Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

Bai E's proposal was merely a vision for the future; actualization was certainly not an overnight effort.

The application of the Dynamic Source Sword and Miniaturized Kinetic Theory, as well as Mecha modification plan 2.0, involved numerous technologies that needed time to be refined and synced with each other.

The pressing matter at hand was to expedite the production of each batch of bioengineered humanoids and to complete their training.

The nobles' demands following the first rebellion were not met, being vetoed in the final vote of the parliament; they were even warned by the higher-ups of the Elder Council.

They would certainly lay low for a short while, but this silence would not last long.

The next outbreak would be even more intense; he must complete the construction of the military before that time in order to seize the opportunity and see if he could fulfill his ultimate ambition.

...

The "Doctor" gang members who were released could hardly believe this turn of events.

"We're released?"

"We're fine? We're fine?! Hahaha! We're fine!"

"I thought we were goners this time! Turns out, those noble masters aren't that bad, eh? Looks like I had them all wrong, hahaha!"

"You really think there're good people among those noble masters? If it wasn't for our leader's relationship with the big shots in the barracks, we would've been dead for sure. Didn't you see how those who arrested us were looking down their noses at us?"

"Right, boss?"

"..." The old man shook his head, not responding.

He knew he had no actual connection with the other party; indeed, the event they had just gone through was the first time they had met.

However, the other party too originated from bioengineered humanoids – bioengineered humanoids understand each other, and perhaps that was enough.

Their origins sharing the same roots, the other wasn't tainted by the city's rules.

The only surprise was... that someone of a bioengineered humanoid origin could obtain such a level of influence in the city.

He didn't know what had happened in the barracks during the time after he left.

Perhaps... he could contact the brothers from Black Street.

They seemed to maintain some communication with the people in the barracks, and they might have a better understanding of the current situation there.

Thinking this, the old man casually asked those around him, "What is everyone thinking of doing next?"

Not all members of the gang were old soldiers retired from the barracks.

In fact, apart from the leader, most of their backgrounds were not much different from riffraff.

They were rescued by the leader in their most desperate times and even provided with free prosthetics, which led them to follow the leader out of gratitude and to help him.

And now... the old man no longer wanted to maintain this gang.

The sole reason for establishing the gang was to garner funds under its name to support technological research and development.

But now that his goal had been achieved and the old soldiers' will had been carried out, he wanted to live for himself in the days to come...

His words instantly startled the brothers in the gang, "Boss?"

"Boss?!"

"It's nothing, it's nothing..." The old man waved his hands with a grin, "I'm just getting old. If you guys want to keep this gang going, it's up to you. But I have one request for you, do not engage in illicit activities."

The battle gang actually had plenty of ways to make money and could survive without relying on oppression or strife, but life might not have been as comfortable or as free as it otherwise could be.

However, the "Doctor" battle gang always survived on mission commissions and prosthetic surgery earnings, and there was no change in style for the individuals in the gang.

And since everyone was safe and sound, Wolf-Scorpion and Wen Jie naturally had no issues either.

Wolf-Scorpion held considerable prestige within the gang, and Wen Jie now had full mastery of the gang's core technologies.

If they were willing to take over, the Leader had no objections.

Seeing all those old brothers teary-eyed, the Leader couldn't stand the over-sentimentality and, with a wave of his hand, said his dashing farewell, "Alright, alright, I'm off. Whether you have your own lives to live or want to continue maintaining this battle gang, that's all your own choice. Don't bother me unless there's something important. I'm out!"

Under the morning light, the old man walked towards the outskirts of the city.

After he shed his former identity, the first thing he wanted to do was to return to that original spot outside the city.

After leaving the barracks, they started a brief life in the closest settlement outside the city, which over time became known to people as the old soldiers' camp.

The initial group that had started with him ventured into the city, and to prevent any future troubles from deeply implicating those old soldiers left behind, they had completely disconnected, only later providing some assistance within their means without revealing their identities, once they had become somewhat capable.

But now... as he was alone without attachments, he could naturally come back to see what that initial camp had turned into.

Once out of the city, following his memory, the old man headed straight for that past settlement.

In his memory, the settlement was shabby, full of dark corners, damp moss, and rotting mud.

The environment wasn't good, but under the soft light of memory, it seemed somewhat warm.

But now...

The old man turned around, looking up at everything before him.

He felt dizzy as the bright and angular buildings seemed to spin into his view.

Wen Jie had mentioned that the place had changed a lot... but this change was simply too drastic, wasn't it?

Putting a bit of force into his step, he could only feel the hard concrete ground beneath him.

The roads were wide and crisscrossed in a grid pattern, without the twisty turns of the past.

If one disregarded the minor risks outside the city limits, this new settlement was much, much better than the city's interior, polluted by oily air.

Perhaps the retirement place of his dreams could only look like this now?

Seemingly noticing the old man's bewildered stance, a bald man with prosthetic limbs called out with a smile from the corner, "Old man, is this your first time here?"

Ever since Black Street opened up trade with other places, new faces were often seen here.

But those people usually traveled in groups and all had clear intentions.

Even if they were surprised by the buildings they had helped construct, they wouldn't show this complete confusion.

Only those who had run out of options elsewhere or were returning from the wilderness would look like this.

These people could be absorbed into Black Street and become part of it.

Strengthening Black Street's power meant strengthening the power of that former "teammate."

"Yes..." the old man nodded, "And how may I address you?"

"Tiger, you can call me Tiger."