Chapter 158

Chapter 158. Perception (1)

“We have confirmed that they are conducting human trafficking. It is estimated that at least 50 outsiders are involved. However, the exact reason is unknown, but bodies keep appearing without internal organs or eyes.”

“Sigh…”

Medicine in Bihar heavily relies on potions and herbs. This implies a lack of technology to perform organ transplant surgeries.

Therefore, from Ladriol’s perspective, he couldn’t possibly understand the significance of a body without its organs.

In contrast, just from reading the brief sentences, I immediately grasped what was happening.

‘Some players are engaging in human trafficking and organ smuggling targeting Biharin.’

It truly made me feel like I was going mad. How long had it been since the drug-related issues surfaced, and now this?

At this rate, my disdain for humanity might make me shudder.

I clenched my teeth and swallowed down the bubbling wrath within me, closing my eyes tightly.

After suppressing my emotions and sending Rivan away, I checked the hidden mission list in the Bounty Hunter icon.

‘Nothing.’

The missions under the Bihar tab were only two, and the target numbers those missions showed were 1 and 3.

There was no trace of the mission involving more than 50 players.

Thanks to this, the conditions for the bounty mission, which had remained somewhat ambiguous, started to clarify.

‘First, conditions related to a player killing another.’

If one kills another player, they appear on the bounty list. Fortunately, it seems there’s no issue with killing someone who has already murdered a player.

Considering that Kim Yul, who has a record of killing a PK criminal, hadn’t gotten a bounty mission, it seemed so.

The system deemed killing an innocent player to be problematic.

‘Next are conditions related to Holes and monsters.’

Any situation arising from using them to cause trouble on Earth seems unacceptable.

However, activities such as warning each country or conducting research seem to be overlooked.

Considering that individuals like me and Maxim, who brought monsters and handed them over to the government, have been excluded, it seems likely.

‘Lastly, the range of life forms a player can kill.’

Monsters, plants and animals, even civilians from Earth and Bihar, are all mentioned.

The system doesn’t care who or what you kill among them. How is this different from telling you to kill all life forms except players and absorb mana?

At that moment, I realized what “kin” meant in the context of the bounty mission.

‘To the system, a player’s kin is only the players themselves.’

Faced with this unpleasant conclusion, I firmly clenched my fists.

“Damn it…”

I wanted nothing more than to grab the system by the collar and shout. Who did it think it was to decide my identity?

The rebellion that surged from my chest to my throat was intense.

Did it really think I would obediently follow the rules and definitions it set by shamelessly intervening in my life?

If so, the system judged me wrong. I’ve never agreed with that nonsense, and I never will.

However, no matter what I said, there was no chance that this damned system would change its definition of kin.

Therefore, instead of wasting time on something ineffective, I decided to focus on more productive things.

‘First, dealing with the troublemakers.’

A significant human trafficking operation involving over 50 people. It’s troublesome, but it was somewhat anticipated.

Although I didn’t know the exact scope or type, I foresaw that problems would eventually arise.

Of course, it wasn’t just a hunch on my part. It all started from a suspicious tip I received in the past.

‘The codename of the informant was “Rabbit’s Foot”.’

The first connection was made through his comment on a post that provided insights into the situation in various governments.

In the early days, China’s handling of players was often a topic of discussion in the community.

As a result, there were quite a few occurrences where Chinese players ended up killing each other.

It was essentially a conflict between those following government policies and those opposing them. The winners aligned with the government.

‘The association seemed to be having headaches because of it.’

I opened the chat window with Rabbit’s Foot.

– Rabbit’s Foot: These bastards are all crazy. They’re not human.

He died following those words. While player deaths are not uncommon, the situations leading up to his death were highly suspicious.

‘I think it’s safe to say he was murdered.’

Groups that act solely in the interest of the state rather than the players’ rights.

They’re nuisances that need resolving before they escalate or interfere with the cooperation between Bihar and Earth.

But even with the clear conclusion, my mind remained chaotic. The system hadn’t flagged any mission relating to this issue.

What happens if a bounty hunter like me kills another player without a mission?

‘Will it grant me a special exemption again?’

Or turn me into another target for bounty missions?

‘That would be interesting.’

An absurd situation could arise where those I recruited as bounty hunters end up targeting me.

If such an event occurs, would I still choose to involve myself in this matter?

“Haha…”

Surprisingly, the answer to my self-imposed question came faster than expected.

Perhaps, from the moment I received Ladriol’s letter, my choice was already decided. Meeting Ladriol in Viceta only solidified that certainty.

“Ugh!”

Despite the prior warning that it wouldn’t be a pleasant sight, Kim Yul succumbed to nausea, doubled over, dry-heaving.

Meanwhile, Yang Taeho’s face was utterly pale as he patted him on the back. Even Ladriol, who led us, turned his head away, covering his mouth with his hand.

For someone whose reputation was built in the underworld, even this sight seemed too repulsive. Ignoring the others’ overt reactions, I moved a few steps forward.

‘About 5 or 6 meters deep…’

As I approached the rather deep pit and lowered myself, the inside became more visible.

Piled like garbage were corpses. Bodies that once moved like me, now discarded chunks of meat, left naked.

‘Did they say that when the pit fills to some extent, they bring monsters?’

The monsters would devour the evidence—the corpses. In other words, they were using monsters to destroy evidence.

Most bodies had empty eye sockets and were dissected.

‘This is new.’

I thought I’d seen it all as I traveled around battlefields recently. Shredded corpses left by monsters, expressions of despair on those dismembered alive.

I’ve witnessed the fleeting nature of life countless times to the point of exhaustion.

But the remains of a victim of greed left a different impression than those who died in combat. It was a sight devoid of basic respect or dignity for life.

Staring at it felt like something else within me was crumbling. Yet, strangely enough, my mind felt clearer than ever.

It was as if my thoughts were flowing seamlessly, proving I was maintaining my usual level of rationality despite what I witnessed.

‘To remain composed even after all this…’

It was an eerie feeling as if my heart and mind were disconnected.

“So, you mean…”

I snapped back to attention at the voice coming from beside me, lost in my thoughts for a moment. It was Ahel, and he crouched beside me, observing the gruesome pit.

Yet, though we saw the same thing, our feelings were different.

“In your world, there exists a technique to remove organs and attach them to another, called organ transplantation? That’s why they only took the organs?”

Ahel’s curiosity was pure; he was genuinely amazed by Earth’s medical technology. This tragedy held no particular meaning for him.

When considering it, Ahel was more similar to those lying dead than to me.

Perhaps it was because he appeared so unfazed that all subsequent thoughts and decisions became effortless for me.

‘There’s no reason to spare them.’

Those fiends contributed nothing to the future I envisioned. With that fact firmly established, the system’s lack of approval no longer mattered.

Having made up my mind, I stood up, eyes sharp.

‘If I’m going to do this, I’ll do it right.’

* * *

“Huff, huff, huff…”

An utterly dark cave devoid of a single ray of light.

Footsteps stumbled, and ragged breath echoed within.

Standing at the source of those sounds was a miserable-looking boy.

His name was Yolta, small in stature, even compared to a grown woman, making him feel petite.

Today marked the second day since he was kidnapped by thugs from an alley for failing to repay debt borrowed for his parents’ care.

Initially, he occupied a place akin to a cellar, but was relocated abruptly to this cave by daybreak.

Since then, every moment passed in anxiety and unrest.

Yolta recalled his entrance into the cave.

A cart brimming with corpses.

All with gaping stomachs and empty eye sockets. Those vacant eyes lingered imprinted in Yolta’s mind.

“Sob, sob…”

Yolta continued to move forward, even as he whimpered.

He needed to escape as far as possible, as quickly as possible. Otherwise, he would end up like those bodies that fell from the cart, dead.

The thought of dying with split bellies and empty eye sockets sent shudders through Yolta’s body.

‘No, I don’t want to die like that.’

Every time his bare feet touched the hard stone, they bled. Yet, oblivious to the pain, propelled purely by the will to live, Yolta pressed on.

Despite the darkness in the cave, he groped his way forward, driven by the single desire not to die.

Perhaps, as a reward for that tenacity?

In the distance, light began to appear at the end of the cave.

Seeing this, Yolta’s face lit up with joy.

His feet, nearly stripped of skin, as well as his knees and hands, broke open whenever he fell, bleeding profusely, yet he pushed his trembling legs.

Clinging to the slim chance of survival.

Once he emerged back into the world bathed in light, Yolta faced a dense forest.

The sky, painted by the glow of the setting sun, seemed to welcome his return. Tears streamed down at the miraculous sight.

‘I survived.’

The instant such simple and unequivocal words filled his entire being.

“Huh?”

A presence was sensed from the bushes beside him.

Damned System