Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Blue Tiger's Message
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“Since you’re a boss yourself, you’ve probably already figured it out, right? If you come back near this house, the thing inside you will grow like crazy.”
“You son of a bitch! Just kill me already!”
“Why would I kill you?”
It’s best not to kill lunatics like these if at all possible.
Sure, I could slaughter them all like I did with Heo Joo and take what I want, then use the rest as lab rats, but that would just bring more clinging to me, more and more and more.
These fanatics wander around looking for prime spots to martyr themselves spectacularly, thanks to their apocalyptic, self-destructive doctrine.
This house has probably gotten a reputation as a great martyrdom hotspot, which is why they crawled in here.
I opened the window and released my minions outside.
They don’t have long lifespans, so they’ll spread some nasty rumors around the area for a while.
“By the way, it’s not just going to end with your death. It’ll grow by assimilating your flesh, so you’ll stay conscious as part of the monster. According to your doctrine, that probably means no heaven or Valhalla for you.”
More precisely, their belief is that you end up in some secondary dimension around Fomalhaut, becoming part of an eternal beacon forever.
“Grrrr... Y-you monster! Devil!!”
“Devil? Come on, I’m just saying let’s all live together peacefully.”
After that, the boss kept spewing curses and insults for a good while, but verbal abuse is just a momentary humiliation.
I ignored it all.
“Hey, vice boss, snap out of it.”
“Huh? Urrrgh...?”
“Man, you took a real beating. Here, have some of this.”
“Don’t eat it! You can’t eat that!”
“Urrrgh? Urr?”
“Aww, good boy.”
“Nooooo!!”
I gave the vice boss similar treatment and let them go.
After that, things wrapped up smoothly.
I urged them to grab their wounded and get out immediately.
After about an hour of chaotic commotion, a procession of stragglers formed—beautiful sight, them carrying and supporting each other.
I waved goodbye to them as they set off on their long journey.
“Bye now, and don’t come back.”
“You vile creature! The curse of flames will be upon you.”
Curse my ass.
Your god’s been desperate to recruit me for months now, and you’re talking curses?
Then a better idea than this awkward parting hit me.
“Oh, hold on, boss. Before you go, one last thing.”
I approached him and whispered some key information.
“I-is that true?”
“Hey, don’t believe me if you don’t want to. But out of friendship and trust, here’s a more detailed location. Listen up.”
I even conjured an illusionary map and shared a few more vital details.
“Really... it’s here...? For real?”
“Yeah, and there are similar spots around Cheorwon, here and here.”
“Similar spots mean... the same thing’s inside them too?”
“Yep. Anyway, I’ve done more than enough, so let’s agree not to see each other for a while.”
“...Fine. But you won’t keep up that arrogant attitude forever.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
“Tch, damn it... Let’s go!”
I went through all that trouble to let them live, and they’re still so ungrateful. Oh well, can’t be helped. Befriending cultists was never on the table.
Once the cultists were gone, Heo Sanghyeon reverted to his usual anxious expression.
“Mythos, sir. Is it really okay to just let them go like that?”
He must’ve relaxed now.
Just moments ago, he’d had the stern look of someone ready to start torturing them...
“Yeah, it’ll be fine. They’ll be busy digging for a while.”
“Digging?”
“Yep. I told them where their lost holy relic is.”
Of course, not my ring.
What I gave them was the location of Helistic’s secret lab.
Specifically, the site doing research on the [Living Flame], so they’ll be busy clashing with those guys and won’t show up here anytime soon.
I summoned the spectral golems and ordered them to clean up the yard and surroundings, then stretched contentedly.
“Phew, guess that’s that.”
But Heo Sanghyeon still had business. He’d been waiting while I handled the cleanup.
“Mythos, sir. I’ve got one more thing to report.”
“What is it?”
“Some of the intruders here weren’t cultists.”
“Oh.”
That explained the odd ones.
Most cultists resist or are outright immune to madness and fear. But some had over-the-top reactions to the spectral golems.
The ones who screamed and fled mid-fight were outsiders.
“My guess is they were hired thugs from outside. What do you think? Did you notice?”
“Hmm, yeah, they didn’t seem to have clear affiliations, like you said. But some of the prisoners—or wounded—seem to be from groups that could be called Three Heads Society subcontractors.”
“Three Heads Society?”
“Yes. Some of them referred to people outside their own cult simply as ‘Three Heads.’ But they didn’t seem to be officially dispatched under the Three Heads name.”
“Ah, so they’re the kind the Three Heads sends in when they can’t openly use their own name?”
“Yes, that’s the vibe.”
Heo Sanghyeon... way more capable than I thought.
I hired him thinking he was just a butler to manage the mansion and meals, but he might have talents in other areas.
“Anyway, the Three Heads Society...”
Come to think of it, Jang Hyeondeok and Park Gwangrim both mentioned Blue Tiger once. If this scenario involves the Three Heads Society and Fomalhaut’s descendants—no, the cultists...
Damn, that idiot Blue Tiger. I told him to move faster.
Looks like the [Three Heads Schism] scenario kicked off while I was distracted.
“So, expect contact from the Three Heads soon?”
But my prediction that the Three Heads would reach out was wrong.
* * *
The Three Heads had already contacted me.
I just hadn’t been able to check it.
“Kee hee hee, messages flooded in right after you left the club, and you missed them?”
“Bad timing. I was swamped right after getting out of the club.”
Too many things on my mind.
Still, missing info I could’ve seen just by glancing at my smartphone was a bit embarrassing.
Basilissa, who I’d planned to visit in three days, had to come back after just one thanks to Tudor’s urgent summons.
And that’s how I finally saw Blue Tiger’s message.
Checking my smartphone, Blue Tiger had tried contacting me multiple times over the two weeks I spent at Thousand Gold Hall.
But just like the carriers in my old world, [Cthulhu World]’s networks can’t reach the club.
“Heh heh, good thing you’re not used to modern tech—I get paid pocket money for this.”
“...I’ve told you a million times, it’s not that I don’t know how to use a smartphone; I just don’t.”
It wasn’t like I was ignoring him on purpose, but to Blue Tiger, it must’ve looked like the haughty Kim Mythos ghosting him.
From a Three Heads boss’s perspective, that’s plenty reason to be pissed, yet he chose to placate me.
“I don’t know how you tamed Blue Tiger, but one of his guys came by, dropped a fat bonus, and left.”
“Even so, 200 million for one message? Guy’s got deep pockets.”
Someone from Blue Tiger’s side must’ve visited.
They left bundles of cash, saying it was the overdue bonus from the last job. Probably hoping the money would soften me up enough to reply.
‘No idea what misunderstanding led to this, but hey, free money.’
Anyway, the message they paid a fortune to deliver was short.
[The book is ready. Please visit when you have time.]
Roughly twenty characters without spaces. Ten million per character. Weird way to show sincerity with money, but that’s the gist.
Tudor, who’d pocketed a fee just to pass that short message, cackled.
“Hmm~ I don’t think it’s just hush money. There’s good reason Blue Tiger wants to see you ASAP right now.”
“Reason?”
“Weird guys have been hitting Three Heads’ businesses lately. Giving the bosses massive headaches.”
Just as I’d figured.
Blue Tiger’s in such a pinch he’s scraping together every connection to solidify his faction.
Not many can hit the Three Heads, who dominate the entire central underworld, not just Paju.
“Not three headaches, but two, right?”
Tudor’s eyes widened in surprise at my comment.
“Huh? You scoped out Paju’s situation in just a day? Not many know that unless they’re in the know.”
“Some new friends I met yesterday filled me in.”
That, and I already knew how the Three Heads Schism scenario played out.
I could guess what was happening to Blue Tiger now.
Not three heads hurting, but two.
In Paju, the ones who could hit the Three Heads hardest were, obviously, the Three Heads themselves.
“Hmm, impressive. Sure, all three are getting pounded, but one’s taking weirdly light damage.”
“Red Head, not Black King, right? From the vibe.”
Tudor whistled, pointed at me like he was shooting a finger gun, and continued.
“Bingo. Word among the insiders is Red Head’s using proxies to bash another head.”
Red Head turned traitor, as expected.
One of the Three Heads’ three leaders.
The Three Heads is an alliance of three groups led by Red Head, Blue Tiger, and Black King. The only loose-headed one who’d team up with cultists is Red Head.
“And with all that on his plate, he’s throwing money around to summon me...”
“Getting the picture? Blue Tiger wants you on his side.”
“So that’s why the weird rumors were flying. I thought Basilissa spread them and stayed hands-off.”
“Yeah? Oh, that was me.”
“...”
“Kee hee hee, not just me—Blue Tiger took it, hyped it up, I hyped it more. But no prior scheming, I swear, in case you misunderstand.”
“Why pull that stunt?”
“Any publicity’s good publicity. It also narrowed Blue Tiger’s options. Now he thinks he has to buy you out at any cost.”
Devious plan.
Blue Tiger’ll believe it was all his idea and dance to Tudor’s tune.
“I—”
Even if Blue Tiger offered his entire fortune, I wouldn’t join his crew. If I wanted to be some petty Three Heads member, I’d have pledged to Thousand Gold Hall ages ago.
—“regret to say, but I’m not interested.”
“No skin off my back. Do whatever you want, whenever. When have I ever forced you?”
“Hmm, fair point.”
“So, what about the message? This cash is just for the last job’s bonus, so you can ignore it, but you’re not going for the book?”
If I eagerly went to Blue Tiger for a book, I’d step into a trap hard to escape.
“Nah. I’ll take what’s offered.”
Beyond joining Blue Tiger, I had plenty of options.
And anyway.
I’d move however I damn well pleased.
