The Assassin Hunter Stops Time
Gu Jinmo.
Han Sohee.
Kwak Hansu.
These three had played critical roles in helping Kang Seungho seize control of South Korea.
What they had in common? They possessed remarkably kind dispositions, yet Kang Seungho had exploited them without mercy.
For that reason, Dojin had taken them first and turned them into his own people.
He wanted them to live decent lives, free from misfortune, and to stand by his side.
To Kang Seungho, such people were simply too precious to waste.
But...
“He’s different, this one.”
A full year had passed since Red Circle, the pinnacle of South Korea, had collapsed.
During that time, the hunter world in Korea had undergone tremendous change.
First, ties to political power brokers had been ruthlessly monitored. A new department had been established to audit businesses laced with corruption.
Of course, illegal acts still occurred in the shadows, but the numbers had clearly decreased.
Yet...
“It’s been a while.”
New faces had emerged from the dark underbelly.
Somewhere on the outskirts of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.
It looked like a bustling commercial district, yet the atmosphere felt eerie.
As Dojin walked the street, the people stationed at various points turned their eyes toward him.
A gaze that felt like surveillance.
From there, Dojin turned down a certain alley.
Unlike the gloomy mood just moments ago...
“Oppa! This way!”
“Right here, bro. Come for a second.”
Amid the vibrant pink lighting reminiscent of a butcher shop, a decent crowd buzzed about.
Dojin walked slowly through the throng, scanning his surroundings.
He was only following vague memories, after all; nothing was exact.
But then...
“You came alone?”
“...?”
Amid the noisy atmosphere, a crisp voice pulled Dojin’s head around.
Mid-to-late twenties? Early thirties?
Heavy makeup made it impossible to guess her age precisely.
But one thing was certain.
That voice carried magic when it left her lips.
‘An awakener.’
Dojin approached her.
“Why?”
“What do you mean? There’s no set place, so come here.”
She gently wrapped her arm around his and pressed her face close.
The soft warmth of her chest and the faint tobacco-scented breath reached him from her arm.
Dojin pulled his arm back slightly and asked, “I’m looking for someone.”
“This isn’t an escort agency.”
She frowned and clicked her tongue.
Dojin took a bill from his pocket.
Instantly, the woman’s eyes changed.
“Who are you looking for?”
“Jeong-yeop. Do you know him?”
“Jeong-yeop?”
For a split second, confusion flashed across her face.
It lasted only an instant, but Dojin had understood.
Soon he took out another bill.
The woman glanced around nervously, then quickly dragged him inside.
“Sister, I’m taking a customer.”
“Room 3 is ready.”
The woman led Dojin to room 3 and whispered the moment they stepped inside.
“Why are you looking for Jeong-yeop?”
Her expression grew serious.
Clearly, Jeong-yeop was a big deal on this street.
Dojin answered, “I don’t need to explain why. Just confirm when Jeong-yeop comes. You know, don’t you?”
“...There’s no one on this street who doesn’t know Jeong-yeop. But why do you want him so badly? Could it be... you’re from the hunter police?”
Her voice carried a strange note of hope.
But looking at her, Dojin said coldly, “I’m simply looking because I need to. Don’t expect a savior from me. You’re not special to me.”
“Ah...”
Her face fell at Dojin’s harsh words.
But Dojin didn’t care.
Because he knew.
Most people on this street had come of their own free will.
Unlike before, when they were dragged here against their will to sell their bodies, the number was minimal.
Of course, it varied depending on personal circumstances.
Dojin gripped the check he was holding and said, “Jeong-yeop... is the awakener who rules this street.”
A year ago, when Red Circle collapsed and the underworld order completely unraveled...
Jeong-yeop had seized this street and turned it into a red-light district.
Business had expanded rapidly.
He didn’t know about other regions, but the people here were clearly enjoying it.
Naturally, with high demand, more suppliers rushed in.
Still, there were people willing to take such easy money.
“Here, Jeong-yeop is the king. I don’t know why you’re after him, but I’ll warn you—don’t do anything stupid.”
It was a small street, yet Jeong-yeop held absolute power here.
But her words made Dojin frown.
“What a waste of time.”
Fwoosh!
“Ah!”
Dojin moved as if he was about to strike, and in an instant he snatched the money from her hand.
The woman cried desperately, “I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you!”
“...This is the last one. Money after I hear the answer.”
“Jeong-yeop’s visits are irregular. He comes whenever he feels like it, has fun, sets rules... that kind of thing.”
“Then our talk is over.”
“H, but there is one regular time.”
“When?”
“Collection day. You have to be punctual then. Sometimes he comes a little earlier.”
“When is that?”
“The third Monday of every month.”
“The third Monday?”
“...Yes.”
“Today is the second Saturday of the month.”
“So in two days...”
Dojin offered the money back and asked, “The place?”
“That’s... not exact, but there’s a place called Golden Hall at the end of the street. It’s inside the alley right next to it.”
“...”
“I-I really don’t know anything more. No one else knows either! It’s true!”
She spoke frantically, worried he would take the money back.
Then she shoved the cash deep into her cleavage and gave Dojin a pitiful look.
Dojin turned his head away.
“Your answer is enough. And...”
With a soft motion, Dojin’s gaze moved to her lower abdomen.
The mana core that most awakener women naturally produced.
Because it was located there.
He didn’t know why she had endured such pain...
“The mana core can be regenerated with treatment. I recommend getting it done before it gets any worse.”
“...”
With those words, Dojin left the room.
Soon he headed straight for the place the woman had described.
Golden Hall at the end of the street.
A wooden sign written in Chinese characters that didn’t quite match the atmosphere.
And beside it...
Fwoosh!
Dojin turned his gaze.
A small row of shops lined the alley leading inside.
But then...
“Hey, you.”
“...?”
A sudden voice from beside him made Dojin turn his head.
The guy was built like a monster who could kill with his looks alone.
Dojin looked at him, and the man stepped forward saying, “This area is off-limits. Don’t wander around; go over there and have fun.”
“No thanks.”
The faint mana flowing from the man’s body revealed he was an awakener.
‘Looks like he’s one of Jeong-yeop’s subordinates.’
Dojin considered beating him senseless for a moment, but there was no need for such trouble.
After all, Jeong-yeop would appear here in two days.
So Dojin backed off obediently.
And two days later...
Fwoosh!
As darkness descended, the street glowed even more brilliantly.
Dojin appeared once more.
* * *
“Hehe.”
Watching the bustling street, Jeong-yeop let out a small chuckle.
A year after Red Circle’s fall, he had quickly claimed his territory in the now-lawless underworld, and it was working wonders.
“I love these collection days.”
“Hehe, it means your skill is truly amazing, brother.”
“How much did we make this month?”
Jeong-yeop couldn’t hide his smile as he watched the people walking the street.
Eventually, he moved toward the alley beside Golden Hall.
“...”
Dojin, standing in the middle of the street, saw Jeong-yeop.
He didn’t know the man’s face, but he could tell instantly.
The aura radiating from his body left no doubt—he had no intention of hiding his power.
Anyone walking nearby would have recoiled in fear.
And beside him walked another man following Jeong-yeop.
He looked to be in his early twenties, small in stature.
The moment Dojin saw him, his eyes darkened.
‘Found him.’
Hwang Gyeongil.
The reason he had come to this stinking district twice was to find that exact man.
Dojin moved forward.
He considered wiping them all out right then, but he didn’t want to involve ordinary civilians.
Stepping step by step, Dojin kept a ten-meter distance behind them.
Eventually, Jeong-yeop and his group entered the alley beside Golden Hall, and Dojin followed silently.
But then...
“Hey, you!”
“...”
Dojin turned at the voice from beside him.
It was the same ugly-faced guy from two days ago.
He glared fiercely at Dojin and stepped forward.
“What’s up, kid? Weren’t you lurking around here a few days ago?”
“What do you want?”
“I told you this area is off-limits. Or was that a lie...? Hey, who the hell are you? Hunter police?”
Their guard was on high alert, given Jeong-yeop’s appearance.
Soon, other men gathered around the ugly one.
Everyone except the ugly one was ordinary.
Just typical thugs, it seemed.
“Brother, what is it?”
“Who is this kid?”
The thugs stared at Dojin with murderous eyes.
The ugly man told Dojin, “Come with us. Unless you want to become a bloody mess in a crowded place.”
“Hoo.”
Yeah, this way was much better.
It would be faster to ask this guy exactly where Jeong-yeop was hiding.
Dojin obediently followed them into another alley.
When the area grew quiet, with no signs of people nearby...
“This should be enough. Let’s start already.”
“What?”
The ugly man glared at Dojin with murder in his eyes.
Swoosh!
Dojin’s straight fist slammed into his solar plexus.
Kwaang!
The sound of a fist hitting a person was far louder than anyone could have imagined.
The man’s waist snapped with a single blow; he couldn’t even scream, just gasping in agony.
“H, brother!”
“You bastard!”
The sudden ambush made the men draw their knives in a blur.
Their reactions were impressively fast, but...
“...Hoo.”
Dojin let out a small sigh.
Even an awakener had fallen in one hit.
With any normal intelligence, they should have run away instead of fighting, yet this one had decided to charge in.
Of course, it changed nothing.
Puk! Puk-puk!
It was one-sided beating.
Dojin dodged their attacks lightly and drove his fist deep into their solar plexuses with maximum force.
A dozen subordinates dropped unconscious in a single round and hit the ground.
The ugly man’s eyes widened in shock.
“I’ll ask only one thing.”
Dojin picked up the knife lying on the floor.
Strange. When he gripped it, the ordinary blade suddenly felt terrifyingly sharp.
“I don’t need the answer to find him, but you don’t want to die horribly, right?”
Dojin looked at the man and said, “Tell me where Jeong-yeop is.”
Soon the man’s fierce glare softened, and he nodded as if ready to answer anything.
“The location of Jeong-yeop... If you go into Golden Hall, there are several shops, but they’re all scams. At the entrance, there’s a small hidden hole without a door. Go through there and descend to the right underground.”
“Excellent.”
The man’s answer, delivered like a rapid-fire response, made Dojin nod.
Then...
“Rest for a moment.”
Puk!
Tum!
The man collapsed unconscious on the floor.
Dojin turned away.
Now...
“Let’s take this guy with us.”
Hwang Gyeongil.
Dojin recalled the man’s face and walked deeper into the alley.