Chapter 88

“Ugh…!”

“Talk. Where is Joo Seung-hwan?”

“L-Let go of my hand…!”

As Yoo Ju released his hand, the man gasped for air and finally spoke.

“W-Why are you doing this to me?!”

“…Joo Seung-hwan. He must be in this city, right? I’ve done my research. If you’re lying…”

Seeing Yoo Ju grip the spear on her back, the man panicked and answered.

“W-Wait, calm down! I’m not lying! I don’t know every single person in this city by name…!”

“…..”

Seeing that Yoo Ju didn’t immediately swing her spear, the man sighed in relief and spoke again.

“You gotta give me some details… like his appearance or something! Don’t just say his name… tell me something else you know…!”

‘Damn it, damn it!’

The man cursed, blaming his terrible luck today.

He had already lost money gambling and was in a bad mood, and now some monster-like woman was threatening his life. It was impossible not to curse.

At first, he thought she might be from a rival organization, but the city of Silan had been under a monopoly for quite some time.

The ousted rival groups had no reason to interfere, and after hearing her speak, he was sure.

This woman wasn’t involved in any power struggles or organizational disputes.

Who would’ve thought such a beautiful face could hide such a violent personality?

‘Damn it… I thought she was hitting on me at first, but I’m the idiot for thinking that!’

“…He used to be an executive of the Hwashin Clan. Tall, with a shattered magic circuit. He was kicked out of the clan. I’ve told you what I know, so if you know anything, spill it.”

“…An executive of the Hwashin Clan? Uh…”

The man recalled a guy who frequented the gambling den. A guy who always limped and boasted about being a former executive of a large clan.

‘That guy… wasn’t he just a pathological liar? Is he for real?’

“You seem to know something. Talk.”

“W-Well…”

As the man hesitated, Yoo Ju immediately pressed the spear against his neck.

“Ahhh…! I know, I know! He’s… probably at the gambling den! That guy who always limps around like a wreck! Haha…! I remembered! So, uh, can you move the spear…?”

“I’ll move it after I hear the rest. What gambling den are you talking about?”

“Well… there’s only one gambling den in Silan. The real one’s underground… Wait, you’re not planning to cause trouble there, are you?”

Most people wouldn’t, but judging by the look in her eyes, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t.

‘Damn it, damn it…! If you cause trouble at the gambling den, I’m screwed too!’

The man wasn’t worried about the gambling den itself. The problem was if she caused a scene and got caught.

“I don’t plan to. What time does that guy usually crawl out of the gambling den?”

“Uh… between 10 and 11 PM. Damn it… please, please don’t make a big scene… If you get caught, I’m screwed too…!”

“I don’t plan to. Oh, I just remembered something else I wanted to ask. Do you know someone named Ho Jang-yoon?”

“W-What… how do you know that name?”

The man was utterly shocked. That name wasn’t something an outsider should know.

No, most people in Silan didn’t even know that name.

“How I know isn’t your concern. Just tell me where Ho Jang-yoon is. Unless you want to get stabbed by this spear right here.”

“Y-You’re crazy!”

At first, he thought she was bluffing, but after looking into her eyes, he realized she wasn’t.

“I don’t know how you know that name… but you can’t meet him anymore.”

“What do you mean? Are you saying you won’t talk even with your life on the line?”

“N-No, that’s not it…! Ho Jang-yoon died a while ago!”

“….What?”

Yoo Ju couldn’t comprehend what the man was saying. Ho Jang-yoon was someone who shouldn’t be dead.

“Are you lying? If you’re trying to deceive me…”

“It’s true, it’s true! I don’t know if you know about the black market in Silan, but a while ago, a slave girl escaped and killed Ho Jang-yoon and some black market people before running off!”

“…A slave?”

As a Returner, Yoo Ju knew about the existence of the black market and the fact that slaves were bought and sold.

But she didn’t pay much attention to the underworld, so she wasn’t fully aware of the details.

“Y-Yeah.”

“…You expect me to believe that? A single slave killed all those black market people and escaped?”

“D-Damn it, then go check for yourself! Anyway, the Ho Jang-yoon you’re looking for used to be the owner of the black market, but after the owner changed, everything got overhauled…!”

‘…If what he’s saying is true… the future has changed.’

Yoo Ju was flustered because the current situation was different from what she remembered from her first timeline. Originally, the drug distribution ring was led by Ho Jang-yoon.

“…Then who’s the current head of the drug distribution?”

“D-Drugs?… A-Are you… from the Royal Palace?”

The man’s face turned pale. Seeing Yoo Ju digging into the drug distribution, he mistakenly thought she was from the Royal Palace.

“That’s none of your business. Just answer the question.”

“I-I really have nothing to do with it! I swear I’ve been out of that business for a long time!”

“Did I ask you that? Just answer the question.”

“W-Well… I don’t know who the current head is! Honestly!”

“……”

As Yoo Ju subtly moved her spear again, the man hurriedly spoke.

“It’s true! I don’t know anything! I know drugs are being distributed, but I don’t know who’s behind it now!”

“Then what about the entrance to the black market? You must know that.”

“T-That, I don’t know either. After what happened, the original black market was shut down…”

“Sigh…”

Hearing Yoo Ju’s sigh, the man nervously glanced at her and started speaking again.



It started.

“Uh… this spear…”

“…Open your mouth.”

“…Huh?”

The man was momentarily flustered. He had asked for the spear to be removed, and now she’s telling him to open his mouth? Who knows if she might just shove the spear into his mouth if he opens it.

Realizing why the man was hesitating, Yoo Ju took something out and explained.

“…I need to shut your mouth. I’m going to give you medicine. So open your mouth.”

“Hey… medicine?”

The man didn’t want to open his mouth. Who would willingly take medicine like that?

Even the medicine she was holding looked ominous, being black in color.

“Don’t want to take it? Or do you want to die?”

The man hurriedly opened his mouth.

‘Damn it, damn it…! Why is this happening to me…!’

Yoo Ju immediately put the medicine in the man’s mouth, and he closed it.

“I-I took it…”

“……”

“Wh-what’s wrong? Your expression…”

“You’re lying, aren’t you?”

“Huh? Wh-what do you mean…”

“You didn’t swallow it, did you?”

“N-no, I did! I really did!”

“Sigh… That medicine should have an immediate reaction. Why isn’t it working?”

‘Damn it…!’

The man swallowed the medicine he had been holding in his mouth.

“Ugh…!”

As soon as he swallowed the medicine, he felt a stomachache. And then a feeling of something rising.

“Ugh…!”

Yoo Ju watched the man retch and then spoke.

“If you don’t take the antidote within the set period after taking that medicine, you’ll die a month later in excruciating pain.”

“Damn… Ugh…”

“So what I’m saying is… keep your mouth shut. Unless you want to experience the pain of your entire body melting.”

The man trembled as he listened to Yoo Ju and asked.

“H-how do I get the antidote…”

“Just keep going to the gambling den as usual. I’ll come find you before the month is up. Of course, if you open your mouth carelessly, there will be no antidote.”

The man nodded, trembling.

******

Joo Seung-hwan swallowed his curses as he looked at his hand. Because his cards were terrible.

‘Damn it… not even a single pair, damn it…!’

With his magic circuits shattered, there was nothing he could do, and with the money he had saved up, he was staying at an inn and spending his days at the gambling den.

While cursing inwardly at his cards, the man playing with him spoke to Joo Seung-hwan.

“What’s with you? Are you going to die?”

“…Damn it, die.”

With such a bad hand, he didn’t have enough funds to do anything today.

‘Damn it… I’m running out of money… what should I do, damn it!’

He couldn’t hold back the rising anger. Everything just sucked.

He still couldn’t believe that he ended up like this just because he messed with one trainee at the training facility.

Thinking about it, his fist automatically clenched.

It wasn’t long ago that he was cursing the Hwashin Clan, which had cast him out.

Whether his curses had any effect or not, he was quite surprised to hear that the Hwashin Clan had actually fallen.

‘That bastard Kang Seong-jun… I was loyal to the end, that son of a bitch…!’

He never dreamed that they would discard him like a rag just for messing with one trainee.

‘Why is the game not going my way? Damn it… is today just cursed?’

Normally, he would have won a little, but today the game just wasn’t going his way.

In the end, he lost the money he had bet, and the man across from him swept up the money.

“Hehehe… I’ll enjoy this.”

Joo Seung-hwan couldn’t hold back his anger as he watched the man lick his lips and sweep up the money.

Bang!

“Damn it…! This doesn’t make sense!”

“What doesn’t make sense? Did you think you’d only win?”

“Damn it… stop messing with me, you bastard!”

“Huh… really. Your temper…”

“Back then, you wouldn’t even dare to look me in the eye, and now you’re messing with me? How dare you!”

“This guy’s at it again. Why don’t you just play the game nicely?”

The reactions of the others were all the same. Just another day, another start.

“Damn it, damn it! I used to be…!”

“Come on, are you going on about the Hwashin Clan again? Yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re amazing.”

“You bastard…!”

Joo Seung-hwan couldn’t hold back his anger at the man’s completely disbelieving expression.

If it had gone on any longer, he might have grabbed the man by the collar. If it weren’t for the touch on his shoulder.

“Hey, buddy. Just play the game nicely, what’s all the fuss? How many times do we have to go through this? Let’s call it a day.”

“Damn it…!”

The man who put his hand on Joo Seung-hwan’s shoulder seemed to be quite strong, judging by his build. Joo Seung-hwan, knowing this, quietly shut his mouth.

‘Damn it… if only my magic circuits were intact, you bastards…!’

“Let’s call it a day today, and I’ll give you some of your money back. Come back tomorrow. You’re a regular, after all.”

“Damn it…”

Joo Seung-hwan didn’t want to take the money the guard was offering out of pride, but his financial situation wasn’t great, so he swallowed his pride, took the money, and left the gambling den.

“Phew…”

The cold air outside helped calm his anger a bit. At least he hadn’t lost too much money, so that was a relief.

As he entered the alleyway to head back to the inn, he felt a shock on the back of his neck and lost consciousness.