RG 30

When I went to the dungeon, I walked to the meeting point on foot, but on the way back, I simply didn’t have the energy to do that, so I reluctantly took a taxi.

I took out the wallet from my inventory to pay the taxi fare and safely returned to the office with Cha Sahyeon.

“Sigh…”

Perhaps because the tension was released, my shoulders relaxed more and more as we approached. It was when I pressed the door lock number at the entrance of the office, groaning with my hand on my waist that Cha Sahyeon found something on the floor, picked it up, and showed it to me.

“Here…”

“Huh?”

Curious, I took it and realized it was a paper note. I initially thought it was trash, as it looked like someone hastily tore the corner of a notebook, but on the back, I noticed something drawn.

‘A spider?’

It was a drawing of a spider coming down on a spiderweb from above. Upon closer inspection, I realized it wasn’t drawn by someone but rather stamped with a seal.

Why is something like this lying in front of the office? It felt oddly unsettling, as if someone had played a prank. Or perhaps it was just a strange coincidence.

“…Let’s go inside first.”

Staring at the spider drawing here wouldn’t provide any answers. I picked up the paper and entered the office.

“I’ll be making a call, so go wash up first.”

After pushing the hesitant Cha Sahyeon into the bathroom, I took out my phone from the inventory, which I hadn’t touched during my time in the dungeon.

“What’s this?”

It had only been about two days since I couldn’t check my phone while in the dungeon, but there were quite a few missed calls and messages, especially from Hyeon Dowun. I skipped the spam messages and unidentified numbers, focusing on the messages from Hyeon Dowun.

Hyeon Dowun

Answer the phone

Answer

Oi

?

If there’s no contact by tomorrow, I’ll delete the data. Seriously.

I mean

You should’ve told me if you’ve entered the dungeon

Ugh damn

Contact me when you’re out

There were also many messages with curses scattered throughout. Anyway, to sum it up, it was something like, “I found the data you asked for, why the hell aren’t you answering the phone?”

I thought something significant had happened again. Still, the fact that I received a call from Hyeon Dowun was good news, indicating that there might be some findings regarding the research lab I had requested information about. I decided to call Hyeon Dowun.

― …Hello?

Hyeon Dowun answered my call with a voice that indicated he had just woken up. Although it was late afternoon with the sun starting to set, Hyeon Dowun, with his erratic lifestyle, seemed to be in the midst of a good nap.

“Hey, babe.”

― Ah, damn it…

“I guess you missed me a lot. Quite a few calls piled up while I was in the dungeon.”

As I teased, Hyeon Dowun rose from his bed with a rustling sound and responded.

― Stop bullshitting and transfer a million won to my account right now.

“Hehe, why are people who know each other talking like this? You need to tell me how useful the information you’ve gathered is before I transfer anything.”

― Cut the crap with your shitty attitude…

Clearing his throat with a cough, Hyeon Dowun started explaining.

― I looked into the lab incident you mentioned.

“And?”

― After the attack led by the Yesung Guild, the lab indeed went down. All the employees there were taken by the Management Bureau.

“Wait, the Bureau? Why did they suddenly get involved? Wasn’t it the Yesung Guild that took them?”

― I thought so too, but apparently not. No matter how highly the Yesung Guild is praised, in the end, it’s just a private company. If the Bureau questions human rights, they have no choice but to hand them over.

“Huh, human rights.”

Taking care of the human rights of those who casually kidnap people for experiments? The thought alone made my face involuntarily frown.

‘Did the Management Bureau intervene forcibly to check the Yesung Guild?’

The ongoing power struggle between guilds and the Management Bureau was not something that would be resolved in a day or two. It was natural for them to clash frequently with Yesung Guild, who had excellent skills and not-so-bad public opinion.

― Anyway… so, the Yesung Guild, despite taking the lead, didn’t gain any useful information. So, I looked into the Bureau, and it’s not looking good there either. They’ve taken the lab personnel but haven’t done anything substantial.

“What do you mean by ‘haven’t done anything’?”

― Just as it sounds. They just have them. Well, as you know, interrogating guys like that requires specialized experts and Hunters with related skills.

“Ugh…”

So, they hastily took the personnel to counter the Yesung Guild, fearing a comparison, but now they’re just leaving them be because they don’t want to get involved.

In amazement at the situation, I sighed, and Hyeon Dowun spoke with a sarcastic tone.

― Obviously. Since the victims are orphans and wandering Hunters, they don’t feel the need to care and resolve. They probably think it’s fine to let things be buried like this.

“These disgusting bastards.” I sighed and leaned against the window.

It was almost a done deal, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that the Bureau might have thrown a wrench into the works during that time. My head started to ache involuntarily.

“So, there’s absolutely no useful information at the moment?”

― Not right now. We have to wait and observe for a while. If the Bureau continues like this, the Yesung Guild, unable to endure, will likely make a move.

I had entrusted Hyeon Dowun with this because it was important. It was perplexing to hear that there was no data to investigate. Sensing my dilemma, Hyeon Dowun continued the conversation.

― Well, if you’re really disappointed, how about I send you the list of personnel? That’s all I can provide for now. There’s no one particularly outstanding on the list, though.

“…Wait a moment.” Detecting something odd in his statement, I quickly asked, “There’s no outstanding individual on the list? Isn’t there a woman referred to as ‘Director’?”

― Chief? Hm… No. There’s no one with such a title.

“Are you sure?”

― I just double-checked, and there really isn’t.

Not on the list. Then… did the Director escape from the chaos she caused, in a state affected by the potion she created? 

The image of the woman who injected Cha Sahyeon with a syringe flashed in my mind, sending a chill down my spine.

‘I should have just killed her.’

At that time, I had to discreetly take Cha Sahyeon away, not knowing when the Hunters would arrive.

I had only retaliated to prevent her from escaping, thinking that killing the Director could lead to bigger problems. If I had known it would turn out like this, I should have handled the aftermath promptly, despite the potential consequences.

With a belated sense of regret, I asked Hyeon Dowun for another favor, “Alright. Send me the list for now.”

― Okay.

“And there’s one more thing I’d like you to look into.”

― …Send ten million won to my account right now, you bastard.

“Isn’t the commission price jumping too much?” I playfully asked Hyeon Dowun, who sighed deeply.

― Just say what you have to say.

“I just found a paper note.”

― A paper note?

“Yeah. It has a spider pattern drawn on the back. It looks like a spider coming down on a spiderweb.”

― Spider pattern… a spider coming down on a spiderweb…

Hyeon Dowun mumbled as if something was coming to mind. While waiting for his response, I absentmindedly glanced out the window and narrowed my eyes when I spotted a black figure.

In the dimly lit alley as the sun set, a stranger stood, looking in this direction. When I saw the pattern engraved on the mask the man was wearing, Hyeon Dowun was also about to say something.

― Hey! That spider…

“I’m sorry, but something came up, so I have to end the call. Send the response along with the list via email.”

― Uh, what? Wait a minute.

Immediately after ending the call, I threw my phone on the couch and checked the window again. The man with the mask, who had met my gaze, quickly turned his back and started running somewhere.

‘No, you don’t.’

There was no time to stand there dumbfounded. I immediately activated my hidden skill.

Swish!

《Hidden Skill: Silver Protection (Class S) [Activated]》

“Ugh…!”

A shock ran through me and a sharp pain briefly passed through my entire body. Quickly transformed into S-class, I urgently changed clothes and threw myself out the window.

“Oops!”

As soon as I landed on the ground, I realized I had forgotten to grab the mask. What’s the use of just wearing a hat? I should have covered my face!

Regretting my own foolishness, I started running in the direction where the man disappeared. At that moment, a brightly lit signboard from a store caught my eye.

‘There!’

It was the perfect store for the current situation, where I had left without a mask. Still regretting my oversight, I rushed into the store, and the store owner warmly greeted me.

“Welcome.”

“Hello. Do you happen to have disposable masks?”

“We only have black ones left. Is that okay?”

“It’s fine.”

Despite my appearance with a deep-set black hat and hoodie pulled low, the pharmacist didn’t mind and handed me a black disposable mask wrapped in packaging.

“That will be three thousand won.”

“Ah, sure.” I pulled out my wallet, impressed by the neat service.