novelraw Chapter 54 : Chapter 54
Chapter 54 : Chapter 54
Chapter 54. The Friendly Neighbor
Inspector Lee Hyeong-soo's death was processed as a death during the operation to suppress a violent organization.
Of course, that was merely a nominal reason.
There was no one who didn't know that this was part of a purge.
Even Lee Hyeong-soo wasn't the only one purged.
Police executives who led the collusion with Ha Do-yeol's organization also became corpses one by one.
Their cause of death was also death by enemy attack during this operation.
Naturally, this cause of death was also merely for external cover-up.
The truth was also a one-sided purge.
Like that, Inspector Park Jae-il seized power inside the station in an instant.
Although a few executives with higher ranks than him remained, there was no one with greater power than him in the station now.
Thus, the order of the station was quickly reorganized centering on Park Jae-il.
But even after doing so, there was still one thing left for him to do.
Something to finish together with Riman.
It was profit distribution.
“Here it is.”
Two days later.
Park Jae-il delivered a large bag full of cash to Riman.
Those cash notes were all discovered in Ha Do-yeol's office.
It was the proceeds earned from selling Red Chips.
Of course, not all proceeds were stored in cash like this.
Because a significant portion was deposited separately into various burner bank accounts.
Money in burner accounts like this couldn't be touched right away.
Because cooperation from financial authorities was needed to prove that the money there was criminal proceeds and to withdraw it.
Plus, if proven to be criminal proceeds, that money is confiscated into the national treasury.
So neither Park Jae-il nor Riman could touch that money recklessly.
But money discovered in cash is a different story.
Money that is out of the financial authorities' sight anyway.
If only Park Jae-il and Riman kept their mouths shut, it was possible to siphon off this money.
So the two had agreed in advance.
To split it half and half.
Ziiip-
Riman opened the bag zipper.
And counted while rummaging through the piled-up bills.
His senses, which had reached their peak, were quite helpful even when counting money.
It was to the extent that just by roughly scanning with fingertips, he could immediately
recognize how many bills of which denomination were there.
‘It’s accurate.’
When looting Ha Do-yeol's office safe, Riman was also present at that spot.
So he knew exactly how much came out.
And Park Jae-il's distribution was accurate down to a single 10 Credit bill.
Riman closed the bag zipper and said.
“Good work.”
“You too, Mr. Leman. Take care on your way back.”
After parting like that, Riman returned home carrying the money bag.
The heavy weight transmitted through the bag strap felt good.
Because that weight was scheduled to be added to his balance soon.
‘If I combine this money, my total assets will easily exceed 1 billion.’
Money saved so far, money from selling Spider Den Magic Stones through Bart yesterday, and money distributed today.
Adding it all up, it exceeded 1.2 billion.
‘In my previous life, I couldn't save even half of half of half of this.’
Suddenly, a thought about which was better, now or the previous life, crossed his mind.
Certainly, now was much wealthier.
But viewed objectively, this world was too dangerous.
Because it was a place where strongmen and Demonic Beasts far transcending ordinary people roamed the streets, and all sorts of insidious dangers were scattered.
While weighing this and that in his head like that.
‘Let’s stop.’
Riman stopped worrying.
It wasn't like there was a way to return to the original world.
Nor was there an incredibly desperate desire to return.
In such a situation, such worry was futile.
And the moment it was judged futile, Riman let go of the thought mercilessly.
It seems my personality wasn't like this in the past.
After possessing the body of Riman Solaris, this final boss, he continued to feel his personality changing little by little.
Anyway, Riman returned home.
The apartment he recently moved into, contracted with Silderrek Company for security.
‘Master Centro Fore Imperious Prestige Summit 3rd Palace’ Building 103, Room 1301.
The first thing he saw the moment he opened the front door was Saya sprawling tipsily.
“Oh my, did you drink again.”
Placed next to Saya was a half-drunk liquor bottle.
After this Ha Do-yeol case was resolved, Riman received five bottles of liquor from Ha Myeong-yeol.
Liquor from Doban Distilling's top premium line, over 2 million won per bottle.
Saya was sipping that liquor with an extremely satisfied expression.
And straight from the bottle at that.
“Wow, you are chugging straight from the bottle with that expensive liquor.”
“Kuehhh…….”
Rough breathing sounds of a drunk middle-aged man leak from a dragon's mouth.
To think I’d hear that sound from a dragon.
“Hey, if you drank enough, let’s go out and get some fresh air. Sober up a bit too.”
“Siheeeee-.”
“Shut up, you rascal.”
Riman wrapped Saya around his body and came out.
The inside of the apartment complex was entirely decorated like a park.
Although the area of the complex wasn't large, it was generally neatly well-managed.
To summarize, it was peaceful.
‘It’s worth moving into an expensive house.’
Enjoying the leisure after a long time like that, Riman and Saya continued their walk.
It was the first time.
Wandering around inside this apartment complex like this.
Although it had been over 2 weeks since he started living here, he was too busy to have time for such leisure.
He had to ambush at the port to siphon off Red Chips, had to go around selling what he siphoned off here and there, and had to discuss operations with Park Jae-il.
But now, for now, he passed one crisis.
He caught 5 out of 12 escaped convicts in Korea, and secured plenty of money too.
He worked enough to deserve this leisure.
“Oof.”
Riman sat on a bench.
Sat and stared blankly at people passing by.
People busy going somewhere, people returning from somewhere.
And a man walking a pet like Riman also caught his eye.
However, what the man was walking wasn't an ordinary animal.
Because it was a large dog with three heads.
But Riman wasn't particularly surprised either.
Because people walking such peculiar pets were common in this era.
Maned crocodiles, multi-winged parrots, horned cats, pet mini ostriches, etc.
Crazy pets that make you wonder if they are Demonic Beasts when seeing them for the first time were commonly seen in this city.
Naturally, they were pets created through biological modification or genetic manipulation.
Perhaps because it's an era where humans also naturally receive modification or enhancement procedures, animal modification was also happening too easily.
From Riman's perspective, this trend was quite welcome.
Because such bizarre animals are his taste?
No, it was because of Saya.
Riman took Saya wherever he went these days.
Because abilities like climate manipulation, subspace storage, and reconnaissance were so helpful in combat.
But Saya's appearance is a black snake with horns and legs.
If this place were Seoul in the 2020s, Riman's appearance would have stood out tremendously.
If he stands out well, his freedom of movement inevitably drops a lot.
But this place is a world where all sorts of bizarre pets strut around the streets.
In this crazy world, something like a horned snake couldn't draw attention for even a single second.
So Riman could wander anywhere even with Saya wrapped around his body.
“Hm? It seems you also came out for a walk with your pet?”
The man who came out for a walk with the three-headed dog spoke to Riman.
“Ah, yes.”
“A horned snake, it’s cute.”
Saying so, the man sat on the bench next to Riman.
His three-headed pet dog also sat right next to him.
Inside this complex, such sociable people were seen occasionally.
A type of people absolutely not seen outside the complex.
Riman thought that perhaps the point of being an expensive apartment with guaranteed safety planted a kind of kinship among residents.
Anyway.
Riman unconsciously gave a glance to the three-headed dog the man brought.
‘Looking closely, it really is peculiar.’
Anew, the aesthetic sense of people in this world approached him strangely.
And he felt the gap between his own aesthetic sense and this world's.
Do people of this era raise such things really thinking they are cute?
“Cute, isn't it?”
It seemed they really did.
“Ah, yes. Maybe because it has three heads, it seems three times as cute.”
Riman really spat out whatever words came to mind.
But unexpectedly, from the dog owner's perspective, it seemed to be wording quite to his liking.
“Right? That’s why I adopted a kid who received the Cerberus procedure.”
“Aha…….”
Even the name of the procedure is severely intuitive.
“Even these three guys, they sleep in turns in 3 shifts.”
“Uh… Is the body one but consciousnesses are 3?”
“Exactly that! That’s why its crime prevention function is much more excellent than ordinary dogs? Because it’s practically no different from not sleeping.”
“Oho…….”
It was the first time I heard boasting about a pet focusing on function.
It felt like listening to specs boasting of a newly bought electronic device.
“How about your kid?”
“Yes? Ah.”
The man was asking about Saya's function.
Riman pondered for a moment what to answer.
He can manipulate climate conditions, can store large amounts of items in the subspace
inside his body, and can perform reconnaissance linked with my mind.
…Since he couldn't say that, he just improvised roughly.
“He is cute.”
“He is cute.”
The man nodded and accepted at once.
“Actually, isn't it enough if it's cute, a pet.”
“That’s right. Ah, and he enjoys drinking.”
“A snake drinks liquor? His dietary preference is peculiar.”
“A bit, right?”
The appearance of just accepting it even when told a pet snake drinks liquor.
In a sense, it was a very tolerant attitude.
“Anyway, if you happen to be interested in exercise, come to the gym inside the complex.”
“There is a gym inside the complex?”
“Yes, it is in the basement. It’s a place only residents can use, but the equipment is quite decent and facilities are okay too. Usage fee is cheap too.”
“Oh…….”
“And I am also there as a manager, haha.”
“Ah……!”
Only then did Riman notice that the man's physique was unusual.
Shoulders spread wide out of the sleeveless shirt, well-defined arm muscles, inverted triangle upper body silhouette, etc.
Just by looking, it was the body of a person who had exercised for a long time.
On the other hand, Riman's body was frail beyond compare.
Not much muscle, just a skinny body.
Of course, it was in a better state than immediately after coming out of Mugan.
But the problem was that it was at the level of putting a little flesh on a scrawny body.
‘…Certainly, I need to build up some stamina and muscle.’
He had focused only on magic training meanwhile, but it seemed the time to pay attention to the body had come gradually.
Actually, he felt his stamina running low while wandering here and there this time.
Above all, stamina was also quite important in exerting magic.
Although not as much as mana, stamina was also a resource needed to use magic.
Riman said to the man.
“Then I will visit sometime soon.”
“Oh my, then I will be waiting.”
The man requested a handshake from Riman and said.
“I am James Kwon.”
“I am Leman White.”
The two parted after sharing such a short conversation.
And immediately the next day.
Riman really visited the gym.
‘It was really in the basement.’
Looking at the promotional material attached around the entrance, it didn't seem to be a simple gym.
Because there were not only gym equipment but also a boxing ring, pilates room, sauna, etc. together.
In short, it felt like a comprehensive sports facility.
‘Fun.’
Just as he opened the entrance door thinking so.
“Why can't I?! What on earth did I do wrong that I can't enter here?!”
Some man was causing a commotion at the entrance.