36: Chapter 36 The Inside Story of the Iron Teeth Gang

Inside the outpost, Lin Qiming stared at the rough hand-drawn map and several dark green decaying battery fragments on the table, his brows furrowed.

Old Cole's intelligence was like a stone thrown into stagnant water; beneath the ripples lay a deeper, murkier darkness.

"Grail... a mutant maniac... once touched by Chaos..." He whispered, repeating the core secret about the leader of the Iron Tooth Gang that Old Cole had saved for last.

"So, the Iron Tooth Gang isn't just an ordinary gang that fights for turf and collects protection money. Their boss is a monster contaminated by the Warp."

[Logical chain established.] Hephaestus's voice rang out in the silence.

['Mutant' in the Imperial context usually refers to humans who have undergone uncontrollable mutations due to radiation or genetic technology. However, combined with the description 'once touched by Chaos,' their mutation is more likely derived from Warp energy erosion, leading to a dual distortion of body and mind. Such individuals are usually more aggressive, more unpredictable, and may become potential conduits or anchors for Chaos forces.]

"In other words, the person I provoked before wasn't just a vindictive gang leader," Lin Qiming said, his fingertip tracing the main activity area of the Iron Tooth Gang marked on the map, "but a 'Chaos-infected' who could go insane at any moment, and might have something even more disgusting standing behind him?"

He paused. "No wonder there's a bounty of twenty bags of nutrient paste to catch me. For a maniac, face (or rather, the fear of losing control) is more important than actual losses."

[Analysis reasonable.] Hephaestus confirmed.

[Furthermore, Grail's identity as a 'former Imperial Guard deserter' (mentioned by Old Cole) adds complexity. He has received basic military training and understands how Imperial armed forces operate, which makes him more dangerous than a typical gang leader. His experience of 'being touched by Chaos' may have occurred during his service, which explains why he fled to the Hive Bottom—it is the best place to hide filth.]

Lin Qiming recalled his previous encounters with members of the Iron Tooth Gang.

Those thugs were indeed more organized than ordinary ruffians; their movements had a certain method to them. Although rough, the traces of training were visible. So that was the root of it.

"Then, what is the Iron Tooth Gang looking for with their recent activities near the B-9 zone?" He pondered.

"Would Grail, a mutant contaminated by Chaos, be interested in ancient ones relics? Or... is there something else in the B-9 zone attracting him? For instance, something that could exacerbate his mutation? Or a medium that could allow him to 'contact' the entity that 'touched' him in the first place?"

[Multiple possibilities.] Hephaestus listed.

[One: There may be strong Warp disturbances or Chaos residue in the B-9 zone that attracts or resonates with Grail. Two: There may be some kind of technological artifact in that area (such as the facility where the decaying batteries originated) that Grail or the Chaos forces behind him intend to exploit. Three: Pure profit-driven motives—rumors of 'treasure' in the B-9 zone prompting him to search, as is the nature of gangs. Given his Chaos background, the first possibility carries a higher weight.]

Lin Qiming felt a chill.

If the depths of the B-9 zone not only contained ancient ones relics, traces of Necrons, and Adeptus Mechanicus Explorators, but now also potentially a Chaos mutant boss and his subordinates... that place was basically an expo of Warhammer-style hazardous materials.

"Old Cole's commission gave me 'intelligence' even more 'heavyweight' than I imagined." He smiled bitterly. "Information bought with several lives really is worth every penny."

[Intelligence value confirmed.] Hephaestus said.

[This explains why the Iron Tooth Gang's large-scale search efforts rapidly weakened after you escaped—Grail's attention may have been diverted by the anomaly in the B-9 zone. For you, this is a breathing space, but it also means that if you head to the B-9 zone, the probability of encountering him again will increase significantly.]

"Knowing who the enemy is is better than being kept in the dark." Lin Qiming steadied himself.

"At least now I understand that dealing with the Iron Tooth Gang cannot be done using ordinary gang logic. Grail is a ticking time bomb, and his gang may also be subtly influenced by Chaos... the Corruption Value system might be particularly sensitive to them in the future."

He firmly kept the intelligence about Grail in his mind, then looked at another key point on the map: the Old Pump Station.

That was the water source hub of the East District, controlling the domestic water supply for a large area.

Old Cole had circled it on the map and scribbled a line of small text: "Iron Tooth occupies it, but the guard isn't tight. Both Ashes and Deep Well are eyeing it. Key."

Water sources are power. In the Hive Bottom, clean water is more precious than nutrient paste; it is the capital for controlling the population, extorting money, and even waging war.

The Iron Tooth Gang's control of the Pump Station is an important pillar of their domination over the East District.

"Taking the Pump Station is equivalent to gripping the throat of the Iron Tooth Gang." Lin Qiming's gaze was sharp.

"But this also means directly challenging Grail's core interests, which will invite the most insane retaliation. Before I have sufficient strength, I cannot collide with them head-on."

At this stage, the intelligence value of the Pump Station lies in understanding the power balance point of the East District.

The map indicated the general structure of the Pump Station, the main entrances and exits, and the peripheral patrol routes (inferred by Old Cole based on sporadic observations). It wasn't detailed enough, but it provided a preliminary impression.

"Hephaestus, scan this map, digitize it for archiving, and compare and calibrate it with our existing memory fragments of the Hive Bottom (from the stc core database)."

[Scanning... Calibration complete. Map accuracy improved by approximately 15%, with two new potential hidden pipe entrances added (inferred based on structural mechanics).] Hephaestus reported.

[Pump Station control room location confirmed. Below it connects to the main water supply network; theoretically, one could explore backwards through the pipe network to find other water source nodes or abandoned water storage facilities.]

"Very good." Lin Qiming put the map away.

The Pump Station was a future goal, not a current one.

He finally looked at those few decaying battery fragments.

Hephaestus had already analyzed the first one, obtaining a vague Imperial quarantine zone mark.

For the rest, he decided not to touch them for now—the energy was too low, but the risk was not low, so it was better to keep them as possible bargaining chips, or wait until the stc core repair level was higher before attempting a deep analysis.

The intelligence had been digested. The situation was much clearer, and also much heavier.

The boss of the Iron Tooth Gang is a Chaos mutant maniac.

The B-9 zone is a whirlpool coveted by multiple forces.

The water source Pump Station is the lifeline of the East District.

And he, Lin Qiming, a person bound to an stc core with less than 40% repair completion, an E-Rank Upper Stage scavenger technician, is attempting to fish out his own future from this muddy water.

"Focus on what's in front of me first." He said to himself.

"The task of upgrading the workshop is only missing energy. Old Cole's commission is an opportunity to acquire energy and intelligence. But before going to the B-9 zone, I must be fully prepared."

He stood up and walked towards the manufacturing area.

The spring traps and alarm nets were already done, but it wasn't enough.

He needed more defensive measures, and even more, he needed to improve his reconnaissance capabilities—the improved probe had limited utility in the complex underground environment.

"Perhaps, I should try further improvements on that 'information-state resonance probe'." He looked at the workbench.

"Combined with the newly learned [Basic Mechanical Identification] and the processing bench, perhaps I can make it more practical."

To explore unknown lands, intelligence comes first. And intelligence requires better eyes.