Episode 84

On the day of the appointment, I met Kim Su-kyung and a member of his mercenary group at the agreed place.

Except for Kim Su-kyung, all the mercenaries wore masks, and the same was true for Kang-hoo.

Kim Su-kyung, whose face was already well-known publicly, didn’t feel the need to hide it.

They definitely had the aura of a mercenary group that had been through many battles.

To Kang-hoo, the mercenaries seemed well-armed, and above all, he could sense the lingering smell of blood.

Like a person who has lived in a damp semi-basement for a long time has a distinct mustiness, the smell of blood, once ingrained, never completely fades.

Kim Su-kyung greeted Kang-hoo cheerfully as soon as he saw him.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Su-kyung.”

“I’m Jung Sun-kyu.”

“Shall we skip the greetings with the other mercenaries?”

“No. We should greet each other, as we are going to work together towards the same goal.”

Kang-hoo, who usually dislikes pointless formalities, thought this time was different.

They were all gathered with the common target of Jeon Jong-du.

There were members from Kim Su-kyung’s mercenary group and hired mercenaries like himself.

Though their backgrounds and environments varied, they were colleagues, at least in this context, even if it was temporary.

Kang-hoo planned to fully utilize these ‘colleagues’. It was likely the same for them.

In using each other, the goal was to ultimately capture Jeon Jong-du.

Following Kim Su-kyung’s lead, Kang-hoo greeted each mercenary in turn.

They introduced themselves with pseudonyms written on their masks, and Kang-hoo memorized each name.

He also checked what specific talents each possessed. Their skills were quite diverse.

Next.

The briefing about Jeon Jong-du began.

He was a hunter of the berserker class with a level in the 350s, already notorious for numerous criminal allegations.

There were even videos as evidence.

Several videos showed him selling a well-known domestic hunter, promising in the country, to Russia.

Additionally, there were scenes of him trafficking in civilian women.

His actions were filthy and despicable, fitting the description of ‘nuclear waste-grade trash’.

Kang-hoo didn’t view this mission as a simple battle of good versus evil.

He thought of it as a struggle between a bright future and a dark one.

Although Kang-hoo wasn’t particularly interested in justice, losing talents in such a way was not beneficial.

It was a loss both domestically and for the entire hunter community.

On another note, this cooperation with Kim Su-kyung’s mercenary group also served to build connections with Kim Su-kyung.

Kim Su-kyung was going to be an influential figure in the eastern Gangwon region in the future.

Additionally, he was someone who fundamentally did not condone criminal activities by guilds or mercenary groups.

Long-term, this meant a potential conflict with the Jeonghwa Guild.

The atrocities of the Jeonghwa Guild were not well-known, but they were numerous.

Once Kim Su-kyung learned even a bit about them, he would undoubtedly develop a negative view of the Jeonghwa Guild.

Anyway, the briefing about Jeon Jong-du was detailed.

The battlefield would be an abandoned factory often used by Jeon Jong-du’s gang for secret meetings.

While Kim Su-kyung was in charge of the overall command, Kang-hoo was given considerable discretion.

Being an external mercenary, he was not expected to show excessive obedience or cooperation.

Of course, Kang-hoo had no intention of ignoring Kim Su-kyung’s commands or undermining cooperation with the mercenary group.

However, strategically, if necessary, and if it was worth the gamble, he planned to act alone.

In fact, that was more comfortable for him.

While part of a team in the broader sense, in the smaller frame, he preferred to operate solo.

If they’re not colleagues with good synergy, those who stick close by usually just get in the way.

1 hour later.

The group, having completed their final preparations, began moving toward the abandoned factory.

It started to drizzle, and since it was already dark, the path was shrouded in darkness.

Kang-hoo, using night vision, moved ahead as usual to ensure clear visibility.

Before leaving, he had volunteered to scout ahead for Kim Su-kyung, checking for guards or sentries.

‘As expected.’

There were people guarding the area.

From the outside, with rusted containers and haphazardly stacked wooden boxes, it seemed impossible to see anything.

However, using the flow of mana and the ability to detect constellations, he was able to sense two hidden entities.

They were quite skilled at hiding, but since they were discovered, their fate was obvious.

Swish.

Kang-hoo, moving sideways into stealth mode and using Shadow Step, approached them silently.

And the two sentries, holding their breath in the darkness, guarded against uninvited guests.

Thud! Thud!

He subdued them in an instant.

The daggers he swiftly plunged into their necks caused both hunters to die instantly without even a scream.

Having generously used his beheading skill as a precaution, they had no chance to withstand the blow.

The victims likely didn’t even realize they were dead.

Waking up to find themselves at death’s door – in a way, it was a blessed death, as they died without pain.

The sentries, who died without even a chance to send a distress signal or alert, failed to complete any part of their mission.

Thanks to Kang-hoo leading the way, the path for Team 1, led by Kim Su-kyung, opened smoothly.

On the other hand, Team 2 faced a near-detection crisis midway.

They decided to take time and plan to bypass the abandoned factory from the side.

The message was long-winded, but it meant the entry was delayed. Things got complicated.

Meanwhile, Kang-hoo silently subdued six sentries in order.

He further discovered a hidden, ground-laid boundary used for alerting.

This boundary had no offensive capabilities but could alert to enemy intrusion with a flare-like effect.

Thanks to Kang-hoo accurately identifying the boundary’s location, Team 1 avoided stepping on it.

‘As expected, his senses are sharper than I thought. And he seems to have many useful abilities.’

Watching Kang-hoo’s skilled response, movement, and pioneering the shortest route, Kim Su-kyung understood why Lee Ye-rin confidently recommended him.

It seemed that level was indeed an irrelevant factor, as Lee Ye-rin had said.

The fact that Kang-hoo’s level was still under 100 felt intimidating.

If he is this impressive now, he will be even more so as he grows.

‘He could be a textbook assassin, specialized in every process of silent killing.’

As felt during their first meeting, Kang-hoo was a person who had experienced all sorts of battles.

The number of assassins he had seen on the battlefield could fill several dump trucks.

Yet, among all those assassins, Kang-hoo’s movements were exceptional.

They were clean.

To an assassin hunter, being ‘clean’ is like being powerful for a hunter who handles swords and magic.

It’s one of the highest compliments that can be given to someone in that profession.

Kim Su-kyung wanted to attach such an adjective to Kang-hoo without hesitation. He had a seasoned style on the battlefield.

Just as Team 1 approached the fastest route to the factory, a steep side path.

Boom!

An explosion occurred on the opposite side.

It seemed there was an accident with Team 2, rendering Team 1’s perfect approach meaningless.

“Intruders!”

“North side! It’s the north side!”

Wailing!

Along with the alarm siren, members of the Osho mercenary group were seen rushing out of the abandoned factory.

Jeon Jong-du was nowhere to be seen, however.

Due to Team 2’s mishap, the element of stealth in their invasion had vanished. Now, it was a race against time.

Kim Su-kyung shouted,

“Charge! Find Jeon Jong-du! Kill anyone who blocks our way! Keep it simple!”

Amidst the intensifying rain, the mercenaries began charging toward the abandoned factory.

Kang-hoo spotted not the main entrance below the steep path but a side door, visible only upon a slight detour.

Usually, the main gate, the large entrance, is equipped with considerable security measures.

And it’s a point where enemy firepower can be concentrated, posing a risk.

Of course, Kim Su-kyung didn’t order the mercenaries to advance without knowing this.

He did so because many mercenaries specialized in defense were placed at the front. He was confident they could withstand it.

However, Kang-hoo, who had been focused on Jeon Jong-du from the start, didn’t want to waste energy on fruitless skirmishes.

Since Kim Su-kyung had permitted individual actions based on personal judgment and responsibility, there was no need to worry further.

Contrary to the expectation that entering through the side door would be easier,

Boom!

The moment the side door was blown away, Kang-hoo sensed that his plan had slightly gone awry.

“Bejumie is coming out from here.”

He frowned.

Bejumie.

A Russian word meaning ‘madness’. It implied that the individual came from Russia.

It was a giant hunter weapon.

More precisely, although technically a hunter, it lacked cognitive abilities and existed solely for mechanical killing.

It was much more powerful than the trackers handled by Eclipse.

That’s because, from the hunter development stage, continuous drug injections were used to increase its size and height.

Plus, it was armed with quite efficient items. It wasn’t a disposable concept like the trackers.

Bejumie’s characteristic was to target one enemy and attack until death.

Unless its own life is terminated, it relentlessly pursues its target.

To change this, only Bejumie’s ‘master’ could redirect it with a command.

Though not confirmed, Jeon Jong-du seemed likely to be Bejumie’s master.

“Look at its appearance.”

Kang-hoo crouched down.

And gripped the Blood Dew tightly.

Bejumie, with a look that could put Frankenstein to shame, was unpleasant to even look at.

“Either way, this won’t be easy.”

His body tensed up.

Bejumie was the polar opposite of Kang-hoo, to the extent that they could be considered extremes.

Bejumie was a giant, assault-type, and forceful. It compensated for everything with its body.

In contrast, Kang-hoo was a hit-and-run, mobile-type, agile and evasive, with a stylish approach.

A fight between one who seeks to overwhelm and another who dodges and cunningly counterattacks.

As Kang-hoo glanced back, another mercenary, having noticed the encounter with Bejumie, seemed about to come for support.

But the perceptive Kim Su-kyung read Kang-hoo’s intention in his eyes and stopped the mercenary.

“Leave that side to Seon-gyu. If you go, you’ll disrupt his plan.”

‘That’s sensible.’

Though he didn’t say it out loud, Kang-hoo made a circle with his thumb and index finger, gesturing towards Kim Su-kyung.

It was a one-on-one situation.

He had to break through Bejumie to move on.

Kang-hoo was certain there was a reason Bejumie was placed near the side door, not the main gate.

Perhaps there’s something they shouldn’t approach, or a place they want to hide.

Now it was time to face the Russian-made human barrier.

He must be cautious, as even one hit could be fatal. Absolutely.