A Tense Airport Wait
A silence-heavy airport, one that weighed on the chest like an unspoken threat.>
Most of the internal shops had gone dark, their lights extinguished as if the world itself had chosen to sleep. In the main hall, the few people left slumped on benches, eyes half-lidded, phones glowing in vacant hands.>
“……Ugh.”>
The time had come. It was almost there.>
A wave of jet-black hair with a faint red-wine sheen. Eyes like a fox’s—slightly upturned at the corners—framed lips that shone a deep, seductive red. A long silver pendant earring swayed from one ear, and beneath the deep V-neck, the inner silver pendant of her necklace caught the light, making her collarbones look longer than they had any right to. Her skirt hugged narrow hips, the black stockings stretching up her thighs in a way that promised danger.>
The Red Circle’s Baek Yejin.>
At this godforsaken hour, she had been waiting at Incheon Airport for two straight hours to meet her new partner. The one who was supposed to arrive at 3:20 a.m. and still hadn’t shown his face.>
“This fucking bastard… why isn’t he here yet?”>
It was already past 4:30. Behind Baek Yejin, the line of staff members who had been waiting saw it too—the black aura that leaked from her body like smoke. One wrong word and they would be torn apart by her whip.>
But then.>
Creak.>
The heavy door slid open in the dim hall. A man stepped out, scanning the surroundings with restless eyes. It was still the cold season, yet he wore a black turtleneck under a military jacket. His build looked solid beneath the fabric, and behind tinted sunglasses his gaze seemed to lock directly onto her, as if he could see straight through her soul.>
Yejin felt it instinctively—he was the guest she had come to greet.>
“Mr. Hao Chen?”>
“Red Circle?”>
The man stepped closer and swept his eyes over her body from head to toe. Yejin’s brows furrowed for a split second. Something about his appearance and first impression was deeply unpleasant. But then she noticed the red stains on his jacket.>
“……Is there something you need resolved?”>
“Ah, sorry. The stewardesses are just too beautiful. I got distracted talking and lost track of time.”>
His smooth, cocky tone made Yejin clench her fist without realizing it. She knew what his hobbies were. Yet he dismissed her expression entirely, jerking his chin toward the gate interior.>
“Then handle it well… and have I prepared what I mentioned?”>
“……We’ve secured it at the hotel. I’ll lead the way.”>
“Hmm… I suppose you can take care of it.”>
The cold glint in Yejin’s eyes flared. Hao Chen burst into laughter.>
“Kukuk, I was just kidding. Look how much more charming that makes me.”>
He slid his sunglasses down a fraction and looked at her, eyes full of mockery.>
“Relax. I don’t want to get covered in blood.”>
“Hahaha. This way?”>
He pointed lazily toward the entrance, striding off. Yejin bit her lip until it hurt. She knew why she was lending her strength to a man like this… yet the situation still made her stomach twist.>
“A damn dog.”> >
No matter how much she disliked the current situation, there was no choice. This project required the full power of the Yellow Dragon Guild from China.>
Yejin exhaled deeply and followed him.>
* * *>
He was far later than scheduled. Seonghyeon, who had been waiting outside the dungeon, was pale enough that a drop of blood might fall at any second.>
“W-what the hell is going on…?”>
He had said they would only take a few monsters and come out. Why was he taking so long? Seonghyeon stomped his feet in place, restless and anxious.>
What if something happened to Dojin? What then?>
But…>
Uwoooong.>
The dungeon gate suddenly vibrated. A blinding light erupted from it.>
Thud.>
Dojin stepped out of the dungeon.>
“Hyung!”>
Seonghyeon startled and rushed over. There was clearly something wrong—his expression was exhausted.>
“Are you alright?”>
“Yes, I’m fine.”>
Dojin looked at him.>
“Sorry. I promised I’d come out sooner.”>
“It’s nothing. As long as you’re safe, that’s what matters.”>
Seonghyeon tried to support him, but Dojin shook his head.>
“I’m fine. Then let’s head to the accommodation first.”>
It was already too late. One should rest whenever possible before tackling the brutal schedule ahead.>
Seonghyeon nodded and climbed into the car. Dojin took the passenger seat.>
And then…>
‘…Status Window.’>
Dojin opened it. He had already checked inside the dungeon, yet the sight still stunned him.>
Name: Ha Dojin>
Level: 81>
Strength: 139.5 + 6 Agility: 370 + 29>
Constitution: 136.8 Spirit: 233 + 2>
Bonus Stats: 0>
Dojin stared at the numbers and recalled the dungeon events. Thirty-five Stone Giants and one Red Stone Giant—thirty-six in total.>
‘It wasn’t a 100% chance every time.’>
He had stolen stats twenty-five times. Roughly seventy percent probability. And it wasn’t always the same amount. Many times it rose by 0.2, but there were plenty of 0.1 gains too.>
‘But…’>
Even if one considered every possibility, this result defied reason. Of course, the skill required a higher-level opponent, so it hadn’t been easy. Yet for him, who possessed stats far above his level…>
‘It was worth more than I thought.’>
And after reaching 80, he had gained bonus stats. Compared to other hunters, he now wielded abilities that surpassed level 150. Add in his real skill…>
‘I reached this level faster than expected.’>
He had once thought level 100 would be the target. Dojin closed his eyes for a moment. He had achieved the goal he once believed impossible. Yet he had no intention of returning to the past.>
‘The remaining time… I’ll push it to the limit.’>
What if he reached level 100 and somehow gained bonus stats again?> >
Though he had never been one to chase wishes, the miracles unfolding before him had him thinking… perhaps there was more.>
“Hyung, we’ve arrived.”>
His thoughts spiraled and tangled until they reached the accommodation. Dojin stepped out of the car. Seonghyeon spoke.>
“Tomorrow we’ll leave a little later than usual. Rest well today. You pushed yourself too hard.”>
Seonghyeon’s expression carried determination. He refused outright—his eyes seemed to say as much.>
“I understand. Then shall we have breakfast together at nine?”>
Dojin always departed early. This was enough. He would rest.>
“See you in the morning.”>
Dojin headed inside. Seonghyeon stared at his back, stunned.>
“Did he… laugh just now?”>
The man who had always looked exhausted now wore a faint, relaxed smile. Seonghyeon could only stare in disbelief.>
* * *>
“How did it go?”>
“There’s no condition attached. The dungeon is classified as an emergency call. Three guilds have agreed to combine their forces.”>
Kim Gyeongtaek explained the investigation results regarding the Red Gate to Chairman Gu Jinmo.>
“Hwangryong, Black Moon, and Red Circle. We’ll form teams from these three guilds, and five other guilds will each send two people as a joint operation.”>
“Forty in total.”>
“Yes. Including Mr. Dojin from the Firebird Guild, as ordered.”>
Gyeongtaek’s expression darkened with worry. How had they forced themselves into such a dangerous mission?>
“There must be some plan in place.”>
Gu Jinmo’s voice was low, yet it carried the weight of many years. He had never truly understood Dojin’s intentions before. But he had never once disappointed him. From the first meeting to now.>
“Is the operation date set?”>
“Yes. March 15th. By then, every assault team must be fully prepared and gathered.”>
The Red Gate could not be scouted from outside. Once inside, one could not leave until cleared, which could take anywhere from two days to a month. No one would send scouts into that unknown darkness.>
Therefore, complete preparations had to be finished before entry.>
Gu Jinmo asked.>
“Have the items for Mr. Dojin been prepared?”>
“Yes. All testing is complete. They’re ready.”>
“Then there’s nothing left but to wait.”>
The massive Red Gate incident had arrived, yet Gu Jinmo believed it would pass safely as always. He closed his eyes and recalled Dojin’s face, quiet and calm. And then…>
Drring… drring.>
“Chairman, Hunter Ha Dojin is here.”>
“Oh?”>
Gu Jinmo nodded. The elevator doors opened. The moment the chairman’s office door slid aside, Dojin stepped in.>
“I’m back.”>
He approached the chairman.>
Something had changed. The first to notice was Kim Gyeongtaek. Not even a month had passed…>
‘His aura…’>
Could such a transformation be possible? Gyeongtaek’s face stiffened, eyes trembling. Gu Jinmo’s lips curved into a faint smile.>
“You’ve changed quite a bit.”>
“I worked hard enough that no regrets remain.”>
Gu Jinmo glanced at Gyeongtaek.>
“The item grades need to be upgraded, don’t you think?”>
“……I agree, Chairman.”>
Gyeongtaek nodded and hurried off to contact the research lab.>
* * *>
Red Circle Guild headquarters. Tension hung thick in the air. Every staff member’s expression was rigid.>
The executive meeting room. A meeting regarding the Red Gate assault team. Among them sat Hao Chen, supported by the Yellow Dragon Guild.>
Hao Chen swept his eyes over the woman standing beside him.>
“Are you coming to my room tonight?”>
“……Yes?”>
The woman asked cautiously. Hao Chen’s brows furrowed.>
“Hao Chen Hunter. This secretary doesn’t understand Chinese.”>
“Ah, I see. Nearly slipped up there, huh. Hahaha.”>
“Then let’s talk business.”>
“Not difficult.”>
Hao Chen stood. He used mana to reach into his jacket’s inner pocket.>
Shuk.>
A fist-sized box appeared in his hand. The hunters around him gasped. It was far too large for his jacket pocket—proof that the inner pocket functioned as an inner-world storage space. Even a 50L space could hold tens of billions in value, yet its rarity made it nearly impossible to obtain. It was more precious than money itself.>
‘As expected of Hao Chen.’>
‘The continent’s Zhao Zilong.’>
Only one person had been sent here. A single level 215 hunter whose spear skills ranked among the top five in China. Combined with his equipment, level, and guild backing, he was the true Zhao Zilong of the continent—Hao Chen.>
Hao Chen carefully opened the box. Inside gleamed a purple crystal.>
“This is called a Cartel Crystal. It amplifies the mana flow inside a dungeon.”>
Hao Chen removed it with care.>
“Insert this into a strong-mana area inside the dungeon and channel mana into it… then…”>
Uwooooong.>
The Cartel Crystal in Hao Chen’s palm began to glow bright purple and vibrate gently. The mana it emitted grew stronger with every second.>
When the light finally covered the entire meeting room…>
Thud.>
Hao Chen closed the box lid. The light vanished as if it had never existed.>
“As you can see, the mana power continues to build… Boom!”>
He clenched his fist, then laughed wide.>
“The dungeon explodes. Monsters pour out. And in a situation unprepared, the damage will be enormous.”>
At that exact moment, Red Circle would intervene, slaughter the monsters, and claim the hero’s role. A flawless plan with not a single gap.>
Inside the plan, a deep smile curled at Kang Seungho’s lips.