The Spy Purge

Personnel Director Jo Hyun-ho of the Korean Awakener Management Agency rushed out of his officetel early in the morning.

Where was he headed?

The Chinese Tower Climbing Intelligence Agency's Korean branch, hidden away in Daelim-dong.

His mission was to report the agency's classified intel on a weekly basis.

Damn, this week's info is kinda low-tier. Such a letdown.

But just yesterday.

That idiot Cha Minhyuk had let something slip.

S-rank awakener Lee Sera's actual residence.

Classified info known only to the director, deputy director, and chief team leader.

He'd blurted it out mid-conversation and scrambled to take it back, but who did he think he was dealing with?

Jo Hyun-ho focused every nerve.

He'd memorized the address perfectly.

Hand this over to the intel agency? Korea would lose yet another S-rank awakener.

To assassins.

Clean sweep within a few weeks at most!

And then.

Heh heh heh. My standing in the intel agency will shoot up another level.

Jo Hyun-ho, utterly loyal to the intel agency.

Was he Chinese?

No. Pure-blooded Korean.

A few months ago, he'd been approached by a Chinese agent and turned traitor.

Jo Hyun-ho was an original member of the agency.

But patriotism? He had none to speak of.

He'd just pretended all this time.

Working at the agency was all about the high salary and social prestige—pure vanity.

Living a double life like that.

Starting to get on my nerves.

His promotion path was blocked.

No further advancement possible.

Truth be told, lack of skill.

His abilities were way below average.

Personnel director? Barely clinging to it as a courtesy to an original member.

Meanwhile, his peers?

All thriving.

Especially Cha Minhyuk.

That workaholic psycho had snagged the chief team leader spot, basically deputy director level.

Me? Stuck here forever, no matter how many years pass...!

His gut twisted. Rage boiled.

Inferiority complex bubbling over.

Jo Hyun-ho: grand ambitions, zero talent.

That's why he defected.

China offered terms incomparable to Korea.

Massive salary. Mansion and luxury car.

High position in the intel agency.

Wealth and glory he'd never touch slaving away at the agency for life!

You watching, Cha Minhyuk? Even the incompetent have their ways to survive.

Guilt? None.

Single anyway—if Korea falls, just hop over to China.

Of course, that monster had appeared recently.

The one nicknamed Hitchhiker.

Thanks to him, Korea had escaped the rampage crisis pit.

Who knows. Could vanish anytime.

Hitchhiker's debut.

Barely two weeks in.

Could get assassinated suddenly.

Or naturalize elsewhere.

If he had that kind of power, he'd have ditched Korea ages ago.

"We're here."

He'd arrived at his destination before he knew it.

Passing through the building corridor and opening the door, the intel agency's Korean branch chief, Jang Xun, greeted him warmly.

"Hyun-ho! Tough trip getting here!"

Jo Hyun-ho's lips curled up.

Not bad. VIP treatment, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠unlike the neglect at the agency!

They sat in the partitioned reception area and chatted idly.

Topic? The biggest global hot issue lately.

"Hitchhiker. Insane record."

"Ah, yeah. I'm still Korean, but the leaderboard shocks me every time."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"And the trend? Not dipping—climbing steeper."

"Y-yeah."

Jang Xun stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and leaned forward.

"Upper echelons are tearing their hair out. Korea rising from the ashes throws a wrench in the great Zhonghua plan."

Great plan.

China's ambition to claim the entire Korean Peninsula.

North Korea already monster-conquered, most citizens absorbed into China.

South Korea? Same fate, naturally.

Ideal: remain a Chinese protectorate as-is.

Tsk. All aid offers rejected by the Korean government.

Jang Xun was displeased.

Sure, the aid came with near-colonial strings.

But how dare a puny nation defy a great power?

Thus, South Korea must fall.

Become monster land like the North.

No way to reclaim territory yet due to overly strong monsters.

Once global awakener power averages up enough for reclamation...

China would seize the peninsula first.

He asked, inwardly hopeful.

"Any agency intel on Hitchhiker?"

"Ah, well... nothing."

"Too bad. We're swarming Korea, but no leads on Hitchhiker."

Jo Hyun-ho fumed inwardly.

Hitchhiker, why'd you have to be Korean and make this mess?

"Bastard. Embarrassed to share nationality."

"Track him, try recruitment. Fail? Kill him. Can't block great Zhonghua's path."

"Heard enough? Makes me sick. Who you gonna kill?"

A woman's voice rang out.

Chills erupted over their skin.

Jang Xun and Jo Hyun-ho jumped up, scanning wildly.

"Wh-what? Where?"

"That voice...! Where the hell...!"

"To me, you're the ones who need killing."

They whipped around.

The voice came from the shelf.

A weirdly shaped bear doll stood on two legs, staring at them.

Puppeteer? Intruder?

Jang Xun's instincts screamed danger.

He yanked a dagger from inventory and hurled it at the bear.

Shrieeek—!

Blue mana-wrapped dagger.

Bullet speed.

But.

Shoosh!

Shadow tendrils like vines shot from everywhere, snaring it mid-air.

How...?

Jang Xun panicked.

44-level S-rank speed specialist's full-force throw, caught?

No time to think.

Shadows crushed in, twisting limbs.

Crack! Creak!

"Aaaagh! Aaaaagh!"

"Guhk! Guuuuh!"

Regular guy Jo Hyun-ho foamed at the mouth and passed out from pain.

Jang Xun gritted teeth, clinging to sanity.

"What skill...! Can't break free...! You psycho fuck! Know where you are? Wanna die? Outside: five S-ranks, twenty-four A-ranks! Ngh! We'll search and find your real body—!"

"Deaf or dumb? Outside too quiet, huh?"

Shadows toppled the partition.

Revealing.

"Guhk...! Guuuh...!"

"Guuuuuh...!"

Spy agents.

All snared in shadows, foaming and groaning.

"......!"

Jang Xun was aghast.

Cold sweat down his back.

This scene possible? Where'd this monster come from? Korea had this powerhouse?

And such thoughts.

She's incredible.

Choi Yuseong, watching via sensory link, felt the same.

He knew Carmina was strong.

But seeing real combat vs. other awakeners hit different.

Not combat.

Unilateral farming.

No need for main body or blood magic specialty.

Chicken unrelated to combat power?

Or super important?

Such a cheery voice for mass murder.

Yuseong pondered briefly.

Hmm.

All dead? Wipeout?

Sure, discovering a spy den pissed him off royally.

Plus that convo.

They wanted me dead.

Deserved death.

But wipeout? Not rational now.

No aversion to killing per se.

Bigger reason.

Can't extract info if dead.

Traitors to Korea, but ending too easy.

Pay with death.

Just not yet.

Horrific just hearing it. Do it now.

The woman's voice echoed in his mind.

She'd said telepathy possible after reading blood oath info.

Cha Minhyuk at the agency dropped everything and raced to the address.

Opening the door.

"Aaaagh! Aaaaagh! I-I'll talk!"

"Sp-spare me! Please! Anything! I'll spill everything!"

"H-heek! B-bugs! My body! Get off my body!"

Over a dozen men screamed in frantic Chinese.

Writhing on the floor.

Eyes rolled back.

Foaming at the mouth.

Pure pandemonium.

Center table: familiar-looking bear doll standing.

Stark contrast to the chaos.

Feels like I've seen this scene... Horror flick?

The bear turned to him.

"You're here."

"Yes. Dropped everything and came straight."

Quick situation rundown.

"Checked the piled docs—they're all Chinese spies. Six S-ranks, twenty-four A-ranks. Regular meeting day, all gathered."

Flip—flip—

Cha Minhyuk scanned files.

Indeed true.

First emotion: shock and awe.

Subdued this many alone? Possible?

Ranks high, levels no joke.

All agency awakeners charging in? No guaranteed win.

Just astonishment.

Proxy this strong—what about Hitchhiker?

Makes sense, pulling hundreds of thousands points per tower climb.

"......"

Also bittersweet.

Seoul, Korea's capital—even if not core district—spy den?

Brazenly storing profiles?

How deep the contempt?

Without Hitchhiker, never caught.

No him?

Korea would've sunk under Chinese spy sabotage.

Relief and glee washed over.

Bow.

"Hitchhiker. Truly, thank you again. Feels like a chronic abscess finally lanced."

Such formal gratitude.

A bit burdensome.

Via Carmina.

"No need. Not just our side—your skills enabled this quick trackdown!"

"Thanks for the praise. Never suspected that traitor...

Cha Minhyuk's icy glare hit floor-bound Jo Hyun-ho.

Name called—Jo twitched.

"Faking unconscious since earlier. Kept mental magic off for clear-headed facing."

"Yes. Perfect. Ideal."

Cha approached Jo.

"Director Jo Hyun-ho. Get up. We need to talk."

"......"

No rise. Situation hopeless, dizzying.

But.

Thud—!

"Guhk!"

Cha Minhyuk's kick forced him clutching gut upright.

"Why'd you do it?"

"H-heuk, th-that's, mis-understanding. I can explain. Explain, yeah?"

Excuses flowed.

Double agent this, grand plan that.

Midway.

"Yaaah!"

Snatched nearby pen, stabbed at Cha's eye.

Dodged easily—fireman's carry, joint lock.

Snap!

Arm broke.

"Aaaagh! My arm! My arm! Gaaah!"

Slap! Crack! Crack! Slap!

"Why? Why'd you do it?"

Barrage of slaps.

Jo's face unrecognizable.

Cha turned without mercy.

"If not rude, mental magic on him too?"

"Possible. Set to just before madness—"

"No. Madness fine. Better. No more intel needed—max output, die in agony?"

Added.

"Not public, but ex-high NIS. Expert torture/interrogation—can layer physical pain."

Carmina shivered like hamster before snake.

Chill air.

Ruthless.

Justified rage.

Jo sold country.

Cha devoted soul to it.

To him, old friend or not—kill now urge.

Carmina cast mental magic on Jo—eternal torment.

Next agenda.

Chinese spies disposal.

"Hitchhiker's thoughts?"

Carmina relayed.

"No mercy. Keep mental magic suppressing resistance, extract info. Then max pain death."

Nod.

"Matches mine. These guys killed way more Korean awakeners than we know. No pity."

Post-cleanup interrogation: Cha called NIS agents to handle.

Blood-squeamish vampire what.

Plus busy with tower/planet restores.

Hands-on dirty work?

Endless tasks.

Agency connection for this reason.

Offload messy aftermath.

What? Up again?

Brief future plans chat.

Carmina vanished.

"......"

Silence ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠descended.

Cha Minhyuk eyed Jo and spies.

"Whatever you thought, I'll show worse hell."

His face twisted demonic.

Three days into spy hunt.

Tower climb summary meantime.

Korea surged to 4th.