EPISODE 63
Yoo-seong immediately slammed the door. However, the door had immediately gotten blocked by something.
“He’s still a man of no courtesy,” said a man in sarcastic Chinese.
It wasn’t Lee Hwi-min. The voice belonged to another man, the one who had blocked the door.
“Oh, look who it is?” Yoo-seong spat out in Korean.
“You’re a professional shithead,” the man smirked.
It was Ha Yuk-il, the tenth place in the Ship Zone, the successor of the Volcanic Martial Arts.
The last time they had met, Yoo-seong sent him to close an empty crack.
“I understand why you are reacting like this,” Lee Hwi-min started as he adjusted his glasses.
He wasn’t as tall as Yoo-seong was, but it was obvious that he wasn’t weak. His muscles were quite toned and evident beneath his suit.
On top of his smart clothing, his hair was neatly fixed.
It was understandable if someone had mistaken him for a researcher or a professor, rather than one of the Ten Ship Zones.
“I brought him here,” Lee Hwi-min added.
“I know,” Yoo-seong answered.
“So, you’ll understand if I do this…”
Lee Hwi-min was gradually adding force to push the door open.
“I don’t really want to speak with you,” Yoo-seong sighed. However, Ha Yuk-il tightened his grip on the door.
In terms of brute strength and the total amount of CE, Ha Yuk-il was clearly more dominant. However, Yoo-seong had something else in mind.
The next moment, Yoo-seong make a strange gesture with his fingers, as if he was imitating a pistol.
Yoo-seong had his index finger pointed at Ha Yuk-il. At that moment, Ha Yuk-il knew he was screwed.
At first, nothing happened, and he almost let out a sigh of relief. However…
“What the…”
Just when Ha Yuk-il was about to laugh at what he presumed was a failure to attack, a Parasitic Bee was triggered. This one did not require much power.
It felt like a little chestnut was popped right into his chest, until he was hit by an unexpected pain.
Ha Yuk-il released his grip from the door. At this, Yoo-seong did not miss the opportunity and slammed the door shut.
Suddenly, he heard a voice from inside his room.
“It’s okay if you keep it shut. Ha Yuk-il does not have to hear the things we’re going to discuss.”
Yoo-seong spun around. He saw Lee Hwi-min comfortably sitting behind him.
“Tech,” Yoo-seong unconsciously said.
“That’s right. If I were you, I wouldn’t be as calm.”
As Lee Hwi-min spoke, Yoo-seong smelled something. It was faint and fleeting, but it smelled like burning paper.
‘This scent!’
Yoo-seong covered his nose and tried to hold his breath.
“You’re right. This scent is the trigger to my technique.”
“Is that a kind of Tech?” Yoo-seong asked him.
“No, it is something you can do, too. A lot of people call it hypnosis, though I would rather call it a nerve disturbance.”
Yoo-seong’s nose flinched a little. Just then, his vision started getting hazy.
“Besides, now that I met you, I am sure. You are exactly just like me,” Lee Hwi-min smiled as he watched him.
“I do not force myself into rooms without prior appointments or permission,” Yoo-seong retorted.
“No, I don’t think so,” Lee Hwi-min nodded. “But in some situations, you must.”
“Rather than relying on that stubborn idea, one must be flexible and adapt to his surroundings,” he added.
“You’re pretty good with words,” Yoo-seong commented.
“Thank you. That’s my specialty.”
Through his glasses, Lee Hwi-min’s eyes resembled half-moons.
“You should feel it now. The trembling in your lips, your fists, and your legs…”
Yoo-seong tried to remain calm.
“You’re only thinking about two things,” Lee Hwi-min raised a finger.
“First, someone had just broken into the hotel’s VIP floor. Will calling the security work?”
Lee Hwi-min then raised a second finger. “Second, you’re contemplating if what you’re seeing right now is the ‘real me’. You did not see me move in. You haven’t even seen me burn paper.”
His eyes glinted from behind his eyeglasses as he stared at Yoo-seong. “You’re probably thinking that there is a higher possibility of Tech that creates illusions rather than someone that moves this fast.”
Rather than be surprised with Lee Hwi-min’s deductions, Yoo-seong suddenly felt dizzy.
“I assume you can still understand me despite what you’re currently feeling.”
Lee Hwi-min suddenly waved his hand, or it appeared that he did.
Yoo-seong no longer knew.
“You’re actually very interesting. You didn’t even react when I told you that you have ranked in the Ten Ship Zones,” Lee Hwi-min tilted his head.
“Should I?” Yoo-seong asked him.
“Don’t you think of it as an honor?”
“Not at all,” Yoo-seong spoke with sincerity. “I can’t believe that right away, and even if it is, I don’t think it’s okay to change the list of members overnight.”
“You underestimate the Ship Zone.”
“No. I know what it’s worth. In fact, I am underestimating my own achievements.”
Despite Yoo-seong’s words, Lee Hwi-min kept his smile. “Since you caught one of the Four Perils alone, you’d have already been fully qualified anyway.”
But everyone already knew why Yoo-seong still actually wasn’t.
If Yoo-seong had been a Chinese hunter, he would have already become a national hero, renowned across the continent. However, because of what previously happened, what Yoo-seong did was considered a fluke. His triumph was an incident that had to be accepted slowly, little by little.
However, things had changed because the rumors spread rather quickly. Directly or indirectly, the people of Shanghai recognized Yoo-seong’s achievements.
Thanks to this man, they were able to protect their home.
Now, for most hunters in Shanghai, Yoo-seong was no longer a stranger to watch out for. Here, at least in Shanghai, he was a hunter who had caught one of the Four Perils alone, and helped them during the Shanghai Shock.
“Six months ago,” Lee Hwi-min began, “I had to beg for a seat in the Ten Ship Zone. Luckily, the previous hunter who occupied a spot met an accident.”
Just then, Lee Hwi-min gestured with his chin over Yoo-seong’s shoulder. The hotel door suddenly opened, revealing Ha Yuk-il.
His face was flushed red, all in a fit of anger.
“So, I recommended him, the junior I’ve been raising for a long time. I’ve taught him the Volcanic Martial Arts, which I have learned myself.”
‘The Volcanic Martial Arts.’
Yoo-seong recognized its name.
It was a legend in the Chinese industry, but it did not survive beyond modern times, unlike the other organizations’ martial arts. The Tech, which was thought to be gone forever, had been restored by a hunter who studied and mastered it. With that said, Ha Yuk-il was not a weakling.
He had accomplished enough results during the last few months. It was only quite natural for him to be interested in the empty Ship Zone position.
However, the problem was rising in the ranks. It was a better path than waiting in the tenth place until someone outshines him.
Ha Yuk-il knew this. And so, with this in mind, he worked hard and sought achievements one after the other.
All he ever thought was how he could make it higher.
“And then, you showed up,” Ha Yuk-il said as he approached Yoo-seong.
“Well, I am so sorry about that,” Yoo-seong answered.
Then, he turned to Lee Hwi-min.
“It seems like I have embarrassed you twice,” said Yoo-seong.
His vision was blurry, but he tried to focus on his surroundings.
“You think so?” Lee Hwi-min sounded amused. “Let me count.”
He spread his hand open and began folding his fingers one by one.
“I was robbed of the golden pill, which unfortunately entered your mouth; the disciple that I adored, Zhang Li, is now in a cold cell in Korea…”
Lee Hwi-min then acted as if he remembered something.
“Oh, and my student who had worked so hard to learn the Volcanic Martial Arts I’ve taught him has been kicked out of the Ship Zone!”
The very next moment, Yoo-seong again felt the scent passing through the tip of his nostrils.
He tried to cover his nose.
However…
‘What is this?’
As Yoo-seong tried to move his arm, what moved instead was his opposite leg.
‘What is happening?!’
He lost his balance and crashed to the floor.
Yoo-seong tried to speak, but even his words felt out of place.
“I have twisted your senses. You won’t be able to move your body that way you want it to,” Lee Hwi-min explained.
When Yoo-seong tried to speak again, his shoulder and calf moved instead of his throat and tongue.
“You should just try and listen. You’d feel more comfortable with that,” Lee Hwi-min advised.
“What happened in Shanghai was an untimely tragedy… but ever since you came to China, all I have heard around was your name.”
Lee Hwi-min leaned forward from his seat so he could watch Yoo-seong on the floor.
“You know what happens when someone gets older. Tempers always run short. And unfortunately for you, it is hard for someone like me to get rid of a grudge.”
Contrary to his previously relaxed demeanor, Lee Hwi-min’s eyes now burned through the struggling Yoo-seong.
However, Yoo-seong wasn’t just struggling. He was trying to figure out which parts of his senses were twisted together.
‘I do not know if I have more time, but at least, I need to figure out how to move even a single limb.’
“Imagine, after just two hunts, you rose over Shanghai’s horizon. Do you understand what that meant?”
Yoo-seong remained silent. He knew exactly what Lee Hwi-min was talking about.
Shanghai was a special city. It was an independent area that did not belong to the realm of giant groups, such as Tenz or Goryong.
Instead, Shanghai inherited the traditions and customs of the hunters who had been protecting the city from the past. It was also a large city with a population of 25 million.
Being an influential hunter in such a city…
“It’s too much power to fall into the hands of a foreigner, even for someone with your ability,” Lee Hwi-min finished.
Yoo-seong heard him leave his seat to walk towards him.
“It’s a waste of time to get rid of a hero. We can’t make someone who is like you that easily, and it seems that people from the higher ranks agree with me.”
All of a sudden, Yoo-seong felt himself getting lifted from the floor.
He found himself staring at Ha Yuk-il’s eyes. He was grabbing Yoo-seong’s collar.
Lee Hwi-min continued speaking.
“Well, the reason I was able to come to you so boldly today is to provide assistance. I know you’re with Tenz, and it’s that damn old man’s job to convince you, but for some reason, he literally left you by yourself in Shanghai.”
Lee Hwi-min paused as if giving Yoo-seong a chance to clearly hear what he was about to say.
“Choose,” he urged Yoo-seong, with an air of exhaustion in his words.
“Be naturalized citizen of this country and spread your wings as one of the ten Ship Zones.”
Ha Yuk-il’s grip tightened around Yoo-seong. It was clear that this was not an option he wanted Yoo-seong to choose.
“Or,” Lee Hwi-min continued,” live as a foreigner here, without any protection, and be the subject of my personal vendetta…”
All of a sudden…
Thud-!
Lee Hwi-min was cut off before he could proceed any further.
Yoo-seong had gained control of one of his arms and struck Ha Yuk-il’s nose using the back of his hand. Ha Yuk-il almost tumbled over.
As soon as he felt he was bleeding, Ha Yuk-il gathered Aura on his fists and threw a punch enough to smash anything that stood in its way.
Yoo-seong was falling to the floor, but he whipped his legs and wrapped them around Ha Yuk-il’s arm like ivy.
Then, he made a sharp twist, and Ha Yuk-il rotated completely.
Crunch-!
“Aaaah!” Ha Yuk-il screamed, his arm suddenly broken. Yoo-seong landed on the floor.
Then, he heard what sounded like a rush of wind. He lifted his head and saw Lee Hwi-min charging towards him.
Yoo-seong dodged his path.
However, Lee Hwi-min was one of the Ten Ship Zones, and Yoo-seong was pushed back by the mere force of his speed.
Meanwhile, Ha Yuk-il struggled to stand. He had gotten embarrassed once again.
Yoo-seong damaged him badly despite being under Lee Hwi-min’s nerve disturbance. He could not allow this to happen.
Ha Yuk-il’s specialty was swordsmanship.
No matter what a hunter’s status was, they couldn’t just carry around such weapons, even in China.
However, it was not the only thing he could use to fight. He had made himself an elite with his Volcano Tech, which alone surpassed most Techs.
Admittedly, his opponent wasn’t too bad, either. It was going to be a tough battle.
Yoo-seong and Ha Yuk-il began exchanging blows.
Even with only one functioning arm, Ha Yuk-il’s overwhelming amount of CE seemed to give him a better advantage. However, Yoo-seong had more skills in his arsenal.
Pancheonma Geukki.
He used the same skill that ruptured a Habaek’s eyeballs to destroy his human opponent.
Ha Yuk-il tried to stop his attack, but he was too late.
Thud-!
Blood spurted out of his mouth.
His internal organs had gotten damaged.
Yoo-seong turned to look at Lee Hwi-min as Ha Yuk-il lost his consciousness. However, Lee Hwi-min was long gone from the room.
***
The tables had drastically turned.
“What the hell?! This was a disaster!” Lee Hwi-min muttered under his breath.
He neutralized the hotel’s security with his Nerve Disturbance Tech. He had also brought Ha Yuk-il with him.
According to his calculations, any possibility of Yoo-seong defeating his disciple could be eliminated by his Nerve Disturbance. No one could have predicted that something would go wrong.
His plan should have been perfect.
Even if Ha Yuk-il was not using his sword, it should have been impossible for anyone to win against him in that state.
‘At least,’ he assured himself as he rushed through the hotel’s corridors, ’I could buy more time.’
However…
‘What the?’
Lee Hwi-min’s eyes widened.
Yoo-seong stood in front of him, even with an unconscious Ha Yuk-il on his feet.
Lee Hwi-min frantically looked around.
He was expecting Yoong-seo to rush towards them, but he did not. There was only silence.
‘What are you thinking?’ Lee Hwi-min wondered.
It didn’t take long, however. Yoo-seong began to move.
He stretched his arm towards Lee Hwi-min’s direction, his palm facing upwards, curling and uncurling.
“You jerk!”
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