Li Qingyu took the vial and looked inside: there were about thirty poison pills.
"How much?"
"Two thousand," replied Black Merchant Nipal.
Li Qingyu inhaled sharply:
"So expensive?!"
Black Merchant Nipal took out a pistol, put his finger through the trigger guard, and spun the weapon.
"This one is cheap. Only two hundred. Taking it?"
"Speculator," Li Qingyu cursed quietly, but counted out two thousand.
Black Merchant Nipal took the money and began counting bill by bill. Pleasure reflected on his face: finally, he saw a return from the Marauder. Bliss!
Hiding the medicine, Li Qingyu remembered a matter:
"Hey, listen. If I also want to create a gang, what do I need for that?"
The black merchant's hand froze.
"You want to create a gang?"
Li Qingyu nodded.
"I need to find people for various small things."
Black Merchant Nipal looked closely at Li Qingyu. Seeing that he was serious, he rubbed his chin, thinking, and said:
"Come with me."
He set aside his business, led Li Qingyu into a separate room deep in the shop, and, seating his guest, began to explain:
"Gang organizations can be divided into two types. The first type is nomadic gangs that have joined larger groups. Their scale is small, they have no permanent staff, no base, no jobs – they have nothing. Just a bunch of Lower Hive rats who are a little braver than the rest, gathered into a pack. They have no future."
"And there's the second type, like our Fertilizer Gang. We have a permanent core, a permanent boss, a permanent base, and, most importantly, official production. My boss, Electric Eye, is from the Upper Hive. His name is on the lists of the Planetary Governor, and the fertilizer we produce is tribute that we pay upwards."
"For people like Boss Electric Eye, who have connections to the very top, creating a gang means creating official jobs. And you must understand how important it is to have a normal job in the Lower Hive."
Li Qingyu nodded. Lower Hive society is cruel: the unemployed are alive today and dead tomorrow, with no guarantees. But once you get a job – any job – your life gains some protection. You immediately become higher than ninety percent of the Lower Hive population.
Jobs in the Lower Hive are usually provided by large gangs. Like the Fertilizer Gang: for the fertilizer quota, they have to hire workers. The Fertilizer Gang only recruits those who have families: relatives go to the factory, and able-bodied young men go to fight and die.
The situation is similar in the Chemical Gang. Their official product is a chemical that also goes as tribute to the Planetary Governor, and the drug syringes are just a byproduct.
"In short, you can create either a small gang or a large one," Nepal continued. "In the case of a small one, you just pay a few people to do your errands and join some large clan for survival. But you won't be able to provide them with stable official work, so they won't stay with you for long. The turnover will be terrible, let alone loyalty."
"As for a large gang... You need the status of an Upper Hive resident, registration with the Planetary Governor, and an official contract. Then you return to the Lower Hive, fence off a piece of land, and people will crawl to ask for work themselves. By copying the model of the Fertilizer Gang, you will surround yourself with a crowd of loyal and reliable subordinates."
Of course, the second option was impossible for now: Li Qingyu did not yet have such social status.
"Now you can only create a gang of rats," Black Merchant Nepal concluded. "With your abilities, supporting a dozen or so people is not a problem. If you agree to go under Boss Electric Eye, I will give you some support."
Li Qingyu shook his head:
"I'm the kind of person who prefers to be the head of a chicken rather than the tail of a phoenix. Being a gofer is not for me."
The black merchant smiled and didn't insist, but in his heart, he began to appreciate Li Qingyu even more. This man was not only desperate and kept some secrets, but also ambitious. Who knows, maybe one day he would soar high? It's better to establish good relations with him now. What if this guy becomes a big shot in the future – then Nepal will also benefit.
After thinking about it, he shouted towards the door:
"Knife, come in!"
The door opened, and Knife entered.
"Boss Nepal? Mister Marauder?"
"You need people for tasks," the black merchant said to Li Qingyu. "Let Knife work for you now."
Li Qingyu looked at Knife. He looked confused: what, had he been sold just like that?
Li Qingyu, looking at him, thought for a moment and asked:
"Knife, do you want to work for me?"
He really needed someone for the routine, otherwise doing everything himself was too tiring.
Doubt reflected on Knife's face. Working in the Fertilizer Gang was good, his career seemed bright and grand, and now suddenly going to a loner – the future became unpredictable.
However... he remembered the Arena. He remembered how this man had coldly shot the Muscle Dogs and Chemical Pigs.
This man was one of the few in the Lower Hive who shaped his own destiny. If he followed him, then perhaps...
"I agree! Boss Marauder!"
Having made his decision, Knife immediately dropped to one knee.
"Don't worry," Li Qingyu said. "I'll only assign you all sorts of small things, I won't send you to your death. You can continue to live here, in the Fertilizer Gang's compound. You will be our liaison with your boss Nepal."
Having finished speaking, Li Qingyu looked at the black merchant:
"Nepal, you don't mind? It's a bit cramped there, there's no room for an adult man. Let him live with you, work for me, and pass messages."
"Of course, I don't mind," Nepal laughed. "It's even better this way."
Li Qingyu nodded. Looking at his "freelance assistant," he decided he needed to issue moving expenses.
He took out 1000 coupons for fertilizer and put them into Knife's hand.
"Here. This is for your moving expenses. If you are with me, I won't promise golden mountains, but you will have more than enough to live on."
Looking at the thousand coupons in his hand, Knife almost rolled his eyes with delight.
An ordinary low-level gang fighter like him received 50 coupons a month – less than a peasant outside the Hive. Although for the Lower Hive, where barter reigned, this was already considered a good income.
Receiving 1000 coupons at once made Knife a real rich man by Lower Hive standards.
In a burst of gratitude, he was about to hit his forehead on the floor.
"You took my money – work conscientiously," Li Qingyu stopped him. "Here's your first task: find 10 steel pipes, 20 wooden planks, and some bolts and nuts. Bring it all to that compartment near the pipeline."
Yes, Li Qingyu had effectively used Knife as a Wild in a raid, sending him to collect building materials to improve the Shelter.