The Bloodsucking Tree Assault
“Hey! You bastard!”
Kim Jun shouted at the Bloodsucking Tree and hurled the Thunder Brain Sword.
The spinning blade flew... only to get blocked by the vines. They coiled around the hilt, sending the sword—tossed with all his might—crashing through the window of a towering building overlooking the intersection before vanishing inside.
Finally, the spring was fully charged.
All that remained was activating Jungchwi.
Please! Don't waver!
If it falters now... more people will die.
His focus sharpened beyond anything before—like it had multiplied a hundredfold. Time itself seemed to slow. Even the imaginary spring in his legs felt vividly real, as if it truly existed.
Jungchwi unleashed.
Without the slightest tremor, Kim Jun surged toward the Bloodsucking Tree.
Sparks crackled from both hands with a sharp zzzt.
Vines whipped toward him with terrifying speed, aiming to ensnare him like a lash and fling him away just as they'd done to his sword.
Kim Jun twisted his body ever so slightly, maintaining Jungchwi's velocity.
The vine grazed past his ear.
Fortunately, no waver.
After slicing through the second vine, he thrust his hand forward. The Po-noe Strike flared in his right palm... and the Thunder Brain Sword materialized. Gripping it tight, the entire blade erupted in crackling sparks.
He cleaved the third vine, revealing the main body baring its monstrous fangs.
Instinctively, Kim Jun assumed the stance for the first form of Yeon Ga Shipil Geom: Yeon Yeop.
As the Thunder Brain Sword thrust forward, the amplified power of Yeon Yeop fused with Po-noe exploded from the blade-tip, piercing the Bloodsucking Tree's maw and burrowing deep inside.
Zzzzt, zzzzt, zzzzt.
Boom!
An explosion rocked the depths of the Bloodsucking Tree. Flames erupted, engulfing the core body, then spreading to the vines one by one.
Kim Jun staggered back, gasping for breath.
Executing Jungchwi, Po-noe, and Yeon Yeop nearly simultaneously had drained him to the point he could barely stand.
Clap, clap.
Applause rang out.
People who had hidden from the monster's emergence now gazed at Kim Jun, clapping in gratitude.
He scanned the surroundings.
The dump truck driver had vanished.
First, he checked the taxi driver. Unconscious, but breathing steadily.
Then he rushed to the motorcyclist who'd been flung off. His clothes were shredded from skidding across the pavement, skin mangled beneath. The angle of his legs suggested broken bones. Worst was the head—smashed against the ground on impact.
There was nothing more he could do. Paramedics would handle emergency care once they arrived.
Kim Jun headed for the bus.
A few brave civilians were pulling survivors from the wreckage. He joined them.
Moments later, police and ambulances arrived.
Paramedics treated the taxi driver, the motorcyclist, and other victims, ferrying them to hospitals one by one. Kim Jun explained the incident to the police.
“Aren't you... Kim Jun?”
Even the officer recognized him.
Kim Jun nodded slowly.
A familiar face approached: Investigator Bang Su-cheol from the Dungeon Association's Investigation Bureau.
The explanation was straightforward.
“Looks like they were gunning for you.”
“That's what I think, too.”
“A Bloodsucking Tree... Not easy to get even on the black market. Who the hell would do this?”
“Ju Shin?”
Kim Jun asked cautiously.
“Nah. Ju Shin's more subtle. They don't make a mess like this out in the open. Usually. Anyway, good thing you were here. Could've been way more casualties.”
Kim Jun said nothing.
Association Core Country staff were examining the dead Bloodsucking Tree, snapping detailed photos and collecting samples. To analyze how it was grown and distributed through precise testing.
Whether Bang Su-cheol had called them or not, Choi Muhyun, Skyla, and guild doctor O Won-jin arrived.
“I'm fine.”
“Get checked first.”
It was Choi Muhyun.
Facing his friend's intense gaze, Kim Jun climbed into the jeep and headed to the hospital.
* * *
“Drink this, Team Leader.”
Yoo Min-jeong savored the thrill from Seo Sang-cheol's shy face as he offered the sports drink.
The other team members' eyes were soft, brimming with energy—a total shift from yesterday's reluctant training vibe.
She'd finally become the united team's leader.
After agonizing all night, she'd applied Pink Team's internal rules on a whim, without much confidence. The result was unexpected. She hadn't imagined Seo Sang-cheol and the others would embrace it so eagerly.
Nothing had really changed on paper. It must've been the promise of real change that flipped their attitudes.
“Team Leader! Check this out!”
Lee Seung-jin waved her over.
As she approached... the buffer showed her a news article. The headline hit like a gut punch.
Yoo Min-jeong pulled out her phone from her bag and powered it on. Missed calls and texts from Skyla, Yeom Sang-taek, and Choi Muhyun flooded the screen.
“Seo Sang-cheol, hold down the fort.”
“Don't worry, go.”
Without changing, she threw on her coat, bolted from the guildhouse, and jumped into the Ferrari parked on the roadside.
Skyla picked up on the third ring.
“Where's Kim Jun?”
―OO Hospital.
“On my way.”
To gun it, Yoo Min-jeong hung up.
Bracing for speeding tickets, she floored the accelerator. The Ferrari rocketed past 100 kph in seconds.
* * *
She ditched the car at the hospital entrance and sprinted inside. Voices calling after her fell on deaf ears.
Hwang In-su must've ambushed him out of grudge from last night's fight!
I shouldn't have left Kim Jun alone.
Her mind raced with regrets.
Grabbing a doctor in scrubs for directions to the ER, she burst in—and spotted Kim Jun casually peeling a banana. Go Cheolmin, Skyla, Yeom Sang-taek, and Choi Muhyun stood nearby.
“Over here.”
Choi Muhyun beckoned.
As Yoo Min-jeong approached, Skyla said,
“You got here fast. I just called.”
“Drove normal. So, what happened?”
Yoo Min-jeong played it cool, hiding her panic despite ditching the car.
“Some bastard attacked him. With a dump truck, then a Bloodsucking Tree.”
Choi Muhyun explained.
“Bloodsucking Tree?”
Yoo Min-jeong's eyes widened. A plant-type monster rare even in dungeons.
A random thought flashed: Did Dad and Kim Jun team up for another scheme? Mobilizing a Bloodsucking Tree would be huge. Yesterday was about putting Hwang In-su in debt; what's today's play?
She eyed Kim Jun.
His demeanor gave nothing away. Checking related news on her phone confirmed it: no scheme.
People had died!
The bus flipped, injuring numerous passengers.
Who? Who would do this?
Not Ju Shin's style.
Hwang In-su wasn't the type to go rogue with a Bloodsucking Tree over anger.
One thing was clear: Someone bold enough—and rich enough—to wield a Bloodsucking Tree was targeting Kim Jun.
Then the announcement blared: Whoever abandoned a Ferrari at the entrance, move it now.
Her face burned.
Kim Jun and the team stared.
“Be right back.”
Yoo Min-jeong dashed out of the ER.
* * *
Bam!
Jeong Myeong-ho kicked the door down and stormed the office.
The burly guy eating jjajangmyeon glared and rose. Jeong Myeong-ho left him to Kwon Joo-chan and charged the branch chief in the back.
The chief's eyes bulged in recognition.
“B-Brave Guild Captain... y-you came here yourself? Wh-what brings you?”
Thwack.
Jeong Myeong-ho backhanded his jaw.
He'd pulled his punch. Knocking the guy out would waste time. Meanwhile, Kwon Joo-chan subdued Hong Yong Planning's Gangnam branch thugs.
Soon, the burly men knelt, hands up.
The chief, face bruised, fetched the ledger and set it before Jeong Myeong-ho.
He skimmed the pages. In under five minutes, he found the hit job.
“Who's this?”
The chief glanced at the marked entry and tilted his head.
Thwack.
Jeong Myeong-ho smacked the back of his skull.
“Don't think. Answer. I'm not in a patient mood.”
“...A w-woman. Young woman.”
“Woman?”
“Yes, definitely a woman.”
“Describe her.”
The chief gestured, detailing height, build, facial features—but not enough to ID her.
“CCTV?”
“No.”
“Bullshit.”
Jeong Myeong-ho was certain no one took major hits without CCTV these days, especially with blowback risk. Insurance against getting pinned.
“H-how'd you know?”
Thud.
He booted the chief's chest.
“Find it. Fast.”
Fifteen minutes later, Jeong Myeong-ho and Kwon Joo-chan confirmed the woman who'd ordered the dump truck push—and Bloodsucking Tree attack—on Kim Jun.
Sunglasses hid her face, but the timestamp showed exactly when.
While Kwon Joo-chan disciplined the thugs, Jeong Myeong-ho scoured nearby CCTV. Better than the glasses: her car's license plate.
He called a guild staffer immediately.
“Trace this vehicle for me.”
Reeled off the plate and hung up. Kwon Joo-chan approached.
“Learn anything?”
“We'll know the bitch soon enough.”
Jeong Myeong-ho ground his teeth.
Seeing the incident on TV news had left him speechless. The reporter hadn't said it outright, but it targeted Kim Jun.
If Kim Jun got hurt and sat out the raid, the expedition would falter. No Contamination Raider meant no dungeon items.
Who the hell planned this?
Jeong Myeong-ho mobilized the guild's intel network to uncover the culprit. In the process, he learned Kwon Joo-chan was using Ju Shin's resources to hunt Kim Jun's attacker.
Combining Brave and Ju Shin could nail them faster, so they shared info—and just raided Hong Yong Planning's Gangnam branch together.
Jeong Myeong-ho glanced at Kwon Joo-chan.
He had clear reason as Contamination Raider... but why was this guy chasing Kim Jun's would-be killer? Did Ju Shin claim exclusive rights to him?
A text came.
The car owner... was unexpected.
Jeong Myeong-ho showed Kwon Joo-chan.
The man's eyes lit up.
He'd pieced it together, just like Jeong Myeong-ho.
“Let's go.”
Kwon Joo-chan said.
* * *
Jason lounged on the sofa, face grim as he watched the news.
The dump truck rammed the stationary taxi. Kim Jun escaped with startling speed, saved the driver, and even climbed aboard to hit the brakes.
Up to there: as planned.
The problem came next.
The Bloodsucking Tree burst from the truck's wreckage, attacking Kim Jun. It even killed a photographer.
Ding-dong.
He checked the intercom. Big sunglasses, but Jason knew her instantly.
“Come in.”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
An Ji-hee, always soft-spoken around him.
Jason knew exactly what brewed behind those eyes and that expression.
She probably fantasized about him nightly, building her romance. A few words and light touches made her putty. Otherwise, he wouldn't have recruited her.
“What happened?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why'd that thing pop out?”
Jason showed the recorded news.
“Oh my, isn't that a Bloodsucking Tree, Team Leader?”
Her cutesy tone in this mess boiled his blood to his scalp.
“You didn't put a hit on that too, did you?”
“Of course not. Where would I get the money? I just asked for a light traffic accident, like you told me. For real.”
“Sure?”
“How could I lie to you, Team Leader?”
Jason peered into An Ji-hee's eyes.
She's telling the truth... So what the hell happened?