Chapter 56

He was more troublesome than I thought.

I looked down at Mamba, who had collapsed with a hole where his heart should be, then raised my head to glance at his underlings.

“Do whatever you want with him.”

If they had interfered, I would’ve killed them… but since they didn’t seem to have any intention of doing so, there was no need to kill them.

I’m not a murderer, after all.

Without hesitation, I turned my back and left the hideout.

The next target was the lizard… but that guy was probably…

“It hasn’t even been 30 minutes, and you’re already back. As expected, you truly deserve the title of Snake Hunter.”

Snake Hunter.

I wasn’t sure if I should like or dislike that nickname.

Well… it’s not like I’m planning to commit any crimes, so it doesn’t seem like something I need to worry about.

Sure, I’ve killed quite a few people, but in this world, murder isn’t such a big deal as long as it’s justified, so it’s not something worth stressing over.

That said, I couldn’t help but feel like I was becoming too desensitized to killing.

…Maybe it’s because this body resembles Quaker’s, but strangely, I didn’t feel much shock.

Could it be the influence of this body’s original owner?

Or is there some other factor at play?

Someday, I want to uncover the secrets of this body… and to do that, I’ll have to go to Seoul.

After all, the person who created that lab is likely to have information about this body.

Once life stabilizes a bit more, I plan to slowly make my way toward Seoul.

“So, what about the lizard?”

“I had a hard time catching it whole.”

As if her words were a signal, a scream echoed from somewhere.

It was a pitiful scream.

“Looks like you couldn’t even manage to cut off its tail like usual.”

Ina shrugged instead of answering.

“I’ve seen you cut off tails more than once or twice. I prepared a very tight~ net to catch the body.”

“…I feel like I’ve been used.”

“Let’s call it a win-win strategy. You had to deal with them anyway. Think of it as building a friendly relationship with us while you’re at it.”

…Well, it’s not entirely wrong when you put it that way.

If I want to enter Seoul, I’ll need the Viper’s help, and thanks to this incident, I’ve somehow managed to gain their assistance.

Well, more accurately, it’s the help of the Viper’s boss.

“From my perspective, it’s a relief I don’t have to deal with one more hassle. But hey…”

“Ah, I’ll decline any date requests.”

“Wasn’t planning to ask.”

“Too bad. A man like the Snake Hunter could’ve made for a fun night.”

“Snakes aren’t my type.”

I couldn’t fully trust this girl.

She appeared out of nowhere with a suspicious vibe, and she’s the underling of that cunning Viper boss.

I couldn’t guess what kind of scheme this underling of his might be plotting.

“Too bad. I thought you were a playboy since you’re traveling with two girls.”

“They’re just kids I ended up taking care of.”

Of course… I know the way they look at me isn’t exactly lighthearted.

But my still somewhat intact sense of ethics is making me hesitate to fully accept the two kids.

…Given time, that sense of ethics will probably fade away.

“Hmm… well, let’s go with that.”

“So, can I meet the Viper boss?”

“Follow me.”

I followed her deeper into the Viper’s Den to meet the boss of the Viper faction, a figure shrouded in mystery even in the original story.

——————

“You’re younger than I expected.”

“I am a bit young.”

“If I were younger, I would’ve enjoyed you… kekeke.”

Did I just hear something creepy?

Let’s just pretend I didn’t.

It’s giving me a headache.

I sat down across from the old man, who had a snake-like demeanor, and stared at him.

Snake-like eyes. Skin that felt oddly out of place.

The founder of the Vipers.

The Viper Boss.

A smile hung on his lips, but his sharp eyes scanned me, sending shivers down my spine.

As expected, someone who’s ruled the underworld for decades is different.

“How amusing, truly amusing. I’ve raised many vipers, but the most perfect one appeared outside.”

“I’m not a viper.”

“Not yet, but in my eyes, you have the potential to become one. A big, strong viper…”

“I have no interest in this line of work. I’ve got too much to do.”

“What a shame.”

“If you’re looking for someone to entrust something to, find someone else. You’ve got plenty of lackeys, right?”

“Those fools are far from worthy of earning a name.”

When you think about it, this is a small pond. Compared to the big waters of Seoul’s underworld, it’s hard to find talent here.

Most of the capable ones have probably already gone to Seoul.

“After all, aren’t they just puppets? The Viper’s era has returned.”

“How curious. Someone who’s not even a viper acts like they know all about us.”

“I know enough. To survive, you need to know what’s around you.”

“True, that’s a fair point.”

The Viper boss chuckled as he looked at me.

His eyes were filled with interest.

I didn’t like it.

Who would enjoy being stared at by a crime boss?

It’s not like I have some perverse taste.

“Still, take the name.”

“Is it some kind of honorary title?”

“You could say that. Building connections with someone of your skill isn’t a bad thing. And… you seem like someone who could become a big shot.”

“A big shot…”

I have no intention of becoming one.

I’m just struggling to survive in this chaotic world.

I scratched my cheek and spoke.

“My goal is just to live well and eat well.”

“Then you chose a rather dangerous profession.”

“It’s only natural to choose a well-paying job if you want to live well.”

“How amusing, truly amusing! You’re a very interesting person. I’ve never met anyone like you in my life.”

Amusing?

I couldn’t understand the old man’s mindset at all.

Where’s the fun in what I just said?

“After talking with you, I can see it now. You’re cut out for this. It’s almost a shame to let you go outside this den.”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Then live in ignorance. Knowing this won’t change your life. And… that name suits you. Anaconda.”

Anaconda… huh.

“Anaconda. The snake that eats other snakes, right?”

“Clever. Most people these days don’t even know such a snake exists.”

“I just happened to learn about it.”

“Everyone has their own story. You must have quite a few yourself.”

“Well, yeah. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way.”

“Do that. It’s getting late.”

I got up without hesitation.

I doubt I’ll be coming back here, so I shouldn’t have any more dealings with the Vipers.

At least, I’d like to believe that.

Even if the Viper boss, who’s focused on maintaining the status quo, decides to mess with me, it’d be a bit unsettling, but…

“This old man is too tough to chew. So it’s best not to think about swallowing me.”

“I have no such intentions, so rest easy.”

“Take care. Ina, escort our new snake to his nest.”

“Yes, ma’am. Follow me, Isaac.”

I followed Ina out of the Viper’s hideout.

——————–

“…Wow. What on earth happened last night—”

“Had a bit of a scuffle with the Vipers.”

“But how come you’re completely fine?”

“Am I supposed to get hurt by these small fries?”

“Damn…”

The bearded man looked back and forth between the pile of corpses and me with a stunned expression.

Even to me, the pile of corpses that appeared overnight was a bit unsettling.

“Ugh… you owe me a meal later. Cleaning this up is a hassle.”

“I’ll treat you to a nice place later.”

We moved the bodies to a clearing on the outskirts of the swamp and set them on fire.

In this land of death, where people die every day, it’s common to gather the bodies and burn them all at once.

There aren’t many people who’d hold a proper funeral, and burying them is too much of a hassle.

“You sure get involved in a lot of incidents, huh?”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“But it’s a relief you’re still in one piece. You’re something else.”

The bearded man patted my back as if to console me.

A rough but warm touch.

I stared at the burning corpses and let out a sigh.

“Why is it so hard to live peacefully?”

“The world’s a mess. How can anyone live peacefully?”

“True enough.”

I’ll probably keep getting dragged into incidents.

But I mustn’t forget to pursue a peaceful daily life.

That’s the only compass for my life.

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

“Alright, let’s meet somewhere brighter next time!”

I left the clearing, where ashes were scattering, and returned to my nest.