Chapter 6
Sucker. The daily sucker bestowed by God.
Libero calmed his excited heart and brought Jaei forward.
A youthful-looking face and shabby clothing.
He looked about sixteen.
He didn’t know what circumstances the boy had, but it seemed like the 30 dollars he put up was his entire fortune.
‘What a pitiful fellow. Let this be a lesson and grow into an even bigger sucker.’
Lowering his hat, Libero politely greeted Jaei.
“Let me ask one last time. You are requesting a duel, correct.”
“Yes. I’ll bet all 30 dollars. If I win, you’ll return double, right?”
“Of course. But remember this. If you lose, we cannot help you in any way.”
He had dealt with countless people who, after losing, threw tantrums demanding their money back, so he always made sure to announce this with spectators as witnesses.
Sometimes, people gave up at this point, but that was fine.
At Libero’s signal, his sisters gathered around Jaei and began to fan him.
Their roles of push and pull were perfectly divided.
“Oh my, what a cute gentleman with such a big heart.”
“There really isn’t an opportunity like this. I saw earlier, and it looked like Libero’s hands were trembling a bit. He’s been pulling the trigger all day, so it’s about time he makes a mistake.”
“If you succeed, you’ll earn 30 dollars in a single night. My, you’ll be rich in no time. What’s your name?”
“······Kim Jaei.”
Ignoring the women clinging to him, Jaei loaded the revolver.
Click.
Even if he lost the money, he was determined to go through with the duel.
The women, who had been chatting back and forth, smirked before brushing it off and shaking their heads.
Strange fellow, just like his name, but what did it matter?
Such a lovable sucker.
“Huh, I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere.”
“Right? Me too. Hohoho. Anyway, Jaei. Do your best. Tonight’s winner of Mollibay is you.”
As they openly praised him, the atmosphere quickly heated up.
Passersby gathered to see what was happening, and opinions among the spectators split.
“Seriously, there’s no bigger idiot than that. If it were me, I’d rather play cards with 30 dollars.”
“He might actually be skilled, you know.”
“What can a brat even do?”
“Then want to bet too? I say he hits at least one shot.”
“Go ahead. I bet he won’t hit even one.”
“You placing a bet? Let me join too.”
“Wait a moment, let’s organize this! Let’s organize!”
Libero moistened his lips with liquor from his hip flask.
The stakes were getting bigger.
Where people gathered, money gathered.
This wasn’t just about one sucker and 30 dollars.
‘It’d be best to let him hit a few and barely win.’
The hope that he could win.
It was important to plant that in the spectators.
Then surely, another sucker would walk in on their own.
‘God, thank you.’
After scamming people so diligently, a day like this had finally come.
“I’ll bet 30 cents too. That Jaei hits at least one.”
“I say he won’t. One dollar.”
“Is there anyone who thinks Jaei will win?”
“Good grief, you might as well throw your money on the ground.”
Most people were debating whether Jaei could hit at least one shot or not.
Then, the previously quiet owner stepped forward with 3 dollars.
“3 dollars. I’ll bet that Jaei wins.”
“Seriously, there are a lot of crazy people in Mollibay today.”
“Very well. Then I’ll shoot and bet against you. Came to watch and ended up making money. Hahaha!”
After handing over the money, the owner stared only at the back of Jaei’s head.
It seemed he intended to multiply his 30 dollars at once, and considering the skill Jaei had shown at <Elens>, it was a game with a chance of victory.
‘······Maybe. If that day wasn’t just luck.’
Click.
Libero also finished loading.
He raised his hand, signaling people to focus.
The noisy surroundings quieted in an instant.
“Tonight, the genius gunslinger of the century, Libero, feels truly delighted. Because I have met a brave challenger. Jaei! I accept your request for a duel.”
“Ah, wait. Before that, I have a suggestion.”
“Anything. Shall I roll up my sleeves?”
“No. The sleeves, well, do as you please.”
Jaei placed his 30 dollars into a hat and gestured.
“You put your 30 dollars in there now too. So we can take it immediately when it’s over.”
“Hahaha!”
He said it as if worried Libero might not pay up.
‘This crazy sucker, he really believed he would win!’
Libero burst out laughing, and the spectators giggled and collapsed in laughter.
‘That bold confidence—it was quite a sight. If he lost like that, it would be even more fun to mock him!’
“Understood. Please wait a moment.”
Libero broke open the tip box and counted 30 dollars.
In truth, this wasn’t his money.
Since hype was important, it was bait to draw people in.
Every midnight, he had to return it with interest to the Mollibay gang ‘Void,’ but starting today, that might not be necessary.
With this sucker’s 30 dollars, he wouldn’t need to borrow from them anymore.
“Here it is. 30 dollars. Shall I explain the rules now?”
“Yes. Please do.”
Jaei counted the bills with his fingertips.
A total of 60 dollars.
Correct.
“It’s simple. We take turns hitting a coin five times each. If it’s a tie, we continue until someone makes a mistake first. Do you agree?”
“I agree.”
“The order?”
“Do as you wish.”
“······Then I’ll go first.”
Something felt off.
He had bet a whole 30 dollars, yet there wasn’t even a hint of tension.
Libero took out a coin and showed it to the crowd.
Then, flicking it high into the air, he raised his gun.
Bang!
He fired at the right timing.
Having repeated this motion hundreds of times, his movements were more natural than anyone’s.
“Did he hit it? No way, really?”
“You actually believe that? How naive.”
“No, he hit it.”
Without a word, Libero showed the bent coin, and the crowd stirred.
Opinions split on whether it was real or not.
“Jaei. Your turn.”
Jaei also showed a coin, tossed it into the air, and fired.
Baaang!
Ting!
Amid the tearing gunshot, there was a faint sound mixed in.
The sound of a bullet striking a coin.
Jaei picked up the coin rolling on the ground and showed it.
“······!”
“Wh-what! What was that!”
“Did he just hit it?”
“Yes! Nice! That’s it!”
Libero froze in shock.
What just happened?
It was so unexpected that he was completely speechless.
Was it luck?
Or if not, did that bastard also use sleight of hand like him?
“Aren’t you going?”
At Jaei’s question, Libero snapped back to his senses.
He now understood why Jaei hadn’t been nervous, and why he hadn’t suggested rolling up sleeves.
‘Damn bastard.’
He pushed his hair back and frowned.
“From now on, let’s roll up our sleeves.”
“Your sleeves?”
“Why, can’t you?”
“No. It’s just that the night breeze is a bit cold. It doesn’t matter.”
Having lived at rock bottom for 23 years, Libero had never seen anyone besides himself use techniques without sleeves.
As he unbuttoned them, the crowd whistled.
“Let’s go! Let’s go!”
“He even rolled up his sleeves! This is real, for real!”
“Waaaah!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After that, Jaei and Libero’s duel continued.
Each time bent coins piled up, the crowd went wild as if they might faint, while Libero grew increasingly flustered.
‘Wh-what the hell?’
He carefully observed Jaei’s every turn, but couldn’t detect any special hand movements.
His sisters watching from behind were also whispering with pale faces.
‘Even my sisters couldn’t spot it.’
If it was sleight of hand that couldn’t be noticed even from behind, there was essentially no solution.
Libero’s mind turned blank.
The noisy surroundings faded, leaving only the 60 dollars in his sight.
Anxiety crept in.
“5 to 5, a tie. From here, the one who makes the first mistake loses, correct?”
“Ah, y-yes. B-but—”
“I’ll go first this time.”
Libero swallowed as he fiddled with the coin in his pocket.
This was really bad.
He had already used all the pre-bent coins.
A chill ran down his spine, and it felt like the blood drained from his entire body.
Bang!
Without incident, Jaei hit the coin.
Then he gestured for Libero to go.
Libero pulled out a coin with trembling hands.
Honestly, he felt like shooting Jaei instead of the air and running away.
Ting!
“I threw it.”
‘Please, please······.’
Libero pulled the trigger as if praying.
Tinggurur—
The coin rolled on the ground.
The spectators’ gazes dropped downward, then poured toward Jaei.
“He, he, he missed!”
“He missed! Jaei won!”
“Crazy! Hey, Jaei! Where are you from?”
“Libero lost? Really?”
“Waaaah! That was amazing! Haven’t seen something like that in a while!”
“Hey, if you’re okay with it, let me buy you a drink!”
People rushed toward Jaei, shouting cheers.
As the crowd surged, Jaei pushed them away and first secured the 60 dollars from the hat.
Then, he lightly tapped Libero’s shoulder, who stood there in a daze, and greeted him.
“Thank you. I had fun.”
“Hey, Jaei! Where are you going?”
“Please move. Yes, thank you.”
“Libero, hahaha! You live long enough, you see everything. Don’t be too upset!”
Libero stared blankly ahead.
He saw his sisters hurriedly running away.
The Void gang would find out soon.
That tonight at midnight, he wouldn’t be able to repay the money he borrowed.
Thud!
Libero unconsciously sprang up and ran.
Chasing after Jaei’s trail.
***
‘60 dollars. This should be enough to spend on storing a corpse.’
Avoiding people, Jaei entered an alley and checked the bills.
It seemed most Mollibay residents knew Libero was a scammer.
That’s probably why they couldn’t contain their excitement each time he hit a coin.
They likely thought it was a battle of scammer versus scammer.
‘Doesn’t matter.’
Jaei looked around.
It was dark, with barely any streetlights, giving off a dreary feeling.
It would be better to return to his lodging quickly.
Tap tap!
As he turned a corner, hurried footsteps sounded from behind.
It was Libero, drenched in sweat.
“Haa, haa—”
“······.”
This felt bad.
As Jaei moved his hand toward the gun in his pocket, Libero acted first.
Click.
“Don’t, move. Haa, haa—”
“······What are you doing.”
“I don’t care about anything else, damn it. So, I lost. I don’t care what you did or how, okay?”
Libero muttered, gasping for breath.
“Just give me back the 30 dollars.”
“······We agreed that there would be no responsibility after losing.”
“Give it back! That’s not my money, it belongs to the Void gang. I’ll repay it little by little instead. Without that, haa, my sisters will be sold.”
But Jaei’s expression didn’t change.
As Libero steadied his breathing and tried to straighten his back—
Thunk.
“······!”
A cold gun barrel pressed against the back of his head.
It was the owner who had followed Jaei.
As he stepped into the streetlight from the darkness, Jaei relaxed and moved.
“Haa, Libero, let’s calm down and talk first.”
“······W-what talk.”
“To be honest, whether your sisters get sold or not isn’t really my concern. But you mentioned something interesting, so I changed my mind.”
Those people called the Void gang connected to him.
He didn’t know much, but if they were a gang, weren’t they at odds with the sheriff’s office?
They seemed to have some value.
“If you don’t want to, forget it.”
Libero bit his lower lip hard.
With a gun pressed against his head, how could he refuse?
As he shook his head in resignation, Jaei smiled faintly.