Chapter 238: Han Yoohyun's World (1)

While still nauseous, I stared at the quest window. I could understand everything except for this.. what's with the 830 points?

"Hey, Partner. Isn't the point too stingy? did you leave out the birth year? It should be an 8-digit number!"

Well, that would be around 20 million points. You said you emptied your wallet, so where are my points? Besides, how are items and points being given through the system?

'Points can be earned by defeating monsters, and there's also a point shop for items.'

Wine, champagne, and even a transit pass were not available in the point shop. Maybe he went shopping directly in the Medsang Center. Anyway, it's fascinating. Let's first claim the SS-grade quest reward for now.

[Broad-Spectrum Quest - SS-grade

A set of quests that can attract all monsters within a 200km radius, SS-grade and below. 10 quests with 10 different scents.

Disposable]

It was written, "Pop the lid of the small box!" Inside were 10 small, squishy beads. 200km in all directions is quite a large area. It's almost the size of our country, from Seoul to Busan, which is about 400km. It's incredible. It can attract monsters outside the city as well. If I pop it, it will cause chaos. I don't need to use it now, but I stored it carefully.

After Yoo-hyun acquired the champagne and fur scarf, I decided to accept the neck warmer... Seriously? Anyway, I decided to accept it, and the moment I claimed the reward:

"Ugh, what kind of scarf is this!"

It's too long! I almost slipped because of the pink wave that covered my field of vision. If it weren't for the cat shoes skill, I would have fallen, sir!

"How many meters is this thing?"

It's easily more than twice my height. Looking at the scarf, I thought it must be Sung Hyunjae's work. The pattern was identical to the fur scarf he was wearing before. It's annoying that it's so well-made. Moreover, the monster byproduct used in the scarf seemed to be of high quality, making it feel luxurious and sophisticated, despite being hot pink.

I crammed the overflowing scarf into my inventory.

"Now that I know, please don't send me useless things like this anymore!"

Shouting in the empty space, suddenly, my nape felt cold.

Wait a minute, does this mean Sung Hyunjae was watching me all this time? Not just the nape, but chills ran down my whole body. Did I say something weird? I didn't say anything out loud, did I? I got the feeling that he was watching me since I went to Sigma after thinking he was Sung Hyunjae. The leash... Oh no, crazy! I didn't do anything strange, did I?

"...Let's not see each other for a while."

Don't look! Turn off the screen! If you're going to watch, at least give me enough points! Did you use 500,000 points for that? A sense of shame swept over me, followed by realistic concerns.

'...What if he saw my status window?'

When I first arrived here, I checked my status window. I didn't open the detailed explanation window after the leaf changed, but I could have seen the skill names and titles. No, it could have been visible even without opening them, as it's part of the system.

Other things aside, keywords are a potential weakness. Although he's not an excessively ruthless person... If he saw it, Sung Hyunjae...I might be able to influence him with the keyword. Even though I had already given up, it felt a bit regrettable.

'I should be more careful in the future.'

But where the hell is he watching from? I'm curious.

After running across rooftops and hopping over roofs for a short while, a building that was brightly lit in the night city caught my eye. Usually, they would have blocked the light from seeping out to prevent monsters, but due to the emergency situation, lights were moving here and there.

I approached the building wall near the defense agency and adjusted the walkie-talkie channel again.

"We're right there. Report the situation."

[A few minutes ago, S-grade and A-grade guards, along with B-grade guards, left the defense agency. It is speculated that the S-grade guards, who were facing SS-grade monsters, may have died as there is no news. We plan to use auxiliary skills and items to delay the operation without causing maximum damage.]

The trapped S-grades would have been defenseless against the attack. With no guards available to assist against an S-grade opponent, it was inevitable. However, with proper organization, they could have delayed the time with skillful planning. Our town also successfully tackled S-grade dungeons primarily with experienced A-grade teams.

"Akates Defense Bureau had 9 S-grade guards."

[Yes. One did not recover from injuries, and three were presumed dead. That leaves five remaining. We initially planned for all five to go, but in the end, we decided to leave one behind.]

"Since we have an S-grade guard on our side, it should be okay. Once you receive the signal, proceed immediately."

Turning off the communication, I looked back at the building  of the Akates Defense Bureau consisted of four buildings surrounding a central structure. Naturally, the central building housed the mana well.

Various smaller structures surrounded the four main buildings, and interconnected passageways made it challenging to enter directly into the center. Without high-level stealth skills like mine, it would take time to breach and enter. Even though only one S-grade guard remained, there might still be several A-grade and below guards.

After replenishing my mana with a mana potion, I entered the building. Thanks to the map, I already had a good understanding of the building's layout, and I easily reached the central building. Standing in the empty lobby, I took out a remote switch from my inventory.

[♪ Fireworks are best at night ♬]

As if waiting for this moment, a new quest appeared.

[Let's demolish two or more Akates Defense Bureau buildings! Double the fun if they explode consecutively! Be careful not to get caught in the explosion~♡

Reward: 10,000P, It's This Way (SS)]

The reward points increased. Did he fill his wallet during those time? What's "It's This Way" again? Hearts... well... Anyway, seeing the SS-grade attached made me feel a bit better. Sure, I can enjoy the show. Just don't mess around with my skill window.

'Signal sent.'

Pressing the switch, I covered my ears. Almost simultaneously,

Boom! Boom!

Tremendous explosions echoed from both sides of the central building. One dragon's breath bomb for each building. A bomb smaller than my fist displayed tremendous power as it exploded.

Weeeng~ Weeeng~

The emergency alert signal spread loudly, indicating an emergency situation. However, the sounds of the buildings collapsing were even louder. Like a typhoon passing through, roars and thunders echoed continuously.

"What on earth is happening!"

"Bombs! It's a bombing terror attack!"

There might be bombs installed in other buildings as well. People rushed out due to anxiety. Instead of fleeing to the collapsing buildings on either side, the evacuation procession led to the other side. Meanwhile, amid the chaos,

Quwagwagwa! Quaang!!

Enormous shockwaves erupted from both sides of the central building. The sounds of collapsing were louder than the emergency alert signal. The ground, as well as the central building itself, shook as if an earthquake had occurred.

A slight shiver ran down my spine. My chest also fluttered a bit.

As the noise and vibrations gradually subsided, I released the stealth skill. I spoke into the slightly jittery walkie-talkie.

"Did you receive it?"

"Received perfectly."

The response came from the entrance of the lobby. It was Vitera, Noshi, and other A to B-grade guards. Vitera approached me with a bright expression.

"First, let me express my admiration. Truly impressive."

"Thank you, but it's not over yet. Let's move quickly. Follow me."

If even one S-grade guard returns upon hearing the news, it would be troublesome. It might be challenging to withdraw while facing SS-grade monsters, but just in case.

Following the memorized route on the map, we quickly moved forward.

"Who—!"

Thud! The B-grade guard who made a surprised face at us was knocked out instantly. The same fate befell other defense agency employees. Without time to alert others, they lost consciousness one by one.

Many people had already left due to the mention of a bomb terror attack, but there were still quite a few remaining. The underground floor with the mana well might be safer than the evacuation route. After all, this place was reinforced using the power of the mana well.

"It's fortunate that the elevator is large."

About twenty people, more than enough for one ride, entered at once. Unlocking the door with the universal key I had prepared, I pressed the button for the lowest floor. Vitera smiled, saying it was her first time going to the mana well, and laughed.

"We're lucky the floor is treated specially, making it difficult to dig through like a mole."

"I heard that it's challenging to break the walls near the mana well, even if they're SS-grade. According to the map, the headquarters seems to be on the upper floor accessible from the mana well."

"S-grade guards are probably guarding the mana well."

"Then let's split up in the middle."

The elevator came to a stop. I drew my gun. As soon as the doors opened, I fired at the A-grade guard standing guard. Faster than bullets, Vitera dealt with another A-grade guard on the opposite side. Following that, her kick shattered the closed door.

"No need for keys for this."

Better to save them.

We sprinted down the corridor. Each step made my heart pound. We were getting closer. Most obstacles were already cleared. Soon, I could rescue my brother with my own hands, my own strength.

The fact was gratifying.

While the situation of Yoohyun being captured made me anxious, the treatment towards my brother always ignited a flame within me whenever I thought about it. Yet, at this moment, my heart raced like never before. A warm sense of fulfillment spread throughout my body.

"Halt—kwak!"

The closed door crumpled and flew backward. A junction appeared, but without hesitation, I chose a direction. It was the path I had drawn and studied several times on the map. I could recall it perfectly, as if copying it with my eyes closed.

"It's this way."

Giving instructions, I turned a corner. Not far ahead, another junction appeared, and I stopped for a moment.

"Miss Vitera."

"We should split up here."

Vitera gazed with a cool eye in the direction of the mana well. Gripping a flat and long sword tightly.

"It's certain that the only remaining S-grade guard is near the mana halI, I can feel it even from here, its my sister"

So, the remaining guard at the defense agency was her sister. She didn't ask if it was okay. Instead, Vitera smiled, igniting a flame of vengeance.

On my side, three A-grade guards, including Noshi, joined me. Though their numbers were small, they were the most skilled combatants, excluding Vitera. Anyway, we didn't need much support.

"Here are two keys remaining for this area. Breaking the door near the mana well will be difficult, so use them wisely."

"Thank you."

Vitera's group left first, and we headed in the opposite direction. There weren't many people blocking our path. Now, instead of Vitera, Noshi took the lead, swiftly subduing the A-grade guards with efficient movements.

I looked at him with somewhat colder eyes. Although we collaborated, there was a sense of competition.

'I doubt he would willingly hand over Alpha to me.'

Even if we succeeded in the rebellion and brought down the defense agency, the events that followed needed consideration. It was obvious that handing over the only S-grade guard in Akates City to an outsider was out of the question. Unless we were completely abandoning the city, we couldn't afford to let go of Alpha.

'I might be able to negotiate, saying that I hope to stay in Akates with Alpha.'

They had been oppressed under a dictatorship. Would they stand idly by while an outsider controlled Alpha, even if it was just one person? Most likely, they would try to capture me as a hostage. Being C-grade, it would be easy for them to subdue me.

If they managed to capture me and prevented Alpha from attacking, they would likely force me to sign a contract at the very least. If it was a contract below A-grade, I might just sign it willingly.

Or, if I told Yoohyun that my life depended on it and to attack without hesitation... He might hesitate even if it's okay. As a last resort, I had one more bomb. I could detonate it after separating from Yoohyun

"Here we are."

The room where Yoohyun was confined. I stood in front of it again. After unlocking the door with the newly acquired key, I entered. As soon as I did, a familiar name caught my eye.

[C-grade, Moas]

The last remaining imprint connector. Without hesitation, I shot the gun. Bang! With the sound, the head of the C-grade flew off without a chance to utter a word.

"Anyone who can operate the mana absorption device, come forward. If you don't want to die."

A B-grade hesitated but eventually stepped forward. I left the other two B-grades unconscious just in case. I led the B-grade defense agency employee with us into the inner room. There, I saw the shining absorption device and in the center, my brother sleeping.

My heart ached, yet at the same time, my chest swelled.

As soon as the mana absorption device stopped working, I rushed towards Yoohyun, his arms were tied,I wanted to release him but, Just wait a moment.

"I'll untie you soon."

Now it's okay. Damn bastards tied hi arms again. After removing the syringe, I quickly unlocked the restraints on his arms and legs. The automatic release felt refreshing. I also removed the blindfold and the gag.

"...Hyung."

My throat was so dry that even hearing was difficult, and Yoohyun called me in a voice so weak that it was barely audible. Despite not being able to control his body properly, he grabbed my arm. A smile appeared on his face as he looked up at me.

"I've been waiting."

"Yeah, you're a good one."

Indeed, my little brother was a good one. At that moment, as I was about to take out a mana potion to help Yoohyun recover, a sudden message window appeared.

[ㅇㅠㅈㅣㄴㅇㅏ]

There's distorted characters. And almost simultaneously.

Bang!

A gunshot echoed. The back of my neck felt hot, as if it had been touched by fire. Yoohyun eyes widened. In the midst of the confusion of not understanding the situation, a gentle voice sounded.

"Now you're free, Alpha."

Ah that's it...

I never thought about the 'Alpha'.

This was Alpha's body, and Yoohyun just happened to enter in it. Nothing more, nothing less. I prioritized my brother too much. I couldn't even consider the relationship of them with Alpha.

If I had asked Nohsi or Vitera about Alpha even once. If they had feelings for Alpha and cared about him, I would have changed my mind. I would have said that it's unreasonable how Alpha is treated and that I sympathize with him, wanting to rescue him. But now it was too late.

"I-..."

Yoohyun, who had been stiff, struggled to lift his upper body to hug me. The potion was taken out, but it seemed useless.

"What is it, Hyung!"

I really wanted to say 'its okay' But the blood continued to flow, and my consciousness was cut off.

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