The Imperial Hunter

“I didn’t intend to offend. It simply slipped my memory.”

“I understand.”

The chief’s wrinkles deepened even further.

In reality, claiming not to remember was a lie and it was a topic I had brought up intentionally. 

‘There’s no way we can forget the psychological weakness of our major trading partners.’

The deeply wounded were easily shaken, under the assumption that they were understood.

Waw Kiwulik was the spiritual mountain of the tribe, not too far from here. The “People of the Desert” believed that the mountain’s north peak houses the divine spirit “Iitoy,” also known as the “Man in the Maze,” who guided the harmony between humans and the world.

However, the mountain was merely nominally tribal land, actually under permanent lease by the U.S. government. In front of the sacred plateau which tribal members called the “Garden of the Gods,” there was a massive astronomical observatory complex, including the world’s largest solar observatory.

“Now that the topic has come up, may I ask if there has been any improvement in that matter?”

My question infuriated the chief.

“Don’t even mention it. Those people have now dug up even the sacred mountain!”

“I see.”

“The tribal elders were naive and foolish. They signed the contract without seeing through the core of the scam. They thought it meant they were really borrowing…”

Did they really?

I believed that even the “People of the Desert” had their own calculations, despite using the word “lease.” Wasn’t a non-withdrawable lease contract essentially the same as a perpetual contract? Over 60 years had passed since then, and the tribe had not regained the land they lent.

The contract fee paid by the U.S. at the time was worth about $500,000 when adjusted for current value. In Korean won, that was about 600 million. And as rent, they were paying 25 cents (about 300 won) per acre annually.

The elderly chief clenched his fist under the table. His granddaughter, Mashath, interlocked her hand with his trembling fist. His gaze, feigned indifference, was directed in the opposite direction. It seemed like he was trying to hide something, but my eyes were attentive.

I brought up the past.

“Chief, I’m reminded of the time you first proposed a deal to me. There was only one casino owned by the tribe back then if I recall correctly.”

Now, there were four casinos. The chief at that time was an amateur just starting his business. He was old in age, but he lacked the experience of a businessman and had much less background compared to now.

I wondered if that was the reason. When I didn’t easily agree and tested the waters, the exhausted and desperate chief went so far as to reveal everything, from his background to the tribe’s unfortunate situation, seeking my sympathy. My understanding of “People of the Desert” and the chief himself was based on the stories I heard back then.

‘This old man was lucky.’

I might not be a just person, but I detested imperialism. The chief’s struggles garnered at least a bit of my sympathy.

In other words, the chief and my first deal, about 10% of it was concluded with my personal favor added in. The contract was also fair. I subtly reminded him of that point.

“Your business has soared, but it seems the tribe’s situation hasn’t improved. I express my regret as a friend, Chief.”

“Friend?”

“Isn’t that right?”

“…Well, I suppose so. I still appreciate the Chairman’s kindness. There was something different about you, something that set you apart from the others. So, I continue to treat you differently from my other clients. Even this conversation…”

Here, the chief changed his tone.

“But I never knew we were friends. True friends help each other unconditionally when times are tough, right?”

“In the country I was born in, even among friends, there’s a saying that they don’t vouch for each other. Doesn’t that type of relationship last longer?”

“Haha.”

The chief smiled with amusement at my composed response.

I used a guarantee as an example because one of the means the chief initially used to secure credit for his business was an unlimited mutual guarantee system among different tribes. Accounts guaranteed by one tribe’s casino were guaranteed for payment at another tribe’s casino as well. However, it didn’t end well. What started as an initiative involving 11 tribes had now been reduced to just five tribes’ agreements, and even that had been narrowed down to mutual guarantees for limited amounts.

If the elderly chief hadn’t handled it well, there might not even be this reduced “alliance” among the five tribes.

The chief smiled and continued.

“If you agree to this request, I will consider you a friend as well. I’ll take on your request as a friend’s favor. I won’t just introduce one or two people; I’ll help you wholeheartedly until you achieve your goal. Even afterward, I’ll offer more conveniences in our dealings as a token of friendship.”

There was no room for negotiation from the beginning, which was discomforting, but looking at just the conditions, it wasn’t bad.

At that moment, the power in the house suddenly went out. The lights went off, and the noises from the air conditioner and refrigerator vanished. As my companions immediately went on high alert, the tension in the room soared, and I raised my hand to calm my subordinates. There was no sign of an attack from outside.

In the silence, winds mixed with sand blew, and the two police officers who had volunteered to be our escorts were waiting boredly in their patrol car.

The chief spoke, making an effort to hide his embarrassment.

“Don’t be too alarmed, everyone. It’s probably the work of those damn ants.”

“Ants? What are you talking about?”

“They’re called ‘Raspberry Crazy Ants.’ They’re strange creatures that crawl into electrical panels and cause short circuits when they’re bored. They have insane reproductive and adaptive capabilities, and these days, they’re causing chaos in the southern United States.”

“Hmm…”

I had heard about the problems the United States was facing due to the unlimited spread of feral hogs and invasive species, but this was the first time I had heard about ants.

Afterward, I brought the conversation back to the topic.

“Let’s start by getting information about the targets.”

The chief nodded.

“The targets are a group called the ‘White Guard.'”

“The name is quite explicit. Are they neo-Nazis?”

“That’s correct. They recently separated from the ‘American Front,’ stating that they want to continue the legacy of the ‘Silent Brotherhood.’ Have you heard of the ‘American Front’?”

“Ah, I know about them.”

The neo-Nazi skinhead group was something I had heard about before. While they might not be very influential as a criminal organization, they were harmful to people of color in the United States. Their crude white supremacist ideology seemed to persist over time.

The chief continued.

“These vermin have been actively destroying the foundation of our tribe’s young members who were pioneering their lives outside the protected area. There have been nine deaths and six disappearances at businesses that have been targeted.”

“With things getting to this point, aren’t the police taking action?”

“Hmph. Each case has different circumstances, and the jurisdictions vary, so when you look at them individually, they don’t seem like much of a big deal from their perspective. Moreover, it seems there are individuals putting pressure on them, probably higher-ups or supporters of the ‘White Guard,’ or perhaps even their backers.”

Not only were their identities unknown, but their existence itself was uncertain. The fact that an influential chief like him couldn’t even uncover this much meant that they were putting a lot of effort into the mining project. Be it money or people.

Considering that copper mining rights were potentially a substantial asset, it was a rational choice to focus on it. That alone could change the future of the tribe significantly.

“And what about the media?”

“Those journalists are interested in discrimination against black people but not in the discrimination we face, Chairman. To those high-and-mighty individuals, we’re just garbage operating casinos.”

In reality, it wasn’t operating casinos; it was more like there was no other viable business besides casinos.

‘It’s a typical strategy of labeling.’

Gambling was considered immoral. Would Americans really have a positive view of casinos?

The casino operating rights, begrudgingly granted by the federal government after a legal battle, were not only almost the only source of livelihood in protected areas, but they were also a menace to the external image of Native Americans. The perception that had been pushed down to the gutter was their own downfall when it came time to reduce benefits for Native Americans.

While money could solve many problems, the situation at hand was urgent.

“So, you mean we should eliminate the ‘White Guard’ by any means necessary?”

In response to my question, the chief affirmed with a determined expression.

“Exactly, please do your best to eliminate them by any means necessary.”

“Aren’t you considering delivering a warning?”

“My heart may be as hard as stone, but won’t it disrupt our business? What about the legal battle regarding the mine? We must avoid any damage to our interests, even minor allegations.”

“Understood.”

I casually tapped the table to buy some time, and when the chief became impatient, I accepted his proposal.

“Alright, I agree.”

“You’re accepting it just like that?”

“…Is that a problem?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t know all your abilities.”

Abilities. I wondered what kind of expression this old man would make if he ever learned about my true abilities.

Regardless, negotiations had reached a point where they could conclude. While it might not be the best outcome, it was better than total failure. I stood up, adjusting my attire.

“It seems we’ve reached an agreement. You mentioned being busy, so unless you have other matters to discuss, I’ll take my leave.”

“No, wait. Are you leaving like this?”

“Yes. I want to handle your request as quickly as possible.”

“…”

“Is there something else you’d like to discuss?”

The chief, looking a bit flustered, couldn’t find the words. I bid him farewell.

“It seems like we’ve reached an agreement. Since you mentioned being busy, I’ll take my leave.”

The chief seemed puzzled but nodded in acknowledgment. I continued.

“If you have any further business, be prepared, my friend. Until we meet again.”

I didn’t ask for any additional information. Given the current lack of reliable casino intelligence, I had already confirmed that. If I set my mind to it, there were plenty of ways to gather information, whether it was about the victims or the targets. This was an opportunity to demonstrate my skills.

The chief, who had escorted me to the door, stood beside his granddaughter, watching as my car departed.

Inside the moving car, Kyung-tae spoke.

“I’ve never heard someone call someone else a friend, even in jest.”

I turned my head to look at him and added one more thing.

“So, I meant it in the literal sense.”

As I thought about it, that seemed to be the case. While I might have casually referred to them as friends in idiomatic expressions, I couldn’t recall ever using the term “friend” so genuinely before.

But even then, it was a phrase with a lot of calculations behind it. I gazed out the car window and replied.

“At that time, I have a somewhat different thought.”

“What kind of thought are you referring to?”

“I thought that if I did well, I could recruit personnel from here.”

“You mean to send personnel to the UK?”

“Yes, and on one hand, I wanted to show my distinctiveness to the casino heir here.”

“I see.”

The town passing by outside the car resembled a wasteland. The rare few people seen were just part of the desolation, adding no vibrancy. Their faces lacked any signs of vitality, almost as if they were living their lives out of inertia at the bottom of the world.

“Kyung-tae.”

“Yes?”

“If these Native Americans here were empowered, how do you think it would change their relationship with the United States?”

“Well…”

Kyung-tae scratched his head, deep in thought.

“It could be one of two scenarios. The Americans might treat these friends here more humanely, or they might perceive them as a greater threat and try to suppress them even more.”

“Which scenario do you think is more likely?”

“I think the latter.”

“Why?”

“To treat them more humanely would require money, you see.”

It was a concise understanding that was typical of Kyung-tae.

I agreed. Even if this became a sacred place, would the United States really be willing to accept the sunk costs of returning the land, along with the investments made and the facilities built there? It would be a decision that could threaten the astronomical investment that the United States held in the field of international astronomy.

In any case, the United States had ignored their own original sin so far, and now they were going to face it head-on.

‘Not just the United States.’

The awakening of abilities as a societal phenomenon was a probabilistic power that would be given to anyone, regardless of their social class. In that case, the balance of that power would inevitably tilt toward the side with a larger number of people. Those who couldn’t raise their voices due to a lack of power would start rising all over the world to assert their rights. They would do it with the anger, thirst, and greed they had accumulated from their long years of suffering. Socially disadvantaged groups were not necessarily righteous; they were simply groups that had been treated unfairly.

In short, it was the cost of inequality that would come with the advent of an unequal world.

Kyung-tae’s words comparing them to cicadas resurfaced in my mind. The more I pondered it, the more I savored the richness of that expression.

“The cicadas will cry.”

Kyung-tae reacted to my muttered words.

“Yes?”

“Don’t mind me. It was just my inner thoughts.”

“Alright…”

Kyung-tae shrugged and turned his attention back to the front.

I silently sent my best wishes.

Cicadas, cry your hearts out. Only by being that loud will the mages at the round table not hear the sound of my footsteps as I approach them.