Chapter 176

Chapter 176. Small World (1)

I wasn’t sure whether to consider it a blessing or not, but I regained consciousness after just a few hours.

Gretman, who had brought me to his townhouse while I was unconscious, had vanished somewhere again.

“He said to welcome you as an esteemed guest anytime,” said the old man who entered the room as soon as I awoke, relaying Gretman’s words.

As if he had been waiting for me to wake up, an old man came to my room to deliver Gretman’s message.

But I had no desire to stay in a house where the owner was absent—especially one that belonged to someone who was meddling in my affairs, like Karlos’s apostle.

I changed my clothes and left Gretman’s townhouse almost immediately after waking up.

It was exactly 11 PM.

The walk to the temple through the empty streets wasn’t tedious since the Bounty Hunter mission timer had ended, updating at 10 PM every night.

– Sniper: How did it go? Do you see our location too?

– Ethan Rembrandt: I’m curious as well.

– Sniper: K? Why aren’t you responding?

– Eisa: Maybe he’s busy.

– Sniper: The timer is up, and it’s been over 30 minutes with no sound from him. That’s not like him.

– Eisa: Could something have happened?

– Sniper: Did he get tangled up with the Order? It looks like he’s inside a building… Does anyone know what he’s doing? Have any of you received a message?

I didn’t intend it, but my absence for about an hour after the timer ended caused a bit of a stir in the Bounty Hunters’ chat.

Ethan even sent a personal message despite being involved in a battle at the Somol fortress.

I informed them that I was alright and checked the Bounty mission updates.

The existing missions had timed out, with no significant changes.

However, there was a noticeable change from the target’s perspective.

「Warning」

A Bounty Hunter is tracking you. (Location Confirmed)

A translucent red system window appeared directly in front of me, making it impossible to close or move it aside.

When I pressed the location confirmation button, a large map appeared with four marked points.

After verifying with the other hunters, they matched their exact current locations.

The map could be zoomed in and out, revealing that targets of Bounty Hunters received the same quality of information as the hunters themselves.

This was quite a duality.

“Do they want to prevent player killings or not?”

The Bounty Hunt mission was essentially designed to exclude or eliminate players threatening innocent ones.

But why then inform these excluded targets about the Bounty Hunters’ whereabouts?

“It feels like a warning.”

A caution to flee quickly—or face potential demise.

Of course, before obtaining this location information, the possibility of being ambushed and killed by a Bounty Hunter was much higher.

However, changing the perspective slightly,

“If the target survives for ten days, the system gives them a chance.”

Why did the system add this feature to the Bounty Hunt mission?

“Was it to balance the causality?”

It’s not impossible, but merely a conjecture.

Briefly frowning over this system’s duality, I shared the information I confirmed with the Bounty Hunters in the chatroom.

– Sniper: The system doesn’t seem to solely favor the hunters.

– Eisa: Isn’t that advantageous for us? If we know each other’s locations, we can offer backup if needed.

– Sniper: It’s K who knows, not us.

– Eisa: K can tell us, can’t he?

Sure enough, as long as there was no unwanted competition among the bounty hunters, it was a potentially useful function.

“As other hunters also know my location, I won’t feel like I’m being surveilled one-sidedly.”

However, unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to utilize this function actively, as a system message suddenly appeared during the discussion on utilizing the function.

「Trait Capitalism is activated.」

「The system is switching to support mode. Support Player: Kang Hyunwoo.」

「HIDDEN MISSION – Bounty Hunt (Viceta-12) expires.」

「Title ‘Slayer’ is generated.」

At the same time, the Viceta 12 mission window I had open disappeared.

When Ethan sent a message, it indicated that this wasn’t solely occurring for me.

– Ethan Rembrandt: K, the Viceta 12 mission just vanished… Is there something wrong?

– K: I’m good.

I replied promptly while checking the list of hidden missions.

Yet, the mission, once vanished, didn’t reappear.

I proceeded to open the status window to examine the newly acquired title.

「Slayer」

• Description: A title given to those who commit unauthorized killings.

• Effect: Killings committed by a player with this title are not recorded. Their sensitivity to the smell of blood is heightened.

On the surface, it seemed like a compromise from the system.

With no bounty hunters targeting me as the timer ran out, keeping the mission active seemed redundant.

Yet, for some reason, it felt as if this was a form of rebuke from the system.

“Sensitivity to the smell of blood heightened?”

It almost seemed like a warning directed at someone like me, who had become desensitized to the scent of blood.

I squinted at the trait’s description and effect momentarily.

But it was a pointless act.

“No point in expecting something new to appear on the system window.”

Acknowledging that they couldn’t block me any longer seemed sufficient.

They probably expired the mission through direct intervention.

I chose not to delve into further thoughts and closed the trait description window.

Consequently, the status window I had opened earlier remained at the top of the game interface.

Within it, the recently updated section containing titles drew my attention.

Titles: Bounty Hunter, Mark of the Alliance, Tomb Raider, Slayer

Excluding the Mark of the Alliance, the three titles granted by the system portrayed a rather notorious image.

A hunter, a tomb raider, and now, a slayer.

Scanning through, the connotations weren’t exactly positive.

“They sure know how to pick the right ones for me.”

Muttering a short curse, I shook my head and closed the status window.

Leaving a token warning and advice in the Bounty Hunter chatroom.

– K: The disappearance of my mission was a unique case. Don’t expect the same in other situations. Assume that your locations will be disclosed to the target once the time limit is reached, and eliminate the target sooner.

– K: It’s the same condition if you kill an ‘innocent player’ and become the target. Thinking you’d follow the same route as me could lead to misfortune.

They must have suspected that there was something hidden regarding me.

“After all, it’s through me that they became Bounty Hunters.”

This level of explanation should suffice.

Although I had the trait Capitalism to justify the system’s intervention, the others weren’t guaranteed the same.

“Unless they placed first in another round of the tutorial.”

If not, they couldn’t receive direct assistance from the system.

It would be problematic if they acted assuming all issues would resolve as they did for me.

“Well, they aren’t fools either.”

After slipping in some advice, it seemed appropriate to wrap up as I arrived conveniently at the central temple.

Already achieving the purpose of my visit to Gemal and gathering substantial additional information.

‘I need to be cautious, seeing that some odd individuals are scheming against me.’

Additionally, I cherished expectations regarding surpassing gains in the imperial capital.

‘I certainly didn’t expect the princess to contribute to the orphanage fund.’

Considering how much would be sent was intriguing.

She was purportedly the favored and cherished princess of the emperor.

‘Even recovering six months, or even a quarter, of the operational cost would be delightful.’

It felt as though the anticipation might keep me awake.

‘I requested delivery to the order to avoid unwanted trouble due to my association with Horfe.’

Had I realized I would be this anxious, I might have directly requested the delivery instead.

Clicking my tongue lightly, I strode onward.

Arriving at what turned out to be Palao’s temple.

‘For now, I should return.’

Kim Yul had also mentioned returning after concluding their gathering.

It was a suitable time to focus on personal development before establishing the investigative agency.

I stood onto Palao’s emblem etched on the temple floor to utilize the portal.

「Order of Palao – Central Temple Portal (Travel)」

The system window, familiar from prior experiences, appeared, so I swiftly pressed the travel button.

A map illustrating the regions within Temoria’s borders was displayed.

The blue dots marked the locations where the Order of Palao had installed portals.

“They’ve multiplied.”

It suggested the steady accumulation of order points.

Recognizing a familiar locality name among the increased numbers, I clicked.

* * *

Soon after concluding the schedule in Gemal, Kim Yul achieved the Gold Rank.

In contrast to the second awakening, where they attained the Silver Rank, this time, they looked weary and hesitated several times before finally succeeding.

Moreover, during the additional awakening, Kim Yul didn’t receive extra rewards like prestige.

‘The system offers rewards for the top five ranks only when new events occur.’

Many in the community had mentioned fifth-rank rewards previously.

It implied that between Kim Yul and me, at least four players had reached the Gold Rank.

‘Most of them are probably those Chinese folks.’

They had the means to fully leverage the mana-gathering auction system, one of the few groups capable of doing so.

They could completely suppress individual free will.

Likely, some players, upon having their family’s safety handed over to the government, were being treated like slaves, pooling mana to mass-produce Gold Rank.

“It’s not bad for me, though.”

I had decided to eliminate those folks entirely.

Thus, their abnormal mass-production of Gold Rank would enhance the mana I could absorb after defeating them.

“Consider them doing the legwork for me.”

All it required was patient waiting until the advent of the investigative agency.

While waiting, continuing to refine the software was essential.

“Is the trade settled with this?”

“Right.”

I had just concluded a transaction involving store vouchers.

One went to Cello, and the other to a new club member serving as a library librarian.

The result of these trades yielded me 45 attribute stones.

Each brought forth 23 and 22 stones, respectively.

Even just looking at them made me almost feel full due to the sheer quantity.

“Far more than anticipated.”

Thanks to concluding internal trades among club members beforehand.

The final two individuals had essentially swept up the quantities gathered by other club members.

Some of the non-sold ones absorbed them themselves, meaning it would be difficult to acquire more attribute stones for some time.

Having concluded the trade and rejoined the party members, I continued absorbing the attribute stones.

‘Having to absorb them one by one is surprisingly inconvenient.’

I hadn’t expected to end up complaining about absorbing multiple attributes at once when I first obtained the stones.

A brief smile formed, close to a chuckle.

Before long, my party and I arrived at the forward base linked to the Villea fortress.

Since Ahel hadn’t joined us yet due to personal matters.

“Didn’t he say he’d arrive by 9:30?”

I checked the pocket watch I had purchased in Bihar and stepped aside from the forward base.

Waiting for Ahel to arrive.

“Hey?”

At that moment, an unexpected figure called out to us.

“K, Yuria!”

“Huh?”

Upon hearing the voice calling her, Kim Yul immediately recognized the person.

“Yokai hyung?”

It was An Kijun, whom I hadn’t seen for almost half a year.

Though an unexpected meeting, it wasn’t a relationship where either of us would turn hostile.

Playing the same game, having the same base, and even sharing the same nationality.

Running into each other wasn’t strange.

“How long has it been!”

However, we weren’t close enough to approach each other with a beaming smile, as if greeting a friend not seen for years.

Curious about his joy, I noticed the unfamiliar faces behind him exchanging glances, slightly startled.

“That’s the new party he joined.”

A few months ago, An Kijun left Yang Hyewon’s party to join another.

‘Probably because of the tight-knit exchange between Yang Hyewon and the National Intelligence Service.’

Both the creation of the player department, mentioned by Squad Leader Yang Jochul, and An Kijun’s party departure occurred around the same time.

Given Yang Hyewon’s already designated position as team leader, he must have heard the news.

Judging it unsafe to maintain the party with her, he found a new party to join.

All of them seemed to have some form of facial covering, like hats or masks.

This implied they were players whose identities hadn’t been recognized by the nation yet, just like An Kijun.

Deciding to stay with others who wouldn’t pry into their identities, sharing the same path might have been his choice.

“Have you been well?”

Drawing nearer in a short span, An Kijun extended his hand for a shake.

Having gazed at him closely, I pondered briefly before returning a friendly smile and accepting his handshake.

Damned System