LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 97 - Midgets
“…Big bro, are you feeling better now?”
“I’m much better…”
After an extended period of vomiting, I finally felt a renewed sense of being alive once I had emptied my stomach sufficiently.
I really thought I was going to die…
“…Heheh, was my driving a tad too rough?”
“…’Rough’?”
No, Narin’s piloting skills could not be defined by such a mild term.
The word ‘rough’ implies at least a baseline level of competence, whereas Narin’s abilities were truly…
“Narin.”
“Yes?”
“Never attempt to operate any vehicle once you become an adult.”
“Why not?!”
Puffing her cheeks out in an adorable pout, as if her skills had been unfairly maligned.
But in all honesty, her ineptitude truly warranted such a decree.
“Just don’t, alright? I’m terrified you might get injured.”
“Kyah! Is big bro worried I might get hurt?”
“Um…well.”
It wasn’t you I was concerned about injuring, but rather others.
Unable to voice that blunt truth in the face of her endearing misunderstanding, I swallowed my words.
“So, where is this place?”
In contrast to my dishevelment, Alpha surveyed our surroundings with composure.
After exiting the helicopter, his expression turned quizzical.
“A slum?”
“A Korean slum. I’m unsure of its designation four decades ago, but this entire area is now referred to as the F District.”
“The F District…”
After briefly mulling over those words, he turned to regard me inquisitively.
“Why have we come here?”
“Didn’t I mention it? To seek out individuals who might lend you aid.”
“You expect to find cooperative individuals in a place like this?”
“Ah, the ignorance of old age.”
We are villains, not heroes.
Righteousness and virtue are mere indulgences for ordinary folk.
‘Securing substantial organizational backing or corporate sponsorship would be a prerequisite.’
And even then, only if commanding multiple subsidiary enterprises or faithfully serving as a conglomerate’s attack dog.
“Unlike heroes, villains have no choice but to operate from such underbellies.”
Not just villains, but all individuals engaged in illicit activities frequent these areas to evade detection.
While rarely establishing permanent bases here, the absence of CCTV and heroes made it conducive for unlawful endeavors.
‘And this situation is no different for the Vigilantes.’
Regardless of their self-proclaimed heroic pursuits, they remained an illegal hero group unaffiliated with the Association.
For that very reason, the Vigilantes were among those operating from slum districts as their base.
“Hence our presence in this slum.”
“I see.”
“So how do you intend to locate them?”
That part had given me some pause.
The slum area was far more expansive than I had anticipated.
Situated at the opposite end from the cafe I operated, this slum district was purported to be the Vigilantes’ primary area of activity – the extent of my knowledge regarding their whereabouts.
‘How should we proceed…?’
As I deliberated, that very moment –
“Hiyaaaahht–!!Hoooooooo!!!”
“Huh? What’s that?”
Accompanied by an odd wailing, a group of four or five individuals rapidly approached us.
“…Big bro. Surely those can’t be the Vigilantes?”
“It would seem unlikely.”
Dragging along steel pipes and spiked clubs, their menacing demeanor hinted at ill intent.
“Kiiihaaaaaaahht!!!! That girl over there is a total bombshell~!!”
“The masked guy looks like a stud too!!”
“Let’s present them to the boss! He’ll definitely induct us into the organization then!”
“Yeah.”
Observing us while fantasizing about abducting us or pillaging the helicopter, the villainous rabble continued their lewd banter.
‘Perhaps we could utilize them effectively?’
Their appearance swiftly provided a means to locate the Vigilantes.
Shifting my gaze, I addressed Alpha.
“Alpha.”
“Shall I dispose of them?”
“…No killing, but don’t hold back too much.”
With a nod, Alpha positioned himself before Narin and me.
“Aahn? What’s up with that bony freak?”
“He must want to get pummeled first, so let’s hurry up and mug him before ransacking the rest!!”
“We’ll gang-rape the pretty lady! And the handsome guy too!!”
“Kiiiiihhhyaaat hooooooo!!!!!”
“…No killing, but no restraint…”
Kwaaaaaahng!!!
Within a mere minute, the villains who had stood before us now kneeled, utterly subdued.
“…So you thought we were crashing, which is why you tried to mug us?”
“Nehhet…! Ma, masumida…!! (Yes, that’s correct.)”
“Binggubienggu dolgo iheoseo…! (It was spinning round and round.)”
“Mugeo!, mugema teoagaeo haeyeo!! (We just wanted to steal your belongings!!)”
“Hi, hiiihyaaheuuhuu…!! (Kiiiyaahhooo.)”
With swollen faces, the villainous group meekly raised their arms in surrender.
Observing their pitiful state, I couldn’t help but let out a derisive snort.
“…You brats, where did you learn such nonsense?”
“Ne,neheh…?”
“Are our bodies mere ‘belongings’ then? Is that why you were shouting about taking them?”
“……”
“Well, brats? Gonna answer me?”
“……”
The villains averted their gazes, feigning ignorance.
Some even shot me defiant glares, as if challenging my authority.
…This approach isn’t working.
“Hey Alpha-”
“Jeseonghamidaaaaaht!! (We’re very sorry!!)”
“Jeohiga jamodaesseoyo!! (We were in the wrong!!)”
“Dahineun angeugehkeyeo–!! (We won’t do it again–!!)”
“Hihaheuhofuu…!! (Kiiiyaahhooo.)”
At my mere utterance, the villains instantaneously transformed into paragons of contrition.
…The last one sounded odd, but I decided to overlook it.
In any case, they now seemed amenable to conversation.
“So you tried to hijack my helicopter, and even planned human trafficking on top of that?”
“Neheh…”
Having procured a portable chair brought by Narin, I sat down and crossed my legs.
“You incompetent fools. You should stick to appropriately meager targets instead of overreaching with such excessive greed.”
“……”
“Originally, I ought to have eliminated you…”
As I regarded them with an icy glare, the tension was palpable as they gulped nervously.
After briefly observing their trembling forms, I let out an amused chuckle.
“Well, whatever. I’ll let you off.”
“Jeo, jeongmariyo? (Really?)”
“Gamsahamida! Apuro chahage salkkeyo! (Thank you! We’ll live honest lives from now on!)”
The villains’ expressions instantly brightened with relief.
Amidst their celebrations, I stomped the ground sharply.
Kung.
Refocusing their attention upon me.
‘They need to commit to this until the very end.’
“In exchange, assist me with a simple task.”
“Iriheo? (A task?)”
“Hieot? (This seems rather dubious.)”
No need for apprehension. It’s something you’re all quite familiar with.
I flashed them a warm smile.
“Eumha.ha.ha! Ne, ne nyonye mosseumeul gajyeogagessda!! (Ahahahah! Yes, we’ll seize your lives!!)”
“Angkallige uheobosinji!! (Scream in anguish!!)”
“Inneun don da naena!! (Hand over all your money!!)”
“Hi,hiyeohhet…!! (Shit. I didn’t sign up to team with these dumbfuck losers.)”
Utterly cringeworthy acting.
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter at their pathetic display.
“Louder and with more conviction!! Are you even trying right now?!!”
“Eu, eumhahaha! Ne nyonye mosseumeul gajyeogagessda!! (Ahahahah! We’ll seize your lives!!)”
“Angkallige uheoha!! (Scream in anguish!!)”
“Jagido da teoeobeorigesssda!! (We’ll harvest your organs too!!)”
“Hiyeoheoheut!! (I wanna fucking bail!!)”
Slightly improved from before, but still lacking.
“More conviction!! Or do you want Alpha to teach you some manners?!”
“…So, what are we doing right now?”
“What else? Setting a lure.”
This was the Vigilantes’ area of operation.
With a helicopter crashing into this vicinity amid commotion, they would be compelled to investigate.
“So that’s why you had them assume these threatening poses? Should I react too? Kyaang~ I’m so scared~”
“Hi, hieuk… Je,jesseong…”
“What if the villains chicken out?”
One of the villains was trembling uncontrollably, knife in hand as he clutched Narin hostage.
Letting out a resigned sigh, I turned to address Alpha and Narin.
“…Alpha and Narin, just scream like hostage victims.”
“Kyaaaah~ Save meee~”
“Aaaaahhhh…”
Alpha and Narin promptly followed my instructions.
Next, I addressed the villains restraining each of us respectively.
“As for you lot, just maniacally cackle if you can’t pull it off convincingly.”
“”…Huhahahahaha!!!””
While they adhered faithfully…it still felt lacking.
“Louder! With conviction!”
“”Hu,huhahahahaha!!!””
“Even louder!!!”
“”Huhahahahahahahahaah!!!””
“Louderrrr!!!!”
“”Puhehhet!! Puhahpuhahahahahahahahaah!!!””
After relentlessly hounding them, even resorting to Alpha physically reprimanding their inadequacy, they finally…
“…But will this really work?”
Having expended herself with prolonged screaming, Narin regarded me with an exasperated sigh.
“I mean, even if they do show up, won’t they just flee in terror at these freaks’ faces?”
…She had a point.
Regardless of posing as hostages to set the lure, their arrival remained questionable when the supposed hostage-takers appeared so outlandish.
Which was understandable, given the villains’ unsettling appearances.
Swollen faces revealing missing teeth as they bellowed loudly.
Trembling uncontrollably while occasionally bursting into tears as they restrained us.
At a glance, it was evident this situation was far from normal.
Honestly, unless they were complete morons, they likely wouldn’t approach.
‘Did I perhaps go overboard?’
It seemed more prudent to handle these ones and attempt the lure anew with a different group.
‘Next time, I’ll instruct Alpha to target areas besides their faces.’
As I turned towards Alpha, intending to order the villains’ disposal, that very moment –
“Halt! Release those innocent civilians at once!!”
Fortunately, a dimwit had indeed arrived.
“As a member of the Vigilantes, along with the esteemed secretary here, I shall put a stop to your villainy!!…Eh, Secretary? Where did you go?”
And a remarkably impressive dimwit at that.