Chapter 159

Chapter 159. Perception (2)

Out of the bushes suddenly emerged Ju Wooryeong, a woman with her hair tied tightly back.

Yolta looked at the symbol hovering above her head and despair filled his eyes.

“What the heck, where did this one crawl out from?”

“Ahhh!”

Yolta screamed in a semblance of a wail and began sprinting into the forest.

“Tsk, he’s trying so hard.”

Ju Wooryeong clicked her tongue while pulling up her trousers, watching the scene unfold.

In the meantime, Yolta gave his all to escape the area.

However, his efforts became futile as Ju Wooryeong stamped on the ground once, rapidly closing the distance.

With a swift swing of her hand, she struck Yolta’s head.

Thud, a sound like something breaking was heard, and Yolta collapsed, limp.

Luckily, he wasn’t dead; his chest faintly moved up and down.

Confirming he was still alive, Ju Wooryeong spat on the ground, muttering.

“Damn, what’s this while I was trying to take a dump.”

She then grabbed Yolta by the ankle, retracing her steps back.

Throughout, she cursed at the patrol guard who was basically the cause of all this.

“How did something manage to escape without being noticed?”

It’s set up so that the bronze rank players take turns guarding the pen.

‘Considering it came this way, it must have exited from the very end pen.’

The place Ju Wooryeong guarded was, to categorize, a back entrance, specifically a nook with the least traffic among her co-workers.

It was silently agreed upon to use this site for bathroom needs.

It wasn’t acceptable to leave waste all over.

Therefore, not many people came and went from where she sat.

Moreover, the exit was quite far from where the prey was penned.

Only one pen had a directly connected exit.

Yet, how could the guard miss a prey’s escape?

Thinking she’d give the patrol guard a good smack on the head once back, Ju Wooryeong returned to the cave still holding onto Yolta’s ankle,

causing a dragging sound as the heavy body pulled along each of her steps.

A trail of blood traced the cave floor, though Ju Wooryeong paid it no mind.

Retracing Yolta’s frantic path back through the cave was an effortless task for her.

Eventually reaching her destination, Ju Wooryeong crinkled her nose and waved a hand in front of her face dismissively.

“Phew, reeks of alcohol.”

The player assigned to watch the pen was passed out in a drunken stupor.

After clicking her tongue again, her gaze shifted between Yolta and the wooden pen.

Realizing one could fit in there when crammed, she sighed.

“Really, that’s how he got out?”

With a shallow sigh, Ju Wooryeong snapped Yolta’s leg.

He might have slipped through a gap due to his small stature, but breaking his leg would keep him from escaping again.

‘Only the ones inside need to be intact.’

Gently kicking him unconscious, she tossed Yolta back into the pen.

“Eek!”

The others curled up inside began trembling with terror.

Ignoring them entirely, Ju Wooryeong approached the player slumped in front of the pen.

With a powerful strike, she woke the sleeping player.

“Ow! Who did that?!”

Angrily shouting, he froze upon seeing Ju Wooryeong’s face.

“Who? You’re calling me who?”

“N-no, nuna, it’s not…urgh!”

Hadn’t I been interrupted mid-bathroom run because this idiot fell asleep after drinking?

Though it wasn’t challenging work, the unpleasant feeling lingered.

For this, she decided to indulge in some venting.

Punches, kicks, humiliating insults, and a couple of face slaps to bruise the ego a bit.

A lengthy session of venting later, she felt somewhat cheered up.

“Keep watch properly, don’t slack off.”

“Y-yes!”

Only after knocking him a few more times on the back of the head did Ju Wooryeong turn away.

She headed not towards the earlier path but deeper into the cave.

The deeper she ventured, the wider and more raucous the cave became.

“Please, spare us!”

“Open this now!”

“No, don’t! Not my child! Give them back!”

The cells lined up were even larger than the ones she saw earlier.

The cries of those trapped inside echoed through the cave, bouncing off the stone walls.

But that was all, nothing ever escaped these walls.

The cave was simply too deep.

Everything that occurred within was destined to remain buried.

Ju Wooryeong strolled leisurely through the familiar cacophony.

She stopped abruptly and looked back.

“…”

Familiar cries for salvation. Shadows of hands reaching out through the bars.

Even the indifferent gazes of the Bronze rankers observing them.

In her view was always the same scene.

But why now?

‘Strange.’

She seemed to sense an unusual presence.

Ju Wooryeong, second-guessing the familiar scene, activated a detection magic.

Nothing beyond the familiar sights and auras came to her.

She might have dismissed her doubts right then, yet she pondered a little longer.

‘Detection magics barely work on Silver rank upwards.’

Lately, more players were advancing to Silver rank like her.

Receiving their core and controlling mana had also become more common.

Thus, double-checking wouldn’t hurt.

“Even if it hurts, endure.”

“Yes?”

The Bronze rankers guarding the cage were left puzzled by her remark, lacking further explanation.

‘Wind Whip.’

With each flick of Ju Wooryeong’s arm, the unseen whip scoured the cave interior.

“Ouch!”

The struck Bronze Players either cried out in pain or embarrassingly collapsed.

“Hmmm….”

Yet what filled Ju Wooryeong’s face wasn’t remorse but suspicion.

‘Was it my imagination?’

She was sure someone had been following her with light steps.

Shrugging to dismiss the odd feeling, she continued deeper into the cave.

The location she reached was centrally located, marked by makeshift chairs and tables.

Players casually referred to this place as the break room.

Here, some who weren’t on guard duty gathered playing cards.

Before her little bathroom mission, Ju Wooryeong had spent time here.

“Why so long? Were you constipated?”

A fellow who had won a decent sum in her absence amiably asked as she returned.

“The jerk drank himself silly, fell asleep; had to catch and throw a runaway back,” she replied.

Without hesitation, she joined him at the table.

Like any other day, it was natural for her to receive cards and join the game.

Days off from hunts usually involved this routine, hence it felt only right.

Another round kicked off, bets piled up on the table.

Coins clinked.

Gemstones plopped.

Even ornate jewels slid forth.

The players gathered in the break room collectively indulged in gambling.

As the stakes rose, exchanges grew harsher.

“Screw it, Jang Ryun’s at the entrance.”

As soon as someone whispered, players in the break room promptly rose to their feet.

Almost synchronized, they streamed outside to line up before the cave.

Standing to attention like statues, they waited several minutes.

From the opposite direction, a man in his late twenties nonchalantly walked over.

All the players in formation bowed deeply as one.

“Welcome, hyungnim!”

“Yeah.”

The man, his name Jang Ryun, approached while taking a drag on a cigarette.

He was in charge of the ongoing lumber business near Viceta, as rumor had it.

Ju Wooryeong stole a glance at the foot of Jang Ryun, her own head bent low.

‘I heard someone in high places uses him for entertainment, servants to higher-ups at the Confidant Party.’

Bowing to a pimp—not even a pureblood at that—didn’t sit too well with her.

But she wasn’t about to turn things upside down over this.

Ju Wooryeong was more or less content with how things were.

All those thugs that tormented her were now dead and gone.

She was handling money big enough to make her old Earth-bound self weep.

While there were gripes, they weren’t so big as to make her give everything up.

Never did it cross her mind to challenge the system.

Neither did she fancy associating with Jang Ryun, likely a consort to upper echelons.

But why was he stopping right in front of her now?

‘Damn.’

What if he demanded her to his bed? Anxiety bubbled within.

“A pest managed to sneak in.”

A heavy voice rang out above her.

Then, with a rush of wind—

“Eek!”

An exaggerated scream came from right beneath Ju Wooryeong’s shadow.

Just as Jang Ryun stepped forward, an unexpected sound mingled with a moan.

“Ugh!”

Ju Wooryeong, not quite grasping the situation, could only awkwardly crane her head from her bowed position.

‘… Who?’

Before her stood an unfamiliar face.

Platinum-dyed hair with black roots drawing eyes, an appealing visage marred by agony.

The rough hand of Jang Ryun gripped the stranger’s neck.

“Where are you from? Confess and a quick, painless death awaits.”

With a chilling tone, Jang Ryun inquired as the stranger’s lips curled.

Lightly tapping, almost chiding Jang Ryun’s arm, as if demanding to be set free for answers.

With what seemed like an eased grip, the visitor’s voice emerged.

“Cough, cough! Phew, must I reveal it? Knowing won’t change a thing.”

Ju Wooryeong’s face took on a foolish look unwittingly.

But the intruder relentlessly spouted bold absurdities.

“And attacking suddenly like that, isn’t too nice, you know? Startled the hell outta me!”

Such brazenness didn’t go unappreciated by Jang Ryun either.

He chuckled dryly, unable to mask his exasperation.

“Kid’s clueless about fear facing a tiger. What exactly are you?”

“Can’t you tell? I’m a scout!”

Even having his neck clasped didn’t stop this fuss from making noise.

It could be a peculiar talent, or just audacious fearlessness.

Jang Ryun, irked by the audacity, his expression darkened further.

But unfazed, the intruder continued.

“Hate to interrupt, but seems it’s time for farewells. My leader’s calling.”

“Who said you’d leave?”

“Sorry, but they’re quite…overprotective. Miss a call and I’d be in trouble, you see.”

“Ridiculous, you’re not going anywhere.”

In spite of the grim warning, the intruder beamed cheerfully.

“Meeting you’s been a drag, and forget I’ll wish you well! Try leading a good life next time!”

“This brat!”

“Goodbye then!”

At the moment Jang Ryun raised his free hand, the intruder dissolved like smoke.

Damned System