I’m Not That Villain

2 – Moving (2)

I glanced at the fallen enforcers. They were still breathing, but the important thing was the bigger issue at hand.

Injuring enforcers. This is big. Really big.

Isn’t this practically a direct challenge to the enforcement agency?

“Uh…is this really necessary…”

“If you refuse the Black Market’s support, I will leave immediately.”

“No. Haha. There’s no way I would refuse.”

If that woman leaves in this situation, I’m the only one who gets screwed.

…Alright. The situation has already exploded. The only thing left is to break through head-on.

Haha. My life is already messed up! Let’s just see how far we can go!

First, I grabbed my clothes. I also shoved my wallet into my pocket, but the Black Market employee threw all my cards away.

They even took my phone and smashed it.

“…Is that really necessary?”

“At this point, I will eliminate all possibilities of being tracked. Please use this spare phone instead of the broken one.”

“I don’t have any cash.”

“I do.”

I packed everything I needed, including portable tools. After barely making the 10-minute mark, I hurriedly followed her down the stairs.

A car was waiting below. A black van. The windows were tinted so dark that the inside couldn’t be seen.

She sat in the driver’s seat. When I tried to sit in the passenger seat, she shook her head.

She pointed to the back seat.

“There is a space under the seat. Please get inside.”

I bent down to look.

There was a space that I could barely fit into if I crawled in.

“…Doesn’t it take a long time to get to Seoul?”

“This is a special measure for your safety. If you don’t want a hole in your forehead, I recommend getting in.”

A hole in my forehead.

“Please drive safely.”

I quickly crawled under the seat. The car started moving.

After fully getting inside, I closed the lid. In the ensuing darkness, I lay curled up, feeling melancholic.

It’s dark. Just like the rest of my life.

What kind of mess is this, just for selling one wrong item?

Fortunately, the car kept moving. It stopped a few times, but luckily, nothing major happened.

The stops were a bit frequent. Maybe the inspections have been intensified. The rumor might have already spread. The enforcement agencies are known for their efficiency.

If I had been sitting in the seat, I would have been caught by now. I waited quietly in the darkness until she spoke to me.

“Mr. Lee Seo-jun.”

…Did I doze off a bit? I answered belatedly.

“Yes?”

“You can come out now.”

I opened the lid and crawled out. I saw undeveloped mountainous terrain passing by outside the window.

“…Where are we…?”

“We are on our way to Seoul. This route is known to the insiders of the black market as a quiet path, so you don’t need to worry about inspections.”

The car stopped. The deserted mountain road was quite eerie.

…Surely, they aren’t planning to dispose of me here, are they?

“Mr. Lee Seo-jun. First of all, on behalf of the Black Market, I would like to apologize.”

“……”

Thank goodness.

I swept my hair back, relieved.

It seems like they’re going to offer some compensation…

Surely they don’t think they can just talk their way out of this? While I am indeed the one who caused the problem, I am also the one who suffered from the information leak!

“…Just words?”

“Of course not. Please, have a seat.”

I sat down next to her. She slid a document envelope towards me.

“This is a forged ID provided by the Black Market. It should work anywhere except for public institutions. You can also sell the account under that name, so please keep that in mind.”

This is somewhat of a relief. I gratefully accepted it.

As expected of the Black Market. A big corporation is a big corporation. Even though its true nature hasn’t been revealed, they say it’s enough to swallow up any decent-sized company…

It’s real!

“And this is a card. It contains a clean 1 billion won. Please destroy it immediately after withdrawal.”

“A billion?!”

“Yes.”

No way!

Did I hear that wrong?! A billion?! Really a billion?!

To someone like me who always struggled with less than a million won in my bank account…

A biiillllion?!

“……”

As the dopamine hit its peak, I became rather calm.

What is this?

They’re being too nice.

I looked at the employee with suspicious eyes. She lowered her mask and put an electronic cigarette in her mouth.

Everything I had guessed just by looking at her eyes was spot on. No, I realized my imagination was actually lacking.

And what’s with that beautiful lower face? She’s just naturally a beauty?

“May I smoke?”

“Oh. Yes, I don’t mind… By the way, does the Black Market hire employees based on their looks?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

…Is that right?

She turned the steering wheel.

“Appearance is an essential factor in customer service, so all the team leaders in the Black Market have attractive looks.”

“Plastic surgery…?”

“Many people don’t like artificial beauty, so they are all natural beauties.”

She opened the window and exhaled smoke.

“Let’s get back to the compensation. Managing customer information is one of the most strictly controlled aspects in the Black Market. Since the terms of service were violated, the company is trying to take responsibility in its own way.”

“Is my information leak worth 1 billion?”

“It is to us. The downfall of a giant always starts with a small wound. We just try not to overlook it.”

Hmm…

Well. I don’t think that’s all.

You see, I grew up rough. So I kind of know.

People only give because it’s worth it.

Well, if I think about what comes to mind right now…

Weapons? Or maybe they want to form a connection with that criminal who openly said they were targeting me?

Anyway, the important thing was that the scale was big.

As expected of the number one in the industry…

I nodded for now. She exhaled smoke again.

“And additionally, we can help you with plastic surgery to achieve the appearance you desire… but we don’t recommend it.”

“What?”

“Anyway, it’s almost safe to say that there are hardly any incidents involving law enforcement within Seoul. It’s not called a lawless city for nothing.”

“…What if there’s a bounty on my head? Won’t there be someone who would turn me in?”

“The bounty from law enforcement is only for ‘people with a confirmed identity and no criminal record.’ Moreover, as soon as an enforcer enters Seoul, the organizations in each district move significantly, so you don’t need to worry about that either.”

I’ve only heard about it, but it really is a lawless city.

They say it’s a neighborhood where no one reports even if there’s a corpse hanging on the wall in the morning, is it true?

I unconsciously rubbed my shoulders. Damn it. How do you live in such a place?

“How can a good person like me live in such a place…?”

“It seems you’ve done something that can’t be called good… Anyway, the company plans to help you with your residence as much as possible.”

“You’re even providing a house?”

“Yes. We plan to help with the construction of basic security facilities. But there are separate documents you need to sign.”

“…Like a non-disclosure agreement?”

“If it becomes public that customer information has been exposed in the black market, it could cause massive problems.”

“Well, if you’re helping me that much, there’s no reason for me to keep my mouth shut.”

I slyly turned my head. If you think about it, hasn’t the situation improved a bit?

A billion won. And on top of that, a house of my own.

…No, wait. If I play my cards right, I might even be able to get that successful workshop I’ve always dreamed of…

Wouldn’t that mean opening my business ten years earlier than planned?

“…….”

Well, I haven’t officially registered for a license, but if you think about it, it’s actually better.

Living in a city with a low crime rate, wouldn’t the quality of life improve? It means I won’t have to survive on convenience store rice balls anymore.

I’ll have my own shop, and it’s like getting a free billion won in capital. Of course, the main customers would change from decent enforcers and problem solvers to somewhat dubious individuals…

Isn’t that a minor issue? Right?

And I have a fake ID. They said they’d install basic security systems in my house…

Look at this.

No matter how you look at it, it’s a huge gain, isn’t it?

“Umm…?!”

Once I started thinking positively, there was no end to it.

Skills? I’ve already stolen everything worth learning from the Black Chain Workshop.

I’ve already made those illegal weapons with the stolen skills. And for the things I’m lacking, I can just make some equipment, sell it, and use the money to learn from other workshops. Right. It’s called the virtuous cycle of money.

And I didn’t have any acquaintances in Busan… No one to worry about…

If I make a lot of money later and hire a personal bodyguard, wouldn’t I be able to live an even more comfortable life?

And didn’t the billionaire villain personally certify it?

That my weapons are awesome!

“…Ahem!”

Thanks to that, my life got a bit tangled, but still. The guy has an eye for things.

Probably through that interview, the news that my weapons are awesome reached the ears of the black market. Thinking that way, the cold sweat that was trickling down stopped.

It’s not a bad situation. From the moment the black market got involved, it actually got better.

…Then for now…

Shall I start by securing ‘my’ workshop?

“Excuse me. So then.”

He subtly broached the subject.

“There’s no problem with signing itself, but could you meet a few more of my demands?”

“If it’s within our capacity, I’ll contact the higher-ups.”

This is the happiest thing I’ve heard today.

Yeah. A second life. Well, what’s the big deal about being a criminal?

Even if I live in the worst place for public safety, as long as I’m happy, that’s all that matters!

“Then let’s organize the demands first. Before that, your name is…?”

“Cha Seo-yoon.”

“Cha Seo-yoon. Good. Then shall we properly discuss our business?”

Isn’t there a saying that crisis is an opportunity?

Let’s take a good look at it. As long as the other party doesn’t get angry!

. . .

The reason I could gradually raise the negotiation stage was also thanks to the cooperation of Cha Seo-yoon, an employee of the black market.

“I’ll provide as much convenience as possible.”

Pretty face and good personality, wow!

It’s exactly the kind of person you’d want as an acquaintance. I smiled at her kindness.

I glanced at the paper I had tapped with my pen.

First of all…

“Up to 1.2 billion won on the card.”

“Possible.”

“Buy me a building in the safest area within Seoul…”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I’ll design and supervise the basic security facilities myself.”

“Understood.”

“The building should be a detached house. A two-story residential building. The first floor is a workshop. The second floor is a residential area.”

“Some areas in Seoul have very cheap house prices, so that’s also possible.”

“Shorten the construction period as much as possible. No sloppy work, do it meticulously.”

“In the name of the black market, I’ll contact a reliable agency.”

“Until the security facilities are completed, Cha Seo-yoon will be responsible for my safety.”

“That has already been agreed upon, so no problem.”

How could such a smooth conversation be possible! Cha Seo-yoon is a god!

I sincerely reached out my hand. I shook hands with her lightly.

“Do you, by any chance… need a weapon?”

“Pardon?”

“I just wanted to make one for you as a gift.”

It was an illegal weapon that I used to sell for 50 each.

With over 1.2 billion won plus some extra, I wanted to make one for her, who had worked hard for me.

Cha Seo-yoon said reluctantly.

“I’m not one to rely on weapons… but if you give it to me, I’ll accept it.”

“Are you an ability holder, Ms. Cha Seo-yoon?”

“Yes, but…?”

“Even better. That’s my specialty.”

I grinned. Maybe because I had taken so much, I was in a very generous state.

So, I said. I’ll make one for you as a service.

“I’ll make one that suits you well. As a gift for a successful negotiation!”

At the same time, I made a vow to myself.

I won’t sell weapons to real villains anymore.

I will choose my customers carefully. So that such complicated things won’t happen again!