NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: Club Hades (2)
If Blue Moon had run the establishment, such a tragedy would not have occurred.
But Eclipse, with In-su, had transformed their own establishment into a massive human trafficking site.
They must have carried out a long-term preliminary investigation,
realizing that the hunters who visited were quite a ‘profitable’ target.
“Huaat!”
In the meantime, a hunter charged at Kang-hoo from behind, the Eclipse insignia on his sleeve visible.
His reckless charge with an axe suggested he was not skilled.
Swoosh! Thud!
“Ugh!”
The situation was quickly resolved.
Kang-hoo had disappeared from the hunter’s front and moved sideways, reappearing behind him to stab him in the nape.
“When I see you guys, I think this: Are the higher-ups intentionally reducing their numbers to increase their profits?”
Without a chance to react, Kang-hoo kicked the body of the hunter, whose breath had just been cut off.
The hunter, already having crossed the Jordan River, fell forward like a stalk of straw.
It made him realize anew
how dangerous the world he lived in was.
There was no opportunity to comfortably enjoy a cocktail.
Meanwhile,
Yun Sang-mi, having spotted Kang-hoo, quickly grabbed her greatsword and followed him from the side.
Her expression showed disappointment, as if she had been having fun and didn’t want it to end.
“Seems like the liquor in Seoul is the best, after all.”
“I agree with that,”
Kang-hoo nodded.
Liquor that you risk your life for isn’t liquor; it’s poison.
He understood that this club, crowded with hunters, was not a safe haven but rather a giant fishing spot.
“Let’s go.”
“Taking the emergency exit seems better.”
“I agree. The main route is probably blocked, triple or quadruple layers deep.”
“Yeah.”
“They might have even arranged a car to capture us and send us straight to the detention center.”
Right then,
an announcement flowed through the club.
[Dear guests, it appears someone from the Black Lion has infiltrated our club to cause disruption.]
[Here at Eclipse, we aim to swiftly suppress internal dissent and restore order...]
“They’re talking nonsense!”
Crack!
A chair thrown by one of the hunters struck the large speaker, instantly rendering it inoperable.
Who could believe them when Eclipse hunters were capturing other hunters right in front of their eyes?
“Cover the rear.”
“What about Sun-kyu?”
“With the narrow stairway structure, it’s difficult for a greatsword. It’s better if I take the front.”
“Got it! Are we forming a mixed team?”
“Think of it as a short-term business.”
Right then.
Bang!
The sound of the emergency exit door on the second basement floor opening was heard.
Before identifying who it was, Kang-hoo first threw the dagger he was holding.
Thanks to the Morlis Maniche gloves, he could retrieve the dagger within five meters, so there was no worry.
Thud!
“Ugh…”
Exactly when the door opened and the opponent poked their head out, the thrown dagger pierced right through their abdomen.
Looking over to the arm, the Eclipse insignia on the sleeve was clearly visible.
Yun Sang-mi, who was watching the situation from behind, asked,
“Did you know who it was when you threw it?”
“No.”
“…”
Thinking about it, the only hunters likely to come out here at this time were from Eclipse.
Kang-hoo reached out his hand.
“Kraak!”
The dagger embedded in the abdomen naturally flew into his hand as if being drawn to it.
“Wow, telekinesis? It’s the first time I’m seeing an assassin class using such a power.”
Yun Sang-mi tilted her head.
Such telekinetic skills are usually used by mage-type hunters. It was rare for the assassin class.
Meanwhile,
“There, below!”
Two Eclipse hunters who emerged from the emergency exit on the first basement floor pointed at Kang-hoo.
By that time, Kang-hoo was already using the Kidnap skill on one of the men who had come into his sight.
He didn’t mind the railing in the middle; it was rather a good obstacle.
As expected.
“Aaah!”
The hunter’s head, suddenly pulled by the Kidnap skill, hit the railing.
Crack!
His body bent backward, striking the railing. The sound of bones crushing indicated at least a cervical fracture.
“Eek!”
The decision of his colleague, who had entered with him, was faster than light. He immediately turned and ran back through the door from which he had come.
“This smells like an Irregular…”
Yun Sang-mi’s expression hardened, having witnessed the entire process. The assassin was using skills that weren’t easily accessible to their class.
The telekinesis used to retrieve the dagger could be overlooked, as it’s often an added item option.
But the Kidnap skill, which had captured the hunter without resistance, was not something hunters normally used.
It was a special skill exclusively used by certain dungeon monsters, specifically those of the demon race.
“What about the rear?”
“Clear. Nothing there. It seems like they didn’t think this far.”
“There must be plenty of prey inside the club. Let’s get out fast.”
Kang-hoo accelerated.
Even as a few hunters peeked out of the emergency exit to secure the spot,
Kang-hoo promptly subdued them using Leap, Kidnap, Sideways Movement, and Sight Steal.
Yun Sang-mi, who ended up involuntarily closing for business behind Kang-hoo, could fully observe his capabilities.
And she realized.
He was a seasoned mercenary who had gained significant experience on the battlefield.
And he was an unusual man possessing several special skills. It wasn’t a guess but a certainty.
[The Constellation 'Apostle of Justice' is impressed by your direct practice of good conquering evil and supports you with a small buff.]
[Slight consumption of divine power to provide you a minor buff.]
[Experience Increase +0.1%]
“Not really.”
Kang-hoo’s mouth curled into a sneer.
Dimension Plunderer read his thoughts first.
[Cleaning up annoying trash only to find out it's low-quality trash. That naive guy can't see through you.]
Is there really such a thing as good conquering evil?
In this world, there are no such things as absolute good or absolute evil.
Those who blur and ultimately overturn this balance are the Thirteen Stars.
The saviors whom the world believed to be heroes all turned out to be minions of the Demon King who betrayed humanity.
In this world, distinguishing between good and evil is meaningless.
Usually, people create a comfortable standard to think about.
That is, a powerful being is considered good (善). Thus, in the current world, the one who dies is evil (惡).
Far from the scene.
Click. Sssshhh.
Having bought two cans of beer from a convenience store, they finally quenched their thirst.
“What’s that?”
“The last one who ran away. I swung the dagger and unintentionally got it when his finger got cut off.”
Yun Sang-mi pointed at the ring dripping with blood, now worn on Kang-hoo’s little finger.
On the ground lay a finger, belonging to someone other than Kang-hoo, discarded like a half-eaten sausage.
“You saw something good today. Honestly, I think you have a reason to be a solo mercenary, right?”
Yun Sang-mi gave Kang-hoo a thumbs-up.
Perhaps due to his class characteristics, all the hunters who faced Kang-hoo were completely crushed from the start.
Kang-hoo was the very embodiment of the saying, “The one who strikes first wins.”
“What level are you? From what I saw, you must be over 100. You have a Constellation too, right?”
Kang-hoo remained silent.
At times like this, it’s better to let them imagine rather than give concrete information.
There’s no need to correct them; let good misconceptions be.
“I just want to sleep.”
He felt the onset of mana hypersensitivity throbbing in his forehead.
He regretted not being able to finish the Solakium Burst due to the sudden appearance of the Eclipse guys.
He had spent hundreds of thousands of won for a drink, only for it to end up as waste without even a sip.
“Want to have a drink in my room?”
“No. I have an appointment with Lee Ye-rin at 9 AM. If you want to meet, be at Daejeon Station by 8:30 AM.”
“Where are you heading now?”
“Looking for a place to catch some sleep. It’s better we don’t know each other’s whereabouts, so let’s rest separately.”
Kang-hoo turned away, casually waving his right hand as he distanced himself from her.
He planned to sell all the items he had postponed dealing with when he met Lee Ye-rin in the morning and convert them into cash.
Part of it seemed necessary to be spent on Solakium.
That dawn.
Kang-hoo relieved his overexerted body from the battle at Club Hades with a cold shower.
Thanks to choosing an expensive motel, the water pressure was good, and more importantly, the bathtub was large.
He had been trying to find alternative means to reduce his excessive dependence on Solakium.
“Damn it…”
Perhaps because he overexerted his mana at the end of the battle, his body started acting up.
Rushing to the bathroom, Kang-hoo turned on the shower and thrust his head under it.
Since he wasn’t wearing anything to begin with, there was nothing to hinder him.
“This is going to be a problem.”
His frown didn’t ease. The weakness he exchanged for his great talent was a problem, especially because it was vulnerable to exploitation.
[Ever since Jang Si-hwan discovered the secret hidden in Shin Kang-hoo's body, he never rushed into battle against Shin Kang-hoo. Time was 'always' on his side.]
As the original story flashed before his eyes, Kang-hoo fiercely splashed water on himself, trying to ignore it.
“I thought I had a plan…”
He couldn’t remember the solution to the terrible disease, though it seemed to linger in his subconscious.
Like Yun Sang-mi’s Gale Sword Emperor Constellation, there had to be a way to resolve innate mana hypersensitivity.
He had thought of a treatment method to use when he created a crisis for Jang Si-hwan.
“No choice then.”
Kang-hoo considered the two stalks of Solakium stored in his refrigerator.
It felt as though the fountain of life was running dry, and now, with only two stalks left, it was exactly that.
The following day, in the morning.
Kang-hoo and Yun Sang-mi met with Lee Ye-rin.
Yun Sang-mi had finished her pre-arranged conversation with Lee Ye-rin in a separate waiting room.
Kang-hoo was about to settle accounts with her and was looking forward to the reward.
“I didn’t think we’d find Bartaros’s shoes so easily. Thank you, Sun-kyu.”
A smile graced Lee Ye-rin’s lips as she took the requested item.
The shoes appeared to carry a special meaning for her.
“They’re undamaged.”
“To be honest, the thought of running away with them crossed my mind. I figured it wouldn’t matter if I did.”
“I don’t have the unpleasant habit of worrying about being backstabbed every hour of the day. I’m looking for more jobs.”
Kang-hoo shook his head.
As tempting as it might sound to run away, from that moment on, he would be in the same predicament as Kim Mok-hyun… an unnecessary act.