I Got A Legendary Sniper Rifle - Chapter 102

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 102
Ep. 102
‘Surely he’s not a Civil Servant? Sighing wickedly in front of the shop like that to lure me in….’
I observed Seongcheol with that thought in mind.
A large scar carved vertically across his left eye.
He appeared older than me, but his sturdy build seemed to testify that he had weathered considerable hardships.
Though truthfully, this wasn’t a time to worry about age anyway.
Yet I focused solely on Seongcheol’s eyes, which could have appeared fierce at first glance.
The eyes don’t lie.
Aside from the scar, Seongcheol’s eyes were remarkably clear.
At first, he gave the impression of a crew boss I’d only heard about in rumors, but those eyes made me reconsider slightly.
‘True, if he were a Civil Servant, he would have arrested me already. Why would he ask about my sigh? He’s not even mocking me.’
Still, I couldn’t reveal everything so readily.
I decided to speak lightly within the bounds of what I could disclose.
I’m a sniper who must keep secrets, but surely there are times when sharing a burden with someone can lighten the heart.
“Well… the truth is, I’m carrying a secret.”
Flinch—!
At that, Seongcheol’s shoulders jerked as if he himself had been struck.
“?”
When I sent him a questioning look, Seongcheol naturally—or so he thought—shook his head.
“Ah… well, secrets. Everyone carries one or two. It’s burdensome enough as it is.”
‘Is he really not a Civil Servant? Is he undercover to probe me first? …But even undercover these days, would anyone wear a Hawaiian shirt?’
For the record, Seongcheol had been swept up in Jonggeon’s group’s atmosphere and had no choice but to follow their fashion sense.
I gave him a suspicious look for a moment, but decided to trust Seongcheol’s clear eyes once more.
“Yes, but soon I might… well, I might end up leading people. To be honest, it feels a bit burdensome.”
Flinch—!
‘Why does this man keep startling like that?’
I tilted my head, watching Seongcheol jump at every word I spoke.
I had tried to genuinely share my concerns, but his constant reactions kept breaking the mood.
Seongcheol, for his part, grew conflicted as he studied me.
‘What’s this? Our situations are similar like this? …Could he be an undercover cop sent to arrest me?’
A ridiculous situation where we were each suspecting the other of being law enforcement.
It was all the more absurd considering that no insane government would dare capture Ilgyeok, and a crew that hadn’t even properly begun operations wouldn’t be placed under investigation.
Yet both I and Seongcheol were rather skilled at concealing our true thoughts.
‘As long as it doesn’t come out, we’re fine!’
Soon we both smiled and began conversing warmly.
Seongcheol offered me affectionate advice first.
“Haha, you’re quite a responsible young man with your worries. I’m in a similar boat, actually. But if you’re human, you’ll experience something like that at least once. As long as it’s not illegal, it should be fine, shouldn’t it?”
Flinch—
This time, it was my turn to jerk.
‘W-wait, technically that’s illegal!’
What was Ihyeon’s reason for forming a team in the first place?
It was to receive benefits while hiding his identity as much as possible.
If that weren’t the case, there would be no reason to go through such trouble.
Meanwhile, Seongcheol, who had been observing Ihyeon’s expression keenly, suddenly had a thought.
‘…Could he be a partner in crime?’
The way he reacted to the word “illegal” suggested he wasn’t entirely innocent.
Though he hadn’t yet seen the man’s face, and his appearance seemed far too clean to belong to a Villain crew, one could never truly know a person.
After all, Seongcheol himself didn’t become the Bullet Crew’s boss because of his unsightly appearance!
…Of course, Jonggeon and the other Crew Members might think differently about it.
In any case, Ihyeon drew great strength from Seongcheol’s sincere advice.
‘That’s right, something like this won’t become a major problem later. If it does, I’ll just serve five years and come out!’
What in this world was there to fear?
With strength and sincerity, one could always find a path through any crisis and summon the courage to face it.
“Thank you, sir. You’ve been a great help.”
“Don’t mention it. And as for being called ‘sir’….”
“But sir, why were you sighing here?”
Seongcheol had been about to protest that he wasn’t quite old enough to be called “sir,” but decided to let it pass.
The scar on his face made him look older than he was anyway, so it wasn’t really a problem.
Besides, seeing Ihyeon’s expression brighten after their conversation, he felt the urge to do the same.
“The thing is….”
Seongcheol hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“Somehow I ended up taking the wrong path. It doesn’t suit me at all. But now I feel like I’ve come too far to turn back.”
“Hmm….”
Ihyeon nodded and pondered for a moment.
He certainly didn’t seem to be a police officer, and he appeared to be involved in something dark.
Perhaps Seongcheol was truly a ruthless Villain.
In fact, at this point, both Ihyeon and Seongcheol had vaguely sensed that the other was a Hunter.
After all, for someone strong enough to reach the 60th Floor range, it would be harder not to recognize each other.
If such a person had taken the wrong path, what kind of path could it be?
But Ihyeon trusted Seongcheol’s eyes.
‘If he were truly a bad person… we might clash later.’
Seongcheol was certainly a strong one.
But what of it?
Ihyeon had already fought the Specter.
He no longer wished to unnecessarily avoid combat with people.
If anything stood in the way of his ascent through the Tower—monster or human—he would simply break through.
Rather, wouldn’t it be to Ihyeon’s advantage if Seongcheol found his way out of the darkness here?
“Then why not step back into the light? Living with integrity is what matters, after all.”
Seongcheol shook his head.
“It seems a bit late for that. I’ve also acquired some… dependents along the way.”
Seongcheol recalled in his mind those who called him “boss” and followed him, hesitating slightly, but what could he do?
Still, they were subordinates under his command.
It was somewhat frightening too.
“It will be difficult, but it would be best if those family members came out together as well.”
Seongcheol also knew that Ihyeon’s words were correct.
If only it could be that simple.
The fact that it couldn’t meant there were that many constraints.
Seongcheol let out a sigh.
He felt this young man wouldn’t understand him, so he thought he should provide an appropriate analogy.
“You know about Ilgyeok too, right?”
*Flinch*
Ihyeon was startled more than ever before, but this time it was directly connected to his very existence(?)
Fortunately, he managed to display superhuman concentration and pass over it quite naturally.
“Yes, who wouldn’t know of him?”
Seongcheol nodded as if understanding and continued the conversation.
“There are rumors that even though he performs such heroic feats, he was actually a criminal. So they say he’s atoning by not revealing his identity and quietly climbing the Tower…”
Seongcheol’s eyes grew a bit sorrowful as he spoke.
Now that he found himself in a similar situation(?), he could understand.
How much courage must Ilgyeok have needed to do such a thing?
It wouldn’t be easy to quietly go about one’s business while braving a situation where the entire nation—no, the whole world—was desperate to uncover one’s identity.
From what he could tell of public opinion, unless it was an extremely heinous crime, not only would a pardon be possible, but becoming a national hero seemed well within reach. What kind of conscientious person must he be!
Of course, Ihyeon, listening to such words from Seongcheol, was quite troubled.
He had seen quite a few such posts on the internet, but hearing it spoken aloud felt entirely different.
“Ilgyeok a criminal? Where on earth did you hear such an absurd story?”
No matter what, what great wrong could I have possibly committed!
Then Seongcheol tilted his head and countered.
“That’s what they say? There are quite a lot of such rumors circulating on the internet.”
“Anyone can write on the internet! Of course it’s just a baseless rumor.”
“A baseless rumor? But more than that, why are you so angry…?”
“…I mean it’s probably just a baseless rumor.”
“Hmm, you really seem to like Ilgyeok. Then again, how could anyone not like him?”
Seongcheol nodded as he watched Ihyeon refute him as if it were his own matter.
The members of the Bullet Crew also really liked Ilgyeok.
They said they liked how he cleanly and manfully killed all monsters in a single strike.
It was a fact sufficiently proven just by watching how he handled Gates.
‘Should I hold back a bit?’
Ihyeon, having unknowingly launched into an impassioned speech, decided to take a step back.
“B-but he could still be a criminal?”
“…?”
But it wasn’t as simple as a flat denial—there was a nagging doubt that pricked at me.
The two of us, sensing the awkward shift in atmosphere, cleared our throats to smooth things over and began wrapping up the conversation.
“In any case, that person is certainly making an effort. There’s nothing impossible in this world, is there? Courage is what matters.”
Though the conversation had veered into strange territory at times, Seongcheol clearly resonated with those words.
Just as he had at thirteen, when he faced a Goblin armed with nothing but an iron pipe to save Jonggeon.
‘If you’re prepared to die, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish. After all, no one’s destined to perish.’
Perhaps a spark that had slumbered within Seongcheol all this time was now being rekindled.
Seongcheol rose from his seat with a noticeably firmer expression.
“I’ve learned much from this.”
“Not at all. This conversation has been valuable for me as well.”
“That’s hardly enough to—”
“I’m certain Ilgyeok would support someone like you too.”
“Haha, support me?”
Seongcheol laughed aloud at what he found to be an amusing remark.
Why would someone as remarkable as Ilgyeok support someone as pitiful as himself?
A man who had drifted through the depths of life, now teetering on the edge of sinking back to the bottom once more.
It was at that moment.
“!”
A brilliant idea suddenly flashed through Seongcheol’s mind.
“That’s it! That could work!”
“Pardon?”
Ihyeon tilted his head at Seongcheol’s sudden change in demeanor.
Whoosh—!
But Seongcheol was already gone, having dashed away in a frenzy.
His movements were remarkably swift, living up to expectations of a skilled Hunter.
“What a peculiar man.”
Ihyeon stood for a moment, gazing after where Seongcheol had disappeared.
“Master, let’s go!”
“We’ve finished shopping.”
Not long after, Elsie and Jia emerged from the Supermarket, their hands laden with ice cream.
Elsie in particular had already finished one, her mouth smeared with colorful traces of it.
“Elsie, you have some on your mouth.”
“That’s on purpose. If I want more later, I’ll just have to eat again.”
“I, I see…”
Elsie answered triumphantly to my observation.
As a Spirit, it wouldn’t cause any real problems, but I had set a daily limit on how much cold food she could eat, worried she might get a stomachache.
“What were you doing?”
As I stared blankly down one side of the street, the Spirits followed my gaze and asked.
I shook my head and replied.
“Nothing much. I was just talking with a customer.”
“Sigh.”
Ihyeon headed home with his two spirits, his mind churning.
‘He seems like an unusual person… but surely nothing bad will happen, right?’
Based on his reactions and behavior, he didn’t appear to be a police officer.
Yet this inexplicable unease lingered.
It reminded me of the Frontier’s surprise press conference from not long ago…
“Master, why do you keep hesitating? Do you need to use the bathroom?”
“From now on, you can only eat three ice creams a day.”
“What?! No, that can’t be…!”
* * *
Meanwhile, Seongcheol returned to his hideout after parting ways with Ihyeon.
“Welcome back, boss!”
“We’ve been waiting eagerly for you!”
The Bullet Crew members greeted Seongcheol warmly.
Seongcheol paid them no mind and summoned all the crew members, including Jonggeon, before making his declaration.
“We’re going legitimate now!”
“Huh?”
The crew members exchanged blank stares and tilted their heads in confusion at this bombshell announcement they never saw coming.
But Seongcheol didn’t stop.
“The opportunity is now or never. Wouldn’t it be better if we lived with dignity?”
The crew members didn’t want to become criminals.
It was just that the legitimate system had nothing for them, so they kept getting pushed down until they ended up like this.
…or so Seongcheol wanted to believe.
The crew members’ expressions turned grim upon hearing his proposal.
“Boss, do you mean…?”
“Are you saying we should disband the crew and do something else?”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
Seongcheol, who had never dealt with people like this, shrank back slightly.
What if they attacked him all at once, saying a mere figurehead didn’t know his place?
He was confident he’d lose in an instant.
But after staring at Seongcheol for a while, the crew members suddenly burst into loud laughter.
“Hahahaha! Going legitimate, he says!”
“Oh man, I’m about to cry from laughter!”
“?”
While Seongcheol struggled to comprehend the situation, Jonggeon stopped laughing and spoke.
“Boss, your words are nice, but people don’t change that easily. All our guys were just thinking about going into the 60th Floor range and making a big score.”
“That’s right! Absolutely!”
The reason Jonggeon had gathered only Hunters who operated in the 60th Floor range.
It was because the 60th Floor was known as the “worst floor,” a world ruled by Villains.
So when he suddenly said they wouldn’t be Villains anymore, this was the natural reaction.
And Jonggeon revealed one more decisive reason.
“Above all, wouldn’t you be the one suffering the most? You’re Seongcheol, the Bloody Fist of Gaecheon-dong.”
‘This bastard, what does he take me for—some common criminal like himself!’
Seongcheol felt a surge of emotion at Jonggeon’s serious demeanor, all traces of humor wiped from his face.
The others had gotten here through various petty crimes, large and small, but Seongcheol had been climbing the Tower steadily and legitimately until he happened to meet Jonggeon and was half-dragged into this!
Who in the world had given him such an ominous nickname as the Bloody Fist of Gaecheon-dong?
But after his conversation with Ihyeon, Seongcheol’s resolve had hardened.
Regardless of what anyone said, he was the boss of this crew.
Seongcheol spoke in a cold, measured voice.
Gathering what little courage remained, the speech of reversal begins!
“Why did you all form this crew in the first place?”
“Huh?”
“Well….”
The crew members looked at each other again, pondering.
“To make money easily, I suppose?”
“Yeah, there’s nothing else to it really.”
What reason could there be for villainy?
Just the greed to earn money without effort.
“And after you earn that money, what then?”
“After that…?”
“Drink some booze and whatnot….”
Sensing that Seongcheol’s mood was unusual, the crew members’ voices grew quieter.
“Will you buy a home with that money? Or get married? Stop thinking only about what you can enjoy right now and look toward the future, the future!”
Seongcheol spoke while tapping his chest in frustration.
Then Jonggeon clapped his hands as if he’d understood something.
“Ah, so you’re saying we need to earn money through methods that at least appear legitimate so we can enjoy life more, right?”
“Wow, you’re the best, hyung!”
“…Yeah, that’s exactly it.”
Seongcheol didn’t particularly like the words “at least” and “appear legitimate,” but he considered this significant progress and nodded his head.
Jonggeon asked seriously.
“But hyung, that sounds good and all, but how are we supposed to earn money legitimately now?”
“Right, right.”
“We don’t want to just do normal party hunting.”
“People recognize our faces well enough that they won’t let us join, hyung.”
“We all have similar traits, so it’s hard to form balanced parties anyway.”
This was already an objection Seongcheol had anticipated.
He nodded and spoke.
“That’s why you need to improve that image.”
“Pardon?”
Jonggeon asked as if wondering what kind of nonsense that was.
Seongcheol broke into a satisfied smile.
“The answer is Ilgyeok.”
“Ilgyeok?”
“Huh, hyung, don’t tell me you know Ilgyeok too…?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Aw.”
“What else would I say?”
‘These bastards….’
At Seongcheol’s words, the Crew Members wore expressions of obvious disappointment.
But Seongcheol, having already made up his mind, wouldn’t be shaken by this much.
“From now on, we officially become an organization that supports and protects Ilgyeok. That’s right, just like that one-shot café.”
“Huh?!”
“And honoring Ilgyeok’s spirit, we’ll help people in the Tower. Yes, and whenever a Gate appears nearby, we’ll step up quickly too. Then people will like us, right?”
That was the extent of Seongcheol’s plan.
Currently in South Korea, Ilgyeok was practically a cheat code.
Just mentioning Ilgyeok’s name was enough to win half the battle before even starting.
No matter how fierce his appearance was, or how deeply negative preconceptions had already taken root among people, it was certainly worth taking a shot.
Then, one Crew Member asked with a suspicious expression.
“Of course our image would improve then, but what about after that, hyung?”
“After that?”
“Yes. That’s not making money, is it?”
“That’s right, and there’s no fun in it either.”
“….”
Seongcheol couldn’t answer for a moment.
‘I hadn’t thought that far ahead?’
He’d only thought about living without discomfort, but hadn’t actually planned out what kind of business to pursue after that.
But then.
Crack—!
With a sharp impact, Jonggeon rudely(?) smacked the back of the head of the Crew Member who had asked the question.
“You idiot! You still don’t understand hyung’s grand vision?”
“???”
The Crew Members and even Seongcheol looked at Jonggeon in bewilderment.
Jonggeon, deeply moved, shed a single tear as he spoke.
“What hyung is saying is, after making an image as good as Ilgyeok’s, we rake in an enormous amount of money, right?”
“!!!!”
“If you forcibly take money, it’s a crime. If people voluntarily bring money, it’s a donation. You don’t know the difference?”
Once again, the Crew Members and Seongcheol were shocked simultaneously.
‘Either way, it’s the same crime!’
Seongcheol, who had never intended to participate in such wrongdoing in the first place.
“Kyaaaaa!”
“You really are something, boss!”
The crew members who trusted Seongcheol with absolute faith.
Jonggeon delivered the decisive blow.
“You guys know that if the crew gets caught, it’s life imprisonment or execution, but when the higher-ups go in, they get suspended sentences as economic criminals, right?”
“Yes, sir!”
“I saw that on the news!”
“Oh, so you watch the news too?”
The crew members, completely swayed by Jonggeon’s words, squealed with delight like children.
Now it was a foregone conclusion that they would proceed according to Jonggeon’s plan.
And so, naturally, Jonggeon began to flesh out Seongcheol’s plan(?).
“Alright, from now on, you all go into the Tower and pretend to be good. And we’re connected to Ilgyeok—promote his name hard!”
“Ilgyeok?”
“What if we get revenge for that?”
The crew members murmured in concern.
But once Jonggeon had seized the thread, he was relentless.
“Do you think Ilgyeok would even care about us? Those Frontier kids or whatever didn’t say anything when they showed up. We just need to work hard selling his name and leveraging the image.”
“Wow, you really are something, Vice-boss Jonggeon.”
“Education makes all the difference~”
For the record, Jonggeon, like Seongcheol, had only a high school diploma.
And finally, Jonggeon’s ultimate plan was revealed!
“Who knows? If we work hard enough, maybe Ilgyeok will ask to join our crew?”
“?!?!!!”
Recruiting Ilgyeok into the crew for real?
At that absurd suggestion, Seongcheol and everyone else gasped in shock.
But Jonggeon seemed to have given it some thought.
“Why, you said Ilgyeok might be a criminal. So by that logic, birds of a feather flock together—maybe he’d be drawn to us? Don’t you think so, boss?”
Seongcheol, thinking of Ihyeon whom he’d met earlier, answered reluctantly.
“There’s no way Ilgyeok is a criminal…”
“Why? Did Ilgyeok tell you directly that he’s not a criminal?”
At Jonggeon’s sharp question, Seongcheol could only shake his head.
“No, he didn’t.”
Though that was actually the case, Seongcheol had no way of knowing.
“Then it doesn’t matter! Alright, everyone, operation commences today!”
“Oh, yes!”
“Let’s go, everyone!”
And so, if Ihyeon were to see it, another incident that would make him lose his mind and jump out of his skin was unfolding right at the club near his home.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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