episode_0020

“The price is a total of 100,000 won-.”

I smiled brightly and tightly clenched my hands.

The young inspector made a puzzled expression at the price he heard.

I called thinking about the hiring cost for a healer.

Is it too expensive for a beginner party…?

As I began to feel a little sorry inwardly, the man approached me with increased speed.

Instead of the inspector, he handed me some bills.

“Hey, if you’re getting these potions for 100,000 won, it’s a good deal.”

He murmured the potion prices he had heard while working at the association, praising the cost-effectiveness of my cocktail.

As a result, his colleagues’ faces gradually lost their vitality as if listening to a boring lecture from the headmaster.

Eventually, even the inspector agreed and asked me when I would come back to sell potions again.

I replied that most stores take it easy on Mondays.

The man regretted being able to buy cocktails only once a week.

Especially Se-ah, with a bitter expression, grabbed my sleeve tightly.

She pulled something out of her pocket, saying she had something to give me.

“This is…”

What the girl handed me was a pair of wolf ears.

Grade: ★★★☆ (Epic)

Effect: When focused on both sides of the head, you can hear sounds up to 1km away.

Information: There’s a rumor that if you focus for too long, you’ll merge with your head, so be careful.

“I can only give you this…”

Se-ah said softly, placing her hand over her mouth.

I waved my hand, refusing to accept such a valuable item from her.

Night Stalker’s Ears are items that drop with a very low probability even among wolves, making them worth around 200,000 to 400,000 Korean won.

“You’re a merchant, Unni. What you have will be more helpful when you’re out and about than what I have.”

The girl shyly smiled.

Looking at her innocent smile, I found myself holding the wolf ears in my hands.

With just this, I should be safe walking alone at night in the future.

Even without earphones, I could observe all the surrounding sounds.

“Try putting them on. We need to check if they work well.”

Se-ah suggested to me, curious about the item’s performance.

“Really? Should I try them once..?”

Se-ah nodded with folded hands, tilting her head.

Unable to resist her reaction, I held one ear in each hand.

“Like this?”

I looked at Se-ah with wolf ears on both sides like a headband.

In response, she covered her mouth with her hand and raised her thumb.

Indeed, it feels like my hearing has become more acute.

I closed my eyes and focused slowly on the surrounding sounds.

“—.”

I hear something.

Where is it coming from?

It’s from the park.

Someone is quietly conversing in the dense, dark forest.

“Caught him-?”

“No, missed him.”

“It’s disgraceful not to meet the Guild Master…”

After that, the conversation becomes less audible.

But one thing is certain, the source of the conversation is the park.

Historically, it’s a place where monsters frequently appear.

It’s so gloomy and dark that even average B-rank hunters wouldn’t dare go.

Yet, the fact that there are people over there…

Probably means high-ranking hunters are raiding the monsters in the park.

In that case, I can’t miss it.

It’s my second customer.

I removed the ears from my head and blinked.

There’s a moment of daze, but the item’s performance is certain.

Such a good item can’t be obtained for the price of just two Molotov cocktails.

I tried to return the ears to Se-ah.

However, she swiftly turned her body to avoid taking the ears.

Instead, Se-ah hesitantly asked me in a small voice.

“Could I get your number instead?”

“Huh? Why my number…?”

“Not for anything else, but to buy some Molotov cocktails later…”

She pointed to the Molotov she was holding.

Well, one feature of my special Molotov is truly amazing.

With a sense of accomplishment, I wrote down my number for her.

“Come visit our store later. I’ll make you delicious cocktails.”

Se-ah carefully tucked away the number, tilting her head like a child.

Having finished her work, she adjusted her chubby backpack once again.

Unlike before, the bag felt somewhat lighter.

But it was still not enough.

Several potions remained, and selling them all would make the long journey worthwhile.

To do that, I needed to find the owner of the voice I heard in the park just now.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. See you next week.”

Politely nodding with wolf ears on both sides of my head, I bid farewell.

I had to track down the source of the sound once again.

The man smiled contentedly, while the young inspector waved gratefully.

As for Se-ah… I wasn’t sure.

Her expression had been a bit off since earlier.

Though it wasn’t apparent at first glance, could she have sustained an injury?

Her face looked dazed and flushed.

I thought about preparing a potion for her injury, but by the time I considered it, they were already far away.

I watched their diminished silhouettes.

There might have been some friction between us, but eventually, we would become reliable comrades.

That was certain.

It was a conviction born from my experience as a former hunter.

“…”

Their shadows vanished beyond the horizon.

Yet, I waited patiently until I could no longer hear the hunters’ voices.

Afterward, I hurriedly made my way back towards the park.

I couldn’t afford to waste any more time; I might miss my second customer.

Thankfully, there were no more cries of monsters around.

Moving a bit faster should be safe.

I smell something.

A metallic scent tickling my nose.

The scent led straight down the pine tree path.

I followed the scent instinctively, leaning closer to the ground.

However, the smell of blood abruptly disappeared in the middle of the road.

And no matter how much I searched the surroundings, I couldn’t spot any signs of a hunter or a slain monster.

“How strange… It must have been around here.”

Could they have devoured everything and left in the meantime?

Frustrated, I removed the wolf ears from my head.

Slightly annoyed, I bent down to examine the ground.

In such deserted paths, traces of human presence were usually left behind.

Sometimes, awkwardly trampled pine leaves indicated human footprints.

Surely, there should be some here too…

I found them.

Several faint shoe marks leading towards the bushes.

Following those tracks, I smoothly entered the forest.

Pushing aside clinging branches, I suddenly came upon a clearing.

There stood a lone electrical tower, illuminated by moonlight, exuding a mysterious aura.

However, there was no sign of a hunter who had completed the raid.

“They cleared it out…”

Clicking my tongue, I tilted my head.

It was a skill I had learned during search missions in the army; could I have been mistaken?

Rubbing my neck, I plopped down in front of the electrical tower.

I was a bit tired from forcing my way through the bushes.

I rested my backpack on my knees.

Then, I unzipped it, rummaging for something to drink.

What should I go for?

As hunger started to gnaw at me, Kahlua Milk? Or a refreshing and clean Gin Fizz…

While pondering this minor decision, my hand holding the potion suddenly froze.

The faint metallic scent was becoming more distinct.

Clearly, apart from me, there was no one else around.

Yet, the fact that the metallic scent suddenly intensified without any warning meant that something bleeding had started moving because of me.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Slowly, I pulled out a Molotov cocktail instead of Kahlua or Gin Fizz.

Then, I surveyed my surroundings cautiously.

“What’s going on, there’s clearly no one…”

My words were cut short abruptly.

Something touched my back all of a sudden.

I immediately sensed what that soft touch was.

It was someone’s chest against my damp back.

And that touch extended from my shoulders to over my neck.

As seen in the fantasy.

Is it because of that memory that my heart pounds, and I can’t hear any sound around me.

Before long, a blade looms in front of my neck.

The blade was stained with an unknown purple poison and blood.

“…”

I raised both hands, breathing heavily.

Then, soft hair tickles my cheek.

I know that hair.

I can’t forget that ecstatic yet deadly contradictory sensation.

“How did you find this place? You came?”

Unable to swallow saliva anymore, I swallow a lot beforehand.

And calmly, I spoke up.

“Don’t misunderstand. I came to see a guest.”

“A guest at this late hour?”

A white hand holding a dagger catches my eye.

The hand is covered in blood as if it had just slaughtered someone.

“I have to take on side jobs too. The overdue rent is already four months’ worth…”

As I spout out lame excuses, there is no response behind me for a moment.

Instead, the menacing blade aimed at me is slowly retracted.

Thanks to that, I manage to grab my throat with trembling hands.

And slowly turn my head back.

“…”

Anna.

Anna Danilova.

A woman with a pale complexion who always wears black clothes.

Today, she wore red instead of black.

Of course, it’s a natural sight for her since she used to kill people without hesitation.

But I soon realized.

The blood that stained her was not someone else’s.

Anna stares blankly at me with hazy eyes.

And then she weakly collapses towards me.

I fall back with her as if being overwhelmed by her.

“W-what… why is this happening?”

I gently lay Anna down on the floor while holding her.

My breath is labored.

My lips are dry, and I feel no strength in my body.

Was it the last bit of strength she squeezed out when she aimed the dagger at me?

I cautiously took a step back as if I had seen a landmine.

If I touch her here, she might reflexively slice me open.

Anna doesn’t even look at me but simply closes her eyes.

And her chest, which was moving rapidly up and down as if struggling to breathe, also stops altogether as if she stopped breathing.

Is she dead…?

Looking at the amount of blood on her body, it wouldn’t be strange if she died immediately.

But it’s hard to believe for a Ranker with such superhuman strength.

Still, one thing is certain.

This is my only chance to escape now.

Remember the strange fantasies I had just a few days ago.

If I get involved with this woman, I’m sure to be in big trouble.

Yeah.

Let’s just go.

After all, she’s a villain.

The worst of the worst who kills people like insects.

I adjust my bag, put on my hat tightly, and wear a mask.

But when I hang the mask on my ear, a thought crosses my mind.

What if Anna doesn’t die? What will happen to me if I leave her?

She’ll surely come back to interrogate me for leaving her.

She might even kill me like she did with Siwoong and the students…

Trembling, I look back at her.

Anna, with her eyes closed, didn’t look like the madwoman I had seen so far.

She just seemed pitiful and miserable.

I remember Jisoo lying in ruins.

She, too, was violated all over her body like Anna.

That memory weighed heavily on me, making my body feel heavy.

“Oh, really… Why are you doing this?”

I rub my face with both hands.

I just hope this stupid body would come to its senses.