Return
He had secured the original objective—the Bulrocho. That meant there was no longer any reason to remain in the Doksikrim.
“Shall we head back now?”
“We should. One thing still bothers me, though—Jo Taeo still hasn’t shown up. Does he have some other scheme cooking?”
“This place is dangerous. Maybe he just died somewhere out there?”
“Died… Hmm. That would be ideal, but I doubt a piece of trash like him went down that easily.”
In truth, Jinhyuk had already killed Jo Taeo and every last one of his subordinates. What he actually needed to watch for was something else entirely.
The Tipone Guild.
They might notice something was off and try to approach in one way or another. That would become a genuine nuisance. Judging by the circumstances, their bad blood was far from settled.
Still, they would have to move carefully. Otherwise they would all end up exactly like Jo Taeo.
And if they insisted on being a pain anyway…
I wouldn’t mind paying a visit to their headquarters myself.
While turning that thought over, he glanced at Han Yeji.
She seemed to be wrestling with something, then belatedly approached the outcasts and began communicating with them. He wondered what they were discussing.
But he had his own business to attend to: checking the rewards he had received for completing a quest he hadn’t even known existed.
First up was the newly revealed linked quest that bore the name Nonexistent Paradise.
Jinhyuk’s opinion of quests was skeptical at best.
Sounds fancy enough, but do I really have to…
More than anything, it was a hassle.
Right now the priority is delivering the goods and getting some rest.
Next, he had been told he could choose one weapon belonging to the outcasts.
Where am I supposed to check the reward list?
The moment the thought formed—
Zzzt. Zzzzt.
A holographic window flickered into existence before his eyes amid a burst of static. Swords, spears, bows, hammers—an assortment of weapons filled the display.
A dagger would still be best, wouldn’t it?
It was what he was most familiar with. If the performance was decent, killing people would be that much easier.
Yet as he slowly scrolled through the list, tapping the hologram, Jinhyuk’s eyes widened.
He had found a silver wire named Eunyongsa.
This weapon…
He remembered it from the old days, during training with the organization. One of the instructors had specialized exclusively in wire. Whenever they sparred, the unique body techniques and feints unique to wire always left Jinhyuk feeling as though he had already lost the psychological battle before it began.
He had only used it a handful of times himself, so it wasn’t exactly second nature.
Still… it looks promising.
Recalling the instructor’s movements—still vivid in his mind—Jinhyuk selected YES without hesitation.
You have selected Eunyongsa.
A swirl of light gathered in his hand, and before he knew it a silver wire rested in his grip.
B-
A slender silver thread woven from the fur of the White Tiger, a spirit beast found only rarely on the 27th floor of the Tower. It possesses exceptional durability.
When night falls, Concealment (B-) magic activates.
Of every item description he had seen so far, this one looked the most impressive.
Exceptional durability, huh?
He shot a quick glance at Han Yeji, still deep in conversation with the outcasts, then drew a dagger and slashed at the wire.
Crunch.
Even after several deliberate cuts meant to sever it, the wire remained unharmed. Looking mildly impressed, he next brushed a fingertip lightly across its surface.
Sting.
A fine red line appeared on the skin that had touched it, and a thin bead of blood welled up.
I didn’t expect it to be this sharp.
It felt like slicing through tofu. Cutting a person with this would be no trouble at all.
I’ll need to set aside some time later and figure out how to use it properly.
His body might have forgotten the techniques, but the instructor’s movements were still crystal clear in his mind.
Next, Jinhyuk checked the effects of the title.
The title of “Little Savior.”
Little Savior
A title bestowed only upon those to whom the outcasts feel deep gratitude from the bottom of their hearts. While this title is equipped, outcasts will place a high degree of trust in you.
For such grand wording, the actual effect didn’t look particularly flashy. Naturally, the urge to try equipping it rose.
Equip the Little Savior title.
The moment the thought formed—
Fwaaaaaah!
A brilliant halo of radiant light blossomed above Jinhyuk’s head.
…
Even he was startled by how eye-catching the effect was. He hastily unequipped the title.
“Huh? Did it just get brighter around here for a second?”
“……I wouldn’t know. Maybe you imagined it.”
“That so? I almost thought morning had come. No way that happens in the Doksikrim, right?”
“……”
He decided never to use it again.
The two of them tore their return scrolls and finally left the Tower. Their vision flickered, and before long the familiar scent of air freshener brushed their noses.
The first person they saw was Jin Seoyeon, sitting at the counter and nervously tapping her fingers. The instant the two appeared she shot to her feet.
“Yeji! Jinhyuk!”
She rushed over in a single breath and pulled them both into a hug by the shoulders. Her usual composure was nowhere to be found; long dark circles sat under her eyes.
“I’m so glad you’re back. Do you have any idea how worried I was…?”
“Come on, Unnie. You know who I am.”
Han Yeji put on a show of swagger and patted her sword sheath, but Jin Seoyeon’s gaze had already shifted to Jinhyuk standing behind her.
“Jinhyuk, are you hurt anywhere? Any signs of poisoning? Did you break any bones…?”
“I’m fine as well. It was dangerous, but Yeji took care of everything, so it was actually pretty easy.”
He glanced at Han Yeji as he spoke, and—
“……Hmph. Hmph. You think saying nice things like that is going to make me happy or something?”
Her ears had gone red as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
Watching them, Jin Seoyeon allowed a quiet smile to curve her lips. The lively noise finally made it feel real—both of them had come home safely.
“Ah, look at me. You must be exhausted and I’m just standing you here. Sit down, everyone. Want something to drink?”
“Ah, boss—just a moment.”
“Hm?”
Kim Jinhyuk rummaged through his backpack and pulled something out: a pure white flower that radiated a soft red glow.
“Huh? That’s…”
Jin Seoyeon’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“We fell off a cliff while dodging toxic fog and found it inside a cave. Yeji discovered this one too.”
“I didn’t exactly discover—”
“If Yeji hadn’t been there, I would have been dead the moment we fell. We even ran into some people called outcasts.”
“That’s true, but still…”
Han Yeji felt thoroughly confused. Wasn’t he praising her a little too much? Of course, he wasn’t entirely wrong—half of it was accurate.
But Jinhyuk had been the one who found the cave, and when they encountered the outcasts it had been his decision to attempt communication, which ultimately let them obtain the Bulrocho without shedding blood.
Why does he keep…
The way he kept giving her all the credit was so blatant it almost made her self-conscious. Yet she didn’t dislike the feeling.
Jin Seoyeon, however, could only grow more astonished as she listened to Jinhyuk’s calm account.
“You ran into toxic fog? And outcasts as well…?”
Toxic fog was a disaster in itself. Even A-class hunters and above tore their return scrolls the moment they encountered it. Unless someone possessed a unique ability like Absolute Poison Immunity, survival was nearly impossible.
“You two… how on earth did you make it back alive from an environment like that?”
“All thanks to Yeji.”
“……”
Jinhyuk said it while shooting another glance at Han Yeji. Normally she would have been bouncing around and chiming in with a few lines of her own, yet she remained quiet.
What’s with her?
Something felt different from usual. Her ears were red and she refused to meet his eyes. Was something weighing on her?
He had no choice but to set his curiosity about her aside for the moment.
“Wait, Jinhyuk. What’s that necklace?”
Jin Seoyeon, still reeling, had spotted the necklace hanging around his neck and her expression changed.
“Ah, this?”
He had known this moment would come. The Undead’s Tears—a high-value necklace whose recent market price alone reached twenty million won. He had deliberately worn it around his neck, and Jin Seoyeon had noticed it at the perfect time.
“I picked it up off the ground during the expedition. I was actually thinking of giving it to you as a gift, boss, since I’m always in your debt…”
Naturally it was a lie. But from everything he had seen of Jin Seoyeon, she wouldn’t simply snatch it up just because he offered.
“That’s the Undead’s Tears.”
“Is it valuable?”
“Extremely. Haven’t you seen it on the price charts? There are over a hundred people lined up waiting to buy one right now.”
Jinhyuk put on a surprised face.
“Whoa, I had no idea it was that big a deal… It just looked expensive so I picked it up…”
“Yeah. Lots of people want it, so it’s expensive. And…”
“Yes?”
“That’s also something Jo Taeo always carries around.”
Beside them, Han Yeji finally snapped out of her daze and stared at the necklace in shock.
“What? The Undead’s Tears? Isn’t that the thing that bastard’s been bragging about forever?”
“It’s not a unique item, so there are others, but… hmm. From what I remember, Jo Taeo treasured it like his own life.”
Something that precious just lying abandoned on the forest floor? Even as they told themselves it couldn’t be, their speculation could only solidify in one direction.
“So Jo Taeo… is dead?”
They already considered it a near certainty that Jo Taeo had been tailing them. Both women knew his personality and behavioral patterns far too well.
“Who knows. Whether a monster got him or the outcasts ambushed him… the only sure thing is that something happened, he dropped it, and Jinhyuk luckily picked it up.”
“Ugh, that idiot. Serves him right for pulling all those schemes. Feels great, honestly!”
Han Yeji snorted with open satisfaction. Jin Seoyeon wore a somewhat bitter smile.
“Jinhyuk, would it be all right if I bought this necklace from you? It’s far too dangerous an item for you to walk around with.”
Jinhyuk grinned as if he had been waiting for exactly that.
“Ah, I was just going to give it to you, but if you’re offering to buy it I’m grateful. From what you’ve said it sounds like a troublesome item to deal with anyway.”
Listening to him, Jin Seoyeon checked the market price on her tablet.
“Current trading price is around twenty million. But since I dragged you into this mess, and I’m grateful you brought back the Bulrocho, I’ll buy it for a bit more.”
“A bit more meaning…?”
“Thirty-five million. How’s that?”
It was a jaw-dropping sum. There was no reason to refuse—especially with the extra premium on top.
“That’s such a huge amount for me to… No, if you’re fine with it then of course I’m happy, but…”
“Jo Taeo nearly put me in a really bad spot. In a way, you and Yeji saved me.”
Refusing too hard would have been rude. And timing-wise, this was the moment to accept.
“Understood. If that’s what you want, boss.”
Moments after he agreed, the smartphone in his pocket vibrated briefly.
35,000,000 won has been deposited.
Counting the zeros on the screen made his chest swell with grandeur.
With this much I can loaf around and eat well for a good while.
His paid leave hadn’t even ended yet. And now he had enough money that three chicken meals a day wouldn’t make a dent!
Boss really is an angel.
As Jinhyuk silently cheered inside, Jin Seoyeon smiled at him warmly.
“Next… the remaining problem is still the Tipone Guild. We don’t even know for sure what happened to Jo Taeo yet, so they might start prowling around looking for him.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“So keep enjoying your leave until the situation settles down a bit. Of course your daily wage will keep coming.”
“Understood! Loyalty, loyalty!”
Just as he was about to leave the shop, Han Yeji—who had been heading out with him—tossed out a casual line.
“Hey… do you have anything going on this evening?”
She somehow couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Not really?”
Her lips curved into a small arc at the answer.
“Th-then, um. Want to grab dinner together? Not like it’s a regular thing or anything—I just happen to be free today. Eating alone is boring, so… while we’re at it?”
Jinhyuk’s eyes narrowed.
Yeji, I didn’t take you for that kind of person.
She had clearly noticed he had come into a large sum and was naturally trying to get him to treat her. But Jinhyuk wasn’t falling for it.
“Ah, I just remembered I have a prior engagement. Sorry…”
“Liar.”
“It’s true.”
“No it’s not. I don’t believe you. I’m eating with you today no matter what.”
From Han Yeji’s perspective her insides were burning up. Did he have any idea how much courage it took to be the one who suggested dinner first?
Aaaargh… Seriously! Is he pretending not to know on purpose? Or does he actually have plans?
They were locked in that subtle war of nerves when—
Ding-a-ling.
The shop door opened, and
“……It sounded oddly lively in here.”
A cold-looking woman with long silver hair cascading down her back stepped inside.
“Yeji’s here too? And this person is…”
Eyes that seemed to see straight through him fixed on Jinhyuk.
“……”
“The smell of blood is thick. Planning to kill someone, Unnie?”
All expression vanished from Kim Jinhyuk’s face. And the woman looking at him wore a small, curved smile at the corner of her mouth.