Chapter 005 The Butterfly Effect of the Mercenary Market

Angela looked at him with satisfaction as he ate heartily. Although she could not eat, and even if she did, she would be unable to digest it, just seeing Hayden so happy made her expression seem as if she were experiencing the same joy of eating herself

Angela immediately clapped her hands enthusiastically

Where did she get this thing—ah, yes, it must have been picked up from the poison kiln just now. Hayden blew up most of the items with magic before leaving, but no matter how he put it, he didn't have the patience to carefully inspect every inch of the walls and floor.

I have already disabled the protective spell it contained, halted the data transmission, and there will be no issues arising from this

If the orc chief knew that Angela was actually a mechanical wife created by Hayden, he would definitely curse, "Who in their right mind gives their own inflatable doll combat capabilities?! Are you out of your mind?! Aren't you afraid of breaking it?!"

However, jobs such as theft, vandalism, infiltration, kidnapping, smuggling, acting as bodyguards, and even murder are not available every day. In other words, not everyone can earn this kind of money. Hayden killed the orc leader Kakuge and earned 1,500 Federal Gold Coins in half a day, while a lower-class wage earner makes only 2,000 in a month. It sounds like being a mercenary is quite appealing, doesn't it? Hayden killed the orc leader Kakuge and earned 1,500 Federal Gold Coins in half a day, while a lower-class wage earner makes only 2,000 in a month. It sounds like being a mercenary is quite appealing, doesn't it?

Thus, after much contemplation, he could only respond: "Because I want to!"

Wait! I am just a vendor! I can tell you the supplier who provides me with goods, just spare my life!

However, anyone with a sound mind knows that breaking into a den of poison, killing over twenty orc thugs inside, including a heavily modified orc boss, is definitely not an easy task. How many people are needed? At least three or four capable individuals, along with good equipment, and a significant amount of magical energy will be consumed from start to finish. All of this requires money and preparation time. Assuming three people work together, each would only earn five hundred gold coins after splitting the profits. Considering the expenses, it is possible that there would be hardly any profit at all. If luck is not on your side, an arcane arrow might fly out from the orc's phone, striking you in the eye, penetrating your skull, and just like that, you would be dead.

Hayden originally intended to test the attitude of this seemingly uncontrollable AI towards making money through murder, but now her response has left Hayden speechless

However, Hayden was still very dissatisfied with the orc chief's statement

Rely on!

Master, you need to repay a debt of 12,794 gold coins before the end of the month, and today's income from this work is only 1,500 gold coins. Given the current work efficiency, we will not be able to raise enough funds before the end of the month

This statement truly left Hayden feeling a chill run down his spine. He certainly does not wish for this out-of-control automaton to one day serve him a giant troll steak, as that would be far too terrifying

Soon, all the intermediaries that Hayden had met in New Yatu began to reply to his messages, informing him that there were currently no tasks available that could allow Hayden to earn over 10,000 federal coins before the end of the month

The dwarf Todak stated that Hayden is the best lone wolf mercenary in the Bay Area, but in reality, Hayden may also be the only lone wolf mercenary. Life is not a game; most people have only one life. Most lone wolf mercenaries die within a year of their debut, while sane urban mercenaries typically work in teams of several.

A thousand pieces of gold cannot buy my willingness

This is why Angela, with a height of 158 centimeters, runs faster than a bullet, jumps higher than a skyscraper, and possesses strength greater than that of a locomotive. Her eyes can see fingerprints, and her sensors can detect how many needles have fallen on the carpet in the next room, while her bodysuit and nano-skin possess the strength of military combat armor

It is truly audacious of you to call this a legitimate business. However, it indeed does not concern me whether you sell drugs or chips here. Everyone occasionally needs to escape reality. My trouble with you now is merely because others have paid to cause you trouble— you should not sell this stuff to children, and even more so, you should not get them addicted first and then have them sell chips for you at school.

The situation has become troublesome

What is a middleman? A middleman is an intermediary who is well-informed and has extensive connections, bridging the gap between urban mercenaries and clients. They can assist with activities such as theft, assassination, kidnapping, and smuggling. For any illegal activity you can think of, a middleman may be able to introduce you to the right contacts. Naturally, they charge a fee for these introductions, as they are the street information brokers of this era. Middlemen are quite common throughout New Yatu.

Why did you take this job? This is a very inefficient action

But now, he is merely a pile of scrap metal

The profession of urban mercenaries sounds impressive, but most of the time, they actually do not earn much money. Most of Hayden's work is not much different from that of an ordinary private investigator: monitoring unfaithful spouses, tracking down debtors, locating missing persons, and similar tasks

The orc chief finally cried out in despair, begging for mercy

Hayden truly did not know what she was trying to express, so he had no choice but to take out his phone and start contacting various intermediaries he knew. He also wanted to take this opportunity to observe what Angela would do when she had nothing to do, but he saw that after Angela finished washing the dishes, she unexpectedly took out a dream crystal chip and began to eagerly dismantle it.

Is that right

As soon as he took a bite, Hayden felt the rich, fatty aroma of the fish spreading in his mouth, instantly becoming entranced and unable to extricate himself. The warm juices were almost overflowing from the corners of his mouth. How could such a flavor, capable of awakening the primal instincts of life, be created? Hayden simply could not comprehend.

We all know that you are selling dream chips here, and you have also taken over this building to rent rooms for customers to engage in deep thinking.

She is truly skilled at smiling—one of those genuine smiles that makes people feel warm. Ironically, she happens to be just an uncontrollable AI, a mechanical puppet

They say their son is a good child, but he has gotten involved with a group of bad people. They claim he is still too young, but a gang of orcs lent him money for a trial, making him addicted and then charging him exorbitant interest, forcing him to sell dream crystals at school to repay the debt. In the end, they had no choice but to run to the bar of the dwarf cowboy Todak, begging for help with their meager savings

Thus, Hayden could only sigh and resort to a more efficient means of communication than words. He raised his fist and struck out, knocking one of the orc chief's yellowed fangs away. Hayden had never learned any combat techniques, but even the thick bones of the orc could not withstand the layer of fine gold plating on his gloves.

... ... Ah

You may eat whatever you like, but you should not speak carelessly, Kakug. Who says that girls cannot transform themselves to be beautiful while also possessing combat capabilities equivalent to military-grade golems?

Hayden felt strange after hearing her words, as the public security in New Seattle had never been good. In today's world, where everything is dominated by major corporations, it has essentially become common knowledge that public services are ultimately outsourced to enterprises. The mayor of New Seattle and the city council had long outsourced police work to large companies

"Go to hell!" But the orc immediately shouted back even louder, "What business is it of yours if I buy a piece of land to run a legitimate business?"

In fact, she is indeed a salesperson for a staffing agency, but she also works part-time as an intermediary for private jobs. If mercenaries take her as a salesperson and make a joke out of it, they generally have no idea where they might end up dead

Thus, even though Angela has said this for the second time, Hayden still cannot help but feel that her words are quite embarrassing. Why is it that this AI can always have "I love you" on its lips

With such a vast network at Xinyatu and so many intermediaries known to Haiden, he is always able to find a significant opportunity

Do not speak nonsense, I have friends; it's just that none of my friends are involved in the mercenary business

Please do not worry about the illustrations in the book. Regardless of whether the master has friends or where they are headed, I will always accompany you.

Yesterday, the daughter of an executive from Mitra Information Group's business department got married. For the sake of that executive's reputation, Mitra Group will certainly make the recent security situation in Xinyatu appear more favorable, at least outside the slums. Therefore, the work available for mercenaries has naturally decreased recently

The client requests that you clarify the reason for your death before you die, and also asked me to record your appearance before your death. I have now completed all of this

I see. As long as we disconnect this circuit and reconnect it like this... Ah, please do not worry, my master

Then she uttered words that completely took Hayden by surprise

Hayden smiled slightly and replied, "Because I am a genius"

In fact, the security situation in Xinyatu has improved significantly in recent days. As a result, there have been fewer jobs available for mercenaries lately

Adam! My old classmate! You actually managed to drag me into your marriage affair!?

Hayden asked Todak what work he had recently. The intermediary, Todak's boss, informed him that two street gangs were looking for bodyguards. He told Hayden that someone wanted to smuggle a batch of drugs overseas. He also mentioned that someone hoped to have a professional discreetly spread some scandalous rumors about celebrities. Finally, Todak told Hayden that someone was looking for mercenaries to demolish a dream chip factory

Then, why would the master be a lone wolf mercenary

Sensing Hayden's gaze, Angela turned around and said with a smile

The funding for inviting Hayden to "handle" the people in this area comes from the parents of an ordinary child from a certain bay area

These jobs will not earn him much money. After all, work that anyone can do can only earn the money that anyone can earn

Has the public security improved significantly? What is the reason for this?

Because Angela places great importance on whether Hayden can have healthy meals on time, after reporting the results to the Todak boss on her phone, Hayden hurried home first. As she mentioned earlier, the main dish for lunch today is the salmon she caught in the open sea. After being lightly marinated, the fish is pan-seared in cream, drizzled with lemon juice, and sprinkled with rose salt before being served to Hayden.

Because the owner of Todak is the most famous intermediary in the Bay Area

... ...

The other orc thugs had long since scattered like birds and beasts

It is important to note that Angela's body was personally designed by Hayden

However, no matter how happy one may feel dining at home, the pressing issue of heavy bills must still be addressed

As you said, what does this have to do with me? So you should hurry on your way

However, he is too lazy to care about such matters; after all, this commission has already been completed

The saleswoman patiently explained

But Hayden would definitely respond to him like this—how can one be considered a tech enthusiast if they don't equip their ideal robot wife with military-grade combat capabilities? Don't you understand that what a mech girl needs is more weaponry?

Hayden immediately retorted

The orc's body, half of which is metallic—his arms, legs, and half of his face—scraped against the concrete ground, oozing hydraulic oil and coolant in quantities akin to blood. He spent the money earned from selling dream chips to modify his body, making himself appear fierce and powerful

On the other hand, the intermediaries... they are not exactly good people either

So, this is my usual work. How do you feel about it

In fact, Hayden is indeed a bit curious about where these dream chips are sourced from

I never expected her to ask such a question

Alright, Kakug, let's keep it brief.

He poked the orc chief's head with his index finger, his tone laced with threat

Why do you not choose to work in a team

Fortunately, there is more than one intermediary known to Hayden

Thus, very soon, Hayden learned of bad news from a familiar intermediary.

Ahem, let us get to the point. Therefore, he cleared his throat awkwardly to change the subject, "Mediators actually prefer lone wolf mercenaries, as it is more convenient to do business with one person than with a team. Thus, I have a significant network throughout New Yatu, and it is impossible for me to completely fail to find good work. There is no need for concern."

The mobile projection revealed her appearance, but from the blurred background on her side, it was still evident that she had activated the privacy shield and taken appropriate anti-eavesdropping and anti-surveillance measures. Her three-dimensional image was dressed in a neat uniform, with her brown hair styled in braids, making her look like an ordinary company employee

It seems that this orc leader regards Angela as some sort of super cyborg. This is not surprising. In this day and age, there are indeed people who replace their entire bodies, transferring their original memories, personalities, and souls into completely mechanical shells. In fact, mechanical modifications are even cheaper than biological ones.

She then turned around and stared at the orc corpses scattered throughout the corridor for a moment before murmuring: "Such creatures are not suitable as ingredients for the master. Indeed, today's lunch for the master will still be the fish I caught."

A piece of bad news that left him almost speechless

Angela nodded in understanding: "I see, I understand. After all, the master's wishes are the most important. I agree that this is a reasonable judgment"

Thus, the remaining combat process was naturally unremarkable. A few orc thugs charged in with loud howls, either brandishing knives and axes or using cheap mobile applications to cast subpar combat magic. However, no matter how many times the latter attempted, they could not hit Haiden, and as for the former... Well, let's put it this way: when everything that struck her shattered like tofu, and then Angela dispatched three orc brutes with the ease of chopping vegetables, the rest all fled in panic.

Hayden flicked the magical eye on his collar with his index finger, then aimed it at the orc's head

You are aware, Mr. Hayden, that the true ruler of New Yatu is the Mithra Information Group, and thus the city's security work is also contracted out to the Mithra Group

Moreover, the aforementioned aspects are merely inherent attributes of Angela's mechanical body, while her current AI is something even Hayden cannot comprehend. Just thinking about the myriad of tasks she undertook last night to help Hayden with dinner, Hayden feels that Angela's combat capabilities are likely unfathomable

Devastating magical energy was released from his fingertips, cooking the orc chief's head from the inside out, much like heating a hot dog in a microwave

Thus, the orc leader has been beaten down to the ground by him

She has thought of everything, what else can Hayden say? He can only continue to busy himself with contacting his own connections

Thus, just her material costs have consumed Hayden's ten years of savings, which are absolutely military-grade contraband

Thus, Hayden understood

Angela responded with a gentle smile

Ah?

I see, I understand. Thus, Angela nodded in realization, saying, "My master is a person without friends"

I wonder how her AI arrived at this conclusion

Hayden crouched down, squinting his eyes as he looked at the orc chief

Thus, this task fell into the hands of Hayden, who was in urgent need of money to pay his bills. Upon hearing what this was specifically about, he accepted it.

The person conveying this message is a woman with a gentle expression, appearing to be in her twenties.

Hayden stretched lazily and turned to Angela beside him

He tentatively asked

Angela thought for only half a second

Angela curiously asked

In fact, although Angela mentioned that Hayden's choice efficiency is quite low, the reality is that the work income that Todak's boss can recently assign to Hayden is not substantial. The remuneration for urban mercenaries is split fifty-fifty with the intermediaries, so after this job, Hayden only earned one thousand five hundred, which is not even enough to cover two tenths of the bills, and he only has five and a half days left to raise the money

Because I love you and wish to help you attain happiness