Chapter 142: Cleaning Up the Aftermath (2)
Chapter 142: Cleaning Up the Aftermath (2)
Al’shirin and Elder Li.
Seeing the way both of them were smiling at me as if nothing was wrong, it was clear they had set the stage for this from the very beginning.
In that case, was that Octopus Head sprawled over there just a sacrificial lamb sent in to draw aggro before I stepped in?
I glanced at the octopus lying in the corner, but seeing him squirming and leaking mucus, he didn't look like he was part of any sophisticated plan.
Well, that was just how that octopus was.
He had probably just tried to dominate the room according to his usual sadistic nature.
So, what was my role here?
I threw myself onto a nearby sofa.
A plush seat, a comfortable posture.
"Do you need anything? Blood Hammer?"
"Give me a moment to think."
"As you wish."
To organize my thoughts, I scanned the fog-filled room.
Perhaps to hide their faces, there were those whose eyes merely glinted from within the smoke.
Of course, among them, The Society members Al’shirin and Al’shel, as well as Nanjido’s representative, Elder Li, had their faces uncovered. I had to assume they were showing themselves out of confidence in their own strength.
I really want a smoke. Thinking isn't exactly my specialty.
My head was already starting to throb.
To soothe the dull headache, I pulled a rod from my coat and bit down on it.
Crunch.
Phew.
As I exhaled, feeling the cold texture of the metal, the surrounding smoke scattered. For some reason, it actually felt like I was smoking.
"Do you need a light?"
"It's not a cigarette, so get lost."
I brushed off someone who approached through the smoke with that offer and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Justification and power. The Society, which possessed the technology.
The Nanjido gangs, fragmented and unable to unify.
They were even the culprits behind this entire incident.
While the Avatar’s descent was due to Kim Tae-jun’s mysterious ritual, these people provided the cause.
The result was a manifestation of the resentment felt by those groaning under their violence, tyranny, and cruel rule.
Wouldn't it be fine if these guys just didn't exist?
They weren't people I had any connection to in the first place.
Maybe I should just sweep them all away, unify Nanjido’s power under Elder Li, and then sign a treaty with The Society…
As I thought that, I glared at the glinting eyes on the Nanjido side.
"Eek."
"Grrr… Urgh…"
Two or three pairs of glowing eyes vanished.
Did they faint?
It seemed my emotions had leaked out a bit too much.
No, this won't do.
If I act like this, I'm no different from the trash who try to solve everything with violence.
It seemed their will was still dominating my inner self.
I’ve been feeling like my blood has been boiling lately anyway; I need to exercise some restraint.
But despite my resolve…
"Hm? Have we decided on a massacre? The Society intended to leave them be… but if that is what you think, Lee Ha-ram…"
Reacting to my emotions, Al’shirin stood up and drew her staff. The Nanjido side also began to move, their eyes narrowing sharply.
"My emotions just slipped for a second. Put that staff away. Hey."
"Stay still, you fools. Can't you distinguish between a joke and a serious threat?"
As Elder Li and I shouted simultaneously, both sides lowered their weapons. Even so, the tension lingering in the room didn't dissipate.
"Blood Hammer. Please restrain that sinister aura. I can handle it, but to them, it’s no different from a death sentence."
"What use are thugs who live by violence if they can't even handle this much?"
I spat out those words and gritted my teeth again.
Was it because of people like this that such a catastrophe almost happened?
Those who, despite having power, bared their teeth at the weak just to satisfy their own greed.
Even if Nanjido fell under The Society's umbrella, nothing would change if their nature remained the same.
Even if The Hole was sealed, the Otherworldly Power purified, and the gathered wills scattered, such a monster would eventually be born again.
It would only be delayed.
The fundamental solution was to turn this place into something more decent.
Crunch.
As that thought crossed my mind, I bit down harder on the rod.
What does a "decent place" even look like?
Could I even imagine such a thing in the first place?
The powerful and the powerless.
Could I propose an environment where they could be controlled?
It was just like this room.
An ambiguous room shrouded in white fog, where one couldn't see an inch ahead.
It felt like a reflection of the inside of my head.
Fine, let's change my perspective.
Maybe Nanjido is fine as it is.
In its state of chaos.
However, let's make one exception.
For the sake of those who saved me.
My thoughts were settled.
Now, shall we begin the negotiations?
"Al’shirin."
"Yes."
"What were The Society's requirements?"
The air stirred as if to say, 'You came here without even knowing that?' but I didn't care.
My direction was already set.
"Transfer control of The Hole to The Society. Accordingly, all organizations in Nanjido must come under The Society's umbrella, and all criminal acts specified by The Society will be prohibited."
"Haha. That’s a funny joke. Do you think your Society can actually pull that off?"
The Society’s biggest weakness was human resources. Did they really have the personnel to control these defective pieces of work?
"If they do not comply, we will simply suppress them with force. That is The Society's way."
Al’shirin spoke as she released her mana. Not toward me, but toward the others in the room. Like a declaration of war.
The Society's way, huh… But didn't you join them just recently?
I pushed that question aside and turned my head toward the opposite side.
"And what conditions did your side put forward?"
"Us?"
"Who else is here?"
"Tsk, tsk. I suppose so."
Elder Li spoke, placed his pipe in his mouth for a moment, and then opened his mouth as he exhaled smoke.
"It’s a bit embarrassing to say… but nothing has actually been decided. We failed to reach a consensus. That’s why that octopus got so angry."
Ah, so that’s how it was? What a bunch of pieces of shit… I should really just kill them all…
Crunch.
Haa, right. Patience. Patience.
"Settle it quickly before I get pissed off too. If you drag this out any longer, I’m joining The Society to clean this up myself."
I calmed my heart and delivered what was essentially an ultimatum.
For me, I was being incredibly patient.
To actually listen to the opinions of mere thugs, not even The Society.
"Now, did you all hear that? Both The Society and the Bureau’s Hero are very angry. Does anyone have anything to say?"
Elder Li spoke with a chuckle.
And the trash opened their mouths.
"Prohibiting serious crimes is ridiculous! We make our living selling corpses…!"
"Drugs are our main source of income!"
"Are you telling us to go back to being Heroes now?"
A torrent of words came rushing through the smoke.
It seemed no one had any intention of unifying their opinions; they just started shouting whatever nonsense came to mind.
To think these guys, who couldn't even squeak in front of me or The Society, would complain like this to Elder Li.
They probably thought that while they couldn't do anything about me or The Society, they could manipulate Elder Li.
Cunning bastards.
"This is the situation, Blood Hammer. What do you think?"
Tsk, tsk.
Elder Li spoke in a voice tinged with amusement.
He showed no reaction to the pouring complaints, as if he had no interest in them.
"So, they’re saying they want to keep living the way they always have."
"Exactly. It seems they’ve learned nothing even after experiencing this catastrophe. It’s quite amusing."
Amusing, my ass. They’re just trash.
Sigh.
I let out a sigh, lost count of how many times I'd done so today.
They were even more like trash than I had imagined. However, purging them was not an option in my plan.
A Nanjido in chaos would, by its mere existence, put pressure on the Management Bureau.
"Al’shirin. Was what you said earlier for real?"
"Which part do you mean?"
"That I can act as The Society's plenipotentiary representative."
At my words, Al’shirin’s skin flushed red, and she wore a strange smile.
"Yes, of course. Whatever choice you make, our Society will accept it. There is no way Lee Ha-ram would make a bad choice for us."
Is that so?
She trusts me strangely much.
Then, let the sentencing begin.
Thud.
A heavy hammer slammed down in the middle of the noisy room.
And then, a shockwave spread out.
An overwhelming shockwave that started from The Hammer and my body.
With that, everything became clear.
The white fog that had filled the room was swept away by the shockwave.
The gangs who had been pouring out complaints fell silent, crushed by the pressure I exerted.
A monster that looked like a fish.
A bulky man dressed like a thug.
A Hero holding a spear.
A woman in a neat suit.
In the negotiation room where all their bare faces were now visible, I spoke.
"You don't want anything to change, do you?"
"…"
Only silence returned, but I didn't care.
This was a simple sentencing.
"Then live like that. In the name of The Society, I won't interfere with you at all."
"What?"
"Ho-oh."
Was my answer unexpected? A strange sound escaped Al’shirin’s lips, and interest sparked in Elder Li’s eyes.
However, I ignored them as well.
"However, if I do that, this catastrophe will repeat itself. Therefore, I will impose restrictions."
Thud.
I pressured them again with another shockwave.
To hammer it into those monsters of the law of the jungle that this was an absolute command.
"One. The Society gains ownership and the right to maintain public order over the 1st floor, including the market, the sewers below it, and The Hole. However, The Society will not interfere in any commercial activities taking place in the market."
This was to protect the civilians living there regardless of the gangs.
It was also an act to guarantee the gangs' autonomy.
"Two. The Society can take in whoever they want under their wing, but only those who volunteer. Furthermore, The Society must not discriminate against those who do not join them."
This was a restriction.
To prevent The Society from controlling everything, while still allowing them to maintain their power.
The Society wouldn't easily accept this.
But I’m the plenipotentiary representative anyway.
The Society hasn't done much in Nanjido, so they should take a bit of a loss. Right?
"Three. The Society has the right to establish minimal public order institutions, such as schools, orphanages, and police."
"Hm?"
For the first time, the voices of everyone in the room overlapped.
It was only natural.
Because this seemed to have no meaning.
It was just a small gift.
A gift for the children who were starving in poverty.
"Do you agree to this?"
And then, I passed the choice to them.
Al’shirin’s skin turned blue as if she were flustered by my words, but she gave a rough nod.
"Tsk. Blood Hammer, are you sure about this? I don't see how anything has changed with that."
Elder Li only laughed as if it were amusing.
And so, time passed.
One minute. Two minutes.
And no one stepped forward.
"Then, I will take it that everyone has agreed. You trash who have spots in the market, go discuss it with Al’shirin."
"Pardon? Me?"
"I’m not part of The Society. I’ve set the rules, so you have to handle the rest yourselves."
After saying that, I threw myself back onto the sofa.
This is fine.
This is enough for Nanjido.
"Is this really enough? Blood Hammer?"
Elder Li sat down next to me.
As if he had no need to rush to Al’shirin like the others who were desperate to protect their own authority.
"…I wonder."
"I see."
Did he read something in my short answer? Elder Li closed his eyes and slowly nodded.
A brief moment of peace.
We sat quietly on the sofa, staring blankly ahead.
"We will be joining The Society."
Elder Li spoke quietly.
"…"
I didn't give him any answer.
"I suppose I’ve grown old too. Rather than digging a Rat Hole, I want to protect a peaceful world."
Elder Li continued to speak of his own accord.
"…I heard it was a fight between brothers."
"We can just reconcile. That’s what brothers are. Besides, seeing that man suffering from dementia made my heart soften."
"Do whatever you want."
And so, we both fell silent.
In the quiet stillness.
I closed my eyes and reminisced about what had happened since I arrived here.
Nothing had changed.
Nanjido simply remained Nanjido.
This fortress where everything was a mess would continue to exist in this world, keeping The Hole hidden.
"Gwaaaaah! Who was it? Do you think The Society is a joke? Come out right n— Gack."
"Shut up."
Wham.
After hurling my hammer at the octopus who had stood up, I closed my eyes again.