Chapter 431: A Festering Heart.
Chapter 431: A Festering Heart.
Two Years Ago.
Barbara, Northern Continent. The former Golden Lion Clan House.
“Until now, the Northern Continent has maintained a very lenient policy toward the Vagabonds. To put it simply, the focus was on helping them return to being Users or rejoining the cities.”
I paused for a moment and calmly looked from side to side. I had spoken up just as the meeting was about to end, but thankfully, I didn't see any sharp glares. On the contrary, everyone was looking at me with curiosity.
Did they think I was a mute?
It made sense. I’d always attended the Guardian's summons, but I'd remained silent throughout every meeting until now. For me to suddenly announce I had a suggestion must have seemed strange to them.
“However, everyone here knows all too well what that lenient policy has brought us. For instance, we need only look at the spies who were hiding in each clan. Not to mention how they dragged the Western Continent into a war.”
At that, heavy groans echoed from here and there. It was common knowledge now, but at the time, it had been a massive incident that sent shockwaves through the community—at least, among the Users who knew. I suppose even I would have been shocked to discover that a comrade I had lived and fought with for years was a Vagabond.
“At this time, I would like to draw your attention to the plan the Golden Lion Clan had devised just before their expedition to the Steel Mountains.”
“The plan before the Steel Mountains expedition… Are you referring to the Vagabond Extermination Plan?” Seon Yul asked, her voice quite serious, as if she realized this was no light matter. I nodded in affirmation.
“Yes. Although it ended anticlimactically… considering there was a spy within the Golden Lion Clan at the time, you can imagine how forcefully they must have pushed for that extermination plan. I believe that, if nothing else, the Golden Lion Clan had the right idea with that plan.”
A quiet stillness settled over the conference room. The curious gazes turned into sharp stares. I cleared my throat once or twice and calmly continued.
“The war is over, but not all the Vagabonds have disappeared. In fact, their leaders escaped quickly and are now hiding somewhere, plotting their comeback.”
“So, are you suggesting, Mercenary Lord… that we wage another war against the Vagabonds?”
As I was speaking, a User with the character 'Su' (秀) embroidered on his chest spoke up in a serious tone. He looked at me with piercing eyes, as if he already knew what I was going to say.
For a moment, I was at a loss for words.
…Is he an idiot?
My previous statement was merely an example. The Northern Continent was just now recovering from the scars of war and entering a period of stabilization. War? What damn war?
I wondered how this man had even earned a seat here, but I immediately shook my head.
“I’m not suggesting we start a war. Our current situation doesn’t allow for it, and since the Vagabonds have lost the majority of their forces, they would likely avoid a direct conflict.”
“Ah. I-Is that so?”
“However, we cannot simply leave the Vagabonds as they are. I’m saying we should take this opportunity to pull them out by the roots.”
After giving the stammering User a more detailed explanation, I added one more thing.
“In short, we need to retract the lenient policy we had toward the Vagabonds and respond with force. Or perhaps… I should say, ‘in kind’?”
“In kind, you say. It seems you have a good idea, Mercenary Lord.”
From the moment she had allowed me to speak, Lee Hyoeul had been serious the entire time. Now, she was smiling faintly at me, her expression seeming to say, ‘I'm curious, so stop beating around the bush and get to the point.’ I decided to meet her expectations.
“The Vagabonds have committed unspeakable acts against Users. Murder, robbery, and rape are just the beginning. They’ve even brutally mutilated corpses and displayed them as a warning. It's also common for them to keep sex slaves, killing them when they grow bored. As a result, the word ‘Vagabond’ has become synonymous with terror among Users.”
“Mm… So are you suggesting we do the same things to them?”
“The Vagabonds see Users as prey. However, this war has significantly diminished that presence. Now is our chance. These are people who have already given up on being Users. That being the case, is there any need to treat them as such? I think it's time we reversed that. It's the Vagabonds' turn to become the prey.”
“So… you mean we should turn the Vagabonds into a form of ‘achievement’ to motivate the Users.”
Just as I expected. I smiled inwardly. Lee Hyoeul had grasped the core of my meaning in an instant.
In the Hall Plain, Users gain achievements through hunting, exploring, and excavating ruins. And Lee Hyoeul had just said we should turn the Vagabonds into a form of achievement.
In other words, it meant that we would not interfere in how Users dealt with Vagabonds, no matter what they did. Whether they targeted the Vagabonds' equipment, destroyed their circuits to enslave and trade them, used them for human experiments, or simply killed them.
Lee Hyoeul wore a displeased expression as she fell into thought. She didn't like it, but she was hesitating. She had to know why. The best time to execute the plan I proposed was right now, just after the war had ended.
I need to persuade her a little more.
As Lee Hyoeul continued to hesitate, I was about to speak again, my voice firm. Or rather, I was just about to.
Clap, clap, clap, clap.
The sound of measured applause echoed through the quiet conference room.
The User who was clapping was none other than Jo Seongho, the new Clan Lord of Goryeo. As I looked at him, puzzled, he spoke quietly.
“That is a truly excellent idea. A very, very good idea, Mercenary Lord.”
His voice was calm, but his eyes burned with a cold desire for revenge.
Come to think of it, the previous Goryeo Lord… died during the war with the allied forces.
I’d also heard that he and Jo Seongho were as close as brothers. Recalling that, I could roughly guess why he was so enthusiastically in favor of my proposal.
“Now that’s an interesting proposition. Turning Vagabonds into an achievement… And an achievement is the personal property of the User who earned it. Interesting. Hehe.”
‘Curse Caster’ Kang Tae-wook also voiced his support. I had expected that bastard to agree with my opinion anyway.
With two votes of approval already, I looked at Lee Hyoeul as if to ask what she thought.
The Guardian of the Northern Continent seemed to have organized her thoughts to some extent and had emerged from her reverie. She kept licking her lips, though, as if still uncertain.
“The Mercenary Lord’s opinion is… I suppose…”
Finally, Lee Hyoeul moistened her lips.
*
A woman was sitting—no, slumped over—at a table.
Was she in her mid-twenties? Her waist and hips were twisted askew in the chair, her chest pressed against the tabletop. She was propping her head up with one arm, looking at the torn records spread before her, but judging by her vacant eyes, she seemed to have completely zoned out.
“Oh! There’s hardly anyone here today.”
“We’re in luck!”
As the woman stared blankly into space, a group of men entered the pub and took a table in the corner. They were congratulating each other and talking loudly, apparently having had a good haul from their hunt today.
After chatting for a while, one of the men rubbed his stomach and shouted.
“That’s strange. I don’t see any staff.”
“Let’s call the owner then. Madam Im-nim! Madam Im-nim!”
The large man called out again in a booming voice, but there was still no answer. A man with a smaller build next to him tilted his head.
“What? Is she not in today?”
“Damn… Then there was no point in coming here. We came to see Monica's flower, but if the flower isn't here…”
“Let’s just eat quietly. The food at this pub is pretty good.”
“You dry bastard. You don’t care what you eat as long as you fill your stomach, but I’m not like that. As they say, visual pleasure enhances the flavor of the food.”
The large man uttered words that were surprisingly delicate for his size and scanned the pub with a disappointed look. The man who had been called dry just snorted.
“I don’t know about that. Your goal is just to get in her pants, isn't it? I doubt Madam Im is unaware of that, and I don’t think she’d give you the time of day.”
“Mind your own business. They say there's no tree that won't fall after ten swings of an axe. And on a day like today…”
The large man, who had been responding indifferently, suddenly stopped talking. His gaze was now fixed on the woman slumped over the table.
“…it’s a day when not just the tongue and eyes, but the part below the belt needs to have some fun too. Right, friends?”
His curiosity piqued by the large man’s gaze, the small man and the dry man shifted their eyes to the adjacent table. And they immediately voiced their disapproval.
“She’s a looker. But why does she look so fierce? Like a cat about to throw a fit. Well, her body is…”
“Forget it. She looks like a combat User. Let’s just eat in peace.”
Perky breasts and a slender waist. And firm buttocks. The woman indeed exuded the captivating beauty of a woman in full bloom. The sharp, upturned eyebrows that gave her a fierce impression were a flaw, but that too was a charm of its own.
“You guys just don’t get it. I, for one, like women with that sharp look. Girls like that are the most satisfying to conquer, you know? Their moans in bed are something special, too.”
The large man clicked his tongue, beckoned with his fingers, and put on an air of arrogance.
“Yeah, right. You just like women, period.”
It was then. Just as the small man was chiding him, the woman’s eyes shot a sharp glare at the men. The dry man didn’t miss it. He was about to quickly intervene when the large man shot up from his seat.
“Hey, that’s enough…”
“Watch carefully. I’ll show you what this hyung-nim can do.”
Ignoring him, the large man strode toward the woman’s table. The small man watched with an interested expression, while the dry man looked on with a sense of unease.
Soon, the large man’s shadow fell over the table where the woman was slumped.
“Hey there, miss…”
“Fuck off.”
But the woman answered instantly without even glancing at him. Her tone suggested she had no interest, her eyes still fixed on the empty air.
The large man faltered for a moment. But after blinking a few times, he spoke again.
“Wow, so you’ve got the attitude to match the face, huh?”
“I said, fuck off. I’m in a bad mood, so don’t mess with me.”
“Oh my. Our little kitten is in a bad mood. Hahaha. Don’t be like that…”
“Hey.”
At last, the woman looked at the large man. She slowly straightened up, tilted her head, and looked up at him.
“Did this bastard shove a dick in his ear…? If you came here to eat, then just shut up and eat, why don't you?”
“My, my, our kitten is pretty even when she’s angry~.”
“…I’ll let it slide that you were rating me like a piece of meat, so please, just quietly fuck off. Okay?”
“…And what if I don’t?”
The large man still had a lecherous grin on his face. He raised his arm, placed it on the woman’s shoulder, and began to knead it. The woman straightened her head for a second, then snorted with a look of disbelief.
“Ha, is he for real? This is driving me crazy… My oppa told me if I caused trouble one more time, I’d be in for it.”
“Oppa? You caused trouble with your brother? Well then, that settles it. It’s over. Huh? You can just cause some trouble with me, right? Hahahaha!”
The large man burst into roaring laughter, apparently finding his own joke hilarious. The woman closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh.
“I tried to be patient, but this guy…”
Just as the large man’s hand, taking her words as some kind of signal, began to creep downwards…
Whoosh!
“Stop playing hard to get, I’ll give you plenty of money… Keuk!”
In an instant, with a sound like rushing wind, the woman in front of the large man vanished. At the same time, he sucked in a sharp breath. A piercing energy shot up from under his chin, forcing his mouth shut.
“Oppa, you wanna die?”
Then, a low whisper flowed into his ear.
The large man suddenly felt his chin tremble slightly. And the soft sensation against his back. When he slowly lowered his gaze, he saw a reddish dagger tapping against his chin. In the blink of an eye, the woman had moved and was now behind him.
The large man swallowed hard.
“G-Geun-chan?”
“Miss. That’s enough.”
A beat later, the two other men stood up simultaneously. They knew their companion had gone too far, but they couldn’t just watch him get hurt, so they quickly stepped in. However, it seemed they hadn’t been able to follow the woman’s movements either, as their eyes and fingertips were trembling minutely.
It was at that moment.
Flash!
With a powerful burst of light, a flash struck the table where the men had been sitting. The light exploded brilliantly, sending fragments flying, and the two men who were about to approach froze in their tracks.
“Huk!”
“W-What was that?”
When they turned their heads to one side, they gasped in shock. A woman holding a bow without a string was now standing at the counter, watching them and the woman.
The dry man stammered.
“M-Madam Im-nim?”
“Yes, customer. It’s been a while. Fufu.”
It was Lim Hanna. She smiled sweetly, then created another flashing light. The men were flustered.
“W-Wait a minute. This is a misunderstanding.”
“Yes, yes. In any case, could you please sit back down for now?”
“B-But that woman…”
“I’m sorry, but disturbances are strictly forbidden in this pub. Please take your seats.”
At Lim Hanna’s firm response, the man was left speechless.
Watching the men return to their seats, Lim Hanna, still smiling, spoke to Lee Yoojung.
“Lee Yoojung. You should lower your dagger for now.”
“Unni! These bastards started it…!”
“Bastards? You shouldn't use such words. Have you already forgotten what the Clan Lord-nim said?”
“…Damn it.”
If you cause trouble one more time, you’re on your own. Recalling Soohyun’s warning, Lee Yoojung reluctantly lowered her dagger. As she took a step back, the large man exhaled all at once and rubbed his neck.
The small man, looking around awkwardly, cautiously opened his mouth.
“Do you… know her?”
“Her? Are you referring to Lee Yoojung?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Of course. We’re in the same clan, how could I not know her?”
Lim Hanna replied as smoothly as a flowing river, and the dry man let out a groan. If they were in the same clan, that meant she was a member of the Mercenary Clan. Realizing this, the large man’s companions glared at him as if they wanted to kill him. Their faces were filled with regret over how things had turned out.
“Haha, hahaha. For some reason, we didn’t see any staff today. So we were looking for you, Madam Im-nim…”
“Oh my. The Love Pub will be closed for a week starting now. We’re about to start renovations. Didn’t you see the notice I put up outside?”
As she gave her kind explanation, the men looked at each other. But they soon shrugged, apparently having missed it.
The dry man, at least, had some sense. He quickly grabbed the large man and bowed his head.
“E-Excuse us. It seems we caused a disturbance. May we leave now?”
“Of course. I think it would be best for you to leave now as well.”
“We’re sorry. We’ll be going.”
As soon as Lim Hanna gave her permission, the group of men quickly gathered their things and fled outside.
The moment the door slammed shut, Lim Hanna clicked her tongue and shook her head. Lee Yoojung slumped down with a face full of dissatisfaction and grumbled.
“So annoying… Unni, where the hell were you?”
“Sorry, sorry. I got an urgent communication from the main branch. I had to step away for a moment to take the call.”
As Lim Hanna waved her hand in apology, Lee Yoojung’s eyes widened as she asked.
“An urgent call? What was it about?”
“Well… they said Hangyul is back.”
As Lim Hanna spoke, the dissatisfaction on Lee Yoojung’s face vanished completely.
“Hangyul? Really?”
“Yes. But…”
“Aish. He sure took his sweet time coming back. Ah, what about Ahn Hyun? And the clients, did they make it back safely?”
As Lee Yoojung asked urgently, Lim Hanna fell silent for a moment. But as Lee Yoojung stomped her feet as if dying of frustration, Lim Hanna closed her eyes and began to speak.
“No.”
“Huh?”
“None of the other Users came back. Only Hangyul returned.”
“…What did you say?”
Lee Yoojung shot up from her seat. Her brow was furrowed deeply, as if she couldn’t comprehend what she had just heard.
“Unni. What does that mean? They didn’t come back?”
“I don’t know the details either. I just received the message… Anyway, Hayeon-unni said to gather immediately, so we’ll probably hear the full story when we get there.”
“…Alright. I’m going ahead.”
“A-And!”
But Lee Yoojung didn’t listen any further and quickly dashed away.
Lim Hanna, who had been about to say, “Hangyul’s condition is strange, too…,” closed her mouth with a bitter smile. She would find out when she got there anyway.
“Huu. I should clean up quickly and go too.”
Lim Hanna opened her eyes. She bent down and picked up the chair Lee Yoojung had knocked over.
As she straightened up to put the chair away, Lim Hanna froze. She stared down at the table. Her gaze was fixed on the numerous, tattered records lying on it. Lim Hanna calmly began to piece the torn fragments together.
—Clan… Aura Spearman, Aegis missing for a week… Mercenary Clan’s first request a failure?
—Mercenary Lord Kim Soohyun. Where is he and what is he…
—The limits of a Mercenary Clan…
—Mercenary Clan…
Countless articles pouring out about the Mercenary Clan.
“The limits of a Mercenary Clan? What a load of crap.”
After muttering a single phrase, Lim Hanna began to tidy up the table.
But contrary to her words about having to leave quickly, her slow-moving hands were tinged with a hint of worry.
*
The West, a valley deep in some mountain.
The sun had not yet risen, but the area around the valley was bustling. Or rather, it was just beginning to bustle.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
A fierce wind kicked up from the far end of the valley. The torches staked throughout the valley flickered in the rushing wind.
The source of the wind was a man. He was running for his life, leaping great distances with each step. Whatever was chasing him, his face was contorted and his breathing was ragged. But he didn’t stop running; instead, he accelerated.
How long had he been running? Soon, several tents came into view, centered around a stream flowing through the valley. And a man dozing off outside.
As soon as he saw the person, the man shouted while still running.
“W-We’re in trouble!”
“Huh?! Ah, ahh… You scared me!”
The man who had been warming himself by the campfire outside the tent shot his head up in surprise. His long hair whipped from side to side. His eyes were wide with shock, but the drool at the corner of his mouth suggested he had been dozing off in the warmth of the fire.
The long-haired man wiped his mouth and snapped in a thunderous voice.
“You scared the hell out of me, you bastard! Can’t you see everyone’s sleeping?”
“The p-pursuit squad is here!”
But ignoring the scolding, the man got straight to the point.
“Pursuit squad?”
The long-haired man tilted his head for a moment. But he soon understood and scratched his head vigorously. It was a gesture full of annoyance.
“Hah… Another pursuit squad… This is driving me crazy.”
“W-We got a message from the scouting team…”
“Ah, I get it, I get it.”
The long-haired man waved his hand dismissively. He continued to scratch his head, then glanced up at the panting man. His brow furrowed.
“You… why are you making such a fuss? It’s not like this is the first or second time we’ve been tracked.”
“B-But…”
“Calm down. Until recently, you were the type to be relaxed whether a pursuit squad came or not… What’s with you today?”
“Th-That’s!”
The man, still unable to shake his anxiety, scanned his surroundings. It was then.
“…Ugh. What’s going on?”
A new man emerged from a tent. Covered in hair with a protruding belly, he was not a pleasant sight, but the face of the man who had run here lit up.
“M-Lee Kangsan-nim! We’re in big trouble! We’ve spotted the pursuit squad.”
“Pursuit squad? Haaam.”
Lee Kangsan tapped his mouth a few times and nodded indifferently.
“I was thinking it was about time they showed up… So. What’s the report from the scouting team?”
“Well… we lost contact.”
At that moment, Lee Kangsan stopped yawning.
“…Lost contact?”
“Yes. We’re currently unable to communicate with them.”
The man swallowed hard and continued immediately.
“To be precise, we lost contact after their last communication ten minutes ago. It’s highly likely they were taken out by the pursuit squad.”
“…Did you get their last report?”
“We did. There are about ten of them. Their emblem is a sword and shield on a dark red background.”
“What? Only ten of them… No, wait a minute. A dark red background, with a sword and shield?”
At that moment, Lee Kangsan and the long-haired man turned their heads at the same time.
As the two of them began to grasp the gravity of the situation, the man continued, without even thinking to catch his breath.
“M-Mercenary! It has to be the Mercenary Clan’s Assassination Squad!”
His voice was almost a scream.
“You’ve… got… to be kidding me…”
Simultaneously, the color drained from Lee Kangsan’s face, and the long-haired man let out a low groan.