chapter 24
association
Aburak Abdeslam is a tycoon who led the uprising of the Pasha separatists, marking the beginning of the collapse of the empire.
Although the conflict was intense, the collapse of the empire was related to the catastrophe of the star, and since the division of the south, which was the beginning, was prevented, the catastrophe of the star was delayed that much.
[Soul Magic <Blessing of the Stars> La…]
A new soul magic obtained with 2.58% improvement in star catastrophe obtained after the death of Aburak Abdeslam and the large-scale terrorism.
It was a system that received the protection of the stars by assisting them.
<Blessing of the Stars>
: Protection of the Sword Star Lv.1
◆ Special effects
: Acquires some of the sword star’s physical abilities while receiving divine protection.
Even if you know the world, you don’t know.
Once upon a time, we who had to kill each other so much, that we even received God’s protection like this.
But the effect was clear.
“Whoa~ I filled a hundred with this.”
Hold on to the window of the solitary cell and do one hundred pull-ups. The dripping sweat is refreshing.
[How many did you originally do?]
‘twenty three. It’s a bit less than when I was a soldier.’
[Are there many?]
“·······.”
I sighed at Osman’s slanting gaze.
‘Sorcerer. Don’t just rummage through orders, get some exercise and live. If you were in good shape, you probably wouldn’t have been able to do a single pull-up.’
This is a body that received a perfect score in physical strength during the military days. Well, at the general level.
‘With just the protection of Lv. I can’t wait to reach the highest level.’
Since she said that she acquired ‘a part’ of her physical abilities, the blessing of Lv. 1 would be only a small part of her physical performance.
Certainly, the physical abilities of future sword masters are terrifying.
“Mr. Pietro.”
An elderly man handing me a towel as I was sweating profusely. I accepted it and thanked you.
“Thank you, Bastien.”
“You feel better than before. It seems like yesterday that you were scolded by the instructor for not having enough stamina.”
I laughed at Bastien’s joke that reminded me of my military days.
Bastien Moreau. A military judge in my cadet days, he has joined me and the world of crime since the incident 12 years ago.
“How is it? What’s the situation now?”
“It’s chaos itself. It’s natural for the foxes to riot when the beast’s teeth fall out. They can get into this game, but…”
“We’re beasts. We can’t play in the same water as foxes. It’s better to watch closely for now and swallow them all at once.”
Using the Bureau of Investigation and Abdeslam, they dealt a devastating blow to the Triad Circle.
Of course, since Circle’s weight class is so large, it will recover over time, but it won’t be easy.
Because the circle, which had served as the backbone of the South for over 10 years, was weakened, competitors who were only looking for opportunities could not stand by.
“Are you going to observe the situation for a while?”
“We can’t just sit back and play. As I said, secure people rather than organizations. The people I’ve marked must be conciliated.”
“Well, thanks to the boss’s notoriety, it won’t be that difficult. However, the initial funds will be tight.”
“Would you have enough money?”
“Because the South applies different tax laws than the West. It’s not efficient because you have to return the laundered money one more time.”
Bastien spoke of the wages of hired gangsters, the cost of bribing out port captains who had lost their jobs.
A large amount diverges from the allocated budget.
“There are many captains who have lost their ships in the port due to this terrorism. They have skills, but they are lost ships, so it was easy to buy them, but they need initial funding.”
Once again the big money splits.
“In addition, if you pay a little for the port guards silenced and the customs officers who looked after the Luciano family, you will need an additional 600,000 Gulic.”
All I need right now is 10 million Gulik. Since that must also be laundered money, it is only natural that they are in trouble with the transfusion of funds.
Originally, money is the most desirable law to wash in that area and spend it in that area.
“Let’s spend some money for now. We’ll need a local laundromat.”
“The rental business would be appropriate. After taking over the surrounding real estate and registering it as a guest house, we run a short-term rental business in the name of the gang members and smuggling captains.”
“Are you going to pay a high price for receipts in the name of officetel management?”
“About 150 Gulik per night would be adequate.”
150 Gulik. That’s about 150,000 won. It’s a high price for an average traveler’s overnight cost.
“Why is it 150 Guliks? In the West, they rolled 300 Guliks.”
“In the South, if it exceeds 200 gullik, it is subject to high-income service reporting.
“Oh~”
As a former military judge, he seems to have already grasped the southern tax law.
“What would I have done without you?”
“It’s too much praise.”
“But that’s not enough. If you increase the amount of money laundering through leasing alone, the IRS will find it. We need a stronger business.”
“Something like a club or a restaurant would be nice. No business is better at laundering money than one that can manipulate the purchase price of raw materials.”
With the protection of the Lombardy Police Department and City Hall, the only way to expand the business is to take over an existing business and manipulate the books.
[·······.]
As Bastien and I watched, Osman gave a weary look.
‘Why but?’
[Because I was in the middle of the scene of the crime conspiracy, I was dizzy.]
‘Since the concept of the IRS was established, money laundering has become the most important criminal activity. Money from questionable sources is subject to tracking, which means your business is threatened.’
Personally, I am more afraid of the National Tax Service than the Imperial Knights or the Central Investigation Agency.
If black money comes to their eyes because of poor money laundering, they rush to find the source.
‘The real money dead are the IRS employees, not me. They only look at the paperwork that goes back to the money after eating.’
[Perhaps that’s the case.]
Apart from Osman’s sarcastic remarks, Bastien continued.
“It’s just what you asked me to do.”
“Um, was there any movement?”
“As expected, we confirmed an unidentified airship landing at the nearby Viola Air Station.”
“Who got off there?”
Bastien handed over an envelope. There are numerous pictures he took while watching.
“All are armed with imperial swords, and the one who seems to be the captain seems to be Lee.”
In the photo, a man armed with a sword and coat is seen. Osman saw this and swallowed his saliva.
[This man is…]
“Sir Hauser. Karl Hauser is here.”
“Is this a face you know?”
“So that’s a problem.”
The fact that this man came means that the ‘death’ has moved.
“The judge of death. And the judge is followed by a direct unit.”
Executioners. They are the executive unit of the society, and combat power is not something that a group of thugs can do anything about. It’s because of them that the Confederate Gang Alliance triad circle grew rapidly.
“Where did they go after getting off?”
“Looks like you’ve joined the Circle. Miss Luisa is watching.”
“Well done. It’s hard to get away from their spirits even with decent skills.”
With the Highney Squad, you’ll be able to keep an eye on them without being noticed.
However, if you want to deal with the judge of the death, there is a feeling that the high knee squad is not enough. Only three have come yet.
“Pietro.”
Then, a woman with ultramarine long hair entered the room. It was Louisa Heiney, the leader of the Heiney Squad.
“Pietro, regular report… what are you doing?”
“I was working out. It’s because I’m at an age where I’m worried about erectile dysfunction. It’s a common occurrence for middle-aged men.”
[Please don’t s*xually harass me casually.]
Osman shook his head.
“Aren’t you in your early thirties yet?
“Oh right.”
“???”
Luisa tilts her head. But it was difficult to stop the burst of laughter.
“I see. Thirty-two.
“Why are you laughing?”
“No, I feel rejuvenated.”
‘Still, it’s a bit unfortunate. Shouldn’t it have regressed for ten more years? If I did, I would have gone back to my green twenties.’
[They usually thank the rejuvenation itself, you damn scoundrel.]
That guy is a wizard, so he doesn’t know the sorrows of middle-aged men.
“I know you’re on a surveillance mission, right?”
“They started moving. They had a blast.”
“Already? That’s fast.”
I thought it was time to move slowly.
After the Abdeslam Incident, I quietly expanded my influence in Lombardy City and at the same time waited for the counterattack of those who would move soon.
And now, those who have suffered great damage by Abdeslam and the Bureau of Investigation are limited in what they can do.
“It’s time to reveal the long-term defeat.”
It was the final test to become the loser of the South.
* * * *
It did great damage to the triad circles, but they didn’t disintegrate in the air.
First of all, the bosses of each organization are alive and well, and they have the potential they have accumulated.
The Nicola family, which produces drugs, is once again looking for a candidate for a poppy farm, and the Luciano family, whose port has been hit, is eager to restore the port.
The Porgore family, which sells moonshine and employs swordsmen at the club, have greatly reduced their elite troops, but their power is still stable.
“The whole city knows now that the Triad Circle has weakened. It’s time for the hyenas to come rushing to the wounded lion.”
In fact, there were riots all over the city of Lombardy.
First, the Porgore family’s moonshine businesses and clubs were raided, and there was a movement to find the Luciano family’s contraband warehouse.
When it comes to the domestic drug warehouse of the Nicola family, it is like a 100% winning lottery ticket.
It’s not just the triad circle in the South. When I ate the South in the future, there were not one or two indigenous forces resisting.
It is an open secret that an expeditionary force arrived from a nearby city right away. They greedily pointed their knives at the weakened triad circle to tear it apart.
[Isn’t that the same for you? Rather, I think your movements are too passive.]
‘Do I have to get involved in the plate where hyenas bite and tear each other? It’s a game where all you have to do is kill the remaining ones.’
[Hmph… But aside from that, the triad circle seems to be in good health.]
‘That part is the key.’
“It’s an arrival.”
Bastien hit the brakes and stopped the car. The destination is the entrance to a club in the city with scenery around it.
“You stay here.”
As we waited for Bastien and got off with Louisa, a policeman approached us.
“This is Inspector Santiano.”
It was late at night, when the officers would have been off work, except for the patrols, but a police officer from the Public Security Office greeted us personally.
“Hello, Inspector Santiano. You’ve been working hard late at night.”
“······yes.”
Inspector Santiano with a rotten expression. Is it because he knows that I am Jacques Pietro? Was it because there was an order from the ‘superior’ to treat me like that?
Well, subordinates are bound to be dissatisfied even if they obey the orders of their superiors. If you don’t get anything, that is.
“Officer Santiano. I’m afraid I’ll be sad to come empty-handed, so I brought some donuts.”
“Ah, yes…”
“Don’t be like that, try it once. It’s really good.”
“Gwa, are you okay…?”
Although he expressed his disapproval of what he was forced to do, Santiano looked at the bundle of bills in the box and quickly closed them.
His puzzled pupil met my eyes.
“Don’t eat alone, share with your subordinates in moderation. If you eat too much, you’ll get sick.”
“Yes, that’s right. Mi-Mister… You can come this way!”
Inspector Santiano with a markedly different attitude. There’s no one who doesn’t like green paper cookies.
[Please… Officers of the Empire, wake up for justice!]
‘Disputing justice and the law is usually the voice of youngsters who grew up with no shortage. Poor civil servants who have been treated unfairly for 14 years are willing to break their conscience with a bunch of snacks.’
So Luisa and I entered a club that Inspector Santiano ushered us to.
“It’s a mess inside. We couldn’t help it to preserve the site.”
“It’s okay. I also have a lot of experience in this field.”
I could see why Inspector Santiano had bothered to warn me.
As soon as you enter the club, you can feel the strong scent of blood. Evidence of slaughter is everywhere.
“The dead are members of the Guarneri family. Prior to the formation of the Triad Circle, it was the second largest gang after the Porgore and was notorious for its roughness.”
Men with tattoos, who look menacing at first glance, are strewn about as dismembered corpses.
“The cutting surface is neat.”
Luisa inspected the scene, fiddling with the corpses without hesitation.
“Swordsman… That’s quite a level. Besides, I could only kill him by stabbing him in a vital part, but I cut him to pieces as if to show off.”
“Is it possible that the sword’s performance was simply good?”
“Not one or two, but dozens of people were cut to pieces, so it wouldn’t have been a normal sword. An imperial sword… a demonic sword was used.
“Why are you so sure?”
At my words, Luisa pointed to the dismembered corpses. All of the corpses had V-shaped scars on their foreheads.
From the left eye to the lips. Again from the lips to the right eye.
The V-shaped scar in the middle of the face is a kind of warning.
“This is the confirmation kill method of the Imperial Army Special Forces Kathitori, which consists of only sword users of the rank of semi-knight or higher. It is a unique V-shaped confirmation kill that humiliates the enemy.”
In other words, it means that this massacre was committed as a warning to hostile organizations invading the territory of the weakened Triad Circle.
Swordsmen from the Imperial Army Special Forces.
Holding a magic sword, the special weapon of the Imperial Army.
Originally, such bloody retaliation should not be conspicuous. In particular, special forces with clear origins do this?
[What do you think it means?]
I answered Osman’s question with a smile.
“Declaration of war.”
A warning to wild hyenas as well as wild beasts that invade my territory.
That’s not a reason for me to stop.