Chapter 33 - 33

"I'll try again." "Understood." After giving the imprisonment order to Kang Cheol-sik, she leaned close to the silently weeping Ji Eun-hyuk's ear: "Listen up, little dog? See you in a week. Be good during this time, okay?" "Ugh... Why did you do this to me..." "You really don't know, that's why you're asking?" "I... I really don't know anything..." Faced with the questioning about being kidnapped for no reason, Yoo Ha-young revealed the answer: "Remember the person you commissioned to investigate?" "That bastard Lee Jin-seok?" "Ah... So that's his name. Anyway, because he went berserk, he single-handedly took down our base." "That... that guy?!" Hearing that the other party had single-handedly stormed the detective agency that kidnapped him, he asked in shock. "He's ridiculously strong. Our people couldn't even touch him." "But why did you come to me..." "Shouldn't we come to you? You commissioned the investigation, which caused us losses, so naturally you should compensate us." Upon learning he would have to pay for Lee Jin-seok's atrocities, Chi Eun-hyuk was on the verge of tears. "It wasn't my fault..." "It was your fault! How could we have angered that monster without your commission? Our business was doing just fine." The fear of death spurred him into a desperate attempt: "Then I'll pay! I'll pay the full amount of the losses!" "Oh? You want to settle this with money?" "Yes! I'll give you whatever you want! So please..." He thought he could escape with money, but froze the moment he heard the amount. "Uncle, the total losses?" "Fifty million in breach of contract fees, seven million in medical expenses, plus business losses... roughly estimated at least one hundred million." "Have you heard? One hundred million, plus another one hundred million for upsetting me, a total of two hundred million and I'll let you go." "What did you say...?" "I thought it would be at most 30 million, but they asked for 200 million. I can't borrow from a legitimate bank, I can only resort to high-interest loans. I'd rather die than pay that amount. The interest from that 200 million is something I absolutely can't repay with my current income." "So, can you come up with that? 200 million." "Th-that amount..." "What's going on? You looked so confident, I thought you were rich, but you're nothing special. What a disappointment." Liu Heying's mood worsened as her expectations were dashed by the other party's boast of being able to pay. "I was just going to keep him locked up peacefully, but it seems I'll have to add another price." To make up for her disappointment, she said to Jiang Zhezhi beside her, "Uncle, just don't cripple him." "Is that enough?" "Although I want to torture him a little longer, I'll spare him for his cute face." Ji Eunhyuk, stunned by the 200 million price tag, finally came to his senses upon hearing the conversation and pleaded, "Please! I'll keep the kidnapping a secret, please let me go!!" "Didn't I tell you not to bark like a dog? A disobedient dog has no value." "..." Completely different from his previous smiling face, the man's chilling expression the moment he spoke made Chi Eun-hyeok speechless. 'This mad dog could have gotten away with it, but he insisted on courting death...' Yoo Ha-young was usually lenient as long as he didn't make a mistake, but one of the behaviors she hated most was giving someone something to look forward to and then disappointing them. Especially since he had repeatedly begged for quiet, which had angered her. "Eun-eun, teach him some manners." "Yes, Miss." After handing over the task of educating him to the guard Yoo Eun-eun, Yoo Ha-young turned and left with Kang Cheol-sik. "Do you have that person's contact information?" "Yes. Should I send it to you?" "No need, you won't need it even if you get it." Sensing his mistress's bad mood, Kang Cheol-sik resumed his polite tone: "I'll be back in a week. Can you summon that person here?" "You mean... a monster?" Thinking of the requirement to summon the monster at the end of the week's training, he hesitated. 'What if we attract that monster and something goes wrong...' Knowing the terrifying strength Lee Jin-seok displayed at the detective agency, even if it was Miss's request, he was unwilling to provoke that guy. If that monster intended to harm Miss, they would be powerless to stop it. 'Isn't this too dangerous...' 'For Uncle to say that, that man must be very strong?' Seeing her usually fearless uncle's reaction, Yoo Ha-young became curious about the monster. When she was kidnapped by another organization as a child, her uncle always protected her with a smile; he never frowned when facing armed enemies; he still smiled when she was rescued and taken to the hospital. She was shocked when she heard that she would have died if she had been taken to the hospital any later. 'Just how strong is he...' Now her uncle was cowering because of summoning a man. This made Yoo Ha-young's curiosity even stronger. 'Is that person so strong that Uncle is so resistant?' She asked directly. Kang Cheol-sik, who was prepared, replied: 'Even if we all attacked together, we would be no match for that monster.' "What if you team up with Yin'er?" "Liu Yin, though strong, is still human, but that thing is not human at all." After thirty years of living on the edge, he encountered an unpredictable opponent for the first time—incredible speed, the ability to crush elites with vital blows, and the ability to perfectly evade all attacks. "Has he ever killed anyone?" "I don't know." "Huh? You don't know?" "I've never seen such a being in my life." "So you'd better not come into contact with that monster yourself." "Hmm... since Uncle has put it that way." Seeing his uncle's unprecedentedly solemn expression, Liu Heying finally made up his mind: something that could make his uncle so wary must be a treasure, and missing it would be a loss. "Even so, I still want to see him once. Summon him in a week." "Ha... I understand." "Since Yoo Ha-young's thirst for talent has been ignited, Kang Cheol-sik knows he can't stop it and decides to spend a week making thorough preparations. 'To avoid angering the other side, it's best to have as few people as possible.' But if we bring a large number of organization members when we are summoned, it might provoke that monster. Therefore, he made up his mind to only bring a few elite guards besides the core members. EP0406 After finishing all the conversations and returning to the abandoned factory, Yoo Ha-young sees Ji Eun-hyuk receiving training from Yoo Eun. 'Stop, stop...please...waaaah!'" To avoid leaving marks, no blows were struck to the face, and Ji Eun-hyeok, who appeared unharmed at first glance, was now enduring unimaginable pain. 'Why is this happening to me...' Because Yoo Eun-hyeong remembered Yoo Ha-young's instruction to "appropriately repair the face," she was now violently striking one of the body's vital areas, the left abdomen. The left abdomen is a vulnerable area containing the liver, and a blow to the left abdomen would produce a completely different level of pain compared to a blow to the normal abdomen. Ji Eun-hyeok, enduring such blows continuously, was already drooling and groaning in extreme agony. "Eun-hyeong, that's enough." "Yes, Miss." Even though Yoo Ha-young had returned, Yoo Eun-hyeong, who had continued to inflict pain before the order to stop, immediately stopped upon hearing the command. "How many blows?" "Exactly five." "Is that all it took to make him like this?" "It seems his pain tolerance is weaker than I thought." "As someone who can easily subdue ordinary fighting experts, if Liu Yin were to go all out, it would be a miracle if Ji Enhe, an ordinary person, didn't faint on the spot—but those who rule the Dark World clearly have extremely high standards." "Although I want to continue, I'm too busy to do anything else, so I'll have to stop here." "Understood, Miss. I will be prepared." After deliberately raising her voice to say goodbye, Liu Heying paused briefly to stare at the man tied to the chair. 'Will he beg for mercy again?' If he howled again while undergoing training, she could justifiably continue her "education." "..." "What a pity..." But contrary to expectations, Ji Enhe, who was delirious due to severe abdominal pain, had not yet regained consciousness and couldn't even scream. This pitiful sight made Liu Heying sigh with regret. She turned and left after giving Jiang Zhezhi her final instructions: "Please keep my visit in a week a secret from that person." "Keep it a secret...?" "Yes, I want to see his reaction when he sees me." "This is too dangerous." "Don't worry, if anything happens, our Silver will protect you. Right?" "Of course. Your subordinate will risk his life to protect Miss." "As expected of Silver, trustworthy." "Yes..." Turning to speak to the guard, Liu Heying smiled sweetly, and Liu Yin, who was usually expressionless, blushed unconsciously at this beautiful smile. 'That executioner actually reacted like this to Miss's smile...' Witnessing this, Jiang Zhezhi suppressed a laugh—the astonishing charm that could make the robot-like, cold-blooded executioner Liu Yin blush. Thinking that this person was about to encounter the monster that attacked the detective agency, Jiang Zhezhi's worries deepened. "Get to work." "Yes, brother!" After Liu Heying left, he, who was left behind in the abandoned factory, gathered his men to begin carrying out Miss's request. "Just don't kill them." "This order means that Ji Eun-hyuk will suffer a week of torture that is worse than death. He could have simply been detained, but his excessive resistance escalated the situation. 'This is the hardest thing to gauge.' Although he knew exactly what kind of pain would drive someone to the brink of collapse, inflicting pain without leaving a trace was still a difficult task. Especially since the target was a seemingly weak, ordinary person who had never seriously fought—a guy who could easily fall apart if not handled carefully. He had to be extremely cautious in inflicting pain. 'So why did I take that monster's job...' Just as he was sympathizing with the young man destined for hardship because of Yoo Ha-young's attention, and preparing to begin his work— 'Help, help me!!' Ji Eun-hyuk, briefly losing his mind but then regaining his senses, realized the woman was gone and immediately cried out for help. 'Uncle... please let me go... please...'""If only you had known this would happen." "I...I didn't know..." Though he felt pity for the young man before him, there was no turning back now that he had received the young lady's orders. Jiang Zhezhi shook his head regretfully and gestured to his subordinates. "Ah...Help! Help me, waah!!" "Getting old...I wouldn't have cared before." Seeing Jiang Zhezhi shake his head, Ji Eunhyuk, utterly desperate, let out a scream that went unanswered, gradually collapsing. Looking at this pitiful scene, Jiang Zhezhi regretted his soft heart and turned to leave. — A week that was fleeting for some but like hell for others had passed. "Ji Eunhyuk didn't come to work again today?" "Yeah...can't get in touch with him, probably disappeared again." "He disappeared suddenly like that last time and then came back, old habits die hard." "I've already reported it to President Liu Anna, and she said not to worry about it." "I heard they're childhood friends, but the president isn't one to act on emotion." "That's what I mean, seemingly cold on the surface but actually very caring." "Don't cause trouble for a boss like that." "Ugh, Section Chief, really. When have I ever caused any trouble?" "Didn't the interviewee catch you asking for your contact information last time?" "Oh dear! That was before I knew the company at all!!" "No one at the company cared about Ji Eun-hyuk's unauthorized absence from work for a week. After all, he had a history of unexcused absences—he had once been absent for over a month without cause, and upon returning, he was preoccupied with finding Yoo Anna and neglected his work, making him an unpopular employee. Furthermore, due to the gloomy rumors circulating among the female employees, he consistently refused invitations to meals with male colleagues, disrupting team harmony to an alarming degree. How was this seemingly useless individual doing elsewhere? First, he had no friends during his school years. Because of his extremely beautiful childhood sweetheart, he was always surrounded by boys trying to get close to her. How could Ji Eun-hyuk, who had secretly loved Yoo Anna since childhood, stand idly by? He always pushed away those boys with ulterior motives, ultimately ending up alone. Finally, let's talk about his relationship with his family. His parents, worried about his timid personality, arranged for him to move out of a single apartment at the age of twenty under the pretext of fostering independence. Deeply hurt, he only contacted his parents once or twice a year, their relationship so awkward that no family members ever visited or called. Completely isolated from society, Ji Eun-hyuk remained undiscovered for a week. This means that even if he were imprisoned in the abandoned factory, no one would even call the police. He was doing reasonably well before meeting Lee Jin-seok, but he lost everything because of his inappropriate greed. — Today is the last day of the one-week deadline Kang Cheol-sik mentioned. Before setting off after changing clothes late at night, I asked the system: "System, how's the situation over there?" "[No anomalies yet, but Yoo Ha-young might come; we've increased the number of guards.]" "No problem." Although Yoo Ha-young asked Kang Cheol-sik to keep her existence a secret from Lee Jin-seok, I already knew she was coming through system monitoring—I've been monitoring everything with the system since the kidnapping of Chi Eun-hyeok. I can sleep, but the system, which doesn't need to hibernate, can monitor around the clock. 'What an arrogant bitch,' I thought to myself the morning after the kidnapping, after hearing the system report. Arrogant bitch. Unaware that I had the whole situation under control, she was still hiding, preparing to make her appearance. She never mentioned Yoo Ha-young's existence, thinking she could keep it a secret, but little did she know I possessed the Creator's super technology created by Med. "How should I react to make things interesting..." Therefore, I looked forward to meeting Yoo Ha-young today day and night. Face, figure, charm—the system's images showed she had no weaknesses. But what I was most curious about was what I saw in her heart with the "Eye of Desire." "It's so frustrating that I have to see it with my own eyes to activate it." This skill, once activated, can acquire a wealth of information about women, from their erogenous zones and measurements to almost mind-reading abilities during intense emotions. Unfortunately, its biggest drawback is that it requires physically locking onto the target, causing me to miss the opportunity to use it on female celebrities on television. "Let's go." Frustrated by the limitations of the "Eye of Desire," I eagerly set off to meet Yoo Ha-young. According to the map provided by Kang Cheol-sik, it was about a two-hour drive from my home. Because a hostage situation was required, the location was chosen in a remote area far from the city. However, considering Ji Eun-hyuk's experiences this week, the passage of time didn't matter. 'I deliberately didn't check the surveillance footage; I wonder what's happened.' I could use the system to check his status, but I deliberately didn't—I could catch up on the process later. Curious about his miserable state surrounded by gangsters, I floored the gas pedal as soon as I got in the car. Anyway, there were few cars on the road late at night, and the system would handle any speeding tickets. —Kang Cheol-sik, sending the coordinate map to Lee Jin-seok, was on high alert. 'Please, don't let anything go wrong...' Today is the day the monster who single-handedly destroyed the private investigation agency returns. Just thinking about that irresistible, terrifying being is enough to make him nervous; now he also has to worry about the young lady's safety, as she insists on meeting him in person. 'All preparations are complete…' He had finished all the arrangements. Although he couldn't bring in reinforcements from afar, everyone present was elite—the top 15 members had been specially selected. These nearly retired experts readily came upon hearing they were to protect the young lady. "Everyone, give it your all today. This is on a completely different level than our usual fights." "Big brother, even you're this nervous. Is the guy coming really that scary?" Jiang Zhezhi's tense demeanor prompted an unsuspecting team member to ask. The questioner was a young man who had recently joined the organization, having beaten down all the seniors who had challenged him with his fists, quickly climbing to the 12th position in the organization through violence, and being known as a rare and ruthless character. "If you're curious, you can come and ask him yourself another day." "But you'd better stay put today. If you mess this up, I'll personally kill you." Considering the young man's impetuous nature and youthful arrogance, Jiang Zhezhi warned him with murderous intent from the outset—he really was capable of killing."Understood. Since Big Brother says so." Although Gu Zihei, ranked 12th, was full of resentment, he ultimately dared not act rashly under the suffocating pressure. Even with top-notch fighting talent, he was still just a greenhorn who had never seen blood. This level of murderous aura was simply beyond his ability to withstand. EP0407 After Gu Zihei, who was the most likely problem among them, was forcibly silenced by Kang Cheol-sik, he shifted his gaze to the other members of the organization. It was extremely rare to see such an amazing lineup unless it was a truly large-scale battle. Apart from Chief Liu Yin, who had been in charge of protecting the young lady, Lee Jae-hoon, who was still recovering from the detective agency incident, and three members who could not come due to other missions, all the top ten experts were present. "Regarding the man we are going to meet today, I believe everyone has already received the information." "......" When Kang Cheol-sik mentioned the monster that was going to appear today, everyone nodded in silence. "Remember—if that guy appears, absolutely do not provoke him. Even if you can't hold back, you have to grit your teeth and endure until tomorrow." "Normally, such a warning would only elicit a dismissive silence. After all, those present were all ruthless individuals, arrogant and overly proud of their abilities. But since witnessing the man's actions at the detective agency on the surveillance footage, they had to be on edge. The terrifying strength to simultaneously suppress nearly twenty enemies in a cramped room, achieving a crushing victory without being surrounded—and these opponents weren't just weaklings; two were Sequence members, and the rest were seasoned veterans. Such an elite group was utterly crushed by a single man with overwhelming power. 'An extremely dangerous monster.' Just watching the surveillance footage made their palms sweat; what would it be like to witness it firsthand? Just as the strong can recognize the strong, those present were all seasoned veterans—except for Gu Zihei, of course. They could roughly gauge their opponents' strength with a brief glance; their current tension was not without reason. Facing someone of that caliber, no one could predict their reaction. 'I will handle the negotiations; you should remain silent as much as possible. The young lady will immediately switch to guard mode upon arrival.'" Just as Kang Cheol-sik was explaining today's plan and nervously anticipating facing that monster again—a short-haired woman with dyed red hair and revealing clothing suddenly asked, "What if he suddenly shows hostility?" This was Lee Ji-na, the tenth-ranked member of the organization, the only female member besides Yoo Eun. Hearing this question that he didn't even want to consider, Kang Cheol-sik sighed, "Ha... just find a way to protect Miss and get her away." "With our manpower, we can surely handle it, right?" "Although I don't want to imagine that situation... but if it really happens, just try attacking it and you'll see. It's not human at all, it's purely a monster." "..." Although he has now retired to run the detective agency behind the scenes, everyone knows Kang Cheol-sik's strength—this living legend who fought alongside the previous leader and grew a weak organization into a powerful force. Back then, when the opposing organization meticulously planned a surprise attack to kidnap Miss, his feat of holding the line alone before reinforcements arrived remains a myth. Even this being, once known as a "human monster," was so wary of an opponent he had only met once… The sight of that monster, who never admitted defeat, now tucking his tail between his legs was a powerful shock to everyone. "Now, everyone to your positions and stand by—" Just as Kang Cheol-sik was trying to break the tense atmosphere— [Vroom—!] The roar of an engine and the blinding headlights from afar interrupted his command. The young lady hadn't announced her arrival, and there couldn't be any other visitors. There was only one possibility that was coming at this moment: the monster who single-handedly massacred the detective agency had arrived. ——— While Kang Cheol-sik was issuing a warning to the sequence members. System code c1hQbkVZV1ZObkNXNEI4WjRFQ0lwTHpBNFlrOGszakFmZmtsbjNyeHZDSlFKZzdFc04raEpsdys1b3pIOElZUw "We've arrived." Eager to see Yoo Ha-young as soon as possible, rather than Ji Eun-hyuk's miserable state, I floored the accelerator and sped off. The mountain road almost made me lose my way, but thankfully the navigation system prevented me from going astray. "Welcome." As we parked in front of what appeared to be an abandoned factory, Jiang Zhezhi, who had been waiting ahead of us, bowed in greeting. "Long time no see?" "Thank you for your concern. How have you been?" "Not bad. But you have fewer people than expected?" "Considering you don't like noise, we've streamlined the team to the bare minimum." "Hmm...not bad. Where's Ji Eunhyuk?" "Please follow me." Hearing the guiding words, I suddenly stopped and looked at each of the members present. "Hmm...it's hard to assess their strength." Since Liu Heying and I were here in person, they must have prepared considerable combat power. I had intended to use my 'demigod body' to measure the difference between these people and the previous attackers—but there was no difference. After all, my power is too immense; compared to ordinary people, it's like a firefly compared to the moon. Just as using a ladle or a water tank to hold seawater is like trying to put out a fire with water. Since I couldn't sense any real difference, I figured it was pointless and just glanced at him casually, pretending to remember his face. "There's no need to show anything else anyway." Looking at how obediently they were trained by Kang Cheol-sik, I had no interest in demonstrating my strength, so I followed him into the abandoned factory. — Ever since Kang Cheol-sik said he'd show Lee Jin-seok around the abandoned factory. "What's going on?" The organization members, who were on high alert because of the impending monster, could only stare blankly at that overly handsome face. They'd clearly heard their boss say this was a ruthless character they absolutely couldn't mess with. But upon actually meeting him, they only felt an overwhelming sense of ordinariness. There was neither an instinctively alarming sense of danger nor anything lurking—it was as commonplace as brushing past an ordinary person on the street. "Is that really the monster our boss was talking about?" At this moment, everyone had the same question on their minds. Although the stark contrast to their expectations caused a brief moment of confusion, they quickly suppressed their unease—after all, the actions in the surveillance footage couldn't be faked. These people who live on the edge are always superstitious about intuition, but ultimately they believe more in what they see with their own eyes. "How much further?" "Almost there, just ahead and you'll see the target you entrusted to us." Guided by Kang Cheol-sik, I entered the factory and was surprised by its unexpectedly vast interior. 'How can it be so big?' I walked quite a distance but still couldn't see the end. Although the clutter had been cleared away and it looked tidy, the sparse lighting made the interior particularly dark. After passing through the empty area, we finally arrived at a door. "This is it." "Is Ji Eun-hyuk inside?" "Yes, but there's something..." Kang Cheol-sik, who was about to open the door, suddenly hesitated. Seeing his obvious preoccupation, I asked directly, "As long as it's not too outrageous, I can't be bothered." "Uh, thank you very much." Hearing me say that it didn't matter as long as it didn't affect him, he visibly relaxed and continued, "Because my young lady is very interested in this case, the handling method might be... a little bit extreme." "How extreme?" "Well... I'm afraid it would be to the point where he'd need to be rushed to the hospital immediately if things got out of hand." Hearing that Yoo Ha-young's intervention had led to Chi Eun-hyeok being over-hospitated, I just nodded without saying anything more. 'Anyway, it's not important.' Even if this guy is left with a lifelong disability or spends half his life in the hospital—as long as he doesn't bother Yoo Anna. Besides, I've already erased all related records of the detective agency with the system, so honestly, I wouldn't even blink if he died. "Open the door, let me see the situation." "Understood." Kang Cheol-sik, who was originally worried about the monster's anger, was relieved to see my calm reaction. 'If he really gets angry, I must immediately inform the young lady not to come and contact him.' "This terrifying figure is far beyond their current capabilities to withstand. Even seasoned veterans couldn't even touch the monster's clothes; who could stop it? Even Liu Yin, the most capable fighter in the organization, could only hold out for a short while against that speed; defeat was inevitable." —A knock sounded on the steel door, and the henchman responsible for surveillance immediately opened it. "What is it, boss... wailing?!" The henchman, bowing in greeting, glanced at me and recoiled as if he'd seen a ghost. "It's one of the detective agency's guys." It was Lee Jae-hoon's lackey, the one who had first rushed up at the agency, his thug-like aura unforgettable. "Is the person inside awake?" "..." The henchman, meeting my gaze, trembled, forgetting even to answer Kang Cheol-sik's question. "Jung-soo!" "Yes, yes! He's been awake the whole time!" Startled back to reality by the shout, Jung-soo quickly responded, then clung to the wall like a gecko, making way for me. Stepping inside, I glanced at Chi Eun-hyeok, strapped to a steel chair, and gasped in shock under the dim light. "Wow...that's terrible." The situation was far worse than I'd expected—his arm was broken in one section, not a single patch of exposed skin was intact, and he was hunched over, muttering to himself. As I leaned closer, I heard him repeatedly say: "Please...spare me...it's all my fault, please stop hitting me...""I don't know if it's due to innate weakness or excessive torture, but even if his injuries heal, he probably won't be able to live a normal life." His mental breakdown is more severe than I imagined. "He was begging for mercy just a few days ago, and by the fifth day he's like this." Seeing Chi Eun-hye's miserable state, Kang Cheol-sik cautiously observed my expression and whispered, "I hope nothing goes wrong." From an outsider's perspective, his reaction seems normal, but it's hard to say when he might suddenly turn hostile. Extremely nervous, Kang Cheol-sik's mouth was dry, and he kept sticking out his tongue to moisten his lips: "But can this injury really be handled without alerting outsiders?" "We have partner hospitals; sending him there can be completely handled." "Absolutely no word will leak out?" "That's a base that started operating during the previous leader's time; you can rest assured." Seeing his confident assurance, I nodded in approval: "Well done. Although this kid has been through a lot, after this lesson, he shouldn't dare to have any more crooked thoughts." "No, thank you so much!" Kang Cheol-sik, who had been worried about being scolded, bowed his head in thanks after hearing the praise. (EP0408) After accepting Kang Cheol-sik's thanks, I slowly walked towards Ji Eun-hyuk and struck up a conversation with him. "Hey Ji Eun-hyuk, Eun-hyuk, do you know who I am?" "I hate the pain... I'll be good, please don't hit me..." Looking at this guy whose mind had completely collapsed and who couldn't even have a normal conversation, I felt a strange sense of frustration. 'Ending like this is too simplistic...' Seeing the miserable state of the guy who once coveted Liu Anna was satisfying, but still not enough. Now, his mechanical repetition of "Don't hit me" made him look like a puppet. Regretting not witnessing his utter despair, I decided to temporarily restore his sanity. 'System, do you have any stimulant items that can temporarily restore mental function?' [Such items exist. However, if the target's mental damage is too severe, the effect won't last long.] 'Whatever, purchase.' [Understood.] Curious about how a conscious Chi Eun-hyeok would react, I had the system purchase a stimulant that could temporarily restore his sanity. After the purchased stimulant materialized in my hand, I grabbed his hair, forced him to look up, and poured the drug directly into his open mouth. 'What are you doing?' As Jiang Zhezhi, who had been observing quietly, was filled with confusion— "Don't hit me... I'll never do it again... uh?" Ji Eunhyuk, who had been begging for mercy, began to regain light in his empty eyes due to the effects of the stimulant. "I... how did I get here..." "Are you more awake?" "Lee Jinseok...?" When this guy, whose mental breakdown and memory loss were caused by the torture, began to regain consciousness, he looked at me with an incredulous expression: "You bastard, how did you get here!" The stimulant that eliminated his fear allowed him to recall what had happened, and he questioned me about why I was there. "Why am I here? Of course, it's because I'm the one who commissioned you to be like this." "You... did it?" "You messed with someone else's girlfriend and thought you could get away with it?" "Because of you! It's all because of you! That's why I'm like this!!" "Yeah, I did it." "Fuck your mother!!" "Upon learning the truth, Ji Eun-hyuk flew into a rage, roaring at me despite his battered body. 'Shut up, Eun-hyuk, want another beating?' 'Shut up! It's all your fault! You made me break up with Anna! I'll kill you! I'll absolutely kill you, you bastard!!' Even as the trauma of his beatings was touched, he was completely consumed by rage, still frantically shouting that he would kill me. 'What kind of potent drug did he use...' Kang Cheol-sik, who witnessed the whole thing, saw that the drug given by the monster had actually brought the mentally broken man back to his senses, and fear surged into his heart again. Ji Eun-hyuk's mental damage should have been incurable, yet now he had regained consciousness with just one bottle of medicine, going mad with his battered body. Kang Cheol-sik, who was used to torture and forced confessions, couldn't understand the situation at all. 'As long as I get out of here, I will definitely kill you!' 'Is that all you've got?' 'No! I'll take Anna back! I'll kidnap you and rape her in front of you!! And then I'll kill you!'" "!" His crazy talk of threatening to assault Liu Anna in front of me was unpleasant, but since it was impossible anyway, I just sneered and replied: "Can you do it?" "You think I can't?! Huh?!" "Can't do it, right? No, you really can't. Anna can't live without me anymore." "Just produce evidence of your infidelity! Anna will come back to me!!" Faced with this madman who firmly believed that exposing his infidelity would win back Liu Anna, I decided to tell him the truth. "Shall we try now?" "Wh...?" "Didn't you say that seeing the photos would make her change her mind? I'll let you try. I'm curious about the result." Wanting to shatter his last delusions, I said to Jiang Zhezhi, who was watching quietly: "Untie him and send the photos to his phone." "Now? Now?" "Yes, you have Ji Eunhyuk's phone." "The phone has... but not the kind of photos he accused me of." "Then I'll send them to you, give me the phone first." "Understood." Hearing there was a lack of evidence, I decided to send a more conclusive photo than what they had secretly taken—a photo of me and Lee Se-yeon kissing, transmitted to their phone via the system. "Here, this is more solid evidence than your investigation. Give it a try!" "Hahaha!! Finally! Anna is finally coming back to me!!" When the freed-from-bound Ji Eun-hyeok received the photo of me and Lee Se-yeon kissing in his seat, he was overjoyed and immediately forwarded it to Yoo Anna, informing her of the affair. "Serves you right! You bastard! Anna is mine now!!" His manic eyes were filled with joy, as if Yoo Anna already belonged to him. I stared into those eyes, waiting to see what expression he would show when this illusory hope shattered. A while passed. "Uh...? Uh-huh?" "Why isn't this the answer you wanted?" "It can't be! Absolutely not!!" "Chi Eun-hyuk seemed to have received some kind of message from Yoo Anna, his expression one of utter disbelief, followed by a loud, screaming outrage. Seeing his reaction, I, who was already curious about the reply, went over to check the message. - Mr. Jin-seok might misunderstand, please don't contact me privately anymore. I'll block you. Completely ignoring the photo and description Chi Eun-hyuk sent, true to her nature, she replied with a concise and cold response, neither hesitant nor verbose. What I expected to be a powerful attack turned into a completely ineffective response. Seeing such a clean break, I finally couldn't hold back my laughter. "Hahaha!!!" "Shut up! Don't laugh!! Don't laugh!!" "Pfft! Pfft hehehehe!!!" "The woman I've secretly loved for over ten years was stolen away. To win her back, I even fabricated a story about cheating, only to be met with a cold reply and being blocked. This guy, yelling 'Don't laugh!' at a time like this, his pathetic state was truly comical; I laughed until my stomach hurt. 'Haa... ah, my stomach hurts.' Watching me revel in my mockery, Chi Eun-hyuk tried to call and persuade Yoo Anna, but— -the user is temporarily unavailable. 'Ah...' It seems even the phone number was blocked; as soon as I dialed, I heard a mechanical voice saying it couldn't be answered. Chi Eun-hyuk slumped in his chair, stunned, with a look of utter despair. 'Now you understand? At that level, your relationship with her is utterly insignificant.' 'No...no...Anna couldn't possibly ignore me...' 'What, you took it seriously just because that pretty girl played around with you for a moment?' 'Shut up! What do you know about us?!' The guy, trying to escape reality, was enraged by my words. 'I've loved her for ten years!'" "How could a bastard like you, whom I just met, possibly date her?!" "But she said she likes me more?" "Nonsense!! First, you must have threatened her! You piece of trash! Not only are you two-timing her, but you also have something on Anna?!" "Sigh... there's no point in continuing this conversation." Perhaps he was too shocked, even after being told the truth, he began to distort the facts. I decided to ignore him. "It will be back to normal later, tie him up first." "Okay, okay? Understood." Feeling there was no need for further words, I had Jiang Zhezhi re-tie him up. Just as I was about to leave the factory— "Die!!" Completely out of his mind, Ji Eunhyuk lunged at me with murderous intent, but— "Gulp!" Before I could react, Jiang Zhezhi beside me had already subdued him with a slap. "I'll handle the aftermath." "Please." Seeing his hesitant subordinate approach, whom he had initially met with fear, Jiang Zhezhi handed over Ji Eunhyuk and, watching Lee Jinseok's retreating figure, dialed a number: "Yes, brother." "Has the young lady arrived yet?" "She's waiting outside the factory with us." "The mission was successfully completed; the target is about to emerge." "Understood. I'll inform the young lady and prepare accordingly." "No matter what happens, the young lady's safety is our priority." "Don't worry, brother. That's why we came here." "It's up to you." Knowing the monster was returning, and having instructed them to protect the young lady to the death as a precaution, Jiang Zhezhi sighed as he faced the final hurdle. "Haa..."I thought retirement would bring some relief. The first job is finally done. Since the monster seems satisfied, things should be a little safer. Praying nothing goes wrong, Kang Cheol-sik hurriedly chased after the monster. — [Yoo Ha-young has arrived at the factory perimeter] After making Ji Eun-hyeok pay a sufficient price, I walked through the abandoned factory, anticipating the system's notification. 'Let's see how beautiful she is.' According to the system's information, Yoo Ha-young is a remarkably beautiful woman. The thought of being able to peek at her information with the "Eye of Desire" made my anticipation hard to suppress. "Are you satisfied?" Kang Cheol-sik, who had just finished a phone call, quietly approached from behind. I truthfully told him my thoughts: "Hmm... the ending was a bit boring, but it was alright." "I'm very sorry, we should have handled it better." "Never mind, anyway, I had a lot of fun." "Thank you for your understanding." After the conversation ended, the two walked silently through the abandoned factory, where light occasionally filtered in. Near the exit, Jiang Zhezhi suddenly stepped forward, blocking their path and kneeling on one knee. "What are you doing?" Seeing him suddenly kneel and block the exit, I asked in confusion. He pressed his forehead to the ground and said, "I'm sorry. Actually, a very important person who wanted to see you came to visit, but I deliberately didn't report it." "Someone wants to see me?" "Yes...she's waiting up ahead." Although I already knew that Liu Heying was waiting outside, I decided to pretend I didn't know—after all, I didn't want to reveal that I possessed too much information. "Why didn't you say so earlier?" "It was that important person's request." "You kept it from me for such a reason?" "I'm extremely sorry...I'm willing to pay the price as you request, just so you can see her." In Jiang Zhezhi's mind, I was currently an invincible, cataclysmic monster. I was already planning to see Liu Heying anyway, but if I was too mild-mannered, that guy might come looking for trouble later, so I deliberately acted tough. "Why should I go?" "You are the master I serve. Please come." The submissive manner of this man, twenty years my senior, made me decide to stop there. "Understood." "Thank you very much." "No need to thank me so early. I'll get my money back with interest later." "Of course, we will definitely pay you the full amount you requested." "Then lead the way." "Yes." Hearing the directions, Jiang Zhezhi stood up from his seat, bowed ninety degrees to me again in thanks, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door. EP0409 Pushing open the door, I could see Liu Heying, whom I had only seen in photos transmitted by the system. Just looking at the holographic photo was enough to feel the seductive charm she exuded; I was really looking forward to seeing her in person. "Open the door." Thinking that I would soon be able to use the 'Eye of Lust' to observe her, I nodded the moment Jiang Zhezhi announced the door opening. 'Finally, we're going to meet.' Just as I was wondering what special fetishes this stunning beauty might have, the door opened as Jiang Zhezhi led the way, and the first thing I saw was several subordinates. "Is everything done?" "Yes, but Miss..." "She said she had something to attend to and left temporarily." "This..." I looked around for Liu Heying, and from Jiang Zhezhi's conversation with his subordinates, I learned that she had just gone out for a short while. Jiang Zhezhi, clearly assuming I had overheard the whole thing, returned with a troubled expression and explained: "I'm very sorry, Miss has temporarily left her seat. Could you please wait a moment?" "I don't like waiting." "Although this request is very impolite..." "Just ten minutes." "Thank you very much, I'll contact her right away." "Upon learning that I had to wait for Liu Heying's return, I deliberately feigned displeasure—a perfect opportunity to demand more reward. After Jiang Zhezhi went to make the contact, I began to scrutinize the guards left behind. 'Hmm... System, retrieve these people's information?' Since I had nothing better to do and would have to deal with Liu Heying sooner or later, the system immediately provided information: [All personnel here are combat personnel under Liu Heying's command, ranking among the top 15 in combat strength within the organization.] 'Oh?' [Of course, this is measured by human standards; if you, user, were to get serious, you could suppress them in an instant.] The fact that they mobilized the organization's core combat force as guards made me even more interested. I wanted to chat with someone while waiting, but these ruthless thugs, who had been living on the edge of death, all avoided my gaze. 'How exactly do they describe me?' I managed to make these desperados not even have the courage to fight. The most prominent characteristic of a warrior is excessive pride, but I saw none of that here. 'It would be interesting to have a villain at a time like this.'" Like those cliché plot devices where someone jumps out to provoke, "Are you the one Big Brother was talking about?" Unfortunately, no one in the hierarchical organization dares to act recklessly. Just as I was getting bored and about to switch back to the system interface, I suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the shadows of the parking lot. 'Hmm?' Even though they were all unfamiliar faces, that silhouette felt strangely familiar. Although the parking area was shrouded in darkness, my 'demigod body' allowed me to clearly spot the other person. With my will activated my night vision, the night became as bright as day. 'Han Zhenzhe?' Recognizing him as the guy who gave me the excuse at the detective agency last time, I cheerfully greeted him: "Hey, you hiding in the parking lot, come out." —Rustling! Startled by being exposed, Han Zhenzhe tripped over a bush in his panic. "If you keep hiding, I'll come over." Hearing me say that, he slowly walked over. (Encrypted characters remain unchanged) "Long time no see, do you still recognize me?" "Y-yes... It's been a long time." He desperately exuded reluctance in the shadows, but forced a smile once he stepped into the light. "Your injuries are all healed?" "Thanks to you, I'm mostly recovered." "Then tell me why you came back then?" "I'm truly sorry about that..." I had broken his arm during the attack and then healed him with a healing potion; he was now bowing deeply in apology. "I didn't want to hear your apology. Look up." "Yes, sir." I had intended to lighten the mood with a joke, but seeing his almost frozen expression, I felt a pang of guilt. However, contrary to my consideration, Han Zhenzhe, facing Li Zhenshuo, was already drenched in cold sweat. 'I'm doomed...' When he was initially assigned here, he was overjoyed to be able to serve this exceptionally capable young lady. But this relief was fleeting—the thought of his duty to protect Miss if that monster caused trouble again on the way to the detective agency plunged him into deep despair. "How could I possibly protect Miss from a monster like that..." Back then, in a more confined space, even their combined attack, using their numbers, failed to harm it in the slightest. What was the point of ranking against a monster with absolute power? Recalling how that monster toyed with him like a child still sent shivers down his spine. He, ranked high in the organization, was utterly powerless then. The only punch he landed was merely a handout from the monster. That's why he'd deliberately hidden in a corner to avoid eye contact today, yet he'd still been caught red-handed; he could only accept his bad luck. "What's the tension? Did you do something wrong?" "N-no!" "Can't you relax a bit?" "Yes, ma'am!!" Seeing his tense, soldier-like demeanor, I decided to let the poor wretch go. After all, tormenting the innocent wasn't my hobby. I'd intended to chat to pass the time, but his attitude was truly disappointing. The guards who witnessed everything were dumbfounded—the usually silent and dignified Senior Han Zhenzhe had actually lost his composure like this. "Is Senior usually like this?" "What happened to make him like this?" "My respected senior actually..." Despite their different thoughts, anyone would be shocked to see the expert known for his cold aura showing fear. My plan to strike up a conversation failed again. I was about to use my Lustful Eyes to observe the only woman present when I saw Jiang Zhezhi running over after ending the call, so I temporarily gave up. "I must save the first time for Liu Heying." Although my ability was always available, I had to use it on her first today, no matter what. "Contact status?" "The reply said they would arrive within three minutes." After a short wait, a vehicle indeed appeared in the distance. As the dark-painted luxury imported sedan came to a stop, a tall woman stepped out of the driver's seat. "Oh...""Not bad." While focused on waiting for Liu Heying, I unexpectedly discovered that this female driver was quite stunning. Her robotically perfect expressionless face possessed a novel charm, and her graceful movements were even more captivating. Among the beauties I kept, this quality was unique. Just as I was planning to use my ability on her later, the guard opened the back door. With her long black hair flowing, a beauty far beyond what the system's photos could capture finally appeared. Compared to the static image, every pore of her exuded a fatal attraction. The moment Liu Heying, who was slowly walking towards me, met my gaze, I immediately activated my Lustful Eyes. Name: Liu Heying Age: 28 Height: 167cm Weight: 55kg Bust size: G cup. Sensitive areas: Ears, genitals, nipples, anus. Virginity: Yes. Sexual fetish: To conquer men with a strong will. Libido level: Low. Status: Interested in Li Zhenshuo, who single-handedly suppressed the organization's top fighters. The proudly erect G-cup under the black tuxedo perfectly met expectations, and even more surprising was that she was still a virgin at 28. "Ah ha! I thought the people in the underworld would have gotten tired of her by now!" "While I'm not personally into masochism, it doesn't matter—I can change their orientation at will anyway. But when I saw her unusually low libido, I couldn't help but frown. 'Women who have had sex usually have at least a lower-middle level libido...' Having seen countless women, I immediately realized this was extremely abnormal. Just as I was pondering this, I noticed Liu Heying standing gracefully in front of me. She had been staring at me ever since I got off the bus, but now she bowed elegantly as if it were our first meeting. This contradictory gesture, set against her alluring aura, seemed perfectly natural. An ordinary man would probably have been stunned into forgetting to return the greeting, but fortunately, my experience allowed me to handle it calmly. 'Hello.'" "I deliberately used plain language to test her reaction, but unfortunately, her expression remained completely unchanged. 'Looks like things won't go too smoothly...' To gain an advantage in the initial confrontation, Yoo Ha-young had meticulously dressed up and even touched up her makeup. Now, facing the unmoved Lee Jin-seok, this thought couldn't help but cross her mind. In the past, when she first displayed this demeanor, most men would freeze in shock, even missing the chance to greet her. Observing their flustered reactions and then further shaking their composure, controlling the pace of the conversation from the very beginning was her usual tactic. However, even though she greeted him with all her might, his reaction—not even a twitch of his eyebrows—was clearly different from those casual acquaintances. EP0410 While Lee Jin-seok was pondering Yoo Ha-young's plans, I had already discerned what she was thinking and could even predict the direction of the conversation. 'She's probably considering recruitment.' According to intelligence, this woman's desire for talent is almost obsessive—at this moment, she's probably calculating how to bring me under her wing." Although she was adept at using her beauty as a weapon, this tactic was completely ineffective against me. After all, I was surrounded by women whose looks were comparable to hers or even more outstanding. Just as I was trying to figure out how to start the conversation, her suddenly lowered eyes caught my attention. "First of all, please allow me to sincerely apologize." "Because of the detective agency?" "Yes, our negligence caused you unpleasantness..." Looking at her earnest appearance, I secretly raised an eyebrow. 'She certainly knows how to use her advantages.' Even though it was an apology occasion, she insisted on putting on a pitiful look. This deliberate display of charm annoyed me. Seeing that I was unmoved by her beauty, she immediately switched to a lively tone: "Of course, it's not just a verbal apology, I specially prepared a gift for you today!" "Chi Eun-hyuk?" Her eyes lit up: "You're really perceptive! Are you satisfied with this gift?" I replied indifferently: "Barely passable, but far from meeting my standards." "These words clearly stung her pride—after all, she had risked everything to carry out the kidnapping and imprisonment, even personally participating in the torture." "What exactly was lacking?" "I prefer mental torture to physical harm." "I, on the other hand, prefer a two-pronged approach!" she retorted defiantly. Then, she listed various methods with remarkable familiarity: only one meal a day, controlled water intake, implanting false hope, restricting sleep... "Have I stepped on a landmine?" I, who had only intended to intimidate her, now felt like I had stirred up a hornet's nest. "Those are just basic torture methods." "Do you have even more cruel methods?" "Describing is too abstract; let's demonstrate." To avoid an endless argument, I decided to show the video of Chi Enhe's tragic end stored in the system. "Playing it on a phone is too boring..." Just as I changed my mind, the system notified me: [Holographic projection can proceed after permission is granted] A moment later, a giant holographic projection unfolded before us. "This...""What is this?!" "Protect the young lady!" Jiang Zhezhi led his guards into a defensive formation in an instant. The burly man at the front shouted sharply: "What exactly do you want?!" Jiang Zhezhi, who had clearly said he wouldn't act rashly, was panicked by the appearance of the holographic image. Although the sudden appearance of that strange device was indeed surprising, his excessive tension and panic towards me prevented him from even considering such a simple fact—if I really had that intention, I wouldn't need to show that thing; I could subdue him in an instant with my bare hands. 'Looks like he cherishes his subordinates quite a bit.' Just how much does he value them to show such a reaction after being treated like that? This made me quite curious. "Don't be so afraid." "Th-what do you mean?" "Didn't we agree to show you how I treat Ji Eun-hyuk?" "With that, he instructed the system to play the recorded footage, and the floating holographic screen began to emit sound. "This is just a direct reproduction of the recording device from that time; there's no need to be so tense." "...I am truly sorry for causing a commotion." "I also bear responsibility for not explaining things clearly enough, but I will let it go this time." "I'm extremely grateful..." Kang Cheol-sik, seemingly calmed by the confirmation of harmlessness, stared stiffly at the holographic screen. 'When was this recorded?' He hadn't seen Ji Eun-hyuk install any devices during their conversation. Even when the monster was close, he'd carefully checked out of the corner of his eye to see if the other was carrying anything suspicious, but there was nothing amiss. He'd only felt somewhat relieved because he thought the other was harmless, but seeing this now forced him to tense up again. 'And this kind of device...' Even as a member of the underworld, extremely sensitive to information and technology, he'd never heard of such an unfamiliar object—a holographic screen that could project beams of light from thin air to play images. This unbelievable sight made him even more nervous. 'Speaking of which, there's also that strange potion.' A drug that could restore Chi Eun-hyeok, whose mind had been broken by intense torture, to normal within minutes. The underworld had seen countless banned drugs, but one that could instantly reverse a completely shattered mind was unheard of. Even potent hallucinogenic drugs would cause mental instability, but this stuff had no side effects. Faced with such unfathomable secrets, a sense of dread arose. 'How many secrets are still hidden…' The terrifying force used to suppress the gang, the interrogation techniques more destructive to the mind than professional torturers, coupled with the bizarre device of unknown origin. Witnessing this display of power, which was far from its full strength, Kang Cheol-sik secretly vowed to monitor him even more closely. —While Kang Cheol-sik was worrying alone, for Lee Jin-seok, an opponent he wouldn't bother with unless provoked was not a concern at all. 'Is this reasonable?!' Staring at the holographic screen that appeared out of thin air and the image playing, Liu Heying was utterly shocked. She had heard that similar effects could be achieved with hovering drones, but at this moment, there was clearly nothing around him. In this environment, the image quality far surpassed the clarity and color reproduction of a beam projector; how could this not be terrifying? Liu Heying, witnessing the Creator's super-technology "Med System" for the first time, was trembling with astonishment when— -You bastard!!! ! ... When the footage finally revealed that his girlfriend knew but remained indifferent, she almost applauded his brilliant performance. "Speaking of which..." Perhaps the images calmed her mind, and Liu Heying finally remembered her initial reason for watching the video—an overreaction stemming from a wounded pride. Facing a near-stranger, he had precisely hit her most sensitive nerve based on their first conversation. "What a terrifying talent!" Even she, skilled at using her beauty as an actress, was stung. This ability to see through people ignited a burning desire in Liu Heying to possess him at all costs. If she could use this ability to negotiate with competing organizations in other regions, it would be a tremendous asset. — After the video ended, the organization members, having learned the whole story, felt a pang of sympathy for the poor, bound man. He had hired a detective to investigate his weaknesses in order to win back his girlfriend, only to discover his target was a monster. The monster, realizing he was being investigated, turned around and destroyed the detective agency, kidnapped his client, tortured him to break his spirit, treated him to recover, and then subjected him to further mental torture. The act of trying to salvage the relationship ultimately led to destruction, a tragic outcome for anyone. "We'd rather die than mess with him." Realizing the consequences of offending someone, everyone resolved to stay away from this cruel monster—after all, the slightest misstep could mean they themselves were the protagonist in the holographic screen. While the organization members trembled with fear, Liu Heying, who had witnessed Li Zhenshuo's astonishing talent, was eager for a deeper conversation with him. "Thanks to you for making me clearly aware of my shortcomings, thank you for reminding me." "Another case of all talk and no action?" "No, I also hate empty talk. If it's convenient, would you please come to my humble abode to continue our conversation?" Her tone seemed to change because of my approval of her, and I nodded in agreement to the invitation. "Sounds good." "Then please come with me, I'll arrange a comfortable ride for you." "That won't be necessary, I have my own car." Liu Heying pointed to her car, indicating she was willing to give me a ride, but I politely declined her offer—after all, I didn't want to entrust my beloved car to a stranger. If I got into her car, I'd either have to go through all that trouble, or someone else would have to take over, and I didn't want either of those situations. "Oh... if you don't mind, may I ride with you?" "Sure." "Miss, you absolutely mustn't!" When I agreed to let her ride in Li Zhenshuo's car, the guards immediately objected. But after Liu Heying coldly glanced at them and pointed at Liu Yin, the noise immediately fell silent. "That guard is getting in too?" "If you allow it, that would be great." "It's just one more person." "My God, you're so generous. Thank you so much." In the end, Liu Heying and Liu Yin managed to shake off the organization members. Before getting into the car, she suddenly said to me: EP0411 When I agreed to let Liu Yin ride with me, she walked up to me and suddenly spoke before getting in. "Please allow me to drive." Liu Yin, expressionless, stood by the driver's seat and said that she wanted to drive herself. But I've never liked letting others touch my car, so I refused directly: "No, I hate it when people touch my things." "That's against the rules." She rejected my refusal without hesitation, standing there expressionless. That silent pressure seemed to declare: unless she drives, she won't back down. She's clearly just hitchhiking, yet her skin is incredibly thick. This only fueled my competitive spirit, making me even more unwilling to give in. "Didn't I say no?" "This is the young lady's vehicle. I should drive it." "This is my car. If you're not satisfied, you can ride in another car." "I'm the young lady's bodyguard; we can't operate separately. Who knows what might happen?" "Then you'll ride with that young lady—I'll say it one last time, I will never hand the car over to anyone else." It's clearly my car, but just because that young lady wants to ride in it, she stubbornly insists that she must drive it. Even when I told her to get out if she didn't want to, she still invoked her status as Liu Heying's bodyguard and wouldn't budge. 'This crazy woman...?' Seeing her unusual obsession with matters concerning Liu Heying, I even suspected she might have mental problems. Although she was a guard, causing trouble for someone without her master's permission—if a man dared to do that, I would have beaten him to a pulp and thrown him to the side of the road long ago. Continuing to entangle with this crazy woman would only make things worse. I looked at Liu Heying, who frowned slightly and said to Liu Yin, "Yin'er, they've clearly refused." "That's unreasonable. I have a responsibility to ensure Miss's safety." Even with her master's clear statement, Liu Yin persisted. Realizing she had lost face in front of her new recruit, Liu Heying's face grew even uglier: "Liu Yin, are you going to disobey my orders now?" "This subordinate wouldn't dare. It's purely out of concern for Miss—" "Then why won't you listen to a word I'm saying?" Liu Yin, who was staring coldly at me, suddenly noticed the change in her master's tone. The moment their eyes met, she finally realized she had made a grave mistake. "I'm so sorry, Miss. I overstepped my bounds." "Heh...you should be apologizing to someone other than me, shouldn't you?" "...I'm so sorry." At Liu Heying's prompting, the guard who had been so stubborn just moments before bowed his head and apologized to me. "Alright then." "Although I was quite annoyed by her attitude of harassing me while trying to hitch a ride, I decided to tolerate it for the time being. 'If she weren't so pretty, I would have made her face to the ground long ago.' The well-tailored suit accentuated her graceful figure, paired with that beautiful face—otherwise, given her attitude, I would have made her kiss the asphalt with her face long ago. 'Unexpectedly magnanimous?' Seeing that I let the matter go so easily, Liu Heying was secretly surprised. When she first heard about this person from Jiang Zhezhi, the evaluation she received was 'a human bomb that should never be provoked,' but the actual reaction was quite different from her expectations. 'Could it be that Uncle found out wrong?' This time, Liu Yin's unreasonable behavior was a test arranged in advance. She deliberately provoked the other party to start a fight, wanting to see what it would be like for the person whom Uncle called a 'monster' to fight against the organization's top combat force. Now that the plan had failed, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. 'It's a pity... If the negotiations go smoothly, that's fine, but if it fails, I'm afraid I will never have the chance to see it again.' 'We're about to leave, everyone get in the car.'" Just as Liu Heying was lost in thought, she heard my voice. She concealed her regret and got into the back seat Liu Yin had opened. After confirming her safe arrival, Liu Yin bowed to me before getting into the passenger seat. Having witnessed this tedious door-opening ritual the entire time, I almost couldn't resist rolling my eyes. 'What a nuisance.' Watching someone else open and close the car door for me, that fussy, over-the-top manner was nauseating. — After the car had been driving for quite some time. "Oh dear! My memory is terrible, I completely forgot to introduce myself!" The awkward atmosphere from the previous incident hadn't dissipated, but Liu Heying nonchalantly broke the silence. Under the guise of introducing herself, she cheerfully extended her hand: "Twenty-eight years old, single, likes strong men—I'm Liu Heying." Seemingly convinced that seduction wouldn't work on me, she switched to a playful tone for her introduction. Faced with this, I hesitated for a moment before deciding to respond coldly. I gently took her outstretched hand: "Twenty-four years old, Lee Jin-seok." "...Huh?" "What's wrong?" "You said twenty-four earlier? Now?" "Looks like I look older than I thought?" "No...it's not that, I just didn't expect him to be so young." Hearing that Lee Jin-seok was only twenty-four, Yoo Ha-young was quite surprised by this age, which was far below her expectations. 'His face and demeanor were so mature and composed, I thought he was at least around my age...' With his mature appearance and composed aura that seemed completely out of place for twenty-four, anyone would think he was much older. But actually hearing that he was only twenty-four, this age that was completely different from her expectations, made her a little flustered. Since her purpose was to meet him personally, Yoo Ha-young deliberately didn't gather any information about him beforehand. Compared to secondhand information mixed with other people's subjective judgments, the process of discovering things for herself was much more interesting. 'After all, they're talents she's recruiting; this level of effort is expected.' In fact, she would get to know all those she liked and decided to recruit through face-to-face interactions like this. In the shadowy world, building trust is far more practical than superficial relationships maintained with money. Of course, not gathering intelligence herself doesn't mean others will stand idly by. Her bodyguard, Liu Yin, would always investigate everyone Liu Heying was going to meet beforehand. If any suspicious or dangerous signs were discovered, the number of bodyguards would be increased to an absurd degree. "Yin'er, shouldn't you introduce yourself too?" "I'm the same age as Miss, twenty-eight years old. My name is Liu Yin." Like me, Liu Yin only gave the most basic information. Her gaze remained fixed straight ahead during her self-introduction. Various situations could easily arise while traveling, so one must be vigilant at all times. Of course, with me, who was driving with superhuman abilities, the possibility of an accident was practically nonexistent. During the ride, only Liu Heying talked incessantly, while Liu Yin and I occasionally exchanged a few words, and that's how we arrived at our destination. 'Isn't this taciturn persona a bit r