Mercenary system: Let Me Die , B**ch

POV: The Narrator

"I need your help hiring two individuals for a… somewhat unusual mission. And also several desperate people with no particular skills."

Andrew handed two additional gold bars to Eda before explaining the mission these two individuals would undertake during the evening—a night promising chaos, as Balalaika had lost her men.

"I get why you'd hire Shenhua and Frederica Sawyer, but why those losers?"

Andrew was determined to avoid facing Hotel Moscow alone, but an elite team wouldn't be enough to distract them while saving the twins.

This universe didn't have superpowers to create those action-movie scenarios.

That's why he decided to hire desperate people to preoccupy Balalaika and her subordinates, while he focused on rescuing the twins with an elite team.

Why desperate people in particular?

Because they had nothing to lose and an urgent need for money, meaning they'd fight fiercely for their reward.

"Balalaika needs to be utterly occupied with an emergency given the current situation. Otherwise, I won't be able to get those kids out of town."

Though Andrew's explanations were vague, Eda grasped the usefulness of these desperate people, who had no stake in this other than survival.

*Sigh*. Eda lit a cigarette, exhaling the smoke in the confessional.

"I have to say, you seem to know a lot about Balalaika and what's going on in the city, but…" After stretching, Eda looked at Andrew without hiding her confusion.

"Why go through all this trouble to save them? Don't tell me you're some kind of creep into little girls or boys?"

Eda's words nearly made Andrew choke on his saliva. That conclusion was so outrageous it caught him completely off guard.

'Okay, fine. She's CIA and has spent too much time in this rotten city. Makes sense she'd only see the worst in people,'Andrew thought as he tried to stay calm.

"I just want to help these kids leave this town for personal reasons. Nothing immoral about that, right?" he said in a clear and measured tone.

Eda watched him for a moment, then shrugged.

"If you say so," she replied, standing up.

She no longer seemed interested in prying further into Andrew's intentions.

"I'll reach out to some contacts to fulfill your request and keep things as anonymous as possible," she said as she walked out of the confessional.

"But I can't promise your crazy plan will succeed, and I'll keep the rest of the money as my commission, hehe."

Eda hurried off, her good mood apparent. She didn't seem keen to argue with Andrew over the money.

'Maybe I'm too honest for this city? Isn't it customary to pay after the job in Roanapur?' Andrew thought, shivering as he realized he'd overlooked such a crucial detail.

Luckily, Eda assumed Andrew was testing her professionalism from the start of their conversation.

Because of this, she maintained professionalism to secure future, equally lucrative transactions instead of scamming him outright.

This misunderstanding spared Andrew from losing all his fake gold bars, though he had already spent four.

….

Ten hours later…

"You're supposed to be two, not three, right?"

Andrew wasn't the only one feeling bewildered in the alleyway; Eda also looked surprised by their numbers.

"Sorry, brought Bunny along. She insisted too much," explained Shenhua with her thick Asian accent as she cleaned her kukri knives.

(Image)

Andrew eyed the sensual Taiwanese woman, slightly put off by her peculiar English, before turning his attention to the other two women.

"Sorry, sorry! I really wanted to join Frederica's fun mission, so I invited myself along!" the masked girl said, striking a playful pose.

(Image)

Sigh. "As long as it doesn't raise the mission's cost," Andrew said, checking his weapon and ammunition.

"So, did the broker explain the mission, or should I?" he asked after finishing his equipment check.

"They're not aware of your plan or the twins, but they know we'll be going up against Hotel Moscow tonight," Eda replied in a low voice.

"I… I… want to… know… your name…"

A fractured, eerie voice drew Andrew's attention.

The person speaking had an electronic, slightly terrifying voice: Frederica Sawyer.

(Image)

Andrew stared at the unsettling woman with her chainsaw before she spoke again.

[Why can't I meet his eyes?]

[He's so cute! I want to open him up for an autopsy… but I also want to keep him!!]

[I hope he's not scared of me…]

Despite the menacing aura Frederica radiated, her secrets were surprisingly sweeter than Leyley's or Eda's, at least from Andrew's point of view.

'Except for that comment about performing an autopsy on me, she's just like Leyley.'

Andrew briefly forgot his dear sister was far more unbalanced than Frederica, dabbling in cannibalism, whereas the latter contented herself with slicing flesh.

"My name is Andrew Graves, and as you already know, I'm your employer," he said with a polite smile.

Frederica looked caught off guard by his smile, immediately averting her gaze to avoid meeting his eyes again.

This reaction gave Andrew an irresistible urge to pat her head.

Though this girl was a psychopath, she looked so cute to him that he couldn't resist.

Frederica slowly closed her eyes and relaxed under his hand.

"Uh… Casanova, you forgot to explain the plan and verify who's in or out," Eda's irritated voice snapped Andrew and Frederica out of their little world.

"I also like cute boys like Frederica, but I enjoy stabbing men far too much to start a relationship," Shenhua added, her tone oddly complex as she weighed in on the strange atmosphere between Andrew and Frederica.

Bunny said nothing, but she covered her mouth, seemingly shocked by Frederica's submissiveness toward Andrew.

'It seems my power works a little too well on Frederica compared to Eda or Shenhua.'

This conclusion wasn't far off.

The ability called Five Points Star Mark from the manga Rokudou no Onna-tachi increased the affection of 'bad girls' toward Andrew, though it didn't guarantee love—it depended on the woman's level of delinquency.

For example, Eda fit the criteria for a "bad girl," but she wasn't a pure sadist or psychopath like Frederica, who took joy in killing and dismembering people with her chainsaw.

Thus, Eda wasn't affected to the point of developing a crush on Andrew; she merely felt a strong attraction, which was already enough for him.

Frederica, on the other hand, developed an immediate crush.

For now, Andrew placed Shenhua in the same category as Eda, as she'd only expressed a passing interest in boys like him.

"Sorry, I got a bit captivated by Frederica since she reminds me of my little sister," Andrew explained honestly, without mentioning the special relationship he had with his sister.

"Anyway, here's the plan…"

Andrew outlined everyone's roles during the chaos as Hotel Moscow and the Triad launched a manhunt for the twins.

It was crucial for the desperate men Eda had hired to set fire to Hotel Moscow while avoiding direct confrontation.

They were to exchange gunfire and hold out for at least two hours.

Andrew didn't feel confident enough to engage in a full-scale battle against Hotel Moscow.

Those guys were literal soldiers, not street thugs.

During this diversion, Eda and Andrew would eliminate anyone standing in the twins' escape route.

"Frederica and Shenhua will escort the twins to Lagoon Company using this route," he announced.

The escape route had been provided by Eda, as Andrew recalled she'd helped one of the twins reach Lagoon Company in the original story.

Thus, he was certain Balalaika wouldn't have any information on it.

"And me?!" Bunny asked, her voice filled with hope.

"You'll take all the injured from this event to the cemetery. You'll get a bonus if they're all incapacitated."

There would be many casualties, and Andrew was sure most of them would be disgusting individuals.

'Might as well gain some strength before rejoining the twins, 'Andrew thought, a smile creeping onto his face.