Investigation Scene (2)

    After spending several days in the hospital, I finally stepped outside. Before my departure, I had to undergo another examination and could only leave upon receiving a permit stipulating my return by nightfall. Nevertheless, I felt more than satisfied.

    I had already reached out to Moon Soorin. A dedicated task force had convened at the party venue for ongoing investigations. The fact that the investigation was still active days after the terrorist attack spoke volumes about its gravity. Given the involvement of high-ranking VIPs, a meticulous investigation was inevitable.

    I’ll meet up with Soorin Noona, assist with the investigation... visit my dorm, catch up with Lucy and Lumi... but seeing Professor Im Sol seems unlikely.

    With a tentative plan in place, I arrived at the party venue, where a flurry of activity greeted me.

    “Soorin Noona!” I called out to Moon Soorin, who was awaiting my arrival. Her radiant platinum hair immediately caught my attention.

    “Hey, Hoyeon! Are you alright?” Moon Soorin approached me with widened eyes, examining me as if I were a long-lost sibling.

    “I’m fine, Noona. I’m here to assist you.”

    “Thank you. I’ve been quite busy here, so I have a lot to share for the investigation. Your presence puts me at ease.” Moon Soorin’s warm smile conveyed her genuine relief at seeing me.

    “Trust only me. Just me.” With a determined expression, I entered the investigation room. Three draining hours later, I emerged. “Noona, I feel like I’m dying...”

    “Ah, you’ve been through a lot. Here, have this.” She handed me a drink, as if intuitively understanding my exhaustion.

    “Thank you...” I gulped it down, feeling somewhat revitalized.

    While high-ranking officials had suffered casualties, this was the first instance of Pandemic mobilizing such a large demonic force, elevating the incident to a massive event.

    The manpower deployed was staggering, and the relentless questioning, particularly about the barriers, left me utterly drained. Their fixation on a genius mage narrative made my exit strategy even more difficult.

    I pondered why such a significant event was absent in the original narrative. Though the butterfly effect might explain it, there was no clear focal point.

    Click, click— Journalists swarmed the venue, capturing every moment.

    “It’s still a bit chaotic here. The number of journalists indicates people are still interested.”

    “During the first day, it was even busier. Half were journalists, and the other half were investigators.”

    “Ah, I see...” The mere thought was disorienting. Having faced relentless media scrutiny before, I could empathize.

    “You should take a breather. I have some personal leads to pursue.”

    “Sure, go ahead.”

    During Moon Soorin’s absence, a familiar face approached.

    “Student Lee Hoyeon, it’s been a while.” A cat-like woman settled beside me.

    “Ah, Miss Min Yeji, hello.”

    “Feels like we’ve had this ‘first meeting’ multiple times.”

    “Indeed. Thanks to you, things worked out well. Much appreciated.”

    Considering the presence of combat personnel, it made sense that Min Yeji was here for the investigation.

    “How about reconsidering joining the guild?”

    “Well, that’s a bit complicated...” I offered a gracious smile as I declined. Balancing guild responsibilities with meetings with women isn’t something I can commit to. ?aN?b?s?

    “I can offer some conditions, can’t I? You’re too rigid, Student Hoyeon.”

    Min Yeji’s casual demeanor made her seem more approachable than her role as Iron Blood Guild’s team leader would suggest. She was right; mere words of gratitude fell short.

    “Ah... maybe we should explore a different approach instead of just joining the guild?”

    After all, joining the guild isn’t the sole solution; establishing a mutually beneficial partnership is also viable.

    “Should we? Alright then...”

    As Min Yeji and I delved into potential business terms, the crowd around us grew thicker. Just as we were on the verge of wrapping up our discussion and pivoting to alternative conditions beyond guild membership, we found ourselves being approached.

    “Student Lee Hoyeon, do consider the Noblesse Guild’s terms. We can match the Iron Blood Guild.”

    “Excuse me, he’s in talks with the Iron Blood Guild!” Min Yeji interjected sharply, addressing the man who had rudely interrupted us.

    “Give our Gladiator Guild a fair shot, too!”

    “She kindly offered me a guild membership.”

    “Oh... So, can we now consider you a member of the Iron Blood Guild?” Park Mingyu’s face lit up genuinely as he clapped his hands.

    “No, I actually declined.”

    “Really? Perhaps the conditions weren’t to your liking? Did they offer too low an initial fee because you’re still a student? But you, Student Lee Hoyeon, are already at the level of an active hunter.”

    “It’s not about that. I simply have no interest in joining a guild.”

    “I see... Maybe Miss Min Yeji finds it difficult to present conditions that would entice you.”

    “Excuse me...?”

    “In the actual hunter industry, there are various offerings besides money or artifacts. Especially for male hunters... like a woman?” Park Mingyu subtly gauged my reaction.

    Although his warm smile remained, his eyes couldn’t deceive me. Seeing my lack of response, he quickly switched to an apologetic expression, as if realizing his misstep.

    “Ah, I apologize. That was out of line, wasn’t it? If I’ve offended you, I’m truly sorry. My intention was merely to shed light on the realities of the hunter industry.”

    Look at him putting on a show.

    I’m a 20-year-old who has just entered adulthood. Seeing a man over 40 bow and apologize so earnestly is quite a spectacle. Mingyu is really going the extra mile to deceive me.

    A woman... A woman. Hold on, could it be...? If he mentions a woman from the Buyers Guild... that’s the only way to trap me.

    I scanned the area. I knew there was no one around, but I wanted to put on a performance for him.

    “No... Such conversations aren’t necessarily bad.” I flashed a forced, sly smile, pushing the corners of my mouth upward as much as possible. A calculated move, considering there was no audience.

    “Haha... After all, Student Lee is also a man. There’s hardly a man who would object to such discussions.” Park Mingyu then retrieved something from his pocket.

    It’s a contract.

    “Student Lee, you’re familiar with Nam Daeun, the renowned first-year student, aren’t you? She’s actually under a lifelong contract with the Buyers Guild. And... she also has a confidential agreement with me. To put it plainly, it’s akin to sponsorship.”

    The term ‘sponsorship’ sent shivers down my spine. Holding Nam Daeun’s younger sibling hostage and labeling it as sponsorship? Anyone would assume she had willingly become a prostitute. Is this the sort of thing you’d do to your own daughter as well?

    “Let’s cut to the chase. If you join the Buyers Guild, you can have your way with Nam Daeun. Her younger sister too. Look, here’s a photo of her sister. She’s quite attractive, and in the future—”

    “Enough.”

    Park Mingyu pulled out a picture of Nam Dahee, likely thinking it would seal the deal. But I couldn’t bear to listen any further; I felt sick to my stomach.

    “Student Lee?”

    “I’ve just recalled something pressing. We can pick this conversation up later.”

    “No, it’ll only take a moment...” Park Mingyu’s voice trailed off as I chose to ignore him, making a quick exit from the party venue.

    “Acceleration.” Despite my attempt to use magic for a speedy escape, my heart still pounded in my chest.

    “Ah, I can’t use mana now...”

    The mere effort to summon mana sent shivers down my spine. In that moment, I nearly forgot I was a patient; my sole focus was on leaving as swiftly as possible.

    “I didn’t even get to say goodbye to my noona.”

    I realized I had almost forgotten to do so.

    Returning to meet her would mean risking another confrontation with Park Mingyu, and I doubted my ability to keep my temper in check. My [Clear Mental Strength] skill wouldn’t entirely mask my emotions; I could technically control my temper, but not to the point of flawless acting.

    “At least I’ve gained something from this ordeal.”

    Park Mingyu remains oblivious to Daeun’s disappearance, likely assuming she had returned to the academy. Given the circumstances, that was a small relief.

    Despite the unsettling nature of our conversation, it wasn’t entirely fruitless. Before making my way back, I sent Moon Soorin a brief message to explain my departure.

    [Me: Noona, my hospital leave time is up, so I’ll be heading back. See you later.]

    I glanced at my smartwatch briefly, but no reply had come in yet—likely because she was engrossed in her ongoing investigation.

    With that, I left the party venue.