Chapter 290
Chapter 290
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 290
Chapter Title: Styx (4)
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Two sisters.
Namgung Sang had met them at the church about five years ago.
They were the pastor's daughters.
To them, Namgung Sang was just your typical 'church oppa number one.'
'Monsters popping out, dungeons appearing, and here’s a church...'
Of course, Namgung Sang had no faith whatsoever.
Even if he had any, it would have vanished by now.
An omnipotent entity called the 'System' had descended directly before humanity, yet it never mentioned anything about religion.
In fact,
After the world turned into this mess, countless religions crumbled.
Forget belief—
Offerings, donations, and tributes dried up as life grew harsher.
Anyway.
The sisters' names were Kwon Sun-ji for the older one and Kwon Tam-ji for the younger.
They possessed special abilities and relied on Namgung Sang, which ultimately became their poison.
"Tam-ji."
Namgung Sang approached the younger sister first, smartphone in hand.
He shoved the screen in her face.
"......"
Kwon Tam-ji stared at the screen with dead eyes.
The screen displayed content fit for a shady detective agency: suspicions of a wife's affair and a request for related information.
"First, authenticity."
Kwon Tam-ji had two abilities.
1. Lie detection.
2. Information extraction.
Both were SS-grade skills or higher. When Namgung Sang first heard about them, he cheered.
Information was money.
Especially in a world where factions rose and warlords clashed.
In short, Kwon Tam-ji was the core of the shadowy business empire Namgung Sang had built.
"...It's real."
Kwon Tam-ji replied in a powerless voice.
This meant the request itself contained no lies.
"Yeah? The affair?"
"The affair's real too."
Woooong!
Energy hummed from Kwon Tam-ji's body.
The amount of energy consumed depended on the 'quality' of the information.
"Evidence: two days ago at 3 a.m., nine days ago at 1 a.m., sixteen days ago at 1 a.m. Three times. Motel. Mimi Motel. Method's the classic hiking club ploy."
"Kuh, this trash of a wife. Banging every weekend morning? Tsk tsk, hiking club without the husband—pure science."
"......"
Kwon Tam-ji looked at Namgung Sang with a bewildered expression.
The world's filthiest scum stood right before her eyes.
And that scum uttered the word 'trash.'
She found it astonishing.
"Good. This info should suffice."
Namgung Sang nodded in satisfaction.
Kwon Tam-ji's ability was cheat-level.
From mere text, without knowing the client's identity, she extracted highly specific details.
She couldn't use it often due to energy limits, but a cheat was still a cheat.
"Now, Sun-ji?"
"......"
Kwon Sun-ji glared at Namgung Sang with venomous eyes.
Smirk.
Namgung Sang chuckled and slowly approached, squatting before her.
Grab!
He seized her chin hard with one hand.
"Whew, when will this bitch lose her poison?"
"......"
"Act like your sister—like a machine. No emotions."
"......First, confirm. Show me. Our parents."
"You damn bitch."
Slap!
Namgung Sang struck her cheek in irritation.
Blood burst from her lip under an adult man's force, but Kwon Sun-ji's expression didn't change.
"Here."
Rustle.
Namgung Sang pulled out another phone from his back pocket.
He played a video.
"See? Your mom and dad. Date's visible, right? Yesterday's footage. Oh my, steak for dinner tonight? No clue what their daughters are going through. Heh heh heh."
"......"
The video showed the pastor couple secretly filmed.
"Well, not their fault. They're probably happy? Daughters studying abroad in the US, big success, sending 10 billion won yearly allowance even in this economy."
"......"
Every quarter, handwritten letters from the daughters went to the parents.
They'd been recognized for their hunter abilities and joined a CIA special team in the US.
Security reasons meant only written contact— a flimsy excuse.
"Whew, good."
Kwon Sun-ji let out a faint sigh.
"......There's a traitor inside."
"What?"
Namgung Sang's eyes widened.
Kwon Sun-ji's ability was simple.
1. Prophecy.
2. Solution presentation.
In some ways, even more cheat-like than her sister's.
Vague as it might be, it predicted the future...
Recently, even the guild 'Separate Heavens' coming to the Paju base.
She'd nailed that one.
Furious, Namgung Sang had left a [Separate Heavens ☟] text message in a rage.
"Traitor?"
"Yes....... Someone leaked info on Curveweb secretly."
"Who?"
"Not that far...... Energy ran out."
"Hah, fuck. The most important part."
Namgung Sang grimaced in displeasure.
He spoke again.
"Solution?"
"......Within the next two days, gather all Curveweb members in this underground lair. The last one to arrive is the traitor."
"You fucking—!"
Namgung Sang stomped the floor in fury.
The system he'd built so carefully.
Ready to reap the gold.
A traitor?
Kwon Sun-ji's prophecies were terrifying.
Uncannily accurate at times.
Grit!
Namgung Sang ground his teeth.
No time to leisurely sell info.
'Kill them.'
Whoever it was, they didn't know he had Kwon Sun-ji as his ace.
His eyes turned icy cold.
* * *
"Sis......"
Kwon Tam-ji looked at Kwon Sun-ji with worried eyes.
Shh—!
Kwon Sun-ji raised a finger to her lips, signaling silence.
"......"
Kwon Tam-ji, who could discern truth from lies, already knew.
No traitor existed—her sister was lying.
'Why on earth.'
Why lie?
Her sister had always spoken truth until now.
In their meticulously kidnapped state,
Lying gained nothing.
Truth would unravel quickly.
And then, their parents living normally at home would......
"Urp."
Nausea surged.
Her vision spun, vomit rising.
For years, she'd witnessed countless deaths.
People threatened to feed Namgung Sang's greed, dying miserably.
'......Worse than dog shit.'
No wonder that 'don't trust church oppa' meme existed.
Anyway.
Sister lied.
Now, parents' safety was at stake.
"......"
No idea what sister was thinking.
Kwon Tam-ji bit her lip.
The silence?
Probably to prevent bugs—recording devices inside.
A thorough bastard like Namgung Sang would have mics standard, maybe even cameras.
* * *
At that moment.
Kwon Sun-ji wore a dazed expression.
'It must be real, right?'
She suppressed tears from surging emotions.
Just before.
The prophecy she'd seen, expending all her energy.
- Two days later, Separate Heavens arrives.
- Namgung Sang dies.
Ahh.
What ecstatic prophecy.
No solution needed.
Namgung Sang dies—what more solution?
Separate Heavens.
Didn't know exactly, but roughly.
From a prior prophecy, she'd seen Namgung Sang investigate them in rage.
The more she learned, the crazier the guild.
Guild master already a hyper ranker.
Vice guild master ruthless enough to take a president's head?
'Such a guild.'
Worth betting on.
Risking life to lie.
'Prophecy specified exactly two days.'
That's why the gathering.
Of Curveweb members.
If executed, better if all died.
No clue why Separate Heavens would come kill Namgung Sang.
But if true.
'Please.'
Finally, suppressed tears rolled down Kwon Sun-ji's cheeks.
'Please, save me and Tam-ji.'
She clasped her hands.
Prayed inwardly.
Surprisingly, not to 'God,' but to 'Separate Heavens.'
* * *
Two days passed swiftly.
Namgung Sang trusted Kwon Sun-ji 100%.
Risking exposure of his fortune-telling scam, he gathered everyone in the lair.
Excluding him, 30 members stepped onto teleportation circles at regional bases.
Leading here.
An underground rural lair even skilled guides couldn't find.
"29 arrived. The last no-show is......"
Namgung Sang eyed the list coldly.
"Black Hound, Kwak Dong-seok. This bastard?"
Sss!
That instant.
Black Hound's designated magic circle activated.
Late, but the final arrival.
Namgung Sang licked his lips.
Bitterness filled his mouth.
Thought Black Hound would make a fine comrade, yet here we are.
"Whew, what now? Damn, was having fun for once."
The arrival stretched, sounding annoyed.
"Why'd you call?"
From the darkness.
Namgung Sang bared his teeth in rage.
"Kwak Dong-seok."
"......Hm?"
Black Hound's eyes sharpened.
The voice tone differed from before.
"Who're you?"
"Who do you think."
Namgung Sang dropped the usual polite speech for casual.
"Thought you could betray the organization and live? You black shit dog bastard."
"What, what'd you say?"
"Acting's top-tier."
His bewildered face was convincing.
But Namgung Sang didn't waver.
Kwon Sun-ji's foresight was reliable.
"What info'd you dig? Who'd you sell to?"
"What the hell bullshit?"
"You shat on our organization, Curveweb."
Swish, swish!
Black mist enveloped Kwak Dong-seok.
Around it.
The remaining 29 members approached, killing intent bare.
- Orders from above: traitor present.
- 10 billion for participants, 100 billion for the head-taker.
Namgung Sang's directive when the 29 arrived.
Kwak Dong-seok was S-grade hunter, but stronger members abounded—feasible.
"You fucking bastards! Helped you out, and this is how you repay?"
Kwak Dong-seok resisted, but futile.
In a closed space, greed for 'money' drew malice—what could block it.
Thud! Whoosh! Slash!
Skills poured from the darkness.
"Argh, aaaargh!"
Black Hound met a wretched end, body shredded.
Blood splattered the lair floor.
Twitch.
Fallen Kwak Dong-seok trembled finely.
And that moment.
"Uhahaha! See? Don't doubt Shadow Secret's skills! Caught 'em just like this!"
From somewhere.
A high-energy woman's laughter echoed.
'Hm?'
Namgung Sang, watching, furrowed his brow.
The voice continued.
"Nani kore? But what's this? Blood smell?"
"Lower your stance, Shadow Secret."
"Yes, Dark Emperor!"
Namgung Sang's frown deepened.
Dark Emperor?
Shadow Secret?
Those famous Separate Heavens assassins!
'Fuuuuck......!'
The moment Namgung Sang screamed inwardly.