Chapter 96
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Interrogation (1)
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“Ugh... you fucking bastard. I didn’t get kidnapped—I walked right in here to let you do it, asshole.”
His face turned deathly pale.
Unless the bastard was a complete moron, he had no choice but to realize something was seriously off about this situation.
My calm attitude despite being captured, and the fact that something big must have gone down at the gambling den by now.
The moment I personally confirmed the drugs with my own eyes, he’d already lost any chance of escape.
“B-Bro! Big brother! S-Some weird guys and soldiers straight from the Baronia palace are raiding the gambling den right now! We gotta run, like, right now!”
“W-What...? The Baronia palace?!”
His already ashen face froze like a condemned prisoner hearing his death sentence when he learned soldiers had come directly from the palace.
If it had been friction with some other organization or group, that’d be one thing—but with the palace intervening personally, everything he’d built up until now was on the verge of collapse. Maintaining any composure at all would’ve been the real impossibility.
“What the hell does that mean? Soldiers from the palace?”
“It’s chaos out there! You need to... you need to get out of here right now!”
“Goddammit! Alright, then everyone grab the money fir—”
Bang—
Soldiers kicked the door open and stormed into the room.
“Everyone freeze. Any movement will be considered an act of hostility against the neutral nation.”
“......”
The sudden appearance of the soldiers and our party members left everyone but me with grim expressions.
“... Damn it!”
“We’ve confirmed evidence of drug trafficking here. Cooperate with the containment. This isn’t a request—it’s a warning.”
The boss snuck a glance around, then spotted someone and widened his eyes.
“You... you’re... Wi Ho-yeon?”
“... And you’re...”
From the looks of it, he and Wi Ho-yeon knew each other from before.
“You’re... definitely from the Eastern Union... What the hell are you doing here?”
“You, you’re the one who shouldn’t be here... Hold on, if you’re here, does that mean Eternity Clan?”
If even this guy holed up on the outskirts of Baronia knew about it, then word of Wi Ho-yeon joining our clan had clearly spread pretty far.
“... Fuck!”
“Im Jun-hyung... what are you doing here? Don’t tell me... you’re involved in drug dealing?”
“... Ha.”
“You... you weren’t this kind of person... What the hell happened...?”
This was the first time I’d seen that kind of expression on Wi Ho-yeon’s face since we’d been hanging out.
“... Fuck, ‘not this kind of person’? And what kind of person is that supposed to be? When you’re fighting for your life, there’s nothing you won’t do. You wouldn’t know, you bitch who’s never scraped the bottom of the barrel...!”
Wi Ho-yeon looked shocked at his words. From her reaction...
‘... So she knew this Im Jun-hyung guy somehow?’
The way she phrased it didn’t sound like some casual acquaintance she’d glimpsed once.
“Im Jun-hyung, even so... gambling and drugs? You know how much those things destroy a person’s life...! You saw it firsthand in the Eastern Union, and you’re still doing this shit?!”
This was the first time I’d seen her like this while sticking with Wi Ho-yeon—seething with rage.
Im Jun-hyung let out a hollow chuckle, realizing it was all over for him, and opened his mouth.
“Ha... haha... So what? You think... I’m the bad guy here?”
“Of course...!”
“All I did was sell those worthless losers exactly what they wanted. And I’m the bad one? I’m the unjust one...? Bullshit! That’s the kind of crap only spoiled brats who’ve never gone hungry spout!”
“... What did you say?”
“Do you know why people come to a gambling den? To gamble? To do drugs? Huh? No... They come because no matter their status, they’re not accepted by those around them. They come seeking even a scrap of comfort for their pathetic lives.”
“What... what kind of insane bullshit is that...”
“Things they crave but can never have. Pleasure, recognition from others, women, luck. I just sell them what they can’t get normally—in exchange for a price. And I’m the bad guy? Then what are you gonna do for them? Huh? Can you give those people what they want?”
“......”
“If you’re gonna call me twisted, call me evil... then you—you—give those bastards what they want! Don’t you dare judge me when you do jack shit! That look, that fucking look pisses me off!”
“Im Jun-hyung... why have you fallen this far?”
Wi Ho-yeon’s face had started with anger, but now she looked at him with pity.
“Pfft... I’m the one who’s fallen? No... you’re the one living in a fucking flower garden. Think about it. Even if their lives end in ruin, they at least feel happy right up until the end. That’s different from being miserable from start to finish.”
“How did it come to this? What... what happened to you?”
“... That doesn’t matter. What matters now is...”
Shing—
“...there’s no reason for me to keep this bastard alive.”
He pulled a dagger and pressed it to my throat, prompting shouts from the soldiers.
“We said don’t move—!”
Slash—
Im Jun-hyung couldn’t make sense of the situation.
Soldiers from Baronia raiding the gambling den directly? He’d been thrown at first but quickly accepted it as his own fault for not reacting fast enough.
He’d never imagined running into Wi Ho-yeon again here, outside the Eastern Union, but he figured it was possible.
What he couldn’t comprehend was what happened right after he slit the throat of the man who’d been captured.
‘What... what the hell is this?’
Blood poured from the severed-neck corpse, then the body and blood gathered together, morphing into something else.
“What... is this? Cl-clay...?”
As Im Jun-hyung stood there dumbfounded, Wi Ho-yeon sighed and spoke.
“... That wasn’t a real person. It’s over now.”
“Ha...”
‘Played for a fool from start to finish, huh?’
That explained why the captured guy had seemed so unnaturally calm. He hadn’t been human to begin with.
“... P-Pfft... Puhahaha!”
The sheer absurdity of it all forced a laugh out of him.
Soldiers approached and began binding Im Jun-hyung and his men.
“Any pointless resistance will only make things worse for you at trial. You’re being transferred to the palace on suspicion of drug trafficking.”
“... Ha... haha...”
Im Jun-hyung just hung his head and let the soldiers cuff him. At this point, he knew resistance was pointless.
“We truly appreciate the help from Eternity Clan. As per your tip, we’ve apprehended those involved in drug trafficking at the underground gambling den.”
“No need. We’re just glad we could help the neutral nation.”
“The palace will likely invite Eternity Clan members directly. Please come to the palace then, following procedure. In any case, thank you so much.”
“Yes, you’ve all worked hard.”
I couldn’t stop the grin creeping onto my face. Things had gone even better than I’d hoped.
‘Lucky I don’t have to bother with another round of work.’
I’d planned to use the clone to bleed the gambling den dry and snag at least the mid-level managers, but I never dreamed we’d hook the big fish too.
‘And... what are the odds.’
While I, Wi Ho-yeon, and Seo Yu-ju had infiltrated the gambling den for the investigation, Lee Jae-hyo and Uncle Ho-won had coincidentally connected with palace investigators in the city.
Thanks to that, sending the clone daily to buy time and requesting reinforcements from the palace had led to this.
As I mulled it over, one of the soldiers who seemed to be in charge approached me.
“Is there anything else you’d like? We still have time before transferring the criminals...”
“Ah, in that case... sorry to ask, but could I have a quick word with the guy named Im Jun-hyung?”
I needed to talk to the boss directly—had a few questions.
“Of course. Just... don’t harm the criminal. Punishment will be handled by the palace...”
“Got it.”
Following their guidance, I was able to speak alone with him in a makeshift warehouse where he was bound.
“You’re... definitely... the one whose throat I slit...”
I’d figured he might not recognize me with a different outfit and hair, but he clocked me as the same guy from the gambling den right away.
“Sorry it had to end like this. But doing business like yours... you knew it could go south, right?”
“Ha... You here to tell me I’m in the wrong too? Fucking typical of people who’ve never lived in the gutters...”
“Hm... Not sure what delusion you’re under, but I’m not here to judge you. Good deeds, bad deeds—those distinctions mean nothing to me.”
“......”
“I came to you specifically because I have a few questions. Well, less ‘questions’ and more confirming my suspicions.”
“What...”
“Should I call you Red Ant Clan Master? Anyway, you didn’t pull this off solo in Silan, right? There’s gotta be backing. Who’s pulling the strings?”
“......”
‘Figured he wouldn’t spill easily.’
“What, we’re not on Earth—no right to remain silent? No way guys operating inside a neutral nation pull this crap without protection. Gotta be Eastern Union, right?”
His expression twitched for a split second at my words.
“Not talking is a problem... Guess I’ll have to force it out of you.”
“... What?”
The palace had already completed his background check.
“Simple story. We could torture you... or, nah, this’ll be most effective. Turns out you’ve got a little sister. Right?”
“You bastard...!”
He started reacting the moment I mentioned his family. No one could stay calm hearing that.
I’d have reacted the same way.
Everyone’s the same deep down. Even me.
Everyone has someone precious in life. Even the most vicious criminals or killers.
I smirked and leaned in.
“Wonder what’ll happen to her if you don’t answer. Hm?”
“You fucking dog...! How dare you...!”
Dirty, but the surest method. It’s what I used most back on Earth for ugly jobs.
“Nah, wrong attitude. Answer my question. Who’s the backer?”
“... Fuck!”
From his perspective, he probably sensed execution was inevitable anyway, and now he was worried about retaliation on his sister.
“... No more warnings. Last chance—who’s the backer? I promise, talk and we’ll protect your sister.”
I hardened my glare and pressed him. After a long silence, he answered.
“...... The Eastern Union’s... Yanagiya Riki.”