Chapter 79
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: The Cost of Ignoring Advice
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"Hey, just give it up already."
Standing before twenty-one enemies, Kim Jong-ho heaved ragged breaths.
"O-Oppa!"
His girlfriend's voice rang out from behind, but he couldn't turn his head even slightly in her direction.
Not his head, not even a single finger—he couldn't move a muscle.
It was Yi Man-gil's ability.
[Black Gaze: Binds any target that enters your field of vision.]
The moment he fell under that technique, he couldn't even blink.
"You bastard..."
Still, he could move his mouth because the guy allowed him that much—to speak, at least.
It was truly a sick hobby. And it made sense; the man wanted to hear two things from him.
Stab.
"Gaaahhh!"
The first was a scream. A short dagger, about a handspan long, plunged into Kim Jong-ho's gut and twisted viciously.
"Oppa!"
Yi Man-gil yanked the dagger free with a smirk, chuckling as he savored the scream alongside his followers.
"Look, the fight's already over. Why keep holding out? Just say it. 'Please spare my life if I offer up my girlfriend.' That's all you gotta do."
"Cough. Cough cough."
"I'll let both of you live, I swear. No need to worry about your image. You're the only two left anyway—you and that pretty girl back there."
And that was the second thing.
Drip, drip. After spilling a torrent of blood, Kim Jong-ho struggled to catch his breath and glared at Yi Man-gil.
-Be careful. There's a high chance they'll ambush you guys.
He couldn't understand it. What did they gain from attacking their fellow humans? Enemies were swarming outside.
Still clinging to his faith in humanity, he hadn't taken Kang Min-jun's warning seriously.
-I'm telling you upfront: don't underestimate them.
He'd brushed it off, letting it go in one ear and out the other.
Yi Man-gil's side had thirty-three people. His own followers numbered seventy-four—more than double. Even an ambush wouldn't bridge that gap.
But that had been a mistake.
...Who would've thought they'd hidden weapons.
Only two on Kim Jong-ho's side had been armed, while nearly everyone on the other had weapons—everyone except one.
In other words, most of his group had fought barehanded when the battle began.
But the reason for such a one-sided defeat lay elsewhere.
-Hey, Kim Jong-ho. You said there's a way out? Let us in on it too.
Yi Man-gil and his crew had approached with smiles, saying they wanted to join. Then, in an instant, they'd turned and slaughtered his forces.
Too late, they'd tried to fight back, but it hadn't been easy.
-Gah. W-Why?
Traitors hidden within Kim Jong-ho's ranks had bared their fangs, and his group hadn't mounted any real resistance.
Attacked from both sides, they'd been cornered in this cave... and now, one by one, they were being publicly executed while bound just like him.
One might call it the victor's prerogative, but these guys were downright vicious. How could they be so merciless to their fellow humans...?
Cough.
Feeling his life slipping away, Kim Jong-ho asked him.
"Why... are you doing this...? We could've joined forces... and everyone could've survived. So why start this massacre?"
"Oh, why? 'Cause it's fun."
"What...?"
Yi Man-gil laughed.
"Stabbing people, gutting them, watching them die—it's a real thrill."
"Hah?"
"Especially in front of their friends. When one drops, the faces of the survivors? Priceless. Completely broken. Heh heh heh. What about you guys?"
His followers laughed along, agreeing and sharing their own twisted tastes.
Every story was so horrific and repulsive it made him wonder if he was hallucinating from blood loss.
"Are you... even human? How can you do this to your own kind...?"
"Hey, Kim Jong-ho. That's not the point. Time to say goodbye to your girl."
Yi Man-gil held up his dagger.
"Don't worry too much, though. We'll have our fun with her, then keep her around as a camp whore. She'll be useful."
"You scum...! I'll kill you! I swear I'll...!"
Stab.
"Guh."
Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab.
The dagger plunged in repeatedly. Kim Jong-ho couldn't resist or even retort as blood gushed from dozens of holes in his body. He went limp.
"...Hoo. Some kid ten years younger than me talking down to me like that. Cocky bastard. Ptooey."
Now, the only survivors in the cave were Yi Man-gil's gang and the two women.
"Ha, check out those hips."
"That ass looks delicious."
The men licked their lips and stepped toward Kim Jong-ho's girlfriend and Im A-rin.
Im A-rin clenched the item Kang Min-jun had given her.
[Summoner's Letter Envelope]
-Use it if your safety's ever in jeopardy. Not for anyone else—for you, if you're in danger.
He'd warned Kim Jong-ho about Yi Man-gil's group and asked him to keep an eye on them, but seeing Kim Jong-ho's lukewarm reaction, Kang Min-jun had prepared for the worst. That was the envelope.
'Should I use it now?'
But even now, Im A-rin hesitated over whether to use it.
It was a Transcendent-grade item, after all.
She'd never even heard of such a rank. She had no clue what level it was.
And it was one-use only.
Not knowing its full details, she couldn't just waste something so precious. Even in this dire situation, she was still torn.
"Guys! All the pests are gone now. Time to feel some human warmth for a change! Heh heh heh!"
But danger was closing in. The only other survivor was a useless, trembling woman with zero combat power, huddled in her arms.
Judging she couldn't delay any longer, Im A-rin raised the envelope. Just as she was about to use it—
"Kak! Kak!"
A familiar screech echoed, making everyone flinch and turn. It was a sound that should never come from inside the cave.
"Oh, things are getting interesting. Didn't expect them to lose."
And there was Kang Min-jun, grinning as he approached with one hand firmly gripping a harpy's neck.
'This is really intriguing.'
Honestly, he'd assumed Kim Jong-ho's larger group would win. In the Selection Process, numbers usually gave the advantage.
Think about it.
Every player undergoing the Trials had unique abilities.
More numbers meant more varied abilities—and more ways to secure victory.
'And they still lost?'
The reason was obvious.
'These guys have killed before.'
Those who've killed know how to kill better.
Kim Jong-ho's crew probably tried to subdue without killing, but Yi Man-gil's side went straight for the throat.
Even with double the numbers, that's hard to overcome.
'And as expected from aspiring [Human Hunters], they all look well-fed.'
The fallen on Kim Jong-ho's side were mostly starved and scrawny, but these guys had healthy color and quick movements.
In short, they'd been eating well.
'And armed, too.'
Weapons he hadn't noticed during talks dripped blood in their hands. He'd checked their stats and abilities with [Full Appraisal], but the hidden weapons were a surprise even to him.
'Still, if they'd listened to my advice, they could've held out until I got here.'
He sighed. What about the girlfriend left behind? Shaking his head at Kim Jong-ho's mangled corpse, he—
"Kak! Kak!"
The harpy tapped his arm, looking pained. Oh, he'd unconsciously tightened his grip.
"Min-jun-ssi!"
"Yeah, you okay?"
"Yes...!"
Im A-rin lit up at the sight of him. Yi Man-gil and his men turned to look.
"Huh? Who's that punk?"
"Hmm. Oh, right. It's that guy from earlier. The pretty boy leech hanging around the girls."
"What's he doing here? Come to rescue her? Boss, looks like that bitch is his girl."
They flashed lecherous grins at him. He could guess their thoughts and let out a chuckle.
"Ha, he's laughing? Doesn't get the situation yet?"
They waved their bloodied blades pointedly and glanced at the floor. About eighty corpses littered the ground, staining it red.
'Definitely not their first or second time at this. They even know how to play on people's psychology.'
Most people would shrink at the sight. Fear would paralyze their thinking. That's normal. These guys had mastered exploiting that.
"Hey, you. Still not running? Pretty tight with your girl, huh?"
Then they threatened, trying to intimidate as all twenty-one advanced on him.
Some postured dramatically, waving their gore-soaked weapons like chain-saw maniacs.
Among current Selection Process participants, fewer than 10% could stay calm in this scenario.
'But what can I say.'
I'm one of them.