Chapter 97: Rumor (2)
Inside the damp cave filled with moisture.
The sound of water droplets falling from the stalactites far above echoed.
Tap.
Just as another droplet fell, a creature coiled beneath it quietly raised its head.
Hissss…
It was a snake that could not even be called a dragon, covered in pitch-black scales.
The snake flicked its blue tongue, inhaling the cave’s air before dozing off.
“It sleeps just like a person.”
But what’s this?
Out of the gloomy passage where no one seemed to be present, suddenly Korean words flowed out.
It was the voice of someone wearing a gray raincoat.
“If only it hadn’t slept for six hours, it might’ve grown faster.”
Su Ye-hwi of Nachalsawon slowly walked toward the lit area.
She had put in a lot of effort just to raise that snake.
The first obstacle was finding a place to hide the boss.
In the meantime, she discovered the method of eliminating dungeon corridors.
This place is nice because it’s spacious.
This had originally been an E-Class Gate where a boss resembling an amphibian appeared.
However, that leader had currently lost the qualifications of a dungeon master and was pitifully tied up in a small room here.
“Ribbit! Ribbit!”
The day the Imugi would finish growing.
Su Ye-hwi planned to kill that real boss and open an exit to the city.
I need to protect it well until then.
And besides, it wasn’t like she only had to worry about that one thing.
She also needed to manage the numerous bosses she had brought as a food supply.
Above all, she had to survive in this monster den…
Ah-choo!
Su Ye-hwi sprinkled yellow powder over her head again.
It was a sneaking item for great monsters that would eliminate her scent and sound.
Cough.
By the way, would this operation really be on time?
She had promised Member Kim to cause a terror incident before spring next year.
But as she prepared for everything, the outside had already begun winter.
The Imugi still hadn’t given her the desired results.
Hehehe.
Moreover, due to some pesky evil spirit bothering her, she was now even a wanted fugitive.
If I hadn’t suddenly been caught by the association, I would’ve been better prepared. Now food is running low.
It was certain.
This time, that guy must have devised some sort of scheme.
The only person she had ever truly thought was a bother was just one.
“Kim Gi-ryeo.”
Su Ye-hwi murmured that man’s name and momentarily fell into thought.
That exceptionally talented blond man had not gained fame until now.
Furthermore, why had he only revealed himself in the year she planned to execute her plans…?
What a mystery.
Interest and disgust.
For a brief moment, emotions exploded within Su Ye-hwi, but the wave quickly subsided.
She always held a firm faith within her heart, which proved very effective in maintaining her composure.
“Don’t worry, everyone. I will definitely enlighten this society.”
As if in prayer, Su Ye-hwi clasped her hands together and activated the PIXY analyzer she wore on her wrist.
Then the machine that shone upon the Imugi soon produced a value…
[???]
[Rank: ??]
[Description: No registered information.]
Su Ye-hwi checked the panel on her wrist and beamed.
“Aha!”
In truth, she didn’t care what happened to her promise with Member Kim; it seemed that the heavens did not want her to become a liar.
*
Back to the story in the park.
“Summarizing, it seems the situation is quite dire.”
We were in big trouble.
Regardless of the authority conflicts within the organization, ultimately, the Nachalsawon would operate according to that brainwasher’s insane ideology.
“Yeah. I can’t guarantee anything, but the likelihood of an incident occurring is quite high.”
Anyway, there had been no good days since reincarnating on Earth.
A giant pseudoreligious group was being manipulated by some brainwasher.
And that brainwasher wanted to massacre hunters, no less.
Should I leave Korea?
I placed my hand on my forehead, seriously contemplating.
Overseas escape. It was an idea I had considered three times this year alone.
*
And the next day.
When the TV weathercaster announced the chilly morning.
I got up and started getting dressed for going out.
Hah.
Shall I first state yesterday’s conclusion?
For now, Seonwoo-yeon and I decided to somehow ascertain the Nachalsawon’s plans.
How to prepare for a large-scale incident like terror changes the unit of casualties, after all.
Sniff sniff.
Of course, even at this moment, I desperately wanted to escape the country…
But due to the intricate Earth rules regarding visas and such, I ended up having to stay in Korea, crying.
It’s like they’re holding a knife to my neck to be patriotic.
Nevertheless, the only comfort in this middle of it all was that I found the newly welcomed season quite pleasant.
Oh dear.
Having lived in the cold deep sea, I was satisfied with the current temperature resembling my hometown’s water temperature as I stepped out of my house.
It was my first winter experience since arriving on Earth.
However, things weren’t going as smoothly as I had hoped.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why would Ms. Seonwoo-yeon have anything to apologize for?”
“Still, I’m so sorry…”
From the start, Seonwoo-yeon and I had completely messed up our plans.
“Could it be that the higher-ups wouldn’t even act like they’re listening…?”
The association and the police.
When I reported that a cult group was planning to initiate a massive Dungeon Break, guess what their response was?
-So what?
-Who cares?
… That was a rather polite way of putting it.
A citizen’s testimony was far too lacking to move government departments.
“Looks like we need to gather more evidence to report. The police seemed somewhat open to stepping in if we have proof.”
“In this situation, what kind of evidence…?”
“Perhaps finding the missing Imugi?”
Moreover, there was another troublesome fact.
It could no longer be ignored.
The Nachalsawon’s research was simply excellent.
The ‘gate with a closed corridor’ they created was absurdly effective at tracing prevention.
Did they completely turn the dungeon into an independent space by destroying the entrance?!
In the end, even with Seonwoo-yeon’s skill and my magic detection, we failed to pinpoint the Imugi’s location.
Thus, we ended today’s schedule without yielding any significant results.
Tomorrow and the day after would likely be similar.
Cough!
So, what should we do from now on?
Should we really just wait helplessly for the incident to unfold?
The only piece I could utilize was just a single bodyguard. And even he was someone who might betray me if an uncontrollable Dungeon Break occurred.
No, it would definitely be a big deal if fifteen bosses simply vanished across the nation! What are those fools thinking, still sitting on their hands!
The timing and place of the terror. Even the danger of the growing Imugi.
Right now, everything was uncertain. Literally, there wasn’t anything guaranteed.
Ugh.
So, I decided to try and reduce this uncertainty, even if it’s a bit ugly; after all, I should struggle till the end, so I won’t regret it later.
*
The next morning.
A strange visitor arrived at the headquarters of the Korean Magic Tower.
The person was a shabby young man dressed in baggy jeans and an old sweatshirt, yet there was something about him that made it hard to strike up a conversation.
“Uh, welcome. What brings you here?”
The man responded with cold eyes to the guide’s question.
“I have an appointment to see the representative. Do I need to go through the maze again this time?”
There was a hint of vague worry in his voice.
After all, he didn’t want to break the tower’s elevator for the second time.
A moment later.
“Oh, Kim Gi-ryeo! Welcome.”
Upon reaching the top floor of the building, Kim Gi-ryeo bowed his head in response to Esther’s greeting and sat down.
“I’m sorry for the late text. I was at the gate in Nonsan until late yesterday.”
Thud.
A dark, hot beverage that aliens despise was placed on the table, but it didn’t matter.
What he was about to say was much ruder.
“Anyway, why did you suddenly ask for my time? Hmm? I wonder what our Gi-ryeo has in mind?”
Kim Gi-ryeo pretended to sip coffee while collecting his thoughts.
Dealing with a Curse Mage is tough.
Especially since he lived as a Great Mage, and he had rarely bent to others.
In my hometown, I’ve never bowed my head to anyone except my supervisor…
However.
Even so, Gi-ryeo didn’t give up.
Even if he might incur the wrath of the Curse Mage, right now, preserving his life was the top priority.
“I came to ask you for a favor.”
Then what could a mere F-Class ask for to stay alive?
Gi-ryeo brought up his opinion.
“For now, it’s not a demand, so please don’t take it the wrong way.”
A minimal precaution to prepare against the Nachalsawon’s terror.
“Could you refrain from raiding gates for a while?”
As soon as that statement flowed out, Esther’s eyes went wide.
No, not just any request, but asking a hunter to refrain from hunting.
“What…?”
“More precisely, I hope you don’t enter dungeons that are too long.”
Kim Gi-ryeo immediately set down his coffee cup.
“I’ll explain the reason.”
Kim Gi-ryeo laid out the entire process, revealing that a brainwashed Awakened was planning something evil by sneaking away an A-Class monster.
Without a single hesitation.
“The missing Imugi and the cult…”
And then Esther also dampened her laughter and engaged in a serious conversation.
“So that’s why you want me to refrain from gate raids? Because if you can’t reach me during the terror?”
“Yes.”
“But for a while, when exactly do you mean…?”
“Until December.”
“What?”
“The cult leader has foreseen a major calamity happening by the end of this year, according to his speeches from before. I just received the information this morning.”
Let’s see. December.
It has been the case since before the Dungeon Shock era that cult leaders would push to validate their abilities through prophecy.
Esther soon nodded with an understanding expression.
“Alright then, let’s adjust the schedule. Why not?”
To be honest, she had almost considered kneeling before the S-Class, but having her request accepted so smoothly…!
“Really?”
Gi-ryeo was elated, then he quickly sobered up. There were still matters to clarify.
“Oh, and there’s something else I’d like to mention.”
“What is it?”
“The Nachalsawon is probably looking down on S-Class hunters. They might think that the monsters they’ve gone through so much trouble to raise might die at any moment.”
He recalled the incident that occurred back in August.
Seonwoo-yeon had said that the person who had carried out the suicide bombing back then was presumed to be a believer of that cult, based on matching descriptions.
“So please be cautious in your daily life from now on…”
But upon contemplating it deeply, it seemed the cult might not necessarily only target Jeong Ha-seong.
Gi-ryeo inquired, half-hoping.
“Um… just in case, have you been embroiled in any assassination plots recently?”
And the ensuing response was as he had guessed.
“Surprisingly, yes! You will not believe it, but the police contacted me. They were after some criminal organization and caught some of their low-ranking members, and suddenly my name came up!”
“Your name?”
“The police said some stealth skill user is planning to kill me, so I should be careful.”
“Ah!”
“I… I think the name was Park, something like Park?”
“Stealth and a criminal organization… wait, could it be Park Jun-tae?”
Esther gasped in surprise and clapped her hands.
“Oh my! That’s right!”
Park Jun-tae.
The illegal unregistered individual had been caught while trying to investigate Esther’s identity using the criminal organization he was a part of.
However.
“But later, I heard he was probably dead before they could even catch him?”
In reality, she had never seen the opponent.
Unbeknownst to her, Park Jun-tae had already failed in assassination twice and had been eliminated by Su Ye-hwi in return.
“Oh really?”
This news was the first for Gi-ryeo as well, but given the situation, there was no reason to be particularly sad.
“Well, as long as nothing unusual has happened…”
Gi-ryeo exhibited a dry reaction.
“…Wait.”
But then.
Esther seemed to sense something odd and tilted her head.
“By the way, how does Gi-ryeo know about Park Jun-tae?”
The subsequent questions were natural.
Of course, Kim Gi-ryeo had only learned about Park Jun-tae by the most ridiculous coincidence, but the truth behind words is usually invisible.
“We met a while back.”
“Why?”
“It wasn’t for a good reason. I just felt like Park Jun-tae was coming to kill me…”
“And what happened next?”
“Um?”
“He was trying to kill you, right? What happened after?”
Kim Gi-ryeo simply told the truth in response to Esther’s question.
“What happened? Nothing much. In the end, Park Jun-tae suddenly ran away.”
“What?”
“So I was also curious about what that guy had been up to all this time.”
The problem was.
An alien, expressing friendliness towards Esther, needlessly manipulated his facial expressions as he spoke.
Gi-ryeo soon adjusted the corners of his mouth to smile.
“I honestly didn’t think he’d be dead.”
But saying something like that with a smiling face, it naturally…
