Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: Hired Thugs
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"It's cold."
💬 Chat — ⚔️ Viewer F**k, please stop complaining about the cold already — ⚔️ Viewer ㅇ_ㅇ — ⚔️ Viewer LOLOLOLOL [Han Ga-eul has ended the broadcast] A ton of eyes were locked on me.
Click.
I pulled out my mask and slipped it on, and everyone's eyes went wide.
[Han Gyeoul has started broadcasting] 💬 Chat — ⚔️ Viewer Holy shit, that scared me — ⚔️ Viewer That mask looks scary as hell lololol No matter how I thought about it, I'd bought the perfect mask. The mouth area was open, making it easy to smoke.
I pulled out a cigarette and stuck it in my mouth, and just as expected, Man-wook reached over.
Puff!
"Hoo—my boys here?"
─Yes, sis!
"Extensions..."
Ting!
The sound of metal hitting the ground rang out.
Someone must've dropped theirs while pulling it out.
"No extensions."
The hired thugs' faces grew darker by the second.
Man-wook's underlings poured in endlessly, as if they'd been scattered around the market playing.
Albert had said there were about thirty confirmed, but there looked to be double that.
"Hoo—"
I took one step forward, and once again, all eyes focused on me.
"I've crawled up from the bottom myself, so I get it. Anyone who came here just to make some pocket change as a hired thug—step aside."
"........."
"If you don't wanna die, step aside."
A few of the guys peeking around with dirt-pale faces finally slunk off to the side, late as it was.
"You."
"M-Me?"
"Yeah, you, you little shit. You're in."
He was one of the guys who'd been poking at the protesters on purpose as he wandered through them.
These guys gathered here were all the lowlifes with thug vibes anyway.
The few who'd bailed had fresh faces—probably clueless kids lured by the money.
"Hoo—"
Even with all these people packed together, it was dead silent.
"Just break their legs so they can't pull this crap anymore."
─Yes, sis!
The moment I finished, Man-wook's underlings waiting behind me surged forward like a wave.
"Sh-Shit! Fight!!"
As Man-wook's crew piled in, the hired thugs crumbled in seconds.
It was a fight with the outcome decided from the start.
Man-wook's guys were battle-hardened brawlers; those punks only picked on the weak.
The fight wasn't even fair.
Trash had ranks too.
"Jina."
"Yes."
Heo Jin, standing beside me, took the phone stand I handed her.
I passed her the cigarette I was smoking and kicked off the ground, my body shooting forward.
My job here was dealing with anyone pulling knives from their pockets.
Couldn't let my kids get hurt.
"Aaaagh!"
Not wanting to go down alone, one yanked a knife and swung wildly.
As lightly as possible.
Crack!
"Gaaaaah!!"
"Oops, sorry."
My body had gotten so strong so fast that controlling my strength was tough.
I'd only meant to smack the knife away lightly, but his wrist snapped and dangled.
"You stink like shit, asshole."
Kwack!
I slapped his jaw upward with my palm, and it spun right around.
Next punk.
I activated my keen insight and battle sense, my vision expanding.
It was total chaos.
Man-wook's crew tangled with the thugs—no room to move.
[High Wind Step]
Bang!
I leaped into the air, and their heads looked like a cluster of grapes below.
My eyes darted, spotting one pulling a knife from his pocket.
I stepped on the condensed wind in the air and pivoted toward him.
Philtrum smash.
Kwaduk!
My fist connected, caving in his lower jaw.
A bit lighter.
Shoulder dislocation.
Pop!
"Gaaaaah!!"
Slap.
Crack!
Corn flew through the air.
"Baekseol-ah, holding on tight?"
"This is fun!"
Vertical elbow to the face.
Crunch!
Uvula smash.
Snap!
Ball-buster.
Splat!
Ink poke.
Stab!
"Gaaaaah!!"
Screams echoed wherever I passed.
After all that rolling in the training hall, my whole body was a weapon.
💬 Chat — ⚔️ Viewer WTF, is this a wuxia movie? — ⚔️ Viewer What's the boss's deal? — ⚔️ Viewer She's flying around lol — ⚔️ Viewer Boss fights brutal — ⚔️ Viewer Is that even possible? — ⚔️ Viewer Didn't that guy just die? One of the punks, realizing it was hopeless, shoved a reinforced plastic riot shield at me.
Ground stomp.
Boom!
Straight punch.
Kwaaaang!
The guy holding the shield flew back like he'd been hit by a truck.
With him down, the area fell silent once more.
Man-wook's underling, who had been choking a thug, met my eyes and quietly let go.
Fear mixed with reassuring ally vibes in their gazes.
"Gather up."
─Yes!
In that short time, the hired thugs groaned on the ground.
Broad daylight brawl, and not a single cop in sight.
Heo Jin was right—they were in on it.
"Man-wook."
"Yes, sis."
"Over there, there, and there too."
I pointed, and his eyes followed.
"They filmed, so grab their phones and wipe 'em."
"Yes, we'll handle it clean."
He nodded, and his crew moved out.
"And find the bosses, squeeze some info."
"Make 'em talk?"
"They've got twenty useless balls dangling. If not, cut two off each."
"...And if they do?"
"Cut one."
"Yes."
"Climb the chain, it'll all come out."
"...Yes."
People bustled, but silence hung heavy.
I climbed onto the protesters' makeshift stage, and everyone just stared.
"It's over, so disperse. I'll handle the forced eviction."
"...R-Really?"
"Of course."
First merchant I'd seen.
From the far end, where it was usually too hectic to visit.
"See those guys over there?"
They turned, saw the gang cleaning up, and nodded.
"If shit like this happens, tell them. They look rough, but they're not bad guys."
"The real bad ones are those scum!"
A merchant with a red headband around his forehead heard me, pointed at the downed thugs, and launched into a rant.
The other merchants murmured in agreement.
Clap clap.
I clapped, and they turned back to me.
"Im Yu-jun's singing here tonight. Time to prep for evening business, right?"
They finally nodded.
"These guys'll stick around, so get along. They're pros at this stuff."
"If the Peach Girl says it, we trust it."
Random response—I scanned for the voice. It was the familiar face of the tool shop grandpa who'd waved at me, calling me Peach Girl.
"Haha."
His words turned the place into a laugh fest out of nowhere.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Smack!
"Ugh!"
A middle-aged man's slap sent the guy in front of him tumbling.
"Say it again."
"...We failed."
"You call that possible?!"
The middle-aged man bellowed at the fallen subordinate, face beet red, veins popping.
"Who?! Who the hell?!"
"Internet streamer named Han Ga-eul."
"Ha, Han Ga-eul? A woman?"
The swollen-cheeked underling nodded at the furious man's question.
"A woman? Over-thirty hired muscle got their asses kicked by a woman? Limbs all smashed? You expect me to buy that?"
The underling nodded again, twisting the man's face grotesquely.
"Apparently a bunch of gangsters were there too."
"...Haa. The cops? People's mush, and cops did what?"
"W-We bribed them..."
Grind.
The man's molars ground in rage.
"You dumb fuck! This ain't the '80s. There's gotta be CCTV!"
His words drooped the underling's head.
"Not a single one. Every merchant there acted like they coordinated—no footage saved anywhere."
"Hoo..."
The man clutched his face in frustration.
"Photos at least. Or car dashcams!"
"No-car zone, so no vehicles. And she wore a mask."
"What?"
"Traditional mask-like thing."
"Mask? So what, just report her."
"C-Current law won't ID her from that."
The man, unable to contain fury, grabbed a glass ashtray nearby.
"You idiot! Ain't playing blind man's bluff here, you call that shit an answer?!"
"Eek! N-National law..."
Crash!
"Get out!"
The terrified underling bolted; the man clutched his face again.
"Haa... How the hell do I report to the assemblyman."
"Assemblyman? Which one?"
"Gaaah!! Wh-Who are you?!"
"Peekaboo."
In front of the man stood someone in a spine-chilling mask.
"H-How."
Not a ghost, but this woman popped up—his heart nearly stopped.
Yet her ethereal voice drifting into his ear mesmerized him.
Like fruit juice infused in sound.
"Tell me too. Curious. Which assemblyman?"
"......"
Crack!
"Gaaaaah!! Ngh!"
How did such tiny, delicate hands hold this power? He couldn't shake off the hand clamping his mouth.
Tears streamed from the twisted arm's pain.
"Shh."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Peekaboo!"
"Kyaa! Ga-eul-ah, when'd you get here?"
My startled sister quickly smiled with her eyes.
She looked happy I came.
"Sis, sis. Let's date."
"Suddenly?"
"Yeah!"
Outside the shop, crowds swarmed the plaza to see Im Yu-jun.
"But Ga-eul, you're dressed so pretty today? Always in baggy army tees."
"Like you told me."
"Too pretty."
"Let's go somewhere else."
"No Im Yu-jun?"
"Mm... Grateful for something, but next time."
"Eek!"
I hooked my pinky with hers, and she leaned in.
"Over there."
Strolling and snacking with sis, the market buzzed more than Heo Jin said.
"Ga-eul-ah, busking over there too."
"Yeah."
Hand in hand, we neared—it wasn't busking, but a streamer-hosted singing contest.
"Sing for me."
"Suddenly?"
"Yeah!"
She grinned, thrilled at the role reversal.
"Phone. I'll hold."
"Okay."
I nodded to her, approached the MC.
"I'll do it."
"Wooow..."
"Not now?"
"N-No. Just... so pretty..."
💬 Chat — ⚔️ Viewer Everyone knows she's pretty lol — ⚔️ Viewer Stop flirting? Boss is public property "Um... Could I get your number maybe?"
💬 Chat — ⚔️ Viewer F**k Heimdall!! Open a portal to that stream!!! — ⚔️ Viewer Opened. Thor: triplenet.com/songiskimgeonbae ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Boss, this is too much."
"Haha, take plenty."
The group outside scratched their heads at the weird vibe.
"Not bad, but kinda..."
"Tickly."
"Yeah."
"Eh, not bad."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 📰 Live Endaily News Reporter Jeon I-man ([email protected]) Around 1 PM today, Kim Han-wook, a grade 4 official known as Assemblyman Park Kyung-tae's aide, was found at his home with twisted limbs. Crime estimated yesterday evening. Thankfully alive, but mentally shocked—rambled about killing Rep. Kim... Police say on this incident... Rattle.
"Hmm. Park Kyung-tae."
💬 Chat — ⚔️ Viewer ??? — ⚔️ Viewer Boss... nah? Bzzz!
I checked the suddenly vibrating phone—a text.
"Whoa, they're fast. Sent it yesterday."
💬 Chat — ⚔️ Viewer What text? "Physical test invite."
— ⚔️ Viewer Let's gooo — ⚔️ Viewer Go smash 'em all — ⚔️ Viewer Boss 3-lift max? — ⚔️ Viewer King Ga-eul deploys ***