The Genius Assassin Chapter 120: Preparation (1)

Chapter 120: Preparation (1)

“Sure.”

Kang-hoo doesn’t usually talk about the past first, but since there’s no reason to hide it, he answered honestly.

“How was it?”

“When we were dating, everything was great.”

He rembered his ti with Han Seo-yeon.

Looking back on Shin Kang-hoo’s life, before he awakened as a hunter, those were the happy tis.

When Han Seo-yeon beca a hunter, that’s when their relationship started to face problems.

Their worlds beca different, and as their ability to empathize with each other started to diverge, conflicts beca frequent.

At so point, Kang-hoo concluded that it was right for them to break up, for Han Seo-yeon’s sake as well.

For her to fully develop her abilities as a hunter, and to find soone to guide her…

He was convinced that his existence, as a non-hunter, would only be a burden.

Thus, Kang-hoo unilaterally sought to break up and intentionally did not respond to Han Seo-yeon’s contacts.

Was it because he disliked her? No.

It might seem like a nonsensical reason, but it was for her sake. He didn’t regret that decision even now.

“After parting so cruelly, I looked for her as soon as I got out of Cheongmyeong Detention Center. I really have a thick face.”

Kang-hoo smiled bitterly.

On one hand, he was grateful to Han Seo-yeon for worrying about him, burying the sorrow of the past.

He hoped that she would be able to grow her dreams further in the Jeonghwa Guild.

Moreover, he hoped they would never face each other as enemies in the future. He did not wish for a tragedy.

Having finished his thoughts, Kang-hoo asked Ban Se-yeong.

“And you?”

“? I did have soone I was seeing.”

“Did you break up?”

“We did break up, but, um… would ‘widowed’ be the right term? It turned out that way.”

“Hmm.”

For hunter couples, or in cases where one of them is a hunter, becoming widowed is more common than one might think.

The death rate for hunters is tens of tis higher than that of non-hunters, or regular people.

There are countless deaths inside dungeons, and it’s common to be killed due to entangled interests.

Especially in the outskirts of the capital region, where law enforcent is poor, the death rate is much higher.

Therefore, Ban Se-yeong’s story of widowhood was not particularly surprising.

“We were ambushed by Eclipse.”

“Eclipse… an ill fate.”

“Right. Though for a different reason than Se-hyuk, both of us really hate Eclipse.”

“Couldn’t find the culprit?”

“No. We only managed to recover so of my boyfriend’s belongings. The dungeon reset before we could retrieve his body.”

“It must have been hard.”

“Well, it’s sothing I’ll carry with

for the rest of my life. I made a promise at my boyfriend’s columbarium.”

“What was it?”

“I promised that if I could look at my boyfriend’s photo placed there and still manage to smile, only then would I et soone new.”

“That’s a good resolve. Your boyfriend would want you not to be tied to the past forever.”

“I guess so. But so far, every ti I go, I end up crying. Seems like I’m still far from smiling.”

Ban Se-yeong’s eyes welled up with tears.

Given her usual lively and bubbly appearance, it was unexpected she carried such a heavy story.

It seed all the more pitiful that she had experienced such deep pain at such a young age.

Perhaps feeling embarrassed for getting too emotional, Ban Se-yeong awkwardly scratched the back of her head and asked.

“So, you don’t have anyone you’re seeing now?”

“I don’t want to. I think that anyone I love will just end up in danger.”

“Why?”

“No comnt.”

Kang-hoo didn’t want to go into detail about the path he wishes or needs to take in the future with Ban Se-yeong.

He mid zipping his lips, concluding the conversation.

Love, always a thrilling and pleasant word, but… Kang-hoo thought it was a luxury for him.

He believed it was right not to pursue love, for his own sake and for the sake of anyone who might be by his side.

That afternoon.

After discussing the strategy for the Hell of Judgnt, Kang-hoo and Jeon Se-hyuk agreed to et again for the dungeon handover procedures.

They had chosen a place they liked, but the transfer of ownership was more complicated than expected.

Since there was no imdiate rush for the dungeon, simply setting the appointnt was sufficient.

After exchanging contact information with Park Dong-jae, Kang-hoo headed back to Seoul early.

The strategy eting for the Hell of Judgnt was scheduled for the next day at 6 PM.

As planned, Kang-hoo was assigned to the scouting team, which ant he would depart later than the main force.

The main force was to enter the dungeon at 3 PM the next day, leaving a 3-hour gap.

The reason for the main force’s earlier entry was simple: they would only move along a previously scouted safe route, making it unnecessary for the scouting team to enter any uncharted areas first.

Inside the L Hotel in Myeong-dong, overlooking downtown Seoul.

Kang-hoo was taking a rest there.

Despite the exorbitant cost of a night’s stay, it was incomparably peaceful for a quiet stay.

“Paired in twos. Partner: Jin Hyo-young. I have no idea who that is.”

Kang-hoo reviewed the information received in preparation for joining the next day.

The scouting teams were organized in pairs.

Teams were ford to cross-verify the internal scouting information.

The Jeonghwa Guild isn’t foolish.

Sending just one person into an unknown territory and taking their word for it was out of the question.

Thus, they were organized into pairs, serving as checks on each other. All scouting teams were arranged this way.

Jin Hyo-young.

The attached photo showed a woman with blue-black hair and a noticeable pink headband, not affiliated with any group. This implied she was a rcenary, though her origins were unclear.

“I’ll find out when I et her.”

eting soone unknown wasn’t strange. It would be stranger to et soone familiar.

Gulp, gulp.

Kang-hoo took in the view outside the window, drinking the canned coffee he’d bought in abundance before entering the hotel.

Even just a few sips would empty the can, but Kang-hoo enjoyed its unique aftertaste.

Sweet yet bitter, tantalizingly straddling an ambiguous line, perhaps?

“I should go to Japan.”

It seed like the right ti to use the An Yeong-ho chance.

Having joined forces with the Shadow Sovereign, Kang-hoo now had dark energy stats.

To utilize dark energy, one must use skills based on dark energy, aning such skills needed to be plundered.

However, among the dostic bosses, few had skills related to dark energy.

Even those that did weren’t very useful in combat. The efficiency was also quite bad.

It’s not for no reason that hunters, especially the higher-ranked ones, operate internationally.

There’s a ‘deficiency’ in resources that cannot be filled by operating solely within the country.

That’s why Casey Rex, master of the Fortuna Guild in the USA, ford ties with the Jeonghwa Guild.

From their perspective, there are quite a few rewards available only in Korea.

Then, a call ca in.

Now that he had shared his number with many, simply receiving a call didn’t indicate who it was from.

The caller was Lee Ye-rin.

“Yes.”

-Mr. Seon-gyu, how have you been?

“What’s the request about?”

-Ah! I started with a greeting. You should at least react. It’s embarrassing otherwise, isn’t it?

“Have you been well?”

-You sound like a machine.

“I hear that a lot.”

Despite the frivolous conversation, Lee Ye-rin chuckled, seemingly amused by Kang-hoo’s character. Perhaps because she was surrounded by eloquent and witty male rcenaries, Kang-hoo felt even more unique to her.

-We’ve received a request. It’s not specifically for a rcenary, but it does specify a profession.

“An assassin, you an?”

-Yes. It’s related to a pharmaceutical company. You can guess the general idea, right? I can’t ntion the target beforehand.

“Let’s hear the details.”

-The request is to set fire to a laboratory where a certain pharmaceutical company is conducting secret human experints.

“It sounds like you’re trying to portray it as stopping inhumane, unethical experints.”

-Ho ho. Right. If you strip away the packaging, it’s just about keeping competitors in check.

It seed like bait.

This marks the beginning of what’s known in the original story as the “White War,” a competition among pharmaceutical companies.

The White War was waged over the distribution and supply rights for stimulants, naly drugs.

Hence the na White War.

Unlike in the Aricas and Europe, where the restructuring around major pharmaceutical companies was nearly complete,

the Asian sector was characterized by a proliferation of nurous pharmaceutical companies.

While so companies steadfastly refused to deal with drugs,

others were willing to research and develop even beyond drugs if it ant profit.

As a result, there were massive defections of researchers from existing pharmaceutical companies through headhunting,

or entire companies being acquired by large capitals, leading to a shift in direction.

It was indeed an era of chaos.

The spark of the White War seed to have been definitively ignited by a previous incident involving an electric pharmaceutical company.

“Let’s put it on hold.”

-Pardon?

“I have so personal matters to attend to. I’ll contact you again after handling this.”

-Should I pass it on to soone else?

“It seems like we’ll continue to receive similar requests in the future. Please do that.”

-Understood. Please make sure to contact

as soon as you’re done. I have high expectations for Mr. Seon-gyu.

“I’m looking forward to it as well.”

-Hmm?

Kang-hoo ended the call with words that left a peculiar aftertaste.

The White War is essentially a war of rcenaries, a proxy war representing pharmaceutical companies.

Therefore, it was highly likely that rcenaries, not just from within the country but also from abroad, would be heavily involved.

And if cheap rcenaries were sought, hands would likely extend towards China or Russia.

“Either this or that.”

Regardless of the country, dealing with rcenaries was always going to be problematic.

However, given there’s no counter to sheer numbers, it was hoped that foreign rcenaries would only co in moderation.

Of course, such wishes were nothing but dreams.

Reality always turns out to be much filthier and more chaotic than imagined. The White War would be no different.

The next day at 2:30 PM.

Kang-hoo arrived at the eting place much earlier than the scouting team’s entrance ti at 6 PM.

He had chosen to enter a nearby café.

The entrance to the Hell of Judgnt was located near the Paju Publishing Complex.

By then, the site was already crowded with nurous journalists who had co to cover the event and fans supporting the Jeonghwa Guild.

According to estimates by the Hunter Public Safety Bureau, over 10,000 people.

That count only included those at major thoroughfares, and in reality, the number was likely several tis higher.

The scene, managed by not just public safety officers but also soldiers, was truly a spectacle to behold.

‘This brings back mories.’

Kang-hoo’s reflective mood wasn’t due to today’s operation. It was because this was the place where Shin Kang-hoo, in the original story, lost his left arm to Jang Si-hwan.

The critical injury and loss of his left arm here ultimately hampered Shin Kang-hoo beyond recovery, painted as a villain with convictions and a tragic backstory, his death at the hands of Jang Si-hwan saddened many readers.

‘No reruns this ti.’

Of course, such an event would absolutely not happen again. Or rather, it must be prevented.

Just then,

A strong perfu scent that sharply stimulated Kang-hoo’s senses entered along with the sound of the café door opening.

The intense fragrance didn’t fade but quickly approached Kang-hoo.

Curious, he turned to look, and there was the female hunter he was supposed to et as his scouting team partner.

“Mr. Jung Seon-gyu?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Hello? I’m Jin Hyo-young.”

A typical and expected greeting for a first eting. However, Kang-hoo felt a strange sense of déjà vu from her.