Those Who Live Without the Law

Chapter 218

The End of Hypnosis (1)Melvin had already repeated the experiment several times, and through it, he succeeded in completing an almost perfected recipe. Of course, mass brainwashing was still impossible since the materials had not arrived yet.

Those who had been brainwashed during the experiments still remained as Melvin’s assets.

“Now, begin.”

The vacant-looking woman gripped a razor blade in her hand. A child’s sorrowful scream echoed out, and hot blood spilled onto the floor.

As a mother, it was something she normally would never have done no matter what kind of threats she faced. But now, with dull and unfocused eyes, she carried it out without hesitation.

The hypnosis created through various drugs and the power of Sopor overcame even maternal instinct as though it were laughable. If told to kill and tear out a heart to eat it, she would do exactly that.

“It’s all in the palm of my hand.”

It was natural for humans to tame animals. Dogs and cats were domesticated, cows and horses made to work.

Because humans were superior. Compared to such beasts, humans were overwhelmingly superior beings. There was nothing especially thrilling about a naturally superior existence dominating things inferior to itself.

The act of subjugating beings that were equal—or even superior—was what truly brought exhilaration.

“I’ve already heard the Emperor’s answer as well.”

They had reviewed the matter positively and agreed to provide the necessary drugs and funding. It was not even something that would take very long.

As long as there were enough materials, he could brainwash more than ten people a day, stripping away their will and using them like puppets.

“It’ll arrive within today.”

The cargo was scheduled to arrive tonight. After passing through several locations and being transported safely using every method Melvin could think of, the goods were now being imported through the Antaria Grand Canal.

Museum director, Operations Committee member, king of the night.

At last, the foundation had been completed for him to ascend to the most splendid throne in this beautiful city where anyone with power could possess whatever they desired.

“When that time comes, I’ll make sure each of you gets a solid position too.”

Melvin had not forgotten the efforts of those who cooperated with him. As someone who would reign over an entire city, he possessed at least that much generosity.

Of course, the thoughts of the others being treated that way differed slightly.

‘Without our help, he’d just be some architect holding Sopor.’

It was true that Sopor played the key role, but the success of the brainwashing owed greatly to the people working alongside Melvin and their specialized knowledge.

And now this bastard was trying to dance above their heads. There was no way that felt good.

But there was no other option. In the end, the fact that Sopor was the core of everything did not change….

“Smile, you bastards.”

At Melvin’s command, awkward smiles appeared on the lips of those who had been wearing dissatisfied expressions. Melvin had already succeeded in planting hypnosis even into the people working alongside him.

Still, he had not subjected them to complete brainwashing since turning them into full puppets would make their specialized knowledge useless.

They could not defy Melvin’s orders. Several words buried deep beyond their consciousness controlled them.

“Now then, everyone get up. We need to head to the harbor and collect the goods.”

Whistling, Melvin put on a top hat made of black silk and picked up Sopor.

The scabbard of Sopor, originally shaped like a broom, had been altered by Melvin to suit his own taste and now resembled a cane. Even if he carried it openly outside, no one would realize that the cane in Melvin’s hand was actually Sopor.

“Hm hm hm~”

Humming to himself, Melvin placed a record onto the gramophone and started the music. He had no intention of personally heading to the harbor.

‘That bastard Kairus.’

A rather deep fear had been planted within Melvin. Back when he had been at his weakest, he had gone through countless hellish experiences while acting alongside Kairus. Because of that, he understood the danger to a certain degree.

The mere fact that Kairus was pursuing Sopor forced Melvin to become extremely cautious.

The reason he had dressed up like this was simply because he felt he could not wear ordinary clothes on such a meaningful day.

The brainwashed underlings headed toward the harbor.

“You look busy.”

Kairus and Irena had already arrived at the harbor. The dark Antaria Grand Canal. Among the docked ships, men carrying cargo could be seen moving back and forth.

“He spent over a month moving it around in circles here and there.”

Melvin Istovan had been meticulous. If Nora had not performed so well, they probably would have failed to track it down.

Nora had even deliberately refrained from taking any documents so that no changes would occur during the transportation process.

‘Of course, there was always the possibility that I wouldn’t trust Nora’s words.’

But the mutual trust they had built while spending time together was too deep for that. Nora must have believed in that as well, which was why she did not take the documents.

“But did we really need to do it this way?”

Now that they had identified the culprit, it would have been entirely possible to launch an immediate assault. But Kairus did not do that. It was not because of some disgusting emotional urge to give Melvin the worst possible moment at the happiest moment of his life.

“That bastard rigged all kinds of shit inside his own house too.”

After hearing Nora’s report, the very first thing Kairus did was investigate what Melvin had been doing inside his home all this time.

He was a cautious bastard. Not only had he undoubtedly prepared escape routes leading out of his house, but he had probably plastered the place with all sorts of traps as well.

That was what they learned through the testimony of the people who had sold materials to him.

“He’s not someone we can afford to let escape.”

In the end, he was a man standing on the Emperor’s side. If he somehow managed to escape and reach the Empire’s protection, the Emperor would undoubtedly shield Melvin Istovan.

‘Because he possesses exactly what the Emperor desires most.’

Loyalty without compensation. Puppets that would never betray. And it was not as though Melvin lacked means of escape.

Sopor was the problem. Kairus already knew from experience just how terrifying a battle gear it was. He had suffered through it firsthand with his own body.

‘If we get caught off guard even for a moment.’

Melvin would definitely use that opening to activate everything he had prepared in his modified house before attempting to flee.

“It’s not like we can’t catch him.”

“That would just make things more troublesome. And you know what we’ve been dealing with lately.”

They had already figured out Melvin was the culprit, and until the cargo arrived, there was no chance Melvin would leave the city.

While the cargo was being transported cautiously from place to place, Kairus had to manage the city.

“…There were over 150 cases.”

Conflicts between organizations. The rules established within each territory by the organizations under the Operations Committee. The people of this city possessed the temperament to willingly risk great danger for great profit.

‘No matter how terrifying Survivors are, including him there are only three of them. Maybe we can trick them somehow?’

Thinking that, countless damned bastards tried pulling schemes one after another, and Kairus and the other two had to run around nonstop beating every single one of them down.

It would not be an exaggeration to say the only reason three people could cover everything was because each one of them possessed monstrous strength.

‘If Nora had continued spending all her time chasing that cargo.’

Kairus and Irena would have been driven to the brink of exhaustion. Well, as a bonus, it also had the effect of lowering the guard of an already highly tense Melvin.

“That’s… true.”

“And in a few days, Lukas and Donovan will return.”

They were in the middle of returning to the city after successfully accomplishing the goals they had set out for.

They did not even need to fully return. Just hearing the news that they were coming back would instantly restore peace to Kairus’s hectic days. That was why they were finishing Melvin off now that the cargo had arrived.

“They’re moving. Let’s follow them.”

After confirming the movements of Melvin’s underlings transporting the cargo, Kairus and Irena immediately headed toward Melvin’s residence.

“Then what about simply collapsing the building?”

“The laboratory’s underground, so bringing down the surface wouldn’t mean anything.”

On top of that, if a perfectly fine building collapsed, the nearby buildings would suffer major damage as well. Entering cleanly was the best option.

“Do you perhaps have any more brilliant suggestions, Head of the Kellogg family?”

At Kairus’s words, Nora slightly frowned. Strictly speaking, it was true that Irena Kellogg was the head of the Kellogg family. It was just that there was nothing left of the Kellogg family anymore.

“I can only thank you for enlightening me to my shortcomings through your wisdom, Head of the Featherwing family.”

Of course, the same applied to Kairus as well. Orphans were originally allowed to mock each other by calling each other orphan bastards.

Because they were both in the same situation.

“Opening the door.”

At Kairus’s words, Irena gave a small nod. A chilling flash of light briefly gleamed from the scabbard hanging at her waist.

The door, its hinges completely severed by the slash, slowly toppled over. As Irena lightly moved her hand, the falling door floated slightly into the air through the power of Swift Blade before being hurled far away.

“You’ve gotten better.”

“Thanks to you.”

The moment he stepped into the mansion, the very first thing Kairus did was sweep through the interior with Swift Blade.

Even if the entrance leading underground was hidden, it could not block the flow of air.

“…”

Kairus lightly tapped Irena’s shoulder, then casually tossed a red paintball somewhere.

He had marked the location where the hidden entrance was concealed. Now they just had to break through it.

There was no intention of using complicated methods. Things like this were originally a matter of speed. Kairus raised a hand with three fingers extended, then folded them down one by one.

Three. Two. One.

The instant his hand became a fist, Kairus charged straight at the wall and slammed his body into it. With a heavy cracking sound, the wall concealing the underground passage shattered apart.

And without either one needing to say anything, both Irena and Kairus sprinted underground.

Both of them had already reached the level of masters in handling battle gear. And Melvin’s mansion was absolutely not built to descend hundreds of meters underground.

It only took an instant for them to arrive at the space where Melvin Istovan was located by following the underground passage.

“Dr. Istovan. Long time no see.”

“Y-You….”

Melvin, who had just opened the cargo crates and was basking in exhilaration, stared blankly at Kairus.

Meanwhile, Kairus casually swept his gaze over Melvin’s attire. A tailcoat, a silk top hat, and even a cane.

“For someone skulking around in a gloomy basement pulling shady crap, you sure dressed up nicely.”

Instead of answering, Melvin shouted loudly.

“Stop them! Stop them with everything you’ve got. I said give your lives to stop them!”

“Ugh… no! Please!”

At his shout, the people standing throughout the basement charged toward Kairus and Irena.

Even while screaming that they did not want to do it, their bodies moved on their own against their will.

Of course, Kairus was not the kind of person who would carefully consider circumstances like that while fighting.

“…”

The six humans who rushed toward Kairus were instantly sliced into dozens of pieces and scattered across the floor.

While Kairus dealt with them, Irena charged toward Melvin and grabbed him by the collar.

“Kgh… Kha… Y-You bitch. St-stop her!”

A small beep! echoed out. Along with the sound of iron bars opening, people with vacant eyes rushed toward Irena while making strange noises.

“This is….”

For a moment, Irena hesitated. The ones charging at her now were all children under the age of ten. Unarmed, unaware even of what they themselves were doing, they blindly rushed toward her.

The hypnotized children ignored pain, hunger, and thirst alike as they clung desperately onto Irena’s body.