Chapter 138: The First Clan War

Episode 138

The black man who had grabbed Akuma finally started his explanation.

“That black-haired bastard…!”

**Thwack!**

“Ugh!”

But he was forced to stop mid-sentence as Akuma kicked his shin.

Akuma gritted his teeth and said to the man, who was grimacing in pain,

“How many times have I warned you not to talk while working, huh?!”

“B-but it’s not that, that guy… Argh!”

“Shut your mouth?!”

Akuma kicked his shin again and shoved his angry face right in front of the man’s nose.

“You, a mere body disposal worker, dare to talk back to me? Huh?! Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?!”

“S-sorry!”

“This is unacceptable. All three of you will be assigned to the vanguard in today’s ‘Clan War’.”

“……!”

The three men’s faces turned pale.

Being sent to the vanguard, considering their significantly inferior combat abilities, meant nothing but being used as cannon fodder.

But an even more horrifying fate awaited them.

“Load all the luggage and gather here within one minute. If you’re even one second late, you’ll all be assigned as scouts!”

“!!”

Their faces turned even paler, draining of all color.

Fighting in the vanguard at least offered a slim chance of survival with the help of their comrades.

But scouts, who operated in small groups, couldn’t expect such support.

Scouts were a dangerous role, where even those much stronger than them, with specialized skills in stealth and reconnaissance, often died.

If they, with no special abilities, were assigned as scouts, they would almost certainly die.

“What are you waiting for?! Move!!”

At Akuma’s shout, the three men started moving like lightning.

As Kim Jinsung watched them silently, carrying luggage larger than their own bodies and running down the stairs four steps at a time,

Akuma strode over and stood right in front of him.

“Who are you?”

Kim Jinsung didn’t even flinch at his intimidating question and replied calmly,

“I’m here to apply as a mercenary.”

He extended his wrist with the hunter watch towards Akuma.

Akuma naturally checked the identity information displayed on the watch screen.

His eyes suddenly changed.

“Alopsky? The one who applied through the Bloodsword app at lunchtime?”

“Yes.”

Akuma’s expression brightened, and he extended his hand to Kim Jinsung.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Akuma, the vice-master of Boko Haram. It’s an honor to welcome a strong individual like you, who has cleared Level 10 of the Demon World Dungeon, as a mercenary.”

Akuma’s tone and attitude were incredibly friendly and gentle as they shook hands.

It was hard to believe he was the same person who had just berated the three luggage carriers.

“You came at the right time. I was just about to gather the mercenaries and announce our plan. Come this way.”

Akuma led Kim Jinsung to the auditorium and even opened the door for him.

The auditorium door closed after they entered.

The three black men, who had been running frantically, finally slowed down and whispered in surprise.

“Did he just say Level 10?”

“Yeah, I heard it clearly.”

“No wonder he’s so skilled. He actually cleared Level 10…”

In the B district, anyone who could clear Level 5 of the Demon World Dungeon could easily join any clan.

And this guy had cleared Level 10?

Every clan would be scrambling to recruit him as an executive.

It was no wonder Akuma had welcomed Kim Jinsung so warmly.

“I’m envious. We’re always doing chores and getting scolded…”

One of them muttered, and the others nodded in agreement.

But there was nothing they could do. With their skills, which couldn’t even clear Level 5 of the Demon World Dungeon, they should be grateful to even be doing chores for the Boko Haram Clan.

It was a world where the weak couldn’t survive.

That was the Sselepoh continent.

* * *

A while later,

inside the auditorium on the second floor of the Boko Haram Clan building, where numerous hunters were gathered,

a man’s voice boomed through the speakers.

“This morning, our Boko Haram Clan’s gambling den in the northeast of the B18 district was attacked again!”

A middle-aged man stood on the podium, holding a microphone and shouting.

He was Dangote, the master of the Boko Haram Clan.

“You all know who attacked us! There’s only one group that’s been targeting our clan recently!”

Dangote shouted in a voice filled with anger, and the men lined up on the right side of the auditorium, all wearing the same uniform, nodded in unison.

They had the official Boko Haram Clan emblem – a crocodile with its mouth open – on their left chests.

“It’s Slaughterhouse!”

Dangote then turned his gaze to the left.

“Those bastards, who deserve to be crushed to death, are not satisfied with ruling the B17 district and keep encroaching on our B18 district!”

He continued explaining, looking at the mercenaries, including Kim Jinsung, lined up on the left.

What he was saying was already known to his clan members. But he was explaining it again because some of the mercenaries, like Kim Jinsung, might not be aware of the situation.

“And the most infuriating thing is that those bastards are also a subcontracted clan under Triunfo!”

‘…What?’

Kim Jinsung’s eyes widened.

“Do you understand what this means? They’re trying to destroy our clan even though they know we’re both subcontracted clans! Just to satisfy their own greed! How despicable can they be?!”

Kim Jinsung chuckled inwardly after hearing his words.

‘I never thought I would discover another subcontracted clan like this.’

This gave him even more reason to continue working as a mercenary for the Boko Haram Clan.

‘I can destroy Slaughterhouse while working for Boko Haram. It would be even better if I could weaken Boko Haram’s forces in the process, making it easier to destroy them later.’

As he continued thinking, a good idea came to mind.

‘…No, I don’t need to waste time on those two clans. If things go according to this plan…’

He continued to think rapidly while Dangote’s speech continued.

“We can’t take it anymore! We can’t just keep getting beaten up by those bastards!

So tonight! We’ll gather all the forces of the Boko Haram Clan and attack Slaughterhouse!”

“Wooo!”

The clan members lined up on the right responded to Dangote’s declaration with cheers.

“Phew… Wishan.”

Dangote, after finishing his passionate speech, caught his breath and called out to the person on his left.

A young Chinese man standing nearby immediately went up to the podium.

Dangote put his arm around the man’s shoulder and said to everyone in the auditorium,

“Wishan, our chief strategist, will explain the detailed operation plan.”

Dangote then stepped down from the podium.

Wishan, left alone on the podium, bowed politely to everyone.

“I’m Wishan, the chief strategist. Please pay close attention to the detailed operation plan I’m about to explain to avoid any mistakes during the actual operation. First…”

Wishan looked to his right.

“Akuma.”

Akuma, the vice-master, who was standing on the right side of the auditorium, looked back at him silently.

“Could you please bring me the data containing all the information on the mercenaries available for today’s operation?”

Akuma didn’t answer.

He just stared at him coldly with a hardened expression. Wishan continued politely,

“Please, Vice-Master.”

Akuma continued to glare at him for a while, then finally,

“…Wait here.”

He replied curtly and turned to leave the auditorium.

“……”

Wishan glared at his retreating figure with a cold gaze for a moment, then returned to his usual expression.

He then looked at the document in his hand and started reading.

“The target of our attack tonight is the ‘Slaughterhouse’, located on the outskirts of the B17 district. The departure time will be late at night, after sunset…”

Kim Jinsung turned his gaze towards the back.

He saw Akuma, walking towards the auditorium door with an angry gait, flinging the door open in frustration.

* * *

To summarize the plan to attack the Slaughterhouse, which belonged to the Slaughterhouse Clan, as explained by Wishan:

1. A small diversionary force, specializing in disruption, would pretend to attack the gambling den they had lost that morning to distract the Slaughterhouse Clan.

2. At the same time, the main force would travel to the vicinity of the Slaughterhouse by vehicle, using routes without surveillance cameras or other security measures, as previously investigated.

3. They would quickly eliminate the Slaughterhouse’s defense forces, destroy the internal facilities, and retreat. However, explosions were prohibited to avoid attracting the attention of the Paladins.

Kim Jinsung was assigned to the main force, not the diversionary force.

Around 2:30 AM, numerous trucks carrying Boko Haram Clan members, mercenaries, including Kim Jinsung, and other personnel started heading towards the outskirts of the B17 district.

Kim Jinsung was in the first truck, leading the convoy.

“……”

He could see through the window that they had left the densely populated B18 district and entered a pitch-black wasteland with no lights.

He then looked to his side.

The “other personnel” were sitting there. The three luggage carriers who had been scolded by Akuma earlier.

“……”

“……”

One of the three, who had been avoiding Kim Jinsung’s gaze while glancing at him nervously, finally mustered up the courage to speak.

“…Ahem. Um…”

He addressed Kim Jinsung.

“About earlier… I’m really sorry. Thinking about it, it was our fault for picking a fight with you. I apologize.”

His comrades also took the opportunity to apologize to Kim Jinsung.

“I apologize too. We’re really sorry. Can’t we forget about the past and be friends from now on?”

“Yeah! We’re comrades who are about to risk our lives together, so it’s not good to be awkward!”

Kim Jinsung scoffed inwardly as he listened to them.

It was obvious they were trying to get on his good side, hoping to survive the upcoming battle by befriending someone much stronger than them.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t even introduced ourselves! I’m Terem! This is Musa, and this is Moffi. You’re Alopsky, right? Let’s get along!”

Terem smiled brightly and extended his hand for a handshake.

He was acting as if he had already been forgiven, even though Kim Jinsung hadn’t said a word.

“……”

Kim Jinsung stared at Terem’s outstretched hand, then finally spoke without shaking it.

“Do you know anything about Slaughterhouse?”

“I do! I know!”

Musa, sitting next to him, immediately raised his hand and shouted.

“I used to work as a body disposal worker for them for a while. You just need to remember two things about Slaughterhouse: the slaughterhouse and pet monsters!”

Kim Jinsung’s eyes sparkled with interest.

Pet monsters?

“First, about the pet monsters… Whoa?!”

Musa was suddenly pushed aside by Kim Jinsung and tumbled clumsily onto the truck floor.

At the same time,

**Boom!**

A large explosion occurred, centered on the spot where Musa had been sitting.

—