The Imperial Hunter Chapter 34 - El Municionero (2)

Two days later, in the eastern suburbs of Houston.

The Mexican fugitive introduced by the chieftain was living a quiet retirement life on a ranch close to the lake and the sea. To be honest, it was quite unexpected. I had anticipated a rough life of squandering money on gambling and drugs, leading to destitution. Not only because of preconceptions about cartels but also because I believed he had to reach that point before he would finally offer his connections.

‘By the way, he asked me to buy dog food on the way.’

I could understand showing me around the front yard, but it was the first time someone had asked me to buy dog food. I couldn’t tell if the person was naive or intentionally testing my reaction. If the chieftain hadn’t explained that he was closer to the former, I might have simply ignored it. If it was an attempt to test my disposition, well, there was a chance I might not comply.

A faint smell of manure seeped in through the open window with the chilly winds. The sign that read “Dos Vaqueros” was getting closer as we drove at speed.

“We’re here.”

Kyung-tae, who had taken the wheel himself, parked the car in front of the store. The escort vehicles that had been following us parked on either side. The land had plenty of pastures, but it wasn’t a comfortable place for people to live, as many trees opened their circuits and distributed themselves near the quiet store.

“Will you wait in the car, or…”

“I’ll enjoy the winds too.”

“Sure.”

Kyung-tae, who had gotten out of the car, opened the door for me. The guys in the escort vehicle were waiting inside.

Bawk, bawk, bawk.

I watched as the chicks pecked at the feed in the chicken coop fence. Among these aspiring roosters, there were individuals with opened circuits. There seemed to be some connection with the bloodstains left in the corner of the chicken coop. Kyung-tae clicked his tongue, savoring the moment.

“It might be harder to eat chicken from now on.”

Even though they couldn’t see everything as I could, the guys I had personally adjusted to awakening for had senses open enough to indirectly perceive changes in the magical field. In other words, they had the ability to detect awakenings. The guy who occasionally ordered chicken and beer for the organization’s headquarters expressed genuine concern in his sighs.

“Are you really worried about that?”

“Hyungnim, chicken is a very serious matter. Haven’t you heard the saying that C between B and D is the chicken between birth and death? The disappearance of chicken is like the disappearance of life itself.” (+) ^[1] TLN: I’ll explain this below.

Suyeon slightly furrowed her brow.

“You’re making jokes too lightly in front of Hyungnim.”

“Oh, Noonim. This is a trend, a trend. Who else but me could keep Hyungnim up to date with the trends of today’s generation? I’m here to help Hyungnim stay young not only in body but also in mind. People age as much as they fall behind in trends, you know.”

“……”

Suyeon, with a puzzled expression, kept her mouth shut, not knowing what to respond with. Turning a taciturn person into one who displays such a variety of expressions could also be considered an ability.

Although it was a joke, Kyung-tae’s prediction had its reasons, as always. The reason there might be more chicken restaurants in Korea than McDonald’s outlets worldwide could be that chicken was considered a representative of humble, commoner food. However, in the future, discerning between chicks would require awakening individuals with the ability and sense, and even mass breeding and mechanical slaughter using battery cages could become more difficult due to frequent accidents. When that day came, the prices of all meats that relied on factory farming would skyrocket. The success of the franchise business would no longer be the same as it is today.

In fact, the market had already shown signs of this change. It had been discussed in detail in the 3rd quarter investment report by Kim-ssi in Yeouido.

Ding, ding…

Hearing the clear sound of a notification bell, a staff member who was tidying up the shelves welcomed us with a smile.

“Hola.”

“Hola.”

Kyung-tae, upon receiving the greeting, showed the staff member a note with the name of the feed written on it. The staff member, understanding, gestured toward the interior of the spacious store. One of the security personnel followed the staff member. The staff member, who walked ahead, was openly carrying a pistol.

Meanwhile, I glanced at the newspapers on display in front of the counter and the posters on the corkboard on the wall. Among the posters, one that stood out prominently was a recruitment notice for a local militia.

[Old River Tau-Militia is recruiting new members!]

The notice was written in both English and Spanish and mentioned that anyone in the Tau-Power region could apply. 

“Tau-Power” here was, of course, a local expression meaning supernatural power.

The series of events leading up to the Tokyo Olympics, which were ultimately canceled without even having a closing ceremony, had been a turning point in making humanity realize the changes occurring in the world. There had been signs and incidents before, but the impact of the failed Olympics was unprecedented.

Here, Suyeon’s actions against London also had a great effect.

‘The Marquis of Exeter, Count of Wiltshire, Count of Uxbridge, Lord Boyle of Derby, and the daughter of the Count of Plymouth…’

A list of nobles with a high probability of being contacted by the Round Table Cabinet for the domination of the magical world order. Based on this list I provided, Suyeon succeeded in exposing the contacts between the Round Table’s Masters and the intelligence networks of various countries in London. It was a remarkable achievement that made the eight million dollars spent on the budget seem well worth it. The hacking group that received more than half of that budget would probably be raising their glasses at a luxurious resort somewhere in the third world right now.

On the other hand, because intelligence agencies around the world had already caught a whiff of it, it was a relatively easy task. In the public’s eyes, the Tor network’s hidden services, commonly referred to as the “Dark Web” or “Dark Net,” alone held a number of requests related to valuing information. Just the size of the implied compensation alone indicated that there was something substantial behind it.

This was due to the power struggle within the Round Table leadership, which had spilled over to affect even the nobility attending The Senate. While the British Senate was just an honorary gathering, it still held significance within certain circles of British politics. However, it was arrogant to hope that their secrets could be maintained while they openly quarreled and drew attention, even from the nobility.

The aged imperialists, blinded by greed, had lost their advantage. I owe them deep thanks for their mistakes.

“We found it.” 

One of my subordinates, carrying a bag of dog food, approached and placed it on the counter. I paid for the dog food, along with the local newspaper, “Houston Chronicle,” which I had picked up while waiting.

Sitting in the car, I began to read the newspaper. Nowadays, I rarely had the time to look at printed text, so the smell of paper and ink felt especially nostalgic. The pages of the “Houston Chronicle” were filled with various incidents and accidents, more than one would expect for a local newspaper. It was evidence that the world was in turmoil, even at the local level.

Nevertheless, the front-page headline covered the largest armed robbery in history, which had occurred at the Bank of France.

“It looks interesting.”

“What do you mean?”

“The European gangsters.”

“Ah.”

Kyung-tae immediately understood what I meant just from hearing the term “European gangsters.” Considering the amount of media attention and the coverage by influential outlets worldwide, it was impossible not to know about it.

Kyung-tae gave me a disgruntled look, saying. 

“To think that even Kim Kyung-tae would be surpassed. How do those guys look, I wonder?”

“Hmm? Surpassed you?”

“I mean the amount, the amount. I’m not saying this out of greed or anything, but they’ve crossed the 1.9 trillion mark, after all. I’ve held the title of world champion for several years now. Taking all expenses into account, wouldn’t it be a perfect defeat on my part?”

“…”

In a half-joking manner, he boasted about his skills, drawing a sigh from Suyeon.

This time, the stolen gold bars and cash at the Bank of France amounted to 1.52 billion euros, just over 2 trillion won. Prior to the Bank of France incident, the largest robbery had been the Bank of England heist in 2009, which was worth approximately 900 million won. Even considering inflation, France had lost nearly twenty times more than the UK. The media would surely make a fuss about it.

I sent my sincere compliments to the robbers who Kyung-tae wanted to see.

‘Those bastards were really screwed.’

If it weren’t for the unfortunate connection with the Round Table, my most despised nation would have been France, not the UK. These lunatics were still the dominant imperialist nation in the 21st century, running colonies in Africa. Independence was merely nominal. I hoped that the assets they lost this time were 100% pure French gold and bills, as dealing with the foreign exchange of African nations bound by “colonial agreements” would not be enjoyable at all.

In a world where selected humans could become close to bipedal equipment, the security systems of ancient times had undergone inevitable changes and decay in various ways.

The entrance road to the destination, the ranch, stretched for 600 meters through the green pasture, far from the national highway. Even to my unobstructed eyes, there were only a few buildings within a few square kilometers. Apart from that, sporadic windbreaks and dark-stained trees formed the boundaries of the property on the other side of the pasture. The road on this sparsely traveled property was covered in dusty soil brought by the winds from the sea and the plains. As the line of vehicles moved, the dust kicked up, causing some nameless wildflowers to sway at knee height.

It was a peaceful and serene landscape that gave a sense of tranquility. If I were to retire one day, I’d want to live in such a static and quiet place. It would be perfect if there were no other people there.

The vehicle came to a stop. Once again, Kyung-tae was the first to get out and open the door. In front of the ranch, a large satellite dish stood like a decorative ornament in the middle of the open field. It resembled a snowman made by rolling snowballs together, complete with a rounded appearance. After getting out of the car, I instructed Kyung-tae and Suyeon to proceed. The former cartel boss, who was waiting for us leaning against a pillar near the entrance to his residence, raised his hat in greeting when our eyes met.

“ Mucho gusto ^[2] Nice to meet you . You’ve come a long way; I appreciate it.”

Beside the former cartel boss stood a woman who appeared to be his wife. They seemed quite relieved to see most of the security guards waiting near the car. I approached the boss, extending a gloved hand, disregarding the submachine gun he held at an angle.

“You may have heard it from the chief, but my name is Hwang.”

“Huang.”

The boss repeated my alias while shaking hands.

“You appear much younger in person than I expected, probably because you’re Asian. I’m Ricardo, and this is my wife, Araceli.”

Ricardo and Araceli. Were these their real names or aliases? In truth, even if they were their real names, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference. High-ranking cartel fugitives typically had several identities prepared, and as long as they lived quietly and paid their taxes, the US authorities wouldn’t pay much attention to their names. As long as they didn’t get caught red-handed.

Moreover, in Mexico, first names were tools of anonymity. Because there were so many repeated names among the people there, they often referred to each other using their last names officially and informal nicknames (apodos) privately. The fact that cartel bosses called themselves by various nicknames was not unrelated to this cultural practice.

The fugitive received the dog food from Kyung-tae, placed it near the entrance, thanked us briefly, and then signaled with a fist bump, asking indirectly.

“Earlier, I noticed a drone flying around in the distance. Was that you guys who sent it?”

Indeed, there was a designated security team that was dispatched whenever necessary, responsible for identifying threats beyond my line of sight. I nodded in confirmation.

“You noticed it well. It was just routine reconnaissance. Did it make you uncomfortable?”

“It was unsettling. Caution is good, especially if it’s the caution of a business partner.”

Ricardo chuckled and nodded in the direction of his wife.

“That’s why I would appreciate it if you considered the fact that you were brought here from so far away and my wife’s cautiousness as caution. Even though you were introduced by the chief, it’s still quite unsettling to welcome someone without a single gun in my former workplace.”

“I understand. After all, one’s life is the best guarantee of good manners.”

“Haha! That’s a splendid expression! It seems like you’re growing on me already. Let’s go inside.”

Ricardo opened the door and gestured for us to enter. As we walked, the wooden floor creaked softly underfoot. I stepped into the negotiation room, where the air carried the scent of dry firewood and lavender.

---

This phrase “C between B and D is the chicken between birth and death? The disappearance of chicken is like the disappearance of life itself.” is a humorous play on words in Korean, using the letters of the alphabet as placeholders for concepts. Let me break it down:
B: Birth (탄생 in Korean)
C: Chicken (치킨 in Korean)
D: Death (죽음 in Korean)
So, in this phrase, “C” (Chicken) is humorously placed between “B” (Birth) and “D” (Death). The saying suggests that chicken (in the context of eating chicken) is something enjoyable and often consumed between the two significant life events of birth and death. It’s a lighthearted way of emphasizing the importance or enjoyment of simple pleasures like eating chicken in life.
In essence, it’s a humorous way of saying that chicken is a significant and enjoyable part of life, like a comforting and tasty experience between the profound moments of birth and death.

• 1. TLN: I’ll explain this below.
• 2. Nice to meet you