Chapter 75: We’re Going to Beat Them All
The Niath Auction House was burning fiercely.
All the regular customers who had been in the first floor auction hall had evacuated, but the bastards who had been in the underground auction hall had not been able to escape and had all burned to death.
The bastards had been in the middle of auctioning off children to be used as playthings.
“…….”
Huanwang watched the burning auction house with a bitter feeling.
Huanwang had not done anything in this raid.
He had just watched Sirius and Andres do their thing while wearing his black coat inside out.
“P, please, save me……!”
They could hear Niath, the owner of the auction house, begging for his life.
He was sitting down, covered in his own blood.
He had risen to the position of an executive of the Southern Branch with the money he had earned through human trafficking and other means at the auction house… but now he was nothing more than a hoodlum facing his death.
“Boss.”
Sirius, who was standing in front of Nierce, spoke up.
He was wearing the same black clothes as the King of Illusions.
By the way, Andres is outside by himself right now, getting the children out of there.
“Who’s the boss here?”
“How about elder, then?”
“Tsk…”
When the King of Illusions grimaced, Sirius pointed at Nierce.
“Do you have something to say? You must know each other.”
“……!”
Nierce lifted his head in a panic.
“W-would you happen to be someone I know? If so, please spare my life…!”
“Tsk…”
Nierce was the only one left alive in the vicinity, anyway.
The King of Illusions took off his cumbersome mask.
“Y-your Majesty, the King of Illusions?!”
“Long time no see, Nierce.”
Nierce had known the King of Illusions since he was the Southern Branch Head.
He had even asked Nierce for help when he needed to acquire something.
“H-how come…”
“I’m the one who should be asking that. How did you end up getting involved in human trafficking?”
The King of Illusions asked in a cold voice.
“You used to deal in stolen goods and looted artifacts, but you never trafficked people before, did you?”
“Y-your Majesty…”
Nierce spoke in a trembling voice.
“Things are different from when you were the Branch Head, your Majesty. The new Branch Head increased the amount of money we had to pay, and the demands…”
Nierce let out a scream.
Sirius had kicked him in the face with his boot.
“Did the Branch Head order you to traffic people?”
“Th-that’s…”
“You expanded your business because you were ambitious and wanted to climb the ranks of the Southern Branch, didn’t you? You have a lot to say for yourself, considering.”
Nierce had originally been nothing more than the owner of an auction house.
However, a few years ago, he had risen to a position where he could meet with the Branch Head in private.
That was because he had gotten his hands on a huge amount of dirty money through human trafficking and other means.
If he had been forced into human trafficking, that would be one thing, but if he had chosen this path of his own free will, there was no excuse for him.
“Y-your Majesty, please spare my life…”
“…”
“Four years ago, I helped you find the item you needed, didn’t I? Please…”
Nias begged for his life, reminding Huanwang of the help he had given him in the past.
However, Huanwang frowned and replied, “I paid you years of living expenses for that. The deal ended there, and I owe you nothing.”
“I’m not saying you owe me… …”
“Shut up.”
The moment Huanwang raised his right hand.
Nias, who had been struggling, suddenly froze stiffly in place.
A moment later, his whole body began to tremble violently… and then he coughed up blood and died.
“Was that an illusion spell?”
“Yes, I made him dream that all the people he had sold were coming at him with swords.”
If his mind is weak, it’s easy to drive him to his death like this.
But it won’t work so well on someone like Sirius.
“It seems you despise human trafficking.”
“I was trafficked as a child myself.”
“….”
Hearing this, Sirius looked up at Huanwang’s face with his mouth shut.
“Why?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Sirius slowly shook his head.
“It’s just that there seem to be quite a few people with such backgrounds.”
“Indeed, Berdian is one of them.”
Huanwang thought he was talking about Berdian, but Sirius was thinking of someone else.
Among the twelve elite guards who escorted the peerless swordsman Baek Murang was a master named Myeongong (卯翁).
He was a martial artist of the Cheonma Divine Church, but he was defeated by Baek Murang and became a prisoner of the Murim Alliance.
Baek Murang saw a glimmer of hope in him and spent three days and three nights persuading him, and eventually Myeongong became Baek Murang’s subordinate and took the lead in the fight against the Cheonma Divine Church.
He, too, had a past where he was kidnapped by the Cheonma Divine Church as a child and forced to learn the Demonic Arts.
I don’t know what Huanwang’s circumstances are… but if his nature is not completely dark, it may be possible for him to be rehabilitated like Myeongong.
“Oh, the children have all been evacuated. I’ll send someone to pick them up later.”
“Yes, that’s good.”
As they went outside, Andres, who had evacuated the captured children, was waiting.
“Well then, let’s move to the next place tonight.”
“Next place?”
Huanwang looked puzzled as he spoke as they left the auction house.
“Are you saying that we’re going to raid other places besides Nias’ auction house?”
“Our night is not over yet, big brother.”
“No, aren’t you guys sleepy?”
“Black Cloaks are not supposed to feel sleepy.”
“What nonsense…”
To be a Black Cloak, you have to be able to resist sleepiness.
How funny would it be if a Black Cloak was dozing off?
“In any case, you’ll have to keep working as a Black Coat. Get used to it.”
“No, why should I? I never wanted to do this kind of thing in the first place……”
“The Southern Branch of the Alliance will soon realize that you’ve become a member of the Black Coats.”
“What?”
Huanwang’s eyes widened.
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you just kill Niars with illusion magic?”
Sirius said in a calm voice.
“Illusion magic leaves no trace. So, there’s no way they won’t find out that you killed him.”
“Ah……!”
Until now, the Black Coats had been killing people with swords and magic.
However, a third Black Coat had appeared who could kill people without leaving any traces.
If the Southern Branch found out about this, who would they suspect?
Huanwang, who had turned down the Southern Branch’s request and disappeared, would inevitably come under suspicion.
“This son of a b*tch……”
A curse escaped from Huanwang’s mouth.
However, it was too late to go back to the auction house and leave a different trace on Niars.
“Give it up, sir.”
“Stop calling me sir!”
Huanwang snapped when Sirius put his arm around his shoulder.
“Come on, let’s go. Next, we’re going after the guys called the Shodlack Solidarity, who kidnap children and sell them to places like the Niars Auction House.”
“Ugh……”
Huanwang grumbled, but he followed along.
He was still awkward, but……in time, he would become a fine Black Coat.
This man was someone who could be fully rehabilitated.
Convinced of this, Sirius ran through the night with Huanwang in tow.
* * *
As the Black Coats’ attacks continued, the Southern Branch of the Alliance was driven into a corner.
Unlike the Eastern Branch, the Southern Branch had thoroughly managed even the small and medium-sized Black Market organizations.
Therefore, the current situation, in which both large and small Black Market organizations were collapsing, was threatening the very existence of the Southern Branch.
The organizations that had been paying protection money were disbanding one after another, and the remaining organizations were expressing their distrust of the Alliance.
Another factor that was giving the Southern Branch a headache was Huanwang’s betrayal.
The Southern Branch had already figured out that Huanwang had joined the Black Coats, but there was nothing they could do about it.
The Black Coats were elusive to begin with, and with Huanwang’s illusion magic added to the mix, it became even more difficult to track them down.
At this rate, they would have no choice but to request support from the Alliance headquarters.
However, from the Southern Branch Director’s point of view, this was truly a last resort.
It was tantamount to admitting that they were incapable of resolving this situation on their own.
As they struggled to find a way to resolve the situation in the South on their own……the situation continued to worsen.
“The Celestial Wolf Nation’s expansion into the South is proceeding smoothly.”
A ‘branch’ of the Celestial Wolf Nation had been set up in a commercial city in the South.
“The situation is just as you described it, Sirius,” Justitia replied calmly.
“While the dark guilds that were active in the transportation industry have crumbled, we have secured contracts with several businesses in the south. We’ve taken advantage of the chaos at Francis Inc.”
Not long ago, Sirius had assassinated the leader of Francis Inc., who had been colluding with a Sirius executive in the southern branch.
Francis Inc. had fallen into disarray, and the Celestial Banner had taken advantage of the situation to expand its influence in the south.
“It will be difficult to achieve a monopoly like we have in the east, but if we continue as we are, I’m confident we can become the top logistics provider in the south.”
“You’re doing well.”
Sirius nodded.
As in the east, Justitia was taking control of the southern region economically.
Sirius would eliminate the dark guilds that preyed on various industries, and Justitia would lead the Celestial Banner in establishing a rational system of cooperation.
The Rigel family was still a minor house in the northeast, but through their partnership with Sirius and Justitia, they were economically dominating a vast territory.
“Alrein, what is the current status of the Celestial Knights?”
“The Celestial Knights are also doing well, Master Sirius.”
Alrein, who was sitting beside him, bowed his head in response.
While Sirius was traveling as a Shadow, Alrein had been leading the Celestial Knights and stirring up the south.
“We have subdued a considerable number of dark guilds. The people of the south have a favorable opinion of us, and we are even receiving requests for assistance directly.”
The Celestial Knights had entered the south under the pretext of escorting the Celestial Banner.
However, in reality, they were suppressing dark guilds that threatened merchants and residents of the south.
While the Shadows assassinated dark guild leaders in the dead of night, the Celestial Knights played the role of eradicating dark guilds in broad daylight.
“However, there are some families who are displeased with the Celestial Banner and the Celestial Knights’ actions.”
Andres, who was sitting beside Sirius, folded his arms and spoke.
“The Southern Union is holding a regular meeting next week. It will surely be on the agenda.”
“They’re moving too slowly. Even if they called an emergency meeting right now, it would be too late.”
“Well-established families tend to be slow-moving. The Southern Union is even more so.”
From the perspective of the various southern families, they would not be pleased to have forces from the east operating near their territories.
The Celestial Knights, in particular, caused a lot of bloodshed… They could be seen as a threat to the peace of the south.
“Sirius, if the Southern Union decides to sanction the Celestial Banner and the Celestial Knights, it will be a headache.”
“Indeed.”
Andres’s Retiud family was also a member of the Southern Union.
If the Southern Union resolved to expel the Celestial Banner and the Celestial Knights, the Retiud family would be in a difficult position.
“In that case… we’ll have to take care of the Southern Union by next week.”
“What? What did you say? By next week?”
“Of course. That way, we’ll have something to say at the Southern Union meeting.”
“…”
Leaving Andres speechless, Sirius looked at Justitia.
“Justitia.”
“Yes, Sirius.”
“Make arrangements for us to attend the Southern Union meeting as representatives of the Rigel family.”
“Attend a gathering of the prestigious southern families?”
From Noble mtl dot com
“Is it impossible?”
“No. This is exactly when we should use our status as one of the five great families of the continent. I’ll talk to the Retiud family and see what I can do.”
“Yes, I will.”
Watching the conversation between Sirius and Justitia, Andres made an impressed expression.
“I always feel it, but they are so in sync. I feel like they can understand each other’s thoughts without having to talk at length. They are truly meant to be together.”
“That’s not true.”
“It’s not like that.”
As Sirius and Justitia simultaneously protested, Vellid, who was standing next to them, stifled a laugh with a chuckle.
“Vellid.”
“I, I didn’t laugh!”
Vellid cringed, expecting to be hit.
“Enough. Tell me what’s going on with the current situation.”
“Ah, th, that.”
Vellid cleared his throat and leaned forward.
“We received an inquiry yesterday. It’s from a place called Elyus Merchant Group, and it seems to be a subordinate organization of the Alliance’s Southern Branch.”
“As soon as we spread the rumor, they took the bait.”
“They said they weren’t sure if it was genuine, so they would come and check it out in person and buy it right away.”
Vellid lowered his voice and made a serious expression.
“It seemed like they really wanted to get their hands on the Crimson Ember.”
Crimson Ember.
A rare herb that possesses the power of fire.
The Alliance’s Southern Branch had been desperately searching for the Crimson Ember to offer it to their superior, the ‘Salt Master.’
So Sirius threw out bait to catch them.
He spread the rumor that a certain merchant had the Crimson Ember in their possession.
“The Southern Branch is in a difficult position right now. They’re starting to worry about what the headquarters will think. If they’re not careful, the Southern Branch leader could lose his head.”
Sirius recalled what he had heard from Hwanwang and Verdian.
For reference, Hwanwang and Verdian were currently in the process of creating a ‘fake Crimson Ember.’
With Hwanwang’s illusion magic and Verdian’s extensive knowledge of herbs, they could create a fake Crimson Ember that would fool even an expert.
“That’s why they desperately need the Crimson Ember. If they offer it to the Salt Master and gain his favor, they might be able to resolve this situation peacefully.”
“……”
“They have no choice but to take the bait.”
Until now, the Southern Branch had been on edge because they couldn’t catch the Men in Black.
However, Sirius was in a similar situation.
Unlike the Eastern Branch, the Southern Branch didn’t have a specific base of operations, making it difficult to eliminate their leadership.
That’s why he was going to corner the Southern Branch as much as possible… and then throw out the bait.
“But Sirius.”
Andres said cautiously.
“Will a fake Crimson Ember be enough to lure the Southern Branch leader? They might just send their subordinates….”
“The bait isn’t just the fake Crimson Ember.”
“What?”
“There’s another bait that will make the Southern Branch leader come running with his eyes wide open.”
As he said that, Sirius smiled.
“The Black Cloaks’ second notice will arrive soon.”
“Ah…!”
We’ll take the Crimson Lotus.
If we send out a notice like that, the Southern Division Commander is sure to show up.
With all of the Southern Division’s elite soldiers gathered.
“That way, we can draw them out… and wipe them all out.”
The day of the Southern Division’s destruction was approaching.