Chapter 196 – Bait

“Are you sure you can reach S-rank by tomorrow?” Hong Se-yeon asked with concern.

Min Do-jun reassured her, “Yes. I just need to run one dungeon, that’s all.”

This wasn’t an exaggeration, as he only had 3 levels left before reaching 3,000.

“Then I’ll let the Chinese team know you’ll be joining them.”

“Please do.”

The three people who had left the restaurant exchanged farewells.

“I’ll conquer the dungeon you introduced me to successfully.”

“Yes. If you need any help regarding the dungeon, please let me know anytime.”

Hong Se-yeon smiled and looked at Hyun Su-a.

“What are your plans, Hunter? Will you be joining our guild?”

“Hmm… I need to think about it a bit more.”

At those words, Hong Se-yeon handed her a business card she had prepared.

“Take your time to think about it and contact me when you feel ready.”

“I will.”

“Then let’s part ways here.”

“Yes. Hunter. See you next time.”

After parting with the two women, Min Do-jun didn’t head home.

With a system window open in the corner of his vision, he walked in a certain direction.

[Distance to target: 12.91km]

The target Min Do-jun was tracking was none other than Kim Pil-young.

‘If his thug tendencies haven’t disappeared, he’ll definitely go after Go Du-sik for revenge.’

He predicted that Kim Pil-young would target Go Du-sik.

It was only natural since a targeted article had been published about him.

Go Du-sik would be aware of this too.

‘Yet he still published the article because he’s confident he won’t be harmed.’

His greed for an exclusive scoop also played a part.

‘That’s good.’

In fact, this was the information Min Do-jun had given to Go Du-sik.

‘It was bait, so to speak.’

Go Du-sik wasn’t the only one who took the bait.

Kim Pil-young was also moving, having taken the bait that was Go Du-sik.

‘Using Go Du-sik as bait to lure Kim Pil-young, kill him, and then disguise myself as him.’

And then lure the twin brothers and kill them too.

After formulating his plan, Min Do-jun entered a deserted alley and mounted the ghost wolf.

Walking would take too long to track his target.

‘Awoo, let’s go.’

[Growl!]

Min Do-jun, riding the ghost wolf, passed through the wall and disappeared.

* * *

‘Hehehe, to score two exclusive scoops!’

The smile never left Go Du-sik’s face.

The articles he had published had become massive hits.

Of course, they were based on information obtained from Min Do-jun.

‘But who cares? Getting a source is also part of my skill. Hehe.’

For Go Du-sik, Min Do-jun was a premium source who brought him exclusive scoops.

Not a villain who tormented him.

‘Thanks to him, the dismissive looks at the company have decreased, and the department head’s treatment of me has changed.’

From his perspective, there was no reason to view this negatively.

‘Of course, it’s unsettling that he can inflict pain remotely and monitor me from anywhere, but…’

As long as he provided exclusive scoops like this, Go Du-sik could tolerate that much.

‘I don’t know why he wants these articles published, but I just need to do as I’m told.’

Then he wouldn’t be harmed and could write unexpected exclusive stories like now.

‘Healer Lee Min-ji’s motive for murder and an S-rank hunter’s identity laundering. He brings such premium information, hehe.’

When he received the information from Min Do-jun, he immediately recognized it.

It was material perfect for generating views.

‘Targeting Kim Pil-young and the twin hunters is a bit concerning, but who cares? I just need to get the views.’

Go Du-sik was well aware of his situation.

‘They’re probably furious with me. I exposed a past they wanted to keep hidden.’

It was obvious that the angry hunters would come looking for him.

He would have done the same in their position.

‘They’ll come and ask where I got the information. I’ll just pretend I don’t know.’

He would say that an anonymous call came in, provided the information, and hung up.

That he merely wrote the article based on that information.

That excuse would suffice.

‘If I tell the truth, Hunter Min Do-jun will target me, so I have no choice but to lie.’

The fact that Min Do-jun was the source of information must not be revealed.

Not if he didn’t want to be tormented remotely.

‘If I stick to that story, they’ll leave.’

No matter how much of a gangster Kim Pil-young had been in the past, in this era with abundant CCTV, he couldn’t do anything to him.

‘Would hunters, who are practically public figures, really hit me on the spot just because they’re angry?’

Even hunters go to prison if they commit crimes.

The special detention center for hunters wasn’t there for nothing.

‘No matter how superhuman their strength is compared to ordinary people, hunters are still people.’

And people naturally desire recognition from others.

This must be why Kim Pil-young and his group tried to clean up their past and launder their identities.

‘Someone who’s trying to launder their identity and manage their image wouldn’t benefit from hitting me.’

If they hit him, it would only prove that they were indeed gangsters.

Kim Pil-young and the twin hunters wouldn’t want that situation either.

‘Rather than using their fists, it would be better for them to persuade me to write a clarification article.’

Therefore, he didn’t need to worry about being harmed by them.

‘But just to be safe, I should only go to places with CCTV.’

After all, the best scenario was to not encounter Kim Pil-young’s group at all, but he had to prepare for any situation.

[This station is Sema, Sema Station. The doors will open on the left.]

Go Du-sik, on his way home from work, used the crowded subway as usual.

‘CCTV and people will protect me from Kim Pil-young.’

Indeed, nothing happened during his walk home.

Beep beep beep beep- Ding- Click!

Only after entering his password and getting inside his house did Go Du-sik breathe a sigh of relief.

“Phew. I was so nervous, thinking I might get kidnapped.”

After putting his bag down on the sofa, Go Du-sik took a shower and headed to the balcony.

Tap tap-

In front of the rather stylish night view, he took out a cigarette and was about to light it when.

“Ugh!”

Go Du-sik felt a strong hand covering his mouth along with the cigarette.

“Come quietly.”

After hearing someone’s voice, Go Du-sik lost consciousness.

What he experienced was the “Knockout” skill unique to assassins.

* * *

“Mmm…”

“Awake now?”

Startled by the sudden voice, Go Du-sik jumped up.

Then he was startled again when he saw the man smiling at him.

‘K-Kim Pil-young Hunter?’

He was familiar with Kim Pil-young’s face.

After all, TV had been busy promoting him as the twentieth S-rank hunter.

At least until Min Do-jun overtook him.

“Wh-where is this…?”

Go Du-sik anxiously looked around.

It was a reed field with no sign of people.

‘I’m screwed.’

Just moments ago, he was at home, but now he woke up in a reed field?

Anyone who wasn’t a fool would understand.

That he had been kidnapped by Kim Pil-young.

‘I was so careful to only go to crowded places…’

Yet he was kidnapped from his own home, where there was no CCTV and no people.

From the place he thought was the safest in the world.

“You’re Go Du-sik, reporter from Daemun Daily, right?”

“…”

When he didn’t answer and just looked cautious, Kim Pil-young’s shoulder seemed to move, and Go Du-sik felt pain at the back of his head.

Thwack-

“Ugh…”

“Answer me, you bastard.”

“Y-yes, that’s right!”

Go Du-sik, holding the back of his head, shed a tear.

‘I-I didn’t even see his hand.’

His reflexes were so high that it was difficult to follow with the naked eye.

‘Kim Pil-young is an assassin. And one who’s about to reach S-rank.’

It was natural that Go Du-sik, an ordinary person, couldn’t keep up.

But he never expected to be kidnapped from his own home.

“Why did you write that article?”

“A-article?”

“This bastard is playing dumb right off the bat?”

Thwack!

He was hit on the head once more.

“Ugh…”

As Go Du-sik groaned, he realized.

‘I-if I make a mistake, I’ll die.’

Kidnapping, cursing, assault. Judging by how he did all these without hesitation, he didn’t seem afraid of going to prison.

Or he was confident that he hadn’t been caught on CCTV.

‘Either way, it’s a disadvantageous situation for me.’

In the worst case, he could die.

That thought awakened his dormant sense of crisis.

“I-I’m sorry, Hunter! I was obsessed with views and wrote an article targeting you. I’m truly sorry.”

Go Du-sik, lying flat on the ground, repeatedly bowed his head.

There was no way to survive except by sincerely apologizing.

“Good. It’s so much better when you’re honest.”

Knowing that this was the struggle of someone who wanted to live, a look of satisfaction appeared on Kim Pil-young’s face.

“Just answer well, and I’ll let you live, so don’t worry too much.”

“Y-yes, thank you.”

As he answered, Go Du-sik was inwardly terrified.

‘I suspected it, but he really was planning to kill me…’

Sensing the crisis, Go Du-sik decided to answer honestly to any question.

But that resolve didn’t last long.

“What’s the source of your information?”

“…Pardon?”

“Who told you about my past?”

“…”

At that direct question, Go Du-sik hesitated to answer.

‘If I honestly say it’s Hunter Min Do-jun, what happens to me?’

Would Min Do-jun, who might be watching the situation, immediately burst his head remotely and kill him?

Even if he wasn’t watching, he would eventually find out and cause the same result.

‘Either way, I’m screwed…’

This seemed like the perfect example of being caught between a rock and a hard place.

“Mr. Reporter. Why are you silent again? I asked where your source is.”

“Well…”

“Why are you hesitating? Do you have multiple lives or something?”

Shing-

Go Du-sik, who had been contemplating until just now, stopped thinking as soon as he saw the sharp dagger Kim Pil-young pulled out.

“Min Do-jun! Hunter Min Do-jun gave me the information!”

“What?”

As if it was an unexpected name, surprise and bewilderment appeared on Kim Pil-young’s face.

Indeed, Min Do-jun was someone with no connection to his past.

Kim Pil-young, who had firmly believed that a former organization member had betrayed him, couldn’t help but be bewildered.

“Hunter Min Do-jun? What do you mean?”

“H-he provided the information and ordered me to write the article.”

“Why would that bastard target me?”

“I don’t know the reason either.”

“Ha, that fucking Min Do-jun…”

Kim Pil-young gritted his teeth.

Though he didn’t know how Min Do-jun knew about his past, he could guess the motive.

‘He probably ordered the targeted article because I caused trouble at his guild last time.’

Then a puzzling thought occurred to him.

“Reporter Go Du-sik. Did you really write the article because Min Do-jun ordered you to?”

“Yes! That’s right.”

“But earlier, you said you wrote it because you were tempted by the views?”

“Huh? Ah.”

Realizing the inconsistency, Go Du-sik exclaimed, and Kim Pil-young’s expression immediately hardened.

“This bastard is lying to try to escape the situation?”

“Ah, th-that was just a slip of the tongue…”

“Enough. Woo-jin.”

At Kim Pil-young’s call, a large man who had been hiding emerged, breaking through the reeds.

“Yes, hyung.”

“Did you hear everything?”

“Yes. He said it was Hunter Min Do-jun’s doing.”

“Right. What should we do now?”

“What else? We need to teach him a lesson.”

“Didn’t you say we couldn’t handle him with just our strength?”

“That was when just the two of us faced him. If we team up with my brother, I think we can win.”

Go Du-sik couldn’t help but feel anxious at their conversation.

‘Why are they discussing such important plans in front of me? Could it be?’

As he feared, his ominous premonition was not wrong.

“Woo-jin, let’s finish this guy off now.”