Chapter 544

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Chapter 544: Black Customers (7)

-What…? Rent it out at a discount?

Koatu looked as if he couldn’t believe his ears, but Yeongwoo was dead serious.

“Otherwise, you’ll just be robbed outright. Isn’t it better to at least collect rent?”

-……

Once again, the customer had turned into a robber.

The arms dealer Koatu shut his eyes tightly before his fate.

-Unbelievable. To think I let a man like this into my vault.

Of course, he had already expected that this bandit would take more than what was promised.

But he never imagined he would even pull out The Gambler, locked away under the highest security tier.

-How in the world did you get that out? The clearance level should’ve blocked any search.

Yeongwoo only shrugged.

“Well, you know…”

But he couldn’t exactly admit he had deceived the machines with Remu’s seal, so he dodged.

“There’s always a way. I’ve even busted prisoners out of jail—don’t you think I can pull a single piece of gear out of a private vault?”

At that, the great thief Kejen nodded.

-That does sound reasonable.

“So then, this arm is mine now?”

When Yeongwoo waved the prosthetic arm The Gambler, Koatu’s face twisted as though he’d swallowed a bug.

“Hey, don’t look so down. I knew you’d be upset, so I prepared another reward.”

-Another… reward?

“Just wait.”

Yeongwoo gestured to the golden goblin to bring something out.

-Kiiiik!

The goblin opened a subspace pouch and began pouring out deep-blue ingots.

Thunk, thud!

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-These are… Katandal ingots, aren’t they? That’s my money!

Koatu glared at Yeongwoo with suspicion.

But Yeongwoo didn’t deny it.

“Right. For now.”

-For now?

“But if I take these into the Black Zone and increase their value 1.5 times, then whose money are they?”

-…Well.

As Koatu’s face grew complicated, Yeongwoo grinned.

“Of course still yours! As thanks for your generosity, I’ll give you a gift in return.”

He slid ten ingots from the pile over to Koatu.

“I’ll turn your hundred billion into a hundred and fifty billion.”

-In the Black Zone?

“Exactly. I hear they trade at 1.5x there.”

When Yeongwoo said this with a childlike smile, Koatu let out a sigh.

-Do you think anyone pays full price because they don’t know? You don’t really understand what the Black Zone is, do you…?

“Isn’t it just a crime market with a 58% accident rate?”

-Correct. To put it more plainly: most who go there lose not only their goods but often their lives.

Yeongwoo tilted his head.

“But here’s the thing, Koatu.”

-Yes. Speak.

“What if we’re the attackers?”

-…What?

“If the accident rate is 58%, why don’t we just be the ones causing the accidents? Then the Black Zone becomes a place where money duplicates itself.”

-…Are you insane?

“If it’s a den of criminals, then acting like a criminal is only natural.”

After all, there was a saying on Earth: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

“Wait—there’s actually a place where you can rob people legally? That’s what shocks me.”

At that moment, Earth cut in.

『It’s not legal… it’s just lawless.』

“Oh, is that so?”

While Yeongwoo and Earth spouted madness, the great thief Kejen cautiously raised his hand.

-Actually, I have something to add.

“What’s that?”

-The place we need to sell the royal seal… is also the Black Zone.

“Ah.”

Only then did Yeongwoo recall what he had forgotten.

Wasn’t his plan to take the seal from Kejen and negotiate directly with the Kardal royal family?

Though Kejen himself didn’t yet know that.

“Right, we need to find the seal too.”

Then a thought suddenly struck Yeongwoo.

“Wait, you must’ve done plenty of trades in the Black Zone, right? You survived all this time by selling stolen goods.”

Kejen folded his arms with an arrogant look.

-Of course. Accident rate 58%? That never applied to me. I’m a master of escape.

Which only meant he couldn’t prevent accidents—he just fled when they happened.

“But you still got caught.”

-Sometimes you have unlucky days. When I tried to sell the seal, the Kardal royals sent assassins after me.

“What—you got caught selling the seal? Then what about the seal itself?”

-I never actually brought it to the trade site, so it wasn’t seized.

“What… so you were the one who scammed them?”

-They tried to scam me first. It was a trap to begin with.

-……

By now, Yeongwoo had a pretty good idea of what the Black Zone was like.

A marketplace where nearly everyone was a swindler or a robber.

-I’ll admit you’re strong, but in the Black Zone, strength alone isn’t enough. You need experience.

Kejen tapped his head.

-To strike a proper deal there, you’ll need my help.

“So where is the seal? You really still have it?”

Kejen’s expression turned grave.

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-Why else would the Kardal royals imprison me? If you check the wanted lists, you’ll see they’re still searching for it.

Just then, the space beside Yeongwoo split open, and Administrator Kubu appeared.

―The moment I heard the mention of the seal, I began searching wanted notices.

“Ohh, as expected of an administrator. And the result?”

―The Kardal royal family is still looking for it.

“What, really?”

―The bounty is thirty billion Karma.

“Thirty billion…”

Yeongwoo’s lips curved down slightly.

He knew it was a fortune, but lately he’d grown used to handling sums in the hundreds of billions.

“Tch. A bit stingy, for a royal seal.”

At that, Kejen stepped closer as if waiting for this moment.

Step.

-A royal seal is more symbolic than practical. It doesn’t actually do much.

“Even so, only thirty billion? Seems too low for a symbol of royal authority.”

-That’s why I tried to fence it in the Black Zone. Collectors love royal seals.

Then he grasped Yeongwoo’s wrist with his small fingers.

-You toppled a warden, didn’t you? You’re no ordinary criminal. Come with me to the Black Zone and let’s sell it. We’ll make a fortune.

“Well, it does seem you really have it.”

-My hideout’s not far from there. That’s where it’s hidden.

“It’s not going to be another ordeal like Koatu’s vault, right?”

-Of course not. Just go there and pick it up.

At Kejen’s words, Yeongwoo turned to Earth.

“So where exactly is the Black Zone located?”

『No idea.』

Kejen gestured into the air.

-It’s far away, at the edge of the Tuani Galaxy.

『…Tuani?』

Earth still didn’t know, but acting captain Mantero did.

-Tuani… it’s about two galaxies away from here.

『Two galaxies?!』

Earth’s jaw dropped.

Yeongwoo asked,

“What, is that far?”

『Far, yes… but remember, we’re a planet-ship. Passing through each galaxy, we’ll stir up their tempers.』

“That’s normal for us now. Anything worse?”

『Other than the time it takes… no major problem.』

“Then let’s head for Tuani.”

At Yeongwoo’s command, Mantero pulled up holographic screens at the captain’s chair.

Flash!

He muttered in astonishment.

-This vessel… can perform essentially unlimited interstellar jumps.

Yeongwoo, clueless about space, asked without hesitation,

“Good thing, right?”

-…Yes.

“Then let’s go duplicate some money.”

-Entering relay space.

Thoom!

With Mantero’s announcement, the outside view filled with prismatic holograms.

Shhhhh…!

Earth’s ship entered relay space for interstellar travel.

Rumble!

As the ship shook again, Jiseon turned from the window, her eyes caught on the prosthetic arm in Yeongwoo’s hands.

-That’s… clearly an arm. Are you really going to wear it?

“Oh, this?”

Yeongwoo lifted The Gambler, and brilliant tooltips appeared.

「The Gambler」 – Legendary Right Arm

【Right-Handed】

【Overload】

【Machine Synergy】

【Right-Handed】

| Power of weapons wielded in your right hand increases by 20%.

【Overload】

| For 5 seconds, attack power doubles. Afterward, The Gambler detaches from your body.

【Machine Synergy】

| For each machine equipped, damage taken is reduced by 2%.

It was an absurdly offense-focused prosthetic.

For Yeongwoo, who wielded Bastard in his right hand, it was perfect.

“Hmm… it can even be logged in the catalog as a body part.”

-And?

“But this arm’s tougher than human flesh, right?”

Koatu, still slumped on the floor, nodded.

-The Gambler is forged from Katandal. Stronger than most warships.

“Ohh, that explains it.”

-Don’t tell me… you’re going to cut off a perfectly good arm to attach it?

Jiseon gaped in horror.

“Why not? Plenty of people aren’t even human anymore.”

He was referring to Jiseon, Jeongho, and the others trapped in the Returnees’ chamber.

Even Chancellor Herisa had one arm replaced with a crystal prosthetic.

Granted, hers wasn’t lost by choice.

‘But I’ll lose mine by choice. I’ll surpass even her.’

Yeongwoo drew Bastard with his left hand.

At once, Jeonggu screamed.

“Ahhh! What are you doing, Yeongwoo?!”

Jiseon was just as horrified.

-Are you insane?! At least get proper surgery first!

Yeongwoo severed his right arm in a single stroke.

Schlaaash!

“First, I’ll see if it fits. If not, I’ll call a doctor.”

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