The Regressed SSS-Rank Supporter Who Turned Dark - Chapter 77

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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 77
Baek Do-hyuk didn’t even blink.
He was a 7-star Hunter.
There was no way a being who had transcended human limits could be wounded by a mere phone exploding.
“The Defense Strategy Department raided Golden Sun. Ha. How amusing.”
A murderous smile played at the corners of Baek Do-hyuk’s lips.
“I wouldn’t have thought they had the resources for that in times like these.”
Baek Do-hyuk’s eyes narrowed.
Contrary to appearances, the Defense Strategy Department was a far more precarious organization than one might assume.
Inherent limitations and various structural flaws.
And given South Korea’s current situation, it wouldn’t be remotely surprising if they collapsed at any moment.
At least, that’s how it appeared to Baek Do-hyuk.
Of course, as the master of one of South Korea’s five great clans and a 7-star Hunter, his perspective was naturally broader than that of ordinary people.
“What on earth was the old man thinking when he pulled such a stunt?”
Baek Do-hyuk muttered to himself, recalling Minister Ahn Guk-seon.
“I should have killed him back then.”
In those few words lay long-festering regret and murderous intent intertwined.
“Yes, that bastard deserves to die….”
Baek Do-hyuk murmured, turning his head.
His gaze fixed on the man suspended in the center of the swimming pool.
“Chairman! Please!”
Baek Do-hyuk reached out toward the man.
Just as his fingers clenched around empty air—
Splat!
Thud! Thud!
Fragments of the man’s flesh and blood cascaded onto the water’s surface.
“…It’s cleaner when you kill them at the right time.”
Baek Do-hyuk’s ether gradually dissipated.
“Gasp, gasp!”
“Ahhhhh!”
The beauties in bikinis finally released their pent-up breath, sobbing.
Baek Do-hyuk paid them no mind and reclined on the sunbed once more.
Whoosh.
Without hesitation, the beauties resumed massaging him as if they’d rehearsed it.
“I’ve received their favor. Now, how should I repay it….”
As Baek Do-hyuk lost himself in thought—
His subordinates, clad in black suits over rubber work gear like fishermen, entered the pool with nets in hand.
They began fishing out the floating fragments with their nets.
* * *
“Show me the way.”
“This, this way, sir. Ugh.”
Yeom Taek-su guided Eun-sung toward the vault.
“Nngh. Nnngh.”
Smack!
Eun-sung struck the back of Yeom Taek-su’s head as he whimpered.
“Kwaack!”
A pig-like squeal erupted from Yeom Taek-su’s mouth.
“Walk quietly. You’re irritating.”
“I, I’m sorry.”
“A man can’t even endure that?”
“No, I can endure it… I can.”
Yeom Taek-su wanted nothing more than to hurl curses at Eun-sung.
‘You bastard! I hope your arms get cut off too! Damn it!’
But those words never escaped his lips.
“This, this way.”
Yeom Taek-su led Eun-sung to the deepest chamber of the secret room.
A massive circular iron door.
A vault straight out of a movie.
“How do you open it?”
“I can open it.”
“You can?”
“…”
“What’s with that expression?”
“Oh, no, nothing.”
Yeom Taek-su frantically waved his remaining hand in denial.
“Originally only Tae-il hyung… no, only that bastard Gu Tae-il could open it. But since I manage the establishment, I’ve had to access the vault frequently…”
“Forget it. Just open it. I’m not curious.”
“…Yes.”
Yeom Taek-su approached the vault and sequentially registered his face, iris, and voice on the wall panel.
Finally, he brought his severed arm to the scanner.
Beep!
– Biometric information does not match.
Beep!
– Biometric information does not match.
Yeom Taek-su turned to face Eun-sung.
“It’s not working.”
“Is it because it’s severed?”
“That must be it. Haha, hahaha…”
“Then reattach it.”
Eun-sung drew the [West Wind] card and infused it with ether.
Whoooosh!
A healing wind enveloped Yeom Taek-su.
His severed arm snapped back onto the stump where the tourniquet was applied.
“Huh?”
Yeom Taek-su was startled beyond measure.
His severed arm had reattached as if it had never been cut.
“It… it worked?”
Yeom Taek-su flexed and clenched his hand repeatedly, still unable to believe it.
“Try again.”
“Yes!”
Yeom Taek-su eagerly inputted his biometric data once more, and finally placed his palm against the scanner to register his fingerprints and veins.
Click!
Creeeeak!
With a heavy metallic sound, the enormous vault door swung open.
“It’s finally open…”
Snap.
“…What?”
Thud.
The reattached arm fell away.
Gush!
Crimson blood poured out in torrents.
“Ugh, uuuuugh!!!”
Yeom Taek-su collapsed with a cry of agony.
“W… why!”
Yeom Taek-su glared at Eun-sung with resentful eyes.
“Why, why again…?”
“It’s open, isn’t it?”
…
Drip…
Tears streamed down Yeom Taek-su’s face like drops of rain.
Eun-sung didn’t spare him a glance.
His attention was fixed solely on the vault’s interior.
“Just how much…”
Half fury.
Half awe.
“…did they accumulate?”
Complex murmurs escaped from Eun-sung’s lips.
The Nine-Tail Crew’s vault was… astounding.
I couldn’t even fathom the total amount of stacked cash piled within.
Bundles of fifty-thousand-won notes, a hundred bills per stack, were arranged in towering piles—easily reaching hundreds of billions of won.
On one side sat hundreds of one-kilogram gold bars, while elsewhere luxury watches from various prestigious brands and expensive accessories were displayed by category.
Though low-grade, various Etherium were stored by type—anywhere from dozens to hundreds of each kind.
There were also dozens of various items and runes.
The unfortunate part was that most of these items and runes required appraisal—they were all unidentified.
In truth, items and runes of higher grades almost always required appraisal.
The problem was that appraisal fees were astronomically expensive.
The higher the grade of the item or rune being appraised, the steeper the cost—some were literally priced at whatever the appraiser demanded.
“Yeom Taek-su.”
“Yes….”
“Why are all the runes and items unidentified?”
“Any runes or items that don’t require appraisal are submitted to the Incheon Alliance, so that’s why. Ugh.”
“Right. Appraising unidentified runes and items would cost more than they’re worth, wouldn’t it?”
I nodded in understanding.
It made sense now—even Gu Tae-il, the leader of the Nine-Tail Crew, seemed broke, and it was clearly because of these mandatory tributes.
“Godfather didn’t establish his kingdom on Yeongjong Island for nothing, that’s for sure.”
I nodded, thinking of Baek Do-hyuk.
The Incheon Alliance, despite its name, essentially controlled the entire western Gyeonggi region.
Gimpo, Bucheon, Siheung, Gwangmyeong, and Ansan.
Everything west of the Seobu Expressway and the West Coast Expressway in the Seoul metropolitan area belonged to the Incheon Alliance’s territory.
The Cross Clan in Gimpo.
The Nine-Tail Crew in Bucheon.
The Black Dragon Gang in Siheung.
The Express Clan in Gwangmyeong.
The Slag Crew in Ansan.
Every criminal organization controlling each city was a subordinate organization of the Incheon Alliance.
‘This has to be worth at least 500 billion won.’
With that thought, I pulled out a stack of cards from my deck.
[You have acquired cash.]
[You have acquired gold bars.]
[You have acquired Etherium.]
…
[You have acquired an item (unidentified).]
[You have acquired a rune (unidentified).]
Etherium, ampoules, precious metals—all went into my inventory.
Anything with significant volume or weight.
The runes and items went into the cards.
“Huh?”
Yeom Taek-su’s jaw dropped.
Watching so much wealth disappear into a card was a sight that defied belief, even when witnessed with his own eyes.
“Let’s go.”
“Huh…?”
“I’m leaving.”
“W-where are you going…?”
I glanced back over my shoulder and replied.
“Home.”
“You’re really leaving…?”
“Well, if you’re done here, you should get going too. I’m not asking you to stay.”
“Then what about me…?”
“Figure it out yourself.”
I slipped out of the vault and closed the door behind me.
“If you can get out, that is.”
Boom!
The vault door sealed shut.
“That damn bastard….”
Yeom Taek-su’s curses spilled from his lips.
Beep.
“…?”
Beep, beep, beep….
“…!”
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep….
“Ah.”
A sigh escaped Yeom Taek-su’s lips.
“Damn it.”
KABOOOOOOOOM!!!
The explosion consumed Yeom Taek-su.
* * *
The Defense Strategy Department had kept Eun-sung and his group waiting solely for safety reasons, it seemed.
Thanks to that, I was able to head home the moment we left the hotel.
‘I need some rest.’
I decided to go home first and come back later.
The lockdown on the Bucheon Station Gate, which the Nine-Tail Crew had destroyed, would be lifted by then.
At least for a while.
“You’re free to return home once the helicopter arrives today, and we’ll contact you separately regarding the investigation. Oh, and.”
Lim Captain handed me a military-issued phone.
“The Minister will be calling you directly soon. So….”
“I’ll take it.”
I cut him off before the word “please” could leave his lips.
“Thank you for your understanding. Haha.”
Lim Captain offered an awkward smile.
“But….”
“Go ahead.”
“Did you happen to start smoking?”
“Pardon…?”
“There’s a smell. There wasn’t one before.”
“Ah, yes….”
Lim Captain answered with a somewhat strained expression.
“I quit for a while, but lately the work stress has been overwhelming, so I’ve picked it back up. Sigh.”
“I see. There’s a reason they say smoking isn’t about quitting—it’s about enduring.”
At Eun-sung’s words, the corners of Lim Captain’s eyes twitched slightly.
“You speak the truth. Ha ha. Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha….”
An awkward laugh spilled from Lim Captain’s lips.
It’s all because of you….
You reckless bastard….
“Then, I’ll see you next time.”
Eun-sung gave Lim Captain a slight bow and boarded the helicopter.
“Phew.”
Lim Captain exhaled a deep sigh and put a cigarette between his lips.
* * *
Whump whump whump whump whump whump—!
On the way back to Seoul.
Eun-sung sat perched on the helicopter’s railing, admiring the night cityscape.
Beside him, Choi Yu-ra’s expression looked utterly carefree.
Her dangling legs swayed in a rhythmic motion through the empty air.
– I feel like I can actually live now.
Choi Yu-ra’s voice came through Eun-sung’s headset.
“Relieved?”
– Yeah.
“That’s good.”
I said that, but honestly, it was somewhat unexpected.
Revenge wasn’t quite as exhilarating and cathartic as I’d imagined….
– I think it was just loyalty.
“What do you mean by that.”
– What would a naive young girl have known back then.
Choi Yu-ra reminisced about the past.
– I was just… just grateful. That person fed and sheltered me when I had nowhere to go. And never laid a finger on me. A thug, of all things. Pfft!
“….”
– At some point, I started thinking that repaying that person’s debt was my duty. That it was my way of honoring someone who stood by me during my darkest days.
“That’s understandable.”
– Anyway, I need to live my own life now.
A gentle smile bloomed across Choi Yu-ra’s lips.
– Ah, I should listen to some music.
Choi Yu-ra turned on a song on a whim.
Yonezu Kenshi’s “Lemon” flowed from the headset.
The gentle melody drifted through the night air.
Choi Yu-ra hummed along, still swinging her legs.
Eun-sung watched her in silence before quietly turning his gaze to the night sky.
Yes, that’s enough.
A faint smile spread across Eun-sung’s lips.

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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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