Chapter 89

"Turn left at the fifth corner and enter the small path."

"Okay, okay."

"Once you get to the back alley, turn left at the second corner..."

"Got it."

"Then turn left, left, and left again."

"Isn't that just going in a circle?"

"And then walk forty-five steps south, nine steps west, and seventeen steps east."

"Why did you suddenly start giving directions based on compass points?"

"And the blue door on your right will be your destination."

"Hmm."

"This must be one of the hideouts of the slave traders."

"Excuse me!"

With that, I kicked the door open.

"Whaaat!?"

"What is it? Is it a raid by the guards!?"

"It might be a rival gang! Prepare to defend! Protect the goods!!"

The people on the other side of the door were bewildered by the sudden loud noise.

Or rather, they weren't people.

Those involved in the buying and selling of slaves were no better than insects, deserving of less than human treatment.

So I started punching them down one by one.

"Ugh!?"

"Oooh!!"

It had been a long time since I last punched something that looked like a human without holding back.

It was probably right after I left the forest and encountered some bandits.

Naturally, those who were punched disintegrated, turning into red smoke without leaving any fragments.

Shouldn't I capture them alive to extract information?

That's a valid point, but just wait a bit. I have a plan.

"Seems like I've taken care of most of them. But none of them looked particularly important."

"They were probably guards or private soldiers ordered to protect this place. Losing them wouldn't be a big loss."

Still, they might have some useful information.

Of course, if they're dead, there's no way to extract information from them.

Under normal circumstances, that is.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Abinion."

"Sure thing."

Abinion used his ability, "Spirit Manipulation," to summon the spirits of the outlaws he had just killed.

"Alright, spill everything you know."

Thanks to the omnipotent abilities of a demon spirit, I could extract information even after they were dead.

Once they became spirits, they were completely under Abinion's control, unable to lie or even speak without his permission, making interrogations far more efficient than when they were alive.

While this ability wouldn't hold up as evidence in a public setting, it was perfect for quickly gathering information and taking action.

What? You're asking if it's okay to kill criminals without a trial?

That's what the S-rank adventurer title is for.

S-rank adventurers, recognized as the top-tier experts who take risks for the good of the world, have the authority to execute criminals based on their own judgment!

While regular adventurers are also allowed to act in self-defense during emergencies, S-rank adventurers go a step further and can independently judge and execute criminals in place of the judicial systems of various countries!

The S-rank guild card is essentially a license to kill!

"Hmm, hmm, hmm... From the first group, I've learned about other hideouts. There are about three of them."

"Great, then let's take them down one by one."

Here, a smart person might say something like, "Isn't it too hasty to attack immediately?" "Even if you take them down, they're just the lower ranks, right?" "It's meaningless unless you take out the head." "It's better to let them run and find a lead to the top."

But I don't just take out the head; I take out everything.

Even if they're just low-level minions, they're still criminals, and they'll continue their evil deeds even if they lose their leader.

If there are people suffering at the hands of these criminals right now, I want to help them as soon as possible. I don't want to let such people die while I take my time with "the head."

If I do nothing when I can and someone dies, it's as if I killed them myself.

My weak heart can't bear such guilt, so I'll do everything I can now.

"Master, it seems they hide the people they capture to enslave behind that secret door."

"Great job!!"

Based on the information Abinion gathered, I broke through the secret door.

Behind it, in a makeshift cell, many women were crammed together.

"Wow, they're really packed in there. Poor things."

"They were too greedy."

I broke the iron bars to create an exit, as searching for the key would have been too much trouble.

They all seemed to be weakened from days of confinement.

"I'll distribute potions to everyone!"

"Thanks, Noem!"

Noem, who had been waiting with us to avoid seeing the carnage, handed out her homemade alchemy potions to the liberated people.

Conveniently, there were even blankets and spare clothes prepared.

"I made everything with alchemy!"

"Isn't Noem's alchemy too versatile?"

"I've sent a homunculus to the nearby barracks to inform them. They should be here soon."

Both Abinion and Noem are incredibly reliable.

With the aftercare taken care of, we head to the "next" location.

There are more than one slave trader hideout, after all.

"Master, Master."

"Yeah?"

"From the ghosts, I learned that they had preparations in case of an attack."

"What do you mean?"

"They had a system in place to alert other hideouts if something unusual happened."

"Seriously?"

If that's the case, they might already know that one hideout has been attacked and destroyed.

We need to take out the rest before they can escape!

"Among those stationed at the hideouts, there was someone with a communication skill. They were supposed to send a message to other hideouts if something unusual happened."

"Interesting."

"But you took them all out so quickly that the communicator was killed before they could send the message. So, it seems the other hideouts haven't been alerted."

"So the others are still unaware and complacent?"

Then we can take them all out more effectively.

Yay.

"However, we need to be careful. Other hideouts also have communicators, so we need to take them out before they can send a message. I've already learned who they are and what they look like from the ghosts, so I'll take them out first when we attack."

"Thanks for the help!"

"There's one more issue. They also send regular updates to confirm everything is normal, even when nothing is happening. They're cautious because they have something to hide."

So if we don't finish everything before the next scheduled update, they'll realize something is wrong.

If they don't hear from us, they'll think, "Is something wrong?"

"But it seems they're not very consistent with their updates, often forgetting or oversleeping."

"They're just criminals, after all!"

If they were that meticulous, they wouldn't be involved in criminal activities!

But to avoid any mistakes, we'll stick to the schedule.

How many hideouts have we identified so far?

Six!

That's quite a few!

We'll take them all out by the end of today, at the latest!

◆

We took them all out.

We immediately executed the slave traders' henchmen at each hideout and freed the captives.

These people had been kidnapped while walking the streets at night and were supposed to be secretly smuggled out of the country and sent to slave markets once the conditions were right.

It was a close call, but considering how far their influence had spread, some might have already been taken out of the country.

I regret not realizing this sooner.

"There are certainly some who were away from the hideouts and managed to escape. We need to track them down thoroughly."

"I've already gotten the names and descriptions of such people from the ghosts. Noem has drawn their portraits and submitted them to the adventurer guild."

Everyone acts before thinking.

Then Noem came running back from somewhere...

"I've registered a quest with the guild! All adventurers in the capital will search for and capture any slave traders' henchmen wandering the streets!"

"Seriously, she's so competent."

With this, the underground slave organization in our city will be completely eradicated by the end of today.

All's well that ends well.

"Master, I've obtained more useful information."

"Great job, Abinion!"

She was already leading dozens of the ghostified slave traders' henchmen, forming a terrifying procession that instilled fear in those around them.

"The head of the underground slave organization has been identified."

"I've been waiting for this kind of information!"

"He posed as a regular merchant in the city, running a legitimate business while secretly expanding a slave trading network. His plan was to gradually integrate slaves into the country's economic activities, making them indispensable and eventually legalizing slavery by default."

"What an ambitious plan!"

But if he has such a plan, we have to take him out now!

Abinion, lead the way!

To the location of the head of the slave traders hiding in this country!