Chapter 39

“I’ll draw their attention from the front.”

“No! I can’t let a civilian walk into danger like that!”

“Can you slow down and explain?”

“No!”

“That’s not slowing down, that’s just cutting it short.”

I sighed and opened my mouth.

“I’ve already gotten involved, and it’s not going to change much now. And can you really rescue everyone alone? According to Mina, it’s not just one or two people. One or two.”

“I’ll manage with my speed—”

“Carrying weakened people at that speed will injure or kill them.”

How impatient can you be?

Of course, rescuing kidnapped people is better the faster you are, but Speed’s problem was his hasty nature, matching his abilities.

Even though he made a big mistake during his rookie days because of it, it’s probably just his nature that he hasn’t changed.

He must know that too…

“I’ll go first and try to negotiate.”

“Negotiate? That’s—”

“Of course, I don’t mean a real negotiation. I’ll lure them in and take them all down. If I cause a commotion, Speed can move around the building and take out anyone who hasn’t gathered.”

“Simple plan! But—”

“I’m not weak enough to get hurt by those guys.”

The fact that I became famous for taking down Salmusa also means that there are few who have combat power equal to Salmusa.

With my original knowledge and the information I’ve gained here, there are only a handful in the Viper organization stronger than Salmusa.

So, the chances of those kidnappers killing me were low.

At most, they might have traps set up or an unexpected person hiding there… but in that case, Speed joining in would solve the problem.

Speed only had bad luck running into the final boss, but in terms of strength, he was a powerful enough hero. His being number 5 was proof of that.

A hero’s achievements and strength increase as their number decreases.

“I see!”

“Then let’s go. The faster we move, the better it is for us.”

No need to be as hasty as Speed, but if we take too long, the kidnapped people’s safety will be at risk, so we can’t delay any longer.

I took out the iron balls I had stored in my desk drawer and stuffed them into my pocket.

————————-

“Woof! Woof!”

At the sudden sound of a dog barking, Yonggu seized the moment, threw down his cards, and jumped up, shouting.

“Who the hell is coming at this hour!”

“Hey, you punk, where do you think you’re—”

“Work comes first, gambling later, right?”

‘Whew. Whoever it is, I owe them my life.’

He quickly stuffed his wallet into his pocket and went outside the office.

His colleagues, following him, soon saw the dog whimpering and hiding in its kennel, then turned their attention to the uninvited guest who had appeared in the middle of the night.

“Who the hell are you? We’re not open now—”

“You guys even have business hours?”

“Wait, that guy—”

“Call your boss. I’m here to make a deal, so let’s match the urgency.”

A chilling voice.

The Cobra members felt their spines tingle at the sound.

Like the cry of an anaconda slithering through the jungle, a suffocating aura.

‘Even the boss wasn’t this intense…!’

Their usual violent demeanor vanished, and the kidnappers turned into meek sheep, glancing at each other.

They knew very well that staying quiet like sheep in such moments was the way to prolong their lives.

How long had the uncomfortable silence lasted? A sharp noise passed by the ear of the cowardly gambler at the front.

‘If I guessed right—’

Something flew at an unrecognizable speed.

The man felt his hair stand on end, and his legs went weak, but he managed to hold on.

“Hurry up and call him. Before I start putting holes in foreheads, one by one, for every minute you delay.”

“Y-yes!”

The first to run out was the man who had fled the scene earlier, leaving his colleagues behind. The kidnappers, who had been glaring at him with resentment, now cautiously observed the figure hidden in the darkness.

‘Damn, I can’t see anything but his hair.’

‘His skin’s too dark to see clearly.’

‘Shit… when is the boss coming? He said he’d be here within an hour—’

How long had they waited in fear and anxiety?

The sound of hurried footsteps and the door creaking was followed by the appearance of the man who had fled and a frog-like man.

“W-we brought him!”

The frog-like man swallowed hard and slowly observed the man standing at the entrance.

Tall stature, ashen hair.

And brown skin barely visible in the dim light.

He felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

This man matched the description Cobra, his boss, had warned them to watch out for.

Not part of the underworld, but as dangerous as any outlaw—

His instincts began to sound a cautious alarm.

“How long are you going to keep quiet? I’m a busy man.”

Isaac glared at the frog with a displeased expression. As his menacing gaze turned toward the frog, the frog struggled to maintain composure and spoke.

“What brings you here? The auction hasn’t started yet—”

“Auction.”

‘These bastards, are they into human trafficking?’

In this era, there weren’t many things you could do with kidnapped people.

At best, organ trafficking, slavery, or kidnapping for ransom.

In early 21st-century Korea, such things were unimaginable, but unfortunately, this era is the late 21st century.

Such human rights concepts only apply to some in Seoul.

“Welcome. If you’re looking for a plaything—”

“Hey, isn’t there someone else? You don’t seem like the boss, just the person in charge here.”

“Boss Cobra is currently busy with work outside. He’ll be here soon, so if you want to talk to the boss—”

“So, he’s not here now?”

“Y-yes…”

‘Should I be glad he’s not here, or not?’

Isaac’s brow furrowed under the shadow of darkness.

Without knowing Cobra’s exact location, his unexpected intervention could complicate things.

But there’s no turning back now.

Isaac decided to proceed with the plan as quickly as possible.

“I didn’t expect Cobra to be such a small organization. I heard you had connections with the Seoul underworld.”

“Haha, our Cobra does have a wide reach. But most of our members are currently on a mission with the boss—”

“Whatever. I’m just here to make a deal.”

“So, what kind of deal are you here for?”

“Ah, what kind of deal…?”

Isaac reached into his pocket.

Everyone’s eyes followed his hand as it disappeared into his pocket.

What would come out?

Everyone watched with anticipation as his hand emerged from the pocket and rose to his chest.

“I came to trade the kidnapped people and your lives.”

Iron balls scattered in all directions.

Like the “Full Sky Flower Rain” from the martial arts novels people used to read before the war, the iron balls flew in all directions, mercilessly piercing through everything.

“Damn it!”

“It’s an ambush!”

The kidnappers, seasoned in the underworld, sensed the danger and used their abilities to block the iron balls.

But not everyone had the ability to stop the sharp, flying iron balls. Half of the gathered kidnappers were pierced all over, blood gushing from their bodies.

The frog, who had hidden behind his subordinate to avoid the crisis, immediately used his ability.

“Damn, what the hell is that?”

Isaac stared in disbelief at the frog who had disappeared in an instant.

Not only did he look like a frog, but his ability was frog-like too.

Cursing at the sight of the frog fleeing at an unimaginable speed, he turned his gaze to the survivors and delivered his verdict.

“Don’t you dare run. If you do, I’ll make you suffer worse than that.”

“Damn it…”

“F-fight! We outnumber him!”

The surviving kidnappers used their abilities and charged at Isaac. Watching them, Isaac sneered and grabbed a handful of iron balls from his pocket, wrapping them in his fists.

“Ever been hit by an iron fist?”

His fist connected with the jaw of a burly kidnapper charging at him.