NOVEL NEXT 19.
19.
What they did today was no different from usual. Luring in a stupid noble who accidentally wandered in and was throwing money around.
‘Yes, that’s right, but…’
Something was strange. Even though it was clearly a dangerous situation, that noble was smiling. Thinking there might be guards, they deliberately went around in circles through the alleys, but there was no one who looked like a guard.
If there had been guards, their allies mixed in among the vagrants would have informed them. In that case, the plan would have been completely halted, and the child would have headed somewhere other than the work site.
To a house where another child walking a similar path was waiting. When the child playing the role of the younger sibling pretends to be sick, a doctor recruited in advance nearby plays along. Then the story ends there. The noble returns, and they safely finish their day’s work. But today, they had a bad feeling.
‘This is strange.’
Why isn’t he scared? Is he really that stupid? He didn’t seem like that kind of person. The child backed up a little more.
After a brief exchange of words, Bill, one of the men, shouted. One-eyed Bill played the role of vice-captain right under the boss.
“Make sure he can’t escape!”
It meant to cut off his legs. Jack, who was closest, swung his axe. Jack was a man who wielded a long-handled hand axe like it was part of his body, and had cut off the legs of countless people until now. He thought it would be the same this time, but Jack’s axe cut through the air.
And the noble who dodged the axe struck Jack’s wrist.
“Argh!”
As the surprised Jack dropped the axe, the noble immediately kicked it, sending it flying into the air. Then he caught it.
The child blinked in surprise. The noble with the weapon in hand moved without hesitation. The axe buried itself in Jack’s neck and blood spurted.
“That bastard!”
Rick, standing next to him, shouted and charged in, but he met the same fate as Jack. He chops at the neck, and if that’s difficult, he cuts off arms and legs.
The child knew this was a difficult thing to do. The human body is tougher than one might think, so usually, even when using a weapon, it can’t be cut off in one go.
Screams continued, and as time passed, more people lay on the ground. The noble handled weapons almost as if they were part of his body. When the hand axe became dull with blood and grease sticking to it, he even snatched weapons from other people. The child forgot to run away and stared at the scene as if mesmerized.
They thought Jack handled the hand axe well, but the sword was on a different level. As he wielded the sword, he looked like a god of war. This wasn’t a fight, it was one-sided slaughter. And after the slaughter ended, only three survived. After confirming this, the noble lowered the sword in his hand and looked over the survivors. Those who barely survived trembled at his gaze. The child was the same.
‘Should I run away now?’
They thought so, but with the feeling of death approaching right in front of them, their legs wouldn’t move. The child tried curling up their body, just in case. If lucky, they might not be noticed.
“Let’s see. Three people should be enough. No.”
The noble turned his head.
“Four?”
At the end of that gaze was the child.
‘I’ve been discovered.’
The child took a deep breath.
Jinhyeon had kept three people alive to acquire information. Strictly speaking, the child was extra. Although he knew that children in this era were different from modern children, he still hesitated to kill them outright. But it seemed like it was a good decision in the end.
Because the child knew more than the three surviving men. Moreover, the child was very fearful and quick-witted, so there was no need to use force. He should have just killed the other three and asked the child directly.
The child listed everything they knew about the forces in the back alleys. How many forces occupied the back alleys, who was in charge as boss, how they divided the areas. Information richer than expected flowed from the child’s mouth.
“Where I am is Hans’ gang. Hans’ gang has three vice-captains, and they don’t get along well. One of them is Bill over there.”
The child’s gaze turned to one of the corpses lying dead. That’s a vice-captain? Seeing Jinhyeon’s doubtful gaze, the child waved their hands.
“Bill was the weakest among the vice-captains. Instead, I heard he did this job because he was fast on his feet.”
“This job?”
The child lowered their head and mumbled.
“Luring people in, robbing them of money, and killing them.”
From Jinhyeon’s perspective, he couldn’t tell whether the child felt guilty or not. But he could tell at least one thing. The child knew that their actions were seen as bad by others. It’s impressive for someone who grew up in this environment.
‘Though it’s not particularly important.’
While rummaging through Bill’s brutally sprawled corpse, Jinhyeon continued his questions.
“You said there were three forces here? Which gang is the strongest among them?”
“Blando. I heard their boss was a knight a long time ago. That’s why they say he’s good with a sword.”
“Have you seen him?”
“No. I haven’t seen him. But I heard other people talk about seeing him. They say he’s really strong. Probably the strongest among the gang bosses.”
“Then why couldn’t he take over the back alleys?”
“Because he has few people.”
Moreover, Blando had bad relationships with Hans and Green. Although Hans and Green fought frequently, they joined hands when fighting against Blando.
“Sounds like Blando is ostracized. Why do you think that is?”
“Is it okay for me to say?”
Jinhyeon took his hands off Bill’s corpse. The only useful thing he had was a map of the back alleys.
“From what I can see, I think it’s because of the line.”
“The line?”
“Blando’s boss keeps a minimum line. He doesn’t kill children and doesn’t beat innocent people.”
“You know quite a lot?”
At Jinhyeon’s words, the child spoke cautiously.
“I have a lot of friends.”
The child made many friends while eating and using less.
“Adults don’t care about young children.”
Abandoned children were all over the back alleys. Among them, there were no children who belonged to a specific force and were known by face.
“But you’re young too.”
“I’m an exception. Because I’m smart. Usually, they use older boys than me.”
The child emphasized their uniqueness.
‘I’m useful, so please don’t kill me.’
The desperate plea was conveyed to Jinhyeon as well.
“What’s your name?”
“It’s San.”
“How old are you?”
“I’m 12 years old.”
It doesn’t look that way. The child, San, was smaller and thinner than the average 12-year-old. When asked if they wanted to come along, San nodded. There might be ways to find other companions, but it seemed too uncertain.
Well, it wasn’t hard to understand. Most of the people San knew had been killed by Jinhyeon.
‘My body moves better than I thought.’
Jinhyeon felt that he had become much stronger than before he left the Colosseum. He realized it while practicing in the training ground, but Jinhyeon’s talent developed particularly quickly when he was with others rather than practicing alone. Especially in life-threatening dangerous situations, the speed at which his skills improved was terrifying.
‘I want to fight more.’
Thinking rationally, digging deeper here was clearly dangerous. According to the child, Bill’s group was the weakest among Hans’ gang. If he continued to step up, he would meet even stronger opponents.
‘Even though I know that.’
Jinhyeon quietly looked down at his calloused hands. Then he clenched his fists tightly.
‘I don’t want to back down.’
Originally, he had only intended to extract information, but since he had to find an information broker anyway, it seemed okay to move around a bit more while he was already stirred up. Jinhyeon needed more information.
“San.”
“Yes!”
San answered promptly.
“Do you know the location of an information broker by any chance?”
“Ah, yes. I’ve been there on errands. They say they move regularly, but since I went recently, they should still be there.”
The child even knew where the information broker was.
“Shall I guide you?”
San asked carefully. As Jinhyeon nodded, suddenly shouts were heard from over there. Looking that way, burly men were rushing over in a group.
“There he is!”
“That bastard!”
Seeing them, San whispered in a terrified voice.
“It’s Hans’ gang.”
It seemed that those who witnessed them on the way felt something suspicious and called for other comrades.
“We need to run away! Hans’ gang has the most people. Outside, let’s get outside. Once we’re out of here, they won’t be able to attack recklessly.”
If they’re caught recklessly attacking a noble who has left the back alleys, the guard will be dispatched. Even Hans’ gang, with their considerable numbers, could fight back, but that doesn’t mean they’d have a chance of winning.
If it’s judged that the guard is difficult to deal with, people above them will step in. If even a few knights are involved, it would be a massacre in an instant.
Those who wield weapons and have received the title of knight are on a different level of strength compared to back alley gangs. Those from the back alleys can never defeat them. No, they shouldn’t defeat them.
If they happen to kill one knight, more knights will come, and after that, hell would unfold.
So San wanted Jinhyeon to leave the back alleys. But Jinhyeon didn’t follow San’s words and picked up the sword he had thrown on the ground again. Then he threw himself among the rushing gang members.
“Eek!”
San let out a bizarre scream and crawled back into the shack. Every time Jinhyeon moved, blood fell again onto the muddy ground.
‘This is fun.’
Jinhyeon rampaged as he pleased.