Chapter 31

Chapter 31
## Chapter 31

Shadows of Seoul (1)

“Hey, fancy another round? My treat!”

“We need a replacement driver over here!”

“Well hello, charming. Fancy sharing a glass with me in here? Whaddya say?”

Even with the shattered state of public safety, the nighttime avenues maintained their own vibrant energy.

The booming shouts of the inebriated, street barkers hustling for clientele, and slick thieves picking the pockets of oblivious drunks.

Hans’s sensory detection charm, fueled by his thrall sorcery, had grown broader in reach and sharper in precision as the days passed.

With a vastly expanded perimeter, disturbances within his territory cropped up far more regularly, keeping Hans more swamped than he had ever been.

Though he had initially intervened in all manner of petty offenses, he shifted his focus to penalizing the most severe transgressors as his tracking boundaries spread.

‘Even so, whispers of Hans’s work seem to have circulated a bit. Lately, the local thugs appear rather cautious.’

While conducting his vigilante sweeps, Hans had run across countless lawbreakers, including structured syndicates that held substantial sway throughout the dark alleys.

Naturally, he didn’t merely dismantle syndicates without cause; he dedicated his efforts to eliminating those caught red-handed or those who had undeniably crossed a line.

Eradicating the systemic root of the issue wasn’t entirely realistic, and even if he purged a sector, fresh blood would quickly step in to occupy the void.

Consequently, he primarily monitored the potential hazards after cataloging who they were.

* Deep Game Land

The establishment Heinz currently occupied belonged to one of the syndicates he had cataloged back then.

An adult gaming parlor tucked away in an isolated back street.

The moment the entrance door, covered in peeling adhesive film, swung inward, the interior vista was choked by dense clouds of tobacco smoke.

As he stepped across the threshold, every pair of eyes in the establishment locked directly onto Heinz.

“What’s a youngster like you doing in a dump like this? Looking to play a machine?”

Strolling forward with a cigarette dangling from his lips, a massive thug projected a nonchalant air but harbored a masked undercurrent of distrust.

Scattered among the patrons inside, several individuals were subtly shifting their fingers, feeling around for hidden blades.

‘Well, their suspicion makes perfect sense.’

An abrupt interloper entering a hidden establishment where unfamiliar faces were practically non-existent.

Furthermore, sporting a closely shorn scalp, a dark tailored suit, and a dark cloth covering everything beneath his eyes made for an undeniably striking look.

Failing to attract suspicion under these circumstances would be the real anomaly.

‘I actually thought about putting on dark glasses, but that felt like overkill… ‘

Transforming into a vampire had completely overhauled Hans’s physical features.

The ghostly complexion and restructured facial contours made it incredibly difficult for anyone to link him to his former identity.

Even so, conducting illicit operations while leaving his face completely bare anywhere was out of the question.

That being said, staying entirely hidden in the shadows is a chore. In this scenario, capitalizing on his altered features would prove far more advantageous for masking his true persona. The most critical element in this modified impression was intentionally putting his piercing glare on display, crafting a persona wholly detached from Hansung-hyun. These deductions, paired with a meticulously selected wardrobe, defined his current presentation.

Strolling around at the stroke of midnight wearing dark glasses would likely draw an even greater crowd.

“I’m here to offload some merchandise.”

“Merchandise? This is a slot parlor; you trying to peddle gaming hardware? We don’t traffic in ordinary goods.”

I slipped my fingers, encircled by a metallic band, deep into my trousers and fished out a brilliant gold token, flashing it before the massive thug.

Fixing his gaze on the token for a brief moment, he knitted his brows tightly and stared directly into my eyes.

“You’re an unfamiliar face around here. Who gave you our name?”

“Does that truly alter anything?”

“It alters everything. In our line of work, reliability is the foundational rule. We don’t conduct transactions with an unknown variable.”

“Fair enough, you have a point.”

This location operated as a syndicate that brokered a wide array of illicit black-market deals and contraband logistics.

An enterprise that Hans had spared previously because it proved too complicated for him to exploit directly.

I slid my fingers back into my trousers and flicked a metallic token straight toward him.

Catching the object effortlessly, he scrutinized it for several seconds before letting out a heavy breath.

“Word on the street was that nearly all of them got butchered by some maniacal corpse-raiser.”

The token was an identifier distributed exclusively to the elite echelons of the syndicate Hans had utterly wiped out—the faction deeply embedded in human trafficking and prolonged smuggling operations.

Naturally, I had resurrected every single one of them into my thrall army.

“The majority perished, and the whole crew shattered. I managed to be fortunate enough to slip away. Because of that, I’m looking to liquidate the leftover assets.”

In reality, after deploying mind sorcery to dissect the memories of the ringleaders and enforcers, wiping out anyone tied to those horrific atrocities, unless an individual possessed miraculous fortune to break away, absolutely no survivors remained.

He appeared to be mulling over my explanation and ultimately tossed the token back into my palm.

“Well, if that’s how the cards fell, you hit the right spot. It’s a shame about Boss Park, but those of us left standing still have bills to pay.”

Adopting a much more informal cadence, the massive thug added, “Regardless, I appreciate you making the trek out from Daelan-dong. That’s a decent journey.”

“Two.”

“Eh? What’s that supposed to signify?”

I merely stared at the massive thug, who was currently scratching at his scalp, maintaining absolute silence.

After several seconds of maintaining unbroken eye contact, he cleared his throat roughly.

“Right then, that settles it. Stick close to me.”

Uttering a small hack, the massive thug finally gestured for me to follow him into the deeper quarters.

The onlookers who had been tracking our movements shifted their attention away one by one, whispering softly to one another.

‘That fellow, despite his brutish exterior, actually possesses some wits.’

The dialogue from moments ago served as a covert verification protocol.

The syndicate’s supreme leader wasn’t Park but Joe, and their primary headquarters was situated in Garae-dong, not Daelan-dong.

There was absolutely no reason for me to step forward and correct his statements.

As a matter of fact, data of this nature could be gathered through numerous channels, and the protocol was primarily established to weed out pretenders like them.

The vital component was delivering the answers to the concealed riddles.

To put it more plainly, ‘how many factual errors were introduced in the dialogue?’

‘Dissecting the intellect of the high-ranking thugs to harvest their recollections yields excellent results. To be frank, I was fully aware of the answers before arriving.’

Every syndicate maintained pre-arranged security prompts and counter-phrases, rotating them on a strict schedule.

Probing an outsider by keeping track of every single alteration suggested that the massive thug was considerably more clever than his appearance led on.

“Step inside through here. Don’t expect me to escort you out when you’re finished.”

After steering through a labyrinthine set of passages, the massive thug stopped before a heavy door and vanished without uttering another syllable.

Without a moment of reluctance, I turned the handle and stepped inside.

Within the chamber, a partition featured a cutout designed solely to accommodate a person’s upper torso, merging with a counter reminiscent of a financial institution’s teller desk.

“Very well, what merchandise are we evaluating today?”

A concealed individual positioned on the opposite side of the partition stared at me and initiated the conversation.

“Cutting straight to the core, I appreciate that approach.”

Zero pleasantries, entirely focused on the transaction.

I pulled up the seat across from the partition and slid the gold token I had been turning over across the counter through the opening.

He silently collected the piece, sliding it over to his flank without uttering a single word.

Although the view was blocked behind the partition, the ambient noises indicated that multiple individuals occupied the hidden chamber.

They were undoubtedly transferring the item to an expert evaluator.

Rustle—

After a brief pause, he collected a slip of parchment passed from his flank, scanned it quickly, and slid it back across the counter toward my side.

A basic scrap of parchment displaying a series of numerical figures.

I knit my brows together.

“Aren’t you taking too massive a cut?”

“This is the standard rate for transactions conducted in an establishment of this nature. Were you not fully aware of the risks before stepping through our door?”

Naturally, I was well aware, but I hadn’t anticipated the markdown to be quite this predatory.

After a few moments of internal debate, I gave a firm nod.

In all honesty, I still possessed a tremendous cache of paper currency.

It wasn’t strictly mandatory to rely on this particular avenue.

‘I completely emptied the vaults of those criminal enterprises.’

A mountain of solid gold ingots, diverse property deeds, and bundles of paper bills that had been locked away in their strongrooms.

Hans had meticulously tucked those riches away within his pocket dimension.

Even so, the rationale behind my willingness to navigate this tedious protocol was…

“Very well, is it possible to accept payment in an alternative format besides physical currency?”

“Provided the valuation matches up, we can accommodate almost anything. What exactly are you hunting for?”

“A winning Lotto ticket.”

Regardless of how much raw paper currency a person hoards, if it cannot be openly spent, it amounts to nothing.

There are structural bounds to raw cash dealings, and in this contemporary era, anchoring all financial movements exclusively on cash carried heavy restrictions.

What I required was ‘perfectly legitimate, spendable capital’ attached to the name Hansung-hyun.

And a verified ledger showing a major Lotto win would act as the perfect front whenever I utilized cash down the road.

“…An arrangement like that carries a massive processing premium. Are you prepared to absorb that loss?”

“Naturally. What is the maximum limit you can source?”

“Let me check.”

The muffled clatter of a computer interface being tapped softly drifted out from the hidden chamber.

Whether a digital screen was positioned adjacent to the opening on their side or not, his gaze shifted slightly as if he were scanning a document.

“The largest sum we can put together on short notice is 6.1 billion. The processing window spans four months.”

“And if I am willing to wait?”

“4.4 billion. A duration of ten months.”

These criminals possessed far greater efficiency than I had initially credited them for.

“However, do you actually possess merchandise command of that valuation? Judging by this single gold token, it feels highly improbable.”

Well, seeing as I stood there completely empty-handed, it was entirely logical for him to harbor doubts.

Channeling my dimensional sorcery, I materialized heavy gold bars directly out of my pocket dimension and stacked them in perfect alignment upon the counter.

“…You possess exceptionally high-grade assets.”

In an instant, the individual’s demeanor shifted completely.

A avaricious gleam surfaced in his eyes, clear as day even through the fabric of his mask.

Bearing in mind that a tool capable of bending spatial dimensions was an ultra-rare artifact on its own, it was completely natural for him to lust after it.

Even for a syndicate backed by immense financial resources, certain mythical treasures remained entirely out of reach, making it completely logical for his greed to spike.

‘Yes, I anticipated this exact reaction.’

I stared straight through his mask.

Heinz’s irises shifted to a deep crimson hue, and the metallic aroma of fresh blood permeated the immediate atmosphere like a heavy fog.

“………!”

Not just the masked broker at the counter, but even the hidden companions sharing the inner chamber appeared to completely freeze in place.

The valuation might be perfectly fair, but the magnitude of the exchange is massive, and the client claims to be a lone survivor of a ruined syndicate.

If a helpless predator wanders directly into your jaws and you fail to snap down, you have no business operating in the criminal underworld.

‘This is a mandatory step to secure an equitable arrangement.’

They would have absolutely attempted to plunder my assets by any means available, whether through brute coercion or underhanded tactics, if I hadn’t put my capabilities on display.

Therefore, it was vital to reveal a fraction of my true dominance.

“We are going to execute a seamless transaction and conclude this on amicable terms. We will likely be crossing paths quite frequently.”

After a short interval, concluding that I had sufficiently cowed his ambitions, I dialed back my aura and spoke directly to him.

“…Ah, understood. Forgive my lapse in judgment.”

Fortunately, he appeared to have thoroughly digested my silent threat, as he cleared his throat nervously and dragged the pile of gold ingots from the counter over to his side.

The evaluator stationed beside him still seemed noticeably shaken, but quickly reoriented himself to inspect the gold bars, rendering a proper calculation.

‘As expected, raw power remains the most effective channel of negotiation, doesn’t it?’

The calculated value had indisputably surged compared to their initial offer.

It appeared they had adjusted several variables to grant me a far better rate regarding the operational premiums.

I offered a satisfied nod.

“As a reminder, our distribution covers strictly the face value of the prize. You will need to manage the government levies independently.”

On top of the standard conversion premiums and the surcharges for procuring a winning Lotto voucher, there was also the government tax obligation due upon redeeming the prize.

Even with this immense hoard of precious metal, the actual yield realized upon liquidating it didn’t even amount to a full portion.

‘With a cache of gold this size, and particularly when considering that these treasures possess absolutely no paper trail, I have no alternative route. But the loss still bites… ‘

“The gross calculated value sits slightly above 7.8 billion. If you select the 6.1 billion Lotto prize, once the processing premiums are subtracted, the residual balance… Do you require the remainder in standard currency?”

“Hmm, allow me a moment.”

Heinz feigned a brief period of indecision to gather his thoughts.

During that window, my primary body resting safely at home rapidly scoured the digital web for records.

‘If we look at a 6.1 billion Lotto prize from eight months back… there were a mere three grand prize winners? There hasn’t been a comparable payout in recent memory. This option is too exposed.’

While it would yield legitimate funds, it carried an unnecessary hazard of drawing scrutiny from organizations actively monitoring anomalies.

I had no clear picture of how extensive their data-harvesting network was, so taking unwarranted gambles was foolish.

“Rather than the single 6.1 billion prize, what is the maximum amount you can deliver entirely in Lotto vouchers to cover the total payout?”

“The entire sum? Hmm, in that scenario, once the operational premiums are handled, you would look at roughly 6.5 billion.”

“In that case, slice the total… actually, divide it into three separate disbursements. Allocate it as 3 billion, 2 billion, and 1.5 billion. Can your network support that?”

“If the numbers are roughly matching, it should be entirely doable…”

The masked broker seemed visibly unnerved by the request.

Nevertheless, grasping the logic behind my strategy, he quickly gave an affirmative nod.

“You operate with an abundance of caution, don’t you? To be perfectly frank, the vast majority of clients utilize our services strictly to wash dirty capital. Very few individuals go to such extreme lengths to mask their footprints here.”

The typical grand prize payout for the Lotto in recent cycles hovered around 2 billion.

With dozens of top-tier winners emerging every single week, tracking a specific ticket was a functional impossibility.

“We operate strictly as brokers in this chain, meaning we cannot guarantee precise figures down to the penny. We will distribute the allocations as close to those targets as possible.”

“That is perfectly acceptable. Still, your network appears incredibly well-organized. Do you service a massive clientele for this specific request?”

“Not particularly massive. The primary deterrent is that the state levies are incredibly steep. There are far more seamless and cost-effective channels available for washing capital.”

He raised his shoulders casually, noting that a steady stream of patrons still sought out these exact services.

Just as I had calculated, there was no superior method for establishing legitimate wealth within Korea.

With state levies fully cleared and the capital disbursed, there was zero legal ground for an audit, and no investigator could challenge sheer serendipity.

“Is that the case? How long must I wait for the vouchers to arrive on-site?”

“Hmm… It will likely require roughly one hour to transport the complete package to this chamber.”

It appeared they had established a shared network with alternative outfits managing identical operations.

Requiring a mere sixty minutes to assemble a sum of that magnitude was impressive.

‘I could find a permanent slot for an operation like this. If I possessed a loyal servant entrenched in this sector to manage minor logistics and run errands… ‘

Come to think of it, systematically subjugating an entire underground syndicate might actually be an excellent strategy.

It would insulate me from these tedious excursions, and they seemed highly practical for numerous endeavors.