Chapter 331
Chapter 331
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 331
Chapter Title: Those Brawler Bastards
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I'd made up some excuse to Claudy and Winia about hunting for work, then headed out early in the morning to my meetup spot with Lina. I'd half-worried she might bail, but luckily, I spotted her squatting near the shop.
"You came right on time."
She looked a bit less grubby than before, so she'd probably crashed somewhere decent last night. Her hair was clean too—maybe she'd hit up a communal bathhouse or something?
Her clothes were still filthy, though.
"Ah, Oppa. Oh, h-hello?"
"Yeah, hey to you too. Let's go."
"Okay."
No point wasting time, so I dove straight into the slums with Lina. From today on, our job was just walking our asses off all day long.
But damn it, on the day we go looking, the thugs who usually infest the streets are nowhere to be seen. Normally, they'd pick pointless fights, but now that I'm hunting them? Vanished.
Well, this was only day two. Not like I'd find them right away.
Time to hunt with some patience.
Finding lost items always takes that kind of effort. But... for some reason, impatience boiled up inside me, rage building by the second.
Right now, while I'm out here like this, those bastards who stole my money are probably living it up on my dime.
In other words, they were blowing through the cash Elise and I had busted our asses for, without a shred of guilt.
Thinking about it made it impossible to hold back.
Tremble.
"Kiiiiieeeeeeeeeek—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Oppa?!"
I ended up exploding in a guttural scream.
People who earn money honestly spend it frugally. But criminals? They didn't lift a finger for it, so they just blow it all wildly.
It's a difference in quality of happiness.
Splurging in one go feels better than scrimping away. I could never accept that.
That honest workers suffer while criminals live happier.
That's why prisons full of criminals surprisingly have high happiness indexes. Some study I read said it's because everyone's a crook there. Explains the high recidivism rates, too.
What a fucked-up world.
I'll kill them all.
"W-why are you suddenly...! Oppa, you're scaring me!"
"Haa. Screaming it out helped a bit."
Venting the lump in my chest made me feel better. Lina looked a little spooked, but for the greater cause, it couldn't be helped.
We wandered the twisting slum alleys, scanning left and right, until lunchtime rolled around before we knew it. No leads. Just wasted time.
Still, no matter the job, you've gotta eat.
"Fuck, I'm starving. Lina, let's grab some food."
"Yes!"
Telling her that lit up her face like a sunflower, and she shouted back enthusiastically. Nothing beats a good meal, huh.
"That happy about it?"
"Yes... and I'm really grateful too."
Lina's happiness seemed cheap—a few coppers would do. Poor kid. Felt like asking a kid if they wanted candy from the teacher.
"Fuck, but what to eat? Hey Lina, what do you wanna chow down on?"
"Huh? You're asking me?"
"Yeah. Today, we eat what you want."
"For real?! I can pick anything?!"
"Yeah."
Her energy shot up, and she fidgeted anxiously while pondering. Did she have something in mind? If she picked something pricey, I'd shut that down quick.
"Then, um, what should it be... Ah, Oppa, it's not expensive or anything. There's this shop I saw a long time ago... Can we go there?"
"Sure."
"Yes!"
Following her beaming directions, we left the slums. Wondered what she'd crave, but she led us to a bakery with a damn good smell wafting out.
"Bread?"
"Yes... I saw this place a while back... Never had the money to go in, though..."
"What about your pickpocket cash?"
"I had to hand over almost all of it as tribute after taking the bare minimum. The quota was huge, so I couldn't spend freely."
"Gotcha."
Yeah, she's got her pitiful sides when you dig. Doesn't justify crime, though. Punishment's gotta happen.
"Alright, let's go in. Pick what you want."
"Thank you, Oppa!!"
We stepped right inside.
A clerk greeted us, and Lina looked around like a kid in a candy store, eyes wide with glee.
This place was straight-up Paris Baguette level.
No wonder kids would lose their minds.
"The smell... the smell is so good... Oppa."
"It is, yeah."
Plain workhorse loaves go for 1 copper each if big, but flavored ones? A small one could top 1 copper. Tastier means worse value.
Lina picked a small one.
"This... okay?"
A 1-copper mini loaf.
Doubt it'd fill her up.
She's polite enough taking handouts, so one more wouldn't hurt.
The rude brats always pick the priciest shit the second you offer. Glad Lina wasn't like that.
"That enough for you?"
"Ah..."
"Pick another one, kid."
"Yes...!"
I got her two small breads and a big baguette for myself. Total spend: 3 coppers. And she looked over the moon.
"Thanks for the meal, Oppa!"
"Eat slow."
We sat on a bench outside and dug in.
She stared at her bread like it was treasure, then nibbled the corner to taste it.
Her face lit up with bliss instantly.
The special joy poverty brings... contradictory as hell.
"S-sweet..."
Lina wolfed it down like it was her last meal. I broke off about a third of my baguette and handed it over for more.
She ate like a champ, so lunch didn't take long.
"Really, thank you, Oppa!"
"Back to work then."
"Yes!"
I kept tagging along with Lina, sniffing out leads. No dice that day. We split at night, I paid her daily, and headed back to the inn.
Told Claudy and Winia no luck on jobs, fucked like usual, then crashed.
First off, 1 silver.
I wanted to solve this before dropping 1 silver on pros. Just her daily and food was 6 coppers a day.
"What're you thinking, darky?"
"Huh? Nothing."
"Thinking about another girl?"
"No way."
"Really?"
"All I think about are your tits."
Winia, freshly creampied hard today, poked my cheek and asked. Lina's a girl, not a woman. So not thinking of women.
"Katt... speaking of, how's it going with Karin?"
Claudy, who'd taken a long creampie too, brought up Karin. Haven't seen much of her lately, but no issues.
"Same as always, fine... even said she'd have my kid."
"Hehe. Good. That's what matters."
Lisha thing later.
Karin mention got Winia talking.
"I wanna leash your dick or something, darky. Cock leash?"
"No, hell no."
Too horrifying.
"Oh, Winia, you shouldn't think nasty like that?"
"Y-yes. Darky's gotta spread his seed more, right? Just a fantasy, sis, not for real."
"Still sore about Karin?"
"Kinda have to be... but we barely see her anyway."
"We're sharing Katt anyway—might as well get along, like me."
"Sis is a bit different."
They chatted with me in the middle.
I surprise-hugged Winia.
"Can't help it, Winia. But I think your tits are the best."
"Sigh..."
Groping her settled her down quick with happy moans.
"This darky bastard... women keep piling up, and I can't even hate it. How many you gonna collect? A hundred later? I'd go nuts."
"A hundred? Claudy?"
"Yeah. Sounds fun, Katt. Wanna make a hundred?"
"Enough shocking talk, sis. Bedtime."
Anyway, tomorrow with Lina again, so I slept.
Days passed like that.
Day one, two, three flew by, and before I knew it, we were a week into the search.
The slums' tangled paths felt like my backyard now.
Working with Lina was routine.
"Already a week."
"Y-yeah... sorry, Oppa. Thought we'd find 'em quick."
"Finding people ain't easy. Not blaming you—let's work."
"Yes. I'll find something today."
"Mind over matter won't do it."
Off scouting the slums again. Would we strike gold? Slumfolk eyed us curiously as always; thugs looked like they were debating picking a fight.
More thugs today, though.
Good vibe.
While scanning as we walked—
Halt.
Lina stopped.
"Oppa..."
"Found 'em?"
"Yes."
She pointed ahead. A scrawny, shirtless guy with a nasty look—prime thug material.
Skinny as hell by my standards, but muscled up compared to other slum rats, with knife scars too.
Textbook violent gangbanger.
Murderous vibe.
Tremble.
"That fucker... that fucker stole my money?"
"Yes. That's him... right there."
Wanted to erupt, but held it. Needed proof. Could wait a bit.
"I'll go first."
"Yeah, smart. I'll watch from here."
"Okay."
Tense as hell, Lina approached. I hid in the alley shadows, observing.
Gulp.
Was this bastard really the thief?
Lina could be lying.
Needed confirmation.
"Huh?"
He spotted her approaching. His swagger twisted into demonic rage.
Not human—a demon in disguise.
Hiding among us... but my eyes don't lie.
Sneer.
"You fucking bitch... haven't seen you in days... dodging me, huh? You little shit?"
He spat phlegm and blocked her path.
"N-no, that's not it... I was the one looking for you..."
"This savage bitch talking back? Got comfy without me for a few days?"
"Th-that's..."
Thwack!
He threw a sloppy kick.
"Kyaa!"
Lina screamed and tumbled back. Beating people casually? Yeah, he's the extortion kingpin.
That motherfucker.
Hit my little sister...?
Still not enough.
I held my rage and watched more.
"Kyaa? You fucking bitch, kyaa?"
"S-sorry... please don't hit anymore..."
"Fine, I won't. If you'd met quota. So, how much you got?"
"..."
"No answer? No money? Wow. I waited days, and you didn't fill quota? For real? You're screwing me over."
"It's... I only have this much now..."
Lina fumbled something from her pocket—probably the cash I'd given her. She offered it; he kicked again.
Thwack!
"Kgh!"
The coppers I gave her scattered.
Slum rats swarmed like hell imps for the coins, but scattered at his yell.
"Pocket change, who needs it?! I go easy on you, and you stab me in the back? Fine. Off to the whorehouse like you wanted!"
Thwack!
"Urk...!"
Another kick.
I charged out.