Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Investigation
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I lead my squad members from the guard unit on patrol through the night market.
Parents dragging their kids along.
Shoddy street food and simple games scattered here and there along the streets.
"Nothing going on."
"Of course not. Vain's got pretty good public safety by local standards."
It's a corrupt cesspool by my standards, but I've heard it's a decent place to live around here.
Can't even imagine what other places are like.
Watching the kids laugh and run around, it doesn't seem half bad.
-Crunch!
"You can't pay up, you can't do business?!"
Men wielding hammers and smashing shelves, while an auntie tries to stop them.
"No! We already paid the lord's taxes! What more do you want?!"
"Shut it! You know protection money? Protection money?"
With that, he smashes the pottery on the stall.
-Crash!
Thomas lightly taps my shoulder and smacks his lips.
"Squad Leader? Wanna go take a little bribe?"
"Should we?"
The guards around here take bribes and let punks like that slide, but I've got no intention of letting beasts like them roam free.
Not that it'd stick even if I arrested them—they'd be out in no time.
But they won't touch me.
Because I'm the squad leader appointed by Grand Duchess Luna herself.
No matter how tough they act in the back alleys, they can't stand up to official authority.
I tap the shoulder of the punk yelling his head off.
He turns around and shouts.
"Who the fu— Oh? Guards? Sorry about that. Got a bit rowdy, huh?"
He pulls three gold coins from his leather pouch with a sleazy grin, like he's done this a thousand times.
"Here, here, you guys work hard. Grab some drinks on me and warm up. We'll clear out right away. Hey! Pack it up! We'll deal with you later, auntie. Nice and proper. Ptoo!"
I speak to the punk and his lackeys as he spits on the shattered pieces.
"Who said you could go?"
The punk stops in his tracks and turns back with a puzzled look.
"Huh?"
"Who told you you could smash stuff and just walk away?"
I flip my hand, and the gold coins roll across the ground.
"Assault, property damage, and now bribery. You're under arrest."
"Hey, Squad Leader, we're with the Alphao Family. Look... if you're short on cash..."
His words are polite, but his face twists in annoyance.
He pulls out his pouch and says.
"This is all I got on me today. Next time we meet, I'll treat you right..."
I look at my squad and order.
"What are you waiting for? Arrest them."
As I direct the guards, the punk's face turns red and he yells.
"You... you crazy bastard! I'm Alphao Family!"
"What? Who's that?"
"You don't know Alphao Family? Don Alphao?"
Don Alphao is the infamous underworld boss of Vain.
"Did Alphao tell you to do this crap?"
I feign surprise like I didn't know they were Alphao Family, and now the punk starts sweating, thinking I'm finally getting it.
"Yeah. Boss Alphao ordered it."
"My bad, didn't know. Guess I'll arrest Alphao too."
The punk mutters, pale as a ghost.
"Crazy bastard... total psycho."
"Hope you don't resist. What are you doing? Arrest him."
I bark at my squad, and Thomas says in shock.
"Squad Leader? You really arresting them? For real?"
"Yeah! Arrest them! Or do you wanna get arrested for disobeying orders?"
I give the squad a cold command, and they sigh.
"Squad Leader, we don't know where this sense of justice came from, but those guys'll be out in a day or two even if we nab 'em. Alphao Family pulls strings with the guards here."
"Doesn't matter."
It really doesn't.
I've already secured a fancy house.
Later, I'll sell it and leave Vain to start a business somewhere else.
No second thoughts.
And it won't be easy for some guard captain to boot out a squad leader appointed by the Grand Duchess, so I can make some cash here, sell the house at the right time, and bounce.
Maybe it's my resolute gaze.
Thomas lets out a deep sigh.
"Haa... I'm doomed. We could've just taken the bribe. Hey, no resisting. Come quietly, don't make this messy."
Finally, the punks grimace.
As ropes bind their bodies tight, I say to the squad.
"Where's Alphao's place?"
"Squad Leader?! You're really going after Alphao? Even with the Grand Duchess's special promotion, that's dangerous!"
I speak to the punks, who flinch at the mention of the Grand Duchess.
"He told you to commit crimes, right? That's breaking the law, so we arrest him."
"I'm telling you, you'll get stabbed in your sleep! Sneak in at night, knife in the dark—no evidence! You wanna die?"
"Yeah, Squad Leader. Or just take the money and we all go home happy?"
The talk of stabbings scares me a bit, but...
I wanted to avenge the one who showed me kindness.
Repay grace with grace... that's what makes us human.
I scan the squad trying to talk me down.
"I don't take blood money. So obey orders... or face punishment for insubordination. Your choice."
The guard unit's basically an army.
An army for keeping the peace.
No separation of military and police like in the modern world yet, so defying orders is mutiny.
"Shit! We got a real lunatic here?"
I ask as their eyes tremble wildly.
"So, what's it gonna be?"
"Fuck it, let's go! If the squad leader dies, it ain't me! Hey, asshole! You saw me get dragged like this? You saw! Right?!"
Thomas yells at the bound punk, denying any involvement, practically begging for his life.
The punk eyes me with a sinister grin after seeing Thomas.
"Saw it, sir. I'll tell Boss Alphao all about it. This squad leader's nuts."
"Alright, I'm taking the heat, so let's move!"
-What? Really arresting Alphao Family?
-Who the hell is that guy?
-Doesn't value his life?
-Crazy! How can he say that? No one steps up when Alphao's thugs run wild!
Unpleasant murmurs reach my ears, and the punks glare at the crowd.
"Hey! Show's over! Scram! Hey! I remember your face! Better watch your back!"
As people scatter from the punk's threats, I tell the squad.
"Gag them."
"Got it."
With gags in their mouths, it's finally quiet.
"Thomas, lead the way."
I point at Thomas, who grudgingly guides us.
"Whoa? Across the river? Alphao's loaded, huh?"
Vain's a city split by the river.
Like Seoul, wealth divides along the water.
West side's pricey mansions for the elite, including the Grand Duchess.
East side's middle class.
Poor folk huddle near gates or outside walls.
Fine if regular workers or merchants get rich.
But thugs sucking blood from the poor and beating them down? No way.
What can he do if I go arrest him?
Killing ten guards ain't easy, and even if he did, it's trouble.
Bribes won't cover murder.
If I die to Alphao Family, it'll report up the chain. If it reaches the Grand Duchess by bad luck, Alphao and his crew are toast.
Even if not, the guards won't sit idle.
Corrupt or not, they stick together. Might attack Alphao or demand bigger bribes.
So better to get nabbed quietly and settle with the captain or prosecutors.
Alphao's no idiot; he'll do that.
He's been arrested before but always released.
Means he doesn't kick up a fuss during arrests.
As I lead the bound punks, curious onlookers start following one by one.
-Really gonna arrest him?
-Isn't he crazy? Who is he?
-New squad leader, I heard.
-Feels good, though.
-Right? Seeing those heaven-defying thugs like this... satisfying.
Everyone's got grudges; they whisper busily about the punks.
Ignoring the growing crowd, we head to Alphao's place.
A flashy marble mansion comes into view.
"That's Alphao's house?"
A massive five-story estate.
How much evil does it take to afford that?
Probably bribes his way out of most of it.
I stand before Alphao's mansion with my squad and the punks.
Thugs in ragged clothes emerge one by one.
"Private property! Get lost!"
"Hey, isn't that Yuda? Fucked up tax collecting and got nabbed?"
"You the new squad leader? Short on cash? I'll put in a word inside. Wait here."
So the arrested punk's Yuda.
As I think that, Yuda...
"Mmph!"
Starts thrashing and yelling through the gag.
What's he saying?
"Can't hear. Untie the gag."
A guard removes it.
"Garot! No! That guy's not like that, you idiot!"
The punk laughs and waves five fingers toward the mansion interior, signaling.
"That's why you're still at it. What can't money buy?"
Garot must be the boss here.
"Not here for money. Here to arrest Alphao for aiding and abetting crime."
Garot's eyes widen in disbelief.
"What... did you say?"
"Hey? Think our boss has time for you?"
"What'd you say?"
Thugs surround us.
I draw my sword and declare.
"Anyone interfering with official duties will be executed on the spot."
"This guy's a total nutjob."
"Psycho."
"Garot bro, what now?"
The thugs murmur, staring at me.
"Hey, I'll give you a fat cut. Seriously, you walking away?"
"Guess I'll arrest you too. Bribery."
I aim my sword at him, and he scowls, muttering.
"You keep this up, you're dead. You don't even live in the guard barracks."
"Add threats to the charges. Hey, what are you doing? Arrest him."
The squad gulps.
Probably spooked by their numbers.
"For real?"
"Yeah. Unless you want punishment for insubordination, follow orders."
Finally, they tremble as they cuff Garot.
Garot looks at them pitifully.
"Bro, how'd a blockhead like that become squad leader?"
"He's... the Grand Duchess's benefactor..."
"What? This idiot saved the Grand Duchess?"
-Thwack!
Garot mentions Luna.
I smash his head with my scabbard.
"The Grand Duchess isn't for the likes of you to name."
Then, a 60-year-old man with a protruding gut emerges from the mansion.
Neck dripping with gold chains, fingers heavy with jeweled rings.
This is Don Alphao.
"What's all the racket outside? Who are you? This is private property—even guards can't trespass!"
"Don Alphao. You're under arrest for aiding and abetting crime."
He stares at me, dumbfounded.
"What?"