Acquiring a Gang Card

The registration process didn't take long. After around ten minutes of waiting, Adam exited the administration room, holding two cards in his hands. One was a deep blue with the words "Evolver Card," and the other was dark red—a Gang Card.

He walked slowly down the stairs, the late afternoon sunlight casting warm beams through the building's gaps. His eyes remained fixed on the gang card.

[ Gang Card ]

Gang Name: Death Angel

Rank: F Members: Adam (Leader), Amel, Serina

Rental Cost: 30 Crystals

Mandatory Missions: (Exploration), (Emergency Call)

"Hm..." he muttered quietly, brows slightly furrowed. F-rank. Understandable, but still sounded too low.

He glanced at Clara, who was walking a few steps ahead, then quickened his pace to walk beside her. "Clara, what rank is your gang, Glory?"

Clara turned, grinning confidently. She raised two fingers in a V shape. "E-rank," she said proudly, her smile almost narcissistic.

Adam raised an eyebrow slightly. It hadn't even been a week since the disaster, yet the Glory gang had already reached E-rank? He couldn't help his curiosity. "What's the highest-ranked gang right now? And... how does the ranking system work?"

Clara looked excited. "Right now, the highest is the God Troop gang, D-rank," she explained. "They're a military gang. Rumor has it they were the first to lead exploration missions into deep-sea areas."

Adam nodded slowly, somewhat impressed. "Pioneers of humanity's exploration..." he murmured, tasting the words. Beside him, Amel nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling.

Clara continued, her voice growing more enthusiastic. "Another famous one is the Voice of God gang from the Surya Dharma Alliance." She leaned in slightly as if whispering a secret. "They once brought back the corpse of a 15-meter-tall mutant monster."

"Fifteen?" Amel nearly choked, her eyes wide. "That's... as big as a school building!"

Clara laughed, clearly enjoying their reactions. Adam went silent. He was beginning to realize that level and status in this new world were determined by real contributions.

"So... the ranking system is based on the number of corpses brought back?" he asked, piecing together the information.

Clara nodded firmly. "Yeah. But the corpses need to be intact, or at least still identifiable."

Adam paused to think. "Why is the alliance collecting corpses?"

"There's a rumor," Clara lowered her voice, "that they have technology to extract energy from mutant bodies. It can be used for tools, weapons, even fuel."

Adam gave a small nod, storing the information carefully. This world was changing fast, and every detail could become important later.

"Oh right," Clara added, back to her cheerful tone. "D-rank gangs can directly purchase magical equipment from the alliance."

"Magical equipment?" Amel exclaimed, her face lighting up again. "Like... fire wands? Glowing armor? Like in games?"

Clara just laughed. "Something like that. But the prices are insane."

With that, Clara returned to her spot. She tapped a small sign beside her that read "New Member Recruitment."

"Alright, that's enough chatting. I'm recruiting people so Glory can reach D-rank ASAP," she said with a wide grin.

Adam took a small step back and gave a slight bow. "Thank you very much for your help today."

Clara simply waved a hand casually. "Don't forget what I told you. Bring a truck and some porters. You'll find them east of the alliance headquarters."

She then narrowed her eyes at Amel, her expression suddenly serious. "And one more thing. Take good care of Amel."

Clara made a slicing gesture across her neck toward Adam. Her smile remained, but her eyes were sharp and piercing.

Adam froze for a moment, feeling a chill down his spine. He forced a stiff smile. "Right. Thanks... for the reminder."

After saying that, Adam turned away. Amel quickly caught up, waving back as she walked.

"Bye, Sis Clara! See you again!" she said cheerfully.

Clara waved back with a faint smile, this one gentler.

As they left the administrative area, Amel walked lightly, a small smile on her face.

"Sis Clara's not as bad as she looks," she said suddenly, more to herself. "I like her energy."

She caught up with Adam again, matching his pace.

***

PortHub #2

A 10-meter-high corrugated iron gate loomed before them, dull and rusted in several places. Adam walked ahead, silently showing his Evolver Card. Amel followed with light steps, and the armed gatekeepers let them through without hassle.

Beyond the gate, PortHub #2 stretched wide. The dusty yard full of heavy vehicles buzzed with activity. Evolvers moved about in full combat gear, while on the other side, a crowd of regular people approached them with desperate faces.

Amel took a short breath. "Boss, those people...?"

Adam didn't answer right away. His eyes swept over the thin men and women in tattered clothes trying to get the Evolvers' attention, offering themselves as porters. Some were shouted away, and a few had bottles thrown at them.

A young man in a worn-out school uniform ran up to them.

"Sir, please... take me with you. I'm strong. Just 1 crystal," he said hurriedly, his voice hoarse, his face pale.

Adam glanced at the young man—thin, but his eyes still held a spark. He looked at Amel.

"How many porters do we need?"

Amel thought for a moment. "Sis Clara said 1 truck needs 2 porters. But the more, the better."

Adam gave a small nod, then turned back to the boy. "You're coming with us."

The boy's face instantly lit up. "Thank you, sir! My name's Izul!"

Without further words, Adam walked toward the truck garage. Izul followed them, practically skipping.

Along the way, several other porters tried to offer themselves—an old woman with a limp, children with skin-and-bone bodies, and even a fat man gasping just to approach them.

Adam refused them all with a gentle shake of his head. None looked fit for heavy labor.

The truck garage welcomed them with rows of parked vehicles. On the left side, a fat man in a black cap stood by a ledger table. He glanced at them briefly, then said lazily, "Pick whichever. Rental prices are written on the front window."

Adam didn't respond. He observed the nearest truck—a white box truck, around 10 meters long. The price on the front window was bold: 500 crystals/day.

His brow twitched. "Damn, that much? That's more expensive than our gang rent," he muttered.

He moved to the next truck—a dusty green one with a slightly forward cabin. About 7 meters long, more compact. But the rental...

"400 crystals. Still pricey," he whispered, exhaling lightly.

Amel leaned closer to the truck window. "It looks cool... But we don't have that much, do we, boss?"

Adam didn't respond. He scanned the other trucks. Finally, his eyes landed on a 4-meter mini-truck with an open bed and a Suzuki logo. The rental was much more manageable: 100 crystals/day.

The fat man glanced at them again. "If you can't drive, add 10 crystals for a driver."

Adam held back a curse. "Everything here's for rent, huh..." he muttered, then pulled out 110 crystals from his bag and handed them over.

"The driver will meet you at the gate. Just wait there," the man said flatly, returning to his book.

Adam didn't reply. He gestured for Amel and Izul to follow him back toward the entrance.

Amel nudged his hand lightly as they walked. "This place is kinda scary... I feel bad for the other porters..."

Adam kept his eyes ahead. "We can't save everyone."

Before long, a pickup truck with an open bed stopped in front of them. A muscular man in the driver's seat rolled down the window.

"Mr. Adam? I'm Refa. I'll be your driver today."

Adam gave a small nod. "Get in. Amel, Izul, in the back."

"Got it!" Amel hopped lightly into the truck bed, followed by Izul, who looked a little nervous.

Adam got into the front cabin and sat next to Refa. "To the fortress wall."

Without another word, Refa started the engine and began driving, taking them toward the beginning of their next adventure.