novelraw Chapter 139 : Chapter 139
Chapter 139 : Chapter 139
Chapter 139. The Viper Organization (1)
“Are you off to wage a war alone?”
Gaiard tossed the remark casually, eyeing my attire.
And no wonder—my calves and thighs each held a dagger, a longsword hung at my waist, and I even carried a small crossbow.
Having subdued Bakan with just two daggers, I now looked like I was set to stir up a bloodbath single-handedly.
“Not a war, just some cleaning.”
“Cleaning? Are there still Kandahr remnants?”
“No, this time I’m hunting rats.”
I viewed the Viper syndicate more negatively than the Kandahr.
The Kandahr’s invasion had the pretext of a nation’s fate, but groups like Viper, moving solely for money, were the most despicable.
“Those rats are unnecessary for rebuilding the city.”
Moreover, they had already crossed me.
I couldn’t let that slide.
“Then I’ll join you. Fresh human blood is always tempting.”
Seeing my armaments, Gaiard anticipated a skirmish, an opportunity too good to miss.
But I firmly declined.
“Sorry, but that’s not possible. I don’t plan to make a scene this time.”
Gaiard was a powerful asset, but excessive force could make the target slip away.
If he got involved, Viper would surely go into hiding.
“You’re going alone?”
“Yeah.”
I replied calmly, slipping on leather gloves.
Gaiard watched me briefly, then shrugged.
“Where are you sneaking off to with all this secrecy?”
“No big deal. Just meeting some guys called Viper.”
“Viper? Those shady bastards?”
“You know…”
Suddenly, I realized the vampire before me might know more about them than I did.
Perhaps more than anyone in this era.
“Wait, do you know a lot about Viper?”
Gaiard tilted his head, recalling, then spoke nonchalantly.
“Well, enough. I’ve spoken with their leader a few times. Had some friction too.”
I recalled fragments of Gaiard’s memories involving clashes with Viper.
But those were mere snippets, not enough to pinpoint their base.
Ultimately, Gaiard, with deeper contact, held the clues.
“Like, where they mainly operate or their base?”
“That? Hm. If they haven’t moved, try Veyd Street. There’s a tavern with a red roof in the alley.”
“Veyd Street alley, red-roofed tavern…”
I carefully memorized the information.
“Thanks. I don’t know if they’re still there, but I’ve got a lead to find them.”
“A word of caution: don’t underestimate them. When I said ‘shady,’ it wasn’t just a figure of speech.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
With that, I set off alone, leaving the bustling reconstruction streets, heading for the dark alleys despite the daylight.
***
The alley on Veyd Street, far from the kingdom’s heart, felt desolate, as if untouched by human steps for ages.
Debris from the war and garbage littered the path, with only a few crows cawing ominously.
‘This must be Veyd Street.’
At the alley’s dead end stood an old tavern with a faded red roof.
The building showed no signs of recent activity, too dilapidated to be merely closed due to the war.
I slowly scanned the surroundings.
Other buildings were similarly neglected—
windows broken, boarded with wood, and dust piled so thick it wouldn’t easily wipe away.
―Whistle.
Only the wind swept through the desolate alley.
The ruined scene strengthened my conviction that I’d come to the right place.
‘Looks like I found it.’
I steadied my breath and quietly pushed the tavern’s door.
―Creak.
The rickety door wobbled, as if it might fall off.
The tavern’s interior mirrored the outside.
Broken furniture and shattered bottles lay scattered, with dust layered thickly on the floor and tables.
Examining closely, I noticed a subtle difference.
A sense of incongruity.
‘Dust piles on the tables, but the floor has less.’
Someone had passed through recently.
This reinforced my certainty that this was Viper’s base entrance.
Then, I sensed faint movement from the storeroom inside.
‘There?’
Without hesitation, I opened the storeroom door.
In the damp, musty space, a man sat atop a large crate, back turned, fiddling with a bottle.
He’d already noticed me, speaking slowly without turning.
“Not lost, I presume… A job?”
“Yeah.”
“Hm… You look like quite a fighter to me.”
“Strength doesn’t solve everything. Especially what I want—finding someone.”
“True, finding people isn’t just about strength.”
The man rose slowly and turned.
His face, shadowed by a hood, was barely visible.
“Follow me.”
He pushed aside the crate, revealing a narrow, dark staircase leading downward.
As he descended without hesitation, I followed.
―Step, step.
The deeper we went, the more a dank, musty smell stung my nose.
‘As expected, it’s connected to the underground sewers. Typical rats.’
But I hid my thoughts, keeping my expression as neutral as possible.
Soon, we entered a wide sewer space.
Moss and moisture clung to the walls and ceiling, with faint candlelight barely illuminating the area.
“Mei, a guest.”
At the bottom of the stairs, someone waited.
A woman called Mei faced me.
Her pale skin stood out even in the dark, her body wrapped in a hooded leather cloak.
Gloves covering her fingertips suggested she avoided exposing her skin.
“A client?”
Her voice was quiet and chilling.
The man who guided me nodded silently.
“I see. Follow me. We’ve been expecting you.”
A subtle smile played on her lips, as if she knew something.
My eyebrow twitched faintly.
“You know me?”
“How could we not know Evan Lafard, the kingdom’s heralded hero? Or rather, Duke now.”
Her smile deepened as she answered.
But I kept my emotions hidden, responding coldly.
“Is that so? That’ll make this easier.”
“I don’t know why a duke seeks us, but Viper wishes to meet you. I’ll escort you.”
“Good. I also want to speak directly with your leader.”
She led me deeper into the sewer’s labyrinth.
We walked silently through the dark, damp tunnels, but I keenly sensed the surrounding energies.
‘Rona was right. Viper has enough skilled fighters to threaten the kingdom.’
They didn’t show themselves, but my senses clearly detected numerous strong presences lurking in the darkness.
After navigating the maze-like tunnels several times, we reached a heavy iron door, securely locked.
“This way.”
“Is Viper here?”
“Yes.”
She answered briefly and opened the door.
Beyond it lay complete darkness.
Passing through a narrow passage, a secretive room faintly lit by city sunlight appeared.
In its center, a man sat behind a desk.
His face was obscured in the shadows, but his hand, bearing a unique ring of a snake biting its tail, glinted on the desk.
“I’ve brought the guest.”
The man slowly raised his head.
In the dim light, his eyes revealed slit pupils, like a snake’s.
“Are you Duke Evan Lafard?”
His voice subtly grated on my nerves.
Like a snake speaking, dank and cold.
“Pleased to meet you. Have a seat.”
I calmly sat across from him.
He toyed with his ring, speaking with an intrigued expression.
“I’ve wanted to meet you. Three of our members went to see you and vanished.”
“As expected, you knew. That’s why I’m here.”
“For personal revenge, then?”
“Of course, the real matter is separate. My personal business is secondary.”
“Oh? I’m curious. Tell me.”
“Before that…”
I leaned back, flashing a meaningful smile.
“Stop the act.”
“What?”
“You’re not Viper.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Before he could finish, I kicked the table and lunged at him.
―Bang!
In an instant, I held a sharp dagger, its tip aimed at his neck.
“See, if you were Viper, you wouldn’t be subdued this easily, would you?”
“You speak as if we’ve met before.”
Unfazed, he looked at me with calm amusement.
I met his gaze without wavering.
“We have.”
In Gaiard’s memories, during the chaotic battle at the palace to buy time for him.
Among the saints and Executors, a figure stood out.
Not overwhelmingly powerful, but his sinister tactics—poisoned blades and explosive arrows—had troubled me.
More than that, I remembered him because, despite concealing his strength, his aura as a formidable warrior was unmistakable.
But the man before me exuded no such threat.
“If you truly inherited Viper’s leadership, it’s one of two things. You’re a fake, or you’re an incompetent has-been.”
I threw a dagger backward.
―Thwack!
The woman who guided me caught it lightly with two fingers.
A strange smile spread across her pale face.
“At least not incompetent.”
“So this guy’s the fake, huh? Isn’t that right, real one?”