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nNaturally, Locke refused.

nFirst of all, although Locke was smart, he did not like doing business.

nIt was not that he looked down on the underground business. In fact, he believed that they were a crucial backbone of society.

nAfter all, even Hobrick was forced to obtain his gold bars via illegal means.

nThis was something that was publicly acknowledged.

nSecondly, Locke still wished to cultivate and increase his strength. The underground’s matters were complicated and contradictory at times.

nThere was no city hall or police. If he was called in to settle disputes every day, how would he have the time to continue training?

nHis progression would be majorly stunted!

nHowever, the underground forces were really capable. After all, they were even able to obtain dragon materials.

nThis fact alone had prevented Locke from abandoning the place.

nAs such, he intended to turn the Holy City’s underground into his tool instead,

nMainly, a tool to obtain advancement materials.

nMoreover, although Dickens seemed to be a cunning and glib merchant, he was better than the rest of the underground heads.

nAfter all, there were lines that he would not cross.

nLocke had seen his attitude towards the Booster matter.

nAlthough he was rich, he did not possess much strength.

nAs such, this had made Dickens the best candidate as his underground “spokesperson”!

n“Not qualified? How are qualifications determined in the underground world? Via money?” Locke asked the people present.

nAn old man wearing a top hat commented, “It’s determined via seniority and experience… Although Dickens has been in this line of work for nearly twenty years, when compared to the rest of us, he’s still a greenhorn.”

n“Moreover, the Holy City’s underground factions have never interfered with one another, and there has never been a person in charge of our activities. However, if Mr. Locke is adamant about unifying the underground’s management, we have no qualms…”

n“After all, you have outstanding strength. Whether it’s on the surface world or here in the underground, power still matters the most.”

nThis old man had seen thoroughly seen through the situation.

nOf course, he was also more tactful.

nHe stepped on Dickens and gave Locke a hand.

nHis message was very obvious. He was willing to accept any one of the bosses as their leader, so long as it was not Dickens. His seniority was too low, and he was too weak.

nThe other bosses nodded in agreement, indicating that they were willing to let Locke become the boss of the Holy City’s underground world.

nLocke frowned. He did not want to be interact with the shady bosses any further. He said, “You people who do underground business only care about money. Although I could technically lead you guys, I really don’t have the energy to care about these trivial matters. However, I’m willing to ensure your safety.”

n“Meanwhile, Dickens is in his prime, and he’s smart… He’s a good candidate to lead you guys in my eyes. If any of you are unsatisfied with this arrangement, feel free to leave.”

nLocke had given an ultimatum.

nThere was no longer any room for negotiation. After two minutes of silence, all the heads accepted Dickens’ appointment.

nAfter all, no one had dared to go against Locke!

n‘So be it, then.’ They thought to themselves.

nAlthough their profits would take a drop in the future, at the very least, they would retain their lives.

n“Since this is what Mr. Locke wants, I’ll accept the position. However, let’s make this clear, I am only helping Mr. Locke!”

nDickens picked up a bottle of wine, circled around the dining table, and poured some into everyone’s cups.

nAfter that, everyone drank it together.

nThis was an underground custom, to toast to an agreement.

nJust like that, Dickens, who only owned a few shops, had become the leader of over 250 subterranean areas of the Holy City’s underground.

nHe had become the second-in-command of the underground world, right below Locke.

n…

nLocke had nothing to do, and since Dickens was handling the underground for him, Locke decided to take a stroll.

nPreviously, he was in a hurry to get rid of the intruders, and thus, he did not pay attention to his surroundings.

nWhile wandering around, Locke had come across several rare treasures and Battle Beasts.

nThere were all sorts of items lying around.

nAs they strolled, Dickens began to impart some “knowledge” onto Locke.

n“Mr. Locke, you may not know this, but the policemen on the surface are all useless. Previously, the daughter of an official from the city hall had gone missing, and we were hired to locate her…”

n“Also, the Minister of Construction, who is a noble, is actually a retard. If it wasn’t for us, the Holy City’s bridge would be a flimsy mess!”

n“The most outrageous minister is the Minister of Commerce. That guy loves to gamble very much. Two years ago… Yes, two years ago, he racked up a debt that was in the millions in Gold City. We only managed to get him back due to a personal favor the casino owner owes me. Oh right, Mr. Locke, if you have any requests for the underground, feel free to tell me. You can use my connections however you please!”

nDickens was a smart man, or rather, a practical man.

nHe was well aware that without Locke, he would not obtain his current status.

nAs such, he was extremely loyal to Locke.

nLocke was very satisfied. It seemed that Dickens had a lot of dirt on the noble officials.

nHe would definitely come in handy in the future.

nUpon reaching a coffee square built from the skeleton of a large Battle Beast, Locke stopped a waiter and made an order.

n“Sir, please…” A waiter with a ring on his lips brought over a cup of cappuccino.

nLocke was just about to pay, when suddenly, he was stopped by Dickens.

n“Boss, you mustn’t do this. He wouldn’t dare to accept it. After all, I’ve already issued an order that whoever takes money from you would have their legs broken! Instead, they are to come to my company to claim your expenses!”

nLocke looked at Dickens and suddenly asked, “What’s the situation in Gold City? Is there a feud between the underground and the people there?”

nHe was very curious about the rules of the underground forces. After all, he would eventually travel the world in the future. As such, it was best to stock up as much knowledge as possible.

n“I’m not too sure either, but I can tell you what little I know…” Dickens added some sugar into his black coffee.

nWhile stirring, he said, “Gold City is a chaotic place! It’s definitely a place where fish and dragons live together. There are a lot of exiled Beastmasters there, and they’re nicknamed ‘the city of Wanderers’!”

n“The reason why these people are staying in Gold City is due to the strongest family living there! Many of the exiled Beastmasters don’t have a livelihood, and as such, the family hires them en-masse…”

n“Does the family not own any experts? Why do they hire outsiders?” Locke asked, puzzled.

nDickens grinned and said, “Hehehe… That depends.”

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