The Second Lust Quest (3)
Before entering the building in earnest, Seo Joo-hwan made full use of the Lust System's functions.
> From now on, 10 LP will be consumed per minute.
> Blessing of Focus (Continuous) has been applied.
With the blessing active, his concentration and cognitive abilities surged. His senses expanded, sharpening to a razor's edge.
Not stopping there, he poured points into the Fistfighting talent he'd acquired from Jeong So-ra.
> 100 LP used to raise Fistfighting (F) talent rank.
> 200 LP used to raise Fistfighting (F+) talent rank.
> 300 LP used to raise Fistfighting (E) talent rank.
> 400 LP used to raise Fistfighting (E+) talent rank.
> 500 LP used to raise Fistfighting (D) talent rank.
> 1,000 LP used to raise Fistfighting (D+) talent rank.
> 2,000 LP used to raise Fistfighting (C) talent rank.
A cascade of messages lit up his vision. He'd burned a total of 4,500 LP to push his Fistfighting talent to C rank.
While each talent varied slightly, C rank on average meant the skill of a seasoned expert. He would've loved to crank it all the way to A+, but unfortunately, his low System level capped him at C.
'Alright. Time to go in.'
Seo Joo-hwan silenced his smartphone. No sense letting the perp pinpoint his location first.
As he stepped through the entrance, he spotted scattered two-by-fours and iron pipes littering the ground.
'Better than nothing.'
No matter how skilled a fighter he was, a blade could still end him. He snatched up an iron pipe.
Thud... thud...
The abandoned building on a rainy midnight felt oppressively eerie. The patter of dripping raindrops mingled with whistling gusts of wind, sending chills racing up his spine.
'No one's on the first floor?'
Even with his heightened senses, he detected no signs of life. Maybe the killer hadn't arrived yet.
'Upstairs, then?'
In his previous life, the incident had gone down on the first floor. But things could be different this time—maybe the second. Killing his presence, he located the stairs.
'They couldn't have gone higher than the second floor.'
No matter how strong the perp was, dragging a person up multiple flights without an elevator? Second floor was the max.
Seo Joo-hwan crept up the stairs, back to the wall, minimizing his footsteps. Ears perked for any ambush, he focused intently.
Halfway up, a faint, unfamiliar sound reached him.
- Mmph... mmph... mmph...!
A choked noise, like a mouth forcibly muffled. A woman's voice, laced with sobs.
'Gotcha!'
He bolted up the remaining stairs. Footsteps be damned—if he delayed, something irreversible might happen.
Reaching the second floor, he spotted a burly man clutching a woman's ankle, staring right at him. She lay crumpled in front of the guy.
The scene screamed what was unfolding. For a split second, Han Su-ah's face overlaid the woman's in his mind.
Uncontrollable rage boiled up.
"Hey! You fucking bastard!"
Clatter-clatter! Seo Joo-hwan charged, screaming like a banshee, no thought to tactics or flanks.
The man panicked at the sight.
Even in his fluster, the guy swung what he held wildly.
Clang!
The metallic crash of iron on iron! The man wielded a honed saw blade. If Seo Joo-hwan hadn't blocked in time, he'd be dead.
Eyes half-rolled back in fury, Seo Joo-hwan roared over his fear.
"You crazy fuck! Swinging a saw at a person?!"
"Who the hell are you?! Huh? Wait, aren't you that pig from the convenience store earlier?"
Recognition dawned, and the man's initial shock faded. Seeing Seo Joo-hwan's still-pudgy frame—despite his recent training and weight loss—he relaxed. Still obese enough to underestimate.
The man, tall and built, smirked with growing amusement.
"Kid, why're you here? I was gonna let you live 'cause you seemed smart enough to mind your business."
"What?"
"Sorry, man. You saw too much. Gotta die now. No hobbies, so I'll make it quick."
Maybe from all the prior murders, but he said it with a grin. Pure psycho.
Of course—no sane person dismembers bodies.
"Fuck you, you murdering scum."
Seo Joo-hwan spat it without flinching, even facing the monster. Memories of his past life flooded back.
"You fucking killer... You killed Su-ah, didn't you? You did that to Su-ah..."
Thick venom dripped from his unfinished words.
The man, naturally, had no clue.
"The hell you on about? One of my victims a friend of yours? Or is her name Su-ah?"
He glanced back, then smacked his lips regretfully.
"Damn, pissing me off now. I was just getting started, and you come ruining it!"
His grin twisted into a scream. Emotional whiplash—far from normal.
Face flushed crimson with rage, he lunged, saw swinging.
Seo Joo-hwan countered with his pipe.
Clang!
"Oh? Blocking? You blocking me?!"
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
"What, you gonna do? Fight me with that?"
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
"I'm a third dan in kendo, you punk!"
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!
"Die, die, die! D—"
A kick exploded from below, slamming his gut.
Thud!
Dull impact; the man staggered back, eyes wide in disbelief.
His face warped viciously.
"You... You hit me? You? You fucking pig!"
He charged in a frenzy. Seo Joo-hwan sidestepped, evading the saw. His expert Fistfighting talent guided his instincts flawlessly.
He snapped his wrist, thrusting the pipe forward.
Thwack!
"Guhk..."
Solar plexus pierced, the man's breath hitched.
Stumbling back, their eyes locked. He hacked for air but flailed the saw wildly.
Seo Joo-hwan advanced coolly, face ice-cold. The man's moves were crystal clear now. All that kendo third-dan bullshit? Pure bluff. Amateur swings—no real fight experience, let alone swordsmanship.
Terrified by the fearless approach despite the weapon, the man's face paled.
"What the fuck are you?! Why show up and ruin everything?!"
Pathetic whining. Seo Joo-hwan swung his pipe, bellowing.
"Sergeant, Republic of Korea Army! You piece of shit!"
Claaang!
Shrill metal screech! An upward sweep knocked the saw flying from numb fingers.
Crack!
The pipe smashed his shoulder next.
He screamed, clutching it.
Thump!
A fist hammered his right cheek, crumpling his face and whipping his head around.
The left followed; he crumpled, unable to stand.
"Guhk..."
"Worse than a beast."
Thud!
"Kuhk!"
Seo Joo-hwan stomped his gut once more. Rage still burning, he reared back for another punch.
Master, no! You have to stop!
Thud! Thump!
Master!
"...Damn it."
If not for that voice in his head, he wouldn't have stopped. He'd have pummeled the bastard endlessly.
Twisted in fury, Seo Joo-hwan lowered his fist.
Good, you stopped. Any more and you'd be in trouble, Master.
'...Yeah. Thanks, Lucy.'
He wanted to beat the scum to death, but reality sided with her. This country granted even trash like him "human rights."
Leaving the unconscious man, Seo Joo-hwan approached the woman on the floor. Hands and feet bound, mouth sealed with duct tape.
"You okay? It's all over— you're safe now."
He spoke as gently as possible to reassure her. Han Su-ah's face flashed over hers again, stirring a surge of emotion.
Tear-streaked cheeks, red-rimmed eyes—how terrified must she have been?
'Su-ah must've been even more scared and hurt.'
He bit his lip to suppress the rising tide. This life's Su-ah was safe. This woman seemed unharmed too. Everything had worked out.
He untied her bonds and peeled off the tape.
"Th-thank you. Sniff, sob. Hic, waaah!"
She burst into sobs, throwing herself into his arms. He patted her back softly.
Wee-oo~ Wee-oo~ Wee-oo~.
The belated wail of police sirens pierced the cruel night.
*
The cops arrived late, but thanks to Seo Joo-hwan's heroics, the incident wrapped up cleanly.
As reward for completing Lust Quest: Save Han Su-ah!, 20,000 LP has been granted.
Hidden additional completion condition Overcome Trauma satisfied. 20,000 LP granted.
Achievement Brave Citizen completed. Reward: 10,000 LP granted.
The perp was arrested by the arriving police, and messages confirmed the quest's success.
With the hidden extra and achievement, he'd scored a whopping 50,000 LP—double his previous hauls, befitting the peril.
"Thank you so much. Here's my number. Call me after discharge—I owe you a meal."
"Nah, it's fine. Just did what anyone would."
"I'm just that grateful."
"If you insist... Got it. Take care."
"Thank you again!"
She thanked him profusely before leaving.
'Caught the killer, overcame the trauma, Su-ah's safe, and so's this woman. Perfect.'
A true blessing. A textbook happy ending.
— If not for that one call.
"My vacation..."
His end-of-service leave vanished in that instant.