Human Hunter — Part 1
I opened the cap of the small black bottle.
Pop! A bitter sll imdiately wafted up.
It slled like herbal dicine. The kind that’s probably good for your health but makes you want to avoid it.
The junk dealer grinned widely.
“How is it? It’s the real deal. I went through a lot of trouble to get it.”
“The sll is convincing.”
I gave it a light shake.
Inside the bottle, which resembled a Bacchus bottle, a thick black liquid barely moved.
It was so viscous that calling it a “liquid” felt like a stretch—it was closer to sludge.
The junk dealer handed
a tiny teaspoon.
“It’ll be hard to drink. You’ll have to scoop it out like this.”
“It slls like red ginseng.”
“Yes, it’s similar to red ginseng, but the effects are much better.”
Mandragora Elixir.
In the ga, it was used to recover superhumans who had fallen into a state of exhaustion.
In this world, it was a miracle cure for post-surgery complications, and it was also known to be particularly effective for n.
I took the teaspoon and scooped up the elixir in one go.
The junk dealer panicked and yelled out.
“Sir! You can’t take it like that! You need to divide it into thirds and drink it over three days! You have to dilute it with water!”
I tossed the bottle aside and closed my eyes.
Fwoosh. Heat surged through .
Starting from my stomach, it felt like molten lava was bubbling up inside .
“Give
two more.”
“Wait, you’re not planning to drink those right away, are you?”
“I am.”
“But there will be side effects! No matter how well-prepared it is, Mandragora is both a miracle and a poison!”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got my reasons. Oh, I haven’t paid you yet.”
I reached into my golf bag and pulled out so cash.
Three bundles of King Sejong bills.
That’s 3 million won.
It was a bit pricier than what I’d seen in the ga, but considering how quickly he’d gotten it, a little premium was fair.
The junk dealer took the money nervously and handed over the other two bottles.
“This… this really isn’t a good idea…”
I downed the remaining two bottles in one gulp as well.
The result? My entire body felt like it was on fire.
Not only did my skin flush red, but steam also began rising from it.
My mana was boiling over, reacting with the moisture in the air.
“What the…?”
“What’s going on?”
“Hey, Kim! What did he just do?”
The junk dealer didn’t answer, just licked his lips nervously.
I closed my eyes and stood straight, operating my mana cultivation technique.
[Einherjar Cultivation Technique] [Mana Core] [Mana Stabilization]
[Deep Breathing] [Focus] [ditation]
I gathered my concentration and directed my mana.
The mana pulled in the overwhelming power sitting in my stomach.
With each breath, I took a step forward—one breath, one step.
The feeling that I was about to explode barely subsided.
At so point, the scorching heat began to spread evenly throughout my body.
Success!
The once volcanic heat had cooled to sothing more like hot water.
But now, it was flowing through my entire body, providing imnse vitality.
[Vigor] trait.
The final piece of the [Immortality] trait.
Once the protective gear was completed, I’d have gathered five out of six materials for [Giant’s Strength], and all the components for [Vajra Body] would be in place.
I’d still have to spend ti and possibly use so diamonds to transfer the traits from the armor, but it was within reach.
Buuurrrp.
I let out a long belch and threw the empty bottle into a nearby trash bin.
“Thanks. You really ca through, getting it so quickly.”
“Uh… are you alright?”
“Of course.”
I glanced around.
Was it because I hadn’t been here in a while?
Shinwon Market had changed a lot.
It used to be dark and almost devoid of vendors.
Now it was bustling with rchants and custors everywhere.
You couldn’t look in any direction without seeing soone haggling.
All the stalls were open, and new ones had popped up that I hadn’t seen before.
“It’s gotten a lot busier, hasn’t it?”
“Indeed! All thanks to you, sir. Business is good, and things have stabilized, so a lot of newcors have started setting up shop.”
“Newcors?”
“New vendors, I an. They’ve even been making big donations to the rchants’ Association, so the whole market is lively now. There’s even talk of expanding.”
I nodded absentmindedly.
If Shinwon Market grew, it would be good for
too.
Even if I didn’t make direct profits from it, I’d have easier and quicker access to the items I needed.
“No wonder I’ve been seeing so many unfamiliar faces.”
“Haha, that’s probably it. I’ve been working here a long ti, but this is the first ti we’ve had so many rookies co in. It’s all thanks to you, sir.”
As I looked around, I noticed sothing peculiar.
The rchants were glancing at
while they haggled.
It was unsettling.
They weren’t just looking because I was a superhuman.
Their gazes were far more persistent and purposeful.
Quietly, I activated my [Insight] trait.
Imdiately, the feeling beca clearer.
They were observing my every move.
It wasn’t obvious, but it was unmistakable.
They were focusing all their attention on .
Even the custors, who seed to be negotiating prices, were doing the sa.
“Hmm.”
“Is sothing wrong? The elixir wasn’t bad, was it?”
“No, it’s not that. By the way, did the goods arrive?”
“Yes, though not much…”
The junk dealer handed
a small pouch.
Two [Diamond].
Definitely a small amount.
It wasn’t nearly enough to enhance the durability of the Bloodsucking Glove or boost the healing properties of my necklace.
“Can you get any more?”
“I’m doing my best, but as you know, these things aren’t easy to co by…”
“I’m counting on you.”
“Well, there’s a small event coming up. You might be able to acquire more diamonds there.”
A small event?
That sounded suspicious.
But if there’s a chance, I have to take it.
Without diamonds, combining higher-tier traits would take ages.
“Alright. Let
know if sothing cos up. I’ll take my leave for now.”
I turned to leave.
Through my [Insight] trait, I could still feel those eyes burning into the back of my head.
The secretive yet relentless gazes persisted.
I couldn’t tell exactly how many, but I estimated there were about five or six of them.
I slipped my hand into my pocket and clenched my fist.
‘Who are they?’
There were plenty of suspects.
I’d taken out quite a few people.
Among the gangs, there was the Poison Gang and the Naked Gang.
Among the legal factions, there were people from the Cleaner Association and associates of Park Daeyeop.
Or perhaps, the Old Father’s Order had made a move.
I’d felt the tension when I went to get my magic armor made.
Even Jo Chul seed reluctant, and the paladin guarding him had glared at
the entire ti.
‘What should I do?’
I couldn’t just ignore this.
I had to be prepared.
I ran my fingers over the golf bag I always carried.
The firearms and explosives inside were within reach.
Should I just take them out?
No, that wouldn’t be wise.
These guys were likely just low-level goons. They wouldn’t know anything useful. Acting now would only put them on alert.
I’ll have to get Cho Sojang and Kim Chulkwon to investigate.
Until they gather intel, I’ll just stay ho and focus on training.
Even if they co after
at ho, I’ll have ti to deal with it.
I’ve got the Sanctuary Statue from Kim Saje, after all.
If I’m still worried, I could always bring in heavier weapons and fortify the place.
“Greetings, sir!”
I was climbing up to the ground floor, where the lights were dim, when a familiar figure appeared.
One of the Iron Fist Gang mbers who patrolled Shinwon Market, soone I recognized, bowed deeply at the waist.
“Ah, right. Good work.”
I nodded casually and was about to walk past when he called out with a troubled expression.
“Um, excuse , sir. Do you have a mont? My boss really wants to see you.”
“Your boss? You an Kim?”
“No, no, not the big boss. I an my direct boss, Ko Junbum. You know him, right? You helped us out last ti when we fought those Poison Gang and Naked Gang bastards.”
Ah, that guy.
I didn’t even rember his na.
“Why now? If it’s important, why isn’t he coming to
directly?”
“Well, he said it’s really important…”
“If it’s that important, he should talk to Kim.”
“If I don’t bring you, my boss will be in big trouble!”
The gang mber was practically jumping out of his skin.
“If the big boss finds out, my boss is dead!”
“Why? Did he screw up?”
“No, it’s not that…”
The gang mber’s eyes darted around nervously.
The sound of his heartbeat, amplified by my [Insight] trait, seed unusually loud.
Was it just fear of , or was it because his direct superior was hiding sothing from the gang’s boss?
Or maybe…
“Haven’t you noticed sothing, sir?”
“Noticed what?”
“Shinwon Market, sir. The atmosphere has been strange lately.”
“Yeah, I’ve felt that. Isn’t it just because more people are coming in?”
“I think there are spies mixed in with them.”
Sa thing I sensed.
It seed like the Iron Fist Gang thought the sa thing—likely mbers of rival gangs like the Poison Gang or the Naked Gang.
‘Is it really them?’
It made sense.
Both of those gangs were still eyeing Sillim-dong.
With the Iron Fist Gang getting stronger recently, the other gangs were probably getting nervous.
If they didn’t act soon, they’d be the ones devoured.
It was only natural that they’d make a move.
“That’s why I wanted you to co. If we just sit back, my boss is really going to get killed by the big boss.”
“So why didn’t he co himself?”
“You know how the big boss is. Around here, it’s like he has eyes on every wall. Please, I’m begging you. Save my boss.”
The gang mber kept bowing repeatedly, on the verge of dropping to his knees.
I pretended to consider for a mont, then nodded.
“Fine. Let’s hear what he has to say. Lead the way.”
“Yes, sir. This way, please.”
The mont I agreed, the tension visibly drained from his body.
His relief was palpable.
But his heart was still racing slightly.
Though I couldn’t see his eyes clearly in the dim light, his entire body was slick with cold sweat.
Was convincing
to co with him really that hard and terrifying?
Under normal circumstances, I might have just let it go.
But the unusual stares I’d felt in Shinwon Market had put
on edge.
The golf bag swaying as I walked felt like it was warning
about the grenade launcher tucked inside.
My heart was pounding, my breath catching slightly in my throat.
And then, I realized what it was.
[Danger Sense].
The ring Choi Sunsoo had retrieved from the Sun Mage Tower was working.
We arrived at a parking lot.
The gang mber bowed deeply in front of a black limousine.
“Please, sir, get in. We’ll take good care of you.”
A black limousine.
The windows were heavily tinted, making it impossible to see inside.
The exterior was plated with a strange tal, reflecting the sparse light in the darkness.
The gang mber spoke proudly.
“It’s a luxury bulletproof limousine, sir. A fitting vehicle for soone of your status. We went to great lengths to borrow it.”
Suddenly, a line from a certain character ca to mind.
[It was a luxury bulletproof limousine. He said it suited soone of my status, and that they’d borrowed it with great difficulty. That was the trap. I let my guard down and walked right into it.]
Kim Chulkwon.
The reason the forr boss of the Iron Fist Gang, who had joined the ga as a tutorial character, was reduced to Level 1 instead of being at Level 2.
He was betrayed.
And the very vehicle used in that betrayal was this bulletproof limousine.
The mory was crystal clear.
The scene from Kim Chulkwon’s flashback, where he was tricked—this was the sa limousine.
I hid my thoughts behind a smile.
“Impressive. I’ll be in your care.”
“Yes, sir.”
The gang mber opened the door for .
I didn’t show it, but I took a seat in the back, behind the passenger side.
Sinking into the soft leather, I eyed the driver’s seat.
‘So, it’s you.’
I didn’t know exactly which higher-up was involved or how many gang mbers had betrayed the Iron Fist Gang.
But after Kim Chulkwon was ousted in the ga, the Dagger Gang had nearly disbanded the Iron Fist Gang.
They even dragged in Kim Chulkwon’s younger brother, just in case.
It didn’t matter.
Now that I knew there were traitors, the advantage was mine.
Click.
I quietly tugged on the door handle without the gang mber noticing.
It was locked.
We hadn’t even started moving yet, and the door was locked.
That confird it.
My in-ga knowledge and my instincts were perfectly aligned.
The gang mber, completely unaware of the knife I was sharpening in my mind, grinned as he glanced back at .
“We’ll be heading out now, sir. It’s a bit of a drive, so feel free to take a nap.”
“Drive safely.”
“Yes, sir! I’ll make sure you’re comfortable!”
Vroom.
The limousine began moving with a deep rumble.
Night had fully settled over Sillim-dong, plunging it into darkness.
The streetlights flickered faintly, and the roads were empty.
There were almost no cars in sight.
The limousine sped along the deserted streets, heading west along Dorimcheon.
‘Toward Guro.’
A place where even in this world, law and order were barely maintained.
If Geumcheon-gu was falling apart because the ruling gang had abandoned it, Guro-gu didn’t even have a ruling gang.
Not at the district level, not even at the neighborhood level.
It was a chaotic battlefield, filled with small gangs all fighting for control, a place where the police had long since given up.
A neighborhood where human scum would kill anyone for the right price.
I glanced out the window.
[Daerim Gukbap]
The mont I saw the sign, I knew.
We’d reached our destination.
The feeling of suffocation was just a bonus.
“Huh?”
The gang mber behind the wheel made a strange noise, clearly faking confusion.
“Sir, we’re low on gas. I’ll stop to fill up quickly.”
There was a gas station right ahead.
[Daerim Gas Station]
He expertly pulled the car up next to the pump.
As he reached for the door handle, I tapped the driver’s seat with my foot.
“Hey.”
“Yes? Do you need sothing?”
“Do I look like an idiot to you?”
Do you think I wouldn’t catch on to your little sche?
“W-what?”
The gang mber, still clueless, asked again.
Bam!
Ignoring him, I turned and kicked the door.
The thick tal dented under the force.
I kicked again, with all my might.
[Strength] [Mighty Strength] [Toughness]
[Einherjar Cultivation Technique] [Mana Core] [Smash]
With all my strength, enhanced by my traits, I struck a third ti.
Crash!
With a loud crash, the door flew off its hinges.
I imdiately leaped out.
The gang mber stared at
in shock, his face frozen.
I flipped him off and threw the grenade I’d been holding.
“W-wait! No, no!”
Without missing a beat, I switched traits.
[Sprint] [Leap] [Mobility]
[Einherjar Cultivation Technique] [Mana Core] [Sensitivity]
I sprinted with everything I had.
Pushing every ounce of power into my legs, my belt and shoes lit up like mad from the mana overload.
About three seconds later.
The explosion I’d been waiting for erupted.
Boom!
Far louder than a single grenade should be.
A fireball erupted, the blast threatening to tear through my eardrums.
A shockwave slamd into my back, and a chunk of debris ripped through my tracksuit and embedded itself in my protective gear.
But I didn’t stop.
I ran even faster.
Just like when I escaped the cursed shopping mall, I gritted my teeth and pushed harder.
Fwoosh!
As I jumped into the air, the second explosion went off.
KABOOM!
The entire gas station went up in flas.
A wave of scorching heat surged after , followed by the overpowering stench of burning oil.
“Urgh!”
If I hadn’t leaped behind the building for cover, I would’ve been roasted alive.
In the ga, Kim Chulkwon had survived this, didn’t he?
Enduring both the limousine’s hidden bomb and the second explosion at the gas station.
It’s a wonder he wasn’t killed outright, just demoted in level.
Clack.
I snapped a magazine into my rifle as I stood up.
“Heh heh heh.”
“There he is! It’s the guy from the picture!”
“Ten billion! Ten billion won!”
“Split it evenly! If you try to hog it, you’re dead!”
The city was ablaze.
Flas licking the sky, casting monstrous shadows that seed to dance with the fire.
And amidst the chaos, the scum crawled out.
Their eyes glazed over from drugs, their limbs wobbling.
But I couldn’t afford to ignore them.
They were all ard with submachine guns and rifles.
Bang!
The sound of gunfire pierced through the flas.
The scum rushed forward.
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support
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