Those Who Live Without the Law

Chapter 74

Confidential Leak (3)

Satisfied with the answer, Kairus set Melvin down once more.

“Hey Melvin… no, that’s not right—Dr. Istovan. I don’t want to handle things so roughly like this either.”

His voice was suddenly warm and friendly, unlike just moments ago. Melvin, thrown off by Kairus’s constantly shifting attitude, couldn’t get a read on him.

“I need you. You know that very well, don’t you? Likewise, without my help, you’ll never find the Dersos ruins you’ve been searching for.”

They needed each other. Melvin Istovan gave a small nod.

“Good,” Kairus said, then filled a teacup with hot tea and held it out to Melvin.

“And contrary to what you think, the Representative of the Rose Garden is incredibly cultured.”

“…Is that so?”

Kairus had told the truth, but from Melvin’s perspective, it was hard to believe.

“She’s a criminal. Even if she’s cultured, that doesn’t mean much.”

Irena chimed in with a similar opinion. Generally, the big shots in criminal organizations might have wealth, but they were typically crude nouveau riche lacking in refinement.

“Irena, saying something so general even after seeing me?”

“…You’ve got a point.”

Irena sighed softly and nodded, as if conceding the logic. Indeed, by that logic, it made no sense that someone like Kairus—who worked alone as a robber and thief—could have such refined manners.

“The city we’re heading to is the final refuge for all kinds of people, those who have nowhere else to go and no one to take them in.”

It was only natural that all sorts would end up there.

“Just like there are people like me, there are also crime bosses with immense refinement.”

Cecilia would no doubt recognize the value of the underground shelter. Of course, even if she saw its worth, there was no guarantee she would preserve it.

“Anyway, you’ll meet her once we arrive in Bennett City. Judge for yourself when you see her.”

“Understood. Ah, since you two have joined me…”

The locomotive would set off again. Now that Kairus had joined Melvin, the sooner they departed and arrived in Bennett City, the better it would be for the Rose Garden as well.

“I’ve explained everything, so the Rose Garden won’t bother hiding their identity anymore.”

No sooner had Kairus finished speaking than the cabin’s bell rang.

When the door opened, members of the organization, their collars adorned with brooches bearing the Rose Garden emblem, were waiting outside.

“I’m Evans, Manager of the Rose Garden’s Business Support Team 2.”

The man, who introduced himself as Evans, promptly greeted Melvin Istovan.

“The Representative has instructed us to escort you respectfully to Bennett City. We also apologize for monitoring you earlier without permission. Given the circumstances, it was difficult to seek your consent in advance. We hope you can understand.”

Though Evans was polite and courteous, the presence of the members standing behind him radiated such intense pressure that the apology felt more like a demand for acceptance than a sincere request.

“It's… fine. Hahaha, I suppose that sort of thing can happen when you’re handling something big.”

Caught in the suffocating atmosphere, Melvin had no choice but to accept the apology.

“Thank you so much for your understanding. Then, if you’ll come with us.”

After finishing what he had to say to Melvin, Evans turned to Kairus and Irena.

“You two as well, please.”

Irena stepped out first. Then, just as Kairus was about to follow her, Evans leaned in and spoke quietly into his ear.

“I’m aware of your situation. But despite that, the Representative has instructed us to treat you with the utmost courtesy. For now, that is.”

There was a chance Kairus could be of great help to the Rose Garden.

Regardless of the path taken to this point, a promise of polite treatment had been extended. However, if the results didn’t meet expectations, or if the discovered shelter failed to meet Cecilia’s standards…

“Mr. Kairus, you’ll need to deliver results the Representative finds satisfactory. That’s advice given for your own good.”

“I know.”

Though the man addressed Kairus with formality, Kairus couldn’t bring himself to respond in kind.

Call it a warm reception if they liked, but if the Rose Garden changed their mind now, the three of them—including Kairus—would be reduced to minced meat without even the chance to resist.

“Just because you watch politely doesn’t mean you’re a bodyguard instead of a jailer.”

“Still, isn’t that better than being watched rudely?”

Evans made no attempt to deny that they were acting as jailers. His attitude made Kairus even more annoyed.

Even so, the polite treatment was genuine.

The three of them, including Kairus, were taken to the station in a prepared vehicle, and an entire train car had been arranged just for them.

“…This is how you treat foreign emissaries. Bennett City is starting to scare me.”

Irena looked around the compartment with a troubled expression.

“This isn’t a repurposed train car.”

At Kairus’s words, Irena nodded in agreement.

This wasn’t some old train car that had been retrofitted. It was a specially prepared car that had been linked to a train already in operation.

In other words, the car had been custom-built from the ground up.

“This is one of the compartments the Representative uses during long travels.”

According to Evans, it was one of four compartments configured as a mobile office set.

“This one seems to be a lodging car, right?”

At Kairus’s remark, Evans nodded. Melvin let out a thoughtful hum.

“Um, it looks like it’s been modified a bit. The latch on the door…”

It was installed backwards. If the latch was locked from the outside, the person inside would be trapped.

“We made a few adjustments to suit its current intended use.”

When Cecilia was aboard, this train car functioned as a mobile lodging over the rails. But now that the three of them were here, it served as a luxurious prison traveling the tracks.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

Evans gave a polite bow, then closed the door and locked the latch from the outside.

“Don’t even think about trying to get out.”

At Kairus’s words, Irena nodded. The moment they tried anything, they’d be discovered and killed on the spot.

Strict security that allowed no one to enter could, with a slight adjustment, just as easily become a prison that let no one out.

“For now, we’re just like meat sealed in a can.”

They needed to stay quiet.

“Well, now that it’s come to this…”

Irena looked around, found a tissue, then drew her sword.

It seemed she intended to resume her training now that things had settled. Kairus glanced at her for a moment, then turned his gaze to Melvin.

“I’d like you to give a lecture, if you don’t mind.”

“A lecture…? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Kairus patted the sofa and spoke.

“We’re all in the same boat now. You know that, right? Since we’ve got to work together, I was hoping you’d share anything you know about the underground shelter.”

Melvin let out a small “ah” at Kairus’s words and nodded.

“I hope it’ll be of some help.”

With that, Melvin looked around, gathered some paper and a pen, and began.

“The sewer system in Bennett City was originally built by the Dersos civilization.”

The underground sewers first constructed by the Dersos civilization followed calculated principles and formulas, resulting in an intricate design.

“But it’s not like that anymore, right? I heard it’s practically a labyrinth now.”

At Kairus’s remark, Melvin nodded slightly.

“That’s what I’ve heard as well.”

Over time, countless people began using the sewers for their own purposes.

Open tunnels were blocked off, blank walls were broken through to create new passages, and centuries passed.

Now, they had to find the hidden path through that labyrinth leading to Pontus.

“For now, based on what I’ve researched, the major structure connecting Bennett City’s sewers to Pontus looks like this.”

[Sewer → Dimensional Maze → Pontus → Large Reservoir]

Kairus rested his chin on his hand and looked at the paper.

“What’s this ‘Dimensional Maze’ supposed to be?”

“It’s a maze you must pass through in order to reach Pontus.”

At the end of that maze lay the entrance to Pontus, which could be opened using the Yucheok Sword.

“I don’t like the sound of something called a ‘Dimensional Maze.’”

Irena shared her opinion quietly. Kairus felt the same. What exactly did that term imply?

“Simply put, it’s a multi-layered maze.”

Each layer of the maze contained multiple independent labyrinths. And within each maze, there were several entrances that led to mazes on other levels.

“So, are all the mazes interconnected?”

“Not quite.”

Some mazes were disconnected, while others were linked. A vast space constructed from countless mazes stacked over multiple levels.

“The door to Pontus definitely lies within that dimensional maze.”

Kairus let out a short laugh and leaned against the wall.

“Then we can just smash our way through everything until we find the entrance.”

Melvin shook his head at Kairus’s remark.

“The Dersos weren’t fools.”

The mazes stacked on multiple levels had been cleverly and precisely built to support each other’s weight.

“Breaking parts of a wall a few times might be fine, but…”

“But if we keep breaking walls, the entire maze might collapse and bury us alive.”

Kairus responded with a much more serious expression than before.

That wasn’t really the issue. Kairus had Flicker, and with it, he could pass through walls and restore them afterward.

The real issue lay elsewhere.

“Then do we always have to go through that maze to get to Pontus?”

Melvin shook his head at Kairus’s question.

“No. Once you pass through the maze the first time and open the entrance with the Yucheok Sword, you can use the internal lift mechanism.”

Kairus and Irena turned to look at each other almost simultaneously.

“Isn’t Dersos an ancient civilization? You’re saying they had elevators?”

It was a hard story to believe. The shelter, according to speculation, was located hundreds of meters underground.

A lift reaching from a shelter that deep all the way to the surface?

“If the lift system isn’t activated, the entry to it is essentially a cliff hundreds of meters deep.”

Naturally, the lift system couldn’t be used without the Yucheok Sword.

“Well built. But what’s the purpose of that massive reservoir at the very bottom of Pontus?”

In response to Irena’s question, Melvin answered.

“It serves as the power source for the lift while also managing ventilation for the shelter.”

It was assumed there were around three to seven enormous reservoirs.

Each reservoir regulated internal air pressure by filling and draining water, drawing surface air into the shelter and expelling old air back to the surface.

“So it’s like a pair of lungs.”

“Exactly. You could call it the lungs of the shelter, operated by hydraulic pressure.”

Kairus let out a sound of interest.

“Then there must be air shafts leading up to the surface. What if we enter through those?”

Melvin shook his head at Kairus’s suggestion.

“The air shafts only lead to one of Pontus’s massive reservoirs.”

Considering the sheer size of each reservoir, even if one made it inside, it would be pointless. They’d either die trapped inside the vast tank or be forced to retreat back through the air shaft.

In other words, a dead end.

“Makes sense. There’s no other way but the dimensional maze.”

After considering various possibilities, Kairus had no choice but to admit that passing through the dimensional maze was the only real option.

Now, it was time to discuss the next topic of interest. Kairus posed one of the questions he considered most important.

“What kind of things are inside Pontus?”