Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: Self-Harm Blackmail Squad (2)
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“What do you plan to do with these guys?”
I figured he’d just tie them up and leave, release them, or at least throw them in the base’s temporary jail to use as bargaining chips. But Suhyun was heading toward Samuel’s village with them. It didn’t make sense.
‘Why drag these guys along and expose our location?’
“We caught them, so we might as well use them.”
“If you’re gonna use them, shouldn’t you take them back to the base?”
“These guys are worthless even if you bring them. You’d need someone from at least the inner palace level for the Chinese side to bow their heads and come looking. If you just drag them back, they’ll cut off the tail?”
The core of this operation was using pawns that could be discarded from the start. They’d gathered people who could die to Suhyun without issue, so as prisoners, they held zero value.
If he demanded negotiations with conditions for their release, they’d just say, ‘We don’t know these guys; they acted on their own, so handle it yourselves.’
But that didn’t matter. There was another way to make use of them.
“Wait. This direction isn’t toward the base…?”
“There’s a base over there too.”
“What? When did you build a base there?”
“You think you’re in a position to question me? Walk. Don’t stop moving your feet! If you’re curious about what I’ll do, feel free to stop and find out.”
At Suhyun’s words, the prisoners trembled. They hadn’t gathered to capture him in the first place. They were just people who’d banded together hoping to at least trip him up by dying, so naturally, they were filled with terror toward Suhyun.
“What are you planning to do with us?”
“Hmm. Maybe lock you up and lodge a protest with the Chinese government? Like, ‘These guys chased me down—how are you handling this?’ or something.”
The man’s face darkened. In that case, the government had only one option: abandon them and play dumb.
Plus, since they’d failed the mission, any promised rewards were obviously off the table.
“It won’t work. Threatening them with us won’t get you anything—the party won’t care about us. You’d be better off not wasting your effort.”
“I know. The Chinese government won’t concede anything for your sakes.”
“Then why?”
“Can’t just let the guys who came at me go free, right? Even if it’s a hassle, I’ve gotta screw them over properly so the next batch gets scared. You know, so they think, ‘Even if we’re thrown into an op like that, screw up and that’s how it ends.’”
“!!!”
* * *
“You really caught them?! There’s no jail here though?!”
“There… actually is one.”
“?”
When Samuel jumped into the conversation, Jack turned his head. Samuel couldn’t even meet Jack’s eyes.
“There was a place in my original kingdom… ahem, my village where we’d lock up criminals if any popped up, or attackers from outside. Of course, neither’s happened, so it’s been abandoned…”
“Perfect. We’ll use that.”
“Hey, hey, you sure that’s okay? This isn’t mercenary work.”
Eclipse was a team of top-tier superpowered users, but they were still just a civilian exploration squad. Jack might be rough and bold, but this kind of intrigue was far from their wheelhouse. It was special forces territory, so no wonder he was flustered.
“What’s wrong? Don’t wanna?”
“It’s not that I don’t wanna—it’s just bewildering. Do we really need to handle this? Can’t we just ask the higher-ups…?”
Eclipse meant the U.S. or Korean governments. Sure, mobilizing the U.S. government could handle local ops like this. Hearing that, Suhyun shook his head.
“It’d be convenient, sure. But Jack, you’re forgetting one thing.”
“What?”
“The more people who butt in, the more you have to split the pie.”
“…….”
Jennifer, listening from the side, clapped with an impressed look on her face. Jack shot her a dumbfounded glance.
“You’re doing all this dirty work yourself just to hog the profits?”
“Hog the profits? Where do you see ‘hogging’ in this? You know damn well the government gets a fat cut if they’re involved? Don’t go throwing shade when you’re just wandering solo with no skin in the game. Blue Bear’s a company—we’re here to grab every last bit of profit.”
“Damn it.”
Jack grumbled as he slumped into a chair. Suhyun and Jennifer might seem laid-back normally, but when it came time to crunch numbers, they didn’t leave a single gap. He couldn’t—or wouldn’t—go that far.
“Fine! Handle it your way. Tell me if you need anything.”
“Great. I do need something.”
“Oh? What?”
Jack cracked his knuckles. Truth be told, for someone who’d begged to join, he hadn’t done much. Same for Eclipse. Their rep as top U.S. superpowered users felt meaningless.
“Stand watch. Doesn’t feel right rotating just our guys.”
“…….”
Jack wondered if he’d misheard.
“Stand watch?”
“You said you’d do anything I asked when you offered to come along, right?”
“That’s not what I meant!”
Jack’s ‘do anything’ meant he’d risk his life if Suhyun ordered it against a powerful monster—like tanking it to let the team escape. That’d be meaningful. He respected Suhyun enough to follow even those orders.
But standing watch? The difficulty plummeted, but the hit to his pride was insane.
“Hey, some of my guys have never stood watch in their lives. And you want us on watch duty?!”
“Really? That’s wild. Newbies usually pull it a lot, don’t they?”
“Eclipse members are such elite superpowered users that a few started at high ranks right from awakening.”
Jennifer shrugged as she jumped in to explain.
“Is that so? Even better. They can learn now. Watch rules are at least two per shift, so tell ’em to study up. New experience—total win.”
“H-Hey.”
Realizing Suhyun wasn’t joking, Jack turned to Jennifer. Blue Bear 2nd Team was an elite squad. Watch duty was naturally for the lower teams they dragged along.
So wouldn’t she feel insulted by watch duty too?
“Blue Bear 2nd Team’s fine with standing watch? For real?!”
“Huh? We already drew up the rota.”
“…….”
Seeing Jennifer respond like it was the most natural thing, Jack felt dizzy.
“Ah, too chatty. Jack—gonna do it or not? If not, take your team and go.”
“…Fine! We’ll do it! Send the rota—I’ll explain it to my guys myself!”
As Jack stormed off fuming, Jennifer tilted her head and asked.
“But did you really need to put Eclipse on watch too? No one’s coming for those prisoners, and monsters are scarce around here. It’s basically symbolic, right?”
“My team and yours are all pulling watch. Unfair if they skip it.”
“…You’re kidding?”
“Nope.”
Blue Bear 2nd Team had a long history with Suhyun, so they followed his lead. Even with Jennifer as leader, they seemed to listen to him more.
Naturally, refusing watch would mean a direct chat with Suhyun—no one dared. Peter Whiteman, who’d been cocky with Suhyun before, even volunteered first.
Blue Bear was a well-oiled company with team pride and mercenary identity, even as an elite squad. They followed company orders without complaint, fair or not.
But Eclipse was different. Each member was a prideful superpowered elite, not mercenaries but a symbolic explorer team of the best. That order could rub them wrong.
Jennifer, stunned at first, soon shrugged it off. Suhyun would handle it somehow.
‘If they fight, it’s not my problem anyway.’
Even if Eclipse griped and charged in, she lost nothing.
* * *
Surprisingly, though, Eclipse raised no complaints. Jack had nipped it in the bud.
“Those two teams aren’t here just to support us. They’re not lower-ranked either. To show respect as comrades, we split the work! I’ll take the first shift!”
Jack’s logic was convincing, and with him leading by example, no superpowered user grumbled. He commanded that much respect.
‘Way more charisma than he lets on. Acts so casual usually—impressive.’
Probably earned through shared life-and-death trials and stepping up first. Suhyun thought so as he gazed at the dark night sky from the roof. Cameron’s night sky boasted clarity Earth couldn’t touch.
Jack was now standing watch in front of the jail, first-shift pioneer. His irritated expression had the prisoners inside shaking. Someone recognized his face.
And outside, another person was tense as hell. Standing watch in pairs… Kim Chang-sik.
‘Damn it. Drew the short straw!’
He’d thought early shift meant early bed, but not paired with Eclipse’s pissed-off leader.
Suhyun could handle Jack casually as a world-famous mage, but to others, Jack exuded authority just standing there. Compared to that, Kim Chang-sik was just a lucky mercenary. Matching their powers? Laughable.
“You’re Kim Chang-sik, right?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Speak casually.”
“N-No, you’re higher up. How could I…”
“Feels weirder getting formal respect from someone not entitled to it.”
“Pardon?”
Kim Chang-sik couldn’t process it and asked again. Jack respecting him? What nonsense was this?
“Whatever. Drop the act around me. I’m not gonna do anything to hurt Team Leader Kim Suhyun, and I’m not one to blab lightly. Don’t believe me? Ask Chairman Charles.”
“???”
“You’ve got flame powers like mine. Kept it airtight, though. Probably Team Leader Kim Suhyun controlling info for emergencies? That guy’s cunning as hell, but you’re impressive too. No urge for fame as a superpowered user?”
“Uh… um… well…”
Kim Chang-sik trailed off, unsure what to say.
“You trust the team leader, huh?”
“Impressive. That level of loyalty’s rare among mercs.”
“I-It’s not like that. Besides, my flames are nothing compared to yours.”
“Too modest. Asians are humble, sure, but humility with power’s just another arrogance. And if a peer like you’s that modest, what does that make me?”
‘It’s not, you dumb XX!’
Kim Chang-sik wanted to cry. This power-obsessed idiot had misread him as an equal.
“Having power on my level—or beyond—and ignoring fame or money to follow your leader? Incredible. Makes Team Leader Kim Suhyun great for having a subordinate like you. Might offend my guys, but I’m jealous. No wonder Chairman Charles favors you.”
‘Do whatever. Whatever.’
Kim Chang-sik gave up and slumped. No point arguing. Clearing the misunderstanding might…
‘You tricked me?! Duel!’
‘Yeah, just keep thinking that…’
“Huh? Wait, Chairman Charles favors me?”
“Heard you visit the chairman’s mansion regularly? Close with his niece too.”
‘That was as Team Leader Kim Suhyun’s driver, you idiot…’
Minus the niece Maria bit, it was all wrong.
“Team Leader Kim Suhyun’s cautious, but if he okays it, you should join our gathering sometime.”
“Gathering? What gathering?”
“U.S. flame-type superpowered users’ group.”
Casual name, but it held serious clout. Elite members, massive research resources—all U.S. government-backed.
“N-No, I’m good.”
“Shame.”
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