Passing through the corridors of the grand estate, whose architecture retained an unmistakably classical and medieval elegance even by 21st-century standards, he made his way toward Tita Genorua's office.
The corridors had been cleaned so thoroughly that it was hard to believe they had once been strewn with blood and corpses.
Even so, the lingering scent of blood and gunpowder remained.
It brushed against his nose as though following the shadow cast by each step he took.
‘Is it because I'm a Superhuman, or...’
Or perhaps because he had already seen too much blood.
Maybe he had realized it at some point.
Jin Crow's sense of self had prevented him from collapsing.
But it was slowly being buried.
‘It's like a swamp.’
A swamp always waited silently for its prey, masquerading as an ordinary path people once walked.
At first, only the ankles sank.
In the mire that greedily devoured the body, a person struggled desperately to escape.
But in the end, they only sank deeper.
Eventually, they died within the mud.
‘There's no turning back.’
It wasn't a path he had chosen willingly.
Yet he had no choice but to keep walking.
The moment he stopped, only two endings remained.
Either he would be devoured by the monster called the Apocalypse that had been pursuing him—
Or he would slowly die while doing nothing more than breathing.
Click.
He placed a cigarette between his lips.
Then he opened the office door and stepped inside.
“Welcome. I suppose I should call you Instructor now instead of Mercenary Jin.”
Inside, Tita Genorua, who had been waiting for him, spoke quietly from the very chair where Lucky had once sat.
Jin Crow walked forward.
With every step, the smoke from the cigarette in his mouth trailed through the air.
Lowering himself onto the sofa in the dimly lit office, he flicked the ash into the ashtray before speaking.
“Consigliere, huh? That's rather unexpected.”
“I suppose it's a trivial honor to someone like you. Thinking about it now, it's almost laughable. I offered money and status to a soldier of the Human Composite State—an instructor from the Central Special Service Academy, no less.”
Holding the same black cigarette between her lips beneath her signature long black hair, she lit it from the candle on the table instead of using a lighter before letting out a faint chuckle.
At the time, she had believed him to be nothing more than an exceptionally skilled mercenary with a complicated past.
Even so, the proposal now seemed ridiculous.
Perhaps because of that, she added with a self-deprecating smile,
“It's the greatest respect I can offer you. If you dislike it, you're free to refuse.”
“Respect, is it.”
After quietly listening to her from the sofa, Jin Crow smiled faintly before replying,
“I'm not so sure. It seems like it'll bring more harm than benefit. It feels more like a leash.”
A faint, icy smile lingered at the corner of his lips.
Had this been the Jin Crow from immediately after possessing this body, he might have simply been thrilled to see men in suits paying him such respect.
To be acknowledged by others.
To receive their loyalty.
That alone would have been enough to make his heart race.
But he had already experienced far too much to determine his future based solely on how something made him feel.
“Why do you think I went through the trouble of pretending to be a mercenary? It wouldn't be good for either of us if my connection to the academy came to light.”
He wasn't wrong.
At first glance, it might appear that Tita was simply trying to gain leverage over him.
But in reality, it was far closer to shackles binding them both.
“Interfering in another nation's internal affairs, cooperating with a criminal organization, and on top of that becoming one of its leaders? No matter who my enemies are, they couldn't ask for a better weakness to exploit. Meanwhile, the Genorua Family...”
“Would be giving the Human Composite State the perfect excuse to interfere directly in our internal affairs. Naturally, Geum Young would also use that opportunity to seize our interests.”
Three of the figures who had upheld the Committee were gone.
Originally, Tita Genorua and Geum Kang-hyeok had intended to place their own people into those vacant positions.
If the two of them tried to swallow every remaining faction themselves, they might choke to death on the attempt.
But circumstances had changed.
More than half of Black Mer's military strength had been wiped out during this incident.
Even those who had served as the organization's brains had effectively lost all influence after being interrogated by the Empire and the Human Composite State.
The other organizations weren't much different.
Their sizes had shrunk to just the point where they could conveniently be swallowed.
And before they even had the chance to fight each other, foreign powers had begun pressing in.
“This was something Geum Kang-hyeok also agreed to. His side has likewise promised to appoint you as an advisor to reduce unnecessary friction.”
Rather than confronting Tita Genorua, Geum Kang-hyeok currently had far more matters that required cooperation.
He had no choice but to compromise.
However, after hearing Tita's explanation, Jin Crow effortlessly saw through the intentions of that scheming half-elf.
‘He must have secured more shares. Or some other benefit.’
Much as he hated to admit it, Geum Kang-hyeok was an exceptionally capable businessman.
Even if circumstances forced him to compromise, there was no way he would do so without gaining something in return.
‘But I can't refuse.’
What exactly was a Consigliere?
Simply put, an advisor.
A counselor.
It might sound like nothing more than a desk job.
Perhaps even something worthy of contempt.
But the authority attached to the position was anything but insignificant.
Which meant—
‘I'll be able to project my influence into the Genorua Family. And into the Geum Young Group as well.’
If all he wanted was a peaceful, comfortable future as a soldier, there would be no reason to accept.
In fact, refusing would be the wiser choice.
Any involvement would inevitably attract unwanted rumors.
The problem was that the Free Planet Alliance had the potential to become an enormous asset in the future war against the Creatures.
‘Although they were enemies in the original story, Baek Hwi-young clearly regretted it. He believed that if they had fought together from the very beginning of the war, things might have turned out differently.’
His cigarette had burned down to the filter.
Crushing it into the ashtray, he accepted reality.
There was no choice.
Even knowing it was a poisoned chalice, he had no option but to drink from it.
Having reached that conclusion, Jin Crow looked at Tita Genorua, who silently waited for his answer, and spoke.
“And the price?”
“That's more like you.”
Unable to help herself, she let out a small laugh.
Only then did Jin Crow become certain.
Tita Genorua hadn't made this decision out of mere personal affection.
“I see. So I'm insurance.”
For now, the Geum Young Group and the Genorua Family appeared to be working together.
But how long could that last?
Eventually, Geum Kang-hyeok and Tita Genorua were destined to step on each other in order to climb higher.
‘The problem is that they've become too evenly matched.’
Originally, the Geum Young Group and the Genorua Family had possessed similar business scales.
However, Geum Young had overwhelmingly superior financial resources.
That couldn't be helped.
Unlike the Genorua Family, whose businesses mostly operated in the underworld, Geum Young had extended its reach from the legitimate world into the shadows.
Now, however, things were different.
By dividing up the holdings left behind by the leaderless organizations, the Genorua Family had laid a solid foundation for entering legitimate business.
Moreover, by devouring the remnants of Black Mer, their military strength would only continue to grow.
A collision between two equally powerful factions would inevitably become a civil war.
That was precisely why both Tita Genorua and Geum Kang-hyeok had chosen Jin Crow as the mediator between them.
“You're far too perceptive. It's hard to believe you're merely an instructor.”
Although Jin Crow never voiced his deductions aloud, Tita Genorua understood from his reaction alone that he had seen through their agreement.
She admitted it without hesitation.
There was no shame in it.
Business had always been like that.
“You flatter me.”
Jin Crow didn't particularly mind.
If anything, this straightforward negotiation was far more comfortable than having her continue trying to seduce him as she had in the car before.
Click.
Both of them lit fresh cigarettes at the same time.
Thick smoke drifted through the softly lit room.
At last, Tita Genorua named the price he had been waiting to hear.
“The payment for the job I mentioned before has already been transferred into your virtual account. Properly laundered.”
Jin Crow nodded.
Then Tita continued,
“At the moment, money is the only thing we truly have. So if you accept the position of advisor and mediate between us, we'll naturally compensate you accordingly.”
She slowly rose to her feet.
The cigarette hanging from the corner of her lips trembled slightly with the movement.
Her cold black eyes settled upon Jin Crow.
Walking over, she sat directly opposite him on the sofa and raised five fingers.
“This much from each side. Every month.”
Fifty million dollars a month from each.
It was an annual salary most ordinary workers could only dream of.
Together—
One hundred million dollars every month.
It was by no means an inadequate payment.
Jin Crow nodded before crushing his half-smoked cigarette into the ashtray.
“Then I'll be leaving.”
“...Very well.”
There was nothing more for them to discuss.
Of course, they could have chatted about trivial matters, building upon the bond formed through everything they had experienced.
But there was no reason to.
Even now, fierce negotiations were undoubtedly taking place behind the scenes between the ambassadors of every nation.
There was nothing Jin Crow could contribute there.
Knowing that, Tita Genorua silently watched his departing figure for a moment before taking a sip of the liquor resting on the table.
“...You're heartless.”
She swallowed the lingering bitterness left upon her lips.
She had wanted to talk more.
Not about business—
But simply as people.
Yet, just as always, he drew a firm line and walked away.
“What a luxury... these feelings are.”
Quietly reflecting upon the irony of her own emotions, Tita Genorua rose from her seat.
She lowered herself onto the throne of the underworld—
The seat once occupied by her father.
Then by Lucky Anubis, who had called himself Judas.
Only now did she finally understand.
What kind of resolve it took to sit there.
And what had to be abandoned.
“It's lonely, Uncle Lucky.”
She murmured absentmindedly.
For a long while, she stared at the place where Jin Crow had disappeared.
Crackle.
Crackle...
Only the fireplace burning softly against one wall seemed to whisper words of comfort to her.
On the outskirts of the Free Planet Alliance.
Within one of the slums of District 23.
Shhhhhh...
A woman entered an alley where public security looked poor even at first glance.
As though retracing old memories, she wandered around briefly before knocking on the back door of a house.
Knock, knock.
After the short knock, movement could be heard beyond the iron door.
Soon, a low voice called out.
“Who are you looking for?”
“My younger sister's husband.”
“And his name?”
“Manhattan.”
A moment later, the door opened.
After quickly checking her surroundings to ensure no one had followed her, she stepped inside.
Following the guard, she walked through the corridor.
After making two turns and descending about half a floor, familiar jazz music and the laughter of several people gradually reached her ears.
“Then I hope you enjoy your time here.”
The guard gave her a brief farewell before returning to the entrance.
As though completely familiar with the place, she walked straight to the bar.
“One Godfather.”
She casually draped her rain-soaked outer coat over the chair beside her.
Without a word, the handsome bartender who had been quietly polishing glasses took out an old-fashioned glass.
He poured Disaronno first.
Then added neatly cut square ice cubes.
Finally, after pouring in the whiskey, he asked, “What about the cinnamon?”
“It's fine.”
The aroma of cinnamon wasn't unpleasant.
But on a damp day like today, it simply didn't appeal to her.
Clink.
She raised the glass the bartender handed her and took a sip.
Only the gentle strains of classical music occasionally broke the silence filling the bar.
She continued drinking quietly.
Then, after leaving both the payment and a single note on the counter, she departed.
“……”
Still polishing a glass with a black linen cloth, the bartender calmly picked up both the money and the note.
Running a still slightly damp hand through his hair, he headed toward the back door.
Creeeak.
The rusted iron door groaned unpleasantly as it opened.
Waiting outside were two men dressed in black suits.
Two men in black suits standing in a dark, rain-soaked alley.
Any ordinary bartender would naturally have been terrified.
Instead, he merely glanced over them briefly before speaking.
“It would be premature to conclude that the Hound has resumed its activities.”
Handing them the note, he quietly continued, “So far, only one individual has been confirmed.”
Then he added softly, “Jin Crow. That's all.”
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