A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 54
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 54: Kang Hyun-cheol (1)
The gun muzzle was cleverly concealed between the shaman robes. No one had noticed the situation yet.
Kang Hyun-cheol continued speaking in a threatening tone right next to my ear.
“If you don’t hand it over.”
“….”
“I can dispose of you anytime for obstructing official duties.”
Dispose of me….
I let out a slight laugh.
“That applies to you too.”
Crack.
“…!”
In an instant, Kang Hyun-cheol’s hand froze solid. His finger that was about to pull the trigger stiffened completely.
| He doesn’t know his place…. |
It was the freezing aura created by the Mountain Lord. Kang Hyun-cheol struggled desperately to pull the frozen gun with a completely flustered expression.
“Is this action agreed upon with the Association President?”
“….”
“I guess not.”
Kang Hyun-cheol gritted his teeth. Then he clenched his fist with the opposite hand that wasn’t holding the gun.
Whoosh—!
As expected of a combat-type Hunter. It was quite a fast speed. With my current stats, it was an attack that would be difficult to dodge.
However, I didn’t even blink an eye.
‘It won’t go as you wish.’
Kwaang—!
Kang Hyun-cheol’s fist was blocked by a certain being.
“Mountain Lord.”
The Mountain Lord released his spirit form and revealed his true body. It was thanks to the remaining duration of the Wave Tale Flower.
Kwaaaang—!
The Mountain Lord’s front paw pressed down on Kang Hyun-cheol. The surroundings froze and the ground shattered.
“Cough, hack….”
Kang Hyun-cheol spat out a pained cough. The Mountain Lord paid no attention and only pressed his front paw down more heavily.
“Gasp…. Ah… Haha! I didn’t expect this….”
Kang Hyun-cheol ran his mouth despite having his head buried in the ground.
| What the hell is this? |
That was what I wanted to say.
‘What the hell is this all about….’
How did I end up getting entangled in this?
Kang Hyun-cheol just kept repeating his insane laughter.
“Hand over what you brought out. I’ll spare your life!”
Who’s sparing whose life?
Despite being subdued and saying such things, Kang Hyun-cheol’s eyes had already turned bright red.
‘…Is it some kind of skill?’
I furrowed my brow and tried to check his condition, when I felt commotion from one side.
“Wh-what was that just now?”
“Isn’t that a tiger? Is it a monster?”
“Guild Leader! Isn’t this a dangerous situation?”
The Azure Dragon Guild members who realized the situation shouted. The surroundings became increasingly chaotic.
“Mountain Lord, for now.”
The Mountain Lord activated spirit form again.
Swoosh.
The white tiger disappeared transparently without a trace.
“It-it disappeared….”
I looked down at Kang Hyun-cheol, leaving the confusion behind.
‘What should I do with this?’
Whether I interrogate him or investigate, I need to do something.
But this was too public a place for that. This definitely wasn’t a matter that could be resolved right here and now.
‘I can’t hand him over to the police either.’
Then the deal between the Association President and me would be exposed. I’d be subjected to all kinds of interrogations and investigations, and my reward and certification might be postponed indefinitely.
I needed the fastest and quietest resolution possible.
‘What should I do…’
“What’s wrong?”
Suddenly Lee Cheong-ryu approached from behind. He showed a surprised expression.
“….”
I looked at him for a moment.
‘Blue Dragon…’
Somehow, I seemed to have come up with a useful idea.
* * *
“You even take on troublesome things personally sometimes.”
Kang Hyun-cheol had passed out. Yeon Ho-jung poked at his face, which was stuck in the transparent ice.
“I just helped a friend for a moment.”
“You don’t have friends.”
“…Be quiet.”
He was a hard person to predict. Even though she had joined almost immediately after Blue Dragon was founded, she still felt like she hadn’t grasped even half of who Lee Cheong-ryu was.
Yeon Ho-jung straightened her knees and stood up. But he was someone with firm principles. She could only trust and follow him.
“But did Guild Leader really kill the Boss Monster?”
“Well. I wonder?”
“Usually you nag us to struggle and kill boss mobs. This time you didn’t, so it’s surprising. They say people die when they suddenly change…”
“Haha. I won’t die.”
“I know.”
Lee Cheong-ryu spoke with a gentle smile.
“Just a whim, I guess.”
He alternately looked at the business card in his hand and someone’s figure that had become very small.
“I found something interesting…”
* * *
I finally returned to the accommodation.
‘I handed over the business card, so he’ll handle things well on his own.’
Mountain Lord released his Spirit Form and jumped down from above my head.
“Thanks to Mountain Lord, I survived. I almost got shot in Korea.”
| End times. I never knew Joseon would become like this. |
Me neither…
“Anyway, Mountain Lord. Please hide in that corner for a moment. I’m going to try contacting the Association.”
I pointed to the corner and took out the communication device. Mountain Lord went to the corner of the sofa and lay down.
It looked exactly like a tiger doll had been placed there. I smiled slightly and fiddled with the communication device.
| By the way, about that flower. |
“Huh? Oh, this? What about it?”
| …Never mind. It’s not something to talk about now. |
“…?”
Mountain Lord turned his head away indifferently again. I could only make a puzzled face.
[Ah, it’s been a while.]
Meanwhile, Yeo Jung-eun’s image appeared.
Her face still looked tired. The elderly woman in a formal suit with gray hair showed a pleased expression and greeted me.
[Is the task I requested completed?]
Straight to the point? I preferred that too.
“Is this correct?”
I rummaged through my sleeve and took out the Wave Tale Flower. The flower with a blue glow was beautiful.
I had picked all of them from the Dragon’s Nest, so there were many…
But what I took out was only three flowers.
‘Since I’ve confirmed the effect, it would be a waste to hand them all over.’
I left about two flowers inside my shaman robe sleeve and told a blatant lie.
“This was all I could find.”
Mountain Lord glanced at me as if looking at a cunning person.
Yeo Jung-eun nodded with a surprised face.
[That’s right. I never thought you’d actually succeed…]
‘It wasn’t easy work.’
If asked to do it twice, I wouldn’t do it.
The Association President couldn’t take her eyes off the Wave Tale Flower as she continued her sentence.
[Come up to Seoul right away. If you hand over the flower, I’ll give you the prophecy as well. This is an urgent matter, so you need to hurry.]
‘You’re the one who’s in a hurry.’
I smiled broadly.
“Before that, actually.”
And I began to broach my main topic.
“I’d like to discuss the ‘compensation’ you mentioned again.”
[What?]
“What you initially mentioned was one prophecy, right?”
[…That’s right.]
Yeo Jung-eun’s expression became subtle. She seemed to be gauging my next words.
“Hmm…. That seems somewhat insufficient.”
I scratched my cheek with a troubled expression. Yeo Jung-eun seemed to grasp my intention and hardened her lips.
Her expression beyond the hologram became rigid.
[Eun Hae-dam. The compensation for a deal doesn’t change. One prophecy in exchange for bringing the flower from the dungeon. Exactly as the initial proposal stated. If you’re getting greedy now that you’re here…. I misjudged you.]
I expected this reaction.
“No. You judged correctly. The compensation for trading this flower is indeed just one prophecy.”
[…?]
“However….”
I continued my sentence in a calm tone.
“Just now, I was attacked by an Association staff member.”
[…What did you say?]
“He pointed a gun at me. At me. And this was right in front of Lee Cheong-ryu. Oh, of course, all of Blue Dragon was watching the situation too.”
[What do you mean…!]
Yeo Jung-eun looked completely flustered. She frowned, showing a face that completely failed to understand what I had said.
I stroked my chin.
‘Does she really not know….’
As expected. As I suspected, it wasn’t the Association President’s order. I had a feeling.
Usually, people who lie don’t have expressions like that. I’ve had more than a few customers who would cry hypocritically on the surface while asking about the location of their parents’ house deed.
Thanks to being trained that way, seeing through people’s true intentions was my specialty.
“You seem unaware. It was the work of the Association staff member who brought me to Busan. Kang Hyun-cheol.”
[Kang Hyun-cheol, you say?]
“Yes.”
[…That’s not the name of the staff member I assigned.]
“Excuse me?”
I narrowed my brow.
[The staff member I sent down to Busan was a woman. C-rank magic type. This is…. Someone definitely intercepted in the middle.]
“Kang Hyun-cheol said he was a higher rank combat type.”
[Eun Hae-dam. If he’s B-rank, he’s a talent who forms the backbone of the Association. Sending him to Busan doesn’t make sense realistically.]
“Huh….”
I leaned back against the sofa with an incredulous expression.
‘He wasn’t even an Association staff member at all?’
I got goosebumps remembering how shamelessly he had impersonated one. Then who on earth….
The Association President also seemed confused. She rummaged through documents as she continued speaking.
[How dare they pull such a stunt. Where is that person now? I need to interrogate him. The Association has many hostile forces, so there are places I suspect. Probably….]
Hmm, first things first. What I had planned.
I relaxed my expression and straightened my posture. Then I dropped a bombshell.
“He’s at Blue Dragon.”
[…Where?]
“Blue Dragon. Lee Cheong-ryu took him.”
I put on a regretful expression.
Actually….
“An Association staff member suddenly pointed a gun at Blue Dragon and attacked.”
[….]
“That’s the current situation.”
Silence fell over the accommodation.
* * *
This was what happened several dozen minutes ago.
I glanced toward where Kim Se-min was and began speaking.
“Kim Se-min, are you okay?”
“…Yes?”
“You almost got hurt just now. I saw the gun touch your forehead.”
Kim Se-min looked puzzled and tried to figure out my intention, but she seemed unable to grasp it.
“…Aha.”
However, Lee Cheong-ryu had an expression as if he’d noticed something. He spoke with exaggerated excitement.
“Wow, what nerve. Attacking our guild member right in front of me. Se-min, are you hurt anywhere?”
‘As expected, he’s quick on the uptake.’
There’s one reason I’m acting this way.
If Kang Hyun-cheol’s attack was on a Blue Dragon guild member, then Lee Cheong-ryu gains authority. ‘The authority to deal with Kang Hyun-cheol.’
Naturally, the right to take custody of Kang Hyun-cheol to Blue Dragon would also arise.
‘A place where interrogation is possible but escape isn’t.’
Blue Dragon was a very suitable place. Suitable indeed. In the hands of that somewhat crazy…, no. That S-rank Hunter.
Moreover, Lee Cheong-ryu was currently very favorably disposed toward me.
“We have a branch in Busan. Shall we move there for now?”
“Yes. That sounds good.”
We were immediately in sync. I nodded to show my agreement.
“I’ll contact the Association. Please take care of things until then.”
“Between us, this much is only natural!”
Lee Cheong-ryu answered with a cheerful laugh.
What kind of relationship do we even have…
“Ah, for contact information, here.”
Oh right. I rummaged through my long robe’s sleeve. I should have a few tucked away. My fingertips touched hard paper.
I held it out to Lee Cheong-ryu.
“…What’s this?”
“A business card.”
* * *
“While trying to resolve the situation, unfortunately it just… ended up that way.”
I sighed with a face that said I really had no choice.
Yeo Jung-eun remained frozen, unable to say anything.
“We can’t hand him over to the police. The story would immediately leak to the press.”
[No matter what, but to Blue Dragon…! How could you do such a thing, even creating such misunderstandings…!]
Yeo Jung-eun looked completely defeated. Well, at this rate the Association would end up taking all the responsibility.
‘But I’m not such a stingy person.’
I clapped my hands together as if to say not to worry.
“But as it happens, I!”
[…?]
“I’ve become somewhat close with Lee Cheong-ryu.”
[That’s not something to say right now…!]
“You don’t understand. If I ask nicely, I might be able to clear up the misunderstanding.”
I tilted my head and asked after a pause.
“Should I… resolve this for you?”
Let me say this again.
What was the reason I lost my decent job?
“The Association’s inadequate security management that led to my attack, and resolving the current unpleasant misunderstanding directed at the Association…”
I smiled slyly.
“You’ll need to prepare proper compensation.”
Why would I do good deeds as a Prophet Hunter?
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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