Chapter 281
Chapter 281
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 281
Chapter Title: Inspection Team Visit
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After finishing the ID checks, Choi Mi-na shouted.
“Door open!”
Rumble rumble rumble!
A massive iron gate opened with tremendous vibrations. Along with it, the Yeonam Group logo split apart to the left and right.
Armed trucks rolled in the moment the gate opened. One, two, three, four.
Choi Mi-na scowled as she took the dust kicked up by the armed trucks full in the face, thinking to herself.
Ugh, dust. Of all times, they have to come during my watch.
Then came a pitch-black limousine that didn’t match the armed trucks at all.
Through the limousine’s window, she caught a glimpse of a man in a suit.
Is that guy the director Moon Kyung-nam? They say he’s a total jerk personality-wise, but his face is pretty handsome.
The vehicle carrying the infamous chaebol third-generation heir quickly passed by Choi Mi-na’s side, followed by more armed trucks. Five, six, seven…
Monstrous armed trucks poured endlessly into the construction site.
“Man, they brought a ton.”
Kwak Dae-yong muttered while scratching his chin.
“Eight, nine, ten…”
Click-click-click.
An Hyeong-gu, counting with an endoscope linked to his goggles bobbing up and down, continued.
“Wow, thirteen armed trucks just rolled in.”
“Thirteen? Can this site even house that many people?”
“Nah, no way. We’re sleeping in tents right now because we don’t have enough space.”
Yeom Cheol-min replied with a troubled expression.
They had set up infrastructure for housing, but it was all temporary lodging.
With containers and prefab buildings not enough, they’d even put up tents. Accommodating that many was impossible.
Hearing that, Kwak Dae-yong grumbled under his breath.
Why’d they bring so damn many? Typical, no brains.
Murmurs rose from all around. Mostly the same kind of talk as Kwak Dae-yong’s group.
All the construction site workers had stopped work and lined up in perfect order, but that didn’t apply to the external contractors, the fixers.
“Wow, what a sight.”
Bau Kalrak, who had been standing on the wall to ‘prepare for invaders,’ watched Director Moon Kyung-nam’s procession with a relaxed expression.
Crunch-crunch. Grind-grind.
“What’s that? What came?”
Curtain Call’s voice came with the sound of metal crumpling.
“Oh, Collie—I told you earlier, right? Some bigwig came to inspect… Ack, Collie! What’s that?”
Bau Kalrak flinched in surprise while answering Curtain Call’s question.
“This? It’s what was left of my breakfast tray.”
What Curtain Call held was a stainless steel meal tray. Or rather, about a third of one.
“Argh, seriously! Stop eating the equipment. The manager was nagging for ages the other day!”
“Shut up. How many bigwigs are there that they’re coming in like this?”
Crunch-munch munch.
“I heard it was just one? Probably bringing supplies on the side.”
To replenish what you’ve been chowing down on.
“Supplies? That?”
Curtain Call gripped her halberd with a piece of the tray still in her mouth.
“Hmm, probably escorts with the bigwig. Sniff. Sniff… The adrenaline smell’s a bit strong, though.”
Did they tussle with the Sangnok Mountain Club on the way? Bau Kalrak muttered to himself while rubbing his nose a few times.
“Bau, tell the others to grab their weapons.”
“Huh? For real?”
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
Munch-crunch-crunch-
Bau Kalrak’s role was to rein in the overly sensitive Curtain Call, but he clearly distinguished between mere anger and a warrior’s vigilance.
Right now, it was the latter.
In Kim Shin-hwa’s sensory terms, it was like the [Heightened Alertness] trait activating.
While Bau Kalrak moved along the wall, whispering quietly to his comrades, Curtain Call grimaced and leaped down from the wall.
She landed without a sound, then slowly inhaled and moved deliberately.
Her bright red leather jacket, long cascade of snow-white hair. A vicious halberd taller than she was.
Despite her eye-catching appearance, no one noticed Curtain Call’s movement at that moment.
Moving like a ghost with clever footwork, Curtain Call soon reached Moon Seung-hee’s side.
“Hey, manager. What’re you doing?”
“As you can see, preparing to receive the inspection team.”
Curtain Call stared blankly at Moon Seung-hee’s face for a moment, thinking.
How far am I supposed to protect her?
Should’ve just smashed, broken, and killed stuff. Taking on this annoying job… I’ll complain to Tudor when I get back.
Only after enough time had passed that it might seem rude did Curtain Call speak again.
“Anyway, you’re the one paying me, right?”
“Well… It’s paid by the company.”
“Don’t care about that. Your name’s at the top of the bodyguard priority list I got, so you’re it. When I signal, charge that furry bastard.”
Curtain Call’s short finger pointed at the furry bastard.
A man with bushy beard, sideburns, and wild, unkempt hair covering 80% of his head in all sorts of fur.
Pointing toward Bau Kalrak.
“What… is that…”
Curtain Call sighed openly in annoyance and pointed at the armed trucks.
“Those crazy bastards swarming in.”
She stopped mid-sentence.
“Nah. Too annoying to explain twice. Decide for yourself. I’ll give the signal.”
With that, Curtain Call walked off without waiting for Moon Seung-hee’s reply.
“What the…”
No particular emotion crossed Moon Seung-hee’s doll-like face, but controlling her thoughts wasn’t so easy.
She’d put up with a lot because they’d done so much for her, but wasn’t it about time she got mad?
But Moon Seung-hee decided to hold out just one more time.
Fixers always fought between madness and death.
She’d worked with more reckless or crazier ones before.
Curtain Call was relatively tame. At least she could communicate.
Moon Seung-hee spoke to the manager beside her.
“Please make sure the fixers don’t act out.”
“Yes, understood.”
The manager hurried toward the wall.
Moon Seung-hee detached her attention from Curtain Call and the fixers’ odd movements, turning back to the inspection team.
Inspection team or not, they were really just personnel mobilized for Moon Kyung-nam’s visit. Even so, it was way more than planned.
How much did this procession cost?
Moon Seung-hee quickly calculated, then dismissed the figure. She had no right to complain about the extravagance.
Rumble-rumble-
Moon Kyung-nam’s direct bodyguard team poured out of the armed trucks. Neat suits with metal guards on shoulders and forearms.
And Moon Kyung-nam walking under their protection, in bizarre attire.
An awkward air flowed even among the lined-up workers. What’s that? Why’s he dressed like that? Cosplay? Egyptian style or something?
Moon Kyung-nam wore a high-end luxury suit, but over his shoulders was a cloak embroidered with strange hieroglyphs, bandages wrapped around his head.
Even in one hand, a golden staff with a hooked end.
“You’ve arrived?”
A flicker of bewilderment crossed Moon Seung-hee’s mind too, but with superhuman self-control, she bowed with her usual emotionless expression.
“What’s with this site? Looks like a beggar’s den.”
Moon Kyung-nam’s response.
“Due to conflicts with locals, the site cleanup has been incomplete…”
“Whatever, is that crazy wizard bastard here? Where’d you hide him?”
Moon Seung-hee’s face paled.
Not because of Kim Shin-hwa. The first person she thought of at “crazy wizard” was Lee Sun-bin.
She belatedly schooled her expression, thinking he might mean Kim Shin-hwa after all, but it was too late.
Before Moon Seung-hee could reply, Moon Kyung-nam brushed past her and took a few more steps.
“You’re hiding him. Right here?”
“No. Hiding? Not at all…”
“I know everything. The psycho you’re shacking up with, right?”
Moon Kyung-nam said that while scanning the site.
That vile madman—where the hell is he hiding?
Grind—Moon Kyung-nam’s teeth ground with a horrific friction sound.
The mad wizard bastard who’d suddenly ambushed him, attacked, tortured, cursed, and demanded a horrific contract.
He’d paid a fortune to lift the curse Kim Shin-hwa had inflicted on his body.
And last night.
A new revelation from the [Great Origin].
[Thus I command thee. Bring all thou hast to the promised land. Then shalt thou smite mine enemies with the force of a hammer upon heated iron.]
Along with it, a new power bestowed. The [Great Origin] had permitted his revenge. Where are you? That wizard punk.
Moon Kyung-nam observed all around, drawing out his maximum detection ability.
That alien mana on the wall? No. Not it. Fixers, probably.
What’s that kid? Not her either. Lots of mana, but wizards don’t manage it like that.
Moon Seung-hee approached, saying something.
“Annoying… Hey!”
At Moon Kyung-nam’s call, his subordinates came and pulled Moon Seung-hee away.
“Manager, this way please.”
“Wait! Director! Director! What is this about?”
“Found him. Hiding over there.”
Dirty containers piled haphazardly. Excessive mana detected among them.
Moon Kyung-nam looked at Moon Seung-hee triumphantly.
“No! That’s not! There’s no one there!”
Moon Seung-hee screamed, her face ashen.
Kim Shin-hwa wasn’t in the direction Moon Kyung-nam pointed. It was Lee Sun-bin.
Moon Kyung-nam, seeing Moon Seung-hee’s intense reaction, solidified his misunderstanding into certainty and smirked vilely.
“Yes, fear, panic, anger, confusion. Yes, yes. I like that look. Make that face more often from now on.”
Moon Kyung-nam raised his hand.
Vreeeeeen—
The thirteen armed trucks’ roof-mounted machine guns swiveled in unison.
Chaos and murmurs spread among the lined-up crowd. What? Huh? No way? For real?
“Now!”
Curtain Call’s voice cracked like lightning. And from that direction, toward Moon Kyung-nam—BWOOOOOM—
Moon Kyung-nam stared blankly for a moment at the massive object flying at him.
A container?
Why’s that coming at me?
“Cover your heads! Heads! Heaaaads!”
And why’s that kid charging with that brutish weapon? Doesn’t she know who the client is?
Regaining composure quickly, Moon Kyung-nam let out a “Ha!” and thrust his hand toward the container.
The new power the [Great Origin] had given Moon Kyung-nam.
What Kim Shin-hwa had called the [Chant Omission] trait allowed Moon Kyung-nam to complete the spell swiftly.
[Fire Ball]
KABOOOOOM!
The container shattered against the fireball. Flames and debris scattered everywhere.
[Chain Lightning]
ZZZAP! ZZZAP!
Lightning poured toward Curtain Call.
“RAAAAAGH!”
Curtain Call took the lethal bolts full on her body—not blocking or deflecting, but tanking the damage and barreling forward.
“You wild boar bitch!”
[Blizzard]
Whiiiiiirrr!!
A menacing blizzard unleashed at Curtain Call.
“Don’t mess around, you bastard!”
Whirrrl!
She dodged the blizzard, changing direction. Her fury and momentum unchanged, but her charge inevitably slowed.
Moon Kyung-nam laughed triumphantly and gave the order.
“Fire!”
“No!!”
Moon Seung-hee’s scream.
The machine guns on the armed trucks all aimed at the container where Lee Sun-bin was—
[Time Stop]