Chapter 142 – City Night (1)

Fortunately Small Return Pill didn’t have the same pain as the inner dan eaten before. However, the elixir pill’s name didn’t go anywhere.

The elixir pill strongly stimulated Sun-woo’s internal energy.

Sun-woo who was summoned to his room immediately got on the bed, sat cross-legged, then circulated internal energy.

Internal energy that flowed violently for a while stabilized after some time passed.

After internal energy stabilized, when Sun-woo observed his interior, he could feel the rough internal energy flowing smoothly and abundantly.

“Are refined medicines more stable than raw herbs?”

Sun-woo recalled thoughts opposite to herbal medicine common sense while checking his skills with his phone.

〈Earth Spirit. Grade 7〉

〈Illusion Technique. Grade 5〉

〈Revolving Divine Demon Art. 11 Stars〉

〈Revolving Sword Technique. 10 Stars〉

〈Revolving Movement Technique. 8 Stars〉

〈Body Enhancement. 3 Stars〉

〈Water System Magic. 4th Circle〉

〈Fire System Magic. 2nd Circle〉

〈Flowing Time. Grade 6〉

〈Barrier Magic 2nd Circle〉

〈Summoning Magic 2nd Circle〉

〈Phantom Pain Grade 2〉

〈Poison Cure Grade 1〉

〈Revolving Divine Demon Art〉 that became impossible to click and could no longer increase with points after reaching 10 stars had risen to 11 stars.

“Is above 10 stars the realm of fortunate encounters or talent?”

Currently only confirmed Revolving Divine Demon Art, but other skills seemed the same.

Well, if could strengthen infinitely with points, there was no cheat like that cheat.

“Though it’s already almost cheat level.”

Moreover, in the skill window, a new skill 〈Poison Cure〉 was added.

As Small Return Pill mixed with Sun-woo’s internal energy, Small Return Pill’s effect of poison cure ability registered as a new skill.

For Sun-woo who had difficulty defending against poison until now, quite a pleasing skill was added.

Sun-woo closed his phone then got off the bed.

Perhaps thanks to Small Return Pill, even though living outside for several days, felt refreshingly perfect like just waking up.

Sun-woo who left the room in good mood frowned seeing the chilly living room.

Time had passed past 11 PM and the day had darkened like before, yet the person who should be inside the house wasn’t visible.

Sun-woo immediately called Yeonhwa.

[The phone is turned off and connected to voicemail. Call charges apply.]

Seemed not playing and coming home late.

Sun-woo tried contacting Caroline again then could discover several missed calls and messages to him.

Seemed he didn’t notice messages coming in while absorbing Small Return Pill just before.

The messages were all from Caroline.

[Yeonhwa went missing. Contact immediately when you return.]

Sun-woo who saw the message called Caroline with a hardened expression.

“What happened?”

30 minutes later, Sun-woo was at an Incheon shopping mall where Caroline was. He ran using lightness skill through night streets several times faster than cars.

“Miss Yeonhwa seems to have been at this shopping mall in the evening with Sophia and other female summoners she became close with during this time.”

Though a shopping mall already closed with business hours ended, inside the shopping mall was occupied by Cleanearth security guards and Caroline with lights brightly on.

When Sun-woo entered inside through the rooftop, Caroline brightened and explained the events until now.

“I happened to have work piled up at the company so couldn’t be together. Instead there were combat team members among summoners going together so didn’t worry much…”

Cleanearth Korea branch also well recognized Yeonhwa’s importance. When Sun-woo went on missions alone, Caroline or other summoners moved together with Yeonhwa protecting her.

“Anyway, Miss Yeonhwa disappeared from there after going to the bathroom while shopping together with other summoners. Everyone came out and searched, but there were no traces left after going to the bathroom. Not caught on CCTV either so absolutely no way to track.”

Caroline did her best after that too.

Filed missing person report with police while coercively seeking cooperation to find her, closed the shopping mall early to preserve the scene then guarded the scene until Sun-woo returned.

Sun-woo who heard Caroline’s words entered the women’s bathroom where Yeonhwa disappeared.

At the ordinary bathroom appearance, he immediately placed his hand on the bathroom mirror and started looking into the past.

As Sun-woo gradually turned time to the past, at some moment Yeonhwa’s figure reflected in the mirror.

Yeonhwa in ordinary dress was washing hands while looking at the mirror.

Shortly after.

One of the bathroom stalls behind Yeonhwa opened, then a man with red eyes and gloomy appearance revealed himself.

Yeonhwa’s eyes widened seeing that man and tried to shout something, but the man’s side was faster.

When the man who raised his hand toward Yeonhwa muttered one word, Yeonhwa fell asleep just like that.

After that one more man came out, then he grabbed the man who came out first and Yeonhwa on both sides and disappeared from the bathroom.

They used spatial movement.

“So that’s why it wasn’t caught on CCTV either.”

The two contaminated summoners had entered inside the bathroom in advance with spatial movement and were hiding.

Unless CCTV was installed in the bathroom, spatial movement couldn’t be detected.

Sun-woo checked the past more, but no content beyond that was visible.

“Did you find out anything?”

At Caroline’s question who entered the bathroom together, Sun-woo explained the scene he saw.

At Sun-woo’s explanation, Caroline’s expression darkened.

“Then even you will have difficulty finding her.”

If moved avoiding people’s eyes, Sun-woo could check memories and track.

However, with such spatial movement, even Sun-woo couldn’t know where they went.

“No way to know, but tracking is possible.”

Sun-woo immediately summoned Snow Cat.

Kyang~

Snow Cat was bewildered at unfamiliar surroundings, but soon climbed up Sun-woo’s body and perched on his shoulder.

“What’s that cat? It’s incredibly pretty.”

Sun-woo briefly explained about Snow Cat.

“Ah, then that cat can find Miss Yeonhwa?”

If an ordinary Tianshan Snow Cat, tracking people who moved with spatial movement was impossible.

However, Snow Cat somehow, once smelled a scent, came to be able to track even if distance became far.

Snow Cat who already knew Yeonhwa even now immediately found her scent at Sun-woo’s instruction.

“I will find Miss Yeonhwa. Meanwhile Caroline, please call to the company everyone who shopped together with Miss Yeonhwa, and everyone who knew the fact that Miss Yeonhwa went shopping.”

“Yes? Ah, surely.”

“That contaminated summoners waited in advance at the bathroom means they knew in advance that Miss Yeonhwa’s party would come to this place. There’s definitely an informant.”

“That can’t be. They’re all refugees longing for hometown. Can’t have wrong thoughts.”

“The martial world side is already a mess with brainwashing. No guarantee this world will be fine.”

At Sun-woo’s words, Caroline’s expression turned pale.

Sun-woo’s words meant there might be a brainwashed person among precious colleagues.

Shortly after, Caroline nodded heavily.

“Understood. I’ll gather people and have mental ability users check.”

“Even after confirmation ends, please don’t disband until I return.”

Though well aware of mental ability users’ skills, if already brainwashed, possibility they prepared methods to block mental ability users’ inspection wasn’t impossible.

Snow Cat’s confirmation was absolutely necessary at the end.

“Understood.”

Caroline wondered at Sun-woo’s words not to send even after confirmation, but didn’t object to his words.

Because following Sun-woo’s words until now was never wrong.

Sun-woo greeted Caroline and immediately jumped up to the shopping mall rooftop.

The city night had deepened. Lights also greatly decreased with places everywhere submerged in darkness.

“Find Miss Yeonhwa.”

When Sun-woo standing on the rooftop railing muttered lowly, Snow Cat riding on his shoulder leaped as if flying.

Snow Cat that jumped tremendous distance like a flying squirrel landed on the opposite building’s rooftop. And started running like the wind toward the next building.

Following behind, Sun-woo rushed.

A white cat and a man wearing a black coat crossed the city’s dark night sky.

In a basement where only one dim light flickered, Yeonhwa was unconscious tied to a chair.

In the basement besides her, three men were doing their respective tasks.

One was calling somewhere with phone to his ear, another was sitting in a chair with eyes closed meditating.

And the last man was placing amplification stones around the chair where Yeonhwa was tied.

He called the man behind after placing the last amplification stone.

“Preparation finished. Wake the priestess.”

However, the man holding the phone raised his hand signaling to wait.

“The multi-ability user returned? Even so won’t find here. Anyway you don’t know this place either. And just in case, break the burner phone being used now. Next contact will be from our side.”

He who finished talking hung up the phone then told the man before Yeonhwa.

“Seems we should hurry. That guy came. Won’t find this place, but troublesome things might happen when leaving this country.”

“Damn. Preparation is all finished already. You just need to wake the priestess.”

At the other’s grumbling, the man raised his hand then chanted a small spell.

Mana rippled inside the basement and Yeonhwa immediately woke from sleep.

Yeonhwa looked around the basement with a bewildered expression then tilted her head after checking the three men last.

“Am I kidnapped now?”

At her peaceful appearance, the men grimaced. She didn’t look at all like a kidnapped woman.

“Right. You’re kidnapped now, and from now you’ll be brainwashed by me like other dead priestesses.”

The man annoyed at Yeonhwa’s appearance grabbed Yeonhwa’s face and showed surrounding amplification stones.

Yeonhwa came to see amplification stones at his touch, and lastly confirmed the man’s face.

“Are you the person who brainwashed Sister Nanhwa?”

“Right. Though endured incredibly long calling herself priestess, eventually got brainwashed and cooperated well in our work. Was a somewhat fun time.”

The gloomy-faced man thrust his red eyes at Yeonhwa while licking his lips with his tongue.

“I see.”

However, Yeonhwa didn’t show the reaction he wanted.

At Yeonhwa nodding as if understanding, he grimaced fully while raising his hand.

However, he lowered his hand at the sound heard from behind.

“Don’t joke around and hurry. Said that guy came!”

The man clicked his tongue and stepped back one step. He planned to proceed with brainwashing immediately.

“Did Sun-woo return?”

Yeonhwa who was being calm sparkled her eyes at the words the man holding the phone said.

“Hmph, even so moved with spatial movement so can’t find. And you’ll be brainwashed shortly after and come to hate him.”

Yeonhwa rather smiled even at the mocking contaminated ability user’s words.

“You really don’t know Sun-woo.”

Thud!

That moment, collision sounds faintly reached from far above.

“I’ve never seen something Sun-woo can’t do.”

Yeonhwa continued speaking with a smiling face, and collision sounds changed to something breaking sounds drawing gradually closer.

And eventually, the basement ceiling shattered completely and Sun-woo jumped down.

“Not late, right?”

At Sun-woo’s words, Yeonhwa nodded.

“No, not late.”