I Got A Legendary Sniper Rifle - Chapter 317
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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 317
Ep. 317
The drive from Incheon Airport to Ijusi, where Ihyeon’s house was located, didn’t take long.
For Yunjung, who had experienced the vast expanse of the United States and all manner of remote regions where even decent roads were scarce, it felt like nothing more than a pleasant stroll.
Besides, modern vehicles with fully autonomous driving meant one could sleep during the journey if they wished.
Yunjung deliberately parked the car some distance from Ihyeon’s house and stepped out for a moment.
“…Now that I think about it, the land here was quite expansive.”
It was right next to the property where the house stood, yet Ihyeon’s house was nowhere to be seen.
‘Thirty-three hectares? Good heavens, the house itself wasn’t that large, so why is there so much land….’
Yunjung clicked her tongue at the sight of the fence that filled her entire view and the dense forest beyond it.
Typically, Rankers who cleared the Main Tower to that degree were eccentric individuals prone to all sorts of peculiar behavior.
Building separate houses for one’s parents and oneself on such expansive land was hardly surprising.
Just then, Yunjung’s phone rang.
The caller ID read ‘Kim Joji’.
Though the name might sound somewhat amusing, it was actually the command center of the External Special Operations Bureau under the United States Tower Conquest Division.
It was also the direct agency that issued orders to Yunjung.
“Yes, Joji. What’s the matter?”
When Yunjung responded in Korean, fluent English came back from the other end.
– Have you arrived at Ilgyeok’s house?
“Of course.”
– I see… We just received intelligence that Ilgyeok isn’t home at the moment.
“What?”
– It’s information from the Aegis Guild. Apparently, one of their Rankers went out with Ilgyeok to conquer an instant tower in quite a remote location.
“What… Then there was no need for me to come here today?”
– We’ve already purchased the closest available property on the market, so since you’re already there, why don’t you introduce yourself to Ilgyeok’s family? His parents should be home.
“Yes, well. I’ll give it a try.”
Yunjung’s style was one of freedom, unrestricted by superiors.
This operation too was conducted not by detailed orders from above, but rather by sharing a few key premises and having Yunjung request what she needed.
As long as Ilgyeok was recruited in the end, that was all that mattered, and Yunjung’s field instincts were exceptional enough to justify this approach.
Her request to secure a private residence near Ilgyeok’s house was part of such discretionary decisions.
Yunjung sighed softly, remarking that she’d arrived on an eventful day, and looked around to find the gate.
Fortunately, what appeared to be a gate was close enough to spot without moving the car.
“Is this really a gate?”
Even Yunjung, who had traveled to every corner of the world, had never seen a gate like this.
The pitch-black metal—though what metal it was made from remained a mystery—was etched with mysterious rippling patterns.
Atop the gate rose sinister blades sharp enough to shred flesh entirely if one were careless enough to climb over.
The fences surrounding it had a similar ominous quality.
Moreover, the strange mechanical device that appeared to be a doorbell was inscribed with characters Yunjung had never seen before in her entire life.
In fact, the fence and gate surrounding Ihyeon’s property were masterworks of the One-Strike Knight Order.
While equipping active defense systems like Suyeon’s house was unfortunately vetoed by Ihyeon, this level of security was deemed necessary for peace of mind when he was away.
The fence and gate crafted using the One-Strike Knight Order’s proprietary metal-working technique ensured that even ordinary wild beasts wouldn’t dare approach.
Monsters below the Orc tier were said to be no exception.
– …What’s written on the doorbell up there?
– Hehehehe! It says “Those who approach, be prepared!”
– Why would you write that in your own language?
– ?!
Even the doorbell’s inscription harbored such profound circumstances.
In truth, this work had been carried out around the time the Knights properly cultivated Ihyeon’s land, but since then Ihyeon had grown busy, and frankly, few people ever made their way out here, so it was simply left as is.
Planting large trees to prevent surveillance from outside the fence was something I wholeheartedly approved of, considering what transpired within the house.
Not only my parents, but regular visitors like Deokhuun and Suyeon were automatically detected and the gate would open for them, so there were no particular inconveniences.
In any case, because of all this, first-time visitors like Yunjung would—
“Something feels a bit eerie….”
Even those with considerable courage would sense a desolate atmosphere seeping from within the darkened surroundings.
It was the kind of ambiance you’d expect from a horror film’s grand mansion.
But who was Yunjung?
A former United States Tier 1 special operations member!
An exceptional operator who had extensively trained under various intelligence and investigative agencies including the CIA, NSA, and FBI!
With the social acumen honed through performing various covert diplomatic missions.
She was not the type to be frightened by mere atmosphere and retreat.
Yunjung confirmed the location of the house registered in her name that had just been transmitted, then pressed the doorbell without hesitation.
Diiing—— Doooong——
‘…Definitely bad taste. Absolutely.’
Even the doorbell chimed with an ominous sound like some ancient cathedral bell that might be unearthed.
Yet a response came surprisingly quickly from within.
– What’s that? What sound is that?
– Isn’t that our doorbell?
– We have a doorbell at our house?
– Good heavens, what kind of sound is this?
– I’ll have to ask the Vice Captain to change it later.
“…?”
The voices seemed to belong to a middle-aged man and woman, presumably Ilgyeok’s parents, and it was surprising that they also seemed unaware of how their own doorbell sounded.
– Who is this?
After a moment of confusion, the doorbell speaker nonetheless responded to the visitor.
Yunjung spoke with a remarkably harmless and cheerful tone.
“Ah~ Hello! I just moved to the neighborhood. I got a bit lost while walking around. Oh my, my legs are sore… I happened to see this wonderful house, so I thought I’d greet the neighbors.”
An immediate response came back.
– W-our house is wonderful?
– Should we let someone like that inside?
“…?”
The owners who questioned the mental state of someone who complimented their house!
Yunjung had no way of knowing the profound circumstances behind it, but regardless, it certainly sounded quite strange.
However, the response came back quickly this time as well.
– Please, come inside. Ah, and if you could wait there for a moment, we’ll guide you in.
Creak—
With that, the heavy iron gate opened with a loud noise.
Yunjung replied in her characteristically bright voice.
“Oh no~ Don’t trouble yourselves! I’ll just head inside, so please just open the gate for me!”
Even the United States, having obtained information through illegal channels, couldn’t pinpoint Ilgyeok’s specific trait.
However, based on information revealed so far and conversations with various administrative officials, it seemed almost certain that Ilgyeok belonged to the Dark Mage lineage.
After all, in a recent collaboration with Ilgyeok Logistics, Ilgyeok’s subordinate Undead Knights had transformed into delivery riders.
Moreover, their level was so extraordinary that even the United States’ most elite Dark Mage Rankers couldn’t begin to imagine it.
To command such Undead while possessing a different trait entirely?
How could such an absurd thing possibly exist?
So Yunjung believed that even if there were a few such Undead at Ihyeon’s residence, she could handle them well within her own capabilities.
Surely those knights who had been working as delivery riders weren’t still guarding the house now that they’d gone on a raid?
“Pfft~ As if that could be true~”
Yunjung burst into laughter at the empty air and waved her hand dismissively.
No matter how extraordinary Ilgyeok was, there were limits to growth that couldn’t be overcome.
Even a Dark Mage with power beyond common sense had boundaries.
To utilize Undead like that, you’d need at least over a hundred of them, but this wasn’t a fantasy novel—what kind of ridiculous nonsense was that?
With such thoughts, Yunjung pushed through the dense forest at the entrance of the gate with light, cheerful steps.
Meanwhile, sensing that Yunjung would likely enter without waiting for them, Minjeong and Donghoo inside the house exchanged worried expressions.
“What should we do? What if the lady just comes in?”
“Dad, you have to go save her quickly.”
Unlike Yunjung, Minjeong and Donghoo knew very well what the One-Strike Knight Order had done while cultivating this area.
They were fine since they were firmly imprinted as the Master’s, but Yunjung, who was unmistakably a stranger, was bound to be in danger.
– Ahahaha! Even if a monster breaks through the fence and enters, there’s no problem at all!
– Why is that, Vice Captain?
– Well, the crops we’re cultivating are creatures that have undergone evolution in the harsh Tower. If it were just one or two roots, that would be one thing, but if we spread them all over this wide area…
The Vice Captain’s words from back then, when he was showing Donghoo and Minjeong around every corner, were still vivid in their minds.
– Even an Ogre would be trapped and eventually discovered as a corpse.
– …
Minjeong and Donghoo didn’t know how powerful an Ogre was as a monster.
But they also had no idea that Yunjung was a Hunter.
They were simply worried that she, knowing no fear in this world, might wander through the yard and perhaps trigger something.
Of course, when visiting a neighbor’s house to greet them, people rarely came thinking about what they should fear.
In any case, the dense forest near the gate ended surprisingly quickly.
Yunjung tilted her head and spoke.
“Huh? The forest ends here?”
From the satellite photos, it looked like almost the entire property was covered in greenery, so she thought the forest would continue all the way to the house.
After pushing through roughly twenty meters of forest, the interior revealed itself to be completely different.
It felt as though there were essentially two separate barriers.
But when Yunjung caught sight of the landscape beyond, she gasped in wonder.
“Wow!”
Even in the United States, with its abundance of grand mansions, she had never seen anything quite like this.
The hedge trees stretched upward as if she’d entered a theme park, arranged into neat geometric squares.
With only the entrance left open to create a mystical atmosphere, the entire structure extended like a labyrinth.
Despite shouldering all manner of grueling tasks, or perhaps paradoxically because of it, Yunjung still retained the sensitivity of a girl—and this place captivated her completely.
“Hmm, they might actually be a decent person after all~”
Yunjung passed through the maze entrance with a light, bouncing step.
But perhaps because her guard had dropped.
*Squelch—gluck—*
Yunjung failed to notice that after she entered, the entrance was completely swallowed by the hedge trees on both sides, vanishing without a trace, their movements far too strange to be called merely botanical.
“Luluru~ I’ve never been here before, but a simple maze is nothing~”
Meanwhile, the maze interior continued to cater perfectly to Yunjung’s tastes.
Beyond the fragrant air, scattered throughout the maze were spacious clearings dotted with fruit-bearing trees—arranged so as not to feel claustrophobic.
Yunjung tilted her head at the sight of the appetizing fruits.
“But what kind of fruit is this?”
Having traveled the world extensively, she’d seen fruits from every climate—tropical, temperate, and frigid—but never this one.
It gleamed with a lustrous sheen, red at the bottom and purple at the top.
It resembled a plum but was the size of an apple, with a fragrance similar to mango.
That’s when it happened.
*Tap tap—*
“?”
Someone tapped her back from behind.
Yunjung wondered if the homeowner she’d spoken with earlier had come to greet her, and though puzzled, she turned around with a bright smile.
“Oh, hello? I’m…?”
But what was this.
There was nothing behind her.
Well, thinking about it logically, it made sense.
Unless Ilgyeok’s parents were Hunters of Ilgyeok’s caliber, there was no way they could evade Yunjung’s senses and position themselves at her back.
So who on earth was it?
*Shiver—*
Yunjung wondered if she’d simply imagined something, and with an exaggerated gesture, she plucked one of the fruits and took a bite.
*Crunch—!*
The flesh was remarkably sweet and firm.
Easily among the finest fruits she’d ever tasted.
“M-maybe it was just the wind. Yeah. It must’ve been the wind.”
Yunjung boasted that she’d have to buy a whole box of these fruits before leaving this distant land.
*Tap tap—*
“???”
In that very moment, I felt that strange sensation again—something tapping against Yunjung’s back!
This time, it was no illusion.
Yunjung’s head snapped around instantly to check behind her.
Whoosh—
“??!?!?!”
Impossibly, a single branch of the tree had descended to the height of her back, only to snap back into place in the blink of an eye.
“What… what is this?”
Yunjung rubbed her eyes vigorously.
So both times just now, it was the tree branch that had tapped her back?
To reiterate, even Yunjung, who had traveled to every corner of the world, had never witnessed anything like this before.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-TAP—!!!!!
“Kyaaaah!”
But she had no way of knowing that this moment marked the true beginning of her nightmare.
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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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