Chapter 84: Chapter 84- Rules of the City.
Wilson arrived outside the restaurant and entered to find Old Rogers. Old Rogers found him first.
"Hey, little Wilson. Over here!" He called and waved from behind a transparent lace curtain that separated the kitchen from the area where customers sat and ate.
Wilson rushed to meet him.
"Come with me!" Old Rogers said and walked further into the kitchen till he reached a cupboard. He yelled some gibberish at the cupboard and it opened up to show a hidden passageway. He walked in and a shocked Wilson, who based on instincts, did not think Old Rogers had any evil plans for him, rushed after him.
"Do you have any questions? I know you do. Ask away!" Old Rogers said.
"My friend said that Tiger City is a city of dog eat dog city. But the General said I must not commit any crimes..." Wilson did not even get to finish his question when Old Rogers cuts in with a lengthy explanation.
"Oh, that. Hehe, that is a common question among newbies. You see, one can get away with many things that are tagged as crimes in other cities. The law is simple in Tiger City. Don't kill, sexually harrass or mess with classified military and government information and officials, and you are good. Any other thing like thuggery, theft, scam, is not viewed as a crime in this city.
"There's also the unspoken rule not to mess with the powerful and the rich. They have many ways to f*ck you over.
"You should also note that the do nots only apply in the city. Outside the gates of the city, as long as one can cover up your crime properly, there are no limits to what can be done. There are lots of raping and killing, going on out there, in the wild, so you have to be very careful who you associate with, where you go and what you pay attention to. If you see people around you, ignoring and or avoiding a certain area, avoid that place too for your own good.
" If you gain any properties, you must never let another get hold of the proof of ownership or else you might suddenly find out that it is no more yours.
"Be careful what you buy and who you buy it from. Unless, it is classified information, you will not be wanted by the military but the same cannot be said of the citizens. If the goods was stolen from a strong, malicious person, you might very well get beaten up and bullied all the rest of your days. And if you try to run and you get caught by them outside the city gates, well.. you should understand.
"So, my recommendation is to pay for protection from a big, strong gang near where you live or work. If you choose to become a hunter, you are automatically under the protection of the Hunter's Association but you will also have to follow their rules. Likewise, if you are a soldier or reside in military lands, you would be bound and protected by military laws. But, every other job you can think of comes with its own risk. So, you have to take note of these three rules:
"One, have connections, money or power. Two, don't kill, steal classified documents or sexually harrass and three, do your absolute best to survive while minding your own business. That's the best way to avoid getting in trouble."
Wilson nodded and asked.
"How do I get a phone?"
"I will give one to you. The manual in your hands have instructions on how to connect to local services and simple phone usage and maintenance instructions. I think page thirty-three or so. I remember you use gauntlets, right?" Old Rogers said as he opened a door with his fingerprints and entered.
"Behold my precious weapons collection!" Old Rogers said excitedly, arms spread wide for dramatic effect as Wilson enters.
The whole room spanned the size of whole hotel. It was after all located underground the hotel. There were every possible kind of weapon in various shapes, sizes and colors, arranged according to type. Swords, daggers and sabers filled the right wall. Spears, pikes and halberds on the left wall and the blunt force weapons of various kinds, including gauntlets, boxing gloves, nunchaku and so many others were arranged on the center wall in front of them.
"Oh, wow!" Wilson exclaims.
"Amazing, right? I am still collecting though. I keep having this feeling that there is a special weapon missing. If I ever find it, I will be sure to acquire it and keep it in the special show glass I have prepared for it. You won't see the show glass. If you ever come across a special looking weapon, make sure to contact me. My number is on this phone." Old Rogers said and handed Wilson a smartphone.
"Take a weapon of your choice." He said.
Wilson instantly walked forward and picked a matte black gauntlet with short sharp spikes at the knuckles. It reached his elbows and had sharp teeth-like edges pointing outwards. It looked very dangerous and totally badass.
"Oh? That's a very good pick, kid. I must have you know that that is one of my favorites. The right hand has a special fire ability and the left has poison ability. As long as you have qi, you can recharge it and use at will."
Qi, also called Mana by some, explained simply, was the energy that was produced by one's ability cells. It can also produced by regular cells if one should practice magic. Not only does it allow one to make use of abilities but it also passively strengthens the owner. Qi is unique to each user but if the disparity in strength is great enough, one could manipulate another's qi.
Wilson picked the pair of gauntlets and wore it. It was really light on him and even slimmed itself to fit his hands perfectly. He looked at Old Rogers and asked.
"Why are you helping me so much?"
"Hmmm..." Old Rogers hummed for a while. " Perhaps, it is because you remind me of someone I used to know."
**********
Two hours later, Wilson officially entered the city and the first thing that attracted his attention was the number of people openly holding their weapons without fear. They were hunters, gangsters or mercenaries.
As he stood in place and wondered where to go, someone grabbed his shoulder from behind and called.
"Wilson?"
"Jim?"
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