Chapter 7: The Transaction

If he were purely a villain, Mo Wen would have no interest in compromise. Yet, as a member of a resident self-governance organization and someone striving to save money to transform children into useful individuals, he found himself somewhat softened.

“Speak up, Mr. Broker. How do you plan to arrange this deal so that everyone leaves satisfied?” Mo Wen sat down as if he were the master of the room.

K Ai was too weary to comment on Mo Wen’s attitude. He glanced at the broker, who gave him a light chuckle. “You can’t represent your gang. After connecting your leader to the projection device here, just leave. I’ve already sent you the interface address.”

K Ai’s artificial eye flickered several times before he left with a sullen expression. Immediately, the projection of a tall cyborg appeared in the broker’s office.

Compared to the people Mo Wen had seen before, the leader of the Hawks Gang had undergone such extreme cybernetic enhancements that it was almost absurd. Every visible part seemed modified, and inside, there was probably barely any flesh left—too little even to cook a meal.

“Hawks Gang, leader,” he said in a cold, hard voice, revealing his identity but not his name. His gaze was filled with hostility as he looked at the intermediary. “I was prepared for what that kid might do, but I didn’t expect him to come here.”

Then he turned to Mo Wen and sneered, “It’s a pity K Ai didn’t manage to assassinate you directly and reclaim what’s ours.”

Mo Wen replied calmly, “I’ve faced death more times than you’ve seen. I always manage to break free from its grasp. And even if you’ve upgraded yourself to this extent, crushing your brain would still end your life.”

“A battle-damaged, headless metal model? Sounds like something a certain enthusiast might like.”

The broker, unfazed by the intense hostility before him, remained cautious of the gang leader, treating him as a volatile individual. His calculations had already predicted that the leader intended to sabotage the current deal and later bypass him to offer Mo Wen greater profits.

People were always hard to understand. Some gang members, judging the intermediary’s profession by its poor reputation, assumed he was a double-dealing opportunist.

The broker presented a heavy offer.

“I have a commission worth a million credit points from a company, including priority immigration review rights for the Inner Ring and internal corporate augmentation surgery qualifications. If lucky, it might even lead to formal employment with insurance.”

The gang leader’s breath hitched. He abandoned any thought of conflict with Mo Wen and fixed his gaze on the broker. “Extremely difficult? Strange demands? A death trap?”

The broker shook his head. “No, it’s not that difficult. Simply put, Dreamweave Entertainment needs to transport some materials to their lab. LifePharm Pharmaceuticals learned of this and plans to intercept and obstruct their experiment, to prevent Dreamweave from competing with them on a minor project.”

The conflict is far from a company war. Both sides avoid mobilizing professional corporate forces to escalate it. Instead, they opt for mercenaries within the rules, requiring only four people, with no death benefits provided.

And I’m willing to hand it over because that’s the intermediary’s job—to facilitate the flow of resources and intelligence so everyone profits.

The gang leader fell into thought, while Mo Wen grew curious. “Are commissions like this common?”

The gang leader answered on behalf of the broker. “Rare. Conflicts between companies seldom reach the public sector. Even when they do, corporate agents usually handle them directly. Commissions rarely trickle down to civilians.”

Mo Wen corrected him. “No, I mean commissions worth tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of credit points—are those common?”

The leader scrutinized Mo Wen again, now doubting his true identity, but still gave a serious answer. “Almost impossible.”

“Commissions earning that much imply that the client gains greater benefits upon success. This almost guarantees the client’s status within the Inner Ring. Even if they’re not company personnel, they certainly have the means to seek corporate aid.”

The broker nodded. “Exactly. That’s why I’m curious about Hawks Gang’s channels.”

“So, are you willing to trade your channels for this opportunity?”

The leader sighed. “I can relinquish ownership of the Resurrection Model Four, but our channels might not be as useful as you think.”

The broker smiled. “Having them is enough. For me, this commission just needs people to execute it. I won’t lose out—only a matter of profit margin.”

He then turned back to Mo Wen. “I’m willing to buy Resurrection Model Four at the official price: 120,000 credit points, payable immediately.”

Mo Wen didn’t accept right away.

The broker was clearly doing him a favor, but favors are hard to repay. What he gained in return wasn’t enough, and he wasn’t the type to let debts vanish with death.

One hundred and twenty thousand credit points fell short of the price for the Dreamweaver Model Two he truly needed, and he might not survive until the next big commission came along.

Mo Wen’s luck was abysmal—like hiding under a tree during a thunderstorm, only to get struck by lightning. Even if no immediate threat surrounded his spawn point, powerful enemies or disasters would inevitably appear from nowhere after some time.

Days? Weeks? Months? He didn’t know how long before he’d be sent back to the “Resurrection Point,” but his time was not infinite.

Moreover, Mo Wen disliked the Hawks Gang leader’s tone.

“I seized Resurrection Model Four. It’s mine to decide, not yours to surrender. I’m ready to kill you and anyone in your gang who wants revenge. I won’t hesitate to shatter your hopes completely. You should pay the price and beg me to abandon this total eradication.”

The leader watched Mo Wen’s calm declaration of such bold threats. At first, he thought Mo Wen simply refused to accept the broker’s favor. Yet the growing malice made him realize this man truly believed he could carry out the purge.

This time, he dared not respond with hostility.

Mo Wen didn’t press further. Instead, he offered another deal: “I want to use the money from Resurrection Model Four to hire your gang, purchase three capable fighters worth that price, and buy the entire company commission you just acquired.”

“Even if you secure the commission, success isn’t guaranteed. Failure means nothing gained. But if you perform well, I’ll personally guarantee you fair payment, and there’s potential for future cooperation.”

The leader immediately agreed. “Deal!”

As Mo Wen said, no matter how large the commission, failure renders it worthless. Cash buys opportunity, and cash is more tangible. As for reputation-backed payment distribution, he was willing to trust Mo Wen and offer his best men.

The broker was unsurprised but rather pleased to gain additional intelligence.

Based on the personality model he built earlier and Mo Wen’s choices, the broker deduced that Mo Wen’s time in this world was limited. Hence, he chose the commission with a higher payout.

“Well then, no time to waste. I’ve sent the commission details to Mr. Mo Wen and certified him as a mercenary. Next, go greet our friends at the company.”