Chapter 404 – Part 2 – Soul Tracking

Choi Seong-min lightly grasped Peter’s hand.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Choi Seong-min.”

He tried to let go after saying that, but Peter didn’t release his grip.

Squeeze-

Rather, he applied force to his grip, exercising his hand strength.

It wasn’t intended to show off his power and suppress his opponent.

‘He wants to test my strength.’

Since he could read thoughts, he quickly understood what the guy’s intentions were.

‘Then I should respond to some degree too.’

Choi Seong-min also applied force to his grip.

His current strength stat was 27,000.

That was without wearing any items.

Due to his unbalanced power being focused on agility, his strength was normally ridiculously high.

‘I’d like to crush his hand bones if I could, but that wouldn’t be appropriate.’

Choi Seong-min, who decided to respond appropriately, gradually increased his strength.

Squeeeze-

As Choi Seong-min began applying force, Peter’s eyebrows twitched.

‘To withstand my strength of over 5,000 pure strength…!’

Peter was inwardly impressed, but only briefly.

As time passed, Peter’s complexion darkened.

The force Choi Seong-min was applying gradually increased until finally.

“Urk…”

A groan escaped his lips.

‘He’s surpassing me in strength?’

Peter corrected the thought he’d had moments before.

‘This isn’t the level of withstanding. He’s far exceeding my strength…!’

As soon as he realized this fact, Peter hurriedly withdrew his hand.

It felt like his hand bones would shatter at any moment.

“Hm? Is it over already? It was just getting interesting.”

At Choi Seong-min’s brazenness, Peter quickly apologized.

“So-sorry, Hunter. I tested you to confirm your skills just in case. I apologize for being rude out of the blue.”

Peter bowed his head deeply.

‘There’s no doubt. He’s a strong person I can’t even look up to.’

Once he judged that he was on Woo Seong-jae’s level, his head naturally lowered.

His tone also became more polite.

When he raised his head, fortunately Choi Seong-min didn’t seem to be in a bad mood.

“That’s understandable. It would be more certain to check directly like this rather than trusting the numbers written in the system.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“So, how was it after checking?”

“I truly realized that 10 million combat power wasn’t just empty words. You’re really amazing. Haha!”

While he was giving thumbs up and praising him on the surface, Peter’s inside was full of worry.

‘What should I do? I expected it, but he’s not someone I can handle with force. Can I make such a monster into a subordinate?’

It was truly like a cat trying to put a tiger under its feet.

His confidence dropped as he realized the gap in power.

‘It’s fine. I won’t be discouraged by this. While he stays in Westland, I’ll figure out what he wants and skillfully persuade him to make a contract. If he can’t become a subordinate, at least he could become a colleague.’

Peter smiled at Choi Seong-min.

His determination to recruit him somehow was visible on his face.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? Let’s go. A banquet has been prepared for you, Hunter.”

Peter entered the mansion with Choi Seong-min.

A feast was spread out on the long table.

It seemed the secretary had received contact and prepared the food to match the timing.

“Please sit here.”

Peter, who seated Choi Seong-min at the head of the table, maintained a humble attitude throughout.

He spouted honeyed compliments, trying somehow to win his favor.

“Try this once. It’s a special dish prepared because you were coming, Hunter. I’m also eating it for the first time today…”

Choi Seong-min’s impression of facing Peter was brief.

‘He talks a lot.’

During the meal, he rattled off various things, all of which were words meant to win Choi Seong-min’s favor.

‘He must be quite desperate.’

That was understandable since Peter hadn’t been able to escape from second place for the past 10 years.

His greed for military power was also to build his own kingdom later.

‘It’s not like Woo Seong-jae is tormenting him, but there must have been things that hurt his pride.’

Unlike Peter who had just entered his 50s, Woo Seong-jae was in his late 30s.

It wouldn’t have been easy to follow orders from Woo Seong-jae who was more than 10 years younger.

But that didn’t mean Peter wanted to stab Woo Seong-jae in the back.

He just wanted to escape from being second and become independent.

‘That’s why he’s so desperate. If he just recruits me, he won’t have to listen to Woo Seong-jae anymore.’

When the meal ended, warm tea came out as dessert.

He could tell from reading Peter’s thoughts that no poison was added to the tea.

‘Anyway, I can detoxify all poisons with the Immortal Body trait.’

There was nothing that could threaten Choi Seong-min whose combat power exceeded 25 million.

“How was the meal? Did you enjoy it?”

“Yes. It was a good lunch after a long time.”

“Haha, I feel good too.”

Peter, who laughed heartily, eventually made a meaningful smile.

“But it would be disappointing if you’re satisfied with just this. I’ve prepared something for you upstairs, Hunter. Please follow me.”

When Peter took the lead, the secretary followed.

Choi Seong-min also followed them upstairs.

‘This is…?’

As soon as he went upstairs, Choi Seong-min frowned.

Women wearing only underwear were lined up waiting in the corridor.

There were over 50 of them.

“Ta-da! How is it, Hunter? Isn’t it dazzling?”

“Rather than that, I don’t know where to look.”

“Haha, you seem unexpectedly shy. Do you perhaps have no experience with women?”

“That’s not the case, but your question is quite unpleasant.”

“Ah! I’m sorry. I asked because you’re young, but I misspoke. I apologize once again.”

Peter was quick to apologize.

“You don’t need to be shy. These are slaves prepared for you, Hunter anyway. It’s fine whatever you do. We’ve satisfied the appetite, which is one of humanity’s three basic desires, so you should satisfy other desires too.”

“……”

“Well then, let’s take a look and choose. I’ve lined up only the highest grade slaves, so it should be fun to choose. Oh, by the way, it doesn’t matter how many you choose. Hehe.”

Looking at Peter laughing lewdly, his intentions transmitted into his head.

‘No matter how inexperienced, Hunter Choi Seong-min is also a man. Being a vigorous man in his 20s, he can’t say he dislikes it.’

There’s no man in the world who dislikes women.

Peter, who believed he would surely choose three or four slaves, made a puzzled expression.

Because instead of walking through the corridor, Choi Seong-min turned around with an unpleasant expression.

“Mr. Peter. I’m disappointed.”

“What? Do-does the women not suit your taste? If you look carefully, there should be your preferred type…”

“That’s not the problem.”

“Then don’t tell me you’re…”

“I’m saying I’m disappointed that you think of me as a low-class person who plays around with slaves.”

“Ah…”

Peter belatedly realized.

‘He’s not inexperienced but old-fashioned?’

That Choi Seong-min had an unexpectedly conservative personality.

“If I made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. I was just trying to treat you, Hunter…”

“The meal was fine, but suddenly I feel a bit off.”

Saying that while turning his back on the slaves, Peter was going crazy.

‘I even brought Eastland slaves just in case, but it was all for nothing?’

Thinking he’d have to relieve his own desires later, he brought Choi Seong-min back downstairs.

Along with apologies.

“Oh my, oh my, I must have gotten ahead of myself. If you don’t like it, Hunter, there’s nothing I can do. But please don’t misunderstand. I never thought of you as low-class, Hunter…”

Peter tried his best to improve Choi Seong-min’s mood.

“I’m really sorry for making you feel bad. If you need anything else, just say so. I’ll do anything as an apology.”

“Then I’d like to tour the White House.”

“The White House? Why there…?”

Choi Seong-min gave his prepared answer.

“It’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit. I heard Westland’s Great Heroes hold meetings there?”

“Haha, that’s right. We gather and hold meetings whenever there are agenda items… but probably if you go now, you won’t see other Great Heroes. Everyone’s busy in their own way. If that’s still okay with you, I’ll show you…”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“Ah, then shall we leave right now?”

“Yes. I’d like to go and see quickly.”

With the excuse of sightseeing, Choi Seong-min was able to smoothly visit the White House.

‘If I go to the White House, there will be traces of that guy.’

None other than traces of Frank.

* * *

The White House, which could be called the symbol of Westland.

Not just anyone could enter there, but if you were guaranteed by a Great Hero, you could enter without problem.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes. This is Westland’s pride, the White House. Look. Isn’t the garden beautiful?”

Peter and Choi Seong-min were walking through the garden of the White House they had arrived at after an hour.

‘It’s easily more than twice as wide as Eastland’s association.’

Choi Seong-min, who played along with appropriate admiring acting, followed Peter inside.

“This is my office. There are other Great Heroes’ offices too. Would you like to see them?”

“Yes. Before that, could I tour the conference room first?”

“Of course. Please follow me.”

Actually, there was no need to see other Great Heroes’ offices.

Even if there were Melissa’s or Christopher’s offices, there was no office for Frank who he actually needed.

‘Because of that guy’s wandering habit, his office was never made in the first place.’

That’s why Frank’s traces could only be found by going to the conference room.

“This is the conference room.”

“Oh… so this is it.”

As Choi Seong-min looked around the conference room, a message appeared in one corner of his vision.

[A thick soul scent has been found at this location.]

[You can track the soul of one of the following targets.]

└Melissa Ramos

└Frank Larson

└Christopher Gibson

└Peter Fields

‘I found Frank’s scent.’

Unexpectedly, there were no traces of Woo Seong-jae, but Frank was the original purpose anyway.

‘Select Frank Larson.’

[Tracking Frank Larson’s soul.]

[You can instinctively track his location until canceled.]

[Damage dealt to the target being tracked increases by 50%.]

As the message said, he could feel it instinctively.

Where Frank was and in which direction.

‘He’s quite far away?’

From what he could sense, he was at a distance that crossed continents.

‘Why is he so far away?’

Anyway, with this, his purpose was achieved.

He could now track Frank, who had been so hard to find, forever.

‘Everything is going according to plan.’

For the time being, he planned to stay in Westland while getting along appropriately with Peter.

‘While staying at the mansion, I need to occasionally attack the Pentagon. So Peter becomes vigilant.’

If he secretly attacked the Pentagon at dawn, Peter would deploy S-rank subordinates to strengthen security.

The plan was to then wipe out the S-rank subordinates gathered at the Pentagon all at once and steal the Magic Core.

‘Plus avoid Woo Seong-jae.’

In two days, Woo Seong-jae would appear in Eastland to see Kwak Min-cheol.

If he stayed in Westland a bit longer, he could avoid that guy.

‘I can’t face him yet.’

But variables come without warning.

Choi Seong-min eventually had to face him.

Woo Seong-jae, whom he had so wanted to avoid.