Chapter 227: Threads of Vengeance
In just a few days, a catastrophe had claimed the lives of hundreds of hunters.
Dozens of mid- and small-sized guilds had suffered varying degrees of damage, while several major guilds had taken heavy losses.
Some had lost only a handful of members, but others—like Haetae Guild—had been completely annihilated.
This horrific disaster, unfolding over mere days, had plunged No Gwan-sik into a hellish overtime nightmare he never asked for.
"What the hell is this? Some kind of terrorist attack? In this day and age, pulling off something this barbaric..."
No Gwan-sik clicked his tongue sharply and skimmed the report summarizing the incident.
It was the work of Hwang Seok-ho and the staff, who had pulled all-nighters to compile it.
Even after reading the excellent report multiple times, nothing clicked into place.
"...What the hell? I just can't make sense of it."
Letting out yet another groan—kkeureung—No Gwan-sik set the report down, repeating the same question for the umpteenth time.
"Who could pull this off? The scale and firepower to hit over dozens of guilds in just a few days. And all without getting caught—total stealth."
Even searching the entire world beyond Korea, few organizations could manage it.
The problem was, none of them had a motive for something like this.
"...So, maybe a nation-state operation?"
If you scaled it up to countries, plenty could do it.
But why would a nation bother?
"...With the emergence of an SS-rank, are they trying to nip things in the bud before they grow bigger?"
If he had to guess a motive, that was it. But was it enough to justify killing hundreds of hunters?
"...It just might be. Guys in government aren't exactly known for being all there."
For better or worse, it was inevitable.
No Gwan-sik's suspicions leaned toward a nation rather than a single group, but he didn't dismiss the slim chance of the former.
Motives aside, more organizations than he'd like could pull it off.
He kept an open mind, viewing the incident from broader angles—but he never once considered it might be the work of a single individual.
Toppling dozens of guilds and slaughtering hundreds without leaving a trace? Even an SS-rank couldn't manage that.
Not that the true culprit—a lone individual—crossed his mind even in his wildest dreams.
"...I found something."
The sudden voice snapped No Gwan-sik from his thoughts. He glanced over.
Hwang Seok-ho, hollow-eyed from sleepless nights, had a quiet glint in his gaze.
"You found something? Decisive evidence?"
"No, not that. But something important, in its own way."
"What is it?"
Intrigued, No Gwan-sik leaned in as Hwang Seok-ho shared his discovery.
"All the victims of these attacks have something in common."
No Gwan-sik's eyes sharpened quietly.
A common thread among victims would make pinpointing the motive far easier.
"...There was something like that? I figured it was just random terrorism."
"With so many spread out over such a wide area, I overlooked it at first. But once I dug in, it popped up."
"So, what is it? This common point."
"They all participated in the Lava Zone expedition. From individuals to entire guilds."
No Gwan-sik propped his chin thoughtfully.
"Lava Zone expedition... An expedition, huh."
"...Could it be the families of the hunters who died back then?"
"What power do they have? More likely, it's those who missed out on the expedition's benefits."
"Then...?"
No Gwan-sik shook his head at Hwang Seok-ho's probing.
"Motive, maybe. But their forces are too weak. Could they really fool our eyes and kill that many hunters in days?"
"...No, they couldn't."
"Exactly."
No Gwan-sik groaned again, murmuring slowly.
They had a common link, but it didn't reveal a solid motive—or the culprit.
"...Frustrating."
The unsolved mystery deepened the wrinkles on No Gwan-sik's face, no matter how he turned it over in his mind.
At least no new incidents had occurred since the initial wave. That was a small mercy.
He hoped it ended there, but his seasoned instincts—backed by Hwang Seok-ho's salary for the month—said otherwise.
"Send official notices to everyone who joined the Lava Zone expedition first."
"What should they say?"
"Warn them they might be next. Offer Association support if needed."
"...The surviving guilds from the expedition are basically just the five majors. Think they'll accept Association meddling?"
"If not, what can we do? We've done our duty by warning them. They're top guilds; they won't go down easy."
"Maybe not others, but Dawn or North Star? If Haetae fell..."
"Even the rich last three generations, Seok-ho. The five majors aren't hyped for nothing. Watch—they might catch the perp themselves."
Hwang Seok-ho couldn't hide his unease, even at No Gwan-sik's casual assurance.
The five majors didn't seem invincible.
No Gwan-sik said nothing more.
Truth be told, he shared the sentiment.
Even surging Haetae had crumbled helplessly.
Against foes who wrecked them overnight, could hollow shells like Dawn and North Star survive? He doubted it.
Yet he held back action, seeing this as a chance to reshape Korea's hunter world.
The five majors... Stagnant too long. With a new SS-rank like Kwon Je-na, it's time for a fresh start.
For the new era, these relics needed overhaul.
And that girl... Unlike Seong Jae-myeong, she has clear weaknesses.
Thinking of Korea's new SS-rank, Kwon Je-na, No Gwan-sik smirked faintly.
Unlike the untouchables before, she came pre-leashed—with multiples.
He just needed to pick one when necessary.
Sorry, kid, but for this small country, it's unavoidable. She'll have to work hard to save it.
Rationalizing it inwardly, he sighed at another face that surfaced.
If Kwon Je-na was Korea's official second SS-rank, this was the unofficial true one.
Their last meeting soured things; with Kwon Je-na as a replacement, he'd turned a blind eye. But ignoring forever wasn't viable.
"Seok-ho. How's the underworld lately?"
"Quiet."
"No incidents?"
"The underworld's never incident-free. Small stuff always, but nothing needing our intervention."
"Even if something big happens, could we step in?"
"...No."
Did Hwang Seok-ho recall the same presence? He shuddered at the memory.
No Gwan-sik spoke quietly.
"Sound them out subtly this time. See if they know anything about this."
"We don't know squat—why would they? And if they do, they won't tell us."
"Just try. How long you gonna pretend the tiger behind us isn't there? Ignore it too long, and when it bites, it's on you."
Hwang Seok-ho pouted at the gentle scolding.
He was always the easy target.
Knowing it changed nothing—he was the subordinate.
Sighing softly at the bitter reality, Hwang Seok-ho drew No Gwan-sik's dissatisfied gaze toward the window.
Under the dark night sky, the city lights twinkled.
Despite hundreds dead, the world spun on.
It had been that way since Seong Jae-myeong's death.
No one mattered—the world didn't shift.
Not even if it was him.
The bitterness made No Gwan-sik click his tongue.
I won't fade like that... When I go, it'll be etched in memory, not forgotten vainly.
Decades of effort for that.
This disaster aligned perfectly with Kwon Je-na's rise.
Time for his labors to bear fruit?
Where would he stand in the reshaped future?
Burning quiet ambition, No Gwan-sik gazed at the cityscape.
Beautifully, absurdly so.
Cha Won-taek honored Hong Jun-yeol's dying wish.
He poured effort into normalizing the shattered Dawn Guild.
He'd quit Seongho Guild, long his home, clashed repeatedly with its master Choi Sang-hyuk, and weathered various crises.
Yet he prevented Dawn's outright dissolution.
Recently, he'd taken trusted followers from Seongho and assumed Dawn's leadership.
As master, he preserved the five-major title, but the substance didn't match.
Far from mismatched—pitiful.
Forces? Just him and his ex-Seongho crew.
Other majors ran four or five raid teams; Dawn scraped together two at best.
Practically powerless.
Cha Won-taek's personal prowess alone clung to the title.
Insiders knew: barring SS-rank Kwon Je-na, he was Korea's finest hunter.
Thus the constant checks from Choi Sang-hyuk types—but they fueled his growth.
Now, petty interference barely fazed him.
Daily routine.
Cha Won-taek was insanely busy.
Dungeon runs for results, backlog paperwork, monitoring guildmates' antics.
One body felt woefully insufficient.
Any normal person would've quit and vanished; he persevered devotedly.
Beyond diligent—self-sacrificing.
Even initial resenters among old Dawn now accepted him as master.
Ex-Seongho and originals united under him.
Their collective push slowly restored past glory.
"Master, head home already."
The quiet voice pulled late-working Cha Won-taek's gaze.
His steadfast subordinate from Seongho days eyed him worriedly.
Cha Won-taek smiled bitterly.
"Just this last bit. Almost done."
"Please sleep at home. Guildmates saw you crash in the training room again last night."
"Wasn't sleeping—just stretching."
"So you're admitting you didn't sleep at all?"
He averted his eyes from her squinting stare.
Others hesitated to approach his stoic demeanor; not this long-time ally.
She chided superiors casually—too close, having seen each other's worst.
Her worry was natural.
"I'll rest properly tonight, promise. I went days without sleep in dungeons fine."
"That was special ops. No need now."
"Do it while you can. Delay, and regret follows."
His earnest reply drew her sigh.
That dedication was his charm—but sometimes foolish.
A little flexibility wouldn't hurt.
"...Fine, but sleep at home. No crashing in the lounge... I'll head out. Hubby's waiting eagerly."
"Sorry for holding up a newlywed. Should apologize to him."
"Sleep first before visiting."
She left quietly.
Cha Won-taek watched her silhouette fade, then refocused on work.
Sentiments and regrets could wait till done.
As he wrapped up the endless tasks, a heavy explosion rocked the building.
He bolted up.
Minutes after she left.
Explosion at the main gate. Timing—she might not have gone far.
What happened?
That recent terror rocking the world—starting again?
Targeting them this time?
Anger rising alongside worry for his subordinate, Cha Won-taek burst from his office.
The guild HQ was utter chaos.