News spread quickly that the Special Investigation Unit had retrieved one of Tiamat's heads.
Thanks to this, the hunters scheduled to be investigated today were more obedient than before.
His attitude was never bad, but today he was crawling.
Tia, who was diligently eating a snack next to Alice, recognized one of them and flinched.
"Oh, hello?"
"Eek... Detective. I'll just go out for a moment."
"What, why are you like that?"
When I turned to look at Tia at the sight of the hunter running away, the guy slightly avoided my eyes.
"Oh, something sticks in my mind... It's like the hunter whose legs I blew off a while ago."
"..."
"I didn't do it on purpose! I was completely mentally and physically weak back then! And I'm receiving treatment now, so I'm fine!"
This guy knows a lot of weird stuff.
By the way, this could be more useful than you think.
I don't know for sure because I don't have any experience, but it seems like Tiamat is a symbol of fear to hunters.
I thought that Alice alone might not be enough or might be dangerous, so it turned out well.
Of course, Tia is much weaker than me...
First of all, since it is treated as a hunter pet, it is important to be able to use it confidently in front of others.
I decided to change the strategy a little bit.
"Hey, just keep your mouth shut and sit still. And when the hunters sit in front of me, keep glaring at them. Got it?"
Nodding.
Thanks to Tia's cooperation, today's investigation ended much earlier than scheduled.
I left Tia with Alice and prepared to go on a business trip while working overtime.
Originally, I was going to send Seo Ji-yu alone, but as the investigation progressed, I became concerned about this and that.
Honestly, I was going to just let it go if it was just hunters gambling among themselves, but they're using an entire cruise ship as a gambling den.
I have no choice but to go there just out of curiosity.
Seo Ji-yu was startled when I washed my face to disguise myself.
"Team leader, are you going too?"
"Well, if it's just hunters getting together and gambling, that's another story... But opening another Kangwon Land in Korea is a completely different story."
Anyway, I had no intention of sending Seo Ji-yu alone.
She was slightly embarrassed, but quickly began helping him disguise himself.
A tickling sensation on the face, as if trying to draw a little more eyebrows.
I tried my best to remain still.
“Are you doing it differently than when you were a member of the Yeongseok Church?”
"Of course. Don't worry. I was arrested for embezzlement, not fraud."
"It's a boast."
"...Today's concept will be a neighborhood punk."
When Seo Ji-yu's magic ended, I became a dark-looking bodyguard.
She also finished putting on her makeup with great care and got up from her seat.
"Then give me the card."
"I already prepared the cash?"
"No, I need to buy some disguise props. Like clothes or a bag..."
"You remember the one you bought last time?"
While I was slightly flustered, Seo Ji-yu started talking very shamelessly.
"I sold it again. When reselling luxury goods, unless you're going to make a long-term investment, it's best to sell them off fairly quickly... I heard the price plummets after just a little while, right?"
"Then buy it with that money!"
As I clenched my fist, Tia, who was standing behind me, started swinging both her hands.
Seo Ji-yu nodded reluctantly, slightly startled.
I grabbed the guy and asked him before Tia left.
"Hey, but you really don't know where the other heads are, right?"
"I want to know more about their whereabouts! They might be watching me from the darkness even now..."
"Okay, then go home and be quiet."
"Really? Do I not have to do anything else today?"
When Tia asked with a slight look of surprise, I belatedly clapped my hands and spoke to Alice.
"Right, take him and feed him some food. Something more proper."
"Huh? Is there something tastier than before?"
"Shut up and follow me."
Alice took Tia away, speaking strangely and grumbling.
Kim Jeong-tae, who took on the role of escort and driver, guided me and Seo Ji-yu.
The black market broker we caught last time brought in so many cases that the rest of the staff are all working overtime.
"Let's go, Team Leader."
"How much cash have you prepared?"
"Two thousand. Should I bring more?"
“No, since it’s an investigation anyway, that should be enough.”
Seo Ji-yu, who was listening from the side, rolled her eyes.
After going shopping, she became a rich girl and headed to the floating casino.
When I looked from the side, they were charging 800 for each bag, which was ridiculous.
"Making one bag costs 800... Even if hunters make money, it's still not enough compared to the real deal."
"As the team leader said, it's ultimately a 3D job, a physical laborer. But..."
Seo Ji-yu pressed her body against mine and finally revealed her true feelings.
"Even if it's an investigation, I guess I'll have to gamble a bit, right?"
"Of course. That's why I prepared the funds."
"Then, if I earn some, can I take the difference?"
What does this woman spend all the money she earns?
I nodded while thinking that.
If Seo Ji-yu gambles sincerely today, the investigation will be easier.
"If you can, then yes. But don't be too vain. After all, she's a rich girl."
"Good!"
"But are you good at gambling?"
"A little bit. Oh, and of course, that's not why I embezzled."
I already know that much.
If he had embezzled money due to gambling debts, they wouldn't have accepted him as a team member.
Soon after arriving at Incheon Port, we were able to find a large cruise ship parked at the corner of the dock.
The cruise ship, which was a little larger than I expected, was already bustling with people.
This place also seems to be quite famous.
Seo Ji-yu, who had received the disguised ID, looked at the ship with great admiration.
"Excuse me, Team Leader. But how did this ship get recognized as foreign territory?"
"Jiyu, you really don't care about current events, do you? It was a famous case in its own right."
"Is that so? But it was several years ago already?"
"It's been about seven years. That ship originally belonged to a small nation called Terrain. Although small, it was a well-known tourist destination."
But that terrain was destroyed by the invasion of monsters.
Terrain's ship, having lost its place to return to, was forced to anchor in Incheon Port indefinitely.
Of course, South Korea wanted to expel them, but it couldn't do so because it had to keep an eye on the international community.
The issue of refugees caused by monsters has been a sensitive issue, both in the past and present.
"Besides, there were rumors at the time that the cruise ship was carrying an infectious disease. So, it was quarantined for quite a while. The ship was recognized as foreign territory for a similar reason. If word got out that an infectious disease had spread to Korea, it would have been problematic in many ways."
"Bird, things were more complicated than I thought."
"Jiyu, don't think about that and just enjoy gambling. Then, shall we go?"
"yes!"
We got out of the car and headed towards where there was a long line of people.
In front of the casino on board, in addition to the people who came to enjoy gambling, there were also suspicious people hanging around.
Eyes on the guests, slightly removed from the line of entrance.
As I glared at them, holding a small bag of money, Seo Ji-yu asked quietly.
"What are those people?"
"Loan sharks who lend money for gambling."
"ah..."
It's already ominous to see those guys openly setting up camp.
There's a lot of talk about Kangwon Land, but since it's a public corporation, private lenders like that are prohibited from entering...
These guys board with great confidence.
'It's already like this, so I wonder what the inside looks like.'
Soon we arrived at the currency exchange booth on the ship and exchanged all 20 million won into chips.
Then, the staff handed out tickets and guided us to a separate entrance.
The other guests seemed very used to it and didn't even complain.
'Does anyone with over 1,000 military funds get immediate entry without waiting?'
As Seo Ji-yu walked in, shouting in joy, an employee immediately followed her.
I saw earlier that they even confirmed whether or not I was a hunter based on the ID I showed them.
"Thank you so much for visiting Terrain Cruise Game Room today. Is this your first time at our game room?"
"But? Are there any special rules?"
"Let me give you a brief overview. Of course, any kind of illegal manipulation or cheating is prohibited. Fighting within the game room or..."
The rules of the casino were fairly obvious.
We let it go in one ear and out the other and entered the main gambling establishment.
As you can see from the long line outside, the onboard casino was doing very well.
Beyond utilizing existing equipment, they also brought in entirely new machines and tables.
There were signs that they were trying to somehow increase the capacity.
'Well, even if it's a large cruise ship, the number of guests it can accommodate at once is probably a few hundred...'
Since this isn't some 200,000-ton super-large cruise ship, this level of modification was necessary.
I was very upset as I watched the passengers bustling around on board.
With so many customers, we can't even touch the popular roulette or table games.
"It looks like the advertisement went really well."
"Okay. Let's take a look around first."
"yes!"
I slowly looked around the cabin with Seo Ji-yu, who was very excited.
In the center, the tables are arranged as tightly as possible, and they are all full.
Of course, there were also spaces crammed with slot machines.
This one seems to have some leeway.
I found a machine there that I didn't miss much.
"Oh, a sea story? There were still working machines left..."
"Ah... I've heard of this too. The first prize is 2000?"
Seo Ji-yu was so excited that she tried to sit down, but I quickly stopped her.
"It's less than I expected. Was the prize money for the Sea Story lottery 20 years ago around 200?"
"Hey, even considering the inflation rate, isn't 10 times okay?"
"Well, do you think the hunters will turn their eyes and rush in after seeing this? I don't think so."
"Oh, come to think of it, I haven't seen any hunters yet."
This floating casino was a better-than-expected establishment, in a bad way...
There have been no devices or games targeting hunters yet.
Of course, it is still too early to be disappointed.
Given the Hunters' abilities, it's appropriate to treat them separately from other guests.
'There must be a dedicated area somewhere... Is that it?'
I noticed a customer heading inside, guided by a staff member.
A tired face with sunken eyes.
Indeed. As we followed him, we saw a separate room set up inside.
The equipment installed at the entrance looks quite familiar.
"That's... a magic detector. There's one installed at the Hunter Association headquarters, too."
"Shall we approach?"
"No, wait while I play nearby."
We are here as ordinary guests, so there is no point in rushing in.
Seo Ji-yu nodded at my words and headed towards the empty seat...
Suddenly, a haggard man rushed up next to her.
Her two withered arms were aiming at the luxury bag she was holding.
"Give me that!"
"Whoa, whaaat!"
puck!
I intervened in time and knocked the guy out easily.
No matter how fancy and neatly decorated it is, this is ultimately a gambling den.
And most of the customers are gambling addicts.
A race that can commit any level of petty crime when they run out of gambling money!
Seo Ji-yu, who had been fooled by the glamorous appearance of the onboard casino, trembled all over as she held me.
The security guards who arrived late immediately noticed the situation and dragged the guy away.
"I'm sorry, sir!"
"No, how do you guys do this? I just bought 20 million won worth of chips, and before I even tried them..."
"I will make sure this never happens again."
While I was acting hard, Seo Ji-yu took my arm and went outside for a moment.
Her still trembling appearance could not be considered 100% acting.
She barely managed to avoid other people's eyes and greeted them again, trembling.
"Oh, thank you."
"I followed you from the beginning because I wanted to do this. What? Have you calmed down a bit?"
"Not at all. I thought I was being stabbed with a knife!"
As I hugged Seo Ji-yu, who was acting up again, her trembling suddenly calmed down.
It's something I've only recently learned, but human body temperature has a rather mysterious power.
Thanks to that, the real Seo Ji-yu finally blushed and belatedly protested.
"Father... Is it okay for someone with a wife to do this?"
"You seem to be doing okay, talking cheekily like usual. Should we go out?"
"yes."
Seo Ji-yu nodded slightly and returned to the casino, explaining the truth to the casino staff waiting outside.
As the staff handed me the service chip and left, I held her hand, which was still shaking slightly.