Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Hunting
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After using Detection, this is the first time I've picked up on so many presences.
Right above the Underground Mall, inside a wrecked coffee shop, I spin up Detection again. During the time it holds, I sense so many presences that I can't even count them all.
One thing's for sure—there are more than twenty people just inside the Underground Mall.
This.... Can I clean them all up in one day?
No way. It's too much for one person, and these aren't even all the ones coming today.
I'll drown them out. First, let's take out the ones coming and going.
Save the gangsters and the guys selling stuff inside for last.
Rather than grabbing the ones heading in, I'll target the ones coming out.
It's a real stroke of luck that the gangsters only left one entrance open to make managing the place easier.
I move to the rooftop of a two-story building near the entrance.
Back in the day, I had to rely on my eyes alone.... But now with Detection, it's a lot more reassuring.
Feels good going into killing people? Yeah.... That's normal, right?
Four guys approaching. Carrying a ton of stuff, laughing among themselves as they head into the mall.
Where the hell do guys like that even come from? Some other district, probably. Wonder what their story is.
I'm not here to trash the Underground Mall, so maybe tailing guys like that and wiping them out would be better?
Hmm.... Gotta think that over seriously.
Area sweep or rooting them out completely? Hmm....
No, that's for later. Priority one is clearing people out of this area.
The fewer people around, the safer I am. Area sweep comes first.
Three more guys heading toward the mall.
It's wild, really. Knowing someone could kill you any second, and you're still hanging out face-to-face.
Honestly, with just the Electric skill that subway kid's dad had, couldn't you sweep everyone inside in a flash?
Of course, you'd put yourself at high risk too....
Who knows. Some people just live like that, I guess. Not my style.
In games or whatever, 1+1 isn't always 2. Synergy can make it 3, or even 10.
But not here. No real synergy to speak of. Could be something I don't know about, though.
Intentional? Doesn't seem like they designed skills that carefully.
I run Detection again, and way off in the distance, three presences approaching.
This time, two guys and a woman. They're all on the older side—late thirties? Early forties?
Not many young women around. Makes sense. I wouldn't bring a young woman to a place like this either.
Bound to be guys whose eyes roll back with lust.
I use Detection every 30 seconds. Want to do it more often, but I've compromised at 30.
The downtime without it feels seriously uneasy. Like OCD kicking in.
Proficiency's shooting up, though.
Twice a minute, 20 times in 10 minutes. One Recovery Potion: 2,000 coins. So 12,000 coins an hour.
Fucking expensive. Gotta kill a ton. Wait, no—proficiency's rising, so it's not a total loss.
Proficiency hit 70%. About 150 more uses to Advanced.
Time-wise, 75 minutes.... I'll hit it soon.
Next rank probably bumps range to 75m? 25, 50, 75. Then 100?
No way it's 25, 50, 100, 200—that'd be broken. 200m radius? Dream on. Don't get greedy.
In a crowded area, 200m could pick up thousands of presences.... That's insane.
Perfect skill for driving you nuts. Even 100m would be total bullshit.
I keep pulsing Detection periodically like that for a while, watching. The groups that went in earlier still haven't come out.
Lots to trade? Would be fun if a brawl broke out inside.
Then, while scanning, I spot something weird.
Two presences approaching, but nothing visible to the eye.
Definitely on the surface. No one where they should be. What the...? Invisibility?
The two linger just inside the mall entrance, then move again.
They head to one side of the alley and suddenly appear.
Two guys. Metal bat and a solid-looking axe for splitting logs.
Whoa.... Things just got interesting.
Others out there thinking like me, huh?
Let's watch for now. Play this right, and I might not even have to lift a finger.
Shit, no popcorn? Having to watch this thriller dry-mouthed.
The two guys go invisible again. They head to the entrance, peek inside, and hold still.
After staying frozen for a good while, they retreat back to the alley. Check the time—about 29 minutes.
Duration 30 minutes? Come to think of it, I never checked the duration.
Oh, they're at it again. Heading back toward the entrance.
After standing there about 20 minutes, the two guys slink backward.
And then three other guys coming out of the Underground Mall.
Oh.... Showtime? Can't wait.
The three are loaded up with goods in both hands.
Not emptying their hands, and strutting out so boldly—that screams confidence in their skills.
That's why they move like that.
The two tail them. Hunter and hunted. Wonder how it'll play out?
Forces me to spam Detection nonstop. Gotta track the invisible guys.
Steep price for the show. Eh.... I'll loot their coins anyway; it'll break even.
The three keep their distance from the mall, and the invis guys just follow.
Trying to put space from the Underground Mall? Makes sense—don't want the commotion too close.
Guess that means I have to head down too. Ugh, what a pain.
I trail them, keeping a comfortable gap.
Keep Detection spinning, monitoring surroundings. The mall's already a ways back.... Getting the itch to strike.
A bit further, and the three guys round a corner. Then the invis guys charge.
Thwack!
Clang!
One of the three drops, another sprays blood from his neck.
"What the—!"
Thwack!
And that's the last one's dying words.
His face caves in as he hits the ground.
The axed guy turns to light and vanishes.
Thwack! Thwack!
The other two downed guys dissolve into light soon after.
"Nice."
"Hell yeah. Jackpot again today."
Ambush over in a flash. From the looks of it, they've done this plenty.
Makes sense—four years of this shit, they're pros now.
"Hey, one more round? Wrapped up quicker than expected."
"Maybe.... But this haul's plenty, right?"
"That bitch Ji-yeon’s been jacking up prices lately. This won't even last a few goes."
"True. Yeah, fuck that slut. No way to take her down?"
"Cut the crap. One wrong move, we're dead. She's letting us fuck her—that's enough."
"Ugh, such a waste. Why do we gotta work so hard for pussy? Nail her right once, and it'd be free forever."
"I don't wanna get fucked over. Even banging her, I'm always thinking I could die any second."
"Still, that edge is kinda hot, right? Thrilling?"
"Heh. Yeah. Makes you twice as hard."
Listen to these guys. Some woman named Ji-yeon—they beat off, trade food for sex with her....
But these two with Invisibility can't overpower her.
Means if they try anything funny, like covering her mouth and eyes, her skill kicks in instantly. Could kill them.
What's her skill? Instant activation, potentially lethal.
She's got total confidence in it, enough to spread her legs.
What could it be? Curiosity's killing me.
The Underground Mall opens again in ten days—I can wipe it anytime. But these guys? Not so much.
I'm curious. Plan change. Today's target: these two. And that Ji-yeon woman too.
The invis guys drop their stealth. Grab the stuff the others were carrying and vanish again.
Smooth moves. Detection shows them ducking into the alley, then coming back out.
Dropping off the loot? Looks like it.
They said one more, so probably heading back to the mall entrance. I slip carefully into the alley.
Confirming they're at the Underground Mall entrance, I climb back to my rooftop perch.
They're waiting at the entrance. I'm tracking their presences nonstop.
Another 30 minutes pass.
Midway, they duck into the alley once to refresh Invisibility.
And that's when Detection hits Advanced.
Fuck yes.... Not sure exactly how much the radius grew, but it's definitely bigger.
Presences I couldn't reach before are coming through now.
Plus duration bumped to 15 seconds.
Broken. Total fucking cheat skill.
While I'm geeking out, the two invis guys ease away from the entrance.
Oh. Another one?
Four guys. Not a huge load.
They laugh as they step out, immediately lighting up smokes.
The guys move, but the invis pair stays put.
Hmm.... Letting them go? Because four? Or no loot?
Fine? Then.... I'll take 'em.
Gotta hustle even in downtime. Waiting game's on anyway.
Four guys? I can drop them silent. Just mind the glow when they die—quick as hell.
Best part of Detection.
Don't have to keep eyes on constantly.
The four guys head right toward my building.
Perfect.... Deep enough in, no light spill.
A little closer. Come on.
I mutter to myself watching them, and the moment they're far enough inside, I put all four straight to sleep.