The Regressed SSS-Rank Supporter Who Turned Dark - Chapter 65
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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 65
The area surrounding Jungdong Station had long since become a wasteland due to the dimensional rifts that had ravaged it in the past.
Collapsed buildings leaned precariously against one another at odd angles, concrete debris scattered everywhere, and whenever wind whistled through the shattered windows, an eerie, mournful sound echoed across the desolation.
Since no reconstruction or recovery efforts had been undertaken, the vicinity of Jungdong Station had become the most eyesore region in all of Bucheon.
In a world like this, what meaning could reconstruction possibly hold?
Yet in the very heart of that ruin stood a single intact structure.
Central Tradium.
A mixed-use residential complex that had miraculously survived the dimensional rift catastrophe.
At its apex, in the penthouse, a decadent party was in full swing.
“Get a good shot of this.”
“Wait, the angle right now is insane.”
“Really? Hehe!”
Inside a foam-filled jacuzzi, beautiful women in bikinis laughed and chattered while taking photographs.
Empty champagne bottles rolled about, and scraps of paper dusted with colorful powder lay scattered everywhere.
Sticky music, the sharp sting of perfume, the reek of alcohol, and an overheated atmosphere all mingled together, creating a suffocating, oppressive heat.
“Heeey.”
A beautiful woman whose eyes had turned violet from Overdrive intoxication drooled from her mouth as she swayed listlessly.
No one paid her any attention.
“Kyaaah!”
“Give me another glass of champagne. Hiii.”
They were all intoxicated by Overdrive.
In that den of debauchery—reminiscent of Sodom and Gomorrah—there was a single anomaly.
A man with a diminutive frame, his back and both arms covered in faded irezumi tattoos.
Gu Tae-il.
A former internet broadcaster who, after becoming a Hunter, had founded the Nine-Tail Crew and effectively seized control of Bucheon.
“Get out of the way. I need to make a call.”
“Aw, oppa.”
“I said get lost.”
Gu Tae-il roughly shoved the clinging woman aside and picked up his phone.
Splash!
The woman plunged into the jacuzzi, but Gu Tae-il paid her no mind.
Crack!
Gu Tae-il’s hand pressed down on the woman’s head as she tried to emerge from the water.
Splash, splash!
– Yes, boss. I’ve got the call.
Yeom Taek-su’s voice came through the receiver.
“Where are you?”
– Uh, I’m currently…
Yeom Taek-su paused for a moment before answering.
– I’m in Sokcho right now, boss.
“Sokcho? What for.”
– I brought a woman along to get some fresh air for a bit. Thought I’d grab some soju and raw fish after a long time.
“Is Eulwang Beach dried up? You’re telling me you’re skipping the nearby sea and heading all the way to Sokcho?”
Gu Tae-il shot back as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
– W-well, the sea is different, isn’t it? The murky West Sea is nothing compared to the East Sea—the water’s clearer. And we’re planning to catch the sunrise at Jeongdongjin….
“You’re talking nonsense. Complete nonsense.”
Gu Tae-il cut off Yeom Taek-su’s words with a sneer.
“Your performance this month has been a disaster, and you want to take a vacation? Huh?”
– I-I apologize.
“How many units did you move this month.”
– Well. I believe I managed around forty.
“Forty? You think that’s something to brag about?”
– ….
“It’s not just about quantity. Don’t you understand that quality matters?”
– I’ll improve.
“What about tomorrow’s auction.”
– I’ve prepared everything without any issues. We have plenty of units, and the quality is respectable.
“Listen here. You know the high-ranking people are coming to tomorrow’s auction, right.”
– Yes, I’m aware.
“Then how can you leave your post? Huh? Don’t you realize we eat because those people cover for us?”
– ….
“I’m being nice about this—get back here by tomorrow evening at the latest. Understood?”
– Yes, boss.
“Fine. Since you’re already out there, enjoy yourself.”
– I’ll head back in.
After the call ended.
Splash!
The woman who had been forced underwater by Gu Tae-il thrashed about before going limp.
“Well, well.”
Gu Tae-il nudged the woman with the tip of his shoe.
She didn’t move at all.
Whether she’d passed out or drowned….
“Hey, clean this up.”
“Yes, boss.”
Muscular men in dark suits appeared and fished the woman out of the jacuzzi, dragging her away.
Thud.
A champagne bottle lying on the floor rolled across the ground after striking the woman’s head.
“Hey, come here.”
“Yes, oppa.”
Gu Tae-il pulled another woman into his embrace.
* * *
At the same moment.
“The auction is tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Then Gu Tae-il will show up too?”
“VIPs are scheduled to visit, so he’ll likely be there.”
“The timing works out perfectly.”
Eun-sung nodded at Yeom Taek-su’s response.
“What are you two whispering about?”
Choi Yu-ra furrowed her brow.
She had every right to be confused.
Without any knowledge of the Nine-Tail Crew, she couldn’t possibly follow the conversation between Eun-sung and Yeom Taek-su.
“This is something you need to see with your own eyes rather than hear about.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just tell me? I’ll find out tomorrow night anyway, right?”
“Fine. Forget it. I’ll just see it for myself.”
Choi Yu-ra pondered for a moment before answering.
She seemed hot-tempered at first glance, yet possessed surprising patience.
It wasn’t for nothing that she’d chosen to verify Jung Mu-jin’s true nature with her own eyes rather than blindly trust Eun-sung’s words.
“I guarantee you, it’ll be entertaining.”
“How impressive could it possibly be for you to say that?”
“Just wait and see. Whatever you imagine, it’ll exceed that.”
Crack!
Eun-sung seized Yeom Taek-su by the collar and demanded.
“Right? Isn’t that right?”
“Gack—!”
“I’m asking you.”
“Y-yes… that’s… right! Urgh!”
Yeom Taek-su’s face swelled crimson.
“Take it easy. Don’t kill the kid.”
“I won’t kill him.”
Whoosh!
Eun-sung hurled Yeom Taek-su into the cargo hold of the refrigerated truck.
Crash!
Thud!
Yeom Taek-su slumped against the cargo hold wall, limp.
Rumble!
Boxes burst open, and frozen mackerel cascaded down onto the unconscious Yeom Taek-su.
“We’ll grab Gu Tae-il tomorrow. For now, let’s finish what we started.”
“As you wish.”
Choi Yu-ra shook her head as if to say there was no stopping him, then climbed into the passenger seat.
“But do your parents know you’re doing this?”
“Of course they don’t.”
Eun-sung replied as if that was a ridiculous question.
“I hope they never find out, but eventually the truth will come to light.”
“You’re not thinking of living a quiet life?”
“How can anyone live quietly in times like these?”
“Fair point.”
“I’ll send them a message once the job’s done in the early morning. They worry so much….”
“Look at you, the dutiful son.”
“Of course. That’s what it means to be a good child.”
As Eun-sung spoke, he pressed down on the accelerator.
Vroom!
The decrepit engine screamed in protest as the truck hurtled into the darkness.
* * *
The Ojeong Industrial Complex was an urban industrial zone nestled in the heart of Bucheon, densely packed with mold manufacturing, metal processing, and food processing facilities.
But since Bucheon’s decline into slums, even that was ancient history.
Now most of the workers were foreign laborers from developing nations, and with them forming gangs of their own, the place had long since become a lawless wasteland.
Though truthfully, there wasn’t much difference anywhere in Bucheon these days….
Because of this, most factories had shuttered their doors, and the Ojeong Industrial Complex had lost its former glory, accelerating its decay day by day.
Nine Nutrition was located in the most remote corner of the Ojeong Industrial Complex.
About ten minutes remained until the destination.
Screech—Eun-sung brought the truck to a stop in a desolate area.
“From here, we’ll move by motorcycle.”
“You have a motorcycle?”
“Right here.”
Eun-sung drew a card from his deck and summoned the motorcycle.
“You’re loaded, aren’t you?”
Choi Yu-ra whistled in amazement.
She was a Hunter too.
She knew all too well that a motorcycle equipped with a high-output Eterium battery and coated with Eterium paint for stealth capabilities would cost at least tens of billions of won.
“I have money, sure.”
Eun-sung let out a dry laugh.
“And you’ve got hundreds of billions sitting in your account, don’t you?”
“I don’t.”
“You don’t?”
“I bought a house last year and got a yacht too, so I’m a bit strapped for cash these days.”
Hunters had a completely different scale when it came to spending.
For someone as well-known as Choi Yu-ra, it was hardly surprising.
Hunters made money easily enough, and with death always lurking around the corner, their spending habits tended to be extreme.
In fact, it was rare enough that corporate clan owners who doubled as clan masters were considered unusual cases.
“Hop on.”
Choi Yu-ra climbed onto the back seat of the bike and wrapped her arms around Eun-sung’s waist.
“We’re not even going that fast, and I’m perfectly balanced—why do you have to grip my waist like that?”
“S-so what if I hold on a little? Does it wear you out?”
“Yeah, it does.”
“Then just get going.”
“Ugh.”
Eun-sung’s brow furrowed.
It was because Choi Yu-ra had pinched his sides with both hands.
Whooom!
The bike glided silently toward the Nine Nutrition factory.
The bike was quieter than any electric motorcycle.
Whether due to the Etherium coating, the tires seemed to have a function that suppressed even the sound of contact with the ground.
“I never would’ve imagined Nine Nutrition was a drug factory.”
“Right?”
Choi Yu-ra chimed in as if in agreement.
Nine Nutrition was a food company that manufactured and sold protein supplements, various nutritional products, and chicken breast.
Since the CEO was Hwang Doo-hee, a former professional fitness athlete and hunter, the company had high recognition not only in the fitness industry but among the general public as well.
– Duu-ha! Hello, subscribers. Today I’ve come to our Nine Nutrition factory, and I wanted to show you how carefully we craft our products, what quality raw materials we use, and how much we prioritize hygiene and….
A YouTube video flashed through Eun-sung’s mind—Hwang Doo-hee in a white sanitary suit and mask, inspecting the Nine Nutrition factory.
Yet behind all that, he was partnering with the Nine-Tail Crew and manufacturing drugs at night.
“Predictably, he’s making supplements by day and Overdrive by night.”
“Why are you surprised? He’s just living up to his reputation.”
Choi Yu-ra spoke with a sardonic tone.
“Still, judging someone by their appearance…”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m saying, what’s so strange about a drug dealer making drugs?”
“Ah.”
Eun-sung nodded, understanding Choi Yu-ra’s meaning.
It was hardly a secret anymore that bodybuilders and fitness athletes used illegal anabolic steroids.
Though that didn’t necessarily mean he was a drug addict.
“Well, Hwang Doo-hee himself has been quite controversial…”
Vroom, vroooom!
Suddenly, rough engine sounds erupted.
It wasn’t just one bike.
Dozens of motorcycles were roaring toward them at high speed.
“…!”
Eun-sung urgently pulled the bike into a dark spot.
Vroom! Vroooom!
Thud-thud-thud!
Motorcycles of all varieties whizzed past Eun-sung and Choi Yu-ra.
Thanks to the stealth effect of the Etherium coating, they remained virtually invisible unless one was specifically looking for them.
“What are those guys?”
Choi Yu-ra furrowed her brow.
“Why are they all wearing Gaksital masks?”
The group that had rushed past them was uniformly adorned with traditional Gaksital masks.
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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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