53. War Against Crime (2)
Hanam City, private cafe.
Kugugugugu…!
Baek Ajin and her friends were startled by the sudden shaking.
“W-what is this?”
“Is it an earthquake?”
Splash!
The coffees on the table spilled over. The shaking was so intense that a few of her friends shouted.
“Guys, get under the tables first!”
“Kyaaaak!”
When the ground shakes, you must not run around.
First, protect your body under something sturdy, then evacuate outside when the shaking briefly stops.
Just as they were about to move quickly under the guidance of the friends who knew earthquake safety procedures—
“O-over there!”
One of them pointed outside the window.
“...What?”
A giant golem was filling the entire window.
“This is crazy.”
“Why is there a golem?”
“So it wasn’t an earthquake?”
In South Korea, if you want to summon a summon beast above a certain size in an ordinary area, you need permission.
Especially for golem-type ones like that, summoning them in a city could cause enormous damage to people’s property, so the regulations were even stricter.
So the fact that such a golem had appeared at a cafe in Hanam City meant—
‘...Terrorism?’
The moment Baek Ajin frowned—
Booom!
Three figures roughly flung open the cafe door and entered. All of them were armed with summon beasts.
‘Those people are.......’
Baek Ajin recognized them at once.
So did her friends.
“O Ji-myeong!”
“Park Ho-seop is here too!”
There was no way they would not recognize them.
They were famous players ranked 9th and 10th in Korea, and just a few days ago, they had gotten beaten like dogs by her older brother.
“Why are they here….?”
“Something about this feels really strange.”
As her friends swallowed nervously—
Step.
O Ji-myeong took one step forward.
“Which one of you is Baek Ajin?”
Of course, he was not asking because he did not know. He had already received all of her appearance information from the gang.
“So it’s you.”
After leisurely sweeping his gaze around once, O Ji-myeong pointed at Baek Ajin with his finger.
Grrrrrr.
A Shadow Wolf growled from within the shadows.
“What business do you have with me?”
“I won’t waste words.”
At O Ji-myeong’s signal—
Crash!
The cafe window shattered, and through it came the hand of his signature summon beast, the Rampaging Stone Golem (B-rank).
“All of you. Disarm yourselves and get on top of this. Then I promise I’ll treat you like a gentleman.”
No one here was stupid enough not to understand.
‘Kidnapping.’
Baek Ajin was dumbfounded.
“W-why are you doing this to us?”
Could it be...
Because they had gotten crushed by her brother in the team battle, were they really trying to get childish revenge like this?
“Ajin…..”
“What is this, what’s happening?”
“I’m scared.”
Her frightened friends gathered behind Baek Ajin’s back. Not a single one of them stepped onto the golem’s hand.
As that strange standoff continued—
“Rankers. Since you haven’t been in the gang long, I guess you don’t know, but you can’t treat brats like these nicely.”
That was when the scruffiest-looking of the three stepped forward. His eyes gleamed with sticky killing intent.
“I’ll give you exactly 10 seconds.”
At the same time, he held out his fingers.
“Any bitches who don’t get on the golem within 10 seconds, I’ll kill them all. And then.”
Swish!
Near the Shadow Elf, which had been drawing its bow behind Baek Ajin, an unidentified summon beast appeared.
And then—
Thunk!
A dagger lodged itself into the Shadow Elf’s neck.
A single strike!
That one attack caused Baek Ajin’s summon beast to collapse.
“How dare you arm yourself? Want to die?”
“C-crazy.”
Baek Ajin and her friends were horrified.
‘The gang!’
‘O Ji-myeong and Park Ho-seop went over to the gang?’
‘Those insane pieces of trash!’
The people of the nation always lived trembling under the threat of gangs.
They had often vaguely thought that someday they too might run into one of them….
But to be confronted by the gang itself right in front of their eyes today of all days!
“Guys.”
Baek Ajin’s voice trembled.
“Don’t move no matter what. Absolutely don’t. Trust me.”
Had her brother predicted a day like this? He had given her a skill as a gift.
‘Desperate Call.’
Baek Ajin hurriedly activated that skill, the one she had registered on Shadow Wolf.
At the same time, she prayed desperately.
‘Oppa.’
Please come quickly!
* * *
The delicious meal Baek Jinwoo had been enjoying thanks to Jasim’s hospitality was cut off in an instant.
[‘Shadow Wolf’ (B-rank) is desperately calling Player Baek Jinwoo.]
[Will you respond?]
[Y/N]
“..!”
Baek Jinwoo’s eyes widened.
Shadow Wolf belonged to his younger sister Ajin.
He had told her before. To activate it only in a truly critical moment.
“Jasim.”
Baek Jinwoo spoke to Jasim, who was eating across from him.
“Something urgent has come up, so I’ll be leaving first. I’ll contact you later.”
There was no time even to receive a reply.
He just pressed Yes first.
* * *
“What did you say?”
Yoo Jia shot to her feet.
It was because she had just received a call from the security company they had hired.
People believed to be gang members have broken into headquarters! The player response team is dealing with them, but there are already casualties! Th-there are too many players!
“Damn it.”
Why would the gang come after us?
The situation was urgent.
Even though they had hired a rather expensive and reliable security company, casualties had already occurred, which meant the gang was moving with serious commitment!
“Aaaagh!”
“Kyaak!”
Screams were heard from outside the building.
At the same time, she understood.
Why were they going so far out of their way to attack them?
There was only one answer.
‘Mr. Jinwoo.’
To threaten or win him over.
They were probably trying to kidnap the things that could be considered his weaknesses.
‘Those sons of bitches.’
Biting her lip, Yoo Jia blamed herself.
She had been too complacent.
She should have signed an agreement with a major guild.
At the very least, when Baek Jinwoo was absent, she should have stationed outstanding rankers at headquarters.
She had called HQ through the emergency alarm and even requested support from Daeseong, but there was no time.
‘Should I call Mr. Jinwoo?’
She even considered activating Desperate Call. No, she had actually been about to call him.
But then—
-Gang members have also gone after Director Baek Ajin! She’s at a nearby cafe, and it looks like O Ji-myeong and Park Ho are with them after being persuaded by the gang! O Ji-myeong’s golem is there!
Those words from the security company made her hesitate.
If both sides called him at once, it might only confuse Baek Jinwoo even more.
Still, at least this side had a security company, but there was no one at Baek Ajin’s side, was there?
‘Damn it, what do I do?’
Just as Yoo Jia was stamping her feet in panic—
-Huh? Reinforcements have arrived!
Huh?
Reinforcements?
Already?
It made no sense.
Only about 30 seconds had passed since she pressed the emergency call.
-M-my god! It’s Carpe Diem, and the leaders of the Arirang Guild! They had briefly stopped near Yoobaek, noticed something was wrong with the atmosphere, and joined the fight! At this level, it’s worth trying!
Gi Jaehyuk, Kang Jihoe, Hong Ari, and Oh Sunyoung.
Those four had arrived.
Top Korean powerhouses whom even the gang could never ignore.
‘Why are they near here?’
This area was still under development, so there was nothing but mountains around….
She had questions, but for now, it was a relief.
* * *
“5, 4, 3…”
The terrorist counting down twisted his mouth.
“Well, well. So these brats really aren’t moving? 2.”
Even after being given 10 seconds, not a single one of them moved.
If that was how it was, then there was no helping it. Blood would have to be spilled.
Baek Ajin had too much value as a hostage to be killed, but if they killed a few of those friends, controlling the rest would become easier.
“1.”
In the end, there was no other choice?
Whirl!
The assassin summon beast that had forced the Shadow Elf into reverse summoning raised its dagger once more.
Yeah.
He should have started by simply cutting down one of the girls from the beginning.
“0.”
Whoosh!
The moment the blade was about to move—
Slash!
Something that had burst out of thin air swept past the assassin summon beast’s body.
And at incredible speed, too.
Kieek?
The assassin tilted its head in confusion, and a single line appeared across its body.
Then—
Splaaash!
It split in half and was reverse summoned at the same time.
“W-what was that?!”
Amid the startled terrorist’s shout, the one who revealed himself was the most famous summon beast in all of South Korea at the moment.
Training Instructor.
And—
“Ajin.”
Behind him stood Baek Jinwoo, his eyes narrowed as he took in the situation.
“O-Oppa!”
“Baek Jinwoo?”
“It’s Player Baek Jinwoo!”
Color returned to the pale faces of her friends. It was not difficult to grasp the situation.
Armed gangsters, O Ji-myeong, and Park Ho-seop standing in front of trembling girls.
What else could that mean?
“..These bastards.”
Baek Jinwoo was furious.
It was the first time in his life he had felt such pure rage.
‘How dare they touch my family?’
“Oppa! They were trying to kidnap us! They even brought a golem and said if we didn’t follow them within 10 seconds, they’d kill us!”
“That’s right! We saw it!”
“Sniff... We were so scared!”
Kugugugugu...!
Had the summon beasts sensed Baek Jinwoo’s emotions?
An overwhelming aura erupted from HunGyo’s body.
The murderous intent was so powerful that it seemed capable of crushing the shoulders of every being in the space, as if it were asking Baek Jinwoo:
—My lord. How shall I deal with them?
“Subdue them all first.”
Baek Jinwoo’s voice rang quietly through the cafe.
Flash!
HunGyo’s sword moved.
“Th-this is insane.”
O Ji-myeong stared blankly.
Baek Jinwoo’s sudden appearance was shocking enough, but the power of HunGyo, seeing it again now, was on a completely different level than before.
‘How can something like that...’
10 seconds.
That was exactly how long it took for all of O Ji-myeong’s, Park Ho-seop’s, and the gang members’ summon beasts to be reverse summoned.
A total of 45 of them.
Shing!
HunGyo, having cut down every last one, sheathed his sword gracefully. The sight was beyond beautiful; it was eerie.
‘How is something like that an E-rank summon beast?!’
Step.
HunGyo did not stop after cutting down the summon beasts.
With an indifferent expression, he walked toward them.
“W-wait a second.”
“Let’s talk this out, talk!”
O Ji-myeong cried in panic, stretching out both hands.
Into his abdomen—
Thud!
HunGyo drove in a front kick, and because HunGyo was no ordinary being, that kick delivered a completely different level of impact.
“G-ghuaaaargh…!”
O Ji-myeong collapsed forward, unable to breathe at all. Naturally, after seeing that, Park Ho-seop was terrified.
Ranker or not—without a summon beast, they were all the same human beings.
“S-save me!”
He immediately dropped to his knees and bowed down, but HunGyo simply drove a soccer kick into him.
Boooom!
He flew straight into the cafe wall with a Kwaaaang!, and then Crack! came the sound of bones twisting.
HunGyo had controlled his strength enough not to kill him, but with that one blow, he might have to live with a permanent disability for the rest of his life.
The remaining gangster was no different.
After being punched a few times—
Tap, tap!
HunGyo lightly struck his pressure points and subdued him.
Situation over.
HunGyo looked at Baek Jinwoo.
Just as Baek Jinwoo was about to nod—
Bzzzzzt!
His phone rang.
It was a message.
[Yoo Jia: Mr. Jinwoo, you’re in Korea, right? Things are going crazy over on Yoobaek’s side right now! Ajin is in danger too, you do know what’s going on, right?]
The sharp-minded Baek Jinwoo understood the situation at once.
‘If it’s over on Yoobaek’s side...’
These bastards.
It was obvious they were targeting not just Ajin, but even his parents.
“HunGyo.”
HunGyo silently nodded.
“Protect these three well. And Ajin.”
“Hm?”
“Those are your friends over there?”
“Yeah!”
“It’s dangerous, so tell them to go home quickly, and you stay right next to HunGyo.”
Perhaps she sensed the urgency in Baek Jinwoo’s expression, because Baek Ajin hurriedly nodded.
“O-okay.”
At the same time—
Flash!
Baek Jinwoo flew out through the shattered window riding the Celestial Wyvern.
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