Sowing Chaos

Watching Zhang Wei and Ichijo, I gleaned no small amount of useful lessons.

Using even those who were enemies just moments ago, if it served my purposes.

Clouding their judgment with pain and fear, bending them to my will.

Redirecting the hatred and rage aimed at me toward someone else.

As the prospective Black Market boss and lord of Korea's underworld, these were profoundly practical teachings.

I'll put them to good use later.

…….

I fell silent at the left head's mocking voice, laced with derision.

It cackled unpleasantly.

I couldn't exactly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠argue—it was spot on.

Right beside me stood Toda, living proof of it.

A quick glance his way, and there he was, gazing at me with sparkling eyes.

Yeah. Better than some unreliable method that might backfire or fail depending on the target, Mind Control was the sure thing.

Not much of a lesson after all, then….

Still, it wasn't entirely fruitless.

Thanks to Toda, a low-level grunt unaware of the finer details, I could piece together some internal dynamics.

Whether Zhang Wei's words are true or lies doesn't matter. There's definitely an insider. Otherwise, they couldn't prepare this perfectly.

The Yamamoto expedition seemed far more fractured than I'd thought.

Even if it was to eliminate rival faction power, borrowing the hand of someone like Zhang Wei, who could be called an enemy?

Well, with two leaders from the start, I'd half-suspected as much.

So the question is, do the Yamamoto brothers know about this?

Sure, as Zhang Wei said, no single S-rank like Yoshida could handle taking out three others alone.

At minimum, faction head Yamamoto Kazuki knows.

But how much does Kazuki really know?

"He knows some, but maybe not about colluding with Zhang Wei."

No hard proof, but it felt right.

From what Toda said, Yoshida was always cold, inscrutably scheming.

Guys like that usually have dirty secrets.

Might be hasty generalization, but I was convinced for now.

"Coming here was the right call."

I organized the intel in a corner of my mind and turned to leave.

Ideally, I'd approach Ichijo now and Mind Control him while he's mentally fragile—but no way to get close with all those Chinese hunters around.

This vulnerability was prime opportunity, but numbers won out.

Regrettably, Ichijo would have to wait.

Time to head to the next spot.

Not on the original plan, but Yamamoto's business warranted a visit.

Might as well have some fun while I'm at it.

A chance to show off my cool dad side to Rue, who'd come along for once.

Tidy up Yamamoto's place a bit, contact Ichijo later when the moment's right, and relay this intel to Jeong Soo-ah.

Busy schedule.

One body just wasn't enough.

I let out a quiet sigh at the left head's giggling voice.

True. One body, three heads.

Not that they helped much.

Another sigh at the noisy racket in my head.

Fine. The main me would handle it all.

They were me, after all, nuisances or not.

Following Toda's lead, we headed to Yamamoto's establishment.

As described, its flashiness fell short of Zhang Wei's, but the scale was comparable.

Just in case, I scanned the guests—all ordinary patrons.

Mostly hunters, sure, but unlike Zhang Wei's, no one carried weapons.

Even some regular civilians mixed in.

Coming to a place like this? 'Ordinary' doesn't fit.

Awakened or not, they weren't clean.

So, no qualms about moving freely here.

Not that a monster like me cared about human morality anymore.

I treated them all equally, good or bad—but meeting my sister lately?

It nagged a bit.

She was unequivocally human; ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I, a monster without question.

Hard to slaughter indiscriminately like before.

The hunters I'd killed would call it unfair, but whatever.

I wasn't one to nitpick, and I knew my self-satisfaction for what it was.

Anyway, these folks were scum I could kill without hesitation.

If some innocents got caught? Tough luck.

A quick scan beforehand: three S-rank hunters total.

Usually one or none, but they'd beefed up security expecting Zhang Wei.

A tad annoying.

"Toda. Guide me through the secret passage."

"Yes, Master! Leave it to me!"

Under Toda's guidance, we took a hidden route, skipping the front door.

Originally planned a frontal smash-and-grab like the Black Market raid, but their forces were beefier than expected.

Time to adjust: one body, three heads—use 'em.

Work time, Left.

…Not just killing. Stir chaos first. Use suggestions lightly.

No need to worry about breakage.

Not keeping them long-term like Toda.

Control everyone we encounter. Goal: pandemonium.

The left head squealed rebelliously, but as always, empty words.

It diligently Mind Controlled every passerby, no discrimination by civilian, hunter, or rank.

Thrilled with body control after so long, its steps bounced with glee.

Puppet-like figures shambled soullessly in its wake.

Just like zombies from the movies.

Chaos erupted inside soon after.

* * *

Guests and staff alike, civilians and hunters—no distinction—turned on each other.

Blood and flesh sprayed; weapons clashed.

Screams rang out as people wounded one another.

In the blink of an eye, the interior became a hellish inferno, no different from an Asura field.

B-rank Hunter Yoon Ha-yang, dispatched by the Hunter Association, dodged frantically amid the sudden slaughterhouse.

The Association stayed out of underworld affairs for various reasons, but didn't ignore them entirely.

They sent periodic scouts—and by coincidence, it was her turn.

"Oh god, oh god…!"

Hiding in a corner from the uproar, Yoon Ha-yang yanked out her smartphone.

A veteran Association hunter who'd seen it all, even she hadn't anticipated this.

Unable to judge alone, she desperately called her superior.

"C'mon…! Why won't he pick up?!"

The wrong line rang endlessly, frustrating her to tears.

The situation inside worsened by the second.

Mindless, zombie-like figures lurched about.

Even the remaining sane ones fell to them or joined their ranks.

Terror welled up, making Yoon Ha-yang tremble.

"Secretary Hwang, please… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pick up…!"

He answered casual calls anytime, so why not now?

Unable to shout lest she be heard, she whispered her anguish.

"Damn it! What the hell is going on?!"

A booming shout startled her.

Turning, she saw Japan's S-rank hunter Kanzaki.

One of the S-ranks dispatched in Yoshida's stead to manage the place.

"Hey! Subdue those lunatics now! Lethal force authorized!"

With a group of hunters, Kanzaki moved to suppress the mad ones.

Yoon Ha-yang, tasked with monitoring him, knew he was scum of the earth—but right now, his arrival was a godsend.

If he quelled the chaos, she could slip out unscathed.

Once this is over, I'm taking that backlog of vacation—no matter what Secretary Hwang says!

He ignored her when she needed him; he had no right to block her break.

He's always whining about short-staffing… let's see him deal!

Plotting petty revenge on her boss, Yoon Ha-yang prayed for Kanzaki to end it.

An S-rank should handle this easily, she believed.

But reality dashed her hopes.

"Gaaah─!"

"S-save me!"

"K-Kanzaki! Something's wrong! We need to run—aaagh!"

Kanzaki's group, expecting a quick mop-up, was getting pushed back instead.

Against foes feeling no pain, charging suicidally, they were helpless.

"These bastards…! Outta my way! I'll handle it!"

Kanzaki stepped up belatedly, but even as an S-rank, it changed little.

Among the mindless was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠another S-rank—his comrade, Jonouchi.

"You?! Jonouchi! Why…?!"

"Grraaah─!"

Jonouchi gave no reply to Kanzaki's shock, lunging like the rest—a zombie.

"Grraaah─!"

"Tch…! Damn it…!"

True to S-rank speed, invisible to Yoon Ha-yang's eyes, Jonouchi barreled in.

Brutal, brainless charge made even Kanzaki falter.

"You crazy…! Jonouchi! Wanna die?!"

"GRRAAAH─!!!"

Primal hand-and-mouth assaults continued.

Dodgeable, sure—but against a fellow S-rank?

Obvious attacks still forced Kanzaki back bit by bit.

Reckless, self-sacrificing fury left him no counter.

By the prolonged exchange's end, only maniacs surrounded him.

His entourage lay fallen long ago.

Hands reached from all sides.

Normally, he'd scoff and evade leisurely—but with Jonouchi tying him down, no chance.

"F-fuuuuck─!"

-GAAAH!

Rude curses and screams echoed.

An S-rank, top of the hunter world, fell helplessly.

Yoon Ha-yang, witnessing it all, shook violently.

She clamped her mouth with trembling hands.

Or she'd scream.

She redialed her boss frantically.

Thud… thud…

In the now-quiet interior, footsteps echoed softly.

Still no answer from her superior; Yoon Ha-yang glanced desperately at her screen—then flicked her eyes away.

A man in all black walked calmly through.

The mad ones charging everyone else ignored him completely.

And he strolled casually, humming a tune amid the bloodstains, as if it were natural.

Yoon Ha-yang instinctively hid from his gaze.

Instinct screamed: He's the culprit.

The architect of this nightmare.

Don't get caught.

Judging purely on gut over thought, she stifled her breath.

Thud… thud—the steps continued.

"Hng… hnn…."

Suppressing near-tears, she stared pleadingly at her phone.

"Connecting" mocked her relentlessly.

She was losing it.

Then, abruptly, the footsteps stopped.

Far off.

What was he doing?

Curiosity surged; she peeked unwittingly.

And met a pair of glaring red eyes staring back.

"Huh? Another one hiding?"

His innocent tone clashed with his sharp features—her scream burst out.

Only then did the endless tone end; her boss finally picked up.

The man's urgent shouts pierced the receiver, echoing through the interior.