Chapter 128
…Just someone passing by?
Han Min-oh slowly observed the man’s appearance.
A deep voice. An expressionless face.
He wore nothing but a plain gray T-shirt and gray sweatpants, as if he had gone out for a walk.
There wasn’t a single distinguishing feature about him.
‘But he took down five men in an instant.’
In the blink of an eye, he had defeated the five-man group that kidnapped him.
A clear indication that he far outclassed them.
Meaning, he wasn’t just some ordinary person.
Rustle. Swish.
As Park Chan-woo slowly untied the ropes binding him, he asked,
“Do you recognize them?”
Once freed, Han Min-oh looked down at the unconscious men and wore a bitter expression.
“…They were my bodyguards. So they were Incarnations.”
“Unfortunate.”
“May I ask your name? I’m Han Min-oh.”
“Park Chan-woo.”
“Mr. Park Chan-woo. Thank you so much for helping me. I won’t forget this favor. Now then…”
Han Min-oh gave a deep bow and turned his back.
‘Unexpected.’
Even in this situation, he quickly regained composure.
An average person would’ve sobbed and begged for help.
‘I wasn’t planning to step in yet…’
The kidnappers had genuinely tried to kill Han Min-oh.
That’s why he had no choice but to intervene.
He had intended to remain strictly a bystander, merely observing Han Min-oh—but given what had happened, the plan had to change.
“Where are you going?”
“I need to return to my bodyguards.”
“Even though they might not be the only ones?”
“…If I don’t return, more than a thousand people will die.”
Han Min-oh’s voice was firm and unwavering.
Because he had heard it with his own ears.
If he didn’t die, the Incarnations would slaughter everyone outside.
Park Chan-woo quietly watched the unmoving Han Min-oh.
‘Is it sincere, or an act?’
From the surface, it didn’t seem like a lie.
But he could still be a hypocrite like Han Shin.
He could be using sympathy to manipulate others into helping him.
Tap, tap.
“Then what about these kidnappers?”
Park Chan-woo nudged the unconscious kidnappers with his foot.
“Killing them is pointless. They’re not the end of it.”
From the conversation he overheard, there were more Incarnations.
They were weighing Han Min-oh’s life against a thousand others.
If he tried to keep hiding, the Incarnations would likely commit a massacre.
No—they definitely would.
That was a future he had to stop.
“If you go back, you’ll die.”
“One life is better than a thousand. And… if I survive, I’ll make sure to repay this debt. Mr. Park Chan-woo.”
Han Min-oh bowed once more and climbed the stairs without hesitation.
Park Chan-woo quietly watched his back.
‘So it wasn’t an act?’
Wasn’t he just trying to sway others emotionally?
No. That resolute stride showed no hesitation.
It was the mindset of someone willing to die to change the situation.
‘Foolish.’
But Han Min-oh was mistaken.
He didn’t realize that his single life was worth far more than a thousand.
No—the life of a divine beast contractor was worth more than ten million.
Pfft!
Ssshhh—
Park Chan-woo quietly cleaned up.
Soon, the five Incarnations disintegrated into dust.
“Hm.”
As he watched the drifting dust, Park Chan-woo let out a quiet breath.
‘Even though the contractor’s life was in danger, the divine beast didn’t show itself.’
…Something was off.
Even with the contractor’s life on the line, the divine beast had remained hidden.
Was there no contract?
But with so many Creators believing otherwise, that seemed unlikely.
Which meant there was only one conclusion.
‘He’s unaware that he made a contract with a divine beast.’
Han Min-oh didn’t realize he had formed a contract.
To use the power of a divine beast, one had to recognize and awaken to the contract.
Something had felt off from the beginning.
He was kidnapped too easily and nearly got himself killed.
‘One thing is certain—the divine beast is asleep.’
Why?
Even if unawakened, there should have been some presence.
Forming a contract with a divine beast meant being acknowledged by it.
Naturally, the divine beast should have already been awake.
At the very least, some presence should have been felt.
‘His mana waves and pattern are identical to those of an ordinary human.’
While freeing Han Min-oh, he had analyzed his mana flow.
No change.
But any kind of contract in the Abyss—be it with an Incarnation, summoned being, or divine beast—should alter one’s mana pattern.
Yet Han Min-oh’s was unusually quiet.
He couldn’t believe this was someone who had made a contract with a titanic being.
Park Chan-woo rubbed his chin.
The divine beast was asleep.
Han Min-oh wasn’t aware of it.
What did this mean?
There were two possibilities.
Either the Creators were mistaken—
Or…
‘…He’s carrying an egg?’
……The divine beast might be bearing an egg.
Perhaps it had exhausted its strength to lay the egg and was now slumbering.
That would explain the quiet mana waves.
To hatch the egg, it would need to remain as quiet as possible.
The divine beast was likely intentionally hiding itself.
In other words—
‘It’s using Han Min-oh as a nest?’
Han Min-oh might not be a true contractor, but a vessel—a nest—for the divine beast.
Park Chan-woo furrowed his brows.
A variable.
Han Min-oh wasn’t the contractor.
If he was just the nest—
And if his deduction was correct…
‘…This is far more serious.’
For a divine beast to choose a nest, it had to be vast and stable.
Meaning, Han Min-oh’s potential was beyond imagination.
To be chosen as a nest by a divine beast meant his vessel was extraordinary.
The kind that could reach level 99—and possibly surpass it.
A true successor to Han Shin.
But that wasn’t the issue.
There was something far worse.
‘The egg will hatch.’
And when it does—
‘…Han Min-oh will die.’
Without question.
—
‘Goddamn it.’
Kim Chan-min stamped his feet in frustration.
He never expected someone else would beat them to kidnapping Han Min-oh.
They had searched everywhere, but he was nowhere to be found.
They had lost their trump card.
‘What now?’
The betrayers’ intentions were obvious.
They wanted to expose the rest of the guards as Incarnations.
After that, they would devour the divine beast that Han Min-oh carried.
“Still haven’t found him?”
“No, sir. He’s nowhere.”
It was already morning.
Twenty-four hours had passed.
If another 48 hours went by, it would be too late.
‘Time to make a decision.’
Only one option remained.
Those people over there—
“I’m hungry, Mom.”
“Just two more days, sweetheart.”
“Here, have some water.”
“Thank you!”
A thousand or so people were huddled together, relying on each other.
Despite the cold nights and lack of food.
They were managing somehow, hoping they could leave in three days.
Thankfully, the blessing of awakening had been granted to all humanity.
Regardless of age or gender.
So enduring it had become a little easier.
……Within the next 48 hours, they had to be wiped out.
If he didn’t make a decision now, there might not be enough time.
To hunt them all at once—leaving not a single one alive.
“It’s almost time…”
“We found him!”
Just then.
One of the guards ran up, shouting.
As everyone looked over, Han Min-oh came walking back calmly.
‘…Wasn’t he kidnapped?’
He seemed far too unharmed for someone who had been abducted.
Could he have killed his kidnappers and returned?
Possibly.
Han Min-oh was a ‘divine beast contractor.’
Even if he hadn’t shown it yet, he could have been hiding his power.
“Thank goodness, young master.”
Kim Chan-min rushed up to him with a sigh of relief.
Han Min-oh responded coldly.
“Team Leader. Are you an Incarnation as well?”
“…Excuse me? What are you saying?”
Kim Chan-min faltered for a moment.
He had been called out directly.
“Two of the five who kidnapped me were the same guards who gave me their coins. A little too convenient, don’t you think?”
“…It’s a misunderstanding. A coincidence.”
“They told me everything.”
“They were lying. And you believe them?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I’m innocent.”
“All right. I’ll believe you. But only if…”
Han Min-oh distanced himself from the guards.
“I’ll stay with those people. You stay here and don’t move.”
“Y-Young master. What are you saying? That’s unacceptable. We’re under orders from the Chairman to protect you.”
“No. Stay right there. If any of you try to move, I’ll assume you’re Incarnations.”
Han Min-oh said coldly and walked into the crowd.
The guards were flustered.
“Team Leader… are we really going to listen to that?”
“Idiots. Why did you bungle the kidnapping…?”
“We can’t move at all now.”
Kim Chan-min gave a bitter smile.
Han Min-oh.
‘Clever little bastard.’
He never expected him to counterattack like this.
By hiding among a thousand people, he made it impossible for them to act.
Unless they were certain there were Incarnations among the crowd, they couldn’t do anything.
The ones who had kidnapped him must’ve spilled something.
‘Now we can’t even kidnap him again.’
Stealing him away was no longer an option.
How could they move without being seen by a thousand eyes?
Even if they tried to kill them, Han Min-oh would notice.
“Team Leader.”
“Time is running out.”
“At this rate…”
I know.
But not yet.
If they moved now, they’d lose everything.
Kim Chan-min’s gaze deepened.
Then he looked up at the sky.
“…Tonight.”
Not in the morning, but at night.
When the moon hung high in the sky.
At the dead of night, when everyone was asleep.
“We kill them all.”