Code Collector

Allen froze after hearing the old man's words. He tried to shake his head in case he misheard it, but Jack continued.

"It's not often that people would come to me to ask for gossip," Jack said. "And you made it quite obvious by how interested you were in the case."

"Sir…" Allen trailed off. "I think you're misunderstanding it. I am not the Phantom Cunt. I am just someone who's interested in his identity."

"Then why were you in the alley?" Jack narrowed his eyes. "There's a lot of alleys in this camp, and it just so happened that you were right in the alley I was in."

Allen pointed at his apartment that wasn't too far from where they are, "That's where I live."

"Oh," Jack formed an O with his mouth. He pursed his lips and snorted. "I guess I was mistaken. This doesn't happen very often."

Allen felt a thorn in his heart being removed. He was so nervous when Jack confronted him, that he was going into hiding again. Good thing his apartment was near where they are so he had an alibi.

"Well, anyway," Jack cleared his throat. "I'll be off. Goodbye, young man. Don't expect me in the stall tomorrow. Verta Carta will move to Camp Rudolph because we're done with our business here."

Allen wanted to ask what their business was just when the group of men that followed Jack came out of the alley. They were carrying two bags that must've contained the bodies of the ones that tried to hurt their leader earlier.

"Yes," Jack said without even letting Allen ask. "Those are the men."

"Oh," Allen only whispered. "I don't– I think I'm gonna go."

"Not yet," Jack walked up to Allen, making the boy gulp in fear. "I was bored by having my day-to-day life here just being repetitive as hell. When you started asking questions, I started my own hobby of collecting information."

"Sir…" Allen trailed off. He knew where this is going, or at least he knew two possible outcomes. Either Jack is gonna ask him for a favor, or Jack will kill him. It was either of the two, he was just so sure of it.

Allen waited for his fate. Jack lifted his right hand, making the boy flinch. "Relax, child. I'm not going to hurt you."

One of Jack's men walked up to them and gave the old man a small USB flashdrive. He offered the flashdrive to Allen, "If you want more gossip, this flashdrive contains the database to information regarding everyone in this camp. We have no use for such information anymore, and it would be a waste if I just throw it.

"The information includes the names, family, blood type, affiliations, even debts, and registered Codes of these people. From the top of the social pyramid, down to the bottom," Jack said. "Even the missing people are in that drive, so if you ever see anyone in the forest you can see them there."

Allen bowed and took the flashdrive, holding it tightly in his hand as he received what's going to be one of his greatest weapons as The Wandering Trader. This small device contains information regarding everyone in this camp.

This also means that this will contain every potential client he will have.

But wait. Allen asked himslef. How did Jack knew that he was frequently at the forest.

The boy looked up to ask the old man, but he found himself alone in the side of the street. He tried to look around but saw nothing there, only him.

Grumble. Grumble.

Allen looked at his stomach and remembered why he got out of his room in the first place. He was hunrgy. Placing the flashdrive into his Inventory, Allen walked to the restaurant. Tonight, he will study everyone in the camp.

–

"I don't want to do this anymore," Allen groaned. He was on his computer that he brought, classifying potential clients.

He was doing this at the same time continuing his investigation on the Phantom Cunt case. Doing two tasks at once was more than exhausting for him that he just wanted to give up.

"I swear to god," Allen groaned. "If I know who the person trying to hold The Wandering Trader liable for their actions, I'm going to stab him in the face."

Ding. Dong.

Allen snapped out of his thoughts and cleared his desktop. He also cleared his table where the files and papers regarding the case was. He knew who the person at the door was too so he didn't have to hurry.

Ding. Dong.

"Coming!" Allen yelled. He lazily placed everything to their rightful places and ruffled his furniture a bit, trying to pretend that he was doing something else that's why he couldn't answer the door right away.

"Allen, you have a visitor," Gary said.

The boy sighed after hearing the man. After the incident, Gary had always visited Allen almost every single day. The man's character went from serious and cold to almost submissive and cheerful.

"I know it's just you," Allen yelled. "Wait a minute, okay?"

"But I'm not here alone," Gary said, making the boy purse his lips. "Someone's here to see you too."

"Allen, can I come inside to talk?" Gwen called out, making Allen gasp and hurry with the scene he wanted to convey.

He groaned after realizing that a girl was going inside his room, so he cleaned everything once again. Gwen was the first girl he ever brought to his room since this was his first room ever. He wanted to make sure she was comfortable and doesn't think that Allen was a slob.

"Please, wait for a couple of minutes," Allen yelled, rushing to clean everything. "I'm almost done."

"The pizza is getting cold, Allen," Gary yelled. "Hurry up or we'll eat this right here in the hallway."

Allen groaned and hurried as fast as he can. Not a few minutes more, he was opening the door and the two people outside was grinning at him.

"Hi," Allen waved his hand to the police woman. Gary handed him the box of pizza to which he took. "What brings you here?"

"I just have a couple of questions," Gwen said, looking around the room. "I don't really intend on staying much longer since I have people to heal back at the station."

"Of course, of course," Allen said. "What can I do for you?"

"What's your connection between Verta Carta Gang?" Gwen asked without any hesitation. Gary was at the background, eating the pizza while looking at the both of them. "I have CCTV footage of you talking to their leader yesterday night before they disappeared, and a couple more when you were at the market."

"I–"

Before Allen could continue, Gwen took out a small harpoon gun and pointed it at Allen, "Remember that everything you say or do can be used against you in the court of law."

"I didn't know he was in a gang," Allen said honestly. "Yesterday night, I was going out to eat because I was hungry when I heard Jack being attacked. When I tried to go in the middle, Jack's men came and he said that he was in the gang, but I swear I'm not part of them."

Gwen didn't lower his gun neither did she dropped her expression, "Then what was the thing that Jack handed you before he disappeared together with his men?"

Allen wanted to gulp or do anything because of fear, but he had to stop himself. He was just going to tell Gwen a little white lie that was believable but stupid at the same time. He can't get caught in the middle of their ruckus like this. He had more plans in the future.

"Oh, that thing," Allen said, raising his finger like a lightbulb lit up above his head. He turned around and took something in his drawer, holding it out on top of his palm. "He gave me this little pendant. He said it was for good luck."