Chapter 88

[What a bad taste.]

Pajijijik—

After those words, the picture quality became blurred and the video cut off shortly after. The man, who was watching the video with his chin clenched, tapped the mask on his face with his finger.

"The more I look at it, the more useful it seems..."

The first plan was to use a space movement marble item to move party participants into the Gulupdo Gate at once. And there, he found an A-rank talented person.

He sent the doll to Jayna Guild Gate to find out more and the results were very satisfying.

It was the ability to use the wind to perfectly assist the same team. Perhaps it had a connection with the man, the doll sitting on the desk said, moving its jaw joint.

"I want it. I want."

"Do you like it?"

"Bring it. I think it will be fun."

"Hm..."

"I'll help you! I want my children to fly freely in the sky too. I think it will look so pretty."

A pretty doll the size of a child with a frilled bonnet chattered. The man, who had listened to it, slowly crossed his legs and turned the chair around and looked behind him.

"What do you think, Master Kang Seung-geon? Do you know this talented person?"

"Uh, oh...?"

Kang Seung-geon, who was crouching down on his knees, looked up at the man's question. Kang Seung-geon stuttered in reply with a blurry expression on his face.

"I, don't know... such a talented person..."

"Oh, my. Master Kang Seung-geon, you really don't know anything."

In a disappointing tone, Kang Seung-geon broke out in a cold sweat with a pale face in an instant. Kang Seung-geon, who quickly lowered his face again, began to hit his forehead strongly on the floor.

"I, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The man didn't stop Kang Seung-geon from acting like that. As if listening to sweet music, the man watching Kang Seung-geon's head pounding with humming sound only opened his mouth after Kang Seung-geon's face was stained with blood.

"Indeed. Are you incompetent because you want to be incompetent? You were born that way I can't help it."

"Th, thank you."

"Did you say Master Cheon Sa-yeon of Requiem? From the looks of it, he seems to be friendly with that wind ability. Master Kang Seung-geon doesn't have the ability to see talent."

"......"

Kang Seung-geon's face, which had been dazed the whole time, was distorted for the first time at the man's words. His deeply ingrained sense of inferiority didn't go away no matter how much he rubbed his brain. Seeing this, the man let out a light smile through the mask.

"Don't be so heartbroken, Master Kang Seung-geon. Can't we just take it from the Master Cheon Sa-yeon?"

"Uh... take, take it away..."

"Yes. What would be difficult? It seems possible enough to me."

Stealing the wind ability from Cheon Sa-yeon...?

...yeah, what's wrong with that? The man is right. Kang Seung-gun raised the corner of his lips.

"Yes, yes! Let, let me meet him. Meet..."

"Okay. Let's meet. Don't do any other nonsense, just hold on well until I come. While having some conversations... Do you know what I mean?"

Kang Seung-geon nodded his head hastily. His body shook as if he was about to run out and catch the talented man at any moment.

"Abel."

"Uung?"

The doll's head, which was watching the man and Kang Seung-geon while waving its legs sticking out under the desk, tilted. Facing its deep purple eyes looking at him, the man made a suggestion.

"How about using Karen (카렌을)?"

"Karen? It's such a waste."

The man continued to soothe the undesirable voice.

"You said you want to have it. You have to invest that much."

"Huung."

"It would have been easier if I had moved on my own, but... I have to go report. We will have to use Karen or something to keep them properly while I come."

Dalgak. Dalgak.

The doll, which had moved its chin as if contemplating, nodded its head.

"Okay. Because you said you'd help me."

"Great."

The man nodded with satisfaction and said to Kang Seung-geon.

"Go. I look forward to it, Master Kang Seung-geon."

"Yes, yes!"

Kang Seung-geon hurriedly left the room. The man averted his gaze and pressed the button on the remote control. A different video from before was played on the screen that filled one side of the wall.

[Look, good... this bastard, ya.]

Uhum, hum. With a soft hum, the man leaned his back long on the chair. He was very much looking forward to the new toy that he would meet soon.

* * *

After the appearance of the mysterious doll, Hong Si-ah greatly reduced the break time and spurred on clearing the gate. Thus, at dawn on the third day, we were able to get to the gate exit after clearing out all the zombie monsters.

"Everyone worked hard."

Hong Si-ah, who came out of the gate, was the first to say a word to the team members who were tired of fighting without a break. Hong Si-ah, who moved and fought the most in the lead, was the same as usual, except that her skin became slightly rough.

"Master."

Jayna Guild Deputy Master, Kim Na-yul ran straight from the other side. The area around the gate had already been controlled and there was no one except for a few security guards.

"Do you have a good trip?"

Kim Na-yul gave me a slight eye greeting and approached Hong Si-ah and asked. Hong Si-ah, who nodded her head lightly, accepted the red snakeskin clutch bag handed to her by Kim Na-yul.

"I think I should go straight to the guild headquarters."

Hong Si-ah said while putting the whip she was holding into the clutch bag. I was wondering what it was and it looked like the inventory.

"Guild headquarters?"

"Something happened inside the gate."

Hong Si-ah, who returned the clutch bag to Kim Na-yul, who was wondering with her eyes wide open, looked at Woo Seo-hyuk.

"Secretary Woo Seo-hyuk. Should I report this incident to Master Cheon Sa-yeon?"

"Yes."

"Umm."

In response to the resolute answer, Hong Si-ah scratched the back of her head with a complicated expression. Hong Si-ah thought about it for a while and then she sighed as if she had given up, she said.

"Well, I have to inform the management office anyway, but that's it. Can I talk to you before I report? Our Deputy Master, Kim Na-yul, too."

"I understand."

It happened at the gate belonging to the Jayna Guild, so the position with Woo Seo-hyuk, another guild, was ambiguous. Obviously, Woo Seo-hyuk would try to report in detail from one to ten. Cheon Sa-yeon would want it, too.

Hong Si-ah, Kim Na-yul, and Woo Seo-hyuk moved to a distant place so that no one was listening together and started a conversation. Hopefully, we should be able to agree without any problems.

"Han Yi-gyeol."

After Woo Seo-hyuk was away, Cha Soo-yeon came straight to me. Cha Soo-yeon, who glanced around, asked quietly.

"What are you going to do now?"

"Yes?"

What do you mean? I tilted my head to the absurd question.

"Yeah... I'm going to rest? I have nothing more to do here."

"Really?"

"Yes. why?"

Cha Soo-yeon licked her lips and hesitated. When I asked the reason for the look on her face with a simple look, she said, avoiding my gaze.

"No, if you're not that tired, I thought we'd go eat something together. You haven't eaten properly for over three days because you were running around the gate."

"Do you want to eat?"

"If you don't like it..."

I was a little tired, but not enough to refuse a meal. What are you talking about with your eyes like this?

"Great. What do you want to eat?"

As I obediently agreed, Cha Soo-yeon smiled broadly and her cat-like eyes lit up.

"Pizza! With spaghetti! The one with a lot of cheese in it!"

"Do you like Western food?"

"I usually don't eat well because I'm on a diet... Whenever I go to the gate, I crave for it."

Um. There were foods that you wanted to eat when your body suffered.

"There's a store I know well. Although the inside is a bit small, it is run by a well-known chef, so the taste is good."

"I don't care."

"Okay. Then right away... ah, wait."

Cha Soo-yeon, who was talking, took out her cell phone from her pocket. Seeing it vibrating, it was as if there was a phone call.

"Hello? Ung."

Cha Soo-yeon brought her cell phone to her ear and sent her eyes to me to wait for a moment. I waved my hand to take the call and come without worry, and she turned her back and walked over.

Naturally, I was left alone, so I looked around and waited for Cha Soo-yeon. I had an unexpected schedule, but it wasn't bad as I had nothing to do except return to the Requiem Guild anyway.

'But in that case, how should I tell Woo Seo-hyuk-ssi?'

If I went out to dinner with Cha Soo-yeon, I was sure there would be a strange misunderstanding. But I couldn't go without saying anything...

While I was thinking about how to say that I was going to eat with Cha Soo-yeon without misunderstanding, I heard an unfamiliar voice from behind.

"He, hey."

"......?"

Turning my head, I saw a man who looked like I had seen before, looking pale and tired. Are you calling me?

"Talented Han Yi-gyeol, right?"

"Who are you?"

No one could come in here. When asking the question out of curiosity, the man contorted his face badly.

"You don't know me?"

"...ah."

I remembered when I saw that offended expression on his face.

"Master Kang Seung-geon?"

As I pretended to know, Kang Seung-geon twisted his mouth and smiled, saying that it was right. Pale face with dark circles. It looked very bad.

"Are you here to meet Master Hong Si-ah?"

"Hong Si-ah...?"

"Yes. Master Hong Si-ah is over there."

When asked, instead of answering, Kang Seung-geon bowed his head and giggled. What's wrong with you?

"Are you okay?"

I didn't think he was in his right mind. For some reason, I was reluctant to approach Kang Seung-geon more than necessary. Kang Seung-geon, who didn't even pretend to listen to me and murmured with his head bowed, said in a cold sweat.

"Cough, yes. It's true that I came to meet Master Hong Si-ah. I have an urgent matter related to the guild... As you can see, I'm not feeling well, so I'd like some support."

"......"

Do you want me to support you? I frowned, unable to answer. I didn't want to think like this for a sick person, but honestly, I felt uncomfortable.

I looked at Kang Seung-geon's appearance calmly. A lot of messy attire, a dull face, a continuous sweat, and an anxious gaze. Either way, it was suspicious.

'Come to think of it, I saw Kang Seung-geon at the hotel party back then.'

Now that I think about it, even that was suspicious.

"...I apologize, but I can't leave my seat right now. I'll call the bodyguard instead."

"No. I wish you could help. You can do the support right away."

"What...!"

Kang Seung-geon ran towards me with great speed and grabbed my arm. His strong grip brought pain.

"Let go."

As expected, it didn't feel good. I clenched my teeth and gave strength to escape, but Kang Seung-geon didn't let go of my hand but held it more and more strongly. A strong pain ran up his arm.

"Damn it, you quick-witted bastard. What? Call the bodyguard? Fucking bastard..."

"Master Kang Seung-geon, kugh! Let go of this..."

"Shut up! This bastard, that bastard, look at someone funny..."

It didn't make sense. Kang Seung-geon, who was quickly exasperated and exhaling harshly, ran through his pocket with the other hand. What he took out was a syringe with an unknown liquid.

"Kang Seung... ugh!"

As I was about to scream, Kang Seung-geon, who immediately noticed the movement, inserted a syringe into my neck without hesitation. Goosebumps erupted all over my body and then a tingling sensation spread from my neck in an instant.

"Gasp..."

Kang Seung-geon took my body, which was shaking as the strength in my legs were weak. As soon as he spat out a swear word, my eyes went out and my mind was cut off.