"Hey, hey! How can you be so impolite? Who's going to return lost items in the future if this is the attitude?!"
Quickly entering the Canned Goods Workshop, Putato scanned the lively market formed by orderly containers, completely ignoring Simmons' grumbling behind him.
Soon, both he and Simmons noticed a container that was out of place among the other canned goods shops. Three teenagers wearing masks were putting up a banner, which featured a simple line drawing of Urban Girl.
"Great! I wondered why I couldn't find them all day, they were hiding here!"
"Get over there, quick! I'm going to teach these little punks a lesson they won't forget. They're totally lawless!"
Simmons immediately swapped to a red hood and stomped over to the container, hurling insults and threats at the three teenagers. Passersby and other shop owners all turned to look.
Putato, following behind, examined the three teenagers with interest and quickly noticed something unusual. They were acquaintances. One was Mapi, whom he had pulled out of the Depreciation Gang just yesterday. The girl was the client who had used her allowance to ask him to rescue Brandon. It seemed all the troublemaking kids were gathered together here.
"Let me tell you, this is a senior Fixer from Molar Office! If you don't pay up for the damages today, not a single one of you is leaving!"
Simmons, who was yelling excitedly, suddenly paled when she saw Patches coldly pull out a crossbow hidden under the table. She scrambled back behind Putato, urging him to get to work.
Patches was about to launch into a disdainful mockery, but the moment his eyes fell on Putato, his expression shifted too. He quickly lowered the crossbow and put on a harmless smile.
"Big brother Vanda! What are you doing here?!"
"Uh, you didn't actually take a commission from this scammer, did you? She doesn't have authorization from Urban Girl at all. On the contrary, we're the official channel!"
Mapi, who was carrying a basket of candy in the back, hurriedly ducked down. Mucam, holding the banner, excitedly waved at Putato, who responded with a simple nod.
Simmons, however, was unhappy and hurriedly scurried away from Putato, hiding behind a container.
"Hey! I paid! Don't you dare think about taking money from both sides!"
Putato ignored Simmons for a moment, but for the sake of his Fixer reputation, he beckoned her over.
"Come here. Let's finish this commission quickly. Your requirement was to seize the illicit goods, right?"
"Correct! Ahem. If these three are your acquaintances, there's no need for violence. Just give me the goods, and warn them they aren't allowed to sell anymore!"
"Counterfeiting this kind of merch is easy. I need to make as many sales as possible before more people flood the market, otherwise the opportunity will be gone in a few days!"
As Putato reached out toward the three wary teenagers, a loud shout from the side interrupted him.
"Audacious! Who's causing trouble on Canner Union turf?! I think you lot are itching for a beating!"
Three fully armed security guards emerged from an alleyway between containers to the right. Their goggles and bulletproof vests all bore a canned goods logo, and they carried Workshop weapons etched with strange patterns.
As soon as they arrived, the crowd of passersby hurriedly moved back, leaving a wide space.
"So it's you two who dared to break the rules of the Canned Goods Workshop. Don't you know you aren't allowed to harass shop owners here? And robbery and theft are strictly forbidden!"
"Since you haven't made a move yet, you only need to 'kick a can' and leave."
This was Simmons' first time visiting a high-end place selling Workshop equipment. She scurried back behind Putato, terrified the Fixer might abandon her, yet she still poked her head out to ask fearfully.
"What does 'kick a can' mean? I'm familiar with circus tricks, I can toss a can into a trash bin from ten meters away!"
"Hahaha! Brothers, she thinks this is a circus!"
The onlookers roared with laughter, immediately egging the Canner Union on to carry out the punishment.
"The Kick the Can game is simple. Among these five cans, two are empty, two contain standard explosives, and one is filled with scrap sifted from Workshop waste."
"Kick one and you've passed. We'll let you off this time."
The Union members grinningly placed five differently colored cans on the ground, then pulled out the small black pins on top and cautiously backed away from the open space.
"Who's first?"
Seeing everyone around him looking at him expectantly, Putato's mouth twitched. These residents of The City really had a knack for tormenting people. Without waiting for the Canner Union to speak, he stepped forward and crushed a can with a single kick.
The crowd was startled by Putato's decisiveness, yet felt a wave of disappointment when they didn't hear an explosion.
"Canner Union, right? Can I kick the can for this one too? She's my client after all. Show me some face."
"Ah, you're that Grade 4 Fixer Vanda, aren't you? We can grant that. Please."
BANG!
As soon as the words were out, Putato decisively delivered another kick. Hearing only the sound of the can hitting the ground, the audience let out a collective sigh of disappointment and began to disperse to their own business.
Two Union employees cautiously approached to retrieve the cans, while the remaining one took off his goggles and walked toward Putato with a smile.
"What is it? Still something?"
"No, no. Fixer Vanda, please don't misunderstand. The Union isn't targeting you. It's just that if one person breaks the rules, then lawless people will multiply immediately. My apologies for the offense."
"Speak your mind."
"Actually, I've been meaning to ask you! Fixer Vanda, is it true you can wield Giant Workshop's Crusher with total ease? That story has already spread through our Workshop circles; we all want to see it for ourselves!"
The other two Union members immediately crowded around, staring at Putato with anticipation, then whispered an explanation.
"Rest assured, Vanda. Those five cans just now? They were all empty. No matter which one you kicked, nothing would happen. We showed you plenty of face, right?"
"Tell you what, if you perform a bit with the Crusher and allow us to take some photos and a recording, we'll give you this Union card."
"In the future, if you run into any trouble here, just show the Union card. We'll treat you as one of our own, and that way, no one will have anything to say. How about it?"
Putato never imagined his reputation as a Fixer would spread in such a manner. Was the Crusher really that famous? Because he possessed the Workshop Hamster talent, he hadn't felt its fame at all.
"Deal."
Immediately, a crowd of Union members sat atop the containers. Putato wielded the ostentatiously massive weapon; a simple swing whipped up a heavy, violent wind, making the Workshop weapon enthusiasts scream in excitement.
Simmons rubbed her chin, wondering if her Fixer had forgotten about her. Besides, something that could be swung so easily was clearly a fake prop; didn't these people realize that?
BOOM!
"We'll stop here then."
The Urban Girl candy stall was overturned by the shockwave. The three troublemaking kids hurriedly looked toward Putato, standing frozen in place, dumbfounded just like Simmons.
The savage sawtooth blade had shattered the stone tiles, with a third of it embedded deep into the ground. It looked as if it had been struck by an artillery shell.
"That... that's a Workshop weapon?!"
"..."
Putato accepted the Canner Union card with a bizarre expression. He could clearly perceive their fiery gazes lingering on the Crusher before they looked at him with newfound reverence.
[Congratulations on your appointment to the Canner Union]
[Acquired Work Talent: Lucky Can]
[Description: Life is like a can; the next step might be safe, or it might explode instantly.]
[Effect 1: After shaking an ordinary can for more than three seconds, you can transform it into a Lucky Can .]
[Effect 2: A Lucky Can will randomly generate a type of grenade. Once the grenade is removed, it reverts to an ordinary can.]
What kind of gacha can is this?!
He casually borrowed an empty can from a Union member and hung it from his belt as a spare.
"Alright, now for your business."
Putato snatched Simmons as she tried to sneak away, giving her a glare that finally shut the noisy woman up.
Seeing Putato about to take them to task, Patches indignantly showed the reward records on his communicator, trying his best to explain that they were the legitimate distributors.
"I'll take the rest of the candy you have. This job is settled. If you have no objections, leave quickly, and don't do bootlegging again."
The three teenagers looked at each other and hurriedly took the money and left.
Simmons smugly began loading the remaining stock into her cart to sell elsewhere. She was about to cheerily wave for someone to help with the transport when she looked up to see a person entirely shrouded in a white coat standing before her.
Putato, who had just finished taking photos of the scene to close out the commission, curiously examined this Messenger wearing gold-rimmed glasses. She was the one who had taken Parkye away last time.
"To Simmons: Please consume 241 pieces of candy tonight during the Night in the Backstreets."
"What?! How is that possible? There must be a mistake! And besides, this isn't Index territory!"
Capet merely smiled and spread her arms. The Canner Union members nearby paled upon seeing her distinct Index attire, yet they didn't immediately step forward.
"Perhaps the Prescripts are expanding. Who knows? In any case, the Prescripts always win in the end."
Watching the scene with his arms crossed, Putato sensed the invisible hand of the Prescripts. Could they be actively helping Urban Girl eliminate bootleggers?
Simmons, looking utterly lost, felt her legs tremble at the thought of inexplicably provoking the Index. Neither eating that much candy nor defying a Prescript was something she could bear.
Thinking of this, Putato quickly called out to the departing Capet to confirm the Index's attitude.
"Hey, I heard there's someone called Urban Girl livestreaming. You aren't using that as an excuse to expand, are you? You should know there's already a 'crossing dragon' here called Void Fist."
"If a Prescript hasn't been issued, we won't act."
"Aren't you even a little curious about Urban Girl? You don't seem that respectful toward the Prescripts."
"Haha. The Prescripts know the past, present, and future of The City. They don't need respect, only execution."
Capet left those light words behind and turned to walk away.
...
The Hana Association Section 1 branch building.
"Vanda, over here."
A Black man with his hair in a ponytail signaled for Putato to come over. He had meticulously straightened his white uniform. Roland stood beside him, casually eating a ham sandwich.
"I am Olivier from Hana Association South Section 3. Fixer Vanda, the Association has received your promotion request. Given your exceptional promotion speed, the South Branch believes it's necessary to offer you a special track."
"Again? Do we have to fight?"
"It's not a test of strength. After all, Harold has already confirmed that. We've found your operational capabilities far exceed your current rank. The standard promotion mechanism would be inconvenient for you and might even generate negative rumors about the Association."
"If you can provide a sponsoring Office or Fixer, they must be Grade 3 or higher, of course, the Hana Association can make an exception and allow you to directly become a Grade 3 Fixer. This sponsorship will be terminated upon your next promotion."
"Please forgive us; we need to give clients enough persuasive evidence regarding your credentials if they question them, while also protecting the Hana Association's credit."
Impressive. It seemed his activities had even alerted the Hana Association South Branch, and they'd come specifically to open a shortcut for him.
"Aiya, Olivier, why make it so complicated? Why not just walk through the motions and make a friend? This guy is strong in both skill and connections. I bet he'll become a Grade 1 Fixer within a year."
In the face of his close friend Roland's flippant remark, Olivier offered a stern rebuttal.
"No. The Hana Association has its own rules; we cannot excessively break them. The management of Fixers must be handled with caution."
"You see, Vanda? It's not that I'm not speaking up for you; it's just that this guy is incredibly stubborn."
Putato didn't mind. Olga had already put him in touch with the Dawn Office, which happened to be a high-tier Grade 3 Office.
"Roland, why are you here? Don't tell me you're going to be my sponsor."
"Ahem. I'm retired. You'd better find someone else for that. I'm only here because a friend and I are dealing with the Grey Haze matter."
"Due to the severe provocation of Nagel und Hammer, the bounty on them has nearly doubled. And since they dared to act within K Nest this time, the Hana Association has ranked them just behind the Eight Chefs."
"Roland! Do not disclose confidential information."
"Hey, it's not like everyone doesn't already know. What's there to keep secret?"
Handing the documents to Olivier, Putato simply nodded with confidence.
"I understand."
Putato didn't waste a second, heading off to meet the Dawn Office at the location Olga had arranged.
...
A musical teahouse.
The lighting in the teahouse was soft, with warm yellow light spilling over the wooden tables and chairs, creating a relaxing atmosphere. The saxophone playing in the center of the hall lifted the spirits.
After giving the name for the reserved room, Putato was shown inside. He found it a bit strange that the alcohol-loving Olga hadn't chosen a bar or similar venue, but he understood once he saw Salvador enjoying his tea.
This white-haired veteran Fixer was quite famous in the industry.
Currently a Grade 3 Fixer, he had been demoted solely due to his age; in reality, he was a retiree who had started a new career.
"Vanda?"
To Putato's surprise, Salvador noticed him and called his name before he had even gotten close. His curved mustache and eyebrows were entirely white, yet he appeared full of vigor.
"Please, have a seat. Yuna's description was spot on; you have a certain spark about you just by looking, and your future surely holds much more than this."
Olga, showing great tact, patted Putato on the shoulder and made an excuse to leave first. This left Putato momentarily unsure of how to follow up.
He couldn't exactly say he was just there to pad his resume and jump ship in a few days; no one would want to take in an "Office scumbag" like that.
"Senior Salvador, since you've already seen through me, I'll be blunt. My goal is to become a Grade 1 Fixer and then join L Corp . That is my dream."
"Dreams, eh? I can understand that. The past creates our present, and to reach a desired future, one must inevitably change the now."
Salvador took a sip of hot tea, his eyes narrowing into thin lines with enjoyment, prompting Putato to curiously pick up the teacup Olga had left behind to try a taste.
Gulping down half a bowl, Putato felt a warmth spread through his body. The flavor was like a sweet herbal pork rib soup.
He immediately understood why Yuna didn't enjoy drinking this and preferred milk tea instead.
Who among the youth cares about health tonics?!
"You are a young man with a promising future. Even if you don't stay at the Office for long, I would like to invite you. Of course, I have my own selfish reasons; I want an excellent Fixer like you to mentor the juniors in the Office, and I can also rely on you to boost the Office's reputation."
"This is the contract I've drafted. If you are willing, you can join Dawn Office right now. If we get along well, I also know a few high-level executives at an L Corp branch."
So easy to talk to?
"No problem!"
Putato was overjoyed as he accepted the contract, and then he mentioned the Hana Association's special promotion sponsorship requirement. This immediately caused Salvador to open his eyes in surprise and re-examine Putato.
"This... I'll have to think about it. It's not that I don't trust your abilities, but to put the Office's reputation on the line as a sponsor, I must at least observe your operational style."
"Vanda, you might not know this, but a Fixer sponsorship means accepting equal responsibility for the other party's failed commissions or Association penalties. Under normal circumstances, even biological brothers wouldn't do it. After all, there are far too many death-taboos in The City ."
No wonder that guy Roland declined so cleanly just now.
"But I am aiming for Grade 1 . In half a month at most, I am confident I can rank up and end the sponsorship. Furthermore, I can pay!"
"In that case, sign the employment contract first. Let me see your performance in a 'terminal illness' level commission before we talk."
"To clarify beforehand, this commission requires us to deal with the Kurokumo Clan . If you have concerns, you can go back and consider it for a day or two."
"I am honored to have a veteran like you as my superior!"