Chapter 347 – Part 2 – Murder and Annihilation

Choi Seong-min had called his subordinates to the basement under the pretext of personal consultations.

It was to eliminate evidence by killing the subordinates who had participated in the Yang Baek-du assassination operation.

‘If I leave them alone for no reason, Kwak Min-cheol might catch me by the tail, so it’s better to kill them.’

If he didn’t eliminate the anxiety factors in advance, he might be betrayed instead.

‘No matter how much Song Chi-hyeon selected subordinates with high loyalty, no one knows how they’ll act when their lives are on the line.’

That’s why he had the butler send in subordinates one by one.

One person every 5 minutes.

‘It’s safer to defeat them one by one rather than facing multiple people at once.’

Among the subordinates, there were A-rank hunters with combat power exceeding 300,000.

One-on-one might be manageable, but facing multiple people would inevitably be burdensome.

Most importantly, when he could kill them this simply, there was no need to escalate the situation.

Just then, he heard footsteps.

Step step-

‘The first guest has arrived.’

Choi Seong-min hid his body in the darkness.

Thanks to the Wildcat’s Luminous Eye, he could see objects clearly even in the dark.

“Great Hero? Where are you?”

The first subordinate to enter was a face Choi Seong-min knew.

‘It’s Kang Chan-seong.’

He was a B-rank subordinate who had been beaten by Choi Seong-min’s fists before.

‘I have 5 minutes to spare, so it wouldn’t hurt to chat for a moment.’

Choi Seong-min, who had been hiding, revealed himself.

Of course, in Song Chi-hyeon’s appearance.

“You came?”

“Ah, I greet the Great Hero.”

As soon as he saw Song Chi-hyeon’s face, he immediately bowed his head.

It was a good position for a surprise attack, but he held back.

First, there was something he wanted to ask.

“Kang Chan-seong. You also participated in the Yang Baek-du assassination operation last time, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Do you remember who participated at that time? I can’t remember.”

Choi Seong-min didn’t know how many subordinates were in the restaurant.

‘I saw Kang Chan-seong and a few other faces, but I didn’t see all the other subordinates.’

The subordinates Choi Seong-min needed to silence were those who participated in the operation.

There was no need to kill the others.

That’s why he asked the question, hoping for a smooth answer.

But Kang Chan-seong’s reaction was different from expected.

Puzzlement.

His expression and thoughts were unified in puzzlement.

“You can’t remember how many participated?”

“That’s right.”

-How can he not remember that?

Kang Chan-seong, looking puzzled, said.

“Didn’t everyone participate?”

“Everyone?”

“Yes. I understood that everyone was mobilized, including Teams A, B, and C, as well as the cleaners…”

It seemed Song Chi-hyeon had been so eager to kill Yang Baek-du that he had involved all his subordinates.

‘I see. That’s why Song Chi-hyeon kept all his subordinates alive until the end.’

He couldn’t silence all the subordinates he had worked hard to raise.

‘There was no need to go through the trouble of weeding them out from the beginning.’

He had planned to ask each one and kill only those who participated, but there was no need for that.

Since everyone had participated, he just needed to kill them all.

“Kang Chan-seong.”

“Yes, Great Hero.”

“If Kwak Min-cheol appeared and questioned you about the Yang Baek-du incident, what would you answer?”

“If the Association President… asked?”

He hesitated for a moment, but even that was unacceptable to Choi Seong-min.

“To hesitate over a question that doesn’t need hesitation. You’re really hopeless.”

“No, I… Keuheok!”

When he slit his throat with the dagger, Kang Chan-seong trembled and fell to his knees.

At the same time, Song Chi-hyeon’s appearance disappeared and Choi Seong-min’s original form appeared.

“Keu, keureu…”

Kang Chan-seong, who had widened his eyes in surprise, soon collapsed to the floor with a message.

[You have killed Hunter Kang Chan-seong.]

[You have stolen the trait ‘Overflowing Strength.’]

[You have stolen 8 pieces of equipment.]

[Synchronization Rate 14.6%]

Traits and items came in, but before he could check them.

Step step-

The footsteps of the next batter were heard.

Choi Seong-min hid his body in the darkness again.

* * *

[You have killed Hunter Ju Yeon-hee.]

[You have killed Hunter Noh Kyeong-jin.]

………..

…….

[Synchronization Rate 15.7%]

[Synchronization Rate 15.8%]

Corpses piled up layer by layer. Blood pools formed everywhere.

Splash- Splash-

Blood splashed with every step. There was no room to step.

In a scene that wouldn’t be strange to call hell, only one man stood alone.

It was Choi Seong-min.

‘Did I kill all thirteen with this?’

It wasn’t difficult to ambush opponents who came one by one.

Since he looked like Song Chi-hyeon, everyone bowed their heads in greeting.

When their necks were exposed and they became defenseless, he just had to stab them with his dagger and it was over.

Even A-rank hunters with high combat power were no exception.

Whatever else, Choi Seong-min’s ambush damage was at a level that couldn’t be ignored.

Moreover, since he stabbed vital points accurately, there was no way they could survive.

‘Now there’s no way information will leak to Kwak Min-cheol.’

He had killed everyone related to the Yang Baek-du incident.

Kwak Min-cheol would no longer be able to find any evidence that Song Chi-hyeon had killed him.

‘Suspicion will remain. But without evidence, he can’t do anything to me.’

Of course, it depends on his mindset.

He might try to kill Song Chi-hyeon based on suspicion alone.

But he had avoided public punishment.

He had bought time for the time being.

‘That’s enough. If I can just act as Song Chi-hyeon for a month…’

He could take all the benefits and escape.

Then suddenly, Choi Seong-min turned his head.

‘Someone came.’

He heard a voice.

Excluding the subordinates, the only people who would come were the butler, cook, or servants.

Choi Seong-min, transformed into Song Chi-hyeon, hid his body and watched who the uninvited guest was.

‘It was the butler.’

Butler Hwang Seok-gyu discovered the corpses and made a surprised expression.

Choi Seong-min blocked the path of the guy who immediately turned to leave.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“…!”

Hwang Seok-gyu’s body hardened like stone and couldn’t move.

Indeed, he was an ordinary person, not a hunter.

It was no different from a mouse facing a cat.

And a cat that had just massacred thirteen mice at that.

“G-G-Great… Hero.”

It was natural that the butler’s voice trembled with fear.

“Why did the butler come down here? I never called you.”

“S-s-sorry. I’ll go back…”

“Where are you going? Since you’re here, receive some personal consultation before you go.”

Hwang Seok-gyu, who learned what happened to those who received consultations, trembled and declined.

“I-it’s fine. I don’t need to receive consultation…”

“You need to receive consultation. You saw something you shouldn’t have seen. Right?”

When he held up a dagger red as blood and smiled slightly, the butler’s face turned pale.

Then he fell to his knees with a thud.

“P-please spare me, Great Hero! I’ll keep what I saw today secret until I go to my grave, so please…”

“Secret… You want me to believe the words of someone who acts like Kwak Min-cheol’s dog?”

The butler’s eyes widened.

-H-how? Oh no!

Seeing him unconsciously reveal his thoughts, he seemed quite flustered.

“Why? Did you think I wouldn’t know that you’ve been reporting to Kwak Min-cheol regularly? Did you think you could hide it by just hiding your thoughts and acting well in front of me? You spy bastard.”

“I… I was wrong, Great Hero! I committed a mortal sin!”

“Right. Then you can die here.”

“G-Great Hero! Please have mercy…”

He held up the dagger threateningly, but had no intention of killing him immediately.

‘If I kill the butler after Yang Baek-du, Kwak Min-cheol will be quite angry.’

Why would he add fuel to the fire?

If he made a mistake, the angry Kwak Min-cheol might try to kill him outright.

‘Kwak Min-cheol will react sensitively even to the death of a mere slave.’

Before possession, Choi Seong-min had investigated even personalities to conquer the Great Heroes.

‘Kwak Min-cheol has a tyrannical personality with strong pride.’

He’s the type who can’t tolerate betrayal or people climbing over him.

When a subordinate dies, he might take it as a challenge to himself and retaliate.

Even if it’s just a slave.

‘It’s not for the slave’s sake. It’s because he can’t tolerate it for his own pride.’

There was nothing good about touching Kwak Min-cheol’s temper.

That’s why Choi Seong-min put away his dagger.

He had no intention of killing the butler for now.

“Good. It’s troublesome to find a new butler, so I’ll spare your life.”

“Th-thank you so much. Thank you…”

The butler, not knowing he was being spared reluctantly, kept bowing his head.

Choi Seong-min acted magnanimous.

“You know I’m not sparing you for nothing, right?”

“Of course. From now on, there will be no hiding my inner thoughts or lying in front of the Great Hero. I’ll also stop the daily reports to Great Hero Kwak Min-cheol from this moment.”

“No. Continue the reports.”

“Pardon?”

“If you suddenly stop reporting, Kwak Min-cheol will find it strange, won’t he? You should do as you usually do.”

“I-is that really okay?”

“Instead, I’ll tell you what to report each day. You just need to pretend to report according to the script. In other words, you’ll become a double spy.”

“Ah…”

It meant to pretend to carry out Kwak Min-cheol’s orders while actually following his instructions.

“It’s not difficult. You just report to Kwak Min-cheol by phone as usual and record the conversation to share with me. Just in case you might betray me.”

“B-betrayal? I would never think of such a thing…”

“Stop the lip service. You infiltrated as a spy.”

“…”

Choi Seong-min threatened with murderous eyes once again.

“If you ever think of escaping or calling Kwak Min-cheol…”

Choi Seong-min’s dagger touched the butler’s throat.

“I guarantee I can turn you into a corpse in less than half a day, no matter where you run. Remember that. Understand?”

“Y-y-yes, I understand.”

Only then did Choi Seong-min put away his dagger.

“Kwak Min-cheol may be higher in rank than me, but remember who’s closest to you.”

* * *

After grilling the butler, Choi Seong-min had him clean up the basement.

‘If he moves corpses, he won’t even think of betraying me.’

The butler’s face was pale blue as he moved the corpses.

The intention to make him feel a sense of urgency seemed to have worked sufficiently.

“Huk, huk…”

The butler, carrying a corpse, came up to the surface with difficulty.

Thud-

After putting the corpse down on the prepared cart, he went back down to the basement.

With such repetitive work, when corpses accumulated to some extent, he would pull the cart out of the mansion.

Then he put the bodies in the modified mobile crematorium brought by the cleaner and disposed of them.

It was the method cleaners used when disposing of corpses.

Only after working for a full 12 hours could they clean up the scene.

Cleanly, without leaving even a trace of the corpses.

“Phew…”

Just when the butler, who finally had some leisure, was wiping sweat from his forehead.

Ring ring- Ring ring-

The butler’s phone vibrated.

Looking at the caller, it said “Master.”

It was Kwak Min-cheol.

“Yes, Great Hero.”

-Didn’t we agree to report at midnight? Why is there no news? Do I have to call like this?

“Th-that… I’m sorry. I fell asleep and forgot…”

-Useless bastard. Just give me yesterday’s missed report. Why did Song Chi-hyeon gather his subordinates?

The butler recalled the script he had been told beforehand.

“It wasn’t for any particular reason. When I casually asked the subordinates, they said he really did consult with them. Whether they had any inconveniences, if their families were well, etc…”

-What? It was a more trivial reason than I thought? What wind suddenly blew for that bastard Song Chi-hyeon to care for his subordinates?

Kwak Min-cheol, who had been grumbling, asked the butler once more.

-Are there any other unusual matters?

“No… there aren’t.”

-Tch, there’s no gain so there’s no justification to do anything… Anyway, I understand. Don’t get caught and report as you’ve been doing. Don’t make me call first, you bastard.

“I-I’ll correct it. Good work.”

When the call ended, a long sigh came from the butler’s mouth.

At that moment.

“Well done.”

At the suddenly heard voice, the butler was startled and turned around.

Song Chi-hyeon, who had approached at some point, was watching him talk on the phone.

“I was going to cut your throat immediately if you betrayed me, but you handled it well.”

“Ah…”

Though it was ambiguous to call it praise, the butler still offered thanks.

“Th-thank you.”

He was grateful just to be kept alive instead of being killed.

Song Chi-hyeon patted his shoulder as he passed by.

“Keep pretending not to know like that. Then nothing will happen.”

“Y-yes, I understand.”

Just as he was catching his breath.

“Oh right, and.”

Song Chi-hyeon turned around as if remembering something and said.

“Don’t bring pear juice anymore from now on. I’m sick of it.”