karlmaks
Stories
7
Chapters
3,381
Words
5.9 M
Comments
20
Reading
20 d, 11 h
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Anderson sat on a chair in the back alley, smoking a cigarette. He enjoyed these brief moments of calm after the rush. For the past two years, business in Jingang City hadn’t been as easy as it seemed. The whole Federation, and even the entire world, knew that Jingang City was crafting an economic miracle. Countless "adventurers" and "gold seekers" came here from all over the globe. The most common arrivals? Illegal immigrants. At this point in time, the Federation had thirty-six states and hundreds…-
1.5 M • Ongoing
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“Where’s Johnny?” The apprentice rolled his eyes at the familiar, irritating voice and looked up at Lance. “You can’t just call him by his name. You should say ‘boss’ or ‘sir!’” “And you missed tonight’s peak hours. The boss is furious and says he’s docking your pay—a lot of it!” The apprentice smirked, his expression one of petty satisfaction. Though his own life was miserable—over six months in the bakery, and all he’d learned was kneading dough. The chubby boss was…
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1.5 M • Ongoing
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In the morning, Lance bought himself a new set of clothes for ten bucks. Instead of having a tailor custom-make something for him, he picked up off-the-rack attire from a street vendor. It didn’t fit perfectly, but to him, it was already great. He then headed to the Kodak Family's casino in the Bay Area of Jingang City to exchange some chips for cash. Unlike those hidden, underground casinos tucked away from prying eyes, the Kodak Family’s Bay Area casino was the complete opposite. Perched…
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1.5 M • Ongoing
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The chips were new, round, and smooth, with denominations of twenty, fifty, and a hundred. Lance wasn’t entirely sure if they could be considered cash. He told Ethan to keep an eye on Mr. White and took two chips downstairs to a payphone, dialing the number Fordis had given him. Soon, the receptionist’s sweet voice came through, “Thank you for calling Lianzu Finance. How may we help you?” Lance could imagine her speaking in a disinterested tone while doing something unrelated. “It’s Lance.…
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1.5 M • Ongoing
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After discussing the second job, Alberto packed up the chips on his desk, ready for his Kodak Family casino agent to exchange them for cash and return with it. He then placed two twenty-dollar bills on the table, sliding them toward Lance with a firm finger. “Take your friends out for a nice drink, and pick up some clothes. You’re representing the company now as well as yourselves.” Alberto could only imagine what they looked like and was relieved Lance hadn’t brought them inside—otherwise, his…
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1.5 M • Ongoing
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The apartment was in the city’s central ring. In Jingang City, there were two main hotspots: the city center, where high-end hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and casinos attracted crowds, and the port area, catering to the working class with affordable entertainment. Whereas a private show at a downtown strip bar cost at least fifty dollars for thirty minutes, similar services at a lively port bar only cost ten dollars, with an extra five for an additional "hands-on" experience. This wasn’t…
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1.5 M • Ongoing
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The chubby shop owner prepared the bakery’s supplies and left in the morning, a rare occurrence, as mornings were peak business hours. The streets outside were dirty and chaotic. Customers mentioned that all of Jingang City’s street cleaners had gone on strike today—a polite way of saying it. In reality, most of the city’s street cleaners were undocumented immigrants who worked for a meager twenty-five dollars a day to clean the streets twice. Hiring locals, on the other hand, cost at least…
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1.5 M • Ongoing
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“Looks like I don’t have much choice,” Lance said, neatly placing the two contracts back on the desk. “But this is probably my best option.” He paused briefly. “So, when do I start?” Alberto didn’t send him out right away. Instead, he asked, “What about your bakery job?” “It’s just twenty bucks. I’ll manage.” Alberto pulled open a drawer, took out a roll of bills, and handed Lance forty dollars. “Here’s forty as an advance. I hope it’s worth every penny!” Lance…
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1.5 M • Ongoing
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Eighteen- or nineteen-year-olds are legally almost adults, but emotionally, they’re far from mature. Elvin felt a deep sense of injustice. He had been fine at home until war broke out. His family, not wanting to see him dragged to a pointless death on the battlefield, sold their house to gather enough money to send him to the Federation. He had thought this would be a “journey of growth.” After all, everything he’d heard about the Federation from the Empire was positive and beautiful. Rumors…
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1.5 M • Ongoing
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A thunderstorm broke out. Raindrops the size of soybeans covered the entire city and surrounding areas in an instant. It was as if the world had been draped in a thin veil, making everything appear vague and indistinct. People crowded the streets to find shelter from the rain. Skirts clung to long, shapely legs as the water soaked through, making them even more striking. The bakery saw a few people come in to avoid the rain. Embarrassed, they bought some bread out of courtesy. On any other day,…
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1.5 M • Ongoing
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