Why Didn't You Behave Better?
Tsssk!
One punch caved in his ribcage. His organs burst like they'd been crushed in a press, and every vertebra in his spine snapped.
The hunter, bleeding from his mouth, nose, and ears, dropped dead on the spot. Around him, identical outcomes littered the cold ground—bodies in various shapes, all equally lifeless. The survivors who hadn't yet blended into this grim tableau faced a choice that had nothing to do with fighting.
"Scatter!"
At the shout, dozens of hunters bolted in every direction. Igor Dudnik wasn't about to just watch.
He stomped the ground hard. A savage force swept through, rooting the hunters' feet in place. Some managed to flee, but they didn't get far. Someone blocked their path.
"J-Joo Se-ah…."
"You recognize me? Guess I've gotten pretty famous."
They'd dodged the tyrant, only to run into the witch.
The hunters realized there was no escape.
"Break through!"
They charged at Joo Se-ah.
Let the ones who spotted the tyrant and fled the opposite way go. Just eliminate these who saw me.
Joo Se-ah drew her sword. She could have handled them with hand-to-hand alone as usual, but this time she needed to tie up loose ends decisively.
"Over twenty thousand people died because of you bastards. Apologize in the afterlife. No forgiveness."
Kang Moo-hyuk knew securing the Shenyang Gate with Joo Se-ah wasn't enough.
The crux of this operation was luring an S-rank to reclaim the gate.
But Nikolai Kamenisky's appearance threatened to derail everything. No telling where he was, but he wasn't the type to sit idle.
He's plotting something, and he'll use it to hit the Yellow Dragon Guild hard.
If his plan overlapped with Kamenisky's scheme, the Yellow Dragon Guild—which could only deploy one S-rank—would have to pick a side.
Can't gauge Kamenisky's target without knowing his game. So, dangle bait on our end to draw eyes.
Kang Moo-hyuk met Seong Seon-je and revealed Joo Se-ah's operation, including Kamenisky's interference and the full situation.
Seong Seon-je's reaction after hearing it out was lukewarm.
"Targeting the Demon? Using the Tyrant's blade? Not a bad plan…. But regardless of success, attempting to assassinate an S-rank could spark international conflict, no?"
"The Sinuiju takeover, Makyung Gate opening, Tumen River crisis—these are all moves premised on Chinese hunters dominating the Korean Peninsula. They struck first. If we just raise our guard and take hits, we'll look like fools. Who can guarantee this won't happen again?"
"So, kill an S-rank as a warning and build a joint front with Russia…."
Seong Seon-je held up eight fingers.
"China has the Eight Martial Emperors. How do you plan to handle that?"
Eight Martial Emperors.
China's boasted eight S-rank hunters.
Seong Seon-je pointed out that if they all attacked at once, Korea couldn't hold.
"Russia has five S-ranks. We have one. Score's 6 to 8. Remove Sim Wol, it's 6 to 7. Worth a shot. Plus Japan has three, so China won't move rashly."
"Fighting hunters with number games? Might as well play sports. The world's not that neat."
"Not number games—strategy with basis."
"What basis?"
"Fundamentally, China's a powder keg."
Seong Seon-je nearly burst out laughing. He knew what "powder keg" meant here.
China held the most S-ranks outside America. Yet they wielded little influence abroad. Why? Their S-ranks checked and rivaled each other.
"No 'Super S' like America's advocating S-rank rights. The Party tried unifying them, but with factions, warlords, and regional powers rampant even internally, suppressing superhuman Eight Martial Emperors with ideology or censorship? Absurd."
"Even with Sword Dragon and Demon's precedent? Yellow Dragon and Falling Sun allying means other S-ranks could join, right?"
"Sword Dragon and Demon teaming up was unexpected. But they don't collaborate. Oil and water. Sword Dragon withdrew after fighting Joo Se-ah's guild master; Demon didn't budge. Now Sword Dragon's out, Demon steps up."
Hunters' confidence often curdled into arrogance.
C-ranks got cocky, B-ranks insufferable—that was hunter nature. Hence scandals like abuse of power and violence. Cross the line, and you're Ujungdo-bound.
Hunters humbled only by superiors.
S-ranks had none. Gather peak predators, tension inevitable.
Even "democratic" Super S kept S-ranks at arm's length via guilds.
As ex-hunter turned strategist, Seong Seon-je couldn't refute. He got it best.
Plan sucked? Secondary. Make it happen first.
"No choice since it's underway. What do you need from me?"
"Can't ignore Baekho Guild anymore. Link 'em to Yellow Dragon. But too valuable to release clean. Use, then discard."
Kang Moo-hyuk approached Eum Yeong-jin, Baekho's vice master, with an out-of-left-field request.
"Want to talk to Yellow Dragon Guild. Connect me."
"Yellow Dragon?"
Eum Yeong-jin shrugged feigning ignorance, but inside he panicked.
Not because Baekho-Yellow Dragon ties were exposed—inevitable.
Too blatant.
Hunter world was brute force on surface, but deep down, intrigue rivaled national politics—deadlier, lives on line.
Play dumb on knowns, feign knowledge on unknowns to exploit. Yet Kang Moo-hyuk—a civilian!—stuck his head out begging a smash.
Eum Yeong-jin reeled.
"No idea what you're on about, Operations Officer."
Deny first.
Kang Moo-hyuk pressed.
"Why'd Baekho join integrated party using aggro? Yellow Dragon's orders? Wait, phrasing. 'Cooperation'? If you prefer, call it that."
Eum Yeong-jin scowled. This non-hunter's tone held no fear—disdain even.
Strutting with Joo Se-ah and Seong Seon-je backing. Pathetic worm!
Whatever inside, Kang was Operations Officer. Smile through.
"Guild-level collaborations before, but not that close to Yellow Dragon."
"I know you're not buddies. Who makes friends slaves?"
Anger flashed in Eum Yeong-jin's eyes.
"Calling our guild dogs?"
"Aren't you?"
Kang Moo-hyuk stared back. Eum's fist clenched.
One-shot him, fake accident?
But killing intent stabbed from nearby; fist relaxed.
Who? Seong Seon-je? Jang Deok-gu?
Intent vanished with his own.
Cold sweat. Undetectable direction—equal or superior foe.
Kang Moo-hyuk noted the retreat.
Safety net in place, no worry. No answer yet—push harder.
"My guess: Yellow Dragon sparked Tumen crisis. Baekho helped. Exploit Korea's monster security gap; Chinese hunters infiltrate, Baekho seizes industry lead. Sound plausible?"
Eum Yeong-jin ground teeth. Spot-on.
"No proof, don't slander."
"Proof? Why need it?"
"Leak fake news, who buys? You look the fool."
"Aigoo, can't have that. Hmm. Expose Baekho's dirt first: murder, robbery, assault, laundering, black market items. Tier guilds and cooperation office testify. Paint as villains. Claim Yellow Dragon ties? Oh, joint ventures galore? Who'd they believe?"
"Such lies?!"
"Lies? Real lies?"
"…."
"Doesn't matter. All but you call you scum—you're scum. And you are."
Killing intent poured from Eum Yeong-jin, but unseen pressure pinned him from acting on Kang Moo-hyuk.
Kang Moo-hyuk drove the wedge.
"So why didn't you behave better normally."
"…Hoo. Again: we deny all Yellow Dragon allegations."
"Fine. Next?"
"But slight ties? Can share contact."
"Good. Wise living, Vice Master Eum Yeong-jin. Productive talk."
"Over this? Hope we resolve misunderstandings with talks ahead."
Kang Moo-hyuk and Eum Yeong-jin shook hands beaming, belying the tense exchange moments ago.
Eum Yeong-jin's defeat-warped smile twisted worse.
This bastard. I'll kill him captured.
For a moment, Guan Hong doubted his ears.
How'd he get this?
No leaks but Baekho.
Treachery?
Silence; Kang Moo-hyuk continued.
That line restored Guan Hong's calm.
"Divide and conquer? Read Sun Tzu? Trying to sow doubt."
"Shenyang?!"
Guan Hong cursed his slip. Unexpected words sparked fury, exposing unease. Foe now presses leisurely.
Kang Moo-hyuk's hypothesis: from Yi Suk-young's Makyung device sighting and Jilin Gate's timely opening.
China forces gates open?
Mere speculation-bluff, but with Kamenisky holding Jilin evidence, rang true to Guan Hong.
Koreans, Russians—all same to Chinese.
"Reaper and Tyrant…. Feint? Clever."
Kang Moo-hyuk inferred Kamenisky's spot from words.
Shenyang ours. Other gates Russian-targeted. Guan Hong mentions Reaper feint—Kamenisky's moved.
Target?
One strategic Makyung gate left.
Jilin Gate?
But it blew Tumen already.
Means something irking Yellow Dragon lingers in Jilin. Yi Suk-young's device….
Instant analysis; redirect Guan Hong's rage.
Guan Hong knew Tyrant's brother: similar type.
Darden! Daring to interfere?
Usually calmer, but Sword Dragon out, dual S-rank assault rattled him.
"Why call?"
"What?!"