The Automatic Rooting Range Is Too Wide - Chapter 209

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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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Auto Looting Range Too Wide Episode 209

Episode 209: Class 3 Candidate (1)

When we arrived at the 1st Floor, everyone in the group shared the same thought.
‘There are far too many of them.’
The number of enemies here exceeded double that of the other floors.
‘Is it because the Police and Awakened can only enter through the 1st Floor?’
Of course, there were other passages like the underground parking garage and rear exits.
But the 1st Floor’s main entrance was the only place where large numbers could enter simultaneously with ease.
It seemed Kim Taek-su had concentrated his forces here on the 1st Floor for that reason.
‘Though that’s just speculation. They don’t seem like the type to plan things meticulously.’
The Gakgwon-hyeop’s plan had far too many holes in it.
They’d occupied such a massive building like a department store while leaving the security room unguarded.
Their intent was crystal clear—all they cared about was securing the hostages.
“What’s your plan?”
“Should we start now?”
Two men asked Mincheol.
Up until now, Mincheol had been able to suppress the Gakgwon-hyeop smoothly in large part thanks to these two.
Though they weren’t particularly skilled for Awakened, they possessed courage that set them apart.
“I’ll handle the 1st Floor alone.”
But Mincheol shook his head.
It wasn’t that he distrusted them. It was simply too dangerous.
There were too many enemies on the 1st Floor for even me to suppress in one go.
If stray bullets caught either of them, it would be catastrophic.
I could endure it, but they couldn’t.
“You’re saying you’ll handle all of them alone?”
Park Min-ji asked with a worried expression.
Mincheol explained in a calm tone.
“The enemy numbers are too great—it’s dangerous. Besides, the reason I’ve needed help until now was to avoid detection.”
Now only the 1st Floor remained.
The conditions for me to act freely had been met.
Of course, rescuing the hostages came first.
“Then I’ll be back shortly.”
Mincheol draped the Cloak of Silver Veil around himself and walked down the escalator.
Moving with feline grace, I approached the hostages.
Men, women, and children.
The hostages huddled together in one spot, trembling with fear.
The Awakeners from the Gakgwon-hyeop surrounded the area in a tight formation.
“See this watch? It costs twenty million won!”
“Disgustingly expensive. That’s my entire year’s living expenses.”
“Look at this bag too. It’s a new Doutchi piece, apparently. Thirty million won! But they say it’s sold out everywhere.”
The Gakgwon-hyeop Awakeners were excitedly chattering away while examining the luxury goods they’d stolen from the designer section.
‘I need to get closer.’
That’s when Mincheol took another step forward.
Suddenly, his eyes met someone else’s.
It was Kim Taek-su, the leader of the Gakgwon-hyeop.
At first, I thought it was mere coincidence.
But as Mincheol shifted to the side, Kim Taek-su’s gaze followed.
“Ha!”
Kim Taek-su burst into laughter.
The tattooed Bald Man’s face wrinkled with amusement.
“A little rat has snuck its way in!”
Kim Taek-su threw a punch toward empty air.
Boom—
With the sound of air being struck, something came flying at me.
Mincheol removed the Cloak of Silver Veil and swept his left leg upward.
Crash!
The Commander’s military boot collided with the wind force, and a thunderous explosion erupted.
“Gasp, what? What’s happening?”
“Someone just appeared from nowhere!”
Everyone gathered on the 1st Floor spun around in shock, staring at Mincheol.
Some of them recognized his identity.
“A black mask? It’s the Butcher! The Butcher has appeared!”
“Why is the Butcher here? More importantly, how did he even get into the Department Store?”
The 1st Floor erupted into chaos in an instant.
Mincheol lowered his extended leg and spoke.
“Impressive that you sensed me.”
I spoke calmly, but internally I was astonished.
‘He pierced through the Cloak of Silver Veil so easily?’
There had been times when I was discovered by Seol-aeng’s Awakeners, but they had been using detection items.
However, Kim Taek-su had sensed my presence using only his own senses, without any such tools.
He was undoubtedly a formidable figure, despite being merely a Grade 3 candidate.
“To think I’d meet a celebrity in a place like this.”
Kim Taek-su examined Mincheol with evident interest.
“I suppose this is what people call fate. Butcher, I won’t waste words. Join the Gakgwon-hyeop!”
The sudden proposal caused Mincheol’s head to tilt to one side.
“What nonsense are you spouting.”
“Butcher, have you ever considered it? That Awakened possess far too few rights relative to the power they wield?”
Mincheol’s head tilted further.
“Humanity has witnessed the revolution of the Awakened! Yet rather than honoring us, humanity cowers in fear and schemes only to oppress us! Imposing endless regulations in the process!”
I’d heard this logic before.
Searching my memory, I recalled the Crimson Arena.
It was something Cheongchul, the administrator there, had once told me.
“Our Gakgwon-hyeop was founded to resist such oppression! Our goal is to build a society where Awakened can exercise their rightful privileges!”
“Yes, I heard you.”
My voice was listless.
It wasn’t a feigned tone. I genuinely held no interest in Gakgwon-hyeop’s ideology.
Nor did I harbor any intention of persuading them otherwise.
I felt no need for it, and possessed no confidence I could succeed.
I was no silver-tongued orator, after all.
“It seems you have no intention of joining us. A pity. Such a talented Awakened, yet domesticated like a society dog.”
Kim Taek-su sighed and shook his head slowly.
“Then I have no choice but to dispose of you!”
In that instant, two men materialized on either side of me.
Gakgwon-hyeop’s Awakened had concealed themselves with concealment skills and closed in.
“Die!”
The two men swung their longswords.
But I already knew they were approaching.
Superhuman perception.
Thanks to that heightened sense, I couldn’t ignore it even if I tried.

【’Black Horn Bullet Form’ activates.】
【Consumes ‘140’ mana.】

I pushed off the ground and leaped high into the air.
A sword slash grazed past beneath my feet.
The moment I evaded the attack, I twisted my waist and swung my leg in a wide arc.
‘Left side first.’
My kick tore through the air and struck the unnamed man’s head with brutal force.
Crash—
With a deafening sound, the man flew backward.
“Huh? Wh-what?”
The remaining unnamed man’s face twisted in shock and confusion.
My waist rotated once more.
Crash!
The man on the right also took a blow to the head and flew backward.
Both men who had suffered the black horn strike technique lay unconscious, blood streaming from their noses and ears.
‘I controlled my strength, so they shouldn’t be dead.’
They were barely clinging to life, but I wasn’t concerned with such niceties.
As long as they weren’t dead, that was what mattered, wasn’t it?
I lifted my head and looked at Kim Taek-su.
Kim Taek-su’s jaw hung open, and he seemed unable to close it.
“…U-uh-haha! Truly, you possess remarkable skill!”
Then he suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
“Ah, that was merely to test your abilities! I-I already knew they wouldn’t die at this level!”
I stared at him with an expression of disbelief.
No matter how I looked at it, his ambush had failed, and now he was desperately trying to save face.
“It seems I must step forward myself!”
Kim Taek-su walked forward.
The muscles exposed beneath his torn clothing rippled menacingly.
Kim Taek-su was considered a Grade 3 candidate criminal.
Given that he had seen through the silver cloak’s concealment, his abilities were clearly formidable.
Of course, I was confident in my own strength.
I had grown considerably stronger after experiencing so much recently.
The problem was the hostages.
‘I need to rescue the hostages first so I can fight with peace of mind.’
As I glanced at the hostages with that thought, Kim Taek-su spoke with a sneer.
“Don’t worry! I’m not some petty coward who would harm hostages! I’ll fight fairly and squarely!”
‘But you’ve already taken them hostage….’
I swallowed the retort that rose to my lips.
What was this man talking about, having occupied the Department Store and taken hostages from the start?
“And regardless of whether there are hostages or not, you cannot defeat me!”
“What nonsense are you spouting now?”
“What nonsense are you about to spout now?”
“Nonsense? I speak only the truth. You can see it for yourself by looking at those fools.”
Kim Taek-su pointed at Su-ha, who had been sent flying after taking a hit from Mincheol.
“You held back your strength to avoid killing them, didn’t you? Showing mercy to those who’ve become your enemies! It’s pathetically weak!”
Mincheol’s brow furrowed.
This too was something he’d heard before.
From an opponent he’d fought in the Crimson Arena.
“The most crucial element in combat is mental fortitude! Did you really think you could defeat me with such a lukewarm, half-hearted resolve?”
Kim Taek-su clenched his fist.
In that instant, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. A sharp killing intent cut through the air and reached Mincheol.
He certainly had the right to speak of mental state.
Simply by taking his stance, he was radiating such a vicious murderous aura.
Such killing intent couldn’t have been cultivated by chance.
I could roughly sense what kind of life Kim Taek-su had lived.
“I don’t understand.”
Mincheol let the words slip out carelessly.
“What’s there to be proud of in being accustomed to murder?”
I’d never once considered myself a moral person throughout my life.
Yet I felt an instinctive rejection toward Kim Taek-su’s ideology, which crossed the line.
“How naive. Far too naive. That must be why you rejected my proposal! As an adult, let me show you the reality of….”
My body shot forward.
With each step that struck the ground, the distance closed in an instant.
It felt as though space itself was folding.
“Impossible!”
Kim Taek-su reacted without hesitation.
He threw a punch to match Mincheol’s speed.
Bang!
It was no ordinary punch.
Something exploded from his elbow, and the speed suddenly accelerated dramatically.
But a merely fast attack wouldn’t work against me.
From the moment Kim Taek-su clenched his fist, everything had already been read.

【’Black Horn Bullet Form’ is activated.】
【Consuming 140 mana.】

Mincheol drove his foot hard into the ground.
I closed the remaining distance in a single bound. Simultaneously, my waist twisted.
A horizontal sweep kick knocked aside Kim Taek-su’s fist.
Like a man struck by a car, Kim Taek-su’s fist flew back violently.
“You… you bastard!”
Kim Taek-su hastily attempted to swing his other fist.
But there was something Kim Taek-su didn’t know.
A black crescent kick doesn’t end with just one strike.
My waist rotated once more.
A follow-up barrage.
A diagonal descending kick slammed into Kim Taek-su’s head.
Crash—
Like a nail struck by a hammer, Kim Taek-su’s head was driven into the ground.
His face shattered the tile as he was buried deep.
Spider-web cracks etched across the entire floor.
“Listen up, grown man.”
Mincheol looked down at Kim Taek-su with cold eyes and spoke.
“Mental state, killing intent… it’s all meaningless. The strong are simply strong.”

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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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