Kidnapping intricately linked to the theft of sight.
Add to that a disorienting chaos that warps your sense of direction and vision.
For a guaranteed surprise attack, there’s even a sideways lunge paired with a bleeding stab wound.
Kang-hoo had concocted this ‘combo’. It was the scenario he envisioned while making his way to the entrance.
In fact, he wondered when he might ever utilize this combination.
The task was complete.
After returning and reuniting with Lee Ye-rin, he would either head to the dungeon or find some work.
But an unexpected dispute arose, and it involved Jo Young-jae.
In a fleeting moment, a precise battle of aim unfolded between Kang-hoo and Jo Young-jae, each with the other’s life in their crosshairs.
Naturally, Jo Young-jae was the first to launch an attack.Kang-hoo’s reaction was akin to self-defense.
The only difference lay in Kang-hoo evading Jo Young-jae’s target, while Jo Young-jae failed to do the same.
“Cough······.”
Before Kang-hoo, Jo Young-jae knelt, blood spilling copiously.
Severe wounds lacerated his neck, side, and chest, each one too critical to mend.
Truthfully, Kang-hoo had never intended to spill blood with Jo Young-jae. Initially, there was no animosity between them.
Certainly, he considered that Jo Young-jae might eventually become an underling of Jang Si-hwan.
This was because, according to the original narrative, Jang Si-hwan would be conquering forces in the Osan region around this time.
The area teemed with criminal syndicates, providing ample pretext for subjugation.
Consequently, such gangs adept at cleaning up messes would be expected to fall in line.
Despite anticipating this, Kang-hoo had no immediate reason to single out Jo Young-jae.
But the instant their gazes met, Jo Young-jae’s brow furrowed deeply, and he thrust his greatsword forward.
It was a despicable pre-emptive strike.
Of course, Kang-hoo believed in utilizing any means necessary to kill.
But that applied when there was a grudge or a motive—like fulfilling a contract for assassination.
Today, there was no such link between Jo Young-jae and him, yet he thrust the greatsword without hesitation.
If Kang-hoo’s leap skill hadn’t been able to move more than 10 meters, his neck would have been severed long ago.
But he narrowly dodged with a backward leap, matching Jo Young-jae’s slightly short ‘charge’ distance.
Then Kang-hoo, in an awakened state, immediately followed with a forward leap and slashed at Jo Young-jae’s throat.
‘He exposed his malice first, which gave me a good opportunity to exploit his weakness.’
Kang-hoo made this judgment.
Jo Young-jae was a berserker.
A class that grew stronger over time, so avoiding prolonged fights was essential.
However, Jo Young-jae’s aggressiveness had created an opportunity that Kang-hoo didn’t miss.
“Bro, brother…”
“Ugh! Young-jae brother is dead!”
“He even made a contract with a Constellation…”
The gang members of Osan Suho, witnessing Kang-hoo’s unilateral victory, were all in shock.
To outsiders, Jo Young-jae might have looked like a street boss, but to them, he was a ‘god.’
Equipped with three expensive grade-6 items and having completed a contract with a Constellation at level 65.
Such a ‘god’ lost his life to someone he least regarded. It was an undeniable, complete defeat.
Kang-hoo took a solarkium out of his pocket and said,
“I’ll give you exactly 5 seconds to choose. I’m not forcing you, but the result will be the same.”
Sipping. Sipping.
Kang-hoo diligently sucked the essence.
The attack on Jo Young-jae had been a single stroke, yet his head throbbed as if struck by multiple combos at once.
When Kang-hoo glanced over, not a single one remained; they had all retreated.
In a world where death was no longer special, Kang-hoo also experienced no change in his emotions.
He had killed the man who had tried to kill him, and that was the end of it. There was no foolish sentiment, no wondering why he had killed.
“Two.”
“Aaah!”
As soon as Kang-hoo counted to two, they all retreated in a 36th-caliber dash.
The one trailing behind was the guy with the pomade perm who had lost his right hand to Kang-hoo at first encounter.
“This is Jung Sun-kyu.”
“Yes, Sun-kyu. Have you completed the task?”
“Yes. I’ve retrieved it.”
“What about Kim Mok-hyun?”
“I’ll contact you as soon as I get to Daejeon Station.”
After exiting the dungeon, Kang-hoo ended his brief call with Lee Ye-rin.
He didn’t inform her about Kim Mok-hyun’s fate because that information also carried value.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch in the realm of information. And those who are thirsty dig their own wells.
[Bloodthirsty Predator]
[A neutral constellation. The likelihood of being immune to mental attacks increases as your health decreases.]
The ability stolen from Jo Young-jae wasn’t intended, but it was the ability Kang-hoo most desired.
Considering ‘the enemy’, the most troublesome hunters are those with mind control.
What if they can casually make someone commit suicide or command a colleague to kill?
A skilled ‘mental-type’ hunter can easily turn such nightmares into reality.
Having a higher chance of resisting this was incredibly important in combat.
Regardless, Kang-hoo acquired three items from Jo Young-jae.
[Overture of Madness – Gloves]
[Grade: 6th]
[Health +25]
[Mage Hunter - Bracelet]
[Grade: 6th]
[Anti-magic +25]
[Shoes of Pursuit]
[Grade: 6th]
[Agility +25]
[When pursuing a designated target, movement speed increases by 25%.]
All three items were of significant value.
Especially the Mage Hunter bracelet, which was exceedingly rare due to the difficulty in finding the anti-magic option.
Consequently, items related to anti-magic were often rated a grade higher.
If sold on the market, they would fetch the same price as other 5th-grade items.
Ten minutes later.
“This place seems good.”
He arrived at the west side of Osan Station, a short distance from the long-abandoned ruin dungeon.
Though typically inconspicuous, the area drew attention today because of the unfolding spectacle.
“Kill all the bastards of Pyeongjeong!”
“Even if the bastards of Bastard surrender, kill them!”
Criminal organizations ‘Pyeongjeong’ and ‘Bastard’, each aspiring to expand their turf into the Osan Station territory, were engaged in an outright war.
Their aggression was well-founded; the dungeon ‘Gold Goblin’s Mine’ located on the west side promised substantial wealth.
Its closed-off nature allowed for easy control, and as a reset-style dungeon, the faster one conquered it, the faster they could profit from it.
The frequent discovery of high-grade magic stones meant that merely tapping into this resource could secure a daily net profit in the hundreds of millions.
For any organization, there was no better foundation for operating funds.
At least, that was the norm in Osan.
Click. Shiiik.
Kang-hoo savored a can of coffee.
Observing the blood-drenched conflict from a hill that offered an unobstructed view, coffee in hand…
It was akin to watching a film.
Silhouetted against the setting sun, the dark figures of the two factions clashed violently, the brutality of their assault unmistakable.
Although the blood was concealed by the dusk, the pervasive atmosphere of agonizing death could not be hidden.
“……”
Kang-hoo detected someone approaching his vantage point.
This was his mana tracking ability at work.
If someone in the vicinity made use of mana-based hunting skills, they couldn’t elude his notice.
Naturally, as Kang-hoo had experienced when he killed the original possessor of this ability, if someone purposefully misled him, he could be deceived…
Turning his head slightly, he caught sight of a woman brandishing a two-handed greatsword as tall as she was, heading his way.
She was determined to stain her tongue blue, vigorously enjoying a cheap lollipop.
With her long hair fluttering, she wore a hoodie and sweatpants in a mismatched fashion.
She dressed more like she was out for a walk in the neighborhood than ready for battle.
She spoke first.
“A prime spot, isn’t it?”
Kang-hoo nodded.
The distance was short as the crow flies, yet a long path through the battlefield.
She continued.
“There’s no better place to watch people die. Of course, it’s also perfect for getting killed while watching.”
She sat down next to Kang-hoo, leaving just enough room for two palms to fit between them.
With nothing else to discuss with a stranger, Kang-hoo stayed silent.
Regrettably, Shin Kang-hoo, the original character, wasn’t gifted with the talent for friendly banter.
In fact, he was almost devoid of it.
But she, undeterred, peppered Kang-hoo with her questions.
It felt as though she was talking to herself rather than expecting a response from Kang-hoo.
“Are you a mercenary?”
Kang-hoo nodded.
“I’m a mercenary too. Know any good mercenary groups? Good pay, low-difficulty tasks?”
Desiring more money for less challenging tasks?
Such an attitude didn’t quite fit a mercenary.
“That seems like a misguided notion.”
“Haha! Can’t handle contradictory statements, huh? A big catch, a real catch! I reeled you in!”
“……”
Only then did Kang-hoo realize she had dangled bait to provoke a reaction from his stoic demeanor.
A clever attempt.
She had indeed reeled him in.
“I’m Yun Sang-mi. I won’t ask your name. You look like you wouldn’t tell.”
“Jung Sun-kyu.”
“A pseudonym?”
“Yes.”
“Mine too.”
Kang-hoo shifted his attention back to the battlefield from Yun Sang-mi. Using pseudonyms was commonplace.
How many mercenaries used their real names? Nearly none.
Unless the real name was already widely recognized, rendering a pseudonym pointless.
Or if they were wanted.
“There should be plenty of work around Daejeon Station. Eclipse has been stirring up trouble in all directions.”
“Eclipse. Five mercenaries I knew got killed by them. Quite a few are missing, too. Obviously, they must have gone to Cheongmyeong Detention Center…”
Yun Sang-mi’s words triggered the recollection of a name Kang-hoo had completely forgotten, causing him to frown.
Though he tried to disregard the memory, his body remembered the torture and abuse he had suffered there.
In that moment,
his body felt shriveled and a strong headache began to surge.
It was learned pain.
He had been forced to consume extreme amounts of mana to mine magic stones, leading to frequent bouts of mana hypersensitivity.
“Just sweeping up the bounties on the higher-ups would be enough to retire comfortably for a few years.”
“Like Kang Dong-hyun, that kind of higher-up?”
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