Devil's Hand (2)
“Is that it?”
Her question came as she gazed at the black hand. It was Han Tae-gang who answered.
“Yeah, it was discovered last Saturday.”
“Mind if I take a closer look?”
Lee Si-hyeok and Jeong Se-bin, the leaders who had guided the 36 heroes. Excluding those two, there had been no strict hierarchy among the remaining thirty-four. Each had their own distinct strengths, and they fought together in mutual recognition of that.
Over twenty years had passed since then, and their positions had shifted dramatically... but no one in this room doubted the abilities of the mage Seo Yeon-hee.
She rarely took the forefront, but purely in terms of raw talent, she was a genius who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Jeong Se-bin. No one here truly knew what heights she had reached. The one certainty was that her judgment would carry significant weight.
Seo Yeon-hee approached the round table and extended her hand. Mana flowed from her, coiling around the black hand like ink.
A soft wind whispered through the air. She frowned as if scrutinizing something, then spoke in a decisive tone.
“It's worthless trash with no practical value. Even at best, it won't last five days.”
“Heh, that's your take? I figured it'd hold out for over a week.”
Shim Jeong-woong, former head of the prestigious Shim mage family and one of the 36 heroes. Though their estimates differed on the exact timeline, he had reached a similar conclusion. Seo Yeon-hee confirmed it coldly.
“They just cut it off and preserved it. The magic will dissipate faster by the day, and after five days, it'll be nothing more than a severed chunk of demon corpse—nothing more, nothing less.”
“Still, there must be some use for it.”
Yoon Ui-seong, head of the Awakener Association, threw out the wistful question. Seo Yeon-hee replied plainly.
“If processed well, you could make a decent weapon. Start work this week, and it could reach A-rank.”
“Mm, then it's settled. We'd better get started quickly.”
“Who gets it?”
Seo Yeon-hee scanned the room. To those gathered here, an A-rank weapon was little more than a mildly tempting toy. But the symbolism of it being forged from a demon's corpse? That would draw interest.
The suggestion came from Jin Cheol-min, chairman of Daemyeong Group.
“We have an auction this coming Saturday. If we slot it as the finale, it should fetch a nice price. What do you heroes think? Of course, I'll cover all fees and commissions.”
Seizing the opportunity at the right moment was a skill in itself. The other corporate figures who had been waiting for their chance inwardly lamented their tardiness. Seo Yeon-hee glanced down at Jin Cheol-min, his face alight with ambition.
The kid Dojin teaches. Jin Yu-ri, was it?
A name he'd mentioned a few times. She'd come to pay respects at Yeom Ui-jun's funeral, and as far as Seo Yeon-hee recalled, her father was this very man.
The girl's a bit of a troublemaker for her professor at school, but her dad's sharp.
Without even steering the conversation, the puzzle pieces were falling into place just as she wanted. Shim Jeong-woong wrapped things up on behalf of the political figures and awakener representatives present.
“The auction proceeds... we could set up a foundation. It's not like the original owner will come claiming it. You and Ui-seong can jointly manage the foundation.”
“Haha, so you're telling me to stay out of it.”
“What would the head of the Association want with a demon's hand?”
“Well... as you command. Any thoughts, senior?”
Yoon Ui-seong and Han Tae-gang. They were fellow members of the 36 heroes and also seniors and juniors from the same school, a year apart. Unlike Han Tae-gang, who had dominated his year, Yoon Ui-seong had always placed fourth, overshadowed by Lee Si-hyeok, Jeong Se-bin, and one other. But those three ahead of him were dead, and the one right below, Yeom Ui-jun, had just passed too. Of that legendary golden generation, only Yoon Ui-seong remained alive.
Han Tae-gang answered his question with a stoic expression.
“None of your business.”
“Ugh, that personality of yours. Can't you be a little warmer to a fellow old-timer?”
Their bickering was nothing new after all these years. Seo Yeon-hee brought up the remaining main topic.
“Nothing else you want to ask me?”
“Plenty.”
Shim Jeong-woong picked up her words, his eyes gleaming with meaning.
“Do you know who did it?”
The culprit who severed the demon's hand and discarded it in a remote park. He was asking if she'd traced them from the black hand. Seo Yeon-hee shook her head calmly.
“Hard to say. The clean cut suggests they fully subdued it—or killed it—before slicing. When and where the demon appeared, and what the one who took it down is after... that's got me curious too.”
“Mm, if you and I don't know, no one else will. Hey, Representative Han.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You're free to bid at the auction, but... regardless, can you head there?”
“That was my plan.”
They didn't know the culprit's intent. But if they cowered at petty schemes, the title of 36 heroes would never have existed. Demon or not, no one could rampage freely with the Martial God Han Tae-gang present.
With the discussion wrapping up, Seo Yeon-hee announced curtly.
“I'll be going now. Breathing outside air after so long... it's a bit stuffy.”
“Senior, is that friend insulting us? She acts like a lofty crane while we're power-hungry vultures with bloodshot eyes?”
Ignoring Yoon Ui-seong, Han Tae-gang gave her a nod, and Shim Jeong-woong rasped in a faint voice.
“Take care.”
“See you next time.”
Seo Yeon-hee left the building with quick steps and let out a deep breath.
How to put it? She felt queasy.
Standing before reeking trash, treating it like people and conversing—it was utterly distasteful. The reason she held back from acting... it wasn't her place.
It's that child's job.
The ones once called the 36 heroes. By the end of the war, twelve were already dead. In the twenty-plus years since, six more had fallen by last year. Natural deaths from old age, premature ends from illness, murders disguised as accidents. Eighteen remained. Seventeen excluding herself. Of them, seven confirmed traitors—and with Yeom Ui-jun's recent death, six survivors.
I wonder how many more there are...
Only seven confirmed. She didn't know the exact number.
And one of those seven... had just been in the room she'd left.
Her face twisted briefly. She pulled out her phone. As always, but especially now, she wanted to talk to that one person.
“Hello? Are you home?”
Her perpetually icy expression bloomed into warmth the moment she stepped out. Her voice brimmed with unbridled joy—a demeanor no one who knew Seo Yeon-hee could imagine.
The voice from the receiver tickled her ear pleasantly.
Just got back. Waiting for Sea.
“Good. Saturday, 6 p.m. sharp. Be ready.”
Then, a click—like the sound of someone arriving for the person on the line. His tone shifted abruptly.
Got it. See you then.
Look at him acting.
A mischievous urge she couldn't suppress bubbled up. Her current guise was twenty-three. Two years older, so he was using casual speech to fit the setting. Hearing it wasn't bad—refreshing, even, and enjoyable. But calculating why he had to use casual speech with her... it irked her a bit.
Seo Yeon-hee made her voice as syrupy as possible, pouring affection into it.
“Yeah, I'll look forward to it. Get home safe, oppa♡.”
...!
She hung up without waiting for a reply. How he recovered was his problem.
She stopped, hand to her chest. Her heart was pounding a little harder.
Embarrassing.
He might not think so, but she had her pride and shame. For her, this was bold—quite a leap of courage.
Should I try it again next time?
Tucking the thought away for when she disguised herself even younger, Seo Yeon-hee walked on with light steps. No need to rush. Plenty of time left.
“The person you're meeting this time likes walking too, and... you're so full of aegyo.”
Driving in silence, Lee Sea muttered in a voice like ice.
Excusing it as "not my girlfriend" would just backfire, as always. As I kept quiet, she pressed again.
“Pretty, right?”
Not "pretty?" but "pretty, right?"—a tone bordering on certainty. Pointing that out earned a low reply.
“You only meet pretty people.”
“...”
Skipping the "oppa" meant she wasn't thrilled. She rarely used it anyway unless in a great mood.
Nearing home, she asked casually, as if offhand.
“When're you meeting?”
“...Saturday evening? I'll make food before I go.”
“No thanks. I'm hanging out with friends.”
Then she tapped away at her phone. A sidelong glance showed her messaging Han Se-ra on a messenger app. Not outright tattling, but a silent protest for sure.
We returned home in heavy silence, retreating to our rooms.
Pondering how to get revenge on the culprit behind this mess... when contact came from her side. Not a phone call—a magical hologram transmission.
The attendee list for Saturday's auction. I scanned the detailed profiles one by one.
Daemyeong Group, hosting the auction. Core forces from famous guilds. Tycoons and entrepreneurs eyeing the demon's hand. And one more.
The most important—and dangerous—figure. Eternal Guild's Han Tae-gang. He'd bring A-rank hunters to prepare for any contingencies.
Not someone I wanted to tangle with right now. But if he blocked what I planned...
Then we'd fight.
Another hologram from Seo Yeon-hee appeared. Not confirmed attendees, but potentials based on public info—candidates for invitations.
With both holograms in view, I made my choices.
Kill the Evil Volume 1's final sub-quest has been issued.
Clear Condition: By midnight on April 18, slaughter ten A-rank equivalent awakeners within Seoul (within one hour from start time).
Reward: One OX question (answers may be refused or vague based on importance).
Additional rewards exist, scaled by publicity.
The prey I willingly chose to achieve this sub-quest. I picked them myself—with my own hands.
And so, days flew by until April 17, Saturday afternoon.
“Oppa, I'm heading out. Might be late.”
Steeling myself inwardly, I left the house.