NOVEL NEXT Chapter 47
47.
A person was taken away.
Lee Seong-han swallowed his breath.
Is that really a person?
It must be.
It has to be.
He wasn’t seeing things wrong. He exhaled briefly and rubbed his eyes. When you keep fighting, sometimes you see ghosts.
It’s like a kind of aftereffect.
Luckily, this time it’s not. Especially since the characteristics seem quite quiet.
“Kang Jin-young! You’re alive!”
Lee Seong-han muttered softly.
She’s clingy, but she’s a woman who gets things done cleanly.
As if she didn’t like that attitude, Baek Ji-sun snorted.
“Hmph.”
“What’s wrong?”
He glanced sideways to check the situation.
“Isn’t it good to have another ally? Right?”
“She has to be someone trustworthy.”
“She’s definitely trustworthy. I can vouch for her.”
Ah, did I say the wrong thing? Even Jesus said not to sign guarantees.
“Why are you so sure? Does she have some special ability?”
“I have an eye for people. I can tell, I guess?”
As he added the explanation, Baek Ji-sun’s face brightened.
“You have that kind of ability? Wait, oppa, how many abilities do you have?”
“Quite a few.”
Lee Seong-han answered briefly.
She’s just a kid anyway. If you throw a few pieces of light information at her, she’ll think and imagine things on her own.
Indeed, Baek Ji-sun quieted down after that.
It’s definitely Kang Jin-young. I can feel her unique aura.
Hong Seo-min?
A puppet?
Terror?
‘That’s ridiculous.’
How could someone in prison make a copy? The puppets disappeared when her abilities were blocked.
Well, if someone dies in the exam hall, that’s comedy.
“She really died. I saw it with my own eyes.”
“No, what’s your relationship with that person? You sound like you know her well. Huh?”
“Secret.”
Lee Seong-han glared at Baek Ji-sun.
Baek Ji-sun was scanning the path Kang Jin-young had taken.
Destroyed cars and monster corpses filled the streets here and there.
Her golden pupils flickered and then stopped. Her half-opened eyes flashed. Her wary gaze grew. The color of her eyes kept changing.
Is she an Awakened One?
No.
If you can’t see the information, she’s just a normal person. Lee Seong-han briefly met her gaze and then quietly stood up.
For now, we have to move. That’s the only option.
“Oppa, where are you going?”
Baek Ji-sun asked as she watched Lee Seong-han step out of the farming equipment.
“I need to check. Well, personally, it’s a bit awkward. I’m not doing this because I want to.”
“What if it’s a fake?”
If it were a fake, I would’ve already shot her in the head.
Carefully, we break through the streets. Block by block. Moving with a low stance.
“Let’s go together. How can you leave a middle schooler behind and run away? Are you even an adult?”
“I’m an adult. That’s why, kid.”
He peeked his head out. Kang Jin-young was pacing on the asphalt road.
I didn’t know a person could become so haggard in such a short time. Red bloodstains were stuck to her suit.
Her expression was cold, like ice. She picked up a few monster corpses.
｢Is this it…｣
Kang Jin-young roughly lifted the monster’s leg. She gave it a look as if searching for something. After staring for a few seconds, she dropped the leg.
｢It’s not here either.｣
Flop—
The corpse’s blood vessels burst, and the lower half was stained red with blood. Kang Jin-young ignored it and looked around the street.
The bodies of countless monsters filled the town’s streets. Did she handle them all alone? She was stretching her sluggish body.
Lee Seong-han walked out confidently.
“Jin-young!”
“…Seong-han?”
Hoo. A brief silence passed. Is she suspicious? Of course. There’s been a terror attack.
“Seong-han, what could possibly cause all communication and cameras to be cut off?”
“It seems to have been cut off due to the terror attack.”
“Terror attack?”
She doesn’t seem to know.
“What do you mean?”
“I heard there was a terror attack.”
“Who said that?”
“It wasn’t a terror attack? That girl clearly—”
Kang Jin-young cut her off. She clicked her tongue, her face turning red and blue.
“Tch. That girl’s talking nonsense.”
“Huh?”
“Blink.”
Whoosh!
She teleported to the side.
Kang Seo-jin, who had been watching the situation from the alley, came into view.
Kang Jin-young’s brows furrowed. This brat is causing trouble again. She’s just a middle schooler, but she acts like an adult.
“I didn’t expect you to be here.”
Kang Seo-jin spoke up.
“Unnie, you’re really something. You’re ruining my plans.”
“Kang Seo-jin. This has gone way too far. Do you even know what you’re doing?”
Kang Jin-young’s eyes sparked with anger.
She had a headache.
Where should I even start explaining? I feel like I’m drifting apart from Lee Seong-han for no reason. Well, he probably already knows about Gangcheon.
Cold sweat poured down like rain. Uh, I’m not even hurt. Suddenly, her expression turned grim.
There’s no point in overthinking. You have to pull the horn while it’s hot, and it’s better to take the hit first.
“You, I won’t let this slide.”
“What’s wrong with a sponsor personally inspecting the exam site?”
“You could’ve died.”
“That’s why there’s a bodyguard over there.”
Kang Seo-jin pointed at Lee Seong-han with a sly smile.
“I guess I should properly introduce myself. I’m Kang Ji-sun. The vice-chairman of Gangcheon and the youngest. Sorry for deceiving you. I just wanted to test someone of irregular caliber.”
Tap-tap-tap— The lights turned back on, bright as day. It stung my eyes, and I instinctively frowned. Kang Jin-young said something to Kang Seo-jin.
“…Let’s talk about this later.”
“You’re really something, getting interested in someone like that.”
“…”
Kang Seo-jin, after further irritating her sister, was escorted out of the exam site by the arriving bodyguards.
– Cease all operations! Cease all operations!
– All supervisors and security personnel, immediately exterminate all monsters in the practical exam site.
– Attention. The practical exam is suspended.
What a first impression. Lee Seong-han coughed dryly and collapsed.
***
“I’m listening.”
– That’s a relief. It was resolved before anything serious happened.
“Whatever you’re thinking, it didn’t happen. The best talent was right there providing close protection.”
– If even a single scratch appears on the young lady…
“Don’t say it.”
Cheong Jin-ho looked down at the practical exam site with a serious expression.
Damn it, something changed with the Gangcheon personnel. I should’ve cut it off then.
No, rather, the situation might’ve escalated. Cheong Jin-ho scratched the back of his head.
“What should we do?”
– We’ll leave that to the discretion of the association.
“That person?”
– Yes, that person.
“I won’t mention the name.”
– Of course, you don’t need to.
Would the troublemaker leak information after causing a commotion?
‘We can’t leave even a sliver of room.’
The media will quiet down if you pay them, but this is too big.
It’s comparable to the legendary college entrance exam.
Summer, winter.
There are two chances in total, so it’s fine. If not, I’d already be a corpse.
‘Luckily, we managed to keep everyone quiet.’
Today’s incident was just a mistake. The promotion exam runs for 7 days anyway.
The practical exam starts on the second day. There are less than a hundred applicants from the Seoul branch. It’ll naturally pass.
“How did that person react?”
– There’s no official statement yet, but it seems they’re quite displeased. Please don’t provoke them further.
“I see.”
Well, monsters escaped, or a VIP’s safety was compromised, or a gate really opened. Ideas keep popping up.
But then we’d have to coordinate again. If even one person slips up, the whole thing falls apart.
Hunter Association.
A large organization supported by corporations and organizations.
Among them, Gangcheon holds the biggest influence.
If you yank the leash, the dog yelps and chokes to death. That’s how the world works. The yelping dog is, of course, Cheong Jin-ho. Himself.
“First, we need to assess the situation.”
Cheong Jin-ho held his head for a moment. Who should I silence first?
“…Secretary. Come in.”
Creak.
“Yes, Chairman.”
“Can you keep that friend on standby for a while?”
***
“Hello? Is anyone there?!”
After the practical exam was temporarily suspended, Lee Seong-han was confined to a room near the control room. A pitch-black room. Lee Seong-han was lost in thought.
It’s already been 3 hours.
Are they going to keep me here without food or water until I go crazy?
I don’t know. I didn’t expect that kid to be the youngest of the Kang sisters.
How did Baek Min-ho get his hands on that uniform? He rubbed his forehead. Things turned out like this. I feel strangely guilty.
“I don’t like that brat. Sigh.”
After sitting for so long, my body feels sluggish. Lee Seong-han stood up hesitantly. His bones ached.
A square wooden table. Two chairs. The room was simple. After such an unpleasant incident, I should do something.
After the association exam was suspended, the trained monsters were disposed of or used for experiments, and it seemed the involved parties had some kind of discussion.
It feels like an interrogation room.
“Sigh, when are they going to let me out?”
Lee Seong-han scratched the back of his head. Pitch-black rectangular tempered glass.
What are they trying to do by keeping me here?
Creak.
After circling the table a few times, the iron door opened.
“Sorry. I’m a bit late. Things have been busy lately. Hehe. Let’s sit.”
It was Kang Jin-young. Kang Jin-young slammed the thick iron door shut and sat down on the chair.
“What on earth is going on?”
“I’m wondering the same.”
She placed a thick stack of documents on the table.
It was Lee Seong-han’s personal information, meticulously gathered. It’s not illegal. It was obtained through cooperation with other agencies.
“Let’s get straight to the point.”
“Let’s do that.”
Tap. Kang Jin-young slammed the table like slapping money. Photos spread across the table.
It was Kang Seo-jin.
Her youthful face was striking.
‘Wow, she took a lot of pictures.’
Brown hair, black eyes.
Blood really tells. Lee Seong-han clicked his tongue and skimmed through a few photos.
Kang Jin-young leaned back in her chair.
Then she tilted the chair precariously.
“…By the way, what did you do with that brat, no, that genius?”
She crossed her legs and rested her arms on the table.
“What do you mean?”
“You weren’t forced, were you?”
What is this woman talking about?