Chichi and Titi
“Chichi, Titi?”
I repeated the unfamiliar names, which sounded like something out of a movie.
—It's their nicknames. Thai girls all have ones like that. I've tangled with them a few times myself, and they're no joke. Even big shots avoid getting involved with them unless they have to. Personally, I liked them, so I tried hitting on them a couple times, but they weren't interested. Anyway, I hadn't thought about them in ages, so it's nice to reconnect like this.
Valentina had already concluded that the poison sorceresses Chichi and Titi were definitely tied to this mess. As someone with deep roots in the underworld, just like Kang A-jin had said, her hunch was probably spot on.
Still, I couldn't figure out why she'd want to get mixed up with such dangerous women. She had her eccentric side, sure, but actively seeking out trouble like this felt off. That question didn't linger long, though.
“Are they pretty, by any chance? Those women?”
—Oh, how'd you guess? They're twins—absolute stunners. You know how women from different countries each have their unique charm? Up in that top 0.1%, they develop this special allure that sets them apart from anyone else. It's rare stuff, really.
Of course, I thought. That explains it. Now I got why Chichi and Titi had deliberately avoided Valentina. Her reputation must precede her in those circles—in more ways than one.
—Anyway, things just got complicated, so we need to prep on our end too. I'm heading to Brazil for a bit.
“Brazil?”
—The best way to fight poison is with poison, right? I've got a friend who's a pro with it. I'll bring her along.
“Okay...”
—Even if we've taken the job, they can't just show up right away. Distance is a factor. Plus, they're so gorgeous, they'd stand out no matter what. They'll know if we make the first move.
Valentina sounded thrilled. Normally, you'd worry in a situation like this, but not her. These weren't just any poison sorceresses and assassins bossing around the underworld from Thailand to the world stage. Yet Valentina was buzzing like she'd finally gotten a shot with the cool guy she'd been crushing on.
“Travel safe.”
—Hohoho. It's far, but I'll be back quick, so don't worry, honey. You know I'm always right by your side, yeah?
“Yeah...”
She wasn't wrong. Brazil was way farther than Thailand physically, but she had warp zones for fast travel. The real question was how quickly she could meet her poison sorceress friend there and bring her back.
I felt the situation growing more tangled than expected. Should've known not to get greedy for freebies, I thought. Choi Yunmi would worry, but I decided not to tell her what Valentina had shared. No solid proof Kang Mancheol had contacted Chichi and Titi yet, and once they clashed, blood would spill. For now, I'd let her focus on tracking him down. We could reveal the truth later if needed.
Kim Se-in headed back to Violet Guild, the one she'd built and led. Even just a few days away meant a mountain of work: handling the six members who'd defected and rebuilding from scratch. She wasn't too worried, though—not a hundred percent safe, but she wasn't the old her anymore. Anyone messing with an S-rank hunter like her now? They'd be the ones sweating.
Her biggest concern remained those Thai poison sorceresses Chichi and Titi, supposedly hired by Kang Mancheol. If they were in Thailand, it'd take time to get to Korea. With Kang A-jin already onto it, they'd detect any stealthy approach before it happened.
Sure enough, Valentina—who'd said she was off to Brazil—checked back in after just half a day, announcing her return.
—Told my friend about you, and she's dying to meet. How about we head your way for a strategy session?
“No, I'll come to you. Better that way.”
Kang A-jin's place was hard to pinpoint, so I'd have her pick me up. My own home wasn't spacious enough for guests, especially a bunch of Brazilians. I was curious about Valentina's poison sorceress friend anyway, so I volunteered to go there.
Kang A-jin arrived promptly to fetch me. On the way, I asked about this friend of Valentina's.
“I've met her a few times. How to put it...”
Kang A-jin furrowed her brow.
“Every time she visited my master, they'd hole up in a room for days. And when they came out... there was always that distinctive smell.”
“Smell... you mean...”
“Yes. She shares my master's tastes. Not that I can judge. Sometimes a few of us disciples would join them in there too. Master even subtly invited me once, but I refused flat-out.”
“I see...”
Any seriousness I'd built up shattered. Why were all things Valentina-related like this? It was her personality, sure—maybe even her charm. But Kang A-jin clearly didn't see it that way.
The car whooshed through a warp zone.
Valentina's poison sorceress friend was named Luiza. Exotic name, as expected. Her looks were straight out of another world too. I'd assumed she'd be white like Valentina, but Luiza was Black. Their common traits? Tall stature, and...
I knew it was rude, but my eyes naturally drifted to her figure. Full, heaving breasts, a cinched waist, and hips puffed to the absolute max—any bigger and it'd be too much. She had this unreal vibe, like a fantasy right in front of me.
“Oh! You must be Valentina's honey, Sung-gi.”
She spoke flawless Korean, casual as could be. Valentina, fine—but at this point, wasn't it worth questioning?
“Your Korean's great.”
“Thanks to me.” Valentina shrugged.
“There's a sorcery that lets you pick up languages instantly. Inspired by soul sorcerer tech—pulls the language bits from someone's past memories. She's got skills in sorcery now too, so she'd be shocked how easy it is.”
So even language learning was sorcery territory. Anyone grinding through late-night studies for foreign tongues would feel crushed. Soul sorcerers and memory extraction made it clear this wasn't casual magic.
Luiza oozed seductive charm. Beautiful, yes—but overflowing with raw sex appeal. When I glanced at her chest and hips, she didn't mind; she even struck a pose that accentuated her glamorous curves. Clearly, she thrived on this attention.
Such a sexually magnetic woman being into women? A shame. Not that I minded—my circle was packed with women already, all stunning with their own unique allure. Adding a Brazilian Black beauty wouldn't change a thing.
“We talked it over privately.”
Valentina eyed me cautiously as she spoke. That hesitant vibe from her? Rare for her usual cocky self. It usually meant...
“Dealing with Chichi and Titi is tough. They rarely move together, but even one is a handful. It'll be a good test for Luiza's poison skills too, but...”
“I know it's no easy task. Thank you so much for coming all this way to help, Luiza.”
Luiza flashed a sultry smile that made my heart skip—knowing full well she was gay. It even reminded me of her friend Valentina, stirring that same ominous vibe.
“I haven't agreed to help yet. I have one condition, and it needs your permission, Sung-gi.”
Valentina averted her gaze as Luiza spoke.
“See, she's curious. About how I—a lifelong ladies' woman—ended up sleeping with a guy. So...”
My ominous hunch proved spot on. It had come true.