Chapter 18

Kim Ihyeon took a seat with a drink in hand. There was no bartender; instead, various beverage machines were scattered around, much like in a fast-food joint. It was a self-service setup. He randomly filled his glass and set it on the table, prompting a small exclamation from Bryce.

"Rise Rum? You have a taste for strong drinks. Only one person in our squad drinks that; we were thinking of removing it."

Kim Ihyeon brought the glass to his nose. The smell wasn't too strong, but it was supposedly potent. He didn't drink it, though, just set it down. He didn't dislike alcohol, but he wasn't a heavy drinker either.

"Let's get to the point."

"Not one for small talk?"

"Not really… I'm just a bit tired."

"Oh, right, you did say you just arrived today."

Bryce tilted his head slightly, still puzzled. It was beyond him how someone unaffiliated with any group would choose to become a bounty hunter on their first day. The world was indeed full of strange people.

"First off, I should apologize. And I need to clear any misunderstandings. We had our reasons for not explaining the plan beforehand, but we never intended to let any bounty hunters die."

"I know."

White Fang had stayed hidden but acted the moment Kim Ihyeon was in danger. Bryce had likely warned the outlaws not to harm the bounty hunters beforehand.

But that was the extent of their consideration.

"You didn't intend for anyone to die, but if it happened, it couldn't be helped… Something like that?"

There could have been casualties during the fight, and the outlaws could have acted unpredictably. White Fang had done the bare minimum.

"Sorry about that."

Bryce's apology was an acknowledgment. Kim Ihyeon shrugged lightly.

"You can apologize, but there's no need to justify it. After all, you're not a charity."

The bounty hunters involved in this incident lacked power and influence. There was no way to voice their grievances even if they felt wronged.

Even in modern times, unfair incidents happen all the time. Polaris was several times worse.

From a certain perspective, they were quite conscientious. At least they provided some compensation to the victims.

'There aren't many gullible groups like Selvrogix Lab in this world.'

The important part wasn't about good or evil. It was about how much benefit you could derive for yourself while being used favorably by others.

Kim Ihyeon had proven himself more than just a bait. The other two hadn't. Simple as it might sound, there was a significant difference between them.

"Kim Ihyeon, right?"

"You can call me Hyun. Everyone else does."

"I see. Hyun, I'll get straight to the point."

Bryce's gaze turned more serious.

"I'd like to invite you to join White Fang as an auxiliary member."

"Auxiliary?"

"Yes. We're handling a major issue. This isn't just about Lotus Company; it's a crucial matter that could affect the fate of all Kilicia. We need your help to resolve it."

"Can you make such a decision on your own?"

"The report has already been sent up. We'll have to wait for an official response, but I don't foresee any problems with you."

Since when? Kim Ihyeon's eyes widened slightly.

"The team members who participated in the recent operation highly rated your skills. Your crisis management and situational awareness were excellent. Despite some untrained aspects, your spell is particularly useful. Is it a weapon creation ability?"

"Something like that."

He demonstrated by creating a [Glitch Knife]. Perhaps due to repeated use, he could now produce a 1-star weapon in under three seconds.

"Unfortunately, there's not much variation."

"…What you've shown is already impressive enough."

Bryce felt a momentary thirst. His evaluation of Kim Ihyeon rose even higher. Beyond its usefulness, it was an astonishing ability.

Assassination, close combat, ambushes, espionage, sabotage… It had unparalleled versatility.

While there must be limitations inherent to spells, given to a skilled warrior, it would be nothing short of a disaster.

"Don't know where you came from, but…"

"From Cadillac. Through Tulavia and Ulants… If you're curious, feel free to investigate."

"Tulavia? I heard that place is closed off."

"Had a tough time with the lack of food."

Bryce nodded. If he had lived as a drifter, his resilience made sense. He might have found the bustling surface more uncomfortable.

"Detailed explanation? Do we need to sign a contract first?"

"The formal contract can come later. But the matter is sensitive, so I don't recommend backing out once you hear it. What's your decision?"

"What's the pay?"

"I'm not the employer, so I can't give an exact figure. But each operation could net around 200. There will be substantial performance bonuses as well."

"Like 10 or 20 per outlaw, something like that?"

"That's part of the evaluation. There are various ways to contribute. If you perform like today… I'd be willing to pay an additional 300 myself."

A single job worth 500.

Kim Ihyeon smirked.

"Explain the job."

"I like your decisiveness."

Bryce emptied his glass before speaking.

"How much do you know about outlaws?"

"Aren't they criminals expelled from the surface?"

"Correct. They're people stripped of their citizenship. They escape through Metrocity before capture or find a way into the underground after fleeing outside the city."

The underground was expansive, extending beyond the city's boundaries, a relic from when Kilicia was the Kilicia Federation.

"Nobody knows the exact number except for the management bureau. No, they probably don't know either. There might be drifters who entered the underground from outside."

"So there are a lot, huh?"

"Yes. Yet, outlaws don't venture out of the underground. Only a madman would think of attacking Metrocity. Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know. Fear of the security forces, lack of unified leadership… There could be many reasons."

"The fundamental reason is lack of power."

Bryce pulled out a pistol from his holster and placed it on the table. They hadn't carried firearms during the operation as they had been disguised as bounty hunters.

"Their equipment is poor. They fight monsters with iron bars and raid cargo trains for supplies. Honestly, they're not that threatening. They even have some positive aspects."

Outlaws handle underground monsters. Their plundering helps the security companies and bounty hunter industry thrive.

The council doesn't want to eradicate the outlaws entirely. The companies operating underground pay significant taxes every year.

"This is an underground business. There was an implicit understanding. But a problem has arisen."

Kim Ihyeon picked up on the conversation.

"The outlaws have started amassing power?"

"…You catch on quickly."

"Those guys were armed with proper crossbows, not iron bars. Their tents seemed decent, and their base was too close to Metrocity."

"Exactly."

Bryce let out a heavy sigh.

"Weapons are circulating underground. Anomalously many, not just looted goods. We believe there's a group supplying the outlaws with weapons. This isn't something to be taken lightly."

This was the information Lotus Company had. They were preparing for a potential war with the outlaws.

But there was a mistake.

The ones dealing with the outlaws weren't companies from Kilicia.

A third force, unknown to Lotus Company, had been contacting the outlaws from the outside.

Legion.

* * *

Hiss, exhale. Ssss, whoo.

Returning from a tumultuous day, Kim Ihyeon was greeted by the sound of Roscoe's snores, sprawled on the wooden floor.

'…Reminds me of the military.'

The volume was suspiciously high, as if he did it on purpose. He had heard it countless times on the way to Kilicia, but it hadn't bothered him then.

'When Roscoe slept, I took the watch.'

Even if it was noisy, stepping outside the vehicle was enough. Meanwhile, Asterike often spread a blanket on the ground and slept outside, unable to stand it.

Asterike still hadn't gotten used to it. She was now huddled in a corner, her face covered by a blanket, dozing off.

"Asterike, wake up."

Kim Ihyeon gently shook her shoulder. As expected, she wasn't deeply asleep and woke up with a start.

"Uh, huh? Oh, Hyun, you're back."

"Just now. How about you guys?"

"Early evening. Registered as a player and scheduled the matches. The debut? It's in two days."

Asterike was as sloppy as ever. The drool trailing down her lips proved it.

As she tried to wipe it with the blanket, Kim Ihyeon wiped it with his sleeve instead. The new clothes he had received were probably cleaner than the blanket, which hadn't been washed in who knows how long.

'Feels like taking care of a puppy.'

His tense heart relaxed. The time spent underground and on the surface was vastly different in urgency, yet both felt vividly real.

When had it all become so tangible? Perhaps it was today that he fully accepted his current life as reality.

"So why were you huddled here?"

"It was too noisy. I almost hit him but held back. He did work harder than me today."

Asterike grumbled, glancing at Roscoe. It seemed they had had a decent first day.

She suddenly said,

"The people here… seem okay."

"In what way?"

"They glanced at my horns for a moment and just moved on. The receptionist just said, 'You're a Pecatum,' and that was it. No one seems to care about others."

"There are all kinds of people here."

Her head bobbed slightly.

"Yeah. It was uncomfortable at first, but now I think it's nice to have so many people.

If I knew it would be like this, I would have come here from the start. …No, then I wouldn't have met you, Hyun. That wouldn't be good."

"We would have met anyway."

Kim Ihyeon's reason for coming to Kilicia had nothing to do with Asterike. He would have visited even if she weren't around.

If Aster had been a Kilicia-based agent, he would have just come looking for her here.

Asterike widened her eyes at his calm reply, then grinned broadly.

"…Hehe."

"Why are you smiling weirdly? What's up?"

"Nothing. How was your day, Hyun? Did you find a job?"

Asking if he found a job.

It was a question that tugged at his heart. They were sharing a room because they were broke.

No, they had been broke.

Until a few hours ago.

"Go book two more rooms."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Let's each have our own room."

Money was no longer a concern.

A down payment would arrive in a few days. There was no need to stretch their meager funds anymore.

It had been a satisfying day.