Chasing the Stolen Sword
Skyla flashed a grin and stepped into the storage room.
Tall shelves were packed with evidence bags, but her attention was fixed on the vault door retrieved from the Uramata Guildhouse master room.
"There it is."
As Skyla moved to open the sealed vault door and inspect the inside, her ears perked up at the sound of the storage room entrance opening.
Clunk.
The door shut. Someone had come in.
Skyla backed away into the shadows of the shelves. She held her breath, watching to see who it was.
A whistle echoed through the room—an outdated pop song.
Skyla realized who had entered the storage room. And what it meant.
"Reporter Seo, you're in here, right? Gonna keep hiding? Should I come catch you?"
"Come on, Uncle Bang, you're no fun."
Skyla stepped out into the light from the ceiling bulbs.
"How many years apart are we that you call me uncle? 'Oppa' sounds way better."
Bang Su-cheol, a veteran investigator from the Dungeon Association's Investigation Bureau, grinned broadly at the sight of her.
"If you're here, Uncle, it means the Dungeon Association has no idea who stole the Cheonroegeom and Legio either."
"Is that so?"
Bang Su-cheol smirked slyly.
"If the Association was involved, they wouldn't send a vet like you."
"Haha, Reporter Seo complimenting me? Did the sun rise in the west today? More importantly, why haven't you written the story yet? This would be a huge scoop if you dropped it."
A sharp counter.
Bang Su-cheol stroked his stubbled chin as he eyed her.
"It's a bit awkward. But I'm not saying I won't write it. I just want to gather more solid info first for a proper article."
"Because of that carrier, right?"
"Can't deny it. But I could send it to the editor right now. Even what I've got so far is scoop-worthy, like you said."
Skyla had planned to keep her Uramata Guild membership under wraps as much as possible.
"Then why haven't you sent it yet?"
"I was waiting for the investigator the Association dispatched."
"Why?"
"Let me join the investigation. I won't publish until it's solved."
"Hm."
"Decide quick, Uncle. One button, and the editor sees my article in seconds. No take-backs."
Skyla pulled out her phone.
"Fine. But on one condition."
"What?"
"Lunch is on you, Reporter Seo."
"...How long you gonna keep mooching off me?"
"Somewhere nice."
"Deal. But first, let's check how they opened this vault door."
Skyla pocketed her phone and pointed at the evidence with her finger.
Bang Su-cheol stepped forward, gave it a quick once-over, and his eyes lit up.
"Plastic explosive mixed with Pyrodium. Hit the vault's weak point dead-on. Not your average crook. Regular explosive would've just dented it, not popped it open."
Skyla was startled.
A true investigator, Bang Su-cheol.
He'd nearly been fired for bribery scandals multiple times—at least twice booted from the bureau. But his exceptional skills got him reinstated, letting him cling on by a thread.
Of course, plenty at the bureau despised him and wanted him gone—a whole truckload, even.
"No ordinary safecracker could get Pyrodium."
"Right. The thief who took the item is either a Raider... or tied to one. You know where, don't you, Reporter Seo?"
Bang Su-cheol's eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Yeon Ga."
The name Yeon Ga had flashed through her mind the moment she first heard about the theft.
"Bingo."
"What's next?"
"Gotta check the fences first."
"Not many can handle an item like Cheonroegeom."
"Yep. I'll dig into that angle. You poke around Yeon Ga, Reporter Seo. If they're involved, something'll turn up. Oh, lunch first."
Skyla shook her head.
Crack, crack.
Go Cheolmin sat by the cafe window, staring at the cars passing beyond the street trees, cracking his knuckles.
The surroundings fell quiet.
And he felt the stares.
Only then did he realize it was his knuckle-cracking. A bear of a man grimacing while popping joints had everyone—staff and customers alike—holding their breath, wary of him.
He gave a silent apologetic glance around.
The ambient noise slowly revived.
Go Cheolmin checked his watch. Ten minutes till the appointed time. It wasn't much of an appointment, really—just notifying the place and time.
And deep down, he hoped the guy wouldn't show. Calling him out but praying he wouldn't come.
Then his phone rang.
It was Skyla.
"Yeah, it's me. That for real? Bang Su-cheol's reliable, yeah. Alright, do it that way. Thanks a ton. What? Of course. You're Uramata family now too."
Go Cheolmin hung up.
Skyla was cracking the theft case with her reporter connections and insight. Teaming with the Association-sent Bang Su-cheol, she'd uncover leads soon enough.
A lucky break rolling in like that.
Or rather, Kim Jun had brought the lucky charm into the guild.
Go Cheolmin chuckled, but his eyes wavered.
A Bentley pulled up curbside by the street trees. The chauffeur hopped out quick, opening the rear door. A man in flashy white suit and sunglasses stepped out arrogantly.
A black-suited guy from the following mid-size domestic sedan scanned the area.
"Chauffeur and bodyguard. That guy's unchanged."
Go Cheolmin raised his hand toward the man scanning the cafe.
"Team leader!"
The man waved enthusiastically as he approached.
Go Cheolmin recalled twelve years back. He was team leader then; the kid was a green rookie. Talented Raider back then, despite the rough edges.
The bodyguard approached first, checked around, then stepped aside.
"Wait outside."
"Yes, young master."
The bodyguard gave the cafe another sharp once-over, then loitered by the entrance.
Yeon Jong-ho sat across from Go Cheolmin and removed his sunglasses.
"Your face looks rough. You sick?"
"Why'd you come?"
"Why? You called. Call next time, don't just text."
"I hoped you wouldn't."
"What kinda nonsense is that? You got dementia or something? I know a good hospital—want an intro? For real."
Yeon Jong-ho waved his hand nonstop, flashing his multimillion-won Patek Philippe watch as he blabbered.
Go Cheolmin remembered why he'd avoided meeting Yeon Jong-ho all these years. He hated seeing the pure, teachable kid from back then—cocky but earnest—completely gone.
"Where's the Cheonroegeom?"
Go Cheolmin cut straight to it. No chit-chat with this guy.
Yeon Jong-ho's eyes flickered.
"Cheonroegeom? Why ask me? Some Uramata Raider grabbed it from a dungeon, right? Ask the owner then. You really sick?"
Go Cheolmin bristled at Yeon Jong-ho's fake concern and giggling.
"You came here because of the Cheonroegeom. Would you really show if I just texted? You didn't even ask why I wanted to meet. Probably canceled other plans to rush here. Why? The sword."
"Team leader—you must not see me much anymore. I just wanted to see how you've changed, now that you're master and all. And why ask me about the Cheonroegeom? Did you lose it? How?"
Instead of snapping, Go Cheolmin chugged his iced water.
Yeon Jong-ho grinned at the move.
"How scatterbrained can a master be, losing an item like that? Think you can run a guild?"
"Put the Cheonroegeom and Legio back where they were. No one'll know."
"Where they were?"
The mischief vanished from Yeon Jong-ho's eyes. A feral killing intent leaked out, like a bear poised to charge.
"Hey, master. The Cheonroegeom was Yeon Ga's treasure originally. Great-grandpa just lost it in a dungeon. Dungeon Association rules say that lucky bastard Choi Muhyun earned it fair and square. I'm Yeon Ga, but also a Cheonhondan Raider and Association member. So I acknowledge Choi Muhyun as owner. Quit harassing the wrong people and find your item."
Yeon Jong-ho huffed.
Go Cheolmin sighed, picked up his glass, and pretended to hurl it. Yeon Jong-ho flinched instinctively, shielding his head.
The bodyguard rushed over.
Go Cheolmin set the glass down on the table.
"Kidding. But that flinchy habit's still there. Scared to go solo? You don't bring the bodyguard to the bathroom too, do you?"
Yeon Jong-ho's face twisted.
Go Cheolmin patted his once-team-member's shoulder lightly, then grinned at the bodyguard.
And walked out of the cafe.
Yeon Jong-ho shuddered with rage and hurled the glass at the window.
It shattered, shards scattering, scratching the glass.
Unable to contain himself, he grabbed a chair and smashed it toward the window. When staff approached, he exploded in curses, smashing and throwing whatever he grabbed.
If the chauffeur and bodyguard hadn't intervened, he might've trashed the whole cafe.
Go Cheolmin, walking into the shade of the street trees, heard Yeon Jong-ho's bellows.
"That temper's unchanged too."
Then his phone rang.
Seeing the area code, Go Cheolmin steeled himself before answering.
"Go Cheolmin speaking."
―Cheonroegeom got stolen, right?
The heavy voice belonged to Nam Eung-ryeol.
"...How'd you know?"
―Last night, the Cheonroegeom came here. Someone touched it, so it sought its owner.
"Possible?"
―Cheonroegeom has Podum mixed in.
"Ah!"
Podum was the material for portals, spatial travel.
―Yeon Ga?
"...Likely."
Go Cheolmin marveled at Nam Eung-ryeol's insight.
―Leave the Cheonroegeom with me. If Yeon Ga's involved, use the Legio to track it.
"Got it."
―Yeon Ga might target the kid who became owner instead of Kim Jun.
"That's what I've been worrying about."
―Your conclusion?
Go Cheolmin outlined a few options to Nam Eung-ryeol.
―Master now, and thinking deeper. Child's safety's best with his father, naturally.
"I think so too, but that means telling the truth."
―Tell him.
Go Cheolmin was stunned.
Even with contamination, news of Kim Jun as Yeon Chung-jae's sword heir would dwarf the Daily Raider buzz.
And if Nam Eung-ryeol holding the sword got out, Yeon Ga would hunt full-force. A free-spirited hermit like him wouldn't risk that.
Maybe Kim Jun wasn't just a brief student anymore—but a formal disciple.
"You sure, teacher?"
―Choi Min-su keeps his mouth shut.
"What about Cheonnoe Heart Technique?"
―Teach him Mukhon Gong.
"Me, Mukhon Gong?"
―Basics first. Details later.
The call ended.
Go Cheolmin sighed in relief.
Good the sword wasn't lost. Even if Yeon Ga tried, they wouldn't easily find it on a remote southern island.
His mind filled with new worries.
Mukhon Gong.
Officially teaching martial arts to carrier-status Kim Jun openly defied Association rules. Exposure meant not just losing Raider quals—the whole Uramata Guild could dissolve.
Nam Eung-ryeol knew that best.
Yet he'd calmly said "teach him." No "think it over."
Go Cheolmin grinned. No resentment—just pride.
'When I brought Kim Jun to teacher, it was decided. Can't hide safe while leaving him to teacher. Yeah.'
Go Cheolmin entered the nearby parking lot and climbed into the van. As he turned the key, the whole vehicle shuddered to life.
The van pulled out of the lot.
Kim Jun leaned the guitar case against the wall and scanned his surroundings.
Maybe the sunglasses, but passersby looked stiff and grim.
'Like mannequins walking around.'
A few glanced his way. Luckily, none approached.
Strange feeling.
He'd never craved fame. Just wanted to be a carrier, enter dungeons. Somehow, it led to newspapers, TV news.
What next?
His heart raced oddly.
Kim Jun checked his ticket. Departure in ten minutes.
He glanced toward the restrooms.
Nam Eung-ryeol popped up from the opposite side, handing over a black bag casually.
"Eat on the way. Toss if it doesn't suit."
Inside: donuts, snacks, a water bottle.
Kim Jun beamed.
"Thanks, master."
"Leave the Cheonroegeom with me."
"Huh?"
Nam Eung-ryeol briefly explained the Seoul events.
Kim Jun's eyes went wide; he was speechless.
Nam Eung-ryeol grabbed the guitar case—with the Cheonroegeom instead of a guitar.
"See you."
The master walked off without a backward glance, leaving his disciple.
Kim Jun snapped out of it and boarded the express bus. He took a window seat, peered out, but no sign of master. He'd just dumped the snack bag and vanished.