Busted!
Meanwhile, at Incheon Central Ecological Park.
It was the dead of dawn, with not a soul in sight. Despite its name, the park exuded an eerie, ominous air, like a jungle untouched by human hands. Overgrown bushes, weeds, and trees sprouted unnaturally, radiating a wild, untamed energy that had broken free from all control. The scene felt utterly surreal, yet the park remained eerily quiet—almost peaceful, in a way. But that tranquility didn't last long.
Boom!
"Where do you think you're rushing off to? We haven't even started yet."
Kuooooh!
A massive beast shattered the forest's silence. And hot on its heels was a woman in black xia ke robes—a certain S-rank hunter, Cheonhwa.
Having left China for some unknown reason, she had vanished from her homeland only to resurface next door in Korea, of all places, working with the Engwha Guild.
Kuoooooh! Sensing it could not escape the pursuing Cheonhwa, the bear-shaped monster turned and charged at her instead. Towering over 20 meters tall, it looked like certain death to any ordinary person watching.
"As expected of a beast—pure instinct in action."
Cheonhwa wasn't dubbed one of the top S-ranks for nothing.
"Black Flame Heavenly Flower One Flame Blade."
As she assumed her stance and intoned the skill name, black flames enveloped the area. A blaze reminiscent of black himalayan poppies erupted from her sword, and with a single slash—
The monster closed in right up to her, only for her to sever its neck clean off.
Rumble—
With her single stroke, the beast's head detached and flew past her. Black flames continued to burn relentlessly from the severed wound, refusing to die out. Cheonhwa watched the sight in silence.
That was when it happened.
"...Impressive skill as always."
"You've arrived."
A man in black daoist robes materialized around Cheonhwa. Speaking to her as if they were old acquaintances, he bowed his head politely, treating her with the deference due a superior.
"Lady Cheonhwa, when do you plan to return to China?"
"...Soon. But it doesn't feel like the time yet. More importantly, what about the task I asked you to handle?"
"Regarding your earlier request, we confirmed the child entering the tower while under surveillance."
"As expected..."
Cheonhwa nodded as if she'd anticipated it, slipping a hand into her bosom.
"And after that?"
"About an hour later, we saw them leaving the tower with what appeared to be mana stones in hand."
Cheonhwa nodded for him to continue.
"And?"
"They successfully made contact with the broker we arranged."
"The time?"
"Around 1 p.m. today."
"1 p.m., huh..."
Cheonhwa pondered briefly at the man's words, then gestured for him to leave and turned away. But the man stopped her.
"Lady Cheonhwa, forgive my impertinence, but why did you ask us to watch that child?"
"..."
Cheonhwa fell silent at his reasonable question. Then she withdrew the hand from her bosom.
"Potential. The kind that could be of great help..."
In her hand was a vial resembling a potion, filled with an ominous green liquid.
"I'll handle 1 p.m. myself today."
"Understood."
With Cheonhwa's curt order, the man in black robes vanished in an instant. Once their voices faded, only the monster's corpse and silence remained in that corner of the park. There, Cheonhwa gazed at the vial in her hand, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.
* * *
"I'm so tired..."
I squinted against the bright sunlight as I woke up. Yesterday's chaos had left my whole body aching and exhausted. Worst of all, after all that ordeal, I had to head out again today. Sure, it was to make money, but still.
"Yawn~ The broker said they'd send a map photo, right...?"
After checking the rewards from the tower yesterday, I'd finally lined up a deal with a broker I'd scrounged up online. No surprise it was a pain to find—nothing legal about it. Lucky I got one at all, or I'd have burned my last two days just hunting for a contact.
I grabbed my phone from where it'd been tossed carelessly on the floor and opened Telegram. At the top of the chat list, saved as [Broker 1], sat a map link and a photo of a dingy back alley.
Gulp.
"Why am I so nervous about this?"
I hadn't even left yet, but just thinking about dipping into something shady had my nerves on edge. Still, with money and quests on the line, no backing out now. I shook my head and quickly changed clothes.
"Sigh... Gotta buy some new clothes soon."
Wearing the same hoodie on rotation was starting to feel gross. Since I was heading out to sell mana stones anyway, maybe I'd order some clothes and underwear too.
"Alright, let's go."
I pulled the hood over my head and stepped outside, one hand clutching my trusty cheap kitchen knife, the other gripping a black bag stuffed with mana stones. I followed the phone's map to the spot.
About 30 minutes from home, the nav showed I was almost there. And sure enough, the landscape matched the broker's alley photo perfectly. Back-alley folks really knew their stuff—how'd they even find a deserted dump like this?
Deeper in, the cool air of the sunless alley brushed past me. Tension prickling, I fiddled with the knife handle in my pocket and pressed on.
Hmm... It should be around here.
The meetup spot was deeper in the alley than I'd thought. I'd gone pretty far, but no sign of the broker yet—not even a glimpse, and we were past the appointed time.
Is that it over there?
As the thought of turning back flickered through my mind, I finally spotted the place the broker had described. I hurried over, scanning for them. They had to be around here somewhere.
That was when, as I searched frantically at the rendezvous point—
"Whoa—!"
A familiar sensation. The floating feeling of someone hoisting me up.
"You slipped away so slyly last time."
And that unnecessarily formal speech pattern.
"Oh, hi there."
It was Cheonhwa. How the hell did she know I was here? And how'd she figure out I'd tricked her?
Sh, shit—busted?
The signs all pointed to yes, but I played dumb anyway.
"Tricked you? What are you talking about...?"
"Oh? Even after all this, you're still playing innocent?"
Yeah... definitely busted. Whether it was her wealth or S-rank influence, she'd clearly looked into me somehow.
"Ahaha... What on earth do you mean?"
"..."
As I doubled down on the act, Cheonhwa narrowed her eyes at me. I flashed the smarmiest grin I could, avoiding her gaze.
"Even now, you're gonna keep pretending?"
She pulled something from her pocket and held it right in front of my face.
Sm... smoothie?
It was my long-lost Goblin Head Smoothie. How did she have it?
Thinking back, it hit me.
"Eek—how long did I search for that?!"
When she'd caught me in the gate and slung me over her shoulder to escape, I'd thought I was in the clear. But apparently, she'd rifled through my hoodie pocket right then.
"There, now you admit it."
"G-give it back!"
I was like a rabbit snared by a hunter. No matter how I struggled with my neck gripped tight, I couldn't reach the smoothie. I even twisted to throw a punch, but to Cheonhwa, it was probably just pathetic flailing.
Finally, as she watched my pitiful display with pity, she spoke.
"Calm down. Sorry for taking it, but if you do me this one favor, I'll return your potion and grant one of your requests."
"Why should I trust you enough to do you any favors?!"
She was acting all nice, but I couldn't buy it. Not after she'd grabbed me like this and was tormenting me. And she wasn't even a Korean hunter—she was from China. What was I supposed to trust?
As I thrashed to break free again—
"I'll pay double the value of the mana stones you were going to sell."
"Eek, let go... Huh?"
She dropped a bombshell.
"D-double...? For real?"
My brain short-circuited on the word "double." Current mana stone rates were at least 4 million won each, and I had three.
Three for 12 million... double that...
Simple math: over 20 million won.
"J-just tell me what you want! I'll handle your request perfectly!"
"...Huh."
Call me spineless all you want. But double. Not 10% or 30%—a full 100% bonus. Only a rich fool or some hardcore idealist would turn that down with their head held high.
I flipped to bootlicking mode in an instant, and Cheonhwa stared at me like I was ridiculous. Her look made me a bit embarrassed, but ignoring a +100% profit margin? That money was way too big.