96. Call Our Captain
As Pyo Beom-hee stepped into the elevator, two men followed her in. She pressed the button for the 11th floor, and the men hit 10. The guys flanking her on both sides just stared at the descending floor numbers. The silence was suffocating, like the air had been sucked out.
Pyo Beom-hee stumbled out of the elevator, feigning a surge of poison qi as she staggered dramatically toward her room. Clutching her head, she glanced back—the elevator doors, which had been closing, reopened, and the two men stepped out.
She burst into her room and flung herself onto the bed, gasping like she couldn't hold out any longer. She sensed someone peeking in from outside. Detecting the room next door, she fired off a message skill to Yeom Soo-hyung.
At Yeom Soo-hyung's words, Pyo Beom-hee expanded her senses.
Scouting wasn't her specialty, so her detection had limits, but she definitely felt prickling presences all around. One of the men who'd followed her was pacing the hallway.
She checked Yeom Soo-hyung's status first.
Pyo Beom-hee pictured Yeom Soo-hyung hulked out as a giant.
They hadn't started the op yet, so no mana-stretchy custom suit.
Naked and crouched in a tiny room? A giggle escaped her lips.
Her usual hotheaded self would've swung first without waiting, but this was Russia.
A land where iron-fisted state power ruled society—alongside even greater violence—and hunter corruption ran rampant.
In a city-center hotel, not some deserted spot, striking first could mean framing them for trouble.
Causing a scene here? At best, entry ban like Joo Se-ah. At worst, tossed in Russia's Ujungdo equivalent: the world's worst hunter prison, Black Owl Penitentiary.
The Federation's reach spanned the globe, but in politically divergent dictatorships like China or Russia, options narrowed.
Pyo Beom-hee worried about that.
Just as Pyo Beom-hee was about to message Kozlov—
Crunch!
"Huh? What's with the door? Just a light push."
The intruder ripped the door off without hesitation and barged in.
"!!"
Chills raced up Pyo Beom-hee's neck. A massive presence filled the room—one she hadn't sensed at all moments ago.
The hallway light cast a long shadow as it followed the man in. He spoke to it.
"Here? Next door?"
"Sorry. Haven't checked that far yet."
"Whatever. Beat first, ask later."
The moment the intruder stepped in, the wall by the entrance crumbled, blades thrusting out. He just tilted his head to dodge effortlessly.
The attacker from the wall was Kozlov. He yelled at Pyo Beom-hee.
"Ms. Pyo! You okay?!"
"You won't be."
The intruder's fist answered for Pyo Beom-hee, aimed at Kozlov.
Kozlov channeled mana into his sword and swung at the hulking shadow.
Clang!
"Guh!"
Incredibly, the fist-on-blade clash ended with the fist victorious.
The impact tore Kozlov's grip; he barely held on. Immense power.
'My A-rank strike brushed off like that?'
Only then, under dim light, did Kozlov make out the face.
"Y-You're..."
"Federation mutt's getting cocky."
The intruder spun into a backspin blow. His left knuckles targeted Kozlov's temple. Kozlov raised his left arm in time—but it snapped, slamming him down.
The intruder sneered at the heavily wounded Kozlov.
"Won't kill you. Federation's a hassle."
That instant.
Pyo Beom-hee moved.
Seizing the intruder's lapse, she spat the poison she'd held in her mouth at full force.
The colorless, odorless gas from her mouth could knock out most hunters—but it barely made the intruder pause.
As he shook it off instantly and moved, Pyo Beom-hee leaped back, yelling.
"Yeom Team Leader!"
The wall behind her bed exploded, a massive fist smashing the intruder.
"Igor-nim!"
The subordinate panicked at his boss's sudden hit.
"Run!"
Yeom Soo-hyung shrank his Gigant form, charged in, and dove through the window.
Crack! Shatter!
Pyo Beom-hee scooped up the fallen Kozlov under her arm, grabbed his sword, and followed Yeom out.
The room fell silent in a blink.
Pinned under debris, the intruder slowly extricated himself and dusted off.
"The grower was next door, huh."
Not a scratch from the blow.
His subordinate fidgeted, even dust on the shoulder freaking him out.
The intruder went to the window, wind whipping, and peered down. Targets scaled the hotel wall like climbers, blades in stone. They hit ground and bolted.
He watched leisurely.
"Those kareytsy got guts. Running with me right there. Bored in Moscow, came out for fun—jackpot."
"They won't get far in Vladivostok. I'll pursue."
"Nah. Rebels like this are rare in Russia."
"Pardon?"
"Can't let outsiders play host to guests on Russian soil."
"No way... Not here, Igor..."
Before the sub could react, the intruder leaped out the window.
"...nim."
Left alone, the sub tore at his hair, staring at his boss landing on the street.
"Ugh... Upu Mangbau and Korean hunters ain't the issue. Igor's gonna trash the city... No time! Everyone, follow Igor-nim! Don't let him escape!"
Chaos erupted in the hall.
A dreary wind whipped through the construction site.
Pyo Beom-hee propped Kozlov against a skeletal building corner.
"Who was that monster?"
"The... Tyrant."
Pyo Beom-hee reset his broken bone mid-answer. Kozlov, distracted, clenched his teeth against the pain.
"Not just broken—shattered. What now? Potions in the carrier... Damn! Armor coat! Said no resupply if lost. Ugh, gonna get chewed out."
She scratched her head irritably.
"Sigh, no choice? Untreated, healing'll take forever, Koz-hubby."
"Survived the Tyrant. Late bone-knit what's that?"
Pyo Beom-hee splinted with cut lumber. Meanwhile, Yeom Soo-hyung asked.
"Tyrant—Igor Dudnik?"
"Yes."
"Figures. Felt off."
Yeom flexed his fists.
Even a Gigant-weighted smash barely fazed him. Felt like punching a wall.
Instinct to flee: smart call.
"Russia bans guild ops in other cities, right? No Czars asking Tyrant help. Why's he here?"
Pyo Beom-hee puzzled. Kozlov shrugged.
"No clue why Igor's in Vladivostok. Kremlin'd know—wouldn't let it slide."
"Anyway, gotta bail. Can't fight S-rank. Hide? Your call, Kozlov—we're clueless here."
"Hide, like Yeom said. Too targeted. Leak somewhere. Czars suspect too—awkward."
"Safehouse?"
"A few."
"Good. There."
"Wait. Contact Captain Kang first."
Pyo Beom-hee dialed—then a figure emerged from the dark corner.
A brute making hulking Yeom look small, utterly silent.
Pyo Beom-hee bit her lip, muttering.
"Tyrant..."
Even her "life's a blast" motto soured now.
Phone to ear rang, but no attention to spare.
'Why no answer?'
Igor, at distance, pointed at Yeom.
"Hey, you."
"..."
"Gigant trait, right? Transform. Let's see your stuff."
"Why should I?"
Yeom snarked; Igor chuckled.
Then the ring cut off.
"H-Hello? Captain Kang?"
No time for Kang Moo-hyuk's voice. Killing intent spiked from the monster.
"Why? 'Cause no transform, you die."
Igor leaped high, fist cocked for their midst.
BOOM!
"Whoa! Scared me!"
Pyo kept phone to ear while dodging.
-What happened?
"Dunno! Ambushed!"
Site erupted. Unknown hunters lined unfinished windows.
"Escape first, call back! Rest from Federation...!"
No finish—Igor snatched and crushed her phone.
She gaped. Couldn't react to a casual jab.
'I'm fast too.'
Igor gripped his smashed-phone fist. Power to level the block. All felt it.
"Don't need that. Step out."
Relentless assault; Pyo half-gave up.
"Fuck, S-ranks cheat."
Igor's fist neared her face—
"Graaah!"
Yeom Giganted, tackling Igor.
"Yes! That's it!"
Igor flew back laughing heartily.
Pyo snatched Kozlov's sword.
"Kozlov, I'll clear path—you bail."
"What about you two? Together."
"From that?"
Behind: Igor swelling bigger than Yeom. Building corner collapsed; giants clashed. Yeom losing. Stage 2 desperate, still outmatched.
"They're after us. Not you."
"Stay, you die."
"Would've ended us already. Not playing."
Kozlov nodded.
S vs. A looks close—but infinite wall between.
They standing? Miracle.
Still, he hesitated.
Yeom staggered; Pyo urged.
"Not just run. Run and call our captain."
"Captain...?"
"Kang Moo-hyuk! Only him if no S-rank. He'll fix this!"
Call dropped; Kang Moo-hyuk redialed Pyo—no connect.
Straight to Hunter Association. Han Byung-gu out, but prepped—security hurdles, then Alex Wilkinson.
What's wrong, Mr. Kang?
"Team members' call cut in Russia. Last words: ambushed. Guide's number?"
Ambush? Hold on. Checking—will call back.
Long wait post-drop.
Our line's dead too. Something's up.
"Czars?"
Spoke to them. Hotel attacked—Iron Will stay. Local news calling it terror.
"Terror? In Russia? Vlad's got a clear top dog. Terror there? Suicide."
Yeah. Media blackout, as usual.
"Fine, say terror. Federation sends us to danger zone, only gets news scraps? I heard ambush clear."
Kang pressed; Alex hemmed awkwardly.
Russia's one of few without full branch—just liaison. Won't dodge blame. We'll—hold, Mr. Kang. On-site call. Stay on.
Alex's voice faded to quiet.
Kang waited patiently. Worst scenarios queued in his mind.
Upu Mangbau breakthrough. Czars betray. Or...
'Nah, that's apocalypse-worst.'
Shaking it off, Alex returned.
Mr. Kang.
"Yes."
You're going to Russia.