Chapter 54
Simon held a knife to Zeke’s throat.
“I didn’t expect you to actually come here.”
Despite the knife at his throat, Zeke spoke to Simon without any tension.
“I had some idea when I saw the trap with the magician.”
Simon became tense at Zeke’s calm response.
Zeke continued speaking.
“Is this Don Juan’s doing? To eliminate me before things get bigger?”
Simon pressed the knife harder against Zeke’s throat.
“The boss has plans to take down the Favela Cartel. And that’s not a problem that can be solved by a central figure like you running wild.”
“That’s ridiculous. If it wasn’t for me, you would have lost your distribution network to the Favela Cartel while wide awake.”
Simon slowly spoke.
“The Syndicate will continue to transport the Cartel’s goods through a woman named Kei. Of course, it will only be moving Mekein’s goods. Just like now.”
“So you only need the Syndicate’s distribution network, not me.”
It was exactly as Zeke had expected.
Don Juan wanted to appear generous and manly, but his nature wouldn’t allow it.
If he felt even a slight danger, he would either withdraw or eliminate it first.
Of course, that caution was also what made him the top boss in this dangerous cartel world.
Zeke said to Simon.
“Then why don’t you hurry up and kill me?”
At this bold attitude, Simon’s hand holding the knife trembled slightly.
“Simon Zapatero. No, the Shadowless Ghost.”
Simon was startled when his name came from Zeke’s mouth.
It was a name he used during his outlaw days in the border region, so hardly anyone knew it now.
He spoke to Zeke in a low voice.
“Just who are you? How do you know my name?”
Zeke spoke calmly.
“That’s not all I know. I also know why you’re working under Don Juan, Shadowless Ghost.”
“What do you mean?”
“Isn’t it to protect the last bloodline of the Cusco Kingdom?”
In that moment, Simon’s knife tip wavered.
In that gap, Zeke reinforced his dragon-scale armor’s neck and grabbed Simon’s arm to break it.
Crack!
In an instant, Simon dislocated his own arm joint to escape Zeke’s break attempt.
Zeke and Simon faced each other with daggers in the narrow space.
“Just who are you really?”
Zeke looked at Simon and said.
“My name is Zeke Draker. One of the direct bloodline of the Drakers.”
Simon’s eyes widened at hearing Zeke’s name.
“Could it be… the continent’s youngest Blue ranker?”
“Well, that’s right.”
Simon’s expression darkened as soon as he learned Zeke’s identity was a Draker.
It was clear that even the Mekein Cartel would be erased from the southern continent if Draker got seriously involved.
While it might be impossible to eliminate all drug dealers in the south, cleaning up the Mekein Cartel would be entirely possible.
Noticing Simon’s troubled thoughts, Zeke spoke.
“The Drakers haven’t officially intervened in cartel business, so put aside your worries. This is something I started personally.”
Simon spoke while watching Zeke warily.
“Why tell me your identity?”
Zeke slowly lowered his dagger and answered.
“Simon Zapatero. Side with me instead of Don Juan. If you do, I’ll help protect the Cusco bloodline and even help rebuild the kingdom.”
Simon showed a bewildered expression at this unexpected proposal.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Wouldn’t a Draker be more trustworthy than a drug dealer like Don Juan?”
Zeke gestured toward the window.
“Favela Cartel members are already swarming here like bees. How do you plan to escape after killing me on Don Juan’s orders? Did Don Juan send any rescue forces for you?”
There were none.
As always, he had to escape using his own power.
Looking at Simon who gave no answer, Zeke said.
“If you follow me, I promise to safely get you and all your subordinates out of here.”
“Even if we escape, Don Juan’s pursuit won’t end.”
At those words, Zeke smiled wickedly.
“You don’t know me well. Do you think I would fear someone like Don Juan? After leaving here, I’m heading straight for Mekein.”
Simon’s face hardened at those words.
“You can’t mean… you’re targeting Don Juan?”
“My goal is to make the Mekein and Favela cartels tear each other apart. I’ve wounded Favela, now it’s Mekein’s turn.”
Simon was confused by Zeke’s words.
The seemingly unbreakable Mekein Cartel was being played by just one person.
Zeke said to Simon.
“Simon, I’m serious. I’d like you to follow me.”
In Zeke’s previous life when he worked in the cartel, Simon was the only one he felt human warmth from.
While they weren’t close enough to call each other master and disciple, he could be called a trustworthy colleague.
Simon, who was the last captain of the Royal Guard of the Cusco dynasty, fled the country with only the baby princess when the palace was attacked during the civil war 10 years ago.
He hid with the infant in the rough southern continental border region where soldiers couldn’t find them, and protected the Cusco bloodline while working as a contract killer.
Before the princess came of age, he joined Don Juan’s hitmen to gather money and troops to restore her rightful place.
In his previous life, Simon told Zeke all these circumstances before dying and entrusted him with the princess’s safety.
However, Don Juan already knew all about Simon’s past.
By the time Zeke went to get the princess, Don Juan had already handed her over to the Cusco rebels for ransom.
She was executed by the rebels as the last bloodline of the Cusco royal family.
Knowing these circumstances, Zeke wanted to get Simon out of the cartel.
At that moment, Simon slowly lowered his dagger.
“Can you swear to what you said?”
Zeke nodded.
“I swear on my knight’s honor.”
Then Simon knelt before Zeke.
“Simon Zapatero, Captain of the Cusco Royal Guard, pays his respects to master Zeke Draker.”
Simon immediately gave Zeke a bow of submission.
Zeke nodded and helped Simon up.
“Let’s talk details after we escape. Where are Mateo and the subordinates?”
“I have Mateo detained over there. The subordinates will activate the explosion scrolls when signaled and scatter to meet at the escape point.”
“Can you gather all the subordinates?”
“It’s possible if I send the signal.”
“Good. I’ll handle Mateo, you signal the subordinates to come to the original sewer entrance after the explosion.”
“Understood.”
As Simon moved, Zeke also walked to the inner room where Mateo was.
Mateo was bound hand and foot with a gag in his mouth.
Zeke removed Mateo’s gag.
“You damn bastards!”
Zeke immediately punched Mateo in the face as he shouted when the gag was removed.
THWACK!
“Urgh!”
Mateo’s face caved in from one punch.
Zeke said to Mateo.
“Where’s the ledger?”
Even with his face caved in, Mateo tried to spit at Zeke.
Seeing this, Zeke raised his dagger and activated the lightning skill.
CRACKLE!
Zeke’s lightning-charged dagger electrocuted Mateo’s body.
“ARRRGH!”
Mateo trembled in pain.
Zeke threatened him with dragon’s dignity and asked again.
Then Mateo, trembling, revealed the secret safe’s location and code.
“This is the end of the cartel. Go to hell.”
As soon as Zeke finished speaking, he beheaded Mateo in one stroke.
Zeke carved Mekein’s brand on the dead Mateo’s forehead with his dagger.
He was such an evil person that killing him was more beneficial to the world.
He left Mateo’s corpse in a visible spot and got up to find the secret safe.
CLICK!
Opening it revealed cash, ledgers, precious metals, and items packed inside.
After sweeping everything into his inventory and returning to Mateo’s office, Simon was waiting for him.
“Boss, I’ve sent the signal to everyone. It will explode in 10 minutes.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
Zeke and Simon concealed their presence and left Mateo’s room.
But cartel members had somehow already gathered.
“Intruders!”
“Shoot quickly!”
The cartel members appeared from somewhere with repeating crossbows and started firing wildly.
SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!
Dozens of crossbow bolts instantly rained toward Zeke and Simon.
Zeke held up his scabbard and pressed a button to expand it.
TING! TING! TING!
The dwarven craftsman Golin’s shield shone.
It deflected all the repeating crossbow bolts.
Zeke held his sword in that state and spread the field of fire.
WHOOSH!
The corridor was suddenly filled with flames.
Simon behind was shocked to see Zeke’s sword spewing fire.
‘Is, is that a magic sword?’
A magic sword with this level of firepower would be difficult to buy even for a fortune.
Zeke swung his fire-spewing sword to clear a path.
That’s when it happened.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Explosions were heard throughout the mansion.
The explosion scrolls installed by Simon’s subordinates seemed to have activated.
Zeke said to Simon.
“Simon! Grab onto me!”
Simon grabbed Zeke without knowing what was happening.
Then Zeke ran toward the mansion window and jumped out.
It was quite a tall building, so jumping down would surely result in injury.
That’s when Zeke spread the field of wind.
WHOOSH!
The wind became a cushion and helped Zeke and Simon land safely.
Simon’s eyes grew wider seeing Zeke’s sword that could spew both fire and wind.
TWEET!
Warning whistles echoed everywhere.
“Catch the intruders!”
“Fi-fire is spreading! Put out the fire first!”
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The scrolls exploded with time differences.
While the cartel members were in chaos, Zeke and Simon went down toward the underground waterway.
Fortunately, all of Simon’s subordinates had safely escaped.
They noticed something had changed in the plan when they saw Simon arrive with Zeke.
Simon spoke to his subordinates.
“Pay your respects. This is our new boss.”
Simon’s unit consisted of knights who had secretly joined to protect the Cusco legacy with Simon.
At Simon’s single word, they bowed their heads toward Zeke without any resistance.
“We greet our new master!”
Zeke nodded, accepting the subordinates’ greetings.
“Let’s have the celebratory drink after we safely get out of here.”
Though they planned to use the underground waterway like when they came in, there was a risk this area could also be controlled if they delayed too long, as security had been strengthened.
Therefore, getting out of here as quickly as possible was crucial.
Zeke turned the map back on and searched for a path along the underground waterway.
After wading through sewage for several hours, when they had almost reached the edge of the city.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Dog barks could be heard from afar.
Zeke gave the signal to stop.
Looking through dragon eyes, pursuers were already spread out everywhere.
Zeke said to Simon.
“I’ll act as a decoy, so take your subordinates and escape from here. Don’t go to Mekain, go to the central continent and join up with Kei of the Syndicate.”
Simon shook his head.
“That’s impossible. The princess is still in Mekain.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already had someone else arrange for the princess’s evacuation.”
He had already spoken with Linehart and ordered the Gorka Rangers to evacuate the princess.
Simon was shocked at those words.
“Are, are you saying you knew things would turn out like this?”
“Why do you think Don Juan sent you and me here together? Don Juan already knew everything. He probably planned to get rid of the troublesome Cusco knights and hand the princess over to the rebels.”
At those words, Simon and his subordinates gritted their teeth.
“Don Juan… that bastard…”
“I’ll stake my life on protecting the princess, so don’t worry and go.”
Simon nodded.
“Boss, don’t you dare die. I have too many things I need to ask you.”
“Got it. Now then!”
Zeke jumped forward first.
The tracking dogs that caught his scent ran toward where Zeke was.
Zeke shouted toward his bracelet.
“Bucephalus!”
When the dragon horse was summoned, Zeke mounted it and lured the pursuers.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
The tracking dogs and torch-bearing pursuers persistently gave chase.
After confirming they were targeting him, Zeke adjusted Bucephalus’s speed to lure the pursuers as far away as possible from Simon’s group.
And once they had put some distance between them, Zeke stopped Bucephalus and drew his sword.
The tracking dogs and pursuers drew their weapons and charged at Zeke.
A massive storm arose from his sword.
Zeke grinned and said.
“Now then, let’s have some fun.”
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