care. I'm here because I'm exceptionally strong. I'll take care of what I need to do."
"Is that so? That's a shame… I wanted to go the same way as the lady, since you are skinny."
The woman coldly ignored the man, who was grinning mischievously.
Observing her lack of response, the man turned to Lennok with a sly smile.
"You don't seem like the strong type either… Just follow us to the port without dying. If unnecessary casualties hinder my progress, I'll tear you apart."
Lennok didn't bother responding and simply turned away.
He had grown tired of such taunts from past experiences.
There would be plenty of time to determine superiority once the job was done.
That is, if the man managed to survive until then.
[Three, two, one. Go in.]
The dry voice echoed through the earset. The masked man had emphasized the need for synchronized timing during the breach.
Inhaling the cold air deeply, Lennok moved toward the inner part of the harbor.
There was no sound in the vicinity except for the faint echoes of waves lapping against the harbor's edge.
The chaotic expanse of concrete was filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of containers arranged in rows.
Although all he could see were iron containers resembling cardboard boxes in every direction, Lennok was well aware that many people were gathered here.
His extensive mana sensing abilities accurately detected the hidden individuals keeping watch from every direction.
Each of them held formidable rifles in their hands and wore sturdy bulletproof vests.
From the masks on their faces to the intense aura emanating from their bodies…
They were undoubtedly the private soldiers hired by Paul Ackerman himself.
There was no doubt about it.
Those present today were not the kind who would openly reveal their faces in broad daylight.
‘It seems Paul Ackerman has yet to arrive. Being early has its advantages.'
None of them were able to see through the illusion magic that Lennok cast upon the soldiers' eyes and ears.
He could also hear the sounds of other team members infiltrating different parts of the harbor in their own ways.
[Kwajik!! Woodeuk!]
A frontal assault.
[Ah, can you hear me clearly? Jayden, everything's fine. I just want to change the patrol route. Can you cooperate?]
Voice distortion.
[Weeeing…!!]
Even an unidentifiable mechanical sound.
In that short period of time, Dyke seemed to have gathered a group with various abilities.
Lennok casually maneuvered through the soldiers and positioned himself in an empty space, where a large cargo ship loomed at an angle.
Although there were several soldiers using mana detection, it meant nothing to Lennok.
There was still some time before Paul Ackerman's arrival.
Instead of wasting time waiting idly, Lennok decided to make some preemptive moves.
‘It would be better to reduce their numbers in advance.'
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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