Chapter 94
Chapter 94
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Cartel Ambush
-----------------------------------------------------------------
94
Adriana pulled me close, pressing her chest down to her stomach against me, and I could feel her breath on my neck.
“Too close.”
I tried to create some distance, but she had my waist gripped tightly. I could shake her off with force if I wanted, but since she was approaching with good intentions, I didn't want to.
Adriana gazed deeply into my eyes.
“I’ll let it slide today.”
She knew I was in a bind and gave a sultry smile before releasing me. Then we danced again to the music.
After being dragged around by Adriana for a while, we returned to the table.
“Bro, having fun?”
“Huh? With what?”
“You’ve got a girlfriend and all. Shouldn’t you yield to guys like me?”
“Yield what? You go invite her to dance.”
“That’s… kinda…”
Sangheon was the typical spineless Korean guy.
“Must’ve been nice, oppa.”
Nayeong said with a smile. Her face was smiling, but the vibe was off.
“No, it’s not like that…”
The rest of that night was spent soothing Nayeong.
Dawn broke, and construction continued, but I couldn’t stay at the site all day. Gates kept resetting, so Nayeong and I cleared A-Rank and B-Rank ones.
“Oppa and I… no time to rest.”
Nayeong pouted her lips. She was teaching Korean, hitting gates, and as busy as me.
“Let’s clear this one and then go have some fun?”
“Just the two of us?”
“Yeah, just us.”
Only then did Nayeong tuck in her lips and grab my arm, pulling me into a hug.
* * *
“Goddamn it!”
Jose, number three in Jax’s Peres Cartel, slammed the desk. The steel desk crumpled like paper. Jose was short and small-framed, but his tattoo-covered body boasted solid muscle.
“Our boss gets taken out, and these underlings stick to Taho like bats! Fucking idiot bastards!”
“What do we do? We’ve gathered all the remaining members, but it’s barely dozens. We can’t compete with them.”
A big, dull-looking guy asked. He was Luis, Jose’s lackey.
“What do we do? We join the Northwest Cartel.”
“Will they help?”
“I’ve met their boss, Gabrio of the Rika Cartel. And they gonna sit still watching the East fall to those Chinese pricks?”
“Wasn’t it Koreans, not Chinese?”
“Same shit, you fucking moron! Read the room!”
Luis flinched as Jose raised his hand like he’d strike.
“Don’t pussy out—go manage the guys! If more bail, you’re dead too!”
Jose kicked Luis out and picked up the phone.
“Whew… This is Jose of the Peres Cartel.”
“Jose? You’re alive?”
“Barely escaped the traitor Taho and set up a hideout.”
“I see. The East is a total mess these days. What was Jax doing?”
Jose gritted his teeth at Gabrio scolding the dead boss. But right now, this guy was his only lifeline.
“If it was just that bastard alone, he couldn’t have taken Jax boss. Taho must’ve helped. You’re not planning to sit this out, right?”
“Sit it out? He’s an S-Rank Hunter, surrounded by his crew and Taho’s gang. Relations with the US are shaky too. Touching him’s impossible.”
“He’s a fresh S-Rank. Basically A-Rank still. Otherwise, why team up with Taho for a sneaky ambush on Jax boss?”
“Well… true. But his crew?”
“They won’t stick together forever. They’re all loosened up now. Complacent.”
“Hmm…”
“Lend us your strength just once. We’ll set the stage.”
“So, kill him and Taho—what do you want? Money? Or the next East Cartel boss spot?”
“No. Revenge. Blood. Don’t care about the rest.”
Jose’s eyes gleamed red.
* * *
After clearing the gate, I kept my promise to Nayeong and took the day off to tour nearby ruins. We’d had our fill of the beach already.
Moving just the two of us today, I carried Nayeong and leaped along.
“Hehe. Feels like the first time running around with nothing going on.”
“Yeah, we’ve always just been rushing to fights. Sorry.”
“No! I didn’t say it to hear sorry. I just like it.”
Nayeong hugged my neck and kissed my cheek.
Carrying Nayeong, we arrived at Chichen Itza, the Maya ruins. Used to be so packed with tourists you couldn’t step, but now it was nearly deserted. Tourism was basically dead anyway, and a recent break made it worse.
Built from the 7th to 13th century, they say. Staring at ruins of a city started a millennium ago, I sighed at our world where we couldn’t predict even a few years ahead, let alone a thousand.
“Oppa! Spacing out again?”
“Huh? Sorry.”
“Oppa, put everything aside today and play with me.”
Nayeong could read most people’s minds by interfering with their spirits, but not mine. Still, like with Yesul, if I didn’t hide my expressions well, she’d pick up on my thoughts.
“Let’s go.”
Nayeong dragged my arm, leading me around the ruins. Amazing how structures from back then still stood intact. In Korea, apartments get demolished after a few decades for new ones.
After touring nearby sites, we headed back to the factory construction site.
“Hunter Lee Jiseok, the temp lodging’s under construction, so rest here tonight.”
Taho handed me a map with an address and keycard.
“Huh? The whole temp lodging’s under construction?”
“No, just your room and Senorita Bae’s.”
“As if.”
“No nagging. Go.”
“Oppa, wait. I’ll grab my stuff from my room.”
Nayeong fetched her bags and we went to the spot Taho indicated—a nicely done-up beachside villa. Not huge, but secluded, perfect for free beach access.
“Pretty~ Taho’s got good taste.”
Inside the villa, wine and food were already set on the table. Flowers decorated everywhere, candles lit. Rose petals scattered on the bed.
“Ahem! So blatant it’s kinda embarrassing.”
“Why? It’s great! Let’s eat quick. I’m hungry.”
We chatted over dinner, then went to the beach, lit a bonfire, and drank wine.
“Nice. Feels like the stuff a few days ago was a dream.”
Nayeong rested her head on my shoulder.
We gazed silently at the night sky, listening to the waves. Sky packed with stars, calm sea lapping. Crackling bonfire and waves. Nayeong beside me, side profile staring at the sea—more beautiful than anything. Couldn’t be more perfect.
“Shall we go in?”
I met Nayeong’s eyes.
“Yeah.”
Nayeong blushed.
We entered the villa’s bedroom.
“Wait here.”
Nayeong pushed me onto the bed and went to the bathroom.
Lying on the bed waiting, Nayeong came out.
“How’s this?”
She showed me new lingerie. A blue see-through nightdress highlighted her figure, underwear peeking beneath. Guess that’s why she grabbed her bags earlier.
“Beautiful. Come here.”
I reached out, and Nayeong walked slowly to me.
“Get down!”
“Huh? Get down?”
I pulled the wide-eyed Nayeong close, covered her with my body, and wrapped us in armor and aura.
BOOM!
A bullet punched through the wall into my back. Without prep, it might’ve gone through me.
“Cough, cough.”
“You okay?”
RAT-TAT-TAT!
WHOOSH.
Before I could answer, modern weaponry meant for monsters shelled us.
“Shield!”
I shielded her body; Nayeong shielded above me.
Gunfire, shells, missiles, flames rained down nonstop.
The one-minute barrage stopped. Then the villa walls, barely standing, collapsed with a rumble.
“Luis! Find the bodies!”
A tattooed Mexican cartel member ordered.
“Jose bro, bodies left?”
“S-Rank Hunter a joke? They resisted some.”
“Yeah, Luis, S-Rank Hunter a joke?”
I placed hands on Luis and Jose’s shoulders.
“...”
Brief silence.
“Die!”
Jose twisted away, swinging his knife. An attack on the cusp of aura and blade energy targeted my neck.
CLANG!
“Clang?”
Of course, it didn’t pierce my armor.
“Calm down.”
“What?!”
I spoke in Korean, and Jose freaked.
“Not you.”
Nayeong stood in just lingerie, purple aura wafting.
“Came to Mexico, busted ass working, finally getting cozy time—and you interrupt?”
Nayeong’s eyes were rolled back.
“What’re you doing! Attack! Fire!”
Jose signaled. But no attack came.
“Gaaah!! Get off! Get off!”
The cartel attackers clawed their own faces and bodies. Hallucinating, nails dug in, blood flowed, flesh peeled—they didn’t stop.
“Gaaah!!! Bugs! Bugs!”
Strong hypnosis affects the body. Hypnotize a cold spoon as hot iron pressed to skin—it reddens or burns.
The cartel guys’ skin had holes like bugs burrowing, writhing, bleeding from every orifice.
“…Wi… witch!”
Jose and Luis clawed themselves too, eyes flipping at Nayeong approaching step by step.
I grabbed the beach blanket and draped it over Nayeong.
“Huff… huff…”
“You’re good now. Calm down.”
The cartel members were already writhing on the ground, combat ineffective. No—irrecoverable. Physical wounds bad, but minds shattered.
I calmed excited Nayeong and called Taho.
“Wha… what the…”
“These are the culprits.”
I pointed to downed Jose and Luis.
“Jose? Fucking where’ve you been. Plotting this shit.”
“Stronger guy than these escaped.”
“Stronger? Jose was the strongest Jax remnant.”
“Sniped with bullets. Probably S-Rank.”
“Sniper? S-Rank… No way… Jose, you mad fuck! Went to Gabrio?”
“Gabrio?”
“Northwest Rika Cartel boss. Crueler than Jax by a level.”
“Why him?”
“Probably wants us gone to take the East. Fat cash flow draws eyes.”
“Yeah? Then protect Nayeong a bit.”
“Where you going? No way…”
“Got a greeting—time to return it.”
“I’m going too.”
Nayeong came dressed, staff and cloak on—battle-ready.
“I’ll be back quick. Rest.”
“I. Am. Going.”
Nayeong’s scary glare made Taho and me both swallow hard.