Chapter 146: Hive Removal (3)
“I thought it’d be useful going forward, so I decided to properly set it up.”
Seok Gimyeong said with a satisfied expression. The place he’d set up was none other than the room I had used during the Hong Kong kidnapping incident. It had been turned into a sort of operations room.
The entrance was replaced with a mini-portal, and the walls were plastered with soundproofing and security features. On top of that, it was equipped with facilities for meals and rest, in case we needed to stay holed up for a few days. There were also various other pieces of equipment, but aside from easily recognizable items like computers, I had no idea what most of it was for.
“You seem to be having a lot of fun with this. And when exactly did you manage to get another mini-portal?”
“I had a spare one. To be honest, I find this kind of work far more entertaining.”
Seok Gimyeong said, pushing up his glasses—which didn’t even have prescription lenses. What’s with everyone suddenly wearing glasses lately?
A little while later, people from Sesung arrived. One was a man carrying a briefcase, and the other was a woman in her mid-to-late forties leaning on a cane. Her cane had a sleek black shaft with silver patterns etched into it. The tip, which touched the ground, emitted a faint light at regular intervals, suggesting it was no ordinary cane.
“Ms. Min Jisoo is visually impaired.”
The man explained first, and Min Jisoo spoke, turning to face us directly.
“Hello, everyone.”
Her gaze moved unerringly, first to Yuhyun, then to me, and finally to Seok Gimyeong. Her ability to pinpoint us without hesitation was likely due to the cane’s power. It must have been a dungeon item.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Min Jisoo. I’m Han Yujin.”
She smiled brightly in my direction.
“I’ve heard about you from Mr. Seong Hyunjae. He said you’re close.”
The words “Not at all” climbed all the way up to my tongue but were swallowed back down. Instead, I asked another question.
“You’re not part of the Sesung Guild?”
She had referred to the guild leader by name instead of his title. At my question, Min Jisoo nodded.
“I don’t have any special abilities other than my skill, so I just help out when needed.”
She introduced herself, explaining that she had lost her sight in her early thirties and awakened after being caught in an early dungeon break. She had discovered her skill while wandering among human and monster corpses. Publicly, however, it was only known that her skill allowed her to extract information from monster corpses.
“At first, I also thought that was all it could do. So, I occasionally got requests from the Hunter Association to investigate monsters.”
Then, one day, Seong Hyunjae had approached her, asking if she might be able to extract information from human corpses as well.
“Weren’t you hesitant? If the Sesung Guild Leader forced you into it…”
“No, not at all.”
Min Jisoo smiled warmly as she replied.
“Of course, I was uneasy at first. But I was more excited about having one more thing I could do. Especially something unique that others couldn’t. How could I not be tempted by that?”
She explained that having once faced a sudden wall where ordinary tasks became impossible, she now cherished the fact that people sought her out for something only she could do. She enjoyed being needed.
Still, she admitted that she had some reservations about delving into the memories of the dead, so she restricted her work to criminals who had caused harm to others. Her skill displayed information as text, like reading a novel, which minimized any mental burden. She also mentioned that not being able to see the actual corpses made the experience feel less real.
“But the real reason I accepted the proposal so easily was… well, Mr. Seong Hyunjae is incredibly handsome.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I touched his face, you see. It was perfect. I bet he looks even more attractive if you can see him.”
Well, I mean… yeah, he’s handsome, but still…
“Deciding based on just feeling his face and holding his hand seems a bit shallow, doesn’t it? Even if he’s good-looking, wouldn’t he still give off an intimidating vibe?”
“Oh, there was definitely a sense of danger. Without that, I’d probably have handed over my heart and soul. But when someone that handsome treats you kindly, who could resist?”
Min Jisoo laughed aloud, saying she would’ve packed up her things and moved into Sesung immediately if not for that. At least it seemed Seong Hyunjae and Sesung had treated her well. Considering the value of her ability, it was no surprise they’d thoroughly protected her and kept her skill hidden.
She mentioned that originally Haeyeon was supposed to send the corpse they wanted her to read, but this time, she had requested to visit in person.
“I wanted to meet you, you know—the most talked-about person these days.”
“The risk hardly seems worth it.”
Hearing myself described as “the most talked-about person” was a bit embarrassing. At her request to touch my face, I bent down slightly. Her touch was gentle and warm.
“And I’ve heard that this won’t be the last time we meet.”
“If we can maintain an ongoing relationship, it would certainly be a welcome and fortunate arrangement for us.”
Hopefully, we can avoid relying on Yerim’s skill for as long as possible—at least until she becomes an adult.
Min Jisoo, along with Seok Gimyeong and the Sesung hunter who had accompanied her, headed to the location where the corpse was being kept. Apparently, the hunter’s skill created a blur effect, making it harder for people to clearly recall Min Jisoo’s presence. It wasn’t quite invisibility, but it naturally made her less memorable to those around her.
“We should just ask her for help going forward.”
“Yerim wouldn’t like that.”
As we sorted through the documents together, Yuhyun commented.
“She’ll say, ‘Why use someone else when you have me?’”
“Yerim may have a related skill, but she’s at an age where she should be going to school and hanging out with friends, not doing things like this. Though, to be fair, it’s also the age when unusual activities seem more fun.”
Everything except studying must seem fun to her. Still, I can’t let her get too engrossed in dungeon raids. Is there some kind of hunter club for middle and high schoolers?
Before long, Do Hamin arrived and was promptly roped into helping organize the documents. As Seok Gimyeong had mentioned, we really needed to form a proper team or something—our manpower was lacking.
“As expected, a lot of the honey was sent overseas. Japan and China account for most of it… and this table here, hmm…”
“It’s a purchase and sales ledger, sir.”
Do Hamin explained.
“You know how to read these?”
“I used to run a shop, of course I do. A lot of hamster supplies are imported, you know. Overseas markets still offer more variety for now.”
He then went on at length about bedding materials, supplements, and whatnot. Since he knows so much, he can handle this for us. When I handed over the export and sales routes for him to review, Do Hamin made a face like he was about to cry. Truly, the gold hamster is a worthy investment. Recruiting him was a great move.
Even before my regression, Do Hamin had been walking a dangerous line as a black-market information broker, working efficiently among hunters. His knack for the job hadn’t gone anywhere. Still, this time, I need to make sure he’s protected so he can live in peace. He must’ve been distressed, giving up his beloved hamster shop and going into hiding for safety reasons.
The document sorting dragged along slowly, and about an hour later, Seok Gimyeong returned with Min Jisoo and her party.
“The person who hired the truck driver seems to be a hunter named Kim Junbae.”
“Oh, is it this person by any chance?”
Do Hamin held up a piece of paper.
“There’s a hunter with the same name in a small guild responsible for domestic honey transportation.”
“Let me see.”
Kim Junbae was D-rank and didn’t have any notable traits. Still, the odds of him being the same person were high. Even if he wasn’t connected to the truck driver, he’d been involved in the smuggling of dungeon byproducts, so we already had enough charges to go after him.
“Let’s start with this group.”
“Should we quietly send people?”
At Seok Gimyeong’s suggestion, I shook my head.
“Not quietly—we’ll go loud. This is a job for the Chief of the Awakener Management Office.”
“Wouldn’t going loud just make everyone involved hide?”
“They’ll be scurrying around like rats in a burning house. And we have Mr. Do Hamin to track them.”
By monitoring the movements of key suspects within the Association, we can pinpoint others connected to the honey smuggling ring. When a small guild with no real connection to the Association gets hit and panics, they’re bound to expose themselves.
Then, we can quietly send people to clean up the rest.
“…You said five or six people, but this is more than double that.”
Patting the sulking Do Hamin on the shoulder, I pulled out my phone.
“We should treat Mr. Song properly for his efforts.”
Not that he’d accept it, but I’d love to ask Myungwoo to prepare some S-rank gear for him. If only there was a way to get it to him.
The guild Dongju Rotary, where Kim Junbae was registered, was located in a quiet area on the outskirts, near the border between Seoul and Incheon. Was the guild named after its leader, Dongju?
“There’s no need for you to come this far, is there?”
Song Taewon narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at me after we got out of the car.
“This case is related to our side too. Crimes targeting hunters are often handled in cooperation with the guilds involved, aren’t they? Since this case involves Haeyeon, Hunter Kim Minui is here. But as for my side, since we’re not a guild but a hunter-related facility, there wasn’t anyone more suitable than me to come.”
I deliberately sighed as if lamenting a lack of manpower. Although, to be fair, we really were understaffed. Most of the staff at the breeding facility and the building weren’t technically my employees. I’m just the landlord.
“What about Hunter Noah?”
“Noah is busy with other work.”
Noah was on standby, ready to capture anyone who might flee upon hearing about the raid. With his stealth and mobility, Noah was far too valuable to send on something like this. While he’s a support type in dungeons, outside of them, he’s arguably one of the best hunters around. Especially when working with Do Hamin, they form a perfect trio of stealth, mobility, and information gathering.
Quick, discreet, and precise target acquisition—it’s so convenient I almost feel guilty about it.
“With our reliable Hunter Kim Minui here, you don’t need to worry. I’ll just quietly observe. Besides, with Mr. Song leading the way, this will probably be over in no time.”
I said, grabbing Yuhyun—who was currently in his Kim Minui disguise—by the arm. Song Taewon glanced at Yuhyun for a moment before nodding, as if resigning himself to the situation.
“Secure and block the escape routes.”
At Song Taewon’s signal, the hunters who came with him moved into position. They weren’t from the Association but from the Awakener Management Office. Though their numbers were small, they were all mid-rank or higher combat hunters, more than enough to handle a small guild.
The rest of the team spread out to their assigned positions while Song Taewon alone approached the building’s entrance. The only issue would be escapees—anyone foolish enough to confront him directly would be dealt with easily. In fact, being alone might make it easier for him to avoid friendly fire.
He pressed the doorbell, but no response came. The lights visible through the window were suddenly turned off in a panic. They must’ve recognized his face on the camera and decided to run.
CRACK
Song Taewon grabbed the closed door and ripped it open as if tearing through paper. His silhouette disappeared into the dark interior.
“This is… breaking and entering—!”
The shout didn’t last long. Instead, the sound of something breaking echoed through the building.
“How long do you think it’ll take?”
“Under three minutes.”
Yuhyun answered, scanning the building up and down with his eyes.
“There are nine people in total—five downstairs and four upstairs, who seem to be hurriedly handling something.”
“How can you tell all that?”
“If their movements are big enough, you can catch it even without focusing. The five downstairs… they’re done now.”
There was another loud bang, like a heavy door being smashed, followed by what sounded like a scream. Then, silence fell.
“Has it been about two minutes?”
The four upstairs likely had time to send out a warning. Fortunately, it seemed the message had gone through, as my phone started ringing.
[They’ve started moving.]
It was Seok Gimyeong. At the same time, the lights in the building, which had been turned off, began to flicker back on. The hunters blocking the escape routes moved inside, handcuffing the subdued criminals. When we climbed to the second floor, we saw Song Taewon standing in front of an open safe. There was a faint trace of blood on the gloves covering his hands, but there were no visible signs of a struggle otherwise.
“You’re not hurt, are you?”
“…I’m fine.”
Of course, he’d be fine, but still, I had to ask. Even though it was just some small fry and amounted to light exercise for him, a fight was still a fight. The aura around him felt a bit intimidating. Swallowing hard, I approached the safe.
“Don’t touch anything.”
“Don’t worry. By the way, Mr. Song, there are some unclaimed items here. Would you be interested in—”
“No.”
The response came back immediately, firm and final. Among the items I’d picked up in Hong Kong, such as Magos’s Shawl and other minor gear, I’d given the knives to Yuhyun and some equipment to Yerim. Since you could only equip so much on your body and items needed to fit specific traits, there were still plenty left over.
Since I got them for free, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to consider them unpriced and offer them to Song Taewon, but maybe that’s too much of a loophole. Strictly speaking, they were technically stolen goods, after all.
“Alright, then. If I find some good items in the future, I’ll sell them to you at a discount. How about that?”
“Excessive discounts are also against the law.”
…Should I just go dungeon raiding with him so we can share rewards directly? But first, we’d have to amend the public service hunter contract terms. They really should allow public hunters to keep personal items! That needs to change, no question.
I even offered to buy him dinner, but he turned that down as well. Dealing with public officials is such a hassle.
“It’s fine! There’s no proof connecting Dongju Rotary to us!”
A middle-aged man spoke confidently to the phone in his hand, though his expression betrayed his anxiety. The small guild responsible for transporting honey from the breached dungeon had been tracked down far too quickly. It meant their opponent’s information network was no joke.
“…Still, just in case, erase every trace of evidence as quickly as possible.”
Hanging up the call, the man hurriedly left his house. He drove to a villa registered under someone else’s name. Inside this villa was a safe where he stored illegal dungeon-related contracts, magic stones, and items he had received in exchange.
‘There’s no way they’ll find this place.’
Still, better to get rid of it. No, it’d be a waste to destroy it—better to relocate everything instead. This villa had been used too often, increasing the risk of being discovered. As he stepped inside, he didn’t even bother turning on the lights. He rushed to the hidden safe behind the living room wall and opened it.
CRASH!
“What—what’s going on?!”
The living room window shattered, and the man froze in shock. Before he could react further, an unseen hand clamped over his mouth.
“Quiet.”
A smooth, pleasant voice spoke, but it carried a chilling weight that froze the man in place. He couldn’t even move to struggle against the invisible pressure.
The unseen figure spoke again.
“Got him.”
[A car has been dispatched to your location. The next target is—]
With a faint fluttering sound, like wings, the man’s body lifted off the ground.
–TL Notes–
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