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While the sham companies centered around McClusky Security were shutting down, and the related parties were being tried, Shamus's ABC was thriving.
During such peaceful days, an article quietly shook Landa.
[Anonymous tip-off. Investment company ABC. Having a secret meeting with a notorious con artist!!!]
According to the content of the article, Shamus met with a man in a hotel, who happened to be the culprit of a massive financial scam that occurred in the central continent.
Oliver looked at the three pictures attached to the article.
The first picture was of a man over 2 meters tall entering a hotel, attempting to hide his identity by wearing a hat and sunglasses.
Despite this, the man stood out.
His gigantic stature and bear-like limbs attracted everyone's attention.
Much like Shamus.
He entered the hotel confidently, matching his robust appearance. Under that picture, there was an enlarged side view of the man entering the hotel, placed alongside the photo of the central continent's massive financial fraudster.
The side view and the front view looked similar, though it was a bit confusing due to the different angles.
"Hmm… Maybe the tattoos on his face were covered with makeup?"
Oliver asked as he flipped between the two photos, to which Carver replied.
"Yes, if that guy had face tattoos, he would stand out twice as much."
It made sense. A man of that height and size with tattoos on his face would certainly attract twice as much attention.
"But if he wanted to disguise himself, wouldn't it be more certain to wear a leather mask?"
"Of course, it would be safer, but people aren't always rational."
"Pardon?"
"People aren't always rational as I said. The reason why he didn't wear a leather mask and only wore sunglasses and a hat could be due to the druid's pride. Some people find items made from human skin, such as black magic items, repulsive and uncomfortable. Especially, the druids."
"Um… I don't quite understand."
"Of course, you wouldn't. But if you go through their circumstances one by one, you might understand. Hmm… Shall I give an example? Do you know who becomes a druid?"
"I'm not sure, but I think it's mostly people who are poor."
"You're correct. Most druids come from very poor families, sometimes even having to sell their children. Their training is harsh, and they are bound by various disciplines which makes their life suffocating. Hence, compared to the power they can obtain, their popularity is quite low. What do you think they would do if they are lucky enough to escape Greenland and gain freedom?"
"I'm not sure."
Oliver answered genuinely. Words like asceticism or harsh didn't resonate well with him.
"They seek compensation."
"What kind of compensation?"
"All kinds. They could spend money lavishly as compensation for the poverty-stricken years they lived. As compensation for a life forced into modesty and duty, they may pursue a life of pleasure by stepping on others. They might act on their temper due to constant patience… Interestingly, Shamus fits into all of these categories."
Oliver recalled the Shamus he had seen so far.
Wearing expensive clothes, driving expensive cars, boasting extravagant talk, having three girlfriends, a bursting appetite, and even attacking through the Anti-Development committee… Certainly, Shamus had those aspects.
"That's why this man also just hid his face with sunglasses and a hat. Anything more than that would hurt his pride. It might seem foolish, but it's not something you can't understand."
Carver pointed at the picture of the man in the article once more.
It was not a simple conjecture, but confidence backed by some basis.
"Hmm… That's quite a speculation."
"It's not that impressive. The truly impressive ones are from the Moirai School. They hacked the World Tree of the security company and restored the old contact network, even tracing back to find the secret communication records of the druids."
Albert's words from a few days ago now made sense. They had known about this situation in advance.
"By using the World Tree, they could determine the location of the opponent, and if they could confirm the date of arrival, I could speculate who would meet with Shamus. Of course, it would be difficult if they took an illegal route, but it didn't seem likely."
Carver made it sound simple, but Oliver had an inkling of the amount of time and effort that would have gone into such a task.
The number of people coming and going to Landa in a day was beyond imagination.
"You must have had a tough time."
"It's nothing compared to your efforts. After all, if a thief works hard for thieving, the landlord must work hard to protect his property."
"You are impressive. Um… Can I ask a question?"
"Of course."
"Can this single photo damage Mr. Shamus?"
Oliver asked while looking at the newspaper.
Although it could potentially be a rude remark doubting Carver's capabilities, it was also a reasonable doubt.
Even when the massive paper companies centered around McClusky Security company were crushed, the flow of ABC's funds didn't flinch at all. Even under interrogation, not a single manager sold out Shamus.
It didn't seem likely that a person with such management skills would be shaken by a single article and photo.
"You're right. It would be hard with just this."
"…Just this?"
"Yes… However, I can't share more details right now. It's not that I don't trust you, Dave, but in such matters, it's best to speak less. I hope you understand."
"Ah, well, if that's the case… So, did you come here just to explain this situation?"
"I came to explain the situation, indeed. I believe it's a minimum courtesy to explain what's going on, especially when you've hired a pricey individual under such conditions. Also, I need to give you the advance payment."
It was unclear at first, but it became apparent soon.
Carver took out a file labeled P-J from the bag he had brought and handed it over to Oliver.
"What's this…?"
"This is the advance payment you requested. It took some time to get the personnel details of a Paladin from the closed organization of Parter Church. I hope you understand."
"No, not at all… Rather, I'm grateful that you went to such lengths to find out."
With his reply, Oliver opened and checked the file.
Inside the file were photos and personal details of Joanna.
"Um… Mr. Carver?"
"Yes, Dave."
"What's First Step?"
"It's a colonial city on the new continent."
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
First Step.
Carver explained it as a colonial city set up on the new continent by the United Kingdom.
As the name suggests, it was the first colonial city established, and once, it was an important base for the exploration of the new continent, the center of the slave trade,
and now, after the abolition of the slave trade, it's an important military base and a supply point for magic stones.
"It's all thanks to Prometheus Inc. They miraculously discovered the vein of magic stones. There were rumors recently that the vein had dried up, but they discovered another vein of magic stones. Like a miracle."
Carver briefly explained about First Step.
It's said that it serves as the administrative hub that manages the United Kingdom's new continent, as well as an important military base and a crucial source of an indispensable resource known as Magic Stone.
Oliver was curious about what Joanna was doing there, and Carver gave him a rough answer.
‘The general duties of a Paladin in that place involve protecting the priests, spreading the Parter Church teachings to the natives, and eliminating warlocks.'
‘Are there warlocks on the new continent as well?'
‘Oh, absolutely. In some ways, they are even more extreme.'
According to Carver, some of the natives of the new continent are deeply involved in black magic, using it to attack the kingdom's forces.
Therefore, the Paladins cooperate with the kingdom's army to periodically suppress them.
It was quite an interesting story.
First Step of the new continent… If there was a chance in the future, Oliver felt it wouldn't be bad to visit.
‘But before that, I need to safely complete the task I've undertaken now. Fortunately, there's progress.'
Oliver thought while looking at two pieces of the newspaper.
The first newspaper contained an interview with Shamus.
He was often mentioned in the newspaper after establishing ABC, but this newspaper was different in nature.
In contrast to promoting himself or ABC, the interview was about him denying having met the financial fraudster from the central continent.
Through a friendly newspaper, he joked that he hadn't met the fraudster and even if he had, it would have been in a six-star hotel he rented.
It sounded quite plausible, and after the clarification article was published, the negative public opinion about ABC subsided.
However, it backfired.
As soon as Shamus clarified, Carver, as if waiting, published another article.
[Shamus's lies are revealed!!]
Under the provocative headline, a picture of Shamus meeting the financial fraudster in a hotel room was printed.
The picture was enough to label Shamus as a liar.
The backlash was as effective as the clarification, and the anxiety of the many investors who had invested in ABC grew.
A picture taken at the right timing shook the trust Shamus had built up in an instant.
"And this won't be the end."
In the restaurant office, Forrest sighed while reading the article.
"This is not the end?"
"Yes, among the attacks we've made so far, this has hurt Shamus the most, but it's not fatal enough to finish him off. People are a bit shaken now, but if he continues to pay the investment dividends, it will soon quiet down."
"Is that so?"
Oliver asked, not understanding. From his point of view, the current situation seemed suspicious.
"Logically, that would be correct. But humans are beings that can't live solely on logic."
"……? Interesting. Mr. Carver said something similar."
"As a city official, he deals with many people and social phenomena… Uh, can I ask a somewhat sensitive question?"
"Yes? Oh, yes. Please go ahead."
"How much savings do you have?"
"Savings?"
"Yes, the bank balance… it should at least exceed a hundred million, right?"
Oliver nodded his head.
Despite renting a house for a long term in the middle-class residential area, District L, spending more on a better research lab, food, and clothes, he still had plenty of money left from his previous earnings.
In fact, his current living expenses could be adequately covered by his salary from the Tower.
Oliver, who was a miner a couple of years ago, was now living a wealthy middle-class life in Landa.
"That's amazing. Really amazing. It's not easy to handle a hundred million at your age… Most people don't even see that much money before they die."
"I know that."
"Knowing it in your head and feeling it here is different."
Forrest raised his hand to his heart.
"Poverty is scarier than you think. It's not a joke, poverty makes people dumb, lowly, and mean. They can't maintain their dignity when they face survival crises every day."
Oliver somewhat agreed with that.
He had seen a lot of it in the orphanage and mine. Even Oliver himself had been like that.
Even seeing the child next to him starving to death, Oliver did not share his oatmeal and ate it all himself because he was so hungry.
"Most city laborers, despite having given all their youth and health, cannot save 10 million. And that money is not enough to support their worn-out bodies… isn't it sad? Despite having worked diligently all their lives, they cannot support their own bodies."
"That does seem sad."
"And, what do you think people would do if a company said it would give 1 million Landa a month if they put 10 million Landa in front of those people? Analyze logically? It's not as easy as it sounds."
"Oh…" Oliver was convinced.
What had been vague in his heart became somewhat clearer.
It was the same reason he had followed Joseph. Even though he didn't know him well, there was no other way but to follow him.
"So, if you stop here, it will be over after a moment of turmoil. Those who can't afford it usually pull their hands out after getting burned."
"I understand… But, you seem to know quite a bit?"
"Do you think I was born owning a restaurant like this from the start?"
"Um? Ah… I see."
Oliver belatedly understood what he meant. It seemed that Forrest, too, was the protagonist of a rags-to-riches story starting from the bottom.
"Besides, they are quite talented."
"What are you referring to?"
"This photo. They took it really well. Even if the Moirai faction could predict who would come when, it's not easy to find and take a photo in this huge city. I'm curious about how they took it."
As Forrest spoke, Oliver too became curious.
Taking a photo was not as easy as it sounded. Especially, the hotel room had its limits even for a World Tree.
"Um… I'll ask Mr. Carver later. I'm curious now, too."
"Will he answer?"
"If he doesn't, there's nothing I can do."
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
"Huh… Who did you say?"
In a suite at the Executive Class Hotel.
Shamus was sprawled out in a comfortable chair, covering his face with a cooled towel.
"‘They call themselves the Poor Brothers.'"
Shamus' subordinate Dugan answered carefully.
"‘Poor…… Shit, what?"
"‘Poor Brothers, boss."
"‘Shitty name. Since when do poor bastards have brothers… What do they do?"
"‘They are a large group of beggars. They formed around District W and primarily collect information. By rummaging through garbage cans."
Shamus laughed out loud. He couldn't believe he had been tripped up by trash scavengers.
Shamus lifted the cold towel off his face and glared at Dugan with rage in his eyes.
His anger wasn't so much at Dugan, but at the whole situation that had gotten dirty.
"How did the trash scavengers take photos in a hotel? They should've been stopped at the entrance."
"They reportedly support some of their members to get jobs in bars or as hotel workers. That's why they can collect a wide range of information, even though it's not very high quality. That's probably how Craig was found out."
"Fuck."
Shamus said sincerely.
Being caught by those beggar bastards with no place to bite…
His plan to expand and make a big hit had turned around and stabbed him.
It would be better off just rolling the money he had secured now.
The situation was urgent.
"……How soon can we leave if we start preparing now?"
"You're thinking of evacuating already? This isn't-"
"-We can patch it up. But I have a bad feeling."
Feeling. Although it was an extremely abstract and personal expression, Dugan couldn't argue. Shamus's intuition was different from others.
"Hmm……We need at least a week, two weeks if possible."
"Okay, then, I'll give you two weeks. I'll try to calm people down. Prepare in the meantime."
"Yes……"
"You look very disappointed."
Shamus asked, looking at Dugan's expression. In fact, Dugan was disappointed.
In just a few months, they had gathered a huge sum of 2.8 trillion, but to shake it off here…
If they had a little more time, they could have made three times, maybe ten times as Shamus said.
"I feel the same way. It's insanely disappointing. Insanely… But, don't be too disappointed. Whatever happens, 2 trillion is a lot of money, and we've roughly figured out the trick, so we just need to lay low for a few years and try again. More carefully, and long-term."
Dugan admired. Despite the unexpected adversity and the imminent disruption, Shamus was looking further into the future.
"More importantly, we've secured Eve, which can't be bought with money. Although there are limitations to its use at the moment, its potential is infinite. With this alone, we can gain the upper hand when dealing with other Druids. So don't be disappointed. If you're disappointed, you'll have regrets, and if you have regrets, it will interfere with your work."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Good, gather the investment money… and carefully collect some gangsters who are connected to us but without a trail. We need someone to distract when we run away."
"Yes."
"I'll probably have to go see the Anti-Development committee… Ah, and check out who those guys are."
"Who are you referring to?"
"Those Poor Fuckers. The fact that they took pictures of me means they might be watching our guys. I hate flies buzzing around me."
(To be Continued)
OR
$5/month6 chap ahead + 5 chap/week$15/month12 chap ahead + 5 chap/week$30/month19 chap ahead + 5 chap/week$45/monthAll advance chap + 6 chap/week
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