To Lost Assets

There's a flame burning in Jisoo's heart. It was a flame that was even murderous than the flame that I saw behind the screen back in my world. She was supposed to be a character that was impassive towards the Specter, but it seems like the death of the Takemura Heiress has caused that anger to burn her heart.

She drew her ghost-tech and sliced the chunk of metal. The one she's holding is much sharper than her original. She has been familiarizing herself with it. The weight and the length of the sword being important to her draw.

Wearing only her sports bra and shorts. Her devilish figure covered in sweat is alluring to look at. She calmed her swings when she noticed my gaze. That burning hatred that she was spilling out being retracted back.

"How are things?"

"It's enough that we're still getting funds from the information network."

She looks down. "Because of me you have to lose so many assets."

"Fuck those assets. If anything, having a deadly swordswoman is worth the price that has to be paid. And I'm not going to let you rot in that place. I'd be damned if I did that."

"Thank you," she said while looking away, ears reddening.

Rescuing her cost me a lot. The cold and rational choice would be to wait for a bit and solidify the network. But I didn't want to wait. I didn't want to hold back like a damn idiot again. It cost me to lose an advantage, but nonetheless it was still enough to hold some control on the factions here in Karagi. With Mario, Nix, and Madam Trixie in-charge of the operations here. We wouldn't lose and we'd have a business to earn an income.

If I didn't save Jisoo. We might have full control of the city, but now that I think about it. Or at least rationalized the loss. Getting the attention of the Government body is a bad idea. Yes, we did manage to control things, but if they get pissed about us? It's not enough. Having a massive information network doesn't mean shit if we don't have the manpower to maintain and enforce it.

I do admit that it's a bummer that I can't rule like a lord now. But rescuing her was a good enough trade. And it also helps having a competent fighter by your side.

It has been months since we started this relationship and a few weeks after I reconnected with her. Honestly, things have become so out of order and I can't follow the 'heroes' in whatever they do.

I'm not delusional enough to think that we're already at the top of the food chain here. Pacifica itself was mid-tier compared to the rest of the world filled with strange tech. It's a fluke that we manage to get a piece of Karagi, but nonetheless one mistake cost us to lose a big slice of that piece.

You got to understand my hesitation before I got shot twice was because of the various factions lurking in the shadows. Corporations, Associations, and Societies that have established themselves and are worshiping tech as their God.

Tech-Cultists who are so dangerous that they intend to dominate those who try to attack them. The Government here casually killing people for their disease while proclaiming them as drug addicts and unsaveable bastards makes my skin crawl.

This world has always been a twisted parallel of the world that I know. A world where morals have declined and people are easily replaceable and profit is worship as God.

No one stays top dog forever and even having abilities doesn't mean shit when they have superior tech that they could kill you with. I wouldn't have been shot despite having abilities that a normal man shouldn't have. Not to mention that I can't enhance myself further because of how my body is.

I wasn't that dumb enough to let other people take a look at my body. I am an anomaly itself. And other than wearing armor that could reduce my chances of dying and procuring weapons that costs a lot of credits.

Don't even get me started on our assets. Repairs and maintenance and the pay that we're giving to the men and women working for us. Information costs a lot of money to buy, but maintaining this level of information network costs a lot of money. Rescuing Jisoo cost me money. I lost a lot of assets and yet I don't regret it.

Most of the credit is already going to maintaining the information network here. If anything the rest of the money's going to the right people who can grease hands and make authorities look away. And these corrupt people are not easily bought with how Karagi has been lately.

With all of kinds fucked up shit that is happening. Having an information network was already a blessing. If anything I'm thankful that we manage to keep a lot of our assets after summoning that drone swarm to rescue Jisoo, but it also means that we've to work again and do favors if we want to stay afloat.

Also, they don't know our true faces. Even Jisoo thinks that it was rather silly that I was wearing Morgan's skin. Nonetheless, she herself has made it clear that we need to keep our true faces separate from Specter.

Karagi's Wrath's Phase 2 was going to end soon. It wouldn't be long until the new phase of the plan starts and when that happens. We have to stay low and make sure that our 'friends' intend to give us a position of neutrality in the council that they are making.

Karagi is the City of Logistics and the hub where most of the warehouses and productions are happening. Nothing in this region happens without going through this city and because of that I was willing to invest so much time and assets on making sure that we get something out of this city.

I might have lost a lot.

But I can't be greedy and careless.

I was lucky enough to only lost assets this time.