Chapter 6
“I don’t know.”
“A member of the Open Information Division, who isn’t even a newly appointed Baek-ui member, doesn’t know me? How should this be interpreted?”
“Well, I’m not sure we need to interpret it… our branch’s director isn’t here right now, so it looks like you’ll have to come back later.”
A gentle smile appears at the corner of the mouth.
About to speak, the voice of the Il-gyeol-gye (a low-ranking officer) reaches my ear, and I close my mouth.
“As you may know, this is the Open Information Division. If you wish, I can relay your message to the higher-ups, but for now, please leave.”
Taking a step forward, I speak softly.
“I’ll say this one last time, so listen carefully. The director of the Open Information Division, Chwi-ui-gae, is here because he has something to say to you. Go tell him immediately.”
The Il-gyeol-gye frowns.
“Ah, I told you, there’s no one. Why are you making a fuss? Just go back.”
What exactly is the Open Information Division?
They are parasites more than anything, regardless of information or whatever else.
The realm of Open Information? Maybe such a thing exists in the world, but at least here in Seol-ap, there is no such thing.
They don’t even know their place.
They don’t know who the superior is.
Engrossed in a meaningless authority, unable to distinguish between right and wrong, further conversation is a waste of time and a luxury.
I stretch my leg and kick the left thigh of the Il-gyeol-gye.
Crack!
With that sound, the Il-gyeol-gye stumbles back, letting out a scream. I quickly extend my left arm, grabbing his hair and pulling him forward.
“Let me ask again. Is the branch director inside?”
“…Yes…he is…!”
“Then why did you say there’s no one?”
“That’s…”
“And your tone lacks respect. Do I look like your subordinate? Would you like me to report it to the higher-ups?”
I tighten my grip.
“You bastard, parasitizing in Seol-ap, can’t even distinguish right from wrong…”
“I… I’m a disciple of Open Information!”
Although the words were cut off, they didn’t make me feel bad. It was true.
“So?”
“…Touching me is like touching Open Information!”
“So, what?”
“The Seol-ap region is already chaotic enough. Do you want to make Open Information our enemy as well? Please stop and resolve this!”
He was desperate.
Everyone knows about the Gu-Pai-Fang.
The last organization that carries on its legacy.
It was destroyed in the Millennia Chaos (千年之亂), losing all its history and martial arts. Yet, it survived and succeeded in rebuilding.
To touch that organization would be a crazy act, impossible unless one had lost their mind.
Yes.
It would be impossible without losing one’s mind.
“Open Information, huh… I understand now.”
It seemed that the mention of Open Information had frightened the Il-gyeol-gye, as his expression brightened. However, the words I continued to speak soon turned that light into despair.
“I was going to break just one of your arms lightly, but now you’ve made that impossible.”
“…Eh?”
Turning an act that could’ve been a mere slap into a life-threatening situation was a talent in its own right.
I had used the name of Open Information to threaten him. This could not be left unaddressed.
I extend my left arm and place my hand on his shoulder, applying force.
Crack!
“Ugh… Argh!”
I had no intention of stopping there. I threw him onto the ground, stomping on his left arm, then his legs.
Crack! Crack!
The sound of breaking bones echoed, and the Il-gyeol-gye, who had screamed earlier, lost consciousness.
For him, that was probably for the best.
I grabbed his hair again and walked towards the door.
I saw a door on the other side. I kicked it open with my foot, then threw the Il-gyeol-gye inside, not caring about how he landed.
Chaos ensued inside.
“Who… Who’s there?”
“Who is it?!”
“This is Open Information…!!”
I silently scanned the room. The voices that had been shouting earlier gradually quieted down.
At the far corner, a man who had been writing something looked up at me. There were three cords tied around his waist.
That man was the branch director of the Open Information Division in Seol-ap, Chwi-ui-gae.
He spoke.
“…What brings the Ta-ju (a regional leader) of Seol-ap to our division? And…”
He trailed off, glancing at the Il-gyeol-gye’s body on the floor, then continued with a cold gaze.
“You’ve really turned our boy into a mess.”
This was a bit of a misunderstanding. I hadn’t killed him.
I had broken his limbs, but I hadn’t taken his life. I knew all too well where to break bones to ensure they wouldn’t be fatal.
Of course, I didn’t feel the need to explain that to the beggars here.
I silently pulled out a chair in front of Chwi-ui-gae and sat down.
“Chwi-ui-gae.”
“…No matter how much you say you’re the Ta-ju of Seol-ap, I’m still a third-ranked member of Open Information. I maintain etiquette, but…”
“I’ll say this only once. If you speak again in front of me, I will kill you.”
Chwi-ui-gae furrowed his brow, but I didn’t care.
“Not just you, but I’ll kill every single beggar here, and every beggar around Seol-ap.”
“…Huh…”
“The Il-gyeol-gye was just an idiot, so I let him off with broken limbs, but my patience ends here. Do you understand?”
Chwi-ui-gae, who had been glaring at me with cold eyes, awkwardly smiled.
“I understand. It seems our Ta-ju is very angry. I apologize for my rudeness.”
He even performed a gesture of submission, but I ignored it.
His eyes remained cold, and I could tell that his smile was nothing more than a formal one.
I asked him in a quiet voice.
“I found the ledger at Yawun’s residence.”
At that, Chwi-ui-gae’s face contorted.
He was clearly a third-ranked member, so his expression control was awkward. If he were at least a fourth-ranked member, he would still be wearing a mask.
Anyway.
“I found an interesting name in that ledger.”
“…Really?”
“Chwi-ui-gae, you’ve been making some kind of transactions with Yawun for about six years, and you’ve taken fifty gold coins and a thousand silver coins from him.”
“…”
“I’ve come to recover that money.”
“…There seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?”
“…Yes. You seem to have broken the limbs of our precious Il-gyeol-gye, and that’s the misunderstanding.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Seems you misunderstood.”
“…Yes?”
“The Il-gyeol-gye in front of you knew exactly who was in charge of this region, yet he pretended not to know me.”
“…”
“He lied and said no one was inside, and dared to threaten me with the name of Open Information.”
At that, Chwi-ui-gae’s expression stiffened.
“Normally, I would have killed him, but I let him off with broken limbs. That was my small favor. You should be grateful for my favor.”
“…”
“And, since you’re an information organization, you should understand, but when favors continue, some people start to mistake them for rights. So, don’t expect any more favors from me.”
Chwi-ui-gae stared at me with hardened eyes.
As I locked eyes with him, something suddenly came to mind.
“I almost forgot to say this. If you deny that your name is in the ledger, I’ll kill you.”
“…Hah…”
“Of course, even if you refuse to pay the money, I’ll kill you.”
“…You’re really going too far. I can’t understand why you would do this even knowing I’m from Open Information.”
I crossed my legs.
“Understanding… This is strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“The subject of this conversation right now is ‘me’ and ‘you,’ isn’t it?”
“…”
“Then why do you keep bringing up Open Information and all that nonsense?”
“…The Ta-ju also has the shadow of the Immortal Palace, doesn’t he?”
“Shadow? That’s an interesting thing to say. Did you still disrespect me even knowing that?”
“…”
“The Ta-ju is alive and well, yet you, who made him a puppet and colluded with others to pocket a considerable amount of back money, are now offering me pathetic excuses.”
The smile on my lips disappears.
“Chwi-ui-gae.”
“…Yes?”
“I won’t say it twice. Bring me every single coin listed in that ledger.”
“What if I refuse?”
I shook my head.
“Stop making me repeat myself. I’ve already told you what will happen if you don’t pay. Do you perhaps not have the money to pay?”
“I don’t.”
“You don’t, huh… I get it. Then I’ll take it myself.”
“…What?”
No more words were needed.
I pushed the table aside with my foot.
Crash.
With that sound, the table hit Chwi-ui-gae’s solar plexus.
“Ugh.”
I threw a right hook toward him. His eyes immediately flashed.
Chwi-ui-gae was at the first stage of the Yang Guang Yi-Xian.
As a martial artist of this level, he jumped to his feet and reached out, grabbing my fist.
“This… this bastard really is crazy.”
That’s right. He grabbed my right fist.
Well, I let him.
I extended my left arm and grabbed his wrist, spinning my body around.
Chwi-ui-gae’s body lifted off the ground and crashed into the floor.
Crash.
He groaned in pain as he landed on his back. His face turned pale as my knee was about to land on it.
Desperately, he rolled sideways to avoid my attack.
I moved in, without hesitation.
I didn’t criticize or judge the actions of anyone fighting to survive.
There is no shame in using any technique to survive.
I, too, would do anything to kill my opponent.
Though I was just a beginner in martial arts, I had no doubt about finishing everything today.
I drew the dagger from my waist and charged. Chwi-ui-gae had already created some distance between us, but in the middle was a beggar. Without hesitation, I drove my dagger into his throat.
Thwack!
“Ugh…!”
With a twist of the blade, the beggar’s life ended.
“You… bastard!!”
Chwi-ui-gae shouted and rushed toward me.
I yanked the dagger out of the beggar’s body and threw it at Chwi-ui-gae.
Once again, he staggered backward. As he turned his head, he saw my dagger flying toward his neck.
“Ah… no…!”
Thwack!
The dagger plunged deep into his neck.
Not a single miscalculation.
It was right in front of his cervical vertebra.
“I hate beggars like you more than anything in this world.”
Gag…
“I’ve met so many beggars in my life. Most of them are like you. They climb onto their benefactors without even realizing who’s feeding them.”
I tightened my grip on the dagger.
“Remember this. If you can’t bite, don’t bark in the next life.”
I twisted the dagger.
Crack!
Chwi-ui-gae’s neck snapped, and his body collapsed. I looked at his lifeless body and felt it was still lacking in some way.
After all, the dagger I used was a cheap one. I was going to throw it away anyway, so it worked out fine.
I gripped the blade once more and buried it in his skull.
Thwack!
