World of the Apocalypse: Kane’s Evolution System

Chapter 2 Entering the Sector, Making Enemies

Novara Police Headquarters, Sector 7.

This self-governing sector born after the Cataclysm appeared orderly on the surface, yet rotted with darkness beneath. Power-for-money trades, collusion between law and crime, and factional infighting were unspoken open secrets long ago.

Kane finished his onboarding procedures and stood inside Police Director Cole’s office. His file was blank—no family ties, no military service record, only a cold, hardened aura forged amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Cole flipped through the documents, his eyes sharp with scrutiny and suspicion. "A blank resume, yet you scraped together enough cash to buy a police post in this sector. You must’ve gotten your hands very dirty out in the Unregulated Zones."

Kane responded with a faint smile, neither defending himself nor showing weakness. "I only did whatever it took to stay alive."

Cole issued a pointed warning. "Novara’s waters run deep. There are rules, factions, and patrons here. New recruits with no connections either obey orders and act as pawns, or get crushed into cannon fodder."

Kane handed over a pouch of rough diamonds to smooth the critical channels. "I’m here to clear up trouble for the Director, not create it."

Once the diamonds landed in his palm, Cole’s expression softened at once. He contacted Criminal Investigation Unit One right away and assigned Officer Holt to take charge of the new recruit.

Officer Holt, Grade Three, was slick, reserved and overly cautious—a microcosm of low-ranking cops. He led the way warmly the entire time, explaining headquarters rules and facility layouts, while quietly tipping Kane off to the unit’s unwritten social codes. Phones, supplies and gear were all bought through designated vendors tied exclusively to Captain Wade’s private connections; new officers had to toe the line and pick a side.

Having lingered in lawless borderlands for years, Kane knew all too well the underhanded tricks of such cliques. Overpriced phones locked to police badge numbers, designated supply stores selling shoddy goods at double markup—all were the unit’s covert methods of lining their pockets.

He refused to be exploited and controlled barely after starting his job, so he firmly rejected the overpriced designated shops and purchased supplies on his own. Though this seemed a trivial matter, it directly violated the unspoken rules of Wade’s faction.

In the criminal investigation dormitory, Hawk, Captain of Team One and Wade’s loyal subordinate, scowled the moment he saw this and made things difficult for Kane to assert authority. He ordered the new recruit to pull three consecutive all-night shifts with no rest and no pay.

Holt took pity on Kane and offered to cover part of his shifts, but Kane turned him down outright.

“I will not abide by unfair rules,” Kane said firmly.

Publicly contradicted by a rookie, Hawk lost all face. He led several men to corner Kane and threw a punch straight at his temple, aiming to subdue the newcomer by force and bend him to his will.

Kane dodged sideways, twisted Hawk’s wrist and locked his arm, then hurled him to the ground using his own momentum.

A dull crash echoed as Hawk crashed hard onto an iron bunk, blood trickling from the back of his head. The rest of the men surged forward, yet Kane stood with his back against a dead corner, both defending and striking. Within a few moves, he cowed everyone present.

The half-open door suddenly swung wide. A woman in a pale green police uniform stood in the doorway and shouted sharply, “What is all this commotion?”

Every man in the room spun their heads at once. Hawk hastily wiped the blood from his forehead and forced a smile. “Officer Elara.”

“I heard fighting all the way down the hall. Were you planning to assault someone?” The woman was in her early thirties, petite with delicate features, clear irritation glinting in her eyes.

“It’s nothing serious. Just a little chat with the new guy,” Hawk loosened his grip on his baton and pretended nothing was wrong.

Officer Elara glanced over the messy room and shot him a cold stare. “I’ve cited you multiple times for gathering to play cards while on duty. If there’s another disturbance, I’ll file an official report immediately.”

“Understood, Officer Elara,” Hawk nodded quickly.

She did not step into the dormitory. Standing at the doorway, she looked at Kane and asked, "Are you the new trainee officer?"

"Yes," Kane replied.

"Why haven't you picked up your standard issue gear?"

"I went there just now, but no one was in the office."

Officer Elara frowned sharply. "I was at my workstation the entire time."

Kane paused for a moment. "My apologies. I must have looked in the wrong place."

"Follow me to get your uniform." With that, the woman turned and left.

Kane grabbed his luggage and followed, then called out to the flustered Holt beside him, "Come along."

Corridor

Holt dared not utter a single word the whole time and hurried after them.

Back in the dorm, Hawk clutched his injury and gave a vicious order to launch a full investigation. Once he confirmed Kane had no connections or backing whatsoever, a murderous glint flickered in his eyes. A rootless, combative, unruly rookie like Kane would make the perfect scapegoat for future cases.

Hardly settled into the precinct, Kane had already drawn the attention of the main faction and been pulled into an unknown maelstrom.

Out in the corridor, Officer Elara walked ahead with her hands behind her back and warned Kane, "Rein yourself in without any patrons. This jurisdiction hides deep corruption. Avoid clashes with others; taking on extra work will only benefit you."

"Thank you for the advice."

The two reached the storage warehouse on the ground floor. Officer Elara handed him two sets of patrol uniforms, handcuffs and a baton, then left on her own.