Pruina (1)

‘Good. Usually, after being hit by Blood Flower, many guys instinctively try recovery or healing. It’ll be good for catching them off guard.’

As an assassin, Kang-hoo’s strategy and tactics had always been focused on how to break the enemy’s predictions.

Sometimes he broke the standard, and sometimes he reversed the prediction that he would not follow the standard by doing things according to the standard.

Each time, he used a strategy of deception and truth. For this, he had to be able to see through even the enemy’s thoughts.

One more thing on top of that.

He needed many skills that could be used according to the situation. Only then could he strike the opening that fit the thoughts he had seen through.

Now that he could use Full Bloom Blood Flower, he could make variations even against hunters who knew about the existing Blood Flower.

Kang-hoo was extremely satisfied just from gaining one more option on Blood Flower, a finishing-move-type skill.

After quite some time passed.

Kang-hoo, who got off at the bus terminal, took a safety taxi and moved to the gym where Park Dong-jae was.

During that time, he listened to the news about Daejeon being reported through Huntergram’s real-time broadcast.

As it happened, the taxi driver also had the same channel playing on the radio, so he had the leisure to quietly listen to the situation.

Sporadic battles continue to occur around the Daejeon area.

The surviving remnants of Heuksaja are still using several buildings as bases and putting up fierce resistance.

Meanwhile, “Eclipse” refused the remnants of Heuksaja who came seeking surrender, thereby not tarnishing the meaning of its previous statement.

As Eclipse distances itself from the current situation, the fate of the Heuksaja hunters has become extremely dark.

Perhaps he realized that Kang-hoo was listening closely to the radio.

The driver, who had seemed to be focusing only on driving while holding the steering wheel, subtly spoke to Kang-hoo.

“If it’s Cheong-an, they’re trustworthy! Don’t you think so, sir?”

“What existed in Daejeon were two criminal organizations and one proper mercenary corps. Things are going according to reason.”

“Which organization do you belong to, sir?”

“That kind of question is rude.”

“Ah. Hahaha. Right? I’m sorry!”

The driver, who had been happy at the fact that he had exchanged “one round” of conversation with a passenger for the first time in a long while, immediately apologized.

After Judgment Day, it had become impossible in the first place for a driver who was not a hunter to drive a taxi.

But what had become even bleaker was the conversation with passengers that had been cut off.

Of course, he knew there were many passengers who did not want conversation, but for a taxi driver, small talk had been a small joy.

“Actually…… my son belongs to the Cheong-an Mercenary Corps. He called me earlier and said nothing had happened, so I’m relieved.”

“I see.”

It seemed he had shouted earlier, “If it’s the Cheong-an Mercenary Corps, they’re trustworthy!” because he wanted to see the reaction.

Since his son was in a mercenary corps in an area where three forces had been in a long dispute, as a father, his heart likely had not been comfortable.

Kang-hoo had never experienced being a parent.

But because there was something he understood about a father’s heart worrying over his child, he gave a slight smile to the driver whose eyes met his through the rearview mirror.

They were still fighting Heuksaja, so he hoped there would be no sacrifice in that process.

Of course, despite that, a battlefield was a place where human lives disappeared in vain.

Perhaps once this Cheong-an–Heuksaja all-out war ended, the death toll on both sides would also rise.

For Cheong-an to make up for that much loss, they would have to monopolize all of Heuksaja’s interests and suck them dry.

The time it would take would depend on how quickly and wisely they operated the mana stone mines and cleared the dungeons.

At that moment.

Drrrk.

A call came from Lee Ye-rin.

When Kang-hoo picked up his smartphone and took a posture as if to take the call, the driver immediately pressed a button.

It was a device that raised a partition between the driver’s seat and the passenger seat, providing soundproofing and allowing him to focus on the call.

“Yes.”

Can we talk briefly?

“It’s possible.”

I think we’re now entering the cleanup phase. We’re almost done suppressing the few remaining resistance points too.

“That’s good.”

Thank you again and again. If Kang-hoo hadn’t eliminated Gwak Hyeong-su and Gwak Hyeong-seok…… it would have been impossible to create this situation.

“I took the request and carried it out. There’s nothing more to it.”

I promise that I’ll first faithfully fulfill the previously agreed request terms and the pledged parts.

“Good. Let’s discuss it soon.”

Thank you so much. From the beginning to the end of this entire situation, Kang-hoo took charge of the most important puzzle.

“Focus on the situation for now. It isn’t over until it’s over.”

I should! Then I’ll hang up!

The call soon ended.

It had been a brief call, but Lee Ye-rin’s voice clearly contained joy at victory.

Of course, when she collected the bodies of the hunters belonging to the Cheong-an Mercenary Corps who had been sacrificed and held their funerals…….

She would fall into deep grief. And she would newly search for a target to swear revenge against.

For now, it was likely that she would make Kashimar Guild, which had backed Heuksaja, her new enemy.

In any case, if Lee Ye-rin had personally said it was the cleanup phase, it was fair to see the situation as almost finished.

If there had still been strongholds left to clear, she would not have lightly brought up something like that.

The struggle for hegemony in Daejeon, from which even Eclipse had pulled its feet away.

However, Kang-hoo did not think Kang Tae-yang had absolutely given up his greed for Daejeon.

It was merely a clever tactic of not trying to provoke the Cheong-an Mercenary Corps, whose momentum had now risen as high as it could.

When the time came, he would definitely covet Daejeon.

Because there were too many elements to profit from in Daejeon for him to give up on it merely by turning his eyes south.

The mana stone mine of Cheongmyeong Detention Center was also a symbol of the “huge profit” Eclipse had enjoyed.

We have arrived, sir.

Perhaps because he had raised the partition earlier, the driver delivered the news using the microphone connected to the internal speaker.

When he looked out the window, he saw Park Dong-jae.

It seemed he had come out in advance and was waiting.

Seeing him fidget and rub various parts of his body, it looked like it had been quite a while since he came out.

Kang-hoo immediately finished paying and got out of the taxi, not forgetting to add a blessing for the driver.

“I hope your son is always safe. I hope he stays healthy.”

“Thank you, sir! Thank you so much! May your life always be full of happiness and good fortune!”

Hearing the taxi driver’s emotional and intense voice, Kang-hoo closed the taxi door.

And.

“Brooootheeeer!”

Park Dong-jae called Kang-hoo while trembling his lips. A miracle where a one-syllable word became four syllables.

Seeing that he was about to start up a long speech, Kang-hoo shook his head.

“Enough about Daejeon.”

He had already guessed what kind of reactions the people around him would show.

Even while coming down from Daejeon, Kang-hoo himself had wondered whether this was really reality, to the point that the result was surprising.

Of course, he had no intention of belittling himself by saying he had been lucky.

Because it had been an assassination he had meticulously planned and designed from the beginning, anticipating and executing against the opponent’s responses and moves.

However.

He was moved by the fact that he had taken down not one, but two, and even skilled people with levels higher than his own.

“Tsk, you’re no fun. Brother, do you want to see the place I found for Ayane noona’s house first? It’s right nearby.”

“Third Security Zone, that side?”

“Yeah. That place is kind of a wealthy district. There are lots of private security companies too, so there’s less to worry about.”

Security Zone.

A zone that controlled entry by outsiders and allowed only certified internal residents to enter.

The official controlling authority was the Public Safety Bureau, but naturally, there was no way the Public Safety Bureau’s manpower would be dispatched all the way here…….

Usually, the local hegemonic guild of the area held management authority. The source of income was toll fees.

Even internal residents had to pay a toll every time they entered and left, so the financial burden was not small.

But since they provided that much management, supervision, and vigilance, there were rarely any particular complaints.

Cities other than Seoul formed safe areas in this way, so naturally, they also gained the image of wealthy districts.

Because in the first place, if one did not have money, it was impossible to live inside a security zone. Prices were beyond imagination.

A short while later.

Kang-hoo, who arrived in front of the Third Security Zone on foot, looked at the apartment Park Dong-jae pointed to.

Even without going inside, the full view of the apartment was clear enough to see from a distance.

A location with a good view directly overlooking the stream. Places like that would rarely open up, so it was obvious Park Dong-jae had worked quite hard.

“You worked hard, Dong-jae.”

“What do you mean hard? Ayane noona set a generous budget, so I was able to search aggressively.”

“Good. When does Ayane say she’s entering the country?”

“Within a week at the latest? There’s a high chance she’ll come sooner, but it looks like she still has a little more to wrap up.”

“A week? That’s a little long.”

“Are you going somewhere when noona comes?”

“Yeah. You’ll be going too, though.”

“Where?”

“North Korea.”

“Ah, right! I forgot that you were thinking about North Korea, brother. Brother, these days, it does seem like everyone is definitely getting interested in the North Korea side. The overall atmosphere has changed a bit.”

“Sounds like there’s other news?”

“Actually, Myeongga Guild contacted me today. I was going to tell you directly when you came, so I didn’t send a message.”

“Yeah.”

“Myeongga Guild contacted me asking if we had any intention of jointly going on a North Korea exploration. They said they had a route they had looked over and cleared.”

Cleared.

That expression was usually used when all monsters or hybrids on the corresponding route had been subjugated.

It meant they had secured a safe route and would enter an unexplored area beyond it.

At this time in the original story, advancement into North Korea was not active. Rather, it was a period when people were even more cautious.

Right now was also the point when North Korea and Ground Zero had entered their peak period, so the hybrids were at their strongest.

Kang-hoo intended to move because he had a lot of information and many ways to detect danger in advance and explore.

But if one did not know exactly how to distinguish friend from foe among hybrid plants, or how to attack troublesome hosts like the Swarm Queen or Gale Tree, it was dangerous.

Because hybrids used like common soldiers and the host that served as the commander were polar opposites even from combat ability.

“Let’s put Myeongga Guild’s proposal on hold for now. I also have a route I’m thinking of separately.”

“Okay, I’ll say we have another schedule. That’s a much softer answer than refusing.”

“I’ll leave that to you.”

There was a need to continue maintaining and strengthening his connections with Myeongga Guild.

But Kang-hoo thought there was no need to strengthen the contact more than necessary.

Even if he did not accept this proposal, they would definitely make another proposal next time.

Since Kang-hoo had already felt Myeongga Guild’s interest in him, he was not in a hurry.

“Then shall we go to the dungeon now? Brother, it’s properly full moon. Even if the moon is full, it can’t be this full.”

“Has it not started waning yet?”

“No. I think it’ll maintain the full moon state for a day or two. I thought it had peaked before, but it hadn’t. It got bigger. Today is the best timing.”

The rewards of the Full Moon Dungeon changed depending on “how full the moon was.”

If Park Dong-jae’s words were correct, he would be able to obtain the greatest rewards by entering the raid today.

Even rewards based on probability were clearly at their highest probability today.

At the schedule turning precisely like gears, Kang-hoo’s expression also brightened a level.

After returning from Australia, he wanted to bring change to his level, which was stuck at 440.

Because once he reached level 500, another new world would open.

There were several privileges he could enjoy then. There was also a constellation contract that would definitely be fulfilled once he reached 500.

So for the time being, he intended to focus on growth. Levels and effort never lied.