Former Ranker's Newbie Life-Chapter 49

Do-Jin arrived at a corridor lined with heavy iron doors, each one shut tight.

“See those bars over there? Take a look through and pick one. It’s a tight fit, but you’ll get a decent view. If they’ve got their heads down or they’re crying, just call for them. That’ll get them to show their faces. If any of them pretend not to hear, just pretend like you’re unlocking the door. They’ll think someone’s coming to beat the shit out of them and straighten up real fast.”

Vickie let out a sharp, mocking laugh before stepping aside to block the exit, making it clear she’d be watching. A few feet away, five men slouched in their chairs and were dealing cards between themselves while barely sparing Do-Jin a glance.

Ignoring them, he turned his attention to the row of cells. Through the grimy iron bars, he could see the captives, women crammed into each room. Most looked unharmed at first glance, but here and there bruises and broken skin stood out like battle scars. They weren’t careless enough to rough up all their “merchandise.” But at least one or two had clearly been used to set an example.

Maybe not today, but soon, I’ll wipe this place off the map.

Steeling himself, Do-Jin moved down the corridor, counting heads, memorizing faces. If he was going to get them out, he had to be sure none got left behind. When he reached the last cell, something strange caught his eye.

“What the hell is that?”

“Huh?”

Vickie, who had been lazily watching the poker game, strolled over. She followed Do-Jin’s gaze into the room, then let out a knowing snort.

“Oh, that? The coffin? Yeah, that ain’t ours. Some other big-shot had us hold onto it. Pretty sweet deal too. Those rich bastards are actually paying good money just to store the damn thing.”

She kept rambling until, suddenly, she clamped her mouth shut.

“Shit. Look, don’t overthink it. Just pick a girl and be done with it. You’re not about to tell me you’re into guys, right? Cause that’d be a problem. We don’t deal with men. They’re too much hassle to manage and they’re not worth half as much as the women.”

She trailed off, finally realizing Do-Jin wasn’t listening. His gaze was locked on something inside the room, and his expression was unreadable. Following his line of sight, she figured it out and let out an exaggerated sigh.

Fucking typical. Every guy’s the same goddamn way.

Rolling her eyes, she took a step back, assuming he was drooling over one of the half-dressed captives sprawled across the floor. However, Do-Jin wasn’t looking at any of them. The moment his eyes landed on the black coffin wrapped in thick chains, a system prompt flashed before him. Quests in this world didn’t just appear out of nowhere. They worked like puzzles, only revealing themselves once enough pieces fell into place.

[Cursed Coffin]

Grade: Fate

Rewards: EXP, Gold, ???

You have discovered a mysterious coffin radiating an ominous presence. It has no place in a den of low-life criminals. Investigating it might give you a chance to prepare for whatever danger it holds.

The disaster heading for the Marzia Viscounty wouldn’t activate as a quest until he uncovered the right clues. That could be through rumors, strange encounters, or minor events building up into something bigger. He had assumed the key to unlocking it was the Cult of Ruin’s priest. If he tracked the priest down, the quest would trigger and the system would give him some way to stop the disaster. That was how it had always worked.

Back in Gulak Village, he had received a Fate Quest and gone through the steps one by one. In the end, he had rewritten the future of a girl who was supposed to become a Sword Demon. That was why he had come here, to look for the priest’s whereabouts. Instead, he had stumbled onto a crucial piece of the puzzle far earlier than expected.

This was the second Fate Quest Do-Jin had triggered since coming back, and given the timing and location, there was a good chance that it wasn’t about a single person’s destiny but the entire viscounty itself.

Coffins usually mean one thing... but there’s no fucking way that thing is in there. Right?

His eyes landed on the ominous coffin wrapped in chains, and his gut told him it was trouble. He had seen enough in his past life to know coffins like this never meant anything good. A few possibilities crossed his mind, one worse than the next, but he shoved them aside. There was no point in jumping to conclusions.

First, he needed a closer look. Wiping out the whole room and sorting things out later was tempting, but reckless. He could handle a fight, but the quest might take a turn he wasn’t ready for. It was better to play it smart by gathering some intel and setting things up before making a move.

He turned his attention to the woman running the place. “You go by Vickie, right?”

“Huh? The fuck you calling my name for?” she said with a sneer.

“How much does it cost to buy one of these women?”

Vickie raised a brow at the sudden question but shrugged. “Depends on the age and condition. Nothing too pricey in stock right now. If you’re just looking to mess around for a night, 150 Gold will do. If you break them, though, you buy them outright. 500 a head. And if you kill one, you pay extra for cleanup, so try not to go too wild.”

“I’ll take them all. Five in this room, right? That’s 2,500 Gold, correct?”

“Well, damn.” One of the men at the poker table let out a low whistle, his grin wide with amusement.

Ignoring him, Do-Jin casually pulled out a pouch and, with a flick of his hand, used Psychokinesis to float it toward Vickie.

She caught it, but the moment she felt its weight, her face twisted in irritation. “The fuck is this? You’re short. This barely covers 500. You seriously think you can rough up all five for that little?”

“Of course not.” Do-Jin’s smirk didn’t waver as he leaned in slightly. “That’s just a gift for you and your friends over there. A little token of appreciation. See, I’m the shy type. I’d feel a hell of a lot more comfortable if you all gave me some space. You get what I’m saying?”

Vickie narrowed her eyes. “You want us to leave? So I just let an outsider do whatever the hell he wants with no supervision? Are you fucking stupid? Pick a girl and get moving. I’ll show you to a room with a bed... or a torture rack, if that’s more your speed. Do whatever the fuck you want, but we’ll be watching.”

Do-Jin let out a slow, calculated sigh. It was time to really sell the act. Up until now, he’d been playing the part of a sleazy scumbag. Now, he cranked it up to absolute degeneracy.

“I didn’t wanna say this out loud, but... this cell is exactly what I want. You saw them, right? They just got dragged in and they’re all trembling in fear, not knowing what’s gonna happen to them. This cell is their worst nightmare. And that’s where the fun is.”

Vickie blinked and was caught off guard.

He turned toward the poker players, tossing them a mysterious smirk. “Right, fellas?”

The men exchanged glances, some chuckling, some nodding in approval.

Vickie, on the other hand, looked more and more annoyed. “That pouch is all yours, Vickie. Consider it a personal gift. As for these fine gentlemen, I’ll settle their share when I pay the balance. So, what are you thinking? Can a fellow man get some damn privacy to enjoy his evening?”

A low chuckle rumbled from one of the men as he tossed his poker cards onto the table and got to his feet.

“Well, would you look at that? For someone with a face like a mean bitch, you’ve got some real balls, sir. Gotta respect a man’s kinks, especially when he’s willing to pay for ‘em.”

“Right? Besides, Vickie, ain’t you drowning in gambling debt these days? Not like the guy’s gonna grow wings and fly the fuck outta here. There’s only one way in or out of this place, so what’s the worst that could happen?”

“You fuckers...”

Vickie shot the laughing men a murderous glare but didn’t argue. Sharing with the others was one thing, but letting her keep all 500 Gold to herself was an opportunity she wasn’t about to pass up.

With a sharp turn, she strode off. “I’ll be waiting at the end of the hall. Take all the fucking time you want.”

The others followed, throwing crude hand gestures Do-Jin’s way.

Just as they were about to leave, he called out casually, “Oh, and bring me some drinks. Five barrels of the strongest shit you’ve got. I’ll pay for it.”

Vickie narrowed her eyes. “The fuck do you need that much booze for?”

Do-Jin flashed a smirk. “I’ll have a few drinks myself. The rest... well.” His gaze drifted toward the cells and a sly grin flickered across his face.

The men groaned in exaggerated disbelief. “No way. Are you forcing them to drink too? Like one barrel per girl? Hah! You’re a real piece of work, sir. Fine, fine. We’ll get you something nasty. The strongest, foulest shit we have.”

With those final words, Vickie and the men disappeared.

Do-Jin stepped into the prison cell, swinging the door open without a second thought. He didn’t even need a key. It was a simple iron door, the kind that locked from the outside with just a metal loop. The women inside flinched at the sight of him, and their breaths hitched in fear. Some were outright sobbing. Of course, they had heard everything. The place wasn’t soundproof, and the conversation outside had carried right in.

One of the braver women managed to speak through her trembling, “P-please... Please spare us. I’ll do anything. Whatever you want, just... just don’t kill me...” She instinctively shielded the younger ones behind her as she begged.

Do-Jin let out a quiet sigh, then murmured under his breath. “Do what I say from now on, and you’ll make it out of here alive.”

“Yes! Yes! I’ll do whatever you ask. Anything, I swear, just please...!”

He had meant that he’d find a way to get them out later, but she had clearly taken it a different way, as something along the lines of, “If you behave, I might let you live.”

Damn it. Was it my eyes? Do I really have that kind of look? No, fuck it. It’s just that I’m too good at playing the part.

Do-Jin took a step forward as he clicked his tongue. That was all it took for one of them to break down completely. She wailed at the top of her lungs, the sheer panic in her voice making the others scramble to calm her down. One of them turned to Do-Jin and pleaded on her behalf, saying she was just easily frightened, begging him to have mercy. The whole scene was a mess.

Sigh... I was going to ask them to scream a little, just to make it convincing, but I guess I don’t have to bother with that.

Was it convenient? Ridiculous? Or just plain sad?

Do-Jin barely had time to sort out his thoughts before muffled laughter and crude jokes drifted in from outside.

“Hah! Sounds like you’re already having a blast in there. Love to see it! We’ll leave the booze and water here, so knock yourself out.”

“Hey, buddy! You said you’d keep them breathing, right? If you’re just gonna use them up and toss them, at least let us have a turn first.”

“This bastard, I swear. Any time he sees some broken, hollowed-out bitch, he fucking loses it.”

The men outside were cackling like they were in on some inside joke. From the heavy thud of barrels hitting the ground, it seemed like they’d brought the drinks he’d requested.

Do-Jin stayed still, listening intently as their footsteps faded. Only when their voices completely disappeared did he finally move. Soothing the women could wait. First, he needed to check out the goddamn coffin.

Is that a seal...?

Even at a glance, he could tell something was off. The coffin and the heavy chains binding it were covered in some kind of magic. It was a sloppy job, but it was a seal nonetheless. Something inside was trying to break free. Do-Jin could feel a cold, sinister energy seeping through the cracks, pressing against the seal as if it was testing its limits. The magic holding it back strained against the force, barely keeping it in check.

Guess I’ll have to poke at it.

Sure, it could be dangerous, but standing around thinking wouldn’t change anything. Time was a resource he didn’t have the luxury to waste. With that in mind, he reached out.

Crackle.

A sharp spark lashed out from the seal, stinging his fingers like a pissed-off wasp. Then, a fracture splintered through the seal. Like a dam bursting from a single crack, the seal rapidly disintegrated. The coffin and chains shook violently, rattling apart as they crumbled.

“The fuck kind of seal was that?”

Do-Jin shook out his right hand, still tingling from the mana backlash. Although breaking a seal usually meant disrupting the flow of mana, this one had been so flimsy that it shattered from his presence alone.

Either the thing had been slapped together by some half-assed amateur or... whatever was inside was just that strong.

A chill ran down his spine, a primal instinct screaming at him that this was bad news.

Wait a minute... No fucking way, right?

The thought had hit him the second he laid eyes on the coffin. He’d shoved it aside, convincing himself it was impossible. But now, standing here, feeling that unmistakable energy crawl over his skin, the possibility forced its way back into his head. Just as that buried suspicion clawed its way back, the coffin lurched forward, its heavy lid crashing to the ground with an echoing slam.

Inside, an impossibly beautiful woman was lying there in a perfect and unnatural stillness. She had no business being on the Central Continent. She belonged to a race that simply shouldn’t exist here. It was as if every one of Do-Jin’s worst fears had come to life.

This woman was a descendant of the Shadow Principality, a nation buried beneath the floating continent at the farthest reaches of the North Sea. She was a creature of haunting beauty and her flawless appearance served as nothing more than a trap designed to ensnare the weak and unsuspecting. She was a bloodthirsty monster hiding behind a perfect facade.

What the fuck? She’s also an Elder.

Her fangs were just a little too short to be meant for ripping into human throats and a little too blunt to belong to a mindless bloodthirsty predator. But that was exactly what set her apart, as she didn’t need to feed. It was the mark of a higher breed, a vampire so powerful that drinking blood was a choice, not a necessity.

The highest-ranking vampires, known as Elders, were personally sired by First Blood, Grand Duke Tirund, himself.