Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 105

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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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Even Hastily Made Ones Keep Stacking Up as EX-Rank (105)

Then what about my wristwatch

“Now I will begin the briefing on Lee Si-hyeok’s kidnapping case.”

Team Leader Kim Seung-hyeon spoke in the main conference room on the top floor of the Awakener Association Headquarters.

Personnel and Registration Team, Public Relations and Information Team, and so on. The numerous employees gathered there and most of the Association’s leadership were quietly waiting only for his presentation.

His low voice spread heavily through the spacious room.

“First, the current situation is day 7 of the disappearance. It’s been a week since he suddenly vanished from the warehouse at the Pohang Research Complex.”

Team Leader Kim Seung-hyeon played the CCTV recording.

The suddenly appearing rift and Lee Si-hyeok directly entering it.

Sounds of shocked gasps erupted from various places.

“After that, we first investigated the Pohang Research Complex. Whether a Gate might have appeared, or if it was a safety accident caused by experimental aftereffects.”

He gazed at a corner of the conference room with sunken eyes.

There, two teams that had returned from Pohang a few days ago were listening attentively to his words.

“There were no results. We did have the employees who were stationed there come to give statements, but the case remains shrouded in mystery.”

“Then what about the places Lee Si-hyeok used to visit frequently? Did you check those?”

One of the leadership who had been listening silently asked.

“Yes. The Magical Engineering Academy, Termion Building, and so on. We checked them all. We couldn’t find any traces.”

“Then what about his home? How was his home?”

“His home was the same. We had personnel stationed around that area until yesterday, but since there were no signs, we issued a return order.”

“Hah, this is driving me crazy…”

“So, how did you handle the next steps? I think I saw a report saying it was related to China.”

This time it was a different member of the leadership.

Team Leader Kim Seung-hyeon switched to the next data screen.

“We initiated a special operation to arrest Chinese spies within Korea. We’ve deployed more than triple the personnel to the original arrest teams.”

“Results?”

“Still minimal. We’ve arrested quite a few, but none of them seem to know any related information. So there’s another operation running simultaneously.”

“Ah, the one I heard about back then…”

“Yes. The so-called ‘Pale Artist Rescue Operation’. We deployed a specially formed task force to the Gansu Province region of China three days ago.”

Beep, the screen that switched showed the task force members.

Hunters who were at least A-rank as a baseline.

“Since we’re currently proceeding in utmost secrecy, gathering personnel wasn’t easy. Still, we assembled mainly Hunters who had close relationships with the Association.”

“Good judgment. But… isn’t that person written at the bottom there one of our employees? The name looks familiar.”

“Are you referring to Assistant Manager Han Da-hee?”

“Ah, yes. Was she an assistant manager on your team?”

“That’s correct. Just before the task force departed, it was a matter that Assistant Manager Han Da-hee directly requested.”

She had added that she’d be more comfortable working in the field. Team Leader Kim Seung-hyeon thought to himself as he wrapped up the story.

“This concludes the current progress status. Please ask if you have any additional questions.”

However, no questions came.

Everyone just maintained silence with serious expressions.

Then soon, the leadership member sitting at the head seat spoke in a low voice.

“Then let’s end the briefing here. Not just you, but all the employees gathered here, be careful not to let information leak outside.”

If even a little of the story about Lee Si-hyeok being kidnapped were to leak out, the chaos that would follow would be more than they could handle…

“Dismissed.”

He stood up and left the conference room.

* * *

Screech.

In front of an apartment on the Seoul outskirts.

A white taxi came to a smooth stop.

Soon the door opened, and Lee Si-hyeok emerged from inside with a displeased expression.

‘What kind of taxi fare…’

This was money he’d have to run about six transport jobs to earn. He wasn’t short on money now, but he still couldn’t help feeling annoyed about it.

He was the type to save when he could, after all.

Lee Si-hyeok clicked his tongue and entered the apartment.

It felt somewhat unfamiliar since it had been so long, but he naturally went up to his floor and unlocked the door.

Clank.

As soon as he entered, sunlight poured in.

Did I leave the curtains open when I left?

He squinted and drew them, then immediately started taking off his clothes. The stench was getting worse, so he needed to do laundry first.

It was the moment he put his clothes in the washing machine.

‘Ah, my phone.’

He had forgotten there was a smartphone in his lab coat.

He immediately pulled it out and casually tossed it onto the bed.

He thought about charging it, but shower first. He wanted to get rid of this sticky feeling as quickly as possible.

“Ahh, so refreshing.”

A while later, Lee Si-hyeok came out clean and fresh.

The stench was gone and a pleasant body wash scent lingered. Humans really seemed to be animals that needed to stay clean. How could it feel this refreshing.

With his mood refreshed, the cozy bed suddenly caught his eye.

The desire to lie down and rest right away welled up, but…

‘…Let me just quickly do what I need to do and go back.’

He soon dismissed the thought.

After all, hadn’t he built a first-floor annex when constructing Gyeongdo-gak? A restroom with a bathtub, a kitchen where he could cook most foods, and even a spacious bedroom.

He had created accommodations that would be fine to live in for a lifetime, so there was no need to waste time here now.

Lee Si-hyeok shook his head and headed to the kitchen.

‘Still, I should eat before going.’

His stomach was making a fuss, so he planned to at least have a meal before leaving.

For food, he’d go with something light like saury kimchi stew.

It looked difficult but was surprisingly simple to make. At least to Lee Si-hyeok, it was a dish that had never tasted bad. Since he’d been eating only triangle kimbap every day, he was craving hot Korean food too.

Bubble bubble…

As the kimchi in the pot was getting thoroughly cooked.

Lee Si-hyeok suddenly sensed a presence.

He could hear some sound coming from the corridor.

A dragging sound, like something was being pulled and moved.

‘What is it?’

This apartment had only two households per floor.

And they were located on completely opposite sides, so it couldn’t be someone from the same floor. Sometimes people got confused and pressed this house’s door lock, but that only happened in the early days of moving in.

For several years, no one had come near Lee Si-hyeok’s place.

At most it would be packages or food delivery…

He hadn’t ordered any packages, and what delivery when kimchi stew was cooking deliciously?

That meant a third party was approaching Lee Si-hyeok’s house.

“…”

His eyes instantly grew cold.

Preparing for a possible attack, he focused on Pajesis.

Shortly after, the doorbell rang.

Lee Si-hyeok, who checked the intercom, unconsciously relaxed his tightly clenched fists.

“…Hyeon Eul-cheong?”

* * *

A few minutes earlier.

Hyeon Eul-cheong, riding up in the apartment elevator, was feeling very anxious.

The closer she got to Lee Si-hyeok’s address that the Association had given her, the more her uneasiness grew.

‘Is it okay for me to visit like this…’

Of course, there probably wouldn’t be anyone there anyway.

About a week ago, when she had asked the Association for Lee Si-hyeok’s contact information, the answer that came back was ‘Lee Si-hyeok has been kidnapped.’

Honestly, at first she couldn’t understand what they meant at all.

Kidnapped? That amazing person?

Hyeon Eul-cheong had directly witnessed through Lee Si-hyeok’s note how he had brilliantly countered and struck back even when the Absolute Dream Guild’s Hunter had targeted him with incredible precision.

So what could it possibly mean that such a person had been kidnapped?

―I’m sorry, but… that seems to be all we can tell you.

That was the response she got when she asked.

But Hyeon Eul-cheong wasn’t one to give up there.

Although she had secluded herself at Cheongyeon Workshop now, in the past she had been the type to dig into anything with tremendous persistence. An unchanging nature.

Using that wit, she kept pressing until the end.

Finally.

―…We’ll tell only you, Ms. Hyeon Eul-cheong. It is classified information, but when you think about it, we only learned this fact thanks to you…

Hyeon Eul-cheong learned the whole truth.

The Absolute Dream Guild, brainwashing, and even kidnapping through rifts.

The first emotion she felt right after hearing the story was shock, and next was anxiety.

…Then, what about my wristwatch?

If he was kidnapped and disappeared just like that, what would happen to the watch he took?

Although she had various conversations with him for a day, it wasn’t like she had grown particularly attached to him. Wasn’t that natural? They had only exchanged work-related talk.

Moreover, when they first met. From the moment Lee Si-hyeok stared intently at her empty lower body, a bad impression had remained in one corner of her heart.

She pretended not to care much after that, but it had indeed been etched as a wound. It was like her complex too.

Perhaps that’s why anxiety took precedence over worry.

No, if that’s worry, then it is worry too.

―The doors are opening.

Hyeon Eul-cheong got off the elevator.

Rattle, rattle. Even while pulling her wheelchair across the corridor, she kept biting her lips.

How long had it been since she came outside like this?

Since going into seclusion, she had never once left the vicinity of Cheongyeon Workshop, so it would probably be close to ten years.

If she hadn’t made the decision to search for Lee Si-hyeok herself when the Association made no progress… those ten years might have become fifteen or twenty years.

Before she knew it, she had reached the end of the corridor.

The typical steel door of an old apartment. Because she was in a wheelchair, the doorbell felt quite high. She barely managed to lift her upper body and press the bell.

Ding dong!

“…”

However, as expected, there was no response at all.

Had the Association’s words been true?

Even though she had come here grasping at straws, it seemed like she would have to let go of her wristwatch forever.

The precious treasure filled with irreplaceable memories that she had carried her whole life, just like this…

That’s when it happened.

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, she heard rustling sounds from beyond the door.

Not only that, but mana that she hadn’t felt at all began to reveal signs of presence.

“…?”

The moment her eyes widened and her raised upper body dropped back into the wheelchair with a thud.

―…Ms. Hyeon Eul-cheong?

A familiar voice came from inside.

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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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