Chapter 160

Chapter 160. Perception (3)

“What…?”

It wasn’t teleportation magic. There wasn’t the characteristic shimmer of light.

What else could vanish like that, aside from magic?

“Could it be an artifact?”

The drop rates might be atrociously low, but they’re not zero.

Jang Ryun also possessed a vaguely effective artifact.

Assuming the opponent used an artifact could explain the intruder hiding in the shadows.

“It wasn’t Invisibility or Stealth.”

If that were the case, the opponent must have at least two artifacts.

Looking at his now-empty hand, Jang Ryun clicked his tongue and glanced down.

His eyes met Ju Wooryeong’s, who was still bent over, wearing a dazed expression.

“Capture her and lock her up until she’s half-dead.”

“I-I have nothing to do with that guy.!”

“Shut up.”

Jang Ryun irritably kicked Ju Wooryeong.

“Ugh!”

This was the bitch who brought the intruder. She might have been in collusion, so interrogating her separately was essential.

After confirming Ju Wooryeong being dragged away, Jang Ryun mulled over the sudden appearance of the intruders.

“Could it be that guy?”

There had recently been incidents where cronies sent to bait outside the business have been attacked.

Word was that the attacker was a somewhat famous player from the association.

“Was it the UK?”

If that side had discovered the business and came storming in fueled by a senseless sense of justice?

“I heard he was connected to the government.”

If that were true, it might be better to contact those above than handling it himself.

If it turned out that guy killed someone here, it could escalate to international disputes.

“Tch.”

Clicking his tongue briefly, Jang Ryun barked out at the players, who were still in a daze, rolling their eyes.

“What are you doing, not checking if any more intruders have come in!”

Only then did the players, who were previously just watching each other’s movements, start moving busily.

“Check if the goods are all still there!”

Jang Ryun exhorted, moving to lead the search process himself.

However, he had to stop not far along the way.

Step by step, he could hear footsteps boldly approaching with no intention of hiding their presence.

There was no doubt it was another intruder.

“This one’s a Gold rank.”

The presence was extraordinary from the get-go.

The corners of Jang Ryun’s lips turned up, recognizing the prey boldly stepping into his haunt.

“If I take him down, I might make a big leap forward.”

He was just contemplating the next awakening with the mana tributed from small fry.

“Everybody move!”

Pushing past the other players, Jang Ryun advanced.

And it wasn’t long before he found the one he sought.

Blocking Jang Ryun’s path was a typical white male.

His momentary excitement died down a bit.

“Is it really that British guy?”

And he’s already a Gold rank?

If it truly was that Brit, perhaps it would be wise not to mess with him.

“Should I just swallow him without reporting it to the higher-ups?”

Jang Ryun eyed the white man’s appearance from top to bottom.

Seeing the red blood dripping from the spear clutched in his grip suggested he had already killed a few small fries.

The smell of blood strangely heightened his appetite.

Although he wanted to gulp down the guy’s mana right then and there…

As he’d just taken over the timber business, he was weary of causing unnecessary trouble.

Stirring up conflict with the British could bring down reprimands from above.

“Seems like I have a lot of visitors today.”

Thus, Jang Ryun prioritized uncovering the intruders’ identity.

If it was indeed a gentleman from the UK, he should handle it amicably.

If necessary, he was even considering a deal to keep them quiet.

Disregarding Jang Ryun’s musings, the intruder replied calmly.

“I didn’t expect a welcome.”

“What’s so hard about that? It would have been nice if you contacted us in advance… how about introducing yourself now?”

Jang Ryun, slightly lowering his sword, flashed a smile.

The intruder similarly chuckled lightly and replied.

“Sure, it’s nothing difficult.”

“Oh?”

Jang Ryun focused on the words he eagerly anticipated.

“Guardian of that brat you were just indebted to.”

Unfortunately, it was not the expected response.

With a sense of unease hanging, the surroundings’ mana suddenly stirred before he could probe further.

The phenomenon was something Jang Ryun was quite familiar with.

“And the one who will kill all of you here.”

No sooner did the intruder’s words finish than a barrier formed all around.

* * *

Initially, I intended to move alone, excluding the party members.

“Since hunting and murder feel different, I thought they’d want to back off.”

I kind of hoped for it too.

I didn’t think it was something to share with others.

So, I told the party openly about what I’d been briefed.

Since I’d be absent for this matter, I instructed them to continue hunting separately.

However, my predictions were wildly off.

“Of course, we’re going with you!”

They spoke in a tone as if it were the most natural thing.

Kim Yul not only tagged along but actively volunteered.

Claiming there was a suitable artifact for Yang Hyewon, he borrowed it and went inside for reconnaissance himself.

‘I was flabbergasted when he suddenly claimed he could hide in shadows.’

Thanks to Kim Yul’s report on the cave’s interior, securing an escape route became easier.

Plus, he identified someone responsible for this wretched affair.

‘I didn’t expect to face a Gold rank this early.’

This was info obtained through Kim Yul.

Personally, I anticipated Kim Yul, who hunts with me, to become the second Gold rank.

Due to the absolute absorption rate of mana varying greatly.

The difference in being able to hunt general-ranks is significant.

So, I expected my party members to become Gold ranked first, followed by others.

‘I guess not everything goes the way I think.’

Had I been attacked by a Gold rank without prior knowledge, it might’ve been surprising.

‘Thanks to Kim Yul, that didn’t happen.’

Even without the help from the party members, it wouldn’t have been impossible to evacuate the demi-humans and kill the players.

Yet, it was genuinely comfortable, thanks to the party.

I smiled quietly.

“What’s so funny?”

A dissatisfied look colored the man in front of me.

A man named Jang Ryun, an Asian who seemed in his late twenties, was similar in age to me.

He was responsible for these atrocious criminal acts and my primary target.

“Kill us? All of us? Geez, kids these days are ridiculously fearless.”

His amused chuckle was charmingly appealing.

If we had met on the street without knowing anything, I might’ve mistaken him for a celebrity, given his clean-cut handsome features.

Seeing such a person 「stinking」 in a place reeking of blood made for a strange sense of disparity.

And that disparity started pulling old memories to the forefront.

“In the news, maybe?”

I recalled hearing on the news how organ trafficking, similar to the movies, was happening.

Organ trafficking organizations usually traded an eye for 200 million, a heart for 800 million, and a liver for 400 million.

‘Were the prices for human trafficking 1.7 billion or 1.8 billion…?’

I remember asking my mom whether such crimes really occurred.

She quietly looked at me, providing no definite answer.

Maybe it was because I was just a kid then, not even ten years old, so she chose her words carefully.

‘Who would’ve thought I’d face organ traffickers in another world?’

While reminiscing on that scene from my memory, a chat message arrived.

– Pudding: Yul arrived safely, so don’t worry.

– Kj: See, I told you it’d be fine!

I could vividly imagine Kim Yul, beaming with pride and raising his head high.

I shook my head, cautioning the other two.

– K: Just in case, don’t touch any players.

If my hypothesis is correct, Yang Taeho and Kim Yul could have bounties placed on them.

If they were unaware, that’d be one thing, but now that they knew, I couldn’t just ignore it.

I personally dealt with players guarding the prison or patrolling the cave area.

Being cautious doesn’t hurt, so I didn’t forget to repeat the warning.

– K: Especially Kim Yul, don’t go out on a limb again like that. If a conflict arises, only incapacitate them.

– Kj: Aaaahhhh

– Kj: Alright, alright! How many times are you going to say that!

– Pudding: I’ll keep an eye on Yul, so don’t get yourself hurt either. If that crazy bastard is a Gold rank, isn’t it a little dangerous?

– K: Don’t worry. How’s the evacuation progress?

– Pudding: Geez, stop fretting already. We’re running our feet off here, too, so focus on the fight.

Since last night, Yang Taeho and Ahel had been collaboratively digging an escape route behind the cave.

Having joined forces with Kim Yul, who got out via the shoes of Yoria, the evacuation is underway.

Meanwhile, I kill the players gathered here.

The plan is simple and faced no complications.

“The map shows 53 players.”

Having killed four guards on the way here, numbering close to 60 in total.

Strangely enough, I felt no burden or guilt.

Before diving into a full-scale massacre, I flicked the spear clean.

Moments later, players including Jang Ryun and some Chinese players too, gripped their weapons properly.

“That brat earlier, and you, you both have lost your nerves. Or maybe something’s wrong up here.”

Spinning his finger beside his head, Jang Ryun thrust his sword forward.

As if preparing to charge any moment.

But Jang Ryun maintained a vague tension without making the first move.

I figured striking first would be better than waiting.

“Aren’t you going to say where you’re from?”

Jang Ryun opened his mouth.

Same question as before. He seemed curious about my identity.

Should I ignore it? Or play along a bit? I weighed my options for a moment.

Either way, Ahel had placed a double barrier in the area where we were.

‘Though he grumbled about spending the reserved Mana Accumulation Tool.’

I had a definite answer that it’d be okay for a couple of hours.

No way players could break through a double barrier set by someone who had wielded spatial magic for years.

“Damn it! We’re blocked everywhere!”

“Towards where we were?”

“That’s blocked by that guy!”

“What about teleport stones?”

“This is a double barrier!”

Sure enough, the players were in disarray, unable to escape.

Given the circumstances, it’d be better to extract information from Jang Ryun.

I was also curious why he was stalling for time.

“Once dead, does it matter?”

When I opened my mouth, Jang Ryun’s mouth twitched.

“This cocky bastard, huh? Just keeps climbing because I’m sparing you?”

“If you don’t like cocky bastards climbing all over you, why let them?”

He seemed eager to kill me, yet took no action.

“Waiting for backup?”

If so, there was no harm in giving Jang Ryun more time.

“There’s nothing Ladriol’s light could find, though.”

There were hundreds locked up, as I discovered on my way here.

Could such a massive ring of human trafficking operate amongst players without causing friction?

“I don’t quite like this.”

There may be helpers from the Bihari side.

Although uncertain, there’s no harm in suspecting.

If my hunch was correct and reinforcements arrived.

‘I could capture them as flagrant offenders.’

As I gleamed at the symbols hovering over Jang Ryun and most players heads.

Yet, continually observing Jang Ryun’s behavior filled me with doubt about that theory.

“He seems to be hesitating more than waiting.”

The wait didn’t last long.

“Are you from the UK by chance?”

Jang Ryun finally confessed the reason for his hesitation.

Damn System