At Minjun’s words, Bae Jinsu nudged the second assailant to wake him up.
“Hey, get up.”
When there was no movement, he started shaking him this time.
He’s unconscious, will he even wake up like that?
Bae Jinsu pulled out his sword and glanced at Minjun.
Minjun nodded.
“All right, let’s see how long he can hold out.”
Perhaps the second assailant was peeking through slit eyes, because the closer Bae Jinsu’s sword drew, the more violently he flinched.
Just when it seemed he might really get stabbed, the second assailant screamed.
“W-wait! I’m awake!”
“Really? So, you’re not going to answer either, right?”
This time, when he raised the sword as if to bring it down, the assailant’s face grew even more desperate.
“I-I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything! Kanghun over there, he’ll never talk even if he dies, so please just let me live!”
“You crazy bastard!”
With that, two things were certain.
The assailant’s name was Kanghun.
And the second assailant was a coward.
Park Janghyeon immediately covered Kanghun’s mouth.
It was to make sure the second assailant wouldn’t be swayed by anything Kanghun might say.
“What’s your name and affiliation?”
“L-Lee Junhyeok. I can’t tell you my affiliation…”
When Minjun’s expression darkened, Lee Junhyeok quickly opened his mouth again.
“I-it’s true! I really can’t tell you my affiliation. Please believe me.”
It wasn’t that he ‘wouldn’t’ talk, but that he ‘couldn’t.’
Minjun seemed to realize this and moved on to the next question.
- Interest
“All right. Then you’d better answer the next question well. You know what’ll happen if I decide you’re useless, right?”
“Y-yeah!”
“Why did you try to kill my brother?”
“We weren’t trying to kill him! Just a little torture… No, not torture, just a simple kidnapping, that’s all…”
“What were you planning to do after kidnapping him? He’s an ordinary person, unlike us.”
“B-because the Auction House sells special crops! We needed those.”
At that, Kanghun began to struggle and glared at Lee Junhyeok.
“Mph! Mmph!”
“Hee-heeek!”
Even the Auction House never leaked my information to big shots like the Association Chairman or the Kanghan Group Chairman.
So how…?
“How did you find out? The Auction House would never hand over personal information.”
“K-Kanghun tortured the Gangwon Branch Manager! He said the manager told him everything!”
“Gangwon Branch Manager? What happened to him?”
“He’s probably dead… No one ever survives that torture room.”
Kanghun’s eyes were bloodshot as he watched Lee Junhyeok spill everything.
Minjun signaled Park Janghyeon, and Park Janghyeon pulled off the tape covering Kanghun’s mouth.
“Lee Junhyeok, you moron! You’re the one who tortured him!”
“But he never answered when I did it!”
Grit.
Kanghun ground his teeth and glared at Minjun.
“I can give you better information than that idiot. Spare me instead of him.”
“I’ll decide after I hear you out.”
“W-wait! You said you’d spare me!”
Minjun ignored Lee Junhyeok and waited for Kanghun’s answer.
“Elves. The elves moving to Korea, they plan to live here, don’t they?”
Kanghun jerked his chin toward the room where Kasia was.
How did he…!
“Judging by your face, you weren’t expecting that at all. You thought your secret was safe, didn’t you?”
“You bastard!”
Bae Jinsu grabbed Kanghun by the collar.
“So what of it?”
“Humans want to possess anything different, unique, or rare.”
The pieces were falling into place.
I didn’t intend to believe everything, but his explanation fit the situation.
It was time to ask for more details.
“Who’s going to tell me why you need the Auction House goods?”
At that, as if they’d agreed in advance, both Kanghun and Lee Junhyeok clammed up.
“I was going to decide who to spare based on this question…”
Lee Junhyeok immediately broke down.
“A-any Hunter would want a Stat Increase…”
But from the way his eyes darted, it was obvious he was lying.
“That’s not all, is it? This is your last question, so think carefully. If you answer right, you walk out alive.”
“Lee Junhyeok!”
Kanghun shouted as if this alone was unacceptable, but it was pointless.
He’d already decided to talk.
“The truth is… the bald bastard insisted to the higher-ups that we had to get it no matter what.”
“Shut up!”
That was it.
Seeing Kanghun react so sharply, the true motive was finally coming out.
“Bald bastard? Higher-ups?”
“Yeah… The bald one is Yeongjin Jeon, an older guy I knew from before. Lately, Kanghun and I followed him into an organization.”
“Lee Junhyeok! Shut up! If you say more, you’re dead!”
But there was no stopping him.
Park Janghyeon quickly covered Kanghun’s mouth again.
“So what’s the organization’s name? If you tell me just this, I’ll let you go. I promise.”
“That… They said never to reveal it, that I’d die if I did…”
“Mph! Mph!”
Kanghun stared wide-eyed and shook his head frantically, but Lee Junhyeok, overcome by immediate fear, couldn’t be stopped.
“Fine. If you don’t talk, you die here. Jinsu.”
“Roger! I’ll send him off cleanly, no pain.”
Shing!
Bae Jinsu swung his sword through the air, its edge gleaming with a cold blue light.
“I-I’ll talk! The name is Bl—kuh… khk!”
Just as Lee Junhyeok was about to reveal the organization’s name, purple veins spread from beneath his clothes and his face turned dark red, as if it would burst.
“Damn it! Suyeon!”
Han Suyeon rushed to use her healing skill.
But it didn’t work at all.
It wasn’t a poison, but a Curse.
Lee Junhyeok gasped, his mouth hanging open in pain, then stopped breathing in an instant.
The shocking sight left everyone speechless.
And even Kanghun, who’d shown no fear until now, began to tremble.
“W-what is this…?”
Not just me, but everyone was appalled by what had happened.
A Curse that activates without the caster being nearby.
No such Curse had ever been reported before.
“…Those ‘higher-ups,’ we need to investigate them. Let’s return to the Association right now.”
We’d planned to stay only one more day anyway, but I never thought we’d have to leave so suddenly.
There’d been an attack, and even though they were enemies, someone had died…
I tried to calm my uneasy mind and sleep, but ended up spending the whole night wide awake.
Since I couldn’t sleep anyway, I decided I might as well go outside and focus on safety.
‘I want to gather more Guardians as soon as possible…’
For now, to ensure safety, I headed to the Farmland to ask Dakgong and Little Pepper to strengthen their watch.
“Dakgong~”
(Mya~)
As soon as I stepped outside, I called for Dakgong, but the one who greeted me was Huknyang, who was digging at the dirt.
“Huh? Huknyang? What are you doing here at this hour?”
He usually only showed up during the afternoon mealtime, but today he was here since morning.
When I got closer to see what Huknyang was doing, I was taken aback.
He wasn’t digging, but kneading Dakgong’s helmet with his front paws.
“Hey! What are you doing to Dakgong? He’s supposed to be resting now. Dakgong! Are you all right?”
But Dakgong, who usually woke up right away when I called his name, didn’t move at all today.
I pushed Huknyang aside and tried to wake Dakgong.
“You’re not hurt or anything, are you? Dakgong, wake up.”
Even after calling him again, there was no response.
In the end, I grabbed his helmet, which was sticking out of the dirt, and tried to lift him up.
Or tried to, at least.
“Eh?!”
Dakgong wouldn’t budge, as if caught on something, and when I pulled with all my might, a blinding light filled my vision.
[Guardian ‘Dakgong’ is Awakening. Remaining time: 19h: 54m: 26s]
Just like reading crop information, Dakgong’s info appeared before me.
“Awakening!?”
The seconds were ticking down in real time.
I’d never heard of a Guardian Awakening before.
Of course, since Dakgong was the very first Guardian, it was only natural I didn’t know.
‘So the waiting time is almost 20 hours. Judging by the minutes and seconds, it’s not something I trigger just by touching him.’
In these cases, it’s usually in 10- or 12-hour increments.
Assuming the timer started at 24 hours, that would mean it began about 4 hours ago.
In other words, it matches the time Dakgong defeated Lee Junhyeok.
‘Did he Awaken because he beat a strong B-rank Hunter?’
Awakening is a moment of realization.
Or, to put it in game terms, it’s like a class change.
Seeing his body glowing during Awakening, I had a feeling there’d be a big change.
‘Big changes take a lot of energy.’
I quickly ran back into the house to wake Kasia, who was sleeping.
- Hwaaaam. What is it, so early in the morning? I am tired, you know.
“You used to get up early when you first came to Earth. You’ve changed. To be a farmer, you should wake up early like me! But anyway, hurry up and get up.”
I grabbed Kasia’s arm and forcibly pulled her up.
- Why, why are you doing this? Haa… Fine, I get it.
Her cheeks flushed red, either from anger at having her sweet sleep disturbed, or embarrassment.
But Dakgong’s situation was more urgent.
Without letting go of her arm, I dragged Kasia outside.
- Dakgong? Isn’t it time for Dakgong to sleep now?
“Right. Do you remember what happened last night?”
- I remember Dakgong subduing one of the assailants.
She seemed to remember the events of the night perfectly.
“Yeah. One of them passed through the Farmland. That’s when Dakgong shot him down with his nut gun.”
- Ho. So Dakgong was that strong. I must not underestimate him.
“But after that, he’s been stuck in the ground like that, Awakening.”
- Awakening?
I explained at her eye level.
Like characters in cartoons who grow stronger through battle.
- Ah! I saw that in Rocket Monster.
“Right. But since Dakgong was born from a crop, I think he needs a lot of energy for Awakening.”
- Hmm. That makes sense.
“So, I want you to provide nutrient-rich soil and water.”
- Me? Ah, for the adorable Dakgong, I will gladly do it.
Using Spirits to renew the soil and provide good water.
It sounds easy since the Spirits do it, but it’s far from simple.
Not only is it hard to control the Spirits so the effect applies only to the Farmland, but it takes intense concentration and drains mental strength.
But Kasia didn’t complain at all and immediately started focusing.
- O nature, source of all things. O earth, which supports all. By the power of the Earth Spirits, return to the primordial soil!
When Kasia recited the incantation, sparkling powder fell onto the peanut field like snow.
It seemed to be a taxing spell; Kasia took a deep breath, then recited another incantation.
- O nature, source of all things. O water, which completes all things. Water Spirits, help the crops sprout new life.
Moisture began to gather in the air, droplets forming and falling into the field, quickly being absorbed.
When she finished, Kasia wobbled, holding her head.
I hurried over to support her.
“Kasia, are you okay?”
- I am fine. Using two Spirits in a row like this always makes me dizzy for a while. I’ll be fine after some rest, so don’t worry.
“Thank you. I always feel bad that you’re the one helping me.”
- I already owe you my life. There is nothing more valuable than life, so for someone who gave me the greatest gift, there is nothing I wouldn’t do.
Unable to stand, she leaned her body into my chest.
- Just for a little while longer. I want to stay like this.
“As long as you want. Let me know when you feel better.”
A few minutes passed like that….
“K-Kasia? Are you still dizzy?”
Kasia showed no sign of getting up.
I tried to help her stand, but she resisted.
- Still dizzy… Just a little more, and I’ll be fine.
Only after a full twenty minutes did Kasia finally pull away from my arms.
‘Is it okay to change the soil during Awakening? I hope nothing happens.’
I checked Dakgong’s info, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Looks like he’s fine.
The only problem was Huknyang, who stayed by my side and didn’t leave.
“You two have gotten pretty close these days, huh? You don’t even run away now. You’re just sitting there, making yourself at home.”
He sat beside me, licking his front paw and watching everything I did.
“But where’s Hindungi? You’re always together.”
Even when I brought up Hindungi, Huknyang just cocked his head.
Oh, right.
We can’t communicate.
‘It would be great if I could talk to this guy too. Is there a way to bond?’
The first thing that came to mind was to just raise him like a housecat.
If we live together, maybe we’ll bond.
“I feed you and treat you well. How about choosing me as your butler?”
I waited hopefully for Huknyang’s response.
“Nya~ong.”
He meowed as if replying.
“So that means yes? Should we live together from now on?”
As if he understood, he rose gracefully and walked over, rubbing his head against my leg.
Now, even when I petted his head, he didn’t avoid my hand.
“Since you’re being so affectionate, I’ll take it as a yes. Thanks for choosing me~”
When I turned to head home, Huknyang followed.
All the way to the front door.
‘Did I really get chosen? Has my sincerity finally gotten through? I should make a door so Huknyang can come and go.’
There’s no way a cat could open the front door.
Strike while the iron’s hot—time to build the door right away.
It’s not because I’m worried he’ll cancel his choice out of spite.
I went to the shed, grabbed a power screwdriver, saw, and hinges, and came back.
I cut a square hole in the door and attached the piece with hinges so that it would swing open, making a door for the cat to come and go.
“Anytime you want to go out, you can, and you can come back home whenever you like.”
While I was making the door, Huknyang was already stretched out on the sofa, sleeping as if it were his own home.
His behavior was so natural, it was as if he understood everything.
He’s smarter than I thought.
I’ll have to test his intelligence later.
‘By the way, where did Hindungi go?’
It was a simple job, so I finished quickly and went outside to look around.
I didn’t see any sign of movement.
‘Hmm. There’s a way to handle this… though I’m not sure it works on strays.’
Time for my special dog summoning technique.
Ahem! Ahem! I cleared my throat and shouted.
“Hey, Hindungi! No! Stop! Come here! Hey!”
Like magic, Hindungi came running from far away.
(Pant pant.)
He’d run from so far away I couldn’t even see him at first—no wonder he was out of breath.
As soon as he reached me, he wagged his tail excitedly.
“Good, good. Want to live with me? Huknyang’s already decided and is resting at home.”
I offered Hindungi my hand, suggesting adoption.
He licked my hand as if he understood, then placed his paw on it.
“Hahaha. All right, that’s your agreement.”
A dog that loves walks, and a cat that prefers being indoors.
For Hindungi, I decided to build a house outside too.
It would be simple and basic.
Using leftover wood from building the chicken coop, I put together a classic doghouse.
Since it was just for Hindungi, a little material was enough.
“You can come and go as you please, anytime.”
Maybe he understood, maybe he didn’t, but he wagged his tail vigorously.
So began my life with Huknyang, grooming himself indoors, and Hindungi, freely roaming in and out of the house.
Of course, with Kasia as well.
The next morning, I got a call from Minjun.
He confirmed the death of the Superhuman Auction House Gangwon Branch Manager.
Just as Lee Junhyeok had said.
I suddenly wondered, what would’ve happened if Kim Sanghyeon hadn’t transferred from the Auction House to the Kanghan Group?
Ugh, just thinking about it gives me chills.