Chapter: 122. The Rat and the Rat (1)
Under the intense gaze of strong people, I couldn’t help but look around to see if I had fallen into a trap. However, everything seemed to align with Old Man Ri’s peculiar tastes.
A mix of pseudo-Chinese style. His tastes are still as eccentric as ever.
The red decorations and yellow items were all strangely twisted, giving off no familiar Chinese vibe at all.
Although the people in the room were watching us, the feeling I got from their glares was more of curiosity or wariness than hostility. With some even sitting at the table having their meals, it seemed like a normal group’s psychology when encountering unfamiliar faces.
Having assessed my surroundings, I flopped down onto a chair. The hard chair felt dull against my back, but after a long run, just having a place to rest my waist was comforting enough.
“Ugh, Master, I can’t get up!”
“Sihyeon, don’t hold on to me…”
Despite the chaos, the two students were rolling around on the floor like fools.
The sight of them flopping around on the ground resembled fish covered in batter.
Though instead of batter, it was dust.
“Get up.”
I reached out to help the two who were flailing.
“Ah, thanks… ugh?”
“Thanks… gack.”
I pulled them up and dumped them onto the sofa.
I was sure they’d either fall again or pull another foolish stunt if I tried to stand them up.
It wasn’t exactly enemy territory, but I couldn’t just let my students keep acting weird like this right in front of me.
Since Baek Sihyeon might have to face these people regularly if things got complicated, I hoped they’d tone down the stupidity.
Having already ruined our first impression, we at least had to present ourselves decently from now on.
“Just stay still.”
“But you’re the one who…”
“Could you be a bit gentler…”
Baek Sihyeon and Han Abin, sprawled out on the sofa, mustered some strength to adjust their postures and whined.
“Then don’t collapse in the first place.”
If you’re upset, then train harder.
This is the difference of 30 years, you youngsters.
The students, perhaps too tired, narrowed their mouths and didn’t argue, instead twisting and turning until they eventually found comfortable positions to flop back down.
“Ugh, it’s comfortable, but…”
“Sihyeon, move over… huh?”
Suddenly, their chatter stopped.
The direction of their gaze shifted to the big men in the room.
And then, the two of them started to take on identical postures in unison.
Knees together, hands resting on their knees.
Straight backs as if trying to assert, ‘I’m completely fine!’
“Senpai…? What’s going on here…?”
“Gang… gangsters? Mafia…?”
I could feel the tension in their voices.
“Neither, actually… but if you want to be technical, it’s somewhat similar.”
You’d be better off calling them small-time warlords or local aristocrats, but let’s just call them gangsters, it’s easier that way.
“They’re staring at us, you know?”
So what’s the big deal about that?
“You’re stronger than all the A-Rank monsters and villains you’ve taken down combined. They might be similar. There are definitely some B-Rank level presences here too.”
“So…it’s still gangsters? If things go south, will they throw punches too…?”
Han Abin’s comments and Baek Sihyeon’s voice both didn’t help—this wasn’t making any sense to me.
“So, you’re saying these guys are scarier than monsters and villains?”
…Well, that puts us in a bind too… but it feels like there’s something deeper here.
The two students fidgeted as they tried to express their thoughts but couldn’t find a clear answer.
Is it a matter of familiarity?
Maybe it’s that they still seemed like civilians deep down.
Just intimidated by simple bravado and pressure.
“Just act confidently since you’re the stronger ones. With the name of a hero sitting above you, it’s not a good look.”
At those words, the students eased up a little, though they still couldn’t shake off the undercurrent of tension.
If left alone, they’d probably get used to it.
There was no point in yelling at them for a change, so I just leaned back on the sofa.
“It feels fine.”
“Thanks. I was worried if the tea from inside would suit the tastes of outsiders, but it seems alright.”
Tea grown on the inside. Is that how even drinks are managed inside now?
I felt as though the world outside was gradually getting further away as I sipped the tea in my cup.
The mildly bitter taste melded with a savory aftertaste, even my dulled tongue could appreciate it. I’m not sure about others, but it seemed easy to drink.
“Thank you.”
“I’ll enjoy it.”
Those two were so tense, they seemed unsure whether the tea was entering through their nose or mouth.
About an hour had passed since we entered.
I thought they’d be fine getting used to it, but it turned out we didn’t have enough time to alter our fundamental perception.
With their blank expressions, I downed the tea for about another ten minutes.
“Ms. Lee Haram. The elder is ready for you.”
As the guard standing in the corner said that, I lifted my body from the chair.
“Both of you. Let’s go.”
And due to their anxiety, I tossed a command to the two still sitting stiffly in their seats.
They straightened up and began to follow me as I walked ahead.
“Relax. The person we’re about to meet isn’t that terrifying of an old man.”
I said that, but they still moved around stiffly.
As I approached the door with two shaking little kittens in tow, the guard in front extended his hand to open it.
It was a simple motion, but my trained eyes quickly figured out the underlying cost.
Gray fur peeking out between the sleeves.
…Half-blood? What a good disguise.
At that moment, something I needed to mention came to mind.
“Oh, my son, I’m sorry I didn’t mention this sooner, but…”
Why hadn’t I thought to say this earlier?
“Don’t be surprised or show hostility when you see the people in this room.”
With that wrapped up, we crossed through the door. However, on the other side stood not a room, but a long hallway.
Soft lighting flickered around, and at the end of the narrow passage, there was another door just barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through.
…Wow, really going all out with the door-opening display and then hiding security.
This is just classic old man style.
The students appeared startled by the unexpected situation, and they began to tremble again, but I paid them no mind as I strode down the hallway and opened the door.
Click
The sound of a locking mechanism unlocking echoed through the quiet corridor, and a cloud of fog began to waft through the gap of the opened door.
…Was that safety not just for show, but to ensure this fog doesn’t drift into other rooms?
Or perhaps it’s a little bit of both.
“Hold it right there.”
I raised my voice to the students chasing after me, ordering them to stay back.
If my suspicions were correct, this mist was nothing good to inhale.
Though it had been diluted by mixing with steam, it still didn’t erase the peculiar sensation lingering in my nostrils and on the tip of my tongue.
A bitter taste danced on my tongue.
A vile sweetness tinged the air.
This was some kind of awakening drug.
Though it had been diluted somewhat by passing through the water, it was still not something good to inhale.
Without any choice, I called out towards the owner of the room beyond the smoke.
…I’d rather not be the only one here, so if you could tone it down a bit.
“What’s this? I heard you’re the disciple of the Hammer of Death, but you’ve never smelled tobacco before, have you, little fellas?”
From beyond the smoke came the rasping voice of an old man with a throat full of phlegm.
“I’m only in my first steps of learning how the underworld works.”
Snicker “First steps, and yet you’re introducing me? That’s a bit overboard. Well, whatever, since you’re guests, I’ll humor you.”
Thud
With a dull thud, something heavy slammed onto the table, conjuring up magic.
Though weak, it was enough to clear out the smoke filling the room.
As it swirled with intent, the mist from inside the room was sucked up into the vents and disappeared.
“Come on in, humanity’s kids.”
As the smoke cleared and revealed him, the students stepped into the room to face him.
“Monster?”
They were surprised to meet him.
“What’s this? Didn’t I mention it?”
The old man, entertained by their reaction, waved his smoke pipe around.
It looked like the lesson for this little trip to the underworld was to experience things firsthand without any info from my side.
“Yeah, my bad about the tobacco smell. Kids, you see, this dying body needs painkillers.”
The old man said this while adjusting his body off the sofa.
He was draped in a richly colored robe, yet his bony frame looked even worse than before.
“Now then, what brings you here?”
I didn’t answer directly but threw myself into the chair opposite the old man.
Unlike the waiting room, the cushy chair felt good, and I made eye contact with Old Man Ri.
“I’m here to find a traitor.”
I lifted my head and spat that out.
Chuckle “A traitor, you say?”
Old Man Ri laughed momentarily at my words.
“What kind of traitor are we talking about?”
He began to spill dialogue as if genuinely curious.
“Are we talking about the martial artist who was exterminated last year? If it’s that guy, then he’s been dead for a while now.”
Taking a short breath.
“Or perhaps it’s the hero who fled last month? That guy lost his hand after getting into trouble and was stabbed.”
A short snicker follows.
“If it’s neither of those, then how about the conman who got charged last week? I heard he got caught while messing with stocks through foresight. His brain’s already removed, so you don’t need to worry about him.”
With Old Man Ri’s roaring laughter, shocking statements were hurled at me.
“Uh, could you hold on for a second?”
Maybe caught off-guard by the barrage, Han Abin suddenly interrupted.
“What in the world are you talking about? The fleeing hero, you say? That’s not something I’ve heard on the news…”
Han Abin hurriedly asked.
“Ah, the Hammer of Death, it seems you really didn’t explain a single thing.”
Old Man Ri cut in before she could finish.
“Why would I even believe you if you told me?”
“Ha. True enough.”
Old Man Ri chuckled cheerfully and then shifted his gaze to Han Abin.
“Welcome to reality, clean-cut hero. Right now, even as we speak, some heroes betray us and fall to become villains.”
Thump, thump.
He smacked his smoke pipe onto the table, as if trying to draw attention.
“Have you seen our son outside? Some of them were heroes once.”
…So, it’s true then…
“If you’ve got questions, go ask over there. It’s not something to brag about, so I’ll keep it hidden a bit, but I bet you’ll learn something.”
Chuckle, chuckle.
A sound similar to scratching spread throughout the room.
That’s how it is. While there are still records of heroic integrity and power recovery, there are beings who slip through that criteria.
I don’t even know why.
Whether it’s that the entity recovering power doesn’t deem it evil or if there are other conditions.
That’s why, a very small number of heroes betray us with their powers.
And thus, the villains are born.
But if word gets out about such existences, it would taint the integrity of heroes.
To handle such news, an execution squad.
To handle such beings, an assassination unit.
Just to keep an eye on them.
Just for gathering information.
That’s the darkness of the Association.
Upon hearing this, Han Abin quietly closed her mouth, and even the typically lively Baek Sihyeon seemed to be rolling her eyes as if deep in thought.
It was a good shock therapy to shatter the disparity between ideal and reality. It was something I intended from the beginning.
Should we conclude around this point?
“Stop toying with my son and get to the main topic.”
“Main topic? What main topic are you referring to?”
Old Man Ri feigned ignorance as if not knowing anything, being the sly old man that he is.
“Kim Taejoon. You know of him?”
“Kim Taejoon? Kim Taejoon…wait a minute, isn’t he the representative of the Association? Why would you be looking for him in here?”
“Enough of the nonsense; give me his location. He’s a target for the Association to deal with.”
“Hmm? The Hammer of Death…”
Upon hearing my words, Old Man Ri chuckled for a moment, appearing pleased.
“Aren’t you quite mistaken about something, hm?”
He emitted a powerful aura.
The two students, startled and forgetting to think, flinched as they looked shocked.
“Evidently, you seem to think we’re familiar, but we simply maintain a cooperative relationship. I have no loyalty to the Association, nor are we a subordinate faction of theirs.”
Old Man Ri continued exuding his presence as he spoke.
“This is Nanjido, and in Nanjido, we abide by Nanjido’s laws. Since those people have stepped in here, how we deal with them is entirely our business.”
After finishing that statement, Old Man Ri ceased radiating pressure and began to chuckle.
“Though, would you know? If I tear that guy’s head apart, we might have some bargaining chips with the Association.”
Once he wrapped it up, Old Man Ri fixed his gaze on me, waiting for my response, as if expecting me to say something.
“Of course, I wouldn’t just go empty-handed demanding information, Old Man Ri. When have I ever let you down?”
I straightened my posture and began sorting my thoughts in my head.
What cards I held, what I needed to say. Whatever would intrigue the old man before me.
As I thought about it all, just as I opened my mouth to speak…
“There’s quite a lot.”
Ah, let’s move on.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.