Laborer Mr. Kim Reaps Sweet Rewards with Auto-Hunting - Chapter 42

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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 42

‘Even if something comes up that we collide with, you mustn’t kill anyone. If possible, it would be better to avoid the collision altogether.’

Words the Manager had passed on as I was leaving.
I remember them clearly.

“Heh.”

So I had intended to resolve things peacefully….
That was the plan.
Truth’s Eye?
Just as I did with those bastards, if I mix in a little Magic, I can rehabilitate them.
But then.

“Follow the party’s orders and handle it.”

Between these words.
And the thick stench of blood that was far too heavy for just one or two people—my thoughts changed.

Right.
My Manager did say it.
That I mustn’t kill people.
Well then.

“It should be fine to kill beasts.”

Beasts that would only cause trouble if left alive.
How many have I killed roaming about.
The way they rush at me silently and all at once is almost amusing.
Not that it matters.
To Un Jang, it’s just laughable.

“I shall show you the power of Magic.”

As they say.
For beasts running wild without sense or reason, the rod is the remedy.
Now I shall bring down that rod.
With this great sorcerer’s Staff.

* * *

“No. This… what in the—”

The strange spectacle unfolding before his eyes.
An operative of the Chinese Special Operations Unit.
Zhang Jun’s eyes went wide.

Screech—, screech—.

A dream?
Yes.
It must be a dream.
There’s no way this could be real.
He tried desperately to deny it—.

Whoosh!

Blood splattered across his face snapped him back to reality.
Warm blood….
Looking toward where it came from.

“Agent 8….”

No.
What used to be Agent 8, he should say.
A person split in half couldn’t possibly still be alive.

“What in the hell….”

People torn in half?
By those creatures?

A wet sound.

“Agent 5 too….”

Operatives known only by numbers, no names.
Living as killing machines since birth.
And they’d all Awakened too.
Every single one had climbed past the 50th floor at minimum.
He’d heard that if all ten came together, they could match Hunters in the 60s.
Even the Manager himself had said so.

Slash—! Wet sound.

Bullshit.
Without exception, they were being split in half one after another, in perfect order.
What….
What about matching the Manager?

“Move! The target’s not even fighting back! Kill him!”

No time left for polite speech now.
They were all dying anyway.

“I told you—I would show you the power of Magic.”
“Magic, what….”

This madman.
Even as blood streamed down the Crescent Blade.
He insisted it was Magic till the end.
And yet.
It was Magic, all right.
Magic that turned ten into two in an instant.

Slash—!

Now one.
And the last one standing.
Only after Agent 3 was split in half.
Did the madman’s eyes finally turn toward Zhang Jun.

“Now then. Tell me. Who sent you?”

Zhang Jun.
Chinese Special Operations Unit.
Secrecy was survival.
Wouldn’t he have prepared for a situation like this?
Of course he’d prepared countless times.
But.

“T-the Ch-Chinese Special Operations Unit….”

The moment those inhuman, ice-cold eyes met his.
His mind went white.
Fear training? Torture resistance?
Those only worked against humans.
What could you do against a monster like that?

“Heh heh, a fine start. You’re quite perceptive. Now then, the next question: you mentioned the Chinese Special Operations Unit. Where is it located?”
“That’s….”
“Difficult? How about I help you speak more freely?”

I should prepare the Truth-Telling Magic.
A quiet murmur.
Hearing it, his skin crawled raw.
Every instinct screaming inside him.
This couldn’t happen.

“No! I’ll tell you everything!”

He had no choice.
He told him everything.
From the headquarters location to the membership roster.

“Much obliged.”

Then the monster.
Repeated the information a few times over, then turned his back.
Was he actually going to let him live?
Yes.
He’d spoken so obediently, shown such complete compliance—they’d surely—

“Well then. Be on your way.”

What?
Why the farewell all of a sudden—
Zhang Jun, operative of the Chinese Special Operations Unit.
Those were his final thoughts.

* * *

Un Jang, the elite Worker.
Eleven corpses lined up before him.
What would the Manager think if he found out?

“Heh heh, even if the Manager chews me out for this, I’d have no excuse.”

When he learned the truth, he wouldn’t let it slide.
The Manager Un Jang had observed these past few days was a man far removed from murder.
Perhaps.
He might be quite shaken by the fact that his blade had taken lives.

“Forgive me, Manager. But there are duties that must still be done.”

Protecting family and brothers.
That was Un Jang’s creed.
Then what of your family now?

The Manager.
And the other Workers.
If I can protect them, there’s nothing I won’t do.
Of course, Un Jang knows this too.

“Arthur, Robin. These two are stronger than the original Mage….”

But what good is that.
They’re too gentle of heart to stomach blood.
The young girl especially.
Still.
At least Todd, that bear of a creature, sees eye to eye with me. That’s a mercy.

The innocent nature of the other Workers.
It’s not a bad thing.
But.
To protect them, sometimes you have to witness blood.

“The Manager’s true identity.”

Un Jang knows it well enough from hearsay.
The whole world is searching for it, they say.
For now, it stays hidden well, but someday it will come to light.
Before that day comes, I must lay the groundwork.
With this power of Magic.

Creak—

“Hmm….”

Has its durability already given out?
The Staff in his grip creaks under the strain.

“A good Staff would be nice to have….”

Rani, was that her name?
Maybe I should ask her or the Manager about it sometime.
The weapons Arthur and Robin had been carrying.
They looked quite fine.

“I’ve done what I came to do, so I should be heading back now.”

Since the payment came through, I can return without delay.
Convenient, isn’t it.
The original Mage is probably resting by now.
I’ll see you tomorrow.
Manager, and the rest of you Workers.

Whoosh!

* * *

Kim Sun Woo, Guild Master of Truth’s Eye.
Current location.
The Guild Master’s office.
He fidgets with his ankle repeatedly, letting out a sigh of relief.

“Stop touching your ankle, sir. You’re starting to look creepy.”
“You think you know how I feel?”
“No, but why’d you agree to wear something like that in the first place?”
“I didn’t have a choice. It was forced on me.”

I thought I was dead for sure.
Honestly, I still can’t figure out how I’m alive.

“So that thing really was a bomb?”
“I’m not certain. He said he used Magic to separate it.”
“Magic? What do you mean—”

I told him everything, prepared to die.
That it was the Chinese operatives’ doing.
At the same moment, the ankle bracelet began to burn.

“Everyone out!”

I’d shouted that, reaching to wrap my ankle—

“Heh, what an amusing trinket.”

With those words.
He tapped the ankle bracelet with the enormous blade he was holding.
And it was finished.
The bracelet that had been burning suddenly went cold.
Then it split cleanly in two.
He didn’t even tell me to throw it away.

“I’ll collect this later. I know someone who’d appreciate it.”

Who in their right mind would appreciate a broken bomb bracelet?
Regardless.
In that instant, he went from mysterious intruder to savior.
I spilled everything without reservation.
From the sudden ambush.
To being ordered to conduct surveillance through the bracelet.
And his response was?

“Heh, but that doesn’t mean you’re entirely blameless, does it?”

He was right.
Didn’t I know why the Chinese needed this information?
I did know.
I knew, and I was going to send it anyway—that makes me complicit.
Even if I was being coerced, that fact doesn’t change.
So.

“I’m truly sorry. Please, would you consider taking only my life to settle this?”
“Heh.”
“These other guild members are innocent. And Lee Min Guk—his mouth is shut tight enough that nothing will slip out.”

That’s right.
It was always a dead man’s life anyway.
I’d already made peace with it.
And when I heard the title Manager, I’d resolved it once more.
So.
The least a leader can do is pray to save the others.

“Please….”

Honestly, he hadn’t expected much.
Why spare someone when killing them outright was simpler?
He’d have destroyed them all.
Still, he held onto a faint hope.
He’d been holding his breath—

“Why don’t you come work under the Manager instead?”
“I’m sorry?”

What did that mean?

“Todd mentioned he needs a channel for gathering information anyway.”

Who was this Todd character?
Was there really someone who looked like a bear working under the Manager?
How many people did this operation have?
No, wait.
That wasn’t what mattered right now.
First things first.

“If you’ll only spare my life, I’ll dedicate myself to your service with my dying breath.”
“You’d be serving the Manager, not me.”
“Yes, sir!”
“You’ll need to report to him anyway. Come find me again when you’re ready.”
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
“Don’t forget the resolve you have now. If you do, you’ll taste my magic firsthand.”

And then he vanished.
As if he’d cast a spell to make it happen.

“Can that monster really find the Chinese operatives?”
“Probably.”

Kim Sun Woo nodded.
The Chinese operatives.
He hadn’t been able to find them himself.
But if that benefactor could…
He might actually catch them.
And beyond that, revenge.

“We’ll find out if we wait. He said he’d come back.”
“That’s true, I suppose…”

That resolve to give everything as long as his life was spared.
It was still burning.
And now, to work under that legendary Manager?
This was a glory for his family.
But then again…

“What kind of person is the Manager?”
“Well… his appearance seemed ordinary, but if he has a monster like that serving under him, doesn’t that make him a monster too?”
“True enough.”

Indeed.
So he casually clears S-Rank Dungeons.
And has someone like that beneath him.
God.
Just thinking back to when that man suddenly spoke from behind him, goosebumps ran down his spine all over again.

“By the way, is he really a mage?”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“And the way she just appeared, then vanished—and on top of that, what was it? A magic that compels people to speak the truth?”
“Oh, that.”
“Right. You experienced it firsthand. Tell me—what exactly is this magic that forces people to tell the truth?”
“Well, it’s like….”

* * *

“Hmm.”

Someone’s talking about me.
My ear’s itching.
I’m scratching at it absently.
In front of me, Rani is bouncing with excitement.

“Try this! It’s incredibly delicious! The meat just melts in your mouth!”
“Manager, can Arthur have some more?”
“……I, too…”
“Sure. Order whatever you want.”
“Excellent!”

The other workers are the same.
Absolutely thrilled.
And they have reason to be.
Escape rooms they’d only ever seen on TV.
A café.
Meat—more than three whole chickens per person.
Today is a total festival.

“Is it all delicious?”
“Yes! So delicious! The best thing Rani has ever eaten! But…it’s a shame the orc gentlemen and grandfather aren’t here.”

Right.
It should be delicious.
Do you have any idea how expensive this is!
And besides.

“It’s fine—we’ll pack plenty of meat to take back. I’ll call the orc gentlemen and Un Jang tomorrow and grill it for them.”
“Hee! That sounds great!”
“Manager, sir? Does Arthur get some too?”
“May I also have some, please?”

You kids.
You’re stuffing your faces right now as it is.

“……I, as well…, thank you.”

Robin.
What’s with that way of speaking all of a sudden?
These ones.
They’re learning all sorts of strange habits from each other—it’s going to be a real problem.

“What do you think Un Jang is doing right now?”
“Well, I just got a message that he clocked out, so he’s probably resting.”
“Ah, I see.”

Well.
I’ll find out what he did today when I call everyone in tomorrow.
Anyway.

“Rani can’t eat another bite!”
“I’m about to burst as well.”
“Todd’s belly’s bulging!”
“Arthur’s stuffed too!”

After grilling meat for so long, everyone had clearly reached their limit.

“Should we head home now?”

I’d been thinking about having another cup of coffee.
But we could just go.
Coffee, of all things.
Seeing their bellies like that, I couldn’t even think of water.
We packed up the leftover meat and arrived home.

As I opened the door.
A notification chimed.

[A Subcontractor enrollment request has been submitted.]
[Upon approval, new features will be unlocked.]
[Worker Dispatch]
– Office (Truth’s Eye)

What?
Truth’s Eye…?
Who are you?

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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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