What an Ironic Coincidence (3)
A few hours later.
"Yes, this is the robbery case I mentioned earlier. We'll handle it."
As the radio crackled to life, Park Eun-young responded leisurely before stretching her arms with a long yawn and rising from her seat.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes. Let's head out."
After clearing up their spot at the PC bang and slipping toward the scene, the alley where the fight was raging was already a total mess.
"Die!"
"Aaaagh!"
The clamor of steel pipes and wooden clubs clashing rang out wildly, but the battle hung in a tense stalemate with no clear victor. The Black Snake Faction had launched a surprise attack, but the Axe Faction was fighting on home turf. It had turned into a brutal war of attrition, leaving barely anyone standing properly now.
"What the fuck! How the hell did they know we were hitting the jewelry store at XX Intersection? My plan was perfect!"
The injured Axe Faction Boss spat blood in outrage as he bellowed.
"I got the highest-grade tattoo stickers, planted a spy, and was scouting a different ability user for the alibi dolls! It was a foolproof plan!"
"You dumbass! Your spy's phone had a photo of you two together—did you think we'd fall for that shit?"
The Black Snake Faction Action Captain wiped the blood from his mouth and shot back.
"What? I definitely told him to delete it..."
At the Axe Faction Boss's puzzled words, the spy from the Axe Faction—sprawled in the corner—sobbed out a response.
"S-sorry! I couldn't bring myself to delete my memories with you, Boss..."
"...You fool. Loyalty above all! The plan's busted, but if we wipe out these Black Snake Faction bastards here, this turf is ours! Finish it before the heroes show!"
"S-sorry to butt in."
Just then, Kang Jin-ho stepped casually into the mouth of the alley. Flanking him were Park Eun-young, grinning ear to ear, and Trace, arms crossed with a tsk of annoyance.
"What the—cops? Already?"
"Cops? How rude."
Kang Jin-ho took a sip from his canned coffee, continuing nonchalantly. He'd actually picked it up at a convenience store on the way—a prop to underscore his 'genius' image going forward.
"Axe Faction Boss. I heard your whole plan. Slap on snake tattoo stickers on your forearms, rob the jewelry store, and pin it all on the Black Snake Faction with aggro. Leave a sloppy superpower-made alibi so no one suspects a frame job. Not a bad scheme, honestly."
Kang Jin-ho crumpled his empty can with a sharp crunch and flashed a grin.
"Must've shelled out some serious cash lately, huh? Going to all this trouble to take out the Black Snake Faction—figured you'd recoup it by sweeping up their vacant turf rights after the cleanup. Right?"
The Black Snake Faction Action Captain aside, the sudden cop rattling off their top-secret plan and the organization's money woes made the Axe Faction Boss freeze.
"H-how the fuck do you know that...!"
The boss's lips quivered in shock. The bloodied Black Snake Faction Action Captain burst into disbelieving laughter at the sight.
"Puhaha! You moron! Did you advertise it to the whole damn neighborhood? Getting your entire playbook read by a rookie cop's sidekick? I'm so embarrassed I can't even thug anymore!"
"Shut your fucking mouth!"
"I was the one who tipped off your action captain too. Y'know, over messenger."
"..."
"What an idiot. Just got used and charged in blindly?"
"Shut it, fucker."
The bickering gangsters finally turned their glares on Kang Jin-ho, eyes bulging.
"Kill 'em! Cops or whatever, waste 'em all!"
"Hey! Take out the cops first!"
"Waaaah!!!"
At the boss and action captain's orders, the remaining thugs charged with savage roars. But they'd already worn each other down fighting.
Crack!
"Think a superpower user's easy prey?"
"Guhk..."
Trace was an information-type ability user, but as a superhuman, she was leagues beyond ordinary men. The gap in basic physical prowess was immense.
"Die!"
Seizing a gap, one thug swung a steel pipe at Kang Jin-ho's head from behind.
"Whoa!"
Kang Jin-ho ducked on reflex, the pipe whistling through empty air. His follow-up kick nailed the thug's groin dead-on.
"Agh, urk..."
The thug crumpled to the ground. Kang Jin-ho glanced at his hands, a bit flustered. For a guy who'd only played games in his room, his reaction speed was insanely sharp.
Police academy training means my base stats are decent?
But he'd started out feeling like his old body at first. Come to think of it, lately he'd felt healthier, less fatigued.
"Jin-ho, time for the cuffs."
"Ah, yes!"
His brief musing ended as Park Eun-young jingled the handcuffs. Whatever—good was good. Trace had already subdued the rest.
"Alright, everyone stay down nice and quiet. Wrists out."
With Trace's backup, Park Eun-young and Kang Jin-ho methodically cuffed the fallen gang members. They'd dismantled two crime syndicates in one fell swoop and nipped the jewelry store heist in the bud before it even started.
"Jin-ho, another win? You're gonna be famous at this rate."
Park Eun-young poked his side with her elbow.
"No, it's not over yet..."
"Oh? What's left?"
"Not necessarily anything."
"Hmm."
As the pair chatted amiably while cuffing, one voice cut through from the ground.
"Fuck, fuck! I ain't going down like this!"
The Axe Faction Boss, sprawled on the pavement, staggered to his feet.
"Wanna get hit again?"
Trace shook her head pityingly. But the boss's eyes were wild, foam flecking his lips as he screamed.
"You think I'm a pushover? You think I'm easy, you bastards!!!"
His trembling hands fumbled something from his pocket. His last lifeline—bought at ruinous cost from a broker after selling three prime establishments and raiding the gang's safe. He'd planned to use it to offset the loss after crushing the Black Snake Faction. Never dreamed he'd burn it here, but arrest was too bitter a pill.
"You're all fucked now! Let's all go to hell together!"
A glass orb containing black flames. The moment the Axe Faction Boss hurled it to the ground and shattered it...
"Ha, whatever, it's just—huh?"
Trace's smug expression drained of color in an instant. Information-type ability users had senses far keener than normals. She grasped the catastrophe faster than anyone.
"Officer Kang Jin-ho! Be careful! This is at least—"
Her warning cut off. In a blink, every sound in the alley vanished like a lie.
Silence.
An unnaturally oppressive hush.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Footsteps echoed. From above, ahead, the sides—defying direction, resounding from every way. Amid choking despair, abyssal flames that devoured even light flickered everywhere.
"Mm."
The wielder of black flames.
The lord of death.
Where he passed, only screams of agony and despair lingered.
His entire form shrouded in pitch-black fire, unrecognizable as human. One of the city's most heinous Grade 1 Villains, Black Flame, had descended.
"..."
"..."
The cuffed thugs retched as if unable to breathe. Those still conscious clawed at their own throats or scraped the ground until nails splintered. Eeriest of all—no sound escaped, as if even noise was forbidden.
"Mm."
Only his displeased rumble pierced the void. The ebony fiend haughtily surveyed the scene.
Truth be told, Black Flame was in a foul mood. Research funds short, he'd sold summoning orbs on the black market. Never imagined alley trash like this would call him.
Fine then—he'd kill time torturing these vermin until sated...
"..."
"..."
Then his gaze met crimson eyes in the alley's corner.
Black Flame recognized Eun-young.
Eun-young recognized Black Flame.
Her lips curved into a smile.
Black Flame averted his eyes in haste, unable to meet it.
"...I have urgent business to attend. Farewell."
The alley, swallowed by flames moments ago, regained its light as Black Flame vanished like he'd never been.
"Wh-what the...?"
The Axe Faction Boss—having blown three goldmines and his secret vault—stared blankly at the empty spot in bewilderment.
What... what the hell just happened?