Chapter 37: The Place Where the Fire Went Out (2)
That late evening.
“We’ll stay at the hotel while we find a new hideout. If anyone causes even the slightest harm to Philip or the hotel kids, I’ll personally deal with them.”
Dozens of boys lined up in a corner of the hotel gulped nervously.
They were Cedric’s gang—now Ray’s subordinates.
Though already resolved to tread carefully, hearing the direct threat made their hair stand on end.
“From now on, Cedric is the lieutenant of the gang. Most orders will come through him. Treat his words as mine.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd, but the atmosphere remained accepting.
─Looks like yesterday’s mess got sorted out.
─Cedric’s always been a hothead. Maybe getting dragged away taught him some manners.
The mood shifted entirely with Ray’s next words:
“I’ll return all the money you bet. The other gangs’ funds are enough for me.”
Confusion flickered across their faces.
Even as Cedric brought the money bag under Ray’s orders, they stared in bewilderment.
Thud.
Only when bills and coins hit their palms did reality snap into focus.
“Y-you’re really giving it back? For real?!”
“But this was all our savings…”
Disbelief melted into exhilaration. Uncontainable joy spread like wildfire.
“…….”
Ray observed silently, watching the storm of emotions in his subordinates’ vessels.
‘Use appropriate rewards to earn true loyalty,’ Philip said.
This move followed his advice, though Ray doubted its long-term value. Sector 49 was a temporary stop—they wouldn’t stay long enough to cement the gang’s foundation.
But curiosity drove him. Testing Philip’s method, observing the outcome—if effective, it could prove useful later. A clear purpose justified the expense.
“Ray. We need to handle Jasper and Lawson too.”
Philip’s whisper cut through the noise. Ray delegated the scene to Cedric and followed.
Ugh! Ugh!
Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!
In the hotel’s far corner, Jasper and Lawson thrashed like freshly caught fish, still bound since last night yet defiant.
Ugh! Ugh! Ugh?
Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!
Roughly translated:
「Bastards! How dare you treat me like this?!」
「F***ers! Let us go! Even prisoners get fed!」
Their eyes blazed with rebellion—until they saw who approached.
“…….”
“…….”
The Hunter stood before them.
Jasper and Lawson broke into cold sweats, bowing their heads to avoid Ray’s gaze.
Step. Step.
Ray grabbed Jasper’s hair and yanked him up, striking his cheek.
Smack—!
Blood sprayed from Jasper’s mouth, painting the floor. Ray forced the trembling boy’s face forward and removed his gag.
“Jasper. Let’s be quick. I’m short on time.”
“W-what d’you want? Money? Territory? Or—”
“Veronica’s Bookstore. You know it.”
Jasper’s pupils shook. “N-no idea what—”
Smack—!
Another slap silenced him.
“Still don’t get it? Your men aren’t coming. I broke their limbs.”
“S-sorry… My fault…”
Smack—!
A tooth clattered to the floor. Jasper’s pride shattered instantly.
Watching from behind, Philip shuddered.
‘That’s Ray’s true self. Thank god I’m on his side.’
“Y-you mean the 8th Street store? Yeah… Got a request to harass them off the lot.”
“Who?”
“Owner of Fred’s General Store… 3rd Street…”
Ray nodded—then kicked Jasper’s stomach with magic-enhanced force.
Guh…!
Jasper crumpled, gasping.
“Huh? What’s happening?”
“Jasper and Lawson. The prisoners.”
Ray pursued, delivering relentless kicks as kids gathered to watch.
Punch—! Punch—! Punch—!
The room echoed with brutal thuds.
What’s received must be repaid—
—whether gratitude or vengeance.
Ray’s brutality was calculated. Killing them would spark chaos as their gangs fractured. Better to leave broken leaders in place, maintaining control.
‘Also, corpses would scare the hotel kids.’
The alliance required goodwill. No need to leave bitterness.
Punch—! Punch—!
Ray glanced around. The hotel kids’ vessels seethed with rage—rage forged by years of bullying and this near-invasion. If they’d lost, the hotel wouldn’t stand intact. They knew it.
Punch—! Punch—! Punch—!
Jasper curled up, breath ragged, praying for the pain to end.
The kids couldn’t look away. Their anger faded, replaced by vicious satisfaction.
“Imagine if they’d breached the hotel!”
“They deserve worse!”
Ray noted their shifting emotions. This was new—back in Sector 50, he’d have stopped at simple revenge. But Sector 49 demanded more: navigating variables, considering others’ feelings. A boy who’d lived in a closed world now stepped outside, learning to adapt.
Punch—!
Ray hauled Jasper up by the hair, whispering:
“Ruin that general store. Any blowback reaches us, I’ll hunt you to the sector’s edge—”
What’s received must be repaid—
“—and kill you.”
Jasper nodded frantically, eyes unfocused.
Thud!
His head hit the floor. Ray turned to Lawson, trembling nearby.
That night, gang members arrived to retrieve their leaders.
“God… Look at the boss…”
“Shut it! Grab him before the Hunter changes his mind!”
Though furious at Jasper and Lawson’s near-death state, they could only retreat. Losers in war, they were grateful to leave alive.
Creak— Thud!
The door closed. The hotel erupted in cheers—boys from all factions roaring. Victory felt real now. A historic shift in the street’s hierarchy.
Philip unlocked the hotel’s food reserves. A feast unfolded, laughter and clinking cups filling the air.
“Where’s the Hunter?”
“Can I give him chocolate?”
“Saw him earlier… Where’d he go?”
Unnoticed, Ray slipped away to a weathered sofa in a distant corner.
Flop.
He sank into the cushions, staring blankly at the hotel’s center. Bulbs cast a dreamy glow, but beauty meant nothing to him—just spatial data.
“…….”
His mind churned with unresolved thoughts.
‘A friend is someone who helps without expecting anything. Who you can rely on too.’
Philip’s definition clashed with Ray’s old belief—that friendship required time.
‘If mutual care defines it… Then maybe—’
Memories surfaced: Pale and the Underpass kids. The only ones he’d ever worried for.
‘Niles too… But can a 20-year age gap be friends?’
「Say ‘hyung.’ Cool, handsome, smart, kind Niles hyung.」
「Stop ruining vocabulary lessons.」
Ray had always refused, calling him ‘ajusshi’ instead. Why? Maybe stubbornness.
‘Will I ever have more friends?’
The answer came easily: No. His emotionless nature alienated others.
「You’re weird. Scary.」
「Can’t even cry.」
Only Niles and the Underpass kids had accepted him.
A sofa cushion sank nearby.
Squish—
Philip held two steaming mugs. “Quiet’s better, right? Here.”
Sweet cocoa aroma wafted up.
“You like sweets, so…”
Ray accepted it. He didn’t like sweets—just ate them for energy. But Philip’s assumption wasn’t entirely wrong.
They sat in silence, watching the glowing bulbs and distant revelry.
Gulp.
Warmth slid down Ray’s throat, briefly filling the void.
Gulp.
Another sip. The night deepened.
“By the way… What’s with those magazines in the safe?”
Philip’s sprayed cocoa glittered under the lights, dotting the scene like stars.
