The moon regained its natural glow. As the dark clouds finally parted, the rain tapered off too.

A light drizzle quietly soaked the pavement.

And the explosive sounds vividly echoed through the area.

There was no mercy to be found in Kang Hyeonseong or Yu Dahui’s hands.

The moment they appeared, they churned out corpses like a factory stamping out products.

“G-Gun…! Just kill me with a gun!”

Crunch-.

“Why bother? Waste of bullets?”

Kang Hyeonseong crumpled a skull barehanded like aluminum foil, while Yu Dahui provided dazzling support fire from the rear, leaving bullet holes in the enemies’ bodies.

Thwip- clang!

With her pistol, she nailed gangsters dead between the eyes from a full 30 meters away, pulling off one miracle shot after another.

And her reloads were so lightning-fast, you could’ve sworn she was using a submachine gun.

Lee Taebaek watched with utter disgust. It was hard to tell who was the hero and who was the villain in that scene.

“Wait! Hear me out!”

“Sorry. Can’t hear you over the rain.”

“It’s just a drizzle, you bullshit artist!”

Bang-!

“Gahk…”

…Hoo.

“Even a drizzle soaks your ears.”

“Bullshit! It’s not the ears, it’s the clothes—”

Thwip- clang!

Keurk- keh.

Yu Dahui blew on her gun barrel after every kill—fired, blew, repeated the needless ritual. Probably for style, he guessed.

“Ooh~ Headshot this time.”

“R-Run! It’s the madwoman!!”

She was a doctor by trade, yet she hummed along as she snuffed out the gangsters’ lives.

“If you think you can run faster than bullets, be my guest. Standing targets aren’t fun to shoot anyway.”

Lee Taebaek had pegged her as the quiet type, but with a gun in hand, she transformed into a tough femme fatale.

“Yeah, let’s take a break while we’re at it. Rest up.”

The utter psycho Fumito plopped down flat on his ass. He buried his back in the mud and sprawled out spread-eagled.

Meanwhile, Rock scurried about busily, gathering corpses for post-mortem clues.

A scene of thorough division of labor. Each member’s role was plain as day.

Lee Taebaek crept through the night shadows in a crab walk, heading for the bag stuffed with cash.

Money that deserved to be doused in oil and burned.

But as the saying goes.

Hate the sin, not the sinner.

People can change anytime.

Likewise, dirty money spent right could be reborn as clean money.

In short, it was all about how it was used. And I was the perfect candidate.

Lee Taebaek was forced to confiscate it. The grin tugging at his lips was just his imagination.

“…What the hell?”

His beaming eyes and smile wilted into a scowl. Anyone could see the disappointment.

The carrier that should have been bursting with cash bundles was empty. The bag that ought to hold 10 billion won sloshed with half-full rainwater like a buoy.

Someone swiped it already?

Damn it, no way.

In this hellscape, scraping up every last scrap without leaving a trace? That defied logic. Even a wuxia novel’s divine thief couldn’t pull it off.

Lee Taebaek had kept eyes on the carrier amid his fight with Haiyen. Even while butchering Lukaken Junior, one eye stayed on the money bag.

On this razor-thin ice where he couldn’t see a step ahead, he’d fixated on the cash. He’d literally risked his life for that one big score.

And yet.

“My money.”

All that hard work, poof—gone.

Sighing at the night sky, Lee Taebaek lowered his gaze. Still empty. What, water-soluble cash? He’d heard of combustible checks for security, but.

So how did he feel right now?

“Fuuu, ck, in, hell.”

His reflection spat the curse through gritted teeth. Peak Korean rage.

“My money!”

As he stared blankly at the carrier, a status window popped up out of nowhere.

The thief wasn’t human—it was the status window. Darkest under the lamp. He’d been robbed right under his nose with his eyes wide open.

Fine, he got it. Fixing a bug wipes remnants. Money spawned from it vanishing made sense.

Sure. Logical.

But.

“Snatch it without warning?”

A heads-up would’ve been nice. He’d still be pissed, but at least it wouldn’t cross the line.

Game systems were always so high-handed. GMs ignored players, did whatever at the end.

It felt more suffocating than the smokescreen had. He could feel his lungs burning from the inside.

Totally stone-cold bullshit.

He was about to unload a barrage of curses when the window added a belated defense.

Instead! 10 billion will be converted into reputation points.

The Chaos Goddess’s Favor begins to adjust.

“I’m too worn out to even be surprised anymore.”

Just a hollow laugh escaped. But funnier still—his sulky mood had lifted.

The evaporated cash returned as points. No clue what to spend on yet. An unknowable item for later.

One thing clear: Reputation Score wasn’t some piddly 10 billion equivalent. Money couldn’t measure it. His gut whispered as much.

The umbrella and sword in hand caught his eye.

He’d scored the biggest haul, Para Blade for free, yet hadn’t fully rejoiced. Plus EXP bonus, Operator Reputation on top.

Pouting over lost 10 billion when rewards overflowed? Shameless greed.

It hit him anew. In the Gaol, escape was all; out here, mere survival felt lacking deep down.

Humans were so fickle.

Bitter taste in his mouth. Countless obstacles awaited. As someone said, he’d painted a target on himself for multiple groups.

Money alone couldn’t fend off that storm.

Means to defend myself: authority, weapons, skills.

“…Buffs and nerfs, Para Blade, Bullet Time.”

Eyes shut, open. His hand moved.

Shrrk.

The thin blade melted into Para Blade’s shaft, the umbrella’s core. Cleanup done. He sheathed the edge.

Turning from the money bag, Lee Taebaek stepped away. Puddles formed in his footprints.

Para Blade slung over shoulder. Rain stopped. No need for umbrella.

Then.

Jangle.

With the clatter of a spent casing.

It was the dawn Lee Taebaek’s crew returned to base. After hearing Kang Hyeonseong’s report, the Commander-in-Chief urgently summoned the Battalion Commanders. The so-called Battalion Commanders’ meeting.

“Called you on short notice, but not bad turnout.”

The Commander-in-Chief stretched an arm, opening the floor. The sleeve fluttered.

“Thought of saving it for the regular meeting, but couldn’t wait. Too good to keep to myself. Hyeonseong brought back a real prize. You’re lucky.”

3rd Battalion Commander, 5th Battalion Commander, 8th Battalion Commander, 9th Battalion Commander. Four seated at the round table. Decent for a sudden call-up.

Including the Commander-in-Chief, five filled the edges unevenly.

Four in chairs; only 9th’s Kang Hyeonseong stood. A smug grin plastered his face. The others eyed him suspiciously—“What’s with that asshole?”—then looked away.

A hologram video hovered in 3D at the table’s center. Rock’s recording.

“That black hair… who the hell is that guy?!”

3rd Battalion Commander broke the silence, yelling with teacup to lips in shock.

“Impossible!! The ground craters where he steps—magic, sure, but why’s he so good up close?! Martial arts? A Murim fighter like me?”

“Where’s the martial arts in that? Seen a Murim guy charge through smokescreen? That’s assassination technique.”

5th Battalion Commander, the scholarly type, cut short the rambling. He adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.

“But too off for pure assassin. Agility screams assassin. Yet he didn’t get pushed much in arm-wrestle with that brute Haiyen.”

Prelims said Haiyen doped up for battle. That drug the secret sauce turning minor Triad into major gang.

“Haiyen lacked foundation, but had raw talent. Even sans weird drug pouches, he’d have made major leagues someday…”

5th trailed off.

“Beat drugged Haiyen. No edge lost in strength, dominated speed, even used magic(?).”

The weaselly-jawed explainer? 8th Battalion Commander Doctor Pepper, Kang Hyeonseong’s rival.

“Back from your Gaol vacation, and you reel in a keeper, Hyeonseong.”

Pepper spat enviously, jealousy boiling in his tone.

“Wasted rotting in 9th. How ’bout transferring to 8th?”

“Fuck off.”

Blunt refusal. Veins bulged on Pepper’s pale forehead. Kang Hyeonseong laughed.

“Stop scheming and finish opening that can, Sugar Water, you slimy prick.”

“Biting off more than you can chew brings trouble. Especially in your ragtag crew.”

“Says the 8th that digs dirt.”

Room heated up. Sparks flew across the table.

Clap-!

Head seat clapped.

“Glad to see such warm reunion. But business first.”

5th tested the Commander-in-Chief.

“Business?”

“You all seem smitten with Lee Taebaek. Rewarding squad members is Battalion Commander prerogative. Hyeonseong, what’s he doing now?”

“Probably sleeping. Sleeps a lot.”

“How about this: Till he wakes, commanders pitch reward proposals.”

“…?”

“He’s unaffiliated. Worked with 9th for enlistment screening, not official member.”

Commander-in-Chief propped chin on laced hands.

“He picks the winner. Fair, right?”

“Competing over a newbie?”

3rd’s eyes lit with interest. Commander-in-Chief shrugged nonchalantly.

“Told you—lucky. Absent commanders miss out.”

“Joking, right?”

“Everyone else looks serious.”

She scanned room quick. Heavy air. Before she continued, a hand shot up.

“I’ll go first.”

“…You? Why…?”

The Commander-in-Chief.

“Why? I’m a commander too.”

“That’s cheating—!”

An unprecedented bidding war began.