There Is No World For ■■

* * *

After China became an inaccessible zone, Incheon began to decline rapidly.

Companies that were hit by the wave of economic slump¹ either went under or escaped to other cities.

Half of the port was shut down and vacant houses and slums kept increasing by the year as numerous people migrated to big cities like Kaesong or Busan.

The city with the title of the third most dazzling city in Korea, following Busan and Kaesong, had long become a crude joke mocking the old days.

Well, that was how it looked, at least on the surface.

From the perspective of an insider, Incheon was thriving even more than before.

"Military supplies siphoned from the Manchurian Rift, monster remains, goods smuggled through the Kaesong dimensional portal, and drugs and weapons pouring in from Southeast Asia and Australia... There's nothing you can't find in Incheon's black market."

As Jang Man said this, he added one more thing.

He explained that the current situation of Incheon was similar to the bloated belly of a dead animal.

It only looked big because of the filth, maggots, and gas filling it instead of the blood and flesh t.

Eventually, the rotten belly would burst open, and all sorts of disgusting things would spill out.

And undoubtedly, the citizens of Incheon would be the first victims.

"...That sounds terrible."

"Yes, it is terrible."

Jang Man and Dung Beetle had this conversation while walking through the distribution center of the closed port.

Dung Beetle followed Jang Man as he led the way, but Jang Man kept glancing back whenever he got the chance.

There wasn't any significant reason, but the large sports bag Dung Beetle was carrying had somehow caught his eye.

The bag was filled with rectangular shaped objects sticking out here and there, which anyone with a keen eye would recognize as bundles of cash.

As they neared their destination, Jang Man was unable to hold back his curiosity any longer and asked.

"Where did you get that bag of money from?"

"It is the Director's money."

"...Director? The Janitor Guild's operations director?"

"Yes."

Understanding the implication, Jang Man simply shook his head.

His revenge must have started long ago.

With that last thought, they had arrived at their destination.

It was a deserted warehouse at the outermost of the distribution center, with its roof torn off.

"This is...?"

"This is a secret entrance to a secret market. Let me warn you, just in case, do not ever think of coming here alone. You could lose your head."

Jang Man entered the warehouse without hesitation.

Just like the outside, the inside was also overgrown with weeds. Jang Man strode over the weeds and crossed the warehouse.

He walked towards the wall opposite the entrance and began to grope around it.

"It should be somewhere around here... Ah, found it."

When he pressed a spot in the middle of the wall, the wall next to the button opened along with a creaking sound.

Beyond the opened wall was a feeble staircase that led underground.

"It’s rustier than last time. It might collapse, so be careful as you descend."

Saying this, Jang Man went down the stairs first. Readjusting the bag he carried over his shoulder, Dung Beetle followed him down the stairs.

Creak, creak.

With each step they took, the old iron stairs creaked, shedding rust.

Uncertain if the creaky, old stairs would remain intact, Dung Beetle continued for about a hundred more steps.

Only after descending to a depth equivalent of about three stories, did the ground finally reveal itself.

...A warehouse?

Contrary to the nervous Dung Beetle's expectations, the area below the stairs was just like a warehouse cluttered with various boxes.

From snack boxes of famous brands to gun boxes stamped with the U.S. military mark.

Although it was impossible to tell what kind of warehouse this space was, and without offering any further explanation, Jang Man began rummaging through various boxes.

After about a minute, Jang Man approached Dung Beetle with a box full of masks.

"Choose a mask from here and wear it."

With that, Jang Man chose a snake mask and put it on his face.

"A mask? Is this some kind of black market rule?"

"It’s more of an unspoken rule rather than an official one. After all, this isn’t something you do with your face openly showing."

Thinking that it made sense, Dung Beetle pulled out a dusty sun-shaped mask from the top of the box.

"…Are there other unspoken rules by any chance?"

Dung Beetle asked as he brushed off the dust from the mask and Jang Man shrugged in response.

"Do not kill, do not steal… However, given the nature of this place, not many people follow the other rules."

"...It sounds like a mess."

"Yes, it's a mess."

On confirming that Dung Beetle had put on the mask, Jang Man promptly opened the gate to the warehouse.

Creak.

The worn-out iron gate spat out rust as it was pushed open. Beyond the gate, a bright light and the smell of the sea welcomed them. `

And what greeted them next ...

Clang.

"Who are you? Who gave you permission to come in through the back door?"

Were three gun barrels pointing at them.

***

The moment they came face-to-face with the three men in black suits pointing their guns at them, Dung Beetle reflexively threw the money bag.

"Dung Beetle! Wait–!"

However, before Jang Man could finish his sentence, Dung Beetle was already running towards the men.

Whack! The guy in front fell as he was hit by the bag. And without wasting a moment, Dung Beetle was already rushing towards the guy behind him.

His speed was beyond that of an ordinary person, but even so, it wasn’t possible to outrun a gun.

However, the brief distraction caused by throwing the bag, combined with the gatekeepers' bewilderment at the unexpected attack, provided just enough respite.

In that short span of time, Smack! Dung Beetle struck the second man in the jaw as his eyes rolled back and his legs went limp.

Grabbing the back of the falling man's head, Dung Beetle used him as a shield to charge at the last man. His movements flowed naturally, just like water.

"Stop! Dung Beetle! Stop it!"

Just as Dung Beetle was about to rush at the last guy with a human shield, Jang Man stopped him.

After glancing back and forth between the unconscious gatekeepers and the gatekeeper aiming the gun with surprise, he sighed.

"Huff, let's start with a conversation first..."

"W-who are you guys?! How dare you attack us and think you can get away with it!?"

The gatekeeper, who had seemingly regained his composure for a moment, raised his gun and yelled. Jang Man, who had just managed to stop the fight, furrowed again.

"Shut up, you moron! How dare you point a gun at a customer?! Did Joseph teach you that?"

Joseph.

As soon as that name was brought up, the gatekeeper's expression changed noticeably. The guy holding the gun glanced at Dung Beetle from the corner of his eye and hesitantly asked.

"I-is he a customer of Joseph-nim²?"

"If not, do you think he's a thief? Call Joseph here."

"But you can't just meet Joseph-nim without an appointment..."

Smack!

Jang Man stepped forward and smacked the guy’s cheek with a slap filled with emotion.

With his cheek now red and swollen, the gatekeeper still was still unable to grasp the situation, but he instinctively placed his hand over his stinging cheek.

"Consider your rudeness forgiven with this. But there won't be a second time."

"..."

"Go now and tell Joseph that 'a customer has arrived at the back door.' The judgment isn't yours to make; it's Joseph's. Got it?"

Nodding with a puzzled expression, the gatekeeper quickly took out his phone and made a call, and what followed were a string of terrible curses that could be heard faintly from the other end.

Hearing those curses, the gatekeeper's expression turned pale. And fortunately for him or perhaps unfortunately, the call didn't last long.

As soon as the call ended, he hurried back to Jang Man and bowed slightly.

"Joseph-nim said that he will come to meet you personally."

"Where?"

"At the weapon market. I-I will personally guide you there."

Despite the gatekeeper speaking with an earnest expression, Jang Man's response remained cold.

"There's no need for a guide. I know the market well enough. Just take care of those morons."

Jang Man turned away from the bowing gatekeeper and looked at Dung Beetle.

Picking up the money bag beside the unconscious gatekeeper, Dung Beetle slung it over his shoulder before following the old man heading towards the black market.

***

As they passed the alley in front of the warehouse and turned into a narrow path, the black market unfolded before their eyes.

True to its name, the scene here was unlike any ordinary market.

Rather than food, the stalls here were selling the remains of unidentifiable monsters and weapons.

And instead of merchants,  armed individuals with submachine guns were standing guard, scanning the surroundings vigilantly.

And the most striking sight were… the foreign races.

Foreign races, such as dwarves and orcs, which he had only seen on TV, caught Dung Beetle's eye.

Is this really the Incheon I know?

It was true that he indeed had seen elves a few days ago, but they were all dead.

So, this was his first time seeing living ‘Foreign Races’, shouting and bargaining like humans. A sight that wasn’t really common in Korea or the United States.

Seeing Dung Beetle watching his surroundings keenly, Jang Man, who was walking by his side, opened his mouth.

"It turns out that you can fight pretty well. Have you learned martial arts before?"

It was a question with a lot of hidden implications. However, Dung Beetle simply shook his head.

"I haven't learned any martial arts before."

"So, are you saying that all those movements came to you instinctively? Hoho, a Superhuman is indeed a Superhuman."

A Superhuman—if only it were that simple.

The moment the gatekeeper pointed the gun at him, his body reacted instinctively.

From his hair to his toes, every cell in his body moved at a speed that outpaced his thoughts.

Was that something any Superhuman could do?

As he was lost in his thoughts. Mignium’s voice rang in his head.

- Talent. I shall bestow upon you a gift so formidable that no human can rival it—a talent to exact revenge and claim more lives.

That was the talent that Mignium had bestowed upon Dung Beetle.

Was this what she meant by talent?

However, that meant she had the authority to bestow a talent like that upon someone. Something even the gods beyond the dimensional portal could not do.

If this talent truly stemmed from Mignium’s power, then who exactly was Mignium…?

As Dung Beetle was deep in thought, Jang Man stopped.

Dung Beetle turned his head and followed Jang Man's gaze. At the entrance of a large shopping building in the distance, someone was looking directly at Jang Man.

And even without anyone telling him, Dung Beetle could tell he was the 'Joseph' Jang Man had spoken about.

It was because he had a distinctive feature that was different from everyone else around him.

He wasn't wearing a mask and was boldly revealing his face, while leading over ten burly men armed with submachine guns.

"Old man! It’s been a long time since you last came through the back door!"

Joseph, who took no time to reach them, spread his arms wide and shared a reunion hug with Jang Man.

"Joseph, you've become even more handsome since we last met. Have you been well?"

"Don’t even talk about it. Following the terrorist incident at the Lord Howe Academy in Australia last month, weapons can no longer be smuggled to the country. At this rate, I won’t even be able to feed my men. So, what’s going on?"

While exchanging words with Jang Man, Joseph glanced at Dung Beetle.

"Is he your new luggage porter, Old Man? He looks very weak."

At Joseph's blatant remark, Jang Man cleared his throat briefly.

"Hmm, he’s not my porter; he’s a customer."

"Customer? A customer brought by the Old Man himself..."

Joseph’s expression immediately changed. Although he appeared to be a mere town thug just moments ago, he now resembled a seasoned merchant with decades of experience.

"What is he here to buy?"

"...Weapons."

The answer didn't come from Jang Man, but from Dung Beetle. Joseph smiled broadly, even showing his gums.

"Weapons? You've come to the right place. I'm Joseph, the best arms dealer in Incheon! Guns, bombs, mana weapons from beyond the dimensional portal! Just tell me what you need."

Joseph spoke confidently. Even though he was someone who sold items meant to kill people, he had an overly cheerful demeanor, but Dung Beetle didn't mind.

After all, this wasn't the first time he'd seen a guy with a loose screw.

After a brief pause, Dung Beetle stated the item he wanted.

"Necromancer..."

No, he tried to say it.

"Do you have anything to deal with a Necromancer?"

A clear, elegant voice cut him off before he could complete his sentence.

Dung Beetle frowned at the abrupt interruption, and everyone in the group turned their heads simultaneously.

"You're Joseph, right? The best arms dealer in this market."

Right behind the burly guys, was a woman in a black dog mask with her arms crossed .

“I’ve been waiting for two days after requesting an appointment, but it's ridiculously difficult to see you.”

While everyone remained silent at the sudden intrusion, Joseph responded with a friendly smile.

"Ma'am, there are many excellent arms dealers in this market besides me."

"I'm not interested in regular military supplies. And you're the only one who sells weapons smuggled from beyond the dimensional portal. "

From her casual manner of speaking and actions, to the strange sense of immaturity—Dung Beetle guessed the woman in the black dog mask was young. At best, she might be twenty or even younger.

"I'm sorry, but we only sell mana weapons to verified individuals."

"Then, are these guys who cut in line must be your so-called verified customers? The old man and that Stupid Ondal³ with the money bag?"

It was a cheap provocation. And no one here would fall for a taunt like that. However, her provocation actually gave them a reason.

"Ma'am, causing a dispute in the black market could be used as grounds for expulsion."

With a snap of Joseph’s fingers, the burly men around them raised their submachine guns simultaneously. It was a clear sign that he wanted her to leave.

The woman in the dog mask did not panic nor did she try to run away. She glanced between Joseph and the submachine guns, then asked in a low voice.

"Is this how the black market treats their customers?"

"It's the unwritten rule of how to deal with rude customers in the black market."

"Rude customer? Then what do you call an arms dealer who attends to other customers when someone has been waiting for two days? A son of a bitch?"

‘Son of a bitch,’ Dung Beetle let out a hollow laugh at that blunt remark. Joseph simply rubbed his forehead as if he found this ridiculous.

"Sigh, guys! It looks like this customer had a bit too much to drink during the day. You should escort her to the entrance."

As soon as Joseph finished speaking, three burly men pointed their guns to the back of her head.

They looked ready to shoot if she made a wrong move. She raised her arms calmly.

"I don't need an escort. I'll leave on my own."

With those parting words, the woman in the dog mask disappeared into the crowd without looking back.

...What was that?

Watching the woman disappear from his sight, Dung Beetle had a strange feeling.

Something tickled inside his chest, and his mind felt tangled. It was something... like a strange premonition.

An odd premonition that he would soon see that woman again.

"Now, let's put that unpleasant incident behind us and return to our business. So, what kind of weapon are you looking for, Sir?"

Regardless of Dung Beetle's premonition, Joseph picked up from where they left as he returned to his merchant persona.

Dung Beetle was silent for a moment to quell the rising premonition before answering Joseph.

"The same thing the woman who just got kicked out was looking for."

"Oh?"

"Do you have a weapon to go against the Great Necromancer?"

Joseph raised his eyebrow. Two customers looking for a weapon to go against the Great Necromancer?

His mercantile instincts were piqued, but he suppressed his curiosity because the deal at hand was a merchant's priority.

"Hmm, Sir. That kind of weapon is quite expensive, you know..."

As soon as Joseph trailed off, Dung Beetle placed the bag he was carrying on the ground and unzipped it.

Ziiiip.

Bundles of $100 banknotes were revealed as soon as the bag was opened, each adorned with Benjamin Franklin's face.

"I have another bag like this. Is it enough?"

Watching Dung Beetle zip the bag back up, Joseph grinned and replied.

"A bag full of cash, it seems like you are someone who really knows how to do business, don't you?"

***

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