Chapter 27
Chapter 27
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: A Night Without a Perpetrator (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Gulp, gulp.
A cool, mint-scented liquid flowed down his throat and spread throughout his body.
A refreshing sensation, like after brushing his teeth, lingered in his mouth.
After a short wait, the excruciating pain that had been tearing through his body began to rapidly subside.
“Ugh.”
“Are you awake, Mr. Oh-jin?!”
When he opened his eyes, he saw—
*...A gorilla?*
A gorilla, no, it was Team Leader Han.
“Team Leader Jun-man…?”
“Whew. I'm glad you're conscious.”
“Where am I?”
“This is where you fought the culprit, Mr. Oh-jin. I've called the emergency team, so you'll be transported to the hospital soon.”
“…No.”
“Pardon?”
“I'm fine.”
Oh-jin staggered to his feet.
The wounds not fully healed by the potion stung, but he couldn't afford to collapse here.
*There's still work to be done.*
The most important finishing touch, at that.
“P-please, lie down a little longer!”
“I'm really fine, Team Leader.”
“Hmm.”
Team Leader Han Jun-man grunted, a troubled look on his face.
Oh-jin walked past him, heading toward Yujin's body.
“…”
There, he saw Lee Woo-hyeok staring down at Yujin with a cold, hard expression.
As he approached, Lee Woo-hyeok's gaze shifted to him.
“Mr. Oh-jin… was it?”
“Yes, that's right.”
“Before this bastard died… did he say anything?”
Lee Woo-hyeok anxiously chewed his lip.
His clenched fists were visibly trembling.
*Well, of course.*
It was only natural for him to react this way, since he wouldn't have been able to find Lee Shin-hyeok no matter how much he searched the observatory grounds.
His last remaining hope was the testimony of the man who had ended Yujin's life.
“No, he didn't say anything.”
“…Ah.”
Lee Woo-hyeok's face clouded with despair.
With this, all avenues to find Lee Shin-hyeok had vanished.
“But.”
Oh-jin headed to a spot a short distance from where the battle had taken place.
There lay the ‘final twist’ he had prepared before fighting Yujin.
The final act of the play.
A twist that would resolve all the questions and foreshadowing at once.
“The culprit who fled went that way.”
He pointed to a small cave hidden in the bushes.
“Th-thank you!”
A lifeline of hope descended before Lee Woo-hyeok.
He hastily turned and ran into the cave.
Inside the cave was—
“—Ah.”
A corpse, mangled beyond recognition.
A foul stench that stung the nose, suggesting decay had already begun.
“N-no.”
Lee Woo-hyeok fell to his knees, collapsing on the spot.
“Noooooooooo!!!!”
He screamed, clutching the unrecognizable corpse.
“Brother, brother, bro…!”
From the very beginning.
Lee Shin-hyeok hadn't been kidnapped; he had been murdered by them.
Used only as bait to lure him in.
Miserably.
Horribly.
He had been left here to rot.
“Ah, agh. Aaaaaaaargh!!!!”
The Black Lion's roar echoed inside the small cave.
*...Damn it.*
Oh-jin frowned as he watched the wailing Lee Woo-hyeok.
It was exactly what he had expected.
What he had intended, what he had led him to.
But.
*Why does this feel so damn unsettling?*
An overwhelming sense of guilt.
Seeing Lee Woo-hyeok's despair felt like a knife twisting in his chest.
*Logically speaking, I'm the victim here.*
He had nothing to do with Lee Shin-hyeok's death.
The guy regressed on his own and died on his own.
In fact, before the regression, Lee Shin-hyeok had tried to shove him into a swarm of Ant-horns and escape by himself.
*Well... I'm not going to make pathetic excuses.*
Even if he wasn't involved in Lee Shin-hyeok's death, it was a fact that he had used it to his advantage.
Morally, it was an act deserving of condemnation.
But.
So what?
*A con man worrying about morality is a fucking joke.*
If it's necessary, I use it.
Whether it's the Constellation of the North Star or a brother who's lost his sibling.
As long as I can achieve my goals, I'll use my silver tongue to manipulate them and exploit them for all they're worth.
That's how I've lived.
That's how I've survived.
“…Mr. Oh-jin.”
Team Leader Han, who had been watching the sobbing Lee Woo-hyeok, placed a hand on Oh-jin's shoulder.
He shook his head and spoke.
“Let's go.”
“Yes.”
There was nothing more he could do by staying here anyway.
“The emergency team will be here soon.”
“No. I'll walk down.”
He shook his head and started walking down the mountain.
His incompletely healed wounds throbbed, but for some reason, he felt like walking.
“But.”
“Haha. I'm fine.”
Leaving the protesting Team Leader Han Jun-man behind, he walked down the mountain path.
He lifted his head and looked up at the sky.
“Hoo.”
The dim dawn sky.
The night without a perpetrator was coming to an end.
* * *
One week later.
“You're saying the Valhalla Guild is looking for me?”
[Yes, that's correct.]
On a late morning call from Team Leader Han Jun-man, Oh-jin swept back his sweat-drenched hair.
*Is this about the reward money?*
If so, would there be any reason to summon me to the guild?
He tilted his head, pondering for a moment.
“Alright. I'll go.”
[I'll send you the Valhalla Guild's location.]
“Okay.”
A short while later, a message arrived with the location of the Valhalla Guild.
*I should probably wash up first.*
He had been training since dawn, and his whole body was soaked in sweat.
-Click.
He came down from the rooftop and opened the front door.
“Hmm?”
Song Ha-eun, wearing earphones, was listening to something with a dead-serious expression.
Her smartphone screen was off, so he couldn't see what she was listening to.
“What are you listening to?”
“Aaaaaah!! Shit!”
*Why is she so startled?*
“Y-you scared the hell out of me, you bastard!!”
“What were you listening to so seriously?”
“Huh? Th-that's...”
Song Ha-eun stammered with a flustered look.
“A s-song. I was listening to a song.”
“A song?”
*Who listens to a song with such a serious face?*
“There are songs like that, you punk!”
“Well... alright.”
It was obviously a lie, but he didn't press the matter.
*My dear sister is in her prime, after all.*
Just because she can't see doesn't mean her desires disappear.
I've heard there are plenty of things you can enjoy with your ears these days.
“…You seem to be having some fucked up thoughts.”
“Nope.”
“Anyway, are you done with your training already? You've been cooped up on the roof until evening lately.”
“Something came up, so I have to go out for a bit.”
“Where?”
“The Valhalla Guild.”
Ha-eun's jaw dropped.
“Huh? The Valhalla Guild? Isn't that the super famous one?”
“You knew about it?”
“I listen to the news, you know.”
Song Ha-eun waved the smartphone in her hand.
“You listen to other things besides the news, I bet.”
“Do you really want to die?”
“Pffft! Sorry. I'm gonna go get ready.”
He stopped teasing her and went into the bathroom.
Click—.
“…”
Silence descended upon the room.
A lonely emotion swirled in Ha-eun's faded eyes.
Beep.
She pressed a button, and the smartphone screen lit up.
[Sacred Relics scheduled for December auction at Yongsan Auction House.]
[Dragon Demon Eye (Yongmaan) purchase.]
She closed the videos she had searched for with awkward typing.
She hugged her knees and buried her head in them.
“…Haaah.”
A deep sigh echoed in the silent room.
* * *
After showering, he headed to the Valhalla Guild.
The Valhalla Guild was located near Seoul Station.
“You're Mr. Kwon Oh-jin, correct?”
A woman with a neat appearance, wearing glasses, stood in front of the building.
A beauty who looked good in a crisp black suit and heels.
*Her name was Kim Seon-yeong, I think.*
He didn't know the exact timing, but she was the woman who would one day capture the future Lee Woo-hyeok's heart.
“Yes.”
“Please follow me.”
Following Kim Seon-yeong's lead, he entered the Valhalla Guild building.
As befitting a guild made up of a small elite team, the building wasn't large, but it exuded an air of luxury right from the entrance.
-Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
A cold voice came from beyond the door.
Creeak.
A room filled with documents.
The room was filled with such simple furniture that it was hard to believe it belonged to the master of a guild whose stock was rapidly rising.
“It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Oh-jin.”
“Yes.”
“I apologize for not being able to greet you properly before.”
“Well... it wasn't exactly the right situation for it.”
“…”
Lee Woo-hyeok clenched his fists, his jaw tight.
A chilling killing intent filled the room.
“Guild Master.”
Kim Seon-yeong called out to him urgently.
Lee Woo-hyeok's body flinched.
“…I'm sorry.”
“No, I understand completely.”
He couldn't possibly sort through all his emotions in just a week.
Hoo.
Lee Woo-hyeok took a deep breath and bowed his head.
“The reason I asked you here, Mr. Oh-jin... is first, to express my gratitude.”
“Your gratitude?”
“Yes. If it weren't for you, I might have let my brother's killer escape.”
*Just as I thought.*
*He did call me about the reward.*
“I heard you were badly injured then... Are you feeling alright now?”
“I'm fine.”
It was all just an act to show he had suffered, so there were no lasting injuries.
“That's a relief. Then…”
Lee Woo-hyeok turned his head to look at Kim Seon-yeong.
She wheeled over a large trunk.
“What's this?”
“It's the three billion won the kidnappers demanded.”
“…!”
Oh-jin's eyes widened.
*No way.*
No way, no way, no way.
Nowaynowaynowaynowaynowaynoway!!!
“As a reward for capturing Yujin, I'm giving this to you, Mr. Oh-jin.”
“…”
Tremble, tremble, tremble.
He desperately suppressed his body, which felt like it was about to have a seizure.
*Holy shit.*
Three billion won.
A dizzying thrill shot down his spine.
*But this is a bit... unbelievable.*
No matter that I caught the fleeing kidnapper for him, does giving me three billion won as a reward make any sense?
Oh-jin narrowed his eyes.
“This seems a bit excessive for a reward.”
“I won't deny that.”
“…You have another reason.”
Lee Woo-hyeok's eyes glinted coldly as he nodded.
“I heard that you, Mr. Kwon Oh-jin, are an Apostle of the North Star... Is that true?”
*Did Team Leader Han Jun-man tell him?*
*Makes sense.*
He said he had a close relationship with the Association, so it was entirely possible.
“Yes, that's right.”
“And I also heard that you were recently attacked by the Black Star Guild.”
“Ah.”
*So that's how it is.*
*Right, I was wondering why he'd suddenly offer three billion won.*
A smirk played on Oh-jin's lips.
“You were planning to ask me for information about the Black Star Guild, weren't you?”
It seemed the starving hound wasn't satisfied with just Yujin's death.
“If I only wanted information, I wouldn't have gone this far.”
“Then?”
“From now on, the Valhalla Guild plans to find the organization known as the Black Star Guild and tear it out by the roots. I would like your help with this, Mr. Oh-jin, as an Apostle of the North Star.”
“Sounds good.”
He nodded without a second of hesitation.
*I've hit the jackpot.*
He was planning to deal with the Black Star Guild eventually anyway; there was no reason to refuse if he could gain a reliable ally like Lee Woo-hyeok.
*And I get three billion won on top of it.*
No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't think of it as anything but a massive win.
“So... do you have any information on the Black Star Guild?”
“I do.”
He grinned and rummaged through his pocket.
He took out a piece of paper.
*I didn't think I'd end up using it like this, but.*
Since they're taking the initiative, there's no reason to stop them.
“This is something I found out while investigating on my own.”
Ssk. He held out the paper.
As Lee Woo-hyeok took the paper, an ice-cold killing intent radiated from him.
“It's the contact information for one of the Black Star Guild's executives.”
Go, Lee Woo-hyeok.
“His name is... right.”
Go and tear them apart.
Rip them to shreds.
“Ashad Khan, I believe.”
My faithful hound.