Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 047
Chapter Title: Kang Ha-neul (6)
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Dark room.
A tiny one-room apartment illuminated only by the stark white glow of the monitor. Kang Ha-neul sat in front of her computer wearing nothing but underwear and a hoodie.
-Tap tap tap tap tap.
Her fingers flew across the keyboard. Her hollow eyes scanned the screen without rest. For some reason, her face, deep in concentration, was filled with clear displeasure.
-Bzzz bzzz bzzz.
At that moment, her phone vibrated lowly.
Kang Ha-neul's expression soured even more. Ignoring the nonstop calls had reached its limit. She irritably picked up after seeing dozens of missed call notifications.
-Good morning, Ms. Kang Ha-neul. This is Kim Yo-ha, scholarship officer from the Ye-il Scholarship Foundation...
"I'm not going. I'm not! I said I'm not going! How many times do I have to tell you, damn it!!!"
-Uh, Ms. Kang Ha-neul?
"How many times do I have to say I'm not going?! I have zero interest in your industry, Ye-il or whatever! No matter how much you offer in scholarships, guild positions, equipment support, or whatever, I'm absolutely not going! If I've said it that clearly, figure it out and give up already, okay?!"
"We understand your position, Ms. Kang Ha-neul. However, we kindly ask you to reconsider. Your talents as a superhuman are truly exceptional..."
"Exceptional my ass. If you're trying to snag promising chicks, you should've approached someone else, not me. Like Han Gyeo-ul, Ryu Tae-hyun, Na Eun-sol, Ha Seong-min, Seong A-ra... Kids like that."
"We are aware of the personal details of the students you mentioned. Even so, we contacted you first."
"Yeah, yeah, got it. Just know I'm not even gonna piss in the direction of Ye-il, Green House, or any Hunter Academy. Please don't call me about this again. Bye."
Kang Ha-neul irritably ended the call and flung her phone onto the bed. She let out a frustrated sigh, rubbed her dry face, and turned back to the screen.
[Another A-Rank Dungeon Breaks Out in Uijeongbu. Occurrence Rate Doubles Compared to Same Period Last Year, Citizens Voice Anxiety... Is a Dungeon Crisis Imminent?]
📰 Breaking News [Green House Student A Confirmed as Dawn Corps Member... Is National Academy Security Adequate?] [3 Out of 10 New Hunters Quit Within a Year. Cheonhal-ryang, Guildmaster of 40-Year-Old Tree Guild, Discusses the Bleak Future of the Hunter Industry.]
[Hyehwa-dong Murder Suspect Confirmed as Member of Superhuman Supremacy Group 'Noblesse'. Investigation into Organized Crime Underway.]
Kang Ha-neul thought to herself as she scrolled through the countless articles and columns about hunters and superhumans. This industry really wasn't fit for humans.
'They said my withdrawal would be processed by Friday.'
Today was Thursday. Tomorrow, she'd finally be free from this perilous superhuman society.
-Ring ring ring ring!
At that moment, the phone she'd tossed on the bed blared its alarm. Not a call, but one she'd set herself.
'Time already?'
Kang Ha-neul silenced the alarm, turned on the room light, sat back at the computer, and put on her headset.
Then, as if suddenly remembering, she turned her head. Her eyes took in the messy state of the room.
'...Guess I should clean first.'
With that thought, Kang Ha-neul reluctantly stood up.
***
Thursday morning. With no prior contact, I headed straight to the Mystery Novel Research Club's clubroom, but Iliana was waiting there as if she'd known I'd come.
"...Don't you have classes?"
"I'm attending right now! Remote class, E-Learning!"
Iliana pointed to a laptop playing a video. But she paid it no attention, engrossed in a thick hardcover book.
An attitude that grades didn't matter. University hobby club presidents were all like that.
"But is it okay to talk here? Your detective work is supposed to be confidential. What if another club member shows up...?"
"No worries! Mystery Novel Research Club: actual active members, 1! Just me!"
"Ah."
I wondered how such a club stayed alive, but that was Iliana's problem. It had survived until Ryu Tae-hyun became a third-year, so she'd managed somehow.
"Still, what if a member does show up by chance? Shouldn't we move somewhere else?"
"Client Ahn Su-ho worries too much! I, the club president, guarantee it! No one will come, so relax-"
-Bang.
At that instant, defying Iliana's words, Han Gyeo-ul opened the clubroom door and entered.
"Eek?"
Han Gyeo-ul's face cracked like ice when our eyes met.
"Oh. Speak of the devil..."
Iliana muttered in dismay. Meanwhile, Han Gyeo-ul stood there, half-fallen glasses untouched, lips trembling. Meeting me seemed like a huge shock.
"Good morning, Han Gyeo-ul."
"...Why are you here? You're not even a student."
"I have personal business with Iliana."
"Personal business?"
Iliana calmly explained to the suspicious Han Gyeo-ul.
"Winter, you know our club's research topic, right? Applying detective techniques from mystery novels in real life! So I personally called Ahn Su-ho here for field experience questions!"
"Really?"
"Yes. That's right."
"Is that really the reason?"
Even after my confirmation, Han Gyeo-ul eyed me suspiciously. It was odd for a non-student like me to be in the clubroom, but not that suspicious.
"Then what other reason do you think I have?"
"Well, because of yesterday, you're approaching me-"
Han Gyeo-ul averted her gaze and trailed off.
"...Never mind. If you two have business, I'll come back later."
She said that, but didn't turn away easily. Like she had lingering regrets.
"Winter? Do you need the next volume of 'Adultery Specialist Thug Detective German'?"
"Adultery specialist...?"
"Eek!"
Han Gyeo-ul flushed at the blatant title. It was in German, so I hadn't known.
"It's right next to it on the shelf! Third row up on the far right!"
"......"
Glancing at us, Han Gyeo-ul quickly approached the desk. She pulled out the hardcover from her eco-bag, slotted it into the empty spot, grabbed the next volume beside it, and bolted for the door.
"Han Gyeo-ul."
I called her back. She stopped abruptly and slowly turned.
"...What?"
"Whatever book you read is your freedom, Han Gyeo-ul. Chest out. Nothing to be ashamed of."
"Eek."
Her face turned beet red to her ears. I'd meant to ease her embarrassment, but it backfired.
"......"
Han Gyeo-ul glared silently, then fled the room. Of course, clutching the book in her bag.
"I wish Winter were more confident about her hobbies... It's a shame."
"That's her family issue, nothing we can do. But what's that adultery specialist book about?"
"A blond blue-eyed handsome Russian detective seduces clients' wives with his looks to win their divorce settlements! It's pretty fun!"
Sounds plenty embarrassing.
"Anyway. Winter's Winter, we're us! Time for the interim investigation report!"
Iliana's report boiled down to this:
1. Kang Ha-neul, who vanished at the start of the semester, wasn't involved in any crimes or incidents. When police, alerted by a missing person report, went to her nearby one-room, she was there. No contact with family or academy was simply because she ignored them.
2. During that time, she spent most days surfing the internet. Topics: hunter industry, superhuman society, info on companies, celebrities, modern history, internet culture—diverse.
3. Monday this week, the day after police visited and she contacted family, she submitted her withdrawal to Green House's student affairs.
4. That night, the Ye-il Group-affiliated scholarship foundation running private academies contacted her. Purpose: offer scholarships and support to transfer her to Ye-il Academy. Officer: Kim Yo-han. From Monday to yesterday: at least one meeting, seven calls, 142 texts. Texts show she consistently refused.
5. Kim Yo-han's phone logs show frequent contacts with foundation directors and Ye-il execs. Thus, this is likely a big deal at Ye-il Group.
6. Also, close calls with Na Ju-yong, director of Ye-il's Superhuman Rehabilitation Lab. All calls, so details unknown. Maybe unrelated, but noted as unusual.
7. Similarly possibly unrelated, but yesterday ~11 PM, one lab researcher headed to northern Uijeongbu slums. Purpose unknown, but slums suggest shady intent.
8. On Min Chae-ryeong: She tasked me to stop Kang's withdrawal, but no records in Special Countermeasures database within Iliana's access. Iliana suggests it might be Min's solo action or in restricted sections.
'Impressive how much she dug up in a day.'
The facts outlined the background, but Na Ju-yong from the lab stood out.
The Superhuman Rehabilitation Lab was a villain group from the original work, Na Ju-yong its head.
A mad scientist type, specializing in tech-enhanced superhumans. Focus: implanting multiple powers artificially. Mid-to-late original featured his flawed multi-power experiments as villains.
Kang Ha-neul's avatar power closest to multi-ability among originals.
Na eyeing her via Ye-il foundation explains Kim-Na calls.
'But this wasn't in the original. Wait...'
Another change. Then a possibility flashed.
'Just because it wasn't depicted doesn't mean it didn't happen.'
Like Ji Ye-won: only her Ryu meeting shown, but backend events happened.
'Maybe Kang's the same...'
Recalling original Kang: Lost to Han Gyeo-ul in ranking match, petty revenge thwarted by Ryu. Couldn't face stares, vanished. That's it.
'She exited ~ch.100, first multi-power villain 150-200...'
Her vanishing pre-finals. Multi-powers post-semester start. ~3 months gap. Post-vanish, Na approaches, studies her for experiments—fits timeline.
'Why 3 months early here?'
Answer: Original vanished pre-finals; here, withdrawing semester start. Early exit.
Original: Post-Ryu foil, despairing Kang tempted by Na's power promises.
Here, leaving Green House 3 months early. If Na watching early, moves sooner—makes sense.
"Your boss Min Chae-ryeong headed to Ye-il Academy yesterday! Guard captain meddling in foundation affairs. Super suspicious! I think she uncovered illegal backstory! She's skilled!"
I agreed. Kang withdrawing eases Na's access. So she tasks me to block it, heads to Incheon to confront Na and Ye-il directly.
Worry: Even Min can't stop Na.
Na uses Kim; Kim tied to Ye-il execs. Ye-il Group behind it: Korea's #2 chaebol after Hanseong.
Min's connections no match.
"Client Ahn Su-ho! This case reeks! Big incident vibes! I'm all in for the client who brought this!"
Iliana thrilled; I'm head-exploding from tangled causality.
'Think slow. If Min went to Ye-il as warning with intel, how unfolds?'
Best: Na backs off. Unlikely.
Na: villain doing illegal experiments. Won't drop prime subject like Kang over warning.
Worse: If they know Min, her action provokes hardline response.
E.g., skip persuasion, kidnap Kang forcibly.
Na capable; original had him kidnap heroine similarly.
"Wait."
A possibility struck.
"Iliana. Na's subordinate researcher to Uijeongbu slums yesterday, right? Exact time?"
"Around 11 PM yesterday?"
"11 PM...?"
Scattered clues connected.
Kang withdraw: Monday. Min tasks me: Tuesday PM. Min to Ye-il: Wednesday. Researcher to slums: Wednesday 11 PM.
Non-slum folk go for business. Uijeongbu slums: crime hub.
Plenty of thugs for hire to nab a girl.
"Damn it."
If Na, spurred by Min, goes aggressive? Kidnap Kang for experiments? Researcher hiring thugs?
Maybe overthinking. But Blissful Heavenly Demon's pettiness makes it plausible.
"Client Ahn Su-ho? What's wrong? Face pale as ghost! Near-white level-"
"Iliana. Hold on."
I silenced her, called Kang.
"...Damn."
No answer. Just dry tone.
Maybe busy. Or circumstance.
But.
Maybe.
No way.
"...Iliana. Know Kang Ha-neul's one-room address?"
Anxiety flooding, I asked.
"Of course! Who do you think I am?"
She tapped her phone; text arrived with address.
"Thanks, Iliana."
"Urgent case?"
She asked excitedly. I nodded; she said wait, grabbed tiny pen from drawer corner.
"What's that?"
"Pen-shaped signal receiver! Press cap, signals my phone! Emergency! If signal, I call cops immediately!"
"...Appreciate it."
No guarantee danger yet. But worst-case, fight Na's hires. Unknown strength: better call cops on contact.
"Feels just like mystery novel! Thrilling! You're Holmes to the scene! I'm Watson supporting from behind!"
Leaving excited Iliana, I rushed out.
Kang's one-room near Green House—easy commute. Arrived in under 20 min.
Top floor 501. Hurried up stairs four at a time.
Reached door.
-Kyaaahhh!!
Clear scream inside. My fears confirmed.
"Kang Ha-neul! You okay?!"
Pounded door, no reply.
No time hesitate. Wrenched knob with full force, broke lock. Ye In-hyeok's muscle alignment boosted me to average superhuman. Crappy one-room lock no issue.
-Crash!
Expecting foes, drew stun blade, kicked door, entered.
"Kang Ha-neul!"
"Kyaaahhh! Thanks Air Fry-nim for 50k coin mission! Snaro 5 kills? Piece of cake! Heading to metropolis to slaughter enemies now!"
"...Huh?"
But inside utterly unlike expected.
Room size like mine. Woman in chair facing away, cat-eared headset, shrieking excitedly. Thought Kang at first, but hair wrong. Kang black; this bright sky-blue evoking autumn sky.
"Gotta find the car first! Huh? Behind? No enemies behind? Game or reality? Yeah, yeah?"
She confusedly retorted, removed headset, turned to me.
Her sky-blue eyes widened. Flawless porcelain skin, neat features. Impression different, but odd familiarity in the unfamiliar face.
"...Kang Ha-neul?"
The sky-blue haired woman resembled Kang Ha-neul. Distinct faces, but anyone seeing her once would associate. Voice, build identical. Hair style too.
Thought disguise, then recalled: avatar power. Included basic transformation.
"Y-You, that guy from before...!"
The apparent Kang pointed, shouting.
Behind: familiar game screen, scrolling colorful texts. Plus fixed round cam atop monitor, large mic beside.
Elements clear instantly. But scene so far from expectation, couldn't help asking.
"W-What the hell is all this?"
"You tell me! What do you think you're doing breaking in!?"
Kang pointed at mangled door. Clearly flustered, but so was I.
Expected Kang in peril from Na's hires; instead, streaming games flirtatiously.
'What the fuck.'
What the hell was going on?