The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld
Chapter 245

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

Chapter 245: Fists Know the Answer After All

"Diamando's location, you say? I can find it out within an hour at most."

Damien boasted confidently after receiving my request.

"That's reassuring."

"Hehe, it's nothing special."

Damien waved his hand dismissively and made a suggestion.

"But Sir Karzan, since we have some time, how about we have some tea while waiting?"

Of course, this man doesn't know that I'm Allenvert.

'Exposing secrets to an information broker is like displaying fish on a stand in front of cats.'

To avoid giving Damien unnecessary information, our companions except for Zizek and me were waiting outside.

'Even though we have a cooperative relationship, there's no need to expose information I'm not even being paid for.'

Anyway, knowing roughly what Damien was going to talk about, I pretended not to know and said,

"Hmm. Should we?"

"Since Zizek is here too, I have something important to discuss."

"I'm curious what kind of proposal you're making such a fuss about."

"It's nothing major, just about the port cargo handling business. I think it would suit Zizek's group in many ways."

"Hmm. Port cargo handling?"

I crossed my arms with a displeased expression. I had already heard about this from Zizek on our way here.

'Accepting a proposal right from the start isn't the attitude of a good negotiator.'

"It doesn't particularly interest me. Explain why we should get into that business."

At my cold reaction, Damien quickly began speaking.

"Oh, of course! There are three main benefits: first..."

Damien went on with his lengthy speech for nearly an hour.

***

"That guy sure talks a lot."

I grumbled as we came out after receiving Diamando's location.

"I thought my ears were going to bleed."

"Hehe, he probably got anxious seeing you so lukewarm about it, boss."

"Ridiculous. Does he like money that much? He's already made enough money to pile up."

"At that level, growing and succeeding in business itself becomes more thrilling than gambling."

"Well, that's true."

Most of the great merchants I've met were people who got their thrills from the process of power struggles and interests rather than money itself.

"Well, anyway."

I pointed to an old, shabby warehouse near the port.

"That's where he is, right? The fence called Diamando."

"Definitely."

"Good."

I adjusted my Mask of Aminicrus and looked around at my companions.

"Well then, everyone."

Command authority was mine in this situation.

"The infiltration team will be Young Lady Siena and myself. The ambush team will be Brother Knut, Sir Reinholdt, and Zizek."

All four nodded simultaneously.

"Young Lady, have you learned some stealth techniques?"

"Probably more deeply than you think."

Suspicious indeed.

I could bet about five gold coins that Siena had been involved in the shadows or a secret organization.

'Or maybe not.'

"We're going in now. You three, maintain your ambush positions no matter who passes by until I give the signal."

"Understood."

"Got it."

"Yes."

The three answered in turn.

"Let's see how well your ingenious strategy works?"

Knut was as excited as a boy going out for a hunting game.

'Damn, that guy has fighting maniac tendencies too.'

If I had to categorize him, he seemed more like a feline predator than a canine one.

'I'm looking forward to it. The martial essence that Eisenach has built up.'

Watching Knut fight would be a great help to me as well.

"Operation begins."

I combined the Whispering Snow in the Night and the Dark Star, blending into the pitch-black darkness of night.

'Whether you're a fence or a dung beetle, you're dead today.'

How dare you bother me.

***

"Hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm."

The fence who ruled the underworld, Diamando, leaned back in his office chair and hummed a tune.

"Kreutzel, that clever bastard."

Kreutzel's greed in trying to play both sides between himself and the Black Society was about to bring Diamando unexpected profits.

"Those Black Society bastards should have trusted someone trustworthy. Hehehe hahaha."

Diamando was a fence.

Therefore, he knew better than anyone how faithless and greedy thieves could be.

"Besides, though few people know it, that bastard Kreutzel has a solid reason to make money. If there's a chance to handle bigger money, he's not the type to fear some branch manager of the Black Society."

All these circumstances combined led Diamando to decide to handle Kreutzel's stolen goods.

'Even if I hand it over to the Black Society in the end, I get 10% of the item's value as a tip-off fee.'

This is what they call swimming while touching the ground.

"I'd be an idiot not to take this."

Diamando's lips curled up in a smirk.

"...But why isn't this bastard coming? It should be about time he..."

That's when it happened.

"Don't move."

"?!"

At the cold touch of metal suddenly pressing against his back without any warning, Diamando's body trembled.

"Put both hands above your head and walk to the center after getting up from the chair."

"..."

Even Diamando, who had experienced everything in the underworld, couldn't help but be startled for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Ha, this is absurd."

He was the type to act leisurely in such situations.

"You bastard, do you know who I am and still dare to do this?"

Then the man standing behind him replied curtly.

"Would I do this to someone I don't know? Think about it."

"..."

Diamando blinked for a moment and muttered.

"That's also true."

Diamando was such a reasonable man.

"Ha, well, this is quite a surprise."

Diamando got up from his chair and walked to the center of the office, asking casually.

"Did the Black Society send you?"

Then Karzan said.

"No? Your imagination is somewhat lacking."

"...Don't tell me, Valkenhain?"

That would be a bit troublesome, Diamando thought with a sour expression.

"Well, you could say that's not it either."

After all, Karzan wasn't a person from Valkenhain.

"...Then who the hell are you? Just some rat bastard who came following the smell of money?"

Diamando's voice turned cold.

"I'm going to turn around."

Diamando announced as if giving notice and turned to look at Karzan.

Karzan didn't stop him and smiled coldly.

"...Who are you? You look like someone who's been around the underworld for a long time."

"Haha."

Anyone seeing Karzan's face in such a place would think the same.

"You know well that I'm not going to answer that question."

Kugugugu...

The intimidation Karzan unleashed momentarily squeezed Diamando's heart.

"This bastard."

Diamando, who was also a renowned swordsman in his own right, resisted that intimidation with all his might and bluffed again.

"What do you want?"

"You should know."

When Karzan lowered his voice, it became a chilling threat in itself.

"Stay out of the Ebony Oath's deal."

"Ha, what kind of crazy bastard am I seeing now."

Fury and killing intent flashed in the money demon's eyes.

"Am I crazy? To give up such an opportunity to make easy money because of some bastard I don't even know where he crawled out from?"

Karzan shrugged.

"No matter how much money it is, it won't be worth more than your life."

"I'm not someone who'll fall for such pathetic threats. Even if I die, I need to make money."

Karzan clicked his tongue.

"I've seen plenty of bastards crazy about blood and slaughter, but it's been a while since I've seen someone this crazy about money."

However, Karzan wasn't interested in such stories.

"Sit down. I'll persuade you."

***

"You don't seem to know how persistent and vicious the Black Society bastards are."

I said while stroking Diamando's shortly cropped head.

"Don't act like you're going to die tomorrow. Even in this business, there are guys you can feel will fuck you up if you mess with them, right?"

Diamando replied resentfully.

"Anyone would think you're actually worried about me."

"Why would I worry about a bastard like you? That's just how it is."

I replied indifferently.

"If the Ebony Oath really falls into your hands, those guys will try to take it by disposing of you if necessary."

"Ha!"

Diamando snorted.

"That won't happen, will it?"

"Right. Because you're just a price inflator."

"...Did you hear everything?"

"You lack caution."

I said.

"In many ways. Have you done much business with the Black Society?"

"Countless times."

"Deals involving branch manager level?"

"...Never that high."

Diamando's expression became slightly serious. He hadn't expected branch manager talk to come up.

"Of course you wouldn't know the branch manager's name or face. He's not someone you can deal with."

Of course, I don't know who he is either, but I knew well how the Black Society generally operated.

"The Ebony Oath is a treasure that branch manager level, maybe even higher-ups, are directly watching. If some fence bastard suddenly tries to get his hands on it, do you think they'll just sit still?"

"..."

"Do you think they'll naively offer extra money with a smile to buy it back from you? That's only possible when dealing with low-level subordinates."

"...I told you. I'm just temporarily getting involved to raise the price and then backing out."

"It's not a matter where you can act like an auction house shill."

I clicked my tongue and said.

"If you clumsily interfere, you'll earn the wrath of both the Black Society and Valkenhain simultaneously."

"..."

Diamando asked.

"So what are you saying? What do you want?"

"I'm thinking of telling you a way for you to save your life and for me to safely recover the Ebony Oath."

"You crazy bastard. A third party who's neither Black Society nor Valkenhain?"

Diamando shook his head left and right as if dumbfounded.

"Let me hear what kind of bullshit this is."

"It's simple. Cooperate in setting a trap to catch that guy. If you do, I'll help you avoid some of the Black Society's wrath toward you."

"Specifically, what should I do?"

"Refuse the deal."

"And then?"

"When Kreutzel returns empty-handed, I'll kidnap him and disappear."

"...Hahaha. Then I can smooth things over with the Black Society with a proper excuse. Saying that maintaining loyalty with you people is more important, right?"

"Exactly."

"Hehehe."

Diamando's laughter wouldn't stop.

"This makes me even more curious. I absolutely must buy it by any means necessary."

"Really?"

I smirked.

'This bastard never intended to follow my words from the beginning.'

Then there's no choice.

"Too bad. Fists know the answer after all, I suppose."

"Bullshit!"

Diamando suddenly snapped his fingers, and a magical barrier instantly surrounded him.

"Oh my. He knew his life was precious, so he spent good money on an expensive artifact."

"Hahaha. I was only listening to your nonsense to buy time!"

Diamando laughed triumphantly and shouted.

"Kill him! Kill this bastard and pull out his guts!"

"Oh, how brutal, you stupid bastard."

I looked around at the mercenaries who seemed to be hired for good money.

"How come none of them know how to properly muffle their footsteps?"

I'm not someone who wouldn't notice these guys approaching.

"Hey man, I think they ripped you off?"

I said while tapping the defensive barrier around Diamando with my hand.

"Shut up. Even if you're stronger, you can't do anything about this barrier. It's a defensive magic personally imbued by a 6th tier mage..."

"Hehehe, is that so?"

I smiled and lightly placed my fist against the barrier.

"Soul-Penetrating Black Moon."

Doooooooong!

The penetrating mana that broke through the barrier completely turned Diamando's insides upside down.

"Gaaahhh!"

Diamando, incapacitated by a single blow, writhed while vomiting saliva, gastric acid, and blood.

"Ew, disgusting bastard."

This Soul-Penetrating Black Moon is a technique of the Allenvert style that even pierced through Siena's ultimate technique.

There's no way such a pathetic artifact could block it.

"Boss!"

"How dare you!"

I drew my sword and shot out sword energy from the Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique like cannonballs at the charging mercenaries.

Pababababak!

"Aaahhh!"

Unfortunately, not one of them could withstand even a single hit.

Moreover...

Shwaaaak!

Siena, who had been quietly hiding on the opposite side, unleashed slashes that cut the waists, heads, and arms of the fleeing mercenaries.

Splash!

Blood poured everywhere, and dozens of expensive mercenaries were instantly neutralized.

"Y-you had companions?"

I approached the shocked Diamando.

"These types always can't understand when you talk to them."

They only understand when beaten, like these beast-like bastards.

"What was that about artifacts?"

"Eek."

I stroked the back of Diamando's head, covered in tears, snot, and vomit.

"If I use that technique again here, you'll die with your brain turned to mush. Without a single external wound."

"...!"

"That would be a terrible death. Should I do that for you?"

I spoke like a villain.

"If you disappear without a trace, your subordinates will fight among themselves about revenge and succession. Meanwhile, all the money you've saved will be stolen, and revenge will fail... It's obvious without even looking."

I haven't been in this business for just a day or two.

"Didn't you say that precious money is worth more than life? If you die, all your saved money gets devoured by a pack of hyenas anyway. What do you think about that? Oh, I guess you won't care once you're dead?"

"..."

"You've become speechless, you pathetic bastard. Do you have children? There must be many. You look like someone who likes women."

I continued without caring.

"After you die so pathetically, your children will all become beggars and get kicked out. Your subordinates aren't loyal enough to protect and care for your children, are they? Of course not."

Diamando's body trembled.

"Until now, the connections you've built up have been protecting you. But I'm not particularly interested in your power struggles. It might be much more advantageous for me to kill you and cause chaos."

Looking down at this point, Diamando's complexion had become as pale as a full moon.

"I see you're feeling cooperative now."

I patted Diamando's thick chin...

"...Please spare me."

Diamando's tone finally became polite.

"You should have done that from the start."

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]