NOVEL NEXT Chapter 177
Chapter 177: A Sudden Renovation
In the Yangji Guild Office, an unexpected renovation was underway.
They were renovating the storage room next door. The items from the storage had already been sent down to the 6th floor.
It was Si-hyun’s order.
The plan was to remodel the storage into a sleeping area that could also serve as a prayer room for Rachel.
Originally, Rachel was supposed to stay at the Church of Illyria’s temple in Korea.
Of course, her presence in Korea was top secret.
However, only a handful within the church knew her true identity, so it wasn’t a major issue.
But the real concern lay elsewhere.
There was no temple of Illyria on Ganghwa Island.
There was one in Seoul.
Thus, if any issues arose at the Special Detention Center, it would be impossible for her to rush over immediately.
Si-hyun discussed these problems with Rachel.
As a solution, he proposed providing her with a place to stay in the building where the Yangji Guild was located.
There was a teleportation magic circle there, so in case of emergency, she could cross over in an instant.
Although the neighborhood was primarily filled with men, making it an uncomfortable situation for a young woman, Rachel surprisingly accepted it gladly.
Given her superhuman abilities, it was only natural that such things wouldn’t bother her.
“What the heck? Did a religious group just move in next door to the guild?”
Dong-il said in disbelief as he entered the Guild Leader’s room.
This was due to the sight of the Goddess Statue of Illyria placed near the newly renovated storage.
“Section Chief’s order,” guild leader Cheol-hyung responded.
“Wait, Section Chief’s order?” Dong-il’s eyes widened in shock.
“Yes, it seems someone will be staying next to the office for a while,” Cheol-hyung explained.
“…I see. But who exactly is this person that warrants such special treatment from the Section Chief?”
“Even I don’t know that well. They said they would come and introduce themselves directly.”
Just then, the teleportation magic circle began to glow, confirming Cheol-hyung’s words.
At that moment, Si-hyun and Rachel, dressed neatly in white priestly attire, appeared above the magic circle.
Dong-il’s gaze instinctively shifted to Rachel.
‘Is that her…?’
This was the second time Si-hyun had brought someone this month.
Moreover, this time it was a foreign woman.
It seemed the impressive Section Chief’s reach extended beyond the domestic sphere to foreign lands.
Speaking of foreign people, the monstrous sister-in-law that handled the Abnormal Gate by herself was also a foreigner.
It was remarkable how capable the Section Chief was.
“I am Rachel, a humble daughter serving Illyria,” Rachel introduced herself before Si-hyun could.
Having already guessed from the Goddess Statue, it was clear she belonged to that religious organization.
“Hello, I’m Guild Leader Kim Cheol-hyung.”
“I’m Baek Dong-il!”
Cheol-hyung politely bowed, while Dong-il performed a 90-degree bow.
“As mentioned, she is a representative from the Church of Illyria. Please treat her with the utmost courtesy as she is our guest.”
“Ah… she’s not going to become a guild member?” Dong-il questioned after Si-hyun’s explanation.
“No, she’s a guest. However—”
Si-hyun paused briefly before continuing.
“She’ll be helping us with matters concerning Ganghwa Island.”
Understanding dawned on both Dong-il and Cheol-hyung.
The matters concerning Ganghwa Island.
Si-hyun explained to the guild members about potential occurrences that might happen at the Special Detention Center on Ganghwa Island.
It wasn’t about blocking forces sent by the Emperor.
That was beyond the capacity of a mere guild.
However, it was crucial to prevent civilians from getting caught up and suffering heavy casualties like during the Ganghwa Island Disaster.
Hence, he requested that the guild members remain vigilant to shield potential civilian victims in case something arose.
“I’m counting on you,” Rachel smiled softly.
◈ ◈ ◈
The meeting place was a high-end restaurant located at the top of a skyscraper in Shanghai.
The translation item, purchased after realizing the usefulness of translation magic in the United States, was well worth its price.
Otherwise, she would have struggled upon stepping onto Chinese soil due to the language barrier.
“I have a reservation under Lin.”
Upon mentioning the name used for the reservation, the staff guided Si-hyun to the window seat with a splendid view of the city lights.
There sat Hyris.
Her usual figure stood out through the tightly-fitted clothing, accentuating her curves. The skirt was extremely short.
Determined to be cautious with his gaze, Si-hyun approached the seat occupied by Hyris.
“This is my first time seeing this in China.”
Si-hyun greeted her as he sat down before Hyris.
“What brought you here so suddenly?” Hyris asked with a playful squint, her cat-like eyes sparkling. It made sense since she was always the one to approach him.
“I have something important to discuss. But….”
Si-hyun paused momentarily, scanning the surroundings.
“It’s quite important, so discussing it here feels a bit risky.”
“Don’t worry.”
Hyris lightly snapped her fingers.
On the surface, nothing seemed to change.
However, she continued speaking to clarify.
“Our conversation will no longer be overheard outside.”
“Then I can relax.”
Si-hyun smiled.
“Go ahead, what is it?”
Hyris asked with curious eyes.
“That is….”
Si-hyun began explaining.
◈ ◈ ◈
“The Emperor…”
After hearing everything, Hyris muttered with a serious expression.
Si-hyun had rarely seen her with such a grave look.
If he recalled correctly, it was only when he was on the brink of death from a fatal injury that he had witnessed something similar.
The weight of the name ‘Emperor’ seemed beyond imagination.
“The Emperor knows your identity and wants to extract the predator residing in the detention center you work at. That’s definitely no ordinary matter.”
“Do you happen to know anything about the predator?” Si-hyun asked.
Hyris shook her head.
“No, I don’t know much either. I’ve heard rumors, but I only learned from you that such a thing truly exists.”
“I see.”
“If this ability predator grows stronger by consuming Awakened Beings, it could become a significant threat.”
“Calling it an ability predator is just my inference.”
“No, I think you’re right. If it’s targeting a place where a Sword Master resides, that’s clearly a strategic calculation.”
“Hmm… Maybe.”
“Exactly.”
Hyris took a sip of wine and rested her chin on her hand.
“However, how much of your strength have you regained?”
“S-Class, enough to handle one opponent.”
He wasn’t boasting.
If a new prisoner now bore the Mark of the Prisoner, wielding a sword would be sufficient.
“With that amount, you might finally fulfill your role as a person. Although you would still be cut down within ten seconds by the Emperor.”
Even so, saying that he could finally prove useful was a bit…
Si-hyun let out a quiet laugh internally.
Indeed, the standards of someone who had reached an incomprehensible height were entirely different.
“…That might be true. But do you think the Emperor will come in person?”
“Well, the chances of that are slim. However, he is unpredictable.”
“Hmm.”
“Anyway, well done. My strength will be needed for this matter.”
“Thanks again.”
Si-hyun sincerely expressed his gratitude.
The Face-avoidance Technician and the Ganghwa Island Disaster.
He had already been saved twice. Moreover, this was undoubtedly going to be a dangerous situation.
Yet, Hyris agreed to assist without any hesitation.
“It’s not a problem. The Emperor couldn’t have you die twice, could he?”
“….”
Hyris’s words struck a chord, but Si-hyun kept his expression neutral.
The matter concerning his identity was truly a homework assignment that needed to be resolved eventually.
However, it was challenging and perplexing.
For now, maintaining their current relationship seemed necessary until he could come up with a solution.
“Here.”
Hyris handed something to Si-hyun.
It was a silver ring.
“What’s this?” Si-hyun asked.
“A ring enchanted with communication magic. Use it to contact me immediately if anything happens.”
“Ah… I’ll do that.”
“When you call, I’ll teleport right over. I know the coordinates of the detention center you work at.”
“Knowing that you’ll come right away gives me reassurance.”
As Si-hyun was about to tuck the ring into his pocket, Hyris reached out and took his hand.
“You have to wear what a lady has specially gifted you.”
With a gentle motion, she slid the silver ring onto Si-hyun’s left ring finger, then flashed him a bright smile.
“Looks good, doesn’t it?”
Si-hyun wore an awkward smile as he felt embarrassed.
◈ ◈ ◈
“This looks good.”
On a mountain path, clearly visible from the Ganghwa Island Special Detention Center, an old man dressed in gray, his clothes all wrinkled and sagging, muttered to himself.
“They would never dream that something like this would be placed behind them.”
The old man chuckled sinisterly.
“Be cautious, Great Sage. Don’t forget that he’s there,” warned a man with short hair and sharp eyes.
He was Seomjeon, an executive of the Black Cross who had been with the Emperor in Russia.
“Heh heh. Come on, Seomjeon. No matter how skilled a Sword Master is, what can they sense from this distance? Besides, I’ll finish my work without them noticing thanks to my abilities.”
Despite the old man’s bravado, Seomjeon remained tense, keeping a vigilant eye on the direction of the detention center.
The Great Sage of the Mangjong did not understand.
He had never faced a Sword Master.
He did not grasp how terrifying that individual could be.
“This is delightful, very enjoyable. Seeing blood is always a pleasurable sight.”
As he worked, Mangjong hummed joyfully.
Seomjeon thought to himself that Mangjong was indeed living up to his name.
Mangjong literally meant “a pestilent seed.”
It wasn’t a title with a positive connotation.
Despite being one of the most intelligent sages in the world, he engaged in all sorts of wicked behavior, hence the ill feelings others held towards him.
He was the complete opposite of the Great Sage revered and respected by everyone.
However, Mangjong embraced this nickname instead of shying away from it.
He even referred to himself as Mangjong.
“A lot of blood will flow. A tremendous amount of blood. Corpses will pile up like mountains, and screams will fill the air.”
“In that regard, aligning with His Majesty was a brilliant choice,” Seomjeon remarked while observing the detention center.
“Yes, he is the blood-winner. As you said, it was an excellent choice. A truly excellent choice. Hehehe.”
Mangjong cackled ominously as he continued his work.
How much time had passed?
Mangjong dusted off the dirt on his clothes as he stood up from his seat.
“Alright, perfect. Just as I expected.”
“Thank you for your effort, Great Sage.”
“With the welcoming magic circle set properly, now not a single person will become aware until the fateful day.”
◈ ◈ ◈
“Tomorrow is my day off for the first time in a while.”
Hye-young returned home from the detention center, her steps light.
This month had been so hectic that her scheduled days off were almost nonexistent.
But finally, tomorrow was her well-deserved break. It was no wonder she felt cheerful.
Her mind raced with excitement about what to do on her rare day off.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Entering her home after keying in the password, Hye-young felt a strange sensation immediately.
She sensed an unusual discomfort that was different from usual.
Standing frozen, she switched on the light in the hallway and examined the living room.
However, everything seemed normal in the living room.
There was no presence felt.
Tilting her head in confusion, Hye-young took off her shoes and stepped inside.
She turned on the living room light first but found nothing amiss.
Was it just her imagination?
She was about to head to her room to change clothes when, in that moment—
Something forcefully covered her mouth. Hye-young’s eyes widened in sheer shock.
“You have a good intuition.”
“…Mmph!!”
She was pressed so tightly that even her scream was muffled and couldn’t escape.
“Sorry, but you have to be my meal.”
The blonde woman in all-black attire, with a smile that contrasted her actions, whispered softly behind Hye-young.
She was Cheonbyeon, a Face-avoidance Technician from the Black Cross.