Chapter 17
I hadn’t heard of the Party menu in my past life either.
But that didn’t mean it hadn’t existed.
With so many people in the world, it was impossible to believe that no one had ever unlocked it.
Party.
A Hidden menu someone, somewhere, might have discovered.
And now it had appeared before Hyuk-min like a gift.
[Party] (1 / 6)
– Choi Hyun-jung (Sogoe)
When he clicked on Sogoe’s name, a Status Window he shouldn’t have been able to see without permission unfolded before him.
== Status Window ==
[Name]: Choi Hyun-jung
[Level]: 3
[Class]: Genius of Guns
[Stats]
Strength – 5
Agility – 9
Intelligence – 8
Stamina – 3
Mana – 4
========
[Gun Mastery] LV 1
– Understanding and proficiency with guns increase.
========
Her Stats were higher than the usual 5–6 range for Level 3, likely due to her Hidden Class Awakening.
But what shocked him even more came next.
== Status Window ==
[Name]: Bang Hyuk-min
[Level]: 39
[Class]: Immortal Warrior
[Stats]
Strength – 95 + 2
Agility – 101 + 3
Intelligence – 76 + 2
Stamina – 83 + 1
Mana – 51 + 1
=======
[EX Grade] [Regression Mode]
[Party Effect] [Gun Mastery] LV 1
========
A portion of Sogoe’s Stats had been transferred to him.
And he could also use her Skill.
This is insane.
Shock, disbelief, and overwhelming joy all tangled together.
Is this the power of a Hidden menu?
Simply by raising Sogoe, he received her Stats automatically.
It was the ultimate cheat—stacking with his own Hidden Skill and Regression synergy.
Adding fuel to the fire.
He already knew one person could never fight a Guild alone. He had been determined to gather comrades.
But the Party menu ignited that resolve like gasoline hitting a flame.
He erased the old list of potential recruits in his notebook. A new list filled his mind, burning bright.
“That aside… she’s sleeping soundly.”
The bright moonlight cooled the heat in his chest.
On the way back to the Rogue Guild, he felt the peaceful breathing of Sogoe, fast asleep on his back.
She had used a lot of stamina awakening her Hidden Class, and the day’s events had been too much for her small body.
Smirk.
“And she’s still holding onto the money bag?”
Even in sleep, her hand clutched it tightly. Typical Water Rat.
It was incredible that she could fall asleep on a stranger’s back while gripping her money. It showed just how exhausted she was.
Instead of heading to the Rogue Guild, he headed toward a nearby motel.
“Do you have any rooms?”
“Oh my goodness, no! What are you doing with such a young child!?”
“Is a monthly stay possible?”
“I said no! I won’t allow anything indecent! Not a monthly stay, not even consecutive nights!”
“It’s for the child.”
“…Just the child?”
“Yes. And nothing strange is happening. She’s my sister.”
“Oh—my apologies! Hehe. A monthly stay is 600,000 won, counting 20,000 per night.”
Since Sogoe would be the one staying, he didn’t haggle.
He added an extra 300,000 and handed over 900,000 won.
“Please look after her well.”
“Oh my~ such a handsome brother! Here’s the room key.”
As he took the key, the motel owner hurriedly tapped his arm.
“Wait—please come with me. Not because I suspect you, but the world is dangerous. I’m just being careful. Don’t take it the wrong way.”
He had chosen well.
Even after receiving extra money, she cared more for Sogoe’s safety than anything else.
He nodded silently, and she led him upstairs.
He laid Sogoe down and used the money bag as her pillow.
Before leaving, he told the owner,
“If anything happens, call me right here.”
“Oh my, thank you~ I’ll look after her like my own daughter.”
“Please do. I’ll return in the morning.”
Outside the motel, he felt relieved. Now that she was a party member—a family member—he couldn’t let her sleep outside without a home.
It cost more than expected, but it was worth it.
“Please take me to the Tower.”
Not the Rogue Guild.
The Tower.
= = =
He arrived at the Tower entrance.
The area bustled with people.
“Are you climbing? Want to join us?”
His recently boosted Stats had changed his appearance enough to attract attention. People who never would’ve approached him before now surrounded him.
“We have high-level members. Come with us.”
“We have a Healer. They don’t. Join us—you won’t regret it.”
“We’re clearing the 40th floor. Don’t waste time with low-Level teams. Come with us.”
How strong did he look for 40th-floor climbers to beg for him?
It was late, so solicitations grew desperate.
But who was Hyuk-min?
A veteran with forty years of Tower experience.
Far more experienced than anyone here.
He slipped through every attempt with methods only a seasoned climber would know, eventually standing alone at the entrance.
“Annoying.”
He already felt drained before even stepping inside.
“Ah—right.”
He stopped mid-step.
A thought he had forgotten resurfaced.
“Shadow Broker.”
He pulled out his phone and made a call.
[Hey! Bang Hyuk-min!]
Black Label Guild Master,
Hwang Ji-young.
“You’re sounding energetic. Did you have a nice time with your husband?”
[What!?]
“So, you saw me with that kid? For someone running an Information Guild, your intel is disappointing.”
[I knew. I just wanted to see if I could update my information.]
“Don’t bother.”
She was desperate for a weakness. He wouldn’t give her one.
[So? Calling to tell me where my daughter is?]
“You dream big. I don’t give intel for free.”
[What do you want?]
“I forgot until now, but I need to ask you something.”
[Why do I feel uneasy already?]
“If a Shadow Broker leaks someone’s purchase list to others, what happens?”
[A Shadow Broker…?]
“Yes.”
[Impossible.]
Correct.
In his past life, Hyuk-min had known the same.
But he had overheard something in Jang Han-bit’s mansion.
Park Jae-hyun of the Land Cleaning Guild clearly knew someone had bought a Transparency Scroll from a Shadow Broker.
He didn’t name Hyuk-min, but it was obvious the intel had leaked.
On top of that, he implied dealings with a Shadow Broker executive.
“That’s strange.”
[It’s illegal. A breach of contract.]
“What if the person who knows that intel is someone from the Information Guild?”
[Then it becomes serious. Very serious. Is this reliable? Or gossip?]
“Answer my question. What if it is the Information Guild?”
[Then the decades-long pact between the Shadow Brokers and Information Guild is broken.]
As expected.
Two dark organizations operating in separate territories.
They had to have an unspoken treaty.
Then—
What if this happened ten years earlier?
Before Black Label’s collapse?
Hwang Ji-young wouldn’t know. She hadn’t known this in his past life.
So Jang Han-bit and Park Jae-hyun… had joined hands with the Shadow Brokers to devour the Korean Information Guild?
His eyes widened.
So they were already eating away at Black Label from the inside… starting now?
Ten years early?
His gaze sharpened.
He hadn’t called just to warn her.
He called to get something with this intel.
But now that he knew, he couldn’t ignore it.
“If this is reliable, can you pressure the Shadow Brokers?”
[We control Seoul and other areas. They can’t ignore us.]
“Strong, aren’t you?”
[If not for your husband-and-daughter intel, making you disappear wouldn’t be hard.]
“Good. Crush them. The intel is real.”
[Wait—where did you hear this?]
“Jang Han-bit’s mansion. The person saying it was Park Jae-hyun, Guild Master of a new Information Guild called Land Cleaning. He talked about colluding with a Shadow Broker executive.”
[Land Cleaning? Never heard of it.]
You will.
A Guild that will one day devour Black Label.
“You don’t know anything, so you’re losing. Or is that Guild amazing?”
[What!?]
“Check it. If my intel’s correct, prepare compensation.”
This time, she didn’t brush it off.
Her husband and daughter weren’t involved—this was her true terrifying self.
[If it’s true, it’s serious. We’ll investigate. If accurate, you’ll get compensation.]
“I don’t need the badge.”
Silence.
Then disbelief.
[You—]
“Instead of the badge, after confirming the truth, bring me one thing. Just one. Compensation for the broken contract.”
[What are you—]
“I’ll text it.”
He hung up and immediately sent:
[Key of Hermes.]
Then he walked toward the Tower entrance.
“First, let’s cut off your legs.”
Hermes Sanctuary.
The sanctuary of monsters.
This time, he wasn’t letting it fall into Park Chung-ho’s hands.