Chapter 99

The Security Team Leader received a phone call just after finishing up at the sauna.

“Team Leader. It’s me, Kim Gwondong.”

“Oh, did you finish writing the transcript and assessment?”

“No, sir. That’s not it…”

“You little shit. I went easy on you because you’re the most senior one here, and now you’re getting careless? Write up your assessment and send it to me within ten minutes.”

“Come on, that’s not it. I’m calling to report something unusual.”

A moment later, the Security Team Leader dropped the roasted egg he was holding.

“He had a USB?”

“Yes. We don’t know who he was talking to, but he said he was keeping the item safe, and he even slipped it out to check it himself. Junsu saw it directly, so it’s certain.”

“Th-then?”

“The target is keeping it on him, apparently… Junsu has no way to do anything about it for now, so I’m reporting it.”

“Junsu? Put Junsu on right now.”

“He’s watching the target with his Familiar, so that might be difficult.”

The Security Team Leader bit down hard on his lip. His head was a complete mess after hearing the report.

Who was the person on the phone? What was the target’s true identity? And what on earth is inside that USB?

The Security Team Leader’s instincts began to stir.

“Gwondong. This was a special order from the Guild Master. You know that, right? I’ve told you so many times.”

“Everyone knows that.”

“If we manage to get even one thing out of this, we all hit the jackpot. I’ll move up, and you’ve been around long enough that you ought to become a Team Leader, too.”

“…It’s not as simple as wishing for it. You know perfectly well they won’t make someone a Team Leader unless they’re at least B-rank.”

“I think this is more than enough to make a real score. I don’t know where that Jin Taekyung bastard came from, but the picture is obvious. You can tell just by listening to him talk about our Sangdong Guild. Right?”

“I did think it looked that way.”

The plan was proceeding without a hitch. Sangdong Guild still hadn’t noticed anything. And he was keeping the item safe.

The conversation between Jin Taekyung and the unknown person on the other end of the line was suspicious enough to sound meaningful even to a third party.

For Sangdong Guild’s Security Team, there was no question.

“That USB is the key. To put it bluntly, whether it’s the Peace Guild Jin Taekyung belongs to or some rival Guild, if they’re making a move to bring down our Guild…”

“Then that’s seriously high-value intel.”

The bonus was a given, and promotion was an option. If he caught the Guild Master’s eye, he might even be able to aim for a position among the Guild executives.

At that very moment, the Security Team Leader imagined himself as the Guild Master’s right-hand man, while Kim Gwondong became lost in a dream of becoming Sangdong Guild’s first C-rank Team Leader.

“Keep watching him. I’ll report this up the chain and start by checking Jin Taekyung’s call records.”

“Yes, sir!”

“I’ll change clothes and head over immediately. No matter how late it is, we’ll know who the target spoke with before dinner. Let’s come up with a plan before then.”

Just as the Security Team Leader was about to hurry to the changing room, Kim Gwondong spoke again.

“Ah, Team Leader. There’s one thing I’m worried about…”

“What is it?”

Anxiety could be heard in Kim Gwondong’s voice. And his ominous premonition proved accurate.

“You know Hong Woojin, right?”

“Ah, damn it.”

It was a mistake. He had been so excited that he had briefly forgotten about Hong Woojin’s existence. The Security Team Leader grew impatient.

It’ll be a problem if that bastard makes the first move.

The Guild Master he knew, Im Chunsoo, was a man who made rewards and punishments absolutely clear.

If a newcomer proved their ability, he would pave the road to advancement for them. But if he decided someone was no good, he would cut them loose without hesitation—even if they had been a Guild member for ten years.

I’ve seen it more than once or twice.

This wouldn’t simply end with Hong Woojin taking the credit. The Security Team Leader’s own livelihood was on the line.

Money? That wasn’t the issue. He had devoted half his life to this Guild and wanted to climb as high as he possibly could.

“Gwondong.”

“Yes.”

“That bastard is alone at home right now, isn’t he?”

“Team Leader, surely not? You can’t!”

“I’m not finished talking.”

Unlike Kim Gwondong, whose voice had grown loud, the Security Team Leader remained calm.

“If we subdue the target, take the item, and leave, this ends cleanly. He’s only C-rank, after all. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“He’s a C-rank who reeks to high heaven. If we make the wrong move, we could be the ones getting taken down.”

“Taken down? By a rookie who only just awakened as a C-rank? Me, a B-rank veteran? That’s insulting.”

“…”

“You don’t actually believe what Im Changsoo said, do you? If that were true, it would mean Jin Taekyung was really an A-rank Hunter… If that’s the case, you might as well say the Guild Master is a spy. Huh?”

“Come on, why are you taking it that far?”

“Enough. Are you doing it or not?”

“Fuck, this is driving me crazy.”

Kim Gwondong let out several deep sighs before finally making up his mind.

“If we get caught, we become criminals. You know that, right?”

“I know. I also know that if we don’t get caught, we’re innocent.”

“Team Leader, you really have some nerve.”

“That’s why I’m the Team Leader. What about the others?”

“They’re all gathered right now. We finished checking the CCTV on the first day we were deployed, and we have some simple disguise Equipment, too.”

“Good.”

“When do we start?”

The Security Team Leader licked his dry lips.

“The moment I arrive.”

As the old saying went, you had to pull the ox’s horn while it was hot. To him, a C-rank Hunter was a soft horn he could yank out one-handed.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that the bait had worked.

Meow.

Myaow.

The two Familiars showered me with affection, trying to win my favor. But this time, something was different.

They had struggled up onto the sofa with their short legs, then settled down—not just anywhere, but on my thighs.

They took the bait.

The USB in my pocket was the bait. By now, the watchers must have been going crazy with curiosity.

What plan I had mentioned during the call, who I had been speaking to, and what on earth was inside the USB.

I hope they’re more daring than I expect.

Neither they nor I had anything to gain by dragging this out. It was a weekday afternoon, the apartment complex was quiet, and the TV was showing a boring documentary about returning to farming.

“Ah, should I go to the hill behind the apartment for the first time in a while…?”

I muttered to myself and was about to leave through the front door when the change I had been waiting for occurred.

System

Level 2 Cat

Level 2 Cat

The Familiar magic had been dispelled. The meaning of this phenomenon was obvious.

They’re finally making their move.

In the body of a kitten, they couldn’t steal the USB from me. But if I, the target, moved somewhere sparsely populated on my own, that would change things.

Anyone looking at me would see an ordinary C-rank Hunter. They’d think they could take it from me without worry.

Of course, it wasn’t hard to predict that a suitable amount of violence and threats would be part of the process.

But the watchers had made one crucial mistake.

What they had misjudged was me. They had always been the perpetrators, and had never imagined that they could become the victims.

I’m looking forward to this. What kind of bastards are they?

I intended to show them exactly what happened when someone illegally stalked another person without permission.

The information Jin Taekyung had obtained from the real-estate office was only half right. Unlike Sangdong Guild’s Security Team, Hong Woojin’s hideout was in a place Taekyung had never expected.

The rooftop of the apartment building where Jin Taekyung lived.

“Whew.”

After severing his Link with the Familiar, Hong Woojin opened his eyes inside the tiny supply closet attached to the rooftop.

By slipping the security guard a little money, he had secured this optimal space of roughly five pyeong¹ for several days.

“This job got horribly tangled up.”

Jin Taekyung’s suspicious phone call. A USB whose contents were unknown.

He had finally discovered something that could be called information, but Sangdong Guild had discovered the same thing.

Hong Woojin stepped out of the supply closet and looked down over the edge of the roof. Far below, he could see Jin Taekyung just leaving the apartment entrance.

Should I follow him or not?

If he thought about the job, following him was the right choice. But something about it felt wrong. Hong Woojin was watching Jin Taekyung grow smaller in the distance with a conflicted look in his eyes when—

“Huh. What do we have here?”

One person, then another. The way they slowly crawled out was no different from snakes stalking their prey.

There were six of them in total.

Their clothes were all different, and their behavior was no different from ordinary people’s. But to Hong Woojin, a fellow professional in the industry, it was obvious.

“They’re from Sangdong Guild.”

Not one or two of them—six had emerged.

What was more, the target’s destination was a deserted hillside. Realizing what was about to happen, Hong Woojin furrowed his brow.

“They really pull every dirty trick in the book.”

Using force crossed Hong Woojin’s line. He should have quit when they deployed the Security Team, despite his repeated warnings when he first accepted the job. But this had gone too far.

I wanted to uncover Jin Taekyung’s secrets myself.

He was a man whose identity had made Hong Woojin curious, but this was where it ended. He had a feeling that he shouldn’t get involved any further.

Sangdong Guild, you goddamn thugs.

Clicking his tongue, Hong Woojin took out his smartphone and sent a text.

The recipient was the Team 1 Leader. The message was short and simple.

Team 1 Leader

I’m dropping the job.

Before leaving the rooftop, he also remembered to wish the already-vanished Jin Taekyung a peaceful rest.

Well, that was filthy. Let’s never see each other again.

In every respect, it had been a cursed job.

I climbed the mountain path in silence. It had been a long time since I’d left the hiking trail behind.

But I didn’t stop. I kept walking deeper and deeper into the mountain.

At some point, a broad clearing came into view. Weeds had grown thick there, reaching up to my knees. I slowly turned around.

“Looks like you’re still out for a walk?”

Kim Gwondong, the middle-aged man I had run into twice before, said nothing. His face hardened.

“No answer? Who’s the person with you?”

“My friend.”

If Kim Gwondong had an ordinary, forgettable face, the man who answered me was the complete opposite.

He was huge, with a vicious expression fierce enough to make gangsters cry. A rough voice rumbled from between his lips.

“You already know everything, so why did you come all the way here?”

“You kept trailing me from behind, so I wanted to see how far you’d follow. Think of it as training a mutt.”

The man let out a hearty laugh.

“Young punk’s got nerve. How old are you?”

“Yeokmasal.”²

“You’ve got a real talent for earning a beating.”

“Thanks for the compliment, Mr. Choi Byungil.”

The man, Choi Byungil, closed his mouth. His eyes shook.

“…How did you know?”

“That’s a trade secret. But are you and Mr. Kim Gwondong really friends? Judging by appearances, you two don’t exactly look like a matching pair.”

This time, it was Kim Gwondong’s turn to panic. But I wasn’t finished.

“Is it difficult to answer because you’re not friends? Then I’ll ask the other four. Mr. Park Hyungjin, Mr. Oh Gyuhyeon, Mr. Lee Mincheol, and Mr. Kim Junsu, I’d appreciate an honest answer.”

Bzzzzzz.

The air rippled, and four people dropped straight down.

Each of them had a Level window floating over their head, and their faces looked as if they had seen a ghost.

“Why is everyone so surprised? I was just being considerate so you could breathe comfortably.”

Choi Byungil gritted his teeth. All traces of his earlier composure had vanished, leaving his face colored by anxiety and bewilderment.

“What the fuck… What kind of bastard are you?”

Since he had started with profanity, my respect for my elders ended there. I let out a quiet laugh as I looked at Choi Byungil.

“You still don’t know? You must have dug up every scrap of information about me. If you went so far as to attach Familiars, that says everything.”

“…”

“I could’ve let it go if I’d been alone at home. But the thought of my family being watched pissed me off. So I threw out some bait, and you snapped it up.”

The six watchers trembled.

“Th-then what about the USB?”

“Oh, that? It’s my collection of porn I’ve spent my whole life putting together.”

It was a treasure of humanity that I had carefully stored in my Inventory.

“No way! I definitely had a feeling!”

“Well, there are plenty of works in there that defy belief. And any man would get a gut feeling about it.”

I looked at them, standing there with faces full of despair.

“You answered honestly, so let me ask you one thing, too.”

One by one, they flinched whenever their eyes met mine.

At last, my gaze stopped on a painfully thin man in his twenties. He was probably the Familiar mage.

System

Level 41 Kim Junsu

“Junsu. You were sent here by Sangdong Guild, weren’t you?”

“Shut your mouth!”

Choi Byungil shouted, but Kim Junsu had already answered.

His face had gone completely pale. That was answer enough.

“Okay, Sangdong Guild. I figured as much.”

Choi Byungil’s face stiffened at my words.

“You shouldn’t have said that name out loud.”

“What, you’re going to kill me?”

“…I’ll capture you first and think about it.”

“That’ll be pretty hard.”

Choi Byungil’s Level was in the mid-sixties. His aura was comparable to Im Changsoo’s, while the others were ordinary C-ranks around Levels 30 or 40.

The odds of a group that wasn’t even a professional raid team managing to capture me were extremely low.

“Come at me prepared to die. That’s the only way you’ll manage to tie even a butterfly knot around my wrist.”

“Get him!”

At Choi Byungil’s shout, the Sangdong Guild watchers began charging at me from all directions.

Whoosh!

A dagger dropping toward my shoulder was the opening move.

I reached toward the trajectory that looked slow to me.

At the same time…

Inventory open. Equip.

Crunch!

A blade brimming with internal energy shattered the enemy’s dagger. Broken metal and someone’s blood spilled across the nameless weeds.

“Come on, you stalker bastards!”

Ssshhhhh!