Chapter 9
At dawn, as the first light broke.
Two men entered an abandoned building used as a warehouse and knocked on the duty room door.
No response.
They shook it roughly several times, but it was firmly locked.
One of them pressed his ear against the door and muttered quietly.
“Emmerlin, Rosanna. We know you’re in there. Don’t waste your energy—just open the door.”
“Looks like Libero wandered around all night, but he never showed up in the end. Guess when it comes to money, family means nothing.”
They were members of the Void gang.
The moment midnight passed, they tracked down Libero’s sisters and arrived.
There was no way Libero would repay the 30 dollars anyway, so they had cleanly given up on him.
If anything, it was better for them if he didn’t pay.
Two young women were worth far more than 30 dollars.
The men inspected the handle and issued a warning.
“If you don’t come out by the count of three, we’ll break it down. Be careful. If you get hurt, it’ll only make your lives harder. Got it?”
They lit cigarettes and counted to three.
Still, there was no response from inside.
“How annoying.”
Bang! Crash!
One of them swung the axe slung over his shoulder with full force.
The handle snapped off, and the moldy wooden door shattered easily.
Inside was a simple space—two beds, a wardrobe, and a table.
They checked the bathroom and wardrobe, then exchanged glances.
“······No one here?”
Swoosh.
At the same time, they dropped flat and looked under the beds.
“There they are.”
“Ahhh!”
“Eek!”
“Get over here! Stop struggling!”
Libero’s sisters, Emmerlin and Rosanna, screamed in terror as they struggled.
They resisted fiercely, but couldn’t overcome the men’s strength.
The men bound their wrists and ankles, then hoisted them like luggage and moved.
“Please help! Please help!”
“Funny how different you act when borrowing money versus paying it back.”
“What are you looking at? Get lost.”
“Help us, please!”
The two women screamed and cried, but the passersby turned away, pretending not to see.
They knew the men belonged to the Void gang.
“Hel—”
Emmerlin, tears streaming down her face, suddenly froze.
A man approaching from the front.
Short red hair—it felt familiar.
‘Who is that?’
As he passed by, his face was revealed beneath his hat.
Green eyes, black teeth.
Woodburn.
The Void gang members noticed too and instinctively tried to draw their guns, but carrying the sisters made it difficult.
Bang! Bang!
It happened in an instant.
Woodburn fired multiple shots into the abdomen of the man on the left, while at the same time, Woodburn’s gang members, who had approached stealthily, pressed guns into the back of the man on the right.
“Move, and you die. Like your friend.”
Click!
Bang! Bang!
Emmerlin and Rosanna, who had fallen to the ground, quickly lifted their heads to assess the situation.
What was happening?
Woodburn placed his foot on the head of the dead man and continued firing.
A declaration filled with hatred and fury—the beginning of revenge.
“Haa, refreshing. I’ve been waiting for this day.”
Woodburn smiled faintly and turned to the surrounded man.
Then he took the gun from the man’s waist and pocketed it.
“······Woodburn. So you’ve finally decided to die. You know who we are, right?”
“Of course. Void.”
“You will be dead before today ends. Our boss has shown you plenty of mercy. We should’ve ground your bones long ago.”
“Hey. I didn’t want this either. You started it first. Would’ve been nice if we all just stayed within our boundaries.”
Click.
Woodburn, smiling brightly, pointed the gun at the man’s forehead.
So this is it.
The man trembled and shut his eyes.
“Pfft—!”
But instead of a gunshot, laughter rang out.
Woodburn’s group looked down at the trembling Void member and burst into laughter before launching into a merciless beating.
Thud! Thud!
“Go back and tell Void. These two women are coming with Woodburn. If they want them back, they can come and try.”
“You bastards! You’ve had it good until now, haven’t you?”
“Do you know how many of our people died because of you?”
“Look forward to it. Good days are coming.”
They spat on the unconscious man and turned away.
Despite saying they’d take the women, they left Emmerlin and Rosanna on the street.
The sisters stood there in confusion, then flinched.
“Libero!”
“Shh. Sisters, this way.”
“W-what is going on?”
“I’ll explain later. Let’s hide somewhere else first.”
Libero grabbed them and hurriedly looked around.
The street was empty—passersby had fled due to the commotion.
It was almost morning anyway, so there was no one around.
Tap tap!
As Libero and his sisters disappeared, only the two battered Void gang members remained in the empty street.
The sun was rising.
***
“Boss! Boss!”
The news arrived an hour later.
A Void member who had regained consciousness barely made it back to headquarters and reported the situation.
Void, who had been chain-smoking since morning, sprang to his feet.
“Woodburn?”
“Yes. They took the two women as well.”
“That bastard has finally lost his mind.”
Veins bulged on Void’s neck.
The man, with a shaved head and long mustache, was unusually massive.
He immediately grabbed a pistol and rifle, calling his subordinates.
“Call everyone. Not a single one left behind.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Today, we tear down every last piece of Woodburn’s building.”
“Everyone gather! Grab your guns!”
“We’re going to hit Woodburn! Revenge!”
The members armed themselves and followed Void.
As they went downstairs, members of the Security Force, sprawled out drunk, groaned and sat up.
They had been using the closed bar’s sofas like their own beds.
“What’s with all the noise this early…”
“Woodburn’s people killed one of ours.”
“What?”
“Today’s a day of celebration for Mollibay. We’ll wipe out those parasitic insects. We’ll send someone to the sheriff ourselves, so you don’t need to come out.”
“Ugh, seriously. Why’d they suddenly do that?”
“When it’s time for someone to die, they start doing things they normally wouldn’t.”
The Security Force frowned and lay back down.
Since Void said they’d notify the sheriff, there was no need to act.
Considering Woodburn’s strength, it would just be a brief disturbance.
“Don’t go overboard, alright!”
Bang!
Void answered by kicking the door open.
As the armed group appeared, people on the streets hurriedly retreated.
Bwooo—!
Bwoo!
Then came the loud sound of a water buffalo horn.
A subordinate walking beside Void blew it with all his strength.
It was a warning to the residents.
Something big was about to happen—stay inside.
Shhk!
Residents drew their curtains and locked their doors, moving furniture to block entrances.
Holding their breath, they watched Void pass.
With each alley they crossed, more men joined them.
“We are Void!”
“Void!”
Those hoping to curry favor joined from behind.
Void led dozens of men into the alley.
The only place in Mollibay beyond his reach—Woodburn’s territory.
But only until today.
It was time to settle their long-standing feud.
“Move!”
“Waaaah!”
As Woodburn’s base came into view, Void signaled.
The men in front fired their shotguns without hesitation.
The door shattered instantly, and his subordinates charged in with shouts.
‘If I could, I’d burn this filthy building down entirely—’
Void loaded his gun and stepped inside.
But the poor fire systems and wooden structures made it too dangerous.
Even the sheriff wouldn’t ignore that.
Then he heard his men shouting.
“No one’s here!”
“It’s empty!”
Empty?
Well, they wouldn’t stay here after declaring war.
As Void cursed, gunshots erupted outside.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Startled, Void looked outside.
Enemies were hiding behind carts and cargo, even securing the corners to surround them.
It felt like a trap.
Still, something like this wouldn’t turn the tide.
Void tightened his expression and returned fire.
“Rip off those boards on the windows! Forward!”
“You filthy vermin!”
Bang! Crash!
Bang! Bang bang!
A prolonged firefight ensued.
Both sides had cover.
While reloading, Void realized something odd.
Compared to the number of enemies, there were too many shots.
At most, the enemy had ten men.
Yet their firepower felt equal.
“······?!”
Something was wrong.
Void called for a ceasefire.
At the same time, Woodburn’s side stopped.
“How many do they have?”
“I-I’m not sure. I see five in front of me—”
“At least three behind us!”
“Two here! Second floor across!”
“Damn it, did they bring their wives and kids too?”
“Three here—no, four!”
Even roughly counting, it exceeded ten.
As Void’s group fell silent, a taunt came from outside.
“Hey, Void! Guess I shoved a gun right into your mouths—you’ve gone real quiet!”
“You bastard—!”
“Bring the tables! Use them for cover!”
Bang! Bang!
Gunfire resumed.
Woodburn, hiding behind a cart, chuckled while reloading.
Void’s men, who had made it outside, scattered and clashed.
Bang!
A man aiming got shot in the back and fell.
Woodburn turned his gaze toward a nearby second floor.
Their eyes met with someone hiding behind a window.
Click!
‘What are you looking at?’
A bounty hunter skillfully cocked the hammer.
A shell casing flicked into the air beside him.
A flash reflected from a mirror in the opposite building, and he ducked again.
It was Jaei’s signal as he observed the situation.
“Void’s guys are starting to move.”
At the owner’s words, Jaei nodded and kept firing.
Unlike Void and Woodburn, Jaei’s shots were defensive.
“Yes. Understood. Can you estimate Void’s numbers?”
“Roughly mid-thirties.”
“How much ammunition do we have?”
“Two boxes here. The key is Void’s side.”
“When it lulls, we’ll fall back briefly. Tell everyone to hold until then.”
Bang! Bang!
His bullets continuously intercepted others in midair.
After a long firefight, only one casualty had occurred so far.
This would be a long—very long—battle.
Jaei mechanically executed each cock and shot.
Spent casings piled beside him.
Bang!
A bullet heading toward Woodburn through a gap in the cart was shot down by Jaei.
And then, another stray bullet heading toward Void’s head was intercepted.
The hot and drawn-out midday battle had just begun.