I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 195

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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195 – Kagero
195.
Kuroda had deliberated for a long time.
How could he attack South Korea?
He needed to find a way to pressure South Korea within the framework of legality,
without making Japan appear as an unscrupulous nation in the eyes of the international community.
But no method came to mind.
That wasn’t entirely accurate.
In fact, far too many possibilities surfaced.
Yet with each method he conceived, South Korea’s countermeasures emerged just as clearly.
Insurance, finance, trade, diplomacy.
Whatever approach Kuroda could devise, South Korea would surely have anticipated it.
He genuinely believed there was no escape route through insurance.
He never imagined they would assemble a reinsurance coalition in mere moments.
Kuroda’s gaze returned to the photograph.
Ana stood at its center.
No matter how meticulously Kuroda crafted his operations,
with a designer of Ana’s caliber in place, they would be dismantled swiftly.
Moreover, Taerim had reportedly reaped enormous profits from launching marine insurance this time.
Not merely from direct revenue generated by premiums.
They had demonstrated that their company possessed a sufficiently robust foundation to manage reinsurance,
and by leveraging the keyword of independence, they had become a national enterprise.
A title that no amount of money could purchase.
Yet they had seized it while raking in profits hand over fist.
This incident had become a monumental issue within the insurance industry.
Creating and obtaining approval for insurance in just five days remained a legend to this day.
If Ana, the architect of this legend, remained, no operation would succeed.
Then naturally, he would need to target a domain Ana could not touch.
But did such a domain even exist?
Within the bounds of legal operations?
He had considered halting trade again, as before.
But that approach no longer worked.
Since then, South Korea had developed new technologies and diversified its suppliers.
By suspending trade, Japan had merely lost customers.
His deliberation deepened.
Though he wished not to entertain it, Matsumoto’s words continued to echo in his mind.
“When a knot won’t untie, sometimes cutting it is the answer.”
‘Is this truly the only way?’
The more he contemplated methods to strike at South Korea, the more everything converged upon Ana.
If he could simply eliminate her, everything would proceed effortlessly.
After deliberating for a long time, Kuroda finally made his decision.
He quietly picked up his phone.
.
.
.
Yeouido, Seoul.
Taerim Insurance headquarters.
Ana was finishing up her work and preparing to leave for the day.
Ana was currently living in Unity Village.
Unity Village was the name given to the townhouses where Alex lived.
Though smaller than Unity Town, it was called that because it was a space connected by the same philosophy.
Since there were many empty houses, she was told to move into any one she liked.
Ana didn’t refuse.
A car was waiting in front of the entrance.
As she emerged, the security personnel greeted her respectfully.
The car she boarded pulled away smoothly.
And there was someone watching the scene unfold.
“Target is departing. Unit 1 is in pursuit.”
.
.
.
Maebong Mountain Entrance.
The road leading to Unity Village.
It was a section with light traffic.
White smoke was rising from the road.
[Gas Leak. Emergency Repairs in Progress]
A temporary sign was erected in the middle of the road.
People in work clothes and safety helmets moved busily about the site.
But upon closer inspection, no actual construction was taking place.
They were merely repeating meaningless motions.
In fact, these people were not construction workers.
They were a hit team sent from Japan to eliminate Ana.
This team’s name was Kagero—a shimmer in the heat.
A hit team composed of former members of Japan’s special forces.
People who officially did not exist.
They had no nationality, no identity.
Even if they disappeared here, Japan would deny any involvement.
Yet they had handled all of Japan’s troublesome affairs.
The operation was simple.
Feign a gas leak to obstruct visibility.
Smoke disables the CCTV.
Block Ana’s vehicle from front and back, then eliminate the target.
There’s no security detail.
Just one driver.
Once Ana’s vehicle enters the smoke,
it’s a simple job—break the window and eliminate only Ana.
“Are you ready?”
Static crackled through the earpiece pressed against my ear.
“Ready.”
I answered quietly.
“This must succeed, no matter what.”
“Yes. Understood.”
The radio crackled again.
“Two minutes to arrival.”
Aoi, a member of Kagero, gazed down the road.
The road was shrouded in thick haze, as if blanketed by dense fog.
Visibility was nearly impossible—not even a step ahead could be discerned.
No other vehicles were present.
This road was narrow, bordered directly by forest, making U-turns impossible.
Once trapped, there was no escape.
“Get ready.”
“Yes.”
Aoi checked his weapon once more.
The cold metal of the gun felt familiar in his grip.
“Target spotted. All personnel stand by.”
Ana’s vehicle appeared ahead, hazard lights flashing as it slowly entered the smoke.
“Ten seconds to arrival.”
“5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Go.”
At the signal, the waiting vehicle shot forward.
.
.
.
“This is the only place.”
Allen, the leader of the Obsidian Unit, pointed to a specific location on the map.
“Why?”
Team Leader Hwang On-yu asked.
“If I were executing an operation, there’s no better location than there.”
Team Leader Hwang On-yu examined the map and field photos of the location Allen indicated once more.
It was far too perfect for executing an operation.
But if the operation went wrong, there was no escape route.
If it goes perfectly, that’s one thing, but it’s a difficult place to handle if problems arise.
We could block the enemy, but conversely, we ourselves could become trapped in a dangerous location.
Hwang On-yu would never choose this as an operational point.
“There’s no exit here. So it can’t be this place.”
“Hehehehe. Team Leader. Is that your style?”
As Hwang On-yu concluded, Allen responded with a sinister smile.
“Huh?”
“What exit in an operation? When we plan an operation, there’s only one plan—absolute completion. The word ‘exit’ doesn’t exist for us.”
“What are you talking about? Of course an operation must include an exit plan.”
“We don’t do that. We succeed unconditionally. If we fail, we die right there. That’s the mindset we bring to every operation. Retreat, escape, exit, Plan B—none of that exists for us.”
Hwang On-yu was taken aback by this.
‘Why is this so grim?’
Operations can go wrong sometimes.
Then you evade and plan the next move—what is he talking about?
“For Alex, we wouldn’t hesitate to give our lives. In fact, we regret that the only thing we can offer is a single life.”
Allen spoke in a whisper.
Hwang On-yu thought he’d misheard.
But he hadn’t.
He’d heard correctly.
This wasn’t even a cult.
“No matter what, these men will try to eliminate Ana here. Honestly, there’s nowhere else. We can’t cause an incident on Gangbyeon North Road. It has to be here.”
Allen spoke with conviction.
Yet Hwang On-yu still couldn’t be certain.
It was too dangerous for an operational point.
Perhaps sensing his hesitation, Allen continued.
“These men have no backing either. So they won’t plan any escape. Either they succeed and leave gracefully, or it ends here. One of the two.”
After a moment of thought, Hwang On-yu nodded.
“Yeah. That makes sense.”
.
.
.
I’d launched a counter-strike against Japan as reinsurance.
But no counter-attack came from Japan.
It was strange.
These were men who’d blocked reinsurance so shamelessly and recklessly.
Yet they didn’t counter-attack?
After taking a hit?
No response at all?
These weren’t men to sit quietly after being struck.
It was odd.
Could you be considering another approach?
Working through a different channel—not insurance?
But there was nothing different anywhere.
Even the Yakuza’s intelligence network had no new information.
Then a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
Could they be planning a direct strike?
In that moment, my skin crawled.
I hadn’t considered that possibility.
A direct strike, no less.
This isn’t the 1980s.
But thinking about it, it’s the most effective, fastest, and destructive method.
My half-formed suspicion gradually solidified into concrete possibility.
I had no problem with it.
I was planning to stay in the Philippines for a while anyway.
And honestly, I was secretly looking forward to it.
Hoping they’d make me their target.
That would be genuinely entertaining.
But not Tian Zihao and Ana.
They can’t fight.
They’re not combat assets.
The saving grace was that they were staying at Unity Village.
Unity Village’s security clearance was the highest.
No one could enter here recklessly.
Tian Zihao had set up a workshop within Unity Village and worked there, so there was no issue.
He never left Unity Village.
Ana was the problem.
Ana had become the CEO of Taerim.
Her face was known, and her movements were exposed.
Perhaps Ana was the most vulnerable.
If they were choosing a target, Ana would be the most likely candidate.
“Ana, what if you switched to working from home for a while? If these lunatics come charging at you, what then?”
“That sounds good.”
I was surprised by her unexpected response.
“What?”
“Why don’t I become the bait instead?”
Ana looked at me with curious eyes as she asked.
“No. Absolutely not.”
I refused.
“If I simplify my daily routine, wouldn’t they be forced to strike at a specific location?”
“It’s too dangerous. Don’t do it. You’re not gambling with your life.”
Of course I can protect Ana.
But there’s no telling what might happen in the field.
Stray bullets exist.
Even with every precaution imaginable, they often prove useless when the moment comes.
That’s why I’m absolutely against it.
“You’ll be protecting me anyway, won’t you?”
“I won’t be here then. I have to go to the Philippines and back. So don’t even think about it.”
“Then leave the Obsidian Unit behind. You can just take Scott with you. There’s no one in Zamboanga, Philippines who would dare touch you.”
She has a point.
No one in the Philippines would dare touch me.
No one would threaten me, but I have plenty of people to protect me.
Simon’s there, Dennis is there, and I’m on good terms with both the rebel forces and the regular military.
That much firepower is more than enough to keep me safe.
Ana didn’t just throw that out there casually.
“CEO, catching them would help us, wouldn’t it?”
Ana asks.
Help?
I’m not sure what benefit catching them would bring us.
But I’m not the kind of person who would let those coming to kill my family walk away unscathed.
I’m not someone who avoids a fight that comes to my door.
Instead of answering Ana, I turned my gaze to Allen.
“Allen? Think you can handle it?”
“This is hardly even work.”
Allen chuckled as he replied.
“Just to be safe, I’ll assign Hwang On-yu to you. If anything goes wrong, he’ll provide backup.”
“Understood.”
.
.
.
Allen had positioned himself at the highest point in Unity Village.
A sniper rifle in his hands.
The Accuracy International AXMC fit perfectly in his palm.
Shin Jung-gi had modified it a few months back and given it to me as a gift.
It looked strange at first, but now it moves like an extension of my body.
I’d cursed him out for all the modifications he’d slapped onto it, but they actually proved useful.
He’d paid special attention to the sound suppression.
Instead of the characteristic boom of a sniper rifle, it was remarkably quiet.
Perfect for an operation like today’s.
No matter how remote Unity Village is, it’s still in the heart of Seoul.
Any sound would inevitably draw people’s attention.
Even if Hwang On-yu provides cover,
it’s better to be cautious about what we can control beforehand.
Allen scans the surroundings from the sniper position.
If they’re launching an operation, they would have arrived early to prepare at this hour.
Bingo.
They’re coming.
They park the vehicle and disguise it as if construction is underway.
They take their positions and create smoke cover.
Allen watches as Kagero prepares the operation.
He notifies the Obsidian Unit via radio to stand ready.
‘They must have positioned a sniper somewhere.’
Allen focuses not on the agents moving in the field, but on the unseen positions.
Field operations can be left to the field team.
But if we fail to neutralize the sniper beforehand, we could suffer unnecessary casualties.
Allen locates the sniper using his scope.
A sniper doesn’t position themselves just anywhere.
Adequate distance from the road.
High ground.
A location outside the line of sight.
After sweeping the scope for a while, Allen fixes it in place.
‘Found them.’
A two-person sniper team is positioned on the rooftop of a building.
He could pull the trigger and eliminate them immediately, but Allen restrains himself.
Until the operation begins, he continuously monitors their position and status via radio.
If the sniper team doesn’t respond, the operation is aborted and they can withdraw.
So he has to wait.
Until the operation begins.
Ana’s vehicle appears in the distance.
I’m not worried about Ana.
Ana’s vehicle’s protective capabilities were comparable to the American presidential limousine, “The Beast.”
It lacked other capabilities, but its protection was second to none.
As long as Ana doesn’t open the door herself, she’s safe.
And before that, Kagero will already be down.
Ana’s vehicle disappears into the smoke.
Kagero’s vehicle also disappears into the smoke.
The operation has begun.
Allen takes a deep breath and places his finger outside the trigger guard.
The sniper team enters the scope.
Thwip.
With a heavy recoil, the bullet fires silently.
It was a sniper rifle, yet no sound escaped.
The sniper collapsed.
The startled spotter glanced around and reached for his radio.
But before he could speak,
Thwack.
The spotter crumpled to the rooftop floor as well.
“Sniper team down. Sniper team down. Operation commence.”
The moment Allen’s transmission came through, the ambush team began moving.
.
.
.
Aoi from Kagero advanced into the smoke, rifle in hand.
The smoke completely obscured his vision.
He couldn’t see ahead.
But this was Kagero.
Like their team name—Mirage—smoke operations were nothing new to us.
I deployed and donned thermal imaging equipment.
Only then did shapes become visible.
The engine of Ana’s vehicle appeared distinctly.
I moved toward the vehicle.
My hand traced the car’s body.
The metal’s texture transmitted through my fingers, sketching out the rough structure.
‘There’s the side mirror, so a bit further… that should be the rear seat.’
My hand touched glass.
The rear window.
She’d said she was in the back seat.
I brought the pistol-gripping hand down with all my strength.
The glass should have shattered with a sharp crack.
Instead, it bounced back with a dull ‘thunk’.
Aoi’s eyes wavered.
I struck again with every ounce of force.
Thunk.
It bounced back again.
Even targeting the weakest corner yielded the same result.
Then, beyond the smoke, a series of sharp cracks erupted.
Aoi reflexively turned toward the sound.
Though the smoke obscured the view,
human silhouettes were collapsing one by one.
Though I couldn’t distinguish who they were,
I could see people falling to the ground.
No way.
“Respond. Respond.”
“This is Unit 3. Under attack···”
“Unit 7. Currently under fire.”
“Unit 12 evacuating.”
Every response confirmed they were under attack.
But those transmissions cut out just as quickly.
“Respond. Respond.”
“If you’re receiving this, respond.”
Aoi continued calling, but the radio remained silent.
We’d been played.
I thought Kagero had launched a surprise attack, but instead we’d been hunted.
It wasn’t Ana who’d been captured—it was Kagero.
The thick smoke gradually dissipated.
As it cleared, the situation became visible.
Every Kagero agent lay sprawled on the ground, bleeding.
Not a single one moved.
Lost in that suffocating smoke, they’d died without even knowing who killed them.
Unable to bear the sight, Aoi closed his eyes.
An inexplicable rage boiled up from within.
Even if I died, I had to avenge my comrades.
The mission had to be completed.
I smashed the window with my pistol.
But the glass didn’t even scratch.
There was no reason to hesitate anymore.
I pulled the trigger, aiming at the window.
Bang bang bang bang.
Gunshots rang out, but the bulletproof glass deflected every round.
Clack clack.
I fired until the magazine emptied, but the bulletproof glass held firm.
Inside the car, Ana watched me with pitying eyes.
That only made me angrier.
“Die. Die. Just die!!!!”
I slammed in a fresh magazine and screamed as I fired.
But Ana didn’t even blink, her gaze fixed on me.
“Shall we stop now?”
A voice came from behind.
Armed agents had already surrounded me from all sides.
Everything was over.
There was nothing left for me to do.
He couldn’t flee, couldn’t resist.
Aoi brought the gun to his chin.
Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.
Click.
The magazine was empty.
“This is why you can’t get excited during operations. I lose track of how many rounds I’ve fired. What are you doing? Restrain him, quickly.”
At Team Leader Hwang On-yu’s command, the Obsidian Unit moved in an instant.
Aoi was subdued.
His hands were bound, his knees forced down.
Thus Kagero was annihilated.
I became a black market magnate through my inventory.
195 – Kagero
E-Book Publication
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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