BXBX NOVEL Chapter 12-16: Deception
I drove my car to an underground parking lot near the appointed place. I drove the car with a great deal of expertise.
Of course, I had a driver’s license. I only had it for 3 days.
My field of concentration and memory was superior to humans. Once I became accustomed to driving the car, it wasn’t that hard.
After driving for 20 minutes, I arrived at Suyu Station. Once I took Exit 3, there was the 2 storey Way Cafe where the appointment would take place. There was no place to park so I headed for a nearby paid parking lot.
I drew a lot of attention the moment I walked into the cafe.
“Celebrity?”
“Look. Really cool.”
I naturally heard the conversation.
My neat appearance also drew a good impression from the humans. My judgement wasn’t wrong. My appearance wasn’t lacking.
I experienced similar things several times in the Demon World. I only thought about getting stronger but it seemed like the Demon World had similar standards regarding beauty.
Indeed. Being a handsome man in the Demon World wasn’t that helpful.
They could live comfortably if they caught the eye of a strong female demon. However, that would eventually end. Once abandoned, they would never be seen again. Every last one of them was miserable.
Conversely, a beautiful woman was the strongest weapon itself. Some nobles highly valued the beautiful women in their harem. If they became sick then compensation would be given.
This was all unrelated to me...it was just idle thoughts.
I pulled out my phone and called a number. There were a few rings before the other person picked up.
-Hello?
A male voice. I asked carefully.
“Where is it?”
-Who?
“Randalph. Right now I am on the 1st floor of the cafe.”
-Ah, Randalph-nim. Come up to the 2nd floor.
I immediately climbed up the stairs. A man was waving his hand on the 2nd floor. There were a few people gathered around his table. Seven of them. It seemed like I was the latest.
The man put out his hand for a handshake and said.
“Nice to meet you. I am the leader, Yoon Hyuk-soo.”
I used Mind’s Eye to check Yoon Hyuk-soo’s status window.
Name: Yoon Hyuk-soo
Occupation Hero (Guarder) Title None
Stats
Strength 31 Intelligence 25
Agility 28 Stamina 33
Magic Power 27
Potential: (144/231)
Uniqueness: None
Skill: Smash (N), Track (N)
There wasn’t any specific potential.
Tracking skills were a bit unusual but it wasn’t a big deal when considering the nature of the Guarder.
I shook his hand and replied.
“Randalph Brigsiel.”
“Oh! Are you perhaps a returnee?”
My skin was too bright compared to South Koreans. It was natural to think that I was a returnee. He was also determining the ranks.
“That’s right.”
“Somehow that tone....anyway, you are very handsome. Is that why the women’s faces are turning red?”
Yoon Hyuk-soo slyly said as he turned his head. There were three women in the group. I turned towards them while avoiding their eyes.
“Pleased to meet you.”
“Now now. Just sit down.”
I sat down on the empty seat.
The atmosphere around the male members was a little uncomfortable. They were dressed in different clothes while I was the only one wearing a suit.
“Is it okay to enter the dungeon wearing a suit?”
One of the male crew members ended up saying. His eyes were glaring at me like I was the enemy. There was jealousy in that gaze.
I could understand the situation immediately. They were only looking at the female members of the crew. The pretty women wearing makeup! It wasn’t much but they were decent beauties. This jealousy wasn’t worth dealing with.
The air became tense before Captain Yoon Hyuk-soo laughed and said.
“Haha. Aren’t wer also going to change clothes? All the women here are wearing skirts. Come, let’s introduce ourselves. I am the leader, Yoon Hyuk-soo. As you know from the forum, my occupation is a guarder. You don’t have to worry about getting aggro on you. Nice to meet you.”
Yoon Hyuk-soo turned his head to look at another member. The man sitting on the right side who had been smiling from the beginning then talked.
“I am Kim In-pil. My job deals with command magic. I can control the body of kobolds or goblins.”
“Wah, there are also jobs like this?”
Everyone looked at Kim In-pil with surprise. I didn’t see anything about a command magician on the Awakened website.
“It is because my day job before this was an undertaker.”
An undertaker was in charge of funeral homes. In some cases, their job would cause special conditions when awakening.
But a command magician was certainly a rare occupation. The command magic could control dead bodies. I wasn’t remotely interested in it. I immediately checked Kim In-pil’s status window.
Name: Kim In-pil
Occupation Hero (Command Magician) Title Person who deals with Corpses (Ex N, Magic Power + 2)
Stats
Strength 16 Intelligence 14
Agility 13 Stamina 14
Magic Power 45 (+2)
Potential: (121/275)
Uniqueness: None
Skill: Body Control (N)
Uneven abilities. His physical abilities and intelligence was the worst but magic was very high.
Having high magic power wasn’t always good. All fights required stamina. They would collapse after using one or two of his strongest spells. So it was better to have it even instead of one stat too high.
I was somewhat unfamiliar with command magicians. I had seen specific professions like Shamans or Animal Guardians. But this was the first time I saw a command magician that dealt with corpses.
It was close to the ability of a demon. In fact, there were many creatures and demons with that ability. Of course, the skill was quite poor. At best, only a few kobolds and goblins could be moved.
‘Title.’
There was only one thing to praise.
Title.
The rating was low but I knew how hard it was to get a title. The Exceptional rating attached to the Normal title was the only thing I could praise.
“That’s great!”
The eyes of the women shone.
His occupation as an undertaker led to him becoming a command magician.
People dreamed of making a big fortune in the dungeons. So it wouldn’t hurt to follow a strong person.
“Hah. It’s not a big deal.”
Kim In-pil laughed. The undersized build and laugh made him seem like a dwarf.
The woman sitting next to the Awakened that caused an uproar then introduced himself.
“Lee Ji-hye. I am a magician that uses water skills. Nice to meet you.”
“Kim Su-hwan. A pleasure. Let’s do well.”
“Park Eun-taek....a thief.”
The brief self-introduction meant it was finally my turn. I opened my mouth as all eyes turned towards me.
“Randalph Brigsiel. I have a close combat occupation.”
It was an incredibly short self-introduction. And I didn’t even disclose my occupation. But it didn’t matter. Other people were also reluctant to disclose their information. All of them could understand it.
“Close combat occupations should have high strength or stamina. Do you have more than 30 points in the two stats?”
Yoon Hyuk-soo asked. He needed reliable information for the raid.
I replied positively.
“Both have more than 30 points.”
“Ohh. That is reassuring.”
Yoon Hyuk-soo said to the rest of the seven members.
“Once again. I am the leader, Yoon Hyuk-soo. The dungeon is scheduled to begin this evening so there will be a light briefing before that. Randalph-nim and Park Eun-taek-nim are both beginners.”
“Ha, beginners? Both of them? Even if this is a 12 people raid, isn’t that a little dangerous?”
“You don’t have to worry. I will draw the aggro. This isn’t a joke. I’m experienced enough that I’m confident I can handle any creatures in South Korea.”
“I thought it was weird that he came wearing a suit. I suppose I will believe Captain-nim.”
Kim Su-hwan gazed at me with a mocking look and laughed. He started off in a high position so he was filled with arrogrance.
Yoon Hyuk-soo started sweating.
I also knew the reason why Kim Su-hwan was acting like this. It was sad but a man still had an animal like nature. The external conditions were excellent but they still had an inferiority complex.
I inwardly sighed. If things continued then it could turn bad. The briefing lasted for 30 minutes and the atmosphere seemed to relax.
“Everyone. Shall we go eat? I know a good restaurant near here. The briefing can continue there. I will pay.”
“Wah! Captain-nim is amazing!”
In particular, the female members cheered warmly.
Now it was time for lunch. They were also hungry. The briefing was boring so they would rather eat.
Yoon Hyuk-soo had a large smile as he talked.
“Who brought a car? My car is a bit dirty and can only hold one other person.”
The men raised their hands. Four. There were enough cars.
“Then let’s drive our cars to the front.”
They were briefly dismissed. I shrugged as all the men looked confident. They were subtly check each other. It was the start of an invisible showdown.
The women thought this was fun as they followed behind and talked among themselves.
I walked slowly while checking their status windows.
‘This is nothing.’
I was disappointed as I checked the status windows. Today seemed like a basic raid. There was no one with potential.
But I needed to blend in and interact with them for a while. Eventually I would end up in a conflict with them. I would sweep through all of them from the bottom up. I would eventually find everything I need for my dungeon.
Now I needed to learn more about the human heroes. In that sense, Heaven’s Will was useless. They were affected by Kim Yong-woo and were nervous around me. The raids would already have a skewed framework. I was tired of those sort of raids from my previous life.
“......?”
I stopped for a moment.
A car had suddenly stopped in front of me. An open roof sports car. The stylish appearance made it seem quite expensive.
The man in the driver’s seat had a familiar face. He was one of the men seen in the cafe.
His name was Kim Su-hwan. The man who ruined the atmosphere.
“Did you fall well?”
The man laughed, revealing his teeth.
“I’ll go first. Come slowly. Or it is fine if you don’t come at all.”
The man then stepped on his accelerator.
Buuuong!
The engine made a loud noise as the blue sports car sped off.
“Hmm.....”
I had to take a few moments to interpret the meaning of his words.
‘Vanity. He is proud of the car.’
In short, he came just to show off his car. I didn’t know the details of the car.
But...I knew what car I drove.
‘Demons also boast about good rides. Our way of thinking is quite similar in that regard.’
One of the 12 Dukes could command a dragon mount. The dragon was ridden on the battlefield. The breath pouring from the dragon could melt hundreds of demons. If such a thing appeared then my power would be consolidated immediately.
I had been very envious. I shrugged and then moved to the paid parking lot.
* * *
“Wah! Iron Man’s car!”
There were cries as Kim Su-hwans car arrived.
An Audi R8v10 Plus.
The car that the main character, Iron Man/Tony Stark drove. Zero to 100 in 3.6 seconds, 550 horsepower. The sports car that all men dreamed of.
Kim Su-hwan’s expression was filled with confidence. Other cars arrived but none of them could compare to Iron Man’s car.
“I think my car is good but there is no comparison.”
Yoon Hyuk-soo laughed. He seemed envious as he looked at Kim Su-hwan.
“Haha, it isn’t bad.”
Kim Su-hwan cheekily replied.
The increasing trend meant that Cores were still expensive. One Core smaller than the pinky finger was nearly 1 million won.
Thanks to the United States’ announcement, the prices in the black market were far more expensive. Depending on the selling price, they could receive ten or twenty times more for it. Now the market was stable.
But the Iron Man car was over 200 million. Before the announcement, they would have needed to sell more than 200 Cores to buy the car.
Usually a raid had 8~12 people. If each of them took a share then the amount would decrease. Kim Su-hwan hadn’t rested until he was able to buy the Iron Man car.
An experienced dungeon hero. So they couldn’t help but feel envious.
“Omo. The car is really good.”
One of the females approached and admired it.
“Haha. Thank you.”
Kim Su-hwan laughed straighforwardly.
“Your skill are really good.”
“I’ve been on quite a few raids. We should go together sometimes.”
“The two of us hunting?”
“I will teach you the methods to get rid of the creatures.”
“I’m jealous. I can only go to a dungeon once a week.”
The woman sighed.
In fact, they couldn’t enter the dungeons too much. Those in need of money would blindly jump in. Those who went into battle could obtain the Cores and get lots of money.
But going on a few raids would make them realize the reality.
Ah, the world really wasn’t easy. Any wrong move would kill them!
Guilds existed but they strictly screened people. The Awakened with capabilities became the object of envy.
Those lucky enough to live well could secure some safety. Once safety was secured, the dungeon would become a high income job.
Kim Su-hwan captured the attention of the women. It was natural for women to be attracted to strong males.
But they gazes were soon averted.
“Huh, is someone really driving that in Korea?”
Yoon Hyuk-soo was really happy. A super sports car was approaching in front of him.
“What is that car?”
The woman interested in Kim Su-hwan’s car asked Yoon Hyuk-soo.
“The Bugatti Veyron. It is famous for being one fo the fastest cars in the world. But the price is a monster. Huiyu!”
Yoon Hyuk-soo whistled with envy. A 2015 model. It wasn’t even on sale in South Korea yet.
Yoon Hyuk-soo was a car fanatic so he knew all about it.
The fastest car in the world! But the Bugatti Veyron had an extra 0 attached compared to the price of the Iron Man car. Kim Su-hwan’s car could be bought 10 times before reaching the price of that car.
The Bugatti Veyron stopped near them. There was a question mark in everyone’s head as the door opened.
Gulp!
Their faces all changed. The bodies trembled weakly with admiration. Only Kim Su-hwan had an expression like he was chewing on shit.
“I’m a little late.”
The one who appeared was the returnee Randalph Brigsiel. I smiled and knocked on Kim Su-hwan’s shoulder twice.
That alone put an end to all communication. I was talking to Kim Su-hwan.
‘I didn’t fall.’
Kim Su-hwan’s expression wrinkled even more.
“Where did you borrow this from?”
“I received it as a gift.”
The Bugatti Veyron as a gift? Everybody stared with incredulous eyes.
Even if he had attacked dungeons for 8 months, it was impossible to obain the Bugatti Veyron. In other words, he was quite rich. They were puzzled about why a rich person would turn to the dungeons.
But there was no further explanation. Everybody was overwhelmed by the sight and didn’t ask any questions.
And after a while.
The beautiful woman admiring the car, the water magician Lee Ji-hye entered my car. The men who were secretly eyeing her looked like a fisherman who had lost a big catch.
* * *
After eating lunch, the briefing ended.
The majority of creatures that would appear were ale snakes, goblins, kobolds and meat bats. After receiving a few things to keep in mind, they arrived at the entrance of Bukhan Mountain.
Yoon Hyuk-soo explained things as the group walked along the path.
“As you can see, that is the dungeon entrance. It is incredibly tall. Imagine a monster wave where thousands of creatures rush out from the entrance. Isn’t it terrible?”
A monster wave caused considerable damage every time it occurred. The monster wave had killed hundreds of people in the Middle East, China and the Philippines.
There was no law stating that a monster wave wouldn’t occur in South Korea. If they were located near the entrance when a monster wave occurred then it was 100% certain that they would die. Everyone who stepped into the dungeon took that risk.
“But there are soldiers near the city side so it will be safer.”
“The soldiers won’t stop us from entering?”
Park Eun-taek asked. It was the first time a valid question had been asked about the dungeon. Yoon Hyuk-soo laughed bitterly.
“Of course they will pretend not to see us.”
“Huh?”
Park Eun-taek sounded puzzled.
“The Awakened can obtain the Cores inside the dungeon. It is the next generation of energy that the government is willing to let people die to obtain it. Maybe a car that runs on a Core would be developed in the near future? The Core will be the electrical supply. Even revolutionizing medicine....”
Sprinkled a powdered Core on the wound would cure it. Even having a little bit of powdered Core in a drink would cause slow recovery. It could even affect cancer and terminal illnesses.
This was due to the properties of mana. Mana was essential. The original form would endlessly pour in health.
The Core was a collection of mana.
There was an uproar in the medical community. The occupation of a doctor might soon disappear. Especially as Cores were bought in bulk for experiments.
Supply was limited so the demand for Cores didn’t diminish.
“Indeed.”
Park Eun-taek nodded as he understood. Yoon Hyuk-soo who was in the lead suddenly stopped.
“Anyway! Can you see the building in front of the dungeon? It is a shop run by the Mithril Guild. Weapons and armour that stop the basic attacks from the monsters can be found there.”
A 2 storey building had been constructed. It was 500m away from the dungeon.
If a real monster wave occurred then it would be the first place hit. The business was very big and contained lots of merchandise.
Yoon Hyuk-soo went up to the armour and weapons displayed in the shop. I thought for a bit before renting an iron sword. It was a pretty good weapon.
I put it on the counter where a man with glasses said.
“Is this your first time?”
“It is my first time.”
“This is charged by hour. A deposit of 300,000 won will be received.”
I obediently took out the money from my wallet.
“Can you prove your identity?”
“Here.”
I showed the identification. He gave the sword back after verifying it. The salesman was tougher than I thought.
After renting the necessary things, the eight people stood at the entrance of the building. Yoon Hyuk-soo looked at me from the bottom up.
“Randalph-nim? Will you be fine getting dirty with blood?”
I only rented a sword. I was still wearing the suit.
The women wearing skirts had already changed into comfortable outfits. Thin padded clothes with body armour.
But I shook my head. We wouldn’t be spending a long time in the dungeon so it was troublesome to change. I replied curtly.
“I’m okay.”
“Uhh, just this once.”
Yoon Hyuk-soo didn’t really care.
This was often the case with beginners. They would change their minds after experiencing the dungeon.
Yoon Hyuk-soo handed out lights the size of a fist to all the crew members.
“This will light up for 48 hours without charging. Be careful not to lose it because it is precious inside the dark dungeon. Then let’s go.”
The entrance to the dungeon was 500m away from the building. It was close enough to be seen with the naked eye.
Yoon Hyuk-soo spoke as the eight people arrived at the entrance.
“Do you remember your positions from the briefing? I will take aggro. The close combat professions in front...”
Each of them were given a position because on their occupation and abilities. It was more optimized compared to walking around randomly.
Soon the entire raid group entered the dungeon.
“From now on, don’t relax. We don’t know where they will come from. Today we won’t enter deep and will just wander around near here.”
Everyone was nervous as they looked around. They were a raid group that had just been hastily constructed today. Time was needed to practice. It would be difficult to enter deeply to fight the creatures.
The square light shone brightly like a lamp rather than candlelight. It was bright enough for them to check the surroundings. But it couldn’t be too bright because the creatures were likely to gather.
“The beginners should stick together hyung.”
Park Eun-taek said as he walked next to me. I nodded lightly in response. The young man had a timid appearance as his eyes seemed scared.
“Hyung, aren’t you afraid?”
“It isn’t scary.”
“Um...it really looks like it. I’m scared to die. I heard the kobolds are ugly and frightening.”
“They are just kobolds.”
In a pyramid structure, the kobolds were slaves at the very bottom. They were a little mean but not very difficult opponents.
Park Eun-taek occasionally talked to me as we walked. Having a friendly conversation with his hyung was a method for him to relieve his anxiety.
Park Eun-taek paid no attention to my short answers.
“Wait.”
Yoon Hyuk-soo abruptly stopped.
He brought his ear close to the ground and listened. It seemed like he heard a sound coming.
Yoon Hyuk-soo stood up after 10 seconds.
“Two creatures. Please wait while I go ahead and draw their attention.”
The goblins and kobolds were obstinate about targeting those they first saw. So the first one to attack would draw their aggro.
Yoon Hyuk-soo briefly disappeared. The remaining people swallowed their saliva and looked ahead. No matter how good the heroes were, they only had one life.
One mistake could cost them their lives so they needed to be careful. Approximately 30 seconds later, the sound of someone running could be heard.
There were several sounds. Yoon Hyuk-soo and two goblins!
“Prepare to fight!”
The warriors, including myself, stepped forward. The warrior Kim Su-hwan. From behind, the archers and magicians were ready to fight.
Park Eun-taek holding a dagger was a thief and covered the gap between close range and long range attacks. Park Eun-taek was new to dungeon exploration so he licked his dry lips while clutching the dagger firmly.
The command magician Kim In-pil was hiding in the back. There weren’t any corpses so all he could do was cheer.
Kyaak!
The adult goblins were 1m in size and wielded threatening claws and teeth. The power of their strong jaw meant that flesh could be torn off. One mistake would be instant death.
I gazed at the creatures while holding the sword. Soon the two goblins arrived.
“Water Sphere!”
At the same time, the magician Lee Ji-hye chanted a spell. A sphere of water quickly drifted from her hand. It was followed by arrows.
Kihik!
One of them was hit. But it didn’t die. The bleeding goblin became frenzied and rushed forward.
The Guarder Yoon Hyuk-soo lifted his shield and stood in front of Kim Su-hwan. I raised my sword and attacked moderately.
‘I have to pretend. There is no meaning in coming here and not participating.’
Meanwhile, Park Eun-taek stabbed a goblin and took its life. There was only one left now. It was surrounded and easily handled.
“The first hunt was successful. How was it? Can you do it?”
Yoon Hyuk-soo asked as he swept the sweat from his forehead.
“You handle aggro really well. I’ve participated in a few raids so it is really noticeable.”
Kim Su-hwan said as he gave a thumbs up.
The aggro hadn’t switched during the hunt. Yoon Hyuk-soo quickly turned his head away. This level of maintaining aggro wasn’t enough to be called a genius.
Yoon Hyuk-soo stood next to the corpse of a goblin and opened it with a sword. The heart was the size of a small pebble.
Core.
“The size is okay. We will pick it up.”
It was a good start. The Core from the other goblin was larger than average.
Yoon Hyuk-soo recovered the two Cores with glee before clapping his hands like he remembered something.
“Ah, that’s right. Are the beginners okay?”
“I-I’m fine.”
Park Eun-taek stuttered.
The dagger moved and gave a few direct blows. But it wasn’t enough to be called a good performance. This was his first hunt so he wanted to impress the group.
I just shrugged my shoulders instead of answering.
It felt strange attacking my dungeon but it wasn’t bad. This level of hunting was enough to let me know the general principles.
‘There are still quite a few beginners. The raid group will die if they encounter the wrong opponent.’
Those with high potential could die when they were still beginners in the dungeon. But I inwardly shook my head.
‘I can’t lower the difficulty of the dungeon anymore...this section will be left alone. If a human with high potential dies to a goblin or kobold then they aren’t worth it.’
It was low enough. If I lowered it any more then it would turn into pulp. No, it was hard to find any creatures lower than the goblins and kobolds.
In this way, I participated in the raid so I needed to look at it from the perspective of the raid members. The weak warriors who made it through a crisis would be helpful.
Besides, it reminded me of when I was thrown on the battlefield. If they didn’t an effort then they would die under the pressure. I felt like that.
“Huiyu! It is going smoothly.”
Yoon Hyuk-soo smiled pleasantly after defeating a few creatures.
It had been 2 hours since entering the dungeon and they had already collected 13 Cores. Each person had already earned more than 1 million won. There were smiles of all of the members’ faces.
The dead goblins moved slowly behind the party like zombies. This was the command magic of Kim In-pil.
‘The way that they are moving.’
I looked at it curiously.
At that time, Yoon Hyuk-soo said.
“Wait a moment.”
They had been marching for 2 hours. It was time for a break.
But there was no place to relax. They needed a place where they could notice the creatures approaching. But it was hard to find such places. Only experienced heroes would know such places.
And there were people with a lot of experience in this raid group. The captain Yoon Hyuk-soo saw such a location. They could relax here in peace.
The raid crew sat around and took a break.
“Haven’t we gone in too deep?”
One of the women asked and Yoon Hyuk-soo shook his head.
“Do you think we’ve walked far? In fact, it wasn’t that much. If we walk for 30 minutes then we can exit.”
“Really?”
“We’ve been circling around. Why? Are you afraid?”
“That.....”
The woman smiled awkwardly.
“Don’t worry. Look at this.”
Yoon Hyuk-soo opened a leather pouch and his eyes shone as he looked at the Cores.
“13! Huhu. The size of each one means we can each get at least 200 (This refers to price).”
“Shouldn’t Captain-nim receive more?”
The octahedral shaped Core would sell for 1.5 times more than the others.
The captain was the one responsible for holding most of the aggro. Furthermore, he was in charge of all the preparations. Everybody recognized that he was exposed to the most risks.
“I have enough.”
“Oh my god!”
The women were all excited. Hunting for 2 hours and receiving 200. This seldom ever happened. Luck was also a skill.
“Should we continue for a little more? Our breathing is fine. Can’t we hunt up to 5 creatures without any difficulty?”
Yoon Hyuk-soo made a suggestion. It was a waste to stop here. They had already earned this much just on the first day.
Suffering for a few hours could earn enough for a month. It was dangerous but they were shaking with excitement at the thought of money. It was necessary to invest time.
“Okay.”
“Let’s go.”
Everyone expressed their approval. I also had no reason to refuse.
I nodded and the raid group rested for 10 more minutes before beginning to move.
* * *
It ad been 4 hours since they entered the dungeon.
A significant number of creatures had been eliminated on this raid.
“Shall we go back now? I don’t want to go any more than this.”
Kim Su-hwan said uneasily. There was definitely a sense that they had entered too deeply. In addition, everyone was exhausted. They also needed to get rid of any creatures discovered on the way back.
Yoon Hyuk-soo didn’t refuse. Instead, he had a condition.
“Then I’ll go forward and check one last time. How about it?”
“Well, it is okay if it is the last time.”
“We’ll wait for you. Lure them properly.”
Yoon Hyuk-soo left with a easygoing smile while holding his shield. The raid group waited for Yoon Hyuk-soo like the previous times.
However, time passed and Yoon Hyuk-soo didn’t return. It had been 5 minutes. There was still no news.
10 minutes passed and they were all filled with anxiety.
“...Why hasn’t he come back yet?”
“What do you think happened?”
The females were the first ones to react with anxiety.
Kim Su-hwan sighed.
“I will wait another 10 minutes. If he doesn’t come back then we will return on our own.”
“A-are we going to abandon Captain-nim?”
Kim In-pil who had been listening quietly suddenly spoke. The command magician that had always been in the back suddenly came to the front.
“Captain-nim. 10 minutes have passed but please wait another 10 minutes. Wasn’t it posted on the website? Sometimes a chaser won’t return for at least 15 minutes. A chaser has to wait excite the creatures without being killed.”
It was possible to excite the creatures but the smell of blood might lure even more. It was better to avoid such places.
“How can a person be so cruel?”
“Be quiet or die.”
Kim Su-hwan was a veteran. He had gone through this experience a few times. It was useless if they ended up dying as well.
Time passed quickly. Everyone held their breaths as they waited for Yoon Hyuk-soo to return.
And...10 minutes passed.
“Let’s go.”
“Just a little bit more. Wait a little longer. Please.”
Kim In-pil tried but public opinion was already on Kim Su-hwan’s side. Kim Su-hwan refused coldly and turned his body away.
“I’ve waited a lot already.”
“10 minutes. No, 5 more minutes.....”
“Do you really like him?”
Kim In-pil bowed deeply.
“This is a request. He has been my friend for 10 years. My parents died when I was young and he is the only one I have left. I can’t possibly abandon him.”
His eyes shone with tears.
“Can’t we wait 5 more minutes? This matter is pitiful.”
“Ji-hye ssi...hu! I understand. 5 more minutes. After that, we will go without any regrets. Do you understand?”
Kim Su-hwan had already become the leader of the group. He was the most experienced one here. The other group members obediently followed Kim Su-hwan’s opinion.
“Thank you. Thank you very much.”
Kim In-pil bowed his head several times. The group members were tired as they waited for Yoon Hyuk-soo.
A person couldn’t constantly maintain a tense state. Being tense consumed more energy than necessary. They became physically and mentally exhausted.
The situation was like that now. They had been in a tense state for 4 hours and 20 minutes. Now it was difficult for them to even brandish a sword or fire arrows.
When 5 minutes passed again.
“Something is coming.”
Kim Su-hwan was the first one to notice the abnormality. He leaned forward in the direction the sound was coming from. Then his expression changed! It crumpled.
“Crazy!”
He took one step back and cursed. Everybody was puzzled but I could soon see why.
Kkuruk!
Kiririk!
Yoon Hyuk-soo was coming. He was followed by numerous creatures.
“Run!”
Where?
The only ones who knew the geography of this place was Yoon Hyuk-soo and Kim Su-hwan. But Yoon Hyuk-soo was being chased while Kim Su-hwan was in a blank state.
Then Kim In-pil ran towards Yoon Hyuk-soo. Along with the corpses of the creatures killed during the raid.
What should they do? The speed of the creatures wasn’t that unusual. It was just impossible to escape when they were completely exhausted.
Kim Su-hwan looked back.
Three girls. Two beginners.
The situation right now. How could they escape the dungeon while being pursued by creatures?
A pessimistic situation.
The creatures were all excited. They would catch up persistently. On the other hand, Yoon Hyuk-soo and Kim In-pil were veterans. Survival was their only goal!
There was no need look any further. Kim Su-hwan abandoned the 5 people. He immediately ran towards Yoon Hyuk-soo and Kim In-pil.
“W-wait a minute?”
One of the two beginners. The thief Park Eun-taek was surprised but it was already too late. The women also looked devastated.
‘This situation is fun.’
My mouth twisted. Weak humans were being culled. It was no different from the Demon World. They didn’t linger and coldly turned their backs.
The conclusion of this would be a little interesting.
Would they give up?
This wasn’t a play. It was the crossroads of survival.
As a Dungeon Master, I saw a variety of situations but this one felt different. It had a faint scent of nostalgia.
“Run away. I’ll buy some time.”
A beginner. A thief. Every time I talked to him, he seemed like an innocent youth. Park Eun-taek grasped his dagger with trembling hands.
I was impressed.
‘Sacrifice!’
The five people couldn’t even think about fighting. There was only a 1% chance. I didn’t expect a sacrifice at all.
It was natural. They had met for the first time today. It hadn’t even been half a day since they met.
Then to die for them? It was too unexpected.
He gripped his fists tightly. A noble sacrifice? That was just a word for death. In other words, he was going to his death!
“Go, now!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry....”
“B-be careful.”
“Huk!”
The three women turned away at Park Eun-taek’s cry. They started to run back the way they came. The women knew. They left him here to die.
I gave one last smile to Park Eun-taek before following.
I could easily organize the situation now. But I didn’t. I didn’t feel the need.
After all, they were intruders. They invaded my home without any authorization.
Kim Yong-woo had value but Park Eun-taek was different. He had low potential and low growth so he wouldn’t be any help to me. Well, it would be different if he did whatever it took to survive.
Park Eun-taek moved with extreme sadness. But there was no chance.
It was a short path and the creatures soon reached him. Park Eun-taek had inflicted attacks on creatures today but it was only one at a time.
His attacks were easily blocked. And....
The result was obvious.
Kwaduk!
Kwaduduk!
“Kuooh, kuaaak!”
* * *
The three women with tears, runny noses and messy hair slumped down. They were half exhausted and could barely sustain their bodies.
One of the girls sat down and buried her face in her knees. Another one was holding her chest while breathing roughly. The remaining female continued looking around.
They had squeezed themselves to the limit in order to escape the swamp of death. Their legs couldn’t run anymore. There was no conversation. They couldn’t even afford to talk.
If only time could stop, no, if they could go back to the past....
“The rest of the people...what happened to them?”
Lee Ji-hye broke the silence.
A magician had high intelligence so she could calmly look at the situation. The other two women didn’t answer. Everyone knew there would be a pessimistic answer if they opened their mouths.
Particularly regarding Kim Su-hwan and Kim In-pil. The two men had abandoned them.
“Perhaps...does anyone know where we are?”
Naturally no one lifted their hands.
The women didn’t have a lot of experience with dungeons. They never thought about memorizing the terrain of the dungeon during the raid.
Lee Ji-hye looked closely at the faces of the remaining people. She just turned away from me. This was because she knew that I was a beginner to the dungeon.
Of course, I actually knew the terrain of the dungeon. But I didn’t raise a hand.
My thoughts were the same as it was regarding Park Eun-taek’s situation. I would watch the situation and welcome any catastrophe.
“No.”
Lee Ji-hye sighed.
The area was dark. Apart from me, the others had all thrown away their lamps. They would turn off in the next few hours anyway.
“A plan. Let’s focus on a plan.”
“What plan! We’re all going to die. I’m going to die!”
One woman was hysterical.
Lee Ji-hye was silent. She didn’t say anything as the woman hysterically shouted at Lee Ji-hye.
“You’re the one who said to wait 5 more minutes. If you didn’t, we would be out of the dungeon by now. Everything is your fault!”
“So?”
“What?”
The woman glared angrily. Whether she believed it or not, Lee Ji-hye played dumb and had a brazen look on his face.
“It is already in the past. Or do you want to kill me?”
“Shameless!”
“If you don’t want to kill me then we should discuss what to do next so that we don’t die.”
My head was busy as I watch Lee Ji-hye acting coolly.
I was remembering her potential. But the sight now couldn’t be explained by mere potential or stats.
Or was I mistaken? I took a deep breath and used Mind’s Eye again.
Name: Lee Ji-hye
Occupation Hero (Water Magician) Title None
Stats
Strength 22 Intelligence 41
Agility 18 Stamina 26
Magic Power 35
Potential: (142/277)
Uniqueness: None
Skill: Water Sphere (N)
I knew it. I wasn’t mistaken.
So what was her nature right now? She was acting cool and decisive. When we were all together, she had acted like a fish out of water.
This person was suitable to be a manager. A person who managed and gave external support from outside during raids....
My eyes sparkled.
‘Good.’
I found an unexpected treasure. I thought I came here in vain but couldn’t confirm that the clam actually held a pearl.
I decided to keep an eye on her a little more.
“First, let’s re-examine the path we came from. Could you please lend me a light?”
I silently handed her the light.
She placed it down and used a rock to scratch the floor. The rock made a white line that showed the path they took. a
But this didn’t continue. This was due to the fact that they were running away. No matter how good her memory was, she would eventually get blocked at some point.
“I can only remember up to here. Do you remember?”
The remaining two women were overwhelmed by Lee Ji-hye.
Lee Ji-hye frowned and stared at the ground.
“Well, I think we can’t use this path. Those creatures now have the taste of human flesh.”
“T-they might still be alive you know.”
“Who? The three who abandoned us to run away? Or Park Eun-taek ssi who blocked the creatures?”
“Park Eun-taek ssi might be alive.”
It was simply wishful thinking. All of them had heard Park Eun-taek’s screams. There was no possibility he was still alive.
“Only one. We don’t know the way back even if he is still alive. We could also meet the creatures. I don’t want to go back that way.”
Lee Ji-hye was adamant.
The woman who talked before finally asked.
“Then what is that thing on the ground?”
“A map. We need to understand the geography of the area nearby before we start moving. It would be nice if there was pen and paper but I need to use the ground.”
She explained her private intentions.
“I’m perfectly aware of the terrain near the entrance of the dungeon. If a similar terrain appears....”
“What if we end up going deeper?”
I had been watching in silence but now I asked a question. It was more likely to enter the depths of the dungeon rather than the entrance.
Lee Ji-hye carefully explained.
“The is a creature called the Meat Bat.”
“Sometimes we would see it flying.”
The meat bats actually had the highest population in the dungeon. They mainly ate the bodies of goblins and kobolds. They would only attack humans when they were really hungry. Or when their territory was invaded.
“Yes. The meat bats tend to sleep off large meals in the morning and gravitates towards the entrance in the evening.”
“They have such a habit?”
“There are many bugs at the entrance. They learn to hunt by catching the bugs.”
“.....That’s right.”
The dungeons were places that suddenly emerged. Initially there were living beings that lived in that area.
Naturally bugs from the outside were introduced into the dungeons. It was a natural phenomenon for bugs to be found on both sides of the dungeon entrance.
Besides, the creatures couldn’t escape from the dungeon without the permission of the Dungeon Master. That’s why they were found at the entrance.
It was great that Lee Ji-hye had discovered this information. Some humans had identified the habit of meat bats after 8 months.
I didn’t know about it because I had no interest at all. I recently released the ale snakes but that was all.
“From now on, shall we closely follow the meat bats?”
“First we have to identify any danger in the surroundings. Then we will find a colony of meat bats. We need to check if they are heading towards the entrance to eat the bugs. We can’t just blindly follow them.”
Safety oriented. A situation like this in an adventure certainly wasn’t good.
Lee Ji-hye looked at the remaining people.
“Find the strength to start moving.”
“I-I...I won’t go.”
One of the women declared. It was the woman who first glared at Lee Ji-hye.
“Are you sad?”
“I am sad. Do you want to just sit back and die?”
“It is the same anyway.”
Lee Ji-hye didn’t bother anymore. She turned her head.
“Randalph ssi? It would be much better to move with me.”
“I’ll do that.”
I shrugged and moved slightly, making the two women look uneasy. In this situation, I was the only man left.
“I-I’ll go as well.”
In the end, the other woman surrendered and stood up painfully.
“......”
The remaining woman gave in as well. Her pride and power wasn’t comparable to her life.
There was only one lamp. She couldn’t remain alone in this place in the darkness.
Lee Ji-hye made sure everyone was prepared and said.
“Then let’s depart.”
* * *
The area was safe.
They returned to their original position to create some safety measures.
The first thing was that the surrounding spaces were narrow so they could create traps to notice the creatures. They dug at the ground and placed arrows before loosely covering them with grass, turning them into traps.
They were able to relax now.
And the next day.
They filled their hunger with some snacks and drank water before moving. Their movements were as careful as possible in order to avoid the creatures. The problem was that the geography of the place was completely unfamiliar.
They looked closely for a colony of meat bats. Following a colony of meat bats was required in order to escape the dungeon.
The first day was a failure. The second day they ran low on food. I checked my watch and verified that it was the second day.
Water vapour gathered in their vicinity due to Lee Ji-hye’s magic. But using it for a long time sharply increased fatigue. And they were also hungry.
The food problem was the first thing that needed to be solved.
“....That can be eaten.”
Lee Ji-hye pierced through the neck of an ale snake with a water spear.
The two women were shocked. No matter how hungry they were, who would have thought of eating creatures?
It looked like a snake but it was distinctly a creature. A creature that attacked people!
Lee Ji-hye didn’t care.
The moisture was removed from many of the grass and branches near them and stones gathered.
“Give me strength.”
A fire needed to be kindled.
I readily accepted. Friction would cause a fire. My strength and speed meant it was only a few minutes before smoke rose.
The peeled snakeskin was raised over the fire. Soon there was a golden smell. Even if the meat was raw, Lee Ji-hye would bite it without hesitation.
‘Ice cold computer power, survival skills, ability to take action and not being bothered by the surroundings.
I watched her with a satisfied smile.
‘Really good.’
This level was enough to pass.
‘Now there is one thing left.’
The conditions for exiting a dungeon.
I waited for it to come.
* * *
Three goblins were hit. It was barely manageable.
But not all of them were safe. One person was bitten. It was the woman who opposed Lee Ji-hye from the beginning.
“I’m sorry....”
She was ill. The side was bitten and bacteria seemed to have entered through the wound. She was boiling hot and on the verge of death. Sometimes she would wake up and apologise.
“It is difficult.”
Lee Ji-hye sighed.
They couldn’t find any meat bat colonies. The more they delayed, the lower the chances of survival would become.
“Why? Are you going to throw her away?”
The eyes of the remaining woman shone. It was just like what happened to Park Eun-taek.
Lee Ji-hye wasn’t the only one who abandoned him. Everyone here was an accomplice. It was obvious he knew he would die. There was always a possibility that others would be abandoned.
Lee Ji-hye knew this fact as well. But she shook her head.
“That’s not what I meant. Anyway, it seems like a fever...let’s look at the situation. I will take Randalph-nim with me to gather food.”
Roles were assigned.
I would go with Lee Ji-hye to gather things like wild mushrooms and grass. But it was unknown if it would lower the fever. Naturally, it depended on the other person’s stamina.
A few days later, the only people moving were Lee Ji-hye and I.
* * *
Lee Ji-hye bit her nails.
The other two women were now complete luggage. The cause was unknown. They might have been infected with an illness.
Lee Ji-hye couldn’t easily make a decision.
No matter how cold her personality, she still felt like she had sinned. She would feel it even if those two people lived.
There had to be a way but it felt like she had fallen into a swamp.
“The colony. I need to look for a way to bring them out as quickly as possible. No. I can’t be late. They won’t survive a day without water. Take care of the people. No. Do....”
She scratched her head nervously. Maybe it would be an unresolved challenge forever. Her expression cracked as she started looking broken.
It was a frustrating moment.
“I-I’ve found you. I finally found you!”
Lee Ji-hye’s eyes widened.
A man’s voice was heard not far away from them. I turned around and one person was standing there.
Kim Su-hwan!
The man that had fled in order to survive. Why was he here now? Lee Ji-hye couldn’t believe it and asked.
“What is going on?”
“I-it is a relief. Everyone is alive.”
“The other two people?”
“Captain Yoon Hyuk-soo and Kim In-pil are dead. I barely survived.”
Kim Su-hwan said with an expression of relief. His expression made it seem like he had been through a really hard struggle. He came one step closer.
“How did you find us?”
“It is a coincidence. I was lost and came across you. Ah, I really thank God.”
Lee Ji-hye frowned. Did Kim Su-hwan have this type of character? Kim Su-hwan was someone with strong self-esteem and bravado. Of course, it had been a few days wandering alone but to thank God....
Her sharp judgement wasn’t dead yet. Her reasoning warned her of something.
One step. Kim Su-hwan approached.
“But the two collapsed over there. Perhaps?”
“They’re not dead. They are fighting a fever.”
“Ahh. I’m glad they’re not dead yet. Phew!”
Yet? The nuances were grave.
“This dungeon is too large. It isn’t a space where people can endure.”
One step....
“Kobolds, goblins, meat bats! I endured it alone. Let’s combine forces to resolve this.”
“Wait. Su-hwan ssi. Stop.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I told you something before entering the dungeon. After escaping the dungeon. You would introduce me to your sister in the hospital.”
Kim Su-hwan nodded like it was natural.
“Yes. I remember.”
“Will you keep your promise?”
“Haha. Don’t worry. I promise to honour it.”
“Water Sphere.”
Water flowed around Lee Ji-hye. Kim Su-hwan was baffled.
“...Why?”
“The promise you made wasn’t with your little sister. It was your little brother.”
“Ah! I must have lost my spirit. I’ve spent too much time alone in the dungeon.”
Lee Ji-hye retreated with dismay.
She briefly had a chance to talk to Kim Su-hwan before the dungeon. At that time, Kim Su-hwan had offered to drive Lee Ji-hye. He said he would introduce her to his little brother.
But, who would forget the gender? It wasn’t a trivial fact.
Lee Ji-hye made a decision.
“Don’t come any closer. If you take one more step then I will attack.”
“Tsk. You noticed quickly.”
Kim Su-hwan’s posture changed dramatically.
He placed a sword to Lee Ji-hye’s neck. The water sphere impacted with Kim Su-hwan’s abdomen but he didn’t stop. It was like he didn’t feel any pain.
The tone, the atmosphere was strange. Kim Su-hwan didn’t feel like Kim Su-hwan. It felt like he would attack no matter what.
It was too late for her to regret it. She couldn’t avoid Kim Su-hwan’s sword. She instinctively had a premonition of death. She imagined her neck rolling across the floor.
Lee Ji-hye closed her eyes.
And....
“You pass.”
I gave a very satisfied smile. I had been waiting for it.
Lee Ji-hye’s wit to shine.
Finally, the last condition was completed.
Chwack!
Kim Su-hwan head fell to the floor. It happened in an instant.
Blood splashed everywhere. Lee Ji-hye’s face was drenched with blood. Lee Ji-hye’s body was rigidly still in its standing body.
It happened so naturally but it was extremely unrealistic. Someone she thought was a beginner had extremely cold eyes.
Her eyes gazed between Kim Su-hwan’s severed neck and I.
I turned away from Lee Ji-hye and looked in the direction Kim Su-hwan came from.
“Until when are you intending to hide like a rat? Come out.”
Jjak jjak jjak!
At the same time, there was the sound of applause in the darkness. The captain and command magician who had been killed appeared.
I smiled.
This was a real smile. The situation right now was so interesting and satisfying that I couldn’t help laughing silently.
The captain and command magician Kim In-pil. They were the real masterminds.
The plan had been put together by them. Kim In-pil had manipulated Kim Su-hwan’s body.
I had seen the skill proficiency when Kim In-pil commanded two goblins. Although it was marginal, I thought that the dead bodies moved more flexibly and seemed to be complemented by the magic.
‘It seems like he only intends to control the goblins this much.’
Kim In-pil used the manipulated goblin to pull the enemies. The movements wouldn’t be so stiff if that was all he intended.
From the beginning, his mind had been filled with calculations to deceive people.
Ha!
Humans like this existed. A person that was more like a demon than a human.
That’s why beginners were accepted and they were softly coaxed deeper into the dungeon. Forcefully marching them without a break and then dispersing them with the attack from a large number of creatures.
Consistent from start to finish.
So I was convinced that Kim In-pil was coming. He built this plan just to monopolize the Cores. His bloodthirst was obvious. I, too, was definitely placed in the category of prey.
So I waited obediently.
Approaching me with impure intentions was a sin I could never forgive. I originally decided to remove his head straight away but decided to wait when Lee Ji-hye got involved.
‘Thanks to that, I had some fun watching.’
It was enough compensation for waiting a few days.
“Did you know from the beginning?”
Kim In-pil was puzzled by my dark smile.
“I could smell the stench of a corpse.”
I shrugged.
It wasn’t just the smell. The stiff facial expression and strange voice pitch. In addition, there were lots of evidence.
Lee Ji-hye was normal and had figured out that Kim Su-hwan was a corpse.
“A great mentality. Your ability to distinguish things is beyond normal.”
Kim In-pil had a truly surprised expression.
It was normal for people to go crazy after being isolated in a cave filled with creatures for days. I was abnormal by human standards.
The standards of humans.
“W-why did this....?”
Lee Ji-hye opened her mouth after recovering. Her voice was filled with dismay and perplexity.
Kim In-pil spread his arms out wide.
“A dungeon is a really nice place. Dead people are just buried here. Even the body doesn’t leave. It is a place where murder is authorized.”
On the website that gathered the Awakened. The killers stated in the notice were Kim In-pil and Yoon Hyuk-soo.
Lee Ji-hye snorted.
“You are crazy. You made a plan like this just to murder us?”
“Not only murder.”
He pulled out an old-fashioned notebook.
“I keep a diary. Records of skill proficiencies and different magic. This diary was also from before I awakened.”
Each Awakened had a weapon to fit them. The diary was filled with Kim In-pil’s madness. In a sense, it was a weapon that fit him.
The contents of the diary were obvious. In addition, the diary was filled with stories from before he awakened.
“Murderer...!”
“Haha! Correct. In fact, I wasn’t an undertaker. Would you believe that I worked part time at a convenience store when I awakened? Instead, I was famous for another reason in Incheon. My hobby was pulling out the eyeballs of a living person and collecting them.”
In the midst of the loud Incheon, a few bodies had been found without their eyes. A serial killer that made it into the newspapers of the United States.
Lee Ji-hye blocked her ears.
She didn’t want to believe Kim In-pil’s words.
“My friend here is also a celebrity. He raped women and killed them by breaking their necks! Of course, we are like-minded people. My friend Yoon Hyuk-soo used his tracking skill to chase you. He was really worried that you had died during the chase. Phew! I’m glad, I’m glad.”
The tracking skill normally used to pursue creatures was used to chase people.
Yoon Hyuk-soo bared his teeth. This attack had been planned all along.
“I accepted beginners for a reason.”
“Exactly! How else would two other beginners be accepted?”
“Then Yoon Hyuk-soo disappearing was all an act.”
“Ah, that? It was necessary to draw out Kim Su-hwan. He has plenty of experience in dungeons and is something who frantically tries to save his own life. That friend would become anxious once Yoon Hyuk-soo doesn’t return! Will you forgive us for the desperate plan?”
“Is that the whole story?”
“Huhu! If you think that you can beat both of us...please give up that hope.”
Jjikeok. Jjikeok jjikeok.
Kim Su-hwan’s head started making a strange sound. Kim Su-hwan rose up again. It still carried the smell of a rotten body.
“Now! The three of us. One of them doesn’t tire. We also have decent stamina. Just keep still and you won’t die painfully.”
“Speaking unnecessary words.”
I was no longer interested in listening. At first it was like listening to a joke. But I disliked useless and vain people like this.
However, I didn’t move.
Unlike those guys, Lee Ji-hye had passed the test I made. Of course, if I was alone then passing the test wouldn’t matter.
I turned my gaze towards Lee Ji-hye. Lee Ji-hye was staring at me.
“Make a choice. One of them will die and one will live. Pick the one that dies. And what will happen to the one that lives.
“Randalph-nim, what does that mean?”
“Choose.”
Lee Ji-hye realized that the atmosphere was unusual.
She could feel that I had changed since earlier. She clearly saw Kim Su-hwan’s head being cut off.
And now she was holding the cards. A last frantic attempt.
Lee Ji-hye spoke like she was squeezing something out.
“Kill one of them. Very brutally. Leave one of them alive. We still need to leave the dungeon.”
“Who lives and who dies?”
“I don’t know. Just leave one of them alive.”
“Okay. Kill Kim In-pil. Yoon Hyuk-soo, hrmm. I will try to save him.”
“I-I’m asking you. Please.”
I gave a small laugh. Asking for such a simple favour.
The listening Kim In-pil and Yoon Hyuk-soo found out conversation funny.
“Bravo! You are really a masterpiece! The best!”
Kim In-pil trembled. Kim In-pil abandoned the honorifics and smiled.
“I will take the Bugatti Veyron. That car is too good to pass up. Ah, but you should do your best. So that it becomes more fun....!”
Chwaruk!
In the blink of an eye. Kim Su-hwan’s body standing in front of him was cut in half.
And I arrived before Kim In-pil.
“First I will cut out your tongue.”
Chuhuk!
A sword was stuck in Kim In-pil’s mouth.
“Kkuum!”
“Is it fun to pull out the eyeballs of living people?”
Thanks to the bonus stats from the title, I had 78 points in strength. A human being with that type of strength couldn’t be imagined.
I dug my fingers into Kim In-pil’s eyes while he was still living.
“Keooook!”
Froth flowed from his mouth as Kim In-pil passed out from the pain.
A sight that could cause madness. Yoon Hyuk-soo who was familiar with murder was unable to move.
I even dug out the remaining eyeball before saying dully.
“This isn’t fun. Although I’m not in a very good mood.”
Kim In-pil writhed in pain.
He had told Lee Ji-hye that his hobby was torturing the person before brutally killing them. Now Kim In-pil was dying painfully slowly. Or, he might even be eaten alive by the creatures.
I beheaded Kim Su-hwan again while the command magician Kim In-pil had lost his concentration.
I wiped the blood on Kim In-pil’s clothes and grabbed his diary. I looked at it with Mind’s Eye and realized that Kim In-pil’s diary was a very good item.
I put the diary away and turned my head. Now it was time to handle the rest of the people.
Chaeeeng!
Yoon Hyuk-soo’s sword dropped as soon as my gaze fell on him. He raised both hands.
“S-spare me.”
“...This boring fellow.”
This guy was boring compared to Kim In-pil. I completely lost interest.
I pulled my sword from Kim In-pil’s mouth and stabbed Yoon Hyuk-soo, dealing damage to his internal organs.
“K-Kuaaack!”
Yoon Hyuk-soo grabbed that part of his body and moaned.
“Ooooh....”
Soon Yoon Hyuk-soo looked up at me with lovely resentful eyes. His eyes were asking why I attacked when he surrendered.
A human wouldn’t know this but demons were infinitely selfish and would constantly change the laws. Even if he was a murderer, he considered his own life precious.
I gazed into Yoon Hyuk-soo’s eyes and he quickly lowered his eyes.
I spoke in a low voice.
“Be a guide. Although you will probably die from excessive bleeding, you can live for an extra hour if the sword isn’t pulled out.”
Yoon Hyuk-soo had no options.