A few make a decent living in Karanberg, fewer make it with honor. But when it comes to the opposite side of the spectrum, there is a man known to be one of the most vicious gangsters in the whole city.
Hector Norman, the Bull.
In the pyramid scheme of the Twilight Syndicate, the Bull doesn't stand anywhere near the top but this certain brute made it through dominating the Northern District with an Iron Fist.
He started as the son of a butcher who sold cheap meat outside the slums then the situation between the Second and the Third Estate (Aristocrats and Commoners) got heated one day and the peaceful protests turned into violence and killing once the Aristocrats tried to suppress it by starving the people. Amidst the confusion, Hector's father was accused of colliding with the Aristocrats alongside other food vendors and was killed by the angry mob. Little did everyone know that the violence of that day gave birth to a monster.
It is said that Hector Norman and his brothers bloodied the streets the other day and single-handedly scattered a protest in fear from how much death they dealt. Hector rapidly rose to power after that and took out all the slaughterhouse businesses around the district to monopolize it in one big Slaughterhouse, Norman's.
His gang grew more fearsome and richer and eventually became the Boss of the district. He even built relationships with the regional and urban Aristocrats to extend his network of friends to secure himself a good footing in the big leagues.
He commanded an army of Rats, Dogs, and Rabbits; as well as a quantity of lesser Bosses such as Monkeys, Roosters, Crows, Goats, and Horses. His favorite among the ranks, however, was the Snakes.
"The Snakes?" Leon asked with interest.
"Oh! You haven't heard of them… hopefully, you never come across them." Zal replied, "A Snake is a venomous ugly thing both in reality as a metaphor."
"You haven't seen a Cobra." Leon snorted.
"Spirits, no!" Zal shivered, "Either way, the Snakes among the animals are the ones that harvest lives and settle debts."
"Fixers you mean."
As Leon and Zal conversed, Leon understood many things about the Twilight Syndicate and its ranks.
Aside from the lesser three ranks of Rat, Dog, and Rabbit. The five lesser Boss ranks were as follows. Crow for safe-keepers and money hoarders, Monkey for the black market and associated craftsmen, Roosters for those who manage low-end jobs by hiring a mass of cheap workers or beggars as well as using them to gather information and such, Goats are the ones who launder money and they are the most secretive bunch of the Syndicate so they are rarely known even among the lesser Bosses, and finally, there are the Horses are the Smugglers who move things between cities and even nations so they mostly consist of big-time merchants.
The rank that is considered to be most independent is the Snake, those who do the actual dirty work from killing to assassinating and making people disappear off the face of the world. As Zal described them, they are not some small killers or hitmen, they are ruthless teams that operate separately from the Syndicate sometimes as War Dogs or Death Cults.
Even the Bull, Hector Norman, is merely contracted to a Snake cell meaning that he has no command over them.
So far, these were 9 Ranks from the Syndicate. What remained was 3 more ranks. One of them is the Bull, a term used to describe the biggest Crime Lord in a certain district meaning that Hector Norman is not the only Bull in Karanberg.
"Then?" Leon asked.
"Then what?" Zal asked back.
"You said there are 3 ranks that sit on the top including the Bulls."
"Honestly, that's as far as I know. I am not that… well-connected."
Zal said as he covered his face's features with a pair of old fashioned sunglasses and a hat.
The hobo-like artist changed his appearance completely by wearing something nice and combing shaving his beard back into shape. Despite his natural messy hair, he fixed his appearance with a thin mustache and goatee and wore his only plain black coat.
Where were the two? Obviously heading to the Bull's place. The slaughterhouse in the bustling part of the district. The area looked just above the poor condition with wider roads and buildings around it where all residential with various businesses open in their ground floors. At the end of the road was a building that stood wide and strong with a lot of people streaming in and out.
Those who walked in were empty-handed and those who walked out carried bags of food in their hands. They all looked thankful towards the Dogs and the Rats working around the building.
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Despite the nature, Hector Norman was the son of the neighborhood and to win all people, he learned to keep the poor fed and grateful which earns him an infinite supply of followers whenever he asks for it and in a poor district like this one, the Bull has a real army.
But it is just an army of Rats and Dogs, it is like hiding from a sword behind a piece of paper. That's what mattered to the Bull was the quality as the quantity never was an issue. This is the very reason why a Monkey like Zal and a Rabbit like Leon were allowed inside the slaughterhouse the moment they asked to meet the Bull.
Zal walked in the front as an acquaintance and a subordinate of the Bull and Leon fell behind a few steps. All he spotted were Dogs and Rats but unlike anyone in the streets, these people had levels that ranged between 2 to 4. Naturally, Leon figured out the idea which the Bull used to make strong followers like those. A slaughterhouse is a place where animals are killed and if a slaughterhouse worker will eventually gain level by slaughtering animals. It was especially obvious with most of the workers having a level of two in a skill called [Harvesting Technique].
At the end of the slaughterhouse was a long hallway where many crates and chests were gathered which probably contained stolen items, smuggled goods, and other things; beyond that hallway was a door guarded by some men who let Zal and Leon in after inspecting them.
What laid behind the door was an office made mostly of wood and a well-dressed old man sitting behind it organizing stacks of paper. Zal ignored the man completely which almost fooled Leon for a second there before facing someone at the end of the room sitting on a sofa.
That someone looked like a man in his late thirties with a large build and a bald thick head making his face look even more sinister, add to that the fact that his baldness included his brows and jaw making the man look like the human embodiment of a shark.
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[ Hector Nornan - Lv.31 Sentinel ]
- Titles: {Bull} {Humanoid Slayer} {Beast Terminator}
- Proficiency: (Talent: 43%) (Affinity: Earth)
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"Zal!" He saw Zal and shouted, "Glad to see you."
"Mr. Hector, I came again as promised." Zal said following Hector's gesture to sit in the nearby chair and pointing at Leon, "This is the Rabbit I told you I made contact with, Mr. Hector. He's reliable, fast, and confident."
"I hear that all the time." Hector said as he didn't even glance at Leon, "I haven't been impressed by anyone and can't say anything that will impress me now."
Hector's attitude seemed negative and dismissive but he eventually looked at Leon as he was done drinking his liquor.
"So, what's the thing I am supposed to be impressed about?" Hector asked.
"Leo is a Roof Runner, one of the best actually." Zal said.
"That's rare." Hector said, "Still, I know many Roof Runners, what makes this one runner special?"
"As you mentioned before, Mr. Hector, the painting I gifted you yesterday reminded you of a certain painting you always desired." Mr. Zal said, "Leo here has a talent for… delicate items."
"You two want to steal the Pride of Del Mar for me?" Hector rapidly leaned forward and looked at Leo and Zal with the edge of his mouth turning into a grin, "You two are half-wits after all!" Then he started laughing.
Leon and Zal looked at each other but Leon kept his attitude and stood silently while Zal smiled and didn't make eye contact with Hector.
"Wo! That was a good laugh." Hector coughed twice and cleared his throat, "Two clowns are after such a treasure. I wouldn't mind. Spirits as my witness I wouldn't! But…" Hector took a pause as his face turned serious, "You know what you two are up against, don't you?"
"Yes, yes, of course. We do…" Zal wanted to say something but Leon cut him.
"We don't." Leon said.
Zal felt like he bit on an eggshell and Hector blinked twice before looking at Leon.
"Well, Rabbit… what exactly is that you don't know?" The Bull asked.
"With all due respect for you Mr. Hector and for Mr. Zal as well, I will be the one sticking out my neck for this one. I don't mind risks but so far, we have too little information on the whereabouts of the Painting. We… I want to acquire basic information before I start working on a plan."
Leon changed his tone drastically as he spoke.
"So… you are the mastermind for this?" Hector looked confused at Leon pointing between him and Zal.
On the other hand, Mr. Zal was almost freaking out. The deal between him and Leon is that Zal presents himself as the brain who will take most of the planning credit while Leon is the skilled infiltrator. Leon sighed as Zal wasn't really a good actor and so he had to strike the deal himself.
"Mr. Zal is indeed the brain and artist behind this idea but my role doesn't start and end with going in and out. I want to scout the location, not all the access points, the target, the possible routes, the guard posts, their abilities and gear, the visibility between the other buildings, and the drop off point. I also want to know how the security condition from the inside feels, about the alarms and traps, and also if there is any sort of magic involved."
Leon's ridiculous list of demands manifested itself again and caused Hector's head to reboot once and twice.
"Alright, alright." Hector said and smiled wryly as he shook his head, "Why would I let you do that job if I already have this much information." He then laughed, "I mean… damn! I would be the most stupid burglar in the world if I know all that and can't steal a painting."
In truth, it made sense.
"Oh!" Leon, however, smiled, "It seems I haven't made myself clear."
"Hah! Please, do." Hector rested back and put one leg on the other in amusement.
"I will be the one gathering all that information, Mr. Zal over here is the one who will fashion it into an artistic plan, and Mr. Hector will provide us with the toys that are deemed fit to complete the job. You get the trophy, we get paid, and it smells like a Million Coins to me." Leon said as he dropped all the formalities and let the criminal inside him assert his capabilities.
Hector paused as he looked at Leon and watched Zal who was on the edge looking between the two of them.
"See this?" He looked to Zal as he pointed towards Leon, "This is an offer I can't refuse."
The towering Bull stood up and the Monkey followed then he extended his hand to the Rabbit, the Rabbit shook the Bull's hand.
"This will be good!" The Bull said.
It was at this moment when the Monkey noticed the image of the Cobra dancing in the shade of the Rabbit. A painting idea that will take Zal's fame to the summit of this era in the future.