บท 59: Luck?
A few hours later, Irina entered her brother's room.
"How are you?" Irina sat on the bed next to Monto. She caressed his wounds gently, but he remained silent.
"I am sorry," Irina applied some cream on his wounds as she continued, "But please understand, I did everything to protect you."
Monto's expression turned ugly.
"Slapping me multiple times in front of everyone is your definition of protecting me?"
Monto was incensed. She had already humiliated him, but now she was even justifying it as protecting him?!
Irina sighed deeply. She put away the medicinal cream, and in a serious tone asked him, "Do you know who Zed is?"
"Of course I know!" Monto had collected information about Zed after the embarrassing episode.
"If you truly knew, then you wouldn't be angry. Instead, you would be trembling in fear," Irina bitterly remarked.
"Trembling? What a joke! I know he is a slum dweller who got lucky and became rich!" Monto stated the information he had acquired. "I also know he is studying at Royal Heart Academy and owns a luxurious villa in Nature's Harmony Neighborhood! How is this supposed to make me tremble in fear!?"
How can the gossip industry not work when an ex-slum dweller owns a 50,000 sq. foot villa in an area where only the rich live? Can that remain a secret when such a person studies in the number one academy in the city?
Monto was easily able to inquire about Zed's villa and academy record through his contacts and the rumors on the internet.
"This information is enough to make you tremble in fear! Sadly, you are brain dead!"
Irina was tired of her brother's behavior. She might be his sister, but she was also the leader of Soaring Sky Gang.
"Sis, you—" Monto quickly became silent as he saw the anger on her face. He didn't dare throw any more tantrums.
"Let me ask you a very simple question," Irina was aware of her brother's personality, so she knew she had to enlighten him, otherwise, he would do something stupid.
"Question?" Monto asked.
"Yes," Irina nodded and continued, "Suppose an orphan kid was carrying golden ornaments in a market. What do you think will happen to the kid and his ornaments?"
"Isn't it obvious? That kid will get his ornaments snatched by the grownups. As for the kid...he will be interrogated by the others on how he gained such ornaments."
Monto couldn't understand why she would ask him such a simple question.
"Now replace the kid with Zed, and replace the ornaments with the villa & bank balance. Tell me what should happen?" Irina asked in a patient voice.
"That's...!!"
Monto finally realized what Irina meant. What should be the fate of Zed, who was carrying so much wealth without any influential background?
"Will you say Zed living in a civil society means he will be protected from thieves?" Irina asked.
"N-no...the greed of people is hard to control! Murders and robberies happen every day! Even the government officials will try to embezzle the wealth by dubious means!" Monto answered; shock evident on his face.
"Yet Zed is alive and flaunting his wealth without any care in the world. Why is that?" Irina asked further.
"I...he was lucky!" Monto refused to believe what his sister was trying to imply, so he said, "Maybe no one truly strong tried to target him."
"Really?" Irina wasn't surprised by her brother's stubbornness, "You think the gangs and officers will leave such a big fish alone for so long? Wouldn't they try to take action as soon as possible, afraid the others will catch this big catch?"
"Sis, I..." Monto wanted to continue, but he didn't know what to say.
"Maybe the gangs and officers were truly blind, so they didn't notice Zed and his wealth? Or perhaps they took pity on him since he was from the slums... so they thought to let the kid live his life? Is this what you want to say?!" Irina demanded.
"O-of course not," Monto's voice was faint, but he still continued, "What I said is just a guess! Some people are born with great luck as an ability, so it is not too far-fetched to say..."
"You are thinking I am just guessing?"
Irina was disappointed in her brother.
With a sigh, she asked, "Do you know what decides the survival of a gang?"
"Strength!" Monto answered confidently.
Irina wanted to slap her brother again. If she didn't know better, she would have thought he was adopted.
"Why was I cursed with you as my brother?" Irina massaged her forehead, "Strength is important, but that's not what decides survival. Survival depends on knowledge..."
Monto was angered by her sister's words, but he didn't dare say anything. Still, he couldn't help but ask, "Knowledge of what?"
"Knowledge of what type of people you can never offend!" Irina's expression was serious as she continued, "You think I will tremble after seeing Zed's face just because of my 'guesses'?"
"No..."
"I feared him because I have done my homework on survival as the gang leader!" Irina's voice was heavy.
"Homework!?"
"Yes. Do you know the similarity between Eastern Sky Gang, Tiger Might Gang, and Greedy Wolf Gang?"
"Those gangs no longer exist...!" Monto didn't dare believe what his sister was trying to imply, "Are you saying they were wiped out by Zed? He might be strong for his age, but that's it...there is no way..."
"I never said Zed is responsible. Perhaps he is a part of some influential group or he has a powerful backer," Irina clarified.
"Sis, you have to be wrong!" Monto tried to reason.
From what he knew, Eastern Sky Gang and Tiger Might Gang, they were murdered in cold blood, but the style of killing was different in both cases.
As for Greedy Wolf Gang, their headquarters were destroyed by a chemical blast. The police inquiry claimed the gang was making some dangerous explosives when the blast occurred.
"Accidents can be created to avoid suspicion. Anyways, the point you missed is that all these three gangs were active in the eastern part of the city where Zed lives," Irina continued, "You know how strict we gangs are when it comes to the regions we control."
Monto: "....."
"Most importantly, all these groups were wiped out only after Zed started living there. You truly think everything I have said so far is all a coincidence?!"
Monto: "......"
"Not only gangs, but even many corrupt officials in that part of the city have died. Some were murdered while others died in strange incidents... the police found nothing and all cases were closed! You think even this is a coincidence!?"
"......."
"Anyone who might take a fancy to his wealth has died in one way or another! If you still think this was a coincidence, then I am sure Zed's ability is related to luck!"
Irina concluded with a final question, "Then what do you think will happen to those who fancy his life?"
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