Chapter: 142. Clean Up (2)
Al’shirin, Old Man Ri.
Seeing both sides looking at me, laughing as if nothing’s wrong, it seems like they set this whole thing up from the start.
So, that rolled-up octopus over there was brought in as bait before I could make my move?
Thinking that, I looked at the octopus lying in the corner, but it was wriggling around, splattering slime everywhere—it didn’t look like part of the plan at all.
Well, that’s how octopuses are. Just acting according to their sadistic nature.
So what’s my role here? I threw myself onto a nearby couch.
On the fluffy couch, I felt relaxed.
“Need anything? A hammer?”
“Give me a moment to think.”
“Go ahead.”
To clear my head, I glanced around the foggy room.
Maybe to hide their faces, those individuals inside the smoke were only showing their gleaming eyes.
Of course, among them, Al’shel and Al’shirin, the representatives from Nanjido, exposed their faces, but that must be because they were confident in their power.
I could really use a cigarette right now. Figuring is definitely not my specialty.
My head is already getting complicated.
To ease the dull headache, I took a stick out of my pocket and put it in my mouth.
Chomp.
Feeling the cold metallic texture as I exhaled, the smoke around me seemed to disperse, making me feel like I was actually smoking.
“Do you need it?”
“It’s not a cigarette, so beat it.”
Someone said that from within the smoke, pushing away the approaching figure, I blankly stared at the ceiling.
Justice and power. A group with skills.
The Nanjido gangs, scattered and disunited.
They’re even the source of the current catastrophe.
The arrival of the deity might be due to Taejoon Kim’s underlying imprint, but the cause provided by those brutes.
The product of the resentment from the oppressed, screaming under their violence and ruthless domination.
Wouldn’t it be easier if those guys just disappeared?
Aren’t they people who originally had nothing to do with me?
This could be my chance to wipe them all out, unify Nanjido’s power under Old Man Ri, and then negotiate with the guild…
Thinking so, I shot a glare at the gleaming eyes from the Nanjido side.
A couple of pairs of those eyes vanished.
Did they faint?
It seems my emotions were showing too much.
I shouldn’t let that happen.
If it goes on like this, I’ll be no different from those trashy guys who said they’d solve things with violence.
It seems their will is still dominating my surface.
I’ve already been boiling inside lately; I need to hold back.
Yet, despite my resolve…
“Hmm? Was it decided as extermination? The guild was supposed to let them go freely, but if Haram thinks so…”
Reacting to my emotions, Al’shirin stood up, brandishing her staff, while the Nanjido side narrowed their eyes and began to move.
“Wait, it’s just emotions showing. Put the staff away, will ya.”
“Shut up, you fools. Can’t you tell the difference between jest and seriousness?”
As Old Man Ri and I shouted, both sides lowered their weapons. Even so, the tension in the room didn’t disappear.
“Pimanchu. Kindly tone down that sinister aura. If it’s me, I can take it, but for them, that’s practically a death threat.”
“Guys living off thug tactics wouldn’t crumble under that.”
As I spat that out, I gritted my teeth again. Is it because of these guys that the catastrophe almost happened?
Those who, despite having power, only show their teeth to the weak, taking advantage of them.
Even if Nanjido falls under the guild’s wing, if their nature doesn’t change, nothing will change.
Sealing the holes, purifying Otherworld’s Power, scattering the united will—animals like that will be born again someday.
It’ll just be delayed.
The fundamental solution is to make this place more tolerable.
Chomp.
As that thought crossed my mind, my teeth tightened.
What would a tolerable place even be?
Could I imagine it from the start?
Those with power and those without.
Could I propose an environment where they could be controlled?
This room is just like that.
Shrouded in white mist, a vague room where I can’t even see a step ahead.
It’s as if reflecting what’s in my head.
Then, let’s change the thinking.
Isn’t Nanjido perfectly fine as it is?
Just as chaotic.
But let’s make one exception.
For those who saved me.
My thoughts settled.
Well then. Shall we start negotiating?
“Al’shirin.”
“What were the guild’s demands?”
‘You came here not knowing that?’ The air shook, but I didn’t care.
The direction had already been set.
“Control over the hole will be transferred to the guild. Accordingly, all groups in Nanjido must enter the guild’s jurisdiction, and all illegal acts as specified by the guild will be prohibited.”
“Haha, that’s a funny joke. Do you really think you can pull that off?”
The biggest issue in the guild is the lack of manpower—how could they control these misfits?
“If you don’t comply, we’ll suppress you by force. That’s the guild’s way.”
As Al’shirin said that, she unleashed her mana.
Not directed at me, but at the others in the room, like a declaration of war.
The guild’s way, huh… But didn’t you just get here not long ago?
Suppressing my doubts, I turned my head towards the other side.
“What conditions did you impose?”
Our talk?
“Then, who else is here?”
Huh? Well, that’s true.
Old Man Ri replied, placing the cigarette in his mouth, exhaling smoke before speaking.
“I’m hesitant to say this, but… Actually, nothing has been agreed upon. We failed to unify opinions. That’s why that octopus got so mad.”
Ah, so that’s how it went down? What a bunch of trash… Seriously, kill them all…
Chomp.
Okay. Patience is key.
“Resolve this quickly before I lose my temper. If this drags on any longer, I might just join the guild and handle it myself.”
Calming my mind, I delivered the de facto ultimatum.
I really have been patient enough.
To accommodate the opinions of mere thugs instead of the guild is quite something.
“Well, did you all hear? Both the guild and the hero from the Association are quite upset—do you have something to say?”
Old Man Ri said this with a smile, and the trash started opening their mouths.
“There’s no way we can avoid serious crime! We sell corpses…
“Drugs are our main source of income!”
“Now you want us to return as heroes?”
The babel of languages broke out amidst the smoke, drowning out more sensible discourse.
They don’t seem to want to unify opinions; they just started speaking noisily.
The nerve of those who can’t say a word to the guild throwing complaints at Old Man Ri!
While the guild and I can’t do anything, they think Old Man Ri can be easily manipulated.
Those sly devils.
“This is the situation, Pimanchu. How’s it looking?”
Old Man Ri said with a voice full of amusement, seemingly uninterested in the pouring words.
“So you mean to say you want to live as you want?”
“Exactly. It seems you haven’t learned anything from this catastrophe. Quite interesting.”
Interesting, my foot. They’re just rubbish.
Sigh.
I let out a breath, unsure of how many times I’ve sighed today.
They’re worse than I imagined.
Yet, in my plan, eliminating them was never an option.
The chaotic Nanjido will exert pressure on the Association just by existing.
“Al’shirin. Was what you said earlier genuine?”
“What do you mean?”
“Being the guild’s agent. If I said it, Al’shirin’s skin flushed red as an odd smile appeared.
“Yes, of course. Whatever choice you make, our guild will accept it. There’s no way Haram would make a bad decision.”
However.
She trusts me a bit too much.
Well then. Let’s begin the declaration.
Thud.
In the center of the noisy room, a heavy hammer was slammed down.
And the shockwave radiated outward.
An overwhelming shockwave that originated from the hammer and my body.
With that, everything was wiped clean.
The white mist that had filled the room was blown away by the shockwave.
The gangsters, who had been pouring out complaints, shut their mouths under the pressure I created.
A monster resembling a fish.
A large man dressed like a thug.
A hero wielding a spear.
A woman in a neat suit.
In a negotiation room where all their exposed identities were visible, I opened my mouth.
“You all don’t want anything to change, do you?”
Only silence returned, but I didn’t care.
This is just a simple declaration.
“Then go on living like that. As for you, I won’t intervene in your affairs at all under the name of the guild.”
“Ooh.”
Perhaps my unexpected response surprised Al’shirin, as a strange sound came from her lips while interest flickered in Old Man Ri’s eyes.
But I ignored that too.
“However, if that’s the case, this catastrophe will repeat itself. So, I will impose restrictions.”
Thud.
Once more, I unleashed a shockwave, imposing pressure.
This was to instill the absolute order into those predatory monsters.
Firstly, the guild obtains ownership and security rights over the first floor, including the market and the sewer beneath it, as well as the hole.
Yet, the guild won’t intervene in commercial activities happening in the market.
This is to protect civilians living without involvement in gang affairs.
Moreover, it’s an act to ensure the gang’s autonomy.
“Secondly, while the guild can absorb personnel, it is limited to volunteers. Furthermore, the guild must not discriminate against those who do not join.”
This is a restriction.
So that the guild does not control everything while still maintaining its power.
They might not easily accept this, but it’s not like I’m just any agent.
The guild has done nothing in Nanjido; they’ll have to bear some losses. Isn’t that right?
“Thirdly, the guild has the right to establish minimum public institutions to maintain security, like schools, orphanages, and police stations.”
“Ugh!”
For the first time,
every voice in the room overlapped.
It’s only natural.
This has no real significance.
It’s just a small gift.
A present for the starving children.
“Do you agree with this?”
Then, I presented them with the choice.
Al’shirin, seeming flustered by my words, had her skin turn blue, but she nodded vaguely.
“Hey Pimanchu, you think that’s enough? I’m not sure anything will change with that.”
Old Man Ri only smiled as if he found it amusing.
So, time passed.
One minute. Two minutes.
And then, no one stepped forward.
“Then I’ll take it as everyone has agreed. The trash holding positions in the market should consult with Al’shirin.”
“Wait? You mean me?”
“I’m not part of the guild; I set the rules, so now you have to figure it out.”
With that said, I threw myself onto the couch.
This is enough.
Nanjido is good enough like this.
“Is this truly enough? Pimanchu?”
Old Man Ri sat next to me.
Others were scrambling to secure their authority around Al’shirin, but he seemed to have no need to do so.
“Well then.”
From my brief reply, did he find the price? Old Man Ri slowly nodded, closing his eyes.
In a moment of peaceful silence.
We quietly sat on the couch, staring blankly ahead.
“We will join the guild.”
Old Man Ri opened his mouth quietly.
I didn’t give him any reply.
“I’m getting old too. Instead of digging a rat hole, I wish to protect a peaceful world.”
Old Man Ri spoke freely.
…A brotherly fight, they say.
“Can’t we just resolve it? Brothers are supposed to work like that. Besides, seeing that old man’s gone senile, I found myself getting soft.”
“Do as you wish.”
With that, both of us fell silent.
In the quiet stillness of time.
Closing my eyes, I reflected on what had happened here.
Nothing has changed.
Nanjido remained Nanjido.
This fortress, which is all a mess, will continue to exist hiding its holes in this world.
“Graah! Who are you? Do you think the guild is a joke? Get out of here…” Kudda!
“Shut up!”
Bang.
After throwing my hammer at the now-moving octopus, I closed my eyes again.
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