Gary had scooted over a bit, working closer to Elijah and Earny. Although he had great hearing and could usually hear from a great distance, with all the banging from the pickaxes and heavy machinery, it was hard to concentrate on just a single area of noise.
The question he was interested in was just who was behind all of these factories.
“It depends what you're asking.” Earny said, as he continued to hammer away. “If it's who we are working for, or who owns these factories. You see this city was even worse off when it was before. It was essentially one big dump site.
“We were a tier-5, and if you have ever been to those sorts of places, you know what they're like.”
Gary hadn’t but he heard the rumours. They were essentially the country's tips. All sorts of broken cars, materials, anything that wasn’t wanted would go to these cities and that included people.
“Still, just like every place, we had those that ran the place. A gang that called themselves the Scavengers. They were a big group, and they controlled several little small scavenger groups that would sell to the other cities, parts that might still be needed.
“Somehow though, the Scavengers were able to make a deal. These minerals were found, and factories were built somewhat overnight. The Scavengers were in charge of these factories but how they got the money to build such things, no one really knows but it had to come from somewhere.”
A gang that was large enough to stop even the Howlers from buying the factory, or a group, this was what Kai had said as well. It looked like perhaps the Scavengers were the only ones that would know the answer.
“We thought it was a good thing, new money coming into our city. They even used it to invest in some schools. With the factories we were able to become a tier-4 and other groups from outside started to use us.
“However, the Scavengers have set up things so it all benefits them in the end.” Earny continued. “You see, there are multiple gangs in this city, but they all eventually lead to the Scavengers. As for the other gang’s duties, all it boils down to is getting new recruits to either work in the factories or become part of the gangs.
“The gangs are already extremely involved in the schools' delinquents and in a city like this, that's over 90 percent of the students. In their eyes the top of the food chain is the Scavengers, so that’s what they aim for.
“I honestly wish I could take my kid out of this city. If I had the money I would do so, but this here, for someone weak like me, is the only job I can get. I could never become a gang member, and be useful enough to them, and even if you are, do you really think you could leave.”
Hearing Earny explain everything, it looked like the Scavengers had set up one bug trap for the people of the city, with no way of them leaving at all to better the lives of those within.
Gary felt like his family were in a similar situation, a debt spiral, but at least students could still rise to the top and work their way out of it, but here, was that even possible for them?
Elijah felt bad for the man and those in the city, but fixing the city, or making the people's lives better by getting rid of corruption or other things wasn’t his job. The White Rose were told many times to not get too involved or put their heart too much into cases.
They were to only deal with Altered issues, which was what the world government paid them to do.
He continued to hammer away, and he had been working just as hard as Gary had been doing. Since he heard those that do a good job get noticed, he felt like this was his in. When he was in the Scavengers then he could perhaps find the real people backing them, and they were also the most likely behind spreading of the Black Liquid.
With all of this though, he needed evidence.
Gary was even more disheartened that he was unabel to helpo Earny and the others, but he thought it was best to lsiten to Kai’s words. Maybe in the future he coudl do soemthign. When he and Kai compelted thier promise of being at the top of this world, they could go back and change things like this.
In the mean time, he had to focus on the current goal in fornt of him, getting storng neough to defeat Midwak. The only reason why he was still doing this job, was due to the sweet crystals he could munch on that would gradulley allow him to grow stornger and stronger.
[Strength 68]
[Dexterity 55]
[Endurance 60]
Gary was finding that the basic tier crystal were no longer having an effect on him, but he woudl find quite a few intermediate crystals as well.
All in all, hsi stats had imporved a lot quicker than when he wwas levelling up, and a few more days of doing this, he was sure he would be storng enough to beat Midwak. Coming to the tier-4 city wans’t a waist of time after all.
With a smile on his face, Gary was ready to crucnh down on another crystal, when a straneg alarm soudn was heard. It wans’t like a fire alarm, but more like a horn that soudned three times.
All of the workers were seen putting thier pickaxe’s down.
“What’s that, what’s happening?” Elijah saked.
“Its inspection time.” Earny said, sweat runnign down the side of his face, and he had a frown. “They usuelly don’t have one so soon after the last one, I wonder if somethign is happening.”
If they were havign an inspection then Gary was hoping he owudln’t be caught out, it would be impsoiible with him consuming the crystals, right?
*****
*****
For updates for MVS and future works please remember to follow me on my social media below.
Instgram: Jksmanga
Discord: d.I.s.cord.gg/jksmanga
When news of MVS, MWS or any other series comes out, you will be abel to see it there frist, and you can reach out to me. If im not to busy I tend to reply back