I Blew the One Thing I Should Never Have Touched
Jacob sat in his hideout, staring at the photo with a satisfied smile.
It was the picture he'd taken after hearing that his sister's condition at the university hospital was finally improving.
"Thank goodness."
Sure, he was flat broke now, but a few broker jobs would get him back on his feet.
He browsed the underworld communities like always, hunting for work.
"What the...?"
One of the posts claimed Chinese Public Security hunters were moving around Busan.
The site was full of fake information that appeared and vanished in seconds, but he clicked anyway—just in case.
'Three of them...'
Unlike the usual garbage, this post included photos and detailed descriptions of the hunters' appearances.
Chinese Public Security hunters were objects of terror to their own citizens. They used their power to abduct innocent people, and their main job was dragging back hunters who had fled the country.
They were China's bounty hunters.
The fact that they were showing up in Korea suggested two possibilities.
Either a high-ranking Chinese hunter was hiding here, or...
"They're trying to mess with Korea..."
During the Sino-American Hunter War, Korea had sent troops to support the Americans. As a result, anti-Korean sentiment in China was at an all-time high.
There were even rumors that the Hunter Liberation Coalition—the terrorist group operating in the shadows—was being funded by China.
'In the worst case, some Korean hunters might end up dead.'
Suddenly, Kim Min-su's face flashed through his mind.
"I should at least give Min-su a heads-up."
As he picked up his phone, his eyes landed on one of the faces in the post.
"Wait... that guy, no way..."
During the war with China, the Americans had leaked extensive personal information on certain enemy units.
Most people had probably forgotten by now, but Jacob—who hoarded every scrap of data—recognized him immediately.
"A member of the Heavenly Wolf Unit that distinguished itself in the war against the Americans... Wang Zixuan."
The face was slightly blurred, so most people wouldn't have caught it.
This was getting serious.
Because Wang Zixuan was an S-rank hunter.
And he was currently walking around Korean streets disguised as a Public Security officer.
"Haa~ Finally finished one job. My mind feels so much lighter."
"I'll say."
Ju Tae-jin answered Yoo Na-ra while lying back in his chair with a book covering his face.
'Even though I got chewed out by the higher-ups, this is still a blessing.'
This whole incident had been closer to a complete gamble.
If Kim Min-su had been even slightly more ruthless, the two of them would have been found as corpses on the spot.
'No... they probably wouldn't have found the bodies at all.'
All he could say was that they'd been incredibly lucky.
"Still, it's reassuring. To think an S-rank hunter is willing to step in."
"There might be more than one."
"Huh?"
"That Kim Min-su guy. He's gotten stronger since we last saw him. Who knows how much stronger he'll be next time we meet."
Ju Tae-jin glanced at his watch and stood up.
"Let's go eat. We should enjoy a meal while we actually have time."
"I'm in~"
"By the way, when does the rookie finish his leave?"
"One more week."
At Yoo Na-ra's answer, Ju Tae-jin sighed and put down his book.
"Still a long way to go."
"Are we going to that restaurant again?"
"It really is a great place, but let's try somewhere else this time."
"That pork cutlet shop you like?"
The two of them laughed as they left the administration building and headed for the restaurant.
"Let's take the side alley."
"Side alley sounds good."
Cutting through the narrow path between buildings would get them there a few minutes faster.
He usually preferred the shortcut, so he walked toward it without thinking.
'What the...?'
Something felt off.
The alley was unusually quiet.
"Na-ra."
Yoo Na-ra had sensed it too. She drew the dagger she kept hidden against her calf.
"Wow, you're quick on the uptake."
A voice came from above, and a man dropped down to the ground.
"Chinese?"
Ju Tae-jin immediately recognized the unpleasant aura.
"It's Chinese Public Security. These bastards."
"What? How could you tell?"
The man answered with a curious expression. Ju Tae-jin spoke to him in Chinese.
"That hat and the tattoo on your wrist. They symbolize the bond between Public Security hunters, right?"
"Your Chinese is good. But you see, I'm..."
The man took off his hat and peeled the tattoo off his wrist with his fingers.
"I'm not Public Security."
"Yoo Na-ra!!"
At Ju Tae-jin's sharp shout, Yoo Na-ra immediately hurled her dagger.
"The pipe..."
He quickly pulled out his smoking pipe and was about to activate it when the man's hand suddenly appeared and snapped it in half.
"Unfortunately... you're coming with me."
"Damn it..."
Seeing Yoo Na-ra already slammed against the wall, Ju Tae-jin closed his eyes.
His ability was memory.
When he recalled happy memories, the smoke would grant buffs to his allies who inhaled it.
The strength of the memory determined the density of the smoke and the power of the buff.
"Too late."
Black smoke exploded from Ju Tae-jin's mouth as he spoke.
This was his trump card—smoke that forced people to experience their worst memories.
The pipe was merely a tool that let him use the ability without any backlash.
'Looks like I won't be able to speak for a few days.'
Ju Tae-jin dashed forward through the smoke.
Directly fighting a Chinese hunter was too dangerous.
'Chinese hunters running wild in Korea... I'll have to report this too.'
After the war, China had been completely banned from entering Korea. So how had they gotten in?
The moment he tried to break through the smoke and escape the narrow alley—
A hand shot out and grabbed him by the back of the neck.
"Ugh... fuck... what the hell did you do to me?"
The man's eyes were bloodshot with rage.
"It's my worst memory."
"Fucking Koreans."
As the smoke slowly cleared, Ju Tae-jin saw that Yoo Na-ra, who had been slumped against the wall, was gone.
'Good. She got away.'
The man struck Ju Tae-jin in the neck, and his consciousness cut off.
"Chinese?"
"Yeah. Looks like something's going down in Busan."
The call from Jacob first thing in the morning made me narrow my eyes.
'Why the hell...?'
With entry banned, there was no reason for them to sneak in illegally.
"Thanks for letting me know."
"If you need anything, just say the word. And Min-su, send me your restaurant's location."
"Need something...? Oh, I need two new identities."
"Again...?"
"I'll send the photos and names first. When you come by the restaurant later, I'll pay you then. Take your time with it."
"Got it. Perfect timing since I don't have much work right now."
After that, we chatted about random things.
"Alright, I'll hang up now."
I ended the call and set my phone down.
"Ppaya...?"
Luna tilted her head at me. I rubbed my face against her fluffy fur.
"Kyuuah...!!"
"Ah... I just want to stay like this."
Luna squirmed as if it tickled.
"Father, are you awake...?"
Jeok So-ye poked her head through the doorway and looked at me.
"Today... um... you said you'd teach me sparring and how to use a phone..."
"Was that today? Where are Hwa-ryeon and Rhea?"
"They're already waiting downstairs."
The part I was most worried about wasn't the sparring—it was the phones.
The chaos that could erupt while a martial artist from Murim and a dragon from another world tried to adapt to smartphones could cause serious problems if things went wrong.
I grabbed the three phones I'd already ordered and headed downstairs.
"No, why are you backing out there? You need to dig in deeper! Like this! Like this!"
Jeok Hwa-ryeon sat on the sofa watching UFC. No matter how you looked at it, she seemed completely modern now.
She was shadowboxing, perfectly copying the stances.
"Hero, you said you'd teach us how to use phones today."
Rhea approached with a gentle smile.
"That's right. I'm a little worried, though."
"What's there to worry about? I heard that if you don't have one, you're not even considered a modern person."
"Who said that?"
"Hwa-ryeon over there."
I sighed and handed each of them a phone.
"Okay, just remember these three rules. The internet is anonymous, so don't take what people say to heart. Never reveal your real name or address. And finally, don't go looking for a fight just because someone made you angry."
"Obviously. You think we're kids?"
Hwa-ryeon looked the most unreliable.
So-ye took her phone and began tapping at it awkwardly.
'It'll be fine... right?'
Nothing too bad should happen.
"Father, about the sparring..."
"Okay. I'll give you wives some homework. Search for what you want to eat for breakfast."
I gave them their assignment, grabbed the heavy sword, and headed outside.
"Hero! I've finished everything you asked. May I rest now?"
Romanoff waved at me.
He'd been pruning the trees in the garden, so leaves and twigs were stuck all over his armor.
"You've been speaking casually again...?"
"This is... my original way of speaking..."
At Romanoff's request, I'd bought a wooden coffin and placed it in a corner of the house.
"Rest."
"F-finally."
At my words, Romanoff opened the coffin and lay down inside.
He was a spirit, so he shouldn't have any physical fatigue, but for some reason he insisted on absorbing yin energy inside that coffin.
Sometimes he'd even visit graveyards to gather more yin energy and souls.
It wasn't really causing any harm—he was just collecting stagnant evil spirits—so I let him go out for walks.
It looked a bit pitiful, but it was his own choice.
"Alright, So-ye. Come at me."
"Here I come!!"
So-ye and I clashed swords, exchanging blows.
'She's just faithfully copying the standard Namgung sword style.'
I deflected her blade, grabbed her by the collar, and threw her into the air.
"Too honest."
So-ye spun in mid-air and landed lightly on the ground.
"Isn't the Namgung sword style supposed to be honest?"
She wasn't wrong.
Compared to sects like Mount Hua or Wudang, the Namgung sword was the very definition of orthodox technique.
"Swordsmanship can be honest, but people shouldn't be. From now on, what I'm going to teach you are what we call dirty tricks."
This was my style—the Heavenly Wolf Sword Demon—full of feints and Murim-style illusions to overwhelm the opponent.
"Haa... haa..."
Yoo Na-ra clutched her head as she walked.
She'd reported it to the administration department and the higher-ups, but no one wanted to get involved.
-The report has been sent to the government. Just wait.
She'd even gone to see Department Head Im Yong-tae, the person in charge of the entire administration department, but all he said was to wait.
"If even the department head is like this..."
As a Ukrainian refugee who had lived in America, Yoo Na-ra had been lucky enough to awaken and become an American hunter. But the government had given her an ultimatum because she was an illegal immigrant.
Would she participate in the Sino-American War?
Or would she be deported as an illegal immigrant?
Out of those two choices, Yoo Na-ra had chosen the military to protect her family.
If she fought in the war, the government had promised her family citizenship.
So at the age of nineteen, she threw herself into battle.
While her comrades were dying one after another, she noticed one Asian man.
-What kind of name is that hard to pronounce? I'll just shorten it and call you Yoo Na-ra.
The rude man who casually shortened her name because English was difficult shone like a star on the battlefield where everyone was killing and being killed, regardless of age or gender.
'If it weren't for the department head, I would have died.'
And if things continued like this, Department Head Ju Tae-jin might die.
"This is the place..."
Yoo Na-ra's feet stopped in front of a certain restaurant.