Chapter 361 – Part 2 – Rescue

Originally, Choi Seong-min had planned to only erase Han Sae-bom’s recent memories and be done with it.

But with countless images spread out before him, he couldn’t contain his curiosity.

‘Should I find out how she ended up here? I might be able to get new information about the organization.’

With that thought, he searched through the images.

Soon he was able to find the scene where she was kidnapped.

‘She was kidnapped while helping an elderly woman with her luggage.’

Using an elderly woman to induce complacency was one of the common kidnapping methods.

‘There was no causal relationship. She was just unlucky.’

Well, human trafficking gangs wouldn’t be selective about their targets when kidnapping.

‘They just throw out the bait.’

Even the human traffickers don’t know what kind of fish will get caught on the fishing line.

‘But they got severely burned once because of that.’

Not knowing that what was caught on the bait was a shark, they tried to reel it in only to get attacked in reverse.

From that point on, the human trafficking gang started bringing hunters along.

‘Instead of consisting only of ordinary people like before, they included about two hunters of C-rank or higher.’

Han Sae-bom was subdued by such hunters.

‘Being D-rank, it would have been difficult for her to defeat two C-rank hunters.’

The kidnapped Han Sae-bom was moved to the villa.

Initially, she was locked in iron bars like other ordinary people.

She spent two days there drinking only water before being moved to the torture room.

What happened after that was as he was seeing now.

Bound in shackles, she was threatened to hand over her items and nearly raped.

‘So I appeared on the fourth day after she was kidnapped.’

Though these were memories he already knew or nothing special, there was also helpful information.

‘Huh? What’s that?’

When Han Sae-bom was being moved from the iron bars to the torture room.

There was a man she happened to see.

A man wearing a khaki-colored jumper, with a familiar mark visible on his forearm.

‘Rebels?’

Choi Seong-min rewound that scene once more.

He stopped the screen the moment the man appeared.

The face was clearly visible, but he didn’t recognize who it was.

‘It’s a face I’ve never seen before.’

At least he wasn’t among the ones he had just killed.

‘A worker who stayed here and then left? Or a customer?’

He didn’t know the details, but anyway, it was certain that he had visited the human trafficking gang and was wearing a rebel jumper.

‘Do Eun-jeong’s rebels have a connection with the human trafficking gang?’

If they were connected in a bad way, it would be shocking.

‘Surely they haven’t participated in crimes?’

For unknown reasons, he learned that there was a connection between the two organizations.

It was useful information depending on how he used it.

Wondering if there was other decent information, he searched through the memories.

In the process, he was able to learn not only that Han Sae-bom had awakened two months ago but also that she had received an S-rank trait.

‘Indeed, with both traits and talent, she reached D-rank in just two months.’

She was a talent that Great Heroes would covet as a direct subordinate.

‘That’s enough. There are no more memories worth looking at.’

Now he decided to return to his original purpose and erase recent memories.

‘Here it is. Recent memories.’

He entered transformed as a supervisor and killed Jin Hak-do.

Eventually, stealth was released and he returned to his black mask appearance.

‘She did witness the scene where my transformation was released. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have remained in her memory.’

It was fortunate that he had memory deletion ability.

Even if transformation was exposed, he could easily erase it.

‘I should erase everything from when I entered as a supervisor to the recent memories.’

That way, not only the black mask but even the scene of killing Jin Hak-do would disappear.

For Han Sae-bom, when she came to her senses, Jin Hak-do would just be dead at some point.

She wouldn’t even know how he died.

‘It doesn’t matter. As long as my transformation ability isn’t discovered.’

He deleted the memories as planned.

He opened his eyes and removed his hand from her head.

Looking at Han Sae-bom, her eyes were dim and vacant.

She had become dazed from the aftermath of memory deletion.

‘She’ll come to her senses in a minute.’

In the meantime, Choi Seong-min waited in his black mask appearance.

He had no intention of showing his true face.

“Mmm.”

After a minute passed, Han Sae-bom blinked her eyes.

She seemed to have come to her senses.

Then she was startled to see Choi Seong-min in front of her.

-Who, who is this person?

Seeing that she didn’t remember despite having seen him moments ago, it seemed properly deleted.

-Could it be he came to torture me…

Perhaps because he was wearing a mask, the first impression wasn’t good.

“No need to be wary. I came to rescue you.”

-Lies.

She didn’t believe him even when he told the truth.

Choi Seong-min, who decided to show through actions, hooked his fingers on the shackles.

Ting-

Han Sae-bom looked with surprised eyes.

He also hooked his fingers on the other shackles.

Ting-

They broke easily even without much force.

Only after removing all the shackles on her ankles did Han Sae-bom let down her guard.

Looking at him like a monster was a bonus.

‘Well, my current strength alone exceeds 12,000…’

When not using unbalanced power, his strength was high normally.

Even if she looked at him like a monster, he couldn’t object in good conscience.

“Follow me. I’ll help you escape.”

Choi Seong-min turned around and left the torture room.

Han Sae-bom, who had been looking around the situation with a bewildered face for a moment, also moved.

Then she stopped with surprised eyes.

She had discovered Jin Hak-do’s corpse.

‘When, when did he die?’

She tried hard to recall but couldn’t remember.

“Um… Mask… sir?”

At Han Sae-bom’s call, Choi Seong-min turned around.

“What’s wrong?”

“This person… did you kill him by any chance, Mask sir?”

“Yes. I killed him.”

Looking at the wound, it seemed he had stabbed the throat with one strike.

‘Since I don’t remember, did he kill him while I was unconscious?’

There were questions, but Han Sae-bom didn’t think deeply.

Rather, this made her trust the black mask.

He had killed the pervert who was molesting her and freed her from bondage.

“Let’s go quickly. We don’t have time for this.”

When the black mask moved, Han Sae-bom hurriedly followed so as not to lose him.

She didn’t forget to spit on Jin Hak-do’s corpse before leaving.

Click- Creak-

As soon as the torture room door opened, Han Sae-bom frowned.

It wasn’t because light suddenly leaked in.

It was because of the fishy smell that stung her nose.

‘Could this be… the smell of blood?’

Han Sae-bom, who went out to the corridor while covering her nose, almost fainted for a moment.

“Huk…”

An unspeakable tragedy was unfolding before her eyes.

Ten corpses. A floor stained with blood.

And the black mask passing through them as if nothing happened.

Han Sae-bom instinctively realized whose doing this was.

“Ma, Mask sir did… this?”

“Yes.”

Though soaked in blood, the condition of the corpses was relatively clean.

Meaning he had killed them all with single strikes.

Han Sae-bom, who was checking the faces while passing among the corpses, became surprised.

They were all familiar faces.

“Don’t tell me you selectively killed only the organization members?”

“Yes. All those who participated in human trafficking are now corpses, so you can rest assured.”

Only then could Han Sae-bom calm her surprised heart.

It turned out that bastards who deserved to die had died.

“This way.”

She moved as the black mask guided, and eventually she figured out where they were going.

“Are you going to the inner house? To free the captured people?”

“That’s right.”

As soon as she heard those words, Han Sae-bom’s eyes completely changed.

‘Not only me but he’s trying to save other people too…’

Light of respect leaked from Han Sae-bom’s eyes as she looked at the black mask.

Her eyes showed no trace of wariness whatsoever.

The place where the black mask and Han Sae-bom arrived was the basement of the inner house.

Nineteen people were confined inside large iron bars.

‘There really are no guards since everyone’s dead.’

While Han Sae-bom was thinking that, Choi Seong-min lightly tore off the lock of the iron bars.

Ting-!

Choi Seong-min, who opened the door, extended his hand to the people.

“It’s safe to come out now.”

But there was no way they would listen when he spoke while wearing a suspicious mask.

Han Sae-bom, who couldn’t stand watching the hesitating people, stepped forward.

“This person is a Hunter who came to rescue you all. You don’t need to be wary. All the organization members in the villa are dead, so don’t worry and come out.”

“The organization members… are dead?”

“That person killed them?”

“Really came to rescue us…”

Han Sae-bom’s words seemed to have an effect as the wary eyes became much softer.

Eventually, they began coming out of the iron bars one by one, and ultimately all nineteen people could be brought up to the surface.

Only after safely arriving at the parking lot where the vans were did agitation arise in people’s eyes.

“There, there really is no one here!”

“We’re freed? Really?”

“If we just get in this car, we can escape! We can go home!”

Choi Seong-min handed over the car keys he had prepared from the corpses to the people.

“If you take the car and go down the mountain road, you’ll reach the access road. It’s a road that leads to the highway, so getting to the city shouldn’t be difficult.”

“Th, thank you…!”

“Really, how can we repay this kindness…!”

“I’ll remember this life-saving grace for the rest of my life!”

People each expressed their gratitude to Choi Seong-min.

Vrroom-

People got into the vans with excited expressions.

There were four cars, so there would be no shortage of seats.

Choi Seong-min approached each person sitting in the driver’s seat and made a request.

“After dropping everyone off, abandon the cars. There’s a risk of being tracked, so absolutely don’t park them in front of your houses.”

“Understood. Thank you, Black Mask sir!”

Choi Seong-min flinched at the awkward title.

‘Black Mask…’

Having always been called by name, being called by mask felt strange.

When the nineteen people were divided among three cars, the remaining one naturally became Choi Seong-min’s.

Just as he was about to leave and got into the driver’s seat, someone got into the passenger seat.

It was Han Sae-bom.

“Let’s go together, Mask sir.”

“…”

Since it would be awkward to kick her out saying he would ride alone, he nodded and started the engine.

Eventually, the cars went down the mountain road one by one.

The nightmare-like days were over with this.

“…”

“…”

Awkward silence circled inside the car.

Choi Seong-min focused only on driving, and Han Sae-bom occasionally turned her head to look at the black mask.

“Um… though introductions are late, my name is Han Sae-bom. I’m a D-rank Hunter. Thank you so much for rescuing me.”

“…”

“What is Mask sir’s name?”

“Do you think I’d tell you?”

“…No.”

If he was going to reveal his identity, he wouldn’t have worn a mask in the first place.

Though she wasn’t unaware of that fact, Han Sae-bom was disappointed.

“I wanted to know my benefactor’s name… Then can I just call you Mask sir?”

“Do as you please. After today passes, we won’t see each other anyway.”

“Ah…”

Han Sae-bom no longer guarded against Choi Seong-min.

Rather, she looked at him with admiring eyes, and because she was sad to part, she sent such cat-like glances.

“Don’t you need an assistant by any chance?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Aren’t you planning to continue activities like this? Punishing criminals.”

“…”

“If so, I’ll help you from the side. It’s difficult alone, isn’t it? Like driving or even preparing meals…”

“Stop the useless talk and just tell me your home address.”

“Can’t you just take me with you? I grew up as an orphan, so I don’t have parents either.”

“No.”

Choi Seong-min’s tone was firm.

“Following someone you’re meeting for the first time? Based on what trust?”

“You saved me, didn’t you? Isn’t that enough for trust?”

“Anyway, I don’t need an assistant. I’m sufficient by myself. I also have no intention of revealing my identity while living together.”

“You don’t need to reveal your identity. Just call me when you need me…”

“Then I’ll never call you for the rest of my life. Because there’s no need.”

“…”

Han Sae-bom’s face became dejected at the fact that she wouldn’t be helpful.

“If you really want to help me, become stronger. Looking at you, you seem to have talent too.”

“Huh? Do I really seem that way?”

‘I made a slip of the tongue unlike myself.’

Though it should be their first meeting, he spoke as if he knew her well.

The thought that he had felt she was talented from before unconsciously slipped out.

It wouldn’t be a problem though.

“Seeing that you’ve already reached D-rank at such a young age, you could be called talented.”

“Ah… as expected, your insight is extraordinary too.”

Seeing her praise him even for something trivial, she seemed quite eager to win his favor.

“So if I become stronger and reach a level where I won’t be a burden, you’ll accept me as an assistant?”

“Not accept, but I’ll consider it.”

“I understand. I’ll become stronger as Mask sir instructed. I’ll become stronger than now and definitely earn your recognition.”

‘I barely shook her off.’

He inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, but it was too early to relax until the very end.

“So please tell me your number. There needs to be a way to contact you later, right?”

‘Was this her goal?’

Choi Seong-min shook his head and maintained his iron wall until the end.

“No.”

“Hing…”

“Instead, if you tell me your home address, I’ll visit when I need you later.”

“Really?”

Han Sae-bom, who became bright as if asking when that happened, clenched her fists in joy.

“So for now, focus only on growth. I’ll be watching every time your combat power updates.”

‘Don’t make me rescue you again.’

He swallowed the rest of his words.

Though he wondered if there would be occasion to meet again.