Chapter 509

Buying a second-hand Warthog, or not knowing how many hands it has passed through, the main reason is to avoid drawing attention.

The Griffin carries a transport craft capable of holding a hundred people and towing two armored vehicles, so they could easily bring a few old Warthogs, but Leon wanted a more direct understanding of the local situation.

For example, while haggling and chatting with the car dealership owner's wife, Leon discovered that the Roland District had recently seen a surge of "treasure hunters" who had bought large numbers of off‑road and transport vehicles, and many mercenaries had gone to the Roland District looking for "temporary work."

However, their motives were somewhat naive, even to the point of being "cute" in wanting to venture into Syrilan's desert to seek the so‑called ancient civilization's treasures.

As for the claim that the desert holds treasure, it is not entirely baseless.

While Leon chatted with the taxi driver and the car dealership owner's wife, he caught a common point in their conversation: over the past few Earth months, in the desert northwest of Radiant City, eerie sounds could be heard at night, and sometimes the sky was lit up by a bloody red glow.

If this anomaly occurred in a normal colony, the former UNSC, now the Imperial Army, and intelligence personnel would have already gone to investigate, putting everyone on alert to counter the anomaly or to facilitate a swift withdrawal, etc.

But in Syrilan, for those "ordinary" residents lacking biometric info and ID, it is indeed a terrifying phenomenon; yet for smugglers, violent criminals, thugs, black‑market traders, local power brokers, and gang organizations, it is a phenomenon worth risking for greater profit.

As for the possibility of a demon from another dimension?

It is minuscule, basically impossible for it to be a demon.

Although Syrilan has been officially abandoned, with no engineering corps and no stationed professional troops, it still lies within the protective range of the Spiritual Energy amplification device, so the possibility of a demon invasion is essentially ruled out.

Thus, over the past several Earth months, multiple cities, including Radiant City, have organized hundreds of expedition teams to venture into the desert.

Even if there were special anomalous creatures or unknown alien races, they could not stop the expedition teams' advance.

After all, the humans gathered on Syrilan either come from the main universe or have parents from there, so they have nothing to fear.

But the results have not been very optimistic.

Small expedition teams often died to sandworm attacks or magnetic interference before they could find the source of the bloody red light, leaving them lost forever in the desert.

Meanwhile, medium‑to‑large expedition teams equipped with hovercraft, transport planes, and more expensive gear and weapons always returned empty‑handed.

Because Syrilan's magnetic field is special, sometimes equipment is less reliable than the naked eye, but the desert's harsh stormy weather makes searching for the source of the bloody red light even harder.

At this moment.

Having sorted out these past events, Leon sat in the Warthog's passenger seat, pulled up a holographic screen on his phone, and consulted the map of Radiant City.

Magnetic interference is indeed a hassle, but the Griffin can violently reshape Syrilan, stripping it of its magnetic protection, so that when the surface fractures, it can scan and reveal what the source of the bloody red light actually is.

However, Leon considers the consequences and process of doing so disproportionate; moreover, when it comes to using technology and tools, he trusts his own judgment more, and this is also what his direct superior, Sui Bian, personally urged him to rely more on his sixth sense and intuition.

"Commander." Lin Hong, who was driving the Warthog, kept pace with the vehicle ahead, watched the road conditions, and asked Leon, seated beside him:

"Are we going to follow the other expedition teams, or gather enough intel from the Roland District and then strike out into the desert on our own?"

"Of course we're following the other teams." Leon kept his eyes on the screen and explained: "Going alone into the desert isn't particularly dangerous, but it would waste our time, and since the other teams already have exploration experience, comparing with them shows which option is better."

Having said that, Leon dismissed the holographic screen, glanced around at the street‑side buildings that seemed to evoke a dream of two hundred years ago, and continued: "Well, I haven't carried out such an investigation mission in a long time; it's time to show some skill and let you know why I'm a legend, haha~."

"Well…" Lin Hong didn't know how to respond.

"…"

Leon also realized he had been a bit indiscreet, so he immediately sobered his smile, adopted the composed and calm demeanor befitting a commander, and began to pay attention, observing the streetscape.

Soon he noticed that the inhabitants of Radiant City, aside from wearing older, outdated clothing and electronics and having no cybernetic enhancements, lived and kept schedules hardly different from those in colonial urban districts.

However, the patrols maintaining order on the streets were not police but a group of private soldiers similarly dressed in dark green, lightly armed.

Since Syrilan is left to the Empire's lax administration and not directly governed, if a situation arose where local forces held arms and acted in place of the Empire to "collect taxes," theory dictates that a legion headquarters or battle sisters should be dispatched immediately to suppress it.

But water that is too clear holds no fish.

Whether it's the UEG or the Human Empire, both need a complete circulation chain in order to continuously advance and develop.

Moreover, the many powerholders and gang leaders of Syrilan have thoroughly understood this unspoken rule, accepting some "hopeless" individuals into society, and as long as one is honest, they will not face a bomb‑like purge.

Not honest?

They have long been weeded out by the rule's compulsory selection.

Put simply, it means being dead beyond death; know that the Astate despise betrayal above all, so if any Astate detects even a hint of it, the legion headquarters will unhesitatingly execute the "pacify rebellion" procedure.

After observing for a moment.

Their convoy turned right one after another, left the wide main thoroughfare, and continued for several kilometers; the patrol soldiers on either side of the road dwindled until they vanished, replaced by increasing numbers of interstellar mercenaries, gang members, and scantily clad streetwalkers and male companions.

It is obvious that from this point on lies the Roland District, a major "attraction" of Radiant City—the most chaotic, dangerous, yet opportunity‑filled area.

Next.

They parked their vehicles by the roadside, left two auxiliary troops to guard them, and proceeded on foot to this place's "exchange."

During this time, many gang members gave them hostile looks, hoping to give Leon's group of newcomers a taste of their own medicine, but once Lin Hong's party got out of the vehicles, they immediately abandoned the idea of picking a fight.

After all, gang members can establish a foothold here not merely by brute force, but also by knowing people and understanding their own positioning.

Thus, as Leon and his group walked through the Roland District, they were not shunned or hostilely regarded; instead, they could move about unhindered.

Some bolder streetwalkers would even approach Leon and his crew, saying things like, "Hey little bro~ want to help me and my sisters unclog the sewers~"

However, when faced with the streetwalkers' and a few male companions' "enthusiastic" invitations, the group simply ignored them—especially Leon, who had finally managed to take a break and would certainly not waste time on frivolous diversions outside.

Arriving at the so‑called "exchange," which is a black market converted from a large warehouse, Leon and his team found the place bustling with people, akin to a prosperous snack street in a metropolis.

But unlike that, the stalls or shops here sell all kinds of goods that ordinary civilians could hardly imagine.

The most common items are various prohibited weapons and gear, such as fully automatic Gauss Rifles and the retired TPS‑1 and TPS‑2 model powered armor, etc.

There are also unidentified, already‑tamed alien beasts that can serve as pets or hunting dogs.

At this moment.

Leon found a lukewarm arms dealer, then had Lin Hong and the auxiliary troops take out from their backpacks sixteen crates filled with plasma grenades…

"Whoa!! Are you trying to blow up the whole district?!" the arms dealer with a white headwrap exclaimed, his eyes widening.

Leon didn't haggle with the arms dealer, but instead said bluntly: "Each crate is 100,000 Syrilan coins—that's the lowest price; don't even think about bargaining with me. Also, I don't need any caliber or type of ammunition, nor gold of equal value—just paper money, got it?"

No matter how seasoned the arms dealer is, he sensed the demeanor of Leon, Lin Hong, and the others, plus Leon's quoted price, and realized he couldn't bluff his way through.

After pretending to think for a few seconds, the arms dealer reluctantly accepted the price: "Alright, 100,000 it is—please follow me."

"Good." Leon also nodded in agreement.

Afterward, accompanied by Lin Hong, Leon followed the arms dealer deeper into the "shop," lightly tapping and taking out banknotes worth 500 each, for a total of 1.6 million Syrilan currency.

They put the cash into their backpacks; Leon, Lin Hong, and the others left, and only then was the transaction considered fully completed.

Rob money?

Although the black market claims to be a 'free market', vendors who operate stalls here must pay a protection fee every Earth month, and customers who come to buy and trade are also under the protection of the gang organization, so no one dares cause trouble.

Leon's main purpose in coming here was to exchange hand grenades for some cash; combined with the gold they already had, it would be enough to complete their intelligence-gathering mission in Glorious City.

Leaving the black market.

Not far away stood a building similarly converted from a warehouse, called the Notice Office.

Entering the Notice Office.

The first impression was that it was much more spacious than the black market, with a layout like a starport service hall, and numerous holographic screens on the notice board displaying various bounties, wanted notices, escort missions, even assassination jobs and hiring terms.

Hundreds of mercenaries in diverse attire gathered at the Notice Office, standing under the notice board to browse employers and tasks that suited their needs.

Besides human mercenaries, there were also many who had forsaken glory, choosing to work for money or simply for the freedom of Sangheili (elite) mercenaries, sitting in the lounge and ordering drinks from the elf bartender behind the bar, passively waiting for employers.

Some elite mercenaries stood beneath different notice boards, browsing various mercenary jobs, preparing to contact employers directly.

Leon came here to see if any valuable intelligence or information existed, and to ask which expedition team was about to depart and whether he could join it, among other things.

As they were passing the lounge, an elite seated at the edge of the bar raised his cup and said to Leon, 'Hey, want to hire a guide to help you explore the Blood-Colored Sand Sea? Haha!'

Having said that, the elite downed the vodka in his glass in one gulp and then let out a loud burp.

?

Hearing that, Leon stopped and turned to look at the elite who originally had a four-part mouth but, as if from some accident, had lost the two lobes on the right side, and whose demeanor and expression were extremely lazy.

But Leon, from the opponent's worn armor and his knowledge of the Sangheili clan, knew that the other's age was definitely not under a hundred, an elite among elites.

More importantly, Leon could tell just from their attire that they also wanted to venture deep into the desert, which piqued his interest.

He immediately asked, 'How much do you want?'

The elite raised his left hand, extended his index finger among his four fingers, still smiling, and said, 'Ten thousand a day.'

!!

Hearing the quote, Leon had not yet expressed his stance, but Lin Hong and the auxiliary troops with him all furrowed their brows, seeming to dislike the elite's 'lion's big mouth'.

Ten thousand a day?

Why not just rob?

As for the elite, he ignored the unfriendly looks from Lin Hong and the others, continuing, 'Want to go into and come out of the Blood-Colored Sand Sea alive? This price is absolutely worth it; otherwise I would have died there myself.'

Of course… The elite set his glass on the bar, waved his hand, signaling the bartender to fill it up, 'If you think it's too expensive, just pretend I never said anything; no need to make things unpleasant.'

'That's correct.'

Leon actually quite agreed with that, then took a stack of bills from Lin Hong's backpack and handed it over without hesitation.

They indeed also needed a guide, one with self-defense ability to help them, and unexpectedly this elite voluntarily 'showed up at their door'.

As for the price being too high…

Leon dared to be so confident only because he suspected the other had some skill.

If the other were really just bluffing, money would be trivial; the main issue would be delaying progress, and Leon had plenty of ways to slowly end the other's life.

'Refreshing!'

The elite took the money, knowing without counting that it was exactly ten thousand, put it in his waist pouch, downed the vodka, placed a few small-denomination bills, rose, left the bar, and lowered his head to look at Leon, saying:

'Just call me Rumu. If you want to go to the Blood-Colored Sand Sea, I suggest you hurry, because the expedition team summoned by Hollatel still has three hours before departure; if you now set out to buy necessary supplies, you might be able to meet up with them, otherwise going alone to the Blood-Colored Sand Sea would be far too dangerous.'

Saying that, the elite named Rumu walked toward the outside of the Notice Office.

'That really saved us a lot of time.' Leon then muttered to himself and ordered Lin Hong and the others, 'Let's go, purchase the needed supplies.'

'Yes.'

The comment section has a diagram of a transport ship.

(End of chapter)