To protect Han Yuseong, Jain urgently dispatched players from the Union, as well as Miseong-ah, who had seen him before.
But by the time they arrived, everything was already over.
"This is…."
"They're all dead. It's horrific."
Inside the one-room unit where Han Yuseong had been staying, dozens of corpses were scattered across the floor.
There were no civilians—only armed players.
"These guys… They look like operatives from the Underworld."
"Do not enter the building! There are deadly toxins spreading inside!"
"Start decontamination immediately! Have we determined Han Yuseong's whereabouts?"
"We're searching the area, but there's still no sign of him!"
Mi Kanghyuk, head of the Player Union's management department, bit his lip.
It appeared that someone had hired these attackers to kidnap Han Yuseong. Judging from the scene, there had been fierce resistance…
'With such lethal toxins still lingering inside, if he was exposed to it, he wouldn't have lasted long.'
And now, with Han Yuseong's whereabouts still unknown...
Although the enemy suffered heavy losses, they may have succeeded in abducting him. That meant a pursuit team needed to be formed immediately.
Kanghyuk quickly made a decision.
"Report to the Union! There's a high probability the target has been kidnapped. Assemble a pursuit team immediately, before we lose the trail…."
"Uh… excuse me, wait a moment."
"Miseong-ah, please step back. We'll talk later."
"But... the person you're all looking for—the target—"
In the very next moment, that assumption collapsed.
With a stunned look on her face, Miseong-ah pointed beyond them.
Down the dark road illuminated by a streetlight's bluish glow,
"I-I think... he's coming this way?"
Han Yuseong was casually walking down the road toward them.
Seeing him, Miseong-ah stammered in shock.
The Union-affiliated players, including Kanghyuk, were just as bewildered.
"Miseong-ah, is that man Han Yuseong?"
"Yes? Yes! That's him! So, um... can I go to him now...?"
"No, I'm sorry, but please hold on just a bit longer."
Miseong-ah nodded urgently.
Not just once, but several times—desperately.
Her face was filled with barely concealed fear.
That expression alone confirmed that the man was indeed Han Yuseong.
Han Yuseong came to a stop in front of Mi Kanghyuk and Miseong-ah.
The streetlight illuminated him, and only then did Kanghyuk realize—
Han Yuseong's entire body was soaked in blood.
"Are you a player affiliated with the Union?"
"W-What?! I-I mean...!"
Han Yuseong suddenly spoke up.
Taken aback by the unexpected question, Mi Kanghyuk stammered.
As if embarrassed by his startled reaction, he kept clearing his throat.
"Ahem... Yes! The Korean Player Union— ahem! Sorry. I'm Mi Kanghyuk, Head of the Union's Management Department. We just urgently needed to confirm—"
"You're later than I expected."
"S-Sorry. It... really does seem that way."
Han Yuseong's tone was calm and devoid of blame.
Still, Mi Kanghyuk blushed with shame.
Because it was true—they had arrived too late.
And more than anyone, Mi Kanghyuk knew how disastrous that delay could have been.
"May I ask what exactly happened here?"
Han Yuseong nodded and began to explain what had occurred.
That an organization called "The Hounds" from the Underworld had attacked him,
That behind it was a figure from the Hoksalmun, seeking revenge for the death of Wei Hao,
And that he had destroyed the Hounds' hideout.
However, he deliberately left out any mention of Wang Ruyue.
"You handled all of this... alone?"
"Yes."
Mi Kanghyuk couldn't quite believe Han Yuseong's calm explanation.
The Hounds.
A well-established criminal organization within the Underworld.
Their numbers reached into the hundreds, and every member was said to be a player over level 100—
All equipped with classes optimized for brutal, dirty work.
Even their contractors were no joke.
"He found their hideout and wiped it out alone?"
And in such a short time?
His tone made it even more baffling—as if he'd just come back from a casual walk.
Han Yuseong explained where the Hounds' hideout had been concealed, and Mi Kanghyuk immediately dispatched players to investigate the location.
It didn't take long before a report came in—
and it was, as expected, shocking.
[It looks like it really was the Hounds' hideout. It had been concealed with wards, magic, and the protection of a Lord. The interior... it's a complete wreck.]
[All the members inside, who appear to be part of the Hounds, are dead. We've found someone who seems to have been their leader—we'll verify his identity.]
A report stating that all the Hounds in the hideout had been killed—
even their leader.
Mi Kanghyuk stared at Han Yuseong in stunned disbelief.
"And, uh... what we urgently needed to confirm was…?"
"Hmm? Oh—yes, of course! Sorry, I lost focus for a moment. Ahem!"
Mi Kanghyuk cleared his throat again.
Everyone from the Union who had come here today had two main objectives:
First, to protect Han Yuseong—
though they had arrived too late for that to matter.
And second—
"Um, the reason we were looking for you, Han Yuseong, was because…"
"The Union Lord wants to meet with me. Am I right?"
"…Yes. That's correct."
Han Yuseong spoke the words before Mi Kanghyuk could finish his sentence.
"The Lord of the Union said he wanted to meet directly with you, Han Yuseong—especially after the extraordinary results you achieved in this latest ordeal. That's the reason…"
"And… he also mentioned that there are various things he'd like to discuss…"
Han Yuseong stood with his arms crossed, silently listening to Mi Kanghyuk's words.
Seeing his expressionless face, Mi Kanghyuk swallowed nervously.
"Damn it, that face… I can't read him at all."
Han Yuseong's expression was utterly unreadable.
It was impossible to tell what he was thinking—whether he was interested in the offer, or rejecting it.
A tense silence hung in the air.
Just as Mi Kanghyuk was about to speak again to break the awkward stillness—
"That's probably not going to happen."
"Yes, I'm sure the Lord will be pleased to— Wait, what?"
"I must respectfully decline. I have far too much to do at the moment."
Han Yuseong rejected the Union Lord's invitation.
It was a response no one had anticipated.
Mi Kanghyuk stood there, mouth open, blinking in disbelief.
Miseong-ah behind him looked just as stunned.
Turning down an invitation from the Union's leader—
and from someone who was, for all intents and purposes, still a newcomer player?
"Soon, the Blood Demon Tower will fall. I'm preparing to attack it, and I don't want to waste time on anything else.
Besides, this whole incident has already cost me more time than it was worth."
"Y-Yes, that's a fair point. B-But still…!"
"Instead, pass this on to the Lord for me."
"…Sorry?"
At this point, Mi Kanghyuk had lost count of how many times he'd been blindsided.
His eyes widened at Han Yuseong's unexpected next words.
Then Han Yuseong opened his mouth and said:
"I have no intention of joining the Union. But just as you want, I'll give my best in the National Tournament—so there's no need to worry."
The Union Lord's proposal was obvious.
After all, Han Yuseong had heard the exact same offer in his past life.
And just like before, he had refused it then too.
For him, aligning with the Union through other means had always been the better choice than formally joining.
"And one more thing. I'll leave the cleanup from this incident to your side."
"Excuse me? Just a moment, by cleanup you mean…?"
"If he really wants to meet me, tell him to come himself—after I finish conquering the Blood Demon Tower.
By then, I might have the time to sit down and talk."
"W-Wait! Han Yuseong!"
Mi Kanghyuk hurriedly reached out to stop him,
But Han Yuseong didn't even glance back. He simply returned to his one-room apartment, packed up what little he needed, and quietly left the area.
The Union players could only stand there, watching him leave in stunned silence.
"Wh-What the hell just happened…?"
"Director, what should we do? Should we at least track him…?"
"No… no. That might just provoke him unnecessarily…"
The Union players exchanged panicked whispers, unsure what to do.
Miseong-ah, watching them flustered like that, let out a quiet, involuntary laugh.
"Some things never change."
That scene—it was oddly familiar.
And of course, it made perfect sense.
The way the Union players were flustered now was no different from how the Destroyers had acted during the last trial, when they had been completely thrown off by Han Yuseong.
*
At the top level of the Korean Player Union—
Zain listened to Mi Kanghyuk's report, a look of disbelief mixed with exasperation on his face.
"So… he said he wouldn't come?"
"Y-Yes. He said he's too busy preparing for the appearance of the Blood Demon Tower and didn't want to waste time on other matters.
He asked me to deliver his polite refusal… those were his words."
"Did he actually use the word polite?"
Mi Kanghyuk silently nodded.
Zain let out a dry laugh of disbelief.
What made it even more absurd was that Han Yuseong's message hadn't ended there.
"He also said this: that he'll give his utmost in the National Tournament, just as we want him to. So we shouldn't be concerned…"
"So he knew exactly why I wanted to meet him."
That had been Zain's main reason for reaching out to Han Yuseong—
The National Tournament.
Especially this time, everything was on the line.
To protect South Korea's national ranking, they would have to be ready to risk their very lives.
And Han Yuseong was the essential player needed for that fight.
"Director Mi Kanghyuk. Since you met him in person—you understand now, don't you? What kind of man Han Yuseong is?"
"…I felt like I was standing in front of someone who can't be controlled.
I couldn't imagine him belonging to or taking orders from any organization."
"…Maybe that's what he intended,"
Suddenly, Park Yuha, who had been quietly observing the conversation, spoke up.
"You mean, he has enough power to destroy an Underworld organization single-handedly, and the personality to do it without hesitation—
if we consider what he did in the Dragon's Grave."
"So he's not afraid of bloodshed. In fact, in some ways, he embraces it—and uses it to his advantage."
"Yes. Given the current situation, organizations that might be targeting Han Yuseong will probably act more cautiously for a while.
He's the kind of opponent you don't want to cross lightly."
Was that what he was aiming for?
Maybe… or maybe that was reading too much into it.
Zain fell into deep thought.
The original plan had been to make contact with Han Yuseong and offer him the best possible terms—
whatever it took to get him to join the Union.
That had been Zain's intention ever since Han Yuseong's performance during the Night of the Hunt.
"But he said he has no intention of joining the Union…"
Zain let out a sigh and leaned heavily into his chair.
Not every player in Korea joined the Union.
The Union didn't have that kind of authority to force people in.
Instead, they offered significant benefits to those who affiliated—using incentives rather than mandates.
"He probably doesn't see the need for the Union.
And with a player at that level, it's understandable.
Still, this makes things complicated…"
"Oh, and… there was one more thing he asked me to relay," Mi Kanghyuk added.
"There's more?" Zain raised an eyebrow, curious.
Seeing his reaction, Mi Kanghyuk hesitated for a moment, then spoke:
"He said… the handling of this incident should be left to the Union.
And if you really want to meet him—then come yourself, after the Tower is cleared…"
The message was nothing short of shocking.
Even Zain, the one being spoken of, widened his eyes.
Park Yuha, who had been listening silently beside him, looked just as surprised.
Zain let out a dry laugh—he couldn't help himself.
"Hah… what a character."
Bold? Or simply fearless?
Zain fell silent, lost in thought.
Was she angry? Across from her, Mi Kanghyuk cautiously studied her expression.
And at last, a faint change appeared on Zain's face.
"Fine. I'll trust his word that he'll give his all in the National Tournament.
Park Yuha, you'll handle the fallout from this incident."
"Yes. I imagine there'll be quite a bit to deal with."
Cleaning up the remains of the shattered Hounds.
Delivering a formal protest to the Hoksalmun about their involvement in this incident.
On top of that, they'd need to suppress any public attention or media leaks.
Han Yuseong had essentially dumped all the messy aftermath on the Union.
But it didn't matter.
"If he's worth it, then it's all justified."
If a player has that much value, then no amount of special treatment is too much.
And soon, they would see that value proven again—at the Blood Demon Tower.
Depending on the results, the Union's stance toward Han Yuseong could very well change.
If he performed as astoundingly as he had during the last trial…
"Just as he said, I may end up having to go meet him myself."
For the sake of the Union, for the sake of the nation—
and maybe even out of personal curiosity—
Zain realized she would have no choice but to meet Han Yuseong in person.
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : http://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]