To show his sincerity, the middle-aged man opened the plastic bag and took out the A-grade W-Engine inside.
"I don't have any Dennies. Can I use this A-grade W-Engine as my commission fee?"
"There's no rule that says you can pay with a W-Engine... Wait, did you say A-grade? Let me take a look."
Nicole had assumed the man was referring to an ordinary W-Engine—he looked so plain, after all—and she was just about to turn him down.
Then it hit her: he really did say A-grade.
The moment she laid eyes on it, Nicole's gaze sharpened.
"Maxed-out stats, and it even reduces Ether erosion for the user... This is top-tier. Are you sure it's just A-grade?"
She held the engine, turning it over carefully in her hands.
It was indeed A-grade.
While its stats and effects were excellent, it still fell just a hair short of S-grade.
After hearing Nicole's doubts, the man explained seriously, "It's an assembled W-Engine. Some of the parts came from S-grade engines, which is why its performance is slightly higher than that of a typical A-grade. So, can I use it as payment?"
Nicole quickly agreed. "Absolutely. But... we're swamped at Hare's House today."
Though she'd instantly taken a liking to the engine, Nicole wasn't the type to let money cloud her judgment. Today was the day Vision Company stood trial, and she was representing the citizens of Canvas Lane in court. She simply didn't have time to take on a commission.
Seeing her hesitate, the middle-aged man added slowly, "My request isn't complicated. Just one person is enough to handle it."
Nicole raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then let's hear it. What exactly do you want?"
The man replied, "I used to be a W-Engine designer. I want you to take me to the black market and the hidden W-Engine shops around the districts to find a specific engine I made."
Nicole blinked in surprise. "That's all?"
Just guiding someone around... and he was offering such a high-quality A-grade W-Engine?
By her estimate, this engine was worth a fortune. On the black market, it could easily fetch 350,000 Dennies—possibly even up to a million.
Even Nicole herself was reluctant to sell it. She'd much rather keep it for personal use.
It had been a long time since she'd met a client this generous.
The man nodded. "That's really all. But I have one more request—I don't have any Dennies. If we find the engine I'm looking for, I'd like your help buying it."
In other words, the A-grade W-Engine he offered wasn't just for the commission—it was also supposed to cover the purchase of his target engine.
Nicole frowned. "You want us to pay?"
Using a W-Engine to commission Hare's House to find another W-Engine...
No cash, and they'd have to spend their Dennies?
This was definitely a first.
Nicole furrowed her brows. "How do we know what kind of engine you're after? What if it turns out to be an S-grade? We couldn't afford that even if we sold Hare's House."
The man let out a sigh. "It's not S-grade—just another A-grade W-Engine."
Nicole shook her head. "Still no."
The way she saw it, they'd be giving away an A-grade engine just to buy another A-grade engine for him. They'd be running around all day for nothing—a total loss.
Seeing her refusal, the man quickly added, "It's a damaged A-grade. Market price definitely won't exceed 50,000 Dennies."
That changed things.
Nicole crossed her arms. "You said it. If it costs more than 50,000, Hare's House won't be footing the bill."
The man nodded immediately. "Don't worry. To everyone else, that engine's just junk."
Once they accepted the commission, the next question was: who would guide the man?
Nicole was out—she had to be in court to confront Vision Company and fight for Canvas Lane.
Billy waved his hands. "I can't skip the trial! I prepared all the case files. If I'm not there and you miss something, the whole case could fall apart."
Annby glanced at Nekomata. "She's probably the best fit..."
Nekomata shook her head quickly. "Nicole knows—I'm terrible at giving directions."
With everyone offering reasons not to go, Nicole turned her hopeful eyes to Sam Li.
Sam Li gave a calm nod. "Leave it to me."
Nicole smiled, satisfied. "Knew I could count on you. The four of us will handle Vision Company in court. You take this one. And remember—those W-Engine shop owners are all sharks. If you find the target engine, make sure to haggle. Start by cutting the price in half."
After passing the task to Sam Li, Nicole, Annby, Billy, and Nekomata gathered up all their prepared documents and headed to the meeting point. They were scheduled to ride an airship alongside the team escorting Perlman to court.
Sam Li watched them leave, then picked up his birdcage, added a bit more feed for the finch, and turned to the man beside him.
"How should I address you, sir?"
The man hesitated, then replied, "Just call me Cass."
Sam Li gave a slight nod. "Alright, Mr. Cass. Let's get going."
Ever since his last outing with Nicole to a few W-Engine shops, Sam Li had memorized their locations.
With his own knowledge combined, he had a solid grasp of every hidden W-Engine shop across Janus District, as well as the location of the black market.
If the target engine was stocked anywhere, they'd find it.
Their first stop was an underground black market—one of New Eridu's most infamous underworld strongholds, much like the flower-bird-fish-insect market.
They didn't just deal in smuggled W-Engines here.
There were custom drive disks, potions that quickly restored stamina, drugs that granted temporary immunity to Ether corrosion... even fake credentials for the Public Security Bureau and the Defense Force.
"Counterfeit security badges! A must for any Hollower. If you run into guards in the Hollow, just flash this and walk away. One-to-one replicas—they can't tell the difference. Totally legit..."
"Sir, wait! We even have the Director of Security Bureau's ID card!"
"Looking for a W-Engine? Brand-new model—must-have for Hollow exploration!"
"Defense Force's latest prototype! One shot can take down a Notoriety Ethereal. Want one, sir?"
Nobody in this place was your average citizen.
They were all Hollow raiders, gangsters, or smugglers.
Everywhere Sam Li walked, smugglers would block his path, trying to pitch their latest wares.