175
Gabriel and I stopped by one of the many arms shops in Border City.
The owner, who had been sitting loosely, jumped up as soon as he saw us. He must have judged that we had real customers after seeing our awkward atmosphere.
“Gabriel, choose the one that fits your hand.”
I nodded to Gabriel as I handed the credit chip to the owner.
“Can you really choose anything? Where on earth did you get the water? You said you woke up after 12 years?”
Gabriel spoke while touching the gun hanging on the wall. Despite living as a recluse, he was still nimble with guns. It seemed that he had trained hard as a bodyguard.
“It’ll be long if I explain it.”
I didn’t bother to add any further explanation. Gabriel was also focused on choosing a gun for now. His eyes were burning with a desire for revenge.
‘My motivation is back.’
The listless look disappeared, and the Gabriel I knew was revealed, thanks to a clear sense of purpose and the help of stimulants.
“Did you really find the guy who killed Siren?”
“Almost certainly. The problem is that he’s a guy that’s hard to mess with.”
“Hmm, then there might be retaliation later, so I’ll do the execution. You just guide and get out of the way.”
Gabriel said, turning the shotgun with one hand. He took aim as he attached the magazine. He also remembered how to inspect the firearm properly.
“I’ll leave the revenge to you… … but if something goes wrong, it’ll be hard for you to handle it on your own. You can’t even fight properly.”
“Even in my current state, I can deal with trash that touches women and children.”
The owner, who had been listening to our story, smiled broadly. He rubbed his hands and took a storage box out of the cupboard.
“Customers, if you are seeking personal revenge, I recommend this. It is a neurotoxin called ‘Virus’ that only hypersensitives pain receptors. It can cause you to experience pain that you will never experience again in this world. It can be applied on the day, or injected with special bullets.”
The owner opened the cabinet. The ampoule contained a dull liquid of an ominous green color.
“Hey, Luca. Did you just hear that? Isn’t that cool? It’s a virus?”
Gabriel walked towards the owner while choosing a sword.
“But it comes at a price. It’s a luxury item purely for revenge. It’s also difficult to use as torture. If you get addicted, you’ll die in less than 30 minutes.”
The owner glanced at me.
He was a man who knew a thing or two about business. He had heard Gabriel and me talking, and he had picked up on the words revenge and money lending.
“Don’t worry about the price. Just give me one.”
I didn’t even ask the price. I just placed an additional credit chip on the table and pushed it toward the store owner.
“Oh, thank you. We will give you the sword you chose as a free gift.”
Swords are given as a service… … It must be a very expensive item. I was a little nervous, wondering if Jafar would contact me. This feeling seems to be proof that I have a conscience.
Crunch.
Gabriel took a pistol and a shotgun, and also carried a machete and a dagger on his waist and thigh.
“It looks much better.”
I licked one side of my lips as I looked at the armed Gabriel.
“I feel alive too.”
Gabriel took a test shot at the gunsmith’s basement shooting range. His shooting movements were sluggish due to the aftereffects of drug addiction and hiatus, but not to the point of being unusable.
“Damn, this is a mess.”
But Gabrielle seemed dissatisfied with her body.
“It doesn’t matter. Rehabilitation will come later. They’re going to point a gun at you anyway.”
“That’s true.”
We left the gun shop. I glanced at Gabriel. He seemed animated.
“Gabriel, I’ll ask you about what happened later. For now, let’s get your revenge first.”
This is a debt wipe, just like I paid Gabriel’s medical bills a long time ago.
When this is over, Gabriel will be more loyal to me than anyone else. He will never betray me under any circumstances.
“I have many questions about you, too. I never imagined you’d be in Border City. I thought you’d spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair in that gloomy mansion, and then die.”
“You thought I was dead?”
“Giselle said you were dead. She said it wasn’t officially announced. Your name was quite important to the Custoria family.”
I have a rough idea. Giselle must have told everyone around me that I was dead in order to sneak me to Border City.
Let’s review the past later. There are other things to do right now.
As I walked, I explained the situation to Gabriel. The information I had shared also appeared on his terminal screen.
“… … His name is Ernest Borel. He is the grandson of Alex Borel, one of the founders of Border City. He is a big shot in Border City.”
“You’re talking about a family of politicians. If you kill that kid, there’ll be a lot of backlash, right?”
“That’s why we have to kidnap him secretly and bring him here separately. He works as a secretary under his father. He’s not an important person at the moment, so his security won’t be that tight. And he probably won’t have security personnel by his side to satisfy his secret desires.”
I sent Ernest Borel’s schedule to Gabriel. The time slots we were aiming for were highlighted in yellow.
Gabriel gritted his teeth as he looked at Ernest Borel’s personal information. Then he quickly grimaced sadly, and his eyes became slightly wet.
“Luka, why would a grown man from a good family do something like this? He’s a kid who can live without killing anyone. Why, why… … do you kill people? And they’re weaker than you. Do you get pleasure from killing people? Why is that fun? People shouldn’t do that. I just don’t understand.”
Gabriel sobbed at the end. I kept my mouth shut, neither confirming nor denying.
… … Because I understand Ernest Borel. He gets no stimulation or pleasure from anything other than killing. He feels alive only when he kills, and he continues to kill to prove that he is alive.
If such a person is a soldier, a mercenary, or a warrior, then that is okay. That is because such a trait can sometimes be an advantage in a karma. However, it is not good for an ordinary person to have such a temperament.
* * *
Gabriel and I stared at Ernest Borel’s residence from the alley. It was a building where the Border City bureaucrats lived in groups. The reason for their gathering was probably for security reasons.
In fact, the security around here was very good. It wasn’t private security guards, but police from the Bellato Federation patrolled. They were also well-armed, wearing full-body combat uniforms and even carrying heavy weapons.
“Luka, if I wait here, will the guy come out? Phew.”
Gabriel put the prescribed ampoule into the syringe and injected it into the back of the neck. Only then did the boy start to grin, as if he was starting to feel better.
“Since it’s the time of the year when I’m hunting for prey in my killing cycle, I’ll be out on my own at night. And after this, you’ll stop taking drugs and drinking, and start rehab.”
“I know. I would do that too. There’s nothing I can do about it now.”
I squinted my eyes at the guy and then looked away.
‘No matter how corrupt the country’s high-ranking officials and upper class are… … they do not blatantly assist in murder for pleasure.’
Ernest Borel’s serial murders were a shameful act. If not careful, he could have ended the political life of his family. He must have roamed the streets alone, hunting for prey.
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
We kept moving around and waiting for Ernest Borel to come out.
It was about sunset. A man in a tracksuit came out of the building. His face was not clearly visible because his hood was pulled down, but I could tell from his body shape and gait that it was Ernest Borel.
Ernest Borel exchanged a quick greeting with the building security guard and the patrolling police officer, then ran off as if he was exercising.
“Gabriel, proceed as planned.”
“What? Bee, that bastard, he’s out already? Where is he? Where is he!”
Gabriel’s hands were shaking as he held the gun. He bared his teeth with an expression that made it hard to tell whether he was crying or laughing.
I frowned.
“If you snipe with your poor skills, you’ll never get a chance to get revenge.”
“Okay, I got it. I didn’t mean to shoot.”
“Move quickly.”
I urged Gabriel on, keeping my gaze on Ernest Borel. It seemed as though he would soon blend in with the crowd.
“Luka, thank you so much for helping me in so many ways.”
Gabriel expressed his gratitude with difficulty, as if he still had some pride left in him.
I waved my hand without even looking at Gabriel. Gabriel’s presence disappeared.
‘It starts now.’
I also followed Ernest Borel at a quick pace.
Ernest Borel was a young man who had just turned from a boy to a young man. He was thin, but not unsightly. Rather, his handsome appearance gave him the impression of intelligence. His academic performance was excellent, and he was well-received by those around him.
‘I originally said that my dream was to be an artist.’
I thought of an interview with Ernest Borel, who said that seeing the chaos and social problems in Border City made him change his mind to politics instead of art. It was just a typical foreign propaganda.
‘Still, it’s probably true that I wanted to do art.’
In fact, the piece was revealed in the post. A skilled liar mixes truth and lies.
‘Ernest is not a man trained for combat.’
Ernest ran lightly, stopping frequently to rest. Thanks to this, following him was not difficult. I followed him, hiding myself appropriately.
Ernest entered a crowded street. From here on, the security situation gradually worsened. He leaned against the wall and looked around at the people passing by.
‘Looking for prey.’
Ernest’s pupils were moving rapidly. He had to target the weak to satisfy his desires.
Swish.
I also approached Ernest.
A hunter is most vulnerable when he is stalking his prey, because all his senses are focused on that spot.
Bam.
I leaned my back against the wall as I approached Ernest. Ernest glanced at me and pulled his hood down lower.
Swish.
Ernest turned away, his back against the wall.
Kwajik!
I stepped on Ernest’s instep. Ernest glared at me, letting out a short groan.
The crowd passed us by like a flowing stream.
I’ve gotten used to Border City. People here don’t care about others. Unless you stab someone to death, no one will look at you.
“Get your back against the wall again before I completely crush that foot.”
“you…….”
Ernest reached into his pocket. I sighed and grabbed his arm.
“Stop doing such a stupid thing. If it comes down to it, I’ll just slit your throat here and disappear. You won’t even be able to scream. Do you want to leave this world in one second?”
“What do you want?”
Ernest leaned his back against the wall as I instructed. His pupils moved erratically. He must be thinking about all sorts of things.
“Well, why would someone like me be after a rich bachelor? I don’t want to be hunted down by a powerful family for the rest of my life. I’m just going to grab a few bucks and leave Border City. Oh, don’t put your hands in your pockets. Keep them out there and follow my directions and walk slowly.”
“… … You’re so bold to think of messing with me when you know who I am.”
“I’m planning on leaving Border City today. You should have been prepared for something like this when you came to this neighborhood. What gave you the nerve to come here alone without any security? Since when has Border City been so safe?”
I said, grumbling. Ernest made no reply.
‘You can’t say that I go around trying to satisfy my desire to kill.’
I tapped Ernest’s shin with my toe to signal him to move.
