Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Ruined World (3)
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The sun had dipped lower, and the sky darkened as night fell. We arrived at the field around midnight and got out of the car. The Night Rat members, who had arrived ahead of time, were bustling about.
“Hyungnim!”
“Guild Leader!”
“Boss!”
Not like mischievous little brothers or anything, but while their names and positions were straightforward, the nicknames numbered three or four. Amid the joyful welcoming faces, one stood out with a gloomy expression. It was Gu-o, the leader of the C-Team raid squad.
“Hyungnim, I clearly told you last time it was tough...”
“What, someone bullying you?”
“Aren’t you the one bullying us... Alex said he thinks he fell out of favor with you. If you added work because of that, isn’t joint liability too much...”
Whether he lacked the energy to properly complain or argue, the man with dark circles under his eyes muttered weakly. His voice grew softer toward the end, the pronunciation slurring like some incantation. Feeling an ominous vibe for no reason, Sa-yoon chopped the side of Gu-o’s head with his hand. Thwack! The sound rang out, and Gu-o snapped his head up.
“Feeling better now?”
“Still a bit...”
“Then take a couple more.”
Sa-yoon delivered two quick chops in succession to the simple conclusion. Gu-o, whose dazed expression had cleared, clutched his stinging head and laughed.
He was one of those guys who’d mentioned before that getting hit excited him. Normally an unwelcome type, but smacking them once or twice when they were sulking like this worked wonders.
Ignoring Gu-o, now excitedly asking for more hits with a thrilled face, Sa-yoon surveyed the busy site. The silver-haired man acting as overall supervisor spotted Sa-yoon and walked over slowly.
“Yeon.”
“I-yeol, hyungnim. You’re here?”
The casual, familiar banter was so natural that anyone might mistake him for the vice-guild leader and Jong-sik’s boss’s secretary instead. As the second guild member to reach executive rank, chronologically he wasn’t far behind Jong-sik.
The difference was Jong-sik’s excessive politeness versus Yeon’s overly casual demeanor, making Jong-sik better suited for key positions.
He was more loyal, too, in truth.
Seeing the face after a long time, Sa-yoon waved, and Yeon, with his swallow-like features, greeted him with an eye smile while glancing at the car Sa-yoon had stepped out of.
“The newbie?”
“Didn’t he come to the welcome party last time?”
“Too much, hyungnim. I was in Paris then.”
“Oh.”
“Oh? You told me to handle it and actually forgot?”
“Busy as hell.”
“Hyungnim!”
Not even that upset, probably, yet Yeon hammed it up with exaggerated grievance. Sa-yoon, playing audience to Yeon’s one-man show as actor, director, and assistant director, checked the time.
“Prep done?”
“Yeah. You’re really going in just the two of you?”
“No issue.”
“You’ve got no problems, hyungnim, but...”
“I’ve heard plenty from Jong-sik already, so don’t you start chirping too.”
“Chirping?”
Does hyungnim think I’m a real bird or what?
As Sa-yoon approached the gate, a low hum vibrated from it, muffling Yeon’s words. A crow flew in, taking Sa-yoon’s place as Yeon’s noisy companion. Sa-yoon patrolled every corner of the field site, checking for anomalies or suspicious guild members, then stretched his stiff body once satisfied.
“Aren’t you waking the Geon-ju kid?”
“Wake him after prep. Toss him into the gate half-asleep.”
“...”
“What now.”
Jong-sik had always given him somewhat sullen looks, but they’d increased noticeably since Geon-ju arrived. Fed up, Sa-yoon asked why, and Jong-sik mumbled evasively.
“Just... Every time this happens, I think demons or Satan got their reputation back in the old days for a reason. Wouldn’t they run off crying if they hung around you, hyungnim?”
“Jong-sik.”
“Yes.”
“Wanna enter the field with us?”
“...I meant you seem stronger than Satan, hyungnim. You know I’ve always admired you, right?”
Flattery.
Not like a dog tucking tail at “let’s go wash up,” but wagging at “let’s hit the field” and reflecting—Sa-yoon left Jong-sik behind and headed to where the gate entrance was opening. The cycle was nearly up, as the gauge he’d set blinked with a red line surging.
“Half a year already.”
Gates had mandatory raid cycles. Fail to clear within it, and the monster population inside swells, leading to gate saturation and explosion. For “Ruined World,” it was six months, so Sa-yoon checked the meter.
A few days later, and they’d have seen a burst gate.
As he thought it lucky, guild members handed him consumables.
Pre-arranged stamina recovery potions, mana recovery potions, and return stones.
They added his usual weapons too, all stowed in inventory. Sa-yoon checked the time.
1:01 AM.
Perfect vibe. Just in case Geon-ju bolted, he ordered guild members to stand by nearby. They snickered thinking of sleeping Geon-ju, the type to revel in others’ misfortune as their joy.
“Warning again: don’t touch him recklessly. Grab only if Geon-ju tries to run.”
“Yes, hyungnim!”
“Anyone flapping gums wanting to join the field later, speak up.”
“Yes, hyungnim!”
“...”
Lucky the field was on the outskirts.
If he were a civilian, he’d have called the cops at those responses and the crew. Sa-yoon said no more.
Having lined up what could pass as elites for responses, it looked less like the world-infamous criminal guild and more like organized thugs.
Should’ve banned calling him hyungnim.
Starting with Jong-sik, “hyungnim” spread like wildfire, solidifying as the guild-wide term. With already rough bunch, hearing them all call him hyungnim matched their fierce faces perfectly.
Sighing, Sa-yoon headed to see his pretty one.
To the newbie amid frustrating, pathetic guild members—who alone handled three shares’ worth of talent, with killer looks too. Yeon approached suddenly, shoving his face in—whoosh—and got his nose bone smacked by Sa-yoon.
“Ow... Hyungnim! You’re really dating him?”
“What nonsense now? Get out before another hit makes you cry.”
His reaction to rumors was slow too. By now Jong-sik should’ve quashed them, but Yeon popped up with massive backtalk. Sa-yoon lightly kicked him; the guy flew, belly-hit a tree, clutched his throbbing gut, and staggered.
“Tch, hurts. ...So, dating?”
“No. Not doing it. Satisfied?”
“Yeah!”
Tell me if you do date. Yeon’s eyes sparkled, silver lashes dotting his gaze. Night Rat gathered oddballs who could snap unpredictably, but Yeon stood out.
Seemed innocent, yet specialized in hits and assassinations. Enjoyed cleanup, excelled at info gathering via hacks. Most unique: Sa-yoon didn’t scout him; when Sa-yoon was just starting Night Rat, Yeon walked in himself, saying it looked fun.
Recalling initial suspicion he was a plant from another guild or association, Sa-yoon swallowed his unease watching 28-year-old Yeon sprawled, playing with crows and snakes.
Let an exec like that slide?
No matter the manpower shortage, couldn’t fathom past self’s thinking.
With the sudden interrupter Yeon gone, Sa-yoon strode to the sedan, opened the door, and shook sleeping Geon-ju. Guild members raised fists in cheers.
“You lunatics.”
Gathered, his guild members were at their ugliest and weirdest. Cursing the crazies briefly, he shook Geon-ju’s shoulders more. The furrowed brow relaxed slowly.
Blink... blink.
His pretty one lifted his eyelids.
“Sleep well?”
“...”
Perfume worked great; for just woken, his eyes were bright and clear. Confirming his state fine, Sa-yoon shut the door and slid into the driver’s seat Jong-sik had vacated. Excited guild members whooped like it was a date; this time, for the mood, Sa-yoon didn’t stop or curse them.
Starting with generic “Wooo!”, cheers mixed unique “Yoo-hoo!”, “Hey!” flair, vulgar curses, and raunchy cheers. Flustered Geon-ju glanced around, frowning.
“This doesn’t look like guild grounds.”
Obvious. Sa-yoon, hearing Geon-ju’s doubt like a casual “Eaten?”, calmly started the engine.
“Dunno, seeing our kids makes it seem like guild, right, pretty?”
“Don’t mess around. Where is this?”
Where else.
The field.
Instead of answering, Sa-yoon called Jong-sik at the gate entrance.
“Open the gate.”
“Gate?”
Geon-ju tilted his head at the low voice. As realization dawned—“Ah, no way!” mouth agape—Sa-yoon floored the accelerator.
Jong-sik, reluctant-faced, opened the gate entrance on cue. The sedan with Sa-yoon and Geon-ju hurtled into the rippling space.
Speed built gradually to max velocity, relentless charge.
This is why parked far!
Thud!
Violent driving shook the car like flipping. Survival instinct gripping the belt, Geon-ju’s neck veins bulged.
“What the...! You’re insane? Stop the car, what—!”
Sweet voice as BGM, the black sedan raced toward the gate. Guild cheers swelled. Amid 90-degree “come back safe” bows, Sa-yoon, feeling great, blared the horn hard.
Hoooonk!
Noise and blinding light hit.
“Belt tight?”
Sa-yoon advised for his pretty one’s safety right before gate transit. The “Traaah!” scream-like shout, he took as praise.