Chapter 12 - 12

Roger had been searching the place for over 30 minutes. However, he still hasn't found any hoodlums, which he thought he'd easily find.

He sighed, disappointed by his scouting. Although he didn't expect much from this walk, perhaps hoodlums do take a rest at night too.

"Were they all asleep?" he mumbled.

But not giving up, Roger conducted another search. He walked through different alleys in the neighborhood. But despite his efforts, he still hasn't seen one.

"This is too discouraging."

But just as luck was playing with him, he saw a uniquely strange scene. There were people who were drunk, walking sideways from drunkness.

There were three people walking sideways, and just as he thought of it, he realized that there might be a nearby pub. And he knows what's in a nearby pub... liquor.

"Although I am still 18, I think I am eligible to drink, " he then said to himself.

But that thought was abruptly cut short when he saw the three people collapse on their own. They crashed into a trash bin, but they were still laughing.

'It must be good to have good friends,' he thought.

And just as time flowed by, he shook his head and tried to disregard the three. But not expecting it, the three people encountered some trouble on their way.

They bumped into a group of five men, and just as they were drunk, they unconsciously looked at them with an aweful gaze.

Of course, the five were respectfully just passing by, but looking at how the three drunk people glared at the five, the five couldn't help but react to it.

"The fuck?" one of them cursed.

Roger shook his head, then tried to watch the scene for a longer time. He just watched how the drunk guys would handle the situation.

One of the drunk guys said, "I'm sorry bro," but his friend was some kind of hot-headed person. He then continued glaring at them, even trying to provoke them.

'Just a normal effect of drunkenness...' Roger thought, then silently enjoyed watching them. Even though his purpose for having a walk was to find hoodlums, he thought that hoodlums might also be on standby in pubs.

Well, not all the time, but what he thinks of hoodlums are those gangster-wannabe people. And as they were technically gangsters, they didn't belong to any official gang.

It was messy in reality. There was some kind of fight with his ideas, and Roger was just letting those ideas pass by. He just kept watching the two different groups provoking each other.

"Hey bro, stop with it. Just forget them, they're just drunk." One of the five said that while there were two people who were provoked by one drunk man.

The two guys who were provoked sighed and then shook their heads. They just glanced at the three drunk men, then continued their way, ignoring the three men.

Roger then realized something. The neighborhood wasn't that chaotic. There were a few who chose to cling to their egos and pride.

And as Roger finally finished watching the scene, he approached the three drunk men and tried to assist them.

"Hey sir, are you okay? Wanna grab some drinks to sober down?" Roger asked.

Even though it is uncommon for him to mess with others' businesses, he couldn't think of ignoring the fact that these people were from his neighborhood. If he can have a good relationship with those who are near his house, maybe in the future they can help him with some cases.

One of the drunk men faced Roger with his eyes shrinking, trying to look at Roger better.

"No need, kid. Our house is just around the next corner. Thank you for the offer."

Roger smiled at them and then bowed slightly.

"Is that so? Then please take care." Then he saw them walk their way to their path.

Roger felt that there was nothing else to do. He also felt hungry since he hadn't eaten his dinner. However, this wasn't a useless walk, despite being disappointed. Roger learned an important lesson about surviving in society: always make a good connection.

Even with that small scene earlier, he remembered it and was undeniably oblivious to it after he had his third life.

"Connections are good. But why would I care about it right now? I think I should focus on cleaning the neighborhood." He mumbled, then went back home.

***

The next morning, Roger was still walking on his way to school when he noticed some hoodlums. It was a good opportunity, but not at the right time since he didn't want to be late.

He was also making a good image for the school because of some sort of warning to himself: make less enemies in this life.

That was it. He wanted to really have a good life this time. But even though there were still enemies he had from his first life, he wanted to clean them and straighten them.

'Let's start with making them my subordinates. ' Then a grin followed, formed on his lips.

He looked at the hoodlums in white undershirts, as usual, then noticed that they were the same people from yesterday. Even if there were bruises on their bodies, they were kind of hidden by their tattoos.

He smiled and slowly approached them.

"Hey mister!" he greeted them with a cunning smile. "You still doing it? You're still doing extortion on people? It's not good, you know."

They all widened their eyes when they saw Roger. They gritted their teeth and tried to ignore him. Of course, Roger noticed it, so he just went to their faces, intimidatingly glaring at them.

"Get a job! Don't be trash in society, can you?" Roger tried to provoke them, but he didn't know that these hoodlums were scared of him.

But not being arrogant or oblivious to the difference in their prowess, the hoodlums couldn't do much since this is the only way of life they know.

They don't have a family, just themselves and they even live in an abandoned house. Basically, they were at the bottom of the hoodlums.

"Why are you here in the same location? Did you forget about me?"

They jolted, then looked at Roger with worried eyes.

"Of course not. We were just doing what we could. We promise not to touch you, so can you please leave us?"

Roger grinned.

"Of course not, not until you stop doing this."