[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 191: Persuasion (1)

Kwon Hanul and his group made their way to the site where the entrance to the Secret Vault had been discovered.

A jagged rock formation, shaped like a molar, jutted out from a plateau far from the city.

One side of the rock mountain had completely collapsed, exposing a wide cavity inside. In front of it, a large number of Hunters had gathered.

Even when Hanul’s party arrived, the other Hunters didn’t notice them. The sight within the mountain was far too mesmerizing.

Inside the cavern, darkness churned like a vortex. Even at a glance, it was clear something was off.

“Why hasn’t anyone come back out yet?!”

“We’re going in next! Move aside!”

Hunters were quarreling at the entrance to the dungeon, all blinded by the treasures rumored to be hidden within the Secret Vault.

“To think the Mei Clan’s Secret Vault actually existed...”

Kwon Myung-woo gazed at the site with suspicion. Unlike the other Hunters, he wasn’t particularly interested in the Secret Vault itself.

“Kwon So-ri. How exactly was this entrance discovered?”

“Ah, yes! There was a recent earthquake. It caused the rock formation to collapse, and a passing Hunter spotted the Secret Vault's entrance exposed by the rubble!”

“Is that so?”

Kwon Myung-woo stroked his chin, the suspicion in his eyes deepening.

“Excuse me, Captain.”

Suddenly, Mei Hong tapped Hanul on the shoulder. He turned to her.

“What is it?”

“This doesn’t make sense. The location of the Secret Vault should be impossible to uncover through a natural disaster.”

“So this really is the Secret Vault?” Hanul asked, startled. Mei Hong nodded.

“No doubt about it.”

“What do you mean it can’t be exposed?”

“When the Secret Vault was installed, they reinforced the mountain with a number of enhancements. That thing wouldn’t crumble even if you bombarded it with a whole volley of missiles.”

“And yet something like that has been sitting there all this time without anyone noticing?”

Mei Hong paused before replying.

“That’s what’s strange. That mountain has been hidden behind a barrier. No one was supposed to be able to find it. That’s why I was so certain no one would ever discover the Secret Vault…”

But now the Secret Vault, concealed by a magical barrier, had been revealed — and not just that. Even its fortified outer wall had been destroyed. There were too many things that didn’t add up.

“I need to inform Granduncle.”

There was no longer any point in hiding this. Hanul and Mei Hong approached Kwon Myung-woo together.

“Granduncle, there’s something we need to tell you.”

“What’s the matter?”

Hanul began explaining everything he knew about the Mei Clan’s Secret Vault.

Myung-woo’s expression grew grim as he listened.

“Everything you’ve just said... is it true?”

“Yes, it is.”

Myung-woo silently studied Hanul.

Hanul had a sense of what that look meant — anger, no doubt, for not informing the Hyukcheon family of something as important as a Secret Vault.

“Hanul, you rascal…”

“I’ll accept any reprimand.”

“Trying to keep something this good all to yourself, are you? Next time, make sure you invite me too.”

“…Excuse me?”

That was not the reaction he had expected.

“You… aren’t angry?”

“Angry? Why would I be angry at you?”

“I thought you’d scold me for hiding the Secret Vault from the family…”

“Hahaha!”

Kwon Myung-woo suddenly burst out laughing.

“Everyone does that. Truth is, I’ve also kept a few treasures to myself without telling the Hyukcheon Clan.”

Hanul’s jaw slowly dropped. Myung-woo cleared his throat.

“In any case, if what you’re saying is true, we can’t just let this go.”

He called over Gu Eon from the Iron Corps and Kwon So-ri. After bringing them up to speed, he asked for their thoughts.

“What do you two think?”

“It certainly looks suspicious,” Gu Eon replied coolly. “None of this seems natural. Someone must’ve interfered.”

There was only one obvious culprit.

The last remnants of the Mei Clan.

Mei Xiao, the Blood Flame Blade, was likely waiting inside.

“Hmph… Honestly, I’d love nothing more than to blow that thing to pieces.”

Myung-woo clenched and unclenched his fists. But Mei Hong immediately cut in.

“With all due respect, that’s impossible.”

“Impossible?”

“The Mei Clan’s Secret Vault was created using a dimensional transference artifact. That entrance you see — it’s not really there. You can’t destroy it from the outside.”

“…A transference artifact?”

Everyone present was stunned — including Hanul.

Dimensional transference space.

Put simply, it's a scaled-up version of a subspace.

Unlike a basic subspace, this type allows living beings to enter and exit freely, and it's spacious enough to construct buildings and install other objects within.

“I’ve heard only three of those were ever discovered. One of them belonged to the Mei Clan, huh.”

“So the Mei Clan possessed something even the Hyukcheon family doesn’t… They weren’t to be underestimated.”

“Well, they certainly had money.”

Kwon Myung-woo and Gu Eon muttered to themselves.

“Then Mei Hong, I have no choice but to ask you — what’s going on inside there right now?”

If this really was the Mei Clan’s doing, the Secret Vault interior was undoubtedly dangerous.

“If my guess is correct… Mei Xiao has probably activated all the security systems and is lying in wait.”

“Security systems?”

“The Secret Vault was originally intended as a shelter for the Mei Clan. Later, it was repurposed to store treasures.”

If it was intended as a shelter, that meant the clan had been driven to the brink of destruction.

It was safe to assume that whatever had been set up to guard it wouldn’t be easy to deal with.

“That place is home turf prepared specifically for the Mei Clan’s bloodline. If we enter carelessly… something terrible will happen.”

There stood Kwon Myung-woo, the man known as Hyukcheon’s Strongest Fist. To suggest that he could be in danger was borderline blasphemous.

Yet, he listened with a serious expression.

He already knew, from chasing the Mei Clan with the Iron Corps, just how formidable they could be.

Not only that — their leader, Mei Xiao, had achieved the feat of forging a Sword Aura, a mark of the highest martial mastery.

Even Kwon Myung-woo had no choice but to tread carefully.

“…This should be fun.”

But the seriousness on Myung-woo’s face quickly vanished.

In its place was a fierce smile, full of anticipation.

“So the tattered remnants of a fallen clan have laid a trap and are waiting for Hyukcheon to step in, huh?”

The pride unique to the Hyukcheon bloodline flared up within him. He turned to Gu Eon.

“Tell the Iron Corps to prepare to move in.”

“Understood.”

Gu Eon gave a curt nod, asking no unnecessary questions.

“Kwon So-ri.”

“Yes, sir?”

“We’ll need to lock down this area. Can we bring in part of the Black Rice Unit?”

“I’ll issue the orders immediately.”

Then, Myung-woo looked at Hanul.

“Hanul. What do you plan to do? Will you come in with me?”

“Is that even a question?”

Hanul didn’t hesitate in the slightest. Myung-woo looked pleased.

“Very well. Then let’s go root out the last of the Mei Clan…”

At that moment, Kwon Myung-woo suddenly clamped his mouth shut. A bead of cold sweat rolled down his temple as he glanced at Mei Hong.

“Ah— I didn’t mean you, of course.”

“...Sir?”

“You may be of Mei blood, but you’ve joined Hyukcheon. That makes you one of us. So don’t mind what I said—just a careless slip of the tongue…”

It was rare to see Kwon Myung-woo so flustered. Mei Hong gave a faint chuckle and replied, “Don’t worry about it. I want to kill those bastards too.”

“Huhuh! I like that attitude!”

Only after hearing her response did Kwon Myung-woo burst into a satisfied laugh.

“By the way, Granduncle…”

“What is it?”

“You said we’d be taking control of this area. But do you really think those Hunters will listen to us without a fuss?”

Hanul pointed toward the crowd of Hunters gathered at the entrance to the Secret Vault.

While they weren’t on the same level as Hyukcheon, they each carried an imposing presence. They weren’t the type to quietly obey Hyukcheon’s authority.

“Is that what you’re worried about?”

Kwon Myung-woo let out a hearty laugh.

“There’s a trick to everything. Watch and learn.”

He confidently strode toward the gathering of Hunters.

“Excuse me, young ones. I'd like to get through. Would you mind stepping aside for a moment?”

He addressed a Hunter near the back of the tightly packed crowd. They were so closely bunched that there was no way forward.

“What the hell are you babbling about?! Wait your turn!”

“Old man lost his mind or what?! You know how long we’ve been standing here?!”

But the Hunters didn’t even bother to properly look at him. They just barked back with irritation.

“Heheheh… Is that so.”

Myung-woo didn’t try to persuade them any further. Instead, he grabbed both men by the scruff of their necks.

“Wh-What the—?!”

“Is this old geezer nuts?!”

With a flick of his arms, Kwon Myung-woo hurled them backward like rag dolls.

“Gaaah!”

“AAAAAGH!!”

The two Hunters went flying with screams trailing behind them.

Without pause, Kwon Myung-woo began grabbing and tossing more of them.

“Wh-Who the— AAAAAH!”

“You crazy son of a— UGGGHH!”

Not a single Hunter could resist his strength.

All of them went soaring into the sky, screaming.

As the cries continued, those near the front realized something was seriously wrong.

“What the hell is that guy doing?!”

“Some lunatic old man—w-wait, no way...?”

A few began to recognize his face.

“H-H-Hyukcheon...! That’s the Strongest Fist of Hyukcheon!”

“K-K-K-Kwon Myung-woo! It’s Kwon Myung-woo!!”

Like the parting of the Red Sea, the crowd of Hunters scattered left and right. Kwon Myung-woo walked through them, grinning.

“Nice to see some young folks who still respect their elders.”

He made his way easily to the entrance of the Secret Vault. Turning to face the crowd, he raised his voice.

“Everyone, may I have your attention. This old man has a difficult favor to ask of you.”

Though his voice wasn’t loud, it carried power. Every Hunter present heard him.

“Inside that Secret Vault lie remnants of our sworn enemies—those whom the Hyukcheon clan has long pursued. Therefore, I intend to go in and eliminate them.”

He scanned the crowd slowly. Those who met his gaze instinctively shrank back.

“So, for the time being, the Hyukcheon clan will be taking control of entry to the Secret Vault .”

Murmurs broke out immediately. The Hunters’ expressions soured.

“What kind of nonsense is that? Who gave Hyukcheon the authority?”

“They’re just trying to hoard whatever’s inside for themselves.”

“I never expected Hyukcheon to stoop this low!”

There’s a strange power in a crowd.

Even Hunters who wouldn’t have dared defy Myung-woo on their own were now emboldened by the group’s support.

“Any objections?”

Kwon Myung-woo let out a single word—and unleashed his aura.

A tidal wave of pressure crashed over the crowd. It felt like standing in a field of molten lava, the heat peeling at their skin.

The Hunters froze, their faces stiff with fear.

“If anyone has objections, step forward. I’ll be happy to persuade you personally.”

“Then why don’t you try persuading me?”

A voice rang out.

It belonged to a young man with bronzed skin and piercings covering every inch of his body.

“I’m curious how the Strongest Fist of Hyukcheon persuades people.”

He swaggered forward with a cocky grin.

All eyes turned toward him.

“…Isn’t that the Enforcer, Maste?”

The name spread like ripples through the crowd.

“Enforcer Maste…? He’s a council member of Pandemonium, right?”

“The one favored by the High Council…?”

“Favored? You mean feared! Don’t forget—Maste’s the kind of man who’d kill a fellow Pandemonium officer just for rubbing him the wrong way!”

The Hunters erupted in whispers. Maste seemed to enjoy the reaction, shuddering with glee.

“Well? Hyukcheon’s strongest fist… Cat got your tongue? Aren’t you going to persuade me—”

In a blink, Kwon Myung-woo kicked off the ground.

He appeared right in front of Maste—and slammed his hand onto the man’s face.

With a thunderous crash, he drove Maste’s head into the earth. The surrounding ground shattered like glass.

“U-UAAAAAGH!”

“An earthquake!”

The ground heaved violently. Hunters lost their balance, staggering in panic.

When the shaking finally stopped, Myung-woo was already standing, brushing the dust off his hands.

“Maste, was it?”

No reply came. Of course there wasn’t. Maste’s head was still buried deep in the ground.

Whether he had fainted or died, he gave no answer—just the occasional twitch of his limbs.

“Well, judging by how quiet he is, I’d say my persuasion worked.”

Kwon Myung-woo turned his fierce gaze on the rest of the Hunters.

“Now, anyone else with complaints? Step right up. I’ll be happy to ‘persuade’ you too.”

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]