According to the list and delivery location sent by Jane Doe, Ignis prepared all the materials she had requested and hired someone to deliver them.
The truck's cargo compartment was filled to the brim—most of it was anti-corrosion medication from the Jonathan Consortium. Ignis had hired several people to purchase it from different stores in small batches before gathering everything together. Otherwise, the New Eridu Public Security would definitely have grown suspicious.
Ignis had mixed feelings about the Public Security. There were good officers like Zhu Yuan and Qingyi, who genuinely cared for the citizens. But there were also scum like Leonard Russo, morally bankrupt and obsessed with lining their own pockets.
Still, that wasn't something Ignis needed to worry about. As long as the Public Security didn't stand in his way when he was purging Chaos, that was good enough. In some situations, they could even be useful allies.
The vehicle turned off the main road and slowly drove into a small factory within the Vulcan District.
Funny thing—New Eridu's core industrial zone was called the Vulcan District. Considering their habit of naming areas after Roman deities, it was quite fitting. A different kind of Vulcan had survived, after all.
The driver stopped the truck, then swung open the cargo door. He frowned at the mess of rusted steel stacked all around, wondering why anyone would haul this stuff here.
He suspected this towering man might be involved in some kind of smuggling. But since the pay was good, he was willing to take the risk.
It was just... the place was too quiet. The usual whir of machinery from nearby factories was absent—no movement anywhere.
"Oh my, right on time," said a woman emerging from the warehouse, wearing blue overalls and a high ponytail.
She'd changed her outfit—a white T-shirt under the workwear—but her generous curves were still hard to miss. A worn plastic safety helmet rested on her head, a bit of grease smudged her face, and her work gloves were stained with machine oil.
"Sorry, one of the machines in the plant broke down. I was fixing it," Jane Doe said, throwing Ignis a playful wink. The upward tilt of her eyes carried its usual charm.
Ignis didn't respond. Jane Doe wasn't his type—and besides, she was still marked as a potential threat.
"All right, driver, you can leave now," Ignis said, pulling a thick wad of small-denomination old bills from his pocket. The driver took the money, tempted to count it, but decided against it when he noticed both pairs of eyes fixed on him.
"If you've got another job like this, call me," he said, handing Ignis a business card before hurrying away.
The truck had been arranged by Jane Doe, and Ignis had found the driver according to her request.
"The goods are delivered," Ignis said cautiously, his hand instinctively drifting toward the hammer at his waist.
"Oh, easy there—I wouldn't survive a swing from that thing," the woman in disguise raised her hands, signaling no ill intent. "Everything's here?"
"Of course."
Ignis stepped aside. Jane Doe leaped gracefully into the cargo hold, her slender tail brushing lightly across Ignis's cheek—deliberately or not.
"Let's see… food—spicy flavors, huh? Is that your own preference? Medicine's all accounted for, with some extras too. How considerate."
Ignis rolled his eyes. The spicy food wasn't for himself—he just wanted the Mountain Lion Gang to experience a little afterburn.
"Games and entertainment supplies, check. Consoles, tapes… oh? You like horror films?"
"You ever watch combat logs? Those are really thrilling."
"Wow, adult magazines too," she teased, holding up a glossy cover of a large-chested woman in minimal clothing. "This your type? Maybe I should dress like this next time we meet?"
"You think that's funny?" Ignis glared.
"Tch." The Thiren's smile twisted as she tossed the magazine back into the cargo. Her expression instantly soured.
"You really are no fun at all," Jane Doe said, leaning against the truck and chewing a compressed vegetable stick. "Don't your teammates ever get bored working with you?"
"That's none of your business. Now, let's talk—how long until I get the coordinates to the Lions' Den?" Ignis asked, knowing full well she was under enormous pressure from Razor. These shady side hustles were just her way of venting.
"Please, that guy's being ridiculously cautious now. It's not easy to get into his inner guard." Jane bit the vegetable stick hard, her expression darkening. "Right now I can only move through one of his forward outposts—two or three rifts away from the Lions' Den. Ever since those idiots messed up that black market deal, supplies have been getting tighter by the day. You're doing me a big favor here. If I can stabilize the logistics chain, Razor will value me a lot more."
She paused mid-chew, then turned toward Ignis.
"Right—the list mentioned protein powder and nitrogen boosters. You didn't buy them?"
"You said yourself these guys are practically starving. Shouldn't we fix that first before worrying about muscle gain?" Ignis had used part of the funds to purchase extra medical supplies, so the supplements didn't make the cut.
Jane Doe finished her snack in a few bites and stuffed the empty wrapper into her pocket.
"Next time, make sure to bring some. The Mountain Lion Gang are obsessed with working out. They think big muscles make them closer to Razor. But Razor... he's already turned into a monster. I don't get them."
"Then just give them something really strong—maybe some animal-grade steroids. They'll love it. Sure, they might grow pointy heads and start babbling nonsense, but it'll work." Ignis snorted.
"Not a bad idea. They might even thank me for it," Jane Doe said with a stretch, stepping close to him. "Tell me... can I really trust you?"
Her eyes glimmered red, tears welling as she put on a fragile, pitiful look.
Ignis didn't buy it for a second. This woman wore too many masks.
"You chose to work with me, and now you're asking if you can trust me? Madam, do you hear yourself?"
"Razor launched another operation recently," she said quietly. "He attacked a Defense Force outpost in Hollow Zero. The site was fortified, with heavy weapons and tactical mechs. Razor... he walked straight through it. That strange axe of his shredded the mechs, and he tore the heads off every last defender."
"There were researchers there too—and some members of independent investigation teams. None survived. Razor and his lions slaughtered them all, then painted the ground with their blood."
"Crazy bastard… At first, I thought he just wanted supplies. But he burned everything—every crate, every ration."
The taint of Khorne was clearly deepening within Razor. The man was no longer human—just a monster. And the blood ritual? Ignis could guess what it was for: to please the Blood God.
That creature had to be eliminated, and soon. If left unchecked, when Razor gained the means to launch a larger assault, he might summon Khorne's Blood Legions. Then all of New Eridu would drown in blood and death.
"Don't worry. I'll end him," Ignis said firmly. "Trust me."
"Will you win?" The Thiren woman stared into his glowing crimson eyes.
It was a superstitious question—but to reassure her, Ignis smiled confidently.
"I'll win."
After all, The Emperor Himself had blessed him—a psychic backhand of divine power. He was a fully reconstructed Adeptus Astartes, rebuilt through twenty-one gene-enhancement procedures. No way he'd lose to some mutated local savage.
Khorne's champion or not, he thought, I've seen worse—muscle-headed freaks, daemon-spawned killers. Razor's just another skull to crush.
"You're really something," Jane Doe laughed. "Your teammates must feel safe with you around—a guy who can shrug off autocannon fire and tear apart armored transports."
"Damn right. A true man of iron—strong for the people, faithful to his kin, shoulders wide enough to carry the world," Ignis flexed his arms. "Reliable as hell."
That spiel made Jane Doe burst out laughing. She realized the giant wasn't as cold or frightening as he first seemed.
"So... that logistics hub that burned down in the Faunus Quarter—was that your doing?" she asked suddenly, her tone sharp. "One of the rescued girls said a giant twice their height saved them, wearing green armor and using some kind of shield technology to escort them through the flames."
"You're looking into the Faunus Quarter case too?" Ignis scratched his head. That hadn't been part of his mission—the rescue was a side effect.
Jane Doe's tail slipped out a vegetable stick and handed it to him.
"Some information is shared between Public Security branches. Cases like this cross jurisdictions. A few of the rescued girls were from the Janus Quarter, so it became a joint investigation. Qingyi and Zhu Yuan are swamped—they've been complaining to me."
A robot that can get "swamped"? Ignis wondered. Does that mean Qingyi literally overheated or just found an excuse to slack off?
"What's their take on me?" he asked.
Jane Doe licked a speck of grease off her lip, smiling mischievously.
"If I had to sum it up—you're a troublesome guy, but not the wrong kind of trouble. Your citizen record appeared in the system out of nowhere, yet everything checks out legally. It's just... sudden. While Chief Bringer keeps hammering on cracking down on Hollow Raiders and Proxies, someone like you—no record, helps keep order, even fights alongside officers—well, they see you as conditionally trustworthy. A potential ally, within limits."
"Sounds like I've got a decent reputation."
"Don't celebrate yet. New Eridu has plenty of temptations. I've seen too many dark knights fall into darkness. Robin Hood isn't an easy role—not when you face forces you can't oppose. Sometimes... it's smarter to work with the Public Security. I could make introductions."
"Appreciate the advice," Ignis said as she wiped the oil off her face with a wet tissue.
She stripped off her gloves, tossed them aside, and climbed into the truck's cabin. "Close up the cargo for me."
Ignis did as asked, planning to bid her farewell.
Jane Doe didn't drive off immediately. Sitting in the cab, she used the rearview mirror to touch up her makeup, extending her eyeliner in a sharp, teasing arc.
"Well then, until next time, Dark Knight of the Cunning Hares."
The truck's machine spirit awoke with a low hum as she turned the key.
"Honestly, don't call me that cursed name," Ignis muttered. "Just contact me the moment you have intel. Razor can't be allowed to keep killing—more innocents will die."
"I know," she nodded. "I'll reach out as soon as I can."
The truck rolled off, disappearing around the corner.
Ignis took out his phone, using a navigation app to find the nearest subway station. Good news—it was less than a kilometer away. Bad news—it was rush hour. He'd have to squeeze in with waves of factory workers.
People gawked at the towering giant, but Ignis was used to it. One hand gripped the rail, the other scrolled through the Inter-Knot.
Suddenly, a message popped up from Markus.
"Got info on the traffickers you asked me to trace."
"They're called the Violet Secret. Weird name for a gang."
"They've got a base near the border of the Faunus Quarter and the Outer Ring. From the looks of it, they're running an adult trade operation."
Ignis frowned and typed a quick reply.
"Send me the address."
"You planning another stunt? Forget it—the Public Security's already got plans for them."
The next message came quickly.
"It's a membership-only club. You can't get in without an introduction."
"Then find me an introducer. Don't you want payback too?"
This time, Markus took a little longer to reply. Ignis could practically picture the purple mushroom thinking it over.
"Fine. I'll get you someone. Just burn that place to ashes."
If there was one thing Ignis excelled at—it was burning xenos to ash.