Chapter 313
Chapter 313
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 313
Chapter Title: Silent Lightning
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At the lightning's words, Lee Soo-hyuk's eyes snapped wide open.
There was no sound.
It was a direction he had never even considered before. The lightning Soo-hyuk wielded had always come with deafening noise.
He had never thought it strange. From the very beginning until now, he had taken it for granted.
But raw power didn't always have to be loud. Kim Ye-ryeong had proven that.
She had shown that silence could be the sharpest and most precise force of all.
"This should be enough, right?"
Soo-hyuk nodded at the lightning's words.
He had obtained a clue—that was sufficient. It had laid out the table; he couldn't expect it to spoon-feed him as well.
The road ahead was long, but finding the direction alone was a harvest in itself.
Srrrr—
The scenery gradually faded. Having found his answer, Soo-hyuk now prepared to leave this place.
"Remember what I said earlier."
The lightning issued one final warning.
From how far it had gone, one thing was clear: the entity was wary of something.
"Should I fear you?"
"Exactly."
"Then make an effort."
"…!"
"To keep me fearing you. Don't make it easy."
For a moment, the lightning's expression vanished. It was as if a bolt had truly struck inside its head.
Soon, it grinned and opened its mouth to reply.
But in Soo-hyuk's blurring vision, all he could see was the lightning's lips moving silently.
Soo-hyuk never learned what it had said.
From that day on, Soo-hyuk practiced wielding lightning without sound.
It wasn't easy. Handling lightning while suppressing noise was like sprinting at full speed without letting your footsteps echo.
The greater the lightning's power, the louder the sound.
Stifling the noise weakened its force, which wasn't what Soo-hyuk wanted.
"Ye-ryeong makes this look effortless."
He was inwardly impressed by how she moved so swiftly while erasing her presence. Soo-hyuk could mimic it to some extent, but not to her level.
Days passed like this, practicing lightning control and healing his hands repeatedly.
Tzzt—
A small spark danced from his fingertips, and pure white lightning enveloped his hand.
Sweat beaded on his forehead. The world felt bleached white as Soo-hyuk focused solely on this one task.
And finally, an invisible armor cloaked Soo-hyuk's hand.
"Got it!"
A cheer of success burst out. In that instant, his concentration broke, and the lightning scattered once more.
His palm burned hot again. His arm tingled from the shock, but the mental thrill overshadowed it.
He had crossed one hurdle. Many remained, and mastering it would take time, but pride swelled within him.
Then, a certain phrase came to mind.
"Remember what I said earlier."
He had to fear the lightning. Thunder and bolts alike. The powers he wielded now would destroy him one day if he grew complacent.
Only then did Soo-hyuk feel the pain in his grip. Perhaps this ache was the lightning's warning.
While spending those busy days like this, Ye-ryeong spoke to Soo-hyuk.
"They're ready."
Soo-hyuk nodded.
Perfect timing. It wasn't perfected, but it was enough to start without regrets.
"Just you and me again?"
"No need to drag Si-woo or Hyo-min along."
"Why me again?"
Soo-hyuk explained firmly to the grumbling Ye-ryeong.
"You're what Dark Map fears most."
"What's so scary about me?"
"They don't fear the Hydra, but they fear you?"
There was a primal terror born of darkness and silence. Ye-ryeong embodied it.
She was the dread of all players. They might not fear grand mages, but plenty feared the Dark Queen.
Especially those who operated in shadows like Dark Map—Ye-ryeong was a goddess to them.
"Since it came up, let's head out now."
Ye-ryeong's lips puffed out at Soo-hyuk's resolute words. She clearly didn't like hearing she was scarier than the Hydra.
Dark Map was on high alert once more.
Guild leader Arantia had chased most guild members out of headquarters and even pulled back the guards on duty.
Only two remained in the guild.
Guild leader Arantia and Gilot, the newest recruit.
"The guild feels empty."
"I told them all to leave."
Arantia was reading the documents Gilot had compiled. Satisfied, she nodded.
"Clearing out the guild for something?"
"Ye-ryeong noona's coming. What if the kids pick a fight?"
"Just warn them ahead of time."
"If everyone were as smart as you, it'd be great. But we've got our share of idiots."
Dark Map was a shadowy guild, full of rough types. Still, emptying the entire place like this was odd.
They valued their lives; hearing Kim Ye-ryeong's name would make them scatter.
"Is it a top-security commission?"
Arantia's hand paused while flipping pages.
She licked her red lips and flashed a sly smile.
"You're sharp, as always."
Gilot was capable. Not just as an informant, but quick-witted and perceptive.
Even now, deducing the info's classification from her evicting members.
"You didn't want other members running into Kim Ye-ryeong."
"Right. And whoever's coming with her."
Arantia eyed the word "Red Tower" in the documents.
"If word gets out we were involved, it'll be a real headache."
Red Tower-related business.
Whatever the reason for seeking info on them, it reeked of danger. Even Dark Map wouldn't want Red Tower as an enemy.
The tower's top guild, with a grand mage. Crossing them was something even Arantia, info broker extraordinaire, wanted to avoid.
"Then why not meet outside?"
"That'd work."
"So why the hassle...?"
Arantia's face crumpled the moment Gilot finished.
"That's what I'm saying! This damn noona has no consideration."
"Pardon?"
"She sends a message she's coming and that's it. Doesn't think of us at all. Gives nothing for the help. Thinks being Dark Queen makes her all that? Huh?"
"Not quite."
"Right? Not quite..."
Mid-rant, Arantia realized the reply hadn't come from Gilot.
Her irritated face instantly bloomed into a bright smile.
"You're here, noona?"
Ye-ryeong emerged from the shadows. No telling when she'd arrived or how much she'd overheard.
Gilot felt anew the terror of Kim Ye-ryeong from Arantia's sudden flip.
"Oh, Soo-hyuk's here too? Come on in."
She welcomed them like she'd forgotten the prior tirade.
But Ye-ryeong was the scarier one. Arantia's gaze fixed on her, not the trailing Soo-hyuk.
Ye-ryeong approached slowly and hooked arms with Arantia. The guild leader turned meek as a mouse before a cat.
Arm in arm, Ye-ryeong grinned.
"What do you mean I never give you anything?"
"Huh?"
"I'm giving you your life, aren't I?"
Even playful words from Ye-ryeong weren't jokes.
Arantia clapped and agreed enthusiastically. Watching Ye-ryeong laugh and Arantia play nice, Soo-hyuk smiled warmly.
Wonder why her lips were still pursed.
"Right, noona. Here's the info you requested."
Desperate for survival, Arantia handed over the documents.
Ye-ryeong passed them to Soo-hyuk, the actual requester.
Soo-hyuk skimmed them and frowned disappointingly.
"Less detailed than expected."
"You think getting Red Tower files is easy? Decades old, at that."
"They scrap old files? Doubt it."
Despite Ye-ryeong's jab, Arantia stood firm.
"Of course not. Who do you think we are?"
"Then?"
"You prioritized accuracy, right? Reliable Red Tower info is rare. Perfect matches? Forget it."
It made sense. Red Tower wouldn't sloppy-handle their secrets.
Thus, Soo-hyuk had requested from two angles.
"The kids... still vanishing even now."
Soo-hyuk's voice was calm.
But Ye-ryeong sensed quiet anger beneath.
For decades to now, children kept disappearing. Just the scale differed.
"Towers have endless orphans. No one cares what happens to them."
"Really no one?"
Arantia shook her head at Soo-hyuk's question.
"As if. Someone's making it happen."
"Yeah, probably."
Having read it all, Soo-hyuk pocketed the documents with a nod.
Less than hoped, but unavoidable. Red Tower didn't bungle dark deeds.
"Thanks, Arantia."
Soo-hyuk moved to pay info fees.
Even if she feared Ye-ryeong, favors weren't free. Unpaid ties always snapped eventually.
But Arantia waved it off.
"No need. It's nothing."
This intel was worth millions of points. Not "nothing."
Soo-hyuk knew, yet met her eyes and nodded.
"If you say so."
Business done, Soo-hyuk turned. Ye-ryeong, still arm-in-arm, waved and followed.
"Enough to go on?"
"Didn't expect a full meal from the first bite."
Not ample, but solid. Prioritizing accuracy made each line valuable.
"Now we run it down ourselves."
"If Red Tower's still at it?"
"Then we run harder."
In his answer, Ye-ryeong felt Soo-hyuk had truly regained his old self.
"Only types like us can punish scum like them."