"Yes."
Though Miris followed the command after being rebuked by Xiao, he still looked somewhat unconvinced, and the awkward tension in the air didn't dissipate.
The three Dawn Office members looked anxiously at Putato, but since Director Xiao, the highest-ranking person present, hadn't spoken, they had to keep quiet.
"Fixer Vanda, I heard you spent only an afternoon to settle an Urban Plague commission yesterday, correct?"
"Correct. Though Philip deserves part of the credit."
Putato's calm response made Philip, standing beside him, so nervous his hands and feet started sweating. This was truly the first time his name had been mentioned in front of such high-level figures, leaving him feeling a bit bashful.
Without Philip gathering the Grinch sketches and the information from the budget prison, Putato wouldn't have been able to leverage his intelligence advantage to resolve things so quickly. He truly appreciated a teammate like Philip.
Director Xiao gave the bowed-headed Philip a quick glance before shifting her gaze back to Putato.
"Besides that, I'd like to satisfy a bit of personal curiosity. Did you really take that 'not for sale' piece from the Giant Workshop?"
Hearing this, Putato immediately realized Director Xiao was speaking up for him. Both of these feats directly demonstrated his combat prowess, which meant there was a real chance of him joining the core commission.
He reached out and produced the Crusher. Even a simple swing generated a whistling sound of wind, drawing whispers from the crowd.
"Director Xiao, feel free to examine it. But I haven't cleaned it since finishing the commission yesterday. Sorry about messing up the floor."
Putato noticed that swinging the Crusher had sent several bits of flesh and blood splattering, so he nodded apologetically to Director Xiao.
The tool was useful, but cleaning those sawteeth was a massive pain; he was generally too lazy to do it.
"Indeed. I've visited Giant Workshop as well. The owner mentioned it used many rare materials, including Moonlight Stones that can counter mental attacks. It should effectively resist the Void Fist's Authority Suppression."
"Miris, what do you think?"
Realizing Xiao was looking at him, Miris, who had been dissatisfied moments ago, answered without hesitation.
"I naturally support the Director's decision."
The tension in the hall eased rapidly. Numerous Liu Association members curiously approached to ask Vanda exactly how he had promoted so quickly, their chatter starting to annoy Putato.
While the Dawn Office members reviewed and discussed the commission details, Putato noticed that they only needed to follow the main force to eliminate a single stronghold, cooperating with other Liu Association members.
It seemed Director Xiao was still being considerate of her subordinates' feelings and hadn't invited Putato to the front-line combat.
As a working man, one shouldn't pass up a good opportunity for achievement. This wasn't a corporate office where one could only wait and scheme; this was The City, where strength reigned supreme!
"I've heard Liu Association Fixers are quite skilled. Director Xiao, is that true?"
"Miris, are you a Grade 1 Fixer too?"
"I'm so envious that you get to complete commissions with Director Xiao, whom I admire so much. Can't you take me along? It's one of my dreams!"
Those three sentences plunged the first-floor hall into silence once more. This time, Director Xiao didn't say a word. Instead, she sat down at the Dawn Office's table and began brewing tea, making Philip beside her feel extremely uneasy.
As Xiao's loyal supporters, Chun and Miris immediately understood the Director's intent. Other Liu Association members gathered around, looking somewhat indignant.
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you, Vanda. Chun and I are only Grade 2 Fixers. However, the Liu Association's prowess in large-scale combat is beyond doubt."
Putato had already anticipated their defensive stance. He reached out, grabbed the cup of tea Xiao had just poured, and downed it in one gulp. The temperature was nowhere near as hot as Teppanyaki.
Under Xiao's silent and startled gaze, Putato made a slight clicking sound from being scalded, and his next words were even more unexpected.
"That's the first time I've had such good tea. As expected of tea brewed by Director Xiao!"
"There must be a training ground here, Director Xiao. If the commission were to be carried out today, I'd drop it, but I'm afraid of hurting everyone."
"Damn bastard! Xiao! Let me spar with him!"
"I can't stand this! Too arrogant!"
"You don't need to worry. The official operation starts tomorrow; there's plenty of time for you to recover."
Xiao looked down at the empty teacup, even the leaves swallowed, slightly surprised by Putato's unconventional behavior. After a moment of thought, she looked up and agreed.
"Make sure to be careful, everyone. And Vanda, don't go too far."
With Putato and Miris leading the way, almost every Association Fixer in the hall, except for the receptionists, followed with excitement. Many had smiles on their faces; it looked less like a grudge match and more like a performance.
Even Yuna, who knew quite a bit about Vanda's strength, couldn't sit still.
"Um, Director Xiao, Vanda is just getting carried away with his success. Don't take it personally. Anyone who promotes that fast would get a big head."
"I understand. Miris is similar, usually rigorous and rational, just a bit overconfident in his own talent."
Salvador politely accepted the tea Xiao repoured, his earlier worry quelled by her words.
"I see. I assume Director Xiao gave instructions to the others before coming here?"
"I didn't, actually."
This statement left the three Dawn Office members a bit puzzled.
"I only thought of recruiting this superstar Fixer because I heard he's a workaholic. But after contacting a few acquaintances, I found out he's exceptionally strong, and his Workshop weapons all seem to be custom-made."
"Vanda understood my hint just now and responded with tact, yet he still chose to challenge the others. I don't think he's the type to act blindly out of arrogance."
"Anyway, Chun is watching; there won't be any problems. Let's just wait here for the results."
...
Training Ground.
"Me first! Me first!"
Chun had a bit of a headache trying to maintain order. He had just managed to calm his restless colleagues when he heard Putato add fuel to the fire.
"Why don't several of you come at once? Otherwise, how long is it going to take if I fight you one by one?"
The crowd grew even more rowdy, but no one took the remark seriously. Finally, a cold-faced Miris pushed the others aside. He adjusted his glasses, and immediately, his black gloves erupted in visible, blazing flames.
"Fixer Vanda, our spar is until someone yields. Whoever calls out first loses."
"But I must warn you beforehand: most of us in the Liu Association use Workshop weapons specialized in explosions and burning. The fight will likely singe your clothes, hair, or even skin."
"However, as a member of a Liu Association affiliated Office, you can get internal pricing for medical treatment here."
"Talk is cheap. Does the Liu Association have a tradition of posturing before a brawl?"
Miris's eyes twitched as he glared at Putato, who stood with his hands in his pockets and eyes closed. He gestured for everyone to clear the training ground.
WHOOSH!
Flames soared into the air, and a wave of heat dyed nearly half the training ground red. Putato could even see the scorched path Miris left as he approached, throwing a punch straight at him.
The superheated fist suddenly detonated, a massive fire ring expanding in the air.
SWISH!
The Blood Sword lunged directly at Miris's head. Clad in the Gladiator Exoskeleton, Putato had zero intention of yielding, casually dumping a grenade from his Lucky Can belt.
Miris was forced to tilt his head and pull back, but the shockwave of the explosion still sent Putato skidding back. The surrounding Association members immediately erupted in cheers.
"My wound?"
Only now did Miris notice the cut on his right cheek. Putato's emerald-green longsword was already coated in his blood from that brief exchange.
A blood-letting type Workshop weapon?
"The fight could have ended already."
Putato spoke neutrally, wiping the blood from the Blood Sword onto his mouth bandages, instantly tasting Miris's flavor.
Bitter, spicy, and sour.
Miris responded with an even more intense fiery punch. His exquisite boxing technique, combined with the bird-like flames erupting around him, engaged Putato in a fierce duel. The training ground was filled with dazzling sparks.
BANG!
Growing increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed, Miris suddenly noticed the Spiral Spear lunging from a tricky angle. He realized the Blood Sword had vanished, replaced by two ultra-massive weapons.
Relying on his Workshop gear to tank two direct hits left Miris with a metallic taste in his throat and his insides churning. He couldn't comprehend how Putato could dual-wield such weapons.
Having heard of the Crusher's reputation, Miris desperately raised a sea of fire to force his opponent back, only to find twisted flame brands crawling all over his body.
WHOOSH!!!
The even more blinding Brand of Fire suddenly erupted!
BOOM!!!!
"Cough, cough, cough!"
The extensive burns made Miris grimace in pain as he tried to stand. Looking down, his chest and Association uniform were completely charred.
"Don't worry. I held back with the Crusher just now, and I controlled the temperature of the Brand of Fire. Anyone else want to exchange a few moves?"
"What are you all staring for?! Come and help me up! Anyway, I lost this time. Vanda, you definitely have the strength to participate in the core commission."
The Liu Association Fixers looked at the defeated Miris in disbelief, finally realizing that Putato's Grade 3 rank was no fluke; if anything, it was an understatement.
Two people stepped forward to help Miris up. The rest had no intention of continuing; Miris was a proud man, and since he had yielded, there was no reason to cause more trouble. Besides, as a member of an affiliated Office, Putato was practically one of their own.
"Vanda, what's the principle behind your Workshop weapons? How could you ignite the enemy from a distance?! Is it a custom job from a specific Workshop?"
"It looks a bit like the Brand Workshop's style, but if they had new tech, shouldn't they have done a massive marketing push? Why hasn't there been any noise?"
"How did you suit up so instantly? Dimensional Gloves can't handle such precise donning."
"You're way too rich! Two weapons from Giant Workshop plus other high-end gear!"
"Silence!"
Chun looked at the crowd with displeasure. Since they could all see the items were custom-made, they shouldn't be pestering him with questions. A Fixer's Workshop gear was a matter of private security.
...
Liu Association Hall.
"Senior Vanda! Are you alright?!"
"Philip, I appreciate the concern, but at least have a little faith in me for the sake of the Dawn Office's guarantee."
"Not bad. I'll give you a special commission as an exception. Or perhaps you'd like to spar with me as well?"
Xiao set her teacup gently on the table. Seeing only Chun and the others return, she understood the outcome and grew even more curious about Putato.
"You're joking, ma'am."
Since he had achieved his goal, Putato naturally wasn't going to insist on fighting his way through the entire Liu Association. Moreover, the spar with Miris was just that, a spar. Although Miris looked a bit battered, he clearly still had plenty of fight left in him.
Xiao, receiving no direct answer, gave Putato a meaningful look before leading her people away. The three Dawn Office members finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Vanda, we start the commission tomorrow, Friday. Per Director Xiao's instructions, if we eliminate our assigned stronghold early, you may join the core commission individually."
"However, operations with the Liu Association are different from your previous missions involving stealth or careful tracking. This is practically a war. I've sent you the front-line map; head directly to Sector One when the time comes."
Yuna and Philip looked at Putato with awe. They'd never seen Director Xiao take such a keen interest in a single Fixer, but considering Putato was such a freak of nature, it started to seem normal.
"Also, Liu Association Section 1 has been focusing on Wing suppression commissions recently. Void Fist primarily operates in the west and north of The City, and because the client is pushing for results, there isn't much detailed intelligence available yet."
"The stronghold we need to eliminate is in the Cina District, that area that was just burned to ruins. Its continued existence poses a threat to the commercial street protected by the Zwei Association."
As a seasoned player in The City, Putato knew the importance of intelligence. He frowned as he began to flip through the files.
[Morality is a deception; equality is a lie.]
[The chaos of The Backstreets is a total failure of governance. Our answer is perpetual war!]
[Under the leadership of Void Fist, everyone will be reforged. The ignored lands of the past are no longer a power vacuum.]
Putato wasn't repulsed by the content; he'd seen plenty of lunatics like the Void Fist. At least they had a coherent slogan, the Index simply followed vague, mystical Prescripts. He was just confused that most of the intelligence consisted of meaningless propaganda.
Turning to the back, he finally found combat-related information. Void Fist possessed a mental attack called Authority Suppression, which could make enemies feel as if they'd developed a second personality that obeyed the user's commands. It remained highly effective in battle.
Void Fist members utilized a unique military ranking culture, using gold stars to represent rank. Many members appeared to be unemployed veterans of the Smoke War, which made Putato look immediately at Salvador.
"Sigh. The Smoke War created many things, but it also buried many others. Even more people lost their place and their path forward. I consider myself one of the lucky ones."
"But even I can't offer a reliable or correct answer to those who chose a different path. Such is The City."
The old gentleman Salvador briefly showed a rare look of melancholy and sorrow, but he quickly recovered and resumed discussing the route of attack with Yuna and Philip.
Suddenly, Putato remembered a friend who was an expert in intelligence. Using the excuse of going to the bathroom, he contacted him immediately.
[Putato: Roland, what do you know about the Void Fist?]
[Roland: Sorry, I'm retired. I don't take commissions, unless you tell me Urban Girl's real name.]
This guy was a real piece of work.
[Putato: Even if I just made one up, how would you know it's true? You can't exactly go to the Index to confirm it, can you?]
[Roland: Fine. Consider this me repaying a favor. I happen to have relevant intelligence on hand. I'll give it to you for a "friendship price" of 5 million. Also, when is Urban Girl releasing plushies? Give me three limited editions for free.]
Putato got the feeling Roland wasn't actually an Urban Girl fan; it was probably Angelica who was interested. He casually forwarded the plushie plan to Obana.
He decided to hire an Office in LAUGH's name to seize fabric from the Carnival. That material should be high-end enough for plushies. He'd start with a limited run of ten for the first edition, with a price tag of 10 million Ahn each.
[Obana: Boss, are you serious? That's such a waste! And would anyone really spend that kind of money on these things? Based on my experience, these will just rot in the warehouse. This isn't exactly an artwork from the Ring!]
[Shamisen: Boss, I thought you'd killed that brat. Just now she was asking why our company hasn't been bothered by the Index. Is there a script or template I should follow?]
Damn!
Obana really couldn't sit still for a second; she was already trying to dig up info on Urban Girl. Putato felt that in some ways, she and he were cut from the same cloth.
[Putato: That's a trade secret. No snooping. And let me warn you now, if you try to use Urban Girl or the Prescripts' name and the Index comes after you, I'm not stepping in to help.]
...
"Alright, the route of attack is settled. Let's head to the commercial district first to scout the Cina District. Vanda might want to launch the raid as soon as the Night in the Backstreets ends tonight."
Salvador was becoming accustomed to Putato's decisive and swift style, certain that Putato was itching to settle the stronghold task so he could join the front lines. He held no grudge over this; in fact, he was quite pleased and grateful for the change Putato had brought to Philip.
"Got it, Master. Let's go! Vanda, you're treating us again, consider it an early celebration for you joining the Liu Association!"
"And Philip, Vanda just gave you a huge boost in front of the Liu Association. You should chip in too!"
Yuna winked at Putato, insisting on a meal, and hauled him up from the sofa where he was still checking his communicator.