The Dead Wheel gang was notorious in this area.
While gangs are typically violent and merciless, their atrocities were more malicious than other gangs.
You could tell just by looking at the decapitated human heads displayed at the entrance.
While disregard for human life was common in this city, even the settlement's residents shook their heads at Dead Wheel gang's extreme actions.
Mary guided the two people to a place behind the bar where rusty, dilapidated containers were stacked.
"It's safe here. At least no one will eavesdrop on our conversation."
After checking the surroundings several times, Mary let out a sigh of relief.
"David. While I'm happy to see a familiar face after so long, unfortunately, you came at the wrong time."
"Mary. What's going on? I knew District 49 was a problematic place, but is it serious enough to make such a fuss?"
Mark, who had helped smuggle them into this rat hole, had said something similar.But there was an inherent difference in weight between words from someone outside and someone living inside.
Mary roughly ran her fingers through her hair and let out a deep sigh.
"Yeah. The atmosphere has been really bad lately. If it's noticeable even in these outermost settlements, it must be much worse in the central area."
"What exactly is happening?"
"That's what I want to ask you. You coming here at this time, isn't it related to what's going on?"
Mary's sharp gaze turned toward Osian, who stood quietly.
Perhaps it wasn't for nothing that she had survived in this harsh settlement environment.
Mary's intuition and perception were quite sharp.
"I let it slide earlier because they were with you, but now that we're here, I need to ask. David, who is that person?"
"They are someone I serve."
When David answered without hesitation, Mary's eyes widened.
"They? And serve? Hey, did you join some organization?"
"No. Or maybe yes? Anyway, it's not what you're thinking."
"Explain in detail."
As Mary's gaze sharpened, Osian, who had been quiet, stepped forward.
"I am a fixer. David is trying to help me."
"I've seen many fixers come here. Don't you think some of those severed heads at the entrance belonged to fixers?"
"They seemed to. However, I find it difficult to answer with certainty. I don't know yet if my request is related to this situation."
Mary made a groaning sound, crossed her arms, and tilted her chin.
"Recently, there have been many suspicious movements in District 49. I know this area was never a good place. But still, it maintained its own balance."
"Are those heads at the entrance part of these suspicious movements?"
"Yes. Outsiders, especially those corporate suits who strut around, have been coming here frequently. Actually, not long ago, a corporation sent a substantial team here."
Whether that corporation was looking for the automaton or trying to interfere with those looking for it was unknown.
But what remained unchanged was that their forces must have been considerable.
"There was a huge fight. While we might turn a blind eye to outsiders sneaking in and out one or two at a time, they clearly crossed the line."
According to Mary's explanation, those sent by the corporation engaged in a fight resembling war with District 49's biker gangs.
Naturally, District 49's gangs were victorious.
This was their territory, and they had far greater numbers.
But the gangs didn't escape unscathed.
The opponents were professional teams sent by major corporations, though fewer in number, their individual skills were far superior.
"Similar incidents have occurred several times since then. Not as blatantly as before, but everyone's all fired up because of it. They're trying to kill anyone suspicious without question. Usually, gangs don't mess with settlements like this, but things are different now."
Osian realized they had arrived in quite a troublesome situation.
They could understand why major corporations would request Basilio personally.
All their previous attempts had failed.
They had essentially stirred up a hornet's nest, so they probably didn't have many options left.
'Though a major corporation could probably force their way through if they really wanted to.'
In a district like 49, which even the city government had given up managing, they would probably just get a warning if a corporation decided to bulldoze through.
But when one corporation moves, others follow.
They wouldn't just stand by watching their competitors succeed.
In such a situation, the forces they could deploy were ultimately limited.
With repeated failures of such attempts, they must be quite anxious.
'Still, I hadn't heard about such chaos.'
They probably intentionally hid it despite knowing. Honestly, it would be embarrassing to admit.
How could a major corporation honestly confess that they had tried several times only to make the situation worse?
Even entrusting the job to a special-grade fixer must have required significant swallowing of pride.
'Moreover, the one who accepted isn't even a special-grade fixer.'
Although recommended by a special-grade fixer and considered the most outstanding rookie recently.
Ultimately, Osian was still a fixer with relatively few years in the industry.
Various troublesome situations had piled up.
"It seems my request is not unrelated to the situation you're concerned about."
"I knew it. Let me ask one thing. Why are you poking around a place like this? District 49 is just a garbage dump from you outsiders' perspective."
Although belonging to the city of Tirna, Mary called Osian an outsider.
She thought District 49 was different from other districts.
It was the same in District 45, so it wasn't particularly surprising.
From the perspective of those who were abandoned, they couldn't think well of the city government that abandoned them.
It was the same even if Osian had no connection to the city government and was just a fixer taking requests.
Beasts who consider themselves living in the wild can't help but despise and hate the sheep inside the fence.
"Information suggests that something very important exists inside here. The corporations seem to be looking for it."
"A treasure in a garbage dump? Damn, so that's why."
Mary understood more easily than expected.
While this was a garbage dump, it didn't always contain just garbage.
Sometimes, things that outsiders discarded without knowing their true value or worth found their rightful owners here.
"Now the internal gangs are fired up because the corporate bastards stirred things up."
"Fired up meaning?"
"They've caught on too. They realized that something the outside corporations want is in our district. So they're desperately trying to find it."
Even if the people of District 49 were violent, they weren't completely stupid.
They were rough and crude, but they had the awareness needed to survive in this environment.
"Has the race begun?"
Mary nodded at David's heavy voice.
"Yes. The moment you participate, you'll be eliminated instantly. That's how District 49's death race works."
"Race?"
Well, while it wasn't an incomprehensible metaphor, there was a bit more meaning in what Mary and David were saying.
Just as Osian was about to ask about it.
"Mary. Are you there?"
Someone came looking for Mary in the container area.
Osian and David closed their mouths. Mary listened carefully with narrowed eyes.
"No use pretending you're not there. I came knowing you're there."
"Damn."
Mary's expression crumpled.
Though only one person spoke, the area was already surrounded by about ten people.
"Looks like we've been caught."
"Who are they?"
"The settlement's security officer. Security officer in name only, actually just Dead Wheel gang's puppet. I'll buy you time, so you two sneak out the back."
"Mary, are you crazy? They came knowing we were here. What do you think will happen to you if you go out alone?"
"Ha, David. You've grown up. Is this the time to worry about me? Listen, I was born and raised here. Even they can't touch me carelessly."
Mary pushed Osian and David with her rough hands.
"Go now. Just keep going this way, it won't be hard to find the path."
"Mary, you..."
"It was good to see you after so long. I hope you find what you're looking for. Don't die, and let's meet again if we get the chance. And hey, fixer."
Mary stared at Osian with fierce eyes.
Her pupils soon curved slightly.
"Take care of this kid. I might not be in a position to worry about others, but David was my old friend."
"...Will do."
Osian and David quietly slipped out through the back of the container area as Mary had told them.
Thanks to the containers stacked here and there creating a three-dimensional maze, the security officers didn't notice the two at all.
"We're leaving earlier than expected, but we got the information that we need to head to the center, so let's move quickly."
"Will she be alright?"
"...She'll be fine. Mary is strong. Even when Mark and I tried to escape outside, she hid us and even gave us a place to sleep. Yet she's still alive, right?"
David forced a smile, saying she would be fine.
For Osian, it wasn't something to meddle in, so they were about to leave the container area.
Until the gunshot rang out.
Bang!
*
"Ugh!"
Mary stumbled backward, clutching her left forearm.
Red blood dripped from her limp left arm.
"Henry! You bastard! What are you doing!"
Despite being shot, Mary didn't cower and loudly berated the security officer, Henry.
Henry, pointing his gun at Mary, stroked his mustache and said.
"Hey, Mary. That's what I want to ask. Hiding suspicious outsiders, have you lost your mind?"
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
"Did you think we had no ears to hear with? You hid those two guys who snuck in from outside, didn't you?"
Henry plucked one of his mustache hairs and lightly flicked it away.
Click. He pulled back the hammer of his revolver, preparing the next bullet.
"In this already unsettled atmosphere, doing something like that can only be considered an act of betrayal against the village. As the security officer protecting this settlement, I can't overlook it."
"You bastard, your mouth is full of holes but you sure talk well! You just found me annoying before, and now you're using this chance to get rid of me!"
"Ah, did it seem that way?"
Henry and Mary had been opposing each other over the settlement for a while.
Mary had prestige in the settlement and people naturally followed her, while Henry tried to establish superiority over others through his position as security officer.
To Henry, the strong and fierce Mary was like a thorn in his eye.
Why should the settlement's law enforcement power yield to a mere bar owner?
'Above all, from before, I didn't like how she wouldn't bow to me.'
But even Henry couldn't expel Mary. The backlash would be too severe.
While he had been waiting for his chance, look what happened. An opportunity came to Henry.
"Mary. If you hand over those two guys now, I can pretend this never happened."
"You crazy bastard. I told you I don't know anything!"
"You're going to deny it till the end? Seems like you don't value your life."
Henry laughed, shrugging his shoulders.
Seeing this, Mary spat.
"Even if I tell you, you're going to kill me anyway, right? So why should I listen to you?"
"Oh my, did I get found out? Well, I don't care where those two disappeared to. I can finally deal with you legally, you who've been such an annoyance."
Just as Henry was about to pull the trigger.
"That's far enough."
An unexpected voice interrupted.
Henry's gaze turned to the source of the voice.
On top of the pile of stacked containers stood two men.
It was Osian and David, who were thought to have left.
"You two...!"
Mary widened her eyes seeing them. David gave a bitter smile at her reproachful gaze asking why they had returned.
Instead, David asked Osian.
"Are you really sure about this?"
It was Osian who decided to return after hearing the gunshot.
David had asked. With an important task ahead, was it okay to waste time like this?
"David. Have you forgotten who we are?"
"...We are knights."
"Yes. And knights don't just ignore such injustice."
After Osian said that, he jumped down from the container box.
Though it was several meters high, Osian landed on the ground very lightly.
"Hey..."
"Rest. He will handle this."
David, who followed down, stopped Mary as she tried to say something.
David immediately started treating Mary's wound.
"Is this really okay? Those guys, they're working with the Dead Wheel gang."
"I told you, didn't I? That person is someone I serve."
David smiled as he quickly disinfected and treated the wound.
"Just watch. You'll understand why I said that."