"Hah."
Xiaochen let out a hollow laugh.
Liu Gai collapsed, spraying blood into the air.
Even though she had seen it with her own eyes, the scene still didn't feel real.
Where did that swordsmanship come from?
She hadn't missed Jinhyuk's movements.
From the moment he planted his foot and kicked off the ground, to the instant he slid sideways and sliced—she saw it all clearly.
But seeing it didn't mean the speed was anything less than terrifying.
How many people on this ship could possibly avoid that blade?
At most, three.
"X–Xiaochen-nim."
The subordinates waiting nearby looked to Xiaochen.
All of them were fully armed and ready to fight at a moment's notice.
All they needed was Xiaochen's command.
Footsteps.
Jingyan returned from the pilothouse.
Her face was ghostly pale—whatever she had seen, it didn't need to be explained.
How?
Jinhyuk was alone.
He had never once left their sight.
The Zhiyou people who were aboard the ship had already escaped on lifeboats.
So how had he dealt with the government soldiers and Liu Gai's underlings in the pilothouse?
And without making even the faintest noise?
This isn't his first time killing.
Even after cutting down Liu Gai, Jinhyuk's face remained completely calm.
Not a shred different from when they had first met at Incheon Airport.
He wiped the blood from his blade with practiced ease, then lifted his head.
His eyes met Xiaochen's.
"You saw everything, so you know—Liu Gai broke the deal first."
"I know."
"So the promise made on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is void."
"Are you saying you won't come with me?"
"Yes. I'm going to take that ship over there and head home."
Xiaochen's men slowly stepped forward.
They looked ready to jump him at any second.
"I have a question. When did you start predicting things would turn out like this?"
Everything Jinhyuk had done was far too thorough—and far too natural—for it to be improvisation.
Jinhyuk shrugged.
"Predicting? I trusted you would keep your word until just a little while ago."
"What an absurd lie."
Xiaochen let out a short laugh.
It seemed Jinhyuk wanted to remain a pure victim of China's dirty deception to the very end.
Xiaochen watched him for a moment, then turned around with a spin.
"Jingyan. Contact Shanghai and have them send another ship. Burn this one."
Jingyan and the others widened their eyes.
To let him leave like this?
That was a decision the Xiaochen they knew would never make.
Xiaochen exhaled softly, then glanced back.
"We'll meet again."
"See you later."
Jinhyuk gave a polite bow and hurled himself off the deck into the sea.
They watched him splash away.
Xiaochen had wondered how he planned to cross the boundary zone; apparently, the answer was swimming.
This man never stopped doing the unexpected.
"X–Xiaochen-nim…!"
"Hm?"
A blood-soaked Lu Mai crawled into view.
He was severely injured but had somehow held himself together with his awakened ability.
"Who did this to you?"
"S… save… me…"
He was too far gone to give anything meaningful.
Crunch.
Jingyan covered her mouth.
Xiaochen had casually stomped down on Lu Mai's neck.
"Today, we saw nothing. We were never on this ship. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!!"
Xiaochen nodded and walked toward the ship's edge.
As he did, he questioned himself.
Why hadn't he captured the Runner? Because of the promise on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain?
Impossible.
A faint smirk crossed his lips.
His hands trembled lightly.
It was the first time in his life—
The first time he had ever looked at someone and felt certain he could not win.
Throughout the entire trip, he had felt a strange dissonance.
Jinhyuk had been brought here nearly as a hostage.
Everything was overwhelmingly unfavorable and dangerous for him.
And yet Jinhyuk had shown no fear, no hesitation.
In fact, he'd been more relaxed than anyone else on the ship—joking around with the Zhiyou people.
At first, Xiaochen had assumed it was simply bravado.
But now the truth was clear.
Jinhyuk had never once considered himself disadvantaged.
Not even for a moment.
That was why he could remain so at ease.
This is going to cause an uproar…
Xiaochen planned to bury today's events.
But that wouldn't stop Jinhyuk's existence from being discovered.
Someone like him couldn't be hidden.
He was far too big a factor—he would sweep across the world.
A wind of change strong enough to overturn the entire playing field.
Jinhyuk was paddling hard when he dipped his face beneath the water.
Eyes wide open, he stared into the pitch-black abyss below.
Terrifying!
His arms and legs sped up instinctively.
This was his first time in the waters near the boundary.
It felt like a shark could leap up at any moment.
He reached the ship in no time.
Instead of waiting for someone to pull him up, he grabbed a handle and vaulted onto the deck.
"Whew."
Landing cleanly, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
His heart pounded.
Rivers were definitely better than the sea.
He lifted his head at the prickling sensation of countless eyes.
Jin Yunho, Cheon Seyun, Min Yugyeong, Gu Injune—even the Zhiyou people.
All of them stared at him in stunned silence.
Yunho was the first to snap out of it.
"J–Jinhyuk-ssi."
He didn't bother asking if he was okay.
He'd seen everything through binoculars—the fight, Liu Gai failing to even touch him.
"How did you defeat a Chinese Ranker…?"
Jinhyuk pulled an empty bottle from his bag.
"I tricked him into drinking poison. Then sliced him during the opening."
Yunho swallowed hard.
He truly didn't understand this man.
Or rather—Jinhyuk scared him.
He was a bright, friendly young man on the surface.
But once he determined someone was an enemy, he used any method without hesitation.
Cheon Seyun came next, carefully checking him over.
He was too clean to need healing.
"It's a relief Xiaochen-halabeoji let you go. If he'd kept pushing, things could have gotten messy."
"Xiaochen…"
Seyun muttered, staring at the ship in the distance.
Ranker Xiaochen.
A man with abnormally strong obsession and possessiveness.
There was no way such a man would simply let Jinhyuk go.
Did he show mercy? Or…
Seyun looked at Jinhyuk again.
…was he forced to let him go?
The latter seemed far more likely, though still unreal.
Her thoughts spiraled, a chain of questions swelling inside her.
How much did she truly know about Yoo Jinhyuk?
"Xiaochen-halabeoji intends to bury everything. He said they'd blow up that ship and transfer to the one from Shanghai."
"Yes. He has no choice. Even a Ranker can't afford to make the entire Chinese government his enemy."
Yunho glanced at the Zhiyou group.
Dozens of people had defected and sought naturalization—the first case in history.
If this got out, Xiaochen would be held responsible in some way, no matter what.
"Our side will also handle things quietly. Korea can't afford to provoke China. Of course, the bounty reward will be issued normally."
"Bounty?"
Jinhyuk's ears perked up.
What a pleasant surprise.
"Yes. The Player Hunter Bureau offers rewards for naturalization cases. The amount varies by class, level, and notoriety."
"I didn't do it expecting anything."
Jinhyuk sidled closer and lowered his voice.
"So… how much is it?"
"For a Player, at least fifty million won. For a production-class worker, at least one hundred million. Given the scale, you'll receive no less than five billion."
Holy—
He covered his mouth.
His father had always told him: "If you live kindly, blessings will come."
Jinhyuk had always argued that the world didn't work that way.
But today, blessings had definitely arrived.
"Ahem."
While he cleared his throat, Yunho smiled.
"We'll calculate the exact amount once we return."
"I'll be waiting."
Jinhyuk gave him a thumbs-up, then walked toward the Zhiyou group.
"Is everyone unhurt?"
"Yes. Thanks to you, we're all safe."
Wei shook his head.
When they first met, he'd spoken casually—but now he used formal speech.
"I truly don't know how to thank you. We dragged you roughly back to our village…"
"You didn't treat me badly. You were going to give me a snowboard once the storm stopped. And you fed me delicious food."
He looked at Yi Hua.
The once-proud girl bowed awkwardly, unable to lift her head.
"Tha—"
Smack!
A palm slammed into her back.
"He saved your life, and you speak informally? Show some respect, you brat! You're younger too—mind your manners!"
Yi Hua glared at her mother, but she knew the scolding was justified.
"T–Thank you. Truly. I'll repay this for the rest of my life."
"Thank you, hyungnim. I was rude when we first met. I wasn't even worth a punch."
Wudan bowed at a full ninety degrees.
The man who killed Shandong's Dragon Liu Gai in a single strike.
To him, Jinhyuk seemed as high as the sky.
The thanks didn't stop with them.
"Thank you so much!"
"We'll never forget this!"
Jinhyuk broke into a sweat, giving a sheepish thumbs-up.
He could face monsters without flinching—
—but receiving heartfelt gratitude always made him awkward.
"Oh?"
Jinhyuk smiled as land appeared on the horizon.
The Zhiyou members turned as well.
"Is that… Korea?"
Yi Hua's eyes sparkled.
Zhiyou meant "freedom" in Chinese.
A dream she once thought impossible.
But somehow, it now lay within arm's reach.
Yunho walked over again.
"Jinhyuk-ssi. You must be tired, but could you stop by the Player Hunter Bureau? We need your help wrapping up the case."
"Of course. How long will it take?"
The sun was just starting to set.
"Two or three hours. If you're busy, you can come another day."
"No, it's fine. As long as I'm done before midnight."
"Midnight… don't tell me—"
Jinhyuk smiled and nodded.
"I need to eat dinner and climb the Tower."
No matter what chaos happened—
He wasn't about to skip his daily Tower run.
----------
T/N:
Just for being a free member, you'll get 5 advanced chapters every week!
Access 35 chapters in advance on my Patreon:[email protected]//towerup