Just as the two were about to clash, a whistle sounded from the other end of the street.
Eight patrol officers, dressed in green uniforms with black trim and wearing round hats, rushed over. They wielded electric batons and shouted loudly, "Stop! No fighting!"
The bald strong man's face changed slightly. He could only glare fiercely at Durin before turning and leaving.
To maintain basic order in the Entresol Level, the most powerful people in Zaun, the Chem-Barons, discussed and formed 36 eight-person teams, working 24 hours a day in three shifts.
These teams ensured the safety of every part of the Entresol Level, which is why the Entresol Level could maintain basic order.
And small gangs like the Centipede Gang, who are only fit to live in the Undercity, snatching resources and territory, without even a backer, are basically just a bunch of unemployed vagrants in the eyes of these legitimate gang patrols!
Durin immediately helped the injured Slaut leave the area and returned to his apartment building.
On the way, Durin said, "Mr. Slaut, as you can see, this is Zaun, not a charity organization run by Piltover."
"...I know," Slaut said in a hoarse voice after a moment of silence. "I can't bear to see the children at Hope House homeless, especially since one of them is sick and needs help."
Apparently, the kick to his chest had damaged his lungs, and by the end of his sentence, he began to cough violently: "Cough, cough, cough!"
Durin, wearing a mask, patted Slaut's back to help him relieve the discomfort caused by the coughing.
After returning to the 6th floor of the apartment, Durin watched Slaut open the door and enter.
The entire room was not large, about thirty square meters, and it was filled with various items.
Durin sat down on a chair and asked with a serious expression, "You borrowed money from Mr. Reno. You owe him money, and he wants his money back. So, where is the money?"
"I don't have any money..." Slaut shook his head painfully and replied, "But if you just give me a few more days, I'll have the money! I already have a plan! It's just that I haven't gone to get it yet... Cough, cough!"
"What do you mean?"
Durin asked with a frown.
"I'm a miner, and I found a very rare crystal in the mine. You have to believe me, this crystal is really valuable! If I can extract it, I estimate it can sell for 3 gold cogwheel! Cough, cough!"
Slaut said excitedly, but his excessive emotion caused him to cough violently.
"Sir, why don't you help me too! Let's go and mine this crystal together! This is the only way you can get the money. After the crystal is sold, I won't take any of the extra two gold cogwheel; I'll give it all to you. I only need one gold cogwheel to pay off my debt."
"What kind of crystal? Why is it so expensive?" Durin asked, half-believing, half-doubting.
Two gold cogwheel, that's a considerable sum, enough for Durin to move out of the Undercity, rent a better house in the Entresol Level, get himself a good respirator, and then pay to apprentice with a blacksmith.
In a sense, it could allow him to completely escape his current situation and achieve a class leap.
"Have you heard of Synthesize Crystals? The crystal in the mine is the source material for it. I once saw someone make a lot of money by selling this crystal source material."
"Then why didn't you go in and mine it?" Durin asked in a deep voice.
Slaut shook his head and explained, "Because the crystal is deep in the mine, and there are monsters in the depths of the mine. I can't deal with those monsters alone, and I'm afraid of being heard by other miners, so I haven't found an opportunity to mine it."
Synthesize Crystals are a type of crystal similar to synthetic Hex Crystals, but more unstable, more destructive, and also capable of providing energy.
In a sense, it's a counterfeit knock-off, but it's indeed quite valuable.
"Oh? What kind of monsters?" Durin pressed on.
"Hmm... just some common small rock golems in the mine. Those little figures made of ore, no more than 1.6 meters tall, are actually not difficult to deal with. It's just that I can't deal with them alone. Cough, cough! Sir, I bet these crystals are really valuable! They will definitely sell for 3 gold cogwheel!"
Slaut replied.
"This is risky. Is there any other way?" Durin, wearing a mask, asked in a muffled voice.
Slaut shook his head in distress.
"This is the only way I can pay back the money. Sir, if you don't help me, you won't get this debt back, but if you help me... cough, cough, if you help me, you'll get a considerable reward! Please, I've already taken care of all the tricky preparations. We just need to avoid being discovered by others, cough, cough!" Slaut said sincerely, "Tomorrow night at eleven o'clock, we can meet six hundred meters south of Second Avenue in the Undercity. There's a small mine there."
"What preparations?" Durin continued to ask.
After all, this matter involved his own life, so he had to be cautious.