Chapter 26: I'm Not a Psychopath (3)

Jin Sobang’s mind was struck by a bolt of lightning.

It had to be that way. After all, this was the scene of a lightning strike.

“First off, the repair cost estimate for this place you utterly trashed…”

Lee Taebaek rattled off a stream of words that hit Jin Sobang like thunderbolts from a clear sky, shaking his brain to its core. The more he heard, the more Jin Sobang’s cheeks quivered like jelly.

“Roughly around 300 million won, I’d say.”

Lee Taebaek knew full well he was throwing out an inflated price. It wasn’t like they were rebuilding the place from the ground up—it was just repairs, but that didn’t mean it came cheap.

Yeah, he knew that.

“Get it ready.”

He knew, but knowing wasn’t enough.

“Cash. Straight up.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean! You expect me to cough up 300 million won to fix a dingy cocktail bar worse than a back-alley shack? And cash on top of that?!”

“I don’t have a bank account yet. Oh, and while we’re on the topic, get me a communicator too. No, do it.”

Jin Sobang writhed in agony, unable to take it anymore.

“Uwaaaaaah!”

If he’d been alone, Jin Sobang would’ve bolted from this absurd situation, no matter what it took.

“Quiet.”

But he wasn’t alone. Seo Punggae was with him.

“Have some shame.”

“…My apologies, Elder.”

“Tch.”

Seo Punggae turned his gaze.

“Alright, Lee Taebaek. Lay it all out plain and simple. I’ll hear you out at least.”

Then he flashed a yellowed grin.

Was that a sneer or a smile?

Either way, Lee Taebaek had nothing to hide.

“Sounds like you’re just humoring me.”

“Words mean what the listener makes of them.”

“…Great hero, that punk’s straight-up disrespecting you to your face.”

Jin Sobang whispered to Seo Punggae.

“Sobang, you some kinda boomer?”

“Pardon?”

“I said shut it.”

“Ah, yes…”

Jin Sobang scratched his cheek and turned away.

“Young hero.”

“Lee Taebaek.”

“My friend.”

“Lee Taebaek.”

“……”

“Not young hero.”

“……”

“Not friend.”

“……”

“Lee Taebaek.”

A vein bulged blue on Jin Sobang’s forehead.

“Lee Taebaek or Mount Taebaek, whatever! Your demands are outrageous! 300 million? Th-three huuuundred million?!”

“350 million, plus 20 more. 370 million.”

“You damn robber! Heavens above, look upon me in mercy!”

Lee Taebaek gazed into the distance and scratched his ear.

The one in a tough spot was the chubby middle-aged guy.

Look at him. Kicking up a fuss, but sneaking peeks at the old man’s reaction.

‘That desperate, pleading look begging for help.’

Unless Seo Punggae stepped in, all Jin Sobang could do was sigh. After all, a Beggar Elder himself was silently telling him to listen.

What could he possibly do?

No telling what the old man was really thinking, but his gaze toward Lee Taebaek was at least favorable.

‘Time to use this opportunity.’

The method was simple.

Lift his head high.

Meet the gaze.

“320 million.”

Then strong-arm it.

“Wh-what…!”

“Talking back? 350 million.”

“Is there a robber like you!”

“Sneaking into someone’s house at night, swinging fists, and kicking up dirt—that’s robbery. Am I the robber here?”

“Fine, so I apologized for that!”

“Exactly, so I’m taking the apology in cash.”

It was about ten years ago.

A few small business owners had made donations to the Beggar Clan with ulterior motives. They wanted protection from the gangs.

The Beggar Clan was one pillar of the Nine Great Sects. If they willed it, the gangs could vanish from the lower districts overnight.

But the Beggar Clan had a custom of never stepping to the front lines. That was the vibe in the Central Plains.

Some beggars who criticized that foundation ended up succumbing to Lake City’s worship of wealth.

‘They got a taste for money.’

Certain Beggar Clan members started hoarding tribute money. They began saving in secret, something long taboo.

– How can a beggar save money!

It caused an uproar among the fundamentalists.

But those who’d tasted money had already formed a faction. They’d renamed themselves the Blue-Robed Faction.

They left before unnecessary strife could erupt.

Thanks to that, the Beggar Clan could stick together.

But mending the rift seemed hopeless.

That was the secret story of how the Beggar Clan split in two.

…And the reason for spinning this long tale?

No point hiding it. No fancy words for it.

Rationalization. An excuse to squeeze money from a beggar.

Truth be told, the Blue-Robed Faction was Beggar Clan in name only. They had money. Filthy rich.

They hung around the lower districts solely because that’s where their income came from.

If it were the Tattered-Robes Faction’s Seo Punggae, he’d feel a twinge of guilt. But against the Blue-Robes? Different story.

Time to squeeze them dry.

Down to the bone.

“Extorting money from a Beggar Clan beggar? Is that even remotely reasonable! It’s like ripping out the beggar’s liver verbatim…!”

“If a beggar these days struts around in silk robes and cybernetic prosthetics, then what am I—starving for three days straight without a won to my name? Less than a beggar?”

Lee Taebaek dismissed Jin Sobang’s protests.

“Hup!”

Seo Punggae shrugged his shoulders and laughed outright. Jin Sobang coughed awkwardly, looking embarrassed.

“Th-that’s not what I meant, you know…”

Jin Sobang changed his tone.

“Don’t know what you mean.”

“…I apologize.”

“Apology accepted in cash.”

“Did I wrong you over money in a past life or something?”

“Yep.”

Worked at a black company.

“A-anyway, sorry about that. And for using lethal force without thinking, I’m truly sorry. Dead serious. Point is, I’m not just tacking on excuses because of the money.”

“So no treatment fees or repair costs? From the esteemed Nine Great Sects’ Beggar Clan, the orthodox faction’s pride? Hell, even the evil sects wouldn’t pull this. This attitude? Pure gang.”

“N-no… no need to go that far, young hero… er, Lee Taebaek.”

“Slipping in ‘young hero’ now, huh? Hey, pops. Who’s the one acting all young-heroish here? Blue-Robes pretending to be beggars. You guys got money. Unlike the old man, maybe.”

Lee Taebaek shifted his gaze. The middle-aged beggar watched him with an amused look.

Seo Punggae. A beggar met by chance on the street. Lee Taebaek’s eyes drifted to his waist.

Six rope knots. A symbol of one of the top ten arrogant beggars in Lake City—a supreme expert.

And Seo Punggae was observing Lee Taebaek intently while maintaining [Presence Concealment].

[Presence Concealment] was an ultimate technique only superhumans with all stats over 30 could activate.

‘No wonder this chatty Branch Leader’s sweating bullets.’

Jin Sobang was top-tier among the strong.

“Your tongue’s too long. The way of the jianghu says the mouth should be heavy and the hands light.”

“Guhhh.”

Setting aside the light impression from his looks.

He’d held his own against Jin Sobang briefly because he’d deliberately held back on lethal moves.

Even with that mercy, he’d pushed Lee Taebaek into a defensive scramble with attacks surpassing a drugged-up Haiyen.

‘If I’d used [Nerf] and [Buff]…’.

Be honest, Lee Taebaek.

If Jin Sobang had come at him full throttle from the start, defeat was obvious as day.

‘Three days ago too.’

If that pipe-wielding mage had been serious, Lee Taebaek would’ve been ash on the spot.

He’d baited carelessness to seize the advantage. If you call that skill, fine.

But the power gap was real. Accept it.

Admit you survived on wits and luck.

How long would that luck last? No guarantee.

Even if the world favored him, cocky overconfidence shortens lifespans.

Self-objectification isn’t shameful. Crush your ego regularly. Stay cool and unshaken.

In short, Jin Sobang was strong—cybernetic body or not, the man himself was a beast.

Skill and experience couldn’t be replaced by tech.

Hence, a Branch Leader overseeing a whole district.

‘And Beggar Elders command Branch Leaders like underlings.’

He had to squeeze them both.

It was a sudden quest Lee Taebaek had set for himself.

‘Hospitalized the homeowner and trashed the place. Cut off the root of any landlord-tenant power dynamic.’

A way to save face as a boarder while earning living expenses on the side.

‘The fact that battle lust made me stab first? My little secret.’

Truthfully, the reward Lee Taebaek craved wasn’t money. Cash was just a means, not the end.

‘Ultimate target: Tattered-Robes’ Seo Punggae.’

Anyway, he was confident here.

Didn’t he have a talent that shone in moments like this? One that let him match a superhuman briefly.

[Buffs the caster’s mental stats.]

Vigor swirled in Lee Taebaek’s pupils.

“I admit fault! But the amount of money…!”

Jin Sobang shouted in heated tones, jabbing a finger.

Thwack.

Lee Taebaek’s palm blocked the fingertip like a wall.

[Nerfs the target’s mental stats.]

Instantly, changes hit Jin Sobang.

His flushed face from ranting paled like a terminally ill patient.

“Uh, uh…”

Jin Sobang looked ready to panic at a mere tap.

Lee Taebaek’s smug face stood in stark contrast.

“350 million.”

“Th-that…”

Right now, in that moment.

From Jin Sobang’s view, blue hellfire seemed to blaze from Lee Taebaek’s eyes.

‘Damn, effective.’

Reasons for nerfing only mental stats, not all: three.

First, no desire to expose [Nerf] to a non-lethal target.

Today’s ally could be tomorrow’s enemy in this city.

Second, even nerfing Jin Sobang fully, Seo Punggae was right there.

Who knew how the old man would react to Jin Sobang kowtowing?

One thing sure: not good.

Finally—and biggest—test if restrictions applied to [Nerf].

Hypothesis: focusing on one stat amps the effect?

“Won’t say it twice.”

Even saying it sent chills down his spine.

‘Lines like some drama villain…’

Wonder if he’d ever get used to it.

Maybe never.

Probably from dumping ‘two-stat buff’ into one stat.

Already using restrictions subconsciously.

Embarrassing, but the impact was huge.

The tough Jin Sobang folded at one word.

“I-I’ll pay…”

Lee Taebaek nodded calmly, smirking inwardly.

Money was nice, but now he finally grasped how to wield [Buff] and [Nerf].

“Won’t take the extra 50, so just the original 300 million.”

“Y-yes, sir…!”

Jin Sobang bowed repeatedly like total submission.

Stockholm syndrome. When the weak submit to the strong in extreme stress.

Impose restrictions on [Nerf]/[Buff], then combo on mental stat—things got easy as lying.

Nice. Try on other stats next.

“Well, well. The more I see, the stranger it gets.”

Seo Punggae, who’d stayed neutral, finally let out a dry chuckle.

“Mastery of [Presence Concealment] to that degree.”

Uh… no?

“The moment you released your aura, the Branch Leader started shaking. You’re a pro at it.”

“…”

“No wonder it felt off earlier. Ha, yeah. Makes sense now. You were the one holding back, not the Branch Leader—Lee Taebaek.”

Misunderstanding snowballed. He took Lee Taebaek’s speech as a strongman’s leisure.

Even buffed mentally, hard to hide awkwardness. Pondering how to play it.

Smooth.

He lifted his head, met the gaze.

Just like moments ago.

“Sharp eyes, as expected.”

But situation and mood? Reversed.