One Week of Silence
"Jihyun! Are you okay!?"
It was the same voice I'd heard earlier, when I'd been faking unconsciousness. The man who'd been on the phone with Ahn Jihyun.
I waited in silence to see what he'd say next. But the other party was sharp as a blade himself. His tone flipped in an instant.
"Kang Junghyeok."
A very low voice, trembling with barely restrained fury.
"Yes."
"Is Jihyun unharmed?"
"She isn't dead yet. That'll probably depend on how you people choose to behave."
If there was nowhere decent to hide, so what? All I had to do was make sure the other side couldn't even try looking for us.
"...We'll apologize. Please return her safely."
"I've heard some shit in my time, but this is next-level insane. Hey. I almost got kidnapped today. You really think I'd just say 'sure, no problem' and hand her back!?"
"That was our mistake. There appears to have been a problem in how the intent was communicated. As for the damages, we'll provide proper, sufficient compensation—"
"Cut the crap right there. Sufficient compensation? What, you planning to offer your own neck instead? I'm already pissed off. My anger's past the boiling point. This went way beyond anything a couple of coins can fix, you bastard."
"So what exactly are you planning to do with Jihyun? Surely you don't intend to kill her? I've heard you're a very shrewd man. You can fully predict what will happen if she dies. Can't you?"
"When you people kidnapped me, if someone called and talked like that, were you just going to let me go? I don't think so. What kind of bullshit keep spilling out of your mouth? How about being honest for once? If you'd said you were going to hunt me down right now, kill me, and rescue Ahn Jihyun, I might've even clapped for you. You mouthy little cheapskate."
"......"
No answer. He was probably seething. Like I was the only one?
Same here, you son of a bitch.
While still on the call, I hurriedly fired off a text to Senior. Get out of there immediately. A major corporation or the Community might try to snatch her, so move somewhere else, fast. I was already being hunted. Her call came through, but I couldn't pick up right now. I laid out the situation in detail.
At times like this, being alone with no family was almost a blessing. The only person I was worried about was Senior Ahn.
My teammates? Those girls were... currently out on their last dungeon expedition with Cool Support, from what I'd heard. They weren't about to chase them into a Gate and kidnap them. And now that I'd already left the company, no one would be thinking too deeply about my connection to them anyway.
The silent man spoke again.
"What is it you want? Within reason, I'll do everything I can to accommodate you."
"Hmm... for starters, how about you stop tracking me? I already know everything."
"Very well. Then will you return her?"
"Return her? For just that?"
"Then tell me more."
"First off—who the hell are you? If Ahn Jihyun is the vice-president of Dragon Guild, does that make you the representative?"
"That's correct. I am the Master of Dragon Guild. I currently serve as the company's representative."
"Why did you try to kidnap me?"
"......"
"Can't say why?"
"I'm sorry."
"Fine. How involved is the Community in this kidnapping?"
"You're quite perceptive."
"Spit it out."
"Ahn Jihyun is the Community itself. You already know she's the head of the Community. What I'm saying is that the organization only holds together because she is its leader."
What the hell is this nonsense?
It didn't sound like the Community had planned the kidnapping from the start. More like he was saying that because she was the head, everything she did was one hundred percent tied to them? If anything, it felt like he was trying to dump their own mess onto the Community.
"I'm not following. So who proposed kidnapping me first?"
"I did."
"Easy answer. Then want to die in her place?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't agree to that."
"Hmph. Listen carefully. I'm not like you people, who casually kill and kidnap whoever they please. Everything that happened today is entirely your fault."
"On that point—"
"Shut up and listen to the end. Don't interrupt me. Look... I don't even plan on killing this bitch—but if you keep pissing me off, I can't promise anything. So take what I'm about to say to heart. One week from now. Cut off every scrap of interest in me. After that, I'll send Ahn Jihyun back. Got it? One week. If I catch even a whiff of anything suspicious before then, I can't guarantee her life. And if I catch you digging into my background—that very second!"
"......"
Setting it up like this, at least they wouldn't be able to move out in the open. Well, if the entire Community came down on me, I'd be finished either way. But the man on the line—the so-called representative of Dragon Guild—seemed to care for Ahn Jihyun desperately.
"No answer. Negotiations off, then?"
"How am I supposed to trust you?"
"And me? I can't trust you either. One week. Stay quiet for that time. You, your guild, and the Community. Nobody so much as thinks about me."
"Very well. I'll choose to trust you. Please... return her safely..."
I hung up and immediately powered the phone off. Mine too. I sent Senior one last text, telling her I'd contact her on a different phone. Hong Eunyoung's phone got the same treatment.
"What are you planning to do?"
"Watch and wait, for now. Know any place we can hide for a week? Where's your house?"
"Um... my place is in Seoul, but..."
"Then we'll go there."
"Whaaat? I've never brought a man home before..."
"And? That bitch lying in the back is coming with us, so just deal with it."
"...Fine."
"I don't know what you're hoping for, but I probably won't have the energy to put anything in your hole this time. Sorry."
"I wasn't hoping for anything even a little!"
Like hell I was going to believe they'd stay quiet for a week. Trust the words of the people who'd tried to kidnap me? But I had Ahn Jihyun. As long as this woman was in my hands, they wouldn't dare rush me recklessly.
As fast as possible. I intended to make a Transcendent's mana my own.
The car raced on, and before long we entered Seoul. Not long after that, we arrived at Hong Eunyoung's house.
A detached house, no less. Damn Awoken. They really did make filthy amounts of money. I should've squeezed her harder when I had the chance.
I got out of the car, brought Ahn Jihyun inside Hong Eunyoung's house, and stepped through the door. This was the place where I would become even stronger.
"Khhn..."
"Coming around, are we?"
"Where... is this..."
"You don't need to know."
"What did you do to my mana!?"
"Mana? Now? Ha... if you want it back, you'd better start listening carefully to what I say."
"......"
Two hours after arriving at Hong Eunyoung's house, Ahn Jihyun woke up.
I'd surveyed every corner of the house beforehand and decided the basement was the safest spot, so I'd moved her down here. Sniper fire from an Awoken was a real danger even if other attacks weren't, so I'd covered every window in the building. That way, no one would know where Ahn Jihyun was and they wouldn't be able to strike easily.
I still hadn't stripped her. There was a certain pleasure in peeling things off one by one.
The basement looked like it had originally been a study. I'd dragged a mattress down and laid Ahn Jihyun on it. To keep her from trying anything, I'd blindfolded her and cut off her vision... next?
I'd been about to start working on Ahn Jihyun in earnest when Hong Eunyoung came down. What a damn nuisance.
"I thought you might need these, so I brought them."
She handed me a pair of handcuffs.
"You keep handcuffs at home. You really are something..."
"You already know my preferences... why act surprised. So what are you planning to do with that woman from here on?"
"That's a secret. Go back upstairs and watch some TV."
"Tch. Fine!"
Hong Eunyoung grumbled her way back up. The door closed.
She knew perfectly well what I was about to do and still acted like that. Bringing handcuffs—maybe she'd wanted to join in? Sorry, but this wasn't the time for that kind of play. I needed to get stronger, fast. To survive.
Blindfolded and wearing the eye cover, Ahn Jihyun flinched hard the moment I approached. Stripped of her mana, she was nothing more than a terrified girl.
A girl? How old was she, anyway?
"Age?"
"......"
She clenched her teeth and gave no answer at all. She still didn't understand the situation she was in.
I slapped her across the face without warning.
Crack—!
"Khhn... what the hell do you think you're doing!?"
"Exactly what you were going to do to me. Kidnapping. Confinement. Assault? And after that..."
"Don't be ridiculous! Let me go right now!"
"Scream all you want. It won't help. We're deep underground. Nothing reaches the outside."
"What are you going to do to me!? Give me my mana back right now!"
She twisted and thrashed. I cuffed her wrists. No mana, and still that filthy temper. A bitch like this needed a thorough education—so she'd never dare mouth off in front of me again.
"Let me go!! Let me go!"
Even after getting slapped, that was her reaction. You don't even qualify for my collection, you fucking bitch. Did you think I'd treat you gently the way I treat my girls? After you tried to kidnap me?
Riiip.
Her jacket tore open. I shredded it with grip strength alone. I climbed onto her stomach and sat. My weight pinned her so thoroughly she couldn't even thrash anymore.
"Ugh... heavy..."
I shoved her top up. Smooth skin appeared, at odds with that vicious personality. Not on Lee Donggeul's level, but a damn fine pair of breasts all the same. I just tore everything off.
"Wh—what are you doing!? You bastard! Get off. Get the hell away from me!"
"Stay still. The more you act up, the worse I'm going to make this. You criminal bitch who deserves to die."
"...No... I don't want this..."
"For someone who doesn't want it, your nipples are standing straight up."
"That's not true. There's no way."
I brought my fingers over and pinched her nipple hard.
"Haahk... what are you doing right now!"
"You don't know what I'm about to do, so you're asking? Or does hearing it out loud turn you on?"
"It's not like that!"
"Ah... what is this. There's a sour smell coming from your armpits."
"Don't lie! There's no smell! I'll kill you. I'll kill youuu!"
"You threw a tantrum, so now you get punished. Time to strip the bottom half."
"Aaaah—! Noooo! Don't do iiiit!!"
Whether she screamed or not, I tore her pants off in one go. The tough fabric dragged as it ripped, leaving red marks all over her smooth legs. In an instant she was down to her underwear.
"......"
"Go on, scream again. There's still more. Next comes the underwear."
"I'm sorry... I was wrong, so please just send me back..."
"Haa... what, already done? I expected more of a scene."
"......"
"Good. Then while we're at it, I'll ask some questions. Why did you kidnap me? If I sense a lie, we start over. Answer carefully."
"Your ability. I needed your ability."
"Be specific."
"......"
Snap!
I ripped the center of her bra with raw force. Her breasts had already been hanging free since I'd grabbed her nipples, but the sensation of the last scrap of fabric vanishing made her twist her body all over again.
"See, you should've just talked. One left. Panties."
I brought my hand to her panties and dragged my fingers up and down the cleft like I was carving a groove. A clear axe-mark of wet fabric formed.
"Hhk.... I—I'll talk, so take that hand off... right now..."
"So why did you kidnap me?"
"...I needed your power. To keep my position as head of the Community."
"More detail."
"The Awoken Community isn't just some ordinary organization. Especially the head's seat—there are all kinds of interests tied to it, and depending on what gets decided there, an entire company can collapse overnight. I couldn't afford to lose that seat."
I already knew. The Community had nitpicked me over not wearing a camera and forced me out of my job. Those rules weren't law or anything else, but in this industry they carried real coercive power. All because of the overwhelming force the Awoken Community held.
"Sounds like there's a faction war going on inside the Community."
"Yes... that's why our guild is in crisis. Every guild that's ever lost power has gone under. I absolutely cannot give up the position I hold. That's why I needed your power."
"Then persuading me would've been faster."
"......"
No answer again, so I put my fingers back and rubbed. Blood was starting to pool low in my body. I was going to do it anyway—but I might as well squeeze the information out of her first with a little intimidation.
"I was going to, but..."
"While I was unconscious, you said something like this. That an executive seat was far above what I deserved. Care to explain why you said that?"
"That's..."
My fingers forced their way between her panties and sank in. The raw texture of her bare pussy transmitted straight through my fingertips. Was it because I'd been abstaining these past few days? My cock was already straining sky-high.
"If you don't want to answer, you don't have to. I like that better anyway."