"They call me the Mad Scientist," The man smiled widely. "But my name is Pantoran."
Nolan carefully observed him for a moment. Pantoran was in his middle twenties and had messy, shoulder-length brown hair. He wore old clothes and a dirty white coat.
'Scientist?' Nolan thought. 'Is he a self-proclaimed scientist, or...Inspect." Nolan used his skill. If the system acknowledged him as a scientist, then he must be.
[Name: Pantoran]
[Age: 24 years 6 months, 7 days]
[Personality: Crazy for science]
[Occupation: Mad Scientist]
[Martial arts: None]
[Strength:8]
[Stamina: 9]
[Agility: 12]
'He is really a scientist,' Nolan thought. He found it surprising, but he was not concerned about it.
"What is your name?" Pantoran asked.
"Nolan," Nolan replied shortly. "Pantoran, I am curious. Why are you locked down here? As far as I can see, you and I are the only ones locked down here."
"This place is below the South Prison of the City. In this place are locked war prisoners from other Kingdoms or Empires. They torture them here for information... Well, at least that is what it was used for long ago. Now, here are locked the people who had done nothing wrong but are an eyesore for someone." Pantoran explained.
"And I am here because they want the gadgets I invented." Pantoran smiled widely again. "They want me to teach them how to make them."
A/N: Gadget - A small mechanical or electronic device or tool, especially an ingenious or novel one.
"Ohh?" Pantoran aroused Nolan's curiosity. "Can you show me your gadgets?" Nolan asked.
"Hehehe. No problem," Pantoran put his hand into his pants.
'What invention is so worth to hide it there?' Nolan thought with a straight face. He did not have any expectations.
However, Nolan's eyes widened in shock when Pantoran took his gadget out of his pants.
Even though there was little light and the form was different, Nolan could never mistake it.
"A gun..." Nolan uttered unconsciously.
"Ehhh? How do you know the name of my invention?" Pantoran asked, shocked.
"No, No, impossible..." Nolan muttered in disbelief, taking a few steps back.
He sat on the concrete bed behind him and put his head into his hands.
"What's the matter?" Pantoran asked.
"What do I do? That is definitely a gun." Nolan kept mumbling. "Shall I kill him to stop the technology from developing? Or shall I guide him to monopolize the technology?"
As Nolan thought further about the consequences if the development of the technology got out of hand, his heartbeat increased.
"But is it a wise decision to end him? There will always be a person like him who pursues science.
Killing him would postpone the development of the technology for a few years at most. After a few years, another scientist advancing the technology will appear." The speed with which thoughts pilled up inside Nolan's head was astonishing.
"But if I make him work for me, with my modern knowledge, not only could he make weapons, he could help me build other machinery. But If he decides to betray me, or his research gets stolen, the weapons will be used against me."
Seeing that Nolan did not respond to him, Pantoran retreated to his concrete bed and lay.
Nolan stopped thinking out loud, and for the next few hours, he sat silently, racking his brain.
...
Two hours later.
In the two hours that passed, Nolan had made thousands of scenarios in his head. However, no matter how many scenarios he had gone through in his head, he still could not decide. Shall he kill Pantoran or not?
'System, what is your opinion?' Nolan asked.
[Host, you trust the humans too little. Not everyone is ungrateful to betray you. Also, the development of the technology is inevitable]
Clap!
"Alright then!" Nolan clapped his hands with a smile on his face. "It's decided then."
"What's decided?" Pantoran asked from the other cage.
"Pantoran, do you want to work for me?" Nolan asked.
Pantoran frowned. "Do you also want the gadgets I invented? Let me tell you. I will never let my inventions be used in war."
Nolan smiled at Pantoran's claim. "Pantoran, you are either too naive, or you say that as an excuse for the destructive weapon you made.
Do you think that if you say you will not let people use your weapons to hurt other people, in the future, when you or someone else uses the weapon to hurt others, no one will blame the creator of these weapons?
And let's be frank. Other than for hurting people, that invention of yours has no other purpose. I don't know what you had in mind when making it, but you either wanted to use it to protect yourself or to kill someone. Either way, you hurt people."
Nolan just pointed out the obvious. And, of course, being a scientist, and a smart individual, Pantoran already knew this. But he could not do anything. He had no way to stop every person in the world from using his gadgets for evil. And his passion for science and developing such gadgets was simply too great for him to stop developing them.
"Then what should I do!" Pantoran roared in frustration. "If you are so smart, show me the way!"
Nolan smiled. He finally lured Pantoran where he wanted him to be. Asking for help.
"Pantoran, you could not stop everyone. Some will use your gadgets for evil. However, if you come to my village, I will help you develop even greater gadgets. I won't lie. I will use your gadgets to hurt people, but I can promise you one thing. I will use your gadgets to hurt people, but if I hurt people with your gadgets, it will only be to protect the people in the village." Nolan said.
"T-This..." Pantoran was startled. Not only did Nolan show him the way, he also gave him that way. "Are you for real?"
"Pantoran, are you willing to become my brother?"
Slap!
Pantoran slapped his forehead. "Hahahhaha!" He burst into laughter. "I am so stupid." He stopped laughing.
"I am willing to become your brother!"
...
Outside, east of the city. In the tavern of the Black Rose organization.
Creaakkk!
The door of the tavern opened, and Harley entered inside.
Since it was the middle of the day, the tavern was half-empty, but still, there were dozens of people inside.
As Harley entered, everyone turned toward him.
Harley stood at the entrance of the restaurant for a few moments, looking around the tavern, searching for a familiar face. But after seeing that Brutus was not there, he walked straight to the bar.
"How can I help you?" The bartender behind the bar asked.
"I need to meet with Guard No.1," Harley said.
A dead silence followed across the tavern for a few seconds.
"Hahahahahhah!"
Laughter erupted in the tavern.
"You want to meet with Guard No.1? Who do you think you are?" A mocking voice came from one of the people sitting at the tables.
"He thinks he is his best buddy!" Another mocking voice followed.
Creaakkkk!
The door of the tavern opened once again, making everyone turn toward it.
Only looking at his expression, one could tell he was furious.
"What's with all this noise!" He roared angrily. He was just about to spill all of his piled-up anger on the people in the tavern, but seeing Harley leaning on the bar, he suppressed his anger and rushed to him.
"Harley, what brings you here?" He asked.
"Trouble," Harley replied shortly. "Quickly, bring me to see Guard No.1"
"Come, let's talk on the way," Brutus said, leading the way out of the tavern.
In front of the tavern was parked a carriage. The carriage with which Brutus just came.
Brutus and Harley entered the carriage, and the coachman started the carriage. They started moving toward the deeper parts of the territory of the Black Rose organization.
...
Inside the carriage.
"What happened?" Brutus asked.
"The city guards arrested Nolan. They said someone reported a lot of dead bodies before our restaurant yesterday early in the morning. I fear there is something more to this, so I came here to discuss it with Guard No.1." Harley explained.
"Sighhh!" Brutus sighed heavily. "I did not expect them to react so quickly."
"What do you mean?"
"A traitor. Yesterday night, the Viper organization bought one of the fifty men that were with us the night we destroyed the Calvus noble family.
The Viper organization had asked him for information. Information on why we attacked the Calvus family and whose idea it was.
That traitorous bastard sold Nolan out. Luckily we arrived on time before he could say your name too. Otherwise, you too might be in prison." Brutus explained, holding back a mountain of anger.
"Do you think that the Viper organization had bought the higher-ups of the City Guards, so they arrested Nolan on the Viper Organization's order?"
Brutus shook his head. "The night we attacked the Calvus noble family, the other four elite guards had led troops to destroy the property of the Viper Organization. That night we delivered a fatal blow by destroying almost eighty percent of the property of the Viper Organization.
So at the moment, they do not possess the power to buy the higher-ups of the city guards."
"That means only one thing," Harley said.
Brutus nodded. "Yes, the Viper Organization has people planted in the city guards. And the planted people are at a high position."
Harley smiled. "The situation is dire for us, but it's not the worst."
"What do you mean?" Brutus got curious.
"The higher-ups of the city guards are all powerful and influential figures. With a little digging, they will find the planted people of the Viper organization.
The people of the Viper organization must keep a low profile. So even if we attack the prison to take Nolan out, they will not be able to utilize the full power of the city guards. If they do, it will cause too much commotion and they will be discovered by the higher-ups."
"Hahahaha!" Brutus laughed. "Let's create trouble for them. Let's create such a large commotion that the higher-ups would uproot the people of the Viper Organization."
At this moment, the carriage stopped.
"We have arrived." The coachman said.
Brutus and Harley got out of the carriage. They stood in front of a large one-story building.
There were no other buildings in a radius of 500 meters (546 yards) from this building.
This building had a large iron door guarded by two heavily armed guards.
"This is the prison of our organization. Guard No.1 is inside." Brutus spoke as he walked towards the entrance of the prison. "Open the door," He said to the two guards.
The two guards immediately opened the door.
"You go inside and tell Guard No.1 what you just told me. And I will go and gather the people." Brutus said, his eyes burning with determination "Tonight, we are breaking into the prison no matter what!"