The cliff bordering Steve's villa was nearly vertical—a sheer ninety-degree drop.
There were barely any protruding rocks or trees to anchor a rope.
Climbing it would be a nightmare.
Clearly, Steve had studied the terrain carefully before buying this place. Even a professional climber would struggle to scale this wall without safety gear. And Charlie's team didn't have anyone with that kind of physical prowess.
If they did, a paranoid man like Steve wouldn't have left this one side exposed without electric fences or walls.
Hunter stood at the base of the cliff, frowning as he looked up.
Even with his "Golden Finger" and stats nearly double that of a normal human, and even with his newly acquired [Climbing] skill, this cliff made his scalp tingle.
Fifty meters of vertical rock. No safety net.
One slip meant death, or at best, permanent paralysis.
But the alternative was worse. The other three sides were guarded by three-meter walls, high-voltage nets, cameras, and armed men.
Charlie's team would need elaborate plans and tech to breach the front. Hunter couldn't do that solo.
The cliff was the only way.
"Looks like I need to grind my Climbing skill."
"And boost my stats while I'm at it."
For the next two weeks, Hunter was a machine.
Charlie remained passive, only occasionally scouting the villa with Stella. Once, Hunter even saw Lyle (the hacker) and Left Ear (the demolition expert) tagging along.
The legendary thieves were still scratching their heads over Steve's defenses.
Their hesitation bought Hunter time.
Every morning and night: One hour of running.
Daytime:
Disguised surveillance of Steve.Stalking Stella for intel."Accidentally" bumping into Lyle to chat and boost [Computer Science].Boxing, Shooting, Swimming.
But his main focus was [Climbing].
Two weeks flew by.
Several skills leveled up. Hunter earned another 17 Free Attribute Points.
He distributed them evenly.
[Current Stats]
Intelligence: 23Strength: 21Agility: 21Constitution: 20Endurance: 20
All five attributes were now more than double the average adult male's.
His Personal Inventory had expanded to 71 cubic meters.
He was becoming a monster.
But with power came anxiety.
As his skills leveled up, the EXP required for the next level skyrocketed.
And it was expensive.
Aside from a $5,000 chop-shop job Old Parker threw his way, Hunter had zero income.
Living in LA, grinding skills, buying gear... his savings were evaporating.
In a capitalist paradise like America, being broke was a sin.
If he didn't secure Steve's gold soon, the great "Transmigrator" would have to go flip burgers.
"Time to go."
8:00 PM. The apartment.
Hunter finished a hearty dinner.
He checked his climbing gear one last time before storing it in his Inventory. Every tool was inspected.
He was nervous. Excited. This was his first major heist.
He opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
His expression shifted instantly.
Standing in the corridor of the sixth floor were two burly white men in leather jackets.
Tattoos on their arms. Cold, predatory eyes.
Gangsters.
They glanced at Hunter as he emerged from 6A, then looked away, dismissing him.
But Hunter felt another gaze.
Léon?
The sixth floor had four units.
6A: Hunter.6B: An elderly couple.6C: Mathilda's family.6D: Léon.
The hitman rarely left his apartment. Hunter had tried to say hello a few times, but Léon only responded with a nod and a cold stare.
Hunter realized Léon was watching the gangsters through his peephole.
Hunter didn't react. He kept his cool.
With his enhanced hearing, he could hear faint noises coming from Mathilda's apartment (6C).
Something was going down.
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