Chapter 302: I Am the Plunder King (3)
‘I-It’s real. He’s really the Chief Overseer! No, even if he’s not, he has to be some high-ranking official.’
Morvin swallowed hard. He hadn’t even seen when the dagger had appeared.
If someone showed up with guards of this caliber, they were clearly not ordinary.
Morvin hastily glanced around and barked orders to his men.
“You fools! What do you think you’re doing? Show proper respect to the Chief Overseer!”
His subordinates immediately bowed their heads and stepped back. Frankly, they had a gut feeling that if they made a wrong move, they’d all be dead in the blink of an eye.
Morvin, now wearing a groveling expression, rubbed his hands together as he spoke.
“I apologize! These brutes are so ignorant that they acted rudely.”
“Agh, why does it always have to come to bloodshed?”
“Well, you see, this is the nature of our work. It makes everyone a little… cautious. Please, come inside. Don’t worry about the bodies.”
“Alright. Wendy, help me walk.”
Wendy frowned, but supported Claude as they followed Morvin’s lead.
Claude arrived at an opulent private room and immediately got down to business.
“Things are tough these days, huh?”
“Oh, don’t even get me started. Everyone’s on edge because of that Plunder King or whatever he’s called. Where did that monster even come from…?”
Claude chuckled, his shoulders shaking, and continued.
“How about working with me on something?”
“What kind of work do you mean?”
“How about unifying the underworld of this estate?”
“Me?”
Morvin’s eyes gleamed. Unifying the underworld was every criminal’s dream. But it wasn’t something just anyone could do.
True power players, like the infamous Thieves’ Guild or the Assassin’s Guild, operated on a completely different level. People like Morvin couldn’t even think about challenging them. Of course, some of these groups had already been crushed by the Plunder King.
Still, unifying the underworld seemed beyond Morvin’s capabilities. But if the estate’s Chief Overseer backed him?
It might not be entirely impossible.
Morvin had assumed this visit was just for another round of extortion. But this… this was an astonishing offer!
“How… How can I assist you, Chief Overseer?”
“Well, I can’t realistically manage all the organizations in this estate by myself. That’s fair, right?”
“Of course. There are even more of them popping up these days. And some are still hiding.”
“That’s why I’m telling you to bring them all under your control and manage them. How about it?”
Morvin swallowed hard before responding.
“Is there something you want from me in return?”
“Give me half the profits. In exchange, I’ll guarantee your safety and support you. What do you think? If you’re not interested, you can all just die here.”
Claude’s sly grin sent a chill down Morvin’s spine.
‘It’s real. This bastard is truly insane about money. That expression is too genuine to be fake.’
The Chief Overseer of a grand estate, running around demanding tribute? Morvin had never even heard of such a thing.
There was no reason to refuse. But Morvin knew it wasn’t possible with his own strength alone. He’d need practical help to pull it off.
“With my abilities, it’s impossible. We don’t have enough members… And more importantly, the Plunder King could show up at any time.”
Claude chuckled again, seemingly amused, and reassured him.
“I’ll release the criminals I’ve locked up in the estate and put them under your command. Use them to fill in the gaps and keep expanding by taking down others.”
“The real power players can’t be dealt with by amateurs.”
“Don’t worry. When it comes to dealing with those types, I’ll send knights to assist you. Anyway, this estate barely has any true elites left, right? Most of the capable ones were dragged off by Count Desmond.”
“Th-That’s true. The ones left here might be better than us, but they’re no match for knights.”
Excitement glimmered in Morvin’s eyes. If knights supported them, they could take down anyone.
Claude smirked arrogantly and continued.
“Exactly. And when you fight, I’ll have soldiers block off the area to prevent interruptions.”
“T-That’s more than enough. With that, I could even clean up the underworld. But what about the Plunder King…?”
The Plunder King was a monster, according to the rumors. And he could strike at any moment. Without knights stationed nearby, it would be impossible to stop him.
Morvin voiced his concerns, and Claude’s eyes sharpened.
“That bastard? He’s a complete joke.”
“Pardon?”
“That guy’s just a temperamental brat who doesn’t listen to anyone, always doing whatever he wants. He loves fighting so much that he drives people insane, constantly picking fights. And his greed? Ugh, he hogs everything for himself like a filthy pig…”
Claude continued ranting about the Plunder King for quite some time. His words were so impassioned that even the listeners couldn’t help but get swept up in his emotions.
As Morvin listened quietly, he cautiously asked, “By any chance… do you know him?”
Claude flinched in surprise and waved his hands vehemently.
“Know him? How the hell would I know a criminal like that? Don’t go spouting nonsense that’ll get us both killed!”
“Y-Yes, of course…”
“Anyway, I’ll personally lead the soldiers to take care of that bastard, so you just focus on taking down the surrounding organizations. Got it?”
“Yes, sir! As long as you handle the Plunder King, I’ll move immediately!”
“And don’t forget to prepare my tribute every week. If you don’t want to disappear without a trace, that is.”
“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll make sure everything is ready.”
Morvin nodded enthusiastically. As expected of the man known as the “Bribe King”, he demanded weekly payments instead of monthly ones.
It was tough now, but once Morvin became the overlord of the underworld, it would be manageable. He just needed to act quickly.
Once he absorbed all the organizations in this vast estate, an enormous amount of money would start rolling in.
Claude added a warning in a stern tone.
“Oh, and stop putting drugs in the food. Also, leave the estate residents alone for the time being and focus on absorbing the organizations first. You know the current mood, right? Getting caught by the Lord won’t end well for you.”
Morvin agreed with that sentiment.
Soldiers were steadily being deployed to the occupied areas to strengthen public order. There were rumors that the Lord’s nerves were frayed after several prior incidents.
If caught now, they might end up executed as an example.
After some back-and-forth, Claude performed a “sworn brotherhood” ceremony with the suddenly cooperative Morvin, sealing their pact before leaving the restaurant.
On the way back, Claude clutched his chest dramatically and complained to Wendy.
“Whew, I thought I was going to pass out from nerves. I’m terrible at acting like this!”
“…”
From Wendy’s perspective, however, there was no acting involved in Claude’s greed for money or his grumbling about the Lord. That was all genuine.
Regardless, Claude threw his full support behind Morvin’s “Blue Skull Gang” from that day forward.
He released criminals from the prison and assigned them under Morvin, while also deploying soldiers throughout the estate.
The “Blue Skull Gang” even changed the name of their restaurant.
[Mama’s Home Kitchen]
Without their signature “secret sauce,” the food naturally tasted bland. They rebranded it as clean and healthy cuisine instead.
Once their preparations were complete, a new rumor began circulating in the estate.
“The Plunder King ran away!”
“The Chief Overseer deployed troops to maintain order!”
“They say even the Forty Thieves were all captured and executed!”
As the rumors spread, the remaining criminal organizations began cautiously resurfacing. A few days passed without any attacks from the Plunder King, prompting them to move in earnest.
Of course, the one moving most aggressively was none other than Morvin’s “Blue Skull Gang”.
“Ahahaha! Everyone, bow down to me!”
With Claude’s full backing, Morvin expanded rapidly.
In the criminal world, organizations were often interconnected. Morvin started by absorbing groups tied to the “Blue Skull Gang”. Once they were under his control, he targeted organizations linked to those, and so on.
The other groups, relieved by the absence of the Plunder King, were caught off guard.
“What’s going on? When did those bastards grow so big?”
“There’s a rumor that the Chief Overseer is supporting them!”
“They’re trying to unify the entire underworld!”
As the smaller and mid-sized organizations were absorbed, only a few strong groups remained. But even they couldn’t withstand the knights that Claude dispatched.
Established groups like the Thieves’ Guild or the Assassin’s Guild suffered the same fate. Most of their key members had been dragged off to war by Count Desmond and perished on the battlefield.
Although the remnants were stronger than mere street thugs, they were no match for the Fenris Knights.
The ongoing gang wars had no impact on the estate’s residents, thanks to Morvin’s caution and the soldiers who cordoned off areas whenever conflicts erupted.
This is what happens when someone with power decides to back you.
Within just a month of forming his pact with Claude, Morvin had become the overlord of the underworld.
“Hahaha! I never thought a day like this would come for me!”
He couldn’t stop laughing. He had long since closed Mama’s Home Kitchen and was now living in a grand, luxurious building.
He even renamed his organization: [The Blue Skull Brotherhood].
Through the process of unifying the underworld, Morvin also acquired the vast wealth that the absorbed organizations had accumulated. Now, with the underworld stabilized, reopening their various businesses promised even greater profits.
“Hey, have you prepared the money for the boss?”
“Yes, sir! We’ve collected a huge sum this time too!”
A subordinate brought a small box. Though it was small, it was filled to the brim with jewels.
While I didn’t have a steady source of income yet, I made it a point to send gifts weekly as a token of goodwill.
“Heh, make sure you record this in the ledger properly. Later, we’ll use it as leverage against him. Isn’t our Lord supposed to have a nasty temper?”
To maintain a symbiotic relationship, it was crucial to hold some leverage over the other party. If the Chief Overseer ever tried to oust me, I’d need evidence like this to secure my position.
If things ever went awry, handing over the evidence to the Lord would ensure the Chief Overseer wouldn’t escape unscathed.
After Morvin swiftly unified the underworld, Claude showed up without delay.
“Hey, kid. Did you prepare what I asked for?”
“Ah, big brother! You’re here. Everything’s prepared, just as you instructed.”
Morvin handed over several booklets, which were essentially organizational management guides. They contained lists of newly absorbed members, the locations of various branches, details about the members, and business operations.
Additionally, he handed over secret ledgers and documents previously held by the absorbed organizations.
Claude demanded them as if it were his right, and Morvin handed them over without hesitation. He assumed Claude was just doing everything he could to secure his cut of the profits. With enough leverage on Claude, Morvin thought there was no need to worry.
Had it been a more traditional organization, like an assassin’s guild, Morvin wouldn’t have dared to act so carelessly. But Morvin was never cut out for such a level of finesse. That was precisely why he had been chosen.
“Hmph, you’ve recorded everything, right? No skimming, no hiding anything? Ugh, look at all the sins these bastards committed.”
“Of course! I even included the beggars from the slums. How could I deceive you, big brother? You’ll keep looking out for us, right? Hehe.”
When Morvin handed over a jewel-laden box, Claude accepted it with a satisfied grin.
“Good. Let’s hope this partnership lasts. By the way, I heard there’s a meeting with the branch heads?”
“Haha, yes. I’ve arranged an official inauguration ceremony. I’ve summoned all the branch heads. Would you honor us with your presence and grace the occasion? I’ve prepared quite the event.”
With the organizations absorbed, their territories had been converted into branches of the Blue Skull Brotherhood. Morvin had placed his most loyal confidants in key positions within these branches.
Claude waved dismissively at the invitation.
“No need. My presence would only make them uncomfortable. Let’s meet separately another time.”
“Haha, understood. Take care, big brother!”
Morvin suspected nothing of Claude. To him, Claude epitomized a corrupt official, through and through.
That avaricious glint in his eyes wasn’t something just anyone could fake. Having spent so many years in the criminal underworld, Morvin knew the look well.
After their amicable farewell, Claude immediately went to Ghislain.
Handing over the booklets, Claude said, “Ah, it’s done now, right? My heart can’t take this anymore. This kind of work really doesn’t suit me.”
“…Good work.”
Ghislain looked at Claude with a hint of pity.
Claude’s reputation was in shambles. Rumors that he was colluding with criminals had spread widely, though Claude himself remained unaware. Lowell, having decided to stay quiet, kept him in the dark. Everyone else found the situation amusing enough to play along.
“In any case, you did well. I didn’t think it would all come together this quickly.”
“Only because it was a hassle.”
Instead of tackling each faction individually, Ghislain had manipulated one foolish man to consolidate them all. It was a shortcut born of laziness but one that proved highly effective.
Some local thugs might remain, but they’d eventually be conscripted into the Labor Assault Team.
Donning a mask, Ghislain gave the order.
“Raid the branches. Kill anyone who resists, and send those who surrender to the Labor Assault Team. As for that fool Morvin, I’ll deal with him personally.”
“Yes, sir.”
Gillian, who had recovered from his injuries and stood by Ghislain’s side, bowed deeply.
Even Kaor, ever the nonchalant one, chuckled as though he found the situation amusing. Despite longing to return to the Shadow Mountains, he had stayed to help stabilize the estate.
“Heh, I’ll get some action before heading back to the mountains.”
Other knights armed themselves. Some donned masks.
Ghislain began to lead them.
“Let’s go.”
Thud, thud, thud!
Cavalry swiftly mobilized, surrounding the branches one by one.
Meanwhile, Morvin was hosting his inauguration ceremony with the branch heads. His confidant stood on the second floor, addressing the crowd below.
“A man who lives and dies for loyalty! Morvin has finally unified the underworld! Let’s applaud our new king, Morvin!”
“Woooaaaah!”
Clap, clap, clap, clap!
The room was filled with cheers and applause from the many sturdy men gathered. Morvin stood with a goblet in hand, grinning as he addressed the crowd.
“Thanks to my brothers, I’ve… uh… I’ve made it to this position. From now on, I will always stand at the forefront of danger for my brothers… uh… that is to say…”
As Morvin awkwardly recited his poorly prepared speech, a sudden sound echoed.
Bang!
The door downstairs burst open with a crash.
“What the hell? What’s going on?”
“Was that the door on the first floor?”
“Who the hell dares to cause trouble on such a joyous day?”
The branch heads buzzed with noise. They hadn’t come alone. The ground floor was packed with their subordinates.
The men guarding the lower floor turned to the intruders who had broken through the door.
Though masked, the intruders were few in number. Confident in their numerical superiority, the Blue Skull Brotherhood’s members frowned and approached.
“Who the hell are you? Where are you from?”
The masked figure at the forefront replied.
“I am the Plunder King.”
Ghislain grinned wickedly.
It was time to cleanse the filth from the estate.