The Scoundrel Himself
"Tsk tsk tsk. Handing over 760 billion is basically giving it away for free, so why's he being so goddamn greedy?"
Anyway, once the story kicks off, he's gonna die soon enough. Why rush his own grave like that? He should just enjoy whatever's left of his miserable life.
Ah, wait. No? The protagonist's dead, and I've got the heroine under my thumb. If I don't make a move, maybe he won't die after all?
The guy gets busted by the protagonist at the drug factory, and that's what screws him over. But thinking about it now, if I sit on my hands, that probably won't happen.
Then I guess I'll have to kill him myself. No choice.
Is this what they call fate? Like, no matter what a doomed bastard does, he's gonna bite the dust anyway.
He's got the option to just buy it outright with cash, but instead he pulls this shit and hastens his end. Kinda proves the point.
"Pull the kids back. His intentions are obvious as hell. No need to play along."
"Yes, my lord."
Sua contacts Prestige. No way we're crawling into that trap he so carefully set.
Let's see... How should I make him pay to really scratch that itch?
Daring to try and steal my shit? That's a straight-up death sentence, obviously. The question is the method.
This wasn't just poking me—it was a full-on backstab attempt. No forgiveness. Touch me, and you get punished.
Would he regret it more if he knew his crimes and died in agony, or if he went out clueless and full of injustice?
I ponder fiercely, aiming to maximize the suffering. Personally, I think it's a profound question worthy of a philosophy textbook.
Not just physical pain, but mental damage too—this attention to detail. Even I have to admit, it's devilishly good.
...Maybe I shouldn't kill him?
I step back from the idea that death is the ultimate suffering. Sometimes, living is the real hell.
For instance, chop off all four limbs and make him live like a pig. Or inject factors to induce something horrific like CRPS—complex regional pain syndrome—and let him rot in agony forever.
Keep him breathing, and the options are endless.
Handing him off as a test subject to Militaris, which I'm pretty sure is cranking out demons, sounds perfect too.
Likes the idea, so I ask right away.
I snag a fresh set of this new potion(?) from Min Ji-ah. Honestly, I don't think Jang Kyung-su's crime warrants 300 days of 3000x body-melt hell, but hey, fate dealt the hand. Kinda tragic, really.
Poor Jang Kyung-su.
"Jang Kyung-su's not at the scene, right?"
"No. Looks like he just sent his underlings."
"Guess we need to capture him alive. He at the police station?"
"Probably holed up in some hideout?"
Hmm.
Nah, no need to overthink. I know where the drug factory is.
Incheon's biggest drug lab—no way losing it won't hurt like hell. Attack it, and he'll have to show his face somehow. Then we intercept.
Chance to peek at Levi and Baekseol's skills.
Levi the demon who slaughters dozens in a second despite using a sword, and Baekseol, top-potential knight with her custom gear. Send them with Red Team, and even Jang Kyung-su's factory gets wiped clean.
Plus, Red Team won't go in naked—gonna kit them with Militaris suits from HQ. Minimizes casualties. And stream Baekseol and Levi going wild for fun...
"Baekseol."
"Yes, my lord."
"PMC ain't official yet, but here's your first real mission."
"! Understood. Just give the order."
"Take Red Team to the spot I tell you, destroy it thoroughly. Burn every facility, kill everyone. If Jang Kyung-su's there, chop off limbs and capture alive."
"Got it."
I give her the address. She strokes her cylindrical custom weapon, vowing success on her first op. No need for dramatics—it's a cakewalk. Jang Kyung-su's an early-game scrub who croaks quick. Not even mid-boss level.
"Levi, show Sua that skill she raved about."
Levi vows success too.
"Yes, my lord. As you command."
+++
"...What the hell? Why isn't he showing?"
Jang Kyung-su scowled at the still-silent screen. The meet time had passed, but the buyer hadn't appeared.
"Did they get made?"
"N-no way.... We laid scan-jam fields, and each implant has detection jamming and stealth. Unless it's military gear..."
"Then why the fuck isn't he here?"
"That's..."
This wasn't some "running late" bullshit. Over an hour late, and all contact ignored. Total ghosting.
"These... fucking bastards...!! How dare they toy with me?!"
Shit was already going sideways lately, and now even the drug deal flops? They'd delayed once before too—same-day notice. No one disrespects Jang Kyung-su like this.
"S-sorry!! We'll track them down now!"
His rage sent minions scrambling like their feet were on fire, desperate to avoid a pointless beating death. They combed every trace.
But before any leads, a more shocking report hit.
"B-boss...!!"
A trusted lieutenant burst in, face pale as a ghost.
Jang hardened. What?
"Big trouble...!! A-1's under attack!!"
"What the fuck?!!"
A-1: Incheon's—and the peninsula's—biggest drug factory, the heart of his reign. Top-tier security, yet hit out of nowhere??
Did they skip the deal to raid this?
Already pulled heavy forces to snag the new drugs. Lose A-1 now, and it's apocalypse-level loss—not like stock dips. Worse, it's not just his; backed by heavy investors everywhere.
Can't let that happen.
"Everyone to A-1!!"
He geared up himself. The raiders were likely the deal pranksters—he'd go personally and make them pay for insulting Incheon's shadow king!
You humiliated Jang Kyung-su? Don't think you'll die easy!!