Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Kidnapping Threats Even in Lion's Castle
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Even inside Lion's Castle, Jae-hyeok was plagued by kidnapping threats.
He had no intention whatsoever of recklessly leaving Lion's Castle and facing even greater dangers.
‘Of course, that’s only when moving alone.’
Gugang Group had put up too much money.
Even a large-scale movement by the Archery Club had become a situation everyone could accept.
When most people didn’t even know of Jae-hyeok’s connection to the Archery Club, who would predict the movements of Kang Jae-hyeok disguised as an ordinary ‘Archery Club Member 1’?
‘The chance of my outing information leaking is low.’
This was an opportunity he couldn’t miss.
Too much commission money was at stake, and that was merely a secondary benefit.
The ripple effect of this commission, as Jae-hyeok predicted, was tremendous.
If Gugang, who hated the Association, succeeded in preventing a Gate outbreak without the Association’s help?
It would become the trigger for completely severing ties between Gugang and the Association, weakening the Association’s position even slightly. Forces resisting the Association might increase by referencing Gugang’s precedent.
‘And those forces will seek ties with the Archery Club, which has proven its prowess.’
An opportunity to weaken the Association’s position while expanding his own influence.
‘Moreover…’
Jae-hyeok double-checked the facility information for Gugang International Hotel.
As befitting a five-star hotel, it housed numerous famous restaurants, including a fine dining establishment called Hira.
‘Daeyang.’
You guys are probably behind the commission fee skyrocketing.
A faint smile spread across Jae-hyeok’s lips as he prepared his gear.
***
“Why aren’t you taking us?”
“The team has to move together!”
As soon as classes ended, Da-hee and Do-jin blocked Jae-hyeok’s path right after he joined the Archery Club.
Jae-hyeok looked at them in bewilderment.
“What good would bringing you two do…?”
The content of this mission was ‘sniping.’ It was purely about hitting targets.
And the snipers had already been decided: Jae-hyeok and Jun-yeop.
“The other Archery Club members are just as useless, aren’t they? By that logic, you and No Jun-yeop could just go by yourselves!”
The Archery Club members snorted at Do-jin’s indignant retort.
“We’re supporters. We can help the snipers read wind direction or pinpoint various points using our knowledge and skills. You wouldn’t even know what these ‘points’ are, Baek Do-jin.”
“…….”
Baek Do-jin’s shoulders slumped.
Draw length standards for consistent aiming, the stopping point for the draw hand against the cheek or jaw, predicting energy storage from the bent shape of the bow’s upper and lower limbs when the string is drawn, and so on.
He now vaguely understood what the Archery Club members meant by ‘points.’
He could easily predict that long-range sniping had so many variables that support made it all the more beneficial.
Unable to retort, he deflated, but surprisingly, a few Archery Club members comforted him.
“You get what we’re talking about…? You’ve studied hard, Baek Do-jin.”
“Gotta say, I’m seeing you in a new light. Keep it up. Maintain that passion, and you might join a mission soon.”
“R-Really…? Heh heh.”
“Senior Do-jin is too simple-minded.”
Da-hee looked at Do-jin pitifully as he beamed, basking in the club members’ approval.
Jang Yeon-ju handed candy to the pouting, lip-protruding girl.
“I know full well that few people are as capable as you at escorting Jae-hyeok in unexpected situations. But this mission is ultimately the Archery Club’s affair. Excluding club members to bring in an outsider could undermine team cohesion. Try to understand, Da-hee.”
Ever since the Archery Club fell into Jae-hyeok’s hands.
The club members, divided into Jang Yeon-ju’s faction and No Jun-yeop’s faction, had naturally begun fusing into a single organization.
It was a critical time.
Jang Yeon-ju didn’t want to stir up unnecessary discord.
“O-Of course I understand!”
Blushing, Da-hee nodded vigorously.
Jang Yeon-ju.
The granddaughter of the Bow Saint, yet far from arrogant, she was one of the top powerhouses in the second-year class.
Even Kang Jae-hyeok made a point to treat her like a senior.
Having her skills acknowledged by such a remarkable figure thrilled Da-hee.
“Should I join the Archery Club while I’m at it?”
“…Huh? That’s for you to decide. Think it over carefully.”
Doesn’t she lack any archery-related skills?
Jang Yeon-ju, who didn’t want a second Baek Do-jin, smiled awkwardly and stepped back.
In any case, the mood settled.
The Archery Club submitted routine business trip reports to the administrative office and student council, then departed the archery range with 30 members.
***
“Archery Club… Hmm, fine. You may pass.”
It went just as Jae-hyeok predicted.
The guards at the Gate entrance were sloppy in their procedures.
After glancing at No Jun-yeop’s ID and the faces of the students at the front, they waved the group through en masse.
They weren’t zealous enough to verify each of the 30 students’ identities and faces one by one.
The Archery Club was already a major club, second only to the top-tier ones.
Frequent departures for missions made the guards unsurprised.
“Oh, No Jun-yeop?”
The Archery Club members tensed up upon exiting the Gate.
They had run straight into the Swordsmanship Club, who were handling admission procedures.
Swordsmanship Club.
One of the elite among the major clubs.
Especially their president, Yun Byeol, was the acknowledged strongest second-year in the entire school.
“Around thirty people? That’s an unusually large deployment for the Archery Club, isn’t it?”
“Don’t talk to them like you’re buddies.”
No Jun-yeop, mounted on his magic engineering bike, scowled.
His eyes gleamed like he was about to shoot lasers.
But Kwon Se-in, the Swordsmanship Club vice-president who addressed him, didn’t blink.
“Not trying to act buddy-buddy—it’s just curious. Even if the Archery Club is a cheap minor club, mobilizing 30 means they got paid a hefty commission. What idiot shelled out that much to the Archery Club?”
“I told you to shut up.”
“You guys okay with that? The dumber the client, the riskier the mission—didn’t your president teach you? Oh, wait, this year’s Archery Club president is No Jun-yeop? Damn, they’re screwed. Bad luck with the leader—they’ll all get wrecked soon. Heh heh.”
The Swordsmanship Club members snickered every time Kwon Se-in sneered.
Blatant mockery and contempt.
The Archery Club ignored the provocations and averted their eyes.
The Swordsmanship Club was overwhelmingly powerful.
They knew getting involved would bring no good.
But No Jun-yeop didn’t know that basic fact.
Believing himself the best, he feared no one.
“Hey, Kwon Se-in, you fucking bastard. By the time a bullet lodges in your skull and you’re dying, will you finally regret, ‘Oh, I messed up back then’?”
Click!
No Jun-yeop even chambered a round.
“Haha! The president himself charges in? Haven’t realized you’ve got a lot to lose now?”
The moment Kwon Se-in gleefully drew his sword.
“When do we leave?”
One of the Archery Club members standing behind spoke curtly.
The heavily tinted helmet made it hard to identify who.
But clearly ‘male.’
Not Jang Yeon-ju.
Talking to No Jun-yeop like that?
Does he have ten lives?
As the Swordsmanship Club, including Kwon Se-in, stared in shock.
“…Right now.”
No Jun-yeop obediently lowered his gun, started his bike.
The sight of thirty black bikes departing in formation simultaneously was spectacular.
“What the…? Why’d No Jun-yeop listen to him?”
“Uh, no idea?”
The abandoned Swordsmanship Club members fell into confusion.
***
Gugang International Hotel.
The tall building in the heart of Songpa-gu shone especially brilliantly today.
Not only were the interior lights fully on, but hundreds of exterior lights illuminated the structure.
Yet the surroundings were deathly quiet.
The Gate outbreak warning naturally blocked civilian access.
“Whoa, as expected! Brother Seok-gu is handling this commission too!”
People gathered one by one in the tent set up as a temporary headquarters.
Players hired by Gugang.
All celebrities.
Three were at the cusp of B-rank, and one was an outright A-rank player.
“You guys again? Ugh, sick of you lot.”
The A-rank player who checked their faces clucked his tongue.
Contrary to his tone, his expression wasn’t bad.
He acknowledged their skills.
The trio of B-rank players were level 78 or higher.
They were sure to break through to A-rank within a year.
“But where’s the last one?”
Byeon Seok-gu, the sole A-rank player, tilted his head.
Less than two minutes until the appointed time.
Given how close they cut it, probably an A-rank or higher like himself, but no one came to mind.
Korean players good at sniping would have refused due to Association pressure.
“Who knows. Running this late—maybe it’s the Bow Saint?”
“Well, unless they’re dead-enders like us, who else but the Bow Saint would take this? Haha.”
Is it really the Bow Saint?
Half-joking, the players shot expectant glances at the Gugang staff.
But the staff’s reactions were odd.
Avoiding eye contact, looking away.
‘These guys don’t mean…?’
Did they fail to recruit the last one?
‘Might as well take two targets myself and raise my price.’
The moment Byeon Seok-gu’s sharp, veteran instincts kicked in.
Vroooom!!
Roaring exhausts echoed from outside the tent.
Especially loud in the silent surroundings.
“Not just one or two…?”
Sensing dozens of vehicles arriving, the players stepped out.
And grimaced in unison.
“Buncha kids?”
“On a field trip?”
The boys and girls dismounting the bikes all wore pitch-black uniforms.
Uniforms with badges and epaulets embossed with a golden lion’s face.
The symbol of Lion’s Castle.
Respected by civilians.
But to active players, mere rookies.
Especially these gathered players: already A-rank or soon-to-be.
They hadn’t imagined sharing a table with Lion’s Castle students.
“If they were third-years, maybe…”
Confirming the students’ necktie colors, Byeon Seok-gu glared murderously at the Gugang staff.
“You don’t expect us to work with those kids, do you? There’s a limit to disrespect.”
“Yeah, this is too much. What can they even do? Hired them as our assistants?”
“Hmph, they’re useless anyway. We four can cover for five—let’s rewrite the contract.”
The players didn’t even give the Gugang staff a chance to explain.
They relentlessly pressed, shoving contracts in their faces.
The Archery Club members flushed with embarrassment at being ignored.
Just as No Jun-yeop could take no more and opened his mouth.
“We’ll take this spot.”
Jae-hyeok, who had slipped into the tent, pointed to one side of the hotel blueprint spread on the table.
“Uh…?”
No Jun-yeop and the Archery Club members paled in shock.