Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Chapter 27: Karon’s Plot (2)

At the same time.

The head of the town guard in the port city of Bela was furious over a recent report. Thirty gold coins had been stolen—a bold and audacious crime.

There were only a few who could pull off something like this. Given that the crime had occurred near the border between the Hinjo and Megamon gang territories, it had to be one of them.

He had a deal with the gangs. In exchange for turning a blind eye to their crimes, he took a 30% cut of their earnings.

While he usually ignored smaller crimes, thirty gold coins equal 30,000 shillings—a significant sum. He was entitled to at least 10,000 shillings from that.

That was no small amount.

“Do they think I’m a joke?”

Anyone stealing such an amount should have known it would be reported unless the victim ended up dead.

There was no way the gangs didn’t understand that, yet he still hadn’t heard from them. It was a blatant act of disrespect.

“Maybe I’ve been too soft on them lately. Hmm… it might be time to shake things up.”

The town guard chief, a man in his early fifties with a short stature and a fine brown mustache, lit his cigar, deep in thought.

Although he was in charge of the city’s security, his actual number of guards was limited.

The Empire’s army was stationed in the city, but they didn’t get involved in local affairs, being there to defend against foreign threats.

Unless a major rebellion broke out, they wouldn’t step in, and nothing like that had ever happened in Bela.

Thus, to maintain control over the city’s various organizations, the chief had to use other means.

He usually supported subordinates within the gangs who were loyal to him, helping them rise to leadership positions.

This way, the gangs would be under his thumb.

However, the problem was that, over time, those subordinates would gain power and wealth, eventually trying to break free from his control.

When their heads got too big, it was time to cut them down.

He already had replacements in mind for the next bosses.

*Knock, knock.*

Just as he was lost in thought, a knock came at the door.

“Come in.”

The door swung open immediately, and two men walked in.

One had a thin frame with sharp, fox-like features, while the other was large and burly, with the rough face of a bandit.

They were none other than Hinjo and Megamon, the leaders of the two main gangs.

“Greetings, Chief,” they said, giving a casual nod as they entered.

“Chief, I’ve got business of my own, you know. Summoning me at this hour is a bit…”

The wiry Hinjo sat down carelessly in a chair opposite the chief, his tone full of complaint.

He was rather insolent. Megamon, on the other hand, sat up straight, his posture stiff and formal.

“What? So I need to make an appointment to meet with you now?” the chief barked.

“No, that’s not what I meant…” Hinjo quickly lowered his tone, realizing the chief wasn’t in his usual mood. No matter how bold he was, he knew better than to push his luck in this situation.

“What’s the reason for calling both of us here?” Megamon asked, his voice tinged with hostility. As rivals, being in the same room was uncomfortable for both of them.

“I’m not doing this because I enjoy it,” Hinjo muttered, not backing down.

Before their tension could escalate, the chief jumped in.

“Quiet, both of you. I’ve got a reason for this. A report came in this morning—someone stole thirty gold coins. The theft occurred at the ‘Path of Waves’ inn.”

Hinjo and Megamon exchanged a sharp glance, each suspecting the other.

The chief continued.

“I wouldn’t care if it were just 10,000 shillings, but thirty gold coins? That’s 30,000 shillings! And you think you can just keep that kind of money without reporting it to me? Which one of you did it? Was it you? Or you?”

The chief pointed angrily at them, causing Hinjo to flinch and wave his hands in denial.

“It wasn’t me, Chief! If I had stolen it, I would’ve reported it and paid my share! When have I ever kept anything from you?”

“We didn’t do it either, Chief. Could it be the work of another gang?” Megamon asked, his deep voice firm. After all, Bela had plenty of smaller gangs besides the two of them.

But the chief scoffed at the suggestion.

“Do you really think anyone else could touch that territory besides you two?”

Neither of them could respond. Any gang that dared to trespass on their turf would have been swiftly dealt with.

Just then, something seemed to occur to Hinjo.

“Maybe the person who reported the theft was lying?” he suggested.

BANG!

The chief slammed his fist on the desk, his face red with anger.

“That’s why we need to check! Got it? Go back and beat the truth out of your men, I don’t care how you do it! I want to know who the thief is by tomorrow morning! Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“We’ll have it figured out by tomorrow morning,” Megamon agreed, nodding curtly, while Hinjo, though displeased, reluctantly lowered his head.

That night.

Both gangs moved swiftly with their investigations.

Given the strict hierarchy within their organizations, it didn’t take long to uncover the culprit.

In the third-floor hideout of the Hinjo gang.

Hinjo sat in a grand, old-fashioned chair, puffing on a cigarette. Kneeling before him was Lekki, his face swollen from a recent beating.

“So, there were only ten gold coins?” Hinjo asked.

“Yes, Boss. I checked with my own eyes, and my men saw it too. That’s why I didn’t think it was a big deal. How could I lie to you, Boss?”

“Hmm…” Hinjo fell into deep thought. Lekki didn’t seem to be lying.

That meant either the thief, Haskell, or the person who reported the theft was lying. But why would the one who reported it bother lying?

The most likely scenario was that Haskell had pocketed twenty of the gold coins and lied about it. He would have had plenty of time to do so.

“Please, Boss, give me one more chance. I’ll handle this mess and clean it up. I swear!”

Lekki pleaded desperately, clinging to Hinjo. Hinjo hesitated. He was fond of Lekki, one of his most loyal men.

They had been together for a long time, and Hinjo saw a lot of himself in Lekki.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Hinjo finally spoke.

“I’ll give you one last chance. Bring me that thief immediately.”

“Thank you, Boss! Thank you!”

Lekki, bowing repeatedly, quickly left the room.

Hinjo pressed his fingers to his aching forehead as he lit another cigarette, his mind spinning.

The atmosphere around the town guard chief had been tense lately. Hinjo could feel it in his bones—he was being closely watched, like the chief was just waiting for him to slip up.

And now, at such a crucial moment, one of his subordinates had messed everything up.

Even if he managed to resolve the situation, there was a high chance the chief would use this incident to come after him.

“If it comes to that… I’ll have no choice but to throw Lekki under the bus.”

Hinjo took a deep drag from his cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke.

Meanwhile,

Lekki left Hinjo’s office and went straight to his own to retrieve the black sword. His subordinates were already lined up outside, their faces grim after the scolding they had received.

“Tonight, bring that rat to me, alive or dead—I don’t care how. Now, go!” Lekki barked, and his subordinates swiftly scattered in different directions, each knowing the specific areas they were responsible for.

Lekki, along with a few men, headed toward the tavern where Haskell often hung out. It was located in the northern outskirts of Bela, beyond the influence of both gangs.

“If I don’t find that bastard, I’m finished. No matter what, I have to…”

Lekki bit his lip, gripping the black sword tighter. His eyes were bloodshot, and veins bulged on his face. The sword’s energy was slowly consuming him.

“If worst comes to worst, I’ll just kill them all!”

By the time Lekki reached the outskirts, murderous intent had fully ignited in his heart.

He entered the narrow, dark alley near the tavern Haskel frequented, only to find someone standing there, blocking his path.

“Well, look who it is. Isn’t it Lekki, captain of the Hinjo gang?” the figure called out, as if waiting for him. It was Bembo, the middle boss of the Megamon gang, accompanied by his subordinates.

Bembo, a muscular man with a brutish face, was the hot-headed younger brother of Megamon and known for his immense strength.

“Bembo? What are you doing here?” Lekki asked, narrowing his eyes. Bembo gave a sly smile, his tone leisurely.

“Whoa, what happened to your face? Let me guess, you’re here looking for Haskell?”

Lekki’s red eyes twitched, and his gaze wavered. Bembo flashed a wicked grin, showing his yellow teeth.

“Ha! So the rumors are true. Too bad for you, though—Haskell’s already left Bela.”

“Bembo, you bastard! Did you hide him?”

Lekki didn’t believe a word. His mind was already clouded by the black sword’s influence, and his judgment was becoming increasingly impaired.

Unaware of this, Bembo simply thought Lekki was agitated from being cornered.

“Hide him? When I got here, Haskell was already gone. I just came to enjoy the sight of you looking pathetic.”

“Shut up! Tell me where he is before I kill you!” Lekki roared, drawing the black sword and pointing it at Bembo. His mind was no longer capable of rational thought.

His breath grew ragged, and the crimson energy from the sword began to seep out, crawling over his body.

“You’re out of your mind!” Bembo spat, disgusted by the sight of the unstable black sword.

“Hah! Are you planning to fight me with that thing? I’ve been itching for a fight anyway. Maybe I should knock some sense into you like the old days?” Bembo taunted, putting on his gauntlets.

But rather than scaring Lekki, it only heightened his bloodlust. He thrust the sword through the air, driven by a murderous rage.

“Don’t mock me! I’m not the same as I used to be!”

Bembo finally realized something was wrong. Lekki’s demeanor was completely different from before. In the past, Lekki would have run the moment Bembo equipped his gauntlets.

“He’s completely lost it,” Bembo muttered, taking a step back. But with his men watching, showing any sign of weakness wasn’t an option. He decided it would be best to provoke Lekki just enough and then retreat.

“You idiot. No wonder you’re still just a captain. Well, I guess we’ll meet again—if you’re still around by then. Hah!” Bembo sneered, ready to leave.

“Stop right there, you bastard!” Lekki, having lost all self-control, charged at Bembo. By this point, he was nothing more than a beast, consumed by the black sword’s energy.

“You’re really insane!” Bembo growled, clenching his fists as Lekki rushed him. With no choice left, Bembo prepared to fight, knowing he’d have to kill Lekki in front of all the onlookers.

Lekki swung the sword wildly, while Bembo aimed a punch, planning to deflect the blade with his gauntlet and counterattack.

But just as the two were about to clash, the crimson energy swirling around Lekki’s sword suddenly intensified. The air turned heavy, and a powerful force surged from the blade.

Bembo, sensing danger, tried to pull his arm back, but it was too late. He crossed his arms to block the blow, but—

*Shreeek!*

*Slash!*

“Gyaaah!”

The black sword, shrouded in crimson energy, cut clean through Bembo’s gauntlets, slicing off both his wrists.

Bembo collapsed, clutching his bleeding stumps, while his men stood frozen in shock at the sight of Lekki, who had just sliced through steel as if it were nothing.

“Hrrgh…”

A grotesque sound escaped Lekki’s throat, his body now radiating a sinister energy. His eyes gleamed with a dark, evil aura, and his skin began to take on a shadowy hue.

Bembo’s subordinates, having lost the will to fight, began to retreat in terror.

Lekki, now resembling a demon more than a man, raised his sword to finish off the unconscious Bembo.

But just then—

Grab!

Someone caught Lekki’s wrist.

A man appeared out of the shadows, draped in a black cloak that covered him from head to toe. No one had seen him approach—he seemed to have materialized from the darkness itself.

With a simple twist of his hand, the cloaked figure tore Lekki’s arm from its socket, sending a spray of blood in all directions.

“Aaargh!” Lekki screamed, collapsing to the ground as the blood from his severed arm gushed from his mouth, nose, and eyes.

“So, the strange energy I sensed was coming from you…” the cloaked figure said in a low, ominous voice.

He extended his hand toward the sword, now lying on the ground, and asked coldly, “Where did you get this sword?”

But Lekki could no longer answer. He had already bled out.

The cloaked man clicked his tongue in annoyance and tried to pull the sword free from the severed arm.

Just then—

Swish!

“Gaaah!”

“Ugh!”

The sword shot out of the man’s grasp, spinning wildly through the air and instantly slicing through the necks of several gang members before disappearing into the shadows.

At the same time, a crimson afterimage swirled around the cloaked man, forming a ring before vanishing.

The fallen gang members stared in horror, clutching their throats as they collapsed, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

But the cloaked man remained calm. He looked up and fixed his gaze on the opposite side of the alley.

“I’ve found you.”

From the darkness, a young man’s voice echoed.

It was thin, yet eerily monotone.

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