26: Chapter 26 Loyalty Has a Price

"The Governor wants to see you. Come with me."

Ronan froze for two seconds before realizing he was being addressed.

He followed the messenger onto a vehicle, which drove all the way to the control tower at the highest point of the Promethium Factory, now converted into a temporary command post.

"Governor, the man has been brought here."

Fu Haoran turned around, glanced at Ronan, and picked up a neatly folded uniform and a metal shoulder insignia from the table.

"Ronan, formerly a Level 3 technician at the Promethium Factory, later conscripted by the Iron Hand Gang."

"You surrendered with 17 men two days ago, and turned another 31 yesterday."

Fu Haoran read from the record on his data slate.

"Now, I appoint you as the captain of the First Penal Company."

"In principle, the number of men you brought is below the standard establishment, but since you are a former factory technician, familiar with the terrain, and able to keep your subordinates steady, I have decided to promote you as an exception."

Fu Haoran handed over the uniform and insignia as he spoke.

Ronan accepted them with both hands.

"The Penal Company is responsible for clearing out the factory. Do well, and once you have enough military merit, further promotion will be within reach."

"Yes!" Ronan gripped the uniform tightly.

Fu Haoran nodded and said, "Alright, Captain Ronan, you may leave."

Ronan saluted and retreated.

After he left, Yuri couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, you just gave it away so readily?"

"Why not? He recruited the men himself, and I happen to be short-handed. Giving away a batch of old equipment and food in exchange for an ambitious subordinate—I can't think of a reason not to agree."

Fu Haoran said it as a matter of course. Yuri recalled the grievances he had suffered under the nobles in the past and thought that if he had joined Fu Haoran earlier, perhaps he wouldn't have had it so rough back then.

"Sigh, I didn't come along at the right time."

【Fiscal Officer Yuri Razumov loyalty updated: -30 → -20】

...

When he returned to the camp, the 48 men under Ronan were already gathered together.

Seeing Ronan's newly changed uniform and insignia, their eyes widened.

Ronan pinned the insignia to his chest and grinned, "From today on, I am the captain of the First Penal Company. Follow me, and you will all have opportunities."

At lunchtime, Ronan led his men into the canteen.

It was called a canteen, but it was actually just a large shed with dozens of folding tables.

"Is the military this stingy too?" Ronan felt a bit disappointed.

In his imagination, military masters were supposed to be the elite, and at the very least, the dining hall shouldn't be too shabby.

"Could it be that the previous food was just a ruse to lure us in?"

Ronan followed the crowd in line to receive his food. When the stainless steel tray was handed to him, he froze instantly. His previous disappointment vanished, replaced only by shock.

"Turns out my perspective was just too narrow!"

The tray was piled high. There was no Corpse Starch, no mysterious mixtures, just natural food, and even a few green leaves and half a piece of fruit.

These were things only the noble masters could touch. Let alone the gangs, even when he worked as a technician before, he had only seen them from afar during noble inspections.

A small man under Ronan stared at the tray, his hands trembling, and asked in disbelief:

"Boss, is... is this really for us to eat?"

"Don't talk nonsense, eat quickly. We have work to do this afternoon." Ronan grabbed a fork and was the first to start eating.

The group devoured their food.

As the small man ate, he suddenly pulled a few throne coins from his pocket—the allowance just issued that morning.

He gripped them in his hand, rubbing them repeatedly, his eyes a bit red.

"Boss," he whispered, "Back in the gang, Jack's lackeys would slap me just for half a piece of Corpse Starch."

"Now... not only can I eat my fill, but I can also get paid."

He looked up, his tone fierce: "From now on, even if I have to fight the nobles to the death, I'm following the Governor!"

Several people nearby nodded in agreement.

Ronan didn't speak, but he ate with even more vigor.

After the meal, he led his men back into the factory.

This time, he was going to turn more people.

Or... pull off something even bigger!

At this moment, Ronan realized that loyalty actually has a price.

...

Inside the factory, the atmosphere had completely changed.

At first, no one believed the content on the broadcast.

But as more and more starving, desperate people walked out of the factory and then returned, everything changed.

The area controlled by the Iron Hand Gang was shrinking rapidly every day.

Large numbers of peripheral personnel had lost contact, and even worse, some gang backbone and core members had also disappeared!

In the central control room, Jack Norton slammed his fist onto the console.

"Bastard! Bastard! How could this happen?!"

Jack discovered that he could contact fewer and fewer people; he couldn't even reach the nobles outside anymore!

Bang!

Jack threw the communicator to the ground. Only two confidants remained in the room, both pale-faced.

"Boss, what do we do now?"

Jack didn't answer.

He walked to the innermost part of the console, lifted a cover plate, and revealed the mechanical keyboard inside.

Kamm stood behind him, his eyes flickering, glancing at Jack's back from the corner of his eye. No one noticed the coldness in his eyes.

This was the factory's low-level control interface, connected to an old overload safety system.

Theoretically, if the core reactor were to overload, it could blow up half the factory.

Even if it didn't blow up, it could cause the Promethium refining tanks to leak, turning this place into a gas chamber.

However, Jack hesitated. When it really came time to gamble everything, he was afraid.

"Boss, look out!"

Suddenly hearing a cry of surprise from behind, Jack didn't even think; he instinctively rolled to one side.

To be able to sit in this position, Jack had seen too many assassinations and betrayals.

So his nerves were always on edge.

Hearing the warning, Jack skillfully dodged, drew his gun, and fired.

The movements were fluid and seamless.

The confidant who had raised his gun was riddled with bullets.

"Boss, are you okay?" Deputy Kamm ran over to shield Jack; he was the one who had just called out the warning.

"Pah, you're still far from being able to ambush me!" Jack climbed up from the ground and changed the battery for his Laser Gun.

Squelch!

The leader of the Iron Hand Gang, a crime lord who had dominated for years, looked down in disbelief at the switchblade that had pierced through his body.

"You... how dare you... betray me!"

Kamm didn't turn back, instead twisting the switchblade hard, saying sinisterly, "Boss, don't blame me. Heaven destroys those who don't look out for themselves."

"The gang is finished, and I don't want to be buried with you."

"It just so happens that the Governor has offered a bounty of ten thousand throne coins for your head, along with a new identity and a ticket out, enough for me to change my name and start over."

"By the way, those high-ranking members who lost contact recently? I was the one who turned them in for the bounty. Today, it's your turn."

Jack couldn't believe his ears, and with his last bit of strength, he said, "Kamm, I treated you well... cough, cough."

"Heh, Jack, you just treated me like a dog, tossing me the meat bones you finished eating, and you thought I should be grateful?"

"So your death is not unjust at all."

"Alright, enough talk. Time to go."

Kamm pulled out the switchblade and watched Jack fall into a pool of blood, his eyes devoid of any ripples:

"Your head is my ticket out of the Hive City."