The Director of Shadows
The drug cartels. The Triads. The Mafia. And if you scour the rest of the world, countless other lawless zones teem with residents who slip through the cracks of society.
The Black Network connects these criminal organizations scattered across the globe.
—For the head of a criminal syndicate, his soul is surprisingly untainted.
—Goddess, did you learn some kind of mind-reading technique?
—Hmph, what is that supposed to be?
—Reading a person's true intentions.
—I told you before. I can at least read the vibrations of the soul.
Nyx regarded the Shadow Puppeteer with curious eyes.
The boss of the Black Network. Contrary to his infamous reputation, the Shadow Puppeteer was an unexpected advocate of "neutrality."
—He mediates so that criminal groups and terrorist organizations don't cross the line.
—Then would it not be more accurate to say he works in the shadows for world peace rather than as the leader of a criminal organization?
—He still looks out for his own interests. He's not that clean.
What the Shadow Puppeteer sought was balance.
In any country, spaces beyond the reach of the law inevitably exist. His role was to ensure that darkness never grew so vast that it consumed the society it mirrored.
The Black Network funded itself through the profits earned in that process.
—So they're like crocodiles and crocodile birds.
—An apt comparison.
Nyx nodded slowly.
"Is it not discourteous to speak at length before an elder?"
Oh no. We'd been conversing through telepathy and the Goddess's spiritual power, yet he'd noticed.
—It would be troublesome if he understood the contents of our conversation.
I smiled faintly and gave a slight shake of my head.
Messages sent through telepathy or spiritual power could only be overheard by someone with the same ability, a skill that interfered with Will transmission, or a unique power of their own. He must have simply read it from my expression.
"My contracted partner was curious about you, that is all."
"I have heard of that summon from Madam."
—Yeo is no mere summon!
Nyx retorted with a haughty voice. Spoken from her miniature spiritual form, it carried zero persuasive power.
"Regardless, you must have a reason for requesting this meeting. For your information, my time is rather expensive."
"How much do you know about the Qliphoth?"
"A little more than what you announced to the press."
"Then this conversation should move quickly."
The Qliphoth. It was the inverted tree of the otherworld, the counterpart to the Sephirot that symbolized the order of dimensions. Unlike a real "world," it was a false space that existed only as a concept. Just as a reflection in a mirror was not the true self, the Qliphoth's tree was an illusion without substance.
"Do you have any idea what the Qliphoth followers desire?"
"To make something that is merely an illusion into reality, they would need to pour in something of equivalent value."
He had already deduced that much. Information regarding the Qliphoth was treated as top secret even inside the Tower of Babel. I only knew because of my knowledge from before the regression. The Shadow Puppeteer could not have obtained any Qliphoth-related data from within the Tower.
Yet with such limited information, he had reasoned this far. This man did not become the head of the Black Network for nothing.
"Correct. They intend to steal this world's resources and fill the Qliphoth with them."
"I hope you did not summon me merely to tell me that."
"Do you know who stands behind the Qliphoth?"
"The evil constellations, I presume. The same ones you eradicated last time."
"The operators of the Tower."
The Shadow Puppeteer sipped his tea at a leisurely pace. The motion was natural. Though the flow of conversation had paused, the timing of his hand reaching for the cup was so exquisite that it created no sense of dissonance.
—That mortal appears rather flustered.
If not for Nyx's observation, I might have missed it entirely.
The operators of the Tower of Babel. At this point in time, almost no information about them had been revealed. The Old Gods would only bare their fangs after the second Great Erosion. They would not reveal themselves directly until the erosion rate reached 100 percent—during the third erosion.
Until then, there would be no opportunity to confront the Old Gods, so no one could know.
His thoughts must have grown complicated. He had no idea who the Tower's operators even were, yet I had presented a connection to the Qliphoth. Judging the credibility of my information would be difficult.
"Can you believe what I am saying?"
"Heh heh. I believe you would not speak words you cannot take responsibility for."
The Shadow Puppeteer issued a roundabout warning. My credibility—and my relationship with the Black Network—were now on the line. He wanted me to guarantee the veracity of the information.
He was still the same old man who refused to take a loss.
"In any case, I understand that you possess extraordinary knowledge regarding the Qliphoth."
"Thank you for trusting my words."
"However, there is one thing this old man cannot understand."
The Shadow Puppeteer smiled faintly. His eyes were empty, revealing no emotion whatsoever. Even I, who had become adept at reading human emotions after living two lives, could not decipher that expression.
"What do you stand to gain by involving yourself in this matter?"
"I am merely delivering information to you, sir."
"Heh heh. If you are truly satisfied with that and step back, then I shall accept it."
This old man. He was trying to probe the source of the Qliphoth information by circling around it like this. It seemed he had instinctively sensed that some kind of "relationship" existed between the Qliphoth and me.
Explaining why I was hostile toward the Qliphoth would require mentioning my regression—an ability I could not reveal. I could not disclose a secret I had not even told Jiyoung or my guild members to the head of the Black Network.
I brought out the excuse I had prepared in advance.
"A directorship in the Black Network."
"Heh heh heh. Madam, has our company ever had a position called 'director'?"
"No. Not until now."
At Madam's reply, the Shadow Puppeteer chuckled, "Heh heh."
I leaned back against my chair.
Some time passed.
The Shadow Puppeteer, who had been sipping his tea, finally parted his lips.
"John Doe. From now on, address me as such."
A name meaning "unknown identity." It was the "true name" John Doe revealed only to those he trusted.
"Understood."
"A newly appointed director of the Black Network. I hope you will exert yourself for the organization."
John Doe extended his right hand. Without the slightest hesitation, I grasped it.
* * *
The directorship of the Black Network. An unexpected gain.
—You have risen quite high.
—It is merely an honorary title in name only.
A newly created executive-level position. It would be stranger if I actually held influence within the Black Network.
The Shadow Puppeteer—no, John Doe—had surely understood the meaning behind my words. It was merely a higher position than the "Korean branch manager" title I had obtained from Madam in the past.
—Then does it not lack meaning?
—The amount of information I can access has increased.
Being able to contact John Doe directly was an advantage in its own right.
The Black Network. There was no need to explain how advantageous it was to be able to summon an organization that had connections to the underworld in every corner of the world whenever I desired.
"Then I would like to hear our new director's opinion."
"Please tell me where the Qliphoth has taken root."
"Brazil, Algeria, and Niger."
I stroked my chin. The Qliphoth's sphere of influence had expanded differently from my previous life. In the original history, they had infiltrated American cult groups, Congolese rebels, and the untouchables who were despised in India.
Well, the timing of the Qliphoth's emergence on Earth had already diverged, so this level of deviation was only natural.
I swallowed a bitter smile and continued.
"Do you know what the Qliphoth's primary resource is?"
"It does not appear to be drugs."
"People."
John Doe stared at me quietly.
"If they require human resources, there would be no reason to limit themselves to the Third World."
"Your assumption is correct."
John Doe replied in a subdued voice.
"Human sacrifice?"
"Yes. Unlike the Maya civilization, it actually works here."
The Qliphoth resided in an illusory space. There were many ways to obtain power from monsters, demons, or other entities in the otherworld, but the easiest method was a living sacrifice. When people thought of human sacrifice or offerings, they usually pictured demons, but that was only half correct. Demons valued the soul itself more than a living sacrifice.
"In the Third World, human lives are treated like flies, are they not?"
"You speak as if you have seen it yourself."
"It is secondhand experience. You see it often in documentaries."
Nyx shot me a glance.
—Since when have you watched such things?
—I need an excuse to fall back on.
I ignored Nyx's sulky expression and met John Doe's eyes directly.
"Priscilla. What do you think of the new director's statement?"
"It is likely correct. The number of missing persons cases in Algeria has increased sharply."
Madam answered. Her voice trembled slightly. She had not expected John Doe to mention her real name in front of me.
"Thanks to that, we have caught the Qliphoth's tail."
"Will that be enough?"
"I have high expectations for our new director. There is no need to feel burdened."
"I dislike owing debts. I will lend my strength this time."
"Does that mean you intend to place your hand on the Black Network's affairs?"
"As a director, I cannot simply stand by while someone tries to take our rice bowl."
John Doe had believed he could uproot the Qliphoth faction using only the Black Network's power. His roundabout refusal of my offer of help was his way of keeping the debt for granting me the directorship on the books. No matter how valuable the information about human sacrifice was, it was not enough to warrant a nonexistent title within the Black Network.
Well, keeping the debt was fine by me. My true purpose in stepping forward was to eliminate the Qliphoth faction. The Black Network had won its war against the Qliphoth faction that had seeped into the shadows, but even in my previous life, they had suffered tremendous losses.
"John Doe. Please arrange a flight to Algeria."
"Do you intend to confront the Qliphoth faction yourself?"
"Yes. I already have experience defeating an Eldritch Dragon."
The giant who ruled the Black Network pressed his lips together. A heavy silence pressed down on the café's air. With my fingers interlaced, I waited leisurely for John Doe's answer.
"Very well. However, I have one condition."
"Please speak."
"Priscilla will accompany you as your assistant."
Oh. Assigning Madam to me meant he was providing convenience while also assigning her as a surveillance detail. If the danger of the Qliphoth turned out to be exaggerated, he intended to collect the price for the directorship in another form.
"You are not asking the person in question for her opinion?"
"What do you think?"
"If that is your order."
Madam replied in a voice that betrayed almost no emotion.
"Good. Then finish all the tasks that must be completed today."
We had been given one day. The moment we left this country, it would be no different from stepping onto a battlefield. I nodded slowly.