Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: White Face
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"F-Fuck, please spare me."
"Is this how you throw a strike?"
Crack!
A moment later.
Du-yeol was crawling on the ground in such a pitiful state that his pristine appearance before entering the gate was nowhere to be found.
The plate armor that had been gleaming spotlessly just moments ago was not only dented in places but had holes punched straight through in others.
His face was even worse.
His eyes were swollen shut, unable to open properly, and blood streamed from his nose and mouth.
It went without saying that several teeth had vanished somewhere.
His pleas for mercy didn't seem driven by any real will to live but more like reflexive outbursts.
Whenever he seemed on the verge of passing out, Jeong-hyeon had Yun-ji heal him, only to unleash more magic afterward. Who could stay sane under such treatment?
Of course, Du-yeol, being a notorious villain, didn't go down without a fight.
Crackle—
He occasionally summoned lightning magic for a counterattack, but it was all in vain. Everything was crystal clear in Jeong-hyeon's eyes, so his efforts always ended in futility against the neutral mana bolts.
If anything, it only provoked Jeong-hyeon's anger, leading to even more painful blows to his most sensitive spots.
For some reason, Du-yeol's lightning magic nearly vanished upon clashing with Jeong-hyeon's mana bolts, leaving him utterly baffled.
'Why does my magic disappear— Gahk!'
"Sigh, time to take a break."
And as soon as Jeong-hyeon, exhausted from casting spells, stepped back, Ye-rin took up the baton.
Thud! Thud!
She unleashed her kicks with a ferocity rivaling Jeong-hyeon's, her technique almost artistic in its brutality.
'Feels good!'
Even Jeong-hyeon, who instinctively disliked Ye-rin, felt a thrill watching her.
He never imagined they'd harmonize so well in something like this.
It was hard to tell who was the villain and who was the investigator.
Meanwhile, Seok-jun and Jong-han, who had been subdued early by the pair, had already regained consciousness.
"......"
But witnessing Jeong-hyeon torment Du-yeol with every imaginable magical method, they paled and knelt politely, too terrified to move.
They feared the backlash might turn on them.
"Um... shouldn't you two stop now and head out?"
Yun-ji, unable to stand by any longer, stepped in to intervene.
Only after she declared she could no longer heal did the two wipe the sweat streaming down their faces and exchange thoughts.
"Feels like a weight's lifted now."
"Agreed."
Seok-jun, Jong-han, and the half-delirious Du-yeol could only tremble hearing their exchange.
'I'll never do anything bad again!'
Meanwhile, Yun-ji left the gate to call the support team.
Jeong-hyeon watched the still-whimpering Du-yeol for a moment before a belated thought struck him.
"Uh... you did get permission for this, right?"
It was far too late for such worries after they'd beaten him so enthusiastically.
"Yes."
A curt reply, contrasting the question.
"But is it really okay to beat him like this?"
Another belated concern.
"Who knows."
Ye-rin glanced at Jeong-hyeon's speechless expression.
"Just kidding. Once we've got congressional approval, as long as he's breathing, no one complains."
"Ah."
"And I'm the one in charge."
"......"
It sounded ominous, but Jeong-hyeon decided not to dwell on it.
It wasn't like this was their first rodeo; she must have her reasons.
"That was a joke too."
Heart-stopping.
'I'm just an outsider... I'm just an outsider...'
Jeong-hyeon rationalized it to himself.
As he mentally steadied himself, Ye-rin suddenly bowed deeply.
"Thanks for this—and always. I'm not great at expressing it."
"It's not like it's free... We're doing good, right?"
Why was she being so nice today?
Maybe the operation's intensity had changed her personality.
Jeong-hyeon figured that was the most plausible explanation.
Straightening up, Ye-rin subtly shifted the topic.
"By the way, I didn't know there were S-rank traits like that."
"Pardon?"
"Direct combat magic... Explains how you took down the Mask Duo back then."
'No, I couldn't use magic then.'
The Mask Duo?
When was that?
Back when he barely had F-rank combat sense and movement.
He'd teetered on the brink of death multiple times.
It wasn't the simple beatdown he'd just given Du-yeol.
Ye-rin was clearly misunderstanding something major, but Jeong-hyeon couldn't exactly set her straight.
Instead, he turned the subject back to her.
"You're impressive too, Section Chief."
"It's just A-rank."
Her tone carried an uncharacteristic bitterness, leaving Jeong-hyeon momentarily silent.
Come to think of it, their relationship had cooled briefly after she learned he was S-rank.
'There must be something about S-ranks.'
Right on cue, Yun-ji returned with the support team.
"Section Chief, great work. Can we take these three to the Association?"
"Yes, please do."
At Ye-rin's affirmation, the support team hauled them out without delay.
Seok-jun and Jong-han walked out on their own, handcuffed, but Du-yeol was slung over a burly agent's shoulder.
'They don't even flinch at that.'
The agents' nonchalance hinted at Ye-rin's usual handling style.
Jeong-hyeon and Ye-rin followed the support team out of the gate.
"Too bad, though."
"Too bad? About what?"
"We entered a level 6 gate and leave without hunting."
Jeong-hyeon realized she was right.
She'd said hunting wasn't the goal, but still.
'I didn't expect to leave without even glimpsing a monster.'
It would be a lie to say he hadn't held a sliver of hope.
"Well, we can hunt together again soon."
Since you helped this time, I'll carry next.
Ye-rin winked and walked ahead, leaving him behind.
'Who said anything about me carrying?'
Today alone proved how risky it could've been without him.
Jeong-hyeon clicked his tongue inwardly, but she was already far ahead.
"Wait up!"
He might dislike her, but they'd come in the same car.
The fancy ride they'd arrived in had been reclaimed due to costs.
Jeong-hyeon called after her as he chased.
***
"Kim Du-yeol was a re-awakener?"
Back at the Association.
Investigation Division 3 Chief Kim Seok-woong asked Jeong-hyeon, who was waiting for Ye-rin.
They knew he was an A-rank high-level hunter, but not a re-awakener—the Association hadn't known either.
It hadn't come up in Ye-rin's briefing.
Jeong-hyeon nodded.
"Yeah, apparently."
"Heard you had a tough time too... Lucky Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon went in with you."
It could be flattery, but it was true.
"A villain who's a re-awakener? Moments like this kill any motivation to hunt them."
"Who could blame you."
Jeong-hyeon nodded at Seok-woong's grumbling.
Why did such a rare re-awakening go to a villain?
'Can EX-rank traits re-awaken too?'
Unlikely given his luck, but the curiosity lingered.
The Trait Shop didn't need re-awakening anyway.
With enough coins, any trait was possible in theory.
"Please wait a moment. Section Chief will be here soon."
"Sure."
Jeong-hyeon was waiting to discuss his compensation for cooperating, and to hear why they needed to catch Kim Du-yeol's crew so urgently.
Ye-rin was currently interrogating them.
Even if Du-yeol was a mess, high-rank healers fixed bruises in no time.
Being beaten near death then interrogated was hell, but that was his lot.
Then, a staffer entered the office.
"Chief, a moment..."
He whispered to Seok-woong.
"Oh, really?"
Seok-woong nodded in understanding and turned to Jeong-hyeon.
"Word from Section Chief: interrogation will take time. Sorry, can we reschedule?"
"Ah, sure."
He hadn't waited long anyway, so Jeong-hyeon stood readily.
'Might as well pay the Supreme Forge commission while I'm here.'
He'd rushed off to catch Du-yeol's gang without settling up.
As Jeong-hyeon headed out, Seok-woong bid farewell.
"Take care. Thanks again for today."
"It's just catching bad guys. Oh."
Creak—
Pausing at the door to Investigation Division 3, Jeong-hyeon stopped.
Seok-woong looked puzzled.
"Actually, Section Chief said she'd explain why we had to catch them so urgently. Do you know, Chief?"
Compensation was set, but the reason piqued his interest.
"Oh, did she?"
Seok-woong nodded knowingly.
"I'm not fully in the loop, but have you heard of 'White Face'?"
"'White Face'?"
Of course not.
He'd never even heard of Future Riders, a big name in Korea.
"It's dismissed as conspiracy online, but it's an international crime syndicate behind major terror acts. No solid proof yet, so we can't go public."
"I see."
"Yeah. Section Chief gets touchy about White Face. Rumor is she joined the Association because of them."
That explained the sudden international crime talk.
"So, perhaps?"
Kim Du-yeol's gang had entered Korea recently.
White Face was international.
Seok-woong confirmed Jeong-hyeon's hunch.
"Right. Intel says Kim Du-yeol entered on White Face's orders."
As expected.
But the real question was why Ye-rin fixated on White Face.
He couldn't ask Seok-woong that.
"Thanks for explaining. I'll head out now."
"Sure, take care!"
Exiting fully, Jeong-hyeon muttered quietly.
"White Face, huh..."
Just a hunch, but it might tie to her sensitivity about S-ranks.
'She invited me to hunt soon anyway; I'll find out eventually.'
No point dwelling alone.
Though no level 6 gate hunt, catching vicious criminals lightened his mood as he headed to the forge.
"Oh, handled your urgent business?"
"Yeah, thanks to you. Insanely effective."
"Eh? You can wield Harad?"
Yujeong manned the Supreme Forge as before, surprised Jeong-hyeon could use the gray Harad.
It made sense.
Gray Harad amplified neutral attributes, usable only by him.
"Haha, you're back."
"Yes, sir. Sorry for rushing off without saying goodbye earlier."
Doil emerged from the back upon hearing him.
When Jeong-hyeon offered payment, Doil waved it off.
"That was simple work. No commission needed."
He seemed genuine, but Jeong-hyeon insisted on paying.
Seemingly just for the special metal costs.
He loved money but kept accounts straight.
That was Jeong-hyeon's motto.
"Come again!"
Unlike Doil's lingering concern, Yujeong beamed.
Boosting forge revenue thrilled her.
"Home time?"
Evening now, sun setting.
Practice room check: Ji-hee gone.
No Association tasks left; just head home.
The slight emptiness? He'd soothe it by dumping over 100 saved coins at once.
Like office workers recharging with post-work beer, bulk coin spends fueled Jeong-hyeon.
'Last 70-coin spree was huge; what about 100?'
Just thinking brought ecstasy.