Chapter 172 – Pursuit (7)

The center of Hong Kong was extremely chaotic due to the sudden terrorist incident.

Police cars ran with sirens blaring, and broadcast helicopters and military helicopters crossed the sky.

Fortunately, Sun-woo arrived at the rooftop of the building next to the department store before things got bigger and could be lost in thought while gazing toward the brightly lit harbor.

“Try not to let summoners discover your ability to handle contamination as much as possible. They might recognize you as a contaminated summoner.”

The last words left by the prophet Silvia still echoed in Sun-woo’s ears.

Sun-woo slightly raised demonic energy at his fingertips then dispersed it. He couldn’t freely gather his energy for fear of being discovered by summoners.

“It seems I’ll need to find out how to create magic circles that hide contamination.”

According to Silvia’s words, he was using skills in situations where he wouldn’t be discovered by summoners as much as possible, but because of that, practice itself was almost impossible.

Moreover, during missions, he could arouse suspicion from other summoners, so only the Empire where the entire world was contaminated was the place he could freely bring out demonic energy.

Furthermore, his level was blocked and he couldn’t add skills either.

Swoosh.

Sun-woo simply dismissed the reward window that appeared before his eyes.

Shortly after, Sophia appeared on the building railing with both hands full of shopping bags.

“Help me!”

Sophia, who was swaying on the railing, screamed when she saw Sun-woo, and Sun-woo arrived next to her using spatial movement and brought her down.

“Why did you make such a dangerous place the meeting spot? Since the distance is far, I can’t gauge how far to travel!”

Sophia could teleport anywhere visible even if it wasn’t a place she had been before.

However, teleporting to a rooftop of a building dozens of meters high on such a dark night was not something she liked at all.

“There are people I’d have trouble running into…”

It would be very troublesome to meet not only the police pouring into the streets but also Hong Kong Summoner Association officials.

Sophia tilted her head at Sun-woo’s words. She hadn’t been in this world long enough to understand the situation precisely.

“Anyway, did you finish your business?”

“We can return to Korea.”

Though there was a lot of troublesome cleanup remaining, he had no intention whatsoever of getting involved in it.

Shortly after, they left Hong Kong by spatial movement.

***

“We’re back!”

The place the two returned to was the upper lounge of the Korean branch building.

This was a lounge on the summoner-exclusive floor, a lounge that had been occupied and used by female refugees until now.

Since they had to report to the association that the mission was complete, Sophia had teleported here.

Though it was late at night, people had gathered in the lounge.

Van Shingwan, who practically lived at the company these days due to contamination research, and Yeonhwa, who received protection at the company when Sun-woo wasn’t home.

And Caroline with a tired face in the middle of working overtime had settled in.

“I didn’t know even Carol would be here.”

He knew Yeonhwa and Van Shingwan would be there, but he didn’t expect Caroline, who should have been working, to be here.

“Dimitri and Rhein summoners were just called away on a support mission, so she’s resting.”

Caroline had dark circles around her eyes from dealing with the work that had piled up while she was in the Empire.

“Not just those two, several psychic ability users were called away. Could it be related to you, Sun-woo?”

The people who had been asleep on the ship came to Sun-woo’s mind.

It wasn’t just related. It was definitely because of the cleanup after his mission.

Sun-woo greeted Van Shingwan and Yeonhwa, then summoned Seolmyo.

The summoned Seolmyo looked around the lounge, then nimbly jumped into Yeonhwa’s arms as she held snacks.

“Still, you finished quickly. You said it would take quite a while.”

Yeonhwa spoke as she handed snacks to Seolmyo.

Sun-woo hadn’t thought he would finish this quickly.

It was a mission to track the missing Chairman Douglas. He thought it would take at least several days or more, but it ended in just one day.

Of course, it was one day of running around the entire world.

“What kind of mission was it? Looking at your return, it seems you finished it well.”

Since it was about the chairman, it was a mission he hadn’t told anyone except Director Albert.

However, since he had completed the mission anyway, it seemed fine to talk about it.

It was the moment Sun-woo was briefly contemplating what story to tell.

[Breaking news! The 80,000-ton cruise ship Gold of the Seas is sinking in Hong Kong waters. The screen you’re seeing is being transmitted in real-time from above the sinking cruise ship by our CNN reporter. This is…]

The large TV installed on one wall of the lounge switched from boring current affairs news to breaking news coverage.

On the screen, a giant passenger ship was sinking into the sea with numerous boats attached to its side.

[Fortunately, since there was a party on deck, most people were rescued immediately. We’re told they’re currently searching inside the ship. Gold of the Seas was first built…]

“Huh, we just came from Hong Kong?”

Sophia tilted her head as she watched the screen.

“The gifts here were also bought at a department store there. There’s even a gift for Van Shingwan.”

“Oh!”

Yeonhwa and Caroline looked at Sun-woo, but Van Shingwan became happy at the mention of a gift.

Sun-woo sighed. It seemed he would have to talk about Hong Kong first.

However, Sun-woo didn’t open his mouth right away. There was a visitor who came urgently behind the door.

Bang!

“Are summoner Sophia or summoner Sun-woo here!”

The person who burst through the door was the branch manager, who always seemed calm.

“Yes!”

As soon as the branch manager entered, Sophia immediately raised her hand at attention. It seemed the military habits hadn’t fully left her yet.

“How did you handle things in Hong Kong? The branch there is making a fuss right now.”

The branch manager frowned as soon as he saw Sun-woo. His face couldn’t look good after having his ears talked off by the Hong Kong branch manager’s protests just moments ago.

Sun-woo clicked his tongue inwardly. Escaping here seemed to be out of the question.

He had planned to take only Yeonhwa and escape straight home, but Hong Kong’s response was faster than expected.

Fortunately, there was no one here who would leak information.

Sun-woo calmly explained this mission.

The story of visiting Mexico and Hong Kong to find Chairman Douglas, seeing enemy summoners brainwashing people on the ship, and getting caught in an explosion while trying to remove the magic circle hiding contamination.

“Were you hurt?”

“Fortunately, it exploded a bit late.”

Sun-woo gave a plausible excuse to the people looking worried and continued speaking.

“But I was swept by the explosion and fell far into the sea, so I couldn’t rejoin the ship. Association people and civilians were crowding in. Thanks to that, I had no choice but to return with Sophia.”

The lounge’s temperature, which had risen slightly, returned to normal.

“Well, as long as you weren’t hurt.”

“Seolmyo, you worked again too. You can eat a bit more.”

“Oh, I’m getting a gift. A gift.”

“Oh, I like gifts.”

The branch manager couldn’t understand the suddenly relaxed atmosphere.

“No, a giant passenger ship sank right in front of Hong Kong, didn’t it? And you, Sun-woo, just came back without saying anything.”

However, the answer that came back to the branch manager’s irritated words was quite unexpected.

“It’s not like Sun-woo sank it. This is pretty smooth for him.”

“I thought Sun-woo sank it.”

Yeonhwa added to Caroline’s words as she yawned in response.

Van Shingwan and Sophia also nodded at their words.

Only then did the branch manager remember the incidents he had experienced moving with Sun-woo.

The man who buried a truck underground and collapsed a valley to cover the truck.

The people in this room had seen Sun-woo more than he had. They must have seen even more absurd things.

The branch manager resolved never to give Sun-woo missions that occurred in Korea.

“Phew, I’ll explain separately to Hong Kong. Anyway, please write a proper report.”

“Yes.”

Of course, he planned to write the report diligently. To receive proper allowances, it was natural to make sure the report was thorough.

The branch manager sighed and returned to the branch manager’s office, and Yeonhwa left the lounge to pack her things to go home.

“So everyone went to Hong Kong. With that much, it’s impossible to come back quickly. Can I sleep in the meantime?”

Caroline staggered up and gestured to Sun-woo.

“Want to sleep together?”

“I’ll consider it if you seduce me looking decent.”

“Hmm, am I that much of a mess?”

Caroline, with an even more gloomy expression, slipped out of the lounge like a ghost.

Only Van Shingwan, checking the razor gift bought in Hong Kong, and Sophia, explaining it to him at length, remained in the lounge.

Sun-woo created a small soundproof barrier around himself with internal energy, then called Director Albert.

Director Albert answered the phone immediately.

“Unfortunately, Chairman Douglas seems to be brainwashed.”

[…I see. Still, good work. I’m really grateful you rescued the chairman.]

It seemed Sun-woo still felt uncomfortable, but he was still a man who expressed gratitude when grateful.

“And I found the location of Adelio, the contaminated summoner Chairman Douglas was looking for.”

[What?]

As if it was unexpected news, Director Albert’s voice rose.

Sun-woo described the appearance of the old castle he confirmed from Chairman Douglas’s memory.

“It’s an old castle in Eastern Europe where snow is falling now. Though it’s a fragmentary view, they should be able to find it with a little investigation.”

The other end of the receiver became very busy. Director Albert, who heard Sun-woo’s story, was urgently giving instructions.

[If it’s confirmed to be proper information… I’ll definitely compensate you.]

It was a voice that seemed to have something stuck in his throat, but seeing how strongly he spoke, it seemed he would show sincerity.

From what could be heard on the phone, it seemed they planned to attack as soon as they confirmed it.

However, until the call ended, Director Albert didn’t bring up asking Sun-woo to participate.

It seemed to be an association matter and they thought they could handle it themselves.

For Sun-woo, he would be grateful if the association handled it themselves.

“When the money comes in this time, I should either buy or build a better house. I need a laboratory too.”

The current house was too small to handle the people who visited and stayed. Moreover, to start the bullet enhancement business, he needed a place to install magic circles.

As Sun-woo was making such resolutions, Sophia’s voice was heard.

“Huh? Someone I know. Is that Mingwei?”

The TV screen showing the scene had changed to an interview at some point.

Amid numerous people moving busily in the background, movie actress Mingwei was doing an interview with a reporter.

[…There was a fire and it was complete chaos. Among that, there was someone who saved many people. That person saved people and left without a word. I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude. If I come to Korea to film a movie this time, I plan to visit.]

[Are you saying the person who helped was Korean?]

The reporter’s questions continued, but Mingwei gave her thanks and left.

Sun-woo, who watched the screen with an absurd expression, seriously began considering immigration.