Chapter 265.2 |
“Table damage, door damage, slot machine damage, entrance lighting and equipment malfunction have been confirmed. These costs have been charged to the parties deemed responsible.”
From those who ended up writhing on the stairs like the addicts who could not enter the casino, to those who barely preserved their legs and fled back to the slot machine room.
One thing was certain. The fallen organs and body parts twitched, and then vanished before long.
‘Ha.’
Even after seeing all kinds of scenes, it was a sight that made bile rise in my throat.
And those who had lost so much of their bodies that they could not rise again…
They were simply left on the floor.
With only twitching remnants of flesh remaining.
“……”
“Are you alright, dear guest?”
When I turned my head, the dealer with Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae’s head was smiling.
“…Yes.”
“Don’t worry. The ones who caused the disturbance and damaged property were not your party. Please enjoy your time at the casino from here on out.”
“Thank you.”
Baek Saheon’s eyes darted here and there, as if gauging whether there was anything more to squeeze out under the pretense of being a wronged customer. But in the end, he behaved himself.
Concluding that making a scene would more likely get him screwed was a good judgment, but it was impressive to the point of being irritating…
In any case, with that, we sat down in a corner of the dealer room where the disturbance had more or less settled and began sorting things out.
“……”
Section Chief Lee Jaheon set Baek Saheon down without hesitation, and Baek Saheon avoided our gazes and stood pressed against the wall.
And then.
“Mr. Goat.”
“…Yes?”
“Why are you so startled. I was just trying to say thank you.”
I smiled and patted Baek Saheon on the shoulder.
“You brought in a lot of public funds for the team.”
“…!”
“Oh, I switched to honorifics without thinking because I was grateful. Really.”
“No, I…”
“Right?”
I leaned my face close to Baek Saheon.
“You’re not about to say you spun slot machines alone to earn coins for personal use while everyone else was gathering information, dumping all the risk on your teammates. That’s not what you’re saying, yeah?”
“……”
With things having gone this far, Baek Saheon had no choice but to force a strained smile and answer.
“Of course. I’m happy I made a big contribution to the team.”
“Ee-yah.”
I heard Assistant Manager Eun Haje let out an impressed remark. I felt a bit embarrassed…
But honestly, this was not me threatening him. This was just basic professional ethics.
I held back a sigh so it would not show.
‘Still, once this is over, he can return whatever he personally won.’
Now I had a rough sense of what kind of stick and carrot to use.
[Exceptional work, Friend!]
Thanks.
“Then let’s settle the accounts.”
“Yes.”
We put our heads together and totaled up all the coins we had.
Adding Baek Saheon’s slot machine winnings to the initial funds…
“256 coins.”
It was a considerable amount.
“It was worth helping him escape while losing even his shoes. Don’t you think, dear civilians?”
“Haha…”
At Agent Choi’s words as he patted Agent Bronze, who had ruined his coat and shoes holding back the long-term missing persons, the group let out dry laughs. I was genuinely impressed.
‘You’re incredible at padding the public fund…’
The coins were sorted out and returned to Assistant Manager Eun Haje for the time being.
And what remained was.
[Oh, there was an item. Of course, it would be hard to expect something amazing from a cheap slot machine, but still.]
That’s right.
“It looks like a slot machine prize.”
Aside from the fact that it had unreadable words printed on it, it looked like an ordinary packaged box.
“Here.”
I held it out to Baek Saheon, and although he watched our reactions, he unwrapped it and checked the inside.
The contents were revealed.
It was neatly wrapped in vinyl…
‘…An electronic device?’
A small, square, blue plastic body with two pressable buttons attached.
There was something about its overall appearance that immediately brought another object to mind.
“It kind of looks like a voice recorder.”
“Yes.”
It did not look very sturdy, and given how small it was, it seemed likely to be disposable.
“Hm.”
Then, Baek Saheon’s spoke.
For some reason, his voice sounded softer and more subdued.
“You’re not planning to take even this item, are you?”
Oh?
“Running away is something anyone here can do. You’re all veterans. But hitting a slot machine jackpot is an achievement only I pulled off. I’d like it if you left me at least this much…”
[Hm. His acting isn’t awkward, is it.]
Right.
It seemed he had adjusted his approach after gauging the team.
But.
Yeongeun-ssi, her face pale, shook her head first.
“Um, for now, it’d be better if you didn’t use that item if at all possible.”
“What?”
…A bad feeling rose up.
“Do you know what it is?”
“…I heard ‘rumors’.”
Yeongeun-ssi glanced at the item with slightly fearful eyes.
“…Most of the people who can’t leave the casino are that way because of slot machine items.”
“…!”
Wait.
“Then the reason they chased us earlier was also…”
Because of the item?
“Now that I think about it, that might be the case. If it wasn’t because of the coins.”
“……”
“Supervisor Goral, do you also know what that item does?”
Comments 1