Chapter 83

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 83

Chapter Title: 81. Cops and Robber (2)

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"You went all out until I was on the verge of exhaustion this time, so you're gonna do this right? You can be trusted?"

[Hee hee hee. Just trust me alone.]

"Yeah. Sure."

Dark Ganp's seductive voice rang in my ear through the magic gear.

Truth be told, this was something I could've handled solo, but after putting up with it, I felt seriously hard done by.

For some reason, my own stubborn pride kicked in, and I wanted to milk every last drop out of this high.

So Reina had to pull her weight properly.

No, wait—sniping from the Songdo penthouse? I'd aimed to meet as close to Songdo as possible, but whatever.

Screw it. Time to move.

All I had to do was shake Yoo Jin-seok.

"If Yoo Jin-seok's on the move, he should be around Yeonsu-dong by now."

My instincts nailed it.

Sure enough, I could sense him from the Yeonsu-dong side. To withstand the corrosion zone's demonic energy, he was spreading his overwhelming mana all around.

The intense mana waves screamed Yoo Jin-seok—no mistaking it for anyone else.

At some point, as a former Divine Sword bearer, he'd fully unleashed the massive mana reserves that qualified him to wield it, starting to purify the surrounding demonic energy.

Of course, his purification didn't cleanse the entire area. He could only clear a limited radius as he advanced.

The same went for other hunters. But his mana—righteous and potent enough to accept the Divine Sword—purified a vast swath around him.

Still, there were limits; he couldn't expand the range indefinitely or purify permanently.

He must've figured finding Baekhwa wouldn't be too hard, at least.

Unlike my approach of turning demonic energy into mana stones via creative economics.

"Looks like it'll be tough to track her down? This is annoying—wanna go on a date instead?"

A familiar voice drifted from the adjacent building.

Blazing Bat Kim Ji-hye.

The way she wheedled for dates with Yoo Jin-seok only when it suited her? No wonder she was on track to become an old maid.

"Focus on the job, Ji-hye. All you ever think about is playing—that's why your head's not right."

"Gotta say stuff like that even after getting on in years?"

Getting on in years? How old was she, exactly?

"Anyway, it's tied to the Hunter Association's rep, and I'm personally curious. Just how amazing is this Baekhwa woman?"

"You crushing on her or something?"

Even now, that woman Kim Ji-hye subtly menaced with her Blazing Bat drawn. I got the jealousy, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but no wonder Yoo Jin-seok didn't bite.

Dating or marrying a type like her? He'd spend his life on edge, terrified of getting whacked with that bat every time something went wrong.

"Not like that. We've hit quarantine zones plenty before, but we've never seen a powerhouse like Baekhwa."

"Fair point."

Yoo Jin-seok had poked a sore spot.

In the original story, villains still infested quarantine zones even after the barriers went up.

Back then, the Ha Jeong-seok regime had some authority, pushing to abandon heavily corroded areas—which naturally bred more monstrous villains.

"The power balance in the quarantine zones might've shifted while we were away."

"Like new aberrations?"

"Yeah. Honestly, I'm suspecting Baekhwa's an aberration. Others might not have sensed it, but that technique of hers? Pure malice."

Typical Divine Sword Hero.

But come on—malice? Taking down villains was justice, plain and simple. She probably just enjoyed it a bit.

"In that case."

"Yeah. It felt like she enjoyed the killing for its own sake, not for justice. Meaning this Baekhwa could be an aberration."

Nice one, bro. Spot on.

"A woman we shouldn't save? Then I can bat her skull in?"

The bat-to-the-head was infamous from the original story.

No thinking—just swing first.

"That's one way to see it, but we can't write off all aberrations as evil outright. That's why I agreed to bring her in. I want to check her out, at least."

"Guess no choice then."

Years past the original timeline, and Yoo Jin-seok was still protagonist material.

Meet Baekhwa even if she's an aberration. If she's on the side of justice, at least negotiate a compromise.

No way he'd take Choi Cheol-sik's orders at face value with that personality.

He'd either meet Baekhwa, vet her ideology, let her go, or negotiate just enough to save the Hunter Association's face.

Too bad. No plans to meet.

I could chat a bit. But that loudmouth Blazing Bat was with him. She was a loose cannon even Yoo Jin-seok couldn't rein in.

Back at Hansung Academy, she had zero quals as an instructor. Dead serious.

In reality—unlike the novel—types like Kim Ji-hye were tumors if the protagonist didn't pick them. No heroine cred.

Time to flip the broadcast switch?

They'd probably clocked me by now, per my guess.

I was right in Yoo Jin-seok's purification zone. No ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠way they missed it. That's why things went quiet lately.

Kim Ji-hye knew too, probably. Showtime for some acting.

"Everyone~ Hello~ It's Baekhwa from Baekhwa TV!"

Big grin after ages. Mask hid it anyway, but waving with a smile got the viewers greeting back.

Yeonsu-dong's villains were either culled or absorbed as Songdo residents. Now it was just a barren corrosion zone lingering with demonic energy.

"Today's content: quarantine zone outing! Viewers are curious, right?"

Quarantine zones beyond the barriers were unknown frontiers even to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠most hunters.

"Here we are in Yeonsu-dong~"

The world where I'd been a salaryman had no apocalyptic hellscapes like this.

This world? Pure despair if you stared at the corrosion zones.

"Monsters pop up sometimes, so no civilians allowed?"

I wagged a finger at the drone like warning a kid off something dangerous, and the chat exploded with "What bullshit."

"Alright, this'll be like a horror experience today. For example."

"Baekhwa, right?"

Yeah. Uninvited guests like that.

Hmm, not a villain. Not sure if they were hiding it, but that hood? Anyone could ID him up close, face obscured or not.

"Ahahaha. Like that'd hide you. Yoo Jin-seok, Kim Ji-hye."

"Not your average crook, huh."

Average my ass. Even a low-rank hunter would clock that face under the hood in person.

"We're not here to fight. We just want you to join us in Seoul. With the survivors."

"Survivors? Baby Baekhwa doesn't know about that~"

"Whoa, this cute little bitch. Come quietly while we're being nice?"

Kim Ji-hye hefted her bat, flames licking it.

Right now, I was limited to mental manipulation with bare-minimum physicals.

Answer? Did it need one?

"Fuck you."

I flipped them the bird. Right then, Dark Ganp's corrosion arrow slammed between me and Yoo Jin-seok's crew.

It was the moment the chase began—Baekhwa, future SS-Rank villain, versus humanity's strongest in a game of tag.

As the cops—Yoo Jin-seok and Kim Ji-hye—chased the thief (me), Dark Ganp's corrosion arrows were my trusty backup.

No—from Songdo penthouse to Yeonsu-dong? That was missile-tier.

Demonic energy burst from each impact, blinding their vision. Pinpoint timing, right as Yoo Jin-seok closed in, constant interference.

"Who the hell's shooting from where? Should I swat it?"

"Don't. Baekhwa's got a top-tier aberration buddy. Makes her aberration odds high."

"Pfft, that arrow? Wanna trace it?"

Their chatter echoed behind.

If they ditched me now, pinpointing Dark Ganp would've been easy.

But chase Reina instead—city mana even Yoo Jin-seok couldn't purify—and it was game over for them.

"Nah. I know the direction, but not distance or origin."

"You don't know?"

"Means myth-grade weapon-wielding aberration."

They had time to yap?

Time to poke.

"Got time to chat?"

"That damn bitch! I'll catch her and shove this bat down her throat!"

"Yeah? Fail and it's meaningless, right? Simple brute? Old maid?"

"Can't take it anymore. I'm killing her. Mid-20s calling me old maid."

Her age, and she bit that hard? Pathetic.

That simpleton? Easy to play with her personality.

Hmm, tough to fool viewers more.

Time to reveal?

"Hah! Curious about my identity? Only right to answer! Dark Saintess, awakened via 17 Chaos SS-Rank Core!"

"Not all aberrations are scumbags? Who's as pretty, nice, and savior-like as me?"

"Explanation stream time, everyone!"

Had to tweak my look with demonic energy.

Red eyes, half-face smile mask, nun outfit? Instant weirdo vibe.

"Here's the truth! This is my real form! Half-mask stuck from aberration awakening—can't remove it!"

"Eek, ain't I cute at least? I'm good Baekhwa!"

From a viewer's shoes? Villain, aberration—whatever. Pretty means fired up. Woman means hole, not stick.

"That's a secret~"

Not yap time. Run hard, keep running.

Just enough to tire Yoo Jin-seok, drain his stamina around here.

Ran awhile. Back quiet? Too busy chat?

Kkiiigggggrrrreeek

Buildings on both sides crumbled inward toward me.

Flaming ones, too. Clear intent to kill.

"Regret calling me old maid—die!"

"Oof, that's harsh. Too much for a girl?"

"Quit whining, aberration!"

Now I was pissed.

I dove into the collapsing structure, scaled the wall, and ambushed Kim Ji-hye from behind while she let her guard down.

"Time to punish this brute Blazing Bat."

"Huh? Where'd she—"

"Right here, Blazing Bat dear♥"

Grabbed her head, twisted, planted a thick, sloppy kiss on her lips.

Mwah.