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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“The culprit was a Specter of the Liberation Brigade.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Limon nodded once and tilted his teacup, taking another sip.
Watching his indifferent, almost bland reaction, Li Chingwei tilted her head.
“You don’t seem surprised.”
“I’m a bit past the age of being surprised by such things.”
When you’ve lived long enough, whether a bomb explodes next to you or a king dies unexpectedly, you just accept it as it is.
Boasting his age like the old man he was, Limon added,
“I also expected something like this.”
“…As expected, you knew from the beginning that the culprit was from the Liberation Brigade?”
“I didn’t know. I just had a hunch.”
“You’re very perceptive.”
“What’s so perceptive about it? It would be stranger not to notice.”
Limon scoffed slightly.
He was a former PAB agent, an expert on player criminals. He had even predicted their next target, so there was no way he wouldn’t notice the similarities between the culprits, including Ryu Kang-chul, and the Liberation Brigade.
[Well, as you said, Team Leader, there were a lot of clues.]
Na-kyung readily agreed.
High-level player criminals banding together was rare outside of the Liberation Brigade.
It was just that the Liberation Brigade was unusually difficult to track, normally, the more criminals acted together, the easier it was to find clues using Information Analysis or Prophecy skills.
Add to that the characteristic of all of them being ex-military or having undergone military training? It would be harder to find culprits who weren’t from the Liberation Brigade.
“Well, that’s true.”
Li Chingwei, who had also known this for quite some time, nodded.
Then, she muttered as if she found it strange,
“But Head Wang didn’t seem to notice.”
[No way.]
“No, really. He only suspected the Liberation Brigade after I subtly hinted at it through the Seven Dragons Association.”
Li Chingwei said this with a laugh, as if it were a joke.
However, Limon, understanding that she was serious, wore a dumbfounded expression.
“Didn’t he hire a bunch of Tracers? And no one pointed it out to him?”
“Cases related to the Liberation Brigade aren’t common. It seems most of them gave up when their skills were blocked, saying there were no clues.”
Limon’s expression became even stranger.
Cases involving the Liberation Brigade, which had many player criminals, were mainly handled by the PAB. But thanks to Limon, most of the PAB’s core agents were dead, and the rest were scattered after the organization’s dissolution.
So it was understandable that there were no Tracers left in the country who knew about the Liberation Brigade.
Yes, understandable, but…
“…Those idiotic Tracers, they’re useless without their skills.”
“It’s not just their fault. Even the Seven Dragons Association’s experts couldn’t find a connection to the Liberation Brigade.”
“The fact that Tracers, who do this for a living, are being compared to amateurs is the problem.”
Tracking was a lost art.
Even experts in it were just amateurs or keepers of traditional techniques. Tracers, on the other hand, were professionals.
The fact that these people, whose job was investigation and tracking, didn’t know this was proof that they relied solely on skills and neglected basic information gathering.
[Well, these days, unlike the past, you just need to be good at using skills.]
“That’s true.”
It wasn’t entirely their fault.
In this era, skills allowed for everything to be handled easily, quickly, and accurately.
Experts in a field were those who could use better skills more effectively, and other techniques or methods were just inefficient wastes of time.
“Besides, even if Head Wang had noticed sooner, it wouldn’t have changed anything.”
“Well, that’s true…”
Limon clicked his tongue but agreed. He knew that even if they had identified the culprits as members of the Liberation Brigade, it wouldn’t have helped in catching them.
That’s why he had given Wang Ki-neung clues but hadn’t told him to directly investigate the Liberation Brigade. He just hadn’t expected him to remain oblivious until Ryu Kang-chul was caught.
“The important thing isn’t their affiliation, is it?”
“You mean the reason?”
“Yes.”
Li Chingwei nodded readily.
Pouring fresh tea into Limon’s empty cup, she continued calmly,
“Even though the Seven Dragons Association isn’t exactly pro-player, the Liberation Brigade has never attacked us so directly before.”
“Because they didn’t want to die.”
Limon scoffed.
“Yes, the Liberation Brigade has avoided conflict with us, knowing they were at a disadvantage.”
Li Chingwei readily agreed.
No matter how many high-level players the Liberation Brigade had, that was all they were.
The Seven Dragons Association, on the other hand, was a shadowy organization that had almost overturned the world several times, and currently controlled all the wealth in the world.
The Ten Great Guilds might be a different story, but for a mere criminal organization like the Liberation Brigade to challenge the Seven Dragons Association was suicidal.
“Then why did they attack us now?”
In response to Li Chingwei’s question, Limon took a sip of his tea and answered,
“Well, it’s one of two reasons.”
“What do you mean?”
“The first is that they’ve gained the confidence to take on the Seven Dragons Association.”
“No, that’s absolutely impossible.”
“Aren’t you being too certain?”
“Maybe in about 10 years, but the Liberation Brigade doesn’t have that kind of power right now.”
“Hmm…?”
Limon looked at Li Chingwei with a strange expression for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
The reason the Black Dragon Clan’s affiliates were currently suffering was because this wasn’t their home turf, and the culprits were using hit-and-run tactics with a small elite force.
It would have been over long ago if they had fought head-on. If this had been the Seventy-Seven United States of China, no matter what tricks they pulled, they would have been caught within a week.
“Then it must be the second.”
“As you said before, they’re after something the Seven Dragons Association possesses.”
“Yes. I don’t know what those lunatics are trying to get their hands on, even if it means risking all-out war with you.”
“At least it’s not money or territory.”
“Because the cost-benefit analysis doesn’t add up?”
“Yes.”
It was a reasonable deduction.
Fighting the Seven Dragons Association for mere money or material gain was like burning down your house to light a candle.
“Hmm, then it’s highly likely they’re after something special that can’t be measured in money, or a person. And something recently acquired.”
“Because they would have moved already if it had been there for a long time.”
“Right. It’s possible they recently learned about something that’s been there all along, but that kind of speculation is endless.”
It was good to keep possibilities open, but now it was necessary to make some conjectures, even if they were far-fetched. After saying this calmly, Limon asked abruptly,
“So, any ideas? Any recent changes in your Seven Dragons Association?”
“Well, there have been some, but…”
“Why that expression?”
Li Chingwei trailed off.
She continued with a slightly troubled expression,
“The biggest recent change in our Seven Dragons Association is my engagement to you, Sword Saint.”
“Me?”
Limon blinked involuntarily.
Scratching his cheek, he asked,
“Are you saying they’re doing this because of me? Because I destroyed one of their bases?”
“Surely not?”
“Of course not.”
[If they were doing this for revenge, the Liberation Brigade wouldn’t be called a group of madmen.]
Li Chingwei, Limon, and Na-kyung unanimously agreed that revenge was unlikely.
While some criminal organizations had a strict code of blood revenge, the Liberation Brigade was a group that disregarded camaraderie and loyalty.
“They’ve got to be out of their minds. Does it make sense for them to attack me when they can’t even handle the Seven Dragons Association?”
[Wow… that’s incredibly annoying, but it makes sense, which makes it even more annoying.]
“Is there any possibility that they want something from you, Sword Saint, other than revenge?”
“I don’t know. All I have is my sword, this dove, and my body.”
[Hey! Stop calling me a dove! If you keep doing that, I’ll call you a shallow old geezer!]
Li Chingwei chuckled at Limon, who was spinning around with Na-kyung perched on his head.
Then she suddenly spoke,
“Actually, something’s been bothering me.”
“Bothering you?”
“Yes. The fact that the Liberation Brigade is an organization of players, by players, and for players.”
“Why?”
Limon was puzzled by her pointing out such an obvious fact. Looking at him with eyes as deep and dark as obsidian, Li Chingwei asked in a low voice,
“Are players the only ones who benefit from the growth of player power?”
At that moment, Limon’s expression shifted subtly. After a short silence, he asked abruptly,
“…Do you have any basis for that?”
“It’s just a hunch for now.”
“Somehow, that sounds scarier than saying you have evidence.”
“Because it’s a story worth being scared of.”
Limon and Li Chingwei nodded as they exchanged words with strangely omitted subjects.
Na-kyung, suddenly feeling like a pigeon thrown into a dumpster in its cage, blinked, unable to follow their conversation, and asked hesitantly,
[Um, I have no idea what you’re talking about.]
“It’s nothing special.”
“Yes, without concrete evidence, it’s just a conspiracy theory.”
[Hmmmmm?]
Ignoring Na-kyung, who folded her wings and wore a suspicious expression, Limon and Li Chingwei calmly continued their conversation.
“I guess there’s no other way than to ask directly.”
“Well, that’s the best way, if possible…”
Limon crossed his arms and, with an expression even more suspicious than Na-kyung perched on his head, asked,
“Do you think that Wang bastard can get that Ryu Kang-chul or whatever that son of a bitch’s name is to talk?”
“No, not at all.”
“Why are your answers always so clear-cut?”
“It’s information from a spy I’ve planted in the Shanghai Royal Family.”
“…You’re thorough, I’ll give you that.”
“Preparedness for contingencies and the ability to handle spies are basic qualities of a good wife.”
Perhaps pleased with Limon’s compliment, Li Chingwei smiled shyly. Na-kyung wore a dumbfounded expression.
[Absolutely not! Preparedness is one thing, but normal brides don’t plant spies and extract information!]
“What? But I understand that housewives usually spread specific information or dig up secrets under the guise of gossip when they gather.”
[That’s neighborhood gossip! Not a spy network!]
“Is there a difference?”
[Of course there is!]
Na-kyung was flabbergasted.
Li Chingwei tilted her head at her before speaking again.
“Well, even aside from the spy’s information, it’s certain that Head Wang hasn’t made much progress.”
“Why?”
“Head Wang requested use of the Torture Hall.”
“…That Wang bastard requested to use the Leviathan’s Torture Hall? To have someone else torture that son of a bitch for him?”
“Yes.”
At that moment, Limon raised an eyebrow. Putting down his teacup, he spoke in a cold voice,
“I spared that bastard because I didn’t want to bother beating him to death, but now he thinks I’m a complete pushover?”
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