Chapter 236: Aftermath (3)

Virgil looked around at his silent colleagues and spoke.

“I’ll personally inform Van about the Chairman’s condition. Of course, that man wouldn’t accidentally let the secret slip… but if we don’t tell him why she has lost her prestige and is engrossed in ‘research,’ he won’t be convinced.”

“Damn it… to be swayed like this by a mere freelancer.”

Merlida grumbled, but she didn’t deny Virgil’s words.

All three executives remaining here were veterans who had been with Olivera since the Cartel’s inception.

They all knew why she, who had boasted peak skills, had lost her power and fallen, and why she was secluded, engrossed in unknown research.

Hadn’t McQueen also dared to commit such a bold betrayal precisely because he knew the Chairman couldn’t move freely?

Kansoa spoke.

“As it’s hard to predict how this city will change, there’s no need to unnecessarily increase our enemies. In fact, I hope he uses his authority as an outside director to help the Cartel’s hierarchy…”

“That depends on how we approach it from now on.”

Virgil replied.

“I’ve gathered information about that man’s identity and public opinion from the deep web, so take a look.”

With that, he connected a terminal to his phone and immediately sent the files to the other three.

As each of them received and read the information Virgil had sent, Virgil continued.

“When he first appeared in this city and contacted Zenith, he was already a high-level wizard, and despite many people digging into his background, they couldn’t find any traces. He’s a man who has thoroughly hidden himself, to the extent that his past and current residence are unknown.”

“…”

“Moreover, there are many evaluations stating that his work is extremely clean and his dealings are thorough… It’s fair to say that he’s a person who reliably gives back as much as he receives.”

“He seems less like a wizard and more like a fixer who’s been through decades of trouble.”

“I believe you all know what’s needed to keep Van’s mouth shut in this situation.”

Virgil nodded.

“Since we’re all here, I’ll be frank. The Cartel is slowly sinking.”

“…”

“The Chairman’s choice to personally announce McQueen’s betrayal, which would have been revealed eventually anyway, was wise, but it won’t prevent the organization from shaking. To navigate this situation well, active cooperation between subsidiaries is necessary. You all understand what that means, right?”

It meant that the Triad, who had hitherto kept each other in check and turned a blind eye, now needed to be more closely united.

The freedom they had enjoyed individually for decades was now nearing its end.

To repel the checks from the other Triad members and the rising competitors from below, and to maintain their current position, an implicit agreement from within was necessary.

Virgil said so, leaning back in his chair and propping his legs on the desk.

The nameplate on the wide old wooden desk clearly bore the engraved title of Vice Chairman.

“The long period of neglect and division is over. From now on, there will be… a lot of work to do.”

Lennok, having finished two weeks of rest, leisurely returned to work.

This was because it took him a considerable amount of time to shake off the side effects of various drugs he had forcibly used to boost his condition during the battle with McQueen—or, more precisely, during the deployment of his Domain.

Of course, his condition wasn’t fully recovered, but Lennok never underestimated his fragile body.

This body of his had ample potential for problems, whether driven hard or left to slacken.

If he lay down for too long, he could even strain his lumbar ligaments in reverse.

He wouldn’t let his guard down. No, from the beginning, Lennok had never once fully trusted his own body.

“You’re here?”

Jenny and Jordan greeted him from the bar of the pub, which had resumed normal operations after the conflict with the Cartel ended.

Jordan, despite having gone through a rough ordeal in this incident, had safely returned and was shaking shakers as before.

Considering the nature of this underworld, it was nothing short of a miracle.

If anything had happened to him, given his close ties with Jenny, resolving this matter in such a way would have been impossible.

Lennok sat on a bar stool, holding a glass, and quietly looked around.

The pub was much busier than usual, bustling with customers.

It was flourishing to an unnatural degree.

“News spread from the Cartel’s quarterly earnings announcement that you, Van, had been appointed as an outside director.”

Jenny shrugged.

“Since you received the Triad’s approval, there are more than a few people who think our business will do well.”

“So they came to make an early impression?”

“More than that… it proves that our business is self-sustaining enough that even bigwigs can’t easily touch it, making it a better meeting place for freelancers.”

“…”

“Well, of course, that’s not my analysis as the person involved… The general mood on the deep web is roughly like that.”

“That’s interesting…”

Lennok sipped his drink, slowly activating his mana to eavesdrop on the conversations around him.

True to their nature as people working in this underworld, they had the knack of being noisy with their drinks yet keeping their actual conversations hard to hear, but it didn’t mean much to Lennok.

As Jenny said, it was clear that many more people were discreetly discussing business in the pub.

Had those who used to squat on the streets and whisper secretly now adopted the pub as a new meeting place?

Either way, it wasn’t a bad thing.

Except for Jordan’s hands, which seemed exceptionally busy shaking shakers.

Jordan, whose eyes met Lennok’s, smiled faintly.

“…Perhaps we’ll need a new bartender.”

“It’s still fine for now. If things get really hectic, we can ask for help, but… one of those guys will probably lend a hand.”

Jordan said so, raising the hand holding the shaker behind him.

Lennok confirmed Weian’s face, who was sparring with someone in the empty lot behind the pub’s warehouse, which was open at the back of the bar. He nodded.

“It seems Dray has also made his decision.”

A lot had happened during Lennok’s two-week absence, and along with it, both of their businesses had rapidly expanded.

Ultimately, as soon as the Cartel affair concluded, Dray Krimgal decided to join Jenny’s business with his subordinates.

The income from the Krimgal Mercenary Office alone made it difficult to provide satisfactory salaries to the newly recruited ex-special forces members.

However, in a situation where it was also difficult to close the office and work under someone else, Dray decided to entrust his personnel to Lennok and Jenny.

Perhaps he thought that Lennok’s powerful combat ability, comparable to the Cartel executives as a single individual, and Jenny’s management skills, which had swiftly taken control of the underworld’s distribution network shortly after starting her business, would be sufficient.

Lennok hadn’t heard exactly what Dray was thinking when he sided with them, but he understood his sentiment to some extent.

During the ongoing tension with the Cartel, Dray had often expressed considerable satisfaction about collaborating with Lennok when they went out into the city together.

Even the salaries of the operatives, which the office’s income alone couldn’t cover, could now be tax-deductible as security expenses under Lennok and Jenny’s company.

“A man of his caliber helping the business will be a great strength.”

“And the people Dray brought, the former special forces members, are doing very well. There are also people with diverse specialties like driving, administration, and maintenance, so we won’t need to recruit new employees for a while.”

Of course, Dray didn’t just come asking to be taken in without any calculations.

Former soldiers who were relatively accustomed to command structures and highly responsible for their missions. Moreover, they were people accustomed to doing more than their share in their respective fields.

They were much more trustworthy than personnel recruited from the underworld, and if Dray mediated them, they wouldn’t be difficult to lead.

It was like adding wings to the business prospects that had already been positively evaluated before the conflict with the Cartel.

Lennok listened to their conversation for a while, then emptied his remaining glass and stood up.

“Leaving already?”

“Not really… I just thought it might be worth taking on a single request after being away for so long.”

“A request?”

There was no reason to focus on freelancer work now that he had established a company with Jenny’s help.

Lennok might need to maintain his freelancer status to secure routes for the specific rewards he desired, such as space-time artifacts.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to seek out specific bounty requests.

But instead of answering, Lennok picked up a thick photobook lying next to the bar, flipped through it, and pulled out a single photograph.

Bounty posters that brokers kept for bounty hunters.

Lennok grinned at the two people who were looking up at him with bewildered expressions, and immediately headed outside.

“Shall I return to my roots for a change?”

The situation was different from before, when he had to track down bounties by meticulously tracing blood trails with magic.

He broadly scattered mana in the last known location where the bounty disappeared and walked in the direction his senses indicated.

A fight club secretly hidden beneath a shabby bakery.

Lennok found his two targets, who were thoroughly drunk inside, and immediately drew his revolver.

The opponent blinked at the shadow falling across his face, and his mouth fell open as soon as he saw Lennok’s face.

“W-Whoaaaa!”

Bang!

“F-ck!!”

Bang!!

The job was over in an instant.

As he used psychokinetic magic to lift the two men, foaming at the mouth and with eyes rolled back, the noisy fight club instantly fell silent.

“It’s Van…”

“Damn it, this is my first time seeing him in person.”

“What business does the Cartel’s outside director have here? What did those idiots do?”

Lennok quietly looked around the center of the suddenly chilling club.

Dray Krimgal had said that Lennok’s standing would change again after the Cartel affair.

He wasn’t wrong. Among those who were murmuring and staring at Lennok now, not a single one dared to approach him directly and speak.

Those who used to approach Lennok to offer scout proposals were no longer seen.

A wizard who single-handedly engaged in battle with the Cartel executives and emerged victorious.

Everyone could infer his value and the level of his expectations.

And that to offer Lennok a recruitment proposal now, an ordinary background wouldn’t suffice.

Now, the emotions mixed in people’s gazes were clearly visible.

Jealousy and fear, caution and admiration… and envy.

While Lennok was deep in thought, an old man with a bulging belly, sweating profusely, approached Lennok and bowed slightly.

“S-Sir, it seems the ruffians who were playing at our club disrespected the Wizard. We’ll make sure this never happens again, so if you could forgive us just this once…”

“…”

As the old man spoke, he pulled out a thick wad of bills from his pocket and offered them to Lennok.

Instead of taking it, Lennok shook his head and let out a sigh.

The old man’s shoulders visibly flinched.

“If, if the money isn’t enough… Ugh!”

Lennok, who had pushed the two unconscious, floating men over to the old man, took out a cigarette and said,

“Those two there are wanted by the police for civilian human trafficking.”

“Y-Yes?!”

“Just take them to the nearest bounty office as you see fit.”

Lennok walked out of the club without lingering and blankly gazed up at the sky.

In the past, he would have handed over every single such achievement directly to Jenny, but now it held little significance.

He hadn’t come seeking bounties for that reason in the first place.

“I had a hunch… but even this much helps with the judgment.”

Lennok’s murmur was no accident.

He had come out under the pretext of returning to his roots, but Lennok had never once forgotten who he was.

Nevertheless, the reason he moved to track down bounties with a flimsy excuse was to find an opportunity to recover the branching points he had missed in this city.

Lennok’s eyes deepened as he sat on a nearby bench, resting.

‘I succeeded in understanding and using the concept of Psychic Engraving itself. But…’

By pushing the observation point forward into the future, considering countless possible branching points as the past, he could observe and manifest the possibilities of parallel worlds.

He had obtained a miracle he wasn’t even sure was possible, but there were countless problems to solve to use this weapon freely.

Considering it barely met Lennok’s standards even after cramming in immense costs, forced doping, Geas and Triggers, and even a power core he had luckily acquired.

It would be extremely difficult to properly use the Domain in battles against other powerful individuals, not just McQueen.

Moreover, while he pursued different possibilities with anonymity in mind, it would be meaningless if he couldn’t omit the kaleidoscope deployment process when activating his Domain.

‘But even in this state, there are plenty of ways to refine my psychic image.’

At that time, Lennok had defeated McQueen using his Domain [Eight-Linked Thunder Palace] (팔련뇌이궁), which he had fully envisioned as a lightning-based unique magic after joining the Thorburn Magic Tower and awakening his lightning-elemental unique magic.

However, the Eight-Linked Thunder Palace could only exert such power because it was accompanied by Lennok’s understanding and mastery of lightning-elemental magic.

The same would apply even if he manifested another Domain.

To draw sufficient power from parallel worlds that exist only as possibilities, it was necessary for Lennok to be closely connected to that specific branching point.

Lennok had opened a new horizon of possibilities through his psychic image, but that also meant that corresponding experience had to accompany it.

Looking back on his past days at this very moment was part of that.

Even excluding the Domains he could observe in the realm of possibility right now, how much experience and connection would be needed to pioneer new Domains?

To gauge that standard, Lennok had resumed his activities, pushing his ailing body.

Gradually, but surely.

Lennok was already beginning to realize what kind of miracle he held in his hands.