Today was a very good day, because Brother seemed to be in high spirits.
"Brother, where are you going so early?"
"We've got a massive gig. Two hundred million upfront, three hundred million when it's closed—a whopping half a billion Dragon Gate coins at stake."
Half a billion. A job worth that much Dragon Gate coin…no wonder you're so excited.
"Then shall we move on the rats right away…?"
"Not yet. This is business, isn't it? I'll call them—tell them to come."
"Understood. Be careful out there."
Half a billion. If that really is the sum, it's enough to drive that old rat out…no, even more.
'With your combat skill, you could kill that rat…no question you'd succeed.'
Who is Jang Chen? A starving wolf that knows no surrender, the very incarnation of fear who conquered a territory by force alone.
"Alright, then we'd better get ready…"
Yes. We had to prepare.
"Brother, the cops are here. The rat must have caught wind."
Damn. How else would they storm the hideout this fast?
I hid in a bathroom stall, waiting for a chance to slip out, but the situation only deteriorated.
'This is the ninth floor. A fall guarantees death…even if I survive, I'd be torn to pieces and caught in no time.'
This was the worst. Prison doesn't scare me—I've lived as a thug all my life. But ruining the business and facing Brother's wrath? That's more terrifying than anything.
'Only a kid's outside…I'll neutralize him and take him hostage.'
My men proved capable, and if this dragged on, reinforcements would arrive.
'A risky gamble…but since I've washed my hands, I might catch him off guard.'
He clearly has skill, but no experience. In this scenario, taking time to wash your hands means a broken face or a dented skull.
"Hey—come out right now."
"…?!"
Damn. He spotted me?
"That filthy Dragon Gate curse…pretty satisfying, huh?"
If it comes to this, I just need to stay alive!
"Shit, are you delivering lines or what?!"
No time for that.
'Armed with a hand axe. Heavy for one-handed, yet he swings it relentlessly.'
Even given the Liprova tribe's average physique, he wields that axe at impossible speed—not like a dagger swing.
"Alright. Let's see if you're worth my effort."
Good—this is the kind of foe that makes a job worthwhile.
"All talk, are you?"
"Or am I? Just talk?"
It makes sense. His skill confirms it.
His blade blocks and counters like art—a true beast. He immediately retaliates when he sees an opening and blocks any attack that would hinder him as if by instinct.
"Then try blocking this."
'This bastard…why isn't he slowing down? In fact, he's speeding up.'
He's now accelerating with the wind at his back—nobody can stop him. Mode: unstoppable, activated.
"Brother! Let me—"
"Stand down."
Another grunt won't change a thing.
Thud!
"Guh…he actually landed a hit?"
'He dodged that?'
Indeed he did. My leg's cut—just a scratch, but it stings. A dent to my pride. Feels like a veteran who's sunk twenty thousand hours into a Souls-like game getting gibbed by a weak early mob.
"…Hah!"
The scratch on my leg isn't serious. I drive a kick into his solar plexus to create an opening, wrap wind around my blade, and go for a thrust instead of a slash.
Wind takes many forms. Among them is a blast concentrated from a single point. The smaller the volume and the narrower the outlet, the more devastating the force becomes.
"Don't worry. I'll adjust it so you don't die…probably."
"What the hell…?!!!!!"
[External Wind—Bull Gale]
Point-focused wind. The smaller the point, the more destructive and penetrating the thrust becomes, with the grotesque side effect of shredding the pierced area as the wind funnels in.
"Urgh!!!"
"Wait—that's the ceiling…"
Thud-crack!!!
"…Do you think he'll live through that?"
"Do you really think he would?"
"He doesn't deserve to…"
"…shit…"
His head is dangling from the ceiling. I made that wound, and even I get chills from the power. I thought I had it under control—maybe it's stronger than I imagined.
"Achoo! sniff"
"Are you hurt?"
"No. I just…felt an itch, like someone was calling me."
"That's odd!!"
"It is. Truly strange indeed."
Slurp
Hmm. The coffee is delicious.
"You turned someone who might have held valuable information into that?!"
"I have no excuse…"
I didn't know it had such power. The perfect first strike that opened the wound certainly helped.
"If we treat him, there's a chance he'll wake."
"Really?!!"
"About…fourteen percent."
Fourteen percent…too ambiguous.
"Considering skull and orbital fractures, multiple broken ribs, bleeding and microfractures in his legs and elsewhere, surviving this is a miracle."
Right, right. My stomach's full. It's my fault I beat him so badly.
"First we treat him, then find out where Jang Chen went."
"So what do we do now?"
"Quiet!! Can't you be silent?"
"Why?! I'm serious—until we find Jang Chen, shouldn't we just keep patrolling?"
"I know that. I just don't understand why you asked."
Huh? My Dragon Gate exploration plan?!
"Don't make that face, rookie."
"What expression? I'm not making one."
"You look bored because you can't go out and play—that's the face."
"I'm not. I'm just upset we didn't catch Jang Chen."
"Then you can look forward to arresting him, right?"
"Wei Yenwu? The site is dangerous—"
"Shh. I know the danger here better than anyone, don't worry. Besides…huh—this is the guy you caught? You turned him into minced meat."
"What? Why? I tried to rein it in. He forced himself on me."
Why not? A lie can become truth if no one knows otherwise.
"All you do is lie when you open your mouth!"
"Want your head separated?"
"That guy's a real bastard!"
"Not something a thug should say—"
"Listening to you isn't exactly honorable!"
"Oh…starting to learn lying already? Not a good sign."
"Politics is half lies anyway—whose head do you listen to? Wup wup!"
"I will not tolerate more disrespect."
"Ha! Let him be. If a child thinks that, so be it!"
"Let go! Let me go!!!"
"This! I should have started with etiquette lessons!"
"I can do that. At least bow and use honorifics."
"Then why don't you?"
"Because I can't bring myself to bow to that slick Dragon's head."
"…sigh…my apologies."
"Haha! You're bold."
"That sure isn't Liberi…that's just a son of a bitch."
"Oh…that monstrous…devil's spawn?"
"If you're going to talk, name your brother's location."
"Alright…don't hit me…"
'That bastard…'
Thus ended the operation against Weiseongnak's nest—started with Jang Chen's arrest—somewhat anticlimactically and riotously. At the same time…
"What? They say Weiseongnak was caught?"
"Yes, brother."
"Sigh…understood. Let's move."
"Brother, if we hurry, we might still rescue the others…"
"Get out."
"…Understood."
I had poked the starving wolf in the wrong way.