Chapter 180
At the Oriental Hotel operated by the Ferris Group.
A man with fierce eyes entered the VVIP private suite room in this luxury hotel, and an exclamation burst from his lips.
"Impressive, Kenneth Branner... I never thought you'd come in person. It seems the Returnee Alliance is quite bothered by Lee Seong-jun's existence."
Kenneth Branner.
As one of the elite Investigative Examiners of the World Returnee Alliance, holding the highest position of Auditor, his abilities were beyond question.
'His support abilities, buffs and debuffs, are among the best even within the World Returnee Alliance.'
In fact, Kenneth Branner was an outstanding asset, receiving excellent treatment even among the many powerful individuals in the World Returnee Alliance.
The fact that such a high-level asset was dispatched meant that the World Returnee Alliance was also putting considerable effort into this plan.
"There might have been some exaggeration, though. One of the Investigative Examiners made a huge fuss, saying Lee Seong-jun's talent was similar to that of our Alliance's executives? Absolute nonsense."
Kenneth let out a wry laugh as he stared into space, recalling past events.
"But because she's accumulated quite a few achievements, it seems the higher-ups have become slightly wary... So we need to be absolutely certain about this part."
Kenneth's narrowed gaze fixed on the man with fierce eyes.
"I'll ask one last time, Zhang Xiaoying. Are you sure about this plan?"
The words were laced with doubt. Considering that Zhang Xiaoying was a member of the Guardians and ranked 4th in ability, it could be quite insulting.
However, Zhang Xiaoying didn't seem to mind much.
Lee Seong-jun was a Hunter who had consistently turned the impossible into reality, performing miraculous feats that shattered existing common sense.
It was natural to feel burdened and anxious about a person whose actions were unpredictable.
Therefore, Zhang Xiaoying spoke in a calm voice.
"To be honest, I couldn't be 100% certain until I came here. But with you coming in person, Kenneth, it's a different story. If we combine forces - you, known as the strongest buffer, and I, the pinnacle of martial arts - there's no way the plan can fail."
"Bravo, an excellent answer."
Clap. Clap.
Kenneth, who had been applauding with a smiling face, pulled out a brown paper emanating powerful energy from his chest.
"However... I prefer action over words. How about we seal the deal with a clean contract?"
"..."
Zhang Xiaoying, who had been answering smoothly until now, fell silent.
The World Returnee Alliance was known to be an utterly ruthless organization.
In the past, most who had joined hands with the World Returnee Alliance met unfortunate ends.
Part of him wanted to reject Kenneth's proposal and show some guts.
However, this assassination mission against Lee Seong-jun was a direct order from China's Chairman, Wang Huning.
'...Failure means death.'
And not just his own death.
They would exterminate his family, relatives, even three generations of his clan.
If negotiations with Kenneth fell apart here, it wouldn't just be bad - it would lead to a horrific end.
'There's no way out...'
If that was the case.
The wise decision was to bet on the option with even a slightly higher chance of survival.
"I... accept the contract."
"A wise decision."
As Kenneth tore the paper he was holding, golden shackles shot out from the brown paper and burrowed into Zhang Xiaoying's heart.
Clink-clink-!
With a chilling sound, as the shackles constricted around his heart, a dark shadow fell over Zhang Xiaoying's face.
"There's no need to worry so much. If you finish the job cleanly as planned, neither you nor I will have any problems."
* * *
'No matter how I look at it... it must have been me?'
Lee Seong-jun, leaning back on the sofa provided in his lodgings, furrowed his brow as he recalled his conversation with Anna Ferris.
The red flash that suddenly appeared this year, in '85, with enough power to forcibly pierce through the so-called Gaia that had been steadfastly protecting Earth.
The timing and destructive power of the information pointed to the red flash that fell to Earth being himself, Lee Seong-jun.
'It had been weakening continuously, so an invasion would have happened eventually... but it's certain that I created a variable.'
He could be said to bear at least minimal responsibility.
However, he didn't feel guilty about it.
'No, it could even be considered fortunate.'
It might seem a bit shameless, but this was the logical view.
Looking at Earth's current situation, if demons and other external forces had begun a full-scale invasion, there was no guarantee that Earth would have remained intact.
But with him, Lee Seong-jun, present, it was a different story.
'...I can stop them sufficiently.'
Naturally, he had no intention of simply stopping at defense.
'It wasn't intentional... but this happened because of me.'
He intended to take at least moral responsibility.
'I'll prepare for and repel the invasion even more thoroughly than Anna Ferris had originally planned.'
He intended to stop it with minimal damage, preventing as much harm as possible.
Of course, this would require immense power.
'I'll need even greater power than I thought.'
It wasn't just individual strength.
He needed to gain power and influence that could encompass the world.
Normally, building a powerful organization requires enormous time, money, and effort, making it impossible to create one by hand in such an urgent situation.
But fortunately, a powerful organization capable of encompassing the world was right before his eyes.
'The Guardians...'
If he attended this meeting and joined as a member of the Guardians, it meant he could obtain the powerful organization that could be called his new goal.
It could be said to be the easiest path.
However, Seong-jun's expression was not very satisfied.
'No matter how powerful the organization, there's no meaning in being just the body or tail.'
It meant there was no point in acting as an ordinary member.
He needed to become the leader who guides the organization.
'...I'll absorb the entire Guardians.'
Numerous methods flashed through Seong-jun's mind as his eyes gleamed.
'The methods won't be a problem.'
What remained was to check if the inclinations and objectives of the Guardians members aligned.
"For now, there are definitely two, no, three."
From their earlier conversation and actions alone, Anna Ferris could be said to have aligned objectives.
Moreover, considering the actions that the New Road Guild had shown so far, its master, Victor, would likely be similar to them.
'They might have their personal ambitions... but it's certain that they're primarily moving to protect Earth.'
In the case of David Fincher, whom he had encountered at the airport, his objectives weren't clear.
However, since he clearly knew his place, if taken in as a subordinate, he wouldn't act out of line.
'Two members won't attend the meeting due to special missions... so the members I can meet right away are Nicholas Holt, Zhang Xiaoying, and Renate Richter.'
As individual interviews were necessary, it could be said that the workload had increased considerably.
A silver lining, perhaps?
'China... Zhang Xiaoying's side came looking for me on their own.'
He detected the presence of Chinese Hunters using stealth techniques near the hotel.
They were all moving with skills worthy of being called masters of stealth, but it was impossible for them to escape the notice of Seong-jun, who had an unfathomable understanding of martial arts and superhuman senses.
"There's no need to put it off... Shall we go meet them?"
With a deep smile on his lips, Seong-jun stood up and walked out of the hotel.
* * *
30 minutes later.
Arriving at a secluded forest on the outskirts of the city by moving as if flying, cutting through the wind, Seong-jun released his energy with an indifferent expression.
'...A total of three, fewer in number than I thought.'
Their ranks were at most SSS-grade. Objectively speaking, they could be considered quite strong.
However, considering that their target was himself, Lee Seong-jun, it was a force that posed no threat whatsoever.
'They must be personnel deployed mainly for surveillance.'
He couldn't know their exact purpose yet.
However, it was easy to guess that they hadn't approached with good intentions.
'My existence must feel like a thorn in China's side.'
He had absorbed all of Flying Dragon City, the main force of the North, into Korea.
Moreover, he had used Liu Wuning, who could be considered the Chairman's proxy, to arbitrarily announce China's statement.
'If it were a democratic country, individual opinions might have differed.'
But in communist China, the will of Chairman Wang Huning was truth and law.
It meant he couldn't be on good terms with Chinese Hunters.
No, if the intentions were good, why would they hide and monitor like this?
In fact, the gazes of the Chinese Hunters who kept following him contained a faint but perceptible killing intent.
They seemed to be suppressing it well, being elite Hunters who had received high-level training, but it wasn't enough to deceive Seong-jun.
'Can't be helped...'
Seong-jun, who had been moving forward continuously, suddenly stopped.
At the same time, Seong-jun, with cold eyes, immediately sprang up from the ground.
Whoosh-!
A red mist rose with the sound of wind, scattering Seong-jun's form.
Immediately after, he appeared in front of the Chinese Hunters who had been following him.
It happened in an instant.
Moreover, this entire process was carried out through the Hyeolhae Yuryongbo, one of the most mysterious movements of the Shinkongjolhak's Gyeongsinbeop.
Even a Ranker-level powerhouse would have had difficulty perceiving it properly.
In fact, the Chinese Hunters who had been following were unable to hide their confusion, swallowing empty air at the sight of Seong-jun closing the distance in an instant.
"Huh...!"
The eyes visible through their masks shook violently as if an earthquake had occurred.
But the confusion was only momentary.
As Hunters specialized in tailing and tracking, they quickly made their judgments and started running in different directions.
Tap-!
It could be said to be the best decision they could make at the moment.
However, this time, their opponent was not favorable.
'Cloud Mist Blood Scattering Strike.'
The blood energy that had settled like mist completely subdued all the Chinese Hunters who were desperately trying to escape.
Pabababak-
With a series of impact sounds, the Chinese Hunters, now reduced to rags, lay sprawled in front of Seong-jun.
"Kuhep-!"
"...You monster."
Although their arms and legs, or rather their joints, were bent in strange shapes, there was not a trace of fear in the eyes of the Chinese Hunters.
"We have no information to give you."
"Just kill us."
As if they had prepared themselves for everything in advance, the Chinese Hunters spoke in defiant tones.
Their resolve was admirable, but from Seong-jun's perspective, it was merely amusing.
"Kill you... I can't grant you such peace."
With a cold smile, Seong-jun lifted one of the sprawled Chinese Hunters into the air with his허공섭물 technique and placed his palm on the Hunter's head.
'Mind Exploration Technique.'
As the formless secret technique was deployed.
Terror began to fill the eyes of the Chinese Hunter who had been wearing a solemn expression.
"Uh... ugh..."
His consciousness was clearer than ever before.
But the sensations that could be called feelings gradually disappeared.
Now he understood why Seong-jun had described death as peace.
'S-stop....'
He couldn't feel anything.
In this sensation of being left alone in the world, an indescribable fear gripped his entire body.
He wanted to struggle, to do something.
But he couldn't take any action.
The blood energy that had invaded his mind had completely taken control of his body from Seong-jun.
'Please stop...'
He was desperately pleading for forgiveness and mercy in his heart, but no voice escaped his lips.
Thus, the Chinese Hunter's consciousness was plunged into darkness as deep as an abyss.