Reinforcing Kim Chulkwon — Part 1
I registered Kim Chulkwon in the Sanctuary and allowed him to co in briefly.
In truth, he had shown up a few days earlier.
Knowing that I had a Sanctuary at my ho, he had been lingering nearby, waiting for an opportunity.
When he saw
head up to the rooftop, he had followed .
I offered him a warm cup of coffee.
Kim Chulkwon took the cup with trembling hands and drank it.
“What exactly happened?”
“Hah…”
Kim Chulkwon stared into the empty teacup.
After a long silence, he finally responded.
“I was betrayed.”
“Betrayed? By whom?”
“Who else? My subordinates—no, those sons of bitches! Those worthless punks! I picked them up when they were nothing but dregs of society, starving brats who couldn’t even eat one al every three days! I raised them into Level 2 Reinforced, and how do they repay ? By stabbing
in the back! I’ll kill them all!”
Kim Chulkwon ground his teeth and shouted.
Level 2 Reinforced.
In other words, the executives of the Iron Fist Gang.
I stared intently at Kim Chulkwon.
It struck
as ironic.
‘Betrayed in the ga and now betrayed here as well.’
To be honest, I thought the Iron Fist Gang’s betrayal issue had been resolved after the last incident with Human Hunter.
But apparently, the Iron Fist Gang’s betrayal had been destined to happen.
Previously, it was just a rogue act by a low-ranking thug. This ti, it involved executives.
“Did all three of them betray you?”
“…I don’t know. One is certain, but the other two…”
“Who’s the one that definitely betrayed you?”
“Go Junbeom, that bastard.”
Go Junbeom?
Who’s that?
I made a puzzled expression, and Kim Chulkwon gave a bitter laugh.
“He’s the guy who managed the Sinwon Market. Rember? The one who sent a lackey to lure and kill you last ti.”
“Was he connected to that incident as well?”
“I can’t say for sure.”
“Why did he betray you? He didn’t seem like soone who’d betray so easily.”
“He’s not.”
Kim Chulkwon shook his head.
“Loyalty and camaraderie an nothing in this line of work. Backstabbing is just part of the daily grind. Only a fool or an idiot gets caught off guard.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“I should’ve made a magical pact or implanted hacking codes, but I didn’t. That’s my mistake. I thought treating him like a younger brother would make him see
as an elder brother. I was too naive.”
Kim Chulkwon clutched his chest as though trying to tear it apart.
“Especially that bastard Go Junbeom. He never liked my prohibition on human trafficking.”
“Back alley profits often co from human trafficking. Even more so if you include body modification.”
“Yes. After you gave
the Geonwoobong facilities, that bastard Go Junbeom started strongly advocating for it. He wanted us to follow the Cleaner Association’s example and sell modified kids for profit.”
“And you opposed it, of course?”
“Not just opposed—I strictly banned it. Actually…”
Kim Chulkwon hesitated for a mont before instinctively glancing at his severed arm. Then, he spoke.
“My younger brother and I were sold as kids and forced to undergo body modification. The aftereffects left my brother unable to move properly, and I was only fortunate enough to survive and make a living with my modified body.”
That’s right.
This was revealed when you cleared Kim Chulkwon’s personal quest.
When I nodded calmly, Kim Chulkwon gave a faint, bitter smile.
“You already knew, didn’t you?”
“I had my suspicions.”
“Anyway, because of those mories, I couldn’t tolerate human trafficking or forced body modification. The Geonwoobong facility was only used for our gang mbers. I suppose that wasn’t enough for Go Junbeom. Honestly, Geonwoobong is an incredible asset. Whether you use it to create sex slaves or take a commission for illegal body modification, it’s a goldmine. Just that one facility makes as much money as all the protection fees collected from the other districts in Sinrim-dong combined.”
In the end, it all ca down to money.
Still, one thing didn’t add up.
“Even so, you’re a Level 3, Boss. How could you lose to just two Level 2 executives?”
“It wasn’t just the two of them. There was a Level 3 rcenary involved.”
“A Level 3 rcenary? How? Hiring a Level 3 rcenary costs tens of billions of won, at the very least.”
It had cost Lee Jaeyeol 20 billion won to hire Human Hunter. While that included assassination and confidentiality clauses, even a regular rcenary hire would cost at least ten of billion.
A gang executive, not even the boss, wouldn’t have that kind of money.
Kim Chulkwon lowered his voice.
“When I was attacked, I was poisoned, drugged, and subjected to ntal assaults all at the sa ti.”
“Huh? Don’t tell …”
“Yes. It’s highly likely the Poison Gang and Naked Gang were involved.”
That changes everything.
The Poison Gang rakes in money through drug sales, and the Naked Gang amasses wealth through forced donations. Both had been under relentless attack from the Iron Fist Gang and must have been desperate to strike back.
The picture beca clearer.
They must’ve struck a deal: eliminate Kim Chulkwon and leave the Iron Fist Gang’s current territory untouched.
The Iron Fist Gang currently had three Level 2 Reinforced mbers, even excluding Kim Chulkwon.
The Poison Gang and Naked Gang each only had two Level 2s, making an all-out war risky.
Taking out Kim Chulkwon alone would’ve seed like a worthwhile trade to them.
“Superhuman!”
Suddenly, Kim Chulkwon dropped to his knees.
“Please help ! I have no one else to rely on but you. If you don’t help , I’ll die—and so will my brother. That poor, innocent boy will die too!”
“What are you doing? Get up!”
“Please! I’m begging you! I’ll do anything you ask. If you tell
to lick your shoes, I’ll lick them. If you tell
to die, I’ll die. Just, please!”
Kim Chulkwon looked up at
with desperate eyes.
To be honest, it was overwhelming.
I preferred maintaining a cooperative relationship over taking full responsibility for soone.
That’s why I had turned down countless recruitnt offers and chosen to act alone.
Corporate life, organizational life, group life.
In all my experiences, not once had I been left with good mories.
But, but…
If I didn’t step in, Kim Chulkwon would die.
The network of back-alley connections I’d painstakingly built would vanish.
Go Junbeom?
The other Iron Fist Gang executives?
It was highly likely that neither of them shared Kim Chulkwon’s straightforward personality.
They might even co after , just as they had taken down Kim Chulkwon.
Kim Chulkwon, at the very least, wasn’t soone who would betray .
The jackals who had already committed betrayal to prove their lack of integrity?
The answer was already clear.
It wasn’t loyalty or personal connection—it was a decision made through cold, calculating logic.
I quietly extended my hand.
Not my right hand, but my left, so Kim Chulkwon could grasp it.
“Fine. I’ll help you.”
“Thank you, Superhuman! No, Brother!”
“Just call
Superhuman.”
“How could I possibly call you Superhuman when you’re my brother? Absolutely not!”
“Then I won’t help.”
“Th-Then, uh, ah, fine! I understand! I’ll call you Superhuman! Superhuman Brother! No, Superhuman!”
Kim Chulkwon, who usually wore a cold, unyielding expression, at this mont resembled a fresh recruit who had just graduated from basic training.
I turned away, pretending not to notice, and grabbed my golf bag.
After glancing at his severed right arm, I asked,
“Don’t you have a spare prosthetic?”
“It’s in the car. It’s the lowest grade, though. If I put it on, I’ll be reduced to a Level 1. Should I still use it? Oh, and Superhuman, could you please speak casually to ?”
“Fine. Put it on and, for now, use this.”
I handed him an old rifle I’d used before.
It even had an under-barrel grenade launcher attached.
We headed outside and climbed into the car.
By then, night had fallen.
The surroundings were quiet. If it had been , I would’ve been keeping watch on my house, but it seed the traitors hadn’t thought to do so.
Strangely enough.
Whir, click.
Kim Chulkwon attached the spare prosthetic to his right arm.
A standard Level 1 prosthetic.
It was the sa one I rembered seeing during the ga’s tutorial.
Reinforced warriors like Kim Chulkwon or Director Kang, who enhanced their bodies through chanical prosthetics, shared a common characteristic.
Their level depended entirely on the level of their prosthetics.
This made it easy to raise their level, but also left them vulnerable to being overwheld by the mana produced by the prosthetics.
“I’m ready.”
“Let’s go.”
Vroom!
The old, beat-up car roared to life as Kim Chulkwon, with a determined expression, took the wheel.
We drove along the base of Geonwoobong Mountain.
No ambushes lay in wait.
The cool autumn breeze carried a faint stench with it.
I tapped on the window of the passenger seat.
‘This is strange.’
Why was it so quiet?
And why had Kim Chulkwon been hiding near my house for days?
If the Iron Fist Gang, the Poison Gang, and the Naked Gang had truly joined forces, it made sense.
No one knew them better than Kim Chulkwon, after all.
But he had ntioned that a rcenary had been hired.
A Level 3 rcenary.
The kind of rcenary as skilled in killing as Human Hunter.
‘Could this be…’
A trap?
I imdiately swapped my traits.
[Sixth Sense] [Insight]
I tested Kim Chulkwon with a casual comnt.
“You said this happened three days ago? You managed to escape sohow.”
“Phew, it was a close call, truly. God must have been watching over . I’m even thinking about finding faith once this is all over.”
Kim Chulkwon shuddered as though the thought itself was unpleasant.
But his words were filled with nothing but respect and admiration for .
There wasn’t even the faintest hint of malice or treachery in his tone.
If that was the case…
I pulled on my goggles.
Kim Chulkwon gave
a puzzled look but soon nodded in understanding.
He likely assud I was gearing up for battle since the Iron Fist Gang’s headquarters was now visible in the distance.
That wasn’t it.
[Detection]
The trait was why I’d bothered with the goggles.
I focused on the Iron Fist Gang’s base—a cluster of studio apartnts arranged like a fortress wall around a single, towering 10-story comrcial building.
Dark energy billowed thickly from within.
It wasn’t mana.
It was simply my Sixth Sense and Insight warning , visualizing the danger for .
‘It’s a trap.’
Kim Chulkwon was bait.
The real target was .
But why? By whom?
There were plenty of suspects.
I had certainly stirred up enough trouble, drawing aggro from all directions.
But I had no choice.
There was no way to beco stronger while living a smooth, peaceful life.
‘Among the Poison Gang, Naked Gang, and Iron Fist Gang executives, who could be connected with…’
I drew upon all my knowledge from the ga.
I equipped every relevant trait and worked through the possibilities.
My heightened sense, transcending intuition, soon reached a conclusion.
‘Human Hunter!’
Soone familiar with the back-alley underworld.
Soone with ties to gangs.
Soone involved with
long enough to orchestrate such a plot.
The only ones who fit all these criteria were Human Hunter’s siblings.
Bomber and Demolition Specialist.
It was a delayed activation of the linked quest I had anticipated while pursuing Human Hunter.
‘If that’s the case…’
I had to end this here.
If I let the two of them slip away, they would co at
with an even deadlier attack next ti.
I calmly observed the Iron Fist Gang’s headquarters.
I knew exactly what they were planning.
‘I need a way to track Bomber.’
To do that, I’d have to walk straight into the lion’s den.
Feigning the appearance of having fallen into their trap, I would bait Bomber into dropping his guard and leaving behind his usual trail.
Once I had that trail, I could track him down, just like I had with Human Hunter.
Demolition Specialist would surely be guarding Bomber.
“Let’s go in.”
“You’re going in just like that? I have a bad feeling about this. Shouldn’t we gather more intel first?”
“It’s fine. Just trust .”
I was currently a Level 4.
This was on a completely different scale compared to when I raided the Dagger Gang.
[Einherjar Cultivation Technique], [Mana Core], [Mana Shield]
[Shoot], [Rapid Reload], [Insight]
Bang!
I kicked open the door and stepped inside.
Click! Clack!
They were already prepared for defense.
Behind reinforced steel barriers, Iron Fist Gang mbers aid rifles, shotguns, and even mounted machine guns at .
There were easily over a hundred of them.
The gang executives were present as well.
Among them, I spotted Go Junbeom and another individual.
It was supposed to be three of them, but one was either absent or had not joined in the betrayal.
“Heh.”
Go Junbeom stepped forward with a sneer.
He wasn’t completely unguarded.
A translucent shimring barrier flickered in front of him.
It had been a while since I’d last seen him, but now half his face was covered with a tal mask, and both arms had been exaggeratedly replaced with massive steel prosthetics.
“So, you’re just going to charge in headfirst, huh? You punk! Do you think being a Level 4 Superhuman makes you untouchable? I’m a Level 3 Superhuman too! If you’d just kept to yourself, we might’ve let you go with a small cut, but now that you’ve sided with that old bastard, you’re…”
What was this guy even going on about?
There were probably so hidden circumstances or psychological shifts involved, but I didn’t care.
I raised my shotgun, the [Impact] Dasan Shotgun, and aid it at Go Junbeom.
Go Junbeom burst into laughter.
“Shoot ! Go ahead! This is a bulletproof barrier! Shoot , I dare you!”
A bulletproof barrier.
It was a shield capable of easily deflecting normal gunfire.
I smirked and pulled the trigger.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sound was heavy and dull, completely distinct from that of a typical shotgun.
I unloaded all 10 rounds at once.
I could feel the mana depleting from my body and being replenished by the mana stored in the ring I was wearing.
The bulletproof barrier trembled.
With loud thuds, it was visibly pushed back.
[Impact] had the effect of treating the bulletproof barrier as a tangible object, physically shoving it backward.
After a few successive shots, the barrier finally gave way, and Go Junbeom himself was sent flying.
His eyes widened in shock.
Before he could activate the mana in his prosthetics, the 12-gauge shotgun pellets struck him head-on.
“Gaaaah!”
The combination of the shotgun and the [Impact] trait was devastating.
Each steel pellet carried the [Impact] ability, forcefully repelling everything in its path.
And if that “path” happened to be a human body?
It shredded them.
Ripped them apart, piece by piece, as though being dismbered by a relentless force.
So, you upgraded to Level 3 with new prosthetics?
So what?
Without proper defensive traits, it’s hard enough to withstand standard rifle rounds, let alone an SR-grade magically-enhanced shotgun crafted by an 8th-level mage.
“Ugh…”
“What the…”
“B-Boss?”
The Iron Fist Gang mbers were dumbstruck.
Of course they were.
Watching a Level 3 Superhuman who had been hiding behind a bulletproof barrier get torn apart like ground at wasn’t sothing you’d even see in a snuff film.
Click.
I used the [Rapid Reload] trait, completing the reload in just one second.
As I aid the shotgun at another executive, the man scread desperately.
“Shoot! Fire at him!”
Boom! Bang! Ratatatat!
Gunfire erupted from all directions.
Behind , Kim Chulkwon reflexively flinched and ducked, but it didn’t matter.
The mana shield I’d deployed had already blocked every single bullet.
If it had been a typical mana barrier, it wouldn’t have withstood concentrated fire for long.
But the mana shield was different.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
While I kept unleashing bullets and mana, the shield held strong.
“Aaaargh!”
“Guh!”
“P-Please! Please spare !”
The bulletproof barriers and steel barricades were aningless.
As I swapped out magazines and continuously poured mana into my shots, the [Impact] shells annihilated everything in my path.
It took just one minute.
That’s how long it took to wipe out the entire Iron Fist Gang.
“What the hell…”
Kim Chulkwon looked at
like I was so kind of monster.
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support
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