The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All

Chapter 126: Jin Hyo-young (1)

Since then, through Lee Ye-rin, I was able to gain some insight into the current dynamics among pharmaceutical companies.

The calm before the storm was undeniable.

Observing Lee Ye-rin, the current shortage of mercenaries appeared to be a significant issue.

It was unavoidable.

Given that one of her primary sources of income involved connecting clients with mercenaries for various tasks.

The dwindling number of available mercenaries could pose a deeply concerning problem.

“But in the original work, the White War was almost negligible. There wasn’t much cause for concern.”

Reflecting on it.

In the original narrative, the White War was merely a minor disturbance for the protagonist, Jang Si-hwan.

From that moment, he shifted his focus to international endeavors, having already dominated the Tribunal of Hell.

This marked a quest for greater growth, as the domestic scene had become too limited for Jang Si-hwan.

“It’s reality for me. Does this reflect the difference in perspectives shaped by our environments?”

Kang-hoo nodded in agreement.

That thought had crossed his mind.

What if I had been taken over by someone like Chae Gwanhyeong or Casey Rex instead of Shin Kang-hoo?

How differently would I have perceived the world? It’s difficult to fathom.

Had I been Chae Gwanhyeong, would I have eliminated my friend Jang Si-hwan, who was on the path to betrayal, and taken his place?

Had I been Casey Rex, would I have led the Fortuna Guild in America and initiated an attack on Korea’s Jeonghwa Guild?

These hypothetical scenarios became more fascinating the more I contemplated them.

Nevertheless, the reality remains that I am Shin Kang-hoo.

The original protagonist’s arch-nemesis, a genius assassin fated to meet his demise.

I am determined to alter that destiny.

“Sun-kyu?”

“Yes.”

“Is something on your mind?”

“No, just sorting through my thoughts for a moment.”

Lee Ye-rin drew his attention back when Kang-hoo had been silently staring off into space for a while.

She continued speaking.

“What kind of request do you want to take?”

“First off, I’ll refuse all group requests that require teamwork. Don’t even suggest them.”

“Does that mean you want a blind position?”

Blind position.

It means, instead of fighting a frontal battle on behalf of pharmaceutical companies, other mercenaries do that.

And within that, being assigned a mission to move cleverly alone.

For example, using the battle as a cover to infiltrate a pharmaceutical company through loosened security.

Utilizing the battle, in essence.

Of course, not caring about anyone means not being protected by anyone, meaning.

From beginning to end, all processes and risks must be handled and resolved by oneself.

“Correct.”

“That means there’s a high likelihood of high risk, high return. It’s also a position with a high mortality rate.”

“I’ve lived like that all along, nothing new to me.”

“Okay. Then can we start right away?”

“Wait a moment. Shall we take a break and talk?”

“Sure. I was just craving a cup of coffee. Do you want anything? I’ll prepare it.”

“A can of coffee.”

“Good choice. See you in 10 minutes.”

A brief pause marked the conversation with Lee Ye-rin. As soon as she left, Kang-hoo immediately made a call.

The recipient was An Yeong-ho.

The call barely rang twice before An Yeong-ho quickly answered, as if he had been waiting.

-Ah, hyungnim! Sun-kyu hyungnim! This is finally the first time I’m making a call like this! Right? Nice to meet you, hyungnim!

“Have you been well?”

-Of course, hyungnim! Are you coming to Japan now?

“I was actually calling to ask about that. If I were to move tomorrow, would that be possible?”

-Ah! Tomorrow?

“It’s okay to answer comfortably. It’s on me for not informing you ahead of time.”

-I think I’d need at least three days. The Rikou Guild is currently in a full-scale war…

“I heard that you recently signed a peace agreement with the Toushi Guild?”

-That was a ruse.

“Scoundrels.”

-Give me three days, and I’ll somehow make arrangements within that time. It’s definitely possible.

“No, that’s okay. Let’s talk again once the guild situation is somewhat settled.”

-Are you sure, hyungnim?

“I don’t want to go dungeon crawling while worrying about getting stabbed in the back.”

-Ah…

“Let me know when things ease up on the battlefront. Always be careful.”

-I’m sorry, hyungnim.

“What’s there to be sorry about? Just let me know once everything is set for going to Japan.”

-Understood!

That was the end of the call with An Yeong-ho.

If there were no problems, the plan was to dedicate ourselves to dark energy farming in Japan rather than taking on mercenary requests.

It seemed like the situation wasn’t suitable for that at the moment.

The relationship between the Rikou Guild and the Toushi Guild in Japan is akin to that between the Jeonghwa Guild and the warlord group, The Abyss, domestically.

They are essentially archenemies.

The Jeonghwa Guild and The Abyss have not yet engaged in a full-scale war.

However, it seems Japan is already shedding real blood. The situation didn’t look good.

After hanging up, Kang-hoo then called Park Dong-jae.

Unlike An Yeong-ho, Park Dong-jae took a while to answer, his voice heavy with sleep.

-Se, se, Sun-kyu nim……. Ugh.

“Seems like you were sleeping.”

-Yes, I just returned from a dungeon run at dawn. Running around for the first time in a while, my body just couldn’t keep up.

“I’ll just get straight to the point.”

-Wait. Just a moment, please. Let me properly wake up and take this call. I don’t want to take it half-asleep.

A brief wait.

After a few coughs, Park Dong-jae’s groggy voice cleared up.

-I’ve been waiting for your call.

“I was thinking of heading to the dungeon received from Se-hyeok nim. How about we try syncing up?”

-What’s the composition of the party planning to tackle it? Three? Four?

Park Dong-jae misinterpreted Kang-hoo’s intention, an easy mistake to make.

“Just the two of us.”

-Oh? Ah! Just you and me?

“Yes. Since it’s not a melee concept dungeon, I think the two of us will suffice.”

-Sounds good. Let’s go check it out! The dungeon is just in standby mode right now, isn’t it?

“Tomorrow evening. How does that sound?”

-Perfect. I need a good rest today, and I have some work related to the Black Network tomorrow morning.

“Then, let’s meet at the front of the Gyeongju Dungeon at 6 PM tomorrow. You know the place, right?”

-Of course. I’ll be there on time. Thank you!

“Alright. Let’s meet tomorrow.”

The coordination was complete.

Although Japan would have to wait, the schedule to explore the buff dungeon with Park Dong-jae was set.

There was a buff enhancement skill I particularly wanted to acquire, so I prioritized it over accepting requests.

“For now, I’ll put the mercenary requests I receive from Lee Ye-rin on hold. My price is bound to go up anyway.”

I decided not to rush.

The demand is only increasing, not decreasing, so Kang-hoo had nothing to regret.

If anything, the ones becoming anxious and desperate would be the clients seeking high-quality manpower.

Afterward,

Kang-hoo informed Lee Ye-rin that he would not accept any mercenary-related requests for a while.

Leisurely enjoying tea time, they discussed the domestic political situation at length.

In this regard, Lee Ye-rin, who shared as much knowledge as she had, was quite helpful.

And while parting,

I newly set a teleportation point on a vacant lot about 1 km north of the Cheong-an Building.

After rescuing Park Dong-jae, it was a newly designated point. A perfect location should I need to visit the Cheong-an Building.

After wrapping things up, Kang-hoo then made a call to the person who could fill his evening time. It was Jin Hyo-young.

A short while later,

In her hotel room, after completing her makeup, Jin Hyo-young looked at her reflection in the mirror with satisfaction.

“You’re beautiful, truly beautiful.”

It’s often said that women are their own harshest critics. Jin Hyo-young had never seen it that way.

She was well aware that her exceptional appearance was a potent tool in her interactions with men.

Thus, upon becoming a hunter, she actively sought ways to leverage her beauty as much as her abilities.

This approach was precisely what she employed while working with Eclipse, using her allure as a sort of “honey trap” to attract targets.

Although it’s referred to as luring, she was indifferent to their fates after she brought them in, as that was Kang Dong-hyun’s concern.

In any case, by being acknowledged by Kang Dong-hyun in this regard, she managed to ascend to a significantly high rank within Eclipse.

Additionally, during dungeon raids, she received support to steadily gain experience points while facing less danger.

Moreover, she always received more than 30% of the items and assets obtained from the hunters she lured as compensation for her efforts.

Of course, her appearance wasn’t the sole factor that facilitated these operations.

Jin Hyo-young also had a skill specialized in inducing addiction.

Particularly, a technique that quickly induced a sleep state in monsters or hunters.

This was known as sleep addiction.

There’s hardly a more significant vulnerability than falling asleep in front of an enemy.

Jin Hyo-young possessed the perfect combination to incapacitate someone effectively.

She made a call.

The call with Kang-hoo had concluded earlier, and they had agreed to meet in Seoul for drinks.

-It’s me.

“Oppa Dong-hyun. Is everything ready?”

-Did Shin Kang-hoo take the bait?

“How could he not? It’s all been leading up to this. He reached out earlier, saying he wanted to meet today.”

-Any suspicious vibes?

“I sensed caution from our first meeting. But my information won’t be exposed, right?”

-That’s true.

“The level database registered with the Hunter Public Safety Bureau has also been tampered with. It hasn’t been corrected, right?”

-Right.

“Then there’s no way he can know anything about me correctly. Even the Jeonghwa Guild didn’t know.”

-Is the hotel the same one as before?

“Yes. I’ve already booked a room. It’ll also be the room where Shin Kang-hoo will end up.”

-I’ve already arranged for a car to be on standby. Make sure to bring him over without any harm.

“Don’t worry. Unless he has the ability to count how many constellations I have, he won’t know a single truth about me, not even my skills.”

The evening moon that had risen outside shone in Jin Hyo-young’s eyes, reflected in the mirror.

Kang Dong-hyun laughed heartily over the phone, the kind of laugh that comes when things seem to be going well.

-You have to take what you want, right?

“Right.”

-Look forward to it. Let’s properly welcome our skilled hunter.

“Understood. I’ll contact you.”

After hanging up, she looked at herself in the mirror and murmured as if casting a spell once more.

“Really pretty.”

And then, at 2 a.m. the next day,

As the moonlight, feeling peculiarly eerie and sweet, just began to seep through the window.

Boom!

The door opened, and a man and woman entered the room, immediately intertwining as one.

“Haah.”

“Huuh.”

The two looked at each other with dreamy eyes, exhaling hot breaths.

Then, without anyone taking the lead, they began passionately removing each other’s clothes.

It was the beginning of a concerto created from the right mix of alcohol, mutual attraction, and irresistible desire.