"I have the contact information of the best Lone Wolf in this city, so no one dares to mess with us. The only reason I'm sitting here now is to add your name to the contact list."

John listened and couldn't help but chuckle, shifting his gaze away and then frowning while pursing his lips, making a hissing sound.

"You're... uh, a bit naturally enthusiastic, but I have to admit you're more intriguing than the company's promotional video, but we aren't really familiar enough for this level yet."

"But we do have a basis for knowing each other."

Raphael maintained a steady stream of words and plenty of patience.

"Hasn't Ryan Randall ever mentioned me to you? Ha, how heartless, he and I used to be teammates, a mercenary squad, a bunch of unfortunates huddling together at the city's edge."

John wasn't drawn in closer, instead he asked.

"Teammates? So when he was house-arrested by Nocturne, chased into the warehouse, you didn't show up?"

"That was the doctor's choice, think it through, he stored everything here, John, half a warehouse of limited edition prosthetics, relying on just a level-2 automatic door at Randall's clinic entrance, which even a hacker with two months of online learning couldn't fend off."

Raphael gave him a moment to pause.

"He and I are life-and-death friends, that can't change, if you're interested, go ask him yourself."

John raised his gaze suspiciously.

"Did the doctor recommend me to you?"

"NOPE, he didn't mention anything, which actually shows you have value that's being noticed."

[New Contact - Raphael]

John replied cautiously.

"I've got enough money for now, buddy, no need to take jobs from unfamiliar middlemen, uh... besides, I've got a long stretch of time already booked up ahead."

"Being well-off is very deceptive, John, Ryan should have warned you, this path is a one-way street, heading straight to death..."

John's start was too smooth, never truly delving into the mercenary world, making enough to cover living costs, precisely indicating his uncertainty about the future, with no ongoing development direction.

"Once you take a couple more steps forward, you'll realize all the steps you've walked on are hollow; to make life stable, you need to spend a lot of money to fill the gaps, and sometimes there are resources and connections you can't even buy... when that time comes, whatever you need... call me."

Raphael mimicked a gun with his fingers, aimed at his own temple, playfully winked, flicked his tongue—the metallic shine flashed between his pink-purple lips, seemingly a lip piercing.

"Don't be shy, John, even if you just want a supermarket discount card, I'm willing to provide one. Mercenaries, Lone Wolves, and teams are the clients of the East District underground black market, not those idiots who throw money around. I can accommodate newcomers, but I prefer experts."

In her dark green eyes, golden arcs spread out, as if receiving a message, smiling as she spoke to John.

"The car's fixed, the ride's nice, if you no longer trust the Black Gold Gang's maintenance package, you can come to Kaufuglanton for renewal, the unanimous choice of Eden City's legendary mercenaries."

She used a joking tone for the second half of the sentence.

John was contemplating asking something else when he suddenly received a message from Barry.

Raphael took the opportunity to say goodbye, as if exchanging contact information and introducing the East District were her goals. As the behavior chip flickered, the female receptionist returned to her senses.

She smiled businesslike at John, got up, and left.

An intermediary of higher status only extends an olive branch so proactively if they highly regard a street rookie.

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