LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 33
The media these days was always heated.
Today was another massive issue—a scandal involving allegations of treason by the guild Palan (波瀾).
└Wow. Biggest scandal of the year.
└They killed other Awakened? A guild of Awakened did this? Why?
└Apparently, they were paid off by demons?
└Dungeon anomalies too? Who believes this conspiracy theory?
└Neutral stance, my foot. LOL. Evidence is already out. Whistleblower too.
It wasn’t an issue to be judged easily.
“Palan wishes to have a dialogue with the whistleblower. We can explain everything.”
Of course, they planned to kill the whistleblower as soon as they emerged.
They just needed to silence them.
What about the released ledger?
Given time, they could spin it as fabricated evidence in the media.
Palan had built considerable trust through their media campaigns over the years.
The public, for the time being, was willing to hear their rebuttal.
Then, the whistleblower behind the ledger made their appearance.
Palan found themselves shaken even further.
There was some sense in their argument.
Evidence created internally by the investigators?
The public’s reaction was mixed.
However, the NIS delivered yet another perfect rebuttal.
At the press conference, detailed investigation records from the incident were unveiled.
Everything aligned precisely with the evidence.
The partially burned documents in the assassination office.
All of it matched the ledger’s contents.
Palan could not issue another rebuttal and fell silent.
The fear that had already reached its peak transformed into pure rage directed at Palan.
Every window on the first and second floors had already been shattered.
“Palan must take responsibility!”
“Responsibility? Just charge them all with treason!”
“You bastards! My mother died because of those dungeon anomalies!”
“What about my stocks? I poured my entire retirement into this!”
Dungeon anomalies and assassinations of Awakened.
The greatest victims of this incident were, without a doubt, the Awakened themselves.
Police stood in a standoff with the enraged mob.
Palan’s headquarters was a crucial site for the ongoing investigation.
Above all, the suspects were not all of Palan.
Soon, attention turned to the central figure in the commotion.
└So, the A-rank villain ‘Phantom’ knew everything and acted on it.
└How is a villain more capable than the government?
└Wait, hold on. Didn’t Phantom solve a world quest?
└You’re right. They knew the truth about the anomalies all along.
└So they basically saved the nation.
The name of the A-rank villain, Phantom, was etched firmly into the minds of the people.
What’s the point of a villain gaining fame?
Anyway, I’ll just keep killing people, won’t I?
Oh Hyuk-jun’s head will soon fall at the hands of the Phantom.
“And what’s with this ‘Phantom’ talk? Sounds so cringy.”
With things as they are, even if the Phantom is apprehended, there’s now room for leniency.
Public sentiment will also be considered during the trial.
“I’m telling you, I won’t get caught.”
‘It’s pointless, but… he’s impressively thorough with his work.’
It was a direction I hadn’t even considered.
Anyway, I should get back to my own tasks.
I immediately infiltrated the building.
“【Silence】, 【Blind, 】 and 【Forget.】”
Darkness blanketed the office of the loan sharks.
Some of them readied their weapons.
But they were the first to lose their heads to the silent blade.
This time, I killed them quickly.
From past experience, these guys were just small fry.
That didn’t mean I showed mercy.
Even if they were minor players unaware of the demons or the Judgement.
Even if there were levels of guilt.
In the end, they were still traitors who killed Awakened.
‘Scum who don’t understand the value of peace.’
Kang Hyun’s second most hated group, after the demons.
Those who weakened their own side during a time of war.
The law and the public might argue over the weight of crimes and severity of punishment.
The boss clutched his bleeding side and cried out into the darkness.
“Please spare me! I’ll tell you everything! We’re backed by Palan and the demons!”
My voice was cold, leaving no room for mercy.
The important information could always be found by going through the ledger.
Doing this regularly could be quite lucrative.
Ah, I miss the gold I left back home.
Like before, I placed the boss’s head on the desk.
The flames started with the head and quickly engulfed the entire room.
‘Because of mana limitations, I can only handle one place a day for now.’
Still, my mana had improved, giving me more room to operate compared to before.
Thanks to that, I could manage this and still handle an E-rank dungeon during the day.
I’d have to explore dungeons and clean out these branches.
And once Palan cut ties with Oh Hyuk-jun, I’d have to kill him too.
Before I got too busy, I should visit my parents tomorrow.
The 23rd-ranked mid-tier guild in Korea, Gwangmyeong.
Its guild leader came searching for Seonghwa early in the morning.
“Oh, Manager Yoo! It’s been a while. How have you been?”
A guild leader meeting with a mere team manager.
But it was the guild leader who seemed nervous.
Even before this, Seonghwa held authority as the third-ranked guild.
The current situation had significantly elevated their value, leaving the guild leader flustered.
“Yes, we’ve been doing fine as always. But what brings you here…?”
Honestly, I already had a good idea of why he’d come.
At this timing? To visit Seonghwa?
And the guild leader himself, no less, showing up barefoot this early in the morning?
“Sorry, but we’re fully booked for the next two weeks.”
“Please, I beg you! A D-rank dungeon is set to overflow tomorrow!”
When a dungeon is failed, or when the timer runs out.
If a guild’s dungeon overflows?
Not due to failure, but simply neglect?
In two days, Gwangmyeong would likely disband.
Their guild leader would end up in a special prison.
“…How on earth did you manage things so poorly?”
Even with the recent abnormal incidents, it hasn’t been that long since they began.
Surely there was some prior negligence.
And this latest disaster compounded it.
“I have no excuses! Please, consider this as saving a life, and help us just this once!”
Of course, he didn’t come empty-handed.
By Professor, he meant Kang Hyun.
Before I knew it, his title had become “Professor” in public.
The guild leader awkwardly smiled and handed over a box.
I’d been searching for elixirs for Kang Hyun lately.
“Yes! It’s a brand-new durability-enhancing elixir, fresh from yesterday’s rewards!”
But elixirs are always valuable.
He bowed deeply, his shiny bald head showing his stress.
It wasn’t dungeon interference.
I reached out to my junior, Mar.
The Gwangmyeong guild leader, who had been eavesdropping, was shocked.
He hadn’t even been with us for a week.
For a workaholic like me, it was unthinkable.
He was the most valuable individual in the guild right now.
As a free mercenary, he truly lived freely.
The Gwangmyeong guild leader was already chewing his nails.
He seemed ready to chase Kang Hyun all the way to his family home.