episode_0002

Aftermath

(Rumbling!)

There is a body in the trunk of the car I’m driving right now.

Alice stabbed, and I killed the man.

The vehicle carrying the body was heading to a pier.

(Creak)

An employee at the pier gate blocked the approaching vehicle.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

(Swish)

I handed a wad of cash to the employee without saying a word.

“…Open it.”

The employee, looking back and forth between the wad of cash and my bloodstained suit, shouted at the employee who opened the door.

(Creak)

“The first time?”

“…”

I nodded in response to the employee’s question.

“Do you know the way?”

Again, I nodded.

“Go to Pier 4.”

(Rumbling)

Upon hearing the employee’s words, I went to Pier 4. When I arrived at the pier, one warehouse was open and there was no one around.

“You’re here.”

Alice nodded as she heard my words.

I opened the car door, took out a drum that was stacked in the warehouse, brought it to the back of the car, and put bricks inside.

(Clatter)

Then, I opened the trunk, took out the body, and put it into the drum.

(Rolling, rolling)

Then, I rolled the drum to the end of the pier. Seeing several drums already there, I could once again realize that in this beautiful city, more people had to die secretly.

(Thud)

Next to several drums containing bodies, I placed mine.

“Sigh.”

Having finished the work, I looked at the sea from the pier. Despite the current situation, the beautiful night sea felt beautiful.

Seeing this beautiful scenery and the bodies next to me, I couldn’t help but take out a cigarette.

(Tap, tap, tap)

“…Damn it.”

As the lighter wouldn’t catch fire, I angrily threw it into the sea.

“…I should quit this too.”

The cigarette, which started to taste bitter due to the bleakness of the world, seemed like it was time to quit.

(Swoosh)

Having made a resolution to quit smoking, I threw the pack into the sea.

“…”

As I got into the car, I could see a single cigarette butt that had fallen to the ground.

“…”

Thankfully, I was able to resist the temptation of that single cigarette butt and walked towards the car.

(Clatter, thud)

“…”

Alice, who had finished preparing to bury the body and was waiting for me in the car, looked at me.

(Thud)

I drove the car through the gate to escape the pier.

“Is it over already?” an employee approaching the vehicle asked me.

…

Without a word, I took out a few bills and handed them to the employee.

“Haha, thanks,” the employee said, putting the bills in his pocket with a smile.

“Hmm? What about back there?” The employee leaned halfway into the car to see Alice, who had just failed to finish off the pussy.

(Click!)

…

I pressed the muzzle of the gun under the employee’s chin.

“Okay, okay,” the employee said, laughing cautiously as he pulled his head out of the car.

“Open it.”

(Creak)

“See you again,” the employee said with a smile. And I ignored the greeting and drove the car.

…

…

The inside of the car fell silent. Alice didn’t know what to do, and I had a lot on my mind.

“…Oppa.”

“What?”

“Sorry.”

“…No.”

The person Alice stabbed is a member of an organization called Devil Colosseum. The burning tattoo of the Colosseum, now only remaining in photos, is evidence of that. As fighters who make money by risking their lives in underground fighting arenas, members of this organization seek revenge for any harm done to their own, no matter the reason.

Even if it’s clear that the member was at fault or even if it’s clearly the responsibility of the member, they don’t care. Thanks to this, most members of this organization are not good people.

If I had taken that man to the hospital, he could have survived. But if he survives and opens his mouth about Alice stabbing him, it’s simple. Alice will die.

Of course, even if I use hypnosis to silence the man, if by some chance the hypnosis wears off or evidence is found, it’s over. Because it’s a fact that he was stabbed with a knife.

So the conclusion is simple.

The person who suffered harm should disappear.

I’ve heard that these days, the principle of Devil Colosseum, which used to be “if you’re harmed, you pay back,” is considered bothersome. So in many cases, when the person who suffered harm disappears, they think he ran away. No, in many cases, they just let it go.

Because the missing member is not an important one, it’s said that they just let it go.

“I’ll take you home, have a day off from school tomorrow.”

“…Okay.”

I arrived in front of the house and dropped off Alice.

“…Thank you, oppa.”

Alice, who got out of the car, looked at me and said. I patted her head and she, feeling my touch, quickly regained her composure and hurried into the house.

After confirming Alice had entered the house, I drove the car again.

“…”

(Swish)

Inside the house, Alice was looking at Arthur driving away in the car.

.

.

.

.

“…”

Arriving at the scene, where the blood was still fresh, I needed to clean this up first.

There are no surveillance cameras around. And it’s evening, so there are no people around either.

(Vroom!)

A truck stopped in front of the alley and people got out.

“Here!”

“I think that’s it over there.”

People carrying various cleaning tools spotted me in the alley and approached.

“You called for us, boss?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Here.”

The people pointed at the blood on the ground and said, “Let’s get started.”

(Splatter!)

A man with a bucket sprayed water on the blood-stained floor.

(Scrub, scrub, scrub, swish, swish)

Then another man with the remaining cleaning tools began to wipe away the bloodstains. The cleaning staff swiftly erased the traces of a dangerous crime scene, working in unison.

“Bring it here.”

A staff member brought a bag of dirt and scattered it on the ground.

Since it was an alley, they knew that if it was too clean, it would raise suspicion, so the staff deliberately made the cleaned area look somewhat messy to avoid arousing suspicion.

(Tap, tap, tap, scrape)

Then, a staff member took out a spray can and started drawing pictures on the wall and floor.

“…”

“That’s his hobby.”

Another staff member said as he watched the staff member doing street art with the spray can.

“We’re done!”

“Phew!”

The crime scene, once covered in blood, now looked like any ordinary alleyway.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

After the cleaning was finished, I handed a bag to the staff.

“This is your tip.”

And I placed a small bag on top and said, “Thank you for using Red Cleanup!”

The staff members smiled and thanked me when they saw the small bag.

“I hope it doesn’t happen, but if something serious happens, please use it!”

After exchanging greetings, the employees quickly got on a truck and disappeared.

“……”

(sigh)

The place where people were just killed and blood was flowing was now neatly cleaned up, and the only thing stained with blood here was my suit.

“…Nothing will happen, right?”

And of course, nothing was going to happen.

(thud! thud! thud!)

“Kill him! Kill him!”

“What are you doing? One punch! Quickly!”

Men holding tickets around the underground arena shouted at the people fighting inside the arena.

(thwack! thud!)

“Ahh!!”

A player on the arena floor grabbed and broke another player’s arm.

“Hey, damn it! I bet on you!”

“Alright! It’s item time now!”

A man holding a microphone shouted.

(beep!)

(clank!)

With the sound of sirens, boxes fell from the ceiling.

“Gasp! Gasp!”

(thud! thud!)

People in the arena quickly grabbed and opened the boxes.

“Huh? Haha! Jinwoo’s weapon is a frying pan!”

“Hahaha!”

(swish)

“Huh? Kokoro has a knife! It’s been a while since we’ve had a knife!”

(slash!)

The player with the knife immediately stabbed the chest of the player next to him.

(slash! slash!)

And continued to stab and slash the man’s chest.

“Die! Die!”

“He seems to have lost his mind.”

(thud!)

“Huh?! Jinwoo used the frying pan to strike Kokoro’s head! Kokoro was taken down by a surprise attack?!”

(thud! thud! thud!)

The player with the frying pan continued to strike the fallen player’s head.

“Yes! The ultimate winner, Jinwoo!”

“Wow!!”

“Ah, damn it!”

“This is messed up.”

“You bastard! Why are you winning and acting all high and mighty?!”

“……”

Amidst the people who were enthusiastic about killing others in the game, a man looked around at the fervent crowd.

“Hyung-nim.”

“What?”

“The 4th division chief hasn’t been in touch.”

“He’s probably fooling around with some woman again.”

“Well, no one has seen him for days…”

“…Find him.”

“Yes!”

“Now, you’ll feel lighter and speak only the truth.”

On stage, I was hypnotizing a member of the audience after opening a pocket watch.

“Can you tell lies?”

“…can’t do it.”

“Well, what do you want to ask?”

“Oh, whether I’m your first love.”

“Hmm, that’s a really scary question. Is your girlfriend your first love?”

“…No, she’s not.”

“Oof.”

“Hocus pocus!”

“…”

The girlfriend’s expression soured at her boyfriend’s answer.

“Haha! Okay, let’s stop the hypnosis here. When I count to three and snap my fingers, the hypnosis will be lifted. One, two, three.”

(Snap!)

“…….!!”

As the hypnosis was lifted, the man realized what he had just said. And soon, he also sensed his own fate.

“I’d rather juggle with real swords, wouldn’t that be safer?”

“Hahaha!”

“Is there anyone who wants to ask the same question to their boyfriend?”

(Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!)

A considerable number of women quickly raised their hands in response to my question.

“Hmm, there are so many of you who wish for your boyfriend’s life. Unfortunately, today’s magic ends here.”

“Phew!”

(Clapping! Clapping! Clapping!)

Even though the magic had ended, the men applauded and whistled.

“Should we do more?”

“No, no!”

“Applause!”

(Clapping! Clapping! Clapping! Clapping!)

The applause seemed louder than usual, but maybe it’s just my mood.

“Mr. Ahn?”

“Oh, yes, boss.”

As soon as the performance ended, Anderson, the owner of this club, approached me as always.

“Mr. Ahn, about the hypnosis you just did.”

“?”

“The kind that makes people tell the truth.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Can you use it on someone else?”

“……”

“I’ll pay you handsomely.”

First of all, Anderson, the owner of this club in front of me, is not just a club owner.

He is the head of a significant criminal organization that has seized this area starting from this club. It’s definitely not a clear and normal thing for such a person to make a private request to me.

“…I’ll pay you, and if there’s ever a time when I need your help, will you help?”

“Hmm, have you been stung by something?”

“No, just in case something happens.”

“Alright. I’ll help as much as I can.”

Following Anderson into a warehouse…

“Creak! Creak!”

“……”

Inside the warehouse were men tied to bloodied and battered chairs, surrounded by Anderson’s henchmen holding weapons, seemingly having tortured the man.

The thief was trying to steal something from my safe, but he wouldn’t say what or who sent him.

“Please step out for a moment.”

“Everyone, leave.”

At Anderson’s words, all the subordinates went out of the warehouse.

“I will stay. Is that okay?”

“…What are you doing?”

(Sound of a chair being dragged)

I took the chair offered by Anderson and approached the thief.

“Gasp, gasp”

The man, seeming exhausted from torture, breathed heavily.

(Sound of a ticking clock)

I looked at the man and took out a pocket watch.