Chapter 378 – Part 2 – Inspection

Choi Seong-min acted surprised at the word “business.”

“You want to entrust me… with a business?”

“That’s right. Originally Lee Geol-ryun was in charge of this business, but that idiot died, so I need to fill it with someone new. That’s you.”

“Ah…”

Choi Seong-min opened his mouth as if bewildered by the sudden proposal.

“To entrust me with such an important position… I don’t know what to do with myself.”

“It wasn’t an easy decision for me either.”

It wasn’t just any work, but illegal work.

For Kwak Min-cheol, he needed a trustworthy subordinate who wouldn’t stab him in the back.

It wasn’t a position he could fill carelessly just because someone had high combat power.

‘But what choice do I have? I’m swamped with my own problems right now.’

He was too busy with association president duties to manage it himself.

But he couldn’t just stop operations like this either.

There was no one suitable around him to replace Lee Geol-ryun.

‘There’s no other alternative. I have no choice but to entrust it to Choi Seong-min.’

Lee Geol-ryun’s death left him no time to deliberate.

‘At least he’ll do better work than that idiot Lee Geol-ryun.’

It was a decision made with that belief.

Fortunately, looking at Choi Seong-min’s expression, he didn’t seem displeased.

‘But will he still want to do it after knowing what kind of business it is…’

What if he refused, saying he didn’t want to do illegal work?

A flash of killing intent briefly circulated in Kwak Min-cheol’s eyes.

‘It would be a shame, but I’d have no choice but to kill him here.’

No matter how high his combat power, he didn’t need a subordinate who showed displeasure at his business.

It might become a liability someday.

‘Better to nip it in the bud.’

While Kwak Min-cheol was thinking such thoughts, what he expected came.

“Could you tell me what kind of business it is? From what I hear, it seems like quite a big business…”

“Ahem, I won’t beat around the bush and speak directly. The business I run is human trafficking.”

Kwak Min-cheol, having finally said it, watched Choi Seong-min’s expression.

“Hu-human trafficking…?”

As expected, he showed clear signs of surprise.

But contrary to his worries, Choi Seong-min nodded his head.

“I understand.”

“Huh? You understand?”

“If you’re entrusting it to me, I’ll give it a try.”

Kwak Min-cheol was rather flustered by the expression showing no resistance, contrary to his expectations.

“You do know what human trafficking is, right?”

“Isn’t it kidnapping people and selling them off to various places?”

“Well, you know it well. Can you do it?”

“Since you trust me enough to entrust it to me, I’ll do my best.”

Choi Seong-min’s expression was serious.

His eyes even showed passion.

‘I was going to kill him if he refused…’

It was needless worry.

It seemed like he didn’t care whether it was illegal or not as long as it was his superior’s order.

‘I chose the right person.’

Kwak Min-cheol was extremely satisfied with Choi Seong-min, who participated in his crimes without resistance.

“Hehe, then from today I’ll teach you about operating and managing the business. We’ll go directly to the field for inspection too.”

“Yes! I’ll work hard to learn.”

“I like your enthusiasm. Keke.”

He laughed with satisfaction, but Kwak Min-cheol didn’t see it.

That a faint smile was also hanging on Choi Seong-min’s lips.

* * *

“Human trafficking is a business. We buy and sell humans as goods to make profit.”

Kwak Min-cheol, holding the steering wheel, spoke while staring ahead.

“The way to procure goods is naturally kidnapping. There’s no specific target for kidnapping. We randomly take anyone walking alone at dawn. Sometimes when goods are urgently needed, we touch customers’ families too.”

“Customers’ families? If customers find out…”

“Nothing to worry about. We just insist it was a coincidence. What can customers do? They have to accept it since there’s no evidence. Besides, customers aren’t upright either, so they can’t even think of reporting it. Keke.”

The vehicle that had been driving on the dawn road stopped in the mountains.

“We’re here. Since it’s illegal work, we have no choice but to set up bases in remote mountain areas like this.”

When Kwak Min-cheol got out of the car, Choi Seong-min followed.

The two climbed the mountain path.

Soon a villa appeared.

“Wow…”

Choi Seong-min opened his mouth as if seeing it for the first time.

“There’s a villa in a place like this?”

“Nothing to be surprised about. There are dozens of villas like this nationwide. They were built everywhere for the business. Some places even have safe houses that only I know about.”

“Ah…”

“Since there are many villas, we move bases every month. To avoid potential tracking. Security is life in this kind of work.”

While the two entered the villa, Kwak Min-cheol’s explanation continued.

“The human trafficking business is run more systematically than you think. Managers, workers, transporters, hunters, etc. each have their assigned roles.”

“Certainly, to do this kind of work, you’d need to be systematic and meticulous.”

“That’s right. As I said earlier, you need to be thorough with security to avoid getting your tail caught. But recently, that bastard Lee Geol-ryun couldn’t manage properly… Tsk.”

“What happened?”

“I manage a total of eight human trafficking teams. But in two nights, three teams were annihilated. Some idle bastard, I don’t know who, killed all the workers and hunters and freed the goods.”

“Such a thing happened…”

“My guess is some organization stepped in, but it’s unknowable. Damn, this is why I keep emphasizing the importance of security. If that bastard Lee Geol-ryun had made just one confirmation call, we wouldn’t have suffered this much damage.”

“I will never become complacent. I’ll always do my best with security and vigilance.”

“Right, that’s how it should be.”

Kwak Min-cheol, looking at him as if he was reliable, led Choi Seong-min underground.

“When you come to the villa, always visit the basement first. To check if the goods are well.”

Kwak Min-cheol and Choi Seong-min opened the basement door.

A guard who had been dozing was startled, then jumped up seeing Kwak Min-cheol’s face.

“Gr-gr-gr-Great Hero, is that you?”

Since they were making unannounced surprise inspections without contact, he couldn’t help but be surprised.

“This bastard is hopeless. I left you to watch the goods and you’re sleeping soundly?”

“I’m, I’m, I’m, I’m sorry.”

“Should I let you sleep forever?”

At those words, the guard was horrified and pressed his forehead to the floor.

“I, I, I was wrong, please forgive me just once!”

“Tsk, bug-like bastard.”

Kwak Min-cheol, having lost interest, turned his head.

Killing a civilian guard wouldn’t raise any stats.

‘If he were a hunter, I would have killed him.’

While Choi Seong-min was thinking such thoughts, Kwak Min-cheol was counting the goods locked in iron bars.

“Hey, guard.”

“Yes!”

“As far as I know, there should be 20 people here, why are 2 empty?”

“That, that’s…”

“Never mind, just call the manager. Tell him if he doesn’t come within 1 minute, he’s dead.”

After the guard made the call, shortly after, someone came running breathlessly.

It was none other than the manager.

“Gr-Great Hero, you came? You didn’t even give notice…”

“Do I need to call slaves like you every time I go on inspection?”

“N-no, you don’t need to. Hehe…”

“Stop laughing and tell me where the 2 goods went.”

“Ah… that, it seems the hunters took them for some fun.”

“Tell them to come back right now. With the goods.”

The manager hurriedly called the hunters.

‘Damn it! Why aren’t they answering?’

No matter how many times he called, they wouldn’t answer the phone.

They seemed to be deliberately not answering because they didn’t want to be disturbed.

‘This is urgent and these idiots!’

They wouldn’t answer the phone, and beside him Kwak Min-cheol was glaring with blazing eyes. For the manager, it was hell.

“Why? Not answering?”

“Un-unfortunately, that’s correct.”

“Then we have to go find them.”

“Ah, yes. Please wait just a little more. I’ll bring them right away.”

The manager disappeared and exactly 5 minutes later.

Two hunters brought women and entered the basement.

“We greet the Great Hero.”

“…”

They greeted him but he didn’t respond.

A cold atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the guard put the women the hunters brought back into the iron bars.

It was then that Kwak Min-cheol spoke.

“You guys. What’s your rank?”

“C, C-rank.”

“Vermin bastards.”

That was the last thing the hunters heard.

Thud! Thud!

The hunters’ faces were crushed by Kwak Min-cheol’s fists.

Instant death.

“Eek!”

The guard and manager screamed, not expecting him to kill them.

The only person not surprised was Choi Seong-min.

“Damn bastards… Who gave you permission to dirty the goods? You wanted to die.”

Kwak Min-cheol, calming his anger with a sigh, looked at Choi Seong-min.

“When going on inspections, there will be bastards who handle goods carelessly. Subdue such bastards with force and educate them. But don’t kill them like I did.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Kwak Min-cheol, shaking off the blood on his fist, looked at the manager.

“Where’s the bastard who manages the hunters?”

“Ah, he’s probably resting in his room.”

“Call him right now.”

Shortly after, a B-rank hunter appeared.

“I greet the Great Hero… Huk!”

Seeing the hunters who had become corpses, he tensed up.

“Hey, can’t you manage hunters properly? These bastards were playing with goods without permission.”

“I’m, I’m sorry.”

“You think I picked you as a direct subordinate for this? What’s the reason I sent you here?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…!”

The hunter sweated profusely to save his life.

But Choi Seong-min knew Kwak Min-cheol wouldn’t kill him.

‘It would be a waste to kill him now. It’s more profitable to raise him more before devouring him.’

Only after being scolded for a long time could the hunter be freed from Kwak Min-cheol.

“Let’s go. We need to tour the villa too.”

When Kwak Min-cheol went upstairs, Choi Seong-min followed.

Walking around the villa, he learned about the workings of this business and how to manage the organization.

“The hunters here are C-rank and below trash. They’re vermin roughly recruited specifically for human trafficking. The direct subordinate you saw earlier was sent to manage such guys.”

“Weren’t direct subordinates supposed to just hunt, going between dungeons and dormitories?”

“Usually that’s the case, but we need people to manage hunters, so they go on support rotation every few days.”

“Then do all the direct subordinates know about the business?”

“That’s about right.”

He already knew the direct subordinates were accomplices.

It was a fact he learned while investigating Kwak Min-cheol before possession.

‘Whether voluntary or not doesn’t matter. As long as you’re involved in human trafficking, you’ll all die by my hand.’

Of course, he had to postpone killing them until he got Kwak Min-cheol’s trait.

‘But I can’t just watch them continue human trafficking.’

Measures to prevent crimes were needed.

“Now you understand to some extent? How this business works.”

“Yes. Thanks to you teaching me easily and in detail, it was easy to understand. Thank you.”

“Then since I’ve told you what I needed to tell you, you can manage without me, right?”

“Yes. But is it okay if I say something…”

“What? You’re not going to say you don’t want to do it now, are you?”

“It’s not that, but it looks dangerous as is.”

“Dangerous?”

“Didn’t you say three teams were recently annihilated? In just two days.”

“That’s right.”

“Continuing business in such circumstances seems dangerous. The culprit hasn’t been caught yet, has he?”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

“In my opinion, operations should be suspended for the time being. Right now, finding the culprit is more important than business. Activity will only provide the bastards with clues for tracking. We don’t know when we might be attacked again.”

“Hmm…”

Kwak Min-cheol pondered with a serious face.

‘That’s certainly a reasonable point.’

Reading his thoughts, his opinion was taking hold.

“Rather than that, even if losses occur, it would be better to hide and resume activity when things quiet down.”

“How long do you think we should lay low?”

“At least two weeks, I think we should stay low until next month.”

“Hmm… until next month.”

Not even a month, just about two weeks seemed like bearable losses.

“It seems better to do as you say.”

“Thank you for listening to my opinion, Great Hero.”

Kwak Min-cheol considered Choi Seong-min’s argument reasonable and ultimately accepted it.

He had blocked their activities as Choi Seong-min wanted.

‘Good. At least I’ve bought time until the combat power update.’

When the update day comes?

Kwak Min-cheol and the human trafficking gang, and even the 100 direct subordinates.

They would all disappear from the earth.

‘That will be your death day.’

It was their death day, but for Choi Seong-min it was a feast day.

Over 100 traits would make Choi Seong-min happy.