novelburst-info
Chapter 257
Chapter 257
Information came in.
It was about the impersonator of the Silent Swordsman attacking a hidden experimental lab in a rural area on the outskirts of a regional city.
‘Should I just handle it on my own and try to show that I can easily manage something like this?’
Even to himself, it felt like a foolish thought.
The opponent was someone bold enough to impersonate the legendary Silent Swordsman.
It was highly likely that he had the support of some organization.
‘But if it’s just about investigating, maybe it won’t be that dangerous?’
There was a clue found in this attack.
The presence of field helpers, likely part of a group assisting the impersonator, was captured.
If he dug deeper, there was a chance he could get some results.
Headquarters: Multiple B-rank awakeners were found among the field helpers. Given the high risk of directly tracking the organization, further pursuit has been halted.
Since the National Security Agency had already withdrawn, the easiest solution to getting results would be to inform Ha Eung Eung.
However, if one were willing to take on the risk, there was a chance of obtaining results in a slightly more difficult manner.
“Two of you have an urgent task to help with.”
“Really? If we succeed, we’ll make sure to get you a spot in a good plastic surgery clinic.”
“Are you sure you know the secret to earning Eve’s favor?”
Alone, it would be difficult. Last time, during the second martial arts tournament, he had been caught off guard by the mind reading ability, just as it had been set up by the artifact’s mental defense.
Min Woo-seong reached out to the Gashigan and Dashman, just as a precaution, in case he needed to tackle a more difficult solution.
“Today’s task is a secret to everyone else. Especially, it must not reach the Guild Master’s ears before I report it. Do you understand?”
“...If it’s that dangerous, I don’t want to do it. Can’t we just go back?”
“I don’t want to worry the Saintess. I don’t really like it either, but...”
A cowardly Saintess boy.
Regretting his choice of whom to ask for help, Min Woo-seong felt like the only ones with enough skill but idle time were these two.
With his unattractive appearance, which earned him looks wherever he went, Gashigan, who had nowhere else to go but training, was his first choice for contact, and Dashman, who was on break, became his second choice, perfectly timed for the situation.
‘Gim Je-cheol and Lightning Man, Yang Gwi-ho were decent too, but their conditions didn’t match.’
Gim Je-cheol, the Hanbok man, and Lightning Man were popular with the training disciples, so they were impossible to pull out.
Yang Gwi-ho wasn’t ugly, but his training hours were long, and though he was tough, Min Woo-seong wasn’t sure he could control him like he could with Gashigan.
Manager Lee So-hye or internal higher-ups like Woo Ji-woo and Chief Instructor Baek So-cheon were too close to Ha Eung Eung to try reaching out to.
It was down to Gashigan and Dashman. There were no other options.
“Gashigan, how do you think I look?”
“Eh, are you trying to hear that you’re handsome? Sorry, but objectively, you’re not. You look pretty bland, nothing special.”
“If you get plastic surgery, you could look like me.”
“Woo Ji-woo got handsome, though. Why don’t you just ask the Guild Master for a procedure?”
“Then would you like to experience the agony of waiting endlessly, just like the Guild Master’s viewers?”
“The broadcasts have always started within half a year, so I think I can wait for just half a year, don’t you?”
“I’ve heard that without regular treatments, the face reverts to its original form. Do you want to endure constant false hope?”
Gashigan thought back to how much the Silent Swordsman’s viewers suffered.
“Plastic surgery. After this is done, you’ll get it immediately. If you break the promise, I’ll go straight to find the Silent Swordsman.”
Gashigan’s persuasion was successful.
“You’re a good talker.”
Dashman watched with interest.
How would Min Woo-seong try to persuade him?
“Dashman, since you’re on break, there’s nothing to do, right? Just come.”
“...Is this how you treat me?”
“If you don’t want to come, that’s fine. I’ll keep the secret to earning Eve’s favor to myself.”
“Coward. It’s disgusting, but I’ll help. Tch.”
It was easy to handle people with weaknesses.
The three of them quietly left the guild.
‘Finally got a weakness on them.’
The wall smoothly crumbled, and from behind a disguised wall pattern, Ju A-young appeared.
Min Woo-seong, who was highly perceptive about ghostly approaches, knew he had to be extra cautious, but his effort paid off.
‘I don’t know what you’re planning to do behind your sister’s back, but you’re already done. I’m going to record this and tell her everything.’
Ju A-young, carefully following to catch a weakness, began recording with her screen phone, tracking the three from a distance.
Min Woo-seong successfully tracked the target based on the last information obtained from the National Security Agency.
‘Next, I’ll secure the target’s whereabouts and gather information on the Silent Swordsman impersonator.’
With his mind-reading ability, as long as he asked the right questions, he could easily extract the desired information from the target's thoughts.
The only challenge in this operation was securing a person with knowledge.
The success of this secret organization’s abduction operation hinged entirely on this, so failure was not an option.
“Here’s the operation outline. The target is a combatant from a secret organization disguised as a food truck driver for JR Baguette, a foreign food company.
Gashigan will puncture the tires to stop the vehicle, and Dashman will infiltrate inside with his Dash ability, pulling the target out swiftly.
After subduing the target, I’ll take full responsibility for handling the aftermath, and then the operation will be complete.”
Gashigan and Dashman exchanged looks, silently asking each other’s thoughts, then both nodded in agreement.
“Not bad. We’ve already surveyed the operation point. It’s pretty well executed. I’d never want to get on Min Woo-seong’s bad side.”
“Of course, you’re the Guild Master’s secretary. Neat and clean. By the way, you’re not upset with me or anything, right?”
“......”
Rather than resentment, both men showed fear, which struck Min Woo-seong as odd, but the operation had begun nonetheless.
A quiet suburban road with no passing vehicles or CCTV.
The large food truck from JR Baguette appeared at the scheduled time.
‘Now.’
‘Easy.’
Gashigan’s thorn shot into the tire.
Boom!
Psssshhhhh
The air hissed as the tire deflated.
The truck, trying to keep going despite the rough ride, came to a stop as multiple tires exploded.
Dashman immediately dashed toward the truck.
<Awakened Ability - Ice Arrow>
<Evolution Feature - Multi-shot (C)>
<Evolution Feature - Freeze Enhancement (D)>
The man in the driver’s seat pointed a finger at Dashman, and five ice crystals rapidly formed around his finger.
Ziiiiiing
As the window began to lower, the ice arrows shot out before Dashman could make contact with the truck.
Thud!
The ground where the ice arrows landed froze like a skating rink.
But Dashman wasn’t there anymore.
<Awakened Ability - Dash>
<Special Skill - Continuous Dash>
Using his ability to dash continuously, Dashman easily dodged all the ice arrows, which were aimed from five different directions.
The ice user made a mistake by firing all five arrows at once.
‘It would’ve been more efficient if they had stayed floating around the body, shooting one at a time.’
The chill was intense, but Dashman wasn’t the kind of person who would fall to a user who hadn’t even mastered their abilities.
In an instant, Dashman appeared behind the ice user, injecting a syringe into his thigh.
“You’ll have trouble if you sound the horn.”
Grabbing the driver’s head, Dashman pulled him out of the truck.
“Use the extractor to get the chip from the black box. Don’t let the infiltration be exposed.”
“Really, I didn’t upset you, did I?”
Min Woo-seong’s practical advice for the professional attacker.
Dashman started feeling a little scared.
“I’ve pulled out all the thorns. Let’s go.”
Gashigan retrieved the thorn lodged in the tire and gestured for them to leave.
As they were celebrating their success, the lock on the truck’s cargo compartment clicked and slid open by itself.
“Wait, why is that open?”
“Gashigan! Attack the front of the cargo compartment!”
Unlike the panicking Dashman, Min Woo-seong immediately ordered an attack.
Gashigan’s thorn aimed at the empty space in front of the cargo compartment, but it didn’t stop the lock from sliding open.
“It’s useless. The lock can be opened from the inside with a magnetic ability.”
Inside the wide-open compartment, a voice echoed.
“So you’ve got company.”
“Tch. Since we’ve revealed ourselves, we’ll have to take that one too.”
At Dashman’s words, Gashigan raised his arm, preparing more thorns as he walked forward.
“If you can, go ahead and try.”
“What terrible luck, attacking us like this. Let’s finish them quickly.”
“Oh, no. The tires are all flat.”
“Damn it. Should we kill them?”
One. Not too bad.
Two. No difference.
Four. A bit troublesome but no problem.
Seven. This is bad.
The number of awakened individuals pouring out of the truck seemed endless.
When their number neared twenty, Gashigan’s confidence disappeared as if it was all a lie.
“Shit. What is this?”
“I’m sorry. The truck’s cargo compartment is equipped with a magical energy-blocking security system, so we didn’t notice the awakened ones inside.”
“Don’t lie. Is this a hidden camera? Are all these people here for my birthday party? It’s not even my birthday yet, but I’ll just celebrate today. If I decide to be reborn as a new person, then today’s my birthday. Don’t you think so? Hahaha.”
The man among the awakened with deep dark circles under his eyes responded eerily to Gashigan’s banter.
“Yeah, it’s a surprise birthday party. Come on over. We’ll make new people out of you.”
“Brother...? Can you please put down that tool and speak to me? Why are you activating your ability if you’re trying to make new people?”
“You’ll be a new person if you die. Come here. We’ll turn you into a bright red birthday boy.”
Caught by some crazy bastards.
Dashman, who had been watching from behind, made a grim face, but Gashigan, who spoke up, only laughed loudly.
“Hahaha. You little shits. Acting tough after a little scare. Do you think numbers matter? I’m the famous Gashigan. Not as good as Lightning Man, but I’m great at this.”
[Recent Text Records]
Ju A-young: Sister!! Come to this address quickly. Please!!
Ha Eung Eung: ?
Ju A-young: Gashigan is being attacked by awakened ones. (Photo attached: Gashigan being beaten)
Ha Eung Eung: That looks painful. Is it some new external martial art technique to build endurance?
Ju A-young: No, that’s not it!!
Ju A-young: Gashigan confidently walked in thinking he could take them all down alone, but his thorns got pulled out and he’s getting beat up badly.
Ju A-young: Anyway, please come quickly!!