Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Arirang Gang
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Despite the crowd gathered around, a momentary silence fell.
I've never even picked up a wooden sword, let alone a real one.
The only time I've swung a knife was for cooking.
But it didn't matter.
Click.
With her thumb, she nudged the scabbard aside just a bit.
Even just looking at it made her eyes sting—the blade was that sharp.
Clack.
The pushed-aside scabbard hit the floor, drawing perfect concentric ripples in the midst of the silence.
She drew in a lungful of air and lowered her stance in time with the waves.
Power into her toes,
and shoved off the ground.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Gale] ─PAAAAANG!!!
A green wind split apart and accelerated.
As the world around her warped, her left eye throbbed, and time slowed.
She rocketed forward explosively, right up to them, but the hulking figures just stood there gaping.
She crouched even lower, nearly touching the ground.
And slashed.
Splat!
Even a mere brush of the blade sent blood oozing from a calf.
Slashed.
She could feel the flesh parting cleanly along the edge.
Slashed.
The thigh split open, exposing stark white bone.
Slashed.
The ankle tore apart, unable to bear the weight, and buckled instantly.
Slashed.
The armpit of the one who belatedly raised his sashimi knife ripped wide open.
"Huu─"
She exhaled the hot air pooled in her lungs and drew in a second breath laced with blood.
Slashed.
Every swing through the air tormented her eardrums with sharp whistles.
Pheew─!
Third breath.
"Huu─"
She slashed like a maniac.
Swung like a maniac.
Fourth breath.
"Haa─"
The lumps in front of her were nothing but children playing with a sharp toy.
Mere rice cakes that split open at the touch of a keen blade.
No fancy technique needed.
Just
overwhelming speed.
SLASH!
Pheew─!!
Blood sprayed from the split white flesh, riding the blade into the air.
She danced with her sword.
Pheew─!!
Something split at the tip, spewing blood.
Slashed.
Slashed.
Slashed again.
Slashed.
"Haa, haa─"
The blade, with nothing left to cut, protested by slicing the air, pouring out shrill friction sounds.
As her strength faded, she let the two swords slip from her hands—they stabbed straight into the ground, proof of their edge.
─Tss, tss.
"Huu─."
Her final breath was thick with cigarette smoke.
The sluggishly flowing world regained its pace, and the lazily drifting smoke shot upward.
"Gaaahhh!!!"
"M-my legs...!"
They writhed on the blood-soaked floor, groaning—a vision of hell.
─Bang!!
"Shut your mouths before I plug 'em with bullets, you punks."
The warning shot cut the noise down to mere whimpers.
Even lifelong knife-men didn't fancy a bullet to the skull.
"I went easy so you wouldn't die, quit whining."
As she savored the cigarette washing away the deep peach scent from her body, she sensed movement behind her.
"Miss."
"Thanks."
Albert handed her the dropped scabbard and a handkerchief.
Wiping her face stained it red.
"Huu─"
Unlike Albert, who had snapped back to attention, Jeremy was still blinking dazedly in her direction.
The VIP guests staring blankly from the side were much the same.
She sheathed the blood-flecked sword and patted her hair—Baekseol was clinging tight.
"Baekseol, all done."
"Fun!"
As she walked toward Jeremy, the VIPs backpedaled.
Step, step.
Every step she took, they retreated one.
"Why are my junkie pals keep backpedaling? Trying to show off those legs for me to chop?"
They froze on the spot the moment she finished speaking.
Step, step.
She stopped right before the obvious boss—his pupils were dilated and shaking wildly.
"Snorted a fat load, huh?"
"...Speak."
"Didn't even ask."
"W-we handle Arirang sales in this area..."
"Shut it before I snap your neck with an Arirang twist."
"......"
She could hear the boss's heart thundering from here.
Click.
"I ask, you answer."
She drew her gun and waved it in his face—he nodded frantically.
"Why the drugs?"
"To lure in VIPs—unavoidable, natural choice."
"That guy mentioned celebrities earlier— they come?"
"Yes."
"High-and-mighty officials too?"
"Yes."
"Got the list?"
The boss nodded and beckoned to a relatively sober underling, who bolted off somewhere.
Even blasted out of his mind, he was trying to play it cool—commendable, if you ignored the twitching nose and wobbly legs.
"Cops?"
"Nah?"
The Arirang Gang boss seemed utterly lost on how this was unfolding.
"That stuff you were snorting up your noses? Hongmunbal dope."
"We know it's imported from your side. We just receive."
"That's why I'm here."
While she chatted with the boss, the runner returned with a thick ledger.
"Shop elsewhere for other drugs."
"...That's it?"
"Yeah. Told you—Hongmunbal's the issue. Do whatever otherwise."
She handed the ledger to Jeremy, who skimmed it quick and stashed it in his bag.
"We're out. Good luck with business."
"W-wait!"
"What?"
The boss chewed his lip.
"Refusing the upper org's drugs puts us in danger."
"Take 'em for now. We'll wipe 'em out soon."
"G...ot it."
"Don't pig out and croak."
As the boss nodded, she turned to leave—by the steel stairs to the first floor, the navigator stood pale, gasping.
─Wham!
She booted him; he flew and crashed before the boss.
"Hey, don't kill that fucker—keep him alive."
"Got it."
"And lop off one."
"W-where...?"
"He's got five. Any limb."
She instructed the boss and headed out.
The closer to the surface from underground, the stranger the noises.
Thud, pop. Pop.
She pushed open the surface door—rain poured from the overcast sky.
"Albert, this can't get wet."
Jeremy passed the bag with the ledger to Albert, dashed to the car, grabbed umbrellas, and hurried back.
"Let's go, miss."
He handed one umbrella to Albert, then grinned and tilted his own toward her.
"Thanks."
His shoulder soaked through, but the umbrella leaned her way.
"Miss, you some kinda samurai?"
"That's Japanese stuff."
She played along with his rain-muffled whisper.
"All flashy, dropped like flies. Unreal. Sword just vanished..."
"Actually, I'm from Area 51."
"Gasp! Knew it...!"
Under Jeremy's escort, she climbed into the back—pleasant rain pattered on the window.
Oddly, Jeremy, who'd been at the wheel, hopped into the passenger seat.
"Albert driving?"
"Yeah, gotta compile intel."
Albert gripped the wheel like it was nothing; Jeremy unpacked his laptop and started typing. Seamless teamwork.
No wonder they called each other partners.
"My posh one's my partner too."
"Sleepy."
Baekseol wriggled for a comfy spot, then slipped into her pocket.
Probably nesting warm against the rain.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Squeeze. Squeeze.
Something kept prodding her chest, jolting her awake.
Exhausted from all the action, she'd crashed the moment she got home—now it was pitch black outside.
Squeeze. Squeeze.
She glanced down—Baekseol was kneading her chest like dough, playing.
"Baekseol, bored? Hungry?"
"Hungry."
Her eyes sparkled; she'd been up a while.
"Mmm, wanna hit up ramen after forever?"
"Yay!"
"Let's go."
Baekseol poked the air, flipping the world.
Fresh grassy scent filled her nose right away.
─Tss, tss.
"Huu─ no rain here?"
The drizzling downpour had vanished in this neighborhood.
Just crisp, clean air.
She considered another smoke, but Baekseol was already prancing on the porch—better hurry.
"Pot!"
"Yay!"
"Ramen!"
"Yay!"
In perfect sync with Baekseol, she set the ramen water boiling—it bubbled up, filling the air with delicious aroma.
A tiny bowl of broth for Baekseol, the rest hers.
"Stream? Kids are waiting."
"Yeah!"
As she adjusted the mount to greet viewers,
Rustle.
Her hand froze on the stand; Baekseol's ears perked straight up.
This place was purely hers. Gods and such had dropped by announced before, but no one had ever slipped in silent like this.
Rustle.
A presence she shouldn't sense prickled.
After a long wait, something burst from the dense trees.
"Wh-who goes there."
The intruder drew nearer without a word.
As distance closed, the shadowed face came into view.
"Are you this land's owner?"
"Huh? Yeah, sorta. Who are you?"
A tiny old woman with deeply wrinkled skin led the way.
Could swords cut ghosts?
Cold sweat beaded.
"Lost ol' granny here, starvin'. If it's no bother, could ya spare a rude guest a bowl? Even barley rice with soy'd do."
"Uh, sure... but it's spicy."
"Much obliged."
The grandma eased onto the porch.
In the light, she beamed with worldly kindness.
"Sorry for droppin' in sudden."
She served the ramen; the old woman smiled brightly.
"Dig in, no worries."
Her warming smile matched the hanbok perfectly.
If not for the menacing shears at her side.
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> [Overknee socks, mandatory please]
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"Just say the word! What next?"