Chapter 333
Chapter 333
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 333
Chapter Title: Those Thug Fighters
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Haa... haa.
The guy opened his mouth but spat out ragged breaths.
"Don't beat around the bush, spill it quick! Even now, your precious blood is draining out fast! Keep this up and you might really die! Value your life! You're a precious life your mom gave birth to!"
"Ah...!"
Frustrated, I just held the knife to him, ready to stab a few more times. Guys with mouths that heavy only start talking after you drill some holes in their bodies.
Because the words trapped in those heavy mouths spill out through the holes. It's a kind of bloodletting procedure.
"Th-that, so... that's!"
"You fucking bastard, seriously! Keep this up and forget interrogation—I'll just carve out your balls! You worthless worm!"
"I-I'll talk! I just needed time to think!"
"Yeah? Should've said so sooner."
After catching his breath for a moment, Kisson finally started talking.
"Hoo, huu... So. That day... Like usual, I went to collect tribute from the kid, but that day she reeked of money... Checked her out closely, and bam—5 silvers. So I snatched 'em right away..."
Same story I'd heard before.
And from those few short words, I could confirm his fundamentally twisted, demonic personality.
A real heretic.
This was the kind of villain who'd force you to kill him even if the Teletubbies showed up as saintly friends. Hell, they'd probably snatch the knife from you and do it themselves.
Those Teletubbies, that is.
Kisson was that vicious.
"Why snatch 5 silvers? Tribute's 1 silver, ain't it?"
"J-just took it... Just 'cause. Literally. Wanted it for myself. I got tribute to pay the organization too, but it ain't that much... So yeah..."
"In the world. You extorted more than the tribute."
"Yes..."
To sum it up: Kisson took more than the usual tribute from Lina. Coincidentally, the very day I beat that heretic giant and gave her 5 silvers.
Kisson got greedy.
Sure, he had to pay tribute to the organization himself, but it wasn't up to 5 silvers. He broke the rules purely for personal profit.
This whole mess happened because of Kisson's greed... Because of this fucker's greed, my money...!
Inhumane bastard!
"But..."
"But?"
Blazing with rage, I nearly plunged the knife into his thigh on impulse but held back. There was more I needed to hear from him.
"Took the money to the brothel... but ran into the boss at the entrance... Tried to bullshit my way out, but he straight-up frisked my pockets... C-couldn't even spend a dime before he took it all..."
"What?! Fuck?! The boss?!"
The boss!!!
"My tribute was 2 silvers, but he took everything... Just like I did to her."
In other words, the money I'd risked my life with Elise to earn ended up in the organization boss's pocket for no damn reason.
And Kisson had made it happen.
"Motherfucker!"
So my conclusion was simple.
Head to the organization Kisson was talking about, get back roughly 100 silvers from that so-called boss. Factor in labor costs, compensation, interest, and whatnot—it comes out to about 100 silvers nice and neat.
This fucking bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Extorted 1 gold from my money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Kieeeek!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
100 silvers was 1 gold.
That much money, swiped right out from under me without a clue.
It was getting damn hard to hold onto my sanity.
My brain felt like it was charring black from the horrific rage, like my mind was crumbling away.
This.
This was reality!
"You fucking dog! So your boss extorted my 100 silvers!"
"Y-yes? 100 silvers? I only took 5..."
"You fucking liar!!! Still spewing bullshit to the end?!"
This fucker was deliberately lowballing the damage even after the truth was out.
I wanted to chop him up for stew right then and there, but killing him here meant losing the organization's location.
"Hiiik! Don't know! No idea! Sorry!! My fault! No more stabbing, please!"
"No! You need a filicide!"
-Sring.
I sheathed the knife to bluff and drew my claymore.
"This is what your mom should've done ages ago... Years later, I'm stepping in instead. So yeah, I'm basically your stepmom now."
"Wh-what the hell does that mean...! Can't understand! Please don't! Spare me!"
He kept playing dumb with my words, and my murderous urge surged like a geyser. As furious as Saudis spotting an oil strike, I barely suppressed the killing intent and spoke.
"Don't want a filicide?"
"Yes! Please! Don't do it!"
"Alright then, Kisson. Where's your boss? Tell me that, and I'll wanna sheath this sword... I ain't itching for 'filicide' myself."
"..."
-Silence.
"Won't talk, huh. Don't worry. Once your limbs start flying, words'll spill out automatically. Heh heh heh...!"
"Hiiik!"
I raised the sword, aiming for his thigh.
"I'll talk!! I'll tell you everything! The organization's location!! The boss is there!!"
As expected, nothing beat torture and threats for prying out the truth. I sheathed the sword right away and yanked him up by the arm.
"Kwek!"
He screamed, thinking I was killing him. Ignored it and kept dragging his hand—he looked flustered now.
"Guide the way. To your organization."
"B-before that, just a sec..."
-Drip drip.
Blood was flowing.
From his uneasy glance, he seemed worried about bleeding out.
"Hey, punk. That wound ain't fatal. Think I haven't offed a few people? Might get anemic, but it won't kill ya."
So I tossed him some half-assed reassurance.
Truth was, the moment he touched my money, survival was off the table.
Of course, he wouldn't croak quick from that bleeding. But after taking that Heavenly Demon whatever earlier, his guts were probably mush—he'd be lucky to last till end of day.
"R-really...? For real...?"
"Heh heh heh, for real, so relax and guide us, you Kiss fucker. Once we're at the org, I'll specially let you go. So hurry it up. Gotta get treatment quick, right?"
"Y-yes..."
Seeing him buy my bullshit despite the blood pouring out made "idiot" wanna slip out naturally. All comes from shit parenting.
If he'd had even a shred of brains, he wouldn't be living off robbery.
Modern society's curse.
"Lina."
"O-oppa..."
I called Lina.
Time to send her packing.
Hand over the condolence money when we meet later.
"Dangerous, so head home. I'll give you the found money next time."
"..."
She hesitated at my words, then her face hardened with resolve as she spoke to me.
"I'll come too."
"What?"
"I wanna follow. Let me."
"Won't stop ya. But it's dangerous?"
"I live dangerously anyway. It's fine."
No helping it if she insisted.
Lina probably wanted to see her grandma's enemies with her own eyes too. Honestly didn't wanna drag a kid to a battlefield, but with eyes like that, no choice.
"If shit happens, can't look after you. Handle yourself."
"Yes!"
"Let's go, Kisson! Kisson's heart-pounding 'Find the Org' great adventure starts now!"
"..."
"Answer me!"
"Y-yes!"
And so I followed the blood-trailing Kisson with Lina in tow. Felt like some sinister Pied Piper gathering.
"Kisson! Got words for Lina?"
"S-sorry! Really sorry!"
"That's right! Only once you learn to apologize do you become human!"
"Of course! Sorry, Lina-nim!"
To keep any funny ideas out of his head, I kept yapping as we went—and before I knew it, onlookers started crowding in.
-Isn't that... Kisson?
-Thug Kisson!
-He's bleeding... Did that guy take him down?
-Today's the day Kisson bites it!
-Everyone, clap!
The slum dwellers reacted like that, then suddenly started clapping like crazy among themselves.
-Clap clap clap clap!
-Clap clap clap clap!
-Clap clap clap clap!
-Clap clap clap clap!
From all corners of the sprawling slums stretching left and right, everyone clapped at the sight of bloodied Kisson.
-It was a dreamlike, surreal scene, like citizens welcoming a triumphant general entering the city.
This fucker had some serious bad blood with everyone.
"No, Kisson. What the hell did you do to make 'em this thrilled at your downfall?"
"Everyone... I extorted 'em, robbed 'em..."
"Made a killing, huh. Bastard. Coulda lived nice without the greed."
Hell, even if I cut him loose right now, the pissed-off slums would tear him limb from limb at best. We wound through the twisting slum alleys for about 30 minutes.
"This place... is it..."
The spot he guided us to was a three-story ochre building. Had to be the organization's hideout. Sure enough, there were guards out front... I drew my sword first and told Kisson.
"Go in ahead."
"Yes..."
"Oh yeah. What does your org even do with the tribute money?"
"D-don't know details. Boss would."
Guess I'd ask the boss.
-Step step.
Anyway, headed toward the building.
Then the guard-looking guy out front spotted us and strolled over slow. A fierce-faced young punk gripping a knife.
"Kisson? What happened to you? And who's the fucker behind?"
"Th-that is..."
He eyed me suspiciously.
Maybe start with greetings.
"Hey? Got business with your boss, so I came. Mind if I head up?"
"Wh-what? The boss...? Why?"
Took one step closer, and he backed up warily. Looked scared—probably lower rung than Kisson.
"Got business. None of your pay grade. I'm going up?"
"Uh... Can't..."
"Why not? Me and your boss are buddies."
Unlike your average dumb thug crew, he didn't rush or start shit. As I mulled killing him outright or unleashing Asura Blood Palm,
"So... I'm calli—!"
"Sigh. Knew it."
-Slash!
No point sparing him once he tried calling his pals. Realized I didn't need to agonize over offing trash like this anyway.
"Huh?!"
A casual swing, and the shocked guard threw up his knife to block—but way too late.
"—?!"
The blade zipped through his neck in a flash.
-Thud.
Head hit the ground.
"Intruders."
That head's mouth gaped wide, like it was still trying to sound the alarm.
"Up we go, Kisson."
"...Yes."
Kisson opened the door and went in first. Wasn't leading to a first-floor room—instead, stairs straight up to the second floor.
Even in broad daylight, a chill seeped from the dim stairs.
"Boss up here?"
"Y-yeah, second floor probably."
"Got it?"
Led by Kisson, I climbed the stairs slow.
All I could do was suppress the rage and fury boiling inside. Mana overflowed. Mana reacting to my inner scream swirled through my body, dragging my mind to its deepest recesses.
The ringleader was right ahead.
"Watch yourself, Lina. Die and I won't care."
"Don't worry, oppa."
-Step.
Finally reached the second floor.
One door that looked like it led to an office... Kisson was shaking hard.
"C-can I go now...?"
"What're you saying? I don't know the boss—gotta go in with me so you point him out."
"Huu..."
"Open the door."
-Clunk.
Kisson gripped the knob and turned it.