Chapter 90: Level 100 (1)

Chapter 90: Level 100 (1)

Half a day later.

A man downed a glass full of vodka in one gulp, his expression bitter.

He had been fixated on the CCTV footage displayed on the monitor for a while now.

The footage originated from a deserted factory used by Jeon Jong-dus Osho Mercenary Group as a secret meeting place.

Today, there had been a clash with the Kim Su-kyung Mercenary Group at that location, resulting in Jeon Jong-dus death.

Useless fools. I have no idea where all the money theyve made has gone. Ive invested quite a bit myself.

The man waved his hand in the air, a gesture laden with disappointment.

His name was Nikolai Strakh. He was the master of the Kashimar Guild in Russia.

Kashimar means nightmare in Russian, which was quite fitting considering the nature of his work.

The goal of the Kashimar Guild was to kidnap useful hunters from overseas and weaponize them.

Bejumie, found in the abandoned factory, was one of the Kashimar Guilds creations.

The process, notoriously brutal, put human rights second to the cruelty of the method.

Moreover, the operation required a significant amount of patience and labor, making the supply far short of the demand.

The demand for human weapons that could be used freely anywhere existed worldwide.

Especially, guilds or organizations with dirty backgrounds preferred them more, even the Jeonghwa Guild had transactions with them.

The Osho Mercenary Group was one of the main suppliers of hunters to the Kashimar Guild from outside.

But this time, they were completely annihilated by the Kim Su-kyung Mercenary Group.

Not to mention, Jeon Jong-du, who seemed unlikely to die under normal circumstances, was dead.

Even if he had lived, rebuilding the mercenary groups power would not have been an issue.

But with its roots torn out, reviving it through its branches was impossible.

As a result, the supply route for hunters in Korea was cut off, at least until a replacement was found.

Who could it be?

Strakh was closely examining the figure of Kang-hoo, captured on the screen.

There was internal CCTV in Jeon Jong-dus secret place on the second floor, and that footage had been secured.

Although not visible to outsiders, Jeon Jong-du had absolute obedience to Strakhs orders, granting him access rights.

Kang-hoos movements, adept even after being ambushed by Jeon Jong-du, were surprising.

Despite being physically overpowered by Jeon Jong-du, Kang-hoo was not.

Moreover, he twisted a typical counterattack pattern to strike unexpectedly, and there were indications he used mental skills, unsuitable for an assassin.

More than resentment for the fact that Jeon Jong-du was killed, Strakh was more interested in Kang-hoo.

Who could he be?

Using the guilds developed searchbot based on the secured footage yielded no information.

Given his skills, he seemed like someone whose photo would have appeared in Korean hunter broadcasts or articles at least once.

But the searchbot couldnt find any information on him, not even similar individuals.

Such a person would be more than enough as an alternative to Jeon Jong-du. Perhaps even better.

Strakh had no intention of giving up on the materials supply from Korea.

Hunters from Korea were highly valuable for sale and showed high compliance to experiments and drugs.

They were easier to modify and control, making the investment cost significantly cheaper.

Giving up on the Korean purchasing route was like cutting off a contract with a cheap source.

I should send someone.

Pondering over it in Russia wouldnt yield more information on Kang-hoo.

Strakh decided to create a direct route to approach Kang-hoo.

After all, if you look for someone, eventually youll find them.

Especially since this incident might have created a point of contact with the Kim Su-kyung Mercenary Group, it was possible to establish a connection.

Strakh was already considering Kang-hoo as the successor to Jeon Jong-du in his mind.

Without even considering whether Kang-hoo himself harbored any such intentions.

40 billion won. It has been deposited. Please check. The process took some time due to the large amount.

Thank you for the prompt handling.

Its strong.

He sensed the presence of someone nearby with a significant trace of Kang-hoo.

It wasnt Kang-hoo himself, but unmistakably, this person was related, carrying a trace that linked them to him.

What the troubleshooter saw was a woman walking in front of Daejeon Station, wielding a long greatsword.

Ive found a link.

The troubleshooter smiled.

He had finally found a starting point connected to Kang-hoo. It was time to accelerate the tracking.

Swoosh.

On a night when a long-awaited downpour fell due to a northward-moving typhoon.

The weather was too severe for driving, so Kang-hoo rested in a safe hotel provided by Kim Su-kyungs courtesy.

Since the hotel was directly operated by the Kim Su-kyung Mercenary Group, safety was not a concern.

He wondered about the possibility of eavesdropping or illegal filming, but after a thorough check, no such devices were found. His worries were unfounded.

Entering the room, Kang-hoo filled the spacious rectangular swimming pool with hot water.

It took some time, but as he lay on the bed without a thought, waiting, time passed quickly.

Eventually, Kang-hoo submerged himself deeply in the pool filled with steaming hot water.

He dove deep enough to completely submerge his head.

Kang-hoo went to the bottom of the pool and plunged into a world of submersion.

It was an excellent space for organizing and refining his thoughts.

To reach level 100 as soon as possible, I need to enter a dungeon. The downside of being a lone mercenary is the lack of free access to dungeons.

A lone mercenary.

It might seem appealing, but the main issue is the lack of connections to dungeons due to not belonging to any organization.

If youre affiliated with a guild, you can easily be assigned to conquer dungeons owned by the guild.

Theres no need to worry about securing licenses or scheduling conquests. The guild handles everything.

However, mercenaries have no easy access to dungeons other than open-type ones.

It would be a waste to use the Lee Hyun-seok chance now. Not yet.

There isnt a lack of easier paths.

Since Lee Hyun-seok owed him for rescuing Min Su-hyun, he could ask for a dungeon license.

But considering the value and difficulty of the dungeons he owns, it would be too wasteful to use now.

There are many useful dungeons to attempt once his level is higher. Its a big loss for now.

What about Jeon Se-hyuk?

Thinking of Lee Hyun-seok naturally brought his friend Jeon Se-hyuk to mind.

Being a mercenary with his own strength, he likely owns a few dungeons as well.

Keeping the pondering short and actions quick.

Kang-hoo called Jeon Se-hyuk.

As if things were meant to go smoothly, Jeon Se-hyuk answered the phone before it could even ring out completely.

-Yes, Shin Kang-hoo.

Along with Han Seo-yeon, one of the few who knew his real name.

Always being called Jung Sun-kyu and now hearing his real name felt ironically awkward.

Have you been well?

-Lets get straight to the point. I know you dislike unnecessary greetings or pleasantries.

Spot on.

This made the conversation easier.

If theres a clear request from both sides, theres no need to beat around the bush.

Kang-hoo broached the subject.

Do you have a dungeon suitable for a conquest? I just need it for farming experience points. I dont care about the loot.

Forsaking all loot.

It was a tempting offer if Jeon Se-hyuk had any dungeons to spare.