Chapter 77

The Sewer was not artificially created by someone, but rather naturally formed when those who fell behind in the survival competition gathered together.

A collective of the poor, minority races, the sick, severe pollution victims, drug addicts, and criminals.

Naturally, given the nature of its members, none of the Sewer’s activities could be considered legitimate.

From petty crimes like pickpocketing, fraud, and robbery, to major crimes that could destroy the city’s order like raiding food warehouses, riots, and drug trafficking.

An outlaw organization that committed any profitable activity while ignoring morality and existing order.

Unable to stand by any longer, the six families ruling Last City dispatched an extermination force to root out the organization without leaving a trace.

However, considering the origin of the Sewer, this was ultimately a meaningless act.

As long as there were outcasts, the Sewer would inevitably keep reviving.

Revival and destruction continued endlessly like a hamster wheel.

Eventually, after not too long, both sides realized this activity was like pouring water into a bottomless pot, and they signed a non-aggression treaty to not invade each other’s territory unless the other side struck first.

‘In fact, they’re the only force I can ask for help with Kuzan’s current status.’

Yuseong ignored the gazes pouring in from all directions as he approached the counter inside.

“I thought you were surely dead after hearing you fled to the pollution zone. Surprising that you’re still alive. So what brings you here?”

“I’d like to meet the executives.”

“Pfft!”

Someone burst out laughing, and those who didn’t make a sound openly sneered.

“Are you here to beg for your life? Sorry, but the Sewer has already made its decision. Those high and mighty folks put an enormous bounty on your head. It’s too much to give up for just one low-ranking member…”

“You seem to be misunderstanding something. I’m not here to make a request, but to make a proposal. A proposal to earn a fortune that can’t even be compared to the bounty.”

“Just like Kuzan to tell such an outrageous lie.”

“You must know my situation, right? Do I look foolish enough to walk into the lion’s den and tell lies that would be immediately exposed?”

Yuseong continued speaking in a composed voice without any hint of tension.

“I stake my life on this promise. It’s the biggest score in Sewer history. Set up a meeting with the executives.”

“…”

Hesitating at the strangely convincing argument, the middle-aged man rang the bell attached under the counter three times at regular intervals.

And after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the wall behind split open to reveal a secret passage.

“Go in.”

A narrow passage covered in dust.

After walking for quite a while, a massive space reminiscent of a courtroom appeared.

Four men and women sitting in the high seats looking down, and dozens of men pointing guns and crossbows in this direction.

It was literally a situation where one wrong move could cost him his life, but Yuseong proudly lifted his head and met the executives’ eyes.

“So you’re Kuzan.”

A werewolf with an abnormally large right arm three times thicker than his left arm spoke while staring at Yuseong with bloodshot eyes gleaming with killing intent.

“How dare a mere low-ranking member request a private audience with the executives. Have you lost your mind?”

“He must be crazy. He went into the pollution zone to escape pursuit, right? The pollution must have progressed to at least the final stage, so even if he looks fine on the outside, his mind must be completely messed up.”

The one who accurately saw through his, no, Kuzan’s condition was a fairy about the size of a palm.

The fairy with dead eyes inhaled some unidentifiable smoke and asked in a more relaxed voice.

“Child, I heard you said you could earn an enormous fortune that can’t be compared to your bounty. Is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know how much your bounty is?”

“Well, I was just frantically running away so…”

“Six hundred thousand gold. The six families each put up one hundred thousand.”

Though Yuseong couldn’t know the exact value of six hundred thousand gold, seeing the trembling in the eyes of the men who had maintained poker faces, it was clearly no small amount.

“Damn it! What are we even hesitating for? It’s six hundred thousand! We’d hand him over for just sixty thousand, and this is a hundred times that! You think he can make a proposal worth more than six hundred thousand gold? Let’s quickly hand him over and exchange him for the bounty. You all know how much money my research needs!”

‘Now this one has an interesting appearance.’

While he’d seen many people with prosthetic arms or legs, this was his first time seeing someone, no, a dwarf who had replaced not just one or two parts but all four limbs.

The dwarf wearing prosthetic arms and legs of varying sizes and appearances ranted while looking at the other executives.

“No matter how hard we run the organization, after giving cuts to the people below and taking out operating costs, splitting what’s left between the four of us is barely enough to get by. Let’s make a huge score this time!”

“Hmm, I agree with Vulcan’s opinion. The pollution in my right arm has been getting worse lately so I needed more covenant, this would give us some breathing room.”

“Good!”

Yuseong’s eyes narrowed as he watched the dwarf shouting at the top of his lungs and the werewolf maintaining a solemn expression.

He hadn’t expected the leaders running a large organization like the Sewer to be this stupid.

If he failed to persuade the Sewer here, the quest’s difficulty would increase dramatically.

“I oppose.”

“You damn drug-addicted fairy! Is your brain so pickled in drugs that you can’t think straight? Six hundred thousand! A whole six hundred thousand! Why are you opposing this?”

Fortunately, not everyone was stupid.

The fairy, who had buried their head in a glass tube the size of their face and deeply inhaled the smoke, spoke with a languid expression.

“Because it doesn’t make sense. Think about it, Vulcan. Even if you add up the bounties on all four of us here, it wouldn’t reach six hundred thousand gold. Does it seem normal to you that a low-ranking member who was just pickpocketing until recently suddenly has a six hundred thousand gold bounty?”

“T-that’s…”

“The conditions for receiving the bounty are either capturing this child alive or bringing back a map and some kind of glass bottle. In other words, this child likely possesses some information or item worth at least six hundred thousand gold.”

‘That’s exactly it!’

Yuseong smiled faintly at the sight of the fairy accurately expressing what he wanted to say.

“If that’s the case, I can fully understand using the phrase ‘biggest score in Sewer history.’ Is my guess correct?”

“Yes. Your name is…”

“Dorothy.”

“Whether you were born intelligent or unlike certain dwarves and werewolves who might be affected by pollution in the head, you are very wise, Mrs. Dorothy.”

The faces of said dwarf and werewolf turned red at the blatant mockery.

Fortunately, Dorothy spoke up before the two could explode.

“So what’s this proposal?”

“It would be faster to show you the item first.”

“Item?”

“Please see for yourself.”

The moment Yuseong took something out from his chest, Dorothy unconsciously flew down from her seat.

An intense impulse beyond her own understanding.

And when Dorothy confirmed the contents of the glass bottle in Yuseong’s hand, a cry close to a scream burst from their mouth.

“My goodness, what in the? I’m not dreaming right now, am I?”

“This is definitely reality.”

“Impossible! I-I need to check for myself. Open that bottle! Quickly!”

“That won’t do. You know what could happen if we open it without thorough preparations, don’t you, Mrs. Dorothy?”

“Aah!”

“Hey, drug addict. What is that thing that’s got you acting like this?”

All the other executives, including Vulcan, couldn’t help but be surprised at Dorothy’s appearance as they clung to the glass bottle with an enraptured expression.

It was the first time they’d seen Dorothy, who always carried drugs around and acted like a world-weary old person, get this excited.

“It’s a flower! An unpolluted, pure flower!”

“What?!”

Screams burst from the executives’ mouths as they realized the meaning of Dorothy’s words.

“Impossible! There’s no way such a thing exists!”

“Then come down and check for yourself! Ah, ah, I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve seen a flower so full of pure life force!”

“Damn it! Everyone move! I need to check this with my own eyes!”

Vulcan, who had immediately come down, took out a rod with a cloudy crystal embedded in it and held it over the glass bottle Yuseong was holding.

And moments later, when the crystal turned blue, Vulcan collapsed on the spot.

“I-it’s real… It’s really unpolluted. Where did you get this?”

“That’s not important. What’s important is the fact that there’s an unpolluted flower and a map.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Though he hadn’t explained what kind of map it was, based on the conversation so far, it was all too clear what content the map contained.

And Yuseong voiced that speculation on everyone’s behalf.

“A map leading to a place where pollution hasn’t spread.”

“…Six hundred thousand wouldn’t be enough, even six million gold would fall short.”

“I don’t have the map with me right now. Everyone, please ease up on those intense stares, it’s a bit scary.”

Seeing people’s gazes like they were looking at a treasure goblin, Yuseong quickly added a comment.

Having physically experienced what happens when thoughtlessly taking out an item that could control the situation in front of potential enemies during the [I Can’t Take It Anymore] quest, Yuseong wasn’t foolish enough to repeat the same mistake twice.

Dorothy spoke in a voice full of energy at Yuseong’s quip.

“Are you suggesting we sell that map to make money?”

“Something similar.”

“Similar?”

Yuseong smiled grimly.

This quest had three main objectives.

For Kuzan to escape from danger, to strike a blow against the forces threatening Kuzan, and lastly to find hope.

In other words, to find unpolluted land by following the map.

The first could be achieved by desperately running away and somehow changing his identity, and the second could be accomplished by using the flower and map as bait to cause internal strife.

The problem was the third condition.

After analyzing the forces existing within the city and the contents written on the map through Kuzan’s explanation and books, Yuseong concluded it was impossible to reach the destination through individual effort.

‘We need to challenge it as a group. With the maximum possible force we can gather.’

A brutal difficulty befitting its B-rank grade.

To achieve the third condition, it was necessary to draw in all the forces of the entire city.

‘And if we want to simultaneously fulfill the first and second conditions, it would have to be a truly ruthless plan.’

Of course, such facts had no influence whatsoever on Yuseong’s decision-making.

If he were to feel guilty or hesitate over just this much, he wouldn’t be able to face the hundreds of thousands of demon cult members he had sacrificed as bait in [Heavenly Demon Sect. The Final Moment].

“Well then, shall we begin our discussion in earnest?”