Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: American Hunter Bureau (3)
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A few days later, the front of the Miracle Management headquarters was still swarming with reporters.
Cutting through the crowd, a woman was making her way toward the building.
A stunning blonde in a beige trench coat.
Elena curled her red lips into a smile as she looked up at the headquarters.
This mission was no different from the countless ones she'd carried out before.
Making a man named Han Si-woo hers.
It didn't matter how arrogant or proud he was.
She had absolute confidence in her Enchantress ability.
With her looks to draw his gaze and three seconds of eye contact, she could make even an A-rank hunter, or an S-rank for that matter, lose their mind.
She might not even need to use her power.
Every male in the world held their breath and fixed their eyes on her the moment they saw her.
She was sure it would be the same this time.
'Hmph, easy.'
She scoffed.
"Let's get started."
She took off her sunglasses, tucked them into her pocket, and strode toward the main entrance with the graceful poise of a runway model.
The men around her were mesmerized, unable to tear their eyes away.
She arrived at the gate, leaving a trail of heavy perfume in her confident wake.
That's when her gaze landed on the man standing guard at the entrance.
Choi Min-seok.
He stood there with his arms crossed, on duty.
Elena straightened her clothes, tilted her head to the most alluring angle, and approached him.
"Hello. Mind if I pass through for a moment?"
Any normal man would have met her eyes the instant he heard her voice.
But.
"…."
Choi Min-seok didn't even glance at her.
Elena didn't falter and took another step closer.
'Got a girlfriend, huh? Fine, I'll give you a real show.'
She stepped right up to him.
And waited for the perfect moment when he'd open his eyes.
Finally, Choi Min-seok slowly opened his eyes, meeting her green ones.
'Now.'
Whoosh—
Elena's pupils rippled with a seductive pink glow.
'Got him!'
She flashed a triumphant smile.
No man had ever resisted these eyes.
"You'll step aside, right?"
Elena kept her smile, elegantly stepping forward.
'Huh?'
But her foot wouldn't budge.
It was stuck fast, as if glued to the ground.
Heel caught?
Puzzled, she looked down, and a startled gasp escaped her lips.
"W-what is this…."
White frost coated her shoe.
Not just the shoe—her ankle and calf too.
Transparent, solid ice crystals were spreading, encroaching up her leg.
"…!"
Just as she panicked and tried to scream.
"That's far enough."
A chilling voice came from behind her.
It was so close to her ear, lips nearly brushing it, a whisper that sent shivers down her spine.
'W-what?!'
The goosebumps wouldn't subside.
Elena slowly turned her head to find the voice's owner.
There stood a woman who had approached unnoticed.
Long straight hair, innocent beauty.
And eyes dulled, unfocused, hollow.
'Lee Ji-ah…?'
"Shall I freeze those eyes too?"
Lee Ji-ah smiled sweetly.
Her lips curved up, but her eyes weren't smiling at all.
Her half-lidded gaze oozed thick, sticky killing intent without restraint.
"You can't just use those eyes freely. I'm already on edge from someone else using a similar power recently."
"Hngh…!"
Elena couldn't breathe properly under the overwhelming pressure of mana.
Chill was rising from Lee Ji-ah's fingertips, now aimed at Elena's chest.
She knew instinctively.
If she tried to use her charm, her heart would stop.
'…This is nothing like the intel!'
The report described Lee Ji-ah as meek and timid.
She'd been acting more confident in recent interviews, but her core personality wouldn't change that easily.
Yet the woman before Elena was openly hostile.
Elena hurriedly withdrew her mana and said,
"I-it's a misunderstanding. I was just…."
"A misunderstanding?"
Lee Ji-ah tilted her head.
And with the tilt, the ice crystals climbed to Elena's knees.
"Kyaaak!"
"Shh—be quiet."
Lee Ji-ah pressed her index finger to her lips and spoke coldly.
Elena desperately turned to Choi Min-seok.
She made the most pitiful, pitiable expression she could muster.
Tear-filled eyes.
Trembling lips.
"Um… help me, please. I think she's misunderstanding…."
She reached out toward him.
Hoping against hope he'd intervene.
That very moment.
"…?!"
A chill hit her, like her head had been severed.
It even felt real, like it had actually happened.
What?
What just happened?
She clutched her throat, speechless.
Cold sweat poured down like rain.
'I thought I was dead…!'
Elena instinctively looked up, tracing the killing intent.
On the rooftop railing of the headquarters building sat a woman in black, legs crossed.
'The Sword Ghost?'
Kim Ye-eun stared down at Elena like she was an insect.
Each tap of her fingers on the railing seemed to send vibrations of killing intent.
[Get lost.]
Too far to hear, but Elena clearly read her lips.
'…What the hell.'
Choi Min-seok wouldn't even look at her, her feet were frozen solid.
And up top, a murderer was targeting her.
Seduction? Charm?
Her power was useless against the same sex.
"Oh? Everyone's out here?"
Then, a boisterous voice shattered the tense atmosphere.
Baek Chang-gi approached, whistling.
He sauntered up in his usual relaxed gait and greeted Choi Min-seok.
"Hey, Min-seok. Hard at work as always."
"You're here."
"Ji-ah's here too? Looking extra fierce today… but still pretty?"
Baek Chang-gi joked, and Lee Ji-ah instantly switched expressions, beaming cheerfully.
"Hello. How have you been?"
"Haha! We're all family now, right? Be casual."
Baek Chang-gi laughed heartily and naturally headed inside.
Lee Ji-ah followed.
"You come by too often these days, don't you?"
"Haha! Can't help it. I like it here."
The door closed, and Choi Min-seok blocked the way again.
Left alone, Elena desperately tried to make sense of her situation.
Onlookers buzzed, staring at her.
Her face burned with shame, fear, and defeat.
'Impossible.'
She'd never failed before.
Every mission, every single man bent to her will, became her slave.
She'd been praised for seducing foreign S-ranks into joining America.
And now, she couldn't even glimpse her target's face before being turned away.
Disrespect didn't get more blatant than this.
'Who do they think I am…! Me…!!'
Indignation surged.
Backing off like this bruised her pride too much.
She reached for her frozen legs, trying to do something.
If she could knock on the glass door, cause a scene, anything to see him—there was still a chance.
Creeeak.
Then, the door opened again.
Baek Chang-gi strode out with an annoyed look.
He roughly grabbed Elena's chin.
"Mmph?!"
Elena teared up from the pain, like her jaw would shatter.
Baek Chang-gi turned her face this way and that, inspecting it, then clicked his tongue.
"Damn, the rumors don't do you justice—you're gorgeous. No wonder you're strutting around. But relying on that body has its limits."
"L-let go…!"
"Shh."
Baek Chang-gi pressed his finger to his lips and grinned slyly.
He leaned into her ear, whispering low and secretively.
"I know who you are."
"…!"
"Those eyes."
His grip tightened.
"Use 'em wrong, and that real psycho up top will gouge them out while you're still breathing."
He nodded toward the roof.
"Telling you nicely so you get it. She'll do it if she says she will."
Elena didn't need to look to know.
The Sword Ghost was probably still leering down at her, licking her lips.
"Warning you 'cause that pretty face would be a shame to ruin. Get lost. Now."
Baek Chang-gi shoved her chin away.
"Ah!"
Elena lost her balance and fell on her butt.
Fortunately—or unfortunately—the impact shattered the ice on her legs.
"And tell your boss up top."
Baek Chang-gi looked down at her on the ground.
"Don't forget Miller tucked tail and ran. Know your place. If he wants to talk, our CEO Han will reach out. So shut up and wait. Got it?"
Elena's face paled; she couldn't speak.
Baek Chang-gi turned away annoyed and headed back inside.
"Man, Americans have no sense of their place."
The door closed, silence returned.
Elena propped herself up with trembling hands.
'M-monsters….'
Cold sweat soaked her.
What kind of place was this?
S-ranks who all played solo gathered like this.
And acted like a damn pack.
'It's a demon den.'
In the end, Elena retreated without even stepping in her target's shadow.
Her first perfect defeat.
Failure.
And overwhelming terror.
Everything screamed at her to run.
She fled into the crowd without looking back.
'Never coming back here…!'