Virgil surveyed his silent colleagues and stated,
“I’ll personally talk to Van about the Chairwoman’s condition. Of course, that man wouldn’t accidentally spill the secret… But if we don’t explain why she’s so engrossed in ‘research’ and losing her composure, he won’t be convinced either.”
“Damn… To be swayed by a mere freelancer.”
Merilda grumbled but did not refute Virgil’s words.
The three individuals remaining in the room were seasoned veterans who had been with the Cartel since its inception under Olivera.
Everyone was aware of why she, once at the pinnacle of her power, had weakened and retreated, dedicating herself to some enigmatic research.
McQueen must have committed such audacious treason with the understanding that the Chairwoman couldn’t act recklessly.
Kansoa remarked,
“As uncertain as the future of this street is, there’s no need to make unnecessary enemies. I’d rather he use his position as an external director to help with the Cartel’s hierarchy…”
“It depends on how we approach him from now on.” Virgil responded.
“I’ve gathered personal information and public opinion about that man from the Deep Web. Take a look.”
Saying this, he connected his phone to a terminal and promptly transmitted the file to the others.
As each of them received and reviewed the information Virgil had sent, he continued,
“When he first appeared on this street and contacted Jenny, he was already a skilled wizard, and despite many people digging into his past, no trace was found. He’s thoroughly hidden himself, both his past and current residence.”
“……”
“Moreover, he’s known for being very meticulous in his work and thorough in his dealings… It seems right to see him as someone who definitely returns what he’s received.”
“He doesn’t seem like a wizard but more like a fixer who’s been around for decades.”
“I think we all know what we need to do to keep Van quiet in this situation.”
Virgil nodded.
“Let’s be honest, we all gathered here know that the Cartel is slowly sinking.”
“……”
“Although the Chairwoman’s decision to publicly announce McQueen’s betrayal was wise, it won’t stop the organization from shaking. To navigate this situation well, we need active cooperation between the subsidiaries. You know what I mean, right?”
This implied that the directors, who had been monitoring each other’s powers and turning a blind eye, now needed to form tighter bonds than ever before.
The era of enjoying individual freedoms for decades was drawing to a close.
To safeguard their current positions against scrutiny from other leaders and emerging competitors, an implicit understanding from within was imperative.
Virgil conveyed this while reclining in his chair, resting his legs on the desk.
The nameplate at the end of the spacious oak desk prominently displayed the title of Vice Chairman.
“The old complacency and division are over. From now on, there’s going to be… a lot to do.”
* * *
After a week of rest, Lennok returned to work at a leisurely pace.
The confrontation with McQueen, or more precisely, the effort required to recover from the side effects of various drugs he had used to forcibly enhance his condition during the Domain deployment, had taken a considerable amount of time.
Of course, he wasn’t fully healed, but Lennok never underestimated his fragile physique.
His body could cause problems whether it was pushed to its limits or given time to relax.
Staying in bed for too long could even strain the ligaments in his back.
He never let his guard down. In fact, Lennok had never placed his trust in his body, not even once.
“You’re here?”
At the pub’s bar, which had resumed normal operations after the clash with the Cartel, Jenny and Jordan greeted him.
Jordan had returned unharmed from the recent events, despite enduring quite a bit, and was shaking a shaker just like before.
Considering the nature of this world, it was almost a miracle.
If Jordan, closely connected to Jenny, had encountered trouble, resolving matters in this manner would have been unthinkable.
Lennok sat at the bar, holding a glass of his drink, and quietly surveyed his surroundings.
The pub was busier than usual, with numerous patrons.
It was thriving in an unnatural way.
“I heard from the Cartel’s quarterly earnings report that you’ve been appointed as an external director, Van.”
Jenny shrugged.
“Since I received approval from the Trident, people think our business will do well.”
“So they came to make an impression in advance?”
“More like… our business has proven to be resilient enough that even big players can’t mess with it, making it a better meeting place for freelancers.”
“……”
“Well, it’s not my analysis… That’s the general mood in the Deep Web.”
“A curious thing…”
Lennok delicately sipped his drink and slowly harnessed his mana to eavesdrop on the conversations swirling around him.
As expected of those entrenched in this industry, despite the cacophonous clinking of glasses, the actual discourse was elusive to the average ear, but such nuances posed no challenge to Lennok.
Just as Jenny had mentioned, the number of individuals covertly discussing business affairs in the pub had evidently surged.
It appeared that those who had previously exchanged hushed words on the streets had now designated the pub as their new rendezvous point.
All in all, it wasn’t an unfavorable development, though Jordan, engrossed in his shaker-shaking duties, did appear particularly occupied.
Jordan offered a faint smile when his gaze intersected with Lennok’s.
“…We might need a new bartender soon.”
“For now, it’s manageable. If it gets too busy, I can ask for help… Probably one of those guys will lend a hand.”
With these words, Jordan raised the shaker in his hand.
Behind the bar, within the pub’s storage area, Lennok observed Weian engaged in a bout with another individual and nodded.
“It seems Dray has made his decision.”
During the fortnight Lennok had been absent, numerous developments had occurred, and their business had rapidly expanded.
Following the conclusion of the Cartel incident, Dray Krimgal opted to merge his operations with Jenny’s enterprise, bringing along his subordinates.
The assignments from Krimgal’s office alone couldn’t provide satisfactory wages for the recently recruited ex-special forces personnel.
Faced with the dilemma of being unable to shutter his office and join another outfit, Dray resolved to entrust his manpower to Lennok and Jenny.
Perhaps he believed that Lennok’s formidable power, on par with the Cartel’s board of directors, and Jenny’s adept management skills, which had swiftly seized control of the underground world’s supply network, were more than sufficient.
Lennok hadn’t overheard the precise details of Dray’s deliberations when extending his assistance, but he had a general sense of it.
Throughout the height of tension with the Cartel, Dray had often expressed satisfaction while collaborating with Lennok.
The wages for his personnel, which were challenging to cover with his office’s earnings alone, could be classified as expenses within Lennok and Jenny’s company, thus offering tax advantages.
“Having such a man help with the business will be a great strength.”
“Those brought by Dray, the ex-special forces members, are very good at their jobs. There are those with diverse specialties like driving, administration, and maintenance, so we won’t need new employees for a while.”
Of course, Dray’s involvement wasn’t devoid of calculations.
Ex-military personnel were well-acquainted with hierarchical structures and carried a strong sense of mission. They were accustomed to going above and beyond in their respective fields.
They proved significantly more dependable than recruits from the underground world, and with Dray serving as a mediator, they were easily manageable.
This move further elevated the already promising outlook for their business.
After listening to their discourse for a while, Lennok drained his glass and rose from his seat.
“Already thinking of leaving?”
“Not really… Since I’m here after a while, I thought I might as well take on a request.”
“A request?”
There was no pressing reason for Lennok to delve into freelance work now that he had established a company with Jenny’s support.
While he needed to maintain his freelancer status to secure avenues for artifacts related to space-time, there was no immediate necessity to actively pursue named assignments.
However, instead of offering a direct response, Lennok reached for a bulky photo album positioned adjacent to the bar, leafing through its pages before extracting a photograph.
It was a wanted poster meticulously assembled by brokers for bounty hunters.
Lennok, wearing a wry smile in response to the astonished expressions of the two men gazing up at him, made his way out.
“Time to return to the basics after a while.”
* * *
The circumstances had changed from his previous experiences of tracking criminals through blood traces using magic.
Now, he simply dispersed his mana widely at the last known location of the culprits and followed the direction indicated by his heightened senses.
He found himself in a run-down bakery concealing a hidden fight club beneath it.
Within, Lennok spotted his two targets, intoxicated amidst the tumult, and swiftly drew his revolver.
The sudden shadow cast over their faces caused them to blink, and as soon as they caught sight of Lennok’s visage, their mouths gaped in surprise.
“Whoa, aaaaah!!”
Bang!
“F*ck!!”
Bang!!
The task was completed in the blink of an eye.
Using psychokinesis, Lennok lifted the two men, their eyes rolled back and mouths foaming, and the once uproarious fight club descended into an abrupt silence.
“It’s Van…”
“Damn, seeing him in person for the first time.”
“What’s an external director of the Cartel doing here? What did these idiots do?”
From the center of the club, Lennok coldly surveyed his surroundings.
Dray Krimgal had foretold that Lennok’s status would undergo a transformation after the Cartel incident.
He was absolutely correct. None of the spectators buzzing about Lennok dared to approach or address him directly.
The days when anyone could approach Lennok with job offers were a bygone era.
A wizard who had confronted the Cartel’s board single-handedly and emerged victorious.
They all surmised the value of such an individual, the extent of his influence, and recognized that a common background would no longer be sufficient to recruit him.
Now, the emotions in people’s eyes were unmistakable to Lennok.
Envy and trepidation, caution and admiration… and longing.
While Lennok was lost in contemplation, a portly elderly man, drenched in sweat, approached timidly and offered a slight bow.
“Seems like those guys from our club offended the wizard. I’ll make sure this never happens again, so please forgive them just this once…”
“……”
Instead of accepting the bundle of cash the elderly man pulled from his pocket, Lennok sighed and shook his head.
The elderly man’s shoulders quivered with fear.
“If, if money is not enough…”
Without uttering a word, Lennok pushed the two unconscious men suspended in mid-air toward the elderly man and retrieved a cigarette.
“Those two, they’re suspects in civilian trafficking, under police investigation.”
“What, what?!”
“Just take them to the nearest bounty office.”
Lennok exited the club, his steps unwavering, and directed his gaze upward at the sky, his thoughts slightly scattered.
In the past, accomplishments like the one he just achieved would have been promptly handed over to Jenny, but now it all felt somewhat purposeless.
He hadn’t pursued the bounty for the monetary reward in the first place.
“I had my doubts… but this is enough to help me decide.”
Lennok’s whispered words were not a mere coincidence.
Throughout this entire endeavor, he had never lost sight of his true identity.
Yet, the reason he had gone after the bounty was to recover a missed opportunity that had slipped through the streets.
Seated on a nearby bench, Lennok’s contemplative eyes delved into profound thought.
‘I’ve understood and successfully used the concept of Mental Imprint. But…’
Shifting his perspective toward the future, regarding potential branching moments as remnants of the past, he scrutinized and materialized possibilities from parallel worlds.
This remarkable feat had been achieved by Lennok, even though he had been uncertain if it was attainable. Nevertheless, there were numerous challenges to overcome to wield this weapon with ease.
Considering the substantial costs, forced enhancements, Triggers, and the fortuitously acquired magically imbued core, it barely met Lennok’s standards.
Effectively utilizing his domain in combat against formidable adversaries, not limited to McQueen, posed an immense challenge.
Furthermore, if he couldn’t streamline the kaleidoscope deployment process while expanding his Domain while also maintaining anonymity, all his efforts would be in vain.
‘But even in this state, there are plenty of ways to refine the mental imprint.’
In the past, Lennok had vanquished McQueen by employing the domain [Eight-Chain Thunder Palace], fully actualized through the unique lightning magic imagery he had acquired during his enrollment at the Thorban Magical Tower.
The potency of the Eight-Chain Thunder Palace was made possible by Lennok’s profound comprehension and mastery of the lightning series.
The same principle applied to the implementation of other Domains.
To draw substantial power from parallel worlds existing only as possibilities, the branch points had to bear a close connection to Lennok.
Through his mental imagery, Lennok had ventured into uncharted realms of possibilities, but this also implied a corresponding need for experiences.
Recalling his past days was an integral part of this intricate process.
Excluding the domains that he could currently discern within the realm of possibilities, what level of experience and connections were required to pioneer new domains?
To gauge this, Lennok had resumed his activities despite the frailty of his body.
Gradually but steadfastly, Lennok began to comprehend the extraordinary potential he held within his grasp.
(To be Continued)
