"You can even draw?"
Olga and the other two crowded around Putato as he swung the pale blade. In just thirty seconds, he carved a fish with legs into the metal face of the clock.
This precise swordsmanship earned a nod of satisfaction from the group.
"I'm quite skilled at carving. I can turn a humble radish into a moonflower."
"Ah, I've heard of that. Food art, right? I heard there's an artist named Wym who draws on live pigs and then auctions off the skin."
"Uh, Big Sis, you aren't actually interested in that kind of art, are you? Who would put something like that in their house?"
Sheathing the Blood Sword, Putato dragged Patsy over. He offered a sandwich and demanded the man spill everything he knew.
"I don't know. That guy named You You You said joining the church means no more worries. So I went."
"They like to climb on rooftops, and they always bring back cats and dogs. Lots of fur everywhere."
"But they bring hot dogs when they preach. Those taste good."
"Who asked you about the food?"
Rain glanced at the flyers and the yellow book Putato had brought. He interrupted Patsy without a second thought, convinced the man's brain was fundamentally broken.
Unable to resist, Olga rolled up her sleeve and slapped the sandwich out of Patsy's hand.
"Where is this cult holding its meeting?"
"Uh, last time, the You You You priest said to find him at the scaffolding next door. He wanted to perform my initiation ritual."
"It's that place built very, very high up, all densely packed. We just need to climb it at dusk."
Putato instantly realized the location: the PTZ construction site.
...
That residential project under construction loomed over the surrounding buildings and served as a promotional sales office.
[Move into the PTZ Elegant Residence, enjoy the view of The Backstreets]
Everyone saw the massive promotional banners draped over the unfinished skyscraper. At the site entrance, even more banners hung.
[Guaranteed clientele is higher than the ghosts of the poor. Floors six and below will be renovated into rental shops to provide superior service]
[We will perform professional Prosthetic modifications for property management staff, guaranteeing their height will not exceed that of adult residents. Adult staff will be fired immediately!]
"Only lunatics would buy property here. Better to spend the money on drinks."
"Hey, Big Sis, aren't you being a bit stingy now?"
"Vanda, what do you think we should do?"
Olga looked at the towering scaffolding of the unfinished building. The alloy and wooden beams formed a jungle-like entanglement. If someone hid inside, finding them would be nearly impossible in a short time.
Putato watched the other two expertly survey the terrain, feeling that Molar Office's strength was respectable. Perhaps he could join them through this commission.
"Of course, that You You You will be here. It's a good thing this mental patient set up a fixture here. We can scatter to the southeast, northwest, and everywhere else to check the situation."
The group dispersed immediately, waiting for the sun to set.
Patsy, who had been tied up next to the scaffolding, suddenly let out a wolf-like howl, provoking three nearby dogs to take turns biting him.
Putato stood in the alley opposite the site, wondering if The City had a rabies problem. If so, this mental patient might start biting people indiscriminately.
But Putato soon saw a figure running wildly toward them. He had never seen anyone crawl on all fours instead of walking, yet they moved faster than the dogs.
The three dogs surrounding Patsy were scared off by the newcomer's shout.
"Fellow believer, are you undergoing ascetic discipline? We don't need to practice that here."
The figure in heavy leather armor stood up. He tilted a head larger than a soccer ball, examining Patsy. He reached out a sharp, pointed finger and hooked the rope, cutting it instantly.
Then, more four-limbed figures gathered from all directions. Counting carefully, there were nearly twenty of them.
"Damn, this guy's operational capability is insane. How could he brainwash so many people in just a few days?"
Putato knew from Gyeong-mi that Myn Church had only recently started expanding in this direction. The You You You priest in charge was likely the one responsible.
Patsy, instantly freed, snatched the sandwich off the ground and continued eating. The others quickly scaled the scaffolding.
They squatted or hung from the beams, staring out over The Backstreets like large orangutans in a jungle.
"Who is it?!"
A loud roar erupted from inside the scaffolding, startling the local residents. Putato realized this group had been causing trouble for days.
The followers called out various names as Patsy disappeared into their ranks.
Watching the group chatter in the corner, Putato waited for Olga's signal. She was, after all, his potential future boss.
[Olga: Why do they look like dogs? You guys are too close. Vanda, you... well, you're a missionary, so dealing with this won't be easy.]
[Rain: I thought Big Sis would rush out directly. Are you looking after the newcomer? Vanda was introduced by Yun, so he's probably reliable. Just stay behind Big Sis and follow us.]
[Mika: Hey, we can't let Big Sis do all the work alone, even if she likes spending the commission money by herself.]
[Vanda: Don't worry. I have some skill. At the very least, I don't need you two getting distracted trying to protect me.]
Putato felt the atmosphere in the Office was much better than in the Syndicate; they actually showed concern for one another.
"Who is that!"
This time, the only response was a wave of demonic shrieks and yells, provoking another round of curses from the neighbors.
BANG!
A massive, agile figure leaped from the scaffolding. He expertly swung through the layers of steel pipes like a circus performer.
"Woo-hoo!"
The followers crawled across the exterior of the scaffolding just like him. From a distance, they looked like a swarm of black ants on a nest.
They roared desperately, releasing their frustrations and enjoying the cold wind.
Hearing their joyful shouts, a sense of liberation rose in Putato's heart. These cultists seemed much happier than the typical citizens of The City.
This shattered Putato's preconceptions. He had expected the You You You priest to gather people for something like a blood sacrifice.
Suddenly, a glimmer of light caught Putato's eye.
It was a pure silver hammer, exceptionally smooth and unadorned.
The You You You priest stood atop the building, raising the hammer high. Someone was bound beneath him.
The rope dangling from the victim's neck confirmed it for Putato: it was Patsy.
The distance was too great to judge their exact actions. He only saw the priest suddenly bring the hammer down.
THWACK!
Patsy exploded into a blood-colored firework. Fine droplets of blood flashed through the air, short-lived as a real pyrotechnic blast.
Damn it!
It really was a cult!
[Vanda: Did you see that? With just one strike from that hammer, the man simply exploded.]
[Olga: You must be the only one who saw it from that angle. It seems the mission won't be as simple as I thought.]
The You You You priest stood at the highest point of the scaffolding, preaching with fervor. The followers lying below shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the night.
Putato felt this wasn't missionary work, but a perverse carnival held by deviants. Those people continued their frantic display until dusk.
[Vanda: Aren't we going to make a move?]
[Olga: Don't rush. Isn't he a missionary? After this ends, we can follow him to find the hidden gathering place of the Myn Church.]
[Rain: Based on the intelligence we bought, the Myn Church only has that Me Me Me Cathedral. There are no other fixed spots. Now I see why.]
[Mika: Looks like we have to wait. Want some entertainment?]
He tapped the link Mika sent. The screen showed a direct feed from a BDSM parlor. The camera was attached to the head of the submissive, giving a sickening sense of being immersed in the torment.
Putato suddenly realized that the people of The City seemed to have unusual hobbies that differed from ordinary humans. Mo's pursuit of money was unremarkable, but Katae's excitement over healing scars seemed to be the majority.
As Putato pondered, he noticed Lesti's messages had reached 99+. She frantically explained that she had just narrowly escaped a disaster and was staying at the Nest entrance for safety.
[Lesti: It was terrifying! Did you see the news? They call it the Howl incident. I heard quite a few important figures in the Nest died!]
[Putato: Uh, I've been busy lately and haven't paid attention.]
Lesti hadn't mentioned her own kidnapping and rescue. Putato considered it for a moment and understood why.
One should never assume that anything in The City goes unnoticed. The City has too much technology. Extracting memories from corpses fits The City's style perfectly.
Not to mention there is B Corporation, which specializes in monitoring The City.
Currently, the Ring was openly inviting the artist who caused the Howl incident. Even for a Syndicate, as long as they spent enough money, they could buy intelligence from the Association.
Keeping quiet wasn't just about protecting Putato; it was about protecting Lesti herself.
It seemed his future promotions and resignations needed to be handled carefully to avoid exposing his Work Card information. Otherwise, if he were disqualified from joining the Wings of the World due to carrying something illicit, his mentality would collapse.
[Pangolin: Did you know? The Chefs are all robbing things.]
[Putato: What things?]
He still needed to maintain his relationship with Yixin to prevent her from suddenly going crazy and trying to taste him again. Putato didn't want to replace his body with Prosthetics yet.
[Pangolin: The salted Grey Howl meat, of course. The Chefs who attended the banquet could taste the emotions left in the food. That is why I can savor your pure, authentic flavor.]
Putato hadn't expected to provide benefits to these lunatics. Later, if possible, he wouldn't use the death aura or Enkephalins.
He couldn't let the tools control him.
[Putato: You mean the Howl incident? But the Ring calls the guy Grey Haze.]
[Pangolin: They are all lunatics. They call the shrieking one Haze. Just ignore it.]
[Pangolin: But their seasoning technique is good. The flavor profiles of most ingredients are consistent. Even if they're tired of eating it themselves, they can make it into pre-made meals. I hope they aren't annihilated.]
[Putato: What does 'annihilated' mean?]
[Pangolin: Hahahaha! The people they salted include individuals from the Wings of the World and the Association. They are being pursued by an Association now. The bounty will probably reach the Star of the City level.]
Putato couldn't help but curse inwardly. Those people should have just waited quietly in the Nest, but they had to hold an auction to gather everyone together.
Putting away the communicator, Putato noticed that the gathered crowd was quickly crawling away like dogs in a pound.
Only the You You You priest remained atop the scaffolding, looking up at the night sky. The small silver hammer at his waist was tiny, looking like a toy.
"You!"
The priest suddenly lay flat, and a finger thicker than a gun barrel pointed straight at Putato.
Putato reacted instantly, his hairs standing on end as he notified the others. He was trapped in a blind spot in the alley corner with his brightness at the lowest setting. How could he have been discovered?
A sound of frantic, violent impact came from outside. The opponent was closing in on him rapidly!
These Myn Church missionaries must have combat power several levels higher than anticipated. They could likely challenge him based only on their tattoo enhancements.
However, to defeat them, he probably needed to test their flesh and blood to find a weakness.
BANG!
Putato retreated backward, somersaulting into a half-squat against the wall. A massive fist blasted the spot where he had been standing, leaving a spiderweb of cracks. The impact brought an unrestrained wildness.
"My friend, do you want to understand the Myn Church?"
"Are you alright?!"
Olga rushed over with the others to help, carrying high-quality weapons from the Workshop. The light lines on them flickered faintly.
"You've been watching for a long time. You must be unable to bear these artificial annoyances. Join us, and you can truly escape."
"You mean being beaten until my corpse is dust?"
Putato sneered. Seeing Olga draw her weapon, he immediately jumped down from the wall.
His large body forced the priest to use wide, sweeping movements to deal with the combined effort of the four. The leather-grass covering the priest's body was instantly torn to shreds.
Contrary to Putato's expectation, the You You You priest shed his covering and bolted towards the alley exit.
Olga flicked her long ponytail and whistled.
"It didn't seem that difficult. We're lucky to have Vanda this time. You saved us a lot of time."
As she spoke, Putato's eyes widened. The priest stood up straight, grasped the small toy hammer in his hand, and without hesitation, swung it towards his own head.
Is he trying to commit suicide?!
"Freedom can only be found in the wilderness!"
BOOM!
Putato stared at the unbelievable scene. Not only did the man's head not explode, but his muscles swelled to an exaggerated degree. Vibrant blue fur covered most of his skin.
His eyes, filled with a wild, savage wolf-like gaze, suddenly opened. Putato felt as if he had stumbled into a primeval forest and encountered a lone Wolf King. He instinctively wanted to flee.
"He... he just hasn't passed the key-point test. His mentality is still contaminated by The City. He is still yearning for artificial illusions like money, the afterlife, and The City itself."
"When you focus on confirming your own 'natural' state, you can clearly see what kind of beast you truly are."
WHOOSH!
The muscular wolf paws lunged out like a cannonball.
Putato pulled Rain aside, barely dodging a claw strike that could cripple a man. The graffiti-covered wall nearby instantly shattered.
The giant beast generated a rushing wind just by turning around. Even Olga had to brace herself against the force.
"Don't think I don't know! Your cult exploits people even more ruthlessly than the Syndicates!"
"That is necessary for spreading the doctrine. For that, I am willing to continue enduring artificial interference!"
The four resumed their attack, but they couldn't make a dent in that thick fur. Putato'sBlood Sword felt like it was hitting metal. No matter how much strength he used, it felt useless against the priest.
He's good at flattering himself. He's spent all his money and now he's thanking me?
"Hmph, a bunch of simpletons. But I won't give up on you. This freedom shouldn't be enjoyed only by us."
With that, the giant wolf jumped over a wall and ran wildly.
Four legs were definitely faster than two. In an instant, a distance opened between him and the four pursuers.
Seeing the clue he had finally found about to escape, Putato immediately activated his Hematic Pump, forcibly squeezing his potential as he lunged forward.
"Olga!"
No words were needed. Olga, usually prone to throwing up, was instantly sober. She spun the long-handled, serrated hammer in her hand and flung it out abruptly.
The deadly spinning weapon instantly caught up with the giant wolf's back.