Capítulo 16: Chapter XV: Planning a Heist

Reeking of sex, alcohol, and debauchery, Gino weaved his way through Level Three, a hidden grin behind his mask. His eyes sparkled with excitement and joy as he pondered how to test the feasibility of what his mind was scheming.

The first thing he needed to understand was how his inventory worked—whether there was any visible effect or traceable phenomenon when using it. He also had to check if there was any trace left behind that could connect him to whatever phenomenon occurred. Then, he would test the capacity, determining how many objects he could store in his inventory.

Fortunately, he had at least a vague idea of the possible items and materials that might be stored. Plasteel, Ferrosteel, Ferrocrete, Ceramite, and many other compounds could be used as test materials.

Aware that his experiment needed to be done in secrecy where no one could spy on him, Gino reckoned the first step was to purchase a decent amount of materials and take them somewhere secluded where he could do as he pleased. The last thing he needed was to make a pile of materials vanish right in front of other people's eyes in a busy marketplace.

Though Vandalor was teeming with people wherever one went, the reality was that among its maze of alleys, passageways, and broad streets, there were hidden spots where no one had set foot in years—maybe even decades. These places weren't necessarily safe, as they were mostly abandoned due to security reasons. In other cases, they were forbidden zones—ruins of buildings burned to the ground by the authorities or criminal gangs.

In his daily hustle, Gino had remembered certain areas across various levels he worked in that didn't seem to have much foot traffic. Thanks to the map provided by the system, he first set out to check several zones where he could test his experiment.

Knowing he'd have to carry the materials himself, he realised it would be best to find a place on the upper levels, closer to the commercial and industrial districts where these materials were supplied. So, without paying much attention to his surroundings or caring about the time it took, Gino made his way up to Level 45.

This was the closest spot to the warehouses brimming with materials, though quite a few levels still separated them. But it was better than nothing, considering the only other option was descending ten more levels to the next abandoned area.

Here, amidst the corridors leading to a residential district, there was a long row of dilapidated buildings on the verge of collapse, long since abandoned and now devoid of much activity. Entering the darkened buildings, Gino made sure they were completely deserted.

Once satisfied they were empty, he headed up to Level 60. Taking the lift to that level, Gino could barely contain his anticipation and excitement while trying to maintain a calm appearance.

'God, if I can prove I can pull this off... I don't know if I'll empty every warehouse and hangar across Vandalor, but I'm sure I'll have enough materials to aim at building the [Thunderhawk] along with several [Arvus Lighters].' Gino knew aiming for anything bigger than these ships would be foolish. For now, he had no way of piloting the massive vessels of the Imperium.

Though he could get a few pilots—Carrack, Lando, Trav, Helmut, and Jarro—there was still much to do before earning their loyalty and ensuring they respected him enough not to steal his ships. There were many things Gino needed in order to leave Vandalor on his own—things that were truly impossible to obtain in his current position, and would undoubtedly require time and connections to secure.

However, getting hold of a fleet of cargo ships, as well as some military craft like the [Thunderhawk], could provide Gino with the standing and advantage needed to make those connections.

And so, he set out along Level 60, which, even at this early hour, was already packed with passers-by, buying and selling goods.

Among the handwritten, digital, and neon signs, Gino read each one as he searched for a retail seller, until he spotted a narrow but tall building with a digital board by its door that read, "We sell kilograms of quartz, gold, platinum." There were other offers listed, but they weren't relevant to Gino, who strode over with long, purposeful steps.

Sliding the door aside, the first thing his eyes saw was several loading tools mounted on rails, while an obese man, covered in bionic implants, loaded a metallic material into the basket of a crane, lifting it up to a high shelf. Gino noted that the shelves stretched several metres across the building and seemed to be divided according to the materials stored on them.

Noticing a customer, the man turned and cast a quick, inquisitive glance over Gino's imposing appearance before asking in a practised tone, "What can I do for you?"

Walking up to him, Gino nodded in greeting before saying, "Good day, I'm looking for quartz, gold, and platinum. Could you tell me the price per kilogram for each?"

The man immediately frowned, stepping closer as he struggled to understand Gino's accent. "Sorry, but I couldn't quite catch that..."

Letting out a sigh of weariness at this recurring nuisance every time he spoke, Gino repeated himself twice more until the man seemed to get it, giving a slight smile as he moved towards a crane and began to operate it while revealing the prices to Gino.

"The quartz panel, which is ten by ten, is 470 credits. Gold is 310 credits per kilogram, and platinum, 699 credits per kilogram. How much do you need, lad?"

Hearing the prices, Gino exhaled sharply, clenching his teeth as he pulled out the credits. Nearly half his savings would be gone for this experiment, but, in his view, it was worth it.

"Give me a kilo of each, please." Hearing the request, the man gave Gino a brief, paused look before lowering each of the materials and weighing them using the crane. Only when the man received 1,479 credits from Gino's hand did he pass over the small metal pieces of gold and platinum. With his other hand, he gave Gino the quartz panel, which, although it seemed sizable in the vendor's palm, wasn't nearly so in Gino's.

Once both had what they wanted, Gino didn't bother to say another word, promptly leaving the place where he'd just bled his savings dry. He made his way straight to the lift, using his physical presence to carve out space for himself among the weary faces of the workers heading to their near-slave labour shifts.

Seconds seemed to stretch into an eternity for Gino, whose only thoughts were of completing his experiment and letting loose the plans brewing in his mind—of raids and night-time assaults on the warehouses.

As soon as the arrow and the panel indicated in a cold, hollow voice that he had reached Level 45, Gino shot out in long strides towards that hidden, abandoned space in the suburbs of the level. Ignoring the looks aimed at his clothes, he approached the alleys that led to the complex of buildings. There, in the dimly lit place, Gino made his way to the innermost part of the building's ground floor, where some light still reached.

Though he needed a place far from prying eyes, he also needed to see if anything happened when interacting with his inventory and the objects in his hand.

Taking a deep breath, Gino muttered to himself, "This is it, Gino... this will decide how hard we'll have to bust our arse from now on, or if we'll turn into crooks and rob the whole of Vandalor…" Exhaling with equal force, he raised his hand, holding the kilogram of gold and platinum, up to eye level, forcing a mental command to store them in his inventory.

Plop

In an instant, both objects vanished from his hand without a trace. No flash of light, no strange phenomenon—nothing. It was as if they had evaporated into thin air.

"HAHA..." A grin broke across his face as Gino repeated the action with the quartz panel in his other hand, again noticing there was no visible reaction—the items simply disappeared.

Quickly opening his inventory tab, he saw, alongside the glowing slots of his seven ships, three new slots containing perfect images of the materials, each accompanied by a brief description of what they were.

"YES! COME ON!" Bursting with excitement, Gino clenched his fists and punched the air as a triumphant growl escaped his throat.

'This changes everything! I can't believe I didn't try exploring more of the system's functions earlier!' Gino thought, kicking himself for having been so easily swayed by the system's vague explanation of its features, and for not thinking beyond the moral boundaries he'd adhered to throughout his life.

'But if there are things I can do that the system doesn't explain or reveal, I suppose it's up to me to explore its full potential. Now that I can cut down on the time working for the Guild, I'll try to discover what else I can do with the system.' Gino promised himself as he began to leave the building.

As he retraced his steps and headed for the lift, Gino's mind started planning. 'I'll ask Bea where I can get a mask to cover my whole face, something that'll keep me from being recognised. If I'm going to steal the materials I need, I can't leave any trace that leads back to me. I really don't want any trouble now that I've discovered this.'

While his mind churned through plans, Gino considered all the possible variables that could interfere with his scheme.

'I'll need to account for patrols on the way, guards at the sites, cameras maybe? Whatever the obstacles, the key is to mislead them into thinking it's coming from other levels before Level 03.' Knowing he'd have to spend several hours later planning a secure route, Gino stayed on the Vandalor map tab throughout his long journey back to Level 03, crafting multiple routes for every variable he could imagine during his upcoming heist.

His serious expression, deep in thought, only broke when he realised the cargo rail he was on was approaching the familiar scene leading to the Guild. Among the crumbling walls, streaked with rust and decay, Gino made his way through, ignoring the scrutinising stares of the guards inside the Guild's building.

After asking about Bea and learning it wasn't yet midday, Gino decided to grab a shower and prepare himself to wait for her. In the brief, insufficient daily shower he had access to, Gino sat in patient silence on his bed, becoming one with the quiet stillness around him.

The usually crowded room he shared with others was eerily devoid of life, as everyone was off working hard to meet their daily quotas. Gino was one of the few daring enough to work half shifts, accepting the gruelling tasks Brund handed out as punishment.

But none of that occupied the mind of the young Terran, who patiently waited for lunchtime to arrive.

When the time finally came, Gino took his usual seat after collecting his ration, keeping an eye out until he spotted the small figure of Beatrix. A few minutes later, she made her way through the dispirited, resigned crowd in the cafeteria.

Seeing Gino's idle posture and expression, Beatrix raised an eyebrow in curiosity as she asked, "What's up with you? You didn't go with Carrack today."

Unable to wait a second longer, Gino ignored her question, staring at her intently as he spoke in a low, serious tone, "I need you to tell me where I can get something to cover my entire face."

Taken aback by the sudden request, Beatrix paused for a moment, raising both eyebrows in suspicion as she replied, "Right... I suppose you're up to something dodgy…" Seeing Gino give a slight nod, she proceeded to sit down and start eating her ration before adding, "You could order a mask here to cover your whole face—"

"If possible, I want to avoid anyone being able to recognise me or trace the purchase back to me," Gino cut in quickly, prompting Beatrix to raise an eyebrow again.

"Riiight... well, there's a shop on Level 01 that sells masks for those wanting to go to the Underhive. I could take you there later when I'm heading out for a job." Seeing Gino nod quickly, Beatrix let out a sigh before asking, "You really don't plan on telling me anything about what you're going to do?"

"Not a word, hope you understand, hehe." Gino finally let a smile break through his previously serious demeanour, causing Beatrix to roll her eyes as they continued their lunch together.

Soon, Gino would make his first move.