Dungeon & Commander (152)
Siuba opened his eyes to the rattling vibrations.
The blinding light made his eyes sting. The ceiling emitting that light... was shaking.
Turning his head, Siuba spotted a woman in a white gown. Looking around belatedly, he noticed medicine bottles, bandages, and syringes in the cabinet. Below them hung a red fire extinguisher.
An ambulance. I was definitely in the hospital ER earlier. Are they transferring me?
His chest ached like it was being wrung out.
A surge of irritation boiled up, feverish with rage. To end up carted to the hospital after getting done in by that punk he'd looked down on. If he'd fought seriously, the guy wouldn't have lasted three minutes...
Once his body recovered, he planned to track the bastard down and give him a taste of real heat.
Uramata Guild, was it? I'll grind you into dust.
The Uramata Guild's address would pop up with a quick search. Judging by his current condition, he'd recover within a week, and be back in fighting shape in a day or two.
Wait for me, you fucker.
He'd strip the guy naked and hang him from a lamppost in Myeongdong. Then sip a beer while watching his face.
Lost in that fantasy, he tried drawing up his inner energy, but his empty dantian gave no response.
What the hell?
Frowning, he tried again. Once more, and again. Finally, he realized what had happened.
...My inner energy's gone.
Electric attacks wouldn't damage his dantian. That meant someone had tampered with him while he was out. Siuba narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the female paramedic.
Her face, buried in her phone, seemed familiar. Like he'd seen her somewhere, but he couldn't place it.
One thing was clear.
She's dangerous.
Closing his eyes, Siuba poured every ounce of will into pulling energy from his dantian. Fortunately, a few drops stirred, responding to their master's call.
Transferring it to his fingertips, Siuba fired off two spider threads.
"I know you're awake."
The woman said it while staring at her phone.
Siuba stayed still.
"Why'd you do it? If you're taking the money, act like a pro and finish the job properly. Then none of this hassle, and I'd be at the movies with my boyfriend right now."
She pocketed her phone in her white gown and clicked her tongue at Siuba.
Only then did Siuba realize who she was.
Lee Eun-ji, buffer from Jushin's Medici Team.
"What did you do to me?"
"Paralysis."
Siuba wasn't surprised. Given his condition, Paralysis was within what he'd guessed.
"A Raider from a mega-guild like Jushin can't take down a pathetic merc like me without something like Paralysis? If I were you, I'd be too ashamed to show my face."
"Good thing I'm not you, then. That cheap wordplay won't shake me."
Silence stretched.
The ambulance had left the city for the outskirts; the air grew much colder.
"Where are we headed?"
"A nice place."
"To kill me?"
"As if. Like you said, would we stoop to that for a merc like you? I'd be too ashamed to show my face."
Lee Eun-ji threw his words back with a playful grin.
Siuba grasped his fate.
He wouldn't survive the night, but no one would ever learn what happened to the Brazilian merc Siuba.
Sudden disappearance.
...Fuck.
Then, blinding light flooded in.
A foreign luxury car from the opposite lane overtook a truck, crossing the median. Its modified headlights pierced the ambulance interior.
The ambulance swerved right to dodge; the luxury car grazed past.
As it tilted, Siuba yanked the spider threads.
The cabinet door flew open, spitting out a syringe. Siuba snatched it mid-air and lunged at Lee Eun-ji's neck.
She grabbed his wrist.
His arm trembled violently. If his inner energy were intact, she wouldn't dare charge in smirking like that.
"Good timing."
"You think?"
The fire extinguisher, stuck in her blind spot, hurtled toward her. Siuba's second thread finally triggered.
Thwack.
It smashed her occiput.
Dragging his heavy body back, Siuba flung the door wide. Sparse streetlights dotted the dark road, flanked by shadowy woods.
Paralysis would wear off with time.
Hide in a deep valley up the mountain, and even if Medici mobilized fully, they'd never find him. Siuba leaped out, curling to brace for impact.
But he landed back inside the ambulance.
Tough vines had whipped around his shoulders and ankles, yanking him. Turning, Siuba was momentarily speechless.
The "vines" were Lee Eun-ji's hair, grown long and writhing like Medusa's snakes.
It engulfed him.
* * *
Kim Se-wi stared out the window.
185 cm tall, his lithe frame perfectly suited the Italian bespoke suit. Even his hair, styled daily by a stylist who came to his home, was flawless.
Not bad. Except the expression.
He'd long trained to maintain a positive mindset in any situation, but now his composure wavered badly.
Beyond the glass, the Association's main gate came into view below. Police held back pesky reporters and gawkers.
How had things spiraled this far?
Not a total failure yet. There was still a chance to salvage.
His pocket phone buzzed. Confirming the caller, Kim Se-wi answered.
"All done?"
―There was some resistance, but handled cleanly.
"Good work."
―That carrier passed the awakening test. Leaving him be?
"Eun-ji, do I seem like the type?"
His voice sank, growing even calmer.
―No.
"Sorry to interrupt your day off. Special bonus hits your account tomorrow morning."
―Is Gwan-ho on the move?
"You're great in every way, Eun-ji, but that curiosity's a bit much. If trouble ever finds you, it'll be from that urge to know what you don't need to."
―Thanks for the advice, Team Leader. Off to the movies.
Hanging up, Kim Se-wi turned, eyeing the chatty meeting attendees. A raspy voice—likely from a wrecked throat after heavy drinking—cut in.
"Emergency measures complete. Deplancio magic circle caused temporary hair loss and aging in victims, but medical staff say most will recover with Lifirin and such."
Only then did Kim Se-wi realize Security Chief Jeong Yong-min and Guard 1 were reporting on the "accident" at Honor Hall.
The briefing soon wrapped.
Jeong Yong-min and Exam Director Lee Won-jong eyed him.
Kim Se-wi perched on the table edge, glaring at the idiots.
"Let's be honest. This screws me—and all of you—if we don't handle it right."
At "right handling," tension lit Jeong and Lee's eyes.
"We've heard of Jushin's Intelligence Chief's reputation."
Lee spoke.
"Thank you."
Kim Se-wi smiled at the old bribe-stuffed exam chair.
"Anyway, we can't let word slip that wax dolls went berserk."
Glancing around, he continued.
"An accident happened at Honor Hall today. A big one that shouldn't have. Faulty core exploded there. Tragic. A few wax dolls got damaged, but guards mobilized fast on a tip-off, averting disaster. Keep the tipster anonymous? Or name Jushin if needed."
"We can gag guards, but Bang Su-cheol's the issue. He won't stay quiet."
Jeong said.
"Where's Bang Su-cheol now?"
Kim Se-wi asked playfully, like a quiz.
"Scouring the scene for evidence."
"Wrong! He's outside. Coincidentally, after he left the gate, second lockdown hit, sealing the building. Even a flying monkey couldn't breach it."
Jeong stared silently.
While our security flailed against villains and accidents, he planned ahead. Hate the guy, but we're in the same boat now...
"Test-takers might not stay quiet."
Lee interjected.
Kim Se-wi tilted his head at him.
"Dangle a carrot. With a stick, of course."
He slid two prepared sheets their way. Raider finesse sent them precisely.
Amazed, Jeong slowly picked his up.
His eyes widened at the contents.
Lee gaped at Jeong too.
"Cleared with Education Division. Sign the NDA, and test-takers pick any book from magic or martial library. Take a copy. No one turns that down."
Kim Se-wi returned to his seat by the window.
"Impressive. They'll bite for Raider success. But issues might arise, so you step in, Chief. As a senior Raider, easier sell. A peon Association staffer like me might worsen it. Thoughts?"
Jeong again.
Kim Se-wi's smile vanished. The Security Chief's game was obvious.
Won't take responsibility? Fine. I'll accept this, collect with interest later.
"Of course I'll handle it. Important stuff."
Nuance: Can't trust Association hacks.
"Then, if you would."
Jeong extended a hand.
Kim Se-wi shook it, memorizing the sly face.