Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Simultaneous Incidents (15)
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-Vroooom.
A single taxi raced down a dark back road at night.
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It drove straight along a rundown alley lit only by dim streetlights before finally pulling up in front of an abandoned textile factory.
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The taxi door opened, and a young girl stepped out. She waved brightly to the driver, watched the cab disappear down the alley, then turned to gaze at the factory.
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-...! ...! ...!!
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A cacophony of random noises echoed from the factory. The occasional explosions and screams made it clear this was no ordinary situation.
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The girl listened blankly for a moment before pulling her smartphone from her pocket.
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"Huh?"
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A puzzled look crossed her face.
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"This isn't the place?"
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She glanced back and forth between her phone and the factory, then shifted her gaze elsewhere.
Toward the pitch-black mountain behind the factory.
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She stared endlessly at the foreboding peak before finally setting off toward it.
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
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At that moment, in the forest clearing where Ahn Su-ho was fighting K.
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Drip.
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A thick stream of blood trickled from the corner of Ahn Su-ho's mouth.
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He stared at Ryu Tae-hyun in stunned disbelief. Ryu Tae-hyun—who had just stabbed a jagged knife into his gut—met his eyes and flashed a sleazy grin. A smile Ryu Tae-hyun would never wear.
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"Shit..."
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A brilliant flash erupted, transforming the figure from Ryu Tae-hyun into K. Their body was covered in wounds, drenched head to toe in blood.
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Ahn Su-ho forced a bitter smile, as if he'd seen it coming. Another gush of thick blood sprayed from his mouth.
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'What the hell? Does every bastard I run into have transformation powers...?'
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Transformation ability users were supposed to be rare, according to the setting. Ahn Su-ho inwardly cursed the loathsome Pleasure Heavenly Demon.
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-Squelch!
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"Gah!"
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K yanked the knife out roughly and kicked Ahn Su-ho hard. He flew several meters before crashing limply to the ground.
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"That was close. If you'd dodged even a second later, you'd be dead."
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K wiped the blood from their forehead, speaking leisurely.
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Ahn Su-ho clutched his side, where a deep gash oozed blood. Looking up at K, he gripped it tight—but it was futile. Crimson blood bubbled out between his fingers.
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'Bad spot. No way to stop the bleeding without serious measures. In that case...'
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Ahn Su-ho secretly activated his frost magic. Icy chill gathered in his hand and seeped into the wound. The bleeding froze solid, sealing it shut.
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"Ngh!"
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He groaned from the agony of his flesh freezing. Unaware of the frost magic, K sneered, assuming it was just the wound.
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"Hurts, huh? I got you good. You know even superhumans die from liver stabs due to blood loss?"
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He knew. Even before the original story, humans die from direct liver hits—no muscles means no clotting.
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'Looks a bit below the liver, but...'
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His knowledge of anatomy was limited. Even if it missed the liver by luck, the blood loss earlier proved it wasn't minor.
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'Bleeding's stopped, but violent movement could reopen it.'
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Ahn Su-ho silently glared up at K. K sneered back.
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"What, curious? Can't wrap your head around it, huh?"
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"...Like hell I don't know. You're a transformation ability user, just like your friend. Right?"
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"Transformation ability?"
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K burst into loud laughter.
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"What a misconception. You think my power's some half-assed trick like that?"
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K answered eagerly, as if waiting for the question. Real chatty villain, Ahn Su-ho thought. K continued casually, proving the point.
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Ahn Su-ho's eyes widened in shock.
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"My power isn't transformation. It's copy."
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"...What?"
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"Copy. That transformation was me copying the girl's power. I can copy the abilities of anyone I touch."
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-Whoooosh.
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Black smoke began gathering in K's grinning hand.
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"And I just copied yours too. For the finale, I'll finish you with your own superpower. Wonder what it feels like dying to your own power? I'm dying to know."
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"..."
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Ahn Su-ho just stared up in mild surprise. Deflated by the lackluster reaction, K pouted.
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"Come on, react more. You're about to die—no last words? 'Damn it!' or 'Please spare me!' or something—"
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"Kali."
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K's face froze at the name.
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"...Kali. K. So that's where the name came from. Taking hitman jobs under your initial?"
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"How the hell do you know my name?"
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K asked stiffly. Ahn Su-ho just smiled silently.
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Kali was an original story character. Minor role—died after a few chapters—but memorable.
The go-to copy ability user in superpower battle tales. The only one in the original.
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'Never thought Kali was moonlighting as a hitman...'
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In the story, she was no hitwoman. A villain, sure, but a fellow student blocking the protagonist like the others—not a pro killer.
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"Want me to tell you? How I figured out who you are."
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Kali flinched. Of course— an academy guard knowing her identity might mean the whole force was onto her "side gigs."
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"...No need. I'm killing you anyway."
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But curiosity lost to caution. His sudden composure unnerved her.
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-Whoooosh.
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Black smoke swirled from Kali's hand. A volatile mass ready to burst. Ahn Su-ho watched with calm leisure.
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Irritated by his ease, Kali unleashed it full force, aiming to grind his face into the dirt.
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But.
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-Pssshhh.
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"...Huh?"
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Black smoke weakly puffed from her hand—like a fire extinguisher. Fast, but no physical force like Ahn Su-ho's earlier strike.
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Expected. His blast was talisman-amplified to the limit. Without it, just a strong puff of smoke. Nothing more.
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"...What the hell? Why's it doing this?"
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Confusion filled Kali's face—she knew none of this.
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"Idiot."
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Ahn Su-ho kicked off the ground and charged.
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"Who told you to copy my power?!"
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A blitz attack. Thinking him debilitated by the wound, Kali couldn't react.
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-Slash!
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Ahn Su-ho burst through her smoke and swung his sword. Her right arm sliced deep.
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"Argh?!"
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Kali clutched her arm and slashed wildly with her knife.
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-Clang! Clang! Clash!
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Blades flashed everywhere.
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Surprisingly, Ahn Su-ho led the assault. Kali had superior physical stats, but injuries hampered her.
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'Damn!'
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No retreating. Distance would let his prior attack swallow her again.
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'I nailed him—how's he moving like this?!'
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She glanced at his side—blood-soaked, but no fresh flow. He'd stanched it somehow. She bit her lip.
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'Injury's too severe. I'll lose at this rate. Then...'
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All or nothing.
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Kali bolted not for Ahn Su-ho, but for Kang Ha-neul on the ground.
Plan: mortal wound to the kid, escape in the chaos. Na Ju-yong's contract? Useless if she died.
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'Hurt the kid, and he won't chase!'
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Her knife arced toward Kang Ha-neul.
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But.
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"Knew you'd do that."
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Ahn Su-ho grabbed her shoulder from behind.
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"Let go!"
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-Crunch!
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Shaking him off, Kali sensed wrongness and looked. White frost coated where he'd gripped.
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"Nghhh!"
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She wrenched free, stumbling back. Clutching her shoulder in agony, bone-deep cold tormented her.
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'What? Ice power? But his is frost smoke, not...'
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While Kali panicked, Ahn Su-ho gnashed his teeth against his frozen hand—overdid the intensity in haste.
But he grinned. Left hand aside, goal achieved.
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"Ah."
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Kali realized too late.
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She'd foolishly created distance.
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By then, black smoke gathered in Ahn Su-ho's right hand.
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Too late to dodge. Desperate, Kali activated her copy too—smoke forming in her hand.
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Pathetic, Ahn Su-ho thought.
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-Boom!!!
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The second tsunami erupted from his hand.
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"Kyaaaaah!!"
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Compressed smoke exploded, shredding her with countless blades. Her puny cloud offered no defense.
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When it cleared, Kali slumped against a snapped tree trunk, mid-body. More battered than before.
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"...Fuck. Why? Why does it work fine for him but not me...?!"
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Her complaints were self-inflicted. As she struggled up on one knee, Ahn Su-ho activated another talisman for strike three.
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His eyes were serene. No prior rage or killing intent.
Just cold. Indifferent.
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This man would kill her.
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"W-Wait."
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The realization shook her like a leaf. Legs failing, she half-begged.
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"I-I surrender. I'll do whatever you say, just don't kill me..."
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"..."
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"R-Right! Info—you need info? Who hired me! Their weaknesses! I know tons!"
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She dropped to both knees, hands clasped in desperate groveling. Pride as a pro hitwoman? Long gone.
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"S-So..."
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Ahn Su-ho ignored her, gathering smoke silently. His unchanging demeanor crushed her.
Her hands fell limp.
Thud.
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They brushed something in her pocket—the pager she'd hit when his group arrived.
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'They said ten minutes...'
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Kim Sun-woo gave it to her. Press for unexpected trouble beyond her hounds. Backup strong enough for anyone.
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No backup came. Even if it did, it'd go to the warehouse below—not this random forest spot.
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"Hey."
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Despair hit as Ahn Su-ho spoke softly.
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"You injected Kang Ha-neul with surgical anesthetic, right? No side effects?"
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Kali answered frantically.
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"Y-Yes! No more doses, and she'll wake by tomorrow afternoon. N-No side effects! Maybe a bit drowsy..."
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"Got it. Any other hitmen hired besides you?"
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"N-No. Just me and Stephanie. The helmet guys below are the client's..."
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"What was the plan after?"
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"Tomorrow night, someone's coming to take her. Job ends then—"
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"Take her? Where?"
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"To a research institute. Prep needed to sneak her in undetected..."
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"The Superhuman Rehabilitation Research Institute in Yongin?"
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"Yes! Underground facility there..."
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"They told a temp hire like you that?"
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"S-Stephanie overheard! She snuck in during the job briefing to investigate..."
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"I see."
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Ahn Su-ho fell silent.
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Silence.
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His wordless stare made her swallow dryly. She'd spilled everything to survive—but now, no reason to spare her.
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"A-Anything else you wanna know...?"
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No answer. Smoke still swirled silently in his hand.
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'...It's over.'
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She regretted spilling so freely. Too late.
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Resigned, Kali bowed her head.
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Then.
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"...That desperate to live?"
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She snapped her head up, nodding eagerly at his faint question.
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'No way?'
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A sliver of hope in his words. Barely standing from wounds, it was all she had.
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Her shining eyes met his—a sadistic smirk.
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"Yeah? Then bark for me first."
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"...What?"
She blinked, uncomprehending.
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Ahn Su-ho laughed at her.
A clear, mocking sneer laced with cruelty.