Chapter 86
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Lend Me Some Money.
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Who was it that said it?
Lucky hunches always miss the mark, but ominous feelings always hit dead on.
Right now, Rimon was staring down at a single sheet of paper, scratching the back of his head furiously for exactly that reason.
"Tch. I had a bad feeling, and sure enough... couldn't even last a month."
Over the past month.
The attacks had come steadily.
Still, things weren't looking too bad.
He hadn't caught the ferocious beasts responsible, but thanks to Rimon pinpointing the next affiliate company in their path with pinpoint accuracy and dispatching his strike teams, the damage had been minimal.
That had restored stability to the Black Dragon Clan, and more and more people were entrusting their security to Guardian.
From Rimon's and Guardian's perspective, the beasts' raids had actually been a boon.
But that was only the story up until a few days ago.
[The team leader's prediction was wrong this time.]
"Yeah, and it'll be wrong from now on too."
A few days back, the beasts had struck an affiliate completely at odds with Rimon's predictions.
The good news was that the response team had arrived in time upon the support request, preventing major damage.
The bad news was that Guardian's reputation, which had just started climbing, had plummeted again.
But Guardian's reputation had nothing to do with why Rimon was clicking his tongue.
[So it's that, right? The weakness you mentioned before?]
"Yeah."
Rimon nodded.
His face twisted in a headache-inducing frown as he continued.
"These bastards started picking targets at random."
[How?]
"How should I know? Whether they're rolling a pencil to decide or drawing lots."
[To dodge the team leader's predictions with something that lame... unbelievable...]
"It's not unbelievable. It's obvious."
He'd been able to predict their raids in the first place only because he'd thoroughly analyzed their thought patterns.
Put conversely?
Random targets can't be predicted.
No matter how well you read their patterns, you can't guess where a blind dart throw will land.
"That's why I said this was just a cheap trick in the end."
[If you knew that, you should've caught the culprits instead of slacking off!]
"I'd have done it already if I could. What am I supposed to do about those lucky sons of bitches?"
Rimon shot back indifferently.
Over the past month or so, he hadn't just holed up playing fortune teller.
He'd diligently scoured around for the beasts, ambushed near affiliates likely to be hit.
But the results? Zero.
Maybe they were just that lucky.
Or maybe they had skills like Avoidance.
Either way, they always struck places avoiding Rimon, leaving his ambushes to hit empty air every time.
Tracking had been even worse.
"If I'd had backup, maybe I could've tailed them... tch."
[Exactly. If you'd managed your reputation better, the clans wouldn't just hinder you instead of helping.]
"Is that my fault? It's that Wang prick stirring up trouble."
The problem was the Black Dragon Clan's lack of cooperation.
They accepted Guardian's help guarding affiliates but subtly obstructed Rimon whenever he chased leads.
It wasn't incomprehensible.
Blood is thicker than water, after all.
With the Shanghai royal family already hunting the beasts for revenge, Rimon's actions looked like stealing their glory.
"Honestly, the best would be if that Wang guy caught them before my method got countered."
[Don't hold your breath. What do you expect from those ragtag water ghosts?]
"Isn't 'ragtag' a bit harsh? They're still the Shanghai royal family's elites."
[Elites? As investigators, they're worse than our old rookies.]
"That's by PAB standards."
Rimon clucked his tongue.
In truth, the Shanghai elites were high-level player-caliber martial artists—not to be underestimated.
The issue was they were psychokinetic martial experts, not investigators.
Sure, better than civilians.
They had the Seven Dragon Society's traditional tracking arts too.
But compared to PAB agents trained specifically for high-level player investigations and arrests? Amateur hour.
[The problem is these culprits are tough even by PAB standards.]
"Yeah, I agree."
As ex-PAB agents, Rimon and Yuna Kyung knew better than anyone how hard it was to catch high-level players using skills in serious crimes.
No wonder they had zero expectations from Wang Gina.
But they couldn't just sit back like it was someone else's problem.
"What a headache..."
Rimon furrowed his brow.
Now unable to predict raids, and still clueless on the beasts' identities.
Both hands tied, getting pummeled one-sidedly.
No choice but to rack his brains.
As he pondered until steam practically rose from his head, while grabbing the yapping Yuna Kyung and spinning her like a windmill—
His smartphone rang.
'Tch, now what?'
Few had his number, so it rarely rang. He clicked his tongue briefly—
Then wore a strange expression.
The caller ID was completely unexpected.
[Hey.]
"Hey, what's up?"
[That's a cold question. We're not the type who only call for business, right?]
"Since when are we like that?"
[Partners till the end, aren't we?]
The cheerful greeting from the phone.
Not a particularly pleasant voice, but husky like heavenly music when singing—its owner.
The performer Yujin, whom he'd exchanged numbers with a month ago. Rimon smirked at her words.
'What a personality.'
Just one performance together.
Acting like old pals.
Downright brazen friendliness.
Yet instead of annoyance or awkwardness, it amused him. Too habituated to one brazen chicken girl?
[Anyway, partner—as your soulmate, I have a favor to ask.]
"What favor?"
Even as he asked, Rimon guessed.
Only one thing Yujin would suddenly ask him for.
Another performance...
[Lend me some money.]
"......"
Click.
Rimon hung up reflexively.
As the phone rang again, staring at 'Yujin' on the screen, he slowly turned his gaze.
"Na-kyung."
[Yes?]
"Surprisingly, there's someone more shameless than you in this world."
[What the hell do you take me for?!?!]
Munch munch, gulp gulp, chug chug.
"Can't you eat slower? You'll choke."
"I'm fine. I've got a strong constitution."
"Usually the ones bragging about their health drop first."
"Then I should eat more. If I'm gonna die anyway, better to rob a bank and die stuffed than starve, right?"
"What's that, some prison proverb?"
Yujin replied brazenly even as she shoveled food down.
Rimon clucked his tongue watching her.
"Hey, didn't you say you were a freelancer?"
"Yeah."
"Then why are you broke and starving? Is 'freelancer' code for house sitter or professional beggar?"
He'd finally shown up after ignoring her nonstop calls.
Waiting was Yujin, sprawled in an alley growling with hunger, guitar on her back.
She looked so pitiful—even Rimon, dead set against lending money, dragged her straight to a restaurant.
"Circumstances came up."
"What circumstances?"
"Ended up in debt somehow."
Rimon's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"You a gambler?"
"No way. I don't touch gambling or drugs. Ruins the soul in my singing."
"Then how'd you end up in debt? Scammed?"
"Hmm, not sure myself. Just did gigs and wandered as usual, and suddenly—debt."
"......?"
It didn't take long for Rimon's gaze to shift from suspicion to pity.
He could guess how her 'debt' happened.
[Tsk tsk, total freeloader.]
'You're one to talk?'
[I've got the prestigious job of cute pet, thank you very much.]
'...Sorry, I underestimated your shamelessness.'
Rimon reflected sincerely.
Thinking someone more brazen than this chicken girl existed? Needed some soul-searching.
Oblivious to Rimon's deep apology, Yujin suddenly looked intrigued.
"Partner. I've been wondering—what's that bird?"
"This chicken girl? Hmm... if I had to say, a cheeky pet, maybe."
"Why the 'maybe'?"
"Not sure if it's a pet or an arch-nemesis animal."
[Arch-nemesis? Where's a cute nemesis like me?!]
Yuna Kyung flared up telepathically, unheard by Yujin, who just nodded laughing.
"Got it. Basically, the mascot, right?"
"How'd you get there?"
"Team mascot's cute when your side wins, nemesis when they lose, yeah?"
"I don't see it that way at all."
"No worries. If not, we can make her our band mascot. She's cute enough."
What a pace-setter.
Rimon and the suddenly mascot'd Yuna Kyung both looked dumbfounded, but Yujin ignored it.
Just crunched into her dessert apple and asked casually.
"By the way, partner—where's your instrument?"
"What instrument?"
"Remember? You said you'd use your own next gig."
"I came to kick you to the curb 'cause you wouldn't stop begging for money, not to perform."
"Eeeek?"
"......Why the black mage who just saw the demon lord die face?"
"But we met up? No gig? That doesn't compute."
She stated it like an asteroid hitting Earth meant inevitable apocalypse—pure life truth.
But Rimon's reply was ice cold.
"To me, thinking gigs while drowning in debt makes even less sense."
"It's fine. Great music's born from hardship and adversity."
"That's just the lame excuse from folks who can't make a living excusing not working for 'art'."
"Not an excuse. Hardship really builds soul."
"Prove it objectively, measure the soul growth rate, and maybe I'll buy it."
Hearing that, Yujin clucked her tongue like he was clueless, wagging her finger side to side.
Then declared confidently.
"Partner, soul isn't believed. It's felt."