Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 167
Chapter Title: Under the Shadow (4)
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The meeting began with a report confirming the reality of the human trafficking issue.
I was the one delivering the report, and since I'd prepared the content in advance, it wasn't all that difficult.
The discovery of the problem, its resolution, and the information uncovered along the way were presented in a straightforward manner.
Of course, the content itself was anything but straightforward.
“…Including the confirmed bodies, the estimated death toll alone runs into the thousands at minimum.”
There were hundreds just from the people we rescued that day, and the corpses we'd spotted since Radriol first uncovered the site numbered several times that.
If this had been going on for any length of time, surpassing tens of thousands wouldn't be surprising at all.
It was truly bitter, but if that had been the extent of it, this meeting never would have happened.
Bihar was a strictly stratified society by status, after all—and the people our party rescued weren't exactly high up the ladder in this world.
The vast majority of the survivors were slum dwellers without even identification or a fixed address.
Even on Earth, low-income laborers get thrown into hazardous jobs and die.
But incidents like that don't lead to changes in the relevant laws.
A single life couldn't shake the most entrenched pillar of society.
‘That's reality.’
Even in places that scream about equality—what more need be said about Bihar with its rigid class system?
Reporting it up the chain would at best expose collusion between Bihar's underworld and Earth's criminal syndicates.
And since those dying from the fallout were powerless nobodies, to the church, it'd just be an irritating sideshow.
That's why, when reporting to the church, I'd bundled it with a different issue.
“According to your prior report… you believe the trafficking ring is colluding with traitors, correct?”
I'd spotlighted a topic the Bihar elite couldn't ignore.
“Yes, that's right.”
“And the basis for that…?”
“Among the rescued survivors was an ain with a farm brand on their body.”
“Ah, yes—it's in the meeting materials. Testimonies secured, and those survivors are under Palao protection.”
“Yes.”
Some of the survivors had been ain from Somol Castle, the site currently under siege by church forces.
Likely, they'd done some internal housecleaning before pulling out of the area.
Selling off a portion instead of killing them all explained the farm origins among the survivors.
‘Looks like some traitors moonlighted for extra cash.’
No clue what monster collaborators needed money for, though.
The takeaway was straightforward.
‘The enemy has no plans to hold Somol Castle.’
In fact, the third main scenario was progressing smoothly.
Reports said monster numbers were dramatically lower compared to the Bileah Castle reclamation in the south.
Circumstantial evidence like this bolstered the credibility of my hypothesis.
‘Traitors are Bihar's ultimate sore spot.’
Had past backstabbings bruised their egos that badly?
Church brass and nobles alike would bristle with hatred at the mere mention—eyes flashing, vitriol ready.
Even Rashar, innately kind and ever-optimistic, was no exception.
Linking the traffickers to traitors, I figured, would draw a wider audience.
‘Though it'd just barely elevate it from headache to priority.’
Needing this groundwork for thousands dead was absurd.
“My report concludes here.”
I wrapped up the lengthy presentation, swallowing a sigh as I took my seat.
My gaze drifted to Lily, seated nearby.
My part was done—time for the association to step up.
‘She's their representative, after all.’
What were the odds a CIA operative from a self-proclaimed global cop would get picked as a player—and as a beta tester, no less, with accelerated growth over regular players?
Lily beating those odds to become the association's linchpin was inevitable.
‘Truth be told, her credit accounts for the association's stable expansion.’
What raised red flags for some was ironclad trust for others.
“If I may, we'd like to speak first.”
Lily raised her hand, and the church side nodded without protest.
“Our deepest condolences to the victims of this tragedy. The Player Association pledges its full commitment to resolving this unfortunate incident.”
No apologies. It wasn't any one side's sole fault.
‘Can't argue with that.’
Jang-ryun's crew hadn't kidnapped the ain—they'd bought them.
And the sellers were Biharis, not Earthlings.
“The most urgent step is establishing a proper investigative body. From there, center inquiries on survivor testimonies to isolate the involved groups—what do you say?”
I tuned in to Lily's words.
“Grant us authority, and we'll handle it responsibly…”
“Ahem.”
But she was cut off mid-sentence.
“Even granting that, handing it to outsiders hardly seems wise.”
The interruption came from a priest who looked early fifties.
‘Upper rank, affiliation…’
Senoa. My eyes iced over as I clocked the emblem on his collar.
- We're just buying what's on offer—why the hell are you coming at us!
- Yeah, the church hooked us up with all the suppliers!
It echoed the desperate ravings from Jang-ryun's remnants as I mopped them up.
‘Not sure exactly who.’
But church insiders were involved.
Prime suspects: Senoa and Agnotia.
‘Every last one of Jang-ryun's gang I killed belonged to Senoa and Agnotia.’
All from those two sects? No room for doubt.
That's why I'd amplified the noise by tying it to traitors—insurance against a cover-up.
I fixed on the priest, stroking his neatly trimmed beard.
Then, abruptly, survivors' faces ghosted over his—eyes squeezed shut.
Their lingering expressions clawed at something deep inside.
‘Not my fault, I know.’
One person can't save the world.
No obligation to them.
Hell, total strangers.
So why did it keep circling, churning my chest?
The sudden hallucination plunged my mood to rock bottom.
Deep breaths shook off the unease.
Steadier than before—I calmed quicker than expected.
Eyes open, I bored into the Senoa priest.
No more overlaps.
Scarce had I swallowed a relieved breath when he picked up.
“Who knows what horrors they'd commit behind closed doors.”
Lily and the association's real leaders stiffened.
Not every priest viewed players through tinted lenses.
Proof: Hose Volprian cut in sharply to rein him in.
“Priest Galonic, mind your words.”
“My apologies, Chairman. But I couldn't stay silent, even knowing it rude.”
Galonic rubbed his beard again, eyes narrowing.
“The notion of carving organs from the living—how barbaric.”
The room's tension spiked.
“Priest Galonic, what on earth…?”
“Take that back immediately!”
Other council priests piled on, urging him down.
But words once spoken couldn't be unsaid.
Thud—a heavy thump, and the players fired back.
“Barbaric? Biharis aren't exactly innocent there.”
The speaker: a player with deep scars pitting his left cheek and neck—Coconut.
‘Third-wave player, already silver badge? Quick climb.’
Lily shot him a venomous glance.
Undeterred, Coconut scowled fiercely.
“At least we don't stab our own in the back and sell them off like trash.”
“Coconut, enough.”
Lily moved to shut it down.
But someone with the brains to heed soft words wouldn't have opened that mouth.
“Selling live people like they're short on stock—how primitive.”
“What? Primitive? You saying that to us?”
“Who else? What era is this—human trafficking? Pathetic levels.”
“You slimy, selfish scum—think you can mouth off? You're the primitives!”
Galonic shoved back his chair, rocketing to his feet, face beet-red.
“Honor means jack to you, slobbering over riches—no sense of your place!”
More than enough to grasp certain Bihari views of players.
By now, it wasn't just Galonic and Coconut.
“Money-crazed? Pot calling kettle—you're worse!”
“Can't deny it. Without Bihar traffickers, players never could've sourced that many ain.”
“Your 'honor' lets kin-sellers walk free—shows how cheap it really is.”
“Insolent whelps!”
Part of me itched to wreck the meeting myself and muzzle every last one ruining it.
At the same time, it felt like watching a sitcom—utterly detached.
‘Total clusterfuck.’
No collaborative problem-solving—just frantic blame game.
Absurd enough that living as beasts seemed preferable.
“Enough! Both of you—stop this instant!”
Lily and Hose Volprian rose themselves, trying to corral the hotheads.
Fat lot of good it did.
High-pitched shouts engulfed the chamber in chaos.
I took it in for a moment.
Tap, tap, tap.
My fingers began drumming lightly on the table.
At first, the din swallowed it whole.
But once… twice… thrice.
The unrelenting rhythm spread from those around me outward.
One by one, they noticed, gazes turning my way—dragging in the distant ones.
It reached Coconut.
Mid-bellow, he faltered and whipped toward me.