Chapter 153
Chapter 153
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Chapter 28: Human Hunt (7)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This time, I got lucky and slipped by, but there was no guarantee I could avoid misfortune in the fourth draft either.
‘I’ll have to grind through the main scenarios hard.’
That meant spinning the roulette to stockpile Karos’s authorities.
‘Since it’s a power with limits, it won’t be all-purpose.’
But from testing it out recently, I’d seen the potential.
With Karos’s authorities, I might be able to keep my family out of this game—and this war.
‘With no other options, I have to cling to that possibility.’
To prepare shares for the twins, and even for the Seo father and son, I’d need to diligently tackle the main scenarios.
‘It’s going to be busy when I get back.’
Of course, right now, my priority was filling my stomach.
I returned to the kitchen and turned on the induction cooker.
As I heated the pan familiarly, drizzled in cooking oil, and cracked the eggs.
Sizzle—the appetizing sound started just as.
「Trait: Capitalism activates.」
「System switches to support type. Support target: Player Kang Hyun-woo.」
The Capitalism trait, which had shut off right after hunting the Japanese player, reactivated.
My eyebrows shot up in an instant.
‘What bullshit is this bastard spouting now.’
I glared suspiciously at the message window, and sure enough.
《System Message》
Please return to Bihar and proceed with the mission.
I dismissed the message window the moment it popped up.
It hadn’t been long since I’d finished the last bounty mission, so I was free from the ten-day mandatory mission timer for players.
Plus, there was still time left before the return schedule I’d newly discussed with my party members.
So I consistently ignored the system’s urging.
‘And honestly, this fucker has no business rushing me.’
If it had any conscience, it wouldn’t harass me after I’d pulled all-nighters for days, spinning through over a dozen countries because of that ten-day timer.
The mission the system had thrown at me this time was clearly excessive.
If labor laws applied, it would’ve been a blatant violation.
《System Message》
Please return to Bihar and proceed with the mission.
So this system, popping up messages repeatedly despite my ignoring it, clearly had no conscience.
I kept dismissing each new window it threw up while finishing my fried eggs.
But the moment I mixed a big scoop into a bowl piled high with cold rice and side dishes.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, dingaling!
The notification sound I’d turned off in the settings blared as dozens of windows flooded in.
Finally losing my patience, I yelled with my mouth full of rice.
“LET ME EAT, YOU BASTARD!”
Only then did the alerts and system windows stop.
‘Damn thing—even dogs don’t bother you when you’re eating.’
I cleared the dozens of lingering windows and shoveled down my rice, chomp chomp.
And the moment the big bowl emptied.
《System Message》
I’ve provided the recommended missions. Player Kang Hyun-woo, please keep your promise.
It pricked my conscience a little.
In truth, I was eagerly gobbling up the recommended missions the system provided.
Some came from the church missions, but I had a fair share of exclusive info too.
Thanks to that, my assets in Bihar were growing fast.
It was all possible because of this implicit deal with the system.
‘It’s not wrong to say I’ve paid the price for the system using me.’
And if we were to draw up a contract for that deal, diligence would definitely be one of the clauses.
For a split second, I wondered why I should uphold conscience if the system didn’t.
But I knew how foolish it was to decide based on “they did it, so I will too.”
Besides, even without its nagging, I’d planned to head to Bihar tonight.
‘I’ve got a lot to do.’
Before diving into the new main scenario, I needed to check personnel files, and see if bounty hunting missions popped only on Earth.
If so, it’d be better to wrap them up before the main scenario.
‘Plus, I have to attend the attribute stone auction.’
It wasn’t pleasant to return to my family’s embrace after so long, only to get chased back to the battlefield after a single day.
Even so, the fact that I had to go didn’t change.
“I’ll eat dinner with the kids.”
I tossed the empty bowl in the sink and turned on the water, continuing in a slightly subdued voice.
“Then head back, so quit rushing me and pissing me off.”
I needed time until dinner to handle the gold bars in storage too.
Once I made that clear, the Capitalism trait deactivated.
Silence as affirmation.
* * *
When I suggested we all go out for a meal, the family gathered, and I announced right there that I had to leave immediately.
Jong-hoon nodded calmly, but Jae-hyuk let out a hollow laugh, half-listening as he waved it off.
And the twins...
‘They say it’s fine, huh.’
The moment I said I had to go, they turned to each other almost simultaneously, exchanging glances—the exact look they had when plotting something behind my back.
It was just like the day before they’d trashed the kitchen making me a birthday cake.
‘If they’d listen when I said something, they wouldn’t have started in the first place.’
I couldn’t claim to know everything about the twins.
But having raised them like my own, I could read that much.
‘Guess I can only watch for now.’
With me unable to stay by their side, I had no grounds to interfere.
In the end, after leaving the restaurant and arriving at Jong-hoon’s lab, I left them with a plea.
“Busy as you are, please check on them just once more. I’m begging you.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it. No need to fret about here—worry about your own body...”
Mid-sentence, Jong-hoon swallowed his emotions and continued in his steady voice.
“Your scars have increased since last time. I know your body’s changed, but still, don’t overdo it. Don’t worry about what’s left behind. Just focus on coming back alive.”
“Yes, of course...”
“Don’t take it lightly.”
He suddenly gripped my shoulders hard, his voice trembling.
“No matter what it takes, come back. Your siblings need you, not me. Got it?”
Even if it meant shoving someone else into the jaws of death, I had to return.
With a faint smile at that cruel, tender encouragement, I nodded.
It was a vow I’d made from the moment I got dragged into this game—nothing new.
After a brief wordless exchange of glances with Jong-hoon.
I crossed through the gate in a swirl of pure white light, just like that day half a year ago.
「Welcome to Bihar!」
「Bounty Hunter enters.」
「HIDDEN MISSION list is added.」
But this time, there was a different message.
‘HIDDEN MISSION list added, huh...’
Unexpected, but I wasn’t too surprised.
I’d half-expected it, so instead of panicking, I calmly tapped the bounty icon.
Atop the now-empty mission list—thanks to the bounty hunters’ efforts—a new tab had appeared.
‘Earth and Bihar.’
It seemed to separate info by region.
Unlike Earth, where country names were listed, Bihar’s bounty missions named non-Beta zones: Havon, Rorole, and the frontline outpost Colom Castle, which had become a new base just days ago.
‘It’s not like I didn’t know.’
As expected, Bihar had its own bounty missions.
It’d be ridiculous if troublemaking players were only on Earth.
I’d rushed back as soon as possible to find out when, how, and under what conditions it revealed targets.
‘It even made a whole new tab.’
I sighed deeply at the list—twice as long as Earth’s.
The mission details were slightly different too.
‘Slaughter of kin...’
Not without “traitor” mentions, but more often, it was lines like from the Han Chang-sik mission.
As I pondered that curiously, a message hit the bounty hunter group chat.
- Sniper: Whoa! What? We gotta hunt these in Bihar too? There’s a ton!
- K: It’d be weird if they were only on Earth.
- Aisa: We have to go kill those people too?!
I replied to Sniper while finishing the mission scan.
And recalled the other hunters’ bases too.
‘Sniper and Aisa are in Rorole, Ethan in Bicheta.’
Not intentional, but nicely divided.
‘I need to find who’s based in Havon for the last spot.’
That’d make it easier for me to focus on the main scenario.
‘For now, I’ll handle this one.’
Even in Bihar, the timer was ten days—plenty of time.
‘The new main scenario starts the day after tomorrow.’
Havon had 7 missions, nearly 20 targets.
Probably because player PKers operated in parties.
‘Unlike Earth, the targets aren’t spread far.’
With a good route, I could clear it in a day.
‘Finish quick and hit the attribute stone auction tomorrow afternoon.’
With my new plan set, I left a message in chat.
- K: Let’s each handle our bases. Call for backup if it’s too much.
- Sniper: Got it.
Right after, I spent the whole next day—and night—slaughtering targets.
Bihar’s security force never intervened in player-on-player friction.
To minimize civilian damage, I went for stealth kills; most died without much resistance.
Some were prepping PKs in nearby contamination zones, not Havon.
Their distraction with other players made it even easier.
After another hectic day, as a new dawn broke.
I headed to the base I’d left nearly two weeks ago—and had to stop short before reaching it.
A modest two-story stone building had its lights on.
Unexpected, but thinking it over, I had a good idea who.
I unlocked the door with the key I had and stepped inside.
First sight: a spacious living room big enough for five or six.
Left: two rooms plenty for bedrooms. Right: kitchen with hearth and cooking area.
Deeper in: stairs to the basement warehouse.
“Hm?”
The sound came from the kitchen.
“Oh? You’re early.”
Kim Yul appeared from the hallway, bread in his mouth.
“Ended up that way.”
His tracksuit, all rumpled, looked like sleepwear.
Meaning he’d been here at least a day.
“When’d you get here?”
He scratched his cheek at my question.
“Uh... honestly? I’ve been here since last week.”
“What?”
“No one special on Earth to see.”
No real family, and going back to the NIS meant awkward questions about me.
I’d vaguely guessed his family situation, but hearing it sudden threw me off.
Kim Yul, nonchalant, grinned brightly.
“Not asking you to worry—just prepping so if you find out later, you won’t grill me.”
He unilaterally ended the talk, turning back to the kitchen.
“Was eating alone, so just bread and stew. Want some?”
“...Nah. Need rest first.”
Another all-nighter.
With the march tomorrow, time to recover condition.
“Alright then. I’ll leave some out—eat later.”
“You?”
“Heading out to hunt.”
“March tomorrow—don’t overdo it.”
“Worrying about everything.”
He waved and vanished into the kitchen.
I didn’t interfere further, heading up the stairs.
We’d assigned rooms when buying the place, unpacked basics in each.
I went to my room at the hall’s end.
Opened the door: neat basics—clothes, weapon maintenance gear.
I set down my equipped weapons and armor neatly beside them. Done.
“Phew.”
Now to wash off the human blood.
I stripped haphazardly and headed to the small bathroom in the corner.
The caked blood rinsed off easily.
The unexpected guest came hours later, mid-final meeting to prep for tomorrow’s main scenario.
Damn System