Alexander, wearing Lager's ugly face, walked through the stronghold.
This stronghold belonged to the gang that originally occupied this area.
With the wealth they had accumulated over more than ten years, they had built this stronghold into a spacious three-story house, which was considered the epitome of luxury in the Lower Nest.
But now, this stronghold was occupied by the Ark Gang.
"The third person on your left, the man with the scarred face, is watching you."
"The person leaning against the wall behind you is also watching you."
"And the second person on your right is as well."
At the corner of Alexander's eye, the winged figure of Sanguinius whispered.
He gently vibrated his wings, and several wisps of white light, visible only to Alexander, flowed out, marking the three people who were secretly observing Alexander.
Alexander subtly glanced at the three people.
He noticed that they were not only observing him but also everyone who entered and exited.
After seemingly confirming that Alexander was not a threat, they shifted their gaze.
"They're surprisingly cautious." Alexander frowned.
Who were they wary of? What were they wary of?
Alexander shook his head, took out the soundprint candy from his robe pocket, and put it in his mouth.
The candy melted instantly, a faint sweetness lingering in Alexander's mouth and flowing down his throat.
"Cough, cough, cough."
Alexander subtly coughed twice, his voice as low and lewd as Lager's.
He glanced at the main entrance of the stronghold and walked towards it.
"Stop!"
Before he could even enter, two Ark Gang members guarding the door stopped him.
"It's me, Lager, brothers."
Alexander had eaten Lager's soundprint candy beforehand, and his voice was identical to the old man's:
"Have you forgotten? I was the one who led the way for our brothers last night."
The two guards remained expressionless, scrutinizing Alexander's head, as if looking for some sign.
After a thorough inspection, finding no issues, the two guards nodded, signaling Alexander to enter.
But Alexander was not in a hurry; instead, he pulled out two lho cigarettes from his pocket and forced them into the guards' palms.
"Brothers, to be honest, the Cult Master gave me a task this morning. She wants me to find someone."
Alexander chuckled, saying with Lager's ugly face:
"I couldn't find him; the person ran off early."
The two guards frowned, looking at the lho cigarettes in their hands.
"Can you two tell me how the Cult Master is feeling?"
Alexander said with a grin:
"If she's in a bad mood, I need to prepare for a scolding."
The two guards exchanged glances.
"The Cult Master is troubled by the Zealous Thief matter. You're probably going to get scolded," the guard on the right said, shaking his head.
"That little thief has been moving through several large districts and is already on our Ark Gang's wanted list, but he hasn't been caught yet," the guard on the left added.
"The Zealous Thief…" Alexander stroked his chin and nodded lightly: "Thank you, brothers. I'll buy you drinks later."
With that, Alexander stepped through the main door and entered the stronghold.
After a few steps, he stopped, as if suddenly remembering something, and turned to look at the two guards: "Brothers, I forgot to ask."
"Where is the Cult Master now? Third floor?"
"Second-floor meeting room. She's discussing the Zealous Thief with the gang members."
Alexander chuckled and nodded, then turned and walked towards the second-floor meeting room.
"Bastard."
In the second-floor meeting room of the Ark Gang's stronghold,
The woman with the wide hood, looking at the records of the thefts in this district, couldn't help but curse.
That little thief who used a flame cutter for his crimes had actually made his way to this district as well.
What a small world.
Although she cursed, Reyna knew that the Zealous Thief wasn't considered an evil person in hive city.
Although that little thief often stole, he was more moral than most thieves.
Most of the time, she only stole money from relatively wealthy or gang member families, and sometimes, if she accidentally broke into a regular hive city worker's home, she would leave money for door repairs and a letter of apology.
But Reyna was simply angry and annoyed with that guy.
Every time she thought about it, she would clench her fists, her face red with hold back, and finally couldn't help but curse: "Bastard."
As the Bishop of the Ark Gang,a few years ago, when she had just founded the Ark Gang, her small private stash had been visited by that scoundrel.
Reyna still remembered how she felt when she woke up in the morning to see the door cut open by a flame cutter and an empty vault.
Although there wasn't much money in it, it was Reyna's meager savings, her private money, saved through frugality.
She never expected it all to be stolen by that guy!!!
After that, that bastard would occasionally visit the homes of Ark Gang members, leaving a hideous hole with a thermal saw and taking the money from the house.
Several times, Reyna was almost able to catch her, but she seemed to possess some kind of precognitive ability, always slipping away from Reyna's fingertips.
"This time, I must catch this bastard."
Reyna said through gritted teeth.
She looked at the few small leaders under her in the meeting room and said:
"Arrange patrols for me tonight! Each street must be patrolled at least three times!"
"I, Reyna, swear by the Emperor, I will definitely get my hands on this bastard!"
With that, Reyna fiercely swung her fists a few times at the air.
The small leaders nodded repeatedly, promising to catch that damned Zealous Thief.
Reyna let out a long breath, as if wanting to expel the anger that had accumulated in her chest.
She shook her head, which was slightly aching from anger, pushed open the meeting room door, and walked out.
Then she saw an old face, so ugly it would make heaven and earth weep, right in front of the door.
"By the Emperor's Teeth!" Reyna was startled, almost launching a psychic blast.
But in a flash, she realized that the owner of this ugly face was Lager, a member of the local gang who had surrendered last night.
"Lager? What are you doing standing here?"
Reyna patted her chest and let out a long breath.
She stared at Lager in front of her with some vigilance.
Could this guy have been crouching by the door all this time, eavesdropping on the meeting?
However, what she had just said wasn't particularly important anyway.
Reyna frowned, scrutinizing Lager up and down.
She confirmed that although this guy was unusually ugly, there were still no signs of mutation; he seemed to still be a pure human.
"You…"
Reyna paused and said:
"Did you find the person I asked you to look for?"
Lager chuckled, scratching his head and saying: "Sorry, Cult Master, he seems to have run off early."
"Ran off? Why would he run?" Reyna was startled, looking at Lager with some surprise.
Suddenly, a warning rose in Reyna's psychic perception, and she shivered all over.
"That's not right!"
The Ark Gang Cult Master in front of Alexander, wearing a wide hood that obscured her face, suddenly raised her voice and roared:
"You are not Lager!!! Who are you?!"
I've been discovered! This thought rose in Alexander's mind.
His fingertips unhesitatingly pulled out the stopper from the gourd at his waist.