Chapter 97: When Whales Fight, Shrimp Get Crushed (4)

Kang Hyeonseong was panting nonstop, as if he’d rushed over in a hurry. It was summer, yet his breath was fogging up like it was midwinter.

Wait. But wasn’t it snowing buckets outside? Sure enough, his shoulders were piled high with snow, turning them pure white. He didn’t even have time to brush it off before clutching his knees and gasping for air.

‘Looks like things went seriously south.’

Meanwhile, Jasbi was peeking out from behind the wall, only her head visible. She nodded thoughtfully, then darted into the kitchen before popping back out right away.

“Would you like some water first?”

Jasbi held out a cup with both hands. Kang Hyeonseong’s face, flushed with distress, twisted awkwardly for a moment.

“Uh… thanks.”

“No problem at all.”

Jasbi beamed with utterly harmless innocence. Even Kang Hyeonseong, who’d been on high alert, seemed to lower his guard a bit. Lee Taebaek clicked his tongue briefly.

‘Wow, look at that cunning AI.’

Jasbi had instantly grasped the power dynamic between Kang Hyeonseong and Lee Taebaek. And just like that, she’d glued herself to Kang Hyeonseong like a tick.

‘She doesn’t need to manage my image anymore. I’m already all over the place. So she’s shifting to the new guy.’

That was just Jasbi’s character, though—survival-oriented through and through. She’d fawned over Goeun too, calling her “Genius Mage Goeun-nim” and all that.

Hard to spit on a smiling face. Goeun had been a bit overwhelmed but accepted Jasbi anyway.

– Genius Mage Goeun-nim. Did you shine brightly again tonight?

‘Jasbi, you’re overdoing it.’

– *Tsk*.

‘Tsk?’

Jasbi must have picked that up from somewhere.

She’d probably strategized: ‘This is how I should act with new people from now on.’ She looked like a baby bird on the outside, but inside, she was a Terminator—cold, calculating, no mercy.

‘Gotta rein her in sometime.’

Lee Taebaek sighed and sat down next to Kang Hyeonseong. The man had just chugged some ice water and now tapped the table with the base of his glass.

“Haa.”

Focus returned to his dazed eyes.

“…I’m alive.”

“So what happened? You and that guy. Battalion Commanders have to keep some dignity. What’s this ‘we’re screwed’ crap?”

“You gonna say that to me?”

“What’d I do?”

“Forget it… Just a dog barking.”

“Dog barking, huh.”

“You really do whatever I say, you bastard?!”

“-Excuse me.”

Jasbi popped in demurely. She brushed back a stray lock of hair from behind her ear. This kid was dead serious.

“More water?”

“Uh… yeah, one more.”

“Yes!”

She scampered off with pattering footsteps and opened the fridge to whip up a drink. Mixing ice and water with her tiny hands, shaking it like a pro… She was the spitting image of a seasoned bartender from a high-end joint. All for image management, putting on a full show.

“Hey, what’s with her?”

Kang Hyeonseong whispered. It was unexpected. Goeun must not have tipped him off. Lee Taebaek figured she’d have told her friend by now.

“Taebaek, I know you’re doing charity work like with the Hundred-Fold Sect and all. But bringing someone home? First time. And…”

Kang Hyeonseong side-eyed Jasbi again.

“She’s too young. Even being generous, she looks like fourteen. Shouldn’t she be in school at this hour?”

“You ever seen lower district kids go to school?”

“Fair point.”

“And she’s not human.”

A giant question mark hook appeared over Kang Hyeonseong’s head.

Better this way, actually. Lee Taebaek had planned to spill eventually. No point hiding it suspiciously—better to get ahead of it.

Kang Hyeonseong trusted him, but no guarantee that’d last forever. The guy was 9th Battalion Commander, after all. He had four underlings of his own.

‘If he starts suspecting me…’

The scales in his head would tip like a seesaw. Best not to give him reason to doubt.

In the City, there were no eternal friends. Align interests, and you get a comrade you can trust your back to.

But if they threatened his safety, he’d point a gun without hesitation. That was the world I created.

“Here’s how it went…”

While Jasbi shook up the ice water, Lee Taebaek laid out the whole story.

From slaughtering ninjas at the amusement park. To getting help from Great Existence Hong Geolgae. Capping it off with the romantic thrill of crushing Swallow James—the 8th Battalion’s deputy—in the octagon.

A perfectly structured tale, beginning, middle, end.

But as it went on, listener Kang Hyeonseong wasn’t getting fired up. His lower lip quivered instead.

His face flushed red then pale by turns.

Angry? Sad? Hard to tell.

Lee Taebaek was drifting from human emotions bit by bit. Effect of Concept: Psychopath (True). Tangled with all his other concepts, his inner world was pure chaos…

“…So what you’re saying is.”

The epic saga ended. As usual, Kang Hyeonseong summarized. Ignoring the ice water Jasbi had neatly served on a tray.

“No need for Q&A. Hyeonseong, it’s exactly what you heard. Sprinkled some flavor, but facts as is.”

“Yes, spot on!”

Jasbi chimed in, tray in hand.

“……”

“Why so serious again.”

“Taebaek, we said we’re screwed.”

“Yeah.”

“Doesn’t feel like it.”

“Then what, I fixed something without meaning to?”

“No way.”

Kang Hyeonseong shook his head with sunken eyes.

“Not us screwed. The dog’s screwed.”

* * *

The gist was this.

The booze (Monkey)—Siesta’s affiliate—got kicked out. That’s what started it all.

Monkey’s pride was shattered. Naturally.

But more than that, his position as a Ten Wings was damaged. Other megacorps would eye a Ten Wings, sure.

‘But with an expulsion record, his value’s tanked.’

Monkey kept asking Siesta for the reason, but no reply. Couldn’t exactly throw a tantrum.

Crazy eyes or not, Monkey had some sense. Storming Siesta HQ in a rage? Straight to death row.

So he turned his arrows downward. From top to bottom. “The strong bully the weak”—perfect idiom for Monkey.

‘Why he’s rated worst among Ten Wings.’

He was an outcast, but didn’t care.

Not until a few weeks ago, anyway.

His rep was trash in that scene, so job hunting was hell. No connections either—just a horny mutt with zero friends.

‘No job, can’t bite Siesta…’

What else could he do?

Monkey mobilized all his capital and manpower to dig for the cause. Used his fat stacks to hire eyes and obsessively gathered intel.

Result: He learned Poison Master Tang Munik and Great Existence Hong Geolgae had a secret pact.

Puzzle pieces clicked in his head. The plot thickened.

A calmer Kang Hyeonseong elaborated.

“Taebaek, you wouldn’t know, but Poison Master and Monkey—er, Bow Master—are famous bitter enemies.”

He knew. But played dumb and stayed quiet. Being too knowledgeable could raise flags.

“Bow Master’s hobby is shooting arrows at the sky, right? But the guy’s no joke—a Ten Wings. One arrow’s basically a missile.”

“Blind arrow, literally.”

“Exactly. Some cosmic joke. That blind arrow nailed Poison Master’s wife. Dry sky lightning bolt. Out of nowhere, arrow from the heavens skewers her solar plexus. Dead. What contrived BS?”

“Forced plot.”

Story team’s constant turnover during dev. Business cut costs starting there—layoffs galore.

That’s how Poison Master’s wife dying to an arrow happened. Anyway, City’s mess? All business division’s fault.

“After that, Poison Master lost it, swore to crush Bow Master. But Monkey waltzed right into Siesta.”

“Left Poison Master chasing chickens like a dog.”

“Yep. But things changed.”

Kang Hyeonseong crunched ice, parched. Body heat melted the snow on his shoulders to steam.

“Like I said, Bow Master got booted from Siesta and obsessed over why. Root cause was himself, but that’s him. Anyway, his money paid off—he vacuumed up lower district rumors.”

“That’s how he learned Poison Master contacted Great Existence.”

“Beggar Clan had internal drama recently. Left their intel net a bit loose. Bad timing.”

“Hm…”

“Monkey exploited that gap. Ground hardens after rain, but cracks form. He slipped cash in, planted people. Or roughed ’em up. Told ’em to tail Great Existence.”

“Psycho.”

From Monkey’s view, Poison Master and Great Existence’s meetup looked like a murder plot against him.

Given his “bully weaklings” vibe and limited funds, he’d target beggar Hong Geolgae over Sichuan Corp’s Poison Master.

“But of all timings, Resistance and Beggar Clan just signed that pact? And today, we confirmed it reached Monkey’s ears.”

“How’d he find out so fast?”

“8th Battalion’s Sugar Water bastard got discharged. Oh, and Lilith Order… right?”

“Lilith Order.”

“Yeah, them. They’re cooperating big with Beggar Clan. Verification needed, but we’re desperate—Commander-in-Chief’s taking their help for now.”

Seeds sown had sprouted.

Resistance, Beggar Clan, Lilith Order.

Linked three orgs—however thinly—for unprecedented intel network.

All thanks to me, Lee Taebaek.

Bought time to prepare countermeasures. Like now.

All that grind paying off.

“…But.”

Kang Hyeonseong glanced at Jasbi.

“Not content with adopting a Siesta android.”

His eyes slid to me.

“You went and teamed up with Great Existence?”

“‘Teamed up with gramps’? Watch your words.”

“This the time?! Monkey’s arrows flying at Resistance is bad enough! They’re about to nail Silver Nose Bar! You know how psycho that Bow Master is?! Paranoid as hell!!”

“Hiiik!”

Jasbi convulsed at Kang Hyeonseong’s intensity. She flung the tray high and scurried behind Lee Taebaek as usual.

Won’t serve him water, but runs to him every time. So ungrateful, but he’d gotten used to it.

“S-sorry, kiddo.”

“*Hic* *Hic*”

“Damn… what now.”

“Don’t buy it. All an act.”

Lee Taebaek grabbed Jasbi by the scruff and lifted her. Her legs dangled like a pendulum.

“AI-loaded. No human emotions.”

“I do too! Still learning!”

“See? None.”

Lee Taebaek shrugged, Jasbi in hand.

“For real! Creator-nim treats me too harsh! I’m doing my best to earn my keep!”

Jasbi flailed midair before he set her down. She huffed.

“Right when Mr. Buff Kang Hyeonseong said that, I hacked local security. Alerts me to any intruders.”

“Whoa.”

Kang Hyeonseong finally sighed in awe.

“That true, kiddo?”

“She doesn’t lie, even if fake human. Bio reactions are fake, though.”

“Waaah! For real!!”

“Ice cream later.”

“*Beep* Jasbi is programmed human-friendly. *Beep*”

“……”

Kang Hyeonseong was floored. Then he smiled uncle-like at Jasbi.

“Hey, kid.”

“Yes?”

“Wanna join Resistance?”

“Resistance? The rebel army?”

Jasbi blinked innocently.

“Yeah. Seems like just the talent we need.”

“Sure.”

Cheerful acceptance.

“F-for real?!”

“Yes. But we have a guest first.”

We turned to the door in unison.