Chapter 84
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Chapter 24. Blitzkrieg (4)
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“Leader Jin, what’s this between allies?”
“Not beaten enough.”
Flying Tiger answered in his place and kept on hitting.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
“Protector Wang, are you really doing this?”
“Not beaten enough!”
Flying Tiger answered again and hit him some more.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
Flying Tiger was a man who knew how to beat someone, while Jin Ga-yong and Wang Baek-gun were men with mouths sealed tighter than a mountain. In any case, despite Sa-myo’s desperate pleas, they kept their lips firmly shut.
And Ye Dok-du, who was watching from the side, was so enthralled by how thoroughly Flying Tiger was pummeling him that he almost stepped forward with, “Shall I lend a hand?” only to be held back by his comrades on either side.
The actual time that passed wasn’t long, but to Sa-myo, it felt like an eternity before the beating finally stopped—right around the moment when his vision was going dark with the realization, These bastards have no intention of letting me live.
Then Flying Tiger asked.
“Be honest. You’d rather die than spill any secrets, right? You’ve all been specially trained to endure torture. Isn’t that so?”
“Y-Yes. I’d rather die than...”
“Shh! Words can become seeds. Don’t say it so easily. What if it turns into reality just because you spoke it aloud?”
Does that mean they might let me live?
“Either way, it’d just put us both in a tough spot. Honestly, we’re not the type to get all red-faced over this, are we? It’s just that our situation here is desperate. So, let me ask the questions. Then you...”
“I won’t talk! I won’t talk even if I die!”
“That’s exactly it. I’ll just ask, and if it’s hard for you to answer, just play dumb. Got it?”
“...?”
Flying Tiger began the interrogation.
“Where are the rest of the Ten Cats right now?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re not planning to raid the Locust Brigade’s treasury from somewhere else, are you? That’s why even though your three were struggling, no backup arrived on time?”
“I don’t know.”
“Got it. So, you were waiting for our Jeong Unit to clash head-on with the Locust Brigade’s leadership over there, then strike for a big score in that moment.”
“I don’t know!”
Sa-myo insisted he didn’t know, but he stared at Flying Tiger like he’d seen a ghost. Even the members of the Jeong Unit were startled.
Was that it?
Flying Tiger eyed Sa-myo from all angles, judging the truth, then tossed out a test question.
“You guys... were hoping our Jeong Unit would get chased by the Locust Brigade and picked off one by one? That way, they’d definitely buy you time.”
“Absolutely not!”
“For real?”
“I swear it.”
“Alright. I didn’t think you’d cross that line. So, you figured you’d help us out with our job and grab something for yourselves on the side. Something like that?”
“That... I don’t know.”
Flying Tiger nodded.
Fortunately, Sa-myo wasn’t a complete blockhead. He caught on quick, after all.
Flying Tiger threw a few more questions after that, and Sa-myo stuck to “I don’t know” and “No.”
Some questions needed more detail, but one of them was sharp, and the other quick on the uptake, so they managed to communicate somehow.
For example, he even managed to convey the exact location of the treasury the Great Black Cat was targeting using just “I don’t know” and “No.”
In this way, Sa-myo steadfastly upheld his loyalty, and Flying Tiger got his curiosities satisfied. Both sides got what they wanted—a mutual victory.
But how had Flying Tiger figured all this out from the start?
At first, it was suspicion.
Then a hunch.
So he went through the confirmation process.
Sa-myo claimed they couldn’t take the intermediate gate on time because they lacked manpower and were biding their chance.
But he’d said all Ten Cats were deployed for this operation. Under normal circumstances, manpower shortages could be fixed by sending reinforcements.
And it wasn’t like the individual Ten Cats lacked ability.
So what was the problem?
That was Flying Tiger’s initial suspicion.
Of course, everyone has their circumstances. But generally, people avoid unnecessary side activities before a major operation.
Just like the promise between Flying Tiger and Jin Ga-yong.
Yet the Great Black Cat had sent only three and claimed they were busy with their own mission.
What could that be?
When lives were on the line, few things were valued more highly.
If he had to name some: wealth or honor?
And conveniently, the Locust Brigade had plundered endlessly for nearly twenty years, amassing mountains of gold, silver, jewels, and treasures, or so the rumors went.
Who wouldn’t be tempted by that?
That was Flying Tiger’s hunch.
Once you have a hunch, you need confirmation.
He did what he always did: pried with his mouth, irritatingly so, to snag on any guilty spots.
Then he floated a probe.
The hand gesture he’d shown the three Ten Cats (forming a circle with thumb and index finger) meant money—an implied “Was it for the cash?”
And as expected, thieves feel it in their soles: their reactions were a sight to behold.
That sealed Flying Tiger’s suspicions.
That’s why he explained the situation to Leader Jin Ga-yong and got permission, and Jin Ga-yong discussed it via transmission with Protector Wang Baek-gun before approving.
So under their tacit approval, Flying Tiger interrogated Sa-myo and got the answers he wanted.
“Damn it, we got nothing out of him. All ‘I don’t know’ or ‘No.’ Stubborn bastard. He’s clearly hiding something...”
Flying Tiger stood after the interrogation, looking dejected, then approached Jin Ga-yong to apologize, saying he had no face to show and was sorry for causing a disturbance.
Wang Baek-gun, who’d been pretending otherwise until then, flew into a rage(?) on Sa-myo’s behalf: “Is that what you say after grabbing an innocent man?”
Jin Ga-yong took the blame—“This is all my failing in managing people”—restrained Wang Baek-gun from scolding Flying Tiger, then went to Sa-myo, helped him up, and personally brushed the dirt off his clothes.
Sa-myo was dumbfounded, watching this bizarre one-act play.
As Jin Ga-yong dusted him off, he made a request.
“You’ve been through a lot. And sorry, but try to understand our deputy leader. He’s a straightforward guy once you get to know him—not a bad fellow.”
“Yes?”
What the hell is this guy saying?
That was Sa-myo’s inner scream.
“He was just on edge before a life-or-death battle. Think about it. If you suspect allies you trusted, how can you focus on the fight ahead? Right?”
“...Yes.”
“But you’re bound by your organization and couldn’t reveal anything. That’s what caused this mess, isn’t it? I watched the whole interrogation, and you didn’t leak a word to the end. If your superiors hear about this later, they’ll be proud. I guarantee it.”
“...Thank you, Leader Jin.”
“Ahem, I guarantee it too.”
Wang Baek-gun chimed in casually, and Sa-myo trembled with humiliation, but what could he do now?
In their line of work, loose lips meant disappearance, so compromise was the only way.
Once the praise-disguised threat—or threat-disguised praise—ended, Jin Ga-yong offered kind words.
“Glad you understand. From this moment, let’s brush off any hard feelings and fight as one until the end.”
“Understood. Looking forward to working with you.”
The Jeong Unit gathered and murmured.
Sa-myo sat dazed in the corner, but no one paid him much mind.
“Their behavior is outrageous the more I think about it.”
“I get how you feel, but everyone has their position, don’t they? Understand from a big-picture view. They weren’t trying to sabotage us, and aside from this snag, they’ve helped a lot so far.”
“True, but...”
Flying Tiger listened to his grumbling comrades, then surprisingly sided with understanding.
“Brothers, quit whining like Protector Wang said. I’m annoyed too, but using what you can isn’t a crime, right? It’s smart, even praiseworthy. Yeah, exactly. Isn’t it, Leader Jin?”
But for some reason, Flying Tiger’s gaze toward the leader wasn’t casual.
The Locust Brigade had amassed so much wealth that it was divided among several locations.
Of these, two qualified as true “treasuries.”
The first was known only to the three leaders of the Locust Brigade. The second boasted ironclad security.
Comparing them, the first—known only to the leaders—was far more valuable in quality. But secrecy comes with limits, so the second outshone it in sheer quantity.
Thus, the Great Black Cat was targeting the second treasury.
From investigations over the past few days, it was located in an underground vault beneath the East Bright Gate, the right of the two gates leading from the outer to inner castle.
A large cave had existed there originally, and the gate was built atop it for easy management since the guards stationed there lived on-site.
Tch, we’re way behind schedule. Did something go wrong? Should I check now?
The Great Black Cat clicked his tongue in anxiety. More than a quarter-hour past schedule, and still no signal flare from Seven Cat as promised.
The Great Black Cat and the other six of the Ten Cats were currently lying in ambush at key spots around the East Bright Gate, awaiting the moment.
Once the signal flare launched, the Face Pursuit Unit Jeong would charge in, clashing with the enemy leaders, plunging everything into chaos.
At that instant, they’d strike the gate en masse, seize it, rush underground, and wipe out the guards at the treasury.
Then loot the Locust Brigade’s treasury!
A plan straight out of Flying Tiger’s prediction.
In this situation, the Great Black Cat’s mutter of “Should we head back?” was just frustrated venting.
They were already in position for the ambush, hard to extract without notice. Even if they tried now, it wouldn’t be easy. Their spot at the East Bright Gate was far from the intermediate gate at the outer wall’s left end, meaning they’d have to evade the eyes of countless bandits in between.
From the start, the plan had the Jeong Unit stirring chaos on the opposite side.
The anxious moments dragged on interminably.
But all things end. Finally, from far beyond the castle walls, the sound of a signal flare launching rang out.
Pheww—boom.
The Great Black Cat’s eyes gleamed as he signaled his subordinates.
Get ready. It’s about to start.
The sudden flare drew every bandit’s eyes in the castle, causing a stir.
Then bell tolls sounded, followed by the hurried footsteps of bandit groups rushing about and the shouts of what seemed to be officers echoing sporadically.
As Sa-myo had assured, Seven Cat and Eight Cat had definitely drawn attention!
But even as the commotion peaked and began to subside gradually, the real big event the Great Black Cat awaited never happened.
There was no sign of battle between the Face Pursuit Unit Jeong and the Locust Brigade leadership!
What the fuck, why haven’t they started?
Waiting and waiting, the Great Black Cat grew beyond anxious to maddeningly frustrated. But he had no inkling yet of the utter disaster about to unfold.