Why are you here?

"That's what I want to know, too."

John finished inspecting the scene and gestured for help.

"The Black Gold Gang guys said your house was robbed, came to look, and ran into two company dogs with guns right after coming in..."

"Raqi..."

Maya looked exhausted.

She shook her head, refusing John's outstretched hand, just wanting to sit and rest for a moment.

John briefly recounted the situation in the hospital room.

He noticed Maya always gripping her gun, knowing she still didn't fully trust him. After a moment of silence, he patted the dust off his jacket, raised his hands, and stepped back.

"Relax, Maya, don't be so tense."

"How much did they pay you?"

Maya smiled bitterly, loosened her grip on the gun, and struggled to sit up straight.

"Working for money on the streets... I get it, I can't beat you in my current state... Ah, got a smoke? No reason for you to be at the hospital."

Maya was convinced John was hired.

His timing was too coincidental, his moves efficient, avoiding police pursuit and looping around to the basement to find a car.

"Whoever's backing you has a good eye."

"Did our last meeting make you think I was some street rookie? Killing someone, taking a detour, could all feel prearranged to you."

John was at a loss for words.

"Don't look at people with suspicion, Maya. I earn my living with skills, not just by sheer luck."

He took out a cigarette from his pocket, placed it in Maya's mouth, and lit it for her.

"Old-fashioned."

"That's good, agents from the Intelligence Bureau hate vaping, the professional explanation is that electronic hallucinogens mess with the brain, not good for missions..."

"What do you think?"

"Heh."

Maya smiled bitterly, tilting her head up.

The dim yellow strip light was covered by a rusty metal grille, casting shadows on her face and making the scabs on her face look dark.

"Undercover agents always do things in the shadows, smoking traditional cigarettes suits the rat-in-a-gutter vibe, with things weighing on the mind, even the smoke feels like a form of venting..."

"Talking to me is free, but right now, shouldn't we find a proper doctor first?"

"I fear the moment I leave, Gerry and Malt Sugar will be killed, ah, that's my daughter's name."

"How did you mess with the company dogs?"

John asked the question he was most curious about.

Maya smiled bitterly, lifting her complex gaze to look at him, as if saying, "Finally showing your true colors?"

"Enough already."

John appeared expressionless.

"The Special Affairs Bureau isn't exactly a reputable organization. Retired agents shouldn't always speculate about others, I have no intention of taking anything from you."

"Heard of the Rift Party?"

Maya waited for John to nod before continuing.

She wanted to avenge her family, collected clues, and got the location of the Rift Party leader, Old Du, planning to infiltrate his lair and assassinate him.

"Ran into Raqi Industry's management instead."

"The company and Rift Party tangled together? Wasn't Old Du an Exile?"

"Think about it, where do these terrorists get their funding? Raqi Industry pays them to stir up some trouble in the West District."

"...F*ck."

After a bit of thinking, John understood.

Owl Town Gang and Black Gold Gang were mortal enemies, and behind-the-scenes financier Raqi Industry was a multinational financial behemoth.

"Industry" was just a name left from early development, in fact, arms trade and security services were their primary focus, with extortion, blackmail, bribery, and other subversive acts their usual means to influence the world.

Unexpectedly, to win the gang war, they actually funded a terrorist organization.

"This info packs a punch, the media should love it."

"The situation is more complicated than imagined."

Maya discovered a lot of information.

The Rift Party expanded its power during the riot and got out of Raqi Industry's control.

They began spreading over the entire Eden City.

"Old Du is quite ambitious."

"A deluded fool, when he reaches the tables of big shots, he'll be crushed to smithereens."

Maya found evidence at Du Remon's hideout—this guy planned to launch a terrorist attack.

"Do you know the super-spec weapon restriction ordinance?"

Maya dropped another new term.

John dug through his memory and recalled this common knowledge.

The year Eden City became independent, the city management act was enacted, with one of the earliest ordinances explicitly prohibiting— even the powerful armies kept by companies had to comply with almost harsh requirements to limit the circulation of super-spec weapons within the Border Wall area.

Even several corporate wars proved that if you have the money, using super-spec weapons without limits was possible:

On the streets, people could be wearing the latest fully-equipped "Big Ghost Advanced Version" Power Armor, new model tanks jammed at freeway exits, with bomber drones occasionally flying overhead...

Without any constraints, Eden City would revert to a living hell amid armed upgrades.

Maya found lots of information through Old Du's computer.

Firstly, Raqi Military Industry lost a smuggling ship in the Pacific Ocean, and all the cargo it carried disappeared without a trace.

Maya showed an intriguing smile, as if seeing mad dogs interlocking and biting each other.

She was frustrated by the incidents occurring around her.

"Could the Rift Party hijack a smuggling ship?"

"Haha, of course not, they wouldn't dare. It's unclear for now who conducted the Pacific deal, but indeed a large number of weapons have flowed into Eden City."

Maya found communication records on Du Remon's computer, along with port cargo photos sent by sellers to show their sincerity.

"I have photos and videos, I can give you the chip containing evidence and investigation details, but you'll need to help me protect my daughter and Gerry. Honestly speaking, the situation's gotten a bit out of hand now..."

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