Cardboard Houses Do Not Tear

48 – Out of the Ghetto

The fake contract worked pretty well.

Of course, there was resistance from some residents who were touched by psychological difficulties.

“Will you pay for it?”

Something thinner than a sheet of paper that disappears with just one word.

And now.

“The guy on the right, Filin Pajon. Thirty-two, the second son of a farmer.”

People’s attention was focused on my fingertips.

“Your father said, tell him that you will die when you return.”

After I finished talking, I turned my hand to the other guy again.

“The grim guy next to me is Thoran Zafin. An apprentice blacksmith…”

His face was quite worn out.

“…Even if it looks like that, he’s twenty-six.”

I don’t know if it’s real.

Because the personal details I heard from Holn didn’t include their ages.

But it didn’t matter to me which of the two was Thoran and who was Filin.

We will only imprint in the minds of the residents, ‘We are the debtors who came to catch them’.

“Who Thor-up.”

“Good job. Rookie.”

However, opening their mouths was a bit important.

After giving a thumbs up to the rookie’s ability to practice, he continued by swinging his hand fan at his mouth.

“That guy’s breath is quite destructive, so I can smell it all the way here. Let’s stop and talk. I’m talking anyway, so will you be okay?”

It didn’t do any good if the information you didn’t want to know was added.

As soon as I heard the residents’ words to continue, I opened my mouth.

“Anyway, I remember the joke he made when he came to borrow money from me.”

“Eup. Town!!”

“When he borrowed money from me, he used to cringe and say this.”

I recited a hastily made joke in 7 seconds. It was to dispel any doubts.

The gag about his appearance was enough to bring out laughter.

Like the torches they held, their rage faded over time.

And there was a mix of gossip.

“It seems we misunderstood.”

“Somehow, I wanted something strange from the beginning.”

It seemed that the play was no longer needed.

“My mouth is starting to hurt now, should I recite more evidence to prove that he borrowed the money?”

The audience shook their heads.

I’m glad. I didn’t remember any more.

That’s why I said one last thing.

“We’re going back, but by any chance, someone in need of money? If there is, I will stay here forever.”

The moneylender in the slums was like a symbol of the NIMBY phenomenon.

Something everyone needs, but hates to have around.

That’s why, soon a passage made of torches was created.

The procession continued to where we came from earlier.

“I didn’t expect hospitality like this.”

At my muttering, the butcher knife opened its mouth.

“I hope I never see you again.”

“I agree with you. It’s too far to come back here.”

“Goodbye.”

“But wait a minute.”

I called him before going back to the mercenaries.

“What is it?”

“Let’s do a favor.”

“As long as you don’t ask for someone to borrow money from.”

At his words, I smiled over the sack and said.

“Send those guys watching over there back home. In my experience, there’s no way they’ll go soft on their own feet, and somehow rough things can happen.”

The man with the butcher’s knife had an unexpected look on his face.

“This is a strange request.”

“There’s no reason to show something you don’t have to see. But I can’t show you only good things.”

I’m not a cereal company.

After seeing him nod, I went back to the mercenaries and gave my order in a small voice.

“Prepare the gag, Raymond and the newcomer follow me and bring the guys inside. I can’t stay here any longer.”

***

Rookie and Raymond took the bundle of people with them, and I decided to go after collecting the bundle of things the bandits had bought.

“Go quickly.”

“Eup-up.”

While searching the room with Raymond and the sounds of the thieves as background music.

“Huh?”

I noticed something odd.

Something was reflected in the light from the crack in the floor.

I thought it was a rat’s eye because it was shiny, but it didn’t move, so I looked around.

The hardwood floors were carefully cut. As usual, I couldn’t see it.

Perhaps the gap was twisted and exposed due to the rampage of the thieves.

Creak.

When I lifted the floor with a knife and looked inside, I saw a small box.

A small circle was engraved on the black box without any features.

Once I was carefully taking care of it, I heard a rustling sound from behind.

“Please save me!!!”

Looking back, one of the fallen human giraffes raised its head and shouted to the slum dwellers.

“Here are these bastard guards! Watch! Save people!!!”

The bastard shouted with ignorance.

Judging by the hump on his head, he was the one holding the dagger earlier.

“The guards are here!! Come and stop it!”

A sneer flowed from the crowd who heard that.

“Oh my God.”

“You think the guy wearing the sack is a guard? Then am I the lord?”

I looked at his face.

Reality was emerging again from those empty eyes.

If I had said that in the thieves’ lair, it would have worked, but unfortunately for him, this was in the Hebrides.

I must have hit his head on the door too hard.

“Yes, we are guards, and we are arresting the thieves who stole the money.”

After carrying the package the thieves bought on one shoulder, he spat out a word.

“So shut up and walk.”

“Gee, Mr. Eup.”

“Good words.”

The bastard’s mouth was gagged again.

Incomprehensible voices flowed from the gagged mouth.

“Eup. Town!”

The thieves were quite persistent.

Standing up like a cow being led to a slaughterhouse is a basic requirement.

Fluffy.

“What are these things like?”

“Eup. Ugh.”

“heheheung-eup.”

Now, he started complaining of discomfort in his behavior.

Is this the classic advanced edition of Gaziral?

“Can’t you wake up?”

I asked them politely.

“Aww!”

“Have you tried it?”

“Ugh!”

“hehehehe.”

A smile passed across the lips of those who answered.

I was envious of the simplicity of knowing that it would be possible if it was simply like this.

But I did have walking aids.

―Quack!

An arming sword was lodged in the crotch of one of them, and a word reached their ears.

“First 5 guys.”

The effect was amazing.

Because all five of them demonstrated teamwork in a first-come-first-served basis, and created a miracle that made crippled people stand up.

I said satisfactorily.

“Yes. You can do it Why can’t I do it without even trying?”

There are no fishermen who catch people, but I am Peter to these guys.

I pulled out the arming sword that was at the feet of the thieves, and said it without putting it back in.

“Let’s go.”

They complied.

Jerobeok, jeobeok.

The March of Fools has begun.

The destination was the Hwaran Mercenary Corps.

***

“Oh my God.”

“So put the knife in.”

But, as always in life, it was not easy to arrive at the Hwaruan Mercenary Corps.

“Nice to meet you guys.”

“Good night.”

While passing through the ‘corridor alley’, the men I saw earlier crawled out.

This time it was Zach.

“What is it, friends?”

“If you want to do business in someone else’s neighborhood, you have to pay the rent.”

A guy came forward, wiggling.

The other guys are still hiding in the shadows of the alley, so I thought that this friend might be in charge here.

No, should I say the alley manager?

“You have to pay a little more for things that involve a lot of money, like human trafficking.”

“Human trafficking?”

Zach asked again.

“Why would you do this?”

The alley manager laughed heartily.

“In a group of five dragging five people gagged and tied up with ropes, wearing ridiculous clothes over their faces.”

This time it pointed at me.

“There are even people who pull out knives over there. If this isn’t human trafficking, what is it? Is it a perverted taste?”

As if to supplement his words, sounds came from both sides of the alley.

“Don’t play nonsense.”

“I don’t know how good they are with their swords, but if we all run at them, won’t there be a hole in them?”

My God, what the heck are these Hebrides guards doing policing.

I couldn’t help it. I was willing to pay the toll to them.

Sereung.

As I quietly inserted the sword, I could feel the attention turning to me.

Jerbug.

I took a step forward and said to the alley manager.

“Nice to meet you. Master of Transfer of Ownership. Let’s talk fast. How much?”

“Your head turns quickly.”

7 Coopers per person.

That’s what he said.

“Good.”

I took Cooper out of the thieves’ purse.

Perhaps it was a bit messy, there were some stones inside.

He took out the things he wanted and asked again with his fist clenched.

“For 70 coppers, will you guide me out of the slums?”

“Of course not, mate.”

The alley leader, who succeeded in attacking in an instant like Miyeon, said so.

“If that’s the case, then it wouldn’t be a bad business.”

“Excellent.”

I didn’t tell you to beat your friends.

I just noticed that he wasn’t wearing gloves.

“Come on.”

I held out my fist.

The alley leader held out his left hand.

With a jingle, coins and stones went up the knuckles at the same time.

As it was, he wrapped his fingers and folded them inward.

It sounded like a screeching noise.

“Turn it off..!”

The guy’s face hardened slightly.

I went a little closer to him who was holding on with the power of Gao and murmured.

“Shhh, I understand you don’t want to embarrass your friends next to you.”

His eyes were just looking at me.

“But neither am I. I understand?”

“This, b*tch-“

“And I like the dagger on the side.”

It was dark all around. No matter how bright they are at night, it’s hard to see things like this.

“Can I take a look?”

I didn’t want an answer.

He immediately moved his hand and quickly drew his dagger.

I could see the sharpness of the blade even in the dark.

It seemed like a fairly expensive item.

Perhaps it was bought with money taken from criminals, not from good people like me.

“Can you give a present like this to 7Cooper or a friend who paid tribute?”

“……”

He didn’t answer.

About a hole in his side, it was because he knew he could make enough.

I raised my voice.

“Thank you for taking my subordinates and taking them alone!”

And whispered again.

“If you don’t want to cry like a girl in front of your subordinates and get hurt, just nod your head. Kid.”

I put strength back into his slightly loosened hands.

The guy whose knuckles got stuck in stones and coins, nodded his head quietly.

“Chin, Goo. That’s about it.”

“As expected, we agree well. Yes?”

Maybe he’ll wear his gloves the next day.

If the knuckles are alive and well until the next day.

***

“Thanks, friend.”

“……”

The effect of the alley leader was amazing.

Because there was no interference or disputes from the friends who lurked in the dark.

The end of the slums was in sight before I knew it.

It was time to part ways with a friend who was holding my hand tightly.

I’m going to say goodbye to my friend in the alley, so I told him to leave first.

After confirming that the mercenaries had gone far enough to escape even if they were attacked, I opened my mouth.

“I got directions well.”

Wooddeuk.

“Turn it off.”

“And I heard that money transactions aren’t between friends.”

I let go of his hand, slowly straightened my frozen fingers, and took out a coin from inside.

“Of course, that is a tip. We can give that much to each other.”

The only thing left in his reddened hands was a stone and a copper.

After saying good-bye, as we walked away, the head of the alley screamed behind our backs.

“I don’t know where you live, but if you get caught later-“

―Shhh!

I threw a dagger at him.

The dagger that passed by his face disappeared somewhere far away.

Of course, I picked it up and threw it a bit far away so that it wouldn’t be thrown back at me.

Wow!

I heard the sound of the poor cat running away from misfortune, and he was speechless.

“……”

“You did a good job with the dagger, so I’ll give it back to you. It’s because I’m not a bastard who steals even the bottom of the business.”

I was talking.

“I’m not even a bastard who steals 70 coppers while walking through an alley. Take a good look at the knife, my friend.”

With those words, I started walking again.

This is the end of the ghetto’s work.