098
Thud, thud.
The man who had threatened me took the lead and guided us to the ‘real workplace’. His pierced jaw was covered with a liquid bandage, so no more blood flowed out.
“Certainly, your trained intuition of combat techniques is useful.”
Iskan spoke from behind me. He was referring to the intuition of Akiess Victima. We avoided direct comment since there was an outsider in front of us.
If our personal information is exposed, we have to kill the man. It seemed like Iskan really had no intention of killing the man.
“Is this your first time meeting me?”
“I’ve only met him as an enemy often. The only user you know of has already retired.”
The only user, referring to Kinuan.
“This ability has saved my life many times.”
“I know its usefulness well. It doesn’t allow you to display abilities beyond your capabilities, but it helps you to display your capabilities to their maximum in a stable manner. However, we prefer to increase the maximum of your capabilities. If the high point is extremely high, you can surpass your opponents even at the low point.”
That’s why the Guard uses Legions. If you’re overwhelming in every way, there’s no need for petty techniques.
Even if I trained Archie’s Victory to the limit… … it wouldn’t be able to handle even one of the ordinary guards in the Legion.
Iskan added, as if he had read my bitterness.
“But I have dozens of times more practical experience than you. It’s surprising that you detected the anomaly faster than me.”
“Even if I wasn’t there, you would have noticed the trap. The result wouldn’t have been much different.”
Iskan did not deny it. His insight and intuition were on par with mine.
‘The Royal Guard doesn’t need the Archies Victory.’
This is the conclusion from above.
Iskan and I stopped talking and stared at the end of the passage. There was a very small noise and vibration. It meant that there was something beyond that.
‘Probably their workplace.’
Bao Jakanna will be there too.
“Do you know all the customers’ identities and names?”
Iskan asked the man. The low frequency of his voice gave off an intimidating vibe.
“Some people know… … but most of them are managed by the higher-ups, oh, damn it, they manage it anyway. The guest list that comes down to people like me is fake.”
The man frowned as he spoke. He was spitting out information he shouldn’t have. Judging from the fact that he was talking about his superiors, the business seemed more systematic than he had thought.
“As I said before, we have no intention of touching your business as long as we achieve our goal. We don’t want things to get any bigger either.”
“I don’t know who you’re looking for… … but if you leave quietly, I’ll keep my mouth shut. If the higher-ups find out, I’ll be dead too. By the way, there are no surveillance devices or facilities inside. The passageway you came through is the same. This is a business where customer privacy is the top priority. Even if one or two people disappear, no one will know.”
The man also came out cooperatively. It seemed that he was going to trust Iskan. Even if he didn’t trust him, there was no other way for him.
Towering.
The man stood at the end of the underground passage.
The path we took was winding and complicated. It was a passage that could collapse at any moment, as it was dug without proper excavation technology.
The outlaws dug through the city underground like rats. This was not the city center, but beneath ruins, a facility that even the Empire would have a hard time finding.
‘This place is completely different from the businesses in the lower districts.’
All business in the lower tiers was basically in the gray area.
The upper and lower levels interact and complement each other. To be exact, it is closer to a one-sided sacrifice by the lower level. The manpower and resources of the lower level go up to the upper level, and the byproducts left over from the upper level are recycled by the lower level.
However, the lawless area of the ruins is where all the byproducts of Akbaran are gathered and rotting away. To put it simply, it is a ‘cesspool’. Here, even the gangs of the lower districts will do things they are afraid of without a care.
“Then let’s go in.”
The man opened the door, watching us closely. We watched him closely to make sure he wasn’t doing anything stupid.
Squeak.
As the rusty iron door opened, the noise inside grew louder. The difference in pressure caused the air to slosh out, and the lingering smell passed us by.
I pressed the side of the mask to partially open the mouthpiece. The smell flowed clearly into my nose.
‘What is this… … .’
I frowned. It was a foul stench that was hard to describe. It was hard to separate and analyze. There were so many smells, flaunting their presence.
Iskan was experiencing the same sensation I was feeling. A wrinkle formed between his eyebrows.
Urine and feces, fresh and putrid, mixed together. Beyond that, the smell of oil and iron. The pungent smell of cleaning solution that was sprayed periodically. And yet, they couldn’t completely erase the smell, so they were spraying perfume here and there to cover it up.
And the unique artificial body odors secreted to mimic the human body with a full-body prosthesis. The pungent smell of gunpowder, the spicy scent of energy particles, the smell of meat cooked over a high heat as if someone was eating somewhere, alcohol evaporating and floating in the air… … .
Stinging, stinging.
It was already a headache-inducing smell, but my headache was even worse because of my heightened senses. Even though I didn’t want it, my brain was heating up as it analyzed the particles of the smell.
Click.
I couldn’t stand it anymore and closed the cap on my mask. I felt like I could finally live.
“Oh, there’s no ventilation in the hallway… … .”
The man looked at me and spoke sheepishly.
From the open door, a long, straight passageway stretched out. It was wide enough for four people to pass through. To the left and right, there were long, tightly closed rooms.
Rattling, thud.
Sometimes, sounds would spread inside the room. The structure was such that the inside could not be seen from outside.
“Customers who visited before we came… … .”
Iskan finally pointed it out clearly. Knowing the order in which Bao Zakanaan entered, it shouldn’t be difficult to find.
“Please finish quietly so as not to disturb other customers.”
The man spoke with a certain professional consciousness. He walked down the hallway, checking the door numbers.
… … That was the moment.
Rattling!
One of the visits took place.
Click!
Iskan and I quickly drew our pistols and aimed them at the open door.
“Live, live, give, three, ah… … ”
A naked boy was crawling out. He must have been about that age when I joined the guard.
The boy was crawling on the floor with his hands, completely terrified. The reason he was crawling was simple: he had no legs.
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Gulp, gulp.
The boy who crawled out into the hallway had his leg cut off and blood was gushing out. He looked at us and reached out his hand earnestly.
“T-T-T-T, shit, s- …
The man who had been guiding us swore at us. A dull voice could be heard from inside the room.
“If you give him hope that he can escape, he won’t struggle. He can’t escape anyway, so what?”
A woman walked out of the room. She was wearing a plain mask that only revealed her eyes, so her identity was unknown.
The woman was holding a saw covered in blood and flesh, which appeared to have been used to cut the boy’s leg.
“Ah, ahhhhh! Aaaahhhhhh! Go away! Go away! Please! Please!”
The boy looked at the girl and was terrified. He looked like he might go crazy at any moment.
“Hehehe, good, good. It’s really nice to see you struggling healthily. And your flesh is soft. It’s worth the money if you get this organized.”
Ah, I thought I knew all about this situation. Where the children who often go missing in the lower areas go… … and what kind of business these bottom humans do here.
“Of course. We only deal with 100% pure, living human beings.”
The man smirked and spoke to the woman. It seemed that the current situation was not strange at all to them. It seemed that common sense had been distorted for a long time.
What people are solving here is,
‘The desire to kill.’
That too, towards humans made of pure blood and flesh… … .
I knew that the people here were rotten and decaying. But when I saw them in person, it was so disgusting that I couldn’t stand it. I felt like I had resisted the urge to pull the trigger dozens of times already.
Squeak, thud.
The woman dragged the boy into the room and locked the door tightly.
“I’m sorry. There was a slight mishap. That customer is always like that.”
The man looked back at us and said.
Iskan and I will have calm expressions. We are used to hiding our emotions. What is Iskan thinking right now? Is he suppressing his anger and contempt like I am?
“Luca.”
Iskan spat out my name. Iskan was the one who had not revealed any information until now.
… … That’s right.
Iskan changed his mind. He had no intention of letting the man live.
“I’m listening.”
I answered briefly.
“You search every room and find Bao Zakanaan. I am… … .”
Iskan aimed his gun at the man’s forehead and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
bang!
Even though gunshots were heard, those who were locked in their rooms didn’t even look outside. Compared to what was happening inside, gunshots were just a minor issue.
thud!
The man fell backwards. He died with his eyes wide open. Blood was flowing out of the hole in his forehead.
“… … I’m going to clean up the trash from now on.”
“All right.”
I liked Iskan. His humanity was great.
Iskan grabbed the door that the woman and boy had entered through. The lock was useless against his brute force.
Thud!
The iron door, torn off like a toy, slammed into the wall. Iskan aimed his gun at the inside and pulled the trigger repeatedly.
“Hey, you, me, who am I… … .”
A woman’s voice came out faintly. She was saying something so obvious that it was almost sickening. How many times had Iskhan, an irregular, heard such words before?
“Huh, trash is talking.”
The woman in the full-body suit did not die from the pistol bullet alone. Iskan jumped up and down in place and dashed inside.
Kwajik!
There was a sound of something exploding. It was probably a woman’s head. The artificial skull and brain had been crushed together. How could I not know… … I’ve heard it many times.
I also moved. It wouldn’t be hard to find Bao Zakanaan even without a guide. He must be relieving his needs somewhere here anyway.
Despite the commotion, no one seemed to think of coming out.
The dead man took us for a long walk down the hallway. The room we passed was not in Bao Zakanaan. Then, Bao Zakanaan must be in one of the five rooms left before me.
Creak, creak.
I broke the lock and opened the door. I saw a man covered in shit. He was hanging a woman on the wall and beating her up.
What a magnificent wall.
“What? Additional services?”
The stool man spoke with a broad grin. His front teeth were so white that they didn’t match his shit-covered face.
“The service is correct, but it’s a guide service to the afterlife.”
I jumped up lightly. I floated up next to the stool man and swung my heel like a hammer. The inward kick crushed his head to the floor.
Kwajik!
The head that was pressed against my heel hit the floor and burst open with a hot bang. I don’t know which noble family he was from or whether he was of high rank.
But one thing was certain.
No matter how corrupt the empire is, they will not hold you accountable for summarily executing these scumbags. They will not even protect these scumbags.
If… …the empire is like that, I am willing to become a subversive.
Kkirrik, bang!
I opened the next door. What kind of a mess do you see? I don’t want to explain.
“Uh, huh, who, who am I… … .”
It’s probably trash, I guess.
I pulled the trigger lightly.
Crunch!
And when I broke the next door, I could see Bao Zakanaan.
“ah…….”
Bao Zakannan looked back at me with a puzzled expression.
I licked one side of my lips so that the corner of my eye twitched. I saw Bao Zakanaan in a dress with a lot of lace. He was wearing women’s clothes.
And in front of Bao Zakanaan, a naked man was tied to a cross. I opened my eyes when I saw the man’s face.
‘Nicholas?’
The man resembled Nikolaos in the Bound Man. But of course, it wasn’t Nikolaos himself. The man had been dead for a long time, showing no signs of life.
‘The corpse of a man who resembled Nicholas.’
I had a vague idea of what kind of strong desire was at work in this incident.
“My name is Lucas Custoria.”
Bao Zakanaan opened his eyes wide. I continued speaking while aiming my gun.
“You know why Kusoria came?”
