Chapter 591

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 591: Quagmire (8)

—Tha… That’s impossible. You’re lying, right?

Kejen, dangling in midair, stared at Yeongwoo.

Yeongwoo tilted his head and shifted his gaze toward him.

“What’s impossible?”

—Selling me to Kardal, that’s what.

“Why? A hundred billion is definitely reasonable, isn’t it?”

—You…

Kejen’s words jammed in his throat.

Then he snapped back to his senses and grabbed Yeongwoo’s forearms with both hands.

Tup!

—No, even so! I know this place well—without me, how are you going to return safely?!

“Now that I know I’m not exactly bottom-tier around here, I can probably find a way out somehow.”

Yeongwoo added in an indifferent tone.

“You’ve worked hard. You were helpful sometimes. I mean that.”

It sounded exactly like a farewell.

Kejen’s eyes went wide.

—No way! That’s too obvious! You’re not that kind of guy!

“…What?”

—You’re the head of a clan, and unpredictability is your specialty—how can this be how you act?

“Says the guy who didn’t have a contingency plan for the worst-case scenario. No wonder you got caught and thrown in jail before.”

—…!

The line was so cold that Kejen just gaped.

—But… you came here thanks to me, and I’m the one who pulled out that seal and gave it to you! Aren’t you at least the kind of guy who has some basic decency?!

“Fifty-eight percent.”

—…What?”

“Think of it as a transaction gone wrong. A common villain’s ending.”

Even while talking, Yeongwoo continued walking toward the Seal Pursuer, dragging Kejen along.

Kardal’s soldiers formed long rows on both sides, creating a half-circle encirclement.

The Seal Pursuer rested a hand on his waist and stepped forward.

Clack.

—So, we meet again.

He pointed at Kejen with his chin, greeting him as if they knew each other.

“Again…? Don’t tell me he’s the one who put you in jail?”

At Yeongwoo’s question, Kejen nodded with a gloomy expression.

—Yeah. This is the second time. And the last, probably.

If he was dragged back now, he wouldn’t survive.

Kardal had no reason to keep alive the thief once the royal seal was returned—they would surely kill him brutally.

“Yeah, I can see why it’d be the last. They don’t need you anymore.”

Yeongwoo slightly lifted the seal in his opposite arm.

Kejen sighed deeply.

—You’ve really become a full-fledged villain now.

“But seriously, you stole the royal seal and didn’t have a final backup plan?”

Kejen slowly lifted his head and looked at Yeongwoo.

—My final backup plan was you.

“…What?”

—I figured that even if you ended up dealing with the Kardal royal house, you’d find a way to work something out.

“But I’m a villain too. What thief uses a money-driven thug as insurance?”

—Well… you were less of a villain than the lunatics in the Black Zone, at least.

“You underestimated me.”

—So it seems. To survive long in this universe as a villain, you really do need to be cold to the bone.

“Don’t feel too wronged. I’ll use your bounty as a stepping stone to become something far greater.”

—Yeah… I can tell you’ll become a spectacular villain.

As Kejen closed his eyes, Yeongwoo finally reached the Seal Pursuer.

Clink.

They were barely fifteen meters apart—practically within combat distance.

Yet the Seal Pursuer stood calmly with weapons still sheathed.

—You’re the one, aren’t you? The one who attacked the detention wing.

He asked.

Yeongwoo nodded.

“Yeah. Pretty light security for a place holding the guy who stole a royal seal.”

—He was only imprisoned to lure the seal out.

The Pursuer chuckled.

Then he pointed a finger at the seal in Yeongwoo’s hand.

—And in the end, it worked.

Yeongwoo looked at the wad of cash in the Pursuer’s hand.

“I’m glad too. I found what I wanted.”

One hundred billion in cash.

Including the seal, that was a total of 130 billion.

‘So far, so good.’

But he still didn’t know whether Kardal would really let them leave afterward.

So Yeongwoo set Kejen down on the ground.

“But how do you guarantee our safety?”

—Safety?

“After we hand over the seal and this guy, you might attack us.”

A quiet laugh came from inside the helmet.

—You fear too much for someone who dared sell the Kardal royal seal. As you see, the exit is that way.

The Pursuer pointed to the departure gate.

Leave after the trade—simple.

But Yeongwoo shook his head.

“I need a promise.”

—…A promise?

“According to my planet’s customs, you clasp hands and make a vow. You must swear you won’t take back the money or attack us afterward.”

—Clasp hands? Wouldn’t that put you at a disadvantage?

“That’s how we do it. It’s called a handshake.”

The Pursuer folded his arms in silence.

He glanced behind Yeongwoo—at Jeonggu, Amana, and the Golden Goblin—checking for tricks.

After a moment, he stepped forward.

—Meaningless ritual, but if you insist. Hand him over first.

“Deal.”

Instant acceptance.

Kejen stared at him in disbelief.

—Seriously? This is really my end?

“What kind of ending were you expecting for a villain in this universe?”

Yeongwoo shoved him toward Kardal.

Kejen’s beard trembled.

—W-wait! Think again! You don’t even know what else I have in my hideouts! If you spare me, I’ll give you the most valuable thing I’ve hidden—!

Yeongwoo didn’t hesitate.

“You already brought me your most valuable thing.”

—…Huh?

“Your life.”

Thunk.

Yeongwoo pushed him again.

Kardal’s shadow fell across Kejen’s toes—their territory now.

—Huff.

—Kejen Gialto. You truly thought you could steal Kardal’s royal seal and live?

The Pursuer sneered and signaled his men.

Kardal soldiers approached with brutal-looking iron shackles.

“Goodbye, Kejen Gialto.”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

As Yeongwoo offered his final farewell—

Clack!

Thick shackles locked around Kejen’s arms.

Ping!

「Hypocrisy detected!」

‘Hooh?’

[Return of the Kardal Royal Seal]

| Grade: D

You not only returned the royal seal to Kardal, but also handed over the thief who stole it.

Though your intentions were far from noble, your actions restored the dignity of the royal house.

Then.

「‘Kardal Royal Seal’ has been added to the Hypocrite Catalog.」

「You now receive 5% less damage from all ‘Kardal’.」

And lastly:

「Only 1 more hypocrisy until the first Catalog reward unlocks.」

One more hypocrisy left.

Yeongwoo smiled and approached the Pursuer.

“Good trade. Now, time for the promise. Take my right hand.”

The Pursuer hesitated, then grasped his hand.

Tup.

—This is… what?

“A handshake.”

—Handshake…

He nodded.

Yeongwoo tightened his grip.

“You guarantee our safe return, right?”

—My mission is only to retrieve the seal and the thief. Anything beyond that is unnecessary.

“Hmm.”

He seemed sincere—after all, they were holding hands right now; if he wanted a fight, he could start it instantly.

“Good. The seal belongs where it belongs.”

—A wise man.

The Pursuer handed over the 100 billion in cash.

Yeongwoo handed over the seal.

The deal was truly done.

‘Guess royal houses really are clean operators when it comes to deals.’

But certainly not for Kejen.

Yeongwoo counted the ten metal plates—each worth ten billion—then scanned the surroundings without lowering his guard.

“Then… this is it?”

—Your business is finished. Leave if you want.

He pointed at the exit.

Satisfied that there was no hidden trap, Yeongwoo began to step back.

His hand moved to his waist.

“So… this is all the troops you brought, right?”

—…?

That wasn’t something a man who wanted to leave peacefully would say.

Ssshhk.

Sensing something, the Pursuer also moved his hand toward his waist.

Kardal soldiers followed suit.

—What are you thinking? You clearly don’t wish to live, do you?

“Come on. This is the Black Zone—if nobody tries anything treacherous, that’s what’d be weird.”

The Pursuer drew two large crescent blades from behind his waist.

Fwoooosh!

—A wise man wouldn’t challenge Kardal in the first place.

“When I shook your hand earlier, I could tell you weren’t that strong.”

Yeongwoo drew Bastard and pointed at the Kardal forces.

“I’ll give you the seal since I got the money. But leave that behind.”

He pointed at Kejen.

The Pursuer laughed.

—I’ve seen many fools, but you’re the first like this.

“Which means I’m not a fool at all.”

—You chose self-destruction. Accept your fate willingly.

The moment he said it—

The half-circle formation of Kardal soldiers all dropped to one knee and raised their blades toward the sky.

Hwaat!

Pale light began pouring out of them, flying toward the Pursuer.

Even he half-knelt, preparing to receive their power.

“Oh hell—he can transform?!”

Whatever it was, they were powering him up through a ritual.

So Yeongwoo—

Tatat!

—burst forward like a flash, closing more than ten meters instantly.

And he smashed a middle kick into the kneeling Pursuer’s neck.

KWEEEAAAK!!

“You idiot, kneeling in front of a thief is the stupidest thing you can do!”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]