Chapter 44: One Down
"......!"
Hae-ryeon and Ju-hyeon simultaneously looked at me with surprised eyes.
At the gazes suddenly focused on me, I rolled my eyes.
I hadn't made a mistake.
Looking at it calmly, it was right for me to go and ask.
No matter how much poison the Poison King poured out, it wouldn't affect me at all.
It was simple enough to be called trivial.
"Are you cra—"
Hae-ryeon hastily shut her mouth mid-sentence.
"I was surprised, but it's not exactly wrong, is it?"
As Ju-hyeon laughed, Hae-ryeon stared intently at her.
"Unni. Think calmly. At least among the Black Eagles I know, he's someone the Poison King's power doesn't affect at all."
"Ju-hyeon. Can't you see this Unni here?"
As Hae-ryeon raised the corners of her mouth, Ju-hyeon made a displeased face.
"I know you have excellent poison resistance too, Unni. You're one of the few. But it doesn't affect him at all. That difference is enormous."
Poison was dangerous in the past, and it is dangerous now in modern times.
Was the Poison King called the Poison King for no reason?
If he just released one poison, everyone died.
He didn't need any other power.
It was to the point where he didn't even need to refine his skills.
"Honestly, sometimes I wonder if the Poison King was holding back against us. With that power, it should be enough to annihilate this entire area."
Ju-hyeon slowly closed her eyes and then opened them.
The Poison King was different from other big shots.
The one who could emit colorless, odorless poison at will was precisely the Poison King.
If that guy set his mind to it, what couldn't he do?
Just imagining it painted a terrifying future.
Ju-hyeon tapped the messages with her finger.
"Seeing this made me think my idea was right. The person behind the Poison King was holding his leash and ordering him to 'wait'."
I didn't particularly like those words.
But they weren't wrong.
Because I clearly learned through the messages that the villain, who had only maintained his own faction, had joined hands with someone.
I thought villains wouldn't join hands unless they were all going down together.
I was wrong.
‘What is happening? Did the Poison King lose to someone? Or if not that......’
Could it be that a central figure who could fulfill the villains' objective has appeared?
Someone with enough legitimacy to even control those villains.
"I don't know how this will sound, but killing people is not the villains' objective. From the beginning, and until now, the objective has always been one thing."
I spoke in a calm voice.
"The Empire's downfall."
Villains appeared for this purpose.
Though there were also guys who appeared to freeload along the way, fellow villains usually killed off guys like that.
"They simply don't care about the means or methods. Therefore, the statement that the Poison King held back might not be wrong either."
"If that's true, it might be a bit... disheartening."
Hae-ryeon let out a long breath.
If it were true, it was an even more discouraging statement.
"Somehow, it sounds like everything we've done so far amounts to nothing."
"That is not true. The infamy of the Black Eagle among villains is considerable. I said the statement about him holding back might be right because the opponent was the Poison King; it was different for other villains. They couldn't even do what they wanted because they were conscious of the Black Eagle."
"Should I be happy about the infamy..."
Ju-hyeon chuckled, fiddling with her cellphone.
It didn't feel entirely bad.
"Thanks for the comfort, Mr. Hyeon-yul."
"Not at all."
At Hae-ryeon's words, I shook my head.
I had only stated the facts; I hadn't offered comfort.
"Anyway, this is all I can convey right now. I plan to announce it officially at the next meeting."
Ju-hyeon concluded the conversation and stood up from her seat.
"So, may I go meet the Poison King?"
I brought up the question from earlier again.
Since I was meeting him anyway, I wanted to do it officially.
I didn't want to unnecessarily lower morale by killing someone in the Special Criminal Containment Facility.
Hae-ryeon hesitated for a moment.
To ask about this matter, meeting the Poison King was the fastest way.
It was also true that among everyone, Hyeon-yul was the safest option.
"You'll just meet him and ask, right?"
"Yes."
"Alright. Let's have you join me when I go."
"Understood."
I nodded.
Meeting the Poison King was the objective, regardless of who I went with.
There were also things I wanted to ask him personally.
‘I’ll have to drop by the mutt’s place.’
I stared intently at Hae-ryeon.
Knowing what I wanted, Hae-ryeon smiled lightly.
"You can clock out, Mr. Hyeon-yul."
As if waiting for those words, I promptly stood up from my seat.
"Thank you."
"...You're sending him off already? Unni, is that really okay? It'll be hard on you then."
Ju-hyeon looked at Hae-ryeon in surprise.
There were still 4 hours left until quitting time.
"Why don't you give him some minor tasks? There are always plenty of backlogged missions."
At Ju-hyeon's words, I remained indifferent.
She was right.
"No. Mr. Hyeon-yul is injured, and he's leaving early today. Hurry up and go before I change my mind, Mr. Hyeon-yul."
As soon as Hae-ryeon finished speaking, I bowed sequentially to them in farewell and went outside.
"If you do this, you'll have to go on the mission, Unni. Will you be alright?"
"It's not like I can't do it. He's still a newbie."
Hae-ryeon smiled brightly.
Ju-hyeon made a fed-up expression.
She had heard countless times that the Team Leader position was one of voluntary hardship, but Hae-ryeon took it further.
"Unni. How is he a newbie in any way? His abilities are insane."
"Ju-hyeon. Mr. Hyeon-yul suffered a lot over there. It's right to let him adapt slowly."
"It seems like the adaptation is already complete......"
Ddiring.
An alarm sounded.
"Ah, just a moment."
Hae-ryeon checked her computer.
A report came in from the interrogation of the villain caught during the previous festival incident.
「...The number of new weapons (estimated) possessed by the festival terrorists is estimated to be between 20-30.」
Hae-ryeon's gaze stopped at that part.
Ji-hwan's concern was correct.
It was extremely worrying.
The new weapons they destroyed were 6.
Didn't that mean the man Na-yoon saw took at least 14 of them?
"What's wrong?"
Ju-hyeon read Hae-ryeon's hardened expression.
"...It seems another top-tier villain has appeared."
Was the territory held by the Poison King so coveted?
She didn't know what on earth was there that made villains flock to it.
"...I have arrived."
At my confident words, Yu-jong dropped the glass he was holding.
Clang.
The fact that it wasn't a dream made him feel like he would faint.
This wasn't the company.
It was a house.
One of the many houses he owned.
I came here knowing that.
‘Crazy bastard! Vicious bastard...!’
Yu-jong barely suppressed the curses rising within him.
"Did you find the things I requested?"
"...How did you know about this place?"
At Yu-jong's words, I slightly raised the corners of my mouth.
"Why are you curious about that? Were you planning to run away?"
"No! Not at all! Absolutely not!"
"I came looking because you weren't at the company."
I hacked the computer at Yu-jong's seat.
Compared to a professional hacker, my skills were a bit lacking, but I could do it.
‘......He knows how to hack too?’
Yu-jong inferred Hyeon-yul's actions and thought.
"I know how."
I answered first, watching Yu-jong's eye movements.
"Isn't that much a villain's virtue?"
Ah.
I was about to correct him but stopped.
Why would I bother revealing that I was a Black Eagle?
"Asan... I mean, I found the information on the Crimson Witch."
"I just need to know where she is now."
"Just a moment."
Yu-jong headed straight for the room.
Before opening the door, he looked back.
Seeing me standing there, Yu-jong slid down as if collapsing.
"Why... Why are you following me?"
"The interior is well done."
How should one decorate a house?
It seemed to provide the answer.
I was simply curious about how the room was decorated.
"......Pardon?"
What kind of nonsense was this?
Yu-jong couldn't understand my words.
"...I won't run away."
At those words, I just stared.
"I- I really won't!"
"Yes. You diligently gathered information about me. Do you want to kill me?"
As I smiled, Yu-jong immediately knelt and slammed his head onto the floor.
Kuung.
"Th- That, how that happened was......"
"Don't bang your head. It's perfect for causing noise complaints between floors."
"Pl- Please give me a chance to explain."
"Yes. Go ahead and explain."
"I didn't gather it; I brought information that was already gathered."
"Who gathered the information?"
"...It's the Crimson Witch."
As Yu-jong's answer fell, I grabbed the guy's hair.
The Crimson Witch obtained my information, and Yu-jong happened to find out where the Crimson Witch was.
What else could it mean?
It meant the two had made a deal.
It was laughable.
To make a fool of someone right before their eyes in an instant.
"Please spare me! Please spare me!"
Yu-jong begged until his throat was raw.
"Several villains, including the Crimson Witch, are scheduled to be killed. Do not get yourself included on that list."
It was a warning.
Yu-jong knew for sure.
What else could those chilling words be if not a warning?
"...Yes, yes. I'll erase it right away!"
"The houses you own. The buildings. Don't make me destroy them all with my own hands."
"I won't... do it again."
"Kim Yu-jong."
I called Yu-jong.
Tears welled up in the corners of Yu-jong's eyes from the overwhelming fear.
"Do not try to become my prey."
I extended my hand.
Yu-jong stared blankly at that hand.
‘Is he trying to help me up?’
As Yu-jong reached out his hand, I slapped it away as if displeased.
"Give it to me."
‘...Ah.’
Yu-jong gave an awkward laugh, got up from his spot, and went into the room.
Glancing back, he saw me there.
"It's well decorated. How did you decorate it?"
"...Uh, I hired a company to decorate it."
"Thank you."
"......No."
Yu-jong, looking embarrassed, quickly retrieved the documents and handed them to me.
"What is the Poison King's weakness?"
"Pardon...?"
"I asked what the Poison King's weakness is."
I asked again.
At the sudden question, Yu-jong stared blankly for a moment, then quickly shook his head.
"There isn't one. ...There definitely shouldn't be, but I heard the Black Eagle caught him. It's quite shocking."
"Do you know specifically who caught him?"
"I don't... know. Everyone is looking for that specific Black Eagle. Isn't it too dangerous to leave them alive?"
"That is true."
"Perhaps... are you pursuing them? Are you thinking of killing them?"
A scoff escaped me at that question.
Being asked if I was going to kill myself sounded truly absurd.
"This doesn't concern you."
"...Ah. Right."
Yu-jong laughed awkwardly.
But he hoped the mad dog would kill that guy.
How strong would one have to be to catch the Poison King?
The one who made people tremble just by his name was precisely the Poison King.
"How large is the Poison King's faction?"
"Since they hold territory near the capital, you can consider it substantial. ...You're not planning to absorb the faction, are you?"
"Would that be unacceptable?"
"A- Are you serious? Dozens of factions might clash, aiming for that territory right now?"
"Do you know which factions those are?"
My question was different from before.
It was chilling.
Yu-jong swallowed dryly without realizing it.
"...I will investigate and bring it to you."
"Yes. I will be waiting."
"......Are you going to kill... them all?"
"Does it bother you?"
When I asked, Yu-jong stepped back and shook his head.
"Don't concern yourself with it. Just focus on the role you need to fulfill. As long as you do that, I will not touch you."
I walked forward just like that.
When Yu-jong raised his gaze, I was already gone.
‘......Even for that crazy bastard, that would be impossible, right?’
There was no way it was possible.
‘No! Just charge in excitedly and die!’
Along with the thought, Yu-jong fiddled with his suddenly cold neck.
He glanced around nervously for no reason.
The information Yu-jong handed over contained the current residence of Asan, the Crimson Witch, and the location of the experimental site she owned.
Since it was information obtained by selling my own information, how I used it was entirely up to me.
From the moment I decided to make her pay the price for making me work on my day off, all I could think about was killing her.
I didn't care what Asan did, but my mind changed from the moment I saw the experimental site.
Whatever it took, I needed to hear the information.
I entered confidently through the door.
"Good evening."
Hearing the voice, Asan opened her eyes.
Someone was standing there where night had fallen.
A familiar voice.
The faint smell of blood wafted through the air.
Asan raised the corners of her mouth.
The Black Eagle had arrived.