Chapter 23
I took Hyun-jung to the disaster prevention center in the basement of Homeplus.
“Huh? What are we doing here?”
I almost laughed.
She truly didn’t know the ways of the world.
Trying to buy a gun at a mart.
Cute, really.
“They don’t sell guns at marts. You can only buy them on the Black Market.”
“Really? Ah~”
To think this cute face and behavior had once been called a little monster—it was amazing no matter how I looked at her.
The door to the disaster prevention center opened.
“Come in.”
A different Shadow Broker from last time greeted us.
“Aren’t you going to check?”
“You are exempt from verification.”
Did I do something wrong?
A new Shadow Broker was skipping the formalities altogether.
Well, since they were offering, there was no need to insist. I led Hyun-jung inside.
Just like before, a floor door opened, and the Shadow Broker bowed deeply.
“Is there anything you desire?”
“What happened to the previous person?”
“It was confirmed that he was leaking information, so he was disposed of.”
They used the word disposed of for a person.
No need to see it—I understood immediately.
I nodded silently and looked into the wide, dark corridor.
“I came to buy a gun.”
“I will guide you.”
He turned on a lamp, climbed down the ladder, and walked through the dark passage.
A long corridor connected like an underground tunnel.
He opened one of the many doors marked with unknown symbols—and countless guns greeted us.
“Is there a specific type you’re looking for?”
“No. I’ll look around myself.”
There were thousands of guns. Literally thousands.
I wondered what kind of expression Hyun-jung would make.
“Hyun-jung…”
“Wow!”
As expected.
Her eyes widened like they might pop out.
Before I could even tell her she could go in, her small steps were already heading inside as if possessed.
“Can I go in?”
“Yes, you may.”
A space filled with thousands of firearms.
Heaven, for her.
Sure enough.
Hyun-jung wandered around, checking one gun, then another, exactly like a kid visiting an amusement park for the first time.
“Uncle! Look at this! How do you shoot this?”
“You do it like this.”
A genius was a genius.
She only knew pistols, yet after seeing how one type of automatic rifle worked, she immediately figured out all the others on her own.
“Wow!”
Her eyes were at maximum size, and she even wiped away drool with her sleeve.
‘I should bring her here often.’
Even I felt glad just watching her.
After everything she’d gone through, she deserved a little joy.
“Excuse me.”
I approached the Shadow Broker, took out some money, and handed it to him.
“Do you have any reserved customers today?”
“No, we do not.”
“It’ll take a while to choose. Is that alright?”
“Wow! What’s this!?”
Her excited voice echoed from deep inside the room.
Hyun-jung, hugging a gun and jumping up and down.
Cute enough to be dangerous.
Eating well, sleeping well, washing well—she had become radiant.
“It’s fine. I’m glad she’s enjoying herself.”
Maybe because of that, or maybe it was just my imagination, but even the expressionless Shadow Broker seemed to faintly smile.
Having received permission, I raised my voice.
“Take your time choosing. There’s plenty of time.”
“Yay~!”
With a soft smile, we quietly watched her run among the guns.
= = =
“Here you go.”
I paid the Shadow Broker.
While doing so, I naturally spotted Hyun-jung holding a gun two-thirds her size.
“Pfft.”
I laughed.
Her eyes sparkled like starlight while she inspected the gun from top to bottom.
“Hehehehe.”
Occasionally, a suspicious little giggle escaped her, but even that was cute.
“I’m glad you’re satisfied. Here are the magazines you requested and your change.”
The Shadow Broker had already filled the purchased bullets into spare magazines.
I stored them in my Inventory and pocketed the change.
“There are so many good guns. Why choose that one?”
It didn’t look like a good gun.
Old-fashioned, sturdy, simple.
No aiming assistance. A bolt-action sniper rifle.
But the Shadow Broker praised her choice.
“Most outstanding overseas gunners prefer such guns. It’s amazing that such a young customer has this eye.”
“Why?”
“The simpler the mechanism, the lower the chance of malfunction. The one she chose is intentionally stripped down. It’s a firearm only rankers use.”
“Huh? Rankers use that? The one that looks hard to aim?”
“You can correct your own flaws. Device flaws, however, can decide everything. It’s a gun that depends entirely on individual skill—so if your ability supports it, it’s exceptional.”
This Shadow Broker…
Even compared to the others I’d seen in my past life, he seemed the most professional.
His gaze was fixed on Hyun-jung, like he was looking at real talent.
‘A genius is a genius. She stands out anywhere.’
His tone made me smile unconsciously.
“She has a promising future. Thanks to her, I was able to refine my perspective. Thank you.”
“I’m the one who should be grateful.”
Why?
It felt good to hear her praised.
“Hyun-jung, let’s go.”
“Yes! Hehehe.”
She hugged the gun and followed behind.
As we reached the exit—
“Ah, I almost forgot. As compensation for the damage you previously received, our organization will provide one item you need, free of charge. Is there anything you desire?” ( T/N : I kinda forgot what happened. Been translating and proofreading this series in a span of a week with other series in between. )
“I received the Key of Hermes, though?”
“Although unexpected, it concerns the dignity of our organization. So we will add one more reward. On the condition of strict confidentiality.”
The Shadow Broker organization—holders of countless rare items.
‘Looks like I’ll benefit from Jang Han-bit and the Land Cleaning Guild after all.’
An unexpected gain, but I shook my head.
“Not yet. I’ll tell you later. I’ll keep the secret.”
“Then we will hold it. Goodbye.”
“Okay.”
Maybe in a year or two.
Nothing they currently had was what I needed—but I would need something within two years.
And now, I could get it without issue.
I tried to hide it, but I couldn’t suppress the grin.
On the way out:
“Hehehehe.”
“Good. Very good.”
She was in an excellent mood.
Drooling while looking at the gun…
And me, grinning at the sky for entirely different reasons.
“What’s wrong with those people? Are they crazy?”
“They’re looking over here. Let’s avoid them.”
The two of us, each enjoying our own strange happiness, caused people to subtly avoid us until we reached the Rogue Guild.
= = =
“Oh, there’s a record-breaking amount today.”
At the Rogue Guild, I emptied out all the Magic Stones I’d collected.
It was so much that the employee panicked.
I handed him 200,000 won out of apology.
“It’s okay if a little is missing. Please.”
“No, I can’t do that. Please wait a moment.”
It looked like it would take time.
“Hehehehe.”
I glanced at Hyun-jung, hearing her unsettling little laugh again.
She was stroking her new gun, sleeve damp from drool.
“Did you forget how to swallow?”
“Ah! No, I just imagine myself shooting this gun, so I unconsciously… I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Just one gun made her this happy.
More than that, making her wait indefinitely would be torture.
‘Since it’ll take a while anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to let her try it out.’
I wanted to see how well she’d handle it, too.
I called an employee.
“Employee.”
“Yes.”
I took out a magazine.
“There’s a shooting range on the 3rd floor for zeroing, right?”
“Yes…? How did you—”
“I know it’s employees only. Can I use it now?”
“I need to check if it’s empty—it’ll take time…”
“It’s empty. What’s wrong with you? It hasn’t been used in ages. Stop pretending procedures matter.”
The employee frowned.
Everything I said was true.
Procedures existed, but employees could ignore them at will.
“Here. This is the procedure, and this is discretion.”
I handed him two 50,000-won bills.
“What are you doing? Bring the key. I’ll put it back properly later.”
“I can’t…”
“Hurry.”
He said he couldn’t—but pocketed the 100,000 won and brought the key.
“Thanks.”
“Leave it on top when you’re done. I’ll take care of it.”
“You could’ve just said that from the start. Why make it difficult?”
I knew the Rogue Guild better than its current employees.
He wasn’t refusing—just lazy.
As long as no injury occurred, nothing would happen.
“Hyun-jung.”
I handed her the key and a magazine.
“Ooh!!”
Her eyes sparkled instantly.
“Go shoot it. Come back if you need more. But only 50 rounds. Save them.”
“Yes! Uncle! Yay!!”
She ran like she’d been handed arcade money.
I snorted, watching her dash with excitement.
“Can she handle it well?”
I’d imagined it countless times.
The sight of a little monster tearing through targets with a big gun—like Sogoe in my past life.
Anyway.
“Now, how do I kill time?”
I bought a vending machine coffee and took out a notebook to review my plans.
Just as I was about to sip—
Thud!
Bang! Swish.
I felt something hit my foot.
Thinking someone was fighting, I looked down casually.
“…”
Tremble. Tremble.
My mind froze.
Hyun-jung collapsed at my feet, hugging her gun tightly.
‘Huh…?’
Just moments ago, she’d happily run off to test her gun.
So why was she trembling like this?
“Kyahahahaha!”
Laughter echoed nearby, but I didn’t hear it.
My eyes were glued only to—
Hyun-jung, picking herself up and retreating in fear.
More precisely—to the blood between her cracked lips.
That red color wiped out every other sensation.
“Strike~”
My head creaked as I turned.
A man saying “strike,” a woman laughing beside him, and a group giggling behind them.
“Watch closely. I can throw it even further.”
One of them walked past me and grabbed Hyun-jung’s collar.
“I almost didn’t recognize you. Just wait, I’ll play with you as much as last time. Hehehe.”
As he was about to drag her away—
Crack!
My fist shattered his arm.
“Ugh—Ughaaaaack!!”
He rolled on the floor clutching the twisted limb.
Something brushed my foot.
My murderous gaze dropped—
And I saw Hyun-jung.
Only then did she burst into tears.
“U-Uncle…”
She tried to hold it in, but instead of stars, huge tears poured from the eyes that had sparkled moments earlier.
Her sobs broke apart like coughs.
And when her falling tears washed over the blood on her lips—
“You sons of bitches!!!”
My enraged eyes locked onto the group.