“Hey, bring the pegasus too.”

As I grabbed my crutch and tried to stand up, one of the soldiers said that.

What?

“Can’t you see the kid’s asleep?”

“Wake it.”

“No.”

When the soldier stepped forward, the crouching wyvern rose to her feet.

– Grrrr.

At the low growl, the soldier flinched and backed away. I had told them the adolescent wyvern had B-grade stats. There were apparently A-grade soldiers here, so it wasn’t an overwhelming stat level—but the pressure she gave off was no joke.

That’s because she was actually S-grade.

“O–one of them has to go! Not the wyvern—one of the safe baby monsters!”

“Līf, come here.”

I called out to Līfþrasir, who was still fluttering around energetically. The white puffball flew over and clung to my hand like a bat. Her tail, similar to a cat’s, wrapped around my wrist. Her little purple bean-like eyes blinked up at me.

Reminds me of Chirp. Hope he’s doing okay.

“Good enough?”

The soldier looked displeased, but kept glancing at the dragon’s increasingly bared fangs and reluctantly nodded. Bringing a monster along—were they planning to show it off or something?

And just as expected, I was given a change of clothes—as if I were about to greet a guest. Of course, it was one of those clearly “Chinese-style” outfits. So they weren’t filming a video this time, huh.

“Guess someone important’s visiting. Now they’re using me for hospitality? The people here must’ve lost every shred of shame and then had the remains dry up under the summer sun. And what the hell is this outfit?”

“They like that sort of thing. Tradition, culture, history—they trample all over it and then act nostalgic.”

Hwang Rim, for once dressed in uniform, said that with a grin. Should someone in the Chinese military really be saying things like that? Anyway, I changed into what they gave me.

“You’ve got a lot of free time, huh?”

“I’m working.”

“Isn’t this the kind of job you usually make underlings do?”

“This one’s important to me.”

Maybe the chair didn’t fit his build, because Hwang Rim stood up from where he’d been half-sitting on the table. Then he pulled out a luxurious-looking metal case from his inventory. When he opened it, rows of cigarettes were neatly lined up. His thick fingers plucked one out.

“Here.”

“I don’t smoke. Besides, it wouldn’t even affect me with Poison Resistance—”

The cigarette was shoved between my lips before I could finish. He even kindly lit it for me. Seriously?

“This thing— cough, cough, hack!”

What the hell? It’s strong as hell. I quickly snatched it away and let out a big cough.

“It has a sweet aftertaste.”

“…Kind of, yeah. Wait, Poison Resistance doesn’t block this?”

“It’s made for high-grade awakened folks. Even with resistance and high stats, it still hits. The lower your stats, the stronger the effect. But even S-ranks can taste it decently.”

“Are you insane?! Why are you giving this to me?! I’ve got a bunch of kids to care for!”

I waved Līfþrasir away as she fluttered nearby and tried to put out the cigarette—then paused. The faint sweetness lingering in my mouth had me swallowing a few times, trying to taste it more clearly.

“…It’s a bit different from regular cigarettes, huh?”

“Yeah, the toxin’s weaker. It’s got a calming effect, helps relieve stress… Cigarettes are narcotic by nature, so this one’s kind of similar.”

Instead of putting it out, I placed it back in my mouth. If it worked even a little on S-ranks, then for someone with F-grade stats, this stuff was basically a heavy tranquilizer.

“These must be expensive. Is this what today’s deal is about?”

“It’s an opportunity to monopolize a luxury product that even high-grade awakened can use.”

“I bet it’s not just profitable—it’d be especially useful in places like the military.”

Not just in the military—cigarettes were commonly used as currency in places like prisons. So it’d be a valuable tool for controlling an army made of awakened individuals.

“Still, isn’t it risky bringing people here? Things could go sideways at any time.”

“They asked for high-grade monsters instead of the cigarette recipe. The deal’s for five or more A-grade flight-specialized monsters in exchange. That’s the condition.”

“Not S-grade?”

“For smuggling, it’s better to have multiple A-grades than a single S-grade.”

Ah, so they’re that kind of people. Using a few A-grade flight monsters for smuggling was a pretty good idea. Slower than a plane, sure, but way faster than a boat and no risk of getting caught in quarantine. Whoever they are, they’re smart.

“So I’m the evidence you’re going to show off, huh. But they’ll probably drag out the time it takes to raise those monsters. One excuse after another.”

“Starting to wonder how exactly you grew up.”

Hwang Rim ruffled my hair again. But this time, I didn’t even pretend to bat his hand away. I felt a little floaty. Like soaking in a bath full of hot water.

“Could I—get another one of those cigarettes?”

“I offered, but they’re not good for F-grades. Just earlier, you were freaking out.”

“I had to quit cold turkey after awakening and gaining Poison Resistance.”

I grumbled, looking up at Hwang Rim with a slight tilt of my head. Not that I’d ever touched cigarettes before. I mean, come on—I’ve got a younger brother at home. What kind of idiot smokes around a kid? I even tried to avoid secondhand smoke.

“It works well, though. I’ll only smoke when I’m really stressed. Just give me a couple. Just one—no, two.”

“You’re unexpectedly weak to this kind of thing, huh?”

Hwang Rim handed me the entire case full of cigarettes.

“What, the whole thing? Thank you! This time, I seriously love you, Mister Hwang Rim!”

I quickly reached for it. But before my hand could touch it, that bastard Hwang Rim yanked the case away.

“After this job is done.”

“What?”

“Who knows what you’ll pull next. Just keep your mouth shut and sit tight. Then I’ll give it to you.”

He waved the cigarette case teasingly. Even with a tranquilizer in my system, I was starting to get irritated.

“If you’re giving it right after, I’ll sit here like a display doll.”

“Good.”

Hwang Rim pulled out a single cigarette as an advance and handed it to me. One was effective enough, but I might still need more, so it’d be safer to get the rest later. I pretended to hide it in my clothes but slipped it into my inventory instead. I didn’t like carrying the smell of cigarettes around the kids, but this time, there was no helping it. At least their stats were all higher than mine.

After listening to a few precautionary notes from Hwang Rim, I headed to the dinner meeting. Right before I entered the dining hall, the soldier at the entrance took away my crutch, saying it didn’t “look appropriate.” I barely held back from saying, Oh, I didn’t realize Hitler himself was attending. What an honor.

Inside, I saw a long dining table surrounded by people. Cho Hwawoon was there, along with S-Rank Hunter Gwan Nangja—a person I’d tried to meet before, but failed. Two older men, probably in their fifties or sixties, were wearing traditional changpao, and one younger man in his early thirties sat among them.

The younger man looked like he’d walked straight out of an Underground movie. Indoors and still wearing a fedora, no less. I could practically see the cops waving their handcuffs from a hundred meters away.

‘Watch your mouth. Watch your damn mouth.’

With Hwang Rim’s help, I hobbled my way forward. All eyes immediately turned to me. I sat down, called Līfþrasir to me, and petted her while putting on my best service-industry smile.

“I’d like to see the pegasus.”

One of the older men said. What is this, a zoo?

“The prairie pegasus is diurnal, and as a phantom type, it gets especially sleepy in the evenings. It falls right asleep once the sun goes down. If not properly rested, it risks stat deterioration upon growth, so I ask for your understanding.”

Cho Hwawoon looked at me with a faint raise of his eyebrow. What? I’m doing fine.

A few more questions were tossed at me, and then the food came out. Honestly, using a different fork, knife, and spoon for every dish is overkill. At least they didn’t line them up and make me guess which one to use. This sauce with flying fish roe is delicious. Nutty. Tastes like delicately crisp scorched rice.

I ate with purpose—things would get busy at midnight. Maybe it was the season, but matsutake mushrooms kept showing up everywhere. Must be wild if they’re serving them here. They say it’s outrageously expensive, but I’ve never understood the hype. Shiitake is tastier. Wow, this one’s especially chewy.

‘…He’s staring too much.’

I cut up a shrimp for Līfþrasir, who was eyeing the food with curiosity, and snuck glances at the Underground-looking guy sitting across from me. I knew I was the focus, but the way he was watching me like a specimen made my skin crawl.

“Tasty? Want to try a mushroom too?”

– Kyarruk.

“What’s this? Looks like chicken. You’ve never seen a chicken before, right? It’s delicious. Even better fried.”

I want fried chicken. When someone offered to pour me wine, I declined and asked for a side plate instead. She eats everything like Blue does, but still, I should sprinkle some mana powder on it if possible.

The man across from me raised his wine glass. The motion was elegant—and oddly familiar. I wondered for a moment, but he wasn’t wearing glasses. His cool expression and clear pronunciation suggested he was speaking Chinese without a translation item, so probably not who I was thinking.

The trade negotiations were progressing smoothly. The Underground guy didn’t seem in the best mood, but that was expected—he was the one getting shaken down. Creating a new black market route using monsters wasn’t a bad idea, but it didn’t compare to monopolizing the high-grade smoker market for Hunters. Still, when dealing with the military, there wasn’t much choice. Just sell it for as high a price as possible.

Even after the slow dinner and dessert tea time, the conversation continued for a bit longer, and then the contract was signed. Hwang Rim, clearly pleased, offered a handshake to the Underground man—Chu Suun. He also cheerfully exchanged polite greetings with the older men.

‘…Hwangs are more confusing than Chos.’

Cho Hwawoon might be prickly, but he’s easier to read. Hwang Rim is just slippery. He looks laid-back and cheerful, but if that’s all there was to him, there’s no way he’d hold such a high position in the military. The fact that he’s close to Cho Hwawoon alone proves he’s not ordinary.

Anyway, I’d played nice and done my part, so we were good. I stood up to leave, and Chu Suun was suddenly beside me, offering support.

“Oh, I’m fine.”

“You seem to have trouble walking.”

“I just need to take it slow.”

I was about to insist again when he lifted me up effortlessly. I barely managed to swallow my protest—What the hell are you doing?! Just endure it. Just a little more. Besides, he was surprisingly stable…

‘…Oh.’

It felt familiar. I’d been carried by S-Rank Hunters enough times to tell—everyone did it a little differently. Even if the posture was similar, there were subtle distinctions. And this one, unmistakably—

‘The hat.’

So that’s why he wore the hat indoors! There was no rule saying the glasses that changed appearance had to be worn directly over the eyes. As long as they were “worn,” that counted—and placing them like sunglasses on the head worked too. Yeah, it would be weird for an S-Rank Hunter to walk around wearing glasses all the time.

I swallowed dryly without thinking. Surely he wasn’t planning to take me out of here just like this?

“Please, just put me down.”

I said, pushing against his arm. Of course, he didn’t budge. I couldn’t escape yet. If it became clear that I was about to get away due to Park Hayul’s skill, I might end up blurting out this man’s identity myself. Besides, I still had to take care of the kids.

“Or just take me to the door. My crutch is outside.”

“…A crutch, you say.”

“It’s not that bad. I can still walk, just slowly. I’ll be fine.”

I made a point not to look up at him. Since I’d figured out who he was, I’d likely see his original face now. And if I did, I wasn’t confident I could stop myself from reacting—with joy, or something else.

“The breeder is under my jurisdiction.”

But just then, as if sensing something, Cho Hwawoon stepped over. As he reached out to take me, a quiet voice responded.

“He’ll be a close business partner going forward. I thought I’d take the opportunity to build rapport.”

“For business, speak to Director Hwang Rim. No need to concern yourself with a mere breeder.”

“Yeah, please put me down.”

I chimed in quickly. What was he planning to do right here and now? It wasn’t time yet. With a look of resignation, Chu Suun relaxed his grip and passed me to Cho Hwawoon.

He could’ve just set me down—

“AAAH!”

A scream burst out before I could stop it. A sharp jolt of pain had hit me completely out of nowhere—Cho Hwawoon’s hand had gripped my injured leg tightly. I clenched my teeth to try and stifle the sound, but the pressure didn’t ease.

“Ugh, stop…”

Cold sweat broke out down the back of my neck. That crazy bastard, seriously. At that ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) point, I just pretended I couldn’t handle the pain and yelled out.

“What the hell—ugh—I’m not running away, okay?! Agh! I’m not going anywhere! I said I’ll stay put! You bastard!”

I shouted, mixing in updates like how I was raising the baby monsters well, how I knew there was no way out anyway, how I’d already been playing along—so what the hell was this for? He’d understand. That I wasn’t trying to escape. Finally, Cho Hwawoon released my leg and turned to look at Chu Suun.

Just then, a soldier rushed in and whispered urgently to Cho Hwawoon.

“Nanjing Airport has been attacked.”

A subtle distortion flickered in his eyes. The soldier continued in a quiet voice.

“It’s presumed not to be the Murim Alliance.”

“Obviously not.”

In other words, it wasn’t the same people from Shanghai—another Korean Hunter had attacked the airport. Cho Hwawoon quickly sorted the situation in his head and gave Chu Suun a brief nod.

“My apologies.”

Then turned away, taking me with him.

With that, all the surrounding airports were now locked down.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep