Revenge 2
Creport's press conference caused a massive stir in South Korea. These days, it was rare for hunters to be poached by foreign countries, but in the past, Korea had lost many of its own. Some had fallen for temptations, but plenty more had turned their backs on the country due to the tyranny of the major guilds.
In the midst of that, Creport's remarks reignited old controversies and drew intense curiosity about the hunter he mentioned and the major guild in question.
Soon after the interview ended, posts from participants in the leather armor competition began flooding the internet, quickly revealing the hunter's identity.
With the hunter's identity outed, attention shifted to which major guild it could be, sparking wild speculation across the web.
As speculations flew, people were convinced it was one of the top five guilds, and all eyes turned to Kim Suho and those guilds.
Lee Sehyuk watched the TV with a stone-cold expression.
The screen showed the building where Kim Suho was, with close-ups of him appearing now and then. Reporters swarmed the entrance, begging for interviews, but Kim Suho maintained his stoic silence.
Seeing that, Lee Sehyuk's rigid face softened slightly.
"Yeah. Keep your mouth shut until the moment you leave this country. If you care about your comrades, that's what you do."
He'd started watching the interview out of curiosity after hearing about Paragon's raid team entering the country, but Creport's words had nearly stopped his heart.
Kim Suho had blown everything up.
He hadn't expected him to ask Hespera for help—or for her to accept. That was manageable. Failing to recruit Kim Suho was disappointing, but it happened.
But sending the Paragon raid team? He hadn't even imagined it.
Paragon was the team that conquered an SS-rank dungeon first in the world—nothing like his own Cheonmang Guild.
Not only had they sent Paragon, but their raid leader dropped a bombshell in the interview. A massive one.
Lee Sehyuk had frozen on the spot, hit by the shockwave. Before he could even think of countermeasures, Kim Suho's identity was exposed, flipping the script—he wasn't recruiting anymore; he was the one in danger.
He immediately ordered the execution and surveillance teams to go underground and hid himself. This was one of Cheonmang Guild's newest safehouses, unknown even to outsiders, unreported to the guild master.
He'd come straight here to monitor the situation.
But things veered off-script again. He'd expected Kim Suho to name him, but the guy stayed silent.
Lee Sehyuk chalked it up to Kim Suho caring for the guild members left behind. It fit his past actions and words.
Thanks to that, his panic eased, giving him room to think.
'Is there a way to seal Kim Suho's lips for good?'
For safety, he brainstormed ways to pressure him more. He'd passed one hurdle, but unease lingered.
Then his guild master called.
"Lee. Se. Hyuk."
The low, clipped tone told him everything. Knowing the guild master's state, Lee Sehyuk jolted upright and stammered excuses.
"No, Guild Master. I can handle this. Kim Suho won't talk, no matter what. He cares about his guild members..."
But the guild master cut him off.
"Shut up. I warned you. I don't care about your personal greed. Do whatever, just don't harm the guild. I made that clear."
His voice was eerily calm, methodical—not angry at all.
But that calm meant his rage had boiled over. Lee Sehyuk shouted desperately.
"No, Guild Master! Kim Suho can't name Cheonmang Guild. Please, just wait for the results."
He begged, but the guild master's next words made him collapse.
"Lee Musin is moving. Your execution and surveillance teams are all rounded up. Hunter Management Bureau inspectors raided the guild and took every record of what you've done."
"H-how..."
"Last chance. If you want a clean death, clean up your mess and die. If Cheonmang Guild's name slips from Kim Suho's mouth, I won't let you die even if you beg."
The call ended. Lee Sehyuk sat stunned, face blank.
* * *
"As expected, it was Lee Sehyuk's solo operation."
Lee Musin reported after wrapping up the investigation.
Two days after Lee Sehyuk's scheme, he'd prepped everything: surveillance on guild members, warrants for Cheonmang Guild searches.
The operation kicked off with Creport's interview. Any suspicious Cheonmang members were nabbed.
Lee Sehyuk was the sole exception—he didn't know that.
The moment he holed up and cut external contact, Lee Musin stormed the guild with inspectors. Caught off-guard, they surrendered all documents.
Interrogations and records confirmed Lee Sehyuk's lone wolf act. He reported it to me.
"Just as I thought."
"Yes. Heo Jinhyuk, Cheonmang Guild's master, ignores internal affairs. He focuses solely on dungeon raids, delegating to deputies. As long as it doesn't hurt the guild, he doesn't care about their dirt. That's how Lee Sehyuk wielded guild master-level control."
Heo Jinhyuk sounded unique: guild master with zero interest in guild ops, raid-obsessed. He'd empower deputies to god-king levels if they let him dungeon-dive uninterrupted.
"Any betrayals?"
Something bugged me. That much power? Betrayals had to happen.
Lee Musin's answer matched my hunch.
"Plenty. But they all failed. Heo Jinhyuk still rules Cheonmang unshakeably. Sticking to that style? Impressive, in a way."
Curiosity about Heo Jinhyuk grew, but he wasn't priority. I shelved it.
"Where's Lee Sehyuk now?"
Lee Musin sounded worried.
"You sure? Let us handle it."
"No. Lee Sehyuk is mine."
I was firm despite his concern.
"He might not move alone."
"Even better if he hides and draws out his pack."
"He's not like Justice Guild."
His worry persisted, so I accepted support—but remote surveillance first, to avoid spooking him.
"Contact me later, and we'll execute the finale."
I slipped out of the building after the call.
* * *
Lee Sehyuk was out of it after Heo Jinhyuk's call. Countless successes had gotten him here, but one failure ended it all. Sanity frayed.
Staring blankly like a statue, unbearable rage surged.
"That fucking Kim Suho!"
He blamed it all on Kim Suho. His crimes? Irrelevant. Just seething hatred for the guy who caused this.
Running? Impossible against Heo Jinhyuk. He'd seen betrayers' fates up close.
Only rage at Kim Suho remained.
Then a surveillance member sent a photo and text: Kim Suho boarding a car, "Tracking him."
A call followed.
"How? Why weren't you caught?"
"Iron Rod held them off; I escaped. Per your orders, watching Kim Suho—he slipped out. Tracking now."
Lee Sehyuk cheered inwardly. Heaven's last chance.
Kill Kim Suho, seal his lips—reset everything. His lifeline from hell.
Doubt nagged: Sneaking out alone? Suspicious, maybe a trap.
But no time. Trap or not, miss it and he's done. Rage overrode thought.
He made a call, then bolted from the safehouse toward Kim Suho.
* * *
I left Seoul for Yangpyeong, followed by his Cheonmang surveillance guy.
"This is wild."
The tail was a Hunter Management Bureau arrestee, hypnotized to forget and stalk me.
I knew his face and car, even slowed to not lose him—helpful.
At the abandoned Yangpyeong factory, I waited. Soon, Lee Sehyuk arrived with a dozen masked hunters.
I greeted him warmly(?).
"Took you long enough? I was dying waiting."
To be continued in the next chapter…
The Hunter Who Awakened as an NPC