Chapter 155 Unnecessary Troubles!
Chapter 155 Unnecessary Troubles!
"… It's for their skin and body parts."
Luis' expression froze, but he didn't lose his composure. "Explain."
The kidnapper nodded, then started speaking. "In the underworld market, whether it's slavery or the uses for their body parts, children from other races are always in high demand. However, this time there was a large order placed for the skin and body parts of hundreds of Beast-Kin children."
Luis's fists clenched as electric currents started flickering around them, causing the kidnapper to tremble in fear. Sensing his state of mind wasn't right, Luis knew he needed to control his emotions, so he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, regaining his composure.
"What do they want the… skin and… the body parts of so many children for?"
The kidnapper shook his head. "We were never told about this. That's why I can't say for sure. However, the skin of a Beast-Kin child indeed sells for an enormous price. If I am not wrong, a 100-inch square piece of their skin sells for 50,000 Alars to 1,00,000 Alars in the underground market. Therefore, it's highly possible that they must have some big purpose for placing such a big order."
Although angry, Luis maintained a calm expression on his face and asked. "How long have you been involved in these kinds of kidnapping and trafficking?"
"…"
"Answer me…" Luis' cold voice sounded.
The kidnapper shuddered. "T-this is… the first time I'm involved in such a large-scale mission."
"… You mean to say that it's your first-time taking part in a large-scale kidnapping and until now you have been doing kidnapping on a smaller scale?"
"…"
Luis had no change in his expression, but in his mind, he had already decided to thoroughly investigate everything after saving the children. "How and from where they will take the kids?"
"I don't know."
"Then who knows?"
"The agent who is supposed to pick up from us." The kidnapper said with a serious expression.
From the changes in his expression, Luis could judge that the kidnapper wasn't lying.
"Do you want to know anything else? I can tell you beforehand, the information we are supposed to know is quite limited."
Luis sighed. "Yeah, I can tell. There's no point continuing the questioning. It's better to interrogate the agent."
The kidnapper nodded and asked, "If that's all, can you please let my soul go? Now it's time for me to get punished. I suppose that's what I deserve for my actions."
Olivia raised her brow in surprise. 'Did he truly believe that nonsense?!'
After the previous talk, Luis wasn't in the mood to joke around anymore. Without saying a word, he raised his finger towards the kidnapper.
"Thunder Bullet!"
*Zzzt! *
"Gahh!"
The thunder bullet shot him unconscious.
"Lily, I want you to monitor all the closest dockyards."
{Master, the range of button drones from you is only enough to cover Chimut Town, the South Forest and Gusto Town. The closest dockyard is in Malah Town, which is 50 kilometers southwest of Chimut Town, and then there's Pharmos City, which is 400 kilometers away from Chimut Town and has the biggest dockyard in the southern region. The Button Drones can't reach there.}
'Now I regret not increasing the range of the Button Drones.' Luis frowned in displeasure. "Hack their local security cams."
{I'm on it, Master… the public network is being invaded… Invasion complete! Master, I'm now connected to the cameras in the Dockyard of Pharmos City.}
"Show it to me."
When Lily projected the screen onto his hologram, Luis frowned again. "Are there only 7 cameras in the entire dockyard? What about Malah Town?"
{Yes, there are only seven cameras in the dockyard of Pharmos City and Malah Town doesn't have any.}
"Tsk!" Luis clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Look into all the Cargo Ships that have docked within the span of the last 15 days into any of the ports in the southern region of Temar Kingdom. Get me the complete record. Even if they entered through illegal means. I want all the information."
{As you wish, Master!}
After he heard her answer, Luis turned off the hologram and sighed. 'Let's just hope I can get the answers from those agents. Otherwise, I'll have to use that data record as my last resort.'
He checked the time, and there were still 15 minutes before the scheduled arrival time of the agent.
'I should set it up.'
He went towards the shed area and dug the ground a little after arriving at a certain area. 'Hmm, the scan said that it was somewhere around here… Hmm… Oh! Found it!'
Luis dug out a cube-like thing from the ground which seemed unremarkable at first glance, but he knew this was a stealth artifact. The same one those kidnappers were using. Not wasting any time, he activated it.
After confirming that the artifact was working without problems, Luis sat on the grassy ground. While thinking in his mind. 'Now I just have to wait.' He started thinking back about the words of the kidnapper while trying to remember any details connected or relevant to the game story.
Olivia was observing Luis' actions and when she saw him sit down, she raised her brow and sat near him. Then, turning to look at him, she asked with a curious expression. "How are you so sure that they will smuggle the kids through the sea route and not via Transport Circle?"
When he heard Olivia's question, he snapped out of his thoughts, then turning to her, he couldn't help but give her a strange look.
"What's with that look?!" Olivia felt offended.
Luis sighed and explained.
"Professor, this was a mass kidnapping from a remote region."
"I know, so?"
"Then don't you know the cost of activating a transport circle?"
"I know."
"If their purpose is to sell them, which is obviously for money. Then, why would they use such an expensive means of Transport Circle? It's not the kidnapping of children from an aristocratic family. Now you understand what I mean?"
Olivia nodded and said, "Yes, but are we sure that their goal is to sell them?"
"…" Luis paused for a moment as he contemplated Olivia's words with a serious expression. "If that is not their goal, then I can only assume that something troublesome is going on and is connected to the politics of this country."
As he said that, he also observed Olivia's changes in expression. 'Why does she seem so expectant? Don't tell me it's true?'
"Oh, what kind of trouble do you think it can be?" Olivia asked with a calm expression, but Luis could feel her urging behind her tone.
'Hmm, I see. This isn't just a simple Mass Kidnapping and trafficking case. Even that antagonist who placed the curse on the kidnappers should be just a minor role.'
Luis made some bold guesses in mind, but wasn't too sure until he verified it.
'Oh! Professor! Just what kind of national trouble are you trying to mix your students in? Even if you exalt us, isn't this a little too early? I've just entered D rank and Alivia is still an E rank. We are not at a level where we can handle such major issues. We are only qualified to be cannon fodders in front of the powerhouses such as you.' He complained in his mind.
"Why aren't you answering?" Olivia asked again.
Luis shrugged and said with an uncaring attitude. "Well, Professor, there is no point thinking about it. If it is, as you say. I believe some fresher students shouldn't be capable of handling this mission. Since you have assigned this mission to us. It should be within our capabilities."
Olivia looked at him with a plain expression for a few seconds, then she sighed and said, "Well, you are right. I wouldn't involve you students otherwise."
Although she said as such, Luis could tell that she just gave up after his reminder.
'I just thought it was a normal rescue mission at first.'
*Sigh*
'After completing this rescue mission. I need to investigate everything properly.'
*** n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
On the other side, Alicia and the others have already completed the rescue in the warehouse. Just as they expected, they found the kidnapped children kept inside those drums. The beast-men guards were furious as they kept beating the kidnappers.
"Damn it! How could you bastards do it?!"
"Tim! You bastard! Is this what you took leave for?!"
"How could you do this to children of your own town?!"
"Why aren't you saying anything?!"
Irrespective of the beatings they received after being captured, the kidnappers didn't utter a single word.
"Don't waste your breath asking questions." Alicia stopped them, then she raised her hand to freeze the kidnappers' unconscious. "Take them back for now!"
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