On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 101
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Organization Collapsed on My First Day of Infiltration Episode 101
I Did Everything for You
The Black Sky Assassination Group was destroyed.
To be precise, it was destroyed by someone.
‘Back then, certainly-‘
Everything was settled in that process.
But items from the assassination group kept being discovered like this.
The ‘Phase Mirror’ found at Bogis’s Shop.
And now this ‘Illusion Stone’.
All of them were items developed by the Black Sky Assassination Group and never leaked to the outside.
‘Were they leaked before the assassination group’s destruction? Or… is someone smuggling them out after the destruction?’
Naturally, the assassination group didn’t only have assassins.
If everyone only did assassinations, there would be no one to handle internal affairs within the assassination group.
The assassins all died ‘including the Specter’, but not everyone else died.
‘Someone is leaking them – that’s the most likely reason.’
Ziel’s biggest goal was to make his disguised identity into his real identity and completely settle into a new life.
Then eliminating traces that could lead to being tracked was the top priority.
It was something he had to do during vacation anyway, but who knew such a connection would arise.
‘I should thank Sir Gunter… no, wait. I don’t want to do that.’
It was true that he caught this because Sir Gunter followed him, but… he didn’t want to say thank you.
Absolutely not.
He hoped he’d never have to meet him again.
‘So this is what the expression “getting calluses on your ears” feels like.’
Thanks to this, Ziel understood what an ‘idiomatic expression’ meant for the first time.
Anyway.
This place was deep in the back alley where no one would come.
He had just found the ‘Illusion Stone’, installed it in the back alley, and activated it.
Even if someone came here, from the outside they would only see the scenery of an empty back alley full of trash.
In reality, there were two people in that trash-filled back alley.
Ziel.
Tap.
When Ziel touched the throat area with his finger, one bounty criminal woke up with a start.
“Wh, where is this…?”
“The back alley.”
Ziel answered kindly.
“I, I’ll do anything. So please, just not the Bounty Center…”
Ziel suddenly became curious and asked.
“Did you rob the Sopen Family?”
His face turned pale.
‘As expected, he’s a bounty hunter sent by Sopen!’
He had heard that Sopen was in an uproar.
Especially that narrow-minded and money-obsessed family head Olton Sopen was causing a commotion, saying he’d kill them if caught.
When he heard that news at the time, he just laughed to himself.
But now he couldn’t do that.
“As expected, from Sopen… How much did Sopen offer? I can give you more than that!”
Ziel asked out of pure curiosity.
“How much is that?”
“500,000! It’s more than the bounty reward!”
If caught, it would be a lifetime in prison.
How many nobles’ houses had he robbed.
To dismiss it as mere thievery, he had offended the high-ranking people too often and too greatly.
“I see.”
However, Ziel just nodded calmly.
The bounty criminal panicked and shouted.
“600,000!”
“It went up by 100,000.”
“…700,000.”
“200,000 then.”
“8, 800,000! More than that… I don’t have either…”
“800,000. Is that your entire fortune?”
“That’s right…”
“I understand.”
“What? Then you’ll let me go?”
“No.”
“…”
Ziel just asked out of curiosity.
Curiosity.
That was all it was.
“Now I’ll ask you some questions.”
However, to the Bounty Criminal’s ears, it seemed like there was still an ‘opportunity’ left.
He didn’t like the money offered, but if he answered the questions faithfully, he would be spared – that kind of meaning.
‘This damn highway robber bastard…’
He was trembling with rage, but these were words he couldn’t dare speak aloud!
Right now, as a Bounty Criminal, there was only one choice he could make.
To answer faithfully.
“This item, where did you get it?”
Ziel’s question finally came.
The Bounty Criminal answered faithfully.
“From the Black Market…”
“Which Black Market?”
“There’s a Black Market that opens exactly once a month. I also went there by chance after hearing about it. I got one there…”
The Bounty Criminal’s name was Oliver.
Originally, he was a petty criminal.
He did some pickpocketing to make a living, went in and out of the Security Office, got beaten up sometimes, and anyway lived a life of earning daily to eat daily.
However, he was naturally light-bodied, flexible, and had some talent for thievery.
If Ziel had seen his previous form, he would have evaluated him as talent suitable for being an Assassin or Crow.
Then, by chance, at a Black Market he stumbled upon, he happened to acquire this item, the Illusion Stone.
“There was this guy selling strange items at the Black Market… He said he’d give it cheap and told me to take it…”
“Who was that?”
“I, I don’t know.”
How could he know?
The Black Market was basically a place where buyers and sellers didn’t know information about each other’s identities.
Of course, there were well-known Black Market Merchants, but that was only naturally revealed information.
“It was also my first time going to such a place… Ah, I’ve been to Black Markets a few times before, but that kind of place was a first.”
There are quite many types of Black Markets.
It seems there are places like that among them.
‘It’s a place I don’t know.’
There are several Black Markets that Ziel knows.
But Black Markets are places that can disappear anytime and also newly appear.
“Where is that place?”
“I, I don’t really know either. It was also a place I went to by chance.”
“Really? So you don’t know well.”
Ziel’s calm reaction rather brought fear to Oliver.
This anxiety that he would be handed over to the Bounty Center if things continued like this!
“I, I went by chance, but I know someone who might know!”
“Really? Who?”
Sorry, friend.
I have no choice if I want to survive.
“Do you perhaps… know the ‘Robson Family’?”
“I know them.”
Robson Family.
Ziel knows them too.
He knew them before, and they had tried to pick a fight with him when he briefly stopped by a place to go to Bogis’s Shop in the past.
“I heard what ‘King Robson’ of that Robson Gang, no, Family was saying. I also heard it by chance…”
The Robson Gang was a group that virtually dominated District 40 and below.
Its members ranged from beggars to ordinary citizens.
An organization that influenced every corner where the Imperial Palace’s reach couldn’t extend.
Though slightly different in nature from Assassination Groups and Crows, it was the same in being an organization that hid in the shadows.
“King Robson. I understand.”
King Robson was the leader of the Robson Gang.
“But you should be careful. He’s a really dangerous guy. More than a few people have disappeared without a trace after mocking him.”
“Disappeared?”
“…?”
The corner of Ziel’s mouth went up.
Then he tilted his head.
“When will he disappear? He’s not disappearing.”
“Uh…”
Was he trying to be funny?
Or did he not know King Robson well?
More than that, was that mocking?
“King Robson, huh. I understand.”
“Yes, then I’ll be going now…”
Just as Oliver was carefully trying to slip away.
“Where are you going?”
Ah.
800,000.
“Ah, y-yes, that’s right. Haha. I should give you money. Just follow me.”
I’ll run away like this.
When I see an opening.
I don’t know how fast this guy is, but…
“You’ll give me money?”
“Yes!”
“Why?”
“W-well…”
Ziel tilted his head.
“I have no reason to receive money from you.”
Oliver was flustered.
He won’t take it and will just hand me over to the bounty center?
“C-couldn’t you just accept it?”
“Just?”
“Yes! I w-want to give it to you!”
The same situation as with the Robson Gang he met before.
‘There are many people in the world who just give away money.’
Ziel nodded.
“I understand.”
Oliver cheered.
Completely unaware of what would happen shortly after.
“You’re Ziel Steelheart, right? Amazing. Wow, how on earth did you catch this guy… You even recovered all the criminal proceeds. Did you make him drink some truth potion?”
The Bounty Center Employee was extremely pleased.
“It was chaos trying to catch this guy. Haha, you’re truly amazing. You’ve done something incredible.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes! Really, what kind of person was he anyway. He was so elusive that no matter how many security guards we deployed, we couldn’t even catch his tail!”
That makes sense.
He was using a device that was only used by the Black Sky Assassination Group.
Though that’s now in Ziel’s hands.
“Anyway, since he admitted to all his crimes, he’ll probably live in prison for a very long time. He’ll probably rot there for life, right?”
“I see. Then the bounty reward is-“
“Ah, perfect timing.”
One person burst through the bounty center door.
“Where is that bastard!”
“Family Head! Oh my, you’re here. We’ve thrown him down in the underground.”
“Finally! Finally caught him! The bastard who stole my money!”
The very person the Center Staff was guiding as if familiar.
“T-Teacher Ziel?”
“Family Head Olton Sopen, how do you do.”
“How are you here, Teacher Ziel… When did you return to the capital?”
“I came earlier.”
“Earlier…”
The Center Staff looked back and forth between the two.
“Do you know each other?”
“Ahem. He’s my son’s Academy teacher.”
“Ah. You mean Young Master Maris. If I had known you two knew each other, I should have mentioned the teacher in the emergency telegraph. The Family Head has been so angry that he’s been coming here every single day for the past few days.”
Olton couldn’t lift his head.
He remembered the security issue Ziel had pointed out.
The thief had even infiltrated through the exact vulnerable window that Ziel had indicated!
But more important than that was this fact.
“I had no idea that you were the one who caught him, Teacher.”
Olton, having received a rough explanation of the circumstances from the Center Staff, couldn’t hide his amazement.
“It just happened that way.”
“Where on earth…”
The Center Staff elaborated.
“Since security has been strengthened lately, he was targeting places with relatively weak security. That’s where he seems to have been caught.”
“I-I see.”
“On top of that, he confiscated all the criminal proceeds, didn’t he? Thanks to that, not only the bounty reward, but the victims can also get back some of the money that was stolen from them.”
Ziel corrected that statement.
“That thief gave me the money.”
The Center Staff grinned.
“Tricking him into thinking you’d let him go and taking the money, that’s amazing. Actually, there are many people who do release bounty criminals in such situations.”
Something’s strange.
“So it’s my money.”
I only received it because they offered to give it.
Why is it being confiscated as criminal proceeds?
“Exactly, Teacher. That strategy of using your money was brilliant.”
Are they mocking me?
But he couldn’t ask for more.
Ziel was currently using a disguised identity.
‘If I ask for the already confiscated money back, it would cause problems.’
Anyway, a large bounty reward was coming, so he was satisfied with that.
“Ahem. Teacher Ziel, thanks to you… I owe you a great debt.”
Olton was genuinely grateful.
Ziel nodded.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“…”
Olton, still not used to Ziel’s way of speaking, was a bit flustered before continuing.
“Ahem. I’ll treat you to a meal soon as a token of my gratitude.”
“I’ve already received compensation.”
He was truly an unpredictable teacher.
Just then, a Center Staff member interjected.
“Oh right, Teacher. There’s also the option of receiving payment through an Imperial Bank account.”
That’s a good method.
“Please arrange it that way.”
“Yes. Just so you know, it will be deposited after deducting 22% income tax. You’re aware of this, right?”
Income tax?
Was there such a thing?
“You didn’t know. Well, this is your first time here, isn’t it? Under Imperial law, taxes are applied to prize money and bounty rewards.”
For the first time, he felt a slight dislike for the Empire.
Why are they taking taxes?
Ziel seriously wondered about this but nodded for now.
“I understand. Please proceed with the deposit.”
“Yes, it will be deposited immediately today. Here, please just sign these documents.”
Scribble scribble.
Ziel finished signing.
Olton, who was beside him, expressed his gratitude once more.
“Teacher Ziel, thank you again. If you have time, would you like to come to our ‘Grand Mansion’ for a meal…?”
Olton’s true intention was this.
He planned to bring Ziel along and ask him to check their security.
Unfortunately, he was rejected.
“I have urgent business.”
“I, I see.”
“Yes. Well then.”
Ziel, who had caught the 300,000 cel bounty criminal that no one thought could be caught, quickly left the Center.
‘King Robson.’
He knew of him but didn’t know exactly what kind of person he was.
‘I should go meet Crow Erso.’
Meanwhile.
In the detention cell deep underground at the Center.
Oliver was trapped behind iron bars with an expression as if his world had collapsed, muttering helplessly.
“I gave you money and answered your questions, you bastard… I did everything! Isn’t this too much, damn it…?”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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