Code Collector

Allen was technically working illegally. He's an underground dealer who wants to prey on people he can make connections on. But he's not just working on just any person, he has to make sure that he's dealing with three things.

One, people must have the connections that he can use as a ladder to climb up the society. They doesn't have to be rich, but as long as they have the right price on their heads, Allen would go for them.

Another one would be desperation. He wanted to be a figure who these people could turn to in their most trying times. If he can find desperate cleints, he will surely become a beacon for the poor and unprivileged.

The second ingredient would lead to the third ingredient which would be trust. He operates his business of Codes, weapons, and items without paying taxes, therefore there's always a risk.

If he finds clients with desperation, they would then become a faithful customer. They would keep him as a secret along with their transaction.

This woman right in front of him has all three. After listening to the two other women who treated her like sh*t, Allen had found his first client.

"W-What deal?" the woman asked, slowly lifting herself up. "I don't have any money with me."

Allen was in his first Alter Ego. He wore a wooden masked and the Cloak of Nobody with him. The cloak had a hood attached to it that he used to cover his hair. The mask he was using was from when he was in the forest.

It was an oval mask that had an upside down V shape for his mouth and for the bottom of his nose. He carved this mask from wood using his Sunset Dagger. It took him a couple of hours to do it since he had to measure the curve of his face so it would fit in the mask.

"But you have a Code," Allen said. "If you can get me that Code, I'll surely give you money. How much do you need?"

"Fifty thousand dollars for my son's operation," she said. "But I cannot give you the Code. It's my husband's most prized possession."

"So, you have it then," Allen chuckled. "You told the other women that you don't have it. Why would you lie?"

"Their father was responsible for my husband's bankruptcy and death," she grit her teeth. "If I could just take my revenge on them, I would."

Her words were like an energy booster in Allen's ears. It was like there other voices whispering to him, asking for blood. Allen tried to suppress the voices, but as he continued to feel the woman's anger, the voices got stronger.

"Do you want me to kill them?"

Even Allen's eyes widened after he blurted those words randomly. He immediately recovered his composure, but didn't speak any more words after.

"I'm not a murderer," she said. "I don't kill."

Allen smirked and leaned closer to the woman, "You're not a murderer if I'm going to kill them. Your hands are clean and your conscience is going to be clear–"

"No," the woman immediately shut the conversation down. "I-I only need to borrow money. I don't want blood to be spilled."

"Then I'll use your Code as a collateral," Allen suggested, making the woman's ears twitch after hearing it. "I can lend you the money and give you three months to pay it back. You can easily earn money back from hunting."

Desperate times calls for desperate measure.

"I'll do it," the woman spoke with confidence. "But I don't know if I could trust you with such Code. Fifty thousand dollars for a Rare grade Code…"

"There's no other offer in the market like this," Allen said. "You can't expect to lend money as large as that and use a Code for collateral. As much, you can get around ten thousand."

Allen was telling the truth. Along with the rise of businesses was the rise of greed in people. Most lending companies have shut down, turning themselves into companies who deals with Codes.

Since they control the market, they control the price. Fifty thousand dollars and a collateral of as single Rare grade Code would be impossible. Allen studied all of these after stealing some of Jake Summer's books.

His last statement made the woman thought deeply. She looked at Allen and her hand, contemplating. "How am I sure that I can trust you?"

"Because I trust you," Allen said. "Ma'am, I am someone who operates illegally. This would mean that I'm always at risk. If you want, I'll give you time. We should meet here in two hours. By then, I wish to have an answer."

"No," the woman shook her head. "I'll give you my Code, not as collateral, but I'll sell it. But I have to make more requests."

Allen had already known where this is going. This woman was angry, and she was willing to give all her belongings for revenge.

"Tell me your conditions," Allen said.

This made the woman smirk and nod. "First, I want the price to be seventy five thousand. I know Rare grade Codes could fetch up more, reaching up to two or three times that price."

This took Allen aback. He didn't expect her to raise the price. Currently, he only has less than fifty thousand dollars. He will have to sell three Basic grade Codes to make up for the money.

The good thing about his business was that he doesn't need to just operate underground. He was a normal Hunter on the outside, his alter egos does the illegal businesses. Using his Hunter self, he can sell Codes like any other Hunter would.

"And the other one?" Allen quirked his brow up, fully knowing the woman doesn't see it.

"I want you to hurt those two," she said. "The reason for my husband's ruined name was those b*tches. They used their pretty faces to get what they want."

Allen hummed, "So, what do you want me to do then?"

"I want you to destroy their faces."