IRNH C58
by sam#58
Sihyeon briefly frowned as he looked at the scattered, disheveled bodies, though he regarded it casually.
Without a word, he lined up the fallen Glory Guild members neatly with the tip of his foot, then slowly made his way toward the passage visible at the far end.
Of course, Taewoon, following behind, kicked them again, scattering the bodies anew.
After some distance, they encountered stairs going upward, different from what they’d seen before.
“No wonder, there was nothing in the basement after all. Damn.”
Sihyeon vented his frustration before quickly covering his mouth and glancing sideways at the person beside him.
“Why do you look like that, Master?”
Perhaps sensing it, Taewoon’s gaze shifted from ahead back to Sihyeon.
Seeing his bright smile, Sihyeon wanted to slap his mouth for carelessly swearing.
“It’s nothing, just a frustrating situation.”
“Don’t worry. It will be resolved soon.”
Taewoon’s eyes, full of faith, gently closed once more under perfectly curved eyelids. Sihyeon smiled back and continued onward.
Though mere words, they oddly comforted him.
In reality, nothing seemed to be prospering—Ha-jung struggling with her position at work, Kyu-min and Jooyeon attacked and kidnapped, and even the Glory Guild members he’d saved.
No matter how strong Sihyeon was, he couldn’t shield them all from harm one by one.
Yet, hearing Taewoon gave him a firm belief that they could resolve everything.
“Thanks.”
Embarrassed, Sihyeon increased his pace, striding ahead while softly muttering,
“If you’re thankful, grant me one wish.”
Taewoon didn’t miss the chance, quickly catching up and grabbing Sihyeon’s hand.
“What is it?”
“That’s later, after we’re out.”
The strong foreboding from Taewoon’s smiling face made Sihyeon hurry to ask what the wish was, but a faint noise from ahead snapped his attention.
Until now, no sounds of battle had reached there.
Or more precisely, no sounds outside the place where they had been.
Taewoon too turned to look, confirming they hadn’t misheard.
Sihyeon, forgetting his question, immediately burst forward with lightness martial arts.
Clang!
A jaggedly forged dagger, worn and unlikely to be claimed by anyone, collided fiercely.
“Kyu-min! Hurry!”
From behind the black mask holding the dagger came a familiar voice.
As he spoke, a figure suddenly appeared behind the opponent wielding the blade.
Thunk.
“Crunch!”
The figure stabbed two sharp daggers into the opponent’s back.
The body collapsed and the attacker gasped for breath.
“That was close to death… Are you okay?”
Heavy breathing “Yeah, I’m fine… Captain?”
“Uh… seems okay for now.”
Kyu-min glanced uneasily at the captain and let out a slight resigned smile.
However, the ever-cheerful face carried dark clouds, casting shadows of worry.
After parting with Sihyeon, Kyu-min headed directly to Captain Kim Seongbin to discuss the Glory Guild members and take appropriate measures.
But hopes faded quickly when Kim suddenly attacked him upon meeting.
An A-rank dealer, Kim Seongbin was unbeatable.
Kyu-min fought with all his might, exhausting his magic before being dragged back to his home house terribly bloodied.
Thanks to Jooyeon smashing the door, escape was possible, but considering the state of the house on entry, fleeing seemed unlikely.
“Ah, I should have inscribed some escape magic earlier.”
Yet another chance came as Kim Seongbin returned in panic.
“K-Kyu-min! Sorry. What happened here?”
“What exactly occurred?”
“I don’t know. We were fighting intruders when suddenly my head clouded… it felt like the gate experience.”
Kyu-min wasn’t naive; hearing Kim’s words, he was certain his brother was behind all this.
He had wanted to warn him off, but if his brother led these acts?
Helplessness and rage swelled uncontrollably.
‘What else could he lack?!’
Kyu-min couldn’t understand—or refused to understand—his brother’s behavior.
He awkwardly patted Captain Kim’s shoulder and, trying, moved his battered body along.
Time passed, yet they still searched the corridors, unable to find the exit.
Attackers appeared intermittently; combats continued as blood stopped flowing.
Now, wounds from earlier fights barely clotted.
Whoosh!
“Kuhk.”
A vivid scarlet flame erupted where Kyu-min sat, who narrowly rolled aside and rose, gasping.
“Return to your place.”
The opponent’s voice came faintly from afar.
“I… can you just leave me be?”
Kyu-min knew they wouldn’t heed him, but he kept talking, waiting for an opening.
Both Kyu-min and Kim Seongbin were close-range dealers; cornered, they weren’t advantaged against a mage here.
‘Such bad luck.’
His magic was running low; he could only cast a few more skills.
Kim seemed fine but had suffered savage wounds to one arm on first contact.
Then, a familiar voice echoed in Kyu-min’s mind.
{Lee Kyu-min! Lower your head!}
Complying like a programmed character, Kyu-min yanked his head down sharply.
Heat and cold swept his neck.
“Gahk!”
An attacker a distance away spat blood from his abdomen, flying far back.
Kyu-min looked up, turning to the back.
“Brother…!”
It was Sihyeon, casually walking toward them with Taewoon behind him and a golf bag over one shoulder, waving.
“Long time no see.”
“Hey, how did you get here? What about Jooyeon?”
Hobbling slightly, Kyu-min tried moving toward Sihyeon but was blocked by his raised hand.
“Just sit and rest; you’re all in one piece.”
“Haah… thank goodness.”
“Don’t be an idiot. Why did you tell me not to speak?”
“Haha…”
Kyu-min leaned weakly against the wall, grinning slightly at Sihyeon’s nagging.
Though he hoped Sihyeon hadn’t come with ill intent, seeing him reassured Kyu-min.
“Master, this person’s brain is affected by ‘loneliness.’”
Suddenly, the calm atmosphere froze with Taewoon’s words.
Sihyeon’s golf club instinctively aimed at Kim Seongbin’s neck.
Taewoon’s mention of loneliness indicated traces of brainwashing similar to what the Glory Guild members suffered.
“Explain. Why are you pretending to be fine here?”
Kim Seongbin, sweating coldly, began to explain.
“…I don’t know the details… I was locked in a room upon entering but regained my mind there.”
“Is that true?”
Sihyeon, still suspicious, frowned deeply.
Kim shrugged, seemingly aware his story was inconsistent.
Being doubted so strongly by powers like Sihyeon and Taewoon was unpleasant.
“It’s true! Before then, I felt my thoughts foggy. Suddenly, clarity returned. I remember everything I had done…”
Kim glanced at Kyu-min, his eyes full of apology.
“Brother. I was looking for a way out while fighting with them.”
“Haah…”
His situation was different from previous encounters, though uncertain if for better or worse.
Sihyeon, staring intently at the anxious Kim, finally spoke.
“Kyu-min, sorry. Kim Seongbin, call Lee Kyu-hwan a son of a bitch.”
A sudden silence descended.
“…What? No, that’s…”
“Can’t do it?”
Kim half-pouted, glancing at Kyu-min, who looked confused.
“Still, he’s the boss…”
Swish.
The golf club rose.
“Lee Kyu-hwan is a son of a bitch!”
They agreed that Kim would lead, concluding the conversation.
“Good. I’ll stay by your side, Taewoon behind us. That’s how we’ll move.”
The corridor was narrow, not allowing side-by-side walking. Sihyeon assigned positions and waved the group upright.
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