“Still having trouble with siblings, aren’t you?”
“Yerim, do you see anyone else around?”
“No, no one. Should we finish him?”
Yerim replied without hesitation. Ugh, I shouldn’t be teaching her this. Hearing that no one was watching, Yuhyun’s hand flicked. The tip of his jet-black sword pressed against Hwang Rim’s throat, a thin line of blood trickling out.
“You’re too harsh on an honest rchant.”
Hwang Rim feigned tears, spreading both hands to show he ant no harm.
“Harsh? You don’t know what I went through in China!”
“That’s even more unfair, little Water Dragon. Jina, say sothing. We used to get along so well.”
He winked with one eye. Get along? I an, he never did much to .
“Just say it, hyung.”
Yuhyun whispered without taking his gaze from Hwang Rim.
“I’ll silence him quietly. If it gets loud, we ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) can say a wandering monster wandered in.”
“Spare , Jina.”
“You’re both S-Ranks—why be so weak? Stand tall, rchant.”
“I’m wary because our Jina’s little sister is formidable. I thought I’d be beheaded the mont I stepped off the helicopter.”
His admission made feel slightly better—at least he recognized quality.
“You speak well. Even if you’re beheaded, your tongue will float.”
“A rchant’s virtue.”
“But don’t think I’ll let you off. State your purpose and hand over everything you have. If you empty your inventory, I might let you live.”
“Why not just kill ?”
Yuhyun complained.
“I’m not fond of him either, but he deserves to know our intentions. He didn’t co just to sell cigarettes.”
Like a mugger, Hwang Rim patted his pocket—not his inventory—and produced a long object. Of course it wasn’t from his pocket but an illusion drawn from his inventory.
“This is all I have now.”
“What’s that?”
“Dried Swamp Unicorn Ox horn. Grind and consu for virility.”
“Now you’re peddling dicine?”
“I can’t sell what I don’t have. It’s marketed as a virility tonic but it’s really a health supplent. Supposedly great for weak constitutions. Even non-awakened folk buy it.”
Yuhyun’s eyebrow twitched at the ntion of its efficacy. Yuhyun, don’t you know that quacks will call dried bellflower root an elixir?
“Then why all this bullshit?”
“I request a private eting with Director Dodam. Just the two of us.”
“I refuse that nonsense.”
“Jina, you’re hurting my feelings. I have a tender heart, you know.”
“You’d repel a knife and still talk about tender hearts?”
My gaze naturally drifted to Hwang Rim’s chest. Claiming S-Rank, the guy was built like a brick house. I envied him. And, honestly, he was handso—more so now than in China. Maybe discharge treatnt? More likely, he raided his unit’s armory and deserted.
“...By the way, what’s the status of the military? I heard the moderate faction is gaining the upper hand.”
“The faction opposing stuffing Hunters into the army gained power. After all, there weren’t many military Hunters left. The first round of talks with the Martial Alliance went smoothly.”
That was good.
“Why would I target you now? I only want the details and information.”
Hwang Rim spoke in an unnecessarily cute voice. It didn’t suit him. Yet “information” caught my ear—he must know sothing about Park Ha-yul.
“Still, being alone feels off. Can’t one of Yuhyun or Yerim co along?”
“One is too young, the other too fierce. How about the civil servant?”
“Eh? Director Song?”
“He’s reliably official. Though he hears strange S-Rank rumors.”
Strange? In any case, I trusted Director Song. I wondered if he was still in the dining hall. Hwang Rim turned, and Yuhyun sheathed his sword despite displeasure.
“Uncle seems tough yet gentle?”
“...Huh?”
As we walked down the hallway, Yerim whispered.
“Why are you saying that?”
“Hyun-ah unnie said it too. Sotis uncle stares, and he’s all biceps—she says it doesn’t feel bad.”
“What? , when...!”
No, that’s, so—!
“They’re all S-Ranks; they’d notice. Even if they sneak a peek.”
“I—I, that...”
“Hyung likes my body too.”
My sister said proudly, making even more embarrassed.
“Just... jealous...! It’s impossible for , so living vicariously....”
“No, hyung also....”
Yuhyun hesitated, unsure whether to soothe with a lie or honesty.
“You could improve a bit.”
“That’s right. You were different.”
She referred to the in the nightmare dungeon. He was better than I, but still not exactly to my taste. I wished I were even twenty—or ten—centiters taller. I glanced at Yuhyun and Yerim on either side.
Yuhyun would easily hit 190 cm within a year. Yerim had grown since we first t—she might surpass soon. anwhile, I... no, still no. Seeing Hwang Rim striding ahead made sadder.
‘Transcendents often have ordinary builds.’
Diarmad in human form didn’t seem muscular, and neither did the Harmless King or even Chatterbox in true form. The newcor and the rmaid Queen were imposing, though. Ah, there was the centaur, and the elder had a broad back in his youth.
Maybe half half. Lost in thought, we reached the reception room. Past lunchti, few remained. Director Song seed about to leave, paused upon seeing us.
“Hunter Song Taewon.”
Despite Hwang Rim’s warm approach, Song Taewon’s expression stiffened. It was obvious he didn’t welco him, yet Hwang Rim casually tapped Song Taewon’s shoulder.
“Could you spare a mont? I’d like to spend quality ti alone with our Jina, but a chaperone is required.”
Upon hearing that, Song Taewon looked at reproachfully. It’s like, well.
“They said they have sothing important to discuss.”
“I’m just glad you ca to .”
Director Song sighed slightly.
“Please don’t go off alone again.”
“Of course not—don’t worry.”
The four of us—plus Gyeol—left the building and headed to the annex. In the quiet, spacious parlor, Song Taewon halted in a spot with clear views of every corner.
“How much do you know about Park Ha-yul?”
He asked imdiately as we sat. Hwang Rim sat opposite .
“How did you co by that knowledge?”
“Originally, Park Ha-yul targeted Han Yujin, not —the military did.”
“?”
“She was oddly obsessed with the breeding director. And at the sa ti, she’d been in contact with MKC.”
He also said Park Ha-yul’s agency had ties to China. Though less so after dungeon and Awakened appearances, the Korean entertainnt industry had once plunged into the Chinese market.
“She boasted she’d beco best friends with Director Han Yujin.”
That girl... she kept secrets but wasn’t entirely tight-lipped. Curious, I’d probed her when visiting China for work. Then she awakened.
“Her stats were high, but her skills were useless. Strong but can’t fight properly.”
“Was she rescued by that one older sister back then?”
“Actually, the military invited a Hunter rumored to have a special skill from the Goblin King. That Hunter took Park Ha-yul as an assistant—‘her face is pretty enough,’ the rumor went.”
Park Ha-yul followed that Hunter to the U.S., gained a new skill, and returned to China cooperating with the military. Then she kidnapped .
“Who is the invited Hunter?”
“That’s secret.”
Hwang Rim raised a finger to his lips.
“Contractual obligations.”
“Everything is contractual excuses to keep your mouth shut. Want an item to lift that curse?”
“That’d ruin my credibility.”
“You were born with zero trust anyway.”
Hwang Rim protested. Then he leaned toward . ...He hadn’t looked this handso before.
“Han Yujin.”
“...What?”
“Confide in .”
...What on earth? Hwang Rim smiled gently.
“I worry about you. You’ve had a rough ti, right? You’re S-Rank with wide connections—I can help.”
Why now, all of a sudden? My stomach fluttered. Hwang Rim rose, turned the table, and sat beside , draping an arm around my shoulder. Pushed aside, Gyeol flapped his wings angrily and settled in my lap.
“I know so things—about the outsiders.”
“...Oh?”
“Must be a headache. They’re spreading invitations saying they’re close to you. They really ant well?”
“That’s...”
“Han Yujin.”
Song Taewon had silently approached the sofa. His dark eyes looked down at and Hwang Rim.
“Your condition is... unusual.”
“What?”
“Recall Hwang Rim’s skill.”
Skill... even hearing of another’s skill from Yuhyun—wait. I frantically deactivated my fear-resistance skill. At once a chill ran down my spine. Damn, this is insane!
“Get away from him!”
Startled, I tried to push Hwang Rim away. He didn’t budge, instead pulling half-hugging . Imdiately, Song Taewon tensed.
“Park Ha-yul’s skill! Damn, you ca here for contact, didn’t you!”
“Don’t recoil so much, Jina. You were so ta just a mont ago.”
“Release Han Yujin.”
“You catch on fast, civil servant.”
Hwang Rim’s arm held tightly. Gyeol fluttered anxiously, tugging and scratching at Hwang Rim—of course leaving no mark.
“Hunter Hwang Rim.”
“I’m not harming you—why such a scary stare? I must have a grudge.”
“Of course I’m wary. You once kidnapped a Korean with near non-awakened stats and hard him.”
Song Taewon’s expression was colder than ever. An S-Rank kidnapping an F-Rank—that was an unforgivable cri to him.
“If you don’t release Han Yujin, I will use force.”
“Jina, what to do. You’re not much of a hostage. Should we swap? His sister better?”
“If it were Yuhyun, your head would have rolled by now!”
Damn it, his biceps are logs! The more I struggled, the colder the air around Song Taewon beca. He gave the look that said, “With the enchantnt on, I could just beat this guy up!”
“Lunar Eclipse, right.”
Hwang Rim looked at Song Taewon, smirking.
“The shadow born to swallow the moon.”
I froze. Song Taewon froze too. How did he know?
“Hwang Rim, you!”
“I told you I know.”
Even transcendent beings knew little about Song Taewon—at most the waning moon and the Child of Chaos might have noticed. The Harmless King was dead. Yet how...
“You contacted the Waning Moon?!”
“Not him. I’ve heard of him, though.”
Damn, what is this guy? Song Taewon, rigid, ground his teeth. I couldn’t guess his thoughts.
“Release Han Yujin.”
“Stiff, aren’t we? You must be curious about yourself.”
“I don’t care.”
Song Taewon took a step forward, ready to act. Hwang Rim clicked his tongue and pulled sothing from his inventory. Simultaneously—
“...!”
“Director Song!”
Song Taewon’s legs buckled. He collapsed and kneeled with a thud.
“What are you doing!”
“I just briefly neutralized him—don’t get too wild. He’s fine.”
“Fine? Are you insane!”
With my fear-resistance off, my heart pounded. My entire body tingled and my mouth went dry. Gyeol, unsure what to do, glanced between and Song Taewon. But I couldn’t let Gyeol help yet.
‘What the hell is this?’
I had to find out. Swallowing hard, I tried to remain calm.
“Really, nothing will harm Director Song?”
“Of course not. Now, shall we have our private conversation?”
I nodded at the barely upright Director Song. Yes—let’s hear what he has to say.
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