Chapter 2: The Appearance of a Gentleman, Section 7

Although Kukare Town was classified as just a small town, it was actually quite large. In some ways, it was even comparable to a medium-sized city. The only difference was that it had far fewer nobles—no noble would want to live in an industrial town, especially one famous for its scavengers.

Indeed, in the planet Xek, Kukare Town’s industry was among the best. Its main products were various mechanical mechs. This was precisely why Kukare Town stood out as somewhat unusual on Xek, a planet dominated by magic-based civilizations.

For the countless people living in Kukare Town, inexpensive mechanical mechs were, of course, far more attractive than expensive magic devices.

The town was circular, covering an area of over fifty square kilometers. Surrounding it was a wall made entirely of steel, over ten meters thick. Due to its heavy emphasis on industry, the town was perpetually shrouded in thick black smoke, and the air was filled with a strong acidic smell. Even the streets appeared dark, with beggars in ragged clothes and prostitutes strutting around everywhere. Kukare Town gave Blackhair the first impression of a slum in medieval America.

As expected, it truly lived up to being the idol of scavengers. As soon as the Puppet Worm entered the town, it was met with enthusiastic welcome. Crowds from all directions rushed over, ignoring their own safety, climbing onto the vehicle while waving their possessions.

“Brother, buy some! The latest crystal spears—cheap! Only twenty Kari!”
“Sir, look at how plump and fair-skinned she is. How about just one hundred Kari?”
“Hey, do you have anything to sell? I’ll buy it all! Come with me—I’ll give you a good price!”

All sorts of voices filled the air, creating a scene akin to a market, with roads even blocked. The Puppet Worm could only move slowly. Meanwhile, the scavengers on the vehicle began to push those trying to climb aboard back down.

“Hehe, Mr. Blackhair. Don’t mind them. It’s Kukare Town’s tradition—every time a scavenging team returns, they’re welcomed like this. UncleBuick is very successful in business and well-known in town, so these guys are even more enthusiastic,” one scavenger explained with a smile, noticing Blackhair’s cold expression.

With a gentle smile, Black Hair waved his hand, indicating that he was fine. His gaze, however, was fixed on a massive steel building in the distance. The building was hundreds of meters tall and covered several hectares. Its surface was darkened by industrial exhaust, but the intricate steel beams and armor could still be seen. Facing the road, several large iron doors were wide open, revealing a constant stream of people and vehicles coming in and out. “Where’s that?” Black Hair asked, pointing. “Oh, that’s our destination—the dismantling workshop in Kuukare Town. All our harvests are sent there right away. Those that can be reused are taken apart, while the rest are melted down. It’s your first time seeing this place, right? You know, our boss,Buick, is one of the major shareholders there. If you spot any mechs you like, just ask him directly—he’ll definitely satisfy your request.” “Oh?” Black Hair showed interest. “Are there mechs there?” “Of course, Mr. Black Hair. Despite the unimpressive appearance of that workshop, it’s full of functions. With the help of us scavengers, who can find mech parts everywhere, plus skilled craftsmen, what’s so hard about assembling a mech? It’s no exaggeration to say that one-third of all mechanical mechs on the planet Xieke come from here.” The scavenger who answered him puffed out his chest, clearly proud. From his expression, it was clear that this so-called dismantling workshop was a notable place in Kuukare Town. “Screech…” A harsh sound of metal friction made people frown. Sparks flew from the gaps between the Puppet Worm’s wheels. After a long journey, the scavenger team finally returned to their hometown. As soon as he got off the vehicle, Black Hair carefully examined the vast space. It was a very large factory, almost entirely made of steel frames. Above the factory, dozens of crane-like devices were constantly in motion, transporting various large parts. In the middle of the factory, a wide railway track stretched out, with three huge silhouettes standing quietly there. Sparks from welding work flew from different parts of their bodies. What a busy scene.

Three mechs, whose models remain unidentified. Kurokami was slightly surprised—it seemed the scavenger had been right; there indeed was something worth being proud of here. Though too far away to see clearly, Kurokami could tell that the configurations of those three mechs seemed somewhat uncoordinated. In other words, they were modified versions. They were complete mechs assembled from parts taken from different machines. Such skill was rare even in the Earth Federation of the past. After all, mechs are highly technological devices, and their design and assembly are mostly automated processes. Yet here, they were assembled manually and modified—Kurokami knew only a few people could do such things. The rest of it was rather boring. A failed excavation mission left OldBuick feeling depressed. Coupled with the losses in personnel during the excavation, the huge compensation costs left him barely able to hold his head up. Though he had returned to his hometown, his face remained tense, without a hint of a smile. His subordinates, on the other hand, naturally began to rest. As for the scavengers, their lives were actually quite comfortable—aside from their daily work in the disassembly workshop, they mostly just gathered to drink. Exploration and excavation were dangerous tasks; no one could guarantee they’d return alive from the next mission. So everyone acted like reckless hooligans—“give up and enjoy life” was the perfect description for them. They risked their lives for meager wages. In Kurokami’s eyes, the scavengers were pitiable, but it didn’t evoke any sympathy in him at all. Heaven couldn’t save them, the earth couldn’t save them—everything… depended only on oneself. With a gentle smile, Kurokami stepped into the shadows of the workshop.