ushernet Chapter 40
Chapter 40
“Choi Jiwoo Hunter...?”
An unexpected appearance.
Kang Hyunsoo tilted his head in confusion.
Meeting Choi Jiwoo at the hunting grounds was surprising enough, but what stood out more was her apparent urgency in finding him.
His instinct was correct.
“What’s the matter?”
“I have something to deliver to you, Kang Hyunsoo Hunter.”
“To me? Hmm... is this about the investigation? You could’ve just called me on my phone.”
When they met at the Daechi Station hunting grounds, Choi Jiwoo had informed him that she would set up a date for questioning and let him know.
This was about investigating the masked hunters he had dealt with in the dungeon. After Jin Seyoon’s testimony, the Hunter Bureau deemed an inquiry necessary to clarify the details.
They had also mentioned the possibility of reassessing his rank during the process.
While Jin Seyoon had assured him she would take care of things, the investigation itself was unavoidable.
Thus, Hyunsoo had been waiting for the Bureau’s call—but now, Choi Jiwoo had come to him directly.
However, her purpose this time wasn’t about the investigation.
“No, this isn’t about that. We’ve found clues about the masked hunters.”
“...Clues about those guys?”
“Yes. It’s urgent. I tried contacting you, but the signal wouldn’t go through because you were inside a dungeon. So I checked the Hunter Bureau’s records on dungeon entries and came here.”
Hearing this, Hyunsoo’s eyes narrowed.
The masked hunters had used purple auras—a detail that might connect them to Seo Ji-eun or Choi Tae-hoon.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, he focused on Choi Jiwoo’s words.
She scanned their surroundings carefully before continuing.
“Did any intruders enter during your raid?”
“No, there were none. I was alone.”
“That’s a relief. These people belong to an extremist group, so I was worried they might target you again.”
“An extremist group? What kind...?”
“Have you ever heard of Babylon?”
Babylon.
The unfamiliar name made Hyunsoo pause, lost in thought.
But...
“No, I’ve never heard of them.”
It was a name foreign to him.
For a moment, he wondered if it might have slipped his memory from his past life, but it didn’t seem so.
Even Swallow, flying invisibly beside him, chimed in telepathically.
“This is new to me too, Master. It seems Babylon wasn’t a group you encountered in your previous life.”
‘What’s going on? A group I’ve never heard of... and none of this happened in my past life either.’
Hyunsoo furrowed his brows.
Not only was Babylon unfamiliar, but Choi Jiwoo coming all the way to Bucheon Station hunting grounds to find him was also unprecedented.
Clearly, the current circumstances were veering into unpredictable territory—and her words only deepened the mystery.
“Babylon operates in secrecy and works from the shadows, so it’s natural you wouldn’t know about them. They pursue power relentlessly and will do anything to get stronger—no matter how cruel or unethical. They’re so elusive that even the Hunter Bureau, after years of covert investigations, hasn’t managed to find solid leads.”
“They sound serious.”
“They are. They aren’t widely known, but those who are aware of them fear them deeply. Babylon is suspected of being behind numerous acts of terrorism and assassination around the world.”
Terrorism and assassination.
Hyunsoo had largely ignored societal affairs in his previous life, focusing on leveling up and completing swordsmanship quests. Still, he had heard rumors of hunters committing heinous crimes.
This sounded like one of those groups.
Choi Jiwoo’s expression grew graver as she continued.
But she didn’t get to finish.
“They summon portals of violet energy and can move freely through them...”
“Whew, great job, everyone!”
“Not bad at all. Let’s grab some food. What do you all want?”
“How about pork belly, Team Leader?”
“Perfect. Let’s go—I’m buying!”
She was interrupted by a group of hunters passing by, fresh from their own raid.
They looked like ordinary hunters, not connected to Babylon, but the tense situation made it hard not to be on edge.
This unexpected twist in his plans was frustrating, but at least he had a clear alternative.
“I understand. In that case... please take this.”
Seeing his reluctance, Jiwoo reached into her pocket and handed him a small item.
It was compact enough to fit in one hand, but as soon as Hyunsoo examined its stats...
“What is this...?”
His eyes widened in disbelief.
The item Jiwoo handed him wasn’t just useful for dealing with Babylon—it was something capable of confronting even greater threats.
***
Chirp, chirp—chirp, chirp.
Dawn broke over the city, ushering in an early morning filled with soft light.
At Jaewon University, located in Seoul's Jung-gu district, a man was sweeping leaves from the sidewalk with a long broom.
Dressed in a pristine suit with hair neatly waxed and styled, the man’s appearance seemed at odds with his task.
Yet, to the students, the sight was far from unusual.
Two female students, caps pulled low, approached the gate as they made their way to class.
“Oh, look! It’s the President. He’s here again today.”
“Good morning, President! Have a great day!”
Recognizing the man, they gave a polite bow and greeted him warmly.
The man sweeping the leaves was none other than the president of Jaewon University, the highest-ranking figure on campus.
Despite looking to be in his late 30s—almost too young for such a position—he smiled naturally, flashing perfect white teeth as he waved back.
“Haha, good morning! Enjoy your classes, everyone.”
A simple, friendly greeting.
But as soon as the students walked past him, their reactions became noticeably different.
“Eeeek! Did you see that? He’s so handsome!”
“How is it even possible to look like that in the morning? I guess being a former actor really does make a difference.”
The once-composed young women were now giggling, hands clasped over their mouths in excitement.
The reason was simple:
Ji Wonhoon, former actor-turned-hunter, now served as the president of Jaewon University, an institution dedicated to helping ordinary people awaken their potential. His youthful good looks, honed during his acting days, made him an object of admiration.
Though he was actually in his late 40s, his appearance was so striking that most mistook him for someone in his 30s.
“Heh, it’s nice to see such bright energy in the morning.”
Ji Wonhoon chuckled softly as he watched the young women walk away.
His amusement, however, was short-lived.
Rustle!
The sound of movement came from the large tree behind him, and the smile quickly vanished from his face.
In a low voice, he spoke.
“Report.”
Though his words seemed to be directed at no one, a faint voice responded from the foliage above.
“This is an interim report on the 14th Reconnaissance Team massacre. We’ve been gathering information through an informant embedded in the Hunter Bureau, but breaching their security has proven challenging. All we’ve managed to confirm is that the 14th Team’s target was a hunter from the Samcheon Guild, and their raid party included a last-minute mercenary hire.”
“A mercenary?”
“Yes, someone they brought on the same day to fill a gap in their roster. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to identify this individual. Shall we dig deeper?”
The conversation flowed naturally, but Ji Wonhoon never once glanced at the tree above him.
Instead, he resumed sweeping the leaves from the sidewalk as though he were merely talking to himself.
“No need. A mercenary willing to enter a D-rank dungeon is unlikely to have a level exceeding 200. They’re a small fry—of no value to us.”
The words, delivered in a chillingly calm tone, seemed to freeze the very air around him.
But the tension quickly dissipated.
“Whoa, he’s wearing a suit today!”
“Seriously, the university’s perks are amazing. Where else can you see someone who looks like that every morning?”
“Good morning, President!”
“Haha, good morning! Have a great day!”
Ji Wonhoon’s smile returned as more students passed through the gate, calling out cheerful greetings.
Amid the growing influx of students, the conversation about the massacre had to be cut short.
“That incident is no longer of concern. Instead....”
Waving to the students, Ji Wonhoon issued a quiet command through ventriloquism.
“Proceed with the next phase of the plan.”