I Became a Black Market Tycoon with an Inventory - Chapter 220

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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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220 – Psychological Warfare
220.
Indian Ocean.
Mauritius.
Scorching sunlight poured down upon the white sandy beach.
The sea was impossibly clear.
A handful of tourists lay scattered across the sand, sipping cocktails and savoring the warm rays.
A peaceful scene.
I observed them carefully.
They were people I didn’t need to concern myself with.
They would all check out and leave by tomorrow anyway.
Yet I let nothing slip past my attention.
A meeting with the head of Parallax.
That reason alone transformed this resort into a battlefield.
I began my inspection from the parking lot behind the resort.
I hadn’t dressed in black tactical gear, but neither did I look like a tourist.
Just comfortable clothing.
I didn’t want to draw attention,
but I wasn’t going out of my way to hide either.
I spoke to Earset.
“East building rooftop.”
“Currently checking.”
“What’s the assessment?”
“Sniper positioning is entirely viable from that location.”
“Set up there and maintain three-shift surveillance. Don’t abandon the post under any circumstances. From now on, radio check-ins every hour. On D-Day, every ten minutes. Understood?”
“Roger.”
“Support team. The hotel CCTV?”
“All secured.”
“Network?”
“Isolated separately. We’re operating on an independent network. No overlap.”
“Underground?”
“Parking lot, service tunnels, and all piping confirmed. No anomalies detected, including explosives.”
The inspection was complete.
Everything appeared perfectly prepared.
Yet my unease remained.
I lifted my gaze, scanning the surroundings once more.
I studied the buildings, the terrain, the people with renewed intensity.
This wasn’t mere observation.
I was running calculations, gaming out scenarios.
Situations unfolded continuously in my mind,
I recalled the appropriate countermeasures for that situation.
‘Eastern building rooftop – sniper placement possible – surveillance team deployed.’
‘Western palm tree line – sniper concealment possible – patrol unit operational. Patrols every hour.’
‘Parking lot entrance – vehicle ramming possible – barricades installed.’
‘Service corridor beside swimming pool – high infiltration route possibility – perimeter personnel stationed.’
The inspection seemed complete.
Yet my mind remained unsettled.
Then, suddenly, the sea came into view.
Allen walked slowly toward the beach.
I removed my shoes and waded into the water.
The cold seawater covered my ankles.
I scooped water with my hand to check the temperature, then waded deeper to confirm the depth.
“If they approached from the sea, if they came in with speedboats—do we have countermeasures? At this depth, they could push through with speedboats, boats, or jet skis, couldn’t they?”
“… It seems difficult.”
A feeble answer came through Earset.
There was no point in pressing further here.
I could review oversights later and add them to the system.
Now was the time to focus on security checks.
There was no need to unnecessarily break the team’s morale.
“Prepare boats and install radar. Add maritime surveillance.”
“Yes.”
“Not even a jellyfish gets through from the sea side.”
“Understood.”
Allen turned my body back toward the resort.
Through Earset, I instructed all personnel.
“Don’t think of this as a simple meeting. We don’t know what these bastards have done or what they’ll do. Treat it as wartime conditions and inspect the facilities. Report every single gap, no matter how small.”
“Yes, sir.”
A brief but resolute response came back.
The Obsidian Unit dispersed again, restarting the facility security inspection from the beginning.
As if preparing for war.
******
Zurich, Switzerland.
Zurich Airport Business Aviation Center.
A private jet terminal completely separated from commercial passenger aircraft.
A black sedan entered the airport.
The sedan passed through neither security screening nor immigration.
No one stopped that car.
The sedan naturally entered the airport,
and drove unobstructed across the empty runway.
The black sedan headed toward a massive hangar.
The car door opened, and a man stepped out slowly.
Gray hair. A cane.
And an expressionless face devoid of emotion.
The head of Parallax.
It was Adrian.
As Adrian descended, the man who had been waiting bowed his head.
“Departure preparations are complete.”
Adrian surveyed his surroundings habitually as he stepped from the vehicle.
A deeply ingrained habit formed during his time with the French DGSE.
The ability to assess situations instantaneously and identify threats.
It was the weapon and instinct that had allowed him to survive in this world.
The hangar, the private jet, the security personnel.
Everything was prepared.
“Where did you say?”
Adrian asked indifferently, as though utterly disinterested.
“Dubai. After handling business in Dubai for two days, you’ll proceed to Mauritius.”
“Is Mauritius where I meet that friend?”
“Yes, sir.”
Adrian’s expression grew satisfied.
“Mauritius… a fine place. A honeymoon destination.”
“Indeed.”
The subordinates around him chuckled softly and nodded in agreement.
“Is that friend coming as well?”
“Yes. He said he would come personally.”
“As it should be. That’s what makes it interesting.”
Adrian smiled slowly and headed toward the private jet.
His pace was leisurely, yet somehow he commanded the very air around him.
Leaning on his cane, he asked casually.
“How are the preparations progressing?”
“Forty security personnel, and we’re assembling a separate support team. The advance team has already departed for Mauritius.”
Adrian stopped walking.
“Will that be enough?”
“Sir?”
The subordinate was taken aback.
It was sufficient security personnel.
In fact, it was excessive security personnel.
Yet he was asking if it would suffice.
“That friend… might come to kill me, after all.”
The subordinate’s face went rigid upon hearing those words.
But Adrian showed no sign of tension whatsoever.
If anything, I seemed pleased.
My expression betrayed anticipation for what was about to unfold.
“It’s rather entertaining.”
Adrian, who had paused briefly, continued speaking.
“Still, you can’t die there, so prepare thoroughly.”
“Ah… understood, sir.”
My subordinate bowed his head.
As Adrian boarded the private jet, the door sealed shut.
The aircraft taxied onto the runway and lifted off toward Dubai.
******
The eastern coast of Mauritius.
Belle Mare, an ultra-luxury resort cradling emerald waters.
Behind the peaceful sound of waves, a suffocating tension enveloped the entire resort.
Allen sat in a cafe with a clear view of the resort, nursing a cup of coffee.
An earset was fitted in my ear.
My gaze was fixed on the ocean,
but my attention was concentrated on the radio communications of the Obsidian Unit positioned throughout every corner of the resort.
Then five black SUVs glided into the resort entrance.
Those who emerged from the vehicles bore no resemblance to tourists.
Restrained movements and cold, piercing eyes.
Parallax’s advance team.
They scanned the surroundings once,
then walked naturally into the resort.
I stepped forward to greet them.
The Obsidian Unit followed at my back.
Weapons remained holstered,
but hands stayed within reach of their firearms.
A man from Parallax’s side stepped forward.
He was impeccably dressed in a suit.
He smiled lightly at me and offered a greeting.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Gregor.”
“Likewise. I’m Allen.”
I grasped the hand Gregor extended, lightly.
“You’ve arrived quite early.”
Gregor threw the first verbal jab.
It was a subtle insinuation—what were you afraid of to arrive so early?
“There was much to inspect.”
I answered without hesitation.
“Is that so? We’ll be busy as well, then.”
Gregor replied with practiced nonchalance.
“We’ve completed our inspection. There shouldn’t be any issues. Not unless you do something particularly unusual.”
Allen replied with a barb concealed beneath his words.
Gregor laughed.
“Ha. Well said. Still, we have our own inspection protocols. We’ll need to conduct our checks according to those procedures.”
“By all means. Just please refrain from tampering with the security systems we’ve established.”
At Allen’s response, Gregor deliberately adopted an expression of discomfort.
“I’d like to oblige, but… you see over there.”
Gregor pointed toward the eastern building’s rooftop.
“That’s a location where snipers cannot be permitted.”
“That’s precisely why our perimeter team is on constant standby. To prevent any sniper from establishing a position.”
Gregor’s face drew closer to Allen’s.
Close enough that their breath mingled.
“How could I possibly entrust that solely to your team? Shouldn’t my team be present as well? How would I know when your people might produce a sniper rifle?”
Allen’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Are you saying you don’t trust us?”
“This isn’t a matter of trust.” Gregor shrugged.
After glancing briefly around the area, Gregor spoke.
“We’ll be commencing the security inspection now. Your understanding is appreciated.”
Allen nodded.
“Understood. However, since we don’t know what you might do, our team will accompany you to verify everything.”
“You mean you’ll be watching us?”
Gregor’s eyes narrowed.
His displeasure was plainly evident.
“Let’s call it cooperation. After all, our shared objective is to keep this resort secure, isn’t it?”
Gregor said nothing in response to Allen’s words.
A brief silence descended upon the resort.
Gregor spoke slowly.
“I’m not pleased about this.”
“Given the circumstances, I must ask for your understanding. This is a critical matter, after all.”
Gregor’s expression shifted.
The plan was subtly unraveling.
Normally. Under ordinary circumstances.
Control should have been seized the moment we arrived.
We should have taken command of the resort,
and established entirely new security protocols for Chairman Parallax’s comfort.
But.
The inspection was already complete.
The rooftop, the parking lot, all critical access points—everything was already secured.
They were insisting that their team accompany us for the inspection.
Cooperation in name only. This was surveillance, pure and simple.
It was abundantly clear that I would not alter any of the security systems already in place.
There was no justification to change them.
Even at a glance, the security systems appeared to have been implemented at the highest standard.
All I could do was station a few Parallax operatives there.
To ensure the existing security team wouldn’t entertain any distracting thoughts.
I disliked this situation.
No one said anything, but I instinctively felt the pressure mounting.
This resort felt remarkably inconvenient.
I wanted to draw my gun immediately, kill all these people,
and then take my time controlling the resort as I pleased.
But it wasn’t that simple.
Even at first glance, they appeared to be well-trained personnel.
And there was a significant difference in numbers.
I slightly regretted not bringing more people for the advance team.
I reluctantly acquiesced.
“Very well. Let’s verify it together.”
Gregor and I paired up and began reinspecting every corner of the resort.
As Gregor attempted to check an entrance, Allen spoke.
“That door shouldn’t be opened. We’ve installed encrypted security on it. If you touch it, the entire resort will sound an alarm.”
“We need to open and verify it ourselves, don’t we?”
Gregor replied without backing down.
“Is there really a need to open this entrance and check it? Or would we even need to use this door?”
······
Gregor stared at Allen in silence.
“Minimizing traffic routes benefits everyone, doesn’t it? This is an unnecessary passage, so let’s seal it off. In exchange, I’ll permit you to station operatives there.”
Gregor’s eyes narrowed.
I disliked the fact that we were seeking permission in a space we should be controlling.
But there was no grounds to object.
This was the right way to handle it here.
Even I would have done the same.
It was rational, but humiliating.
At least, that’s how I felt.
“… Let’s station the operatives.”
We moved to the next area.
The rooftop sniper position.
The Obsidian Unit had already claimed that location.
Near the railing.
The finest vantage point overlooking the entire resort.
This was absolutely not a place that could be overlooked.
It was one of the most critical positions in the resort.
From the resort’s main entrance to the central garden,
and then to the entrance of the main building where the conference hall stood.
It was a critical vantage point where most of the key traffic flows came into view.
The Obsidian Unit had already positioned themselves there.
And they were armed with sniper rifles.
“I can’t accept this. We need to deploy our sniper team as well.”
“That won’t work. The space is far too confined. With two teams in here, even a minor misunderstanding could lead to an accident.”
Even by Gregor’s assessment, the space wasn’t generous.
Yet he couldn’t bring himself to relinquish that position.
“You’re telling me to just abandon a spot with clear sight lines over all the traffic routes simply because it’s cramped? That’s not acceptable.”
Allen paused in thought before offering a compromise.
“There’s a way. We raise the railings higher and construct barriers. That way, the lower section becomes impossible to fire from, while the upper sightline remains unobstructed.”
“What about the sniper team?”
“We can position a sniper team to counter external threats.”
It was a sufficiently reasonable measure.
Yet Gregor remained dissatisfied.
“We still need to deploy our team.”
“Then we’ll reduce our team by half. Only half of us will enter.”
After a brief moment of consideration, Gregor nodded.
It was the best solution available.
And so the security inspection of the resort proceeded.
But the more we reviewed, the more Gregor’s expression hardened.
The points we each examined were nearly identical.
Dangerous traffic routes, structural elements that posed threats, positions suitable for sniping, escape routes.
Everything had already been thoroughly inspected.
And the countermeasures appeared flawless.
Gregor grew increasingly irritated.
It felt as though there was nothing left for them to do.
They had come to verify and inspect, yet there was nowhere they could actually contribute.
All they could do was nod and give the OK sign.
Gregor felt like an uninvited guest in that place.
Despite it being a luxury resort, it felt remarkably uncomfortable.

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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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