Chapter 631 Howl and the Boss
Erik's mind was reeling as he parsed the enormity of the information he had uncovered. He learned a lot from this data, but there were still obscure parts in it.
Leaning heavily against the desk, he closed his eyes momentarily, taking in deep breaths as the implications of the data sank in.
The Crystal Cross Gang, once merely a thorn in the side of the authorities, had become a formidable force, their reach extending across the human-populated world.
But this was not the work of a criminal gang acting alone. The meticulous planning, the coordination, the resources required for such a vast operation—it all pointed to something bigger, something far more sinister, and a cunning person behind it.
Then Erik's thoughts wandered to some rumors he heard in Frant. These rumors said that behind the Crystal Cross Gang there was a leader, someone no one knew the identity of. The data referred to this boss, but who was he?
The mysterious figure known only as "the boss" loomed large over everything, a shadowy puppeteer pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
The information was frustratingly vague about the identity of this figure, but the scale and sophistication of his intellect were undeniable.
Then Erik's thoughts went back to what was happening in Etrium. He pieced together the puzzle the more he thought about that.
The Thaids' bodies were not just being stolen from Etrium, but from cities and shops across the world.
This concerted effort was a global scheme that went far beyond greed or power. Someone, somewhere, was orchestrating all of this, guiding the hand of the Crystal Cross Gang with purpose and precision. But who? And why?
The answer to that question was not even within the data, but there were some answers hidden behind layers of encryption and code.
Only the higher-ups within the organization knew the true nature of their employer, and they were not about to divulge their secrets easily. However, based on what he just found out, not even they knew his identity.
The more Erik thought about it, the more troubled he became. The scope of the operation was staggering, the implications far-reaching. This was not just a criminal enterprise; it was a threat to the very fabric of their society, a shadow that hung over them all.
His blood boiled when he thought about them and what they did to him and his friends in the past. He then activated Hais's brain crystal power and, thanks to it, he started contemplating what was happening in depth, hoping that the power would help him understand what their actual goal was.
<So, Doran and Catrina were experimenting using Thaids. Catrina pretty much confirmed that she and Doran worked for the Blackguards in the past; Doran was seen with Uncle Benjamin, meaning that he was and maybe is still working with the Blackguards. Uncle Ben is the obvious link between Frant and Etrium, but who is he working for, the Blackguards? Frant's military? Was he the one who hired the Crystal Cross Gang to come here? If only I had some more information… but here, in this data, there isn't a single document talking about him. I still don't know many things and I can't can't make assumptions without proof. >
However, aside from that, the data showed how the Crystal Cross Gang was essentially expanding its operations here in Etrium, doing the same as it did in Erik's birth nation.
They were smuggling illegal drugs across the border. They had their fingers in illicit arms dealing, too, supplying weapons to local gangs. There was also evidence of the usual human trafficking they did back in Frant as well, with the victims being moved around like chess pieces in their sick game of power and control.
And then there were the countless instances of extortion and blackmail, aimed at anyone who had the potential to stand in their way or expose their operations.
There were also records of assassinations - cold, calculated hits on influential figures who dared to oppose them. Some even made a lot of clamor in Etrium.
These guys were not just criminals; they were monsters, pulling the strings from the shadows and sowing chaos wherever they went.
The situation was too complicated. Erik saw from the data what these guys were doing here, but there was no explanation for why. What were they planning? Was the stealing of the Thaids' bodies related to Doran's research? The questions were maddening, the answers elusive.
With a determined set to his jaw, he pulled himself away from the desk, his mind made up.
Erik stood at the precipice of a dilemma. Should he delve deeper into this risky investigation, risk his life to unearth the truth? But as he pondered, the faces of the Crystal Cross Gang members who tried to kill him in Frant flashed through his mind.
Their smirking faces were a constant reminder of the personal vendetta he had against them. His heart pounded in his chest, a drum of war against those who had wronged him.
Then there was Uncle Benjamin. The man he had trusted and looked up to, now implicated in this web of deceit and crime. The thought of his betrayal was like a knife twisting in Erik's heart, the pain raw and unyielding. It was a bitter pill to swallow, the taste of disappointment and betrayal lingering on his tongue.
The matter of the break-in at his house was also making him feel worse since Uncle Benjamin played a role in it. Moreover, if they were searching for the biological supercomputer, it could mean danger beyond what he had ever imagined.
As his thoughts swirled, Erik felt a surge of emotion welling up within him. Anger, so potent it was almost palpable, coursed through his veins.
A torrent of memories flooded his mind, each one stoking the flames of his rage further. He remembered the relentless bullying he had suffered in Frant, the taunts and jeers echoing in his ears. The way they had looked down on him treated him like he was less than them - it was a humiliation that still stung.
He thought about the life he had lived before the Red Palace, a life of poverty and hardship. The gnawing hunger, the cold nights, the desperation - they were experiences that had left deep scars on his soul.
The contemptuous looks, the scornful laughs, the blatant disregard for his existence - each memory was a cruel reminder of the life he had once lived. But the most hurtful thing was the realization that his sole friend, the sole person who cared for it, Uncle Benjamin, likely faked it all.
All these memories, these injustices, fed the fire that was raging within him. It was bloodlust, pure and simple.
He could feel it, a burning fire in his belly, an uncontrollable desire to make those responsible pay for their actions.
And for the first time, he directed this bloodlust towards Uncle Benjamin as well. The man who had betrayed his trust, who had been a part of this world that had caused him so much pain. The thought of him sent a fresh wave of anger coursing through Erik's veins, intensifying his resolve to uncover the truth and make them pay.
His decision was made. He wouldn't tolerate threats against his loved ones or betrayal from those he trusted. The young man would plunge into this enigma, driven not only by curiosity but also by a burning desire for revenge.
In the office's silence, the computers hummed quietly, and Erik was still there thinking about what to do.
However, as he thought of the data, he noticed some were encrypted. Erik wanted to see what they hid.
<System. It looks like there are some encrypted files in the data. Do you mind decrypting it? > Erik was sure the computer could do that simple task.
[NOT AT ALL.]
[SEARCHING FOR DECRYPTED DATA.]
[FILES FOUND.]
[DECRYPTING FILES.]
[DECRYPTION COMPLETE.]
[STARTING INJECTION OF THE DECRYPTED FILES.]
Erik's eyes widened as the data streamed into his brain. A new torrent of information flowed like a river, filling his mind with new images, text, and connections.
He found himself immersed in a series of emails, a correspondence between someone the email referred to as Howl and another person. The messages were cryptic but revealing, shedding light on the operation's intricate network and its underlying purpose.
Howl's words were filled with urgency, a sense of impatience that was palpable even through the digital medium. Erik could almost hear the man's voice, curt and demanding, as he instructed his people to escalate their efforts, to steal more Thaids and send them to specified locations, including Hin and Frant.
"The boss is growing nervous," Howl had written in one of the emails, his tone tinged with a note of warning. "He expects things to flow. Do not fail him or you know the consequences."
Erik's heart pounded in his chest as he read those words, feeling the weight of their significance. Whoever this "boss" was, he inspected a great deal of fear into his subordinates and was someone who held the reins of the operation and expected obedience and results.
However, Howl was even more interesting. It was clear he was in a lower rank compared to the boss, but appeared to know him. Maybe this person wasn't a random gang's pawn. Maybe he was important.
The emails painted a picture of a highly organized and efficient criminal network operating under the watchful eye of a shadowy figure who was not afraid to make his displeasure known.
As Erik delved deeper into the emails, he found more clues, fragments of information that hinted at the true scale of the operation. Dates, locations, code names—all part of a jigsaw puzzle that was slowly coming together in his mind.
<I can't tell the guild all of this. It was the Blackguards who asked them to send me to find Doran. If I tell the guild what I found, they will probably silence me. There are still people I can't fight against, especially with the mana I have available. >
The more he read, the more intrigued he became, drawn into the mystery like a moth to a flame. Who was Howl? And who was this elusive "boss" who seemed to pull the strings from behind the scenes?
The answers were not present in the emails.
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