Chapter 28 Part 16: Adaptation.

As I walked through the parking lot, I slowly surveyed my surroundings.

Even with the two men leading the way, my aunt seemed quite anxious.

It wasn’t something I couldn’t understand.

Even if she hired bodyguards, my aunt is just an ordinary human.

If things went wrong, she would most likely get seriously hurt. Maybe even die.

Still, I didn’t think it would escalate to the worst-case scenario.

Organizations that use specific buildings as trading posts like this prefer to avoid bloodshed.

No matter how much they reign in the underworld, the power of a single organization is not that great.

They grow by straddling the line between legal and illegal, preying on ordinary people.

The moment the police or heroes get seriously involved, such organizations are bound to be wiped out.

Besides, we hired bodyguards.

No matter how curious they were about whose daughter she was, I didn’t think they would cross the line.

If they do… I’ll have to shove my aunt under the table first and think later.

Just like I did back then.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, the window began to appear, as if on cue.

But this time, it didn’t bother me much.

Because this is a parking lot. There’s no way there would be windows or glass in a parking lot.

Besides, we were walking down into the dark parking lot.

Naturally, there was no way I would see something like a window.

Thanks to that, I didn’t feel bad.

Considering the current situation, I can’t say it’s good… but I felt good anyway.

So I smiled. Of course, smiling in a situation like this is strange.

So I thought about the reason and realized something.

This situation… has a few similarities to back then.

Once that thought reached me, I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

Of course, I didn’t laugh. If I laughed now, I would definitely look like a madwoman.

More than anything, we need to start the deal soon… If my aunt gets surprised, it could disrupt things.

So I suppressed the unknown emotion and stared at the people who suddenly appeared in the dark parking lot.

Those people were not much different from what I expected.

Shady appearances. Tattoos openly displayed on their necks and arms.

Although they wore suits like the bodyguards, the quality and neatness were incomparable.

They looked like second-rate or third-rate at best.

So I thought my aunt would be able to handle them well.

After all, she’s someone who skillfully gained advantages even when dealing with people far worse than them.

It was the same when the conversation started shortly after.

My aunt skillfully explained the situation and began to draw the gangsters into her territory.

The expression ‘drawing them into her territory’ wasn’t wrong.

Like an antlion waiting for ants to fall into its pit, my aunt waited patiently.

Although she said she had washed her hands of it, the threat that her influence was still there was surprising.

So I thought this matter would end well.

There was no need for it to be complicated in the first place, right?

That organization provides me with an illegal drug that can treat my hallucinations.

Another uncle or aunt makes medicine with that drug, and I take it.

After taking it for a while, we just need to monitor the progress. It’s really simple.

And during that time, I just have to pretend nothing happened.

More than anything, pretending nothing happened was my specialty.

So if nothing goes wrong, the date will probably end successfully.

“Hey, excuse me. Sorry, but did you do a body search?”

A young man with a shady look said that as he walked over.

He must have been smoking just a moment ago, because the smoke was thick.

It seemed like he was trying to intimidate us because the negotiation seemed to be going against them.

Of course, there was no need to comply with that body search.

If it was necessary, it should have been done already.

So I decided to leave this to my aunt and stand behind the bodyguards for a moment.

It’s not something that will be solved by me stepping in anyway.

“Hey, don’t you understand what I’m saying?”

The young man chuckled and threw his cigarette on the ground.

Then, as if it were a joke, he raised his hand and tapped both bodyguards on the shoulders simultaneously.

Thanks to that, the atmosphere in the parking lot instantly froze.

It was like pouring cold water on a well-progressing negotiation.

Of course, my aunt didn’t stay still.

“Hey, what are you doing? I was never told there would be something like this.”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t have been told. Because this is my own doing.”

“…I think it’s best to end this matter here.”

My aunt got up from her seat, expressing her displeasure blatantly.

It’s unfortunate that things fell apart, but it can’t be helped.

So I was about to slowly leave with the bodyguards, but my body moved on its own.

At some point, my body was carrying my aunt and running towards the parking lot wall.

A sound like something exploding. The familiar smell of burning flesh.

And gunpowder and some unknown smoke.

I didn’t need to look to know what happened.

So I just sighed deeply and grumbled to my aunt.

“…Unnie, you came here confidently. What is this?”

“…How would I know? It seems like a connection from the past has followed me here.”

“Connection? It’s more like a bad connection than a connection!”

The young man clenched his teeth.

He explained his situation after that, but I just ignored him.

Fortunately, the bodyguards seemed to have only suffered burns and were still breathing.

If we can just treat them properly, there shouldn’t be any problems.

So the remaining problem is… that young man, right?

“Ailey Rierdo. You’ve made too many enemies, you damn b*tch.”

It seemed like he had business with my aunt.

And that grudge didn’t seem small at all.

I don’t know the details because he didn’t say, but honestly, I didn’t want to fight.

It’s a fight with a predetermined winner anyway.

If there’s something to decide… it would be that.

It was also a fight where we had to decide what would happen to the loser.

Taking someone’s life… is quite disgusting.

So I just sighed deeply and asked my aunt.

“Unnie, what kind of bad connection is it exactly?”

“Kwon Baekgi, he was a strong but stupid dog. It seems like he’s his son.”

“…And?”

“…There are too many possibilities, I don’t know. Maybe he’s just a low-level member.”

“One thing is certain.”

Yes, one thing was certain.

The young man in front of me seemed to know nothing about me.

So there’s probably no need to kill him.

That’s really fortunate. I can’t give up the daily life I just regained.

“Ha, you’re so calm even with us in front of you. It’s hilarious! Guys!”

As soon as the young man finished speaking, the lights in the ceiling turned on.

And several gangsters around us started rushing towards me and my aunt.

But my aunt and I were relieved at that point.

Seeing how they set up such a foolish plan, it didn’t seem like there was anyone behind them, at least.

There might be, but it’s probably not someone smart enough to threaten our daily lives.

I could tell just by seeing that they let this young man do this.

Unless there’s a bounty on my aunt. But I’ve never heard of such a thing.

Besides, the faces of the gangsters were quite young.

They could be minors or just became adults.

At best, they’re just lucky prospective gangster wannabes with good abilities.

“If the bodyguards are hurt, it’s not our responsibility, right?”

“Of course, it’s not our responsibility. Hurry up and sweep them away.”

“Then that’s good. Next time, get me a better trading partner.”

After saying that, I slowly extended my left arm forward and covered it with scales.

Immediately after, a bald man swung a metal pipe at me with all his might.

He seems to be a ability user who strengthens his body, but he was weaker than I thought.

If it weren’t for the sound, I wouldn’t have known I was hit by something.

“M-Monster…!”

“Be quiet.”

Saying that, I grabbed the man’s collar and threw him at the people rushing towards me.

The man rolled on the parking lot floor a few times and then tripped the people.

Seeing the people fall like bowling pins, I felt good.

No, to be precise… I could say I felt a sense of relief.

Honestly, I thought someone would die.

If it ends with getting caught up in child’s play like this, that’s fortunate.

Besides, the bodyguards weren’t seriously injured, and at some point, they were naturally taking down the other gangsters.

How much time passed like that?

Most of the gangsters in the parking lot were lying on the floor, covered in blood.

The young man was a somewhat powerful ability user who could turn things he touched into explosives, but he’s a rookie.

Seeing him get beaten up by the bodyguards without even being able to use his precious ability, I felt sorry for him.

Because you shouldn’t show mercy when using such a lethal ability.

If you use it… yes. You should use it with the thought of killing at least half of the opponent at once.

Even if they survive, it’s best to make them unable to fight again.

It’s advice I can give because I’ve done it myself… and I’ve been on the receiving end.

Of course, I had no intention of telling him directly. What’s so pretty about those fools?

So I just sighed a few times and asked my aunt.

“What are you going to do now?”

“You have to decide. I’m fine with going back safely… but what do you think?”

“…I don’t want to go back. It seems like it’s an urgent matter.”

“I see. Are you, by any chance, still angry?”

I shook my head.

I knew why my aunt asked that question.

She was clearly going to try to negotiate again with the gangsters that the bodyguards had beaten up.

No, it’s strange to call it a negotiation.

Usually, negotiations are between humans.

You can’t use the expression ‘negotiation’ with bugs or animals.

Just like my aunt did to me in the past, she has no choice but to inform them.

Thinking about that again, I didn’t feel very good.

But what can I do? I have to make medicine with that drug right now and do something about the hallucinations.

So just this once, I decided to turn a blind eye to my aunt’s actions.

Well, I don’t need to close my eyes. Snakes are terribly nearsighted.