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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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Chapter 152: The Mid-Level Manager, Porter
Porter's office, 2nd floor of the regular branch.
Porter, who had been secretly receiving guests since morning, suddenly frowned and looked at the door.
Knock, knock—
“Manager, it’s Bao.”
“What is it?”
“There’s something I need to report.”
“Don't you know I told you not to disturb me when I'm working?”
“……I apologize.”
“Come back later.”
A frightened reply was heard from the other side of the door.
“Understood. I apologize.”
Porter looked at the sharp-faced man sitting opposite him.
“Sorry about that. He’s a newbie. I need to retrain him.”
“It's alright.”
When the man smiled, the torn scar at the corner of his mouth stood out.
The man stuck out his tongue and licked his lips before speaking.
“Shall we continue our conversation then?”
“Yes, you were asking to increase the ratio, right?”
“That's right.”
After a few hours of serious discussion, a smile appeared on both Porter and the man's faces simultaneously.
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“With such good results, there's nothing to understand. It's a win-win situation, isn't it?”
“I'll see you on the next scheduled date.”
As soon as the man left, Porter's expression changed.
Wiping the smile off his face, he muttered in a strange voice.
“It was too big.”
Just then, another knock on the door made Porter look straight ahead.
“Manager, it’s Bao.”
“Come in.”
As soon as Bao entered, Porter looked at him with an indifferent expression.
"Did you not hear a word I said?"
“Ah, no, sir.”
“Don't do what I tell you not to do. I hate repeating myself. You must have heard the rumors about me.”
“No, sir.”
“No?”
Porter took a step toward Bao and grinned.
“Are you kidding me right now?”
As soon as Porter activated his Manacore in an intimidating manner, cold sweat ran down Bao's face.
“You really don't know? Everyone knows I was kicked out of headquarters, but you don't?”
“Ah, I know, sir.”
Bao hurriedly held out the documents in his hand.
“I apologize. It was an unusual matter, so I thought I should report it to you urgently.”
“Oh? Now you're talking back to me?”
Porter snatched the documents from Bao's hand and then said in a coercive tone.
“Let's see just how unusual this matter is that you dared to ignore me.”
Porter's eyes, which had been scanning the documents, suddenly turned serious, and he sat down and began to read them carefully.
"What is this?"
Porter muttered, pointing at the letters written on the document one by one.
"Section 25, Section 27, Section 23, Section 42, Section 40, Section 22, Section 31... even Section 17? Are these times correct?"
"They were all completed within 10 minutes."
Bao continued his report.
"Just in case, I observed for a week. There were no errors."
"Even Section 17?"
"I confirmed it directly with the managers of each section."
"They finished as soon as they entered? What kind of nonsense is that!"
Porter yelled, furrowing his brow.
"...Is someone from a vassal clan playing tricks? No. There's no reason for them to come to a low-level demon realm. Or could it be that those good-for-nothing scoundrels are colluding instead of competing?"
Porter, who was scanning the document again, stopped his gaze at one point.
"The Samael Clan's Crazy Mage Squad?"
"Yes. They're the ones I reported to you about a while ago."
"Who?"
"The ones I reported about because of Section 37."
"Those guys from last time?"
"That's right."
Porter suddenly jumped up from his seat and manipulated the magic recording device placed on one side of the office.
"...Look at these guys. They swept all the contribution points from every demon realm they entered?"
Porter looked back at Bao.
"What about the guys who entered with them? Are they all dead?"
"There were no deaths."
"So they just monopolized everything first? Where did these bastards roll in from... No, wait."
Suddenly, Porter's expression changed subtly, and a smile appeared on his face.
"It's not necessarily a bad thing. It's about time the Cleaners got some competition. If I play this right..."
As the smile on his face grew thicker, Porter turned his gaze to Bao.
"Where are these guys now?"
"There's been no news of them since they finished Section 17."
"Find them and bring them to me."
"Yes. Then by today..."
Porter flicked his fingers.
"Right now."
***
At a makeshift table outside a shabby tavern in the city, I sat surrounded by my subordinates, enjoying a long-awaited feast.
"Why the long faces, everyone?"
"..."
Who was it that said life is lonely?
Looking around, I was the only one enjoying the feast.
No one answered.
Ah, how lonely.
"Doesn't the food suit your taste?"
"..."
"How lonely."
I tried talking to them again because I was so lonely, but all that came back was silence.
"...Damn it, at least buy something delicious. I've been eating jerky for two days straight, I feel like I'm going to puke."
"Thanks, Zion."
"For what?"
"Thanks to you, the loneliness is gone. I'm fine now."
"You're saying you're fine?"
"I'm fine."
"You're saying that because you haven't entered the demon realm, Commander! It's always been us going in!"
"I hunted too."
"What kind of bullshit is that?"
"Auto-hunting is still hunting."
Zion muttered a curse under his breath and started chugging the cheap liquor in front of him.
I drank some too.
Sometimes, alcohol tastes good even early in the morning.
After downing three glasses of liquor in a row, Zion glared at me.
"How long are we going to keep doing this?"
"Hmm."
That was something I was pondering as well.
Except for Makan, all my subordinates looked haggard.
It was the result of running around demon realms like crazy for a week.
And we didn't even accumulate that many contribution points.
[1850 points]
We monopolized every demon realm we entered, but the points accumulated slowly.
Except for the first demon realm we entered, Section 37, most of them only yielded two-digit contribution points. It seemed to be the difference depending on whether or not variant species appeared.
"It's time for a change."
Moreover, we haven't found any evidence about the demons.
In any case, it was a waste of time to invest any more time in Level 4 demon realms.
If there was any small achievement, it was that the way people looked at us had changed.
Wherever we went, people started to recognize us.
Even in this tavern, there were people sneaking glances at us.
"Here's the beef stew you ordered."
As soon as Makan and Zion took a bite of the stew, they put down their spoons. Even Palge took a few bites and then put his spoon down.
"...The food here is terrible. Can't we go somewhere else?"
"Taverns that serve cheap liquor aren't common."
My philosophy is that alcohol is more important than food.
But the alcohol wasn't the only reason I chose this tavern.
It was located in a place where I could see the back alleys of the city at a glance.
"I don't see that Black Otter guy."
For a week, every time we entered a demon realm, I looked for that gloomy man nearby, but I never saw him once.
I scanned the people coming and going while drinking at the tavern, but there was no one suspicious.
The two gold coins were quite a waste.
But I don't forget my enemies. I'll find him somehow and rip him off three times over.
"Well, well, well! Look who it is!"
As soon as I drank a glass of cheap liquor, a familiar voice came from outside.
"You guys were here?"
"Chano Hyung?"
Zion's gloomy eyes suddenly brightened, and he raised his hand towards Chano.
"Chano Hyung! What brings you here?"
"What brings me here? Just here for a drink,"
Chano said casually as he entered and sat at our table.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Of course, Chano Hyung. Have a drink."
"Oh, you guys drink this too?"
"Nothing beats cheap liquor."
"You know what's good. This place has terrible food, but the alcohol is decent."
Chano chuckled, took a sip of the liquor, and looked at me.
"I'm sorry about last time."
I studied Chano's expression.
"What are you sorry for?"
"I didn't get a chance to properly greet you, things were a bit hectic."
"That's true. Are you feeling better now?"
Chano coughed awkwardly.
"Forget about that day. I made a fool of myself. Skilled individuals can appear at any time. I was acting like a naive kid."
"It happens."
"I heard the rumors. Samael's Crazy Mage Squad. You've been wiping out every Level 4 demon realm you enter. Impressive, very impressive. Section 17 must have been especially competitive."
"It was nothing special, Chano Hyung."
Chano narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Zion.
"What was your name again...?"
"You still don't know my name?"
Zion said with a solemn face as he poured cheap liquor into an empty glass.
"Remember it clearly from now on."
Glancing at me, Zion offered the filled glass to Chano.
"I am Samael's business ma... Ah, Ow!"
Bzzzt
The electric current released by Arin struck Zion's palm directly.
Zion had been watching me but failed to notice Arin's movements.
"Stop repeating the same thing, Zion."
"Why are you being such a bitch!"
Arin slapped Zion on the cheek.
"How dare you? A bitch? You have no filter."
"Ugh, damn it."
I looked at Chano.
"By the way, where have you been? I haven't seen you around."
Chano's expression suddenly turned serious.
"We entered a Level 3 demon realm."
"A Level 3?"
"We suffered quite a bit of loss. Despite our thorough preparations, we didn't gain many contribution points. But there were no casualties."
"I guess that wound is from this time then."
Chano touched the deep cut on his right arm.
"A badge of honor."
Makan, who had been listening quietly, asked,
"Is Level 3 different?"
"There are a lot of variables, but with your skills, you're unlikely to die. There's another one scheduled to open in two days, so if you're interested, think about it."
"Is the competition fierce in Level 3 too?"
"No. On the contrary, there aren't any incompetent fools, so there's hardly any competition. But there are some guys you need to watch out for."
"Where are the other members who entered with you?"
Actually, we just got out of the demon realm not too long ago.
The others went to bed because they were tired. They have no sense of romance. They don't even know that drinking at a time like this is the real deal."
"You were the leader of the Life Mercenary Corps?"
"That's right. I'm the leader. By the way, you guys are truly amazing. Even though Level 4 demon realms are easy, they're swarming with small fry, which is quite annoying. Besides, the clear times are unbelievable. Let me tell you a story. Based on my experience from when I was in the LA Mercenary Corps..."
The nosy Chano continued talking.
At first, my subordinates listened politely, but as Chano showed no signs of finishing, their expressions gradually began to change.
The surprising thing was that I didn't know where to interrupt him.
It felt like there was no breathing room between sentences.
I felt like my ears were about to bleed.
Arin and Zion looked at me simultaneously.
'Should I knock him unconscious?'
'How about a slap?'
Just as electricity started crackling from Arin's hand, and flames began to engulf Zion's hand...
"Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad?"
At that perfect moment, I heard a voice calling me from the street on the right.
Chano, whose breath had hitched, let out a "Gah!" and looked outside.
I tilted my head, looking at the young man approaching us.
"Are you here for a drink too?"
"I'm here to see the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad."
"Me?"
The official approached and asked in a polite voice,
"Would you have some time to spare? Our mid-level manager would like to see you."
"What's a mid-level manager?"
"He's in charge of the low-level demon realms."
"Why does the manager want to see me?"
The official hesitated slightly before replying,
"He's curious about you."
"How did he know I was here?"
"Many people already recognize you. It was easy to find you."
"Alright. I'll visit him later."
After finishing my sentence, I started drinking again.
While I was emptying a whole bottle, the official kept lingering in the same spot, so I asked,
"Why haven't you left yet? Would you like a drink?"
The official politely clasped his hands together.
"Would it be possible for you to come with me now?"
Chano whispered from the side,
"He's not someone you want to get involved with. It's best to avoid him if possible."
Suddenly, I became interested.
Not someone I want to get involved with?
Looking closely, the official's expression also seemed somewhat unnatural.
I looked at my subordinates and said,
"Rest here and drink."
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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