Ch.179[Episode 179] Aftermath of the Gacha World

“Everyone move quickly!”

“Ah, don’t hit so hard. It feels bad to be a beaten zombie.”

“The dungeon will feast well today…”

Detective Javert, the most accomplished police officer in Gachaland, shouted angrily.

Behind him, a line of back alley attackers and zombies were being brought out, and since a few police cars weren’t enough, Detective Javert had called for backup.

“Thank you for your assistance, Sir Dominic.”

Detective Javert, who had been continuously requesting backup on the radio, rushed over as soon as he spotted Sir Dominic.

“Don Citadello was so worried about his two sons… Thanks to you, our police force has saved some face.”

Detective Javert stroked his beast-like sideburns.

Don Citadello was, even if only nominally, the second-in-command of the Black Group, one of Gachaland’s three wings, and as such, he was a man of astonishingly strong power.

Naturally, when news came that the sons of such a man had been attacked, it was only logical that the high-ranking police officers who were particularly close to Don Citadello would become busy.

Although the police didn’t know the exact details, the mere fact that Don Cartello and Don Castello were safe was enough to appease Don Citadello’s wrath.

“You’re truly remarkable, by the way.”

Detective Javert said to Sir Dominic.

For some reason, he looked genuinely impressed.

“To capture Boss and Z, who are 5-tier skilled fighters… I must say, as expected of Sir Dominic…”

Indeed. So they were 5-tier. No wonder their movements were extraordinary.

With that thought, Sir Dominic looked at Z and Boss, who were just coming out of the entrance.

Both were tightly bound with ropes like the others. Boss was busy blaming Z, while Z maintained his silence.

“If you had just done a little better, this wouldn’t have-!”

“…”

Boss and Z were escorted to the back seat of the police car.

Sir Dominic watched their pitiful appearance and recalled what had just happened.

…

As soon as Gachaworld’s ultimate weapon appeared, the attackers were disarmed.

Of course, they hadn’t put down their weapons voluntarily.

The aura of peace emitted by the ultimate weapon called Ryun had forcibly disarmed them.

The same applied to Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica.

They were left with just light t-shirts and jeans after being disarmed.

Their armor, and anything that could be used as a weapon, had been removed.

“This can’t be happening.”

Z muttered.

He still had a dagger in his hand, which kept being removed and re-equipped repeatedly in the aura of peace.

Gripping the dagger that flickered like a glitch, Z looked at Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica with bloodshot eyes.

No, he was looking at Don Castello beyond them.

“You’re quite clever. I’ve lost this time.”

Thud. Z sat down.

He had been subdued, unable to resist the aura of peace any longer.

“Now I’ll face the judgment of the law.”

Gachaland’s legal system wasn’t particularly complicated.

All cases were judged under the strict rulings of the central system, and so far, there had never been a victim who wasn’t satisfied.

Of course, there had never been an innocent victim either.

At least not since the current legal system had been established.

That’s why Z knew well the severity of the law.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. If Boss is safe, then it doesn’t matter.”

But Z seemed to have something he believed in.

“Come on, tie me up. You should earn your merit as a knight.”

Z sneered at Sir Dominic with a smirk.

Clearly he was plotting something. That’s what Sir Dominic thought, but he still tied Z securely with rope.

“…I see. So that’s it.”

It was then.

Don Cartello, who had been blankly staring at Ryun’s light from the corner, muttered.

It wasn’t in his usual pathetic and incompetent tone, but in an intelligent and intellectual one.

“…You’re back, brother.”

Don Castello looked at Don Cartello with emotional eyes from the chair in the office.

“Z seems to trust Boss. He probably thinks Boss will hire a lawyer to reduce his sentence and pay bail to get him out.”

Don Cartello spoke very logically, unlike before.

“And since the testimony of the stupid Don Cartello would be a mess anyway, people wouldn’t count it as evidence.”

“But what can we do about this? What can we do?”

Don Cartello approached Z and took a phone from his pocket.

And before pressing the speed dial, he said:

“That’s only possible assuming Boss hasn’t been caught. And… Boss doesn’t know you’ve been captured yet.”

“…!”

Z’s eyes widened.

Having risen through the back alleys by reading situations, Z immediately understood the meaning of Don Cartello’s words.

“That’s not possi-!”

“Sir Dominic, Sir Dominica. I have a favor to ask, would you be willing to help?”

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica looked at Don Cartello.

No longer the foolish figure from before, but rational and authoritative.

“…Tell us what it is.”

Sir Dominic said to Don Cartello.

Don Cartello then pressed the speed dial number on the phone, and after confirming the signal was going through, he said to Sir Dominic:

“Could you cover that man’s mouth? I need to do some acting now.”

Sir Dominic nodded.

It was better than speaking, since they didn’t know when the call would connect.

“What? Wait-“

Sir Dominica immediately covered Z’s mouth.

Z struggled to remove the hand covering his mouth, but when Sir Dominic grabbed and pressed down on his shoulders, he was instantly subdued.

A short ring tone.

After what seemed like a sufficiently long time to Don Cartello, Boss answered the phone.

[“What is it…?”]

“I, I need help!”

[“What?”]

Don Cartello instantly changed his demeanor.

To a greedy yet foolish tone.

[“What’s going on…? Why are you using Z’s phone-“]

“As you know, everyone’s been disarmed now, right? Z has been captured by the enemy! I managed to grab Z’s phone from the ground and escape!”

His acting was so convincing that even Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica almost believed it.

[“…Abandon him.”]

“What?”

[“There are plenty of pawns as useful as Z. I need to save myself too. Right?”]

Shocking words came through the phone.

Z’s eyes widened.

He never expected Boss to say such things.

“I see. Understood.”

Don Cartello hung up while trying hard to suppress his laughter.

[“What? Wait, what are you-“]

Click. The call ended.

Don Cartello tossed the phone in the air and caught it with a satisfied smile, then looked at Z.

“Oh my, oh my, Mr. Z. How unfortunate.”

Don Cartello taunted Z.

Even without the taunt, Z’s face was already completely distorted.

Boss’s betrayal was painful, but now he had to find a way to save himself.

“…Let’s make a deal.”

And Z made the worst possible choice as his solution.

“I know a way to find Boss’s location. I prepared something in case a day like this would come.”

The choice to betray Boss in exchange for reducing his own sentence.

…

And so, Boss and Z, who had been infamous in the back alleys, were finally caught.

They would probably count the days until their release while spending a long time in a dark, damp underground prison.

Don Castello thought this as he watched Boss and Z being escorted to the back seat of the police car.

He was currently extremely thin, so thin that even a slight breeze made his bones feel cold.

It was then.

A blanket was draped over his shoulders.

When Don Castello turned his head, Don Cartello was there.

Still pig-like, but with an expression that wasn’t greedy.

“…Brother.”

“Would you like some cocoa?”

Don Cartello awkwardly offered a cup.

It was a complete contrast to his rational and cool appearance from earlier.

Perhaps… everything was an act, and this was Don Cartello’s true self.

“Brother.”

Don Castello, who was savoring the sweetness after accepting the cup, asked.

“Was it all an act until now?”

Whoosh. A harsh wind from the wasteland passed between them.

Don Castello pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders due to the considerable chill.

“Not exactly.”

Don Cartello, who had opened his mouth once, said.

“Actually, I remember everything up until now… but I’m not even sure if it was truly my own will.”

Don Cartello said.

“…Then that’s fine.”

Don Castello sipped his cocoa.

The fact that there was no poison or laxative in it was enough to confirm that his brother’s greed and incompetence had disappeared.

“But one thing is certain.”

Don Cartello picked up another cup and sat down next to Don Castello.

“At least thanks to your efforts moving me, I was able to return.”

Don Cartello sipped his cocoa.

Don Cartello had done everything he could to save Gachaworld.

To be precise, he had succeeded in restoring it but failed to attract customers.

That was inevitable.

In Gachaland, where more entertaining content was abundant, the amusement park called Gachaworld was outdated content.

Don Cartello, who had developed a mental illness due to continued losses and stress, went completely mad when Gachaworld went bankrupt once again.

When past glory reappeared before him, he clung to those beautiful memories and returned to his original self.

“…Gachaworld is truly beautiful, isn’t it?”

Don Cartello smiled.

It was a touching scene, but due to his bulldog-like face, Don Castello burst into laughter.

“By the way, how much did it cost?”

Don Cartello said to Don Castello.

As Don Cartello, who remembered everything he had done, wanted to express his gratitude to Don Castello somehow.

And in the Don family, the best way to apologize was… with money.

“Well, it did cost quite a bit.”

“How much exactly?”

Don Castello whispered the exact amount into Don Cartello’s ear.

Don Cartello’s eyes widened, and then he sighed.

“…I’ll have to sell some of my companies. Want to acquire them cheaply?”

“Well, if the price is right.”

Don Cartello offered a compromise to the unimaginable amount as he drank his cocoa.

And Don Castello accepted the apology disguised as a deal while drinking his cocoa.

This was the Don family’s way of apologizing.

…

“How about exchanging Gachaworld and all my companies and shares?”

“…Are you joking? That’s a complete loss for you, brother!”

“What does it matter? In return, if I mess up Gachaworld again, you’ll help me out. Okay?”

“…Alright.”

While Don Cartello and Don Castello were making their deal.

Behind them, a suspicious pinwheel had been motionless for some time.

People who looked closely at the pinwheel would have noticed the camera, but currently, no one around Gachaworld was leisurely enough to pay close attention to a pinwheel.

And that camera was sending information somewhere, and in front of the computer where that information arrived was a woman wearing a hat that said “IQ 150+”.

“This one’s a failure.”

The woman sighed and said.

“No wonder Wangyi failed too.”

The woman turned off the video and stood up.

Having been sitting for a long time, she stretched her stiffened body, then looked back at the computer and said.

“…This plan was unlucky, but next time will be different, Sir Dominic.”

After glaring at the computer for a while, the woman entered her quarters again.

Still after getting the password wrong for about 15 to 30 seconds.

…

“By the way.”

“Yes?”

After the incident was over, Sir Dominic sought out Don Castello separately.

Don Castello, who had been hospitalized and given nutrients after using too much energy, was now gaining weight again.

“What exactly was that ultimate weapon, Ryun or whatever?”

“Ah, that.”

Don Castello picked up the TV remote in his private room and turned on the TV.

The news he had been watching started playing.

“Actually, it’s not an ultimate weapon.”

“…?”

“How should I put it… it’s like Gachaworld’s last desperate attempt.”

Don Castello started changing channels with the remote.

“Desperate attempt?”

Sir Dominic asked.

“Yes. A desperate attempt.”

Don Castello finally found the channel he wanted and put down the remote.

“As you know, my brother tried everything to save Gachaworld. And that was the very last project he planned at the absolute end.”

“Of course, it was abandoned due to budget issues and then went bankrupt, but that project could be called the essence of my brother’s soul.”

“…And it’s also the reason why I was obsessed with the Ferris wheel.”

With those final words, Don Castello looked at the TV.

The TV was showing information about hot places, which was a familiar location to Sir Dominic.

[“Now! Today we’ve come to the reopened Gachaworld! Amazingly, it’s said to be able to transform into a giant robot!”]

[“Let’s find out if that’s really true today with me, Dmitri! Let’s go!”]

[Located in the wasteland on the outskirts of Gachaland, Gachaworld. They say there’s something truly unique here~?]

[“Oh my, don’t even mention it. These days people come from everywhere to see it.”]

Gachaworld bustling with people.

Sir Dominic was glad that Gachaworld was doing well.

“…I’m glad it’s working out well.”

Sharing the same sentiment, Don Castello smiled awkwardly.

On the TV, Don Cartello appeared with a truly innocent and pure smile.

[“Our Gachaworld is-“]