IRNH C78

Chapter 78

The reception room was cleared in an instant, and refreshments were neatly prepared and set before them.
Sihyeon glanced at the drink once, didn’t touch it, and lifted his gaze again.

“Before anything else, there’s something you need to know.”

“What is it?”

“The Villain Union is scattered across the world in a point-organization format. And because of how my ability works, I can only gather information when I’m physically near the location. So while I can narrow down their general regions, I can’t pinpoint anything with meaningful precision.”

Justin—Sima Yun—laid down excuses even before getting to the main point.
Sihyeon saw right through it but watched that confident expression, waiting for the conclusion he was building toward.

“But there is one place I can grasp clearly at a glance.”

“And that is?”

“Right here. Las Vegas.”

Sihyeon nodded after seeing him tap something on a tablet.

So this really is their base.

Even Liang—who supposedly had an untouchable status—had to match his schedule to this man’s whims.
At the very least, that meant here in this region, Sima Yun held the dominant hand.
In other words, he knew this place inside out.

“Money from all over the world is laundered here. The Union’s funds as well.”

“The casinos?”

“That too, but no. Mostly drugs. Something called Galateos. Sounds fancy, but it’s just narcotics—extremely cheap, extremely dangerous.”

Sihyeon’s eyes widened slightly as Sima Yun displayed a photo of a familiar purple pill.
It was nearly identical to what that “guide” on the street had tried to sell him.

Those low-level lures are carrying these around too?
Just how widespread is this?

Drugs or money—crime only moves because there are people.
But addicts dying en masse? That wasn’t a sustainable business model.

Surely they knew that.

Why would they recklessly push drugs that would eventually wipe out their own consumer base?

“Before the Cataclysm and after, the fastest, easiest way to rake in global cash was drugs. And Galateos is incredibly easy to make—its supply never dries up. Its addiction is also extremely potent.”

Sima Yun’s expression tightened.
He himself had never cared about crime or drugs on a moral level—
whether in the old world or this one, humans were the same.
He was in crime himself; he had no right to judge anyone.

But when his profits were affected?
That was unacceptable.

Unlike typical narcotics, Galateos had minimal side effects—
instead, it rapidly drained one’s life force.
Population drops lead to weaker addiction cycles, which then collapse markets.
Many of his businesses depended on that balance.

“So the money from this drug flows into the Union, and the relevant operations are located here—correct?”

“Yes, exactly. And I’ve already narrowed down the precise area.”

Sihyeon met Sima Yun’s sly grin with one of his own.

Of course.
He wanted his criminal rivals eliminated.
Their goals happened to overlap, but the self-serving calculation behind it was painfully visible.

Still, since Sihyeon had to destroy the place anyway, he didn’t object—
but he still had to say something.

Demonic Cult members were always like this.

“…I’ll overlook it this time. But remember this clearly. I’m not following your lead. I’m acting for my own necessity. Next time, just ask openly—it’ll give you a better chance of staying alive.”

Naturally, Sima Yun stiffened and slammed his forehead to the floor again, begging for forgiveness.

“Master, I would like to kill the one who deceived you.”

Taewoon, wearing a gentle expression, asked for permission.
Sihyeon glanced at the teary, trembling Sima Yun and suppressed a laugh.

“…Let’s put that on hold. I’ll think about it.”

“If that is your will…”

In moments like this, Taewoon coordinated his act flawlessly.
Sihyeon absent-mindedly patted his head, forgetting he’d been avoiding such casual touches.

Taewoon meant it literally—
but Sihyeon didn’t realize that.

One hour later.

Their group stood before one of the sewer entrances supporting Las Vegas’s underground.

Grey concrete covered in dense graffiti, garbage piled everywhere—
despite the clear blue sky, the place looked bleak.

“This is it. I received information that the drugs originate from here. Whatever it is, there will be a base inside.”

With a dark bruise on his forehead, Sima Yun hunched slightly—
despite his decent facial features, he looked pathetically servile.
Sihyeon glanced at him, then turned to Taewoon and Hajung.

“Hajung, you’re going?”

“Why, you don’t want me to?”

“No, I mean… you don’t really need to worry about things past this point.”

It sounded cold—
but it was true.
They weren’t guildmates nor chasing the same objectives.
Hajung had only come to assist with the Black Butterfly meeting.
His role technically ended there.

“Wow, that’s rude as hell. Does a friend just leave when things look dangerous?”

“What? No, that’s not— I just thought it’d be a hassle for you.”

Hajung’s hurt tone made Sihyeon freeze.
He hadn’t meant it that way.

“A-Am I going too…?”

Sima Yun seized the moment to butt in—
face smiling, eyes screaming please don’t make me.

“Yes, you’re going.”

“…Y-Yes.”

And so, not a single person dropped out.

All five of them descended toward what might be the Villain Union’s major base.

Inside was even gloomier than the exterior.
Only a short walk in and the homeless addicts were already glaring at them with sunken eyes.

Thin limbs, hollow cheeks, visible injuries and scars—
they looked like addicts from a mile away.

But some looked unnervingly normal.

Galateos addicts look fine on the outside,
aside from the fatigued appearance.

The briefing resurfaced in his mind.

They’re also more aggressive than other addicts.

A shiver of death and despair clung to the air.
It brought back old memories best left buried.
Sihyeon clicked his tongue softly and quickened his steps.

“We turn left here.”

After about ten minutes, the first fork in the tunnels appeared.
Given the massive sewer layout, calling it a “path” felt strange—
but Sihyeon nodded and followed Sima Yun.

He’d been sensing something off for several minutes now—
a faint abnormality in the air.
It could be internal energy, or magic—
but something definitely lay ahead.

“Hey, he’s not lying, right?”

Suspicious, Hajung shot daggers at Sima Yun.

“L-Lying?! How could I—!”

Sima Yun turned red with indignation, glancing nervously at Sihyeon and Taewoon,
afraid the accusation would get him killed.

“He’s not lying. I can feel it.”

“Huh? Something’s ahead?”

Sihyeon’s low voice echoed through the tunnel.
But that wasn’t what bothered him.

It was the lack of guards.

They were deep enough in that homeless addicts no longer appeared.
They should have hit security by now.

Why was no one protecting the place?

The answer came several corridors later.

Poison.

A faint toxic presence brushed his senses—
a deadly, colorless, odorless toxin.

Unfamiliar mixture, unfamiliar dispersal method—
but the bitterness in his throat and tingling at his fingertips told the story.

He stretched out a hand.

“Stop. There’s poison ahead.”

“What?”

One more step and Hajung and Sima Yun would die instantly.

Only very specific occupations or high-rank Hunters with poison resistance could pass this.
Everyone else would die horribly.

That explained the lack of guards.
The poison could kill the defenders as easily as intruders.

“We split here. Only Taewoon and I can go through. Hajung, you keep Sima Yun under watch.”

Simple and clean.

“W-What?? You still don’t trust me?!”

“Got it.”

Hajung immediately flared a ball of fire in his palm and grabbed Sima Yun’s wrist.

“Listen. If you move, this fire’s going into every hole in your body and burning your organs.
So. Stay put.”

“WHAT?! Sihyeon-nim!!”

Sima Yun wailed, but Sihyeon ignored him and focused forward.

“Master… will you be all right?”

Taewoon gently grabbed Sihyeon’s hand, worried.
Sihyeon quickly pulled away, awkward and flustered.

“This? It’s nothing…”

It would hurt, sure—
but he could handle it.

If only Taewoon would stop leaning so close—
it was messing with his concentration.

He pressed his fingernails into his palm to refocus,
then stepped toward the toxic darkness.