16 – Breaking the Company (2)
In modern Korean society, the term human trafficking may sound out of place.
With CCTV cameras everywhere, compulsive resident registration, and limited land, Korea was not a country where human trafficking could easily occur.
Moreover, with the discovery of magic technology alongside the advancement of magical engineering revolution, humanity gained access to unimaginable technologies. This made tasks such as tracking missing persons much easier compared to ten years ago.
If the victims of human trafficking could benefit from such technology.
Since the upheaval ten years ago, various alien species had been infiltrating Earth from different dimensions.
These individuals, coming to Earth due to their own circumstances, were treated as refugees. The fact that people with completely different cultures were being integrated into a new cultural sphere made them similar.
At first, humanity welcomed them. In a society undergoing turmoil, it was only natural for people who seemed like characters from a work of fiction to bring new cultures and technologies.
However, humans gradually became accustomed to them, and an increasing number of alien species flooded into Earth, many of whom were unable to adapt and caused various problems, even giving rise to prejudice.
Humanity had a long history of excluding and discriminating against those who were similar, yet different.
In the past, Neanderthals experienced this, and even in more recent times, simply having a different skin color was enough to enslave, scorn, and discriminate against them. Even now, those feelings had not completely vanished.
What about individuals with even more distinctive characteristics?
Thus, the alien species were divided into three categories.
Those who successfully established roots on Earth using their own culture and technology.
Those who managed to settle to some extent on Earth.
And those who were unable to adapt to Earth at all.
The first two categories were relatively fine.
They faced some level of rejection from humans due to their different appearances.
However, there were even races that were admired precisely because of their differences.
For example, there were the high-class elves.
The problem lay with those who did not adapt well to Earth.
Most of them were individuals who did not belong to alien communities, or beings who looked vastly different from humans, or those who were from a lower class even in their previous world and lacked the necessary technology.
“They were extremely vulnerable to crime.
Even those who couldn’t even complete their refugee applications, which would give them some benefits.
With no connections, power to protect themselves, or money, they had no means to protect themselves from crime.
Law enforcement is currently focusing all its efforts on maintaining public order. There is no longer any capacity to help these different species.
Even if there were capacity, there would be no work done for them. From the perspective of the country, they were no different from illegal residents.
It was only natural that they would become targets of human trafficking under the greed of the dark underworld.
As long as the number of disappearances was not too excessive, there would be no investigation, and there was a market for cheap labor that could be exploited for free or used as a trash bin for releasing desires, or even for biological experiments.
In short, slaves.
There was no reason for Jo Giseok, who prides himself on his skills, not to engage in such a lucrative business.
Eventually, when public order became more stable, it would have to be stopped, but for now, that was not the case.
“Yes, hyung! Long time no see. Yes. Ah, there is a new guy I caught this time…”
For Giseok, his main customers who bought slaves were the supernatural beings.
From his perspective, they were very convenient customers.
The different species being captured as slaves were, for the most part, unable to use magic.
Since there was no way for them to resist the supernatural beings who could manipulate magic, there was no need for special devices to prevent slaves from rebelling.
Just pick them up from a place only you know, keep them, and sell them to someone who wants them.
90% of the money they earned remained as pure profit.
“Yes! Then I’ll see you there at 8 o’clock tomorrow!”
Undoubtedly, slaves without any trouble. How many people could match that?
Moreover, they were not ordinary people, but supernaturals who were famously strong in their sense of superiority.
That’s why he was giving a paper with an implication of human trafficking to all supernaturals who came to him for things other than human trafficking.
Even the supernaturals who came to him were mostly unregistered supernaturals due to the nature of his business. There was hardly any reason to be cautious, especially since most of them made a living from their evil deeds.
If by any chance someone just and upright were to question him after seeing the contents of the paper, he could easily brush them off.
Perfect.
Truly perfect.
Giseok continued to marvel at his growing skill.
In reality, only a path filled with money lay before him.
If only he had not gotten involved with Yeorul.
After finishing another deal.”
After hanging up the phone, he absentmindedly wiped his hands and checked his ledger. Suddenly, without any warning, Yeowool appeared in front of him.
“Oh my-! You surprised me… When did you come in?”
I don’t recall hearing the door open.
No, maybe not. I couldn’t remember because I was focused on the phone call.
“Hello.”
“Oh, yes. You came to buy the stone last time, right?”
Kiseok replied with a smile to Yeowool’s greetings.
It was a little surprising, but that was all.
He needed to focus on Yeowool who came back again.
According to his expectations, maybe…
“I came because I saw the notice saying you needed people.”
“Oh, people, right…”
Yes, that’s right. He was accurate.
He came so quickly after seeing that piece of paper? It was obvious even without looking. He must have been thrilled by the fact that he could possibly find a slave.
He had learned from experience that those who looked shabby on the outside were even dirtier behind their backs.
But he couldn’t let his guard down just yet. There might be someone else who had their eye on his place, or other potential threats.
“By any chance, what kind of person do you need?”
“I need someone who is easy to use and discard, that kind of person.”
Yeowool responded emotionlessly.
This was about it. The author also expected Kiseok to guess what he does for a living and come prepared.
“If you need that kind of person, then I know… “
“I see. Ah. Are they people who won’t cause any trouble?”
“Yes. I personally select and bring them, very clean and no trouble.”
“Where do you bring them from?”
Hmm, me. Yeah. I knew it would come to this.
If they knew only that place, they might be thinking they could get slaves for free.
There was one simple thing that would work with these guys.
“Teacher. If you’re that curious, I’m really sorry.”
Right away, he released his aura and spread out his senses.
“Gi-seok was a certified Level 3 hunter with considerable power of his own. He even had artifacts of significant level for the protection provided by Ilsin, who supported him from behind.
No mediocre individual who would dare to stand against him would even think about coming to a small company like this.
“……”
Yeoul looked at Gi-seok’s eyes, which were filled with tension and annoyance.
However, the problem was that Yeoul, who was in front of him, had brought back a pure and high-quality ma-seok….
But since the last time, he couldn’t feel any strange magic. If he was a strong enough person to obtain such a high-quality ma-seok, he should have been able to emit that power.
Could he be a subordinate who came after receiving another superhuman’s horoscope?
For now, Gi-seok judged that there would be no power of Ilsin in the meantime.
“I see.”
And that complacent thought dragged him from the solid path of blooming flowers to the bottomless abyss.
Yeoul’s ears sparkled as he thought Gi-seok looked quite expensive.
Gi-seok’s left hand.
The end joint of his pinky finger fell with a thud.
Using the enhanced visual acuity of a physical reinforcement type superhuman, Gi-seok stared blankly at his finger, which had suddenly detached from his body and was slowly floating in the air.
What is happening…?
A perfectly clean cross-section that did not allow even a slight resistance.
In such a short time, the section was severed, yet blood had not even started to flow…
Even the pain signal had not yet reached his brain, and the scene of his finger floating felt like a dream to him.
“If you don’t answer my question, I’ll cut one by one.”
Suddenly, Yeoul was holding a sword in his hand and calmly informed him.